Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time

Yangyang was just a relay station away from Wuchang.

Their return was swift. The group, dressed in blue, black, and accented with purple, rode nonstop to reach the main fortress of Yangyang's Desolate Fortress.

It was an exhilarating speed. Only Namgoong Hwashin, who had been struck down by Ak Surim and had just regained consciousness, seemed unwell.

"I'll handle the mission report. Along with Senior Ak."

Jung Yeonshin said to him, a small gesture of consideration. White Qilin Namgoong Hwashin had achieved nothing at his own family's home.

It was a miserable situation. He must have endured great turmoil until they reached Clear Night Valley, the site of the duel.

"...Thank you, Young Hero Jung."

Namgoong Hwashin nodded and turned away. The hem of his blue robe hung limply, trailing behind his tall frame.

He looked as if he would collapse straight into the guest quarters of Obeying Heaven Squad.

Jung Yeonshin gazed at him quietly. What must he be feeling? It was hard to fathom.

"That was the best option."

Ak Surim, standing beside the boy, remarked casually.

"The leader of Azure Sky Sword Heaven Squad isn't someone a rising generation can handle. He's in the black-tiered realm, comparable to the Plum Blossom Sword Masters' leader. Whether it was you or Namgoong Hwashin, either one would've died the moment the swords clashed. Neither of you would've lasted a few moves. You had a valid excuse to back out, but to save Namgoong Hwashin, force was the only option."

She referred to the incident where she knocked Namgoong Hwashin unconscious just before the duel.

Jung Yeonshin agreed.

"I don't blame you, Senior Ak. At least, I don't."

He replied.

"It's just… Namgoong Hwashin seems to think dying there would've been better."

The boy's gaze lingered on Namgoong Hwashin's retreating figure. They had bonded through sparring and a joint mission.

Perhaps it was sympathy for his unfortunate family situation. It was hard to let go of the connection forged through shared hardship.

"Hmm."

Ak Surim closed her lips, finding no words to refute his statement.

"Yeonshin."

A voice, aged but still commanding, rang out. It was his grandfather, Ma Yeonjeok.

He paid no mind to Namgoong Hwashin, focusing solely on his grandson as he spoke.

"I know Se-in's mother wronged you. It happened just before this mission. I couldn't make her apologize in time due to the chaos. Please visit the annex of the Ma family's main residence. The family will welcome you with sincerity."

His words reminded Jung Yeonshin of Zhu Yeon-jeong, who was said to be of royal lineage.

She was the mother of Ma Se-in, heir to the Desolate Ma clan, and had tried to win over Jung Yeonshin, who carried Ma's blood.

Now, however, he felt no emotion about it. If anything, that incident had helped him open up to Heon Wonchang, Baek Miryeo, and Chung Myung.

"There's no need."

As Jung Yeonshin began to shake his head, Ma Yeonjeok's stern expression crumbled, replaced by a look of urgency.

"I understand your concern. You fear the Ma family might trap you in its obligations. I swear that won't happen. Consider it the remorse of a foolish old man who severed ties with his daughter, your mother. Everything… is my failure."

"Oh, I see."

Ak Surim nodded knowingly.

Ma Yeonjeok shot her a sharp glare, silently demanding she stay out of family matters, but she returned his gaze with disdain.

"No wonder he's absent from the Ma clan. To think he's this kind of child."

"Silence, brat. How dare an outsider meddle in family affairs?"

"You're still foul-mouthed, old man. Are your skills as sharp as before? You were terrifying as the leader of the Divine Sword Sect, but now you seem manageable."

"Do you have a death wish?"

"Isn't it you who's struggling with age? Maybe I should consider ascending to the purple-rank. I wonder if the Administration would approve of me beating up a frail old man."

Ak Surim's lips curved into a sly smile as her hand reached for the spear strapped to her back.

"I'll take my leave first."

Jung Yeonshin shifted his feet calmly. His deliberate movements suggested he had no intention of lingering.

The tension between the two martial masters, clad in black and purple, eased instantly.

Before a much younger peer, they had made a spectacle of themselves.

"I'll consider your request, Grandfather."

Jung Yeonshin cupped his hands respectfully.

Ma Yeonjeok, his face flushed with embarrassment, nodded. His struggles to maintain peak martial prowess were apparent.

It was said that orthodox martial arts, which polished both mind and body, advanced slowly but steadily.

Veteran masters of the Nine Great Sects likely achieved profound mental discipline.

"…Thank you."

Ma Yeonjeok bowed his head, unaware of what his grandson was truly thinking.

"What a shame."

Ak Surim, ever provocative, muttered as the boy finally turned and walked away.

She grinned and followed him as Jung Yeonshin headed to the General Affairs Bureau with Ak Surim. They wasted no time.

At the entrance of the main office, a man in a brown robe greeted them.

He had a thick black beard and a robust build—Lin Jinming.

He was the Chief Administrator of Desolate Fortress, and his hearty smile resembled that of a bandit.

"I heard of your victory. Our Lord's direct disciple has made great contributions. I've been eagerly awaiting you."

"You're addressing a blue-rank with honorifics? You haven't changed a bit, Chief Administrator."

Ak Surim seemed familiar with him, unsurprisingly.

Jung Yeonshin and Ak Surim were quickly escorted to a side room in the General Affairs Bureau, the same place where Jung Yeonshin had previously discussed achievements with the Chief Administrator.

The three sat around a bare table, with no teacups in sight. The urgency of the situation was clear. Only the faint scent of ink lingered in the air.

Thud!

The Chief Administrator sat heavily and immediately mentioned the Elder Council Leader.

"Senior Ak, I received a letter just now. It says the Elder Council Leader has not joined us. Rumors say he disappeared while tracking Blood Flame Cult's Apostle. Is this true?"

The safety of a purple-rank martial master was indeed important, but not decisive.

The ambiguity arose from his status. His unparalleled skills made worrying about his safety seem absurd.

"So, he didn't return to the fortress first."

Both the Chief Administrator and Ak Surim sounded uncertain. They couldn't decide whether to take the matter seriously or dismiss it as the whim of an eccentric master.

"He's always been free-spirited. Perhaps he's enjoying a rare excursion…"

The Chief Administrator's words were met with a shake of the head from Ak Surim.

"Not likely. If that were the case, he would've at least sent a carrier pigeon. Something feels off."

Jung Yeonshin remained silent, believing it was not his place to speak as a blue-rank.

"You may be right. We'll have to send a tracking party. Our manpower shortage is worrying, though."

The Chief Administrator immediately retrieved paper from a drawer, dipped his brush in ink, and began writing.

Ak Surim, observing him, spoke again.

"A power vacuum is dangerous. If the heads of major sects make a move, it'll be trouble, especially the Thirteen Heavens."

"As long as we keep it quiet, we can manage."

Jung Yeonshin agreed internally with the Chief Administrator's words.

The strength of Desolate Fortress didn't rely solely on a handful of purple-rank masters. Their role was more symbolic or for assassinations.

The true force lay in the seventeen divisions of the Divine Sword Squad.

The Chief Administrator, with a visibly weary expression, emphasized once more.

Ak Surim, smiling faintly, parted her lips.

"Yeonshin, I'll drop by the Radiant Demon Squad Pavilion soon. I plan to laze around a bit before heading out."

"Yes, please guide me when you do."

It wasn't something to refuse. Jung Yeonshin decided to look forward to the visit of the black-rank master as well.

"Alright."

He rose, bowed respectfully, and left the annex.

At that moment, several people approached the boy.

They were scribes from the Bureau, who had already formed favorable impressions of him, each rising to greet him.

"Young Hero Jung, your name precedes you!"

"They say you defeated the young master of the Namgoong clan! Aren't you now the official rising star of the fortress?"

"You'll have many missions ahead in various fields."

Jung Yeonshin exchanged courtesies with each of them—individuals who might someday hold influence over personnel decisions. Only then did he feel at ease leaving theBureau.

Step.

The ground underfoot felt soft. Was it because of last night's rain?

'Time flies.'

It was already midsummer.

Whoosh.

Suddenly, a clear breeze swept across the softened earth, brushing past the hair of the dazed boy.

It was as if it mirrored his thoughts—an underlying fear of the three and a half years he had left to live.

'By any chance… I could've died.'

The Azure Qilin was strong. The Namgoong clan leader was formidable.

And the leader of the Divine Sword Squad was supreme. The word 'noble' seemed fitting—even while coughing up blood.

The boy always had to let go of useless emotions, carried away by the wind.

He feared the primal terror that would grip him if he failed to do so. That was what survival required in the turbulent martial world.

His calm demeanor and disposition were carefully crafted. It was his sword—a state of mind honed to win every battle.

"...."

Jung Yeonshin stood still for a moment, lost in thought. A boy from Xinye County had to do so to survive in the heart of the martial world.

Thus, this mission came to a close.

Once again, the lukewarm summer breeze lifted the hem of his robe. It seemed to whisper silently.

You survived this time too, earning rightful merits and stepping forward once more in life.

After a brief silence, the boy agreed.

* * *

Jung Yeonshin was heading toward the Radiant Demon Squad when he arrived at the pavilion.

"Brother Jung!"

"Senior Lightning Genius!"

Several people poured out of the pavilion, which even adorned its ridge with elegant decorations.

Most of them were young. Boys and girls.

Among the dozen or so, only a few youthful adults were scattered throughout.

"They say you beat the young master of the Namgoong clan? Tell us all about it!"

"No, let him rest first."

The way they tugged at the hem of Jung Yeonshin's blue robe and chatted warmly was endearing.

They were the trainee warriors of the Radiant Demon Squad.

While the martial artists of Desolate Fortress were ranked by the hierarchy of white, blue, black, and purple ranks, they were not the only combatants of the fortress.

Those dressed in colorful martial uniforms represented the upper ranks of the martial world.

Even white-tier warriors under the Divine Sword Squad were beyond the reach of common vagrants.

Yet, there were also those without colors—referred to as nameless disciples.

"Brother, teach me Infinite Blossom Fist Strike! I read the manual, but I don't get it. The grumpy scribe said I can't see it again."

"No, I asked first! Radiance Sword Style! Just show it to us once!"

The strength of the hands pulling at his robe wasn't insignificant. The clamor was intense.

They had always liked Jung Yeonshin, but this time, their enthusiasm felt stronger.

'My personal martial arts.'

They were referring to Infinite Blossom Fist Strike and Radiance Sword Style. Techniques he had decided to pass down for merit—and to ensure he could counter any potential counters to them, had proven effective.

It was then.

"Senior Lightning Genius."

A hesitant voice called out. A girl dressed in a white robe, draped like a bowstring, approached.

Her unusually light and fluid steps hinted at her mastery of advanced footwork.

It was Shin So-bin, a martial artist from the Shin clan of Desolate Fortress. She had joined as Jung Yeonshin's junior.

A precious daughter of a noble family, her assignment to Radiant Demon Squad had once drawn attention.

"Congratulations on your mission success."

"Shin So-bin."

Jung Yeonshin gave her a slight nod. A faint smile briefly touched Shin So-bin's lips before disappearing.

"I'm practicing Infinite Blossom Fist Strike too. I think I've made decent progress up to the third form. The principles of the technique are really innovative. Thank you for letting us learn such a refined martial art."

"Congratulations."

The boy offered his praise.

Shin So-bin cautiously observed his calm face.

"Um, may I ask… when will you teach the fourth form? The sequence seems to continue naturally from there."

Her expression showed sincere longing.

'She's referring to Radiant River.'

It seemed her main concern was that. Jung Yeonshin unconsciously recalled Namgoong Se-jin's face.

The look of someone who spoke of crossing the River of Three Paths with a smile, whose eyes focused solely on him, whose spirit sought freedom even at the end…

"That one, I won't be passing down."

The boy replied without hesitation.