Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time-Chapter 426: Exhausted (7)

The hazy moonlight seeped into the silence.

A banquet hall lined with precious lanterns.

It had been quiet ever since the Pang Family Head set foot inside, but the appearance of Ipwang Fortress’s Violet Rank cloaked the space in an ice-cold stillness. No one spoke a word.

It was a matter of indifference to Jeong Yeon-shin.

The presence of these so-called famous figures from the orthodox martial world meant little to him compared to the years he had spent training Shin So-bin.

—How did you do that? What kind of movement technique is that?

—As your mastery increases, your internal energy circulation becomes incredibly fast. What was your mindset when you created it? Lord Danju, you never even go to the latrine, do you? Since you’ve mastered the Grand Celestial Circulation. Huh? You go when you’re on missions, but at least teach me this! I’m joking!

Jeong Yeon-shin was taller than the Pang Family Head. From his vantage, he could clearly see Shin So-bin’s exposed ear beneath the grip of the large hand clutching her by the nape.

She did not tremble. True to the martial lineage of Ma Gwang-ik, she had the composure of a warrior. But if the Pang Family Head so desired, her life could be snuffed out in an instant.

‘Bastard.’

A blue spark of lightning flickered in his eyes—the Heavenly Sight Technique, rising alongside his violent fury.

At that moment, Jeong Yeon-shin’s vision beheld not the broad back of a middle-aged man clad in an opulent golden robe but the formless ripples of the Pang Family Head’s ki waves, stretching outward in hundreds of concentric, achromatic rings.

It was thick. Unbelievably dense. Beyond anything else present in this banquet hall.

This was not an opponent who could be taken lightly. One misstep, and he could be cut down before he even broke through a fraction of the odds against him.

Yet Jeong Yeon-shin paid it no mind and reached for the back of the Pang Family Head’s neck.

In that instant, the secret flow of the Timeless Bloom Art coursed through his forearm like a spark of celestial energy. His right hand surged forward, racing against the falling moonlight.

Space fractured like a split marsh, torn apart in a fleeting moment.

Sssk.

His palm clasped the Pang Family Head’s nape with ease.

It felt as if he were gripping an invisible barrier of water—undoubtedly, the defensive ki of the Pang Family’s secret art. The swirling energy beneath his touch was profoundly unpleasant.

“...!”

The sensation of alarm burrowed into his grasp.

Not just from the Pang Family Head.

A wave of stunned gasps from the gathered warriors swept over the hall like a breeze prickling his skin.

A cascade of sharp, unsteady breaths shattered the silence. And in the brief interval that followed, countless voices erupted all at once, # Nоvеlight # their words jarring Jeong Yeon-shin’s ears.

“Ipwang Fortress... Violet Rank?”

“What in the world just happened?”

“We must aid the Family Head—!”

“Stop! Do you not understand the implications of this?”

Jeong Yeon-shin stamped his foot.

Boom!

A translucent shockwave rippled outward in a perfect circle. The heavy impact sent tables and liquor cups rattling violently, dust blooming in disorderly plumes.

The crowd fell silent.

Conversely, Jeong Yeon-shin slowly parted his lips.

"You’re too noisy."

It was not an outburst.

Merely a reminder. A reminder of the rank of Violet.

He understood that these people were not at fault.

How many across the world could restrain the Eight Family Heads? Aside from the leaders of the grand sects, only a select few.

Thus, what was permitted to the crumbs of the martial world was merely to watch helplessly as Ma Gwang-ik’s disciple, Shin So-bin—an inheritor of the teachings of Ipwang Fortress’s Seomye—was subdued by this Pang Family Head.

‘Dust.’

Jeong Yeon-shin lowered his gaze slightly.

A cold blade rested against his side. The moment his Golden Thread Palm had extended, the Pang Family Head had unsheathed his weapon in a flash and placed it at his waist.

Even without turning around, he recognized it instantly—the Hungheul Divine Blade, a legendary weapon with a fearsome reputation across the martial world.

The Pang Family Head held it backward in his grasp, without even glancing behind him.

It radiated the presence of a master.

“...I know you well.”

A deep voice emerged.

“The blood of a rogue hero... Your temperament is just as impulsive as the rumors suggest.”

The Pang Family Head’s words sent a ripple through the night air—a subtle pulse of internal energy embedded in his voice.

A mastery of vocal martial arts, the hallmark of warriors accustomed to standing before great crowds.

But Jeong Yeon-shin’s expression remained unchanged.

There was no need to react to something so far from the truth.

What mattered was the man still gripping Shin So-bin’s nape.

"Pang Family Head, you seem to be under the illusion that this place belongs to the Pang Household."

His lips moved slowly.

"Is this a declaration of war against the fortress?"

Words that could not be spoken by anyone who did not represent Ipwang Fortress in full.

But the robe he now wore was no longer black.

"Your words are excessive. This does not warrant invoking a sect-wide conflict."

The absolute ruler of the Pang Family spoke, his tone one of placation. Jeong Yeon-shin did not even bother to scoff.

“Pang Family Head. Let go.”

“Would it not be wiser for you to release your hand first? No matter how high your rank, to disregard your elders so openly... You have benefited from my household’s generosity, after all.”

“...Generosity?”

“Surely you are aware that your ascension to Violet Rank was made possible through our family’s contributions.”

There was no hesitation in his voice.

He truly believed it.

His tone was that of a man who gave expecting something in return—the lord of a noble house who saw himself as royalty within his own domain.

Without turning, the Pang Family Head simply tilted his chin.

“In any case, what a shame this has become.”

“You should hold your tongue.”

“Had it not been for your interference, we would not have had to hear the whistling of the Singeom Leader from Ho-gwang... What a pity.”

The whistle from Ho-gwang—the unmistakable sound of Yong Hui-myeong, leader of the Divine Sword Sect.

A provocation.

“Your mouth is stacking up karma.”

Jeong Yeon-shin’s response was calm.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

From the moment he saw Shin So-bin’s life hanging by a thread, his Baekhoe Point had turned white.

If anything, it was the surrounding warriors who were repeatedly shocked beyond belief.

The Pang Family Head was being insulted.

Yet the man himself remained indifferent, speaking evenly.

“I will count to three. Then, we shall release her together.”

An offer that could not be refused.

Not by Jeong Yeon-shin.

Not when the life of Seomye’s foremost disciple was on the line.

***

The Fire Dragon and Hyeon Won-chang

Hyeon Won-chang and Tae Yeom-ryong stood approximately twenty paces away from their lord.

Close enough to be caught in the wake of the power radiating from the strongest fighters, yet at a safe enough distance to leap in if necessary.

"That robe... it's the same color as the Divine Sword Sect Leader’s."

"It appears violet to my eyes as well. But depending on the angle, it shifts between orange, crimson, and deep purple... Even its material is the same. How mysterious..."

"Hah."

"So it’s finally...!"

Hyeon Won-chang clenched his fist tightly.

Tae Yeom-ryong, rarely given to exclamations, remained silent for a moment. His fingers idly brushed against the half-drawn flower in his sleeve.

A poppy blossom. A short-lived species, rarely lasting beyond two years.

Jeong Yeon-shin had donned the violet robe at the very moment when the seed of the flower, born alongside his initiation, had begun to wither.

"So it's real."

Tae Yeom-ryong murmured.

But for now, that was the limit of what he and Hyeon Won-chang could openly express.

They took slow, steady breaths and observed as Shin So-bin was freed from the grasp of the Pang Family Head.

Then, as if their concern for her had dissipated, they turned their focus entirely to the sight of the Pang Family Head pivoting to face Jeong Yeon-shin.

The two greatest martial masters now stood across from each other.

The air grew taut. The moment bristled with tension.

It was the Pang Family Head who spoke first.

"Let us leave it here for today. This is a Sect War, after all. Formalities must be observed. Even the official battle pairings have yet to be announced."

"The first duel will be fought between Ipwang Fortress and the Pang Family. I was merely confirming that fact."

Jeong Yeon-shin's cold voice cut through the air.

Hyeon Won-chang and Tae Yeom-ryong felt something in their lord that they had never sensed before—a rigid intensity.

The kind of fury that only a sect leader would bear.

"Ah."

The Pang Family Head chuckled.

"Yes, you were the one who started all of this. A nuisance that must eventually be dealt with. However, there is an order to these matters. My family is not yet fully prepared, so as the Head of the House, I formally request an official duel at a later time. And as the Pang Family Head, I offer my deepest apologies for any offense committed against the warriors of Ipwang Fortress."

He was avoiding immediate conflict.

With so many witnesses present, as long as he upheld formalities, launching into an unrestrained battle would be difficult.

The tact he displayed was overwhelming—even against the unyielding presence of Jeong Yeon-shin.

Meanwhile, the Pang Family Head’s gaze never stopped scrutinizing Jeong Yeon-shin.

The dim glow of his eyes left faint trails of light as they moved.

"That bastard..."

Tae Yeom-ryong, once the Crown Prince of the Hwangbo Family, was well-versed in the ways of the martial world.

He immediately understood what the Pang Family Head was attempting.

"He’s delaying the duel to use the Celestial Bone Shifting Art."

"The Celestial Bone Shifting Art?"

Hyeon Won-chang echoed, absentmindedly patting Shin So-bin’s shoulder as she rejoined them.

None of them bothered asking if she was all right.

Tae Yeom-ryong simply crossed his arms.

"Ever since the era of the Ghostly Tyrant King, the Pang Family has drastically changed. It’s all thanks to their secret technique—an advanced form of the Bone Compression Art.

"They can freely manipulate their own bodies.

"Adjusting pressure points, muscles, even limbs—to match the physique of their opponent.

"A bizarre lineage, wouldn’t you say?"

"Then...?"

"He’s already studied our lord up close. He’s going to take full advantage of it."

"By the time the official duel begins, he’ll have reshaped his body into the perfect counter for our lord’s techniques. I have no idea what that would even look like..."

"So he’s stalling for time. Avoiding a fight now, only to engage in a battle to the death later."

Hyeon Won-chang’s brows furrowed.

He had read the Pang Family Head’s intent in an instant.

Observing Jeong Yeon-shin with the keen eye of a supreme martial master, postponing the fight, and returning only when fully optimized for the kill.

A classic clan strategy—securing every possible advantage before striking.

A death match.

He planned to kill Jeong Yeon-shin.

Not now.

But only after the entire Pang Family's martial expertise had been reconfigured to counter him.

"Looks like it's time for a sharp tongue."

A figure stepped forward.

Ipwang Fortress’s Great Martial Hero.

It had been too long since he had spoken freely.

Ma Gwang-ik’s Grand Snowblade excelled in situations like this.

But then—

"What is your mother’s name?"

"What?"

"Was it Pang Yeol-ran, the Ghostly Tyrant King?"

"A criminal who murdered Suncheon Ik-ju?"

Jeong Yeon-shin’s voice was low and deliberate.

His sharp gaze bore down on the Pang Family Head, who stood gripping his massive sword in a reverse grip.

For the first time, an expression flickered across the Pang Family Head’s face.

"Sichuan... The Shadow King of Huazhong... Golden Death Sect... Are you saying—"

"Your swordsmanship was outstanding."

Jeong Yeon-shin’s words were brief.

But the weight of them slammed into the hall with a force akin to a crashing tidal wave.

Even the silent audience erupted into chaos.

Hyeon Won-chang’s mouth hung slightly open as he stepped back into place.

And as his gaze flickered between the two supreme masters standing face-to-face, he suddenly recalled a similar confrontation—

A single exchange.

A legendary duel between the Divine Sword Sect Leader and the Namgung Family Head.

A battle that had become the talk of the entire martial world after the clash between Ipwang Fortress and the Namgung Clan.

"You...!"

The Pang Family Head Was Different from the Namgung Patriarch of That Time.

Perhaps it was the repeated verbal humiliation that no leader of a great martial clan could easily endure. A slight loss of composure flickered across his face.

"Come forth."

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke as he drew a sword unfamiliar to Hyeon Won-chang.

A long, pure white blade flickered in the night air, shimmering like moonlight.

Then, the two supreme masters vanished.

Boom!

Hyeon Won-chang had yet to release seventy percent of his internal restrictions.

He couldn't even fully perceive the two figures, their movements leaving behind nothing but fading afterimages.

—!

The shockwave arrived before the sound.

A force too overwhelming to describe in mere words crashed over them.

It felt as though his skin was being compressed from every direction. Sand and dust erupted like a tidal wave, swallowing the audience whole.

With great effort, Hyeon Won-chang rooted himself to the ground, using the profound balance techniques of the Thousand-Pound Anchor Stance.

Beside him, Shin So-bin lashed out into the empty air with a technique of Limitless Formless Fist.

She was neutralizing the residual shockwaves left behind by the battle of two absolute masters.

"[Three Blades Sealing the Gods.]"

The Pang Family Head’s voice resonated.

The concentrated willpower gathered in his upper dantian flowed like a thick mist of energy.

A phenomenon impossible without Celestial Martial Arts.

For an instant, the night sky was illuminated—

And then, darkness reclaimed the heavens.

But Jeong Yeon-shin's voice never came.

A single breath stretched into eternity.

Even breathing became difficult.

Then, suddenly, Hyeon Won-chang let out a deep exhale.

The storm of sand and dust that had assailed them like hidden daggers finally settled.

His eyelashes, weighed down by the storm, lifted.

Had it really ended in a single exchange?

The center of the banquet hall.

Jeong Yeon-shin stood alone, looking down.

His sword gripped firmly at his side.

Blood dripped freely from his torn palm, the wound deep enough that it looked as though his entire hand had been shredded.

And yet—he remained standing.

His opponent did not.

The head of the Pang Family, an elite clan with ties to the imperial family.

A figure revered across the martial world.

Half his body—his entire left side—had been severed.

The exact sword strike that felled him was beyond comprehension.

He lay collapsed, his eyes wide open.

His expression twisted with lingering rage, resolve, and despair.

His lips were frozen in distortion, as if he had realized his utter defeat in his final moment.

"......."

No one dared to speak.

Even in a place filled only with renowned martial figures, silence held dominion.

At this moment, only one person had the right to speak.

"As the one who activated the Life and Death Duel within the Flames of Huashan, I, Jeong Yeon-shin, officially announce the result of the duel."

Jeong Yeon-shin flicked his sword downward.

Scarlet blood splattered to the ground, pooling beneath the cold moonlight.

"The Pang Family has suffered one defeat."

He validated it alone.

And declared it himself.

The Violet of Ipwang Fortress.

Before the assembled witnesses, the death of the Pang Family Head rendered them all speechless.