Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time-Chapter 441: The Sun-Setting Banner (3)
The procession escorting Jeong Yeon-shin came to a halt.
About thirty jang away from the grand gates of Ipwang Fortress’s main citadel.
They all stared silently at the woman clad in the robes of the Wudang Sect who was blocking their path. The dust in the air, disturbed by the supreme-level Wudang Preservation Technique, twisted like fine smoke.
It resembled wisps of feather-light clouds, making a sound akin to paper brushing against itself. The lingering trace of profound Daoist internal energy. Also known as transcendent energy.
“Ladder Cloud Steps.”
Cheongmyeong, who had been riding beside the palanquin, muttered.
The Wudang Sect’s staff had quite literally fallen out of nowhere. As if she had been waiting for Jeong Yeon-shin’s party for a long time.
“......”
Her veiled face turned toward the palanquin.
She seemed to be searching for something from the newly appointed Purple Rank.
Then, her gaze met Jeong Yeon-shin’s, who was quietly looking down at her.
It lasted only for an instant. The moment their eyes met, Zhang Bong Ju Se-hwa’s body gave an involuntary shudder.
“Tried to measure his strength and ended up staring into the abyss.”
Tae Yeom-ryong muttered, lounging sideways against the neck of his warhorse.
His posture was as lax as if he had mastered the mounted combat techniques of the old Yuan dynasty.
He had maintained a state of unity between man and horse the entire way from the Jeong household to Yangyang, watching the rear while chewing on Yang Guifei leaves.
Even now, he did not bother turning around.
At the forefront, Namgung Hwa-shin, the highest-ranking among them, stepped forward.
“We pay our respects to the esteemed bloodline. May I inquire about your purpose here?”
“Since when did you start using honorifics?”
“...?”
“I am a person of the martial world. Do not address me as a member of the Zhu family.”
Ju Se-hwa spoke calmly. Despite having refined Wudang’s internal techniques, her demeanor carried an air of noble aloofness rather than mere wisdom.
The acting /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ Suncheon Ik-ju, recognizing her meaning, immediately changed his words.
“The Purple Rank of the main citadel is passing through. If you have no urgent business, it would be unseemly for a martial artist to block the way.”
“...I have nothing to discuss with you. I came to meet Lord Jeong.”
“He is not someone you can meet without prior notice. The time of a Purple Rank is not equal to the years of your life.”
“I can send notice right here, then. Turn around and deliver my words. I have the right to stand before your superior.”
“It would be wise not to make careless jests here. I do not expect deference from you, but you should at least arrange for proper communication later.”
“I don’t understand. Are you Namgung people so bound by empty formalities?”
“We simply value the dignity of the main citadel.”
Thanks to his continued practice of Simgeuk Qilin Refinement even while traveling, Namgung Hwa-shin’s right palm subtly emitted a faint pressure at that very moment.
Yet Ju Se-hwa flowed past that overwhelming power as if it were a mere breeze.
It was a conversation between supreme-level masters, neither yielding an inch.
Unless someone made the first move, or unless Jeong Yeon-shin, still suffering from his internal injuries, personally stepped forward, the standoff would continue indefinitely.
That is, until three people suddenly appeared behind Ju Se-hwa.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
Tung—
A silver spear shaft rested upon her shoulder. The crisp sound of steel rang in the air.
“The main citadel respects the rules of the Sword Releasing Pool, yet here we have a young Wudang disciple loitering in front of someone else’s gate? Does this make sense?”
A girl dragging the hem of her black cloak along the ground smirked as she spoke.
It was Ak Su-rim, the Ipwang Divine Spear, resting her weapon on the Wudang staff’s shoulder. A movement so seamless, it made no sound as it struck.
But Ju Se-hwa was not subdued so easily. Before the spear even reached her, she had already raised both hands to grip its shaft.
At the same time, she unleashed the force of Wudang’s most renowned martial art, the sect’s secret Taiji Fist. A translucent current spiraled from her hands, scattering outward in delicate waves.
Even while executing Gold Thread Hand, she generated the force of Taiji Fist’s palm technique. A seamless transition between staff and fist techniques.
“For all this ceremony, you might as well be a member of the imperial family. How can delivering a single message be this difficult...?”
Muttering to herself, she nearly threw Ak Su-rim over her shoulder along with her spear but hesitated.
Regardless of whether the counterattack would succeed or not, she had to pause.
On her left, a woman with a calm expression gripped the sword at her waist.
On her right, a towering man with ears sharp as a blade was looking down at her.
Even though the night was moonless, the oppressive weight of their presence cast a deep shadow. They were Yullyeong Daeju and Cheonrim Daeju.
And it wasn’t over.
Beyond Jeong Yeon-shin’s resting form, a scene unfolded.
Retainers holding violet lanterns, who had been following the palanquin, were now gazing directly at Ju Se-hwa.
No one hurled insults at the Wudang immortal. They merely observed.
That silent gaze pressed upon her shoulders.
At least here, in Yangyang, neither the title of a Nine Great Sect’s transcendent nor the prestige of the Zhu imperial bloodline held any weight.
And this was not a place where she could display the culmination of Wudang’s supreme arts, the techniques of Zhang Sanfeng.
More than ever, reputation had become crucial in these turbulent times.
It was as if Wudang had suffered a quiet defeat.
“...Then I shall say it here.”
Ju Se-hwa finally parted her lips. At the same time, she expanded the barrier of her internal energy, enveloping the gathered warriors of Ipwang Fortress. No one stopped her, and soon, the surrounding sounds faded into silence.
“Lord Jeong.”
Atop the palanquin led by a warhorse.
Jeong Yeon-shin opened his eyes as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Not as one who had dozed off from exhaustion, but as if he had been in a state of sacred contemplation.
The unwavering composure of a true noble. A virtue befitting a Purple Rank.
“I am Ju Se-hwa of Wudang. First, allow me to congratulate you on your promotion.”
“......”
“You need only listen. I simply wish to offer advice on behalf of the Nine Great Sects, who uphold balance between the supernatural and the secular. This is for the welfare of the world.”
Ju Se-hwa spoke slowly.
“You now have the authority to go wherever you please, but precisely because of that, you must be mindful of where you step. Your very presence has an immeasurable impact on the world.”
“All this trouble just to spout something we all already know?”
Ak Su-rim tapped her shoulder lightly with the spear.
Ju Se-hwa did not react. The infamous rogue swordswoman of the Shandong Ak Clan had been notorious even before Ju Se-hwa ascended Wudang Mountain.
What caught her attention instead was a faint whisper that barely brushed past her ear.
It sounded like, Still, I’d be better than some Daoist monkey trying to cultivate, but she was sure she must have misheard.
“If you repeat it, I will listen with sincerity.”
“......”
“I see I must send notice next time. But I will say it again, assuming you are listening. Do not set foot in Zhejiang for the time being.”
“Is a Wudang Daoist now restricting the movements of the main citadel’s Purple Rank?”
The sheer force imbued in the voice of Cheonrim Daeju Hahoe Wi-jin shook the air. His words carried an immense accumulation of internal energy.
Yet Ju Se-hwa merely brushed her rounded shoulder once, extinguishing the energy’s residual waves.
“There is information that the Lord of Taemosan Fortress has visited Cheongeukmun. The message came from the Drunken Beggar King himself, so there’s an overwhelming chance it is not false.”
The mention of the Lord of Taemosan Fortress.
And Cheongeukmun.
The atmosphere in the hall grew heavy in an instant. Ak Su-rim removed her spear from Ju Se-hwa’s shoulder.
“Go on.”
“The Lord of Taemosan Fortress, who has achieved great mastery, now moves through these lands with ghostly swiftness. It is as if he has mastered the mythical technique of Shrunken Earth. While rumors spread that the old monster has appeared in Hanzhong, where the Sword Saint of the Murim Alliance has taken root, intelligence suggests that he is now constructing an enormous sorcery formation in Hangzhou, attempting to summon something forth. According to the Drunken Beggar King, it does not seem to be a defensive formation.”
“We need to verify this.”
Yullyeong Daeju Yun So-yu directed her words toward Jeong Yeon-shin. It was the first time she had ever spoken in a deferential tone to the senior of Wonpyeong Single Slash Pavilion.
Bathed in the soft moonlight, Yun So-yu’s expression was serene. The unwavering composure of one who upheld Ipwang Fortress’s laws. A single grandmaster of Wudang would not be allowed to dictate the main citadel’s actions.
Jeong Yeon-shin acknowledged her with a slight glance.
“Take as much time as needed to confirm it. Even the Drunken Beggar King said that whatever is happening will not be completed in a mere day or two. However, the consensus among my sect, Shaolin, and other mountain-based factions is that no matter what rumors arise, Lord Jeong must not set foot in that place.”
“I’ve listened long enough. This is overstepping.”
Tae Yeom-ryong, who had been lying against his warhorse, began to rise, only to be restrained by Heon Won-chang.
The Ipwang Champion pressed a hand to the opium-chewer’s solar plexus, forcing him back down. The meaning was clear—this was not a matter for a mere Blue Rank to interject.
Ju Se-hwa did not even glance at them.
“The Lord of Taemosan Fortress is the mortal enemy of those who have deeply refined their Upper Dantian. He is known to use their very spiritual essence against them, as if manipulating the Great Absorption Technique through sorcery. He transforms the power others have accumulated in their dantian into the energy that fuels his own arts. Against such a foe... an external martial artist who has honed pure physical techniques may find it easier to move than even a supreme grandmaster skilled in the most mystical arts. More than anything, if left unchecked, he could—”
“He is not invincible.”
Jeong Yeon-shin finally spoke, cutting her off.
“Among the supreme grandmasters capable of discussing the world itself, I have never heard the Lord of Taemosan Fortress’s name mentioned.”
“That is due to the inherent weaknesses of those who specialize in sorcerous martial arts. Unlike supreme grandmasters who can roam freely through the wilderness with nothing but their bodies, sorcerers are bound by circumstances. If the timing and environment do not align, they can barely move.”
“But now the timing is right?”
“At a glance, it seems so. But since the Drunken Beggar King has already detected his movements, that will soon change.”
“And why is that?”
“The leaders of the Nine Great Sects are making their way to Hangzhou.”
For a brief moment, even the high-ranking officials of Ipwang Fortress fell silent.
Ju Se-hwa continued.
“There is no need for the newly appointed Purple Rank to intervene. Matters concerning supernatural calamities have always been handled by the Nine Great Sects. You should concern yourself with the people’s welfare. No matter what rumors arise from Hangzhou, you must not come face to face with the Lord of Taemosan Fortress. Even if he summons a flood dragon, we will face him with our full strength.”
The upcoming War of Huashan’s Pledge.
At the very least, the sect leaders of the Nine Great Sects had realized that the divine essence dwelling within Jeong Yeon-shin’s Upper Dantian was peculiarly vast, even among the three essences of Jing-Qi-Shen.
Otherwise, Ju Se-hwa’s visit could not be explained.
The Nine Great Sects truly acknowledged the new Purple Rank and were concerned for his safety.
“Additionally, since we’re on the topic of sorcerous martial arts...”
“......?”
“Beware of So Cheonmujuk. Whether they are man or woman, whether their martial prowess is high or low—no one knows for certain. But this individual has already slain two of the Sunmaren Lords. An upright person has no need to conceal their true face, and yet, this one does. Without a doubt, they are a demonic practitioner who venerates the Heavenly Demon. One way or another, they will inevitably clash with Ipwang Fortress.”
The world was closing in around Jeong Yeon-shin.
The message from the Nine Great Sects meant nothing to him. If anything, it sounded more like a direct encouragement to go to Hangzhou and to ignore the warning about entangling with So Cheonmujuk.
He slowly parted his lips.
“Send my thanks to Scholar Go.”
Clatter.
With a mere flick of Jeong Yeon-shin’s hand, the palanquin moved forward.
“......!”
It was such an effortless motion.
But Ju Se-hwa could not take her eyes off his right hand.
As if offering a response in return for the information she had provided, the newly appointed Purple Rank’s hand was completely engulfed in a pure white radiance.
It left behind faint white afterimages in the air as the palanquin carried him away.
Saaa—
The wind stirred.
A supremely auspicious surge of energy spread in all directions. The white breeze split into several streams, passing over the commoners who had followed the palanquin.
Gasps erupted from the crowd. The Wudang staff almost lost her footing.
The overwhelming sensation was akin to the first time she had ever touched transcendent energy—a profound euphoria that seemed to cleanse even the deepest meridians.
Light Traces of Demon Extinction.
Jeong Yeon-shin had already encountered So Cheonmujuk.
He had surely contemplated in depth the kind of technique that could serve as a natural counter to a future enemy.
And when a grandmaster of his caliber pondered a matter, it inevitably became a perfected martial art.
“This... This is...!”
Ju Se-hwa sharply turned her head.
Creak—
The sound of hinges.
She had been momentarily dazed and reacted too late.
Flanked by four figures clad in black, the palanquin was vanishing beyond the gap of the massive city gates. The warriors escorting it moved in perfect formation.
Boom.
The gates shut tight.
“......”
The supreme fortress of the martial world had embraced its Purple Rank.
