Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time-Chapter 442: The Sun-Setting Banner (4)

The fortress of Ipwang stood in serene radiance, its silhouette outlined in a soft white glow even against the thick darkness.

The stone walls stretched outward, devouring the vast land on either side. Marble imported from the distant southwest boasted an elegant, timeworn texture.

Yet the citadel itself was silent.

And it wasn’t merely because of the late evening air.

“......”

Since entering the fortress, Jeong Yeon-shin had not seen a single warrior.

Not even the faintest trace of bustling activity reached his senses.

Typically, the remnants of the Seventeen Martial Divisions and the families under the fortress’s command never left the training grounds empty, even past midnight. It was a sight that would puzzle any master returning home after a long absence.

Indeed, the martial artists of Seomye’s Wumaek, who had followed him from Nokok Sword Pavilion, were glancing around uneasily.

Jeong Yeon-shin had not expected any grand welcome. Especially after receiving the silent tribute from the commoners of Yangyang.

But if one were to return home after hardship only to find it deserted, would they not feel a certain emptiness? Like water slowly soaking into cloth.

Still, he did not show such thoughts. He was the Purple Rank now. The days when he had barely managed to reveal his emotions to Ma Gwang-ik were long past.

“Other than those stationed for guard duty, everyone is out on missions.”

Hahoe Wi-jin’s deep voice carried respectful deference.

Jeong Yeon-shin awkwardly nodded at his senior’s unfamiliar manner.

It was not that he looked down on those outside his clan.

But the Cheonrim Daeju of Ipwang Fortress was a man who held hierarchy as sharp as a blade. Even back when he had shown utmost deference only to Jeong Yeon-shin’s grandfather, Ma Yeon-jeok, the young man had aspired to learn from his senior’s rigid sense of duty.

Most of the Black Ranks shared this trait, aside from his uncle.

Reliable. There’s much I still need to learn.

Jeong Yeon-shin thought.

With nearly all personnel scattered across the martial world.

It meant incidents requiring the fortress’s intervention had sharply increased.

Some of them would likely die alone on desolate mountain paths. Because of people like those from Yukwangmun during the Huashan Pledge.

“That...”

Ak Su-rim, lazily resting her spear across her shoulder, glanced at Jeong Yeon-shin.

The new Purple Rank, seated in the palanquin, seemed deep in thought, his face composed.

Unlike Yullyeong Daeju Yun So-yu, who carried herself with absolute poise, Ak Su-rim stole a few more glances before cautiously speaking.

“The structure of the Divine Sword Corps is about to change significantly. That includes the Divine ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) Sword Brigade.”

“......?”

Jeong Yeon-shin nearly responded with formal speech out of habit.

Unlike his uncle, who required constant effort to deal with, Ak Su-rim had always been a reliable senior. Speaking informally to her would never come naturally.

As their eyes met, the senior warrior smiled faintly with the face of a young girl.

“Have you already decided on the new Vice Brigade Leader?”

A name came to mind at her question. But Jeong Yeon-shin did not answer immediately.

It was a matter of great importance. A decision to be made after more thorough deliberation.

At that moment, he also decided how he would address his Black Rank seniors. Looking into Ak Su-rim’s deep, luminous black eyes, he found that informal speech would not come.

Moreover, as someone who had now taken a seat in Wonpyeong Single Slash Pavilion, a figure who determined the affairs of the fortress, she deserved the appropriate respect.

“The Vice Brigade Leader has not been decided yet. I will consider the matter carefully after receiving guidance from the General Administration.”

He spoke calmly. The palanquin was already moving toward the inner citadel of Ipwang Fortress.

With the fortress lord absent, the Grand Administrator and the Elder Council Leader were overseeing affairs in his stead.

“He’s gotten all mysterious. He’s starting to sound like that damned Yongga.”

Ak Su-rim muttered under her breath.

Hahoe Wi-jin, walking on the other side, let out a loud scoff.

“He is not like the Danju. The new Purple Rank will do far better.”

“Who’s arguing with that?”

Ak Su-rim shot back at the boisterous rogue and then smiled gently at Jeong Yeon-shin.

“If you have time later, stop by the Divine Sword Brigade Pavilion. A master of the Five Clouds Mountain School is staying there.”

“...Understood.”

The new Purple Rank gave an awkward nod, listening to Hahoe Wi-jin’s exaggerated gagging sounds as he walked forward.

Meanwhile, the warriors of Seomye’s Wumaek, who had accompanied him from Nokok Sword Pavilion, were beginning to part ways one by one.

Upon hearing that the various martial divisions had been left nearly empty, they worried about their fellow disciples. The young warriors, most of whom had not even reached White Rank, still needed guidance.

Jeong Yeon-shin offered them a silent bow of gratitude.

They are the ones who will remember me.

Each farewell was brief. Yet within his heart, he bowed his head for a long time.

Until the palanquin, now accompanied only by Ma Gwang-ik and the Black Ranks, finally reached the inner citadel of Ipwang Fortress.

***

“The future of the fortress has arrived!”

A burly old man greeted Jeong Yeon-shin.

Despite his age, his robust frame bore the long, trailing robes of the Purple Rank.

The Elder Council Leader looked as if he were about to embrace him outright, but upon catching Ak Su-rim’s sharp gaze, he settled for patting the young man’s shoulder.

“I will fully support you until the day Yongga is removed. No matter what path you take, I will stand by you. And the martial families under the fortress shall walk alongside you.”

His disposition was markedly different from Ma Yeon-jeok’s. Though his voice was deep and sonorous, it carried an air of refinement. Even his posture held the distinct grace of a noble lineage.

Elder Council Leader Shin Byeok.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

After the Divine Sword Corps’ assembly, he had grown deeply resentful of Divine Sword Lord Yong Hui-myeong.

The very thought of leaving him in place was unbearable.

For Jeong Yeon-shin, who had once supported the assembly’s call, it was a moment of quiet surprise.

One must first establish themselves before speaking out.

He had long since sworn to exercise restraint. Until the day he grasped the Sword of Recognition, defending Yong Hui-myeong would be difficult. It was an unfortunate reality.

Jeong Yeon-shin, now an adult, felt a twinge of sympathy for himself as he spoke.

“I am grateful for your support.”

“But of course! Now that the noble heir of the Ma family stands at the fortress’s center, what have we to fear? Yongga’s removal is as good as done...! And with your righteous chivalry, the fortress shall once again raise its banner for the people of the world!”

It was like watching a grand opera.

The antiquated manner of speech only heightened the effect. A man who had forged his inner blade from unwavering conviction. In many ways, the current Elder Council Leader embodied the very history of Ipwang Fortress.

Jeong Yeon-shin nodded.

“I will do my best.”

“Simply continue as you have. I do not ask for more than that. Do not feel burdened. The shoulders of our fortress’s warriors already carry enough weight.”

And with that, Shin Byeok’s warm welcome came to an end.

As Jeong Yeon-shin turned his head, the Grand Administrator was stroking his thick beard from side to side.

A smile he had never seen before.

A testament to the depth of the fortress leadership’s struggles.

“From Sichuan to Beijing, and then back to Dengfeng County... You have endured much.”

“The General Administration has worked far harder. To oversee every major and minor event across the martial world, to measure the fortress’s power, and to determine the missions and assignments of our invaluable warriors—this is truly the heaviest burden of all.”

The words came naturally. Even when he had only been a White Rank warrior, he had always felt uneasy around the officials of the General Administration.

Now that the Sword of Recognition was within sight, that unease had only grown.

“Perfection... absolute perfection...!”

The Grand Administrator burst into laughter, stroking his thick beard with evident satisfaction.

“Lord Jeong is truly a flawless Purple Rank.”

Im Jin-myeong, who had served both Ma Yeon-jeok and Yong Hui-myeong since his younger years, muttered in his deep, rugged voice. Jeong Yeon-shin remained silent once more.

“It would be best for you to take some time to rest after your long return, but there are a few matters I must ask of you, which is why I have summoned you here.”

“I will listen attentively.”

Only then did Jeong Yeon-shin finally take in his surroundings.

The hall was enclosed by pale gray stone walls.

A place filled with a refined, crisp fragrance. Other than the deliberately placed tables and chairs, it was covered entirely in branches and thick foliage.

Massive tree trunks coiled upon themselves, forming natural spirals, their presence evoking a sense of transcendence akin to a dream.

These were part of the Thousand-Year Tree, whose roots spread across the entire world.

This was the Ipwang Fortress Lord’s Office. The subtle scent lingering in the air was that of a master long absent from his domain.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s gaze traced the entwined trunks, as if searching for the warmth of his master. Im Jin-myeong, noticing this, let out a faint smile.

“There is no need to worry about the Fortress Lord’s safety. It is merely our own shortcomings that weigh on us. The roots of the Thousand-Year Tree possess abilities akin to divine instruments, allowing the Fortress Lord to oversee the entirety of Yangyang. I have heard that he does not even need to activate secret techniques to survey this land.”

Im Jin-myeong was a man well-versed in handling people. Even now, he skillfully shifted the topic.

Hearing news of his master, however rare, caused Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyebrows to lift slightly.

“These roots have such abilities?”

“He is the Guardian of the Hao Plains, the Martial King of Jianghu... These titles were not given to him by chance but earned through his ceaseless vigilance over Yangyang. It was the roots of the Thousand-Year Tree that made him a true king. He is not like the self-proclaimed ‘kings’ who mindlessly attach titles to themselves in the murky underworld of martial society.”

The reason why Yangyang was the most peaceful place in the world.

The reason why the Lord of Ipwang Fortress was called the Jade Emperor within this massive metropolis.

A city entirely devoid of common gang conflicts should have been an impossibility. Yet, the function of the Thousand-Year Tree’s roots made it so.

“To resonate with the roots of the Thousand-Year Tree... At most, only Seonmok Lingju from the Divine Sword Corps could attempt such a thing. Even then, prolonged contact would be impossible. These roots are not mere saplings but extensions of a matured, ancient tree, and such abilities are granted only to the most noble of lineages...”

“In other words, this city has lost the king it has long held. Even if, compared to the lifespan of the Thousand-Year Tree, this absence is but a fleeting moment, for the common folk who must endure famine, a fleeting moment and an eternity are one and the same.”

Shin Byeok’s words came out like a sigh. A retired warrior who had lost his martial abilities yet could not turn away from the plight of the people. His sense of duty was almost instinctual.

There was a strange timelessness to the old man’s actions, his every habit steeped in decades of accumulated experience.

A true noble man.

Jeong Yeon-shin thought to himself.

If he were to grow old one day, it would not be as his grandfather had, but as the Elder Council Leader had.

“Is there a problem in Yangyang?”

At his question, Im Jin-myeong spoke.

“Not long ago, an assassin from Yeo Ryeong was captured committing a killing outside the fortress.”

“As expected of those demonic outlaws—they have finally begun encroaching on the city. They lack the audacity to enter outright, so they skulk around outside.”

Shin Byeok muttered in anger. Im Jin-myeong nodded.

“Yangyang is deeply intertwined with Ipwang Fortress in many ways. Countless fortress warriors have their families here. Given that our sect boasts the greatest influence in Jianghu, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Yangyang and Ipwang Fortress are one. Food, clothing, medicine, talent, weapons—every supply necessary for our survival. Even the most skilled warrior cannot resolve these things by mere swordplay. If enemies are infiltrating the city in secret, then Ipwang Fortress itself will suffer.”

“The fortress warriors... Ah.”

Jeong Yeon-shin recalled the silent citadel and fell silent.

Im Jin-myeong shook his head with a bitter smile.

“It is inevitable. With the Fortress Lord absent for so long, all those who consider themselves our enemies are gathering. Should even one faction manage to plant their feet inside the inner citadel, it would be an insult to the Divine Sword Corps. If we could root them out in one decisive sweep, we might be able to restore order, but...”

“Their footwork will only grow faster as they continue to plunder the people.”

Shin Byeok murmured.

“......”

The air in the office grew heavy.

The breath of a man who had once roamed the wilderness as a Purple Rank still lingered in this room.

A man so utterly devoted to the banner of Ipwang Fortress that he had lived his entire life in service to it. Even Im Jin-myeong, Ak Su-rim, and Hahoe Wi-jin remained momentarily still.

Jeong Yeon-shin, observing them silently, stepped forward.

Tap.

It was only a few steps. He stopped in front of the wide, intertwined tree roots that formed a bed-like surface.

“Will you be staying here for the time being?”

From behind him, Im Jin-myeong spoke carefully.

“There is no precedent for it, but as the Purple Rank, you may freely use the Fortress Lord’s office day and night. If you do, the people of Yangyang may find some reassurance.”

Swish.

Without a word, Jeong Yeon-shin ran his fingers along the wooden surface.

The very place where the Fortress Lord would recline each time Jeong Yeon-shin had visited.

Unlike ordinary bark, the texture was remarkably smooth, seeping beneath his fingernails.

There was warmth. A softness that was almost dreamlike.

Slowly, he parted his lips.

“You are asking me to stand in place of the Fortress Lord as the Purple Rank?”

“I would not dare ask for that much. Merely sitting here would be enough to provide comfort.”

Jeong Yeon-shin ignored the Grand Administrator’s words.

At the same time, he deeply channeled the Moonlight Harmony Technique, a power inherent in the Luminous Wheel of Internal Law within his heart.

A visualization of drawing forth the shadow of an eclipse from within the bright moonlight.

Just once...

He let his fingers trace over the wood, as if trying to feel the presence of the master who was not there.

Then, slowly, he pressed his palm onto the wooden bed.

Kugugugugung—!

It happened in an instant.

A violent tremor surged through the walls as if an earthquake had struck, and in Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes, an explosion of pure white radiance bloomed like an unfurling flower.