Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time-Chapter 449: Den of Demons (2)

Cheongsu Jin-in slowly stepped toward the blind man.

"You truly are insane. Just as the rumors say."

At some point, the symbolic sword of the Cheongseong Sect Leader had appeared in his grasp, as if conjured from thin air.

The blade gleamed with a milky-white radiance, scattering streaks of light as he advanced.

Ssss—

Each step sent up clouds of dust, tinged faintly blue as sword energy seeped into the air. A supernatural sight—it was the Azure Cloud Sword Art, the secret technique of Cheongseong Sect.

"A man who was wrongfully listed among the Thirteen Heavens of the Unorthodox Path, yet here you are, standing guard for Taemosan’s Lord? Do you truly intend to buy time until he completes his sinister sorcery?"

He did not hesitate.

For reasons unknown, this man had blocked Cheongseong Sect’s path even before Yulha Nangnang could.

If he was not stopped here, countless innocent lives could be at stake.

The Thirteen Heavens were that kind of people.

What were the odds of victory?

Cheongsu Jin-in didn’t know.

But this was not the time to ask.

"Master! But aren’t you even curious—!"

"Silence."

Jinmu, who had just been questioning the storyteller, was dragged away by his master into the nearby forest.

At the same time, the frightened commoners hesitated no longer.

One after another, they turned and fled.

The storyteller clutching his Register of Jianghu Experts was among them.

"Don’t push me! Don’t push—!"

"The Immortal of Cheongseong is about to defeat a sword fiend! Why are you—Hrk!"

"You clueless fool! Hurry up! Run!"

Footsteps pounded against the dirt.

At some point, Jinmu and Cheongeun, too, had blended in with the crowd, quietly helping those who fell get back up.

And so, they disappeared into the distance.

Sssk.

Fortunately, the blind swordsman, pressing his wide-brimmed hat firmly down, didn’t so much as glance at them.

Instead, he simply toyed with the hilt of his sword.

"Madman, is it?"

His voice was indifferent.

"How are you so certain?"

"What?"

"I am not the insane one. In fact, is it not you—along with the rest of the world—who has lost its mind, worshipping the Thousand-Year Tree like a deity?

If it were me, I’d sooner kneel before a seated statue of the Demon Lord."

He tilted his head slightly, as if pondering his own words.

"Hmm... but was there ever such a statue?"

Finally, he muttered, almost lazily—

"Well, in Xinjiang, I suppose the Buddha and the Demon Lord are not so different."

"You sword-fanatic bastard. You know nothing."

"Ah, now that was the only thing I said in earnest—my hatred of the Thousand-Year Tree."

He smirked.

"I am, after all, a man who worships only blades."

"I never heard that you spoke so filthily."

"Is a single blade, carrying the mysteries of the world, not better than that parasite draining all wisdom from the realm?"

He chuckled.

"Besides, I am a very clean swordsman."

"Madman."

Cheongsu Jin-in did not even scoff.

There was no truth in the blind man’s words.

The way he had casually named the Divine Sword Sect Leader, the Martial Dragon Society Lord, and the Tyrant Blade Master—as if acknowledging them—was a lie.

Because this blind man acknowledged no one.

Not when it came to swords.

And his claim of being a clean swordsman?

That, too, was a lie.

Cheongsu Jin-in knew how the swordsmen of Heaven’s Bane Sect were raised.

Abduction. Training. Bloodshed. Survival in hellish lands.

Even the famed "Five Celestial Swordsmen" among their disciples were no different.

Their methods and fighting styles were known to be just as brutal as those who trained in Demonic Arts.

Some even whispered that their sword energy was so sharp that it felt like dark sorcery itself.

"Let’s move elsewhere."

"Hmm?"

"There are too many witnesses. I assume you don’t want the Imperial Army chasing after you either."

"Ah... too many witnesses?

The blind swordsman smirked.

"How poetic. Yes, yes... in a world of pure white, I alone see black—perhaps I am the insane one.

Haha! The insight of a Sect Leader truly is unparalleled.

What a delightful lesson."

Shwaaang!

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

With an exaggerated motion, the blind man spread his arms wide and unsheathed his sword.

The blade, drawn violently from its scabbard, rang like a temple bell.

Slowly.

Beneath the shadow of his hat, his lips curved into a razor-thin smile.

"I wonder—how skilled are you with that sword of yours?"

Cheongsu Jin-in did not need to guess the meaning behind his words.

"Tch..."

This man was not curious at all.

***

Jeong Yeon-shin’s dantian filled with inner energy, only to be emptied again and again.

At his core, a double-layered ring of light spun ceaselessly—

One layer was bright and stable.

The other was faint, threatening to disperse at any moment.

The price of sword-flight.

He had not ridden a horse.

He had not slept.

He had only soared through the air, stepping on his Divine Sword—Thunderclap, landing only when his energy was fully depleted, then meditating to recover before taking off again.

Day and night, he repeated this process.

The energy pathways in his body burned like fire.

But he felt no pain.

Because the moment he left Ipwang Fortress alone—

Half of his soul had already departed.

His grandfather was gone.

His Commander was gone.

No reinforcements would come.

His clan had to protect themselves—they had no other choice.

The Black-Rank warriors stationed in Yangyang could not be sent out.

They were the fortress’ last line of defense.

"It’s fine. It will be fine."

He focused only on flying faster.

By the time seven days and nights had passed— fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm

He had already crossed half of Zhejiang Province.

At last—

He reached Hangzhou.

"Out of the way!"

"Tch, filthy beggars everywhere..."

"Beggars? Hah! Weren’t you just a merchant selling plows at the Grand Gate? Do you even know how much money I made on the battlefields of Hangzhou?!"

"And wasted it all on gambling, I’m sure. You think you’re the only one in this city like that? Hah, try clenching your fist here, and you’ll regret it."

"Move along, move along—ah, pardon me."

The streets were chaotic.

Beggars roamed aimlessly.

Merchants pulled carts, ignoring the sounds of squeaking wooden wheels.

Wandering rogues lurked nearby, eyeing crates of tea leaves and grain.

Above them all—

On the city walls—

A martial master stood with his hands clasped behind his back, observing the scene below.

An elderly warrior, his beard flowing down to his chest.

From a glance, it was clear—he was assisting the city guards.

The Land of Indulgence.

In the distance, cheers and screams mixed with the thunder of hooves, their echoes drowned beneath the sound of the city.

"Tch..."

Jeong Yeon-shin released a burst of wind, sending several wandering swordsmen sprawling to the ground.

They had been following merchants, waiting for an opportunity to rob them.

In the end, these men who once sold their swordsmanship for silver...

Had become no different from mere bandits.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s gaze remained cold as he took in the reality of Hangzhou’s streets.

"What in the hell..."

The people froze in shock.

At that moment—

Step.

Jeong Yeon-shin crossed the checkpoint in a single stride, stepping into the city.

He looked up.

Towering multi-storied buildings stretched high into the sky.

It felt as if he had stepped into another world.

"Where should I begin?"

Jeong Yeon-shin thought to himself.

He had already scanned Hangzhou with his heightened senses.

Despite searching every inch within his range, he could not sense even a trace of Baek Mi-ryeo—let alone So Cheonmujuk.

It was a natural outcome.

Supreme martial masters were all experts at vanishing without a trace. Unless confronted face-to-face, tracking them was nearly impossible.

And considering that Baek Mi-ryeo had likely been pressure-pointed by So Cheonmujuk, there was no way he could sense her presence.

Sssk.

Jeong Yeon-shin glanced down at the note in his hand.

It was a report—a letter delivered by Shin Byeok while he was meditating to recover his strength.

The narrow sheet was densely packed with sharp, precise characters.

[The Lord of Heaven’s Bane Sect has appeared.

Along the Open Pass leading to Hangzhou, traces of over two hundred civilians beheaded at once have been discovered.

Reporting to Lord Jeong—

On the last full moon, at the hour of the serpent, the Sect Leader of Cheongseong engaged in a battle.

His opponent was the Lord of Heaven’s Bane Sect.

All across the Open Pass, remnants of the Azure Cloud Sword Qi are visible.

The ground is riddled with craters so deep that passage is impossible, resembling volcanic pits.

Judging by the scale of one crater, it is likely that an ultimate technique—such as the Life-Severing Blade Dance—was used. This is consistent with Lord Cheongsu’s methods.

However, there are no sword marks from the Lord of Heaven’s Bane. Given the unbelievable rumors surrounding the First Blade of the Unorthodox Path, this is a critical detail.

According to the spies embedded in the Beggar’s Sect, the Holy Sword Goddess, Yulha Nangnang, and the Mount Hua Swordmaster, Cheongsu Jin-in, intervened at the last moment to save Lord Cheongsu.

Regrettably, we have been unable to gather further details.

We beg your forgiveness, Lord Jeong. Please take care of yourself.

With the utmost respect,

Jeong Taegung, Head of Hangzhou Branch, Azure-Rank Warrior of Ipwang Fortress.]

"......."

Jeong Yeon-shin lowered his head, the white cloth blindfold covering his eyes shifting slightly at the back of his neck.

At one point, he had mocked the Seven Elder Swords of the Martial Alliance by pretending to be someone else—but now, it was the onlookers who gazed at him strangely as he read a letter blindfolded.

Ignoring their curious stares, he activated his sensory techniques and continued walking.

His destination: The Grand Celestial Sect.

It was said to be a peculiar place.

A martial sect where one trained not in physical prowess but in momentum itself.

Jeong Yeon-shin did not doubt it.

Both the current Vice Leader and the previous Vice Leader of the Divine Sword Corps had told him the same thing.

There was no reason to suspect otherwise.

"Could they be connected to So Cheonmujuk?"

Lost in thought, he silently pressed forward.

Fortunately, the people of Hangzhou did not shun strangers.

Perhaps they were simply used to foreigners.

Without even needing to survey from the skies, he soon arrived at the Grand Celestial Sect.

Hangzhou—A City of Hidden Forces.

The Lord of Heaven’s Bane Sect, ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) the Master of Taemosan, the Lord of the Bright Moon Sect—

All were present in this land.

It was a city where one could not afford to act recklessly.

As much as he was wary of unprovoked kindness, Jeong Yeon-shin reached into his robes.

"Since you've offered to guide me, I’ll repay the favor with some salt."

The woman who had helped him immediately waved her hands.

"Oh, no, that’s not necessary. But... if you really insist on a gesture of thanks, how about a cup of Shaoxing wine instead?"

"I do not drink."

His response was firm.

Instead, he forced the small bag of salt into her hands.

A commodity far more valuable than mere coins.

"Thank you."

Leaving her behind, Jeong Yeon-shin lifted his gaze to the plaque above the sect’s entrance.

Grand Celestial Sect.

The characters were bold and powerful, each stroke alive with force.

It was incomparable to the handwriting of Ma Yeon-jeok or Yong Hui-myeong.

At that moment—

"Oh!"

A sudden exclamation burst from the front gate.

Turning, he saw a burly man in yellow robes striding toward him.

Despite being a gate guard, his steps were unrestrained and haughty—a testament to the overwhelming authority of Hangzhou’s foremost sect.

"I knew it the moment I saw you! A certain departed master left behind instructions to give this to anyone who looks like you!"

The guard handed him a long bundle of cloth before glancing around nervously, as if terrified of the one who had left the order.

"......."

The sect’s discipline is in shambles.

Normally, a matter this unusual should first be reported to the elders.

Yet Jeong Yeon-shin only paid attention to the item itself.

So Cheonmujuk.

The Lord of the Bright Moon Sect possessed a sense perception rivaling even Jeong Yeon-shin’s own.

If she had already noticed his arrival at the Grand Celestial Sect—

It meant she had been expecting him.

The gate guard, still glancing around nervously, spoke again.

"Uh... what was it again? Something about this being the dagger sheath used by our sect’s founder?"

The First Heavenly Demon.

Most likely, it was a relic of Law.

What was So Cheonmujuk planning?

Sssk.

Without hesitation, Jeong Yeon-shin unwrapped the bundle.

He had no intention of playing into her hands—

But if his target left behind a clue, he would use it against her.

A Relic of the Demon Lord.

The sheath bore no symbols.

Only the scent of old wood clung to it.

And then—

A sudden surge of demonic energy erupted, crawling up his arm like a wildfire.

Hwaaa—!

An intangible force fiercely burned his fingers.

It was like a scorching brand, capable of shattering the meridians of even a seasoned warrior.

A true heirloom of the Demon Lord.

Hoo.

Jeong Yeon-shin exhaled lightly.

A crystal-clear shatter rang through the air.

At once, the phantom flames vanished.

The gate guard, who had been watching with a strange, hungry glint in his eyes, flinched in shock.

"W-what did you just do...?"

But Jeong Yeon-shin wasn’t looking at him.

[I only speculated... but now I see it’s possible.]

A spectral figure emerged the moment the demonic energy dissipated.

It was as if a ghost had materialized.

A vision only Jeong Yeon-shin could see.

A woman cloaked in white, her dark hair cascading like shadows.

Her expression, neither beauty nor horror, but an overwhelming aura of temptation.

Her smile was unmistakable.

So Cheonmujuk.

Their gazes met.

Two beings, utterly opposed, their paths now intertwined.

Hangzhou—the Den of Deception.