Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time

It was already a bustling city of Xuzhou.

An even greater excitement filled the air than usual. A fresh rumor had spread.

A young master from Desolate Fortress had provoked the Blood Flame Cult. It was a story that anyone would find intriguing.

He wasn't a white-rank warrior, but a blue-rank, they said. This only added to the speed at which the rumors spread.

"We poured water on him and found out he was a Blood Flame Cultist. Their dye is truly deceptive."

"They say he cut down a Blood Master Swordsman with a single strike?"

"They say a blue-rank warrior from Desolate Fortress is a rare master in the world. But still······."

Various stories flowed.

The incident had taken place in a brothel. Because it happened during a gathering of martial artists, there were many witnesses.

Even Jung Yeonshin, the person involved, could hear conversations about himself.

"And yet, to shed blood so suddenly. Unless he was looking down on us."

"Does he think Desolate Fortress is the only one that can stand against the Blood Flame Cult?"

"They should've united their strength."

It was said that Jianghu was full of all sorts of characters.

There were those who couldn't stand witnessing someone else gaining fame.

People who wielded the mysterious power of martial arts. Many acted as if they were the center of the world.

'I heard small, confined sects were like this.'

Jung Yeonshin was still gaining experience in Jianghu. Most of the battles he had faced so far had been significant.

He had fought duels worthy of advancing to the blue rank, but his martial knowledge was narrower than most whites.

He stayed at an inn next to the brothel for a night.

Although he had plenty of silver coins, he didn't feel the need to sleep luxuriously in the brothel.

If it was the Blood Flame Cult, they would track him down no matter where he stayed in Xuzhou.

'I didn't expect unwelcome guests.'

While Jung Yeonshin was eating, he looked up at the person across from him.

"I greet the renowned warrior of the Desolate Fortress."

"I came to discuss martial arts with you. Is it true that you defeated a Blood Master in a single strike? It's my first time seeing someone from Desolate Fortress."

It was a woman and two men, all wearing swords at their waists.

Despite their words, their main interest didn't seem to be his identity.

To them, the Namgoong Clan, which was closer, was the greatest power in Jianghu.

'They don't look friendly.'

Was it the territorial nature of the local Jianghu?

Jung Yeonshin had crushed the head of a Blood Master Swordsman in a place full of sects and martial clans.

Eliminating the Blood Flame Cult was a great honor for righteous martial artists. He had done it more than once and knew it well.

Because of what he had done, it wasn't strange for people like this to approach.

He slowly stood up and cupped his hands in a martial salute.

"I am Lightning Genius from Desolate Fortress, disciple of Radiant Demon Squad."

They had approached him without introducing themselves first. Only after seeing Jung Yeonshin's formal greeting did they introduce themselves.

Names unfamiliar to him came out of their mouths.

Seol Yu-yu of the Eulso Clan, Jeong Cheol of the Hwa Sect, and Kwon Chun of the Flying Dragon Martial Hall.

A successor, a sect leader's son, and a top disciple, respectively.

Jung Yeonshin carefully noted their identities. Investigating the Blood Flame Cult through officials alone wouldn't be enough.

Martial artists had different perspectives.

It was natural to observe an opponent's build, posture, and gait. The difference in perception would be notable.

'If you need something, elevate the other person without going overboard.'

He recalled the advice of Heon Wonchang.

"It is an honor to meet the heroes of South Zhili."

Jung Yeonshin slightly bowed his head, respectfully addressing them.

"Hm······!"

Kwon Chun of the Flying Dragon Martial Hall slightly relaxed his furrowed brows. It was rare for a blue-rank to be so polite.

Even if people distanced themselves from Desolate Fortress, they couldn't deny its prestige and martial prowess.

Jianghu was a world where people staked their lives on honor.

No one would feel bad about being treated with respect by a warrior of acknowledged status.

Clearing his throat, Kwon Chun spoke up.

"Knowing that our martial skills are lacking, we wondered if you'd be willing to engage in a debate on sword techniques?"

"A debate on sword techniques?"

Jung Yeonshin asked without much thought.

It was an exchange where martial techniques were verbally described, simulating duels in imagination.

Jung Yeonshin had tried it a few times in his sect but hadn't found it very interesting.

He had also lost to Heon Wonchang several times. In words, there was no limit to the techniques one could employ.

'This will be good for keeping them in a good mood.'

He ordered three bottles of liquor and some snacks, setting the stage.

There were three main ways to gather information in Jianghu.

The Beggar Sect, which had operatives everywhere, Hao Sect, which employed workers across various trades including brothels and inns, and finally, local martial artists.

Even in Beijing, beggars were common, but in Xuzhou, oddly enough, he hadn't seen any.

Hao Sect was hard to trust, as they had multiple entanglements with the Blood Flame Cult. There were no better sources than local martial artists.

"······By sweeping across with Horizontal Army Sweep, you can counter the horizontal strike. Then, by transitioning to Swift Decapitator, the power and speed will increase, leaving no space for you to evade!"

Jung Yeonshin lost repeatedly.

Sword debates were essentially verbal battles among martial artists.

The side less determined to win would inevitably lose, and Jung Yeonshin naturally absorbed lessons on social dynamics.

It was surprisingly easy to host them.

'Would this work with the Lord of Desolate Fortress too? If she's in a good mood······.'

The three were visibly pleased with their victories, as if defeating a blue rank, even in words, brought them great satisfaction.

Despite drinking multiple rounds, their spirits remained high. Jung Yeonshin marveled at the culture of Jianghu.

'So this can actually be enjoyable.'

If the Blood Flame Cult didn't show up today, he planned to go search for clues himself.

That no longer seemed necessary. The three had shared plenty of information after their moods improved.

"If you hadn't crushed the cultist's skull, we would have."

"We were the ones who escorted those demons to the banquet. We had no idea they were Blood Flame Cultists."

Seol Yu-yu and Kwon Chun spoke.

Seol Yu-yu, the heir of the Eulso Clan, had hands full of calluses, revealing her as a seasoned swordswoman.

Her sharp eyes softened every time she won a debate against Jung Yeonshin.

Now he understood. These three came to clear their honor.

"That's understandable. They seemed skilled at concealing their energy. Especially that Blood Master Swordsman—I could only sense its aura just before it drew."

Jung Yeonshin calmly covered for their mistakes.

That was enough.

The three answered his cautious questions in detail.

Where had they last seen others with similar movements and hidden postures? What rumors circulated in their sects about the Blood Flame Cult?

They were the pulse of this city.

Their knowledge and insights far surpassed that of ordinary guards.

Jung Yeonshin gathered useful information.

Yesterday, after sparing the Blood Flame Cultists, he had even tracked them. Now it would be easy to decide which places to destroy.

Meanwhile, the three martial artists grew considerably drunk.

Perhaps it was because Jung Yeonshin had easily subdued the cultists the previous day.

They didn't even use their inner energy to dispel the intoxication, acting as if no one in Xuzhou could threaten them.

Their faces were all flushed red.

"Forgive me if this question seems rude, but is the martial arts of Desolate Fortress... all a bit, shall we say, lacking?"

"After exchanging theories, I couldn't help but wonder."

"I feel the same. Even if it's just verbal sparring, I never thought the sword techniques of our Eulso Clan would work so well against someone from Desolate Fortress."

By now, their words had lost meaning.

The alcohol-tinged chatter of the three couldn't pierce Jung Yeonshin's ears. Time was no longer on his side.

Just as he was about to rise from his seat,

"Lacking? How could that be? They've innovated sword techniques as profound as the secret arts of the Old Sects."

The voice came from right beside him.

It was a resonant, crystalline voice, as if sweeping away the intoxication of everyone present.

Indeed, the voice carried a potent yet gentle energy.

Step, step.

She approached with astonishingly light and graceful movements.

Even Jung Yeonshin only now noticed her presence. It wasn't just because he had been absorbed in thought during the drinking session; her concealment was extraordinary.

Turning his head, his eyes widened.

"The Cloud Sword Dragon?"

The graceful features and sharp gaze were familiar.

The feathered ornament atop her jet-black hair remained unchanged.

Her sky-blue robe fluttered lightly with the rebound of her nimble movements.

At her waist, adorned with a jade-green belt, hung a white sword, known as the Divine Sword, symbolizing her status as the successor of the Zhongnan Sect's leader.

Wei-Ji Myohwa, the Sword Dragon, tilted her lips slightly into a smile—a smile so radiant that the three seated with him stared in a daze.

"I came to participate in the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering. Hearing that the local prodigies were being chased, I decided to step in."

Her smile deepened as she slowly continued.

"The rumors of Radiant Demon Squad's disciple have spread far and wide across Xuzhou."

"You came in person?"

Jung Yeonshin asked, barely masking his astonishment.

Wei-Ji Myohwa inclined her white neck slightly, her attitude ambiguous.

"I heard you defeated a Blood Master Swordsman in a single strike? The rumors traveled faster than my light footwork. It's surprising the Blood Flame Cult has remained so quiet."

"They must be plotting something. While I'm glad to see you again, I don't have the luxury to wait. Heon Wonchang has been captured."

"Ah."

She let out a short sigh and nodded.

"I'll help. Both of you have a debt owed by the Zhongnan Sect."

Those who spoke of the romance of Jianghu martial arts would cherish this moment. The elegance of a beautiful master was on full display.

In the early evening, an ally as strong as an army of thousands arrived. Jung Yeonshin did not decline.

After paying the innkeeper, he left the inn with Wei-Ji Myohwa, leaving behind the three dumbfounded martial artists who murmured about "the Sword Dragon" and "Zhongnan Sect" with vacant expressions.

The pursuit quickened.

"It will be quite a lengthy chase. Is this enough?"

Wei-Ji Myohwa twisted slightly, as if gesturing to her appearance.

She carried nothing but a single sword and a small travel bag slung over her back—a minimal setup befitting a disciple of an Old Sect.

Jung Yeonshin shook his head.

"It may not take as long as we think."

* * *

Jianghu was vast. The size of the Central Plains defined the martial world, and it was boundlessly expansive.

This vastness was why even unremarkable schemes from clever minds could work against opposing forces.

The Blood Flame Cult was impervious to infiltration. It was said that anyone who embraced their Blood Arts became a zealot.

It was a realm of sorcery. This was why any encounter with the Blood Flame Cult inevitably resulted in a lopsided defeat in intelligence warfare.

But not today. The one on the offensive was Jung Yeonshin.

Bang!

The second move of the Infinite Blossom Fist Strike, 'Formidable Wall', exploded at the gates of a certain house.

Amidst fragments scattering like a typhoon, Jung Yeonshin stood, his eyes glowing with a faint blue light.

Boom!

The overwhelming force of 'Demon-Slaying Azure Steel Palm' roared through the hidden Blood Flame Cult stronghold.

As Jung Yeonshin smashed the head of the last cultist, he thought,

"Is this destiny?"

At that moment, his upper dantian radiated insight, like a lightning bolt striking a clear blue sky.

It felt almost fated. It could be the backlash from forcibly expanding the Baihui acupuncture point during sword execution.

Perhaps it was also the presence of Wei-Ji Myohwa, whose profound aura subtly stimulated him.

This was already the fifth stronghold. Every location he entered turned out to be another Blood Flame Cult base.

"There are at least four more."

The information he had gathered from various officials and martial artists combined with his dantian insight.

His pursuit reached a near-divine pace, and his blue-tier martial power was unrivaled.

Even Wei-Ji Myohwa, a seasoned master, could not hide her astonishment.

"Let's go."

Glancing briefly at the shattered Blood Master Swordsman and the fallen cultists, Jung Yeonshin leaped forward.

Wei-Ji Myohwa barely had a chance to intervene.

Jung Yeonshin's short-range agility, enhanced by 'Limit Releasing Technique', was nearly her equal, but his Demon-Slaying Azure Steel Palm was in a league of its own.

Against the Blood Flame Cult, he was nearly invincible.

'As long as I don't meet their Seven Apostles.'

He recalled the Seventh Apostle of the Blood Flame Cult, who might bear a grudge against him.

Simultaneously, the heavenly energy flowing through his crown seemed to whisper teasingly.

Today, there was no need to worry, it said. Whether that would hold true remained uncertain.

"The sixth."

Standing before an ordinary-looking hall, Jung Yeonshin muttered.

Warriors of Desolate Fortress did not care for the gaze of officials.

It was a spectacle impossible to ignore. Truly chaotic, indeed.

The blue-rank warrior of Desolate Fortress, alongside a mysterious and stunning master, tore through Xuzhou.

Their audacious assaults left the utterly destroyed Blood Flame Cult strongholds exposed to the world.

Victims drained of life by energy theft, corpses with blood-red hair—

"Madness... They said the Desolate Fortress, but..."

"Is that even human?"

"Watch your tongue. That is a grandmaster."

Xuzhou, known for its many martial sects, became a scene of curiosity. One by one, people came out to witness the commotion.

The gathering crowd only grew.