Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time-Chapter 363: Tenfold Perfection (4)

The Divine Beast King resembled Tae Yeom-ryong.

Not just in appearance, but in temperament as well. The moment he heard Jeong Yeon-shin’s harsh words, he merely waved a hand dismissively.

Still seated lazily on a high tree branch, crouched in an unbothered posture.

"I came here thinking the Lord of Seonmok had been manipulated by Peng Yeol-ran, but it turned out to be the other way around. That’s a relief. Things worked out well."

"......?"

"One should never use something they don’t understand. Especially something as troublesome as the Heavenly Tree’s sapling."

He trailed off, his tone languid, as if he were simply stating the obvious.

It was a voice that carried both youth and old age at once.

Even his face, which bore an uncanny resemblance to Tae Yeom-ryong, held that same contradictory air.

His skin ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ was flawless, without a single wrinkle, as if to prove the depth of his martial prowess—

Yet his expression was that of a tired old man, burdened by the tediousness of the world.

Jeong Yeon-shin found that expression distasteful.

Yang Guifei’s grandson would never have the luxury of growing old like that.

He glanced down at Peng Yeol-ran’s severed head at his feet.

The Twin Kings’ Army surrounding them followed his gaze.

Peng Yeol-ran’s lifeless face, pressed into the dirt, devoid of any of her usual charm.

The rotting corpses of the unorthodox Peng Clan’s elders, already filling the air with their stench.

The once-clear mountain road now dyed a dull, blood-darkened crimson.

"I asked if you have ever slain a warrior of Ipwang Fortress."

Jeong Yeon-shin’s voice cut through the silence.

Huangbo Gon smirked as if troubled, his lips curling in a way that reminded Jeong Yeon-shin even more of Tae Yeom-ryong.

"That’s a difficult question. I’ve turned more than a few people into pulp over the years."

"Come down."

"Now, now. A swordsman of your caliber should carry his blade with a heavy hand."

Huangbo Gon leapt gracefully from the tree branch.

Tack.

His golden sleeves billowed extravagantly before settling.

The motion of his robe, imbued with internal energy, assisted his movements—

It was the Graceful Sky King Sutra of the Huangbo Family in action.

But the depth of it was unlike what Jeong Yeon-shin had ever sensed from Tae Yeom-ryong.

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His casual words and light demeanor didn’t mean he had let his guard down.

That was the mark of an experienced veteran.

"Hmm... How is a human body like this...?"

Standing before Jeong Yeon-shin, the former Huangbo Patriarch stroked his chin.

His gaze swept over Jeong Yeon-shin’s form, sharp as a blade—

A stark contrast to the weariness in his half-lidded eyes.

"Now that I think about it, the Lord of Seonmok hasn’t had to use Execution Techniques since arriving here. Everything was already in order. Does that answer your question? But more importantly..."

He barely acknowledged Jeong Yeon-shin’s inquiry.

Instead, Huangbo Gon’s curiosity was entirely fixated on Ma Gwang-ik’s altered body.

"Seeing you up close is even more astonishing."

"What?"

"I underwent Rebirth in my youth, but your body seems... deliberately crafted to accommodate a certain martial vein. I can’t fathom how, but—"

Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t bother responding.

He simply lifted his gaze.

Two powerhouses came into view.

A ragged old man lay sprawled atop a distant rocky outcrop, watching them with lazy amusement.

Meanwhile, another elder, clad in a jade-green robe, hovered silently in midair, staring down at Jeong Yeon-shin.

Gui Lord Man Hu Gae and Shadow Lord Gong Ho-jinin.

Their auras were immense.

Two of the five greatest figures within the formation—pillars of the Twin Kings’ Army, the rulers of this domain.

They were warriors strong enough to have easily threatened the missing Suncheon’s Lord and the Ipwang Fortress combat units.

Jeong Yeon-shin needed their answers, too.

The moment they spoke, his upper dantian would discern the truth.

But instead of asking—

He merely tilted his chin upward, wordlessly pressing them to speak.

He had already witnessed how the elders within the formation preyed on civilians.

With the death of Suncheon’s Lord now an almost irrefutable fact, he had no reason to extend respect to these old beasts.

"...A demeanor close to that of a tyrant’s martial arts."

Huangbo Gon murmured to himself.

But Ma Gwang-ik didn’t hear him.

He simply stood there, gazing at the two elders from within the transparent lotus of Final Thunder’s Glow.

Shhhhhh—

Even without exerting any forceful intent, an overwhelming pressure naturally radiated from him.

The air trembled with an ominous ripple.

An undeniable declaration—

He was not afraid to fight again.

The dimming halo in his heart was irrelevant.

Even after expending immense energy eradicating the Tyrant King, the Wind Monarch, and the unorthodox Peng Clan’s elites, the void left by his fallen mentor burned far deeper than any exhaustion.

His rage seethed to the edges of his skull.

He simply didn’t show it.

"Just one. Let just one of them make the wrong move."

The thought crossed his mind.

At that moment—

From across the distant hill, where the old man lay sprawled—

Gui Lord Hu Gae suddenly chuckled.

There was an aged confidence in his mirth.

Perhaps because the distance was vast, a stretch that would take an ordinary person at least an hour to cross on foot.

"They say the waves of the river push the old ones aside, and now the younger tides of Murim come to torment this old beggar."

"......."

"But look at you. Glaring at everyone with the Ghostly Tyrant King’s head at your feet—who would dare speak freely? Honestly, the warriors of Ipwang Fortress always..."

A blade disappeared from Jeong Yeon-shin’s grasp.

The wind unspooled like a tangled skein—

Then, in an instant, Yi Gi Yu Geom pierced through the air in a straight line, splitting the sky before embedding itself in the rock where Hu Gae had been reclining.

BOOOOM!

A deafening explosion shattered the outcrop.

Chunks of stone, heavy even at a glance, tumbled down the distant hillside.

The mountain echoed with the constant thud, thud of debris rolling.

For a few breaths, silence fell.

Behind Jeong Yeon-shin, Cheon So-so’s blue eyes widened slightly.

Hahoe Wi-jin, on the other hand, merely scratched the back of his head, recalling how he had once been pinned down by Ma Yeon-jeok.

Then—

"Tch. Always the younger ones who grow too strong too quickly."

Hu Gae emerged from the lingering dust, landing before Jeong Yeon-shin.

His movements were so light and effortless that his title, Gui Lord, suited him perfectly.

Even beneath his ragged garments, the signature swift aura of the Beggars’ Sect’s Preservation Sutra radiated outward.

His expression was unreadable.

Had he taken that as an insult?

His sunken eyes were already shadowed, lending him an ominous appearance—

But the way he glared at Jeong Yeon-shin now was downright chilling.

Then, he spoke.

"Is this how they teach diplomacy in Ipwang Fortress?"

"I heard that the Beggars’ Sect prioritizes begging before martial arts."

"What?"

"The old man has yet to learn the ways of a lesser warrior."

Jeong Yeon-shin replied calmly.

At that, Hu Gae furrowed his deeply wrinkled brow.

"Having eradicated the Ghostly Peng Clan, it’s clear that you’ve exhausted your strength. What do you hope to gain by provoking us further? The Lord of Seonmok and the Celestial Forest Commander are hardly unscathed—at best, you might achieve mutual destruction—"

Whoosh!

The old beggar cut himself off, abruptly turning and raising a palm.

At the same moment, a streak of white light tore through the air—

Piercing Hu Gae’s shoulder before embedding itself with a resounding thud into the scabbard at Jeong Yeon-shin’s waist.

A clean return of the blade.

The divine sword crafted by the Tang siblings fit reasonably well into the Falling Star Sword’s sheath.

His dimming halo had weakened the speed and force of the strike compared to when he had impaled the Ghostly Tyrant King—

But as a show of intent, it was effective.

A more formal-minded martial artist might even assume that Jeong Yeon-shin had shown restraint.

Regardless, to Gui Lord, the abrupt response left little room for reaction.

Yet, the old beggar merely flushed red in the face and said nothing.

To preserve his dignity, he had little choice.

By the time Jeong Yeon-shin calmly spoke again, the colorless lotus of Final Thunder’s Glow had already dissipated around him.

"Answer the question."

"...Within this formation, I have not personally crossed swords with any warriors of Ipwang Fortress."

Hu Gae admitted.

Jeong Yeon-shin ran his fingers along the hilt of his sword, silent.

His upper dantian, tempered by Ascending Dragon’s Bloom and Final Thunder’s Glow, detected no falsehood.

Neither did Hahoe Wi-jin nor Cheon So-so, both of whom were skilled at discerning truth.

He lifted his gaze.

His eyes met those of Shadow Lord Gong Ho-jinin, who still hovered in the air.

The old Taoist held his gaze, his eyes as deep as an abyss—then slowly shook his head.

Likewise, no deception.

That was enough.

Jeong Yeon-shin cared little for the personal affairs of Gui Lord, Shadow Lord, or Divine Beast King Huangbo Gon.

All that mattered was gathering his comrades and returning safely.

"Seniors, retrieve your subordinates. We are leaving."

He spoke without turning back, remaining vigilant of the three old masters.

"Are the warriors of Seonmok and Celestial Forest unharmed?"

"Seonmok’s people are safe. The children imprisoned by the unorthodox Peng Clan—Peng Yeol-ran made sure they were accounted for."

Behind him, Cheon So-so nodded subtly.

Her gaze, however, rested on Peng Yeol-ran’s severed head.

It must have been a long and arduous struggle to steal the Heavenly Tree’s sapling from her.

Hearing Hahoe Wi-jin’s rough confirmation only reinforced the weight of the mission carried by his black-clad comrades.

"Celestial Forest will gather when called."

"Then let’s go."

Jeong Yeon-shin declared.

The way he spoke of the elders, how they nodded without hesitation—

It was natural.

To Divine Beast King Huangbo Gon, this was an unfamiliar sight.

His eyes flickered with interest.

"I have one question."

"......?"

"That Heavenly Tree sapling in the Lord of Seonmok’s possession—what do you intend to do with it?"

"We will take it outside and defer to the Fortress Lord’s decision."

Jeong Yeon-shin’s response was direct.

The shift in tone—from casual to respectful—was seamless.

After all, Ma Gwang-ik was not one to disregard propriety.

And no matter what, Huangbo Gon was the grandfather of his comrade.

"Why the change in tone? You wear disrespect better. There’s no hierarchy among Ipwang Fortress’s black-clad warriors."

"Because one of my subordinates is your grandson."

"Oh?"

Huangbo Gon chuckled, stroking his chin.

"Hard to believe. That a warrior of Ipwang Fortress came from the disgrace of my household...?"

His laughter was dismissive, but his eyes glowed with deepening amusement.

"Either way, this is troublesome. The Flood Dragon disappeared long ago, and with it, this formation will soon collapse..."

"That is not my concern. We will take only the civilians and leave."

"You have a way out?"

"Yes."

"The Heavenly Tree’s sapling only severs space. Unless you’re the Fortress Lord himself, the Lord of Seonmok won’t be able to draw out any greater power from it."

Huangbo Gon followed closely, subtly trailing behind—as if intending to accompany them all the way to Hahoe Wi-jin’s village.

"We have a method."

"A supreme master of spell martial arts came with you, then? Now that I think about it, something is odd. Didn’t you say the Lord of Gold and Dawn opened the formation for you? But that monster still hasn’t appeared. What could he be doing...?"

He was talking too much.

A stark contrast to Gui Lord and Shadow Lord, who had already vanished without a word.

The resemblance to Yang Guifei, though distant, was undeniable.

Unlike Jeong Yeon-shin, his bloodline must have run deep.

Step.

His footsteps echoed against the dirt, the wind cooling the blood-soaked ground.

"If deception concerns you, let me clarify something."

"Hmm?"

"Your household has fallen."

"This Ma Gwang-ik is quite meticulous. A young man with a sharp tongue."

"Yes."

"Well, the rise and fall of great families is like a turning wheel. I’ve long ceased to care."

"The crime of forcing civilians into labor."

"......?"

"It was judged as treason. Your family was annihilated by Ipwang Fortress."

"Hmm...?"

"Your only surviving kin is my subordinate."

"......."

Ma Gwang-ik, Hahoe Wi-jin, Cheon So-so, and Divine Beast King Huangbo Gon—

The four descended the mountain.

Their footsteps left behind the stares of onlookers, who had watched the battle in stunned silence.