Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time

The place where Thunderblade had disappeared.

A wave of astonishment rippled through the crowd, as thick as clouds.

The moment the chaotic battle broke out, those who had either stepped back or fled in a hurry hesitated.

Among them were not only commoners but also numerous poets, scholars, and martial artists, all staring blankly at the sky.

"What just...?"

"The Divine Sword moved on its own!"

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

"I'm telling you, the sword ascended to the heavens!"

The fierce battle came to an abrupt halt. Even those exchanging swift strikes in the upper realms of martial prowess momentarily took a step back.

The compressed winds, trapped within their techniques, all burst forth at once.

Saaah—

A yellowish whirlwind swirled. It drew a massive circle, sweeping through the surroundings before slowly dissipating. The sight was far calmer compared to the storm the Divine Sword had just unleashed.

"……."

In the silence, the hems of the grandmasters' robes fluttered. It was incomprehensible. Their reactions reflected nothing less than complete disbelief at what had transpired.

Among them, Thunderblade was the quickest to react.

Despite the shock, she hadn't fully retracted her energy.

Her upper body, streaked with short yet deadly sword wounds from shoulder to neck, was wrapped in a pale windstorm. Her black hair, cut just above her nape, wavered like the mirage of a summer day.

"We pursue."

Lowering her stance, she shot forward, shattering the ground beneath her feet in a circular pattern.

In the direction where the Divine Sword Thunderblade had vanished. A belated thunderous boom echoed from behind her black leather shoes. Her movement technique was brutally fast.

The swordsmen of Celestial Extreme Sect, who had formed an encirclement, began withdrawing like a receding tide, following in her wake.

Watching over their retreating backs stood the Nether Sovereign.

A man clad in tightly fitted black garments, akin to an assassin's attire. His heavily muscled torso, shadowed by the dim light, emitted an overwhelming aura.

He was a swordsman who had honed his lower energy center to its absolute limits.

"The esteemed Lord Tang wouldn't strike the backs of retreating men, would he?"

The Nether Sovereign spoke with a faint smile.

A middle-aged man with sharp facial features and a long beard, yet with unusually smooth skin. His swordsmanship and appearance were equally refined—thus, he was called the Nether Sovereign.

Celestial Net. Like a net cast by the heavens, there was no escaping it.

Yet even the Left Seat of the Celestial Extreme Five Swords couldn't completely hide his shock.

A fragment of the astonishment that had momentarily surfaced on his face still lingered.

Beyond him, three shadows leaped past.

Pararak—

Shin So-bin, Hyeon Won-chang, and Yu Hyeon. The sharp gusts of their rapid movement technique caused their garments to flutter noisily.

All of them were among the finest talents of their generation. Impossible to predict what impact they might have at any given moment.