Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time

Jeong Yeon-shin closed his eyes for a moment.

His entire body, battered from the relentless battles, now throbbed with pain, each meridian feeling as though pierced by countless needles.

And the final stroke—the sword strike that had retrieved Beomheo from an unknown place—had been the crowning blow.

By resonating his divine power with the remnants of "Empty Moon Dance" technique, he had poured every ounce of his strength into the thunderous slash.

Even if he attempted to train and recreate it, he would never succeed again. His body was utterly spent.

Even so—

Swish.

A gentle warmth spread from Yulha Nangnang’s touch as her fingers brushed through his hair. The weight of all the complicated emotions in his mind seemed to melt away.

He lowered his head slightly and met her gaze. Her smile deepened, completely untainted.

‘Ah.’

Reality settled in.

The great upheaval had ended.

They said that warriors of Ipwang Fortress, even if they had never fought side by side, would still feel a sense of camaraderie after battle.

For Jeong Yeon-shin, Yulha Nangnang, and Beomheo, that was even more certain.

They had saved each other’s lives multiple times in this battlefield alone.

‘The ties ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ the abbot spoke of…’

Jeong Yeon-shin held Yulha Nangnang’s gaze a moment longer before speaking.

“Can you stand on your own?”

“No.”

“…What?”

“I was joking.”

With a soft chuckle, the Head of Mount Hua slipped from his arms.

Her mastery of internal arts was a renowned secret to none. Even after a brief moment of rest, she had already recovered the energy needed to stabilize herself.

Splash.

Yulha Nangnang landed lightly on the river’s surface and smiled.

“Your embrace was firm, yet comfortable.”

“I’m relieved to hear that.”

“The way your body is structured… It’s entirely different from those of our sect’s swordsmen, who primarily refine transformation techniques. And yet, it doesn’t seem like you lack insight into those arts either. It’s rather peculiar.”

“That’s probably thanks to my ability to manipulate my own rebirth at will. I couldn’t afford to remain passive.”

“Hmm…?”

Her eyelashes flickered slightly, but Jeong Yeon-shin had already turned his gaze toward Beomheo, who stood silently beside them.

‘She’s not at full strength yet.’

1. In the 72nd year of Gunryeong, on the first day of winter, the emperor passed away. The three great royal guards of the imperial family transported Gunryeongje’s body to the Forbidden City.
2. It is rumored that the northern war deity engaged in a life-and-death duel with the emperor. His whereabouts remain unknown.
3. Numerous high-ranking martial artists from the northern tribes have begun moving south.
4. If you encounter a massive warrior wielding a crescent blade or a large axe, with a grotesquely twisted face—flee immediately.
5. Below are incidents in Hangzhou.

• Around the Minor Snow period of the 72nd year of Gunryeong, a flood dragon appeared in Hangzhou. The Shaolin Abbot, the Mount Hua Sect Leader, and Ipwang Fortress’s Yeonhwa Nata repelled it. The Shaolin Abbot suspects that remnants of Dark Heaven Emperor remain. Elite martial artists from Qingcheng Sect and other renowned factions are now tracking the final remnant soul of Dark Heaven Emperor.
• Ipwang Fortress’s Twin Purple Lords remain unknown. Immediately report any information regarding the whereabouts of Divine Sword Squad Leader and Yeonhwa Nata.
• Foremost Invincible Sword Yalu Jin clashed with the Bloodflame Cult Leader. Yeonhwa Nata disappeared along with them.
• It has been confirmed that One-Lotus Sword Maiden Baek Mi-ryeo has inherited the full martial legacy of the current Ming Cult Leader. She escaped after evading pursuit from Ipwang Fortress’s Great Hero Hyeon Won-chang and Blood-Drenched Lord Shin So-bin. It is clear that she has entered a state of Demonic Awakening, but since she is deeply cherished by Yeonhwa Nata, do not speak of this publicly under any circumstances.