Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time

The inner quarters of Mok Family Manor.

Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly opened his eyes, and a realization struck his mind like a hammer.

‘…The Dark Celestial Emperor is dead.’

The ancient monster Cho Ryeol no longer existed in this world. His essence, his spirit, and his qi had been completely annihilated. Even the internal energy of the Dark Celestial Emperor that had remained on earth was now gone.

A revelation originating from the Baihui acupoint at the top of his head.

The Empty Destruction Realm of Moonlit Blade Dance had vanished entirely from Hangzhou.

Like the nameless warriors of the martial world who perished in futility on some forgotten mountain.

Naturally, Yeon-shin’s upper dantian once again began to burn with scorching heat.

A damnable sensation, but in the grand scheme of things, this was an auspicious event for the world. One man’s short fate had nothing to do with the security of the realm.

If Cho Ryeol had remained alive, sooner or later, another disaster like the Awakening of the Flood Dragon would have occurred. This was, without a doubt, a good thing.

And—

Yeon-shin instantly knew who had accomplished this feat.

To him, neither the Lord of Ipwang Fortress nor the sect leaders of the Nine Great Schools were beings he needed to guard against.

There was no need to narrow the scope of his senses or condense his °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° qi perception.

‘Hyeon Won-chang.’

The one man he could truly call his elder brother had eliminated the threat.

The uniquely razor-sharp qi of the Celestial Extreme Sect’s master had been wielded by the Divine Sword of Ipwang, as if he had swung a sacred relic.

A feat that not even the heads of martial sects could accomplish.

As the Azure Mantle of Ipwang Fortress, Yeon-shin had to ensure that this achievement was duly recognized.

If he reported this to the General Directorate, Hyeon Won-chang might even be granted the qualifications of the Black-tier Order.

Regardless of his erratic martial strength as the Divine Sword of Ipwang, this was something that had to be done.

“…Why are you just staring blankly? You’re not a newborn child.”

The voice came from the physician standing in Yeon-shin’s field of vision, speaking in a dry, detached tone.

His face was deathly pale, sunken cheeks giving him a skeletal appearance—far beyond what one would call haggard.

He looked half-dead.

“If you’re able to get up but still insist on lying down, then you must have finally realized that a life spent lazing around indoors is the highest form of fortune.”

“…Excuse me?”

“The status of an Azure Mantle of Ipwang Fortress may seem glamorous on the surface, but don’t you lot whittle away your own souls and bodies for the sake of the world? A truly good life is one spent as the master of a bountiful estate in some peaceful countryside. Keep that in mind, for your own sake.”

“Sir.”

“Hmm?”

“Before we met here in Hangzhou, we had encountered each other elsewhere, hadn’t we?”

Yeon-shin stared at him intently as he asked.

• The forces of Prince of Gungmyeong and two other royal factions.
• The Five Army Inspectorate, led by a Vice Grand Commander—a military force of formidable warriors.
• The Great Merchants Guild, a coalition of merchants who controlled vital resources amid the famine.
• The Governor-General of Zhejiang and his entourage.
• The Four Provinces Martial Alliance, a coalition of Jianghu sects spanning Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, and Guangdong.
• An Imperial Commissioner dispatched from Beijing.