Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time

Chapter 75 – Ma Family (3)

“What are Lightning Genius’ movements?”

“He remains secluded in the Radiant Demon Wing main building.”

A man wearing a sword reported to Zhu Lianting seated in the seat of honor.

It was a separate building of Desolate Sect’s Desolate Ma family. The guest room that was originally the main room had transformed into an office. It was Zhu Lianting’s order.

[TL- Mother’s name was previously mistranslated as Ju Lianting, the correct name is Zhu Lianting.]

“They said his internal injuries were severe. Would he accept if I send medicine?”

It was a self-mutter.

Zhu Lianting fell into thought while tapping the desk with her finger.

Regardless of the warrior kneeling, her trusted subordinate who had served her since childhood, she was lost in thought.

She was imperial family. She could say Lightning Genius’ background was lowly. Originally it was so.

‘There are rumors he received cultivation techniques from the Sect Lord.’

Circumstances changed. The difference between guiding a few moves and transmitting cultivation methods was very great.

Lightning Genius’ value grew day by day.

There were also words that he made great merit in destroying the Blood Flame Sect main hall in recent murim activities.

The merits were unbelievable, and his age even more so.

“If we are to fully embrace the Ma family, we cannot drive out Lightning Genius. No matter how I think about it, no method comes to mind. Even considering it for days… Do you feel the same?”

“…Yes, my lord.”

The trusted subordinate answered. He was a swordsman whose energy was tempered like steel.

As his martial might was no less than ordinary blue-ranked masters, he was one who had weathered many political battles with Zhu Lianting.

Zhu Lianting who brushed the desk with her fingertips slightly closed her eyes.

‘Lightning Genius. Is he a vessel worth embracing?’

They said the Ming Taizu’s imperial clan was unprecedented in scale throughout Central Plains history.

Founding Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang had twenty-six sons.

All except those appointed as crown prince and heir took wives and concubines. The imperial clan grew endlessly.

At present, Zhu surname households claiming Taizu exceeded thousands.

Those who received titles like Prince, Princess, or King were rare.

It meant they could barely reign as regional hegemons. Because there were too many imperial family members.

Most lived in various manors near Beijing.

Zhu Lianting’s father was the same. He only held an empty rank.

Zhu Lianting was both noble and insignificant. Not being a daughter of a Prince or King, she couldn’t become a princess or noble lady.

So she came to Desolate Sect. She married the cousin of Radiant Demon Wing’s leader who was said to be impotent.

Thanks to her son’s good talent, she could be called daughter-in-law by the previous Divine Sword Squad Leader.

It was because the direct line Radiant Demon Wing Leader was incapable. She too served Ma Yeon-jeok devotedly.

“I told Lightning Genius. Now I can no longer hide my origins from other factions. The succession rights are around the corner so it’s rather good. Wasn’t it to overcome crisis by revealing it at such times?”

“That is so.”

“But it’s a temporary measure. That child Lightning Genius has legitimacy and martial might. He will trouble Se-in until death. It will become so even without intending it.”

There are times thoughts are organized by laying out words. It wasn’t a place to seek the subordinate’s opinion.

She couldn’t become a warlord because she had no title.

Realizing her circumstances young, she yearned for only one thing. Proof of identity and value.

She sought ways to be reborn as true imperial family elsewhere.

She wanted to grasp one of the precious swords the imperial court aimed at the martial world. The armory was Desolate Sect, and the precious sword was the Desolate Ma family.

She spoke.

“I heard life-and-death matches with Namgung family leaders became a topic. They said it would be in martial match format. Could Lightning Genius receive the mission assignment by breaking through the main sect’s preliminary competition?”

“It’s hard to gauge his martial might. Though he seems to have the skill to exchange twenty moves, I heard the momentum I saw before wasn’t his full power.”

“It’s as I felt. To be at that level even with internal injuries. Truly hard to measure.”

“Using assassins…”

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“You’ll soon know your suggestion is mindless. Secretly assassinating the Sect Lord’s direct disciple…? That’s thinking befitting murim’s foolish warriors who only see what’s ahead. Rather than keeping the Great Ming’s divine sword as future trouble, it’s better for me alone to be content with my lot.”

She said with a slight laugh.

“We can neither kill nor drive him away. There’s no other way.”

“……”

“Let’s measure Lightning Genius’ capacity. How much sincerity must we pour out?”

It was decided. She chose to become a guardian instead.

It was better to embrace and control his conduct. Making him an enemy was an amateur’s method.

He was a disciple the Desolate Sect’s lord took interest in. Just need to give support until he loses his mind.

What to do was clear.

‘Let’s test his capacity.’

How much wealth and manpower must be invested for him to fall into her grasp.

She dismissed her trusted subordinate and lay on the bed. The office was also her bedroom.

As the Desolate Ma family’s future mistress, she already managed many internal and external affairs.

‘When day breaks I should visit personally.’

But she couldn’t sleep. She heard a strange sound. The ambitious branch imperial member doubted her ears for the first time in her life.

“Lianting─!”

It was a tremendous sound. Both the volume and meaning were so.

Zhu Lianting pondered for a moment. Was there another Lianting nearby?

“Lianting! Lianting─!”

The shouts didn’t ring just once or twice. They spread widely as if to wake the entire vast main sect’s night.

Unlike the frivolous voice, it seemed to contain very deep internal energy.

“What crazy b*st*rd…”

Vulgar words came out from her elegant lips.

Step.

She came out wearing just one robe over her nightclothes.

Though she spoke of imperial authority, she was already a true master of the martial world.

Family martial arts were imperial martial arts. She had properly trained from childhood.

Even her respected father-in-law said she was powerful.

“Who is it!”

“How can there be such a lawless person in the main sect…”

“Radiant Demon Wing? Is it truly Radiant Demon Wing!”

Coming outside, it was already a spectacle. Chaos had broken out.

The movement lines of over ten low-ranked warriors were tangled trying to catch one white-rank. Yet they still couldn’t subdue him.

“Such impudence…”

“Shouldn’t we step in right away?”

“Wait. Eyes are gathering.”

“That’s right. Even if many elders help Lady Zhu, still. Damaging the main family’s dignity and crossing hands with a youngster? And in the main sect no less. Don’t act rashly.”

The divided faction elders didn’t move. Ma Se-in and Zhu Lianting’s guardians also couldn’t step forward hastily.

The grappling continued. It wasn’t because the Ma family warriors were incompetent.

The problem was the nimble movements of the fellow with the hero’s headband fluttering on his forehead.

His body technique had already surpassed white rank. He was flexible and soundless as if having learned assassin secret techniques.

“Lightning Genius?”

Zhu Lianting muttered. The youth standing apart to one side entered her view.

The man and woman standing with him were also familiar. Blue Eyed Sword Demon Cheong Myeong and Bewitching Sword Demon Baek Mi-ryeo.

They were Radiant Demon Wing’s vanguard. They were masters counted among the main forces of the Seventeen Divine Sword squads.

Zhu Lianting’s fine brows furrowed.

“Where is Lianting!”

Because the lowborn’s shouts were loud, people gathered. Desolate Sect was a cluster of various hall groups.

It meant there were very many staying there. The night’s disturbance was worth watching.

‘Planning to make it public?’

Zhu Lianting somewhat caught their inner thoughts. They seemed to intend to escalate the matter somehow.

Lightning Genius and the Desolate Ma family. If one dug deep into the circumstances, the latter would draw public resentment. It was also hard to skillfully mislead with lies.

It was because elves who could see through truth were everywhere in the main sect.

The matter was clear.

‘Must subdue first and check after.’

He called for her personally. The justification was also clear.

THUD!

Zhu Lianting immediately stamped the ground. The power gathered in her foot’s bubbling well point exploded.

The footwork of the imperial martial art Golden Immortal Eight Methods greatly shortened the distance.

Along with a thunderous sound, dust rose in a long straight line.

She arrived at the battlefield in an instant.

The Radiant Demon Wing white-ranked youth who was displaying smooth body technique smiled with his eyes.

He was quite presentable due to his handsome appearance. Zhu Lianting spoke as if murmuring while not taking her eyes off him.

“Come out.”

The Ma family warriors moved away in unison. There was discipline in their movements. It was military discipline that would shine in group battles.

Zhu Lianting immediately gathered inner power to her right arm. It was the palm technique of Golden Immortal Eight Methods.

The blood vessel of the Large Intestine Meridian running straight from shoulder to index finger among the body’s twelve meridians burned.

It filled with power in an instant.

BOOM!

Storm-like energy waves gathered in her extending palm.

It was martial arts that greatly utilized the entire body’s meridians. Though raising powerful true qi, it was extremely precise.

It was a strike to kill a white rank who insulted imperial family with one hit.

That’s when it happened.

WHOOSH!

Her vision was dyed with blue clothes. Her eyes widened.

A youth with calm eyes had blocked in front.

‘Lightning Genius?’

She missed his approach. It was no one’s fault. His body technique resembling the elf clan’s movement was very accomplished.

The distance was too close. Striking Lightning Genius here would ruin matters.

She desperately tried to withdraw her true qi. She pulled back considerable force in an instant.

Enough that Lightning Genius could handle according to rumors.

‘Done.’

She couldn’t completely withdraw the force. A trace of power remained.

Raising intent and completely controlling true qi simultaneously? That was a realm able to match Desolate Sect black ranks.

Her inner power operation hadn’t yet reached the achievement of Three Flowers Gathered at the Crown.

THUD!

Therefore the sound was loud. Her palm struck Lightning Genius’ solar plexus.

The cool sensation of the Desolate Sect blue martial uniform dug into her palm center.

In that moment Zhu Lianting’s eyes widened further.

They said the imperial family’s Golden Immortal Eight Methods was martial arts that trained the entire body’s meridians. It specialized in longevity and defense against sneak attacks.

It granted sharp senses able to fully perceive the opponent’s qi and blood in the moment of exchanging a strike.

Precise moves originated from sensitive five senses.

Therefore she felt it.

True qi sprouted from Jeong Yeon-shin’s solar plexus. It was the middle dantian.

The inner power operated in his interior gently pressed the Bong-an point at the edge of his lungs.

Though it brought blood, organs weren’t damaged. It was extremely fast yet incredibly detailed cultivation.

A once-in-a-lifetime genius. Born with a complete vessel for martial arts.

However Zhu Lianting couldn’t admire. In the instant she withdrew her hand, she felt blood rising up Lightning Genius’ airway.

It meant he would soon cough blood. He deliberately caused blood vomiting.

COUGH.

Blood sprayed with Jeong Yeon-shin’s cough.

Soon he staggered and collapsed. Anyone could see it was because Zhu Lianting used excessive force.

Her eyebrows raised.

“This impudent thing…”

“Please withdraw your hand.”

Bewitching Sword Demon Baek Mi-ryeo who stepped forward spoke.

She was wrapped in pitch-black ink-colored energy flows all over her body. The nature was very chilling.

It was an internal energy technique whose origins anyone would find hard to measure. Energy materialization was rare cultivation. Gazes were immediately drawn.

“Demonic arts?”

“No. The energy waves are pure.”

“Don’t you know Bewitching Sword Demon?”

They were spectators.

They were already lined up in front of the Desolate Ma family hall. All were Desolate Sect warriors.

Those who came running hearing the main sect’s disturbance numbered dozens.

There was also a master who drew people’s gazes more than Baek Mi-ryeo.

It was Cheong Myeong who drew his sword before the pitch-black energy waves could even spread.

Hazy wind rose along the sword gripped by the one-eyed noble wearing a hood.

Energy waves arose without even releasing sword strikes. It was an ominous sword wind.

He parted his lips.

“Step back.”

He was the Blue Eyed Sword Demon called Swordsman who could discuss all under heaven in the future.

He completely integrated his clan’s abilities with martial arts. They said his fame as a Radiant Demon Wing master was second only to Radiant Demon Wing’s leader.

“You two, are you in your right mind? Think of the punishment. That ‘Desolate Ma family’s Zhu Lianting’ over there won’t stay still.”

Hyeon Won-chang beside them scolded the two seniors.

His expression differed from his words. Energy unique to killing sword practitioners gleamed.

Internal energy carrying intent created demon-like energy waves, truly not human in appearance.

Anyone would consider it the appearance of a warrior glaring at a hero’s enemies.

“The murim’s principles have fallen to the ground─!”

Hyeon Won-chang who slightly pushed aside his seniors and stepped forward opened his mouth.

His voice was loud. It seemed he gathered true qi in his vocal cords rather than sword.

A voice like Buddhist lion’s roar clawed the atmosphere.

“Is this how you treat Radiant Demon Wing’s Lightning Genius who made his name through missions? Lawless ones who know no shame! Are you not ashamed before your parents in heaven? Desolate Ma family! If there are any who would discuss chivalry with this Desolate Sect Hero, step forward!”

His true qi operation that only withdrew force when mentioning parents was tremendous.

His entire body was emitting powerful spirit.

Zhu Lianting glanced down and stepped back once.

“Lightning Genius? Radiant Demon Wing’s rising talent?”

“I heard he already had internal injuries.”

The spectators approached bit by bit and craned their necks.

The sight of Lightning Genius crouching on the ground with head deeply bowed wasn’t unsightly.

The young master’s bravery in taking the ascending martial arts strike for his companion was great.

“Parents in heaven?”

Zhu Lianting coldly echoed.

“Are not imperial family members those who look down on subjects from azure palace?”

Hyeon Won-chang who glibly retorted quickly knelt beside Jeong Yeon-shin’s head.

After seemingly examining the solar plexus wound for several breaths, he soon supported the upper body and began wailing loudly.

“Aigo, aigoo!”

It was an astounding sight.

Zhu Lianting lowered her hand. It was like watching grand opera that flourished in Beijing. It was an unanticipated event.