Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time-Chapter 349: Late but Arriving First (5)

The Master's Hall. The Residence of the Master of the Golden Chamber.

The warrior who had escorted Jeong Yeon-shin to the Master's Hall was now standing far behind, retreating to the distance.

Typically, it was the martial sect of the White Path that valued hierarchy more than others, but this place seemed to follow a similar pattern.

There was a sense of reverence for the Master, as if he were a divine being beyond human reach.

—It would be wise to tidy up your appearance.

The warrior's voice echoed faintly in Jeong Yeon-shin's ear. It seemed he had meant to only follow orders, but his words had a touch of concern.

It was understandable.

How many times had a master like him been asked to wait on someone with superior martial knowledge?

It was rare for a martial artist who had attained such a level of skill to lower themselves to be a mere attendant.

At the very least, Jeong Yeon-shin had never encountered such a request. Those who attended the Master were the elite of the martial world, after all.

From the beginning, a wandering swordsman like him, seeking a place to settle, could hardly be expected to possess the qualities of an attendant.

This, in itself, was a sign that the Master of the Golden Chamber was far removed from the conventional codes of the secular world.

—It seems you’re unaware, but the one waiting before you is the most renowned...

“I’ll handle it,” Jeong Yeon-shin muttered as he turned a deaf ear to the warrior’s words and proceeded into the hall.

The moment he stepped over the threshold, the warrior’s voice fell silent.

Whether the warrior had stopped speaking on his own or if it was the sheer power emanating from the Master’s dwelling that caused it, Jeong Yeon-shin couldn’t tell.

One thing, however, was clear.

The warrior's words, mentioning the "Sword of the Ruler" and the legendary techniques, were not exaggerated in the slightest.

Swoosh.

Jeong Yeon-shin could feel the tightening of his martial robes.

In an instant, the contours of his forearms became apparent, as though they were being soaked by invisible water.

The pressure surrounding him was far beyond the ordinary.

‘The Heavenly Dragon Slayer Technique.’

His energy flowed naturally with a strong presence, swirling in all directions. Though he had heard the technique was powerful, this level of mastery was something even a high-ranking martial artist would struggle to replicate.

It wasn’t just energy being emitted; the pressure alone came from inhaling the air.

‘Could the opposing energy from the Moon Wheel Technique... counteract it?’

Along with the pressure, he felt the faint, almost vaporous force skim over his body.

The probing energy from the Master of the Golden Chamber vanished. It seemed that nothing unusual had been detected. Jeong Yeon-shin exhaled slowly, releasing a breath he had been holding.

The presence of the Master was formidable, and the sensation left him in awe. Had he not learned from Jin Myeongjo, he would have been unable to even comprehend the scale of it.

‘Definitely superior to the Supreme Lord and the Tenfold Master. There’s no doubt about it.’

The power and wisdom of this legendary figure were evident in the way even fragments of his energy could be analyzed.

Jeong Yeon-shin had never encountered such an advanced martial artist in Sichuan before, except for the Clan Leaders of the Qingseong and Amifa sects.

“Ah, a newcomer. Come over here.”

A man with sharp features and a disheveled expression beckoned from the front room, not far from the source of the overwhelming pressure. His energy, though strong, was still far from extraordinary.

Yet, for someone like Jeong Yeon-shin, being labeled ‘ordinary’ meant that he was, by most standards, a formidable martial artist in his own right.

As Jeong Yeon-shin entered the room, the man introduced himself.

“I’m Wanyang. A fairly well-known free spirit. For a long time, I’ve had the honor of serving the Master of this vast sect alone...”

“Man-yeon,” Jeong Yeon-shin responded curtly, using his alias. It was a name implying that he had matured into an adult.

“‘Filled with smoke’? What a fitting name for a wandering swordsman,” Wanyang chuckled, continuing. “Last night, a few of the warriors tasked with welcoming guests were quite agitated. I thought the news of my successor was just a rumor. I even heard some say I would be called a fool. What use could someone so striking have in wielding a sword for a living?”

Wanyang laughed heartily, but Jeong Yeon-shin raised an eyebrow, discomfort flashing across his face at the mention of the term "fool."

Wanyang clapped his hands together.

“Ha, I’m sure you’ve heard enough of that by now. Our Master doesn’t care for empty words, either. He doesn’t like people praising him for his appearance without meaning. Just follow orders—that’s the one thing you need to keep in mind. As for your quarters, you’ll be staying in the room at the very end of the annex across the hall.”

“Is that all I need to know?” Jeong Yeon-shin asked, slightly impatient.

“Ah, quick to the point, I see. First, let me show you where the wine cellar is. You’ll need to familiarize yourself with all the items here. It’s important to get along with the attendants as well... Once you’ve learned the basics, you can finally meet the Master. You didn’t think everything would be this simple, did you? Listen carefully, first...”

Although Wanyang’s speech seemed lighthearted at first, there was an unsettling chill beneath the surface.

Jeong Yeon-shin nodded quietly, giving a small tilt of his head in acknowledgment.

And so, the conversation continued in the Master’s hall, where seemingly trivial advice was imparted.

“The Master enjoys wine. Maybe it’s because he constantly faces the killing intent of spirits, but he doesn't suppress the effects of alcohol with his power. He lets the intoxication flow freely. Be cautious not to offend him in the process.”

Jeong Yeon-shin wasn’t particularly surprised by this information. He already knew this fact.

The Heavenly Dragon Slayer Technique made use of the intoxicating effects of alcohol to great advantage.

“The Master never lets his hair grow past his neck. It’s not for fear of close combat. You see... Some spirits can manipulate the force of their mind like it’s their grasping hand. If their hair or clothes are too long, it can become an issue... You understand, right? But he also doesn’t like wild, untamed hair. Make sure to learn how to groom it properly.”

Wanyang, despite his somewhat frivolous demeanor, was an important figure in the sect. He had connections everywhere, from the warriors who recruited new guests to the cooks in the kitchens.

He enjoyed the privileges of living in the Master’s hall and served as an essential figure in the sect’s operations.

“Make sure to observe everything when you enter the Master’s bedroom or office. Nothing should be out of place, even the smallest object. Balance and beauty. If you are to serve the Master, these two things are the core principles... much like your face.”

“You just said I should enjoy drinking...” Jeong Yeon-shin remarked quietly, puzzled by the contradiction.

"Would the senses of a transcendent master be disrupted by something as trivial as alcohol?"

Throughout this time, Jeong Yeon-shin had struggled with his patience.

The Suncheon Lord, The Heavenly Gate, The Heavenly Warrior. Whenever thoughts about the whereabouts of these figures arose, he fought the urge to act impulsively. He quietly absorbed every bit of information that Wanyang let slip, like sweet nectar.

The Master of the Golden Chamber was an absolute figure in matters of governance.

Neither a righteous figure to debate justice nor a powerful warrior who yielded to the strength of martial prowess, he was above all that.

One could not force or defeat him through violence and conflict.

What remained were negotiation or stealth, but the former was not an option.

If the three powerful forces of Ipwang Fortress were entrenched within the battle formations of the Golden Chamber, it meant that the Master had effectively taken Jeong Yeon-shin hostage.

Two days had passed.

He spent that time learning the ways of an attendant under Wanyang’s guidance while searching for ways to overcome the Master.

If properly prepared, an ambush could have been staged at any moment. The defense around the Master’s quarters was surprisingly lax, making it possible to enter without drawing attention.

‘There are no guards near the Master’s Hall at all.’

It was as if he was quietly stating that there was no one in Sichuan who could threaten her.

"Today is a significant meeting day. Usually, we do not bring attendants along, but the Master has specifically asked for you to fill the back seat with me. We must accompany the Master to the Golden Chamber now," Wanyang said.

It was after he had led Jeong Yeon-shin out of the Master's Hall and toward the annex outside.

The sun wrapped the mountain ridge in a golden glow, and for the first time, Jeong Yeon-shin was noticed in the same light. Wanyang briefly glanced at him and couldn’t help but admire.

“They say the Master’s aura can pierce even through walls... I imagine the first time she laid eyes on you, she must have sensed your presence. You seem oddly... unlikable."

His voice held a deeper breath than usual, and the final words carried a slight chill, though his smile remained amiable.

‘What is this?’

It was an unexpected reaction from someone who had only seen the Golden Chamber’s attendants as mere statues in his eyes.

Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t even feel the need to react. His focus had always been on higher matters, far removed from petty conflicts. Even during his time as a wanderer, he had learned not to engage in trivial quarrels.

"I had thought this sect was not one to indulge in petty remarks," Jeong Yeon-shin said, and Wanyang’s smile grew wider.

“I had been debating whether to say this... but it’s your somewhat insolent attitude. Before you meet the Master, let me remind you of a few things...”

Jeong Yeon-shin ignored the rest, turning towards the Master’s Hall. He had no time for such absurdities.

"What is going on here? Hey!" Wanyang called out, but Jeong Yeon-shin was already walking away, determined.

He had no issue cutting ties with Wanyang. Today, he was finally stepping into the Master’s realm.

***

After the duel in which the Lord of the Tang Clan failed to land a blow on the Master of the Golden Chamber, the morale of the Golden Chamber’s followers soared to the heavens.

It wasn’t simply because they had felt the true strength of their leader. It was because, just as the Master of the Golden Chamber was about to seize the key to contain the movements of the Celestial Dragon’s formations, they had almost taken control of the Thousand-Year-Hwa-Woo.

The Golden Chamber's Golden Chamber.

Among the vast estate, it was the largest open hall.

The interior itself was a spectacle, with sculptures of a golden phoenix swallowing a dragon, displayed in countless forms, encircling the room. Light particles, like beams of light, floated slowly through the gaps.

Jeong Yeon-shin seated himself next to a statue of a bird breaking the jewel. It was positioned just behind where the Master of the Golden Chamber sat.

‘Just as Wanyang told me.’

A woman with a small frame, wearing a reddish robe.

Her black hair, just long enough to cover the back of her neck, rippled with translucent energy, and the scent of fragrant snow wine gently permeated the air as she held a jade bottle in one hand.

Her upper body moved slowly, exuding an eerie transcendence.

She was said to have mastered her energy, yet even while attending to affairs, she didn’t stop regulating her internal qi. She was truly obsessed with the act of capturing the dragon.

‘Those of exceptional strength, particularly those with the power of violet, cannot be caught off guard,’ his grandfather had once told him.

Jeong Yeon-shin found himself repeatedly thinking of striking out, then stopping. Even if luck allowed him to inflict a fatal wound, there would still be a problem.

The priority of his mission was clear. He couldn’t afford to close off his path to saving his companions by making a rash move.

—"Yeon-shin, the supreme masters who have mastered the arts of the Five Elements can see through all of the basics with a single move. Their speed of attack is beyond your imagination."

‘To truly gauge, I must meet her gaze first.’

He hadn’t seen the Master of the Golden Chamber’s face yet.

While he had been debating with Wanyang, who occasionally glanced his way, the Master of the Golden Chamber had already started without waiting for them.

“Your Master is truly tireless today.”

A young man’s bright voice filled the hall. It wasn’t the kind of speech that matched his appearance but was intended to boost his presence and spirit. °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° His eloquence was extremely polished.

He was a beggar.

His ragged clothes were patched together, and at his side was a small flask and gourd. The knot at his waist held six loops.

His appearance was shabby, but he didn’t emit any foul odor. Even though he sat at one end of the farthest row in the elevated seats, his presence was calm and composed.

Jeong Yeon-shin recognized him.

It was Hu Gae, the beggar from the Sunmaryeon. He had seen him at the Famous Arts Meeting.

What was the heir of the righteous sect doing here, among the forces of the Golden Chamber?

The faces of the siblings, the Toxic Dragon and Toxic Phoenix, seated across from him, showed a stark contrast in mood. They seemed more like guests than prisoners.

For a moment, as Hu Gae was smiling at the Master, Jeong Yeon-shin’s gaze met his.

The beggar’s lips curled into a smile, but the expression was one of curiosity, not pity, as he glanced at the Toxic siblings. It made Jeong Yeon-shin feel uncomfortable.

This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

From the time his grandfather had created the Moon Wheel Technique and from when he heard about the Bloodflame Cult Leader joining forces with the Tang Clan, Hu Gae had always left an unsettling impression on Jeong Yeon-shin.

That feeling hadn’t changed.

“Someone fitting to be with your Master is standing here. Is this a new attendant you have?” Hu Gae said.

“Speak plainly,” came the gruff voice of an elderly man seated near the Master’s left side. His voice carried with a force that shook the air around them.

The Golden Chamber’s First Law, the Left Law, was referenced.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s mind briefly wandered to the Lord of the Heavenly Gate, recalling the similar weight and discipline of their energies.

‘Could it be that Senior Hafu once competed with this man?’

Just then, his eyes flickered with a pale blue light.

“We do not know when the Lord of the Tang Clan will rise, but we each have pressing matters to attend to regarding the Celestial Dragon’s movements in Sichuan, do we not? If we allow the Dragon and Phoenix Dual Poison to run its course, we can unleash a Thousand-Year-Hwa-Woo that rivals the force of the Toxic Commander’s might.”

The Dragon and Phoenix Dual Poison was a nickname for the Tang Clan's brilliant siblings. The Left Law sneered in response.

“You beggar, resorting to such ridiculous tricks. The talents of those two are exceptional, but we cannot afford to let them loose. What do we believe in to unleash the Thousand-Year-Hwa-Woo outward? There are many factions coveting that technique, you know.”

“Oh,” Hu Gae smiled.

“I do not mean to increase the strength of the Dragon and Phoenix Dual Poison. I intend to make use of their connection.”

“Explain further.”

“The Lord of the Tang Clan’s Thousand-Year-Hwa-Woo was indeed extraordinary, but wasn't the one who had wielded it in the past... gone? Now, there is someone in the world who wields an even more powerful Thousand-Year-Hwa-Woo, roaming through the martial world.”

“The King of the Fire Cave...?”

The mention of Master Seomye, the alias of Lord Ma Guang-Ik, caused the hall to fall silent. The faces of the Toxic Dragon and Toxic Phoenix darkened with unease.

But they remained silent, not daring to speak. Only Hu Gae’s voice filled the room.

“The late Lord Tang, who had carefully concealed his actions, once had a servant who had learned of the Dragon and Phoenix Dual Poison’s talents. If you truly saw Master Seomye, you would never overlook this...”

A sudden sound interrupted his words, followed by the sound of stone fragments falling from the ceiling.

A tremendous force of suction swept through the room.

Suddenly, the dust in the hall was drawn toward the elevated seats, swirling and tearing apart as the ceiling opened up like a monstrous storm.

The Master of the Golden Chamber turned his head back.