Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time-Chapter 373: Ritual (3)

Martial masters who have reached the pinnacle of internal cultivation are always big eaters.

It is not merely because they expend vigorous energy through their martial arts. Rather, it is because food is the purified essence of nature’s vital energy.

Just as those raised in noble households or Buddhist-Immortal cultivators refine spiritual pellets with their inner power, true masters of internal cultivation—who have achieved the Grand Circulation of Genuine Qi—treat every meal as a subtle elixir.

A diet sustained by refined energy accumulation.

Not a single waste particle is left behind, burned away entirely.

This was why even humble sects, where obtaining potent medicinal herbs was difficult, could sometimes produce supreme martial masters.

Still, one must retain enough nutrients to maintain muscle strength...

Jeong Yeon-shin pondered as he sat inside a tranquil guest room.

The scent unique to Buddhist temples drifted gently through the air.

Across from him, an extremely gaunt Buddhist nun observed him with eyes too deep to gauge.

To either side of her, three elderly monks—appearing to be of similar age—sat in quiet contemplation.

They were the monks of the Amitabha Sect.

All of them were bhikkhunis.

— I truly did not expect the one called the “Dark Flame Monarch” to be this young. Even accounting for the rumors that he reversed his age through bone-marrow cleansing and body refinement techniques...

— Rumors say he is no more than ten, perhaps eighteen at most. He has not even reached adulthood.

— The Martial Gathering, I mean... Wouldn’t this be too much of a burden for the young layman? No matter how exceptional his martial prowess and rank, standing among the leaders of the great sects... It is truly regrettable.

— One cannot help but feel sympathy. Our junior is right.

— I am also troubled by our Grandmaster’s stance. She has never been one to soften her words...

— I heard that the youngest black rank warrior of Ipwang Fortress strongly inherited his grandfather’s bloodline. A rogue warrior, they say.

A soft ripple of internal energy brushed against Jeong Yeon-shin’s ears before dissipating like a sigh.

It was the monks’ transmitted voice technique.

Normally, such exchanges followed the meticulous secrecy of Whispering Sound Transmission, a method that enclosed the voice within a Qi barrier.

However, Yeon-shin’s Upper Dantian deciphered its internal Qi structure without difficulty, unraveling its meaning directly into his mind.

It was a flaw of his Upper Dantian.

Unlike its owner, it was insatiably curious.

Jeong Yeon-shin had not intended to eavesdrop. He was certain of that.

The Baihui Acupoint is to blame.

Rather than being annoyed, Yeon-shin was actually concerned for the Great Master Wonjeok seated before him.

Her body looked as though flesh had simply been draped over bone.

She was nothing like the robust Shaolin monks he had encountered before.

Even considering her age—clearly over sixty—she was far too emaciated.

It was then.

Suddenly, Great Master Wonjeok spoke.

“Do you have something you wish to say?”

Her voice, in stark contrast to her skeletal appearance, was firm and unwavering.

The sheer amount of refined internal energy she contained was so immense that even the air momentarily trembled.

Only then did Yeon-shin take notice of the seal imprinted on Wonjeok’s forehead.

Nine marks.

Those nine red dots were a symbol of the highest-ranking martial monks in Sichuan.

The only other monks in the martial world bearing the same number of seals were the Abbot of Shaolin and the Grand Priest of Potala Palace.

An undisputed supreme martial master of the orthodox sects.

“Did you not summon me, Master? Please, ask what you will.”

Yeon-shin responded courteously, not because she was a supreme martial master, but because she was a revered elder.

The Amitabha monks flinched ever so slightly.

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Great Master Wonjeok, her expression unreadable, opened her mouth again.

“I was simply curious about your thoughts.”

“......?”

“I have reached a conclusion. You, Layman Jeong, are not suited for this Martial Gathering.”

“...And why is that?”

Yeon-shin straightened his posture slightly.

He had heard the monks speaking earlier about his youth, but his shoulders had long since broadened, incomparable to his form before his bone-marrow cleansing rebirth.

“I sensed a faint trace of Qi seeping in from outside just now. It was astonishingly auspicious.”

“...Because of the Golden Dawn Sect Master?”

Great Master Wonjeok gave a small nod.

“Auspicious presences have a common essence to them. Whether it is the Buddhist-Immortal arts or the Qi of divine beasts, there must be some resemblance for them to be grouped under the term ‘auspicious.’”

“That makes sense.”

“The Heaven-Piercing Dragon-Slaying Art is a technique that annihilates all demonic and heretical energy. Its ultimate principle is to slay flood dragons—beings at the pinnacle of divine creatures. Anyone possessing divine or sacred energy should, by all rights, avoid the Golden Dawn Sect Master.”

The Heaven-Piercing Dragon-Slaying Art...

The stories Yeon-shin had heard about it were consistent with Wonjeok’s explanation.

A martial art designed specifically to slay flood dragons, the apex of mystical creatures.

Moreover, Wonjeok had personally clashed with the Golden Dawn Sect Master before.

“My Avalokiteshvara Golden Crown Barrier Qi was shattered within three kicks. When I countered with the Subduing Tiger Palm Technique, she simply raised her hand to meet mine. She did not even allow me a moment to gather my Qi.”

Her voice was quiet, measured.

“That technique was Thunderous Heaven’s Wrath Dragon Stance. In the span of a heartbeat, a thunderous shockwave erupted, stripping away my protective Qi barrier completely.”

“...Even the sect’s main hall was blown away, as if struck by a barrage of firebolts.”

One of the elderly monks beside her added.

The Amitabha Sect’s main hall—that meant the Ten Thousand Buddhas Hall.

A place of immense history.

Countless small Buddha statues adorned it, drawing pilgrims from far beyond Sichuan who sought to make their offerings.

It was also famous for being as large as an imperial palace.

“Anyone trained in Buddhist-Immortal internal energy cannot withstand it. The world knows this as fact. Even if you, Layman Jeong, were to avoid the Golden Dawn Sect Master, none would fault you. I have already spoken with the Celestial Sage of Mount Qingcheng. You should watch the duels and take on an opponent other than the Golden Dawn Sect Master.”

Jeong Yeon-shin remained silent for a moment.

There was no sect among the Nine Orthodox Schools that was unimpressive, yet never before had he been treated as a child like this.

Even when his physical appearance was now that of an adult.

The Amitabha monks are kind.

The tension in his heart, wound tightly in pursuit of vengeance for Suncheon Ik-lord Ha Do-un, seemed to momentarily loosen.

But the Golden Dawn Sect Master—who had sacrificed humans in her array formations—had to die by his hand.

“......”

Great Master Wonjeok studied him in silence.

Then, abruptly, she spoke.

“You have a sharp face, but I see stubbornness in you.”

“This is the Martial Gathering I organized.”

Yeon-shin replied calmly.

"I understand that you have interfered with the Golden Dawn Sect Master's affairs. If you recklessly step forward first, then the Tenfold Gate Lord and the Sunmaryeon Lord will surely take a step back. That would leave only the Golden Dawn Sect Master to face you."

Great Master Wonjeok spoke in a firm, decisive tone.

Jeong Yeon-shin tilted his head slightly in thought.

"I merely dismantled a single formation. It was neither particularly difficult nor significant enough to be worth mentioning."

"Was it not the Flood Dragon's Sorcery Formation?"

"There were no defenses prepared against its destruction. It must have been a trivial matter. They can surely set up another formation just as quickly."

"...I have not witnessed how she treats an enemy she deems irreconcilable."

"Then, Master, by your reasoning—who should face the Golden Dawn Sect Master? The Celestial Sages of Mount Qingcheng are well known for infusing Daoist power into their sword techniques."

Jeong Yeon-shin asked.

He meant that it would make no difference who among them stepped forward.

Sssk.

Great Master Wonjeok rolled a large string of prayer beads between her fingers.

Her face was indifferent.

The demeanor of an absolute master of the orthodox sects.

"I intend to step forward myself."

"......?"

"This Martial Gathering does not follow a consecutive duel format. Even if I fall to the Golden Dawn Sect Master, I can at least blunt the advance of the unorthodox forces."

She was declaring that she would throw away her life.

For the leader of an orthodox sect, who had cultivated traditional white-path martial arts and was expected to live long, this was not something one would expect to hear.

Jeong Yeon-shin's eyes narrowed.

"Are you saying we should trade lives?"

"Ipwang Fortress is already clashing with multiple Thirteen Heavens forces, and recently, the region has been struck by a severe famine. As a result, the depravity of the demonic and unorthodox factions has reached its peak... If we fail to sever their momentum here, the people of Sichuan will be doomed to a lifetime of suffering."

Vanquish evil and uphold righteousness. Extinguish demons and annihilate heretics.

At this moment, Great Master Wonjeok was speaking not as a Buddhist monk, but as a martial artist of the Jianghu.

She saw this life-or-death Martial Gathering as a decisive event that would determine the fate of the land.

"Layman Jeong, I ask that you understand.

"My defeat at the hands of the Golden Dawn Sect Master was not simply due to a lack of skill.

"Regardless of affinity, these eyes of mine have committed her technique # Nоvеlight # to memory."

"......."

"There is no chance of victory.

"A foolish old monk like myself must go first."

Her solemn voice filled the guest room.

Even though no internal energy was imbued into her words, they carried a weight that resonated in the air—

the presence of a grandmaster who had fully mastered her martial arts.

She was the leader of the Amitabha Sect, one of the Nine Orthodox Sects.

Her cultivation was unimaginably deep.

She had undoubtedly reached Martial Enlightenment.

No matter how many times she fought, at least once she would fall.

Even Jeong Yeon-shin, at his current level, could not guarantee a ten out of ten victory against the Golden Dawn Sect Master.

"Now, let me ask you once more."

Great Master Wonjeok continued slowly,

her words carrying the implication that after witnessing her abilities, he should agree with her.

"When you first saw me, Layman Jeong, what did you think?"

She reflected on it.

A young warrior standing before the leader of one of the Nine Orthodox Sects.

It was their first meeting.

Anyone would feel the presence of an insurmountable wall.

Even if they were both supreme martial masters, the feeling was inevitable.

Yet, the complex layers of martial knowledge that Jeong Yeon-shin had painstakingly accumulated until now...

At this moment, even Great Master Wonjeok felt as though she had encountered a barrier.

Both had honed their Upper Dantian to the extreme.

Neither could deceive the other.

There was only one answer.

Jeong Yeon-shin met the old monk’s clear, unwavering gaze and carefully opened his mouth.

"I thought that you should fortify your muscles and take better care of your body."

"......?"

Great Master Wonjeok blinked slowly.

Meanwhile, Yeon-shin felt an odd sense of relief.

At last, he could bring up the issue that had been bothering him.

It was the perfect time to address it—

before this crucial Martial Gathering took place.

"A Grandmaster of Amitabha Sect should be someone the people can rely on.

"But your back is far too narrow, and instead of supporting your lumbar spine with muscle, you are maintaining it purely with internal energy, aren’t you?"

"...My internal energy flows like the rivers of Mount Sumeru, so—"

"I do not sense any strong Qi from your lumbar muscles, either.

"You should not be living like this.

"The Amitabha Sect's martial arts must have a Warrior Stance, yet if you were to suddenly rotate your waist, an unfortunate accident might occur.

"Do you eat enough soybeans?

"I have been meaning to ask you for some time."

Wuuung—

Like rushing water, something surged into Jeong Yeon-shin's mind.

It was insight—the first in a long while.

And it was dazzlingly clear.

How had a body woven with nothing but thin strands of muscle managed to withstand the Golden Dawn Sect Master's techniques?

How had such a frail frame endured an impact strong enough to shatter a flood dragon’s scales?

Judging by her unscathed appearance, she had escaped without any fatal injuries.

"She must have manipulated the Qi flow through her meridians with extreme fluidity. There's no other explanation. Since her muscles are insignificant, she had no other choice."

Now that he thought about it—

Even the Supreme Sword of Mount Wudang, a renowned supreme master, had once survived an encounter with the Golden Dawn Sect Master.

*"The Master has gone beyond the Three Transformations of Essence, Qi, and Spirit, achieving Martial Enlightenment.

"For someone at her level, using internal Qi propulsion is far more effective than ordinary footwork.

"Rather than directing shockwaves outward, she must have redirected them inward, making her movements much faster and more fluid..."*

A premonition—

A short yet profound accumulation of knowledge—

Countless pieces colliding, interlocking like a bolt of lightning.

Even as all of this unfolded within him, Yeon-shin’s words did not cease.

He spoke out of genuine concern—

Because the sight of a great Buddhist master, so deeply devoted to the path of enlightenment, was pitiful to him.

"It’s not just your lower back that needs attention.

"The shoulder muscles covering your Jianliao Acupoint (肩髎穴) are also problematic.

"The essence of fist techniques lies in rotation, yet your deltoid and surrounding tendons are so thin—I truly wonder how you managed to withstand such powerful strikes.

"You must have mastered an incredibly refined technique.

"If I had to guess—

"At the exact moment when the Golden Dawn Sect Master's shockwave reached its peak impact point, you applied the principle of reversal through extremity...."

Jeong Yeon-shin's words carried sincerity.

A supreme martial master who had honed her Upper Dantian to its absolute peak was listening to him from a mere step away—and she could feel it.

And then—

A thin, faint line appeared on Great Master Wonjeok’s lips.