I Am That Master. What Will You Do?
Gang Wol-cheon led Bai Ze and Mu Yun Qi away from the arena and vanished.
Moments later, I Hyeon-chang and the black-robed man appeared where they had been.
Gazing up at Yeop Hyeon and his group soaring high into the sky, I Hyeon-chang gnashed his teeth and bellowed.
“Chwiseonru, you've finally lost your minds!”
He truly couldn't comprehend it.
Why was Chwiseonru turning so many factions into enemies?
Nearby were over a dozen Myriad Laws Realm experts and three at the peak of that realm. Most critically, among them were forces from the Daeun Changmok Academy and assassins from the Dark Realm!
The power of these two factions was incomparable to any third-rate rabble.
Yet Chwiseonru was willing to make enemies of them just to save Yeop Hyeon?
The black-robed man spoke to I Hyeon-chang, who was lost in thought.
“They must have something they're relying on.”
“Something they're relying on? Ha! Whatever it is, Yeop Hyeon dies today!”
At that moment, I Hyeon-chang shouted toward the dark forest.
“That kid has already reached the Martial Master and Sword Master realms at such a young age. If he doesn't die today, he'll become a Sword Lord—or even a Sword Emperor—and point his blade at us someday. That won't end well for anyone here!”
In the hushed arena, the old man who had just fought Ji Yuan Zhang appeared and shot off in the direction Yeop Hyeon had fled, accompanied by the young boy who had come with him.
They were all seasoned warriors hardened by long years of battle. If they failed to extinguish this seed of calamity today, it would surely return as a massive disaster later.
I Hyeon-chang let out a ferocious laugh as he watched more figures leap into the air after the old man.
“Perfect! Today, we can uproot Chwiseonru as well!”
With that, I Hyeon-chang vanished alongside the black-robed man.
The Imperial City would not know peace this night.
Inside Chwiseonru.
Gu Lu-ju and Gang Wol-cheon had brought Yeop Hyeon and his three companions to Chwiseonru. The building, located at the heart of the Imperial City, rose nine stories tall. Of course, this was just one of Chwiseonru's many branches.
Gu Lu-ju led Yeop Hyeon's group to the top floor, flung open the windows, and bellowed.
“All unrelated personnel, evacuate this place immediately!”
His voice thundered outward like lightning.
The people around Chwiseonru began fleeing in panic. The nearby commercial district was mostly owned by Chwiseonru, so most of them were affiliated with it.
Once the area had cleared somewhat, Gu Lu-ju shouted.
“Deploy!”
“This must be the famous Nine Spirits Formation of Chwiseonru!” Gang Wol-cheon exclaimed in admiration, and Gu Lu-ju nodded.
“It requires three thousand supreme-grade spirit stones per activation, and at least fifty thousand more for basic operation...”
Gang Wol-cheon muttered to himself before turning to Gu Lu-ju.
Chwiseonru was squeezing out its lifeblood to protect Yeop Hyeon!
Gu Lu-ju shook his head.
“Money comes and goes. No need to make a fuss over it.”
Mu Yun Qi, standing beside Yeop Hyeon, murmured quietly.
“Chwiseonru's never looked this cool before...”
“...”
Gu Lu-ju turned to Yeop Hyeon with a cautious expression.
“So, Master, when will your master arrive?”
Master?
All eyes in the room turned to Yeop Hyeon.
They had all suspected he had a powerful backer. It was simply impossible to master the sword path alone without one.
Curiosity sparkled in their gazes, especially Gang Wol-cheon's—he was dying to know. What kind of backer could make Chwiseonru pay such a steep price to protect him?
Meanwhile, Gu Lu-ju's heart pounded as if it might burst from his chest.
He had brought Yeop Hyeon here with ulterior motives. By aiding him in his hour of need, he could forge ties with Yeop Hyeon's master, a Sword Immortal. Plus, Yeop Hyeon himself was a promising talent—befriending him would be a boon to Chwiseonru.
A win-win!
Provided his master arrived on time.
If not, not only would they be in peril, but Chwiseonru would face brutal suppression from countless giant factions—especially Daeun Changmok Academy and the Dark Realm. With a hundred lives, they still wouldn't survive!
As Yeop Hyeon opened his mouth to respond to Gu Lu-ju, a massive impact shook the roof of Chwiseonru.
Boom!
The entire building trembled violently.
Yeop Hyeon's group looked outside to see the old man from Daeun Changmok Academy, I Hyeon-chang, and the black-robed man glaring down at Chwiseonru with murderous eyes.
Behind them stood over a dozen warriors.
All Myriad Laws Realm experts!
The simultaneous appearance of so many in Jiang Kingdom was unprecedented.
Facing their imposing formation, the faces in the room hardened instantly. Gu Lu-ju's complexion turned ashen, like a corpse.
How do we block that...?
I Hyeon-chang spotted Gu Lu-ju and shouted in a cold voice.
“Chwiseonru's thrown in with Yeop Hyeon? Then die together!”
I Hyeon-chang soared into the sky and thrust a palm strike toward Chwiseonru.
Boom!
A hairline crack appeared in the barrier enveloping it.
“Activate the formation!”
Thud!
At Gu Lu-ju's roar, dazzling pillars of light burst from points across the barrier. Each one brimmed with immense power.
I Hyeon-chang frowned at the activated formation and shouted to those around him.
“No reason to drag this out. Attack together and shatter it!”
The warriors exchanged glances and charged the formation.
A combined assault from over a dozen Myriad Laws Realm experts—how could it not be devastating!?
Boom!
The light pillars vanished in an instant as over a dozen massive energies rocked Chwiseonru.
Boom!
A deafening roar echoed across the Imperial City as the grand building crumbled into dust and debris.
Yeop Hyeon's group crawled out from the ruins when two shadows thudded limply before them.
Gu Lu-ju and Gang Wol-cheon.
Then, over a dozen warriors surrounded them.
Splat!
Invisible, crushing pressure bore down, slamming their bodies to the ground. Bones began cracking in places.
Yeop Hyeon gritted his teeth and tried to rise, but I Hyeon-chang appeared before him.
Immense force pressed down.
Pffft!
Blood sprayed from Yeop Hyeon's mouth.
I Hyeon-chang looked down indifferently.
“Now do you get it? Your rejection from Changmok Academy wasn't our mistake—it was your greatest misfortune!”
His gaze shifted to Mu Yun Qi and Bai Ze nearby.
Thud! Thud!
Dull impacts sent them flying hundreds of zhang away. Blood poured from their mouths upon hitting the ground.
I Hyeon-chang's mad laughter filled the air.
“Just as you slaughtered countless Changmok Academy students before me, I'll show you exactly how your comrades die.”
His toe flicked lightly.
Whoosh!
Three shards pierced the abdomens of Bai Ze, Mu Yun Qi, and Ji An Zhi.
Witnessing this, Yeop Hyeon roared at the top of his lungs.
It was then.
Boom!
Vast battle intent and sword intent writhed and surged from his entire body.
Shattering the invisible pressure, Yeop Hyeon rose. His body twitched, and he charged I Hyeon-chang sword-first.
The warriors in the area showed clear dismay.
A mere youth had overcome the pressure of a peak Myriad Laws Realm master like I Hyeon-chang. And the aura emanating from him now was that of a Martial Master and Sword Master.
A genius of sword and martial supremacy!
The thought flashed through every mind simultaneously.
Awe filled I Hyeon-chang's eyes. The gap in their realms was vast, yet Yeop Hyeon had broken free using dual intents!
What terrifying talent.
Realizing this, the killing intent in I Hyeon-chang's eyes deepened.
Fortunately, he had chosen to kill Yeop Hyeon by any means necessary back then. At this growth rate, he would have become Changmok Academy's doom.
I Hyeon-chang casually waved at the charging Yeop Hyeon.
Thud!
His gesture hurled Yeop Hyeon, shattering the ground, straight toward Mu Yun Qi hundreds of zhang away.
Endless blood poured from the writhing Yeop Hyeon on the ground.
I Hyeon-chang approached slowly.
“I told you, your life ends today. Even an immortal couldn't save you.”
Mu Yun Qi wiped blood from his mouth and spoke to Yeop Hyeon.
“Yeop Sword Brother... looks like it's really over this time... I might go first...”
I Hyeon-chang shoved his face close to Yeop Hyeon's, grinning chillingly.
“So, is your so-called master still on the way? Call him already!”
His toe slammed into Yeop Hyeon's abdomen.
Thud!
Yeop Hyeon flew dozens of zhang before crashing. Every bone in his body felt shattered.
Struggling up, Yeop Hyeon slumped to the ground, pounding his chest to suppress the nausea rising in his throat. Then, a golden character '土' (Earth) appeared between his brows.
Gyeok Ok Tower shook, and a small pagoda manifested between his brows.
At that instant, Yeop Hyeon's consciousness blurred.
The character and pagoda vanished from his forehead, and Gyeok Ok Tower steadied.
[Sigh...]
A faint sigh echoed through the area from somewhere.
I Hyeon-chang looked up at the sky, drawing all eyes upward.
Under the bright moonlight, a woman stood with her back to them, dressed in mourning robes, long hair cascading to her waist, hands clasped behind her.
She slowly extended one hand and cried out in a clear voice.
“Come!”
In that instant, every tree in the Imperial City trembled violently. Leaves soared into the air, swirling chaotically across the night sky.
Next, like rivers flowing to the sea, the airborne leaves converged into a single green sword that floated slowly to the woman's hand.
The warriors could only gape at her.
Then, the sword in her grasp vanished. When it reappeared, its tip was aimed at I Hyeon-chang's brow!
In the deathly silence, her voice rang out.
“I am that master. What will you do now?”