Chapter 104: Make the Sword Your Eyes!
Qingzhou, Jiang Kingdom.
What awaited Yeop Hyeon and the others upon their return to Canglan Academy was a devastating wasteland of ruins. Not only had Canglan Hall and the surrounding buildings been utterly destroyed, but half of Canglan Mountain itself had been blasted away.
Yeop Hyeon wandered through the debris, searching for something, until he suddenly lifted a glinting object from a pile of rubble.
A gourd!
It was Dean Ji Yuan Zhang's gourd.
The moment they saw it, Mu Yun Qi and Bai Ze's eyes welled up with tears.
Ji An Zhi simply bowed her head, clenching her fists tightly.
Yeop Hyeon stared at the gourd for a moment before tying it to his waist. Then, he dropped to his knees before the ruins stretching out in front of him.
In his entire life, he had never knelt anywhere—except when he sought to save Yeop Ryeong—not even once.
He had come to Canglan Academy solely to save his sister, but afterward, Yeop Hyeon had truly come to love this place.
Here, there was no need to fight with his life on the line or spew harsh words at enemies. It was where he felt a warmth he had never known in the Ye family of Qingcheng.
Mu Yun Qi and the other two approached and knelt beside him.
Together, they bowed three times toward the ruined Canglan Hall.
After the bows, Yeop Hyeon drew the gourd from his waist and gazed at it with a solemn intensity.
Dean Ji, as promised, I'll take good care of them. I'll soon bring back the students on Cang Mountain as well. When that day comes, we'll go together to the main branch of Jungto Sinju to fulfill your final wish!
With those words, Yeop Hyeon rose to his feet.
At that very moment, something bizarre happened.
His complexion changed abruptly, and he collapsed to the ground. His entire body convulsed violently, as if seized by a fit!
Mu Yun Qi and the others rushed over in alarm. Yeop Hyeon's face was already twisting horribly, losing its original shape.
I'll fetch a physician!
As Ji An Zhi turned to run, Yeop Hyeon suddenly grabbed her hand and spoke in a trembling voice.
I-It's... fine... Just paying the price... You... all of you, guard... me for a bit...
This was the fateful price Yeop Hyeon had to pay.
He had anticipated something like this when he shook the Gyeok Ok Tower to summon the Heavenly Maiden. She had warned him not to use its power recklessly, but at the time, his life hung in the balance.
Each time the Heavenly Maiden intervened, the Gyeok Ok Tower bore an immense burden—and that burden fell entirely on its master, Yeop Hyeon.
He hadn't paid before because she had forcibly suppressed it with her own power. But not this time.
Yeop Hyeon was enduring agony as if his body were being torn to shreds. The pain was so excruciating it made him think death would be preferable.
Not only had he used the tower's power, but her intervention had followed...
Now, he had to pay both prices at once!
Even for the resilient Yeop Hyeon, this was torment beyond enduring while sane.
His convulsing body cracked open like parched earth in a drought, looking as if it might shatter at any moment!
It was a horrific sight, one hard to witness.
Mu Yun Qi and the other two watched in shock, powerless to help.
Yeop Hyeon curled into a ball, wracked by endless spasms.
He wished he could just pass out.
But he feared he might never wake if he did.
He had too many reasons he couldn't die.
He had to find Yeop Ryeong and An Ranxiu, rebuild Canglan Academy, and more...
I have to endure! I must endure!
Yeop Hyeon clenched his fists, fighting to stay conscious.
Suddenly, Mu Yun Qi collapsed to the ground beside him. A single tear traced down his cheek.
I'm such a pathetic weakling... Useless... a goddamn worthless cripple!
Bai Ze said nothing, but his fists were balled tight, his massive frame trembling.
Ji An Zhi stared at Yeop Hyeon expressionlessly, tears streaming endlessly down her face.
Canglan Academy now consisted of just the four of them.
If even Yeop Hyeon died...
How much time passed? One side of the sky began to lighten as dawn broke.
Only then did Yeop Hyeon's condition slowly stabilize.
Mu Yun Qi and the others hadn't moved an inch, standing guard around him.
Time wore on.
It was around noon.
Yeop Hyeon's fingers twitched. Ji An Zhi rushed over, grasping his arms.
H-How are you? Better now?
Yeop Hyeon slowly rose, opening his eyes.
A bit better... But, the sun... hasn't risen yet?
A chill foreboding gripped Ji An Zhi, who trembled as she examined his eyes. But they were empty!
His eyes were gone.
Mu Yun Qi and Bai Ze froze, eyes wide.
Yeop Hyeon rubbed his eye sockets with his hands and realized.
It wasn't that the sun hadn't risen—it was that he was blind.
At that moment, the Heavenly Maiden's voice echoed in his mind.
Your body is strong enough to withstand the backlash, but your untrained eyes are not.
I can't intervene because if I release my hold on the tower even for a moment, it could break the seal and attack me. And you would die first.
Yeop Hyeon smiled faintly in response.
This is fine by me.
Even without eyes, you still have your sword. Cultivate Sword Eyes and make the sword your eyes!
Sword Eyes?
Yeop Hyeon asked, puzzled.
What does that mean?
Your body is made of sword. Making the sword your eyes is entirely possible. Let your mind become the sword, and the sword your eyes. Reach this realm, and even without eyes, you can behold the world with your mind.
Then, what you see will be not the shell of things, but their essence. And through cultivation, reaching this state will let you kill with mere intent. Assuming, of course, you can achieve it.
Yeop Hyeon replied.
Then teach me!
It might be a bit painful. Are you sure?
A bit?
Yeop Hyeon gave a wry smile. Whenever she called it 'a bit,' it was always 'excruciating.'
Heavenly Maiden, when have you ever seen me fear pain?
I'll transmit a technique soon. Cultivate it from there. Without eyes, you won't look your best for a while, but once mastered, you can transplant eyes from another being—one strong enough to bear Sword Eyes, like a dragon or phoenix...
Dragon? Phoenix?
Yeop Hyeon's expression went blank.
Those were legendary divine beasts! Extracting their eyes? He'd burn to ash before getting close!
One more thing. It's time to find the second Dochik. Bring it, and I'll get some relief too—along with a boost to your power. Don't forget: your greatest enemy isn't outside, but within your own body!
Yeop Hyeon nodded.
I'll keep it in mind!
Then I'm retreating to rest. Don't summon me unless it's urgent. And avoid using the tower's power if possible. You're not ready to control it. The more strain on the tower, the happier those fools sealed inside will be.
Yeop Hyeon looked worried.
Heavenly Maiden, are you sure you're okay?
You brat! Worry about yourself instead of me!
Suddenly, a flood of information poured into Yeop Hyeon's mind.
One Sword Determines Soul (一劍定魂)
Sword Eyes Art (劍眼诀)
Yeop Hyeon shook his head with a laugh. Even he had to admit he was lucky.
With the Heavenly Maiden's help, he progressed with fewer mistakes than other warriors. He acquired weapons and techniques others could only dream of!
But it was regrettable that each of her interventions cost him dearly.
This time, his eyes. What next?
Moreover, he sensed dangerous entities swarming inside the Gyeok Ok Tower.
If she intervened again before he recovered a Dochik, the tower might collapse.
And he'd be trapped and die.
In his current state, summoning her was like inviting disaster.
Depending on her wasn't good, either.
The moment he relied on her, she'd abandon him—that was the Heavenly Maiden he knew.
If he hadn't staked his life shaking the tower back then, she never would have appeared.
They shared no special bond; expecting her constant aid was unreasonable.
In the end, he had to do it himself.
Grow strong on his own.
At that moment, he felt the Spirit Water Sword trembling inside him, as if it had something to say.
Soon, it materialized in his palm.
Though he could see nothing now, he could sense it.
Yeop Hyeon gripped the sword and curled his lips.
From now on, you are my eyes.
Mu Yun Qi approached and spoke.
Yeop Gangdo...
Yeop Hyeon shook his head.
I'm fine. No need to worry.
His friends fell silent at his words.
Then, in a light tone, Yeop Hyeon said,
Now, it's just the four of us left in Canglan Academy. I want to rebuild it—make it the greatest academy in Qingzhou! No, the best in the entire Qingcang Realm!
He turned toward the ruins and murmured,
Dean Ji, watch from the heavens. I, Yeop Hyeon, do what I say! I'll make the Canglan Academy main branch regret scorning us—they'll beat the ground in remorse!