Chapter 112: Live As If Today Is Your Last
He was truly a Sword Emperor.
The overwhelming sword intent pouring from him pressed down on everyone in the arena like an invisible weight.
Yeop Hyeon slowly closed his eyes. In response, boundless sword intent and battle spirit surged from his body, clashing against the man's. Mu Yun Qi and the other three unleashed their own auras as well, joining forces to resist the Sword Emperor's sword intent.
The middle-aged man pressed the tip of his sword right against his own brow, his gaze fixed on the woman. A sharp glint of sword glow flickered at the blade's edge.
The woman, who had been on the verge of striking, froze for a moment.
She currently had her back to everyone. No one could clearly see her face.
Not even Yeop Hyeon had properly seen it yet.
From midair, the middle-aged man who had been staring piercingly at her finally spoke.
"Will you receive my one sword?"
His words boomed like thunder, shaking heaven and earth.
Momentum!
Sword Momentum!
In that instant, Yeop Hyeon felt another sword cultivator's momentum for the first time. The pressure emanating from the man before him was far stronger than his own!
'This guy's strong!'
At that moment, a woman's voice rang out from within the bamboo grove.
"Talkative fool!"
With those words, she extended her hand. The bamboo leaf sword in her grasp shot upward as if it had been waiting for the cue.
Her sword was utterly ordinary.
So ordinary that it lacked even a trace of sword momentum, sword intent, or sword glow!
A single thought flashed through the minds of everyone in the arena.
'What an utterly ordinary sword.'
But the middle-aged man, upon seeing her sword, widened his eyes in shock and unleashed his full power in a frontal strike.
From his blade's tip erupted a colossal sword glow, sword intent, and sword momentum, intertwining like a volcano exploding outward.
A devastating one sword that seemed capable of cleaving the earth in two!
Yeop Hyeon and his group watching from below paled instantly.
If that sword fell, the entire Giun Mountain might be obliterated.
A Sword Emperor—one who could split mountains, shatter earth, and part seas with a single strike!
One of the world's rare true masters!
This was the essence of a Sword Emperor.
And the Heavenly Maiden?
Mu Yun Qi and the others suddenly turned their heads toward her sword. Compared to the man's, the bamboo leaf sword seemed utterly insignificant. No, they weren't even in the same league.
At that moment, the two swords collided in midair.
Shk—!
As all eyes focused, the bamboo leaf sword improbably pulverized everything about the greatsword.
Sword intent, sword momentum, sword glow, and even sword qi...
All of it vanished in the simplest fashion.
Pfuk—!
The bamboo leaf sword pierced the man's brow.
The arena fell into deathly silence.
Instant kill!
A Sword Emperor, just like that!?
The white-robed elder and the other two couldn't believe their eyes.
No, overwhelming terror had seized their bodies, paralyzing rational thought.
Their opponent was a Sword Emperor! Even a Sword Immortal couldn't slay one in a single blow.
Yet this woman before them had done it.
What in the world was her true identity!?
Overwhelmed by colossal fear, the three elders couldn't move a muscle.
From the shadows, O Lu Ju shook his head with a wry smile as he watched the scene. It was now crystal clear why she hadn't needed their help.
For Chwi Seon Ru, deciding not to oppose her and instead pull her to their side had been a stroke of divine luck. Had they refused to bow until the end, the entire Chwi Seon Ru might have plummeted into ruin by now. And even that would have been a mercy!
Chang Mok Academy, which had clashed with her to the bitter end, reduced to a puddle of blood mist, served as a perfect example.
The middle-aged man remained motionless in midair. Like a soulless husk, he stared blankly at the woman. Then, an immense surge of sword intent began erupting from within him, growing ever more intense.
'A realm breakthrough?'
The white-robed elder and the others wore expressions of utter disbelief.
On the verge of death, the man was attempting a breakthrough.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"So... this is it... What a pity, truly a pity..."
The life slowly drained from his eyes.
The greatsword slipped from his grasp and fell limply to the ground.
Yeop Hyeon quietly picked it up and tossed it into the Gyeok Ok Tower, returning to his spot as if nothing had happened. Mu Yun Qi and the others were left speechless at his nonchalance.
"Yeop gangdo..."
Meanwhile, the middle-aged man's crumbling body finally vanished without a trace.
At that moment, the woman's bamboo leaf sword returned to her hand. She slowly lowered her sword grip toward the ground.
A breeze happened to stir, lightly lifting the hem of her skirt as she stood atop the bamboo. She seemed not of this world—like a fairy from legend.
Right then, the bamboo leaf sword flew straight toward Yeop Hyeon. His expression changed drastically.
'What is she planning now!?'
As if on cue, her voice echoed in his ear.
"Do you know why he could achieve a breakthrough just before?"
Yeop Hyeon shook his head hesitantly.
Thwack—!
The bamboo leaf sword struck his shoulder blade.
The searing pain nearly made him cry out.
'It hurts down to the bone!'
"You only know how to scavenge treasures!"
"..."
The woman spoke in a cold voice.
"People only truly understand many things right before death. It's a kind of beautiful enlightenment. What you lack now is this insight into life.
This enlightenment must come entirely from within you—no one can grant it. No one knows what tomorrow brings. So live each day as if it's your last. Remember that!"
Yeop Hyeon bowed deeply toward her.
"I will keep it in mind."
Thud—!
The bamboo leaf sword struck his shoulder again.
The bone-rattling pain made him jump in place.
"I-I said I'd remember...!"
"Oh, did you? Must've misheard... Anyway, got a problem with that?"
Yeop Hyeon replied with an utterly aggrieved expression.
"N-no... none at all..."
The woman cleared her throat awkwardly, then turned to glare at the remaining three elders.
"What are you gawking at? Did I say you could look!?"
At that instant, her bamboo leaf sword flashed.
Slash—!
With the sound, the black-robed elder's head flew off. It hit the ground limply.
"..."
It was pure shock.
The white-robed elder and the long-bearded one were dumbstruck.
A single sword.
One casual gesture, and the black-robed elder's neck was severed.
He hadn't even gotten a chance to strike.
Terror began to envelop their hearts.
They now knew for certain: the woman before them was a Sword Immortal. No, not just any Sword Immortal.
Of course, they knew even Sword Immortals varied in strength.
Her realm surpassed anything they had imagined a Sword Immortal to be!
What could they do now?
The only thing left was to await death.
But if they died, what of Chang Mok Academy? What of the Shadow Realm?
If she sought revenge against them, could they withstand it?
A whirlwind of thoughts left the two elders in turmoil.
At that moment, the woman raised her sword, pointing it at them.
"Didn't you come looking for me? Surprised now that you've seen me? Or too thrilled to speak?"
The white-robed elder replied with a look of despair.
"We concede defeat!"
The one who slew a Sword Emperor in one stroke—they stood no chance.
"Scram!"
'Scram?'
The two elders were taken aback.
'She's not killing us?'
Yeop Hyeon cried out urgently.
"Why spare them? They should be executed—"
The bamboo leaf sword shot toward him like lightning, smacking his shoulder blade.
Crack—!
It was the crispest, most refreshing sound in the world.
Yeop Hyeon nearly shed real tears. The pain was excruciating.
"If you want them dead, kill them yourself! Don't order me around!"
"..."
The Heavenly Maiden turned back to the two elders.
"I don't care how you treat those kids. But if you send anyone two realms above them again, I promise I'll show you personally what it means to be crushed by raw power. Got it? Now get lost and don't waste my sleep time!"
The two elders exchanged glances, then bowed deeply to her.
Before leaving, they gave Yeop Hyeon one last meaningful look.
They themselves could no longer act. But warriors one or two realms above him? They could.
With meaningful expressions, the two turned and vanished like the wind.
As they departed, the woman pointed at Yeop Hyeon.
"Follow me."
She lightly descended from the bamboo treetop to the ground.
Yeop Hyeon let out a deep sigh. Following her felt like inviting trouble. But it beat dying.
With the expression of a man who'd seen it all, he shuffled after her.
His three friends watched his pitiful retreating figure with sympathy.
"He's probably gonna get beat."
Bai Ze nodded at Mu Yun Qi's words.
"Yeah, he's gonna get beat."
"He might take it out on you two when he comes back."
At Ji An Zhi's words, Bai Ze and Mu Yun Qi's faces drained of color.
In the woods, the woman walked ahead, her mourning skirt brushing the ground. Yeop Hyeon trailed behind at a leisurely shuffle.
"Do you know why I let them go?"
"Please enlighten me, Heavenly Maiden!"
Yeop Hyeon couldn't dare say he had no idea. One slip, and he'd get smacked.
Gazing at the distant sky, the woman spoke.
"Every time I act, it places a heavy burden on you and the Gyeok Ok Tower. Killing those two just now would have overwhelmed both you and the tower."
Yeop Hyeon fell silent.
In truth, he had already suspected as much.
Even after she revealed herself, he felt no backlash. Clearly, she had shouldered the cost he was meant to bear. And someday, he'd have to pay it.
Then the Heavenly Maiden halted.
"Whether you know it or not, in this world—especially in certain special regions—there exists a group of geniuses. Each has a protector."
"A protector?"
As Yeop Hyeon looked puzzled, she continued.
"A so-called protector is someone who guards a genius from behind until they fully mature. Even geniuses can die young without protection. That girl An Ranxiu always had one shadowing her. You couldn't sense it due to your low realm, though."
Yeop Hyeon gazed at her solemnly. After hesitating, he spoke.
"Heavenly Maiden... then are you my—"
"Dream on! I'm not your protector!"
"..."