Chapter 124: We Will Become Rich
Once the introductions were finished, Yeop Hyeon couldn't help but be astonished.
All of them hailed from Jungto Sinju.
How did warriors from Jungto Sinju end up drifting all the way here?
Yeop Hyeon's suspicions deepened. Jungto Sinju was incredibly distant from this place.
As if reading his thoughts, Cheong Sam-nyeo met his gaze and spoke.
"It's a kind of warrior's pilgrimage."
Only then did everything click for Yeop Hyeon.
They had all stormed out on their own to hone their skills and gain experience—without any help from their clans, of course.
Had they brought along masters from their sects, it wouldn't have been true training.
At that moment, the man who had introduced himself as Ya Ri leaned in close to Yeop Hyeon.
"You're really the dean of Canglan Academy?"
Yeop Hyeon nodded, and Ya Ri's face twisted in bewilderment. He was far too young to be a dean.
Mak U, the spear-wielding man beside Ya Ri, chimed in.
"Your Canglan Academy back in Jungto Sinju is legendary."
Yeop Hyeon shook his head.
"Has nothing to do with us."
His unexpected reply drew stares from everyone.
Ignoring their reactions, Yeop Hyeon drew a large circle on the ground.
"Alright, this is our current position. It's about a thousand li to the Imperial City of Danguk, with twelve fortresses in between..."
"We're heading to the Imperial City of Danguk?"
Cheong Sam-nyeo's question made Yeop Hyeon pause and counter.
"What, you scared?"
Silence fell as they exchanged glances—all except Cheong Sam-nyeo, who kept her eyes locked on Yeop Hyeon.
"The escape routes are blocked," he said. "And our enemies won't expect us to plunge deeper into Danguk."
Yeop Hyeon drew a deep breath and continued.
"You're all Penetrating Mystery Realm warriors. Breaking through to the next stage will demand astronomical sums of money. What we just looted won't cut it. Am I wrong?"
Becoming a master required vast wealth.
That was why Cheong Sam-nyeo's group had turned to mercenary work—to fund their training resources.
No matter how talented, without money, one hit a wall.
No one contradicted Yeop Hyeon; they all turned to Cheong Sam-nyeo and Luk Ban-jang.
Finally, Luk Ban-jang spoke up.
"You got a plan?"
"Plan? We rob 'em and run!"
Luk Ban-jang nodded.
"Good!"
With that, they all mounted the black wolves.
Led by Yeop Hyeon and Luk Ban-jang, they charged deep into Danguk territory.
A dozen elite masters. Unless they ran into a Myriad Laws Realm powerhouse or a massive army, they had nothing to fear.
Soon, they reached a fortress. No need to identify it—they stormed straight in, heading for the city lord's mansion.
Every fortress had a city lord's mansion, the richest institution aside from merchant guilds like Chwiseonru.
Yeop Hyeon couldn't bring himself to rob a place tied to him, so the mansion it was.
Soldiers swarmed them en route, but common troops were no match.
Bursting into the treasure vault, they swept every last gem clean. In moments, not a speck of dust remained.
Less than half a gak after entering, they were out the gates, galloping toward the next fortress.
Before their warmth had even faded, a band of black-clad cavalry thundered in—about three hundred strong, long sabers at their waists, radiating fierce, chilling auras.
They were the Black Saber Guards.
Elite cavalry guarding the Danguk imperial house, handpicked from the armies—battle-hardened veterans. Even their weakest was at the peak of Soaring Realm, a terrifying force.
A masked man among them glared in the direction Yeop Hyeon's group had fled and growled low.
"Pursue."
The black riders surged forward.
Deep in the forest, a dozen black wolves raced like tempests.
Luk Ban-jang shouted to Yeop Hyeon.
"We've got a tail. Around three hundred. Not regular soldiers."
"Think they'll catch us?"
She shook her head.
"No chance."
"Then ignore 'em and hit the next fortress."
Yeop Hyeon bellowed to the group.
"We just nabbed fifty million taels in gold, three top-grade spirit stones, and a haul of treasures besides!"
"Woooah!"
Cheers erupted.
"If we're doing this, let's do it right! Haha!"
"Keep running! Sweep 'em all!"
"We're gonna be rich! Haha!"
"..."
Luk Ban-jang eyed Yeop Hyeon and murmured.
"You'd make a better bandit boss than sword cultivator."
"..."
They soon reached the next fortress, only to face archers lining the walls, bows trained on them.
Yeop Hyeon yelled instantly.
"Go! We skip this one!"
Why? We're passing up a fortress?
The mercenaries, poised to charge, looked baffled.
Luk Ban-jang shouted at Yeop Hyeon, wheeling her mount.
"Follow him!"
The black wolves vanished from the fortress gates in a flash.
As Yeop Hyeon's group fled, the commander on the walls grimaced.
"Damn it!"
Less than half a gak later, the Black Saber Guards arrived.
The masked leader looked up, and a voice cried from the walls.
"They've already left!"
The masked man bellowed to his riders.
"They've pushed to the next fortress for sure. Pursue!"
Hundreds of horses kicked up dust and thundered away.
Meanwhile, Yeop Hyeon's group raced through mountain paths. The terrain was rugged and labyrinthine, but the black wolves' sturdy bodies shrugged it off. Without them, infiltrating deep into Danguk would have been unthinkable from the start.
"You skipped that one to avoid getting bogged down by pursuers?"
Yeop Hyeon nodded at Luk Ban-jang's question.
"We're only thirteen. Great for hit-and-runs, but encirclement would be deadly."
She glanced back.
"They won't just take this lying down."
He nodded lightly.
"Which means we hit fast and fade faster!"
Yeop Hyeon called out.
"Everyone, if we hit the next one, go all-out and end it quick—no forgetting!"
The mercenaries nodded. They knew their situation well enough without reminders.
Genius warriors or not, they faced an entire nation.
Still, the thought sent thrilling energy surging through them. They were robbing a kingdom blind.
When they got back, tavern tales would flow like rivers.
Another fortress loomed ahead—far grander than the last.
The mercenaries' eyes sharpened.
Bigger fortress meant stronger defenses.
Luk Ban-jang asked Yeop Hyeon.
"We doing it?"
All eyes turned to him.
Through repeated raids, their fondness for Yeop Hyeon had grown—especially after he divided the loot evenly by headcount, earning their respect.
No one liked a greedy sort.
And Yeop Hyeon never was.
After a pause, he spoke.
"We do it. Nail this, and everyone gets a fat cut!"
With that, he charged the fortress.
Ya Ri sidled up to Luk Ban-jang, eyeing Yeop Hyeon.
"Seems like a solid guy. After this, why not ask if he'd join us?"
She nodded.
"Later. For now, let's roll!"
They closed on the fortress at breakneck speed. Black wolves outpaced ordinary horses, streaking like arrows.
"Someone's approaching!"
A shout from the walls.
Then—a flash of sword light.
Boom!
The wall crumbled, and Yeop Hyeon's group poured through into the city, racing for the lord's mansion.
Soldiers blocked their path.
Yeop Hyeon's face remained stone-cold as he commanded.
"Kill them all."
His Spirit Water Sword shot forth.
Slash!
Six or seven heads flew, and Luk Ban-jang's crew unleashed hell.
They shattered the formation in seconds and pressed on.
Soldiers kept swarming, but against them, it was futile flapping.
Every swing from Yeop Hyeon or Luk Ban-jang claimed a head. The rest tore into foes with savage fury.
At the mansion, powerful auras surged toward them.
Three Divine Fusion Realm experts awaited!
As Yeop Hyeon drew his sword, Luk Ban-jang shot ahead, ripping the air. Before his eyes could track her, one foe flew back, never to rise.
A chill ran through Yeop Hyeon. Luk Ban-jang was no joke.
The remaining two, seeing their ally crumple in one clash, turned tail.
They sensed they couldn't win.
Luk Ban-jang glanced at Yeop Hyeon.
"Qingzhou warriors are all flash."
She paused, then added.
"You and An Ranxiu are exceptions."
An Ranxiu...
Yeop Hyeon stood dazed a moment, then chased after her.
They ransacked the vault without a glance, scooping everything.
As they emerged, disaster struck. Two nooses whipped silently for their necks, ghostly shadows materializing behind.
Dark assassin strike!