Chapter 149: It Will Be an Honorable Seat for You
A moment later, Gang Gu and her soldiers left, their backs fading into the distance.
Behind them followed Danguk's Black Guards and Inspector Yeong.
Once they were gone, Yangjie City felt empty again, like a house abandoned by its owner.
If Danguk launched a surprise attack in this state, the city would fall without question.
But Danguk did not attempt such a thing.
The grudge between Ganguk and Danguk would never fade. Yet both nations now hated Changmok Academy even more.
Changmok Academy and the Shadow Realm, who had promised full support, discarded Danguk the moment the tide turned against them, as if it had never happened. The people of Danguk now realized they had been mere pawns.
Those two powers no longer cared about Danguk's survival.
And there was another reason Danguk couldn't act rashly: Yeop Hyeon.
The actions Yeop Hyeon had taken in Danguk had left a profound shock and fear in their hearts. As long as he lived, they wouldn't dare harbor other thoughts.
Outside Yangjie City.
Before Yeop Hyeon's eyes, the energy surging from Neung Han's back grew ever stronger. It had already surpassed what could be called the Penetrating Nether Realm.
They were on the verge of reaching the Divine Fusion Realm.
Yeop Hyeon gazed at Neung Han's back and murmured softly.
"Brothers, push a little harder!"
Changmok Academy and the Shadow Realm were targeting Yeop Hyeon, while the Daeun Empire aimed at Ganguk.
The current situation was far from favorable for Ganguk.
At that moment, Cheong Sam-nyeo, who was nearby, spoke to him.
"Do you know that what you're doing now is just courting death?"
Yeop Hyeon turned his head toward her.
"With your talent, if you don't slack off, you could reach a considerable realm in short order. But getting tangled in pointless conflicts like this isn't good for you."
Yeop Hyeon smiled lightly and replied.
"Responsibility!"
"Responsibility?"
As Cheong Sam-nyeo looked puzzled, Yeop Hyeon nodded.
"A man has to take responsibility for his actions. Sure, running away now might make my life easier, but those around me would suffer for it."
Yeop Hyeon looked up at the sky.
If he fled from here, what would happen to Mu Yun Qi, Bai Ze, Ji An Zhi, Canglan Academy, Gang Gu, and the others?
And now, the new family from the Bi Jeok Mercenary Group!
Cheong Sam-nyeo fell silent for a moment, then nodded.
And the night she wished wouldn't come arrived once more.
Inside Yangjie City, emptied of soldiers, it was as silent as a graveyard. The same held true outside the walls.
Now, even Yeop Hyeon's own hands were invisible in the surrounding darkness.
Near Yeop Hyeon, Luk Ban-jang sat on a rock, gnawing on a rice cake.
Cheong Sam-nyeo perched on her leg, eyeing the rice cake greedily.
On one side, Neung Yak sat cross-legged like a monk, hands tucked into his sleeves.
The silence outside the walls was profound.
Cheong Sam-nyeo gazed at Neung Han's back and murmured.
"He'll break through soon."
Yeop Hyeon nodded.
Neung Han's energy had reached its critical point. Once past this, they would enter the Divine Fusion Realm.
Becoming Divine Fusion Realm experts would naturally boost their strength immensely. Their famed ghostly spirit arts would finally unleash their true power.
Changmok Academy and the Shadow Realm surely knew this, so they would undoubtedly strike before then.
Time flowed on, reaching the darkest hour just before dawn.
At that moment, something pierced the pitch-black darkness, flying swiftly toward them.
Tang-!
Yeop Hyeon thrust his sword toward the sound, and an arrow lodged itself at the tip. Even after clashing with the Spirit Water Sword, the arrow spun unbroken, its immense force making the sword tremble.
Just then, Cheong Sam-nyeo sprang up and dashed several zhang forward in an instant. She stepped forward boldly, forming seals with both hands.
Right then—
Bam-!
Cheong Sam-nyeo slid back to her original spot. The ground shook violently, cracking like a spiderweb across a dozen zhang radius.
She narrowed her eyes.
"A peak Divine Fusion Realm expert. This won't be easy!"
At that moment, a man emerged from the darkness.
The man in black sackcloth had his hands wrapped in hemp cloth, and his feet were bare except for his toes, also bound in hemp.
Recognizing him, Cheong Sam-nyeo furrowed her brow and shouted.
"Yeon Jeon! I didn't expect even you to come!"
Yeon Jeon!
Like Cheong Sam-nyeo, he was a master ranked in Yo Yeolbang.
Yeon Jeon looked at her.
"They say they'll give me two hundred million gold taels and fifty thousand top-grade spirit stones if I capture you. Could you refuse that?"
"Haha, I see! Even I'd be tempted by those terms!"
Yeon Jeon opened his right hand, then slowly clenched it.
"If I'm taking someone else's money, I should at least put on a show, right? Here I come!"
With those words, his figure shot forward.
Shk-!
A hair-raising whoosh filled the air.
Cheong Sam-nyeo grinned.
"Will it go as you wish?"
She launched herself at him like an arrow.
At that moment, Luk Ban-jang stood from her seat. A middle-aged man approached her—the same one who had pinned her down the previous night. His massive frame radiated intense energy and presence.
Luk Ban-jang glanced at him and bellowed.
"Today, I'll kill you for sure!"
She stuffed the half-eaten rice cake into her bosom and charged at the man.
The middle-aged man met her gaze steadily and barreled toward her like a cannonball.
Bam-!
The two rebounded to their original positions with a massive crash.
But they immediately rushed at each other again.
Meanwhile, Neung Yak's opponent was none other than I Mok-rim, the number one of Qingzhou Mubang.
I Mok-rim skipped needless words, spear in hand, and charged. A tremendous spear force erupted from its tip, churning the ground like a storm.
Seeing this, Neung Yak drew his arms from his sleeves.
Flames ignited in his hands. He stepped forward and unleashed a fist blazing with fire.
Bam-!
As flames wrapped around the spear shaft, I Mok-rim suddenly advanced a step and thrust. A spear beam burst from the tip.
Boom!
An explosion hurled both figures back, but they leaped at each other once more.
Yeop Hyeon, watching Cheong Sam-nyeo and the others fight, suddenly turned his gaze into the darkness.
Their opponents were all assigned.
'Now, who will face me?'
Soon, a man stepped out from the shadows. Dressed in dark blue silk, his hair was tied with a jade hairpin. His eyes were as serene as a midsummer sea. What stood out was the red snake coiled around his right arm—a small creature the size of a pinky, glaring with eerie eyes.
The man stopped within arm's reach of Yeop Hyeon, glanced at him wordlessly, then stomped the ground with his foot.
Bam-!
The earth between them split, and a massive surge of energy erupted from the fissure.
It slammed straight into Yeop Hyeon.
Expressionless, Yeop Hyeon punched to his left.
Bam-!
The clash of forces pushed Yeop Hyeon back. In that instant, the man appeared before him and jabbed a finger at his throat.
Just a single finger, utterly ordinary, devoid of any apparent energy!
Right then, a sword flew toward the finger.
The Spirit Water Sword!
But the man didn't withdraw, letting it seemingly slice his finger.
Splurt-!
As the Spirit Water Sword shuddered violently, Yeop Hyeon retreated a dozen zhang. The man spread his fingers and lightly pushed his palm forward.
The space before Yeop Hyeon rippled.
Splurt-!
Yeop Hyeon flew dozens of zhang back as if struck. When he stopped, blood trickled from his mouth. But before he could catch his breath, the man appeared again.
Yeop Hyeon's eyes flashed open.
Shk-shk-!
Two sword gleams shot out fiercely.
Boom-!
With the explosion, the man's figure had returned to his spot. He examined his palm to find two long gashes, sliced like by a blade.
The man looked up at Yeop Hyeon.
"Sword Eyes—that's a first for me!"
Yeop Hyeon cracked his neck side to side and shouted.
"Come on, take my sword this time!"
With those words, he stomped lightly. Earth force flowed from the ground into his body.
In an instant, Yeop Hyeon's figure vanished, and a sword gleam flashed in the darkness.
One Sword Determines Life and Death!
One Sword Determines Life and Death, infused with dual intents and earth force!
The man, facing Yeop Hyeon's sword, stepped forward impassively and extended a single finger. It met the sword tip.
Silence fell for a moment.
Splurt-!
The man's figure slid back a dozen zhang. As he halted, a sword hurtled toward him like lightning.
He hastily swung his right index finger in an arc, striking the Spirit Water Sword's blade hard.
Clang-!
As the sword spun away powerless, Yeop Hyeon—appearing suddenly—aimed a fist at the man's head.
One Fist Explodes Your Head!
The man dodged the finger strike and blocked the fist with his palm.
Splurt-!
This time, he didn't yield, but the ground a dozen zhang behind him cracked instantly.
The man clenched his fingers around Yeop Hyeon's fist. As he prepared to counter, Yeop Hyeon's eyes flashed again.
Startled, the man raised his left hand to block.
Boom-boom-!
Two explosions sent the man flying a dozen zhang. Yeop Hyeon, now before him, swung his sword fiercely.
The man narrowed his eyes at the blade, then clamped it between his palms. As his grip held, his knees buckled.
As Yeop Hyeon moved to strike again, a shadow charged at his side!
Yeop Hyeon frowned and tried to retrieve his sword, but the man held it fast.
In that split second, Yeop Hyeon released the sword and punched to his right.
Splurt-!
It felt like punching iron plating; his entire arm went numb. Then, the man kicked Yeop Hyeon's abdomen.
Splurt-!
Yeop Hyeon's body slid a dozen zhang back.
Just then, an arrow whistled from somewhere. Perfectly timed, Yeop Hyeon couldn't dodge.
Instinctively, he summoned earth force, deploying Earth Battle Armor.
Splurt-!
The arrow aimed at his brow was blocked and fell. But his forehead tore open sharply!
A voice echoed from the darkness.
"Only thirty warriors bear names in Jungto Sinju's Yo Yeolbang, and three of them have come here for you. It will be an honorable seat for you!"
Three Yo Yeolbang warriors?!