Chapter 16: No Way He's a Great Sword Cultivator! There's No Way!
In the desolate mansion, Yeop Hyeon and Yeop Ryeong huddled by a campfire.
"Oppa, is that guy really a prince?"
Yeop Ryeong asked with eyes full of curiosity.
Yeop Hyeon nodded.
"Doesn't seem like he's lying."
Yeop Ryeong murmured softly.
"Then maybe he was waiting here for you on purpose?"
"Could be. Even small clans form factions to build their power—imagine what the imperial family must be like."
Yeop Hyeon stroked his sister's small head and continued.
"All I care about is curing Ryeong's Shanghan disease. Power struggles? Not interested."
"Oppa, can I learn martial arts too?"
"Of course. But you don't have to. I'll get stronger and protect you myself!"
Yeop Ryeong giggled cutely and hugged him tight.
"Yeah... but I want to protect you too, oppa!"
At that moment, someone interrupted their conversation.
"What touching sibling love!"
An old man entered the house. It was Jin Yak, elder of the Jin family.
Sensing the ominous atmosphere, Yeop Hyeon clenched his fist and told Yeop Ryeong,
"Step back!"
"Oppa, be... be careful!"
Jin Yak scanned Yeop Hyeon and spoke.
"Hand over the spirit stones peacefully, and I'll leave your sibling corpses intact."
Yeop Hyeon's face paled.
He silently gripped his fist tighter.
Jin Yak snorted.
"Gonna put up a fight? A nobody not even at Qi Transformation Realm challenging this Soaring Realm elder? One strike is all it'd take to kill you!"
Though he boasted boldly, Jin Yak didn't drop his guard against Yeop Hyeon. As a seasoned warrior, he wouldn't make the foolish mistake of underestimating his foe.
Yeop Hyeon spoke in a low voice.
"I'll give you the goods. Let my sister and me go."
Jin Yak narrowed his eyes.
"Bargaining, are we?"
Power surged into Jin Yak's fist, making his sleeve bulge like a lion charging at prey.
Yeop Hyeon tossed him a black pouch. Jin Yak inwardly rejoiced and reached out.
In that instant, Yeop Hyeon lunged forward! Jin Yak didn't flinch and countered instantly.
"Too predictable!"
Tsssk-!
A burst of qi exploded.
Thud-!
Before Yeop Hyeon could fully extend his punch, his body flew back, slamming into the wall. Undeterred, Jin Yak charged and unleashed a palm strike.
"Oppa!!"
Yeop Ryeong suddenly jumped between them, hugging Yeop Hyeon. Jin Yak's palm didn't stop—it flew straight toward the siblings. More precisely, toward Yeop Ryeong's head.
Yeop Hyeon's eyes widened in horror, his mind going blank. He yanked Yeop Ryeong behind him.
A heavy sword hum echoed through the room as the Spirit Water Sword materialized above his palm. One thought dominated his mind.
Kill him! I have to kill him! One Sword Determines Life and Death!
Ultimate sword technique that decides life or death in one strike
At that moment, the Heavenly Maiden's voice echoed in the Gyeok Ok Tower.
"That fool... his murderous urge surges whenever his sister is involved..."
The instant Yeop Hyeon thrust the Spirit Water Sword, Jin Yak's hand halted a fist's width from Yeop Ryeong's head. Then, he watched in horror as his arm detached from his body.
Fresh blood gushed like a waterfall. Jin Yak gritted his teeth and staggered back.
But in a flash, a strand of sword light closed in. This wasn't a second strike—it was the sword light from Yeop Hyeon's initial draw.
Startled, Jin Yak had no time to think. He unleashed a desperate punch with his remaining left hand, expending all his qi. No holding back in a life-or-death moment. An explosive qi burst rang out.
Slash-!
His left arm flew off too.
Blood spurted from the stumps. Jin Yak's body soared several zhang away.
In that moment, fine cracks appeared on Yeop Hyeon's right arm, blood trickling through. After unleashing that one strike, his insides churned with nausea, his body feeling utterly hollow and weak. Jin Yak stared at him in disbelief.
"Sword light... How...? A sword cultivator? No, a Great Sword Cultivator... Impossible... You can't unleash sword light at Qi Transformation Realm... No way you're a Great Sword Cultivator!"
Those who wielded swordsmanship fundamentals fluidly were called sword cultivators. They divided into ordinary sword cultivators and Great Sword Cultivators. If one could freely manifest sword qi and sword light via the sword, they had reached Great Sword Cultivator level in swordsmanship. Such experts were rare—even scouring all of Jiang Kingdom yielded fewer than a hundred, mostly elderly veterans long immersed in the sword.
Yet Yeop Hyeon was merely eighteen! Jin Yak was aghast. Yeop Hyeon gazed at him coldly.
"Get lost."
Jin Yak froze briefly, then turned and vanished from sight. Only then did Yeop Hyeon collapse exhausted to the floor. Panicked, Yeop Ryeong supported him with a trembling voice.
"Oppa, a-are... are you okay?"
Finally sitting up, Yeop Hyeon forced a smile at his tense sister.
"I'm f-fine. Don't worry, Ryeong. Just need a short rest."
He closed his eyes slowly.
"Heavenly Maiden?"
Calling inwardly, the Heavenly Maiden replied.
"I know what you're thinking. With your current skill, you can't fully control the power of One Sword Determines Life and Death. If you deal ten points of damage to the enemy, you'll suffer eight yourself. I taught you sword techniques now to awaken your grasp of sword principles and philosophy, so you can forge your own sword path."
Yeop Hyeon fell silent at her words. He hadn't consciously unleashed One Sword Determines Life and Death through grueling training. In that split second, his will to protect his sister had drawn it forth.
As the Heavenly Maiden said, it wasn't a mere sword technique but a sword path ideology. She continued.
"Your current One Sword Determines Life and Death qualifies as an upper-grade sword technique. The sword light you unleashed wasn't from training—it stemmed from your technique's inherent strength. But since you haven't reached Control Qi Realm to harness qi properly, you took damage. The moment you reach the Imperial City with your sister, absorb a spirit sword somehow and break through to Control Qi Realm!"
Yeop Hyeon nodded.
"That's why my body felt so empty after swinging. But I succeeded in severing that bastard's arms!"
The corner of his mouth lifted. That foe had been at Soaring Realm!
"Idiot!"
She spoke coldly.
"He was flashy on the surface but still overwhelming for you. He got careless after landing one hit. Had he known from the start you were a sword cultivator, he'd have prepared—and you wouldn't have achieved this result!"
Yeop Hyeon's expression darkened.
If Jin Yak had guarded against the sword from the beginning, could he have severed both arms in one strike?
Yeop Hyeon had sensed his disadvantage in their first exchange. Without his hidden Golden Body Realm cultivation, Jin Yak's initial palm might have killed him outright. The Heavenly Maiden explained further.
"There was a two-realm gap between you. Your current power can't bridge that. But if you can harness a Dochik and insert it into the Gyeok Ok Tower, you could overcome it."
"Heavenly Maiden, you mentioned that before. What is this Dochik? Where do I find it?"
"No rush. You'll learn naturally upon reaching Sword Master. More importantly, don't just focus on your sister now. The seal on the second floor of the Gyeok Ok Tower is loosening. Fail to grow fast enough, the seal breaks, and no one can save you."
Yeop Hyeon drew a deep breath. He hadn't forgotten.
The first floor held a Sword Lord, thankfully dead—no need to face him. But the second floor's occupant was likely alive.
If the seal broke, that being might sacrifice him to the heavens! There was still time.
Yeop Hyeon opened his eyes. Strength hadn't fully returned, but he felt better. He'd need caution using One Sword Determines Life and Death henceforth.
Fail to kill with it, and he'd die himself.
"Oppa, you okay?"
Turning, he saw Yeop Ryeong's pale face.
"Fine. A bit more rest, and I'll recover."
Her tense expression eased slightly.
"Oppa, I'm really useless, aren't I... I..."
"Don't think at all right now. Once you're cured, I'll teach you martial arts. You can protect me after that—no rush, got it?"
Yeop Ryeong's big eyes fixed on him.
"Can I really learn?"
"Of course!"
Her face hardened with resolve.
"Oppa, just watch. I'll get super strong! The strongest expert, protecting you!"
Yeop Hyeon smiled, stroking her head.
"Good! I'll be waiting for that day!"
He didn't know then—those casual words would engrave themselves in Yeop Ryeong's mind for life.
They rested another hour before hitting the road again.
Yeop Hyeon spurred his horse harder toward Tianshan City. Yeop Ryeong's condition had worsened—she wore thick clothes even in daylight and took two Nourishing Spirit Pills daily. At this rate, their remaining pills wouldn't last two weeks. Worst case, even the pills might fail to suppress her cold qi. They had to reach the Imperial City ASAP.
Soon after, Jin Yak—bereft of both arms—arrived at the empty mansion with Jin family head Jin Pae. Seeing his severed arms on the floor, Jin Yak's face twisted in rage.
Jin Pae darkened too. After a silence, he spoke.
"Definitely a Great Sword Cultivator?"
Jin Yak nodded.
"How else could he sever my arms?"
Jin Pae's fists clenched. His grim face betrayed no thoughts. He murmured lowly.
"We can't avenge this ourselves!"
Jin Yak's expression soured wordlessly. The foe was a Great Sword Cultivator at such a young age—the Jin family lacked the power to challenge him. Then Jin Pae spoke again.
"But we can't let this slide. Spread rumors: Yeop Hyeon carries over a dozen high-grade spirit stones. Others will hunt him down."
Jin Yak's face eased.
"Then we avenge ourselves through their hands!"
A sudden thought struck him.
"His name was Yeop Hyeon?"
Jin Pae nodded.
"Former crown prince of the Ye family. After Heaven's Chosen One Yeop Rang appeared, he was ostracized and effectively exiled."
Jin Yak looked baffled.
"Are the Ye family's leaders brain-dead?"
"They're the laughingstock of nearby cities. Yeop Hyeon was acknowledged by National Scholar An Ranxiu herself, who challenged him to a duel. Turns out, he—not Yeop Rang—caused the heaven-earth anomaly. The Ye family fawned over Yeop Rang thinking he was the one. Their patriarch and elders are dumber than pigs!"
"Utter fools. What's the Ye family's status now?"
"Other Qingcheng powers are squeezing them dry. Perfect! Since we can't touch Yeop Hyeon, we'll use this to extract from the Ye family. Let's go—gather warriors and storm them to recoup our losses!"
Jin Pae turned and left. Alone, Jin Yak gazed bitterly at his arms on the floor. Rage boiled toward Yeop Hyeon, but he knew to stop here.
He exited the mansion. No revenge on Yeop Hyeon—but the Ye family? Possible!