How Dare You Harm My Brother!?
Who in this world does not fear death?
Even Yeop Hyeon feared it.
As long as one lived, they could savor all the world's beauties. Who would wish for death?
But when death came knocking, no mortal hand could fend it off.
All I can do is accept it!
Mu Yun Qi could have fled, but he refused to. Instead, he bought time with everything he had, holding out until Yeop Hyeon arrived.
If the gates fell, Gaeyang Fortress would be overrun in an instant.
Wiping the blood from his mouth with a savage swipe, Mu Yun Qi gritted his teeth and charged at the Great Blade Man.
In that moment, the Great Blade Man's figure flickered atop Mu Yun Qi's head. His massive blade plummeted toward the crown of Mu Yun Qi's skull.
Mu Yun Qi's eyes flashed. In the same instant, he flung out his hand, sending a flying dagger soaring through the air.
It wasn't aimed to block.
He knew he couldn't parry the enemy's strike.
So he chose to trade his life for the foe's—or at worst, leave him scarred. Either way, it was his all.
The enemy's blade halted a mere handspan from Mu Yun Qi's head.
A sword had appeared from nowhere, barring its path.
Mu Yun Qi's flying dagger, hurtling toward the Great Blade Man's gut, failed to pierce the black armor beneath his robes and clattered away.
The Great Blade Man tightened his grip and pressed down on his blade.
Pang!
The sword rebounded like a whip, only to rocket back at him in a flash.
Frowning, the Great Blade Man swept his blade horizontally.
Thud!
The sword fell away again, but he too staggered a dozen zhang back.
Then, in his vision, a man strode slowly toward him.
Yeop Hyeon.
His arrival ignited the soldiers atop the walls, who roared with renewed fervor.
Yeop Hyeon's mere presence skyrocketed their morale.
Gang Gu, who had just cleaved through a Cho Country soldier, spotted him. Her blood-smeared face lit up instantly.
He's here! Yeop Hyeon is finally here!
It wasn't just him.
Behind Yeop Hyeon emerged Ji An Zhi, Bai Ze, and the students of Chang Lan Academy.
The students scaled the walls at once, engaging the Soaring Realm experts.
To ordinary soldiers, Cho Country's Soaring Realm warriors were terrifying. But to Chang Lan Academy students? Mere practice dummies. Even their weakest was at the Soaring Realm.
From afar, I Mok spotted Yeop Hyeon and let out a sneer-laced laugh.
"At last, today's star has graced us."
Truth be told, he'd grown uneasy without sight of Yeop Hyeon—not fearing flight, but suspecting some hidden scheme.
The Dark Lord beside him asked, "Shall we move?"
I Mok shook his head.
"First, send assassins to scout the perimeter. That bastard's surely hiding some filthy trick."
The Dark Lord nodded and vanished.
Staring fixedly at Yeop Hyeon, killing intent bled into I Mok's expression.
Chang Mok Academy had already paid dearly to capture him. Failure now would spell catastrophe.
Meanwhile, Yeop Hyeon approached the fallen Mu Yun Qi, hauling him up and slipping a Golden Wound Pill into his mouth.
Mu Yun Qi grinned at him. "A bit later, and we'd have met in the next life!"
Yeop Hyeon clapped his shoulder gently. "Good work. I'll take it from here."
He led Mu Yun Qi up the wall and handed him to Bai Ze.
The moment he turned—
Slash!
A Dark Realm Dao soldier, dozens of zhang away, lost his head to the Spirit Water Sword.
Sword light flashed across the field, and half a dozen Cho Country soldiers scattered blood as they crumpled.
Instant kill!
The Dark Realm Dao soldiers and Cho Country Soaring Realm warriors atop the walls stood no chance against Yeop Hyeon's blade.
Cho Country troops retreated in panic, leaving only Jiang Kingdom soldiers on the battlements.
Those below, targeting the gates, withdrew blindly to a distance. Soon, the field held only corpses, the walls reeking of fresh blood.
I Mok approached the fortress. To his left stood the Great Blade Man, face impassive, idly flipping his blade—each turn spilling blade auras everywhere.
To his right: I Mok-rim.
A bit behind, a man with a longbow on his back—another name on Qingzhou's Yo Yeolbang list.
I Mok halted and gazed up at Yeop Hyeon. "Yeop Hyeon, you..."
Suddenly, Yeop Hyeon leaped down. He strolled right up to I Mok, locking eyes.
"Shut your trap. I don't want to hear it."
Turning to the Great Blade Man beside him, Yeop Hyeon said, "How dare you harm my brother? You've got guts."
He pointed a finger. A sword shot toward the Great Blade Man.
The man narrowed his eyes, stepped forward boldly, and swatted the incoming sword with his massive blade.
Clang!
His blade shuddered violently, shoving him back instead. In that instant, a shadow engulfed him. He swung wildly again.
Overbearing blade momentum!
Yeop Hyeon's sword pierced straight through, a simple thrust loaded with immense force.
Clang!
With a piercing ring, the Great Blade Man flew a dozen zhang. But another flying sword hurtled at his brow. He barely raised his blade in time.
Pang!
He retreated another dozen zhang.
Relentless assaults had torn his palms, blood dripping.
As he looked up at Yeop Hyeon, the man was gone.
One Sword Determines Life and Death!
Sensing the sword's unnatural might, the Great Blade Man summoned all his profound qi. He spun the blade hilt in his hands, unleashing a storm of blade auras at Yeop Hyeon and his sword.
In the tense silence, a single sword gleam erupted amid the barrage.
Boom!
The auras shattered instantly, hurling the Great Blade Man back. Then, a sword halted at his brow.
Flying sword!
Yeop Hyeon's sword arts had reached a terrifying pinnacle.
"How dare you bully my brother?"
Yeop Hyeon flicked his right hand lightly.
The Spirit Water Sword pierced the man's forehead.
Shlick!
Blood sprayed from the back of his skull, pooling where he fell.
All who witnessed it paled. I Mok's eyes widened in shock.
Yeop Hyeon's power had surged since last time.
Grown that much in so short a time? Is he truly a monster?
I Mok couldn't hide his inner turmoil.
At this growth rate, Yeop Hyeon would reach Sword Lord within three years, no doubt.
An unbelievable ascent, plain as day.
The thought hardened I Mok's resolve.
He must die! Fail now, and Chang Mok Academy falls!
He turned to the Dark Lord. "Begin as soon as you're ready!"
The Dark Lord nodded and faded away.
Yeop Hyeon approached the Great Blade Man's corpse, extending his hand. The man's blade flew to him.
A famed Ming Realm spirit artifact.
Worth over a hundred million taels of gold—perhaps more.
Yeop Hyeon examined it with a faint smile. No sword, but its sale could buy a Ming Realm blade.
He reached out again; the spatial ring followed. Inside: a hundred million taels, two hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones, sundries. Not lavish, but totaling ten million taels easy.
Pocketing blade and ring, Yeop Hyeon eyed the corpse. The stronger the foe, the richer the spoils. Kill him, and one reaped a fortune.
In this brutal world, quickest path to wealth: slay and plunder.
Something occurred to him. He turned to I Mok-rim, who flinched, gripping his spear tighter.
Yeop Hyeon advanced slowly.
I Mok-rim fixed on him. "Let me go, and I'll never set foot in Jiang Kingdom again!"
Yeop Hyeon paused.
Trembling, I Mok-rim stammered on. "Truth is... I never harmed your friend!"
He extended a hand. A spatial ring flew to Yeop Hyeon—two hundred million taels inside.
"I came for wealth alone, no grudge against you. Take the ring, and our bad blood ends here?"
Yeop Hyeon asked, "Why?"
"My life trumps riches. If it's not too late, I'll be off."
Yeop Hyeon pocketed it. "Go."
No loss for him. Hunting one amid ten myriad troops? Tricky without Sword Immortal might to slaughter them all.
Agreement sealed their grudge.
I Mok-rim stared piercingly, then turned. I Mok's mocking voice whispered in his ear.
"Qingzhou's top clan's heir, tucking tail like this?"
"You're right. I can't beat him. But admitting one's limits—is that so bad?"
Then, his spear hummed violently, shrilling sharply.
I Mok's face twisted.
Mental realm breakthrough!
I Mok-rim faltered briefly, then burst into mad laughter.
"I see! Haha! Yeop Hyeon, we'll meet again in Jungto Sinju—I'll challenge you then! Hahaha!"