Chapter 165: I Shall Bestow My Recognition Upon Thee
Imok could never have dreamed that Yeop Hyeon would reach the Sword Lord realm so quickly.
There was a world of difference between a Sword Master and a Sword Lord.
In Qingzhou, becoming a Sword Master might earn you fame, but venturing to Jungto Sinju would relegate you to mediocrity.
A Sword Lord, however, was another story entirely. Ascending to that level would not only land you on the Yo Yeolbang rankings but could easily propel you into the top ten.
Everyone knew that those in the top ten of the Yo Yeolbang were heaven-defying existences, every last one of them.
Imok clenched his fists tight. Shock and fury churned within him.
At that moment, Kang Ji-gwa, facing Yeop Hyeon, murmured softly.
"Sword Lord..."
She quietly set down her pipa.
"I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to bestow a modicum of recognition upon you today."
"......"
"Remember this: the debt you owe me today must be repaid when you arrive in Jungto Sinju!"
With those words, Kang Ji-gwa stepped forward and stopped before Imok.
"I'm a bit sorry about how this turned out. As an apology, I'll give you a massive discount—just nine million nine hundred ninety thousand top-grade spirit stones."
She extended her hand toward him, and Imok exploded in outrage.
"You're trying to slink away without doing your job, and now you want payment? What kind of crooked deal is this!?"
Kang Ji-gwa furrowed her brow slightly.
"I came all the way from Jungto Sinju to this distant place—surely you can't begrudge me some travel fee? Isn't that only fair?"
Imok's rage boiled over.
"You rode a teleportation array here—what 'travel' did you endure? If you want ten million spirit stones, stop Yeop Hyeon. Do that, and we'll pay up without question. Fail, and..."
"And what? You'll kill me?"
Kang Ji-gwa's eyebrow twitched.
She took a step toward Imok, glaring as she spoke in a low voice.
"Care to cross swords with a junior like me?"
Imok nearly burst with fury at her words.
He burned to pulverize this insolent girl before him, consequences be damned.
But he couldn't lift a finger. Not because she ranked eleventh on the Yo Yeolbang, but due to the Cheon-eum-mun backing her—a force far mightier than even Changmok Academy.
Imok was no fool to stir a hornet's nest needlessly.
"Hmph. Keep your stones if you want. But when I return to Jungto Sinju, I'll pay a visit to Changmok Academy and issue a few life-or-death challenges."
"Life-or-death challenges?"
Imok's face paled as Kang Ji-gwa brushed past him.
Changmok Academy had no student who could match her. If she truly stormed the place and wreaked havoc, the humiliation would be unbearable.
Worse still, it could fracture relations between Changmok Academy and Cheon-eum-mun.
With a snap of his fingers, Imok sent a jade token flying toward her. Kang Ji-gwa halted, snatched it midair, then turned with a beaming smile.
"Thank you for your cooperation."
She glanced at Yeop Hyeon.
"Sword cultivator, remember: you will repay this debt!"
With that, she vanished from the arena.
Yeop Hyeon shook his head in disbelief.
"Never met a woman so shameless in my life!"
He abruptly vanished from his spot.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Three swords burst from his body, flashing through the air. The heads of three Dark Cavalry soldiers atop the walls exploded in sprays of blood.
With his realm exposed, there was no longer any need to hide his strength.
Imok's face twisted in horror as he pointed at Yeop Hyeon and bellowed.
"Kill him! Rush him all at once!"
In that instant, Imok had no time for deliberation.
Yeop Hyeon reaching Sword Lord was catastrophic news for Changmok Academy.
If he made it to Jungto Sinju unscathed, countless factions would vie to recruit him.
A mere Sword Master might not draw such overtures from Jungto Sinju's powers, who would shun Changmok Academy and the Dark Cavalry to court him.
But a Sword Lord? That changed everything. Fail to eliminate him now, and he'd become an unrelenting headache.
To Changmok Academy and the Dark Cavalry, Yeop Hyeon had been a thorn in the side before. Now, he was a blade at their throats.
And given his terrifying growth rate, he would only grow more dangerous.
At Imok's command, countless Cho Kingdom soldiers surged toward Yeop Hyeon. Even the rear cavalry began charging.
Seeing the cavalry move, Yeop Hyeon's eyebrow twitched.
"The gates aren't even open—cavalry deploying already?"
Suddenly, Gaeyang Fortress's gates shattered.
No warning whatsoever.
The Kang Kingdom soldiers on the walls could scarcely hide their shock.
"How did they breach it!?"
Gang Gu looked down and spotted Imok.
Killing intent burned in his eyes.
Imok had finally intervened.
Yeop Hyeon stared at him in astonishment. He never imagined a Myriad Laws Realm expert would stoop to action.
Breaking the rules meant they were truly desperate.
Then, a hundred thousand cavalry thundered through the ruined gates with momentum to raze the entire fortress.
Yeop Hyeon leaped down to the base of the walls, blocking the gateway. The heavenly host's aura choked even his breath.
No single person could withstand the might of a hundred thousand.
Normally, he'd flee without hesitation!
But he couldn't.
Gang Gu, Mu Yun Qi, Bai Ze, Canglan Academy, and countless innocent civilians...
Their lives hung on his shoulders.
He could not run.
As resolve hardened in his mind, his sword vibrated fiercely in his grip. Sword intent erupted from within him, radiating outward.
The soldiers clearly saw the white mist rising from Yeop Hyeon's body.
Sword Intent Materialized!
Imok, watching from afar, was speechless.
Sword Intent Materialized! That was a hallmark of the Sword Emperor realm.
"No... Sword Emperor?"
Imok's mind went blank, as if struck by lightning.
"Truly... a Sword Emperor!?"
Of course, Yeop Hyeon hadn't reached Sword Emperor yet. Materialized Sword Intent was merely one prerequisite. True Sword Emperor status demanded flawless heart realm, sword path attainment, and sword comprehension—lacking in any meant failure.
Materializing Sword Intent had no bearing on realm or sword path progress; he'd simply grasped its true essence.
Pure Intent Sword Intent! One thought of benevolence, parting myriad waters and mountains!
Pure Intent Sword Intent converged wildly around him. His sword hummed violently, its sword glow thickening. The aura pouring from him was utterly terrifying.
Borrowed Wind Power!Borrowed Earth Power!
Though only at Penetrating Mystery Realm, his current momentum rivaled Divine Fusion, even Myriad Laws experts.
The hundred thousand cavalry reached the gates.
Yeop Hyeon looked straight ahead, raised his sword without flourish, and thrust forward.
The amassed momentum and intent around him unleashed from the blade's tip.
It was like a volcano, eons in gestation, finally erupting to devour the heavens.
Boom!
Dozens of vanguard cavalry turned to ash in an instant. A colossal storm of sword intent swallowed the rest. In a blink, hundreds of corpses piled before him, testament to the carnage.
Severed limbs littered the ground; blood formed rivers.
It was a strike of pure terror.
Everyone in the arena stared at the bodies, souls shaken.
"Is this what a Penetrating Mystery Realm expert can do!?"
Even Yeop Hyeon was stunned. He'd never imagined such devastation.
Shoving thoughts aside, he kicked off and soared forward. Over a dozen Cho Kingdom cavalry, ten-odd zhang away, lost their heads in a flash.
He swiftly retreated to his position—encirclement loomed otherwise.
"Can't kill them all!"
He braced against the gates once more. The narrow passage allowed only a dozen cavalry at a time. He'd exploit that fully.
Dozens charged. He swung— a sword gleam flashed.
Slash!
Dozens tumbled from their mounts. Yet more leaped the corpses.
Yeop Hyeon's eyes snapped wide.
Whoosh!
Two sword gleams carved through; arms and legs rained down.
More cavalry rushed in. Yeop Hyeon pointed forward—two swords shot from his fingers along invisible paths.
疾影!
The blades silently ravaged the arena, heads tumbling in their wake.
Soon, corpses choked the gateway.
Yet Cho Kingdom's cavalry seemed endless.
Yeop Hyeon grimaced fiercely, planting his right foot. Earth force surged into him.
Dao Token—Unseal!
He kicked off toward the nearest cluster.
The moment they met eyes—
Slash!
The lead rider's head flew. One by one, the rest fell. By the time Yeop Hyeon stepped beyond the gates, dozens more lay dead.
The cavalry halted. Hundreds of corpses sealed the path.
He lowered his bloodied sword; crimson dripped ceaselessly.
Countless riders remained, but terror rooted them—no more charges.
One Man at the Pass, Ten Thousand Cannot Open!
Who dared pass with Yeop Hyeon guarding?
But then—
Boom!
A colossal force struck, crumbling one wall section. Kang Kingdom soldiers atop it plummeted.
Boom!
The opposite wall collapsed in a roar.
With walls breached, the cavalry faced open grassland.
Yeop Hyeon whipped around toward Imok.
Imok glared back.
"Let's see you block this."
Yeop Hyeon gripped his sword tighter; vast aura erupted around him.
Imok smirked coldly.
"Keep up the good work."
He raised one hand high. The hundred thousand cavalry surged inward like a gale.
The charge of a hundred thousand. Kang Kingdom soldiers froze in dread.
The earth quaked as if in an earthquake.
Gaeyang Fortress had nothing left to halt the onslaught.