How's This? Enjoying the Show?
‘What do I do!?’
Yeop Hyeon’s grip tightened on the hilt of his Spirit Water Sword. If Imok made his move, he had no confidence he could stop him.
Though Imok hadn’t laid hands on him directly, it was no different from having done so already.
‘Heavenly Maiden?’
The first thought that flashed through his mind was the Heavenly Maiden. In a situation like this, if she just swung her hand once, everything would be neatly resolved.
But Yeop Hyeon couldn’t decide if relying on her again was the right choice.
It was right then. Ji An Zhi, Gang Gu, Bai Ze, Mu Yun Qi, the Canglan Academy students, and countless soldiers of Jiang Kingdom rushed to his side.
In this moment, as the hundred thousand-strong army charged, not a speck of fear could be seen in their eyes.
Gang Gu gently wiped the blood trickling from Yeop Hyeon’s mouth and said in a soft voice,
“You’ve already done your best.”
At those words, Yeop Hyeon blanked out for a moment before breaking into a smile.
‘Done my best?’
No one could know the future. All a person could do was give their all in the present. The outcome could be left to the heavens.
Exhaust human effort and await heaven’s mandate!
Yeop Hyeon suddenly turned around, flashing a smile at the crowd as he asked,
“Even if we all die today, does anyone have regrets?”
That was when Gang Gu spoke up.
“You could’ve run away long ago, but you’ve been fighting with your life on the line for us. No regrets?”
Yeop Hyeon shook his head.
“None at all!”
Gang Gu smiled and replied,
“Me neither!”
“I have no regrets either!”
“Instructor Yeop, I’ve got no regrets!”
All the warriors in the arena shouted in unison.
No regrets.
“Hahaha! We may not have been born on the same day, but we’ll die together today! But before we go, we’ve got to look after our road companions, right?”
With those words, Yeop Hyeon raised his hand toward the front.
Shiiik!
Two swords shot out like beams of light.
In response, a dozen cavalrymen charging from outside the arena lost their heads in an instant.
“Fight to the death!”
The warriors behind Yeop Hyeon roared and charged forward.
Right then, the atmosphere in the arena shifted abruptly.
Imok turned his head to see a massive horde of cavalry thundering toward the fortress from afar. Their numbers reached tens of thousands.
And at the forefront of that group stood a striking woman.
It was none other than Jeoguk’s lord, Cheok Bal-eon.
Imok stared at the cavalry in a daze.
‘Reinforcements from where?’
At that moment, a Cho Kingdom cavalryman galloped up to him.
“Report! A large force of Jeoguk cavalry is approaching from the right flank. Their momentum is anything but ordinary!”
‘Jeoguk cavalry?’
Imok looked back at them, and his expression changed drastically.
They weren’t heading for Gaeyang Fortress—they were charging straight at his forces.
“Those Jeoguk bastards have finally lost their minds!”
“Kill them!”
With Cheok Bal-eon’s fierce shout, the Jeoguk cavalry surged forward at blinding speed, slamming into the Cho Kingdom cavalry. Targeting their waists with sudden strikes, the Jeoguk riders shattered the Cho forces’ formation before they could react.
Meanwhile, Gang Gu and the others were just as stunned.
‘Why are Jeoguk sending reinforcements?’
As their minds reeled from the unexpected turn, Yeop Hyeon’s voice pierced their ears.
“Charge!”
With that, he launched himself forward.
The Jiang Kingdom soldiers and Canglan Academy students swiftly followed in his wake, charging as one.
In an instant, the Cho Kingdom army found itself under attack from both flanks.
Imok, who had prided himself on being fully prepared, darkened at this unforeseen variable.
The Daeun Empire’s ultimate goal was Jeoguk, but now was not the time.
Watching his Cho Kingdom cavalry crumbling, Imok turned to the Black Flame Cavalry arrayed on one side.
“Advance!”
At his command, the Black Flame Cavalry plunged into the battlefield at terrifying speed, beginning to overwhelm the Jeoguk riders.
The tide turned for the beleaguered Cho Kingdom cavalry.
Witnessing the fearsome prowess of the Black Flame Cavalry firsthand, even Imok was inwardly shocked.
Warriors of that caliber could hold their own anywhere in Jungto Sinju right now. Even Changmok Academy’s Dao Soldiers offered no guarantee against them.
Realizing the tide had turned against her, Cheok Bal-eon shouted toward Yeop Hyeon, who was fighting amid the fray.
“Follow me! We hit the Black Flame Cavalry first!”
Yeop Hyeon sped to her side and mounted behind her. He naturally wrapped his arms around her waist.
Cheok Bal-eon bristled, ready to kick him off the horse, but he cut in.
“Hey! No time to fight among ourselves! Let’s go!”
As Yeop Hyeon pulled her waist firmly with his left arm, their bodies pressed even closer.
Cheok Bal-eon shot him a cold glare before wheeling her horse toward the Black Flame Cavalry and charging.
The distance between them and the Black Flame Cavalry shrank rapidly.
“Watch for their hidden assassins!”
After a curt warning, Yeop Hyeon vanished from the horse. He reappeared right in front of a Black Flame rider.
Thud!
The Black Flame rider struck by Yeop Hyeon’s sword flew back a dozen zhang, crashing into others. Neither the fallen rider nor those he hit rose again.
To ordinary soldiers, the Black Flame Cavalry were invincible.
But that didn’t apply to Yeop Hyeon.
He was a Sword Lord now.
Sword Lords were forces to be reckoned with not just in Qingzhou, but even in Jungto Sinju.
And among all warrior types, weren’t sword cultivators renowned for their unparalleled lethality!
As Yeop Hyeon drove his blade into another Black Flame rider’s throat, a spear suddenly hurtled toward him. Though a simple thrust, its speed and power startled him.
Yeop Hyeon whipped his sword to block it. At the same time, a flying sword shot toward the attacker.
But another spear intercepted it.
Clang!
As the flying sword flew off, yet another spear targeted Yeop Hyeon’s nape.
Right then, a bolt of lightning lanced toward the spear.
Boom!
The spear flew away, and Cheok Bal-eon appeared behind Yeop Hyeon.
At that instant, the remaining Black Flame Cavalry swiftly encircled them in layers.
Instead of attacking, the Black Flame riders circled the pair on horseback, their speed accelerating relentlessly.
Yeop Hyeon and Cheok Bal-eon could see only their shadows.
Back-to-back, the two grew grim.
No matter that Yeop Hyeon was a Sword Lord—he could handle maybe five at once. And now, a hundred surrounded them.
The Black Flame Cavalry’s coordinated maneuvers even made Yeop Hyeon tense.
Then, nearly a hundred arrows rained down from all sides.
Cheok Bal-eon’s eyes narrowed at the impenetrable volley. Each arrow was a famed-grade spirit weapon—fatal even from a graze.
Right then, Yeop Hyeon pressed downward with his right hand. Sword intent surged from his body, forming a curtain around them. Simultaneously, three swords from his body unleashed ceaseless sword light.
Boom boom boom!
A hundred famed-grade arrows hammered their defenses!
The sword intent barrier began fading, then vanished from sight.
“I’ll clear a path—you break out first!”
Yeop Hyeon spread his hand, summoning the Spirit Water Sword. Pointing at a spot, he sent it flying like an arrow.
One Sword Determines Life and Death!
With a sharp whistle, the Spirit Water Sword pierced a Black Flame rider’s brow, skewering those behind like kebabs.
Seizing the gap, Yeop Hyeon scooped up Cheok Bal-eon and broke through the encirclement. But a hundred arrows chased their heels.
‘Can’t dodge this!’
Cheok Bal-eon’s heart skipped. The Black Flame Cavalry’s archery was merciless.
She regretted underestimating them.
Arrows like those couldn’t be blocked easily without Myriad Laws Realm cultivation.
Yeop Hyeon shoved her behind him and stepped forward. Raising his fingers, he unleashed three more swords.
They slashed down many arrows in a blaze of light, but far more hurtled toward them.
Then his Pure Intent Sword Intent activated, erecting a barrier ahead. The arrows battered it until it shattered.
A mouthful of blood spilled from Yeop Hyeon’s lips.
“What’re you waiting for—go!”
Yeop Hyeon bellowed at Cheok Bal-eon.
She ignored him, so he wiped his mouth and pressed,
“Sis! Please listen for once! If you escape, I can run with peace of mind!”
“……”
“Run?”
Imok appeared high above the Black Flame Cavalry. Looking down at Yeop Hyeon mockingly, he sneered,
“Yeop Hyeon, do you really think you can escape? Today marks the end not just for you, but for Jiang Kingdom and Jeoguk alike!”
With a sweeping gesture, the Black Flame Cavalry charged ferociously at Yeop Hyeon and Cheok Bal-eon.
Yeop Hyeon turned to her with a grave expression.
“Before we die, how about one kiss on the cheek?”
Cheok Bal-eon’s lips twitched. She wanted to boot his ass for joking at a time like this.
Right then, Yeop Hyeon leaned in close to her ear. Her body froze stiff.
He whispered softly,
“That drug you used on me last time… where’d you buy it?”
“……”
Cheok Bal-eon’s face flushed crimson. If not mid-battle, she’d have punched his solar plexus.
‘Is this idiot insane? Now of all times!’
As they bickered, the Black Flame Cavalry closed in.
Yeop Hyeon spun toward them, spreading his arms wide.
A chest appeared before him.
In a flash, twelve beams of light erupted in the arena, materializing twelve golden figures before Yeop Hyeon and Cheok Bal-eon.
The golden figures slowly opened their eyes, unleashing twelve rays of golden light.
Kaboom!
Some Black Flame Cavalry ahead were struck and hurled far away. The golden light flashed again.
Boom boom boom!
Another group scattered in all directions.
Imok was speechless.
‘Where the hell did those come from!’
Meanwhile, watching them, Yeop Hyeon’s heart ached. Summoning those twelve had just burned through 1.2 million top-grade spirit stones.
They were like his precious children, scrimped and saved for over time.
‘Gotta start from scratch again!’
Yeop Hyeon sighed deeply, then raised his Spirit Water Sword toward the nearby Imok.
“Watch closely!”
The sword shot from his hand. In a blink, it sliced through a dozen Cho Kingdom cavalry several zhang away. Sweeping horizontally, it beheaded another dozen.
This was just the beginning. Yeop Hyeon spread both hands, sending two flying swords left and right. In moments, dozens more Cho riders crumpled, bleeding out.
It was a massacre.
The Cho Kingdom cavalry around him began backing away in terror.
Yeop Hyeon grinned up at Imok hovering in the air.
“How’s this? Enjoying the show?”