Sorry, Thank You
Yeop Hyeon slowly made his way toward Cheok Bal-eon. She looked utterly wretched on the surface, but she was still breathing, however faintly.
By handing over the Dochik to the entity from the second floor of the Gyeok Ok Tower and releasing it, Yeop Hyeon had saved her.
With the Dochik Yeop Hyeon had given him in hand, the entity was now free.
For Yeop Hyeon, it had been a gamble. If the entity never returned with the Dochik, the Heavenly Maiden would surely give him a thorough beating.
Putting those thoughts aside for the moment, Yeop Hyeon crouched down in front of Cheok Bal-eon. Seeing her in such a pitiful state didn't sit well with him.
If she hadn't blocked Imok's strike with her lightning shield just moments ago, it might have been him lying there instead.
'Imok! Changmok Academy!'
Yeop Hyeon slowly clenched his fist. He'd nearly paid dearly for underestimating Changmok Academy's resolve this time. And since they'd already broken the rules, they might come back next with forces at the Myriad Laws Realm or higher.
From the moment Imok had stepped in, Yeop Hyeon and Changmok Academy were locked in an all-out war that wouldn't end until one side was destroyed.
At that moment, Cheok Bal-eon's hand twitched. Yeop Hyeon hurriedly scooped her up, and her eyelids fluttered as she struggled to open her eyes. Seeing his face, she gasped in surprise.
"You... died too?"
Yeop Hyeon nodded.
"Dying alone would've been too lonely!"
Cheok Bal-eon's expression went blank for a second.
"How can you be such an idiot... you..."
She quickly turned her head, scanning the surroundings. Once she'd grasped the situation, she put on a feigned angry face.
"Do you really want to die?"
"Hahaha! You've got a fun reaction!"
Cheok Bal-eon tilted her head curiously.
"But why didn't I die?"
"Well... a certain excellent someone showed up just in time."
Yeop Hyeon's face hardened slightly as he asked,
"But why'd you jump in front of me back there? You could've died!"
"If I'd thought I'd die, I wouldn't have done it!"
Her words left a bitter taste in Yeop Hyeon's mouth.
"Ah... I see."
Cheok Bal-eon stared intently at Yeop Hyeon's face, then shoved his arm away and struggled to her feet with a grunt. With an oddly cold expression, she staggered off.
Moments later, she left the arena swiftly with the Jeoguk cavalry she'd brought.
Yeop Hyeon stared at her retreating figure in confusion when Mu Yun Qi limped over and lightly smacked the back of his head.
"Yeop Stronghold, are you really that stupid?"
Yeop Hyeon turned with a baffled look, and Mu Yun Qi shook his head.
"Yeop Stronghold, do you know how far it is from Jeoguk to here? Who do you think she dragged this whole army out for? And with that subtle vibe between you two... she came here straight for you!"
Mu Yun Qi lowered his voice conspiratorially.
"Use your head, buddy. You think that wise woman didn't know she could die facing a Law Realm expert? She weighed every worst-case scenario and still threw herself in for you!"
Yeop Hyeon stood frozen for a moment, then suddenly kicked Mu Yun Qi square in the butt.
"Then why didn't you tell me sooner, you bald bastard?!"
With that, Yeop Hyeon's figure vanished.
Left alone in the arena, Mu Yun Qi dropped to his knees, clutching his poor backside and tearing up.
"Damn it... when did you ever ask?"
Mu Yun Qi's words snapped Yeop Hyeon to attention.
He mounted Black Wolf and tore across the plains.
In life, a single moment of misunderstanding could leave regrets for a lifetime.
Riding Black Wolf, far faster than any horse, Yeop Hyeon soon spotted the Jeoguk cavalry.
A general rode up beside Cheok Bal-eon, who was urging her horse onward while scanning ahead.
"My lord, someone is pursuing us. It looks like Gangguk's Yeop Hyeon."
Hearing this, Cheok Bal-eon only spurred her horse faster.
Seeing her unexpectedly chilly expression, the general fell back without another word.
By now, Yeop Hyeon had closed in considerably on the Jeoguk cavalry.
The riders all turned to look at him, but none dared block his path.
Yeop Hyeon's fame had spread not just through Gangguk but across all of Qingzhou. And they vividly remembered how he'd just bisected Imok.
Fear of Yeop Hyeon kept the Jeoguk cavalry from intervening.
Yeop Hyeon overtook Cheok Bal-eon in a flash and blocked her horse's path. The Jeoguk riders hastily reined in, but Cheok Bal-eon didn't slow—instead, she accelerated.
Yeop Hyeon's eyebrows twitched violently.
'What the hell is she doing!?'
As her horse drew nearer, Black Wolf let out a ferocious roar, eyes blazing.
The distance between them shrank to less than three zhang.
Then Yeop Hyeon leaped onto her horse, landing behind her. As Cheok Bal-eon tried to shove him off, he wrapped his arms around her waist and murmured softly,
"Sorry..."
Cheok Bal-eon's body went rigid.
After a moment of silence, her horse bolted forward dozens of zhang. The remaining Jeoguk soldiers exchanged bewildered glances.
Meanwhile, after galloping for a while, the horse slowed to a leisurely walk.
Cheok Bal-eon's face still held a cold aura as she guided it.
But she didn't push away Yeop Hyeon's arms around her waist.
As they let the horse wander, the sunset wrapped them in warm light.
A long while later, Yeop Hyeon spoke gently.
"Sorry!"
Cheok Bal-eon said nothing.
Yeop Hyeon flipped around to face her, now eye to eye.
She stared at his face without a word.
Yeop Hyeon was at a loss. Aside from his little sister, he'd never soothed an angry woman before.
And this was the lord of a whole country!
Suddenly, Cheok Bal-eon swayed as if she might fall from the horse. Yeop Hyeon grabbed her hand in alarm.
"Thank you."
She uttered the words curtly, then fell silent again.
As Yeop Hyeon pondered what to say next, the Gyeok Ok Tower inside him began to vibrate violently. It hit him like a hammer to the head—he tumbled off the horse, sprawling on the ground in convulsions.
Cheok Bal-eon dismounted in a flash and rushed to him. Her pupils trembled. Blood was pouring from Yeop Hyeon's ears.
She knelt before him and shoved a Golden Wound Pill into his mouth. But it seemed to have no effect.
As she pulled out another, Yeop Hyeon, regaining his senses, shook his head with a trembling voice.
"It... won't... help... This is... the... price... I'll be... fine... after rest..."
Cheok Bal-eon watched him writhe in agony, her face twisting in pain, silent.
Yeop Hyeon had anticipated this. Using the Gyeok Ok Tower's power was one thing, but with the Dochik gone, its instability was inevitable.
And when the tower destabilized, Yeop Hyeon suffered the most.
But at the time, it had been his best option. Without releasing the second-floor entity, he and Cheok Bal-eon would have died right there.
'I have to endure!'
But this was pain no amount of will could conquer.
Physical torment wracked his body, and his head felt like it was shattering—agony beyond words.
'Still... I have to endure!'
Time passed, darkness fell, and the bright moon rose, draping them in a silvery blanket.
How much time had gone by? Yeop Hyeon's fingers twitched.
Gradually, his consciousness returned. He felt an overwhelming warmth.
'Feels like Mom's arms...'
He realized he was cradled in Cheok Bal-eon's embrace.
Feeling him stir, she looked down. Yeop Hyeon grinned.
"I'm glad I survived to see you."
He nuzzled into her chest. Despite the metallic blood scent clinging to her, he caught her faint, natural fragrance.
Cheok Bal-eon flinched, shoved him away, and stood, walking off somewhere.
Yeop Hyeon sprang up and blocked her path. He pulled a small wooden doll from his bosom and offered it.
It looked just like her.
"I made it myself!"
Cheok Bal-eon stared at the doll wordlessly.
Yeop Hyeon placed it in her hand, then dashed toward the Jeoguk cavalry waiting a hundred zhang away.
Cheok Bal-eon stood frozen, gazing at the doll in her palm.
Arriving before the Jeoguk riders, Yeop Hyeon bowed deeply to the wounded soldiers. Bewilderment flickered in their eyes.
"On behalf of Gangguk and its people, I thank you for riding a thousand ri to aid us. I, Yeop Hyeon, will never forget this grace!"
He drew a sealed chest from his bosom.
"Two hundred million nyang of gold inside. Consider it my treat for a drink—please accept!"
With a flick of his finger, the chest flew toward Cheok Bal-eon, who was approaching.
She caught it reflexively, looking flustered.
Two hundred million nyang was no small sum.
The Jeoguk cavalry raised their arms in cheers.
"As expected of National Preceptor Yeop—true righteousness!"
"Real man, National Preceptor Yeop!"
"Big bro, marry me!"
"..."
The soldiers' fondness for Yeop Hyeon soared.
He didn't just talk about sincerity toward Jeoguk—he showed it with action. How could they not love that?
Divided among them, it would cover at least a full year's salary each, with plenty left over.
Who wouldn't get excited?
Yeop Hyeon clasped his hands in a respectful salute.
"Everyone, until next time!"
He kicked off the ground, mounted Black Wolf, and vanished into the darkness.
Cheok Bal-eon stared after him, clutching the chest and doll tightly in each hand.