Chapter 179: Kill the Men, Spare the Women
The Great Cloud Realm!
In truth, Yeop Hyeon had longed to enter the Great Cloud Realm for quite some time. He wasn't the type to sit idly by and take punishment. Until now, he had been forced into a passive stance against the assaults from Cangmu Academy and the Shadow Realm.
He wanted to change that dynamic.
The reason he had maintained a defensive posture all this while was entirely because of Canglan Academy. But now that the academy was running smoothly even without him, it was time to switch to the offensive.
The moment had arrived for Yeop Hyeon to take the initiative.
This journey to the Great Cloud Realm had no other purpose—it was purely a voyage for slaughter.
Yeop Hyeon's mind was filled solely with thoughts of repaying everything they had inflicted upon him.
These days, Canglan Academy had long since transformed into the strongest force in Jiang Kingdom. Of course, this change couldn't be discussed without mentioning the support from the Jiang Kingdom's imperial family and Chwiseonru.
Without their aid, Canglan Academy could never have gotten back on track so quickly.
Their backing stemmed entirely from Yeop Hyeon. In effect, the three powers had already boarded the same ship, bound together by mutual interests. Among them, Jiang Kingdom's desperate support for Canglan Academy was also due to Gang Gu.
Currently, Gang Gu served as the leader of Canglan Academy's Dao soldiers. Moreover, her bond with Yeop Hyeon was far from ordinary. In this tangled web of relationships, Canglan Academy growing stronger was tantamount to Jiang Kingdom itself growing stronger.
The Jiang Kingdom lord and Gang Wol-cheon had already discerned that Gang Gu and Yeop Hyeon harbored ambitions far beyond Jiang Kingdom.
Chwiseonru's gaze, too, was fixed not on Qingzhou, but on Jungto Sinju.
They were all counting the days until Yeop Hyeon advanced into Jungto Sinju.
Once Yeop Hyeon made his move into Jungto Sinju and achieved great feats, Chwiseonru would recoup their investments with interest.
At their core, Chwiseonru were merchants. And they knew that investing in people was sometimes the greatest investment of all.
Canglan Hall.
Mu Yun Qi, Geom Cho-cho, Muk Won, and others sat around the table. The one temporarily leading Canglan Academy was none other than Gu Jiu.
Gu Jiu scanned the room before speaking.
"What do you all think of Dean Yeop entering the Great Cloud Realm?"
Muk Won shook his head.
"I think it was rather impulsive."
Bong Nam nodded in agreement.
"Our top priority right now is to maximize our personal strength. If something goes wrong during this critical time while he's in the Great Cloud Realm..."
"Something wrong?"
Gu Jiu smiled and cut him off.
"Do you really think sitting here quietly will prevent anything from happening?"
As eyes turned to her, Gu Jiu took a sip of tea and continued with a smile.
"Right now, we're locked in a fight for survival against Cangmu Academy and the Shadow Realm. If Dean Ji hadn't died, there might have been a chance for an armistice. But with Dean Yeop's temperament, he'll never compromise with them. So, reconciliation is off the table entirely."
Gu Jiu looked at Muk Won and Bong Nam.
"If any of you were thinking of compromise, abandon it. Otherwise, the hopes of the Confucian Dao will vanish too."
Muk Won gave a wry smile.
"Don't worry. Our Confucian Dao won't cling to outdated pedantry like before. If we must fight, we'll stake our lives on it."
Gu Jiu nodded and met the eyes of Mu Yun Qi and the others.
"Excluding Geom Cho-cho, your skills are still lacking. If the gap in strength with Yeop Hyeon widens further, you might not be able to fight alongside him anymore. Do you understand?"
Mu Yun Qi made an aggrieved face.
"But that guy's growth is monstrous—we can't do much about it!"
Gu Jiu shook her head.
"Starting today, Mu Yun Qi and Bai Ze will train with Canglan Academy's Dao soldiers. Any objections?"
Mu Yun Qi hesitated before replying.
"Is that really necessary?"
Gu Jiu replied flatly.
"Do you think you're strong?"
"Haha, excluding Instructor Yeop in Canglan Academy, aren't Bai Ze and I the best?"
At Mu Yun Qi's words, Gu Jiu smiled faintly and called out toward the hall's entrance.
"Daeju!"
A middle-aged man entered the hall and faced Mu Yun Qi.
Mu Yun Qi stood and took a step toward Daeju—only for his figure to vanish, leaving only an afterimage.
It was a speed like the wind.
However...
Thud!
With a dull sound, Mu Yun Qi instantly returned to his original spot. Meanwhile, the man called Daeju hadn't moved an inch.
Mu Yun Qi's face fell, and even Bai Ze's expression grew grave.
Daeju clasped his fists toward Gu Jiu and Gang Gu before exiting the hall.
The atmosphere in the hall sank once more.
Gu Jiu looked at Mu Yun Qi.
"Once this meeting ends, I'll take the Dao soldiers for training. You and Bai Ze can join or not—your choice. One more thing: Soon, Canglan Academy will advance on the Great Cloud Realm!"
Gang Gu stared at Gu Jiu.
"You're planning to attack the Great Cloud Realm!?"
Gu Jiu shook her head.
"The Great Cloud Realm isn't our target. We're sending forces there because, after Dean Yeop enters, massive changes will occur inside. We need to prepare in advance."
'Massive changes?'
The room fell silent again.
What on earth would happen after Yeop Hyeon entered the Great Cloud Realm?
It clearly wouldn't be anything good.
An hour later, Gu Jiu led Canglan Academy's Dao soldiers toward an unknown location. Bai Ze and Mu Yun Qi were among them.
Chwiseonru's cloudship, guest cabin.
Having entered the Gyeok Ok Tower, Yeop Hyeon stared at one corner. There, a single sword trembled as if seized by fear.
The Cangjie Sword!
Yeop Hyeon's expression was deadly serious—not because of the sword, but because of the tower itself.
From the very first day he had entered, the Gyeok Ok Tower had repeatedly shown him things beyond his comprehension.
What exactly was this tower's true nature?
Who was the Sword Immortal?
And whose swords were those embedded at the tower's peak?
He had posed these questions to himself countless times, but found no answers.
In the end, he gained nothing this time either, merely watching the Cangjie Sword for a moment before leaving.
He refrained from absorbing the sword.
With his current power, attempting to do so might provoke an attack from the sword itself—one he couldn't withstand.
Moreover, absorbing the Cangjie Sword would cause his Spirit Water Sword from the lower realms to vanish.
Thus, he had no choice but to leave it be for now.
Exiting the Gyeok Ok Tower, Yeop Hyeon ascended to the cloudship's deck. A few passengers were enjoying the scenery. This time, heading to the Great Cloud Realm, he hadn't revealed his identity—to deny Cangmu Academy any time to prepare.
Standing at the prow, Yeop Hyeon took in the vast heavens and earth, the majestic mountain ranges, and the endless plains.
Embracing the world, his mind grew utterly serene.
What a sword cultivator trained in was the sword. But it was also the heart.
In other words, mastering the martial path was the process of refining the heart.
And the heart harbored both benevolence and malice.
But what truly distinguished good from evil?
Yeop Hyeon couldn't precisely delineate them. Nor did he feel the need to. He simply knew to repay kindness with kindness and malice with malice!
"Excuse me."
Yeop Hyeon set aside his thoughts at the voice and turned.
A woman stood behind him. Dressed in a black skirt that accentuated her graceful figure, her long black hair cascaded elegantly, giving her an air of refined poise.
Upon seeing Yeop Hyeon's face, the woman gasped in surprise.
"Y-Your eyes!"
Realizing her rudeness, she smiled apologetically.
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine."
Yeop Hyeon stepped aside nonchalantly. His previous position had blocked the way.
The woman bowed lightly.
"Thank you."
Brushing past Yeop Hyeon, she stood at the prow and began admiring the view.
"What a magnificent sight!"
She glanced at Yeop Hyeon and struck up a conversation.
"Are you headed to the Great Cloud Realm?"
Yeop Hyeon smiled faintly.
"Isn't everyone on this ship?"
"Haha, true. As the most developed place in Qingzhou, I can't wait to get there and see it all."
Yeop Hyeon merely smiled without replying.
Just then, boisterous voices reached his ears. Listening closely, they were fervently discussing someone.
It was about Yeop Hyeon himself.
These days, if you named the hottest topic in Qingzhou, it was undoubtedly Yeop Hyeon. In nearly a century, he was the first to reach Sword Lord before forty.
The woman smiled brightly, gripped the railing with both hands, and turned her gaze back to the vast expanse. With a gentle breeze lifting her hair, she looked utterly refined.
Yeop Hyeon, too, stood at the prow, savoring the rare tranquility. His heart found peace once more.
Suddenly, three cloudships appeared in the distance, rapidly closing in on Yeop Hyeon's vessel.
The deck passengers buzzed, staring at the approaching ships.
At this unexpected turn, an elderly man who seemed to be the ship's manager hurried onto the deck.
After scrutinizing the three ships, his face twisted in horror as he shouted.
"Damn it all! The Blood Wolf Mercenary Corps! Battle stations!"
At once, Chwiseonru guards poured onto the deck from all sides. Seeing the three ships up close, their expressions darkened severely.
The passengers remained bewildered, unsure of the situation.
Meanwhile, the three ships surrounded Yeop Hyeon's cloudship from three directions.
Atop the prow of the frontal ship, a man stepped forward, flashing a sinister grin toward Yeop Hyeon and the others as he muttered.
"Heh, looks like we're in for a big haul today."
Yeop Hyeon blinked in slight confusion at the words.
'Bandits?'
In that instant, the man leaped onto Yeop Hyeon's ship.
Gripping a cleaver in one hand, he slowly approached Yeop Hyeon. But his target wasn't Yeop Hyeon—it was the woman right beside him.
Suddenly, the man dropped to one knee before her.
"Big Sis!"
The woman offered her signature refined smile and whispered softly.
"Kill the men. Spare the women."
"......"