Even if Heaven and Earth Imprison My Body, They Cannot Confine My Infinitely Vast Heart

In one of the cabins aboard the cloud ship, an old man dressed in white robes glared fiercely at Han Hyang-mong.

"I hear you gave the deluxe cabin to some nameless siblings. Is that true?"

Han Hyang-mong nodded in response.

"Yes. Why is Elder Go concerning himself with such a trivial matter?"

"Trivial? You know better than anyone that not just anyone can use the deluxe cabins!"

Han Hyang-mong replied with a light laugh.

"He's not 'just anyone'—he's a great sword cultivator. A great sword cultivator! Isn't it good to accommodate him and build a positive relationship?"

A sneer flashed across the old man's face.

"Are you treating me like a fool right now? A boy of barely seventeen or eighteen is a great sword cultivator? Why not just call him a national scholar while you're at it?"

Han Hyang-mong's eyes widened.

"Elder Go, are you deliberately picking a fight?"

"How dare I harbor such thoughts? But listen here, little manager—even if the higher-ups entrusted you with the merchant guilds of Tianshan City and the Imperial City, that authority only takes effect after this cloud ship reaches the Imperial City. Hey, you two!"

At Elder Go's call, two guards entered the room.

"Those siblings have no right to the deluxe cabin. Go throw their belongings out!"

Han Hyang-mong fixed Elder Go with a coldly chilling gaze.

"Is this reckless behavior all to prove your loyalty to whoever's pulling your strings?"

"Haha! I have no idea what you're talking about. This old man is simply following principles and rules. If you have any complaints, report it to the higher-ups!"

"I won't forget this incident."

With that, Han Hyang-mong shook her head and left the room. Alone now, Elder Go let out a cold laugh.

"No matter how hard you try to pull him to your side, I won't let you have your way so easily!"

Elder Go was on the verge of retirement. Before being cast aside, he needed to demonstrate his loyalty to his superiors. He'd had no opportunities until today, so he couldn't let this one slip away!

Elder Go approached Yeop Hyeon from behind on the deck, accompanied by his two guards. Yeop Ryeong, who spotted them first, released her arm from around Yeop Hyeon's and turned toward them.

"Um, who might you be...?"

Elder Go scanned Yeop Hyeon from head to toe and snorted derisively. At a glance, he could tell the boy was in the Qi Transformation Realm. With a nod from the elder, one of the guards behind him dumped their luggage in front of the siblings.

Thud!

"Wh-what is this...?"

Yeop Ryeong's face filled with confusion, unsure what was happening. Those nearby began looking toward her and Elder Go. The elder sneered at them and spoke.

"Do you think you have the right to stay in the deluxe cabin?"

"Th-that woman earlier told us to... "

"Did you pay? Do you have any proof?"

Yeop Ryeong stammered in panic, trying to explain.

"Just ask that woman who told us to use the deluxe cabin..."

"Ha! Babbling nonsense without even a token. It looks like you two sneaked into the deluxe cabin amid the chaos! Guards, seize these two, kill them, and toss their bodies overboard!"

At his command, the two guards advanced on the siblings with murderous intent in their eyes. Yeop Ryeong's face paled as she hurriedly stepped in front of Yeop Hyeon, crying out in injustice.

"Y-you clearly said we could use it! Why are you doing this now!?"

"You dared to occupy the deluxe cabin without proof. This is deception against our Chwi Wol Ru— a crime deserving the extermination of your nine clans!"

The onlookers felt Elder Go's side was being utterly unreasonable, but no one spoke up. The ship belonged to Chwi Wol Ru, and there was no reason to risk their lives for two strangers.

Yeop Hyeon's body trembled with rage like an aspen leaf, his energy beginning to surge. He closed his eyes quietly, as if controlling his qi.

At that moment, one guard roughly seized Yeop Ryeong's shoulder and slammed her to the deck.

"Aaaah—!"

Her shoulder dislocated upon impact, and she broke out in cold sweat from the excruciating pain. As she tried to crawl toward Yeop Hyeon, the guard's foot slammed into her abdomen.

Thump!

Yeop Ryeong flew into the ship's railing and slumped lifelessly to the deck. A boy watching from afar tried to rush in, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but a man beside him held him back firmly.

"Father! They're treating people like dirt!"

"Let's watch and see what's happening first!"

Only then did Yeop Hyeon snap his eyes open. Something about his aura had changed.

"Heaven and earth are vast, and I am small. Yet even if heaven and earth imprison my body, they cannot confine my infinitely vast heart. The sword is the same, reaching infinity!"

Yeop Hyeon felt refreshed throughout his body from this profound realization. Suddenly, his Spirit Water Sword emerged from his body.

Whiiiing—

The sword's hum echoed through the sky as the Spirit Water Sword began circling above the cloud ship. Everyone in the area stared at Yeop Hyeon in shock.

A boy in ornate clothes muttered.

"No way... Sword Heart Clarity..!!"

Sword Heart Clarity! This was a phenomenon that appeared when a sword cultivator reached a profound realm. Warriors sometimes called this state a quasi-Sword Dao Grandmaster. All who attained Sword Heart Clarity had ascended to the Sword Dao Grandmaster realm.

The Jiang Kingdom's sole Sword Dao Grandmaster had also passed through this realm.

Moments later, Yeop Hyeon regained his senses and searched for Yeop Ryeong.

"Ryeong-ah, Ryeong-ah..."

His eyes fell on Yeop Ryeong, collapsed like a corpse on the deck. He rushed to her in an instant and scooped up her trembling body.

"R-Ryeong-ah... what happened!!"

Yeop Hyeon whipped his head around, roaring in furious grief.

"Who did this—!!"

At that moment, the chubby boy quickly pointed at Elder Go and shouted.

"That man's doing! He gave the order, and his guards beat her!"

In the blink of an eye, Yeop Hyeon's body shot toward the guards. Seeing this, Elder Go charged at him.

In that instant, Yeop Hyeon's sword, aimed at the guard, veered toward Elder Go. Silence fell over the deck as the Soaring Realm elder bellowed.

"You insolent fool!"

Elder Go clenched his fists, and a stream of formless power exploded from his body. At the same time, a sword glow formed on Yeop Hyeon's longsword.

The onlookers froze like statues. Elder Go was stunned too, but he had no time for other thoughts. He gripped his fists and unleashed a punch straight ahead.

The crowd clearly witnessed the moment Elder Go met the sword glow with both fists.

His two hands flying through the air in a arc!

As Elder Go screamed and staggered back, his guards moved to intervene.

But then, Yeop Hyeon's body appeared before them like lightning.

Slash—!

This time, two heads soared into the air.

Control Qi Realm!

The spectators involuntarily stepped back. The boy watching with wide, startled eyes muttered.

"It's the real deal..."

Having dispatched the two guards in an ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠instant, Yeop Hyeon turned to Elder Go. The elder, gripped by terror, barely managed to speak.

"I-I'm an elder of Chwi Wol Ru. Touching me is the same as challenging Chwi Wol Ru..."

Yeop Hyeon advanced on him with his sword raised, eyes blazing fiercely. Elder Go stumbled backward in fright.

Right then, Han Hyang-mong appeared and blocked Yeop Hyeon's path.

"Young Master Yeop, that's enough. If you cause any more disturbance, it will ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠be hard to contain..."

Han Hyang-mong couldn't finish. In that moment, Yeop Hyeon's hand had seized her throat. She met his gaze calmly. With a twisted expression, Yeop Hyeon snarled at her.

"You guided my sister and me to the deluxe cabin, and because of that, she got hurt. Isn't it fair to say you're behind this!?"

During his meditation, the Heavenly Maiden had explained the situation to him. Yeop Hyeon now fully understood the sequence of events. Han Hyang-mong stared straight back at him and said.

"If you cause more disturbance, you won't be able to handle the consequences."

Yeop Hyeon grinned wickedly.

"Fine, dragging my sister and me into your internal squabbles. But standing by and watching until things escalated like this? That's unforgivable. Reason enough for you to die, no?"

His grip tightened on Han Hyang-mong's throat. He truly intended to kill her.

The moment Yeop Hyeon began squeezing, Han Hyang-mong's body silently slipped several zhang away.

At the same time, an old man appeared before her. He spoke to Yeop Hyeon in a cold voice.

"Young Master Yeop, stop before this escalates further!"

Yeop Hyeon glanced at Yeop Ryeong collapsed behind him. Seeing his dying sister tore at his heart. Suddenly, he burst into mad laughter.

"Hahaha!! What did we siblings ever do to deserve this!!"

In that instant, the Spirit Water Sword floated lightly above Yeop Hyeon's palm. It thrashed violently, as if sharing his killing intent and rage, even emitting a sharp sword hum.

As he prepared to unleash One Sword Determines Life and Death once more, the old man's eyes narrowed. Just as Yeop Hyeon was about to strike, the Heavenly Maiden's voice interrupted in his mind.

[Have you considered the consequences this sword will bring?]

"Hahaha..."

Yeop Hyeon laughed maniacally at her words.

"With my sister on the brink of death, what consequences could I possibly care about!"

With that, his sword shot forth!

The very moment Yeop Hyeon raised his sword and leaped, a faint voice reached him.

"Oppa..."

Yeop Hyeon hastily withdrew his sword and rushed to Yeop Ryeong. His hands trembled violently as he cradled her. She was the reason he drew his sword—and the reason he sheathed it.

Seeing this, Han Hyang-mong and the old man sighed in relief. Once Yeop Hyeon struck, he never stopped midway. It was a miracle Yeop Ryeong still breathed. Had she died, no one knew what an unhinged Yeop Hyeon might do.

Meanwhile, Elder Go, trying to slip away stealthily, was caught and sent tumbling by the old man's palm strike. Han Hyang-mong glared at him fiercely and shouted.

"Stay put and await judgment!"

At her words, Elder Go's face drained to ashen gray.

On the other hand, Yeop Hyeon, carefully holding Yeop Ryeong, burst into tears at the sight of her paling face. The strong boy who had never cried from any wound or pain was now sobbing uncontrollably! Yeop Ryeong gazed softly at him and whispered.

"Oppa, d-don't cry... It doesn't hurt that much..."

"It's my fault. All my fault, your worthless brother's fault..."