Bring a Chair for Our Bal-eon!
Jeoguk's treasure!
At Kang Ya's words, the hearts of many warriors had already begun to waver.
What had brought these men all the way to the Jeoguk imperial palace?
Treasure, nothing more. Soon, the spiritual energy of Qingzhou would be depleted, and when that happened, spiritual stones would become the most vital resource of all. Only those with spiritual stones could survive.
"What is there to fear?!"
One man stepped forward, glaring at Yeop Hyeon as he bellowed.
"That guy's just a man with one head like the rest of us! We all rush in together, chop off his hea—"
As the man tried to finish his sentence, a sword streaked through the air unseen and halted right before his brow.
The warriors, unable to even catch a glimpse of the sword's shadow, could only watch as their pupils contracted in shock.
Only Kang Ya and a few other Myriad Laws Realm experts had witnessed it.
A sword had burst from the sword sheath on Yeop Hyeon's back, leaving an afterimage as it hurtled forward at inconceivable speed and stopped inches from the man's face.
And they recognized it: Yeop Hyeon's sword was a True Realm mid-grade blade, and the sheath on his back was another True Realm treasure.
All of them extraordinary artifacts.
Under gazes filled with astonishment, Yeop Hyeon approached the man with a smile.
"I didn't quite catch that just now... what did you say?"
A bead of cold sweat trickled down the man's forehead.
Of course, he had known Yeop Hyeon was strong—but he never imagined he'd be helpless against him.
Why did I step forward like an idiot?
The man stammered, "L-Lord Yeop, National Scholar, I was just—"
Pfuk!
The sword pierced his brow, silencing him forever.
His wide eyes brimmed with resentment as he breathed his last.
"Sorry about that. My hand's been shaking lately..."
Yeop Hyeon said no more. He withdrew the Spirit Water Sword and returned to Cheok Bal-eon's side. Behind him, the man collapsed, blood gushing from his forehead.
Terror filled the warriors' faces.
Even Kang Ya's expression betrayed a flicker of dread.
And for good reason—the man Yeop Hyeon had just slain was not far beneath him in strength.
If Yeop Hyeon could kill him so effortlessly, he could surely do the same to Kang Ya!
Kang Ya no longer dared to attack rashly.
He could only wait for reinforcements.
Meanwhile, Cheok Bal-eon gazed up at Yeop Hyeon silently as he returned to her side.
He stroked her cheek gently. "You've gotten so much thinner since then."
Cheok Bal-eon remained wordless, but her hidden hand in her sleeve slowly clenched into a fist.
At that moment, Yeop Hyeon turned to a nearby soldier. "Our Lady Bal-eon looks tired. Fetch her a chair."
The soldier hesitated, then quickly brought over a chair and placed it delicately behind her. Yeop Hyeon lightly pressed her shoulders, guiding her to sit.
Just then, Cheok Bal-soyo sauntered over with a grin. "My legs hurt too!"
She plopped down beside Cheok Bal-eon.
The chair was wide enough for both women to sit comfortably.
Yeop Hyeon turned with a smile. In the air above, four Myriad Laws Realm experts were still locked in a fierce stalemate.
As Yeop Hyeon prepared to leap toward them, a surge of powerful energy seized him from afar.
It was Kang Ya.
"Then I'll deal with you first!"
Yeop Hyeon kicked off the ground, his figure blurring into an afterimage. Simultaneously, a streak of sword light flashed before Kang Ya's eyes.
Having already gauged Yeop Hyeon's prowess, Kang Ya showed no carelessness. He drew a crimson mirror and poured true energy into it. Crimson flames erupted, coiling around Yeop Hyeon's sword.
Boom!
Both figures reeled back from the impact.
Countless sword webs and flames clashed between them, exploding wildly in all directions. The surrounding warriors hastily retreated.
At that instant, the Spirit Water Sword returned to the sheath on Yeop Hyeon's back. He stepped forward, pointing at his foe.
Pew!
A beam of sword light shot forth like lightning.
Kang Ya started in alarm, dropping the mirror as he swiftly formed hand seals. The crimson mirror ignited like roaring flames.
Just then, Yeop Hyeon's sword plunged into the burning mirror.
Boom!
Intense flames erupted. But it wasn't enough to overwhelm the Spirit Water Sword's sword web. Instead, the flames began to dwindle under its assault.
Boom!
A massive explosion hurled the mirror back toward Kang Ya.
He caught it but was flung back a dozen zhang. As he finally halted, another sword strike hurtled toward him like thunder.
Kang Ya paled, thrusting the mirror forward.
Thud!
The mirror cracked under the tremendous force, sending him flying dozens more zhang.
Undeterred, the Spirit Water Sword targeted his brow once again.
With no choice, Kang Ya blocked with the spiderwebbed mirror.
Boom!
The mirror shattered into pieces. A surge of energy blasted him dozens of zhang away through the gap.
While he was still airborne, Yeop Hyeon caught the sword, soared above him, gripped it with both hands, and slashed down.
⚔ One Sword Slays ⚔
Sensing the power in Yeop Hyeon's strike, Kang Ya gritted his teeth and clapped his hands. A golden talisman materialized above his crown, blocking the sword.
Thud!
Yeop Hyeon was repelled, crashing hard into the ground dozens of zhang away. The earth cratered instantly, and viscous blood trickled from his mouth.
Wiping the blood from his lips, Yeop Hyeon looked up to see the talisman that had blocked him burning away into nothingness.
Meanwhile, Kang Ya's heart ached as he watched it vanish. That talisman had cost him ten million top-grade spiritual stones.
In this era of fading spiritual energy, ten million top-grade stones was an astronomical sum!
A loss worth shedding bloody tears over.
Kang Ya glared at Yeop Hyeon from afar and roared savagely, "For meddling where you don't belong, I'll tear you limb from limb!"
At that moment, a thunderous roar echoed as over a hundred cavalry charged into the palace grounds. Sparks flew in their wake. Leading them was a woman in silver armor.
Kang Ya paused at their arrival, then burst into booming laughter.
"Yeop Hyeon, they're not the reinforcements I expected, but cavalry with such ferocious momentum coming to strike you down seals Jeoguk's fate! Hahaha!"
Yeop Hyeon frowned in confusion at Kang Ya's words.
The charging cavalry maintained perfect formation, their orderly ranks like a sharpened blade. The killing intent radiating from each rider marked them as born slayers.
Their razor-sharp aura sent chills down the spines of everyone in the hall.
They resembled the Daeun Empire's Black Flame Cavalry, but with one key difference: they cultivated the Killing Intent Art.
The Killing Intent Art was a secret military technique that amplified combat prowess with every surge of murderous intent.
Though only a hundred strong, their collective killing intent could make even Jungto Sinju warriors flinch.
These cavalry were no weaker than the elite soldiers of Jungto Sinju forces.
In moments, they reined in before Yeop Hyeon. The hundred riders dismounted—all but the silver-armored woman—and knelt on one knee.
"We pay respects to the Dean!"
Their deep voices boomed through the heavens.
Dean?
Confusion swept across every warrior's face.
These are Yeop Hyeon's men?
Feeling the majestic aura and momentum of the Chang Lan Dao Soldiers, Yeop Hyeon's heart burned with pride.
The Dao Soldiers he had raised with no small investment of money and effort had exceeded his expectations. They were in no way inferior to the Daeun Empire's Black Flame Cavalry.
Then, the silver-armored woman dismounted and approached Yeop Hyeon. Her helmet's faceguard revealed only her clear eyes.
It was none other than the Dao Soldiers' commander, Gang Gu.
"Divine Fusion Realm?"
"Reached it not long ago."
Gang Gu nodded lightly.
"Everyone awaits the Dean's command."
As Yeop Hyeon smiled and prepared to issue orders, Cheok Bal-soyo cleared her throat and sidled up to him.
Snapping to attention, Yeop Hyeon quickly introduced her. "Gang Gu, this is Cheok Bal-soyo from Jungto Sinju. She's one of Yo Yeolbang's Eight Seats and will serve as vice-dean of Chang Lan Academy going forward. Treat her with the same respect you show me."
The riders behind her rose swiftly and bowed to Cheok Bal-soyo.
"We pay respects to the Vice-Dean!"
Cheok Bal-soyo nodded with a satisfied smile, then deepened her voice in an attempt at dignity. "Ahem, we're all family now, so no need for excessive formality. And... uh..."
She poked Yeop Hyeon's side and whispered, "What do I say next?"
"Order them to kill. Kill all the Jungto Sinju warriors."
"Oh, right. That's what I was gonna say anyway."
"..."
Cheok Bal-soyo pointed at the Jungto Sinju warriors again, fuming. "You bad people! Why not stay holed up in Jungto Sinju? Why come all the way to Qingzhou to do evil deeds? You... today, I'll... uh, what comes next?"
Yeop Hyeon smacked his forehead. "Just say kill them all, no more talking!"
"No, no! I read in a book once that momentum is key before battle! We have to win the aura first, so watch me!"
Cheok Bal-soyo resumed lecturing the Jungto Sinju warriors.
"Listen well! What you're doing is truly evil, so you..."
"Enough chit-chat, kid!"
A warrior shouted in anger.
"Fight or don't—why so much yapping? You our dad or something—"
In that instant, Cheok Bal-soyo's hammer flew like an arrow.
Splat!
The man took it full to the head, skull shattering as blood sprayed, and he soared away.
"..."
Cheok Bal-soyo scowled furiously. "I was gonna talk you down nice, but forget it! Trash like you all deserve to die!"
With that, she hefted her hammer and charged.
As if on cue, the Chang Lan Dao Soldiers surged forward like raptors.
Their momentum left the Jungto Sinju warriors frozen. Some were already turning to flee.
Kang Ya bellowed in rage, "We're over six hundred strong—they're barely a hundred! Their armor and weapons are all famed treasures—seize them and you'll all be rich! Kill them!"