Chapter 215: Do I Look Like That Kind of Scum?
Mu Yun Qi forcibly seated Yeop Hyeon and shoved a plate of food in front of him.
"Heh heh, this is stir-fried potatoes I made myself, big bro. Dig in!"
This is stir-fried potatoes?
Yeop Hyeon's face stiffened as he peered down at the so-called stir-fried potatoes. There wasn't a single potato on the plate—just a pile of pitch-black lumps.
Yeop Hyeon hesitated for a moment before fixing Mu Yun Qi with a serious look.
"Uh... I already ate before coming here..."
"Hey! Do you know how much heart I put into making this? It was all for you! You can't do this to me!"
With no choice, Yeop Hyeon picked up his chopsticks, popped one of the lumps(?) into his mouth, and started chewing.
But then his eyes widened, and he grabbed a few more to shove in!
"Whoa! It's good! For real!"
"For real? It's actually tasty?"
Yeop Hyeon nodded earnestly.
"Best stir-fried potatoes I've ever had!"
Bai Ze approached with a face full of suspicion and snatched a piece to try. Yeop Hyeon glanced at him and said,
"How the hell is this tasty?"
Mu Yun Qi burst into loud laughter and clapped Bai Ze on the shoulder.
"I always told you! Your ol' pal Mu here is a jack-of-all-trades!"
As he spoke, Mu Yun Qi tossed a piece into his own mouth. After a couple chews, he bolted out the door and started retching.
Tricked. These bastards!
Yeop Hyeon and Bai Ze followed suit, spewing up what they'd eaten.
A moment later, the three sat at the table with haggard faces, gulping down water.
That's when Ji An Zhi set a tray of fish dish in front of Yeop Hyeon. It looked like her handiwork.
As Yeop Hyeon lifted his chopsticks to inspect it, the fish met his eyes and blinked.
What the hell? It's alive?
Yeop Hyeon jolted in shock, nearly jumping out of his skin.
Mu Yun Qi, sitting nearby, eyed Ji An Zhi cautiously.
"An Zhi, this thing looks alive...?"
Ji An Zhi shot him a glare full of displeasure.
"N-no! Must've been my imagination. No way it's alive... haha..."
Ji An Zhi usually kept a low profile, but no one at Canglan Academy dared cross her. Mess up, and you'd be tormented day and night for three straight days.
But our simple-minded Bai Ze often forgot that.
"It's definitely alive. Who'd eat this thinking it's dead?"
Bam!
Bai Ze shot off like the wind as Ji An Zhi grabbed her knife and chased his tail.
Yeop Hyeon and Mu Yun Qi watched the chaos and roared with laughter.
Soon after, the frenzy died down, and the four gathered back at the table.
Yeop Hyeon pulled out a single knife and placed it on the table. Ji An Zhi's eyes lit up instantly.
It was a mid-grade Mingjie knife.
The blade was about ten feet long, incredibly thin and sharp.
Before Yeop Hyeon could speak, Ji An Zhi reached out with sparkling eyes.
Yeop Hyeon chuckled helplessly and laid the knife in her palm. She beamed like a kid in a candy store.
Yeop Hyeon turned to Bai Ze and Mu Yun Qi. Mu Yun Qi shook his head firmly.
"We don't need a thing!"
"Huh? Why not?"
"We've been leaning on you this whole time. If we keep sticking our hands out, we'll just get weaker and weaker forever. If we need weapons, we'll get 'em ourselves."
He didn't say it outright, but Mu Yun Qi feared their brotherhood might sour if things stayed this way.
Brothers gave and took equally. Right now, they were just mooching off Yeop Hyeon. Even a slim chance of resentment forming was too much.
Yeop Hyeon fell silent, then nodded.
"Alright. I respect your choice."
"Haha, you got it! Now let's eat!"
The room quieted. Only chewing sounds filled the air.
Yeop Hyeon suddenly shot to his feet and bolted from the hall.
Bai Ze watched his back and whispered,
"Feel that? Lord Yeop's gotten way stronger."
Mu Yun Qi laughed and shook his head.
"Guy who kills Myriad Laws Realm experts? Big gap between us."
Bam!
"Gotta work harder!"
Bai Ze slammed the table with his palm and stood. The spot he hit crumbled to dust.
Mu Yun Qi gawked at him. Bai Ze ignored it, clenching his fists.
"Peak Divine Fusion Realm now. And my demon beast bloodline's strengthening. In half a year, I'll kill a Myriad Laws Realm guy too!"
"Half a year?"
Mu Yun Qi scoffed.
"Gonna take ten years at least. In half a year, Lord Yeop'll be dropping Law Realm experts."
"..."
Mu Yun Qi stood.
"I'm off to train!"
He left Canglan Hall behind.
Behind Canglan Academy's mountain.
Yeop Hyeon faced Gang Gu, with ten warriors at her back.
"These are the ones Lord Cheok Bal-eon and I picked."
Yeop Hyeon's gaze swept over them. Five were elite Chang Lan Dao Soldiers, the other five from Jeoguk's Imperial Guard. All top-notch.
Every one at peak Divine Fusion Realm. Battle prowess unmatched.
The five Chang Lan Dao Soldiers bowed to Yeop Hyeon.
"We greet the Dean."
The Imperial Guards gave slight nods, but their eyes brimmed with admiration and respect.
Yeop Hyeon stepped forward. A tremendous sword momentum erupted like a storm, forcing all ten back.
The five Chang Lan Dao Soldiers jammed their spears into the ground to hold.
They barely endured, but the five Imperial Guards flew back a dozen paces before stopping.
The gap between Chang Lan Dao Soldiers and Imperial Guards laid bare.
The Imperial Guards' faces darkened. They couldn't accept being outclassed by these soldiers.
Yeop Hyeon withdrew his sword momentum and approached them.
"One more chance. Fail, and go back where you came from."
He turned to Gang Gu.
"Take them to Instructor Yuk and have her train 'em."
"Got it!"
Yeop Hyeon flicked his hand, sending a jade box to Gang Gu.
"Top-grade spirit vein inside. Plant it somewhere in Canglan Mountain."
Gang Gu's face lit up. Planting a spirit vein would cover Canglan Academy and the entire Imperial City, easing the spirit energy shortage chaos.
With enough spirit energy, no more riots!
Gang Gu led the ten away.
Alone, Yeop Hyeon looked to the sky. His heart burned with one desire: head to Jungto Sinju.
Then a shadow dropped behind him. He turned, face twisting oddly.
Yeon Man Ri!
She approached his puzzled gaze, brushing back her hair.
"After you crushed the Blood Sect and Harmonization Sect, Jungto Sinju warriors dare not eye Kanguk. Our Daeun Empire has slain over three hundred of them too—including six Myriad Laws Realm experts."
Yeon Man Ri met his eyes.
"Qingzhou has momentary peace. But two issues remain. First, the spirit vein. To restore Qingzhou's damaged core, we need one. Top-grade isn't enough. We need denser—none exist here."
"Jungto Sinju?"
She nodded.
"Yes. But first, drive out the warriors from Jungto Sinju and Canglan Continent. Intel says Canglan Continent's a ruin now; their forces are nearly here. Conflicts escalate elsewhere in Qingcang Realm too—Hogye Meng can't control it."
"Why? Even Hogye Meng?"
Yeop Hyeon frowned. Yeon Man Ri nodded gravely.
"Word is, trouble hit Hogye Meng. A demon beast invaded and harasses them. Know its name?"
Yeop Hyeon shook his head.
"How would I?"
"Yeop Hyeon!"
Yeon Man Ri stared straight at him.
"The demon beast calls itself Yeop Hyeon."
Yeop Hyeon's face clouded in confusion.
Yeop Hyeon? A demon beast named Yeop Hyeon?
Something flashed in his mind. His expression twisted sharply.
Yeop Hyeon! Demon beast! No way—it's not that thing from the second floor!?
Cold sweat trickled down his back. It seemed unlikely at first, but the more he thought, the more it fit.
What baffled him: if it was that second-floor entity, why attack Hogye Meng? And why use his name?
What's its game?
Then an armored woman appeared beside Yeon Man Ri, kneeling.
"Your Highness, intel arrived. In two days, Canglan Continent warriors reach Manggu Mountain."
Yeon Man Ri turned to Yeop Hyeon.
"Qingzhou's suffered enough. If they enter, more will die. Bring your people to Manggu Mountain. We must save Qingcang Realm's lives!"
Yeop Hyeon said nothing.
Yeon Man Ri sighed helplessly.
"They've plundered from Canglan Continent here—they must be loaded by now..."
Greed sparked in Yeop Hyeon's eyes.
"Save Qingcang Realm's countless lives, you say!?"
She nodded lightly.
Yeop Hyeon straightened.
"Let's go! Right now! Who else but us to save Qingcang Realm!"
"Not because they're rich?"
"Do I look like that kind of scum?"
"..."