Chapter 22: If I Will It, You Live; If I Will It, You Die
Han Hyang-mong and the old man, who had been watching from one side, trembled from head to toe with an overwhelming fear they could scarcely endure.
The prowess of Han Lu-ju was not precisely known, but he was undoubtedly one of the top five powerhouses within the Jiang Kingdom.
Yet even he couldn't block a single sword strike?
Was that woman at the Sword Lord realm?
At that moment, the voice of the Heavenly Maiden rang out.
Any who stand before my single sword—if I will it, you live; if I will it, you die. Remember this: from the moment I draw my blade, your fate rests within that one strike alone. Do you understand?
Yeop Hyeon hurriedly replied.
"Ah, I still don't quite get it!"
The Heavenly Maiden nodded.
If you had claimed to understand, I would have smacked your head. Sword arts are profoundly deep; it's impossible to fully grasp them in one go. However, if you've gained even a sliver of insight from that strike just now, that alone is a tremendous gain for you.
Yeop Hyeon bowed deeply, cupping his fists in respect.
"I shall keep it in mind!"
"Now then... next. Let the one from Chwiseonru who is most confident step forward. If I draw my second sword, it will be my defeat."
"......"
In the heavy silence, Han Lu-ju forced a bitter smile.
"Lady Heavenly Maiden... if I may be so bold, this time, for Chwiseonru..."
In an instant, Han Lu-ju's voice cut off. The hovering sword poised before his forehead had pierced forward by half an inch. Fresh blood spurted from his brow, trickling down his nose and mouth to soak his entire body.
Han Lu-ju's face darkened as if he'd bitten into something foul.
In truth, Chwiseonru had stepped in real shit this time.
Who could have known such a powerhouse existed in this tiny Jiang Kingdom!
Just then, a black dot appeared in the distant sky. It grew larger and larger, and from it came a booming laugh.
"Chwiseonru's Eighth Floor Lord, at your service. I know not how Chwiseonru has earned the ire of the deceased, but please, calm your—"
The sword aimed at Han Lu-ju's brow suddenly shot into the air, streaking toward the source of the voice.
"Agh—!"
With a wretched scream, a blood-soaked severed head tumbled onto the cloudship.
Han Lu-ju's face drained of color. This woman's power was far more terrifying than he had imagined.
She might not be a mere Sword Lord—perhaps she was a Sword Emperor!
Sword Emperor, emperor of swords!
Han Lu-ju's features twisted into an ugly grimace. Of course, if Chwiseonru mobilized its full might, they could fend her off. But provoking a Sword Emperor would bring chaos—and the price would be death, demotion at best. Being imprisoned in purgatory for life was entirely possible too!
The Eighth Floor Lord was dead, yet the Heavenly Maiden showed no sign of sheathing her blade.
The massive shockwaves from the cloudship had already alerted some powerhouses from nearby factions that something extraordinary was afoot.
Yet none dared intervene. They had sensed an unparalleled sword cultivator aboard!
The Heavenly Maiden gripped her returning water sword and pointed it at Han Lu-ju.
"Call more. Don't stop."
Han Lu-ju gave a miserable smile.
"Lady Heavenly Maiden, please don't—calm your anger for a moment and..."
Slash—!
With a chilling sound, one of Han Lu-ju's arms flew off.
"Speak nonsense once more, and next it'll be your head. I told you to summon the others, and that's all you need to do. Understand?"
Han Lu-ju's face contorted in agony. He could summon more, but they'd end up just like the Eighth Floor Lord.
Refuse? The blade before him wouldn't stop!
Was Chwiseonru truly going to crumble like this!
Han Lu-ju's gaze shifted to Yeop Hyeon, not far away. Rage boiled within him.
'No backing, you said! If you'd mentioned a Sword Emperor had your back, we wouldn't be in this mess!'
Meanwhile, Yeop Hyeon was just as flustered.
He knew she wasn't ordinary, but he never imagined she'd be this strong.
Moreover, the fact that she could emerge from the Gyeok Ok Tower was even more astonishing.
At that moment, Yeop Hyeon felt a strange sensation from the Gyeok Ok Tower. It was as if the sealed entities inside were on the verge of breaking free.
Cold sweat trickled down his back.
Just then, unnoticed by anyone, an elder in a gray robe appeared in the midst of the gathering.
The white-haired elder exuded an air of immortal grace and Taoist poise.
Ignoring the stares around him, he bowed to the Heavenly Maiden.
"Chwiseonru's Third Floor Lord, greeting the Sword Immortal!"
Sword Immortal!
At those words, Han Lu-ju's eyes widened in disbelief.
Sword Immortal—Sword Immortal!
How many Sword Immortals could one find scouring the entire Qingcang Realm?
One thing was certain: none had ever appeared in Qingzhou!
"Your skill isn't bad. Will you receive my sword?"
The Heavenly Maiden's words made the water sword tremble.
"Sword Immortal, please quell your wrath. Your power has long transcended Qingzhou; this junior lacks even the qualification for a single strike. Moreover, your exalted status is far too lofty to trouble small fries like us, is it not?"
The elder's intent was clear: I cannot defeat you, so as a superior, cease bullying the weak.
"Bullying?"
The Heavenly Maiden let out a light, incredulous laugh.
"Did your Chwiseonru not just boast of killing... no, well, that boy over there, dumping his corpse, and claiming no force in Qingzhou could rival you? And now you preach that the strong shouldn't oppress the weak? How laughable!"
The elder said nothing. He knew excuses were futile before such a powerhouse.
Instead, he approached Yeop Hyeon and bowed deeply.
"Young master, Chwiseonru has committed a grave offense. I beseech you, forgive us with the magnanimity of the vast sea!"
This apology, under the Heavenly Maiden's watchful eye, rang with sincerity.
Yeop Hyeon remained silent. In such a situation, silence was the wisest choice.
The elder turned to Han Lu-ju. As the man opened his mouth, the elder extended his hand, and a tremendous force enveloped him.
Boom—!
With a deafening blast, Han Lu-ju turned to ashes in an instant.
The elder bowed politely to the Heavenly Maiden once more.
"Please, sheathe your wrath."
The Heavenly Maiden withdrew her jade hand without a word. The water sword by her side shot beneath the cloudship, plunging into the parched great riverbed.
Splash—!
In that instant, water surged back into the dried river. The revived lifeforms returned to their original places as if nothing had happened.
Witnessing this, the elder's heart pounded fiercely.
At the same time, the Heavenly Maiden's figure atop the bow blurred and vanished entirely. As all eyes searched for her, a woman's voice suddenly echoed across the gathering.
If you harbor grudges from today's events, come find me anytime. I am invincible—I'll face you as you wish!
A profound silence fell over the deck where the Heavenly Maiden had vanished.
Even the gray-robed elder stood mute. His expression betrayed no change, but fury churned within. Since Chwiseonru had revealed itself to the world, this was the first time they'd suffered such humiliation at another's hands.
Yet he could not vent his anger.
Sword Immortal!
It wasn't certain, but the Heavenly Maiden was likely at that realm. For Chwiseonru, she was an existence they must never provoke.
If they gathered all their forces, they might contend with one Sword Immortal. But that was it.
And if she had allies or a faction? Even alone, clashing with her would jeopardize Chwiseonru's very survival.
How formidable was a Sword Immortal?
If asked the world's most untouchable beings, first would be the Heaven-Earth Path Protectors.
Sword Immortals came next.
A Sword Immortal who was also a Heaven-Earth Path Protector? Unthinkable horror.
Thus, no matter how thoroughly she shredded their pride, the Third Floor Lord had no choice but to endure.
Sword Immortals were notoriously eccentric; one wrong word, and he could turn to dust.
After a long silence, the Third Floor Lord turned to Yeop Hyeon. The Sword Immortal had spared them for this youth's sake!
Sword Immortals preferred solitude, but taking a disciple changed their demeanor.
'Disciple of a Sword Immortal...'
The Third Floor Lord's expression grew complicated. One of such caliber should be courted with full effort. But after this fiasco, recruitment was no easy task.
The Third Floor Lord approached Yeop Hyeon. After studying him briefly, he drew a violet card from his bosom and let it flutter to the ground before the youth.
"Young master, let bygones be bygones. This is a card given only to Chwiseonru's honored guests—accept it as a modest token."
Han Hyang-mong, who had drawn near, added an explanation.
"That card is quite special. The bearer receives half-off prices when buying from our Chwiseonru. When selling, all fees to us are waived. Other perks you'll discover in time."
Yeop Hyeon didn't refuse the card. Tucking it away, he cupped his fists toward them.
"Seems the matter's settled, so I'll go rest. Farewell."
With that, Yeop Hyeon led Yeop Ryeong away.
Once the siblings were gone, Han Hyang-mong and her attendant elder knelt on the deck.
The Third Floor Lord's eyes slowly closed.
"Your grandfather was my subordinate, but I always treated him as a brother. As his granddaughter, you're like my own."
Han Hyang-mong nodded silently.
"I have no desire to kill my friend's sole blood kin. For now, withdraw from all Chwiseonru affairs and reflect in the Imperial City."
Han Hyang-mong's face fell.
Years of effort, gone to waste.
The Third Floor Lord gazed beyond the cloudship. The great river had regained its former vigor, flowing powerfully.
"Sword Immortal... Never dreamed I'd cross paths like this in my lifetime..."
With those words, he vanished into the sky in a flash.
Left alone on the deck, Han Hyang-mong gave her attendant a forlorn smile.
"Was it... my fault?"
"Miss, the world's affairs are as changeable as the depths of a thousand-ri sea. No need for self-recrimination."
"I should have befriended him from the start. If I'd leveraged his potential and that backer's presence properly, rising to Chwiseonru's core would have been far easier. But I schemed too coldly and missed the chance to alter my—and my family's—fate!"
The elder silently dropped his gaze to the floor.
Han Hyang-mong murmured at the endless sky.
"Fine. Let's call today's events a lesson learned!"