Shortcut or the Path of Hardship?
The woman in mourning garb who appeared in the sky had long hair cascading down to her waist, and her simple attire was spotless, without a speck of dust. Behind her waist, her right hand dangled, where black and white energies swirled between her fingers.
She stood there in midair, producing no ripple of breath, as if she were not of this world.
Yeop Hyeon eyed her arrival with bewilderment. Hadn't she said the path of the sword cultivator was one walked alone, and that she wouldn't help him anymore? Why had she shown up here?
No, more importantly, would she finally shatter the world completely this time?
Yeon Man Ri's face also stiffened as she gazed at the woman. She hadn't forgotten the terrifying sight from her last appearance at Changmok Academy.
That figure back then was no longer human—it was like
the Sword God!
The Sword God incarnate.
Yeon Man Ri's eyes held not just fear, but a sense of awe. It was reverence for her transcendent strength and the arrogance that suggested she could obliterate the world if anyone so much as annoyed her.
Mu Yun Qi and the others wore expressions brimming with excitement. They'd witnessed her power firsthand.
Of course, if they knew she was the one who'd tried to annihilate the world with a single sword strike, they wouldn't have been so thrilled.
Meanwhile, the old man's face, fixed on the woman, was gravely set.
He hadn't sensed her arrival at all.
'No ordinary foe!'
In an instant, the elder discarded his underestimation and retreated over a hundred zhang in a flash. Somehow, a long iron chain had appeared in his hand, its end bearing a massive anchor.
Glaring sternly at the Heavenly Maiden, he poured mystic energy ceaselessly into the chain. In moments, the aura erupting from his entire body swept through the arena like a colossal wave.
The warriors below cried out in alarm and scattered far from him.
For a Law Realm expert, turning this entire area into a wasteland was as easy as eating cold rice.
Meanwhile, the Heavenly Maiden ignored the elder entirely, staring intently into the distance. Her gaze pierced toward a space teeming with countless stars. No one could tell exactly what she was looking at.
At that moment, the woman furrowed her brow and slowly clenched her right fist.
Once more, an overwhelming energy surged from the elder's body, threatening to annihilate all life around him. The massive anchor in his grip shook violently, cracking the ground beneath.
The warriors below jolted in shock and leaped back once more.
The elder glared at the Heavenly Maiden with a ferocious scowl.
"Sword Immortal, you still refuse to draw your sword?"
The elder feared not the title of Sword Immortal. Among the warriors residing in the Sado family's shrine, there was one such Sword Immortal. He'd sparred with him multiple times, winning two out of three bouts, giving him the edge.
His current realm bordered on the True Law Realm, stronger than a typical Law Realm.
At his shout, the Heavenly Maiden turned her head to regard him.
"You still won't show your sword? Do you truly disdain this old man so?"
The Heavenly Maiden's expression remained utterly indifferent.
To the elder, it felt like outright contempt—like he was less than nothing.
"You insolent wench! You'll pay for scorning me—in blood!"
Roaring, the elder hurled the chain in his hand toward her. The massive anchor flew with the might to crumble mountains.
The space around shook violently from the force!
Yet the woman didn't stir, merely watching the incoming anchor. As it tore through the air and reached her, her eyes flashed, and two streaks of sword light shot forth.
The anchor struck by the sword light shattered into pieces.
The next instant—
Pfuk!
A single sword gleam pierced between the elder's brows, and his body stiffened like stone.
Silence blanketed the arena.
Blood streamed from the dazed elder's brow.
"S-Sword... Immortal... no, Great Sword Immortal……."
Great Sword Immortal!
Just one extra character beyond Sword Immortal, yet the gulf between was like heaven and earth. A Great Sword Immortal matched the True Law Realm.
Such powerhouses were apex predators across the entire Qingcang Realm.
The warriors' faces darkened sharply at his words.
How formidable was a Great Sword Immortal?
Across the Qingcang Realm, only five known Great Sword Immortals existed.
And one stood before them now.
The woman gazed indifferently at the elder with an emotionless face.
Fear flickered in the eyes of the other Law Realm expert who'd come with him.
The Sado family hosted a Sword Immortal they'd invited. But no Great Sword Immortal.
Even for a colossal force like the Sado family, securing one was no easy feat.
At that moment, Yeop Hyeon approached the Heavenly Maiden with a deeply anxious expression. Before he could speak, she shook her head.
[Your world has no hope left.]
"Hea... Heavenly Maiden! Why this again? Sure, the world crawls with scum, but there are good people too! And what sin have all those countless commoners committed? Please, don't do this!"
Yeop Hyeon's vision blurred with rage.
He had friends, and those friends had families.
If she drove her single sword into the land again, it would mean...
They'd all vanish from the world.
Yeop Hyeon wanted many dead too—like the hundreds of warriors before him right now. But annihilating the entire world? Unthinkable.
[Fear I'll destroy it?]
"Heh, as if the boundless benevolent Heavenly Maiden would ever..."
[And if I do? Would you try to stop me?]
Yeop Hyeon frantically shook his head.
"Heavenly Maiden, without your grace, I'd have died ten times over by now. I'm no ingrate who repays kindness with enmity. Besides, I lack the power to oppose you. But if I had the strength, I'd try."
The woman stared at him long and hard, then softened her expression.
[A sword cultivator must always stand tall and proud. Even against far stronger foes, never lose your convictions or principles.]
Yeop Hyeon's face brightened a touch. It seemed the world wouldn't end this time either.
[Did you really think I meant to destroy it back then?]
"Was there another purpose?"
The woman suddenly looked up at the star-filled sky.
[Remember what I said before? Someone among those stars was spying on this world. Their energy had already seeped in, forming an intangible formation. My single sword targeted that. But I held back. Full power would've erased your entire cosmos.]
"……."
She withdrew her gaze from the heavens and turned to Yeop Hyeon.
[I appeared because it summoned me.]
"A-And? What happened?"
[I glanced once, and it fled in terror.]
"……."
[Once people gain power, humanity fades. They chase greater strength, longer life—everything else seems trivial. To me, all but one are mere dust.]
Yeop Hyeon nodded.
"Rest easy, Heavenly Maiden. I won't lean on you excessively anymore."
[Good. Earning the Gyeok Ok Tower's recognition is a profound fortune. It's no trifling trinket. Gather all nine Dochik, and even I couldn't ignore its might. But it's dangerous too. If word spreads you hold it, countless powerhouses will come for it with fire in their eyes. In my current state, aiding you would be difficult!]
"I'll keep that in mind."
Then, the woman pointed at the remaining Law Realm expert from the Sado family.
[Kill him!]
Yeop Hyeon gaped at her in shock.
[Spare him, and I'll reclaim the tower, slay all your foes, and let you live in peace. But you'll never see me again. Kill him, and the tower stays yours. Yet I'll still depart, leaving you to face the rest alone.]
"Hea... Heavenly Maiden! Why force this choice? I can't comprehend it!"
[To reach the pinnacle of martial arts, you must forge your own path. And that path relies solely on yourself!]
Yeop Hyeon fell into deep thought.
Choose the first, and she'd eliminate all enemies, elevating him to the world's greatest warrior.
Choose the second, and he'd handle everything with his own power henceforth.
The first was the shortcut; the second, the path of hardship.
After long deliberation, Yeop Hyeon looked at her with resolve.
"I'll take the second path!"
As he spoke, a tremendous energy surged from his body.
Sword Emperor!
The woman beamed with joy and spoke softly to him.
[The sword path mirrors life. Had you chosen the shortcut, all bonds between us would've turned to dust. Fortunately, you chose rightly. We'll meet again atop the clouds when the time comes!]
She lowered her head to gaze at her hand, which began fading into transparency.
[This form too must vanish.]
One must rely only on oneself.
That was Yeop Hyeon's conviction.
What meaning would his life hold if he left everything to the Heavenly Maiden?
Yeop Hyeon slowly advanced toward the Law Realm expert.
A Law Realm expert?!
Long ago, he'd clashed with Jwa Wonsa, a Law Realm powerhouse from Changmok Academy. Though Jwa Wonsa had suppressed his realm, Yeop Hyeon still hadn't been his match.
Of course, he was incomparably stronger now.
A duel with a Law Realm expert!
Gripping his Spirit Water Sword, tension gripped him. To claim no nerves before a Law Realm foe would be a lie!
But fight he must.
Seeing Yeop Hyeon approach, the Law Realm expert clenched his fists, readying for battle. The woman behind was untouchable, but Yeop Hyeon? He was confident.
Even if Yeop Hyeon had reached the Sword Emperor realm.
Halting a dozen zhang from the elder, Yeop Hyeon aimed his sword tip at him.
"No time to waste—let's settle it in one clash!"
Bam!
In an instant, a fierce sword momentum flowed along the Spirit Water Sword, surging outward like raging waves in all directions.
Heaven-Earth Sword Momentum!
Now, he could concentrate the power of heaven, earth, and space into his sword. Though his realm fell short of Myriad Laws Realm, this momentum alone warranted the title.
Without further words, Yeop Hyeon raised his sword and charged.
Only one thought filled his mind:
You die, or I die!
Feeling the potent energy from the Spirit Water Sword, the elder had to admit he'd underestimated Yeop Hyeon.
No time for more thought—the elder lunged forward a step, yanking the space before him with both hands. Space warped, dragging Yeop Hyeon's sword into it.
Space Distortion!
Right then, the Spirit Water Sword suddenly darkened.
Evil Intent Sword Intent!
As the Evil Intent Sword Intent unfolded, the warped space began to tremble.
The elder's face filled with horror.
"How... how can space tremble……."