Chapter 230: How Can I Repay You?
Up to now, the Gyeok Ok Tower had absorbed roughly one hundred million top-grade spiritual stones. Yet there was still no sign of movement.
One hundred million top-grade spiritual stones was an enormous sum that even the top clans of Jungto Sinju would struggle to gather all at once.
What was even more frustrating was that he had no idea how many more it would require.
It was truly like pouring water into a bottomless jar.
Yeop Hyeon was already half-resigned to it. At this rate, he wouldn't even be able to afford his next meal before long.
This was far more terrifying than feeding an army of Dao soldiers.
A moment later, Yeop Hyeon sprang to his feet and headed to the training hall within the imperial palace. This was Cheok Bal-eon's usual practice spot, where no one would disturb him.
He sat in position and laid out his sword gauntlet and all his swords.
Something feels off.
Yeop Hyeon sensed that his condition was terribly muddled. His sword intents, sword momentum, insights, and sword qi were all jumbled in chaos.
He still lacked a proper understanding of what he possessed.
What he intended to do now was calm his mind and truly perceive himself.
Sword Intent!
He began with sword intent.
His sword intent was broadly divided into Pure Intent Sword Intent and Evil Intent Sword Intent. The Pure Intent was mainly for defense, while the Evil Intent was for offense.
The Pure Intent Sword Intent lacked some lethality, but its defensive power was exceptional in compensation. The shield it formed rivaled the effect of a True Grade spirit artifact—something even a Myriad Laws Realm expert couldn't easily shatter.
The problem was that the foes he would face were not in the Myriad Laws Realm, but Law Realm or True Law Realm powerhouses.
If he couldn't elevate the Pure Intent Sword Intent's power further, he would be in grave danger ahead.
Yeop Hyeon held a deeper attachment to the Evil Intent Sword Intent, for its destructive power was immense. It amplified his inner force by about thirty percent. Without it, slaying a Law Realm expert would be impossible.
The Evil Intent Sword Intent carried corrosive properties. Anything it touched—man or object—would rot away in an instant. Even a Law Realm powerhouse would find this trait threatening.
Next came sword momentum.
As a Sword Emperor, Yeop Hyeon could already borrow the heaven and earth momentum. He couldn't wield it perfectly yet. But the day he fully mastered heaven and earth momentum, even Law Realm experts would fall easily before him.
Of course, having just crossed the threshold, he still had a long way to go.
Next, his swords.
Yeop Hyeon owned two Heavenly Grade swords and seven True Grade swords. One was a True Grade top-grade Spirit Water Sword. The rest were True Grade mid-grade and low-grade. He also had a True Grade sword gauntlet.
Just moments ago, he'd slain a Law Realm expert with only three swords—largely thanks to those two Heavenly Grade blades.
They boosted his inner force by more than thirty percent.
Next, sword techniques!
One Sword Determines Life and Death!
This was the only sword technique Yeop Hyeon could unleash. It was what allowed him to kill Law Realm experts. Without it, relying solely on sword intent, sword momentum, and Heavenly Grade swords, victory would have been uncertain.
At that moment, Yeop Hyeon realized with a jolt how many vulnerabilities he had.
First, thirty percent of his inner force came from the Heavenly Grade swords. If they were lost, so would that chunk of his combat power.
In other words, he was relying too heavily on external aids. Slaying a Law Realm expert with just the Spirit Water Sword would be no easy feat.
Overreliance was never a good thing.
Sword intent, sword momentum, sword techniques, and sword heart.
These were his true assets.
And his greatest trump card was, without question, the Gyeok Ok Tower.
But the Gyeok Ok Tower had fatal flaws.
First, each use left him gravely wounded and comatose—utterly defenseless against any attacker.
Second, it demanded vast quantities of top-grade spiritual stones afterward, with no clear limit known.
Finally, the more he drew on its power, the looser its seal became.
This last point was especially deadly, tied directly to his life.
He didn't know what was imprisoned inside, but it was certainly no benevolent force.
With the Heavenly Maiden gone, a broken seal would likely spell his doom.
For these reasons, he couldn't wield the Gyeok Ok Tower lightly.
Of course, if his life truly hung by a thread, he'd have no choice but to use it.
Finishing his reflections, Yeop Hyeon raised a single sword before his eyes. In that instant, a mighty aura surged from his sword eyes.
Sword momentum!
This was purely his own power.
Suddenly, the sword momentum swelled like a raging river. The training hall floor trembled and cracked into dozens of fissures.
Heaven and earth momentum!
Yeop Hyeon borrowed the energies flowing through heaven and earth into his sword eyes.
As sword momentum fused with heaven and earth momentum, the power doubled in an instant.
In the ensuing silence, the sword in Yeop Hyeon's hand thrust forth.
One Sword Determines Life and Death!
Sword momentum, heaven and earth momentum, and the inherent force of the sword technique itself!
The space the blade passed through rippled like waves. Cracks spiderwebbed across the training hall walls before the entire structure collapsed in ruin.
That single strike had surpassed the might of a Heavenly Grade weapon.
Yeop Hyeon drew a deep breath and extended his hand. The sword flew back to him.
The vast training hall, built to hold over a thousand people, was now reduced to dust and rubble.
Yet Yeop Hyeon's expression remained dissatisfied. His sword was still far from perfect. If he could fully fuse the three momenta, its power would soar even higher.
More crucially, that strike had lacked the Evil Intent Sword Intent.
I can't stop training!
As Yeop Hyeon moved to strike again, a voice rang in his ear.
"Planning to demolish the entire palace?"
He turned to see Cheok Bal-eon standing there, watching him.
Instead of her usual dragon robe, she wore a long pale yellow skirt slit high on the side, revealing her sleek legs.
Cheok Bal-eon was undeniably beautiful. Her features evoked a fairy stepping from a painting, her skin snow-white and luminous. Coupled with the dignity of a nation's ruler, she stirred the conquest-lust in any man.
As she approached, Yeop Hyeon caught her faint fragrance—not just perfume, but her natural body scent mingled in. She had clearly just bathed.
A surge of masculine desire stirred within him, but he quickly regained his composure. A sword cultivator who tempered his mind must possess such discipline.
Cheok Bal-eon glanced around the devastation.
"Your doing?"
"Haha... Sorry. Got too absorbed in training and forgot where I was."
"The first time we met, you were just some frail weakling... Now you're a warrior beyond my reach."
"Yeah... That day, I nearly died by your hand."
At that, something seemed to strike her. Cheok Bal-eon's cheeks flushed suddenly.
Due to her unique constitution, she required constant doses of aphrodisiacs. She never dreamed hers would be used that way.
Reading her thoughts, Yeop Hyeon recalled the scene—and felt his lower body stiffen unbidden.
The air between them grew thick with awkwardness.
Sensing his shift, Cheok Bal-eon sighed softly and untied the clasp at her chest. Her jade-smooth body bared itself brazenly.
"W-what are you doing!?"
"You've saved Jeoguk twice now. I don't know how to repay you. If this body pleases you..."
"My body?"
Yeop Hyeon's heated body cooled in an instant.
"You think I saved you and Jeoguk just to claim your body?"
Cheok Bal-eon fell silent, offering no reply.
Yeop Hyeon shook his head.
"Lord Cheok Bal-eon, have you seen me as that kind of scum all this time? You... Hah. Forget it. No more words. I'm leaving. Take care."
With that, he roughly recalled his sword and stormed out.
Cheok Bal-eon panicked and reached for him, but he was already gone. She hurriedly changed and chased after, but found no trace.
She stood there dazed for a long while.
Meanwhile, Yeop Hyeon left the palace without lingering in Jeoguk, seeking a new training ground.
What he aimed for was the perfect fusion of Evil Intent Sword Intent, sword momentum, sword techniques, and One Sword Determines Life and Death. In essence, pushing his sword intent to its utmost limit.
Scanning the outskirts, his eyes fell on a massive mountain range. As he stepped toward it, an elder blocked his path.
He was in the Law Realm.
The elder glared at Yeop Hyeon and bellowed without preamble.
"Where are they? The ten Myriad Laws Realm experts of Sado family, the True Law Realm powerhouse, and the family head himself?!"
Yeop Hyeon said nothing. The elder shouted again.
"You killed them, didn't you!?"
"Do you think I look capable of that?"
The elder's brows twitched.
"Then... a Sword Immortal?"
"Think one Sword Immortal could kill them all without a trace?"
A deep furrow creased the elder's brow.
"Then who the hell was it?!"
"I'm not telling. You wouldn't believe me anyway."
"Refuse, and I'll mobilize the entire Sado family to make you talk!"
"Hah... Tell you and die, stay silent and die anyway... Yeah, not saying a word."
The elder's eyes narrowed.
"Don't tell me... Hogye Meng?"
Yeop Hyeon's pupils trembled violently.
"W-what Hogye Meng? I know nothing! I said nothing! I don't know anything, so don't ask anymore..."
His voice shook harder with each word.