Chapter 241: It Will Be an All-Out War
Inside the Gyeok Ok Tower.
Yeop Hyeon, seated in the lotus position on the tower floor, drew out a True Grade sword. In an instant, he suddenly plunged it into his own chest.
Thud!
A massive surge of energy erupted from within his body.
Yeop Hyeon was currently at the Divine Fusion Realm. Even if he broke through to the Myriad Laws Realm, facing a True Law Realm expert would mean instant death.
But if he achieved true mastery of the Myriad Laws Realm, he could at least hold his own against a True Law Realm powerhouse.
Having attained enlightenment, Yeop Hyeon began madly absorbing True Grade swords.
It wasn't long before all the True Grade swords, save for the Spirit Water Sword, had been drawn into his body.
Now, only three remained!
Two Heavenly Grade swords and the Spirit Water Sword.
After sitting there in a daze for a while, Yeop Hyeon finally drew the Spirit Water Sword. His expression grew somewhat complicated as he gazed at it.
Despite absorbing so many True Grade swords, the Spirit Water Sword still hadn't reached the Heavenly Grade.
It had already reached the pinnacle of True Grade quality.
It seemed that without some extraordinary opportunity, mere absorption of other swords wouldn't elevate it to Heavenly Grade. Of course, absorbing a Heavenly Grade sword would easily push it to the Myriad Laws Realm, but that would mean losing the Spirit Water Sword itself.
The Spirit Water Sword had been by his side from the very beginning until now, so Yeop Hyeon had no desire to absorb it.
At that moment, the Spirit Water Sword trembled lightly, as if trying to say something.
Yeop Hyeon spoke in a gentle voice.
"You want me to make a Heavenly Grade sword my new dantian?"
The Spirit Water Sword vibrated briefly in response, as if affirming.
"That could work, but…"
As he spoke, Yeop Hyeon's expression suddenly hardened.
Changing his dantian meant enduring once more the agony he'd felt when first forming it.
That pain still lingered vividly in his mind.
Yet there were no other options.
Yeop Hyeon drew out the Thunder Flash Sword.
"You choose. If you want to become my dantian, nod. If not, shake your head."
Of course, the Thunder Flash Sword showed no reaction. How could it nod without a head!
Yeop Hyeon spoke again.
"If you become my dantian, I'll let you absorb countless swords—it's good for you too. And even if I acquire others in the future, I'll never absorb you."
In response, the Thunder Flash Sword vibrated briefly. This was surely a sign of acceptance!
Yeop Hyeon let out a silent sigh of relief. Forcing it against its will could lead to fatal backlash.
With the Thunder Flash Sword's consent, Yeop Hyeon immediately plunged it into his chest.
Thud!
In an instant, his head snapped back, his face twisting grotesquely. Veins bulged massively in his neck, writhing like hideous serpents.
Only now did Yeop Hyeon truly feel the power of a Heavenly Grade sword.
The energy it emitted was incomparably fiercer than when he'd first accepted the Spirit Water Sword.
When the sword fully entered, the shock nearly burst his body apart.
Boom!
Suddenly, a strand of sword intent enveloped his entire form.
Pure Intent Sword Intent!
As the Pure Intent Sword Intent wrapped around him, the pain eased somewhat. But his body still trembled violently.
Yeop Hyeon quickly recited the Invincible Sword Body Art, and the Thunder Flash Sword gradually stabilized.
Thus, Yeop Hyeon's body began transforming once more, slowly but surely.
Canglan Hall.
Inside the hall, Gu Jiu, Bong Nam, and Muk Won sat facing one another.
Gu Jiu lifted her teacup, savored a sip, and spoke first.
"What do you make of the current situation?"
"It's complicated," Muk Won replied, shaking his head. Bong Nam nodded in agreement.
"Indeed, it looks rather tangled. Hogye Meng putting Yeop Hyeon on the wanted list instead of acting directly was unexpected. I see two possibilities. First, they're afraid of him. Second, they're using his name to draw warriors from Jungto Sinju into Qingzhou…"
Suddenly, the three exchanged startled glances.
A moment later, Gu Jiu sneered.
"It seems Hogye Meng covets Qingzhou's core territory, though I can't fathom why."
"It's certainly not for anything good. They wear the mask of Qingcang Realm's guardians, but they harbor other ambitions. Just look at the countless lives sacrificed in those two provinces—proof of their cruelty!"
"Cruelty?"
Gu Jiu chuckled at Bong Nam's words.
"To those immortals up in the heavens, the lives of ordinary folk like us are worth less than ants."
Bong Nam sighed deeply.
"Then it's all clear, isn't it? Hogye Meng seeks to ruin Qingzhou, while Yeop Hyeon aims to protect it. They're destined to clash head-on…"
"It seems he's already resolved to wage war on Hogye Meng."
At this, Gu Jiu turned to Bong Nam and Muk Won.
"What say you two?"
Muk Won gave a wry smile.
"We've staked all our hopes on Yeop Hyeon, so naturally we're on his side."
Gu Jiu nodded.
"Then it's time we reveal our hidden cards."
Muk Won nodded as well.
"Our side is ready. But unless the woman behind that boy blocks Hogye Meng, any cards we play will end in failure."
"We can only hope so."
Gu Jiu murmured softly, gazing out beyond the hall.
"Whether our Bing Dao and Yu Dao can reemerge into the world hinges on this…"
Muk Won smiled.
"It will be an all-out war."
"An all-out war…"
The corner of Gu Jiu's mouth twitched upward.
Manggu Mountain.
Manggu Mountain was already teeming with over fifty thousand warriors from Jungto Sinju, leaving no room to step.
Some had fled from Qingzhou, others had just crossed over from Jungto Sinju.
They had gathered for one purpose: Yeop Hyeon's death.
Every warrior here harbored resentment toward him. They had come to Qingzhou puffed up with dreams of plundering treasures.
Yeop Hyeon had shattered those plans long ago.
And many had even lost what wealth they already possessed to him…
These fifty thousand-plus warriors had no intention of reentering Qingzhou yet. They waited quietly for someone.
Ma Jong and Gwi Jong!
No one dared enter Qingzhou until those two forces arrived.
Yeop Hyeon and the Canglan Dao Soldiers inspired that much fear.
Time passed swiftly, and as dusk approached, over a hundred cloud ships finally emerged majestically from the clouds.
Atop the largest lead ship fluttered black banners spanning over ten zhang. Two black characters adorned them.
Ma Jong
To its left, another massive cloud ship bore a banner with two crimson characters.
Gwi Jong
Countless eyes watched the ships. Over five thousand warriors leaped down from them.
Leading them were a middle-aged man and a woman in a red skirt.
These two were Ma Jong's sect lord, Go Myeong-heo, and Gwi Jong's sect lord, Gi Eon-no.
Both were True Law Realm powerhouses.
Go Myeong-heo's gaze turned toward distant Qingzhou. A faint smile played on his lips.
"Qingzhou… For us, this land is a paradise for unrestrained cultivation."
"You're right, Go Sect Lord. But remember, Qingzhou isn't ours yet."
Suddenly, the smile vanished from Go Myeong-heo's face.
"That Yeop Hyeon isn't ordinary. Even with Sado Ga's True Law Realm expert and the Dark Realm's Dark Lord, they couldn't kill him—couldn't even confirm if he's alive."
Gi Eon-no nodded gravely.
"The Sword Immortal woman backing him… And Hogye Meng using our strength instead of acting directly—something's off."
"Whatever schemes they have, we can't refuse the terms they've offered."
Gi Eon-no nodded in agreement. Hogye Meng's offer was control over all of Qingzhou for Ma Jong and Gwi Jong.
The sovereignty over an entire province was too tempting to decline.
Once they claimed Qingzhou, as long as Hogye Meng didn't interfere, the demonic cultivators could experiment with their demonic arts on the locals at will.
In a word, Qingzhou would become a holy land for demonic paths.
"Still nothing on the woman behind Yeop Hyeon?"
Go Myeong-heo asked.
"Nothing. I even met Chang Mok Academy's head, Yeo Gyeong, myself, but he kept his mouth shut."
"Won't talk…?"
Go Myeong-heo's brow furrowed.
"Why?"
Gi Eon-no shook her head.
"No idea. I proposed joining forces against Yeop Hyeon, but he refused outright. He's definitely afraid of something."
"Hm… That woman must be something else. But it doesn't matter. If she shows up, Ma Jong will capture her and hang her at our mountain gate. Qingzhou is already Ma Jong's by decision!"
Gi Eon-no flashed a foxlike smile.
"Don't forget Gwi Jong too!"
"Haha, fine. Let's go. Time to see if that Sword Immortal really has three heads as rumored!"
Go Myeong-heo raised his hand high, and thousands of warriors surged toward Qingzhou with murderous intent.
Tens of thousands from Jungto Sinju followed behind.
Once inside Qingzhou, the warriors led by Ma Jong and Gwi Jong swept through like a locust swarm, devouring everything.
Qingzhou plunged into chaos once more.