I've Never Seen a Guy with a Face as Thick as Yours!
All the martial artists couldn't help but be stunned.
That a powerhouse of the True Law Realm had truly lost to Yeop Hyeon?
Every eye turned to Go Myeong-heo's mouth. They wanted to hear what he had to say.
Meanwhile, Go Myeong-heo glared at Yeop Hyeon while furiously sending him a sound transmission.
"I've lived a long life, but you're the first bastard with skin as thick as yours!"
"Sacrifices are inevitable for the greater cause. Now just take your Ma Jong martial artists and leave. Oh, and absolutely don't say you're leaving Qingzhou! Hit your line like, 'We'll meet again another day!'"
Go Myeong-heo shot Yeop Hyeon a cold glare, then turned to leave.
"Sect Leader! Your final line!"
Go Myeong-heo's mouth twitched. He was clearly suppressing boiling rage. Turning back, he shouted loud enough for all to hear.
"I'm impressed by your skill! But the day grows late—let's settle this another time!"
With that, Go Myeong-heo vanished from the spot, reappearing atop his cloud ship in an instant.
"Let's go!"
At his command to his subordinates, the martial artists in the arena stiffened.
Just like that?
As Ma Jong and Gui Jong truly prepared to depart, the remaining Jungto Sinju martial artists paled like blank sheets of paper.
While they panicked, the Ma Jong and Gui Jong cloud ships vanished. Only then did the martial artists snap to their senses and scramble to flee.
But someone blocked their path: Yeop Hyeon.
The pupils of the Jungto Sinju martial artists trembled violently at the sight of him.
Yeop Hyeon let his lips curl into a long smirk.
"What a pickle... I wasn't planning to let you go."
At that moment, an old man directly in front of Yeop Hyeon suddenly bellowed.
"Don't make me laugh! You think you can look down on us? If the tens of thousands of martial artists here charge—"
In that instant, Yeop Hyeon's figure blurred and vanished, leaving an afterimage.
Slash—!
Almost simultaneously, the old man's head sprayed blood and tumbled from his shoulders as he spoke.
Terrified, the Jungto Sinju martial artists screamed and fled.
"Kill them!"
No sooner had Yeop Hyeon's voice fallen than the waiting Chang Lan Dao Soldiers nocked their bows in unison. In a flash, a hundred Jungto Sinju martial artists crumpled to the ground.
Then the gates opened, and the Gwangsa Mercenaries and Wangja Mercenaries poured out. The veiled maiden hesitated briefly before leading her nine mercenaries through the gates.
Of course, Luk Ban-jang's group was already far ahead, swinging their weapons wildly.
Yeop Hyeon's forces numbered fewer than two hundred. Yet their momentum utterly overwhelmed the tens of thousands from Jungto Sinju.
This was possible only because Ma Jong and Gui Jong had left, leaving the rest in chaos and disarray.
Now the real massacre began.
Soon the arena became a slaughterhouse. Corpses piled high wherever Yeop Hyeon passed.
No one could block his One Sword.
The standouts besides him were Gwangsa, Wangja, the veiled maiden, and Luk Ban-jang. Even a Myriad Laws Realm expert couldn't easily withstand their attacks—these were geniuses of the world.
Much less could those below Myriad Laws Realm stand against them; they were mere prey for the slaughter.
The veiled maiden's nine warriors also displayed overwhelming prowess.
As time passed, the number of standing Jungto Sinju martial artists dwindled. Most had already fled.
The brutal carnage lasted a full hour before ending.
Outside the gates of Jiang Kingdom's Imperial City lay at least ten thousand corpses.
Yeop Hyeon staggered to the gates, slumped against the wall, and panted heavily.
He didn't know exactly how many he'd killed, but it was an enormous number.
Kill or be killed!
In the world of martial artists, that saying always held true. Might made right here—not justice.
Just then, Mu Yun Qi dragged his exhausted body over and flopped down beside Yeop Hyeon, swallowing a pill as he spoke.
"If we kill any more, I'll drop first."
Yeop Hyeon smiled wordlessly at him.
Right on cue, the veiled maiden, Wangja, and Gwangsa approached. Gwangsa shook his head.
"Once Ma Jong and Gui Jong left, they were just a mob of rabble."
Gwangsa glanced at Yeop Hyeon.
"But how did you drive off Ma Jong and Gui Jong?"
"Haha, take a guess."
"Sigh, forget it. You wouldn't tell me anyway."
Gwangsa flopped down beside Yeop Hyeon and lay back.
"Casualties?"
Mu Yun Qi answered Yeop Hyeon's question.
"Eleven Chang Lan Dao Soldiers KIA."
Eleven?
"Whew... Contact their families and provide whatever support we can. If any kin want to join Canglan Academy, accommodate them as much as possible."
"Got it. I'll tell Lu the strategist."
Yeop Hyeon turned to Luk Ban-jang, who shook her head.
"Zero fatalities on our side."
Yeop Hyeon sighed in relief. Tallying up, total deaths were fifteen: eleven Chang Lan Dao Soldiers and four from Gwangsa Mercenaries. Wangja and Hwangcheon Mercenaries had none.
In contrast, they'd slain ten thousand enemies.
Truth be told, if the Jungto Sinju martial artists had charged with resolve, Yeop Hyeon's side would have lost.
Each was no ordinary fighter. But with their Ma Jong sect leader defeated and Ma Jong and Gui Jong forces gone, their will to fight shattered.
Martial artists without will were no different from sheep. No matter their numbers, they were rabbits before a wolf's fangs!
Yeop Hyeon rose and asked Mu Yun Qi,
"What about the spoils?"
Mu Yun Qi grinned.
"Twelve hundred million top-grade spirit stones!"
With a flick, he tossed Yeop Hyeon a storage ring.
Joy lit everyone's faces. Twelve hundred million was no small sum.
Yeop Hyeon pulled three empty storage rings from his bosom, divided the spirit stones into thirds, and sent them flying to the veiled maiden, Gwangsa, and Wangja.
"Three hundred million each. We'll auction the miscellaneous items later and distribute the proceeds."
Gwangsa and Wangja couldn't hide their delight. Three hundred million top-grade spirit stones at a time like this? Pure windfall.
The veiled maiden glanced at Yeop Hyeon before tucking her ring away.
Yeop Hyeon gazed into the distance.
"Their morale is broken—they're no threat now. We should press the advantage and pursue. From here, move freely. How much you earn is up to you."
Wangja and Gwangsa exchanged looks, then led their mercenaries in pursuit.
Yeop Hyeon turned to Luk Ban-jang. She nodded, grabbing Neung Han and heading out.
Yeop Hyeon addressed Mu Yun Qi, Ji An Zhi, and Bai Ze.
"You three, each take thirty Chang Lan Dao Soldiers. No greed—call if you're in danger!"
Mu Yun Qi flashed a playful grin.
"What do you take the world's best Mu Yun Qi for? No worries—nothing'll happen!"
Soon the trio vanished with their soldiers.
Watching their backs, Yeop Hyeon thought they needed more real combat experience.
Truthfully, today's showing from the Chang Lan Dao Soldiers and Mu Yun Qi's group lagged far behind the three mercenary bands.
Especially the veiled maiden's nine—they outclassed Mu Yun Qi's group in realm and combat prowess.
That came from countless battles.
For the Chang Lan Dao Soldiers to grow stronger, they needed relentless training, better weapons, and endless real fights.
Then the veiled maiden, still at Yeop Hyeon's side, spoke up.
"You didn't actually beat the Ma Jong sect leader."
"Does it matter?"
She met his eyes squarely.
"Keep bluffing like that, and one day you'll get your comeuppance."
"Wrong!"
Yeop Hyeon raised his voice, cutting her off.
"The more enemies, the louder your voice must be. Now everyone in Qingcang Realm will hear that Yeop Hyeon of the Divine Fusion Realm repelled a True Law Realm powerhouse. Fewer will dare challenge me after that—how is that mere bluff?"
The veiled maiden's expression twisted slightly.
"But bragging about beating someone you didn't win against... isn't that embarrassing?"
"Embarrassing? My actions are flawless!"
As she pressed him, the distant sky suddenly tore open with a long rift. A white shadow burst forth, streaking toward Yeop Hyeon and the veiled maiden like a beam of light.
It was a spirit beast.
Resembling a cat, the beast was deep indigo overall, with a large tail glowing reddish. Its round face held bright blue eyes, and a single fang peeked from its mouth—quite cute at first glance.
But blood stained its mouth, as if wounded.
As Yeop Hyeon puzzled over it, a middle-aged man leaped from the rift.
Yuk Jon Ju!
The man was Hogye Meng's Yuk Jon Ju.
As he lunged for the spirit beast, he spotted Yeop Hyeon and recoiled in shock.
"It's you!"
Yeop Hyeon's face hardened. He'd never met Yuk Jon Ju, but his thorough research on Hogye Meng identified him instantly.
How is he here? Has he come personally at last!?
Yeop Hyeon slowly clenched his fist, ready to unleash Gyeok Ok Tower's power at any moment.
Yuk Jon Ju pointed at the spirit beast before him.
"Hand it over!"
Yeop Hyeon glanced at the small, cute creature—an unfamiliar being. As he opened his mouth to speak, it turned into a streak of blue light and dove into his body.
Yeop Hyeon froze in shock.
Could this be the guy from the second floor of Gyeok Ok Tower?
Yeah, that damned spirit beast's true form was this thing!
Watching it enter Yeop Hyeon, Yuk Jon Ju's face chilled.
"Yeop Hyeon, that beast killed eleven Law Realm experts and two True Law Realm powerhouses of our Hogye Meng, then stole a vital treasure. Hand it over now, or I'll grind your body to dust!"
As Yeop Hyeon reacted, a sheet of paper floated from Gyeok Ok Tower. It depicted a human figure with a fist drawn above its head.
[Attack Order: Punch the Intruder]
Staring at it, Yeop Hyeon realized its meaning: strike Yuk Jon Ju.
He muttered inwardly with a wry smile.
"Hey... that's not someone I can handle..."
Suddenly, the second floor of Gyeok Ok Tower shook. Yeop Hyeon felt intense vertigo.
Startled, he yelled hastily.
"Fine! I'll do as you say! Just stop!"
Only then did Gyeok Ok Tower quiet. Clearing his throat, Yeop Hyeon faced Yuk Jon Ju.
"Uh... Yuk Jon Ju... ahem. Got time? How about a light roll in the hay?"
"……."
"……."