Chapter 35: With Your Current Strength, If That Were Revealed, Your Life Could Be in Danger!
“You bastard!”
Chang Jung's face flushed red as he bellowed. In his heart, he had already charged at Yeop Hyeon a hundred times over.
But no one could lay a hand on someone who had ascended the Nine Palaces Platform. That was the rule of Chang Mok Academy. In truth, the Nine Palaces Formation had been designed by the academy's instructors to prevent personal grudges from suppressing true geniuses.
No matter how furious Chang Jung grew, he couldn't recklessly climb onto the Nine Palaces Platform.
Ignoring Chang Jung entirely, Yeop Hyeon scanned his surroundings. With the wooden puppets no longer moving, he spoke up.
“Does this mean I've passed?”
“Passed?”
Chang Jung sneered.
“You cheat who made the swords vanish dares to speak of passing...?”
“Cheating? Got any proof?”
“Proof? Ha! How could someone at the mere Qi Transformation Realm make all those wooden puppets' swords disappear in an instant? If not cheating, then what the hell was it!?”
Yeop Hyeon glanced around and let out a sigh.
“Now I get why the Nine Palaces Formation hasn't been broken for so long. Whoever cracks it is branded a cheater. No wonder. Haha, how amusing!”
The crowd below the platform began to murmur.
At that moment, a Chang Mok Academy student climbed onto the platform, eyed Yeop Hyeon up and down, and asked,
“You're only at the Qi Transformation Realm. How could you possibly break the Nine Palaces Formation?”
“But as you can see, the formation is already broken.”
“There are still suspicious elements. As Elder Chang said, you must have tampered with something.”
The other Chang Mok students nodded in agreement.
They simply couldn't believe the Nine Palaces Formation had been breached so easily. When they had first enrolled at Chang Mok Academy, not one of them had even dreamed of challenging it.
Even those hailed as once-in-a-generation geniuses among them hadn't dared to face the formation. How could a Qi Transformation Realm warrior before their eyes possibly do it?
Tampering!
Most people were already convinced Yeop Hyeon had rigged it somehow. Staring at the now-immobile wooden puppets, Yeop Hyeon muttered to himself inwardly.
Heavenly Maiden, is this cheating?
At that instant, the Heavenly Maiden's voice echoed in Yeop Hyeon's mind.
What nonsense is that? Though you haven't comprehended Sword Intent, you've reached Sword Heart Purity, and through training the Invincible Sword Body Art, you've forged your body into a single sword. It's not fully perfected, but you've achieved a considerable level.
These wooden puppets draw power from the formation, but on their own, they're merely low-grade sword cultivators. You, however, can truly be called a grand sword cultivator—nay, it's no exaggeration to say you're half a step into Sword Master territory. With the Invincible Sword Body Art on top, absorbing those wooden swords is hardly strange. Ordinary sword cultivators couldn't even stand against you!
Yeop Hyeon gave a wry smile. In truth, he'd asked because even he thought the Nine Palaces Formation had shattered far too easily. But hearing the Heavenly Maiden's explanation made everything clear.
Just then, a middle-aged man appeared in the arena. Students from Chang Mok Academy bowed to him from all directions.
“We greet Vice Dean Ye Su!”
Chang Jung hastily bowed his head as well.
Chang Mok Academy had three vice deans, and they were the true powerholders.
Ye Su...? His depth is immeasurable...
To Yeop Hyeon's eyes, Ye Su's cultivation was profound—similar to O Lu Ju, whom he'd seen on the cloud ship. Things were unfolding just as Yeop Hyeon had intended. He'd ascended the Nine Palaces Platform precisely to draw out heavyweights like this.
Ye Su's gaze turned to Chang Jung.
“Public and private must be strictly separated, yet you mix personal feelings into this? From now on, step down from student recruitment and stay in the western courtyard handling clerical duties!”
Chang Jung paled in shock and stammered hastily,
“Vice Dean! I only blocked him because he's not at the Control Qi Realm, per the rules. I did nothing wrong...”
“I know not what grudge lies between you and this youth, but to let private emotions taint student selection—the academy's future? And you still have words to say!?”
Chang Jung's face drained of color, leaving him speechless. He could only retreat to the side, glaring daggers at Yeop Hyeon.
Turning to Yeop Hyeon, Ye Su prompted him. Yeop Hyeon cupped his fists in salute.
“Greetings, Vice Dean.”
The vice dean scrutinized Yeop Hyeon from head to toe before speaking.
“I don't know how you made the wooden swords vanish, but your foundation and combat prowess qualify you for admission to Chang Mok Academy. Therefore... What?!”
Mid-sentence, Ye Su strode quickly toward Yeop Hyeon and placed a hand on his shoulder.
At that moment, the Spirit Water Sword within Yeop Hyeon's body suddenly vanished.
Removing his hand, the vice dean stared piercingly at Yeop Hyeon.
“You have no dantian!”
The arena fell into stunned silence.
Even Chang Jung showed surprise before bursting into mad laughter.
Ignoring the vice dean, Yeop Hyeon asked the Heavenly Maiden,
“Heavenly Maiden, why did you withdraw the Spirit Water Sword? Can't they know I'm using a sword as my dantian?”
Of course not!
Using a sword as a dantian is a cultivation method that would shock the world. With your current strength, if that were revealed, your life could be in danger!
Yeop Hyeon understood the Heavenly Maiden's words. After a moment, he nodded to the vice dean.
“That's right. I have no dantian. However...”
“Hahaha! No dantian? That means you're forever doomed to be a low-grade martial artist! And yet you still claim to qualify for Chang Mok Academy!?”
The interrupter was none other than Chang Jung. But Yeop Hyeon paid him no mind, awaiting Ye Su's judgment.
Ye Su pondered briefly before speaking.
“Without a dantian, you can't wield inner energy—a fatal flaw for any warrior. Chang Mok Academy cannot support someone without one. Thus, you cannot become a student. However, your foundation is too valuable to waste. If you wish, you may stay as a martial servant!”
A martial servant was someone who did menial tasks for students and instructors within the academy.
A martial servant?
Yeop Hyeon's expression darkened instantly. He hadn't come here to slave away as a servant—he wanted to become a proper Chang Mok Academy student. Just as he was about to unleash his battle intent and reveal his true power, Lu Xiaoruan's urgent voice rang out.
“Young Master Yeop!”
Yeop Hyeon turned toward him. His face changed drastically. Frost covered Yeop Ryeong's head beside Lu Xiaoruan, and biting cold poured endlessly from her entire body. She resembled a block of ice.
Yeop Hyeon rushed to her in alarm. The moment he scooped her up, extreme chill assaulted him, making his body tremble.
“How did this...”
Yeop Hyeon was no longer in his right mind.
Suddenly, he pleaded with Ye Su,
“Vice Dean! I beg you—please allow Chang Mok Academy's physicians to treat my little sister!”
Ye Su glanced at Yeop Ryeong and shook his head.
“Chang Mok Academy has only three Medical Dao Masters. They are not easily summoned at any time.”
The entire Jiang Kingdom had scarcely more than ten Medical Dao Masters, three of whom were at Chang Mok Academy. Each was a national treasure, not easily met. Even a vice dean's request might not move them—and if they agreed, the price would be steep. Yeop Hyeon lacked the funds for that.
As Yeop Hyeon opened his mouth to protest, Ye Su shook his head.
“Without a dantian, you'll never advance beyond Qi Transformation Realm your whole life. Accept the martial servant position or leave.”
With that, Ye Su turned and departed without a backward glance.
To Chang Mok Academy, a warrior without a dantian was utterly useless.
Yeop Hyeon, cradling Yeop Ryeong whose breaths grew fainter, blocked Ye Su's path. He dropped to one knee, eyes bloodshot, and declared,
“If Chang Mok Academy saves my sister, I, Yeop Hyeon, will dedicate my life to the academy until death!”
Ye Su looked at Yeop Hyeon. His gaze grew icy.
“You lack the qualifications!”
As Ye Su turned away again, Yeop Hyeon started to speak—but then!
“O...ppa...”
A pained voice came from Yeop Ryeong in his arms.
“It's okay if they don't heal me... Oppa, just... get up...”
Tears streamed endlessly from Yeop Ryeong's eyes. Even those tears shimmered with an icy blue hue.
With trembling hands, Yeop Ryeong hugged Yeop Hyeon's neck. She felt like she might die of injustice. It tore at her heart to see Yeop Hyeon kneeling before others because of her.
Yeop Hyeon collapsed fully to the ground, clutching Yeop Ryeong's cooling body tightly. His frame shook with cold and grief, tears pouring like those of a child.
“I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... Brother is so sorry...”
Yeop Ryeong buried her head deep in Yeop Hyeon's chest. The chill intensified, her breaths growing ever fainter.
She lifted her head to look at him, forcing a faint smile.
“Oppa, don't cry... Dying in Oppa's arms... That's more than enough happiness for me...”
Yeop Hyeon's heart shattered with rage and despair; even the Spirit Water Sword vibrated as if weeping. His mind teetered on collapse.
Yeop Ryeong gently caressed his cheek, smiling softly.
“Oppa, when I die, cremate me and keep me by your side. So even in death, I can be with you. And... and... promise me... you'll survive...”
Yeop Ryeong gasped her final breaths, eyes slowly closing.
“Oppa... In my next life, I want to be... your little sister again...”
Her breathing faded to nothing.
Yeop Hyeon trembled, holding her. Blood trickled from his clenched lips.
All in the arena watched the siblings.