Chapter 38: I Have No Money. Not Even Enough to Buy Booze
Yeop Hyeon was overwhelmed by the woman's beauty. The image of her stunning naked body from moments ago kept replaying in his mind. Just thinking about it made it impossible for him to look her straight in the eye.
He'd never been with a woman before, but Yeop Hyeon was still a perfectly healthy young man with all the usual urges.
The woman approached slowly and stood right in front of him. With her staring intently at his face, his whole body burned like fire. His mind was filled with visions of her bare skin.
The Jiang Kingdom wasn't that open-minded. Women here prized their purity above all else. This situation felt utterly alien and embarrassing to Yeop Hyeon.
Of course, it wasn't his fault. He hadn't meant to see anything. Who would've thought someone was in the house? And taking a bath stark naked in broad daylight, no less!
She had been truly beautiful just now. He couldn't shake the thought of seeing her one more time.
Yeop Hyeon's imagination was running wild.
The woman's voice snapped him out of his daze.
"Who are you?"
Her voice was like ice, and her eyes glinted with killing intent.
Yeop Hyeon quickly pulled himself together and answered.
"I'm Yeop Hyeon, the new student."
As he spoke, he backed away a few steps from her. He didn't want her catching on to his lewd thoughts.
The woman furrowed her brow.
"Am I that unattractive?"
Yeop Hyeon silently retreated two more steps.
The woman, who had been staring him down, shook her head and said,
"A guy who likes men... So, how do you even do it with other guys?"
"......"
Yeop Hyeon said nothing, so she dropped the questioning. She gave him a brief look of pity before heading back into the room.
Yeop Hyeon let out a sigh of relief. He'd barely escaped disaster.
He hurried out of the house, climbed the mountain, and returned with a few wild animals dangling from his hand.
For Yeop Ryeong's sake, he'd often hunted in these mountains. Hunting was one of his specialties.
When Yeop Hyeon got back to the Canglan Hall, it looked much cleaner than before.
Yeop Ryeong, who had just finished cleaning, spotted him and ran over with a bright smile.
"Oppa!"
Yeop Hyeon stroked her head.
"Tired?"
"Nope!"
"Haha, then how about wiping down that table over there? I'll go make some food."
Her eyes sparkled with anticipation at his words.
Cooking!
Yeop Ryeong's favorite thing in the world was her brother's cooking. To her, it was far better than anything the Ye family kitchen ever produced.
Half a shichen later, the Yeop siblings sat facing each other at the rickety old table in Canglan Hall. Delicious aromas wafted from the three or four dishes on the table.
They shared a smile and were just about to dig in when—
The old man who had brought them here approached. A stench of booze clung to him, and his clothes were filthy beyond guessing when they'd last been washed.
No one had invited him, but the old man plopped down without hesitation.
Right then, another person appeared.
It was the woman Yeop Hyeon had just run into.
She sat silently beside the old man and eyed the food.
"You made this?"
"......"
Yeop Ryeong started glancing back and forth between the woman and her brother.
The woman said no more and began piling food onto her plate to taste it.
"Mmm, not bad."
The old man followed suit, popping a mushroom into his mouth and nodding at Yeop Hyeon.
"Good stuff! From now on, you're in charge of the Canglan Academy kitchen!"
Yeop Hyeon bristled at the shameless old man's words. He barely restrained his fist from flying out.
Yeop Ryeong tilted her head curiously.
"But isn't my oppa a student?"
"Cooking's just an extension of training."
"......"
Unable to hold back, Yeop Hyeon spoke up.
"Elder..."
"Dean! Call me Dean Ji!"
Yeop Hyeon nodded.
"Dean Ji! This academy's huge—shouldn't you hire some help?"
"You got money?"
"Huh?!"
Yeop Hyeon was dumbfounded.
"Isn't that your job as dean?"
"I got no money. Not even enough to buy booze!"
"......"
Meanwhile, the woman silently worked her chopsticks at an astonishing speed that left the siblings speechless.
She shoveled food into her mouth like she hadn't eaten in ten days, emptying plates in the blink of an eye.
Licking her chopsticks, she looked blankly at the stunned Yeop Hyeon.
"More?"
"......"
Yeop Ryeong set down her chopsticks.
"We still have ingredients left—I'll go wash 'em!"
As Yeop Ryeong dashed out of the hall, Yeop Hyeon asked,
"Is this place safe?"
Dean Ji nodded.
"Safe."
Yeop Hyeon paused before asking the dean,
"Any place in the academy for studying...?"
"Nope! Figure it out yourself!"
"......"
"Martial Hall!"
The woman called out, slurping her chopsticks noisily.
Dean Ji looked at Yeop Hyeon.
"There's a Martial Hall in the back mountains. Search it well, and you might find martial insights left by old students. Get lucky, and you could snag a technique or two."
"Ha... I'll go make more food!"
Yeop Hyeon stormed off. Now only the woman and the old man remained in the hall.
She set down her chopsticks.
"Where'd you pick him up?"
Dean Ji took a swig of liquor before answering.
"Scavenged him from Cangmu Academy."
"Why bring him here?"
"He's got potential."
"I'm enough on my own."
The old man's hand trembled slightly. He set down his gourd and spoke softly.
"An Zhi, you're carrying too much on your own."
"It's my fate."
An Zhi turned her gaze outside the hall.
"Our family's bodies have rotted away, but their souls are still there. Unless I bring them back, they can't rest in peace. Big brother, second brother... even Father..."
The old man slowly closed his eyes.
"You're the last blood of the Ji family."
"That's why I can't rely on anyone else."
The old man shook his head.
"In the Jiang Kingdom, only An Ranxiu can stand up to Cangmu Academy..."
An Zhi shot to her feet.
"You don't know the outcome till the fight's over!"
As she strode out, she paused at the entrance, a smile on her face.
"Worst case, we just add one more corpse to Cang Mountain, right?"
With that, she left. All that remained in the hall was the sound of the old man sipping his booze.
That night, after confirming Yeop Ryeong was asleep, Yeop Hyeon entered the Gyeok Ok Tower.
He sat in the half-lotus position and asked the Heavenly Maiden,
"Heavenly Maiden, can I consider myself a great sword cultivator now?"
You could say that.
"Why?"
Yeop Hyeon couldn't quite understand. If he was a great sword cultivator, why couldn't he wield sword light yet?
All you're lacking is realm. Reach the Control Qi Realm, and with your foundation and sword mastery, you'll handle sword qi just fine.
"But I've awakened battle intent..."
Do you know the martial path?
Yeop Hyeon shook his head at the Heavenly Maiden's question.
You've awakened battle intent early, but without insight into the martial path, you can't become a martial path grandmaster. True grandmasters need battle intent manifestation, which you lack. For now, build your foundational martial knowledge. Don't neglect the sword path either. And it's about time you sought a spirit sword.
Spirit sword!
Yeop Hyeon gave a bitter smile. Where was he supposed to find one?
If he had money, he could just buy one from someone. But he was flat broke.
He was in quite the pickle.
In any case, Yeop Hyeon began his training. Besides the sword, he practiced fist and leg techniques. Since awakening battle intent, the power of his sole technique, Fist Collapse, had undergone a fundamental change.
If Fist Collapse with battle intent was this strong, how devastating would One Sword Determines Life and Death be once he awakened sword intent!?
The next morning, Yeop Hyeon headed straight down the mountain as soon as he got up.
Dean Ji had told him a woman surnamed An was waiting for him at the base.
Descending at a speed that cleaved the wind, Yeop Hyeon stopped at the Canglan Academy stele. There stood a beautiful woman in spotless white robes, waiting for him.
It was An Ranxiu.
"Miss An!"
Yeop Hyeon called her name with a smile, and she smiled back. Suddenly, a thuggish man swaggered up to them, his attitude dripping with arrogance. He carried a black iron club over his shoulder. Spotting An Ranxiu, he went dazed and blurted,
"Ah... so beautiful!"
Yeop Hyeon stepped in front of An Ranxiu and said to the man,
"I've got looks too—look at me instead!"
"......"
An Ranxiu stared silently at Yeop Hyeon. The man glanced at him and snorted.
"Kid, you need a beating!"
The man swung his iron club at Yeop Hyeon.
In response, Yeop Hyeon unleashed a fist brimming with battle intent.
Boom—!
With an explosive burst of qi, the man's figure staggered back over ten zhang. His club trembled from the impact. Yeop Hyeon also retreated a few steps, clutching his shaking fist.
The man eyed his club, then turned back to Yeop Hyeon.
"Not bad!"
He swung the club again with ferocious power.
Whoosh—!
Yeop Hyeon faced the whistling club with a blank expression and threw another punch.
The simplest straight punch! Fist Collapse!
Bang!
The club flew into the sky from the blow. At that instant, a figure appeared before Yeop Hyeon, followed by a chill at his throat!
This is dangerous!
Too late to dodge. Yeop Hyeon's right hand traced a light circle.
Whiiing—!
A deep sword cry echoed through the area.
Boom—!
The figure shot back over ten zhang. It was the thug.
Finally steadying himself, the man gaped at Yeop Hyeon.
"Sword cultivator! You're a sword cultivator!"
"Wanna keep going?"
"Of course! I, Mu Yun Qi, have never feared anyone in my life... Huh?"
Before he finished, Yeop Hyeon was suddenly in front of him. A cold gleam flashed by.
Mu Yun Qi's expression changed drastically.
"You little shit, I'm talking here..."
Mu Yun Qi's club arced down in a deadly slash.
Clang—!
The screech of metal rang out sharply as Mu Yun Qi was sent flying back over ten zhang in an instant.
Yeop Hyeon didn't press further and returned to An Ranxiu's side.
"Sorry you had to see that."
An Ranxiu smiled faintly without a word.
Yeop Hyeon looked a bit awkward, then shouted at Mu Yun Qi,
"Still wanna go?"
"Hell yeah!"
An Ranxiu watched the fierce brawl between Yeop Hyeon and Mu Yun Qi with an inscrutable expression.