Chapter 47: Resorting to Cowardly Tricks
After the students from Chang Mok Academy had left, Yeop Ryeong asked Ji Yuan Zhang.
"Grandpa, will big brother be okay?"
Ji Yuan Zhang looked up at Yeop Ryeong, who had risen to her feet. A complex mix of emotions swirled in his eyes.
"He'll be fine, so don't worry. And stay away from the back mountain, got it?"
"Yes, Grandpa. Let me get you something to eat!"
Yeop Ryeong dashed to the kitchen, her heart pounding with worry for her brother. She knew full well she shouldn't go to the back mountain. She'd only be a burden if she did.
Squatting in the kitchen, Yeop Ryeong stared blankly at the flames flickering in the hearth.
The current situation felt just like the old days back at the Ye family manor.
Yeop Hyeon would head out to fight, and she would spend the whole day waiting for him...
With no parents, Yeop Hyeon was the only person in the world she could trust and rely on.
To her, he was her one and only everything.
Meanwhile, after Yeop Ryeong had gone, an elderly man had appeared before Ji Yuan Zhang without anyone noticing when exactly. The two faced each other.
The old man, dressed in rough hempen robes, had a beard that reached his chest. His long hair was neatly tied back. His appearance was serene and dignified— a stark contrast to Ji Yuan Zhang, who always wandered around with disheveled hair.
He was none other than the dean of Chang Mok Academy, I Hyeon-chang.
Moreover, he was counted among the top experts in the Jiang Kingdom.
I Hyeon-chang shook his head and spoke.
"Even after all these years, you're still the same."
"And you're looking sharper than ever."
I Hyeon-chang glanced around before broaching the subject.
"In my opinion, the Jiang Kingdom would be better off with just one academy."
"Hahaha, why? Is there another academy in the Jiang Kingdom besides Chang Mok Academy right now?"
I Hyeon-chang stared straight into Ji Yuan Zhang's eyes.
"I know exactly what you're planning with those three. In the end, those kids will end up just like the others—hanging as corpses from the walls of Cangshan."
"We'll see about that."
"Fine, let's wait and see."
The back mountain.
Mu Yun Qi came to a halt as he dashed through the forest. Bai Ze climbed up from the waterfall onto the rocks. Yeop Hyeon stopped striking the mountain.
Yeop Hyeon stood before the dense woods, with Mu Yun Qi and Bai Ze flanking him on either side.
And facing them were Yeop Yeom and the students from Chang Mok Academy.
"Did Ji Yuan Zhang send you up here?"
Yeop Hyeon didn't respond to Mu Yun Qi's question, his gaze fixed ahead.
Once upon a time, Yeop Hyeon had dreamed of attending Chang Mok Academy.
Sometimes, the world flowed in ways contrary to one's wishes.
From the moment he had enrolled in Canglan Academy, Chang Mok Academy had become his enemy. It was a fate he had to endure. Even if he didn't want it, they were destined to come seeking him out like this.
The grudge between them, carried on for ages, was something words couldn't easily explain.
But this was bound to happen someday!
Yeop Hyeon had never feared a fight since the day he was born!
Yeop Yeom stepped forward and said,
"Three against three?"
Yeop Hyeon glanced at Mu Yun Qi and Bai Ze. Both nodded in agreement.
Then, two warriors stepped up beside Yeop Yeom. The one on his left wore black martial robes. He had refined, handsome features and an air of bold grandeur.
On the right was a tall warrior in white martial robes. His sharp eyebrows and noble bearing made him look like someone descended from the heavens.
Their auras were far from ordinary.
Feeling their presence, Yeop Hyeon's expression grew even more solemn.
It was as if every cell in his body was screaming that these were dangerous foes.
Having experienced countless battles, Yeop Hyeon's body sensed their threat first.
It was true. Chang Mok Academy could no longer tolerate the humiliation from Canglan Academy. That's why they had sent highly skilled fighters this time.
"Be careful!"
Yeop Hyeon's warning drew nods from the two.
The one in white robes stood before Mu Yun Qi. The black-robed one chose Bai Ze. Naturally, Yeop Hyeon was left to face Yeop Yeom.
At that moment, the black-robed warrior suddenly vanished from his spot. Bai Ze's face twisted in surprise as he hurriedly crossed his arms to block in front of him. In an instant, the black-robed man reappeared right in front of Bai Ze.
Boom—!
With a thunderous crash, Bai Ze's form was sent flying seven or eight zhang away.
Deep red handprints were imprinted on Bai Ze's arms.
Without pause, the black-robed man lightly spun on his toes and shot into the sky. Stepping through the air as he advanced, his figure suddenly dove toward Bai Ze like a hawk spotting prey.
Soaring Realm!
Yeop Hyeon's face paled dramatically. The man before him was barely in his early twenties, yet already at the Soaring Realm!
Undoubtedly a genius!
Bai Ze hastily planted his feet firmly on the ground, assuming a horse stance as he clasped his hands together. His upper body began to swell, veins writhing like snakes.
Just then, the black-robed man unleashed a palm strike from midair. This single palm strike carried overwhelming pressure and force, like swinging an axe.
In that instant, Bai Ze threw his head back and crossed his hands.
Brown energy erupted from the centers of his palms.
This was clearly a martial technique!
The moment the black-robed man's palm connected, a massive explosion rocked the area. Bai Ze was hurled back another seven or eight zhang.
The black-robed man didn't stop there, swiftly gliding toward Bai Ze like the wind.
Meanwhile, the white-robed man facing Mu Yun Qi vanished from sight in a blink. Mu Yun Qi tensed slightly and stomped back. As he stopped, the white-robed man stepped through the air, flying toward him.
Soaring Realm!
Mu Yun Qi hurled flying daggers at the white-robed man.
The white-robed man twisted his body midair, and the daggers flew past harmlessly. Mu Yun Qi was trying to keep some distance.
But his expression had already grown heavy.
The white-robed man charged at Mu Yun Qi again without a word.
Watching from afar, Yeop Hyeon's face darkened. Mu Yun Qi and Bai Ze were already being overwhelmed by their opponents.
It seemed they had thoroughly investigated the three of them, including Yeop Hyeon.
Yeop Hyeon glanced at Yeop Yeom. At a glance, he could tell the man was no ordinary foe.
Just then, Yeop Yeom's figure lunged toward Yeop Hyeon. At the same time, two streaks of cold light bore down on him.
Dual Blades!
Yeop Hyeon's response was swift. As Yeop Yeom's blades approached, he had already thrust his fist straight ahead.
Fist Collapse infused with his full intent!
At that precise moment, Yeop Yeom's dual blades bizarrely altered their trajectory, aiming for Yeop Hyeon's wrists. Yeop Hyeon twisted his arms away while extending a kick toward Yeop Yeom.
A kick outranges a blade!
The instant he saw Yeop Hyeon's kick coming, Yeop Yeom withdrew his dual blades to defend himself.
Thud—!
Yeop Yeom's figure slid back several zhang. In that split second, Yeop Hyeon, who had closed in unnoticed, drove a fist forward.
Fist Collapse!
Though it was a low-grade technique, the collapsing fist unleashed from his hand was far from weak. His strike shattered space as it flew toward Yeop Yeom.
Boom—!
Yeop Yeom's form slid backward once more. Yeop Hyeon closed in with the same speed as before, unleashing another punch. In moments, Yeop Yeom was on the defensive.
To Yeop Hyeon, Yeop Yeom seemed like a small hill he had to topple. With each punch, the power grew stronger, his battle intent intensifying.
Overwhelm with sheer force!
Thud thud thud thud...
Under Yeop Hyeon's relentless assault, Yeop Yeom could only retreat endlessly. His dual blades were now used solely for defense, not attack. His entire body was dominated by his opponent's momentum!
Yeop Hyeon's fists hadn't always been like this. But after days of madly pounding the mountain, a natural "momentum" had built into them. Combined with his battle intent, this low-grade Fist Collapse now rivaled the power of a Spirit Tier superior-grade technique!
Back at Ji Yuan Zhang's quarters.
I Hyeon-chang, watching the battle on the mountain, smiled lightly at Ji Yuan Zhang.
"To comprehend battle intent at such a young age... If he combined that with solid fundamentals, he'd rank in the top tier of the inner academy. What a shame, truly a shame..."
It was natural for I Hyeon-chang to feel regret. Yeop Hyeon had originally sought out Chang Mok Academy. Without unforeseen variables, he would have enrolled there. They could have gained another genius.
As Ji Yuan Zhang opened his mouth to reply, I Hyeon-chang spoke first.
"Actually, it's not that regrettable. His failure to join Chang Mok Academy is his loss alone. He's just one genius—kill him, and it's done. Don't you think?"
"So all geniuses who don't join Chang Mok Academy meet the end you describe?"
"If they're not with me, they can only be against me."
I Hyeon-chang gazed toward the back mountain and continued.
"Indeed, those three are decent. Especially that Yeop Hyeon kid who awakened battle intent... Such a pity he picked the wrong side..."
Ji Yuan Zhang laughed coldly.
"I believe it was your Chang Mok Academy that rejected him first."
I Hyeon-chang's expression chilled in an instant.
"Chang Mok Academy can hold the entire world accountable. But anyone who tries to hold our academy accountable won't die a clean death."
It wasn't arrogance. To I Hyeon-chang, this was pure confidence.
Chang Mok Academy was built on that very confidence!
Ji Yuan Zhang lay back down and brought the wine bottle to his lips. The corners of his mouth curved into the faintest smile. Not long ago, Canglan Academy had been just as arrogant—
No, far more so. But now...
At that moment, the battle in the back mountain raged on.
Boom—!
With a massive crash, someone's figure soared through the air.
It was Yeop Yeom!
As Yeop Hyeon lunged forward for another strike, his expression changed drastically. Unbeknownst to him, a sword had appeared behind him.
A sneak attack in a one-on-one duel!
And the sword's speed was extraordinarily fast.
Yeop Hyeon had no time to dodge, offering his nape to the blade.
Ji Yuan Zhang shot to his feet, glaring at I Hyeon-chang with murderous eyes.
"Resorting to cowardly tricks, are you?!"
I Hyeon-chang rose from his seat.
"From today onward, people will only hear one outcome: the total annihilation of Canglan Academy. No one cares about the process, only the result. It's over!"
I Hyeon-chang flung open his robe to leave.
At that exact moment, both men turned toward the back mountain simultaneously.
The sword piercing Yeop Hyeon's throat did nothing. Instead, it transformed into a stream of energy and was absorbed into his body.
With Body Forge Sword
Unless the attacking sword was of higher grade than the one within his body, it could never harm him. Instead, the sword would be absorbed by Yeop Hyeon!
Once the sword was fully absorbed into Yeop Hyeon's body, a terrifying aura erupted from him.
The aura of the Control Qi Realm!