Chapter 55: The Hero Saves the Beauty!
In the blink of an eye, Yeop Hyeon reacted on instinct, yanking Princess Gang Gu toward him and throwing his body in the path of the incoming strike.
Slash—!
Thud—!
A shadowy figure slammed into Yeop Hyeon and rebounded violently. A line of blood sprayed from his chest as well.
Princess Gang Gu stared at his wound in helpless shock.
Yeop Hyeon paid his injury no mind. His gaze was fixed coldly on the attacker—the man in black robes who had stood at the palace steps. The man grinned grotesquely at him and rasped,
"The hero saves the beauty, huh? You..."
Yeop Hyeon gave him no chance to finish. He charged.
As Yeop Hyeon barreled forward like a gale, the man's face twisted further. In that instant, both his hands emerged from the wide sleeves of his robe.
At the same moment, two small arrows whistled toward Yeop Hyeon like the wind.
Instead of dodging, Yeop Hyeon thrust out his chest. The arrows embedded shallowly in his flesh and stopped dead.
The man panicked at the relentless charge. He forgot the follow-up technique he had prepared.
He never imagined anyone would take that attack head-on!
Then Yeop Hyeon's fist rocketed toward him.
The full-force punch tore through the man's robe with sheer momentum alone.
Too late, the man tried to retreat. Desperate, he raised both arms to block.
Crack—!
Both arms shattered under the single blow. The man's body flew back a dozen zhang, crashing into the wall.
As he struggled to rise, Yeop Hyeon was already there. The man recoiled in terror and shouted,
"I-I'm a prince of Jeoguk! If you kill me...!"
"Jeoguk? I don't give a damn!"
Yeop Hyeon's foot lashed out at his head.
Splat—!
A watermelon burst.
Yeop Hyeon rifled through the man's belt pouch, grabbed his money belt, then turned to Princess Gang Gu.
That's when their pursuers—a man and woman—appeared. Without a second thought, Yeop Hyeon seized her wrist and bolted again.
The pair showed no sign of giving up. They gave chase, soon joined by five or six more warriors.
Blood poured endlessly from Yeop Hyeon's chest as he dragged Princess Gang Gu along in a mad sprint.
His body was tough, but not invincible. A direct hit from a Control Qi Realm expert wasn't something he could shrug off unscathed.
If he were an ordinary man?
That first slash would have bisected him!
They didn't get far before halting again. A woman blocked their path.
Bei Chen!
Both their faces darkened at the sight.
Bei Chen lunged without hesitation.
As Yeop Hyeon moved to intercept, Princess Gang Gu stepped ahead, sweeping her saber horizontally.
"Tearwind!"
Golden saber-light flashed through the air as her blade fell.
As it sliced the wind, a green barrier materialized to block the saber qi.
Boom—!
The two forces collided. The explosive shockwave hurled Princess Gang Gu back toward Yeop Hyeon. Bei Chen skidded to a halt several zhang away.
A massive crater scarred the spot where they had clashed.
Bei Chen stared at Princess Gang Gu and said,
"I knew they called you a prodigy of leadership, but I never expected your saber arts to be this sharp!"
Princess Gang Gu replied in a flat voice,
"You've already taken your share. If you push your luck further, I'll have no choice but to kill you."
"Hahaha... But who could resist an Earth-grade treasure weapon?"
Just then, Yeop Hyeon and Princess Gang Gu sensed their pursuers closing in.
Her expression shifted. She turned to Yeop Hyeon.
"What now?"
Glancing at Bei Chen and the man-woman pair behind, Yeop Hyeon said,
"I think we should all sit down and talk this out calmly. What do you say?"
"......"
Princess Gang Gu nodded.
"Good idea!"
Bei Chen eyed Yeop Hyeon for a moment before replying,
"I think there's something wrong with your head."
"......"
A clear rejection. Bei Chen advanced slowly toward them. From behind, the five or six warriors tightened their encirclement. It looked like everyone had agreed to take them down together.
Yeop Hyeon's Spirit Water Sword hummed within him.
At that instant, Princess Gang Gu's aura surged skyward. She drew her saber from her waist, gripping it two-handed. Golden qi and saber intent poured endlessly from her body.
Boom—!
A heaven-shaking pressure erupted. Every warrior staggered under the force. Even Yeop Hyeon nearly buckled to his knees.
He hurriedly unleashed his own battle intent and barely steadied himself.
"An Earth-grade weapon!"
Bei Chen's eyes widened as she cried out.
"You're only at the Soaring Realm—how can you wield an Earth-grade weapon!?"
Even as she spoke, she backpedaled.
The other warriors' faces drained of color.
If it was truly Earth-grade, its power rivaled the might of heaven and earth!
All of them retreated frantically.
Then Princess Gang Gu's figure flickered into the air. Countless golden saber-lights blazed like a crimson sun across the arena.
She landed. Bei Chen's pupils contracted. She thrust out her palm, spewing green radiance at Princess Gang Gu.
But her green light vanished in an instant before touching the golden saber-lights.
Bei Chen's face twisted as she retreated further, flailing her hands nonstop to deflect the pursuing golden blades.
The others did the same, pouring everything into batting away the saber-lights. A few too slow were sliced apart on the spot.
The arena lay in utter ruins in moments.
At that instant, Princess Gang Gu was invincible!
Yeop Hyeon gaped at the scene.
She reappeared before him. Unable to contain his excitement, he shouted,
"Incredible! Absolutely incredible! Do it one more time—we'll wipe them all out!"
Princess Gang Gu glanced at him, then slumped into his arms. Resting her head on his shoulder, she murmured,
"No more... Can't we just tactically retreat?"
"......"
Run away!?
Her Earth-grade weapon had drained her qi massively. Without pause, Yeop Hyeon hoisted her onto his back and sprinted off.
About fifteen minutes after they vanished, the warriors recovered their wits.
Confirming the pair gone, they gave frantic chase.
Even amid their own injuries, they had noted Princess Gang Gu's state. Right now, at her weakest—this was their golden chance.
An Earth-grade treasure weapon!
It was treasure enough to elevate an entire faction's power. They had to seize it, even at the cost of their lives!
Meanwhile, Yeop Hyeon carried Princess Gang Gu not toward Yangjie City, but into a dense forest.
How long had they run? A massive waterfall loomed ahead—tens of zhang high, with ferocious waters.
Yeop Hyeon gently set her down. He kicked off his shoes, stood on tiptoe, and dashed off somewhere.
He returned the same way, leaving no footprints.
Scanning for witnesses and finding none, he scooped her up and slipped into a small cave behind the waterfall he had scouted.
The entrance was concealed by the cascade, barely big enough for two.
Soon, footsteps echoed from outside.
Yeop Hyeon clamped his mouth shut, eyes tense on the entrance. His Spirit Water Sword was primed to strike.
The sounds faded toward the waterfall's opposite side.
He exhaled softly.
This woman really risks her life for a single weapon!
"Smart move."
Princess Gang Gu, who had briefly fainted, now had her eyes open.
"Good call avoiding Yangjie City."
Yeop Hyeon shook his head. How could he possibly flee there?
Everyone knew her main force was in Yangjie City. They'd have been caught before reaching the gates.
She said,
"It'll take two days to recover my qi."
Two days!
Meaning they couldn't be discovered for those two days. Exposure would spell big trouble.
Soon, the cave air grew awkward.
Soaked from passing the waterfall, their clothes clung tight. Princess Gang Gu's silk skirt molded to her curves, nearly translucent. And in the cramped space, with her cradled against him, Yeop Hyeon's sensitive spot pressed firmly against her rear—a dangerously precarious position.
To escape the peril, Yeop Hyeon shifted slightly. But as he arched his back, friction sparked.
His private area reacted fiercely.
The atmosphere heated instantly.
As she stared, Yeop Hyeon felt his mind haze.
He forced an awkward grin.
"S-sorry. I didn't mean anything by it!"
Of course, he hadn't intended anything. Human instinct wasn't always controllable.
He cultivated the sword, not the mind. A vigorous young man inexperienced with women—his first such close contact. No reaction would have been the real worry.
Princess Gang Gu slowly closed her eyes and said nothing. Speaking would only make it worse.
Thus, in that peculiar position, they endured for an hour. Seizing the darkening outside, Yeop Hyeon carried her from the cave.
This time, he headed not to Yangjie City, but east—toward the Sword Lord's cave.
The darkest place is under the lamp.