Behind Me Stands a God!
Bei Chen didn't stand idle either. She unleashed a strike toward Yeop Hyeon.
Taking the full force of her fury-laced blow, Yeop Hyeon flew far away. He crashed to the ground and didn't stop there, tumbling continuously. With lightning-fast hands, he rummaged through the leaves, retrieving the earth rule weapon he'd hidden earlier before vanishing into the darkness.
With Yeop Hyeon gone, the remaining pair continued their clash.
Not long after Yeop Hyeon disappeared, Bei Chen pulled back her form, widening the distance from the man and woman as she shouted,
"You fools! Ask your backers right now!"
The man and woman locked eyes before tilting their heads skyward. After about half an incense stick's time, their faces twisted in horror.
They'd been had!
Their backers hadn't relayed Yeop Hyeon's whereabouts quickly enough. In that brief window, he'd fled a great distance.
Gazing in the direction Yeop Hyeon had vanished, Bei Chen cried out in rage,
"To think such a shameless sword cultivator exists... I've learned a lesson today!"
The male warrior replied in a cold voice,
"He can't escape forever. That earth rule treasure weapon will end up in Jeoguk's hands regardless!"
'Jeoguk?!'
Bei Chen glanced at the man once before vanishing wordlessly.
Jeoguk, Jiang Kingdom, Danguk...
Such petty nations meant nothing to her. Her ambitions lay far higher.
At the gates of Yangjie City.
Gang Gu stood with arms crossed, leaning against the wall, lost in thought.
As she looked up, a woman approached.
The woman, clad in robes white as fresh snow, was none other than An Ranxiu.
Coming to Gang Gu's side, An Ranxiu shifted her gaze to the distant mountain range and said,
"You're wrong about him."
Gang Gu furrowed her brow. An Ranxiu continued,
"He's not the type!"
Gang Gu replied in a low voice,
"An earth rule treasure weapon. No one in this world wouldn't covet it."
An Ranxiu smiled faintly.
"I trust him!"
I trust him!
Her voice wasn't loud, but it rang clear.
Gang Gu, still leaning against the wall, said,
"Ranxiu, want to make a bet?"
An Ranxiu turned to her.
Gang Gu grinned.
"If he is that kind of person, you stay here with me for another year."
"And if he's not?"
As An Ranxiu asked, Gang Gu replied with a laugh,
"I'll bow my head, apologize, and yield my golden seal to him."
'Yield her golden seal?'
An Ranxiu's expression flickered.
Gang Gu wore a mischievous look.
"You're not jealous, are you?"
Gazing at the distant mountains, An Ranxiu replied,
"I don't know what jealousy is."
"......"
Deep in the mountains.
Yeop Hyeon pressed on through the darkness. His destination: Yangjie City.
The Jiang Kingdom's main camp was there—no matter who their backers were, they wouldn't dare rampage freely.
Yeop Hyeon entered the dense jungle. Once through, Yangjie City would be in sight.
A faint smile crossed his lips as he picked up speed.
Right then, a middle-aged man blocked his path.
Yeop Hyeon skidded to a halt.
The man, in ornate white robes with hair cascading to his shoulders, stood with hands behind his back, eyeing Yeop Hyeon.
"Hand over the item, and I'll spare your life."
Yeop Hyeon's face darkened. This was undoubtedly the backer they'd mentioned.
His personal appearance signaled he'd do anything for the earth rule weapon.
Yeop Hyeon clenched his fists. The man snorted.
"Planning to fight?"
"Even if I hand it over, you plan to kill me. Am I wrong?"
"Haha... Smarter than you look. True, you're dead either way."
As the man adjusted his stance, Yeop Hyeon grinned.
"You think I'd be stupid enough to carry something that important on me?"
The man's brows shot up.
"Doesn't matter. Once I capture you, I'll have ways to make you talk!"
With those words, the man stepped forward.
The ground beneath his foot cracked. An invisible force surged toward Yeop Hyeon in an instant.
Startled, Yeop Hyeon unleashed a full-power punch.
This man's cultivation was at least Penetrating Nether Realm. Facing such a foe demanded utmost caution.
The moment his fist, infused with power and intent, clashed with the man's, Yeop Hyeon's body was hurled dozens of zhang away.
He hit the ground with a groan, barely rising. His right arm hung limp, shattered.
"I underestimated you a bit. To withstand my strike with such a sturdy body."
Without pause, the man stomped his right foot. A fist-sized stone shot toward Yeop Hyeon like an arrow from a bow, tearing the air.
In that instant, a sword appeared in Yeop Hyeon's palm. A streak of sword light flashed.
Whing!
The sword light split the stone in half and hurtled toward the man.
The man sneered, flicking his long robe.
Boom!
The sword light exploded, sending Yeop Hyeon flying another dozen zhang.
"Sword and martial arts dual cultivation, as expected?"
The man looked up at Yeop Hyeon.
"No one's intervened yet. Looks like you truly have no backers."
He advanced slowly.
Until now, he'd held back, wary of potential allies for a genius like Yeop Hyeon. But no interference meant he was a true rogue cultivator.
A true rogue? No need to hold back!
Yeop Hyeon glared with killing intent as the man approached. When he was within a few zhang, Yeop Hyeon suddenly lunged.
The man scoffed.
Given their vast gap in skill, his disdain was natural.
At that moment, another sword appeared in Yeop Hyeon's left hand, merging with the one in his right.
As the two fused, the pressure split his arms, blood spraying.
The unified sword transcended spirit swords, reborn as a divine-grade famed sword!
It cleaved the air!
One Sword Determines Life and Death!
This strike far surpassed Yeop Hyeon's normal power!
"How...?"
The man's pupils shrank. It exceeded his imagination.
No time to think. He spun his right hand.
A whirlwind erupted from his palm, viciously ensnaring Yeop Hyeon's sword.
Then!
Boom!
With a heaven-rending crash, the man's form was blasted twenty zhang back. His right sleeve shredded, his arm cracked like a turtle shell, blood gushing from the fissures.
Staring at his arm, then at Yeop Hyeon, the man's face grew solemn—something new in his expression.
"A famed sword... and such tyrannical sword arts..."
Fear laced his voice.
Had Yeop Hyeon's realm been just a bit higher, he'd be dead.
That terrifying strike had set his heart pounding.
Yeop Hyeon, facing him, slowly closed his eyes in resignation.
'Two full realms' difference is too much. If only I'd reached Soaring Realm, I might've had a chance. What now?
Fight? I'll lose.
Flee? Impossible.
Call for help? Who's going to save me?'
His mind raced. A spark lit his eyes. He looked up and shouted,
"If you want to run, do it now. Soon, you won't be able to even if you want to."
The man laughed mockingly.
"Trying to say you have backers now?"
"Exactly. A tremendously powerful god resides within me."
"A god inside you? Hahaha! Did you hit your head too hard?"
The man stepped forward slowly.
"If there's truly a god in you, show me."
From his hidden right arm, a strange green energy coiled, healing his wounds. He knew Yeop Hyeon was stalling.
He needed to restore himself, mindful of other experts nearby.
Backing away slowly, Yeop Hyeon said,
"The god says you're too weak to pique his interest."
"Hahaha! No interest? Or just scared of me?"
Right then.
Slap!
A crisp sound rang out, and the man's body flew backward.
Yeop Hyeon seized the moment, turning and fleeing.
The man rose, a red handprint on his right cheek.
Still dazed, he shook his head.
'Who hit me?'
Scanning around, he saw no one. His face hardened. He cautiously surveyed.
"Who are you?"
No answer.
Daring not move, he vigilantly watched his surroundings.
Meanwhile, Yeop Hyeon dashed through the thick woods. Yangjie City loomed ahead.
He accelerated. Blood trickled endlessly from his mouth. His arms bled profusely. The healing wound on his chest had reopened, soaking his clothes red.
His body was a wreck. Without the Golden Divine Scripture, he couldn't even move. If pursued now, he'd have no strength left to fight.
Fortunately, he reached Yangjie City's gates.