No Time for Idle Chatter
Near the Biyeong secret realm, in another region.
"It seems Chu Country's Xue Mei young master and 'Thunderbolt Hand' Yi Tae have been killed..."
Gang Wol-cheon nodded at O Lu Ju's words.
"I Hyeon-chang... What a vicious strategy... Now Yeop Hyeon and Canglan Academy have even more enemies..."
"Changmok Academy... They're formidable..."
Inside the Biyeong.
A streak of afterimage flashed ceaselessly, moving at blinding speed.
Mu Yun Qi, having pinpointed Yeop Ryeong's location, raced toward her at full throttle.
He had no idea what the enemy might do with her as leverage, so rescuing her as quickly as possible was paramount.
Moments later, Mu Yun Qi entered a mountain ravine. He paused briefly, scanning the surroundings. The valley seemed empty, shrouded only in eerie silence.
Then, his expression changed drastically, and he leaped away. The moment his foot left the ground, the earth beneath him collapsed with a thud.
At the same instant, someone burst from underground, shooting high into the air.
Mu Yun Qi, hovering mid-air, hurled flying daggers at the foe.
Thwack!
The opponent crossed their arms to block the daggers, then swiftly retreated a dozen zhang.
Mu Yun Qi eyed the figure closely. It was a notably dwarfish warrior.
The man shouted in a somewhat irritated voice.
"You're not Yeop Hyeon!"
Mu Yun Qi, staying vigilant, demanded,
"Where's the girl?"
The man silently pointed to the cliff face.
Mu Yun Qi glanced up. Between the rocks, a single tree protruded. A small girl was bound to it.
Seeing Yeop Ryeong tied there so pitifully, Mu Yun Qi's face hardened in an instant.
"You damn rat bastard... You're no better than vermin..."
With that, Mu Yun Qi charged at the man.
The man dodged backward, evading the assault.
Instead of pursuing, Mu Yun Qi pivoted sharply toward the cliff where Yeop Ryeong hung.
He darted like a monkey toward her when a massive broadsword came crashing down on him.
Mu Yun Qi thrust out a palm in haste.
Thud!
A streak of chilling gleam from his palm struck the blade, forcing its wielder back several steps.
As Mu Yun Qi lunged again, a cold sensation prickled at his throat.
He twisted back urgently, deflecting the attack. At that moment, a sharp whistling pierced his ear.
Whoosh!
Mu Yun Qi's face paled; he contorted his body frantically.
Pfft!
An arrow from somewhere pierced his shoulder blade.
Turning, he spotted a woman with a bow standing on a nearby rock.
Then—
"That guy's definitely one of the Canglan Academy students who came with Yeop Hyeon."
The broadsword wielder who'd struck at Mu Yun Qi yelled.
Mu Yun Qi shouted back,
"I know you bastards are after Yeop Hyeon. But..."
He pointed at Yeop Ryeong dangling from the tree.
"Is treating an innocent little girl like that the act of honorable men!?"
The broadsword man sneered.
"If you wanna blame someone, blame her brother."
Gripping his blade tighter, he bellowed to the others,
"Grab him first!"
The man surged at Mu Yun Qi.
As Mu Yun Qi prepared to counter, another arrow whistled from behind.
He leaped aside, dodging it. The instant his foot hit the ground, the dwarfish man was there, swinging his broadsword at Mu Yun Qi's head!
And simultaneously, that arrow streaking toward his back!
In a blur, Mu Yun Qi vanished, leaving an afterimage.
He reappeared before the archer woman.
A flying dagger aimed at her throat!
"Gah!"
She raised her longbow to block.
Crack!
The sharp dagger shattered the bow, grazing past her neck by a hair's breadth.
As Mu Yun Qi moved to strike again, immense pressure bore down from behind.
Turning, he saw the massive broadsword descending. Even for nimble Mu Yun Qi, evasion was impossible now.
Gritting his teeth, he blocked with his golden daggers.
Boom!
The force hurled his body over the sheer cliff edge.
Unable to soar through the air, Mu Yun Qi's face drained of color.
The ground rushed closer. A fall like this would shatter him ten times over!
Just then, a sword flew from nowhere, catching under his feet. His descent slowed.
"Phew..."
Safely landing, Mu Yun Qi sighed in relief. But the sword shot up again, slicing toward the ground beneath him.
Thud!
It plunged deep, and the surrounding earth stained red.
Whiiiing!
The sword hummed lowly and flew off. Following it, Mu Yun Qi saw Yeop Hyeon.
Spotting him, Mu Yun Qi exhaled again. Pointing at the broadsword man and archer atop the cliff, he said,
"You take those two. I'll handle the dwarf runt nearby! Watch out especially for that archer bitch!"
With that, Mu Yun Qi vanished.
Yeop Hyeon looked up at the siblings on the cliff. His form shot upward, guided by the Spirit Water Sword.
The man grinned sleazily at him.
"Let's see how strong you really are!"
He leaped from the rock, slamming down his dual-handed broadsword with full might.
A domineering strike like facing a mountain!
Yeop Hyeon gripped the Spirit Water Sword.
Whing!
It clashed against the foe's blade.
Sharpness versus dominance!
Boom!
A thunderous crash shattered the man's greatsword. His body flew a dozen zhang, smashing into a boulder.
Cough!
Blood sprayed from his mouth.
Wiping it, he yelled to the archer woman,
"Run!"
He knew from that single exchange they were outmatched.
But she didn't flee—instead blocking his path, glaring at Yeop Hyeon.
"Let my brother and me go. We won't—"
Slash!
Her head severed clean by a swift blade.
The man stared in disbelief, then charged Yeop Hyeon madly.
"I'll kill you—!"
Pierce!
A sword gleam pierced his forehead.
His body crumpled slowly.
Yeop Hyeon gazed at the corpses briefly.
"If I'd lost, would you have spared our siblings?"
Boom!
Suddenly, an explosion roared above Yeop Hyeon as something dark plummeted.
It was Mu Yun Qi.
Spurt!
Hitting the ground, he vomited a bowlful of blood.
Yeop Hyeon looked up. A black-robed man hovered mid-air, a purple sash around his waist ending in a white jade ornament.
His features weren't exceptional, but his thick-lined face held depth. Those sharp, piercing eyes instilled dread in foes.
The man stared unyieldingly at Yeop Hyeon from above.
Yeop Hyeon turned to Mu Yun Qi.
"You okay?"
Mu Yun Qi wiped blood from his mouth and stood.
"Yeah, just got careless."
"Rest up."
"Watch it—that guy's no pushover!"
Yeop Hyeon nodded, then faced the black-robed man.
"Come down already?"
Without a word, the man descended like a gale, his speed generating overwhelming wind pressure.
A true expert!
Yeop Hyeon's eyes flashed. His position below was disadvantageous. He needed to seize the initiative.
Yeop Hyeon didn't budge.
In clashes between masters, momentum was key. Yielding it meant disadvantage throughout.
Yeop Hyeon refused to cede ground!
He slowly closed his eyes.
Roooar!
Intangible energy erupted around him.
Sword Momentum!
Yeop Hyeon's sword momentum countered the man's. But the foe accelerated undeterred.
Half a zhang away, the black-robed man cleaved down viciously at Yeop Hyeon's head.
Hummm!
His domineering aura crashed like a volcanic eruption. Simultaneously, cracks spiderwebbed from Yeop Hyeon's feet like a turtle shell.
Right then—
Whiiiing!
A clear sword cry rang out as the Spirit Water Sword soared.
Kaboom!
The explosion filled the valley, shockwaves rippling like waves.
Both figures were hurled back a dozen zhang.
Seizing the distraction, Mu Yun Qi shot toward Yeop Ryeong. As he neared, his face blanched; he twisted away urgently.
A chill grazed his ear by a whisper.
Mu Yun Qi halted, scanning warily. No one nearby.
Hidden assailant!?
Wearing a troubled look, he froze. Rashly rescuing her without knowing the attacker's position could doom him.
Frustrated, he yelled skyward,
"Bai Ze! What, you boilin' slugs or somethin'? Hurry your ass up! Don't tell me you got lost!?"
Meanwhile, the black-robed man facing Yeop Hyeon below paused.
"My intel was wrong. You're no great sword cultivator."
"Surprised?"
As the man opened his mouth, Yeop Hyeon lunged.
"Sorry, but no time for chit-chat!"
Instantly before him, Yeop Hyeon thrust the Spirit Water Sword at his brow.
The man frowned slightly, tapping the ground lightly. His afterimage vanished.
Yeop Hyeon whipped around, sweeping his sword behind.
The man, reappearing at his back, was startled by the speed and retreated hastily. As he landed, a sharp blade menaced his throat.
Instead of dodging, he whipped his leg like a lash, kicking the sword.
'Blocking a sword with his foot? That leg must be insanely tempered.'
Boom!
The clash scattered the sword gleam unexpectedly, shaking the blade. Then Yeop Hyeon's hand shot out, grasping the hilt.
The Spirit Water Sword gleamed fiercely again.
One Sword Determines Life and Death!
Yeop Hyeon's mightiest technique unleashed!
He always entered battles confident one strike would end foes. Realizing this one wasn't easy, he opted for his ultimate move.
Any more chances given would only worsen things.
And this was his strongest trump card!
Ultimate sword momentum infused the razor edge.
Sword Momentum!
The man before it looked shocked but stood firm—retreating meant death.
His face twisted fiercely as he stomped his right foot hard.
"Shatter!"
Boom!