Yeop Hyeon returned to the lowest floor room where they had originally been staying, Yeop Ryeong in tow. He was completely fed up with all the talk about "luxury suites" and the like.
After confirming that Yeop Ryeong had fallen asleep, Yeop Hyeon entered the Boundary Jade Tower. Somehow, a strange atmosphere hung in the air.
The second floor of the tower had begun to shake!
Before Yeop Hyeon could even react, the voice of the Heavenly Maiden sounded.
[Do you feel any better now?]
Yeop Hyeon adopted his stance, directing his gaze into the darkness.
"Thank you for sparing my life, Heavenly Maiden!"
The Heavenly Maiden's cold voice replied.
[Do you know why I intervened?]
Yeop Hyeon shook his head.
"I asked if you knew the consequences your sword would bring. Do you remember?"
Yeop Hyeon nodded.
[If at that moment you had put your sword away, I would not have emerged either.]
Yeop Hyeon did not understand.
"What do you mean, Heavenly Maiden? Are you saying you came to save me because I recklessly opposed him?"
[It is about the qualification to be a sword cultivator. If your own family were in such a situation, and yet you only worried about the outcome, you would never have been worthy of wielding the sword.
Had you not drawn that single sword, your heart would have been filled with resentment. Your sword spirit would have shattered, and you would have forever lost the chance to become a sword cultivator!]
"What does it mean for the sword spirit to be destroyed?"
Seeing Yeop Hyeon still confused, the Heavenly Maiden continued.
[A sword cultivator must train not only their sword, but also their heart. The heart represents one's true intentions. Earlier, you had the intent to commit murder for the sake of your younger sister. But if you had tried to suppress the incident out of fear of the consequences, you would have betrayed your own heart.
You might think this is trivial, but it is extremely important. The sword is connected to the cultivator's heart. The moment you betray your true intentions, the realm of Clarity of Sword Spirit (劍心澄澈) inevitably breaks.]
Yeop Hyeon forced a bitter smile.
"Heavenly Maiden, if it's always like this, sword cultivators wouldn't last long."
The Heavenly Maiden's voice softened slightly.
[That is also why there are so few sword cultivators in the world. Especially, true Sword Immortals are exceedingly rare. I told you the path of the sword is far more arduous than you imagine, and that is precisely why.]
Yeop Hyeon took a deep breath. Now, he felt he began to understand the meaning behind her words.
[I was not supposed to emerge from the tower. Yet, in the end, I did. Do you know the consequences this will bring?]
"The consequences?"
Yeop Hyeon could not comprehend what she meant.
"What consequences?"
[As I said before, the tower's seal has already weakened considerably. By leaving the tower for a moment, the seal surrounding it has been affected. In simple terms, the timing for the second-floor seal to break has been accelerated. At most, in four or five months, the second-floor seal will be completely gone.
If you do not retrieve the Dao Principles before then, you will die. And let me warn you: in that case, I cannot help you. The moment I intervene against the sealed beings, the tower's entire seal will be affected, bringing even worse consequences. Do you understand?]
Yeop Hyeon fell silent for a moment, his expression serious, before asking.
"So does that mean you can never emerge again, Heavenly Maiden?"
[Not until you find the Dao Principles. You cannot even leave the tower like this, not anymore. Even if it were possible, I would never emerge again. The only reason I intervened this time was because I admired your courage and I was displeased with that person's attitude. Do you understand now?]
Yeop Hyeon nodded.
"Yes, Heavenly Maiden!"
A person can only rely on themselves. Even if someone helps you once, there is no guarantee they will help again. Expecting it would be folly.
Receiving help even once is already a significant favor.
Yeop Hyeon had always been a person with strong self-respect. He never took others' help for granted. Raising his younger sister alone, he always believed he had to grow strong by himself.
The Heavenly Maiden's final words resonated deeply with him.
'That's right! I can no longer rely on the Heavenly Maiden. I must strengthen myself so I can protect both my sister and myself!'
However, finding the Dao Principles would be somewhat troublesome. To reach them, he first had to quickly attain either the Eight Skills Realm or the Mastery of Ability Realm. The Heavenly Maiden had said that at the Qi-Transformation stage, she could not control the Dao Principles.
'I must not neglect my training!'
Yeop Hyeon once again vowed to himself. His top priority now was curing his younger sister, Yeop Ryeong, followed by safeguarding the tower's seal.
He had already sensed that something was wrong with the Boundary Jade Tower. He could tell the Heavenly Maiden's words were not empty threats. If the seal broke, she would not be able to help him. When that time came, he would have to solve it using his own strength.
Suddenly, he asked a question.
"Heavenly Maiden, what exactly is Clarity of Sword Spirit?"
In truth, Yeop Hyeon had not fully grasped what she meant by Clarity of Sword Spirit.
[It is like looking into a mirror. Normally, you cannot see your true self, but when you look into a mirror, you see yourself clearly. Similarly, when you reach Clarity of Sword Spirit, you can perceive your sword path with perfect clarity.]
Yeop Hyeon asked softly.
"What changes when you reach Clarity of Sword Spirit?"
[Did you not feel any difference when you used One Sword Decides Life and Death?]
At that moment, Yeop Hyeon realized something.
'Yes, that's it!'
The first time he used One Sword Decides Life and Death, he had been left in a near-dead state. This time, he was only slightly fatigued!
[Upon reaching Clarity of Sword Spirit, illusions and trick techniques of the opponent will no longer affect you. Of course, this may differ if their skill far surpasses yours. Moreover, your mind and sword will be strongly connected, multiplying the power of your sword techniques and sword aura.
You must be a little tired now. I am tired of talking, so go practice with your shadow. In doing so, you will understand my words!]
Following her instructions, Yeop Hyeon summoned his shadow and began sparring.
However, the moment he used his sword, Yeop Hyeon was taken aback.
His sword felt different from before. Moreover, the shadow's sword also felt… odd. He could not explain it, but it felt almost too simple.
About an hour later, Yeop Hyeon had to stop the sparring.
His long sword had pierced through the shadow's chest.
In an instant, the shadow vanished without a trace.
Yeop Hyeon lowered his head silently for a moment.
After a while, he gazed steadily at the Young Sword in his hand. After staring for some time, he muttered softly.
"Now, it finally feels like you're really my sword…"
Until now, the Young Sword had felt like a foreign object to him.
It never truly felt like his own. The more he used it, the more awkward it felt.
Now, that strangeness was gone. Using the sword felt natural, comfortable.
Yeop Hyeon finally understood the importance of the connection between a swordsman and his sword.
After sheathing the sword, he left the Boundary Jade Tower and took a rest.
Rest was just as important as training. Only by resting and replenishing energy could he improve his training.
After some time, the cloud ship resumed its journey. Everything seemed as normal as ever.
People were still worried about the boy after the commotion on deck. They all assumed he must have died. Such was the presence of Chwiseonru's martial artists—they simply could not be opposed and survive.
The cloud ship crossed the great river and eventually reached a seemingly endless mountain range. Viewed from below, the mountains were a breathtaking sight.
Many people returned to the deck.
Their expressions were calm, as if nothing had happened. Since Chwiseonru had already issued a warning, they had to remain silent about what they had seen. Otherwise, the consequences could be dire.
No one could provoke Chwiseonru without risk.
In Yeop Hyeon's room, he woke to a gentle nudge across his face.
Yeop Ryeong was casually rubbing her head against his.
Seeing that Yeop Hyeon was awake, she smiled sweetly.
"Oppa!"
Groggy, Yeop Hyeon looked around and asked,
"How much time has passed?"
"Already past noon. You must have been really tired today. Sleep a little longer—I'll stay by your side!"
Yeop Hyeon smiled as he pinched his sister's nose lightly.
"Shall we go get some fresh air?"
After a quick wash, he and Yeop Ryeong went up to the deck.
The moment the siblings appeared, all eyes turned to them.
'They're alive?'
Everyone was filled with astonishment. Even after facing Chwiseonru's martial artists, they had survived?
At that moment, Yuk Soyeon noticed Yeop Hyeon and muttered quietly.
"That boy… he's definitely no ordinary kid…"
The chubby boy standing beside Yuk Soyeon approached the Yeop siblings. After staring at Yeop Hyeon for a while, he suddenly dropped to one knee.
"Master! Please accept me as your disciple! If you need money, just say the word! My father has an immense fortune!"
"..."
Yeop Ryeong covered her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh.
At that moment, Yuk Soyeon approached and lightly kicked the chubby boy, scolding him.
"Do you know how difficult it is to become a sword cultivator!?"
The boy looked up with a blank expression.
"What's so hard about it? Can't money solve everything?"
Yuk Soyeon looked exasperated and adopted a polite stance toward Yeop Hyeon.
"Please forgive my son's rudeness. It is my fault for failing to properly educate him!"
Yeop Hyeon smiled gently at the chubby boy.
"You want to become a sword cultivator?"
The boy nodded.
"Then, you should start by losing some weight first."
The boy's face turned serious.
'Lose weight? Are you trying to kill me?'
Seeing the boy's expression, both Yeop Hyeon and Yuk Soyeon struggled to contain their laughter.
"Master, are you heading to the Imperial City?"
"Yes."
"Then I suppose you are going to apply to Changmok Academy."
"How did you know that?"
Yuk Soyeon smiled.
"The recruitment for new students at Changmok Academy, held once every three years, is practically the greatest event in the kingdom. Any young person heading to the Imperial City at this time? Every single one is certainly going to apply to the academy."
She gestured toward her son.
"This is my eldest son, Yuk Myeong. He is also heading to apply to Changmok Academy."
The boy thumped his chest and shouted.
"Father, don't worry! I'll get into the academy for sure! And if I fail, I'll just buy the whole academy!"
"..."
"You know, I may have spoiled you too much."
Yeop Hyeon nodded. The Imperial City was the most prosperous place in the kingdom, attracting talent from all over. While Yuk Myeong might have acted as he pleased within Tianshan Castle, doing the same in the Imperial City would surely bring great embarrassment. Seeing him, Yeop Hyeon understood why his father worried so much about him.
Watching them quietly, Yeop Hyeon felt a strange sense that his connection with these people might be long-lasting.