Chapter 67: Heavenly Connection, Earthly Bond

Standing at the entrance of the classroom, Xiaoming took a deep breath and firmly held the letter containing the secret given to him by his mother.

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Amidst the cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of the promise written there.

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On the way to the highest peak of Mount Obong, Isomin's heart was calm as she ascended with her grandfather, Yi Jeong, the revered master of Yecheon Sword Sect. This was only possible due to her absolute trust in Yi Jeong. In the village, she had felt a slight tension, but once they entered Mount Obong, the tension disappeared. Instead, she even imagined the brazen thief kneeling and begging for mercy.

While Misaki and Yi Jeong were admiring the misty mountains across from them, they heard someone approaching. Isomin subtly turned her head.

Boldly, the young thief was climbing up alone.

'He's quite brave, isn't he?'

Even the elders of Yecheon Sect couldn't hold their heads high in front of her grandfather, yet this thief stood with his head held high, as if saying, "Let's see what you've got."

Finally, Yi Jeong spoke.

"Are you the one who taught martial arts to the Ten Heroes of Mount Obong?"

"Yes."

Yeonjeokha answered respectfully.

It wasn't because the other party was Yi Jeong, but because of his sage-like demeanor that inspired respect.

Yi Jeong was a person Yeonjeokha had never seen before. He was more like a sage than a martial arts master.

Yi Jeong's eyes softened at the respectful attitude.

Through his long years of experience, Yi Jeong could see the thief's true nature.

Rough and crude, but an unpolished gem, untainted by the world.

The animosity for insulting his granddaughter faded, and a strong curiosity about the thief arose.

"What sect are you from? You don't seem to be from the Green Forest Sect."

"Family martial arts."

"Oh! A distinguished family, I see."

Yi Jeong didn't ask further.

It was enough that the thief wasn't from an evil sect.

The basic information was sufficient, and the rest would become clear as they interacted.

Now it was time to get to the main point.

"You took my granddaughter as a hostage and demanded money, didn't you?"

"Ah, yes, it was kind of... an accident."

Yeonjeokha tried to downplay it.

In fact, if it weren't for Yeonsulju, it wouldn't have happened. Being next to a tough guy, he got caught in the crossfire. The Five Heroes of Luoyang were just caught up in Yeonjeokha's revenge.

"I'm not just upset about that. I heard you demanded a hundred silver taels as ransom. A hundred silver taels for my granddaughter, the daughter of the Yecheon Sect's leader? That's an insult to both the Yecheon Sect and me."

"Ah, I guess that's true."

When Yeonjeokha nodded seriously, Yi Jeong added with a look that said, "Look at this guy."

"By taking my granddaughter as a hostage, you're saying you don't even consider me?"

"Not at all. Honestly, I only thought about Uncle Junjaesword."

Yi Jeong felt a strange sensation from someone who called the leader of the Yecheon Sect "Uncle." It was like looking at a naive child who knew nothing about the world.

"Did you think you could handle Uncle Junjaesword?"

"A little."

"Ha!"

Yi Jeong couldn't help but chuckle.

To think there was a thief who saw the leader of the Yecheon Sect, Uncle Junjaesword, as just a neighbor!

"Even though Uncle Junjaesword isn't among the Ten Great Martial Artists, his level is by no means low. I need to see if you have the right to say such things."

"Ah..."

Yeonjeokha nodded, as if accepting the inevitable.

After all, Yi Jeong's purpose was to avenge his granddaughter. This wasn't something that could be resolved with words.

Yi Jeong then turned to his granddaughter.

"Stay back."

"Yes."

Isomin retreated to a distance from the two thieves.

Once he confirmed that his granddaughter was far enough away, Yi Jeong muttered to Yeonjeokha.

"Hehe! It's been thirty years since I last stained my sword with blood. If Uncle Junjaesword hadn't been injured, we wouldn't have met. Meetings are a heavenly connection, and relationships are an earthly bond. I will ask the heavens what kind of relationship we will have through our swords."

Yeonjeokha understood this as a challenge to fight without any grudges.

As Yi Jeong slowly drew his sword, Yeonjeokha also drew his saber.

Yi Jeong subtly pointed the tip of his sword at Yeonjeokha.

Swoosh.

Suddenly, a lightning-fast sword wind shot forward.

Yeonjeokha deflected the sword wind with a horizontal slash of his saber.

In the next moment, Yi Jeong took a step forward.

In an instant, his figure leaped over a distance of about three meters and appeared in front of Yeonjeokha.

His movement was like a ghost, and Yeonjeokha was momentarily taken aback.

Whirl.

Yi Jeong's sword relentlessly attacked Yeonjeokha's entire body.

Up, down, left, right, center.

It was the Five Elements Unchanging Sword, seamlessly blending real and feint attacks.

Yeonjeokha countered with the Four Seasons Wind and Rain Sword from the start.

There was no other way to block the sword attacks coming from all directions.

Seeing the young man stand his ground and counterattack, the corners of Yi Jeong's mouth curled up slightly.

Soon, Yi Jeong's sword was enveloped in a blue light.

He had infused the sword with the Xiantian Octagonal Divine Skill.

This was the so-called Sword Power (劍勁).

The energy (劍氣) infused in the sword overflowed and radiated outward.

Yi Jeong's internal strength was overwhelming, allowing him to emit Sword Power without even using Sword Qi.

Clang.

Yeonjeokha felt a chill when his saber touched the sword.

Upon closer inspection, the edge of the saber was chipped.

If the impact had been a bit stronger, the blade might have broken.

Yeonjeokha gathered all his internal strength.

As he poured it into his saber, Yi Jeong's sword danced again.

Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang.

The clash of sword and saber was as intense as a palm-to-palm internal strength battle.

Yi Jeong's internal strength was like the sea.

Yeonjeokha had no time to catch his breath against the relentless sword attacks.

After one round of sword attacks, when Yeonjeokha blocked the attack head-on, Yi Jeong's previously relaxed expression turned serious.

Not only was his sword technique profound, but his internal strength was also remarkable.

Could someone so young achieve this level?

It didn't seem like he had any extraordinary abilities.

The thief's internal strength was incredibly pure.

It felt even more potent than when he fought high-level masters from Wudang or Huashan in the past.

The source of his power was undoubtedly this.

It meant that his internal strength was pure, not derived from any evil methods.

It was Daoist internal strength!

'Is this the level of the Three Respected Ones of the Green Forest?'

Whoever made that judgment was way off.

At this level, he could easily surpass the Three Respected Ones of the Green Forest.

Now he understood what the thief had said. At this level, Uncle Junjaesword wouldn't have been able to handle him.

Yi Jeong took a step back, raised his sword to eye level, and lightly touched the sword tip with his finger.

This was the starting posture of the Xiantian Octagonal Sword.

He was about to use his signature technique, the Xiantian Octagonal Sword.

Isomin, who was tense, instinctively clasped her hands to her chest.

She had never seen her grandfather so serious.

Was this young thief really that remarkable?

Watching the thief stand confidently in front of her grandfather, her heart suddenly raced.

'From a despicable thief to an incredible person.'

She suddenly realized she was hoping the thief wouldn't die at her grandfather's hands and was startled.

'No, he's just a thief!'

For the sake of the world, the thieves of the Green Forest must be eliminated.

Isomin shook her head vigorously to dispel the strange thoughts.

Meanwhile, the duel between Yi Jeong and Yeonjeokha was reaching its climax.

The light surrounding Yi Jeong's sword grew stronger, eventually obscuring the blade.

It was a Sword Beam.

The ultimate level that could shatter anything it touched.

Yi Jeong was using the Sword Beam to perform his ultimate technique, the Xiantian Octagonal Sword.

The sky split and the earth cracked.

Rumble. Boom.

Rocks split where the sword beam touched.

The area was filled with the sword shadows of the Xiantian Octagonal Sword, and Yeonjeokha leaped into the air, pushing off the ground.

He had no confidence in countering with the Four Seasons Wind and Rain Sword.

In mid-air, Yeonjeokha unleashed the Fifth Technique, Heaven and Earth Reversal, from the Six Techniques of Heaven and Earth.

An immense saber beam, capable of flipping heaven and earth, shot out.

However, the Heaven and Earth Reversal couldn't break through the tightly woven sword beams of the Xiantian Octagonal Sword. If he fell to the ground, he would have to face the sword beam with his bare body.

Yeonjeokha shouted, "Hah!" and leaped even higher into the sky.

At that moment, Yi Jeong released his sword.

Swoosh.

The sword, the Spirit Sword, flew through the air, slicing the atmosphere.

Yeonjeokha, shocked, swung his saber horizontally and vertically, unleashing the Sixth Technique, Heaven's Thunder Without Hope.

The saber beams formed a net around the sword.

However, when Yi Jeong lightly flicked his finger, the sword broke through the net.

It felt like he was cornered.

"Damn!"

Yeonjeokha suddenly threw his saber.

The spinning saber struck the sword.

Clang.

As the sword was deflected, Yi Jeong slightly pulled back his finger and then thrust it forward.

The sword, which had fallen, shot up again with great force.

'Huh?'

But the opponent who was there a moment ago was gone.

Looking around in confusion, he saw the thief had moved far away.

His arms were stretched out behind him, and his posture was comical.

He remembered seeing a similar light body technique in the market once.

It was called the Flying Swallow Step, modeled after a flying swallow.

Though it didn't match the subtle sword technique, its speed was incredible.

Yeonjeokha, who had covered a distance of about sixty meters in one leap, stopped and shouted.

"Huff, huff! Grandfather! I'm actually a swordsman, but I didn't bring my sword! Don't move! Let's have a proper rematch next time!"

Before Yi Jeong could respond, Yeonjeokha turned and ran away.

Isomin approached Yi Jeong, who stood there with a bewildered look.

"Grandfather? Is it over?"

"Ha! I've never seen such a despicable guy. What a pain."

Yi Jeong shook his head.

He could chase after him, but since they weren't mortal enemies, he didn't feel like it.

'Tsk! I was just about to teach him a lesson...'

It felt like he had done his business but hadn't cleaned up after.

Isomin glared at the mountain below with a cold expression.

"To make up an excuse and run away, what a coward. Right?"

"It's not necessarily so."

"Why?"

"What he said might be true."

"Eh?"

Isomin's eyes widened.

So, what was the point of fighting with a saber against her grandfather?

A sword and a saber are different.

A sword is good for thrusting, while a saber is good for slashing. Of course, a sword can also slash, and a saber can thrust. However, their uses are entirely different.

"Do you think he can use both a sword and a saber freely?"

Yi Jeong nodded.

"His saber technique had a lot of thrusting. It looked like he could move freely between sword and saber techniques. I think his sword technique is quite advanced."

"Then why use a saber?"

"I don't know. It might be a hidden technique in his sword style, or he might not be confident yet."

"Wow, that's ridiculous. A sword master fought with a saber against Grandfather?"

Isomin couldn't believe it.

But Yi Jeong seemed to take it lightly.

"Why are you so surprised? If you don't have teeth, you use your gums. I can use a saber too."

"That's only because you're Grandfather. The saying 'all rivers flow to the sea' isn't just a saying."

"That guy must have also reached the 'all rivers flow to the sea' level."

Yi Jeong's tone softened.

"No way. Do you really think that's possible?"

"Didn't you hear him? He said he's a swordsman."

"Grandfather! That's not true."

Isomin firmly denied it.

How could she believe what a thief said while running away?