If you ask people about Sword Emperor Ui Yangyeon, they always have a lot to say.

A wandering swordsman who climbed all the way to the heavens.

If we’re talking purely swordsmanship, someone stronger than the Sword Saint.

A living legend spoken of in the same breath as Sword Saint Yoo Cheongil.

And on and on.

Countless modifiers—yet the only existence who could be set beside the Sword Saint’s name.

That’s what they called him.

But even among all those labels, the sharpest, clearest word for him was this:

The Greatest Sword Under Heaven.

Between heaven and earth, the strongest swordsman among all swordsmen.

So strong that people said if he lifted a sword, there was no one stronger than Sword Emperor.

If he swung, the sky split and Mount Tai was cleaved.

A man who achieved everything a person could achieve with a sword in hand.

That was Sword Emperor.

And because he’d piled up absurd accomplishments during the Orthodox-Demonic War, people even whispered that maybe Sword Emperor—not Divine Spear—should have become the Alliance Leader.

Of course.

It all became meaningless, because Sword Emperor vanished.

Sword Emperor disappeared not long after the Orthodox-Demonic War ended.

Rumors spread that he might have died during the war—

But the Heaven-Beyond-Heaven never said a word.

Time passed, and Sword Emperor himself started to fade into a hazy legend.

And just when even the weight of his name and strength was beginning to thin—

SWISH—!!

“What is that......?”

“......The sky got cut?”

In the middle of ongoing battle, martial artists stared up into the air with eyes widened.

Despite the chaos and filth below, the heavens were spread wide.

And across them, an alien line had been drawn.

Any swordsman.

Any martial artist.

There was no way they wouldn’t know what it was.

It was a sword mark you recognized by instinct.

No matter how huge, how long, how unnatural it looked—

It was a sword mark.

The sky had been wounded.

Or the sky had been cut by a sword.

That understanding drove itself into everyone’s head.

And then—

“......Sword Emperor.”

RRRRRRRUMBLE.

The Heaven-Breaking Palace Lord had to grip his sword and glare at his opponent.

A gaunt old man with a small, one-armed frame.

The sight of him aiming this way with nothing but a worn sword in his hand was cold to the bone.

How could such a vast presence pour out of that small body?

No one could understand it.

“......I see. A variable.”

The Palace Lord nodded at once, accepting it.

This really was an unexpected variable.

“How are you here.”

Sword Emperor Ui Yangyeon.

One of the old monsters who should have vanished without a trace long ago.

Why was he here—in Henan, of all places, and at this exact moment?

It made no sense. The Palace Lord demanded an answer—

“Bang Clan’s child.”

Sword Emperor didn’t even spare him a glance.

He looked straight at Bang Sungyeon and asked.

“Was what you said true.”

“Mm?”

Bang Sungyeon tilted his head, like he didn’t know what he meant.

Then—

—Those Heaven-Breaking Palace trash. Can you really tell them apart? That’s what I’m asking.

It came via voice transmission.

Hearing it, Bang Sungyeon gave a faint smirk.

“It was.”

He answered like it had nothing to do with him.

Sword Emperor didn’t seem to care about that.

Only that the answer was yes.

“I see.”

Like that was enough, Sword Emperor tightened his grip.

“Then I’ll have to keep you alive.”

Sword Emperor’s presence swelled.

It was distant—vast. The force spreading from his feet shook the ground itself.

“Khk...!!”

Baek Cheonin, still on the ground, spat blood.

He was trembling like his body was being crushed under the pressure.

Seeing that, the Heaven-Breaking Palace Lord tightened his grip.

“Hm.”

He glanced back, toward where Divine Spear lay.

Could he use that fallen Divine Spear for something?

‘No.’

He was certain.

Sword Emperor wasn’t the kind of man who cared whether Divine Spear lived or died.

He’d cut both Divine Spear and himself down with a single sword.

And—

‘This side is the real problem.’

The Palace Lord had something he had to protect.

That Deputy Leader.

Normally, he wouldn’t care what happened to him—yet right now, that thing’s life mattered.

The moment Sword Emperor swung, that thing would die too, and an unnecessary fight would erupt.

‘With this body, still.......’

Right after fighting Divine Spear, facing Sword Emperor too would be beyond the limit.

So the Palace Lord moved immediately.

KUAAAH—!!

An unknown gray energy burst out of his body.

Seeing it, Sword Emperor struck once.

There was no sound. The energy was cut with the impact.

SWISH—!!

The sound of it tearing came a heartbeat later.

Sword Emperor frowned.

“Running.”

The Palace Lord vanished.

Sword Emperor shifted his gaze to chase—

The Palace Lord was already far off, hauling Baek Cheonin with him.

“Facing even you wasn’t in the plan.”

“I won’t let you go.”

“Better to let me go. We both have something we need to protect.”

“.......”

Sword Emperor halted for a fraction of a moment.

“My purpose doesn’t include fighting you. But if you raise your sword, I’ll do my best to kill that kid.”

The Palace Lord looked straight at Bang Sungyeon.

“So doesn’t it make sense to let this pass? I think you understand, Sword Emperor.”

SSSS.

Gray energy wrapped around the Palace Lord’s whole body.

“Killing that kid will take an instant, and escaping you isn’t impossible. Want to gamble? Sword Emperor.”

“.......”

Sword Emperor’s face hardened.

That instant of hesitation was enough.

“See you next time. I got what I needed.”

The Palace Lord moved.

As his body grew faint, he spoke to Bang Sungyeon.

“You’d better keep the key safe. I’ll come take it from you soon.”

“Oh, this?”

Bang Sungyeon shook the Divine Sword.

“If you’re coming, you’d better come as fast as you can. Next time I’ll slice your neck into little crunchy pieces.”

“......Ha.”

The Palace Lord let out a hollow laugh.

“An arrogant bastard.”

With that, he disappeared.

“Hm.”

Only after he was gone did Bang Sungyeon move.

He walked toward Divine Spear, still collapsed in front of him.

“Look at you.”

Bang Sungyeon smiled as he looked down at the wreck.

The wounds were deep, and the blood pouring out of them kept dripping to the ground.

Barely clinging to life.

He crouched and set a hand on Divine Spear’s body.

“You idiot. I told you over and over—if you fight that stupid, this is what happens.”

There was rough scolding mixed into his mutter.

HMMMM.

“Mm.”

The bleeding wouldn’t stop the way he wanted.

This miserable body was hitting its limit.

He’d filled his inner power as much as he could, but it was still flimsy.

So Bang Sungyeon—no, Yoo Cheongil—looked back at Sword Emperor.

“What are you doing?”

At Bang Sungyeon’s call, Sword Emperor narrowed his eyes.

“Come help.”

“......What?”

Was he ordering him around?

Sword Emperor looked genuinely thrown.

“Right now you’re the horse, aren’t you. If the owner tells you to come, you come. Why are you just standing there watching.”

“.......”

CLACK.

Without meaning to, Sword Emperor’s hand went to the hilt—

Then he let the tension go, walked over to Divine Spear, and placed his hand down with Bang Sungyeon.

SSSS.

A different quality of energy wrapped around Divine Spear’s body.

Only then did the bleeding stop.

But—

“His organs are ruined.”

He’d stopped the blood, but the wounds were still there.

His organs had been a mess for a long time already.

It was a miracle he was even alive.

“This is...... well.”

Yoo Cheongil stood up without expression.

There wasn’t anything more he could do.

If he was going to do something, it would have to be—

‘I need Yeon Heeseon.’

A martial artist’s hands couldn’t fix this.

He needed a Therapist.

And not just any Therapist.

The greatest one.

With that thought, Yoo Cheongil shifted slightly.

“It’s over.”

He whispered with tired eyes.

He was nearing his limit.

No—he’d already passed it.

“Hoo.......”

Yoo Cheongil exhaled.

And at the same time—

“Khk......!?”

Bang Sungyeon’s body woke up, and he dropped to one knee.

“Khk....... Huh......?”

Eyes wide, Bang Sungyeon looked around.

Sword Emperor was staring at him with arms crossed.

“.......”

Their eyes met.

...What?

Bang Sungyeon’s eyes rolled.

When I opened my eyes, Sword Emperor was right in front of me.

‘What the hell.’

I couldn’t process the situation.

I definitely remembered that before I blacked out, Yoo Cheongil took my body.

Then I lost consciousness, and now I’d woken up.

‘I don’t remember what happened while he was possessing me.’

Normally, I could feel everything Yoo Cheongil did while moving me.

But this possession felt different.

I couldn’t remember anything.

‘A-and on top of that.......’

I could see Divine Spear collapsed in front of me too.

What is this?

This place—

‘Isn’t this the tournament stage side?’

Everything was destroyed, but it wasn’t so unrecognizable that I couldn’t tell.

Why is it like this?

Don’t tell me—

‘......Did the old man do it?’

Yoo Cheongil. I wondered if he’d done all this.

‘No. No way.’

I told myself it couldn’t be.

This body is still mine. How could my body do something like th—

BZZZZZ.

“Kgh!?”

BOOM—!!

My knee slammed down hard.

A shock of pain tore through me and I wobbled.

“Kuhhk.......”

The pain was insane. What is this?

‘What the hell...... did he...... do.......’

What did he do with my body for it to hurt like this?

“Augh.......”

I couldn’t even pretend not to groan.

And—

‘And why is Sword Emperor even here.’

Why is Sword Emperor at my side?

He’s even holding his sword and glaring at me.

“Hoo....... Huh.......”

I steadied my breathing.

I didn’t know what was going on, but—

‘Did it get resolved......?’

If Yoo Cheongil borrowed my body, didn’t that mean something got resolved?

That hope rose up.

As long as it got resolved, I could live with ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) anything—

KRRRRK.

“......!”

The sound—no, the feeling—made me lift my head.

“......Damn it.”

Resolved my ass.

I clenched my jaw as I saw what had gathered at the center of the sky.

‘...Crazy.’

That disgusting energy I’d felt earlier—

Looks like this is where it’s centered.

‘What is that.’

A black ring spiraled in the sky.

From that ring, a monstrous malevolent aura poured down.

And—

‘Malicious ghosts are gathering.’

The malicious ghosts around Henan were reacting, swarming toward that spot.

KYAAAH—!!

KYAHAHAHAHA—!!

EUUHUHU!! HEH—!!

Resentment and rage.

Killing intent.

All kinds of murderous filth were pooling into one point.

“.......”

I forced myself fully upright.

‘...We’re screwed.’

That many malicious ghosts gathering into one point—

It’s basically the same as risking the birth of a disaster god.

If they keep clumping like that, there’s no telling what they’ll become.

‘What the hell.......’

What is that ring?

What is it doing that it can gather malicious ghosts like this?

I don’t know.

I can’t know, but—

‘...Ha.’

The instant I saw it, I understood what I had to do.

‘So I’m doing this crap again.’

One of the things I swore I’d never do in this life.

But in a situation like this, I didn’t have a choice.

Before I even fully gathered myself—

I raised both arms toward the sky.

“What are you doing—”

Sword Emperor started to ask, baffled, but—

“Please be quiet for a second. I need to focus.”

“.......”

I cut him off.

Even the fear I should’ve felt toward him wasn’t there right now.

“SSSS.”

I breathed out and focused on my heart.

I sharpened every nerve, touched what I’d set there—what I’d bound and combed into place—just once.

And then—

KYAAAH......?

KRRRK......?

The malicious ghosts’ gaze snapped to me in an instant.

Seeing that, I said—

“What are you doing.”

I grinned.

“If you saw me, you should be charging.”

Maybe that line pissed them off.

SWISH—!!

Every malicious ghost around me rushed in.

GRIT—! CRACK—!!

Fangs rose and tore at my body.

I didn’t feel pain.

Only my soul hurt a little.

I don’t know how many of them came at me.

A number too big to even register pushed in—

And by the time I couldn’t see any more malicious ghosts beyond my vision—

CLACK.

I locked the ring in my heart again.

“Hoo.”

Then—

RRRRRRRUMBLE—!!

I swallowed every malicious ghost inside my body.

TAP.

In an instant, I swallowed countless malicious ghosts.

“.......”

And I closed my eyes.

From here on out, I had to concentrate.