80 - Monochrome Sovereign

Chapter 80. Natural Enemies (5) “Please! Grand Lord! Quickly, the Grand Young Master...!” “Wait.” “What?!” “I said, wait.” “But Grand Lord! The Grand Young Master is in danger!” “In what sense?” The Azure Hawk Squad, hidden within the forest, had a clear view of the entire battle unfolding at the front. The eyes of the Divine Strategist lit up. “The Grand Young Master is more than capable of handling them.” “He’s that strong?” “He is strong. But that’s not quite the point.” Even the Divine Strategist wasn’t entirely sure. After all, the Grand Young Master was up against a significant number of enemies at quite a distance. Still, one thing was certain. ‘He knows their weakness.’ This was not mere casual knowledge. It was an almost flawless counter-strategy. Every step, every gesture seemed to shatter the enemy’s martial arts like dry reeds. Whenever he appeared to strike, he would suddenly retreat out of their range, only to launch another furious attack, as if they had pre-arranged their moves. The Divine Strategist was bewildered. ‘He sees through their martial arts completely. How is this possible?’ Could it be that the Grand Young Master has mastered all the martial arts of renowned clans? How? Just then. Chirp! Chirp! From beyond the bushes, came the sound of a bird. A chirp infused with a very faint internal energy. The eyes of the Azure Hawk Squad members widened. “Prepare yourselves.” Inside the Divine Strategist’s body, the power of the Dragon Robe began to stir. “When the signal comes, we’ll push forward immediately.” * * * Splat! Flesh and blood erupted. ‘I can see it.’ Crack! Slash! With a single axe swing, the horse's head and a Death Swordsman's torso were split and soared through the air. ‘I see everything.’ The energy of the White Tiger and Black Tortoise surged and spread wide. As the fight progressed, the martial prowess of the War Emissary grew ever more fierce. But it wasn’t merely wild. It was fierce and savage, yet detailed and fluid. Amongst the raging True Qi of the Spirit Ghost and the Qilin, Yeon Ho-jeong’s martial arts were blossoming glorious as ever. Splat! Splat! It was an axmanship possessed by a divine fury. Spear techniques, sword techniques, staff techniques, and chaotic combat skills had merged to be reborn as axe techniques with lethal force. He swung and struck, shattered and smashed. It was a martial art that maximized the destructive power of a mighty weapon. And not just that. Whirr! Blades swirling and the extending force of punches and palms dissipated under the unrestrained energy of the White Tiger and Black Tortoise. Not merely dissipated—it was absorbed. The destructive shockwaves that met the axe and fists dissipated and were absorbed by the White Tiger and Black Tortoise energies, which then consumed them. Yeon Ho-jeong’s gaze grew fiercer. ‘It’s working!’ He wasn’t tiring. The opponents’ energy, shockwaves, and impacts were further fueling and strengthening Yeon Ho-jeong’s True Qi. With that heightened strength, the axe that followed cut down enemies and smashed bodies like an invincible weapon. Thud! Thud! Thud! Yeon Ho-jeong’s movements noticeably quickened. The axe’s power exploded. The Yeon Clan’s Thirteen Fists and Linked Flying Swallow Palm transformed into fatal hammer blows, claiming the lives of the Death Swordsmen. Myeong Jeok-ryang, captain of the Fifty Death Swordsmen, was aghast. “T-That monster!” Yeon Ho-jeong, radiating fierce killing intent, was overwhelming the Death Swordsmen. It was truly like a tempest sweeping through. Wherever the martial arts of the Western Sovereign White Tiger passed, a shower of blood rose, and when the Northern Sovereign Black Tortoise's martial arts followed, bone-crushing sounds filled the air. He was invincible. To the renowned warriors of the noble clans, who had mastered the four ultimate arts, Yeon Ho-jeong was nothing short of a calamity. Splurge! With a horrific sound, the heads of two Cold-Blooded Warhorses soared high into the air. Simultaneously, the bodies of three Death Swordsmen were torn and scattered. Shing! In that instant, Myeong Jeok-ryang felt a chilling sensation. The enemy, who was swinging a weapon the size of a human body, had locked onto him. The black and white aura in the eyes seemed as if it would pierce straight through his skull. Boom! His foreboding was spot-on. Yeon Ho-jeong, having overpowered the Death Swordsmen with sheer force, leaped off a Cold-Blooded Warhorse's back and lunged towards Myeong Jeok-ryang. ‘Damn it!’ Myeong Jeok-ryang's hand moved to the longsword strapped to his back. Phoenix True Qi flared up like fire. It was at that moment. Bang! With an enormous shockwave, Yeon Ho-jeong’s body was blasted backwards. Crash! As he landed, he quickly regained his stance, but the lingering force was too powerful. Yeon Ho-jeong’s feet carved long trenches into the ground. Sizzle! Suddenly, standing before Myeong Jeok-ryang was a swordsman igniting the flames of the Fire Deity. “Insolent fool!” Crash! The ground around Myeong Cheon’s feet started to crack like a spiderweb. Blaze! The flames roared, filling the surroundings. ‘How can this be!’ Myeong Jeok-ryang was struck with a monumental shock. ‘To have mastered the Phoenix Divine Art to such a degree...!’ It was overwhelming. Even though he had trained the Phoenix Divine Art tirelessly, day and night, the level was vastly different. The head of the Renowned Clans, Thunderfire Divine Sword Myeong Cheon. A supreme master renowned for wielding his sword as swiftly as lightning and as powerfully as fire had finally entered the fray. As Myeong Cheon glanced around, killing intent flared in his eyes. In that brief skirmish, more than half of the Death Swordsmen had lost their lives. “You incompetent fools! I can’t stand idly by any longer!” Surprisingly, his anger was directed at the Death Swordsmen rather than Yeon Ho-jeong. “How could you, with such lackluster skill in the divine arts, be defeated by such a mere whelp?!” It was an unfounded complaint. If Myeong Jeok-ryang could see it, Myeong Cheon could surely see it too. Yeon Ho-jeong’s martial art was innately powerful, but more crucially, it was thoroughly dismantling their martial techniques. In essence, he was exploiting every weakness of the four divine martial arts to systematically defeat them. Yet, to claim it was due to their slack training? “You worthless worms! I was foolish to ever consider you in my plans for world domination!” Of course, Myeong Cheon knew there was nothing flawed with the Death Swordsmen’s martial arts. He was well aware that Yeon Ho-jeong’s martial arts were beyond imagination, and that he had a perfect understanding of the weakness in the four divine arts. Yet, he couldn't accept it. The renowned clans had been established by ancestors who, along with the Four Directions Martial Emperor, had driven out the Blood Sect from the martial arts history books. And now, what they had mastered was a martial art that marked an era during the most chaotic yet glorious times of the martial world. Myeong Cheon could not bring himself to acknowledge that such martial techniques were being dismantled by this whelp. Crack. Yeon Ho-jeong rose to his feet, stamping firmly on the displaced soil, and looked at Myeong Cheon with a smile. “So, you've finally graced us with your presence?” Myeong Cheon's eyes flashed with intensity. The strike he had delivered carried considerable power. Enough that any master of the Death Swordsmen’s caliber would not escape without internal injuries, and yet, this one seemed unaffected. A deep voice rumbled from Myeong Cheon’s mouth. “Yes, indeed, you do have some skill.” An electric hum resonated from Myeong Cheon’s sword. It wasn’t the common sword found in the Central Plains. It was a greatsword, notably longer and twice as wide as an ordinary longsword. It was more akin to a military greatsword than a martial arts sword. Even the hilt surpassed a foot in length, designed for a two-handed grip—truly a two-handed sword. A malefic gleam danced in Myeong Cheon's eyes, surpassing mere killing intent. “I'll sever your head and toss it at Yeon Wi's feet, that damn wretch. I’m curious to see if he can keep his composure, faced with his son's head, salted and preserved.” The provocation was extensive. No greater provocation could be directed at Yeon Ho-jeong, who harbored deep familial loyalty. ‘…….’ Yet, for some reason, he felt a calmness within. Even as he faced the true architect behind his family’s downfall, his mind remained clear. Whoosh. A white breeze danced along the slowly moving axe blade. Yeon Ho-jeong closed his eyes and gazed at the heavens. 'Finally, I'm here.' He had left home and ventured into Hanam. He had shaken the eminent clans through numerous battles. The time span was not extensive, yet to Yeon Ho-jeong, it felt like an eternity. ‘Father. You might not know about this age-old grudge, but I'm here to eliminate it. You might not notice, but I will exact this revenge.’ As thoughts of his father surfaced, they naturally brought forth memories of Yeon Ji-Pyeong. The white hands of his sister, offering rice balls with a bright smile, dazzled him in his mind’s eye. ‘Pyeong Ah.’ Strength surged into his hands, gripping the axe handle. ‘I shall absorb every tear you might shed in the future.’ His father of the past, his father of the present. His sister of the past, his sister of the present. The past, filled with deep-seated hatred, blended with the future imbued with hopeful momentum. Finally, it forged the present that was Yeon Ho-jeong’s. Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed open. BOOM! With formidable footwork came a surging tide of energy that shook the heavens and the earth. Yeon Ho-jeong shouted. His voice full of confidence, a martial artist's determination imbued in every word. “Bring it on, Myeong Cheon.” A commanding presence unseen in anyone else emanated from him. Myeong Cheon’s face contorted in rage. “...Brat!” Swish! Myeong Cheon lunged forward. It had begun—this duel, this blood battle, the blood debt shaped by the martial world now demanded the lives of both men. Yeon Ho-jeong’s axe and Myeong Cheon’s greatsword clashed head-on. CRASH! A deafening roar reverberated across the land. A clash of mighty weapons, a battle of sheer strength. Thud! Yeon Ho-jeong was propelled backward. The dominant force was undeniable. Myeong Cheon was not just a master but had achieved a pinnacle level akin to Yeon Wi. For Yeon Ho-jeong, a head-on confrontation at this moment was madness. Bang! BOOM! Yet, Yeon Ho-jeong did not halt. Regaining his balance almost instantly, he stepped forward with the White Tiger Sovereign’s two steps. ‘What?!’ He thought the clash would render him incapacitated, but no. In the blink of an eye, Yeon Ho-jeong charged again, this time with twice the intensity. Myeong Cheon swung his sword. Yeon Ho-jeong met it with a fierce blow of his own. Clang! Clang! Their weapons collided, setting off brilliant sparks. In a brief span, they clashed countless times, moving at a speed unparalleled even to a master’s eye. Though both wielded heavy weapons, their martial prowess was as swift as fast swordplay. A chilling gleam appeared in Myeong Cheon’s eyes. “Insolent cur!” Slash! Blood spurted from Yeon Ho-jeong’s chest. A particularly deep cut from left collarbone to right abdomen. Just then, as Myeong Cheon sneered, CRASH! “Kuh!” Myeong Cheon was forced backward, staggered. Despite the seemingly fatal blow, Yeon Ho-jeong retaliated immediately, swinging his axe. Had Myeong Cheon not been cautious, that strike could have cleaved him in two. “You lunatic!” Bang! Bang! The White Tiger Sovereign Steps unfurled. With time, it drew upon tremendous power. Even the formidable Myeong Cheon was caught off guard by the aura of the Tiger King. Clang! Clang! With each boost of energy, the power of the flaming axe increased. Bang! Bang! Once more, it was a pressing advance—it was an attack. Clang! Clang! As the power increased, so did the speed. The ferocious force of the Nine Emerald Stances of the Tiger King crashed down like a thunderbolt. Whoosh! At some point, Yeon Ho-jeong’s movements realized an inexplicable speed. Rumble! In an instant bombardment of martial arts, Myeong Cheon’s body reeled backward in astonishment. It was the Linked Forward Advance Steps of the White Tiger Sovereign Steps. Urging his opponent with extreme determination, the White Tiger's true aura invoked the secret maneuver of Sovereign Steps. BOOM! Myeong Cheon’s body shuddered. Blood trickled from his hand gripping the sword. Yeon Ho-jeong's face twisted. The sight of his opponent's blood roused his ferocity. “Myeong Cheon...!” Clang! BOOM! Though he managed to block the downward axe strike, his feet sank into the ground up to his ankles. Thud! An astonishing sight unfolded. Yeon Ho-jeong’s fist managed to land on Myeong Cheon’s shoulder. Staggering, Myeong Cheon reeled. The visage of an enraged beast rose upon Yeon Ho-jeong’s face. “Don’t back down so easily! If you don't put up a proper fight, I’ll tear you apart!”