Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 218

Washing Ashore (7)

‘Fast!’

Hwa-Won felt a chill run down her spine at Yeon Ho-Jeong’s footwork.

It wasn’t a movement technique, but footwork. Although she couldn’t react, she could see the type of movement he was using.

‘What kind of footwork is that?!’

She had never encountered such footwork before.

Footwork, in essence, is the art of walking.

In martial arts, it’s interpreted as a type of body movement to maximize the advantages of offense and defense. It’s not a running technique like a movement technique that covers long distances, but a move that creates a favorable situation for attack, defense, and evasion.

Therefore, footwork is rarely practiced in isolation. Most of the time, it’s done in conjunction with weapon techniques or fist and palm techniques.

‘Whatever it is, he’s strong.’

Hwa-Won’s eyes wavered.

‘To think he’d be this strong.’

A mysterious footwork she had never seen before, and an overwhelming aura that surrounded the area.

‘Does that mean I couldn’t even gauge my opponent’s strength?!’

A level where one can perfectly conceal not only their inner energy but also the strength of their martial arts.

‘The Wall of No Form!’ [A state of martial arts mastery where one’s true strength is completely hidden.]

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked down at Won-Gak.

Won-Gak almost screamed at the chilling gaze, like a winter snowstorm.

“I’ve never liked you.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong raised his hand.

Whoooom.

Sharp energy rose from his hand.

He was manifesting the sharpness of a weapon with his true energy. The azure dragon energy that surrounded his entire hand blade formed a long, slender shape.

It wasn’t a sword or a blade.

‘A spear?!’

Hwa-Won shouted.

“Stop right now!”

Thud!

Won-Gak’s eyes widened as if they would burst. His hands and feet trembled.

“I’m sorry, but…”

Shlurk.

The energy of the hand spear pierced through his throat and neck bone, tearing apart Won-Gak’s medulla and cerebrum.

Yeon Ho-Jeong shook his hand.

The blood that stained the green-blue true energy splattered everywhere.

“I don’t make empty promises.”

Cough!

Won-Gak coughed up blood several times before collapsing.

“…!!”

The atmosphere within the manor plummeted.

He was dead.

He had really killed him. Just for showing killing intent.

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked at Hwa-Won with cold eyes.

“You…!!”

Whoosh!

A strange aura emanated from Hwa-Won’s body.

However, she couldn’t easily make a move. Unbelievable as it was, her opponent was a supreme master who had broken through the Wall of No Form.

It might be different on a battlefield with many variables, but it would be difficult to win in a head-on fight. Moreover, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s group was behind her.

They were also masters with considerable skills. The probability of winning a fight was close to zero.

“I told you before. If you’re a bodyguard, act like one and stay at home. We’re not under Yang Bu-Ju’s command yet, so we don’t need to listen to his orders.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled.

It was a chilling smile. Unlike the expression of smiling, the aura that poured in like a waterfall contained unimaginable killing intent.

“And I also said this. If you glare like that, I’ll pluck out your eyeballs.”

“… !”

“Next is your turn. Hand over your head willingly. I don’t want to pluck your head off while plucking your eyeballs.”

Hwa-Won felt goosebumps.

‘A madman!’

This was a complete madman. A madman, a demon, would not be enough to describe him. No matter what kind of contract he had with his lord, how could he commit such an outrageous act in the front yard of the Muk Ryong Clan?!

“Come forward.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong held out his hand.

It was a truly arrogant gesture, as if demanding his own possession.

“Hand over your head. If you don’t want to die.”

“… Is it you?”

“I said, hand over your head.”

Hwa-Won shouted frantically.

“Isn’t it you who kidnapped the successor of the Guicheol Sword Clan!” [A prestigious sword clan.]

Yeon Ho-Jeong spoke in a blunt tone.

“It seems you want to end up like my subordinate.”

“…!!”

“If that’s what you want, fine.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong took one step forward.

Whoosh.

A terrifying killing intent was carried on the cool breeze.

It was truly terrifying killing intent. It was the kind of madness that only a demon who kills people like eating meals could emit.

Ga Deuk-Sang looked at Pa Sa-Reuk.

[Uh, what should we do?]

[I don’t know either, you beggar.]

[That guy, even if it’s a feigned killing intent, it’s too brutal, isn’t it? What if he really kills her?!]

Pa Sa-Reuk’s eyes flashed.

That killing intent is feigned?

‘That can’t be.’

Pa Sa-Reuk knew. Such killing intent could never be faked.

Even for a master who had broken through the Wall of No Form. That killing intent was not just a matter of spreading intent with inner energy, but a killing intent that came from the heart of someone who had committed murder as if it were a daily routine.

‘Tsk.’

What kind of life did that guy live to be able to emit such terrible killing intent?

‘This won’t do.’

Pa Sa-Reuk took a step forward.

“Wait a moment.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s foot twitched.

Pa Sa-Reuk spoke in a calm voice, unlike his usual self.

“I don’t like that monkey-like woman either, but since you’ve killed one, how about we stop here?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong frowned.

It was an expression of displeasure. And that expression was clearly visible to Hwa-Won as well.

Pa Sa-Reuk clicked his tongue.

“Wasn’t this role supposed to be mine? You’re making such a fuss, it’s making me feel uneasy.”

“…”

“Let’s stop. We still have to see Yang Bu-Ju’s face.”

“… Haa.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong sighed.

Swoosh.

The air that had been heated up regained its previous coolness. Yeon Ho-Jeong had erased his killing intent.

He said to Hwa-Won.

“You, consider yourself lucky.”

Hwa-Won bit her lip.

Yeon Ho-Jeong kicked Won-Gak’s corpse.

Thud!

He kicked it so hard that the corpse flew over the wall.

“Kyaaaak!”

“What, what is it?!”

“It’s a corpse!”

The area outside the wall instantly became chaotic. It was understandable that people would be terrified when a corpse suddenly fell on a path where people were walking.

Was this how a tyrant, drunk with madness, would act? Everyone in the group, except for Pa Sa-Reuk, was inwardly startled by his violent actions.

Yeon Ho-Jeong spoke coldly.

“So, what did you say?”

“Gui, Guicheol…”

When one cultivates martial arts, their mental strength naturally increases. But perhaps it was because she had encountered such an unimaginable sight? Her voice trembled involuntarily.

Hwa-Won quickly composed herself.

“Are you the one who kidnapped the successor of the Guicheol Sword Clan?”

“You, were you called Hwa-Won?”

“…?”

“I don’t know if you’ll ever come to me again, but if you bring up something that hasn’t even been properly confirmed, I’ll tear you apart and kill you.”

Shivers!

Goosebumps rose all over her body.

He wasn’t even showing killing intent, but his words felt even more brutal. After all, this madman had killed his subordinate right in front of her.

Hwa-Won gritted her teeth.

Even though she had heard those words, she couldn’t help but check again.

“So, are you saying you don’t know the successor of the Guicheol Sword Clan?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong chuckled. It was a hollow laugh filled with dismay.

“Who told you that? That I hid the successor of the Guicheol Sword Clan?”

“…”

“No, before that, wasn’t it said that the Guicheol Sword Clan was destroyed?”

Hwa-Won’s eyes wavered.

“How do you know that?”

“How do I know? Just walk around the marketplace once, and you’ll hear it.”

“…”

“Destruction means that the clan is ruined, so at least the leadership and the successor are all dead, right? The successor survived?”

A frowning face, a vague gaze.

Even in the midst of fear, Hwa-Won read a faint hint of bewilderment on his face.

‘What is it? Does he really not know?’

She thought it was impossible.

To be precise, she didn’t think there could be a culprit other than Yeon Ho-Jeong. The timing was suspicious, and he was a very suspicious person.

Moreover, although she hadn’t grasped his true strength, she had heard that he was a talent highly praised by Bu-Ju. That meant he was a master who had cultivated considerable martial arts.

So, she pushed him. To be more honest, she also wanted to vent her anger over the deaths of her subordinates.

She never imagined that her choice would lead to this situation.

“So, what’s your reason for being so sure that I kidnapped that successor or whatever?”

“That’s…”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s expression turned cold.

This time, even Pa Sa-Reuk couldn’t help but glare at Hwa-Won with murderous intent.

Ga Deuk-Sang chuckled and said.

“You came to see how we’d react.”

Hwa-Won realized her mistake and tried to fix her expression. Of course, it was too late.

“That’s not it! Clearly, the information agents of the Jangsa said you were suspicious…!”

“Besides me, how many other suspicious people are there?”

Hwa-Won couldn’t answer. In fact, if she were to list all the people who had been labeled as suspicious, she would have to make several lists.

Ga Deuk-Sang spoke in a sarcastic tone.

“I heard that the information network of the Black Path is superior to that of the White Path, but now it seems that you’re not good at gathering information, but rather a group of people who manipulate information as they please?”

“That’s!”

“Someone said that in a certain village, people’s prayers always reach the heavens. They pray until it rains, so the success rate is ten out of ten.”

“…”

“Isn’t your behavior no different from that?”

He said to Yeon Ho-Jeong.

“Hey, what are you going to do about this? Are you really going to trade with the Muk Ryong Bu-Ju? From what I see, it’s just a flashy organization with no substance.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong didn’t take his eyes off Hwa-Won.

“I’m regretting it a bit now. I didn’t like the fact that the bodyguards they assigned were annoying, but to be accused of being a criminal without any certainty… Before their information network, was Yang Bu-Ju such an incompetent person that he couldn’t even properly educate his subordinates?”

Hwa-Won’s face turned red.

She was angry and ashamed. She never thought that her actions alone would lead to such an evaluation of Bu-Ju.

Perhaps it was because she couldn’t suppress her rising emotions? Hwa-Won involuntarily shouted.

“Watch your mouth! This was just my way of venting, it has nothing to do with Bu-Ju…!”

Hwa-Won couldn’t even finish her sentence. She belatedly realized that her outburst was tantamount to admitting her mistake.

Whoosh.

The air heated up.

It was a different killing intent from Yeon Ho-Jeong’s brutal one. It was the killing intent of Pa Sa-Reuk, Ga Deuk-Sang, Tang Sang-A, and Jeagal Ayeon that surged at once, forcibly raising the temperature of the atmosphere.

By now, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s expression had become calm. Even his gaze.

“I’ll let Yang Bu-Ju know about today’s events.”

“…”

“Get lost now. And withdraw all your troops.”

Hwa-Won, who had been biting her lip, left the manor as if fleeing.

Whoooom.

The air that had been heated up slowly subsided.

Ga Deuk-Sang clicked his tongue.

“I was just trying to change the atmosphere, but seeing that, I’m really starting to wonder. Is it a more disorganized group than I thought?”

Pa Sa-Reuk shook his head.

“Even in Buddhist temples, murderers are born, and even in Taoist temples, thieves are born. We shouldn’t underestimate the Muk Ryong Clan just because of one woman like that.”

“Tsk, I guess so.”

Ga Deuk-Sang looked at Yeon Ho-Jeong with a puzzled expression.

“By the way, Yeon Hyung. What’s this about the successor of the Guicheol Sword Clan? Did Yeon Hyung really do it?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong silently looked at the gate.

The presence of Hwa-Won, as well as the entire Hwa-Won unit, was fading into the distance.

“…A sharp one.”