Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 300

Gi Woo-hee’s eyes wavered.

Whirr.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s energy was as still as a lake where not a single breeze stirred.

However, Gi Woo-hee could see it. The terrifying flames burning in his eyes.

It was cold, like the weather in the distant mystical land of the North Sea, where all directions were filled with transparent ice, yet within it, lava that could burn the world was seething.

‘An evil god.’

It was evil. The same destructive spiritual power that she had felt when she first saw Yeon Ho-Jeong was being felt again, undiminished.

‘It’s even stronger than before.’

The evil energy that no ordinary person could sense. In truth, it was only caught by Gi Woo-hee’s innate spiritual eyes, and it wasn’t actually an aura of evil or anything like that.

However, Gi Woo-hee could tell. Not as a martial artist, but as a physician, she felt Yeon Ho-Jeong’s energy.

‘He has achieved something in his martial arts!’

At that moment, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s mouth opened.

“How fascinating.”

“Y-yes?!”

A deep excitement flickered across Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face as he looked down at Shadow Stealth One.

“I’ve seen people from the Divine Flame Church, but I’ve never seen a master. Yet, I could feel a unique sense of incongruity in your internal energy.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong turned his gaze to Gi Woo-hee.

In that instant, Gi Woo-hee was overwhelmed by the urge to turn her head away. Yeon Ho-Jeong’s gaze was chillingly terrifying.

“That incongruity was extremely similar to the incongruity of the Demonic Sound Cult bastards. That’s how I could deduce that you belonged to the Three Teachings [a collective term for unorthodox martial arts schools]. But…”

Yeon Ho-Jeong turned his gaze back to Shadow Stealth One.

“This one is a bit different.”

Twitch! Twitch!

Shadow Stealth One’s body was constantly twitching. Even though his acupoints and blood points were sealed, he was still resisting.

It was astonishing. The pressure points that a master of Yeon Ho-Jeong’s caliber sealed were not something that could be undone with internal energy or strength. Rather, if one tried to forcefully release the pressure points, the meridians could be torn, causing fatal damage.

Yet, he was resisting. It was something that a master of internal energy who had inherited the martial lineage of the Central Plains [the heartland of martial arts in this world] could not easily imagine.

A faint smile appeared on Yeon Ho-Jeong’s lips.

“He’s definitely learned martial arts from the Three Teachings… but his main focus is on Central Plains martial arts. To be precise, it seems to be based on Central Plains assassination techniques.”

The ability to discern the origin of internal energy just by reading the energy itself.

Once one becomes a Grand Master of the Black Path [a term for martial artists who follow a darker path], they encounter martial arts that go beyond common sense. Among them, there were martial arts that were absurdly outrageous, while others, despite defying logic, were admirable.

However, even with such peculiarities, after seeing and feeling thousands of martial arts, one could categorize them.

Even if the energy was fierce, if the true energy was pure and righteous, it was classified as righteous martial arts. The Yeon Family’s divine skill that Yeon Ho-Jeong had mastered, as well as the martial arts of the Nine Great Sects and the Six Great Clans, were like that.

Even if the energy was calm, if the true energy was extreme and unbalanced, it was classified as evil martial arts. The martial arts of Pa Sa-Reuk, the leader of the Hall of Return, who fought against the Tangma Extinction Alliance, were like that.

In between righteous and evil martial arts were the internal energy cultivation methods of the majority of the current martial world. They were moderately stable, and if practiced according to the rules, the energy would become pure, with clear advantages and disadvantages, but not extreme.

The Hongcheon Energy that Yeon Ho-Jeong’s master had taught him was also an internal energy between righteous and evil. In terms of enlightenment, it was inferior to righteous martial arts, and in terms of extreme power, it was inferior to evil martial arts, but its energy accumulation was fast. Other than that, it didn’t have any particular advantages, but it also didn’t have any significant disadvantages. It was a martial art with great completeness in terms of balance.

Then, what martial art did Shadow Stealth One master?

It was the killing techniques of assassination arts.

Moreover, it wasn’t a unique killing technique from outside the Central Plains, but the scent of extremely secretive killing techniques unique to the Central Plains martial world was strongly present.

Yeon Ho-Jeong was certain. The martial art that this guy had mastered was a Central Plains killing technique.

Moreover, it was a top-tier killing technique. There were countless killing techniques in the Central Plains, but the secretive and insidious killing techniques like the one this guy had mastered were rare.

And Yeon Ho-Jeong could accurately see through the true nature of the killing technique this guy had mastered.

“He’s also mastered the Yin Fire Red Stream, but his main focus is on the Yin Cold White Stream. That’s why he can be so secretive.”

In that instant, Shadow Stealth One’s eyes shook as if an earthquake had struck.

Yin Fire, and Yin Cold.

“The Yin God I know is a different person, is he a disciple or something?”

Yin God.

A mysterious assassin who doesn’t show his face in the light, and even among those who live in the shadows, there are less than five people who have seen his face.

In the first place, most people don’t even know if an assassin called the Yin God exists. Even the Beggars’ Union, which is said to have the best information network, doesn’t know about the existence of the Yin God.

However, Yeon Ho-Jeong had seen it. The existence of the Yin God.

The greatest assassin in the world. He had seen the existence of a death god who had mastered the two great techniques of Yin Fire and Yin Cold to the extreme, taking the lives of his targets with a single light gesture.

Yeon Ho-Jeong wore a strange expression.

“What a strange coincidence. Since I returned, I saw a third-rate martial artist who inherited the Yin God’s skills in the place where the Western Chu Overlord died. That guy was a moron who couldn’t even master three-tenths of the Yin Fire and fell into demonic possession, but you’re a bit different.”

Around the time he entered Anhui with Yeon Ji-Pyeong to attend the meeting of the rising stars.

He had burned to death a madman who had only partially mastered the Yin Fire Red Stream at the Choseong Pavilion in Huaxian, Anhui Province. His name was probably Ma Bang?

That was also the place where he first met the Jeagal siblings. At that time, many relationships began around that incident.

“Gi Woo-hee.”

“Y-yes?!”

“This guy, he wasn’t born and raised in the Divine Flame Church, was he?”

Gi Woo-hee swallowed unconsciously.

“That… I don’t know either.”

Shock flickered in Shadow Stealth One’s eyes.

‘How can this be?!’

The young man who had sealed his blood points and acupoints was definitely the master who had escorted the Holy Maiden last time. The greatest rising star in the world, or something like that?

Yet, that master and the Holy Maiden were having a casual conversation. Even with him right in front of them.

Moreover, the Divine Flame Church?!

‘T-this guy! Does he know about our church!’

No, putting that aside.

‘Holy Maiden!’

Could it be that she had betrayed them? Is that really the case?

At that moment, Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled and said.

“Well, whether he was born and raised in the Divine Flame Church or was recruited by them, it doesn’t matter anymore.”

Thud!

“Kuh-euk!”

A chilling groan escaped from Shadow Stealth One’s mouth.

The acupoints were released, but the blood points were sealed even more strongly. This time, the energy that had penetrated through the blood points was not only stirring his entire body but also sealing his energy center.

The sealing of the energy center meant the neutralization of the dantian [the body’s energy center]. It was like putting on an unbreakable shackle that prevented him from using his internal energy at all.

“I was curious.”

Light flashed in Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes.

“If you could infiltrate the inner sanctum of the Martial Alliance, you must have absolute confidence in your stealth, regardless of your actual skills. So, when we went to escort Gi Woo-hee, you should have been watching her from an unseen place, but no matter how much I think about it, I don’t remember seeing any flies around.”

In fact, it was only possible because it was Yeon Ho-Jeong.

He knew at a glance that Gi Woo-hee was a pawn of the Three Teachings. No, at first it was just a suspicion, but he moved with almost complete certainty.

Immediately after realizing that, he opened his senses every moment to check if there were any escorts, assassins, or helpers around her.

Was Shadow Stealth One’s stealth technique perfect? Not at all.

It was at a great level, but it was by no means perfect. If his killing technique had been perfect, Yeon Ho-Jeong wouldn’t have been able to launch a surprise attack like this.

In other words, Shadow Stealth One was not beside Gi Woo-hee when she was being chased by the assassins sent by the Righteous Alliance.

What could be the reason?

“I see.”

The corners of Yeon Ho-Jeong’s mouth curled up.

“It’s not that you trusted us, nor that you didn’t want to get involved. It’s clear that you couldn’t take on the escort mission due to orders from your superiors, but why would those superiors leave someone called the Holy Maiden in a dangerous situation?”

He had heard that the bloodline issue was complicated. And that many people in the Divine Flame Church despised Gi Woo-hee.

However, Gi Woo-hee was the daughter of the Church Leader. No matter how much she deserved to be despised, they wouldn’t leave such a precious bloodline to die without the Church Leader’s permission.

In other words, the reason why this escort guy couldn’t help Gi Woo-hee when she was being chased by assassins was because of pressure from his superiors.

‘But now, he’s here again, under orders from his superiors to steal information.’

It clicked.

When the Central Plains martial world was devastated by the chaos of the Demonic Sound Cult in the past, the Divine Flame Church and the Blood Demon Church did not properly reveal themselves.

Was it because the Demonic Sound Cult was enough? That couldn’t be.

Even though the damage caused by the Demonic Sound Cult was enormous, even if they were confident, the other two groups should have been deployed as well.

The art of war is to achieve victory in the fastest time with overwhelming force. That meant that the Divine Flame and Blood Demon should have swept through the Central Plains martial world along with the Demonic Sound Cult.

‘It’s not that they didn’t deploy. They couldn’t.’

Was there a situation within the church?

‘Not at all. If they were so unprepared that they would go to war without such preparations, they wouldn’t have struggled so much.’

In other words, the Divine Flame and Blood Demon didn’t help the Demonic Sound Cult, they couldn’t help them.

Why?

Whirring. Whirring.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s brain spun furiously.

Amplified thinking power. Comparing past situations with current situations, he pierced through the enemies’ positions and ideologies.

“…The government.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flashed like lightning.

“They were in charge of the imperial palace and the government.”

“…!!”

He looked at Gi Woo-hee.

“Do you know how the Divine Flame Church is trying to conquer the Central Plains?”

“Yes?!”

There was no need to hear a separate answer. Yeon Ho-Jeong could tell just from Gi Woo-hee’s expression and eyes.

‘She doesn’t know. It’s only natural.’

While bringing Gi Woo-hee to the Alliance, he had many conversations with her. At least in Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes, Gi Woo-hee was not someone who had the talent to deceive anyone.

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled and looked down at Shadow Stealth One.

“Today is a truly lucky day. Not only have I gained new enlightenment, but I’ve also come to realize many facts just from your existence.”

Chiiiiiiik.

White steam rose from Shadow Stealth One’s body.

It was the Yin Cold energy of the Yin Cold White Stream. Even though his dantian was neutralized, he was still emitting energy. It was unknown how that was possible.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s hand moved.

Thwack!

“Cough!”

Shadow Stealth One, who had spat out a mouthful of blood, finally lost consciousness. Since his dantian was shattered, he would no longer be able to use his energy.

Gi Woo-hee’s face turned pale at the sight of Yeon Ho-Jeong’s brutal move.

“Hey, Physician Gi Woo-hee.”

“…?!”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled as he looked at her.

Gi Woo-hee could guarantee it. The most terrifying face and aura she had ever seen were right here.

An evil gaze more sinister than the killing intent emitted by her father, the leader of the Divine Flame Church.

“You refused the sponsorship of the Tang Clan Leader?”

“…!”

“If you’ve joined the Alliance, you need to earn your keep besides your medical skills. Who do you think you are to refuse that? Huh?”

Gi Woo-hee’s hands trembled. The creeping fear was plunging her reason into the abyss.

“Become a sponsor. Understand?”

“Yes, yes!”

“Let’s go to the Military Affairs Department with me right now. Instead of doing that two-faced spy crap, you should properly fly as a new wing of the Martial Alliance. Isn’t that right?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled brightly.

“Fly high. Fly beautifully, and provide me with my prey, who are deluding themselves into thinking they are the hunters.”