Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 309

Yeon Ji-Pyeong took an unconscious step forward, only to be stopped by Muk Bi.

“N-Noona?”

Muk Bi shook her head.

“Don’t interfere. This isn’t a situation where you or I can step in.”

“B-But!”

“The outcome will be decided by Father and Young Master Yeon. Besides, there’s no way those two would be fighting like this without a good reason.”

“……!”

“Stay still. That’s the right thing to do now.”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong bit his lip.

Though she said that, Muk Bi was just as anxious as Yeon Ji-Pyeong.

‘Why on earth?’

There was no apparent reason behind Yeon-wi and Yeon Ho-Jeong’s duel.

No, there was one intention that was clearly visible. But Muk Bi wanted to believe that she had misread it.

‘Is it real?’

Muk Bi’s eyes narrowed.

‘They really seem like they’re trying to kill each other.’

Having gone through countless real battles with Yeon Ho-Jeong, Muk Bi had reached a point where she could intuitively grasp the true nature of intent.

That intuition was sounding an alarm. This was real, a life-or-death struggle that would continue until one of them died.

‘It can’t be, but…’

It absolutely couldn’t be. She had sensed it when talking with Yeon Ji-Pyeong, but she knew how deep the bonds and affection within the Yeon family were.

Moreover, Yeon-wi had learned about Yeon Ho-Jeong’s past. Yeon Ho-Jeong was who he was, but Yeon-wi felt a great sense of indebtedness towards him.

There was no way anything could go wrong. But even knowing that, those watching couldn’t help but feel anxious.

‘If, if a truly dangerous moment comes…’

A bowman’s dynamic vision is more than twice as sharp as that of an ordinary martial artist.

While it might be difficult against an opponent, she could easily intervene if she was just observing.

‘Then I will…’

In that instant, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s energy shifted.

Whoosh!

He emitted an overwhelming fire energy, as if he would burn down the entire Pagun Hall. [Pagun Hall is a building within the Yeon family compound.]

It was the Vermilion Bird energy controlled by the Yeon Family Divine Art. Even though he had perfect control, the energy seemed twice as strong and wilder than before.

Muk Bi’s eyes widened.

‘Vermilion Bird Art?!’

The Vermilion Bird’s techniques were absolute killing moves.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s control over martial arts was so exceptional that he could protect people even with the extreme killing move of the Vermilion Bird Art, and he could use the absolute defense technique of the Black Tortoise Art to unleash terrifying killing techniques.

But the current Vermilion Bird Art was too clear in its intent.

‘Murderous intent!’

Whoosh!

The murderous intent that surged like a tidal wave was real. He was truly trying to kill his father, the head of the Yeon family.

Yeon-wi was showing an equally astonishing display.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Dozens of sword marks were etched into the ground around where Yeon-wi stood.

Buzz! Buzz!

It was as if hundreds, thousands of invisible blades were floating around Yeon-wi’s body. Invisible blades of murderous intent, the true energy of Yeon-wi, who had truly resolved to cut down his opponent.

Though they were father and son, their energies were vastly different.

If Yeon Ho-Jeong’s murderous intent was like boiling lava, Yeon-wi’s was cold and ruthless. If Yeon Ho-Jeong’s energy wave was as fierce as a surging tide, Yeon-wi’s was as chilling and ominous as the night sky before a storm.

Though their energies were so different, they were not without similarities.

Destructive power.

When the energy waves emitted by the two masters were directed at a person with purpose, they were similar in that they possessed enough destructive power to kill a person without even touching them.

The two men’s energy waves, murderous intent, and wills collided head-on.

Crack! Crash!

The power of the external energy being released was too strong. Even though they were standing three lengths apart, the ground between them cracked open.

It was a terrifying clash of energy waves. The clash was so fierce that it seemed like it would blow away the buildings and walls of the Pagun Hall.

Sizzle!

The two different murderous intents collided, creating a hazy smoke.

And after a moment.

Whoosh!

Without either of them being first, the two men’s ferocious energy waves disappeared simultaneously.

“…….”

The two men stared directly at each other.

Whoosh!

Surprisingly, it was Yeon-wi who moved first.

Yeon-wi’s movement, which shot out like an arrow from a strong bow, was on a different level from before.

He closed the distance in an instant and thrust his sword, a lightning-fast strike aimed at Yeon Ho-Jeong’s throat. It was an attack meant to kill in one strike.

At that moment, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s hands slowly rose.

Even though they moved slowly, they blocked the front before Yeon-wi’s sword could reach him. It was a miraculous technique.

Thud!

Yeon-wi’s sword energy grazed past Yeon Ho-Jeong’s shoulder.

It was an incredible rebound. An invisible wall of steel had deflected Yeon-wi’s sword energy.

Whoosh!

Yeon Ho-Jeong leaped into Yeon-wi’s embrace.

Yeon-wi’s eyes flashed.

He thought he was going to strike with a fist and kick, but instead, he curled his body and attacked with his entire upper body. It was a technique rarely seen in Central Plains martial arts, a body slam.

Bang!

With a loud bang, Yeon-wi staggered backward.

It wasn’t that he was pushed back by force. Of course, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s momentum was great, but he wouldn’t have been pushed back if they had clashed strength against strength.

However, he retreated to absorb the impact and launch a follow-up attack.

Flash!

Yeon-wi’s sword was swung like lightning.

The sword energy, which cut in a zigzag pattern as if it were real lightning, was a masterpiece.

Thud! Swish!

He thought he had deflected the strike with the back of his sword, but he was mistaken. The sword energy that curved down cut Yeon Ho-Jeong’s thigh.

‘Dangerous.’

If it had gone in just a little deeper, half of his thigh muscle would have been cut off.

He survived thanks to the rebound of the Black Tortoise energy. If he had been using the Vermilion Bird energy, his leg would have been cut off, and his father’s hand would have been ruined beyond repair.

Yeon Ho-Jeong was not flustered.

Today’s fight was that kind of fight. It was more brutal and enjoyable than any fight against a difficult opponent, and at the same time, it was a battle to prove his own future.

If he could prove that future full of faith, what did it matter if his arms and legs were cut off?

‘However, I still have much to show you.’

Thump!

It sounded as if the cry of an unidentifiable monster was coming from somewhere in the void.

Yeon-wi, who was about to launch a follow-up attack, felt his body suddenly stop.

It was truly an astonishing experience. To have one’s body movements controlled by the opponent’s powerful energy, not by one’s own will, was something that should not have been possible considering Yeon-wi’s current level.

‘Here it comes.’

At the same time, Yeon-wi knew.

That Yeon Ho-Jeong was manifesting a powerful martial art that he had never shown him before. That he was trying to deliver everything he had in this one strike.

His intuition was correct.

Splash! Whoosh!

The sound of crashing waves conveyed a fierce sense of pressure.

In an instant, Yeon-wi felt a pressure that made the hair on his entire body stand on end. He had sensed that something unusual was coming, but he had only now realized that its power was beyond his expectations.

Whoosh!

The world went dark.

It was as if he had fallen into a deep sea where not a single ray of light could enter. The power of the Black Tortoise energy emitted by the Yeon Family Divine Art was emitting an enormous concentration that was enough to make even the great Yeon-wi tense.

And in front of that.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s left and right hands, which had been pointing towards the upper and lower levels, met in the middle.

Clap!

The sound of the palms meeting was crisp.

And that crisp sound was immediately buried by the terrifying explosion that followed.

Boom!

This time, even Yeon-wi was pushed back by force.

‘A shockwave?!’

It was a powerful shockwave unleashed by clapping his hands together. An attack power akin to a tidal wave, the heavy pressure of the deep sea seemed to cause an explosion of energy that would sweep everything away.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Even though he had retreated more than ten steps, his upper body was still being pushed backward. It was a force of energy that was pushing him back with the power of a tidal wave.

Yeon-wi plunged his sword into the ground.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The sword bent as if it would break.

It was a pressure that could bend a sword even after pouring in sword energy. It was as if a powderless bomb had exploded in front of his eyes.

Sizzle!

Hazy steam rose from Yeon-wi’s body.

If he hadn’t covered his entire body with sword energy, he would have been in real trouble. It was an excellent choice to completely switch to a defensive stance instead of attacking.

“Hoo. Hoo.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s breathing became even more labored.

It was clear that it was a strike with all his might. However, considering Yeon Ho-Jeong’s stamina, he seemed to be getting tired too quickly.

It was because of the Dragon Robe Divine Art. [A martial art technique that uses the power of a dragon robe.]

He was perfectly controlling the evil energy caused by the dragon robe, but his body was not yet able to keep up with the explosive power of the divine art itself. Yeon Ho-Jeong himself could not escape the characteristics of the Dragon Robe Divine Art, which squeezed the user’s stamina and strength to their limits.

Clang!

Yeon-wi, who had pulled the sword out of the ground, looked at Yeon Ho-Jeong with deeply sunken eyes.

Yeon Ho-Jeong took a deep breath.

Whoosh!

With that one breath, his energy was already stabilizing. The stabilization of his breathing and the recovery of his energy were truly astonishing.

Yeon-wi’s lips curled up.

“Can you do more?”

Whoosh!

Before he knew it, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body appeared on Yeon-wi’s rear left side.

He was fast even without the Vermilion Bird energy. This time it wasn’t the Black Tortoise, but the Azure Dragon. He had approached from an unexpected blind spot using a flexible and fast footwork.

Yeon-wi’s sword moved again.

Clang! Clang! Bang!

The two men’s swords and fists collided, creating another powerful shockwave.

Slash!

A diagonal sword mark appeared on Yeon Ho-Jeong’s chest.

Boom!

The left sleeve of Yeon-wi’s robe exploded as if it had been blown apart. His exposed forearm was swollen red.

Bang! Boom! Boom!

The two men’s martial arts, which collided as if possessed, were a work of art in themselves.

It was a fierce and imposing contest, but within it was every martial art that a martial artist could show. Attack, defense, evasion, counterattack, as well as killing techniques and life-saving techniques, the totality of all martial arts was here.

And, Muk Bi could finally see it.

‘It’s changing.’

When Yeon Ho-Jeong’s martial arts changed, Yeon-wi’s martial arts also changed.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s martial arts were inherently a deadly one-hit kill, even without using the Four Divine Beasts techniques. Yeon-wi was imitating Yeon Ho-Jeong’s martial arts style to fight his son.

When his son unleashed murderous intent with the Vermilion Bird energy, his father responded with a blade-like murderous intent.

When his son showed a heavy defense and shockwave with the Black Tortoise energy, his father also showed a perfect defensive sword and composure.

When his son used a forward-moving attack with the White Tiger energy, his father also wielded the sword of a steadfast gentleman, never backing down.

When his son unleashed fast and smooth hand movements with the Azure Dragon energy, his father also used extremely relaxed and light sword skills.

Yeon-wi was literally receiving all of Yeon Ho-Jeong’s martial arts in the same way. As if to say, ‘Look at yourself.’

Not exactly the same, but as if he was subtly teaching him, ‘Isn’t this your martial art?’

And through that contest, Yeon-wi was also analyzing his son’s martial arts, seeing his son’s present and future.

After a while.

Boom!

It was an explosion that felt more refreshing than heavy.

After that one strike, the two men who had retreated far away looked very rough.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body was covered in cuts and blood, and Yeon-wi’s clothes and hair were disheveled by Yeon Ho-Jeong’s fierce martial arts.

The two men stood there for a long time, looking at each other.

It was Yeon-wi who spoke first.

“The Tang Clan Head said. Shouldn’t you start moving as a backer?”

It was a very abrupt thing to say after such a fierce battle.

Yeon Ho-Jeong nodded.

“I should start using my head soon.”

“How do you want this father to move?”

“Father is moving in his own way. That’s what I think.”

“Are you going to fight in the shadows alone?”

“Unfortunately, I’m good at such tactics.”

Considering why this duel had taken place, it was a rather provocative statement.

But Yeon-wi just smiled.

“A sword is most fearsome when it’s in its sheath.”

“I know.”

“I believe you know when to draw it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Yeon-wi nodded.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Father.”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you for forgiving me.”

Yeon-wi turned his body.

“You’ve already repented, so there’s nothing to forgive. Even if you harm innocent people and everyone points their fingers at you, this father will never give up on you.”

“…….”

“But don’t cross the line.”

“Yes.”

“Go. Get some rest.”

With that, Yeon-wi left the Pagun Hall.

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had been staring at the gate for a long time, sat down on the spot.

He let out a hollow laugh.

“He should have just cursed at me and slapped me.”