Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 416

The lion’s roar of Buddhism subdues all evil spirits.

However, that was only half the story. While it’s true that the lion’s roar of Buddhism boasts tremendous power, its effectiveness isn’t universal.

The divine arts of Buddhism and Taoism are antagonistic to the martial arts of heretical paths. However, this only means they can inflict damage more easily and surely than those who have trained in other martial arts; it doesn’t completely negate the difference in skill levels.

Conversely, if the skill of someone who has trained in demonic or evil arts is overwhelmingly high, they can easily suppress those who have trained in Buddhist internal energy.

That is the essence of compatibility.

Thud!

Moyong Gun spat out blood and retreated.

Through a surprise attack and pre-planned strategy, they had managed to lodge a sword in Yayul Jeok’s abdomen. Yet, Yayul Jeok was still more skilled than them. In an instant, he tightened his abdomen and with a single palm strike, sent Moyong Gun flying. The power and flow of his movements were incredibly natural and fluid.

“You, you bastards!”

Blood vessels stood out in Yayul Jeok’s eyes.

It was then.

‘What?’

He read a cold madness in Moyong Gun’s eyes as he was thrown back.

Even in a moment where he should have been flustered, his gaze didn’t waver. It was as if he had expected this, even appearing triumphant.

Why?

Kuh-huh-huh-huh!

A tremendous lion’s roar echoed from behind, turning Yayul Jeok’s neck red.

“Cough!”

Yayul Jeok’s face, which had coughed up blood from his nose and mouth, turned extremely pale. He looked like a corpse, even without drawing on his Yin energy [dark, negative energy].

‘Th-this!’

This was the lion’s roar of Shaolin [a famous Buddhist monastery known for its martial arts].

Beomoh’s skill was lower than Yayul Jeok’s. Therefore, the true power of the lion’s roar wouldn’t be fully effective.

However, Yayul Jeok hadn’t been able to treat his internal and external injuries, and furthermore, Shaolin was the sun of the righteous martial world, overwhelming other Buddhist martial arts.

Each of these factors posed a critical threat to Yayul Jeok. Earlier, when Moyong Gun’s energy had reacted with the Kingly energy instead of Yin energy, it was because Beomoh’s lion’s roar had stimulated his true nature.

“Kuaaaaaah!”

Yayul Jeok, letting out a scream that was neither a cry nor a shout, swung his arm violently.

Crackling!

The palm energy, shot out in a curved trajectory, created a huge furrow in the ground.

Beomoh’s eyes wavered.

‘Strong!’

It was an immense power. While the power of the martial art itself might have been lower than the Great Vajra Palm of Shaolin that he had used earlier, the internal energy itself was so strong that it produced even greater results.

In the hands of a master, even the Three Talents Sword Technique could become a supreme sword art. Not to mention Yayul Jeok’s martial arts, which had reached the pinnacle of the transcendent realm.

‘This bastard!’

Beomoh clenched his fist without realizing it. He was about to close the distance and throw a punch.

At that moment, Moyong Gun’s telepathic message reached him.

[Follow the plan!]

Flustered!

Beomoh quickly released his fist and moved his body to the left.

Bang! Bang!

The ground cracked, and a building slowly began to tilt.

Beomoh’s eyes deepened.

‘Even with those internal and external injuries, that initial strike was powerful, but the successive strikes are also immense.’

Each strike was equivalent to a deadly blow that he would have to gather all his strength to unleash. In other words, the current Yayul Jeok was capable of unleashing attacks with the power that Beomoh could only achieve by gathering all his strength, one after another.

If he had responded with the Arhat Divine Fist, he would have certainly suffered internal injuries. Beomoh felt a dizzying sensation.

‘Moyong Gun is right. If we engage in a one-on-one fight, our losses will be immense!’

Even a rotten fish is still a fish. Even a wounded tiger is still a tiger.

Beomoh focused his energy in his lower abdomen.

The Subduing Demon energy of the Great Brahma Divine Art gathered fiercely.

Kuh-huh-huh-huh!

“Cough!”

Yayul Jeok, who was about to unleash another palm strike, groaned and staggered.

He had been gathering his energy to launch a follow-up attack, so the damage was even greater. Beomoh’s timely lion’s roar had cut off the flow of his internal energy.

Swoosh!

Moyong Gun, who had been thrown back, approached again at a terrifying speed.

Even in the midst of his severe internal injuries and disorientation, Yayul Jeok’s senses were not dead. Not with reason, but with instinct, Yayul Jeok’s hand, crouched like a beast, swung towards the charging Moyong Gun.

Crack! Thud!

Moyong Gun’s left shoulder blade was completely shattered.

It was an unusually reckless charge for Moyong Gun. It was fortunate that his shoulder hadn’t been completely torn off.

His fist struck Yayul Jeok’s chest.

Bang!

Yayul Jeok coughed up blood again and staggered.

He wouldn’t die from this. Moyong Gun knew that even before he threw the punch.

Whirr!

He put his weight into the punch, and the moment the strike landed, he spun his body to shake off the remaining force and picked up the greatsword that had fallen to the ground.

The entire process was as fast and natural as if he were executing a single move. Unlike Yeon Ho-Jeong’s unconventional movements, Moyong Gun’s movements were extremely rational and disciplined.

Moyong Gun, gripping the greatsword with both hands, powerfully swung it upwards.

Swoosh!

Moyong Gun’s eyes deepened.

‘It wasn’t enough.’

A diagonal cut appeared on Yayul Jeok’s face.

Even in the midst of it, he had tilted his head diagonally to avoid having his nose and eyes cut off. It was an incredible sense. He was no different from a beast.

Bang!

Moyong Gun powerfully stomped his foot.

In that instant, Yayul Jeok felt a chill run down his spine. He sensed a decisive blow in that stomp.

In a fleeting moment, Yayul Jeok pondered fiercely.

‘I have to escape.’

He never imagined that these two would come at him like this. If Moyong Gun and the Shaolin monk had attacked together, he could have countered in some way, but every time the Shaolin monk unleashed his lion’s roar, it caused a serious disruption in the execution of his martial arts.

Not anticipating this combination was a painful mistake. As Moyong Gun had said, he had not only suffered severe internal and external injuries, but he had also rushed in without thinking, which was the problem.

‘I have to escape. These guys will keep pushing with this tactic.’

In a life-or-death situation, pride is a luxury. These guys knew that.

‘I can’t get out. I can’t anymore. I have to escape!’

Escape, and escape.

‘Escape…!’

Yayul Jeok’s eyes wavered.

In that fleeting moment, what flashed through his mind was the face of a monster, burning with fire, looking down at him.

The cold and hot, hot and indifferent, indifferent and murderous arrogance of the monster.

It was Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Bang!

Yayul Jeok’s stomp shook the castle.

Moyong Gun, who was about to unleash the strongest blow of the Heaven and Earth One Hundred and Eight Sword Techniques, felt his stance falter for a moment. Just as Beomoh had disrupted Yayul Jeok’s flow of energy, Yayul Jeok had preemptively blocked Moyong Gun’s attack.

“You bastards!!”

His voice, echoing loudly, was filled with mad rage.

“How dare you, you little brats, treat me like…!!”

Bang!

Yayul Jeok couldn’t even finish his sentence before coughing up blood.

This time, it wasn’t the lion’s roar, but the Arhat Divine Fist. The swift fist wind, unleashed from five yards away, struck Yayul Jeok’s back.

It was a timely strike. If they had only tried to counter with the lion’s roar, Moyong Gun would have been in danger. Beomoh’s practical sense was also remarkable.

Whoosh!

Sky-blue energy gathered on the Tangma Greatsword.

It was the color of a clear sky without a single cloud. If you stared at it, it was so clear that it felt dark, a supreme sword energy that made those who saw it shudder.

In that instant, fear arose on Yayul Jeok’s face.

This was dangerous.

He could never block this attack. With his body suffering from internal and external injuries, he wouldn’t be able to defend, let alone evade. His instincts whispered as much.

‘No way.’

His mind, which had been in chaos due to Beomoh’s fist wind, felt clear again.

‘I can’t die here.’

Due to the combined attack of Moyong Gun and Beomoh, Yayul Jeok felt fear for the first time in a long while. It was the fear of death that he hadn’t felt even in his fight with Yeon Ho-Jeong.

But now, he was able to return to his original self.

‘Even if I die here, I must complete my mission!’

Why had he tried to return to his wild nature? Why had he risked death to infiltrate this place? Why had he sent the Amje Clan, which he had painstakingly raised, into a frontal assault?

Crumble!

Yayul Jeok’s eyes, which had darkened for a moment, were soon filled with a deep gray light.

At the same time, Moyong Gun’s eyes emitted a flash of blue sky light.

“Sever(斬)!!”

Flash!

A dazzling sword strike cut through the air.

Crackling!

A tremendous storm of sword energy swept through the area.

It was a simple sword strike, but the internal energy and the principles of power release contained within it were unparalleled.

A massive sword scar, seven yards long, appeared in the center of the castle where the sword energy had been unleashed, splitting the earth and the castle walls. The aftershock of the sword energy, which had erupted simultaneously with the strike, sent the debris of the destroyed buildings flying in all directions.

A monstrous sword strike. It was the strongest sword technique of the Heaven and Earth One Hundred and Eight Sword Techniques that Moyong Gun could currently use, the Heaven Soul Clear Sky Sword.

Crumble!

The ground collapsed, and a huge cloud of dust rose.

“Damn it!”

Moyong Gun, panting, shouted urgently.

“Monk Beomoh! He escaped!”

“Damn it! I know that!”

Beomoh couldn’t help but let out a rough word.

It was inevitable. Yayul Jeok, who had seemed like he was about to charge at Moyong Gun, had suddenly changed direction, attacked him, and escaped.

The only saving grace was that Yayul Jeok’s attack was more manageable than he had expected.

‘Damn it! To be tricked by such a shallow tactic!’

Beomoh looked down at the floor.

There, an arm that had been severed from the shoulder was twitching. It was Yayul Jeok’s arm.

Moyong Gun shouted.

“Follow the blood trail! He couldn’t have gone far!”

“I understand!”

Swoosh!

Beomoh flew after the blood trail.

He tried to find his unique, ominous energy, but he couldn’t find it at all. It seemed that he had momentarily adjusted his energy and returned to being a Yin spirit instead of a member of the Evil Sound Sect.

Flash!

Fortunately, Yayul Jeok was in a critical condition. There were moments when his usually subtle energy surged roughly, which meant that Yayul Jeok, in his haste, had failed to manage his internal injuries, causing his energy to fluctuate.

Moyong Gun, having sent Beomoh ahead, coughed up a mouthful of blood.

“Cough!”

The color of the blood he spat out was dark red. He had gathered all the impurities in his body and expelled them.

The color returned to Moyong Gun’s pale face.

“Commander Jin! The enemy’s leader has infiltrated! Prepare for any possible situation and concentrate all forces in the center!”

Jin Yang’s voice was heard from afar.

“Understood!”

Swoosh!

Moyong Gun followed Beomoh, chasing after Yayul Jeok.

Surprisingly, Yayul Jeok had been fleeing throughout the castle for over two hours. Despite his internal injuries and severed arm, he had managed to escape without rest.

Not only that, but he had also determined that a frontal assault was no longer meaningful. He had used the Silent Sound Wave technique, which only assassins could hear, to lure all nine hundred assassins into the secret passages.

The castle had become a scene of chaos. Beomoh and Moyong Gun were chasing after Yayul Jeok, the Amje Clan had entered the castle through secret passages, and the Tangma soldiers, who had gathered in the center, were engaged in fierce battles with the assassins who had emerged from the passages.

And so, as the sun reached its zenith.

Whoosh! Bang!

Muk Bi and Sama Hyeon, having breached the castle walls with a Dragon Tooth Cannon strike, entered the castle.