Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 884

There was no flash of light, nor the sound of wind tearing through the air.

It was a movement that held the very atmosphere in its breath. That was Yeon Ho-Jeong’s movement.

‘Imbued with soul.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong thought.

‘The Yellow Dragon Energy doesn’t need any more refinement. I just need to keep ascending.’

The continuous five-fist attack he initially used against Jongli Baek was an attack imbued with the speed of the Vermilion Bird and the power of the White Tiger.

That alone was powerful enough. Enough to shatter Jongli Baek’s inner energy shield created by his sword wind.

However, that was not the true Yellow Dragon. It was merely using the Four Divine Beast techniques belonging to the Yellow Dragon, not a martial art befitting the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art [a martial art focused on the power of the Yellow Dragon].

After that, Yeon Ho-Jeong faced Jongli Baek entirely with the Golden Dragon Piercing Fist, the Golden Dragon Sky-Turning Palm, and the Dragon-Form Seven Step Footwork.

The speed became slower. Physically, that is.

However, Jongli Baek found it more difficult to cope with the slower Yellow Dragon. What was the reason for that?

The Yellow Dragon was the harmony that made everything one, and at the same time, it was the great nature that could become more terrifying than anything else.

Therefore, it was fierce, heavy, and strong. Without needing to distinguish between strength and flexibility, the great nature simply showed its power as it was, just as it exerted its beautiful and terrifying force.

It dominated the space with energy, preventing the enemy from escaping. The writhing Yellow Dragon Energy exerted its influence on everyone standing on the ground.

That influence could be a tangible energy that bound the body, or it could flow through the energy, causing abnormalities in cognitive abilities. In Jongli Baek’s case, he was affected by the latter.

Simply showing things as they are.

That was how Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had mastered the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art, could exert his maximum power.

‘But I haven’t shown all of my power yet.’

The ‘current’ Yellow Dragon Art was shown properly.

However, the Yellow Dragon Art that Yeon Ho-Jeong knew, the Yellow Dragon Art that Yeon Ho-Jeong had used, had not yet been unleashed. Although he had integrated all his enlightenment, Yeon Ho-Jeong was a man who could show even greater skill.

‘The Dark Emperor.’

It was the Dark Emperor.

He clearly remembered the enlightenment he had gained during his time as the Dark Emperor. However, he had not fully realized all of the Dark Emperor’s enlightenment. After his regression, he had only calmly unraveled the things he had gained after forming the Yeon Family Divine Core [a core of energy unique to the Yeon family].

That wouldn’t do.

He was clearly below his Dark Emperor self. It was a subtle difference, but at the same time, a wall as large as a mountain stood between them.

‘This isn’t enough.’

Through his fight with Jongli Baek, Yeon Ho-Jeong finally realized.

To truly ‘perfectly’ realize the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art, he had to make everything he possessed one.

After his regression, he had to bring out not only his current self, who had developed from the Yeon Family Divine Core to the Light Divine Core and then awakened the Yellow Dragon, but also his past self, who had been the Dark Emperor.

‘Everything as one.’

To surpass his Dark Emperor self.

To affirm even his Dark Emperor self.

To move forward with everything embraced as one, without needing to give up anything for something else.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s fist flew towards Jongli Baek’s chest.

Fwoooooosh.

It was a fist that moved through the air, distorting it like a ripple.

Jongli Baek’s expression changed.

He tilted his Evil Cleaving Blade to block the attack.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The tremendous density of power compressed the air, then exploded strongly in an instant.

It was a terrifying fist that exploded four times in a row. If he had blocked it head-on, even Jongli Baek would have lost an arm. It was a strike that boasted tremendous power.

That was one exchange.

Yeon Ho-Jeong finished the exchange with an impressive move, and Jongli Baek received Yeon Ho-Jeong’s move with a surprised face.

Finally, the last battle between the two masters had begun.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s fist was strong.

There was no need to discuss speed. It was just endlessly strong. It was so strong that no other martial principle could be seen.

Still, it was strong. Still, it was difficult to block.

Jongli Baek’s sword danced a splendid dance.

‘Ten Blades, Thunder Fall.’

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

The blades, moving like lightning, instantly split into two, pressuring Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Even though the blades hadn’t touched him, parts of Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body were torn apart.

This was not sword wind. His body was being torn apart because it couldn’t withstand the overwhelming energy.

‘Tremendous power!’

Still, it was okay.

Yeon Ho-Jeong had the Yellow Dragon. He had reached a realm that he might not have reached even after a lifetime of training, thanks to the help of Sword Saint Namgoong Seung.

And now, through his fight with the Sword Saint’s equal, the Blade Saint, he was trying to integrate the enlightenment of the Dark Emperor.

Just like he had told his father, he would make everything he possessed one and show it perfectly.

Whoooosh!

The harmonious and dignified energy of Yeon Ho-Jeong, which had been endlessly strong, changed in an instant.

It was rough and fierce. It was as ferocious as that of a beast, but at the same time, it revealed the power of the king of all beasts, unlike any beast of this world.

Jongli Baek was startled.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s two fists created a terrifying whirlwind.

Clang! Clang! Crack!

Even though it was a fist that had been swung through the air, it felt like it had been clawed by the front paws of a giant lion. Five furrows were created on the shattered arena.

Bu Seon, who was watching the scene from afar, trembled.

‘Black Lion Energy! It’s the Whirlwind Lion Fist!’

However, the Whirlwind Lion Fist that Yeon Ho-Jeong was using was quite different from what she knew.

It was a fist technique, but it created furrows in the ground like a master of footwork.

However, it was clearly a form of the Whirlwind Lion Fist.

It was the Lion Martial Art unfolded by a master who had reached the pinnacle. He was using all forms of attack he desired in the form of a fist technique.

It was a scene that shattered common sense.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Jongli Baek, who had retreated in a zigzag pattern, raised the Evil Cleaving Blade in his right hand above his head and turned it upside down.

A bizarre posture, the eyes of the Five Old Gates trembled.

“Soul Cleave!!”

Flash!

Even though it was a downward strike, it was faster than a straight attack. Nothing could avoid being cleaved by the strike that descended along the texture of the air.

It was the Soul Cleave, one of the secret techniques of the Soul Cleaving Sect [a martial arts sect known for its soul-cutting techniques].

Yeon Ho-Jeong swung his fist.

It was not the Golden Dragon Immovable Strike used with the Yellow Dragon Energy, but the Whirlwind Lion Fist used with the Black Lion Energy. It was fierce and rough.

Rumble!!

A shockwave that shook the heavens and the earth erupted.

The absolute cleave that moved as if to bend and cut was losing its power in front of the Black Lion’s fist. The sword energy that had not been completely dissipated left long furrows on Yeon Ho-Jeong’s fist bones, elbows, upper arms, and shoulders, but that was all.

‘Amazing!’

Fwoosh!

Jongli Baek’s body rotated rapidly.

Even though his body was rotating, there was no gap to be found. The rotational force that Jongli Baek had created was instead deflecting Yeon Ho-Jeong’s Black Lion Energy and opening up a path for close-range combat.

Slam!

In just two steps, Jongli Baek entered Yeon Ho-Jeong’s fist range and swung the Evil Cleaving Blade from the lower to the upper.

It was the Soul Cleaving Sect’s Ascension. It was not a simple cleave, but a killing move and the strongest counterattack that ground the opponent with the heavy sword wind rising along the blade.

That was when it happened.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s hands made a strange movement.

Slam! Slam! Slam! Slam!

The Evil Cleaving Blade rose into the air, but the sword wind that was raging around it was shattered and scattered.

‘How can this be!’

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s two hands were sharp, as if they were the front paws of a lion or the front paws of a dragon, ready to tear anything apart.

It was a single move of the Whirlwind Lion Fist. But it was not an ordinary Whirlwind Lion Fist.

It was the Whirlwind Lion Fist used with the Yellow Dragon Energy. With that move, he had completely torn apart the sword wind of the Ascension and flung it in all directions.

With the Yellow Dragon Energy that made everything one, he had even realized the ultimate move of the Lion Fist.

And right then.

Flash!

Yeon Ho-Jeong was able to completely erase the boundary between the ‘me’ after regression and the ‘Dark Emperor’ before regression.

Bang!

It wasn’t as soft as before.

Jongli Baek’s body was sent flying back five yards by the double palm strike that went straight in.

It would have been better for Jongli Baek if he had flown further. That would have been better to dissipate the power of the Golden Dragon Sky-Turning Palm, which had become twice as powerful.

However, Jongli Baek stopped his body, even at the cost of internal injuries. It was because he felt a sense of crisis that if he was pushed back this time, he wouldn’t be able to block the follow-up attack.

Slam! Slam! Slam!

It was an amazing vitality.

Even after receiving such a blow, he moved faster than before. Jongli Baek, who had closed the distance in an instant, unleashed another strike of Ascension.

In response, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s fist struck diagonally downwards.

Clang! Thud!

“Cough!”

Even Yeon Ho-Jeong couldn’t help but be surprised at this moment. Jongli Baek, who had unleashed the strike of Ascension, had changed his move in the middle and rotated his body, landing a fist on Yeon Ho-Jeong’s chest.

He had switched from sword technique to fist technique. Yet, the flow was so natural that it looked like a single martial art.

‘This is bad.’

His chest felt tight. The Yellow Dragon Energy and the Black Lion Energy surged, turning his insides upside down.

However, Yeon Ho-Jeong was not one to back down either.

Clang!

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had fixed his left foot on the ground, overlapped the tips of his palms and thrust them forward.

Clang!

The Evil Cleaving Blade flew high into the sky.

It was a moment of astonishment. Yeon Ho-Jeong had used the power of his bare hands to send the sword of the Blade Saint flying.

However, while the onlookers were surprised, Yeon Ho-Jeong could not feel any pleasure. It was because he realized that Jongli Baek had deliberately let go of the Evil Cleaving Blade.

Slam! Slam! Slam!

Jongli Baek’s hand blades were swung like lightning. It was a series of attacks with bare hands, not the sword technique.

Sizzle! Thwack!

Cuts appeared all over Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body.

He had lost too much blood. He had suffered too many injuries. Even if he had reached the pinnacle, he was still a human with a physical body, and it was dangerous to continue any further.

Furthermore, Jongli Baek had gone one step further.

Flash!

The Evil Cleaving Blade, which had been flung far away, spun around once, and then flew towards Yeon Ho-Jeong with tremendous rotation.

Namgoong Seung’s eyes trembled.

‘Sword Control Technique!’

It was not an ordinary sword control technique. It was a sword control technique with added rotation, an invincible skill that destroyed and cut everything.

That was when it happened.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes, which had been shedding blood, met Jongli Baek’s eyes.

Twitch!

Jongli Baek’s body stopped for a moment.

It was the upper dantian martial art, the Ghost Eye [a martial art that uses the upper dantian, a point in the forehead, to influence the mind]. But even in the midst of that, the Evil Cleaving Blade’s sword control had reached right in front of Yeon Ho-Jeong’s nose.

Rumble!!

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had gathered all of his Yellow Dragon Energy and brought it into his two hands, looked at the rotating Evil Cleaving Blade.

‘Here!’

Fwoosh! Crack!

With tremendous reflexes, Yeon Ho-Jeong grabbed the hilt of the rotating Evil Cleaving Blade, and his body was dragged backward, scraping the ground by the force of the sword control.

‘Stop.’

A golden, dignified aura filled Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes.

“Stop!!”

Whoooooooosh!!

The Evil Cleaving Blade trembled, and Jongli Baek’s true energy was cut off. He had severed the powerful true energy that connected Jongli Baek and the Evil Cleaving Blade with his will, with the divine energy of the upper dantian.

Sizzle!!

White haze rose from Yeon Ho-Jeong’s two hands that were holding the Evil Cleaving Blade. Yeon Ho-Jeong’s rotating body also stopped.

“……!!”

Jongli Baek stared blankly at Yeon Ho-Jeong.

“……I don’t have any strength left.”

Thud!

Yeon Ho-Jeong plunged the Evil Cleaving Blade into the ground.

“It seems I have received all of your martial arts, Senior.”

“Hoo.”

Jongli Baek shook his head.

“I have no more martial arts to show.”

“Me neither.”

“Yes, that must be so.”

However, his beloved sword had fallen into the hands of that young man. It was not given by his own will, but was snatched away in the middle.

With stronger will and upper dantian divine energy, he had changed the master of the sword control technique. He had never thought that such an act was possible.

‘Beyond the heavens… Was there such an enlightenment?’

Jongli Baek smiled.

‘Indeed, there is still much to learn in this world.’

Jongli Baek looked at Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Yeon Ho-Jeong took a fist salute.

“I have lost…”

“I have lost.”

“Huh?!”

Jongli Baek burst into a hearty laugh.

“It is the defeat of the Blade Saint. You have won.”