Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1167

‘Those are the guys.’

Gang Ryang felt a strange, chilling sensation.

Perhaps because it was night, they weren’t even trying to hide. Instead, they had brazenly lit a bonfire and were huddled around it. They were wearing hooded cloaks that covered their entire bodies, including their eyes, making them look like a gathering of ghosts.

‘They’re not to be trifled with.’

The emotion that followed the chill was surprise.

Most of them were at the level of peak masters. However, their aura was completely different from other peak masters.

It was gloomy and still, like looking at a dark, polluted lake. The trees around the lake were all withered, the ground was cracked, and the sky was dark red. Just looking at them evoked such a ghastly scene.

‘If I’m not careful, I could lose a limb.’

In terms of pure martial strength, none of them could match them. Even if ten or twenty of them attacked, they could somehow win.

However, that indescribable energy kept bothering him. He had seen many fanatics who didn’t care about their lives to achieve their goals, but these guys were different.

A chilling aura that made it seem like touching them would mean certain death.

A sense of otherworldliness, as if they shouldn’t exist in this realm.

A bizarre feeling that they wouldn’t die even if killed.

‘What’s certain is that this fight will be much more difficult than I thought.’

It was then.

“Are you all warm enough?”

The voice was unbelievably loud. Gang Ryang was startled and looked at Jin Yang.

Jin Yang, who had already drawn his greatsword, was openly sneering.

“Oh my, you must be warm. What are you, so close that you’re all huddled together around one bonfire, shivering? Should I light a few more for you?”

His words and actions were reminiscent of a hoodlum from the back alleys of the Black Road [a lawless area]. The way he swaggered forward was also extremely unruly.

In reality, both of them had completely concealed their energy, so even a supreme master from a distance wouldn’t be able to read their true strength.

In other words, to them, Jin Yang would appear to be nothing more than a hoodlum.

Gang Ryang quickly sent a telepathic message.

[Brother! What are you doing! Can’t you feel their energy?]

Jin Yang didn’t even turn around, just waved his hand dismissively. It meant to shut up and follow him.

In the end, Gang Ryang had no choice but to follow him.

“Hey, you guys are the ones, right? The ones who wiped out all the bandits?”

Flash!

Gang Ryang could see it. A yellowish glow was emanating from the eye areas of the Spirit Turtle Guards, which were covered by their hoods.

Jin Yang muttered in a sly tone.

“Those guys were on their way to pay us tribute. But you guys wiped them out, huh? What are you going to do about it? How are you going to compensate us, you gloomy bastards!”

At that moment, a dull voice came from one of the Spirit Turtle Guards.

“Go quietly.”

Jin Yang jutted out his chin and said,

“Go quietly.”

He exaggeratedly lowered his voice, mimicking the other’s words. His intention to mock them was obvious.

Jin Yang, loosening his jaw and chuckling, spoke in a more imposing voice.

“What a load of crap. Did you think that if you lowered your voice like that, we’d be like, ‘Oh, we’re so sorry!’ and back off? You uncreative bastards.”

Jin Yang pointed his greatsword at the Spirit Turtle Guard who had spoken.

“Are you the leader? Come out here. Let me see your face first. This old man needs to check which clueless dogs cut off our money supply.”

Tsutsutsutsu.

A heavy, cold energy flowed around the Spirit Turtle Guards.

It was a warning aura, indicating that if they continued to be annoying, they would resort to force. They hadn’t unleashed their full power, but it was a sinister energy that would make most masters flinch and back down.

Gang Ryang, glancing at Jin Yang, said almost in a whisper.

“Brother, those guys seem unusual. Shouldn’t we just back off this time?”

Jin Yang’s reaction to that instinctive acting was truly lightning-fast.

“Hey, you moronic bastard! Is that what you should be saying right now? If we go back like this? Are you trying to get us killed by the boss?”

In the midst of it all, the slight tremor at the end of his voice was the highlight.

Jin Yang cleared his throat and continued.

“Even if we leave, we should at least see what kind of bastards they are. Right? And damn it, now that we’re talking about it, why should we be intimidated? Those morons, do you think they can escape from us? Hey! This is Shanxi [a province in China]! This is our territory!”

The more he spoke, the more agitated his voice became.

Gang Ryang couldn’t help but admire Jin Yang’s wholehearted performance.

He didn’t know why he was doing this, but he was putting on an amazing act of a hoodlum who would definitely be found in the back alleys of the Black Road. He was perfectly portraying the reaction of a hoodlum who had some martial arts skills, was greedy, and full of arrogance.

It was an acting skill that made it seem like he could make a living even if he lost his martial arts skills for some reason. He could probably make a fortune if he joined a traveling troupe and specialized in playing villains.

“Ahem!”

Jin Yang cleared his throat once more and spoke in a somewhat reluctant voice.

“Well, you guys seem to have some skills, but let’s not shed unnecessary blood. We also have our pride, and frankly, you guys wouldn’t be able to handle all of our people if we were to attack you.”

At that moment, the Spirit Turtle Guard who had spoken earlier spoke again.

“What is your affiliation?”

Jin Yang scoffed.

“It seems like you’re finally understanding the situation. I am Seo Jeong-Gwang of the Black Phoenix Clan.”

The Black Phoenix Clan was a famous Black Road sect in Shanxi Province. In fact, it still had a considerable presence and was also affiliated with the Black Emperor Castle.

“Black Phoenix Clan?”

A subtle killing intent arose from the Spirit Turtle Guard’s body.

“Are you really from the Black Phoenix Clan?”

“Damn it, would I lie?”

“If you’re from the Black Phoenix Clan, you should know who we are.”

Gang Ryang was taken aback by the unexpected reaction.

However, Jin Yang was different.

“Listen here. I’m holding back a lot right now. Is it possible that our boss didn’t tell us beforehand who we could and couldn’t mess with?”

“……”

“I was a bit harsh earlier because I was angry, but let’s not do that. We’re talking nicely here, so stop with the nonsense and show your faces. I need to see your faces so I don’t get reprimanded, you know.”

One of the Spirit Turtle Guards sighed deeply.

“It’s not working.”

With that one sentence, Gang Ryang realized. They had lied.

They also thought there was no need to fight unnecessarily, so they immediately lied.

Normally, Gang Ryang wouldn’t have been fooled by such a simple trick. However, he was sensitive to the situation of war and the betrayal of the Black Road sects, so he was momentarily deceived.

At that moment, a telepathic message came from Jin Yang.

[Get ready.]

Gang Ryang’s eyes widened. Get ready? For what all of a sudden?

“Don’t make unnecessary trouble.”

The large Spirit Turtle Guard closest to the bonfire, not the one who had been talking, opened his mouth.

“Don’t waste precious poison, and cut their throats as quickly as possible.”

In that instant, Gang Ryang realized that the large Spirit Turtle Guard was their leader.

Furthermore, he also realized Jin Yang’s purpose.

‘That’s brilliant.’

Right now, he and Jin Yang were within a range where they could sweep away all of them with a single swing of their swords, having entered that range by a hair’s breadth.

In reality, they wouldn’t be able to kill them all in one go. No, they might not even be able to take down ten of them.

However, the important thing was that they had entered a position where they could make the fight easier.

‘This guy is really….’

The Spirit Turtle Guard slowly approached Jin Yang.

His gait was ominous, as if he was floating.

Clang!

The Spirit Turtle Guard, drawing a dagger, spoke in a sinister voice.

“Farewell.”

The moment the Spirit Turtle Guard was about to swing his dagger.

Flash!

A blade filled with flames swung from left to right, and a black sword energy in the shape of a giant scythe swung from right to left, attacking the Spirit Turtle Guards.

* * *

The kidnapper, Sa Woo, was startled.

“How do you know my name?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong didn’t answer. No, he couldn’t answer.

At this moment, Yeon Ho-Jeong was in awe.

‘I thought we were destined to meet someday, but….’

The heavens always presented unexpected encounters at unexpected moments. Even though he had deviated from the flow of the heavens and traveled back in time to this place, the heavens were bringing the madman who had escaped into the realm beyond humanity back into the net of heavenly principles.

‘Finally, I get to see you like this.’

Sa Woo, the Flying Demon of the Heavens.

He was an outstanding enemy commander who had fought Yeon Ho-Jeong, formerly known as the Dark Emperor, three times in the past without a clear victor.

At the time, he was known as one of the Three Great Devils of the Evil Sound Sect, and he was a formidable opponent who had killed many renowned martial artists, not only because of his martial arts but also because of his innate talent for killing.

A ghost who would appear out of nowhere, break through enemy lines, kill his target, and then disappear without a trace, not an assassin who would hide and kill.

Sa Woo was the one who had killed six sect leaders of the Nine Great Sects, seven heads of prestigious Black Road clans, and even the Thunder Dragon Sword, who was the closest aide and a supreme master of the Martial Alliance leader, Moyong Gun, before disappearing like a ghost.

Among them, Yeon Ho-Jeong was the only one who survived among Sa Woo’s targets. Sa Woo had targeted Yeon Ho-Jeong twice, and Yeon Ho-Jeong had almost lost his life to Sa Woo’s surprise attacks.

Later, during an operation, he had led his followers to attack Yeon Ho-Jeong, and they had fought fiercely, losing all their subordinates in the process.

Yeon Ho-Jeong was slightly superior in martial arts, but Sa Woo had incredible agility and an unimaginable killing technique, making it a nearly evenly matched fight.

In the end, they couldn’t settle the score. After their last battle, Sa Woo had disappeared somewhere, and Yeon Ho-Jeong had died a glorious death alongside Moyong Gun and Tang Gwan after killing the Evil Sound Sect leader.

He had encountered countless enemies, but there were a few battles that he couldn’t finish even when he was determined to do so.

Among them, Sa Woo was the opponent who remained most vividly in Yeon Ho-Jeong’s memory.

“It seems the heavens have brought you and me together here to settle the score we couldn’t settle back then.”

“I ask again. How do you know me?”

Now that he looked at him, his voice was subtly different from back then. Well, the Sa Woo of that time was a seventy-year-old man, so it was only natural.

However, even if he was younger than back then, his martial arts skills were not diminished. Rather, the energy of a younger Sa Woo was much more like a vibrant flame.

Whoosh!

A terrifying fighting spirit was released from Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body.

It was a fighting spirit, not a killing intent. He hated the Evil Sound Sect members so much that he wanted to tear them all apart, but Sa Woo was a little different.

To Yeon Ho-Jeong, Sa Woo was both an object of hatred and a rival he had not settled the score with.

“To use such outstanding martial arts to kidnap a young lady, it’s a waste of the martial arts you’ve learned.”

Sa Woo’s eyes under his hood emitted a crimson killing intent.

“I ask you one last time. How do you know me?”

“Is that important now? Either way, the loser will die, and the winner will take everything.”

Woo woo woo woo!!

The Yellow Dragon Energy within the Mad Dragon Axe emitted an enormous aura. The entire large, black Mad Dragon Axe was surrounded by golden light, obscuring its original form.

Hate, fighting spirit, competitiveness, and anger towards his rival.

He was unable to properly use his upper dantian [an energy center in the body], but that was why he was revealing his pure berserker nature.

“Are you ready to die?”

“Shut up, infidel!”

Fwaaaak!

The two men charged at each other.

It was as if two older men from the past and the future, from a clear history and an unapproachable future, were charging at each other like phantoms.