Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1168

Ji So-hyeon involuntarily squeezed her eyes shut.

Puh-uh-uh-ung!

A deafening boom echoed as the trees around the two combatants seemed to bend outwards.

Immediately after the destructive shockwave rippled through the area, a terrifying reverse field materialized. The outward-spreading shockwave was instantly sucked back inwards, signaling the start of a fierce battle between two supreme masters.

Boo-oo-oo-oong!

The golden light of the Dragon Axe, swung horizontally, scorched the air, creating a crescent-shaped shockwave.

It was a tangible shockwave that crashed like a tidal wave. Sa Woo fearlessly leaped into the air.

Saaah-ah-ahk!

The surging shockwave vanished in an instant. Had that power been sustained, Ji So-hyeon’s body, even at a distance, would have been shattered to pieces.

‘As expected.’

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes gleamed.

‘He’s quick-witted.’

He’s a man with excellent judgment.

From his opponent’s perspective, killing Ji So-hyeon would be advantageous, but he doesn’t believe he’ll do it while the fight is still ongoing. That’s why he can openly avoid her.

Furthermore, with this one move, he would have confirmed that he wouldn’t kill Ji So-hyeon, at least not during the fight.

‘He’s the same as ever.’

He’s a terrifying man, as always.

Even at seventy, and now over fifty, he demonstrates incredible judgment.

Flash!

Sa Woo, who had ascended into the air, flew diagonally like an arrow.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes widened.

As six intersecting blades fell diagonally left and right, a faint blue net of blades flew as if to engulf Yeon Ho-jeong’s entire body.

It was Sa Woo’s true ultimate technique, the Ripping Wild God’s Claw, which he had reinterpreted and created from the martial arts of the Saim Cult. It was also a martial art imbued with Sa Woo’s blood and sweat, created to break the Yin-Yang Dance, the most famous martial art of the Saim Cult. [The Saim Cult is a fictional martial arts sect, and the Yin-Yang Dance is a specific martial art within that sect.]

The Light Dragon Axe, which had been swung horizontally, immediately struck vertically.

Kwaaang!

With a thunderous boom, Yeon Ho-jeong stepped back three or four steps.

The power of the martial art itself was considerable, but what was more terrifying was its sharpness. The sharpness of the Ripping Wild God’s Claw, which easily pierced through the dense energy of the Limitless Supreme, was sharper than any sword.

And one more thing.

Jjeo-jeo-jeong!

A metallic sound echoed from the Black Dragon Axe, which he had taken out with his left hand.

Sa Woo’s eyes flashed.

‘How did he know?’

Pa-bak!

He landed on the ground and extended his right palm. The Secret Yin Right Claw was already hidden behind his wrist. It was a strange weapon whose operating principle could not be understood from the outside. [Secret Yin Claws are fictional weapons with hidden mechanisms.]

Kwarung!

The Mountain Crushing Roar Palm, a palm technique created with the same intent as the Ripping Wild God’s Claw, unfolded.

It was an incredibly powerful palm force. Even though it unfolded so quickly, its power was comparable to the palm techniques of the Shaolin Temple. [The Shaolin Temple is a real-world Buddhist monastery famous for its martial arts.]

Kwang!

Yeon Ho-jeong’s body shook violently.

It was the Hexagonal Wheel of the Northern Sky Twelve Walls, unfolded with a translucent golden shield, the Yellow Dragon Water Energy. [The Hexagonal Wheel and Yellow Dragon Water Energy are fictional martial arts techniques.]

‘As expected.’

He deliberately defended against this palm technique. He wanted to see how much its power differed from the past.

‘It’s as I expected. There’s no big difference.’

The only difference was that the Mountain Crushing Roar Palm of the past was a little more free and gentle, while the current Mountain Crushing Roar Palm was faster and more robust.

Either way, it was dangerous to be hit directly. That was the case with any martial art of the Limitless Supreme, but the Mountain Crushing Roar Palm was more dangerous because it came in faster than expected.

Yeon Ho-jeong, having withdrawn the Hexagonal Wheel, immediately took a step forward.

Kung!

It was a step of the Mountain King, whose roar would make even the mountains and forests tremble. The White Tiger King’s Step of the White Tiger Art unfolded. [The Mountain King and White Tiger Art are fictional martial arts styles.]

Teo-eong!

He receives power from his heel and charges into battle. In his right hand was the massive Light Dragon Axe, weighing over eighty pounds, and in his left hand was the light and small but sharper Black Dragon Axe.

It was as if he was rushing in with two large and small claws.

Sa Woo, who had already taken out both of his Secret Yin Claws, charged forward to meet him.

Jjeo-jeo-jeo-jeo-jeong!!

A mad rush of attacks and counterattacks.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s attacks were unconventional due to the practicality and experience unique to the Four Death Arts, while Sa Woo’s attacks were focused on speed and sharpness. [The Four Death Arts are a fictional martial arts style.]

Yeon Ho-jeong was good at creating openings and had strong single strikes, while Sa Woo was skilled at targeting fatal weak points with rapid consecutive attacks.

The two men’s martial arts were so different, but there was one thing they had in common.

It was their temperament.

The temperament of not backing down when facing an enemy, the will to kill them no matter what, was much more directly revealed than other martial artists.

Kwaang!

A blow from the Black Dragon Axe, which had risen exquisitely from below, unleashed overflowing power.

Sa Woo’s body, which had blocked it by crossing the Secret Yin Claws, slid backward.

Yeon Ho-jeong, who had been charging forward with the White Tiger King’s Step at the same time as the attack, lowered his upper body diagonally at the moment he felt a killing intent.

Kwaaang!

An intangible fist wind brushed past Yeon Ho-jeong’s shoulder and blew away three large trees behind him.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes blazed.

‘Formless Death Summoning Fist!’

It was one of Sa Woo’s secret techniques, where the fist energy and fist wind were invisible to the naked eye, even when the true energy was concentrated. Six sect leaders of the Nine Great Sects had died from that one fist technique. [The Nine Great Sects are a fictional group of martial arts sects.]

Sa Woo’s eyes deepened.

Hook!

The Light Dragon Axe, which had been extended straight, had already reached his nose.

It was piercing, not cutting. If he took the axe blade lightly, he would not escape death. An unimaginable power was embedded in the linear thrust, and the moment it touched, any external object would be shattered.

Sa Woo swung his left hand, the Secret Yin Left Claw, as if to scratch.

Jjeo-eo-eo-eong!

He moved his feet madly and stepped back.

‘He’s strong.’

His left arm joints screamed. Even though he had unleashed the Ripping Wild God’s Claw, he felt a pain as if his shoulder had been torn off in an instant.

‘It’s brute force. His internal energy and physical strength are a step above mine.’

But he had something that his opponent did not.

Sa Woo, who had lowered his stance and charged forward as soon as he retreated, straightened his body with a strong heel and threw a straight right fist.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed.

The fist wind that was shot out, distorting the air.

Moreover, there were two, not one. The movement was one, but the power that was released overlapped and then scattered. That was clearly visible in Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes.

‘Where is it?’

Even though it was shot like lightning and had almost reached his nose, he couldn’t tell where it would go.

‘Where is it!’

At that moment, two formless fist winds scattered left and right and then descended in an arc towards his thighs.

Hook! Kwaaaang!

As he retreated with the Blood Wing Soaring Sky, the two stray fist winds collided with each other and caused a huge explosion. [Blood Wing Soaring Sky is a fictional martial arts technique.]

The ground was overturned, and a half-broken tree groaned and finally fell.

Even with just the shockwave, such power was produced. It was a brutal martial art that could send even a Limitless Supreme master to the grave in one blow.

Flash!

Yeon Ho-jeong, who had unfolded the Blood Wing Soaring Sky in succession, attacked Sa Woo with the Red Calamity Flash of the Crimson Flame Six Kill Art. [Red Calamity Flash and Crimson Flame Six Kill Art are fictional martial arts techniques.]

Sa Woo’s hands moved urgently.

Kwakwang!

With a thunderous boom, golden heat spread in all directions.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed.

‘Below!’

Sa Woo’s left fist, which had lowered his stance like a four-legged beast, flew towards Yeon Ho-jeong’s knee.

It was an attack that unfolded at close range. Even if it didn’t touch him by a hair, his joints would be shattered if he was hit by the power.

Yet, Yeon Ho-jeong unfolded an unconventional movement.

Boo-oong! Pa-ah-ah-ang!

He stepped back and unfolded the technique of the Iron Plate Bridge, and the fist wind that had brushed past Yeon Ho-jeong’s chin pulverized dozens of tree branches far away before disappearing into the sky. [Iron Plate Bridge is a fictional martial arts technique.]

Yeon Ho-jeong’s right leg collided with Sa Woo’s right hand, which was imbued with the power of the Mountain Crushing Roar Palm, with the stance of the Tiger King’s Killing. [Tiger King’s Killing is a fictional martial arts stance.]

Kwaang!

With another shockwave, the two retreated backward.

Yeon Ho-jeong took six steps, and Sa Woo took nine steps. Considering the difference in power between the leg technique and the palm technique, it could be seen as a close match in skill.

Sa Woo, who had been staring at Yeon Ho-jeong silently, slowly raised his body and asked.

“Have you fought me before?”

“I have.”

“If I had fought a master of your caliber, I would surely remember it. Therefore, your words are false.”

“Whether you believe it or not, what does it have to do with me?”

“What exactly is your identity?”

“You were supposed to hear the answer to that question in the afterlife.”

It was a statement that made anger boil, but Sa Woo was more puzzled than angry.

‘How did he read all of the transition paths?’

There are quite a few internal energy techniques that control the energy so that it does not become tangible, even when the density of the true energy is raised to its limit. The reason why the Formless Death Summoning Fist is special is that the power shot with the technique of the Wall Breaking Palm changes direction at will while being invisible. [Wall Breaking Palm is a fictional martial arts technique.]

Even if he had read the killing intent, the speed of the transition itself was so fast that most masters would lose their lives as soon as they felt the danger. Even if they didn’t die, after being attacked two or three times, some part of their body would usually be broken or torn off.

‘The last attack wasn’t even intentional. I only changed the direction, and I let the attack line draw itself. But he still avoided it.’

This was not simply a matter of skill. His martial arts were familiar to his opponent.

Moreover, he wielded the massive heavy weapon, the Great Axe, with a very practical fighting style. He knew everything, from the ability to create openings to when to push in and when to retreat, when to defend and when to fiercely pressure.

He was truly the embodiment of combat. Sa Woo was also second to none when it came to fighting, but this was the first time he had seen a master who used such a unique yet effective fighting style.

‘Even while reading the fist wind paths of the Formless Death Summoning Fist, how is that possible?’

Sa Woo suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

‘He’s strong. He surpasses me not only in internal energy and brute force but also in experience.’

It was unbelievable.

No matter how he looked at it, he was a young man who was not even thirty years old. Even if he had been fighting since he was in his mother’s womb, it would be difficult to show such unconventionality and sense.

‘But why is he hesitating?’

In the middle of exchanging attacks, Sa Woo felt the opponent’s killing intent forcefully piercing his gaps. Twice, in fact.

Killing intent is the manifestation of will, so a fatal attack should have come immediately. But it didn’t.

It wasn’t as if he had deceived the attack point with killing intent, because the follow-up attack was straightforward. There was only one answer.

“Your body isn’t normal.”

No sooner had the words been spoken than a stream of blood flowed from Yeon Ho-jeong’s nose.

Sa Woo’s lips curled up.

It was a smile stained with sincere admiration and murderous intent, with not a trace of smugness.

“To be this good even with an abnormal body, you’re truly an amazing guy.”

“I am a bit amazing.”

“It seems like something is wrong with your upper dantian, not somewhere else.” [The upper dantian is an energy center in the body, according to traditional Chinese medicine.]

“Is it that obvious?”

He was openly bleeding from his nose, yet he was still relaxed.

Sa Woo couldn’t help but admire his opponent’s bold combat skills and strong character.

“I don’t know where a guy like you came from. It’s a shame we met as enemies.”

“I don’t feel the same way.”

Whirrrrr.

The Yellow Dragon Fire Energy that was once again emanating from Yeon Ho-jeong’s body burned the surrounding grass and trees.

Sa Woo’s eyes deepened.

“It’s been a while, so I’ve had a good taste of your skills.”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s stance lowered.

It was a stance that simultaneously melted the White Tiger Charge, the Tiger King’s Nine Wall Stance, and the White Tiger King’s Step. [White Tiger Charge and Tiger King’s Nine Wall Stance are fictional martial arts techniques.]

“Appetizer’s over, the main course begins.”

Killing intent exploded from Sa Woo’s eyes.

“Those are my words.”

Flash!

At that moment, the Black Dragon Axe was shot out, creating a whirlwind.