Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1316

Veins bulged on Yeon Ho-jeong’s forehead.

Crack! Snap!

Sa Mun-hyang’s feet dug into the ground.

His shoulder had been struck by the Gwangryong Axe. Normally, it should have pierced through his shoulder, split his sternum, and sliced all the way to his hip joint in one blow.

Yet, it failed to cleave him. Although his flesh was cut and bleeding, considering the power behind the Gwangryong Axe, it was a failed strike.

‘Indeed.’

It was a situation that no one could remain calm about. Anyone but Yeon Ho-jeong would have felt that way.

However, Yeon Ho-jeong was not surprised, even knowing that this strike had failed.

“Strong.”

Sa Mun-hyang’s hand rose, attempting to grab the Gwangryong Axe.

Whack!

Yeon Ho-jeong retrieved the Gwangryong Axe and retreated, reigniting the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art.

Whoosh!

The Yellow Dragon Divine King Art blazed with full power.

The golden aura surging from his back was the bright yellow of an emperor.

The fire-like energy soon formed the shape of a massive dragon. It was the manifestation of the Hellish Art, the Yellow Dragon Manifestation (黃龍顯顯) [A technique where the user manifests a dragon of pure energy], of the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art, inherited from the legendary realm.

“That was indeed a powerful blow. It’s the first time I’ve been injured since achieving the Evil Emperor Body (邪皇體) [A martial art that grants the user an incredibly resilient body].”

Evil Emperor Body.

Of course, Yeon Ho-jeong knew that martial art.

Crack!

Sa Mun-hyang slowly rotated his shoulder, pulling out his feet that had sunk into the ground up to his calves.

Sizzle!

The shoulder where the Gwangryong Axe had struck was completely healed. It was just a flesh wound, but the speed of recovery was beyond imagination.

“I’ve completed it, but it hasn’t reached its peak. Perfection and completion are not the end. They are a means to grow even higher.”

It was an understandable statement.

Regardless of the hatred and resentment he felt towards him, it was clear that he was an incredible master. Sa Mun-hyang knew the martial principles that Yeon Ho-jeong had only come to understand after accumulating power through regression and even mastering the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art.

“Even considering that, breaking through the Evil Emperor Body is impressive. The Evil Emperor Body is one of many paths to invincibility, and you have made the invincible not invincible.”

A stern face, a rigid voice.

The atmosphere was completely different from his words, heightening the sense of crisis.

“If a divine fist had attacked with all its might, would it have drawn blood? If a sword saint had swung his sword with enlightenment, would it have cut? I don’t know, but I do know that your martial arts are no less than those two.”

Sizzle!

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes deepened.

A blue aura surged from Sa Mun-hyang’s once transparent eyes.

It was a blue with a hint of gray. It was a bizarre energy that felt dangerous just by looking at it.

‘Yin Desolate Martial Art (陰荒武) [A martial art focused on desolate and destructive energy].’

One of the true ultimate techniques of Sa Mun-hyang, the leader of the Evil Sound Sect.

It wasn’t his strongest martial art, but the Yin Desolate Martial Art that Sa Mun-hyang wielded was on a different level from that of other masters.

“You are a man of many secrets. It seems you know things I don’t, more than just a simple rival. And I’ve become curious about what that is.”

“……”

“I don’t know what it is, but I feel I must know. I even have the conviction that if I know it, I can get one step closer to the Blood God.”

Sa Mun-hyang raised his right hand.

Rumble!

The earth cried out.

It felt like the air, the sky, the entire world was shaking.

‘As expected!’

It had been a long time, a very long time, since he had felt Sa Mun-hyang’s Yin Desolate Martial Art.

Its power was not much different from Cheon Wi-ryong’s Twin Dragon Mad World Art. However, it would be impossible to break through it as easily as the Twin Dragon Mad World Art. In the first place, it wasn’t a counter-art that branched off from the same origin as the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art, like the Mad World Art.

The pinnacle of pure evil arts. It was the power of evil arts that had become superior to demonic arts.

It was such an overwhelming power that he thought he would have been defeated even with the Yellow Dragon if he hadn’t gained enlightenment after the fight with Cheon Wi-ryong.

“I will tear apart your soul and body to uncover what that secret is.”

Sa Mun-hyang moved.

Whoosh.

The air felt heavy.

For a moment, Yeon Ho-jeong even felt like he had entered the deep sea.

The pressure pressing down from all directions increased in the blink of an eye. This sensation of having his body’s movements controlled before even being attacked, it was an absolute power that was difficult to push back even with the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art.

And at that moment.

Sizzle!

A reddish energy gradually mixed into Yeon Ho-jeong’s golden aura.

It was killing intent.

As he received Sa Mun-hyang’s proper energy wave, he recalled the life-or-death battle that had once decided the fate of the Central Plains. It was his body’s memory.

That memory instinctively released killing intent, and the moment he realized he was releasing it himself, his balanced emotions were completely dyed red.

“Sa Mun-hyang!”

Yeon Ho-jeong stomped his right foot on the ground.

Bang! Bang!

With that nervous stomping, which was too much to be called a true step, the ground within a radius of twenty or so yards cracked open.

Crack! Crack!

The Yin Desolate Evil Energy that had been pressing down on Yeon Ho-jeong exploded and scattered.

Even if it wasn’t demonic art, evil art was a similar power, and the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art was a divine art that was close to being its counter, even if it wasn’t a true counter.

The ultimate divine art that purifies and destroys all evil energy. When combined with the killing intent buried deep within his soul, the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art shattered the Yin Desolate Evil Energy with unprecedented ferocity.

Sa Mun-hyang’s eyes flashed.

‘He’s vicious!’

It was the first time he had seen someone emit such a sacred aura while simultaneously exuding a suffocating killing intent.

‘Indeed, there was a reason why Cheon Wi-ryong was defeated.’

Just the divine art that was the counter to demonic art was threatening. But that alone wouldn’t have been enough to kill Cheon Wi-ryong, who had completed the Twin Dragon Mad World Art.

‘This guy is a genius too.’

Divine art and killing intent, sacred energy and death energy.

The fact that he could combine and emit energies that could never be combined so naturally was also a talent bestowed by the heavens.

‘Even so.’

Whoosh!

Sa Mun-hyang, who was advancing while easily overcoming the immense pressure, showed no sign of tension on his face.

‘It’s still not enough.’

Whoosh.

The motion of reaching out his hand as he advanced was too smooth.

However, the blue energy emanating from his hand was dyeing the entire path it passed with the energy of death.

It was a move from the Yin Desolate Martial Art’s ultimate technique, the Yin Desolate Divine Palm (陰荒神掌) [A palm technique that uses desolate energy], the first move of the Yin Desolate Spirit (陰荒靈) [The essence of the Yin Desolate Martial Art].

Explosive power surged into Yeon Ho-jeong’s hand holding the Gwangryong Axe.

Thud!

Yeon Ho-jeong, advancing with a light step, unleashed a magnificent strike as always.

Whoosh!

The Gwangryong Axe, weighing over eighty pounds, showed such strong elasticity that it seemed to bend.

It was the first move of the Gwangryong Art, Ruthless. Yeon Ho-jeong, who had properly mastered the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art, unleashed the extreme imagination he had, creating a force that seemed capable of splitting the heavens and earth in half.

The power of the Gwangryong Axe and the Yin Desolate Spirit collided.

Clang!

With the explosion, Yeon Ho-jeong was pushed back.

The Gwangryong Axe that had been swung down, as well as the hand that held it, were thrown behind his shoulder. Yeon Ho-jeong’s upper body was wide open, his posture full of gaps.

Sa Mun-hyang moved.

Whoosh!

His movements were not as flashy as Yeon Ho-jeong’s. But they weren’t completely silent either.

They made a quiet yet unpleasant metallic sound. And yet, they were fast. Like a formless ghost, he instantly penetrated into Yeon Ho-jeong’s domain.

Thud!

With a step, Sa Mun-hyang lightly waved his hand.

With a single gesture, as if flicking his sleeve, two streams of energy struck towards Yeon Ho-jeong’s face and abdomen.

It was a speed that was invisible to the eye, but Yeon Ho-jeong knew where his opponent would aim from the moment he approached.

It was the power of the Divine King Energy (神王氣) [A type of energy that is associated with divine power].

Bang! Boom!

As he twisted his body while rotating, the energy aimed at his face flew backward, tearing up the ground, and the energy aimed at his abdomen exploded against the shaft of the Gwangryong Axe.

At that moment, the scattered energy gathered on its own and moved towards Yeon Ho-jeong’s body.

It was the enlightenment of the Penetration Realm, the ability to control energy with intent (以氣馭) [A technique that allows the user to manipulate energy with their will]. The energy of the shattered power should naturally return to nature, but controlling that energy with will to penetrate the opponent’s body was not an easy task for anyone.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s left hand moved like lightning.

Wham! Wham!

The energy of the Golden Dragon Sky-Turning Palm was contained in his hand, which he swung as if clawing at the air. The Yin Desolate Evil Energy that had been penetrating with formless energy was completely annihilated.

Sa Mun-hyang’s eyes hardened.

‘He knows the Yin Desolate Martial Art.’

He knew from the moment he appeared that his opponent was one of the top masters in the Central Plains, known as the Black and White Supreme.

As a master who had blocked the invasion of the Central Plains by the Three Sects at the forefront, he must have fought many masters of the Evil Sound Sect. Of course, he would have experience with the Yin Desolate Martial Art.

However, his opponent’s response now was not simply at the level of knowing it.

‘It was impossible to read the energy control (馭氣) at that moment. That means he predicted how the follow-up attack would come.’

None of those who had been taught the Yin Desolate Martial Art used the Penetration Realm with energy control. Even if there were, it would be absolutely impossible in this kind of exchange.

In other words, his opponent knew the Yin Desolate Martial Art well and also knew himself well.

‘Just who is this guy?’

Clack! Clack!

With a bizarre sound, he stepped on the ground and took Yeon Ho-jeong’s flank. It was the Ghostly Shift (幽靈換) [A movement technique that allows the user to move like a ghost] of the Yin Desolate Divine Step (陰荒神步) [A footwork technique that is part of the Yin Desolate Martial Art].

It was an incredibly smooth and fast movement. There were no violent movements, yet it was like lightning.

Sa Mun-hyang once again unleashed the Yin Desolate Divine Palm.

Both hands facing forward, the blue energy swelled strongly above the fluttering sleeves.

Wham!

The Yin Desolate Demonic Soul (陰荒魔魂) [The most powerful form of the Yin Desolate Divine Palm] of the Yin Desolate Divine Palm was undoubtedly a killing move.

The power emitted from both palms writhed erratically, aiming for the opponent’s gaps. If one had not completed the Yin Desolate Martial Art, even the user would not know which part of the opponent’s body the energy would target.

In other words, it meant that one could not read the killing intent and murderous intent. If one could not create distance and confirm with the naked eye, even a supreme master would not be able to easily block it.

However.

Wham! Wham! Wham!

The Gwangryong Axe, moving at super speed, struck and shattered the dual palm power of the Yin Desolate Demonic Soul twice each.

It was surprising that he had read the movements of the Yin Desolate Demonic Soul, but what was even more surprising was the sense of energy that had captured the density of power. It was truly astonishing that he had instantly read that he could not block it with a single axe strike and had swung it twice to break it.

Moreover, the strength with which he wielded that heavy axe like a master of quick sword techniques was awe-inspiring even to Sa Mun-hyang.

‘Indeed, a rival is a rival.’

Whoosh!

Even while using such fast and destructive martial arts, the timing of his counterattacks was incredible.

The Gwangryong Axe, having destroyed the power of the Yin Desolate Demonic Soul, fell vertically with the power to split a mountain.

‘……!’

Sa Mun-hyang’s eyes widened.

In front of Mount Tai, the most famous mountain in the world, he unleashed a simple move called Mount Tai Pressing Down (泰山壓頂) [A move that is named after the famous mountain].

However, while the form was simple, the power was not simple at all. It was a strike of monstrous power that seemed capable of splitting even Mount Tai, the Crushing Mountain Force (崩山勢) [A technique that is meant to crush the opponent with immense force] of the Gwangryong Art, falling on the crown of the Evil God (邪神) [A term used to refer to Sa Mun-hyang] with the power to collapse a mountain peak.

In that short moment, Sa Mun-hyang hesitated.

The confidence in his body, having achieved the Evil Emperor Body, was clear. But that move contained extreme spiritual power. He felt that even with the indestructible Evil Emperor Body, it would not be easy to block.

That thought soon stimulated Sa Mun-hyang’s instincts, and his instincts led his body into the realm of super speed.

Wham! Whoosh!

As he dodged to the side like lightning, the power of the Crushing Mountain Force passed through the spot where Sa Mun-hyang had been.

And the moment the Gwangryong Axe fell to the ground, Sa Mun-hyang’s left palm accurately struck Yeon Ho-jeong’s chest.

Boom!

With the explosion, the two figures were thrown back over ten yards.