Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1022

Kugung!

The shockwave echoing from the distant forest was so intense that any master could feel it.

“……”

Jeagal Mun-Ho looked out the window.

‘Alliance Leader.’

The subtle aura of true energy emanating was the essence of Buddhist martial arts. It seemed Gong Gong Dae-Sa and Yeon Ho-Jeong were engaged in a martial arts contest.

‘So, it’s come to this.’

He could understand without needing to be told.

Jeagal Ayeon asked,

“Father, is this perhaps…?”

“Yes.”

Jeagal Ayeon’s face clouded over.

“Will it be alright?”

“Surely, nothing bad will happen.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho sighed and said,

“There must be a reason for this. Of course, the Alliance Leader wouldn’t just let the Vice Alliance Leader go so easily…”

Jeagal Mun-Ho, who was speaking, suddenly flinched.

“Ayeon, are you feeling this shockwave?”

“Yes? Ah, yes! Of course.”

“……?!”

Jeagal Mun-Ho’s eyes wavered.

A shockwave is essentially a vibration, and even if the vibration is subtle, a martial artist who has mastered inner energy cultivation and possesses transcendent senses can react sensitively to it.

However, the shockwave created by Gong Gong Dae-Sa and Yeon Ho-Jeong colliding was not ordinary.

The shockwaves from such masters are so immense that they can be deafening when witnessed up close, but the vibrations drastically decrease once a certain distance is crossed.

The reason was simple. The energy waves between masters create a field that prevents vibrations from leaking beyond a certain distance.

It was a natural phenomenon that happened without intention, like the natural occurrence when explosive force collided. In contrast, the case of emitting a powerful shockwave that shakes the mountains and rivers is when the field cannot withstand the impact, or when extreme inner energy consumption follows, consuming even the energy surrounding the field.

Naturally, the current shockwave was not a typical clash between top masters, that is, a clash of martial arts where extreme inner energy is consumed to kill the opponent.

Jeagal Ayeon was feeling it. Even though she had not broken through the martial barrier.

‘She’s amazing.’

Although she was exceptionally talented in intellect and helped him, Jeagal Ayeon’s martial talent was also second to none.

However, she was more interested in this field than martial arts, so he wanted to nurture that.

‘Should I have taught her the secret arts sooner, given this level of talent?’

Beyond simply understanding and mastering martial arts quickly, her senses themselves were sharp. This level of sensory talent was rare even among those called geniuses.

“What’s wrong, Father?”

“……It’s nothing.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho shook his head and looked down at the documents.

“I will take care of everything today, so you should go back to your quarters and rest.”

“No, I also…”

“This is an order as a military strategist, not as a father. Go and rest.”

Jeagal Ayeon sighed and bowed her head.

“Understood.”

As his daughter left, Jeagal Mun-Ho, who had taken his eyes off the documents, looked at the door of his office.

“……Talent, is it.”

* * *

Thud!

The shockwave that bounced off pulverized a rather thick tree branch.

Yeon Ho-Jeong, in a low stance, charged forward and unleashed a fist that rotated inward.

Bang!

The mountains and forests seemed to tremble. The shockwave was unbelievably fierce.

‘As expected.’

Gong Gong Dae-Sa, who had neutralized Yeon Ho-Jeong’s fist with the Dragon King Fist, felt a chilling sensation that went deep into his bones.

‘He’s truly amazing.’

Whether wielding an axe or bare-handed, Yeon Ho-Jeong was strong.

When he wielded an axe, his combat power increased, and the variety of martial arts he could unleash became much more diverse, naturally increasing his skill. However, even when bare-handed, he displayed a level of martial prowess that was not significantly different from when he wielded an axe.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Gong Gong Dae-Sa’s martial arts, unleashing a triple strike of Great Strength Vajra Palm, Guanyin Azure Steel Hand, and Arhat Divine Fist, were unusually fierce and swift.

Moreover, it didn’t just stop at being fierce and swift. Its power was at a level that Yeon Ho-Jeong had rarely experienced.

He quickly disrupted the offensive with a series of Turning Heaven Palm and True Evil Fist, and evaded the remaining force with the Dragon Form Seven Step Footwork.

Bang!

The remaining force overturned the ground.

It was a sparring match without killing intent, but it was so sharp that one could lose their life in an instant.

Unlike Yeon Ho-Jeong, Gong Gong Dae-Sa had never fought using his full abilities since reaching the Saintly Heaven Realm [a high level of martial arts mastery].

Yet, he was displaying this level of combat power. It made one wonder if he had hidden martial arts as fierce as hellfire behind the mask of a benevolent and compassionate monk.

Swish!

Yeon Ho-Jeong, having evaded Gong Gong Dae-Sa’s palm strike, plunged into the gap on the lower right and swung his fist.

‘……!’

In that instant, Yeon Ho-Jeong felt as if a giant golden fortress was blocking his path.

It was a subtle golden fortress, both real and illusory. The fortress, which seemed like it wouldn’t even be scratched by cannons, was magnificent yet ancient, classic yet sturdy.

It didn’t seem like he could break through it with a single fist. It seemed difficult to even make a hole with a series of palm strikes.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s fist naturally transformed into a hand blade, becoming a bare-handed axe and manifesting the Raging Wind Nine Dragon Kill.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Incredible.

Where did such dynamism come from in Gong Gong Dae-Sa’s usually refined and courteous demeanor?

He lifted the hem of his robe and swung his left foot to deflect the hand blade, and the momentum was terrifying.

It was another Shaolin masterpiece, the Guanyin Eighteen Feet. It was a secret technique of footwork that was rare even in Shaolin. The elderly monks rarely used it, deeming it unseemly, but it was combined with Gong Gong Dae-Sa’s dynamic movements to create a force like a cannonball.

Thud!

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s figure became disoriented.

The Raging Wind Nine Dragon Kill was a martial art that only truly came to life when wielded with an axe. He had created it that way from the start. He had used a hand blade strike as an improvisation, but with an attack that didn’t even have half its power, he couldn’t stop the Guanyin Eighteen Feet.

And that wasn’t all.

Pow! Pow! Pow!

Gong Gong Dae-Sa’s martial arts were art itself.

Regardless of the level of mastery, they were dazzling and beautiful to watch. The palm and fist techniques he unleashed were like a dance, yet they were full of discipline, and the sharp footwork was as decisive and sharp as the axe techniques Yeon Ho-Jeong used.

‘Really.’

Once he was on the defensive, it was difficult to gather his wits and strike back.

That was why he could see Gong Gong Dae-Sa’s martial arts even more clearly. The martial arts of the next Divine Fist of Shaolin, known as the Fist King, were worth a thousand gold just to watch.

‘It’s so different.’

In terms of temperament, Beom Oh’s martial arts were much more fierce and violent. Beom Oh’s martial arts were so destructive and rough that one would wonder if they were truly from the Shaolin Temple.

Gong Gong Dae-Sa was different.

There were no unnecessary movements, and even though it was full of discipline, it looked strangely soft.

Nevertheless, each strike had the power to turn a rock into dust. It wasn’t that he was unleashing martial arts with a determined mind, but that he was simply fighting seriously, and that much power was coming out.

The fighting spirit that filled his entire body created the roar of a wrathful Myo-o [Wisdom King] enraged by the Buddha’s enlightenment.

‘This is the true martial arts of the Thousand-Year Shaolin!’

All martial arts under heaven come from Shaolin.

It was an arrogant yet majestic saying. Gong Gong Dae-Sa’s martial arts were so profound and powerful that the legendary saying naturally came to mind. It was so perfect that he wanted to watch it forever.

However.

The fact that Yeon Ho-Jeong could appreciate his opponent’s martial arts even for a moment meant that his level was higher than Gong Gong Dae-Sa’s.

Perhaps there were martial arts in Shaolin that could be compared to the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art. Before that, it might be meaningless to compare the greatness of martial arts among warriors who had reached this level.

But at least Yeon Ho-Jeong’s level was so great that it surpassed the perfectly refined Gong Gong Dae-Sa.

Thud!

With an explosion, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s figure disappeared.

Even though he was watching closely, he couldn’t tell where he had disappeared to for a moment. He had missed it with both the power of the Formless Great Ability and his well-honed Limitless senses.

‘Where?’

At that moment, Gong Gong Dae-Sa could see Yeon Ho-Jeong lowering his stance in the distance, directly in front of him.

‘……!!’

Since learning martial arts, had there ever been another moment that gave him such goosebumps?

Disappearing from sight meant that an attack could come from any direction, even those that were not visible. He thought the attack would come from the left, right, or rear, or from above.

But Yeon Ho-Jeong had simply retreated. It was a movement that broke the common sense of offense and defense.

And that movement that broke common sense could be seen as meaning that a martial art that broke common sense would soon come flying.

‘……?!’

Yeon Ho-Jeong, having kicked off the ground, came flying.

He was flying, but his speed wasn’t that fast. However, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s figure could be seen flickering slowly.

‘……!!’

Gong Gong Dae-Sa’s feet moved busily.

Pow!

Gong Gong Dae-Sa, who had retreated with Shaolin’s best footwork, the Continuous Nine Steps, saw that Yeon Ho-Jeong had reached right in front of him in an instant.

Even though he had retreated at his fastest speed, he had been caught up. It meant that Yeon Ho-Jeong’s footwork speed had surpassed that of the Continuous Nine Steps.

Gong Gong Dae-Sa couldn’t understand.

He wasn’t that fast, but he had arrived so quickly. Shaolin’s Vajra Immovable Stance was similar to this, but it was a movement that couldn’t be explained even with the enlightenment of the Vajra Immovable Stance.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s fist extended straightforwardly.

Gong Gong Dae-Sa’s hands tried to wrap around his fist. It was a natural response.

Thud!

With a sound like a drum bursting, Gong Gong Dae-Sa’s body staggered.

“……”

Gong Gong Dae-Sa’s eyes wavered.

Yeon Ho-Jeong did not release his fist. His stance was low, reminiscent of Shaolin fist techniques.

Gong Gong Dae-Sa looked down at his chest.

Before he could even unleash the Thousand Hands Tathagata Palm, a single fist force had pierced through his chest.

However, it did not cause any damage to Gong Gong Dae-Sa. The front of his chest, his monk’s robe and cassock, were pierced in a circle, revealing his firm pectoral muscles that were not befitting his age, but other than being flushed red, there were no injuries.

Gong Gong Dae-Sa sighed.

“I have lost.”

“Yes. You have lost.”

“It is a great martial art. You seem to have become stronger than before you left for Qinghai.”

“Yes. It seems so.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong did not bother to be humble.

Gong Gong Dae-Sa nodded.

“Your martial arts are comparable to the Sword Saint or the Saber Saint. No, it seems to be even more than that. My skills were not enough to draw out your full power, but surely your level has surpassed those two.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong did not answer.

Gong Gong Dae-Sa lamented.

“I had anticipated my defeat. How could I stop you when you had made up your mind? However, I wanted to give you enlightenment. Since you are going to that harsh world, I wanted to give you even a small piece of Shaolin’s vast enlightenment, so I asked to fight like this.”

“Yes. I knew.”

“Even so.”

Gong Gong Dae-Sa smiled wryly and stroked his chest.

“Rather, I have received enlightenment from you.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s single fist this time, if one had to categorize it, contained the enlightenment of a king-level master in the Saintly Heaven Realm.

An enlightenment of martial power that Gong Gong Dae-Sa had not yet reached. Gong Gong Dae-Sa, having received that single strike with his body, could see one path of martial arts that he would have to pioneer.

He had tried to help, but he had received help instead. Now, Yeon Ho-Jeong had grown to the point where he no longer needed the help of the Martial Alliance Leader.

Gong Gong Dae-Sa closed his eyes.

“I have lost.”