Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1109

“Kuhuk!”

Moyong Gun, on his knees, vomited a mouthful of blood.

‘Damn it.’

His whole body trembled as if an earthquake had struck. The pain that ran down his spine made him want to collapse immediately. It had been a long time since he had felt such terrible pain.

Crack! Crackle!

Behind him, a blue bolt of lightning flashed and then disappeared.

More serious than the internal injuries was the uncontrolled lightning energy. At the same time as using the Sword Lightning Divine Net, he had drawn upon the Heaven and Earth Eight Extremes True Energy [a powerful internal energy cultivation technique] to unleash the Heaven and Earth Single Strike.

It was a miracle that his internal organs hadn’t been shattered to pieces, considering he had drawn upon two such sharp forces at once.

‘It’s dangerous. If I don’t quickly correct my true energy, I’ll explode.’

Moyong Gun bit his lip and tried to gather the lightning energy.

Naturally, it didn’t gather easily. Although qi [life force or energy] is influenced by one’s thoughts, the lightning energy he had cultivated was one of the most ferocious true energies in the world.

Even if its master suffered serious injuries, it would move according to his thoughts, but the moment he forcibly drew out the Heaven and Earth Eight Extremes True Energy, it was as if he had eliminated a part of the area where the lightning energy was supposed to govern.

Naturally, the lightning energy, its usual path blocked, had no choice but to panic. Once out of control, the lightning energy quickly roamed all over his body, betraying its master’s will.

‘This is bad…’

Moyong Gun’s eyes became bloodshot.

‘I’m going to die like this…!’

It was then.

Whooosh!

A gentle force that seeped in from behind quickly subdued the lightning energy.

No, it wasn’t just the lightning energy. That divine power was even stopping the bleeding from his injured organs.

It was a power that could only be described as mystical. It was no exaggeration to call it the authority of a divine being.

Moyong Gun looked at the Fire Sword Master in surprise.

“Don’t move.”

Even with a spear piercing his abdomen, the Fire Sword Master’s expression was gentle.

“My true energy is still plentiful. I know you’re in a hurry, but you can’t fight unless you fix your body first.”

“J-Jin-in…” [a respectful title for a Taoist master]

“Close your eyes. And correct your inner energy. My power to control your qi is only temporary. In the end, true energy follows the will of its master.”

It was a way of saying that this was not the time to be picky. And his words were reasonable.

Moyong Gun closed his eyes and recited the incantation of the Lightning Energy Technique.

How much time had passed?

Zzzing. Zzzzzing.

The lightning energy, which had been raging wildly, finally roamed his entire body according to Moyong Gun’s will.

“Hoo!”

Moyong Gun, having finished his quick circulation of energy, rose from his spot.

‘…!’

Moyong Gun was startled.

More than half of his depleted inner energy had been restored. That was surprising enough, but the internal injuries he had suffered were also mostly sealed.

Of course, he wasn’t healed. But he had received sufficient treatment. If he rested well for a few days in this state, he would almost be able to return to his original condition.

‘How can this be? How…?’

Moyong Gun looked at the Fire Sword Master.

The Fire Sword Master was already sitting cross-legged. His complexion was somewhat pale, but his appearance, not sweating a single drop, resembled a Buddha despite being a Taoist.

“Go.”

“…Jin-in.”

“I can’t move right now. I can’t help even if I wanted to, so you should do what you have to do.”

Moyong Gun’s eyes wavered.

The spear that had pierced the Fire Sword Master’s abdomen was quite thick. The Fire Sword Master would die the moment that spear was pulled out.

“Jin…”

“Go quickly.”

Moyong Gun, after looking at the Fire Sword Master for a moment, respectfully clasped his hands.

He put everything into that one bow. After finishing his respectful greeting, Moyong Gun threw himself back into the front lines.

“…Hoo.”

The Fire Sword Master looked up at the sky.

‘I’m such a clumsy fool to the end.’

He had resolutely picked up his sword, determined to spend the last of his life for Mount Hua, for the Shaanxi martial world, and for the world.

But what was this? No matter how great the enemy’s forces were, he was now waiting for his end without even being able to show everything he had.

‘Have I still not shaken off my arrogance?’

Honestly, he thought he would live until the enemy’s forces were completely annihilated.

And now he realized that it was an excessive desire.

A smile spread across the Fire Sword Master’s face.

Now that he was facing death, he thought he had finally let go of all his attachments and arrogance, and he didn’t feel too bad.

‘In reality, it can be said that it’s not a bad achievement. I contributed to killing the enemy commander who had reached the pinnacle, so it can be said that I have done all I can do.’

He was struck by the thought that the young man who had killed the enemy commander was amazing.

He could tell. The moment he delivered the final blow, the young man had abandoned his own preconceptions and gained a great enlightenment.

Heavenly fortune is not found elsewhere. Only when a person abandons a part of themselves does heavenly fortune come.

‘I heard that that force was sent from the Saeum.’

A spy sent from the Saeum Sect was killed by the enemy commander leading the Saeum forces, eighty years later.

It was ironic, but it was still not a bad ending.

‘Master.’

Even though the sky was getting darker, it looked clear and blue in the Fire Sword Master’s eyes.

‘I tried to struggle and live in my own way, but I don’t know if I lived well.’

It was then.

A voice, whether it was a hallucination or not, was heard.

‘Do you have any regrets?’

Was it his master’s voice, or was it a question he was asking himself?

The Fire Sword Master closed his eyes.

‘I have no regrets.’

‘Then, isn’t that enough?’

‘Yes, it is.’

He had compiled his enlightenment into a book and passed it on to Mount Hua.

Also.

‘I have passed on my power to a young general of the martial world, so he will lend a hand in protecting Mount Hua.’

He had planted the seed of the Violet Cloud Divine Art in the body of that young man who wielded lightning energy.

That inner energy, which he had cultivated for over seventy years, was pure and virtuous, and it would greatly help not only the young man’s martial arts but also the purification of his mind and body.

‘Please.’

Srrr.

The Fire Sword Master’s body turned into a hazy powder in various places.

‘May the spirits protect Mount Hua.’

Whoosh! Cling!

Where his whole body had turned to dust and scattered, only the clothes he had worn and the spear that had pierced his body remained.

* * *

Warhorse General Gal Yo’s eyes blazed with fire.

Heeheeheeing!!

The Black Blood Divine Steed, an ancient demonic creature running without its master, let out a terrifying cry.

The cry was comparable to the sound of thunder, and everyone, friend or foe, was startled and looked at the huge black cavalry.

The Black Blood Divine Steed, connected to the Silver Tiger Horse Soldiers’ commander through their minds, went berserk, crying madly.

‘Could it be?’

The Black Blood Divine Steed’s cry was filled with terrible pain. In fact, tears of blood were flowing from its eyes, and white foam was dripping from its mouth.

‘I’ve never seen the Black Blood Divine Steed go berserk like that. Then?’

The death of its master.

There was no other reason. The Black Blood Divine Steed was a demon that would not even suffer if its whole body was torn to pieces.

A terrible murderous intent settled on Gal Yo’s face.

“What are you doing! Advance without regard for your lives!”

Kwa kwa kwang! Pow!

The Silver Tiger Horse Soldiers’ charge became even more fierce.

Namgoong Seung, who had been cutting down the cavalry at the front, frowned at the enemy’s fierce charge.

‘Something has changed.’

His upper dantian [an energy center in the body] was still dark.

He really hadn’t imagined that not being able to use his upper dantian would be so frustrating. Even if murderous intent was erupting right next to him, he couldn’t properly perceive it, so even with his divine swordsmanship, he was struggling to block all of the enemy’s attacks.

‘It’s endless.’

Moreover, Namgoong Seung had also consumed nearly half of his inner energy in the battle with So Hyun-jong.

If his upper dantian was fine, it wouldn’t have been a big problem, but as it was, he had to fight with only his inner energy and physical strength.

Of course, the enlightenment of the ages was not going anywhere, but it was as if he was fighting with a screen in front of him, making efficient combat impossible.

‘Our allies are also very tired.’

The faces of the martial artists who were forming walls on the left and right to block the enemies were pale.

Their morale was high, but their stamina was almost completely depleted. On the other hand, the enemies were advancing on horseback, so their stamina consumption would not be as great.

Decisively, there were too many enemies.

‘Six thousand… no, it’s easily over seven thousand.’

It was a terrifying number.

Although they had engaged in a full-scale battle where they were killing each other, it was no ordinary matter that three thousand out of ten thousand had died. Moreover, those three thousand were elite cavalry.

It was truly a great achievement, but on the other hand, the casualties on their side were two thousand more than the enemy’s.

Even if the left and right armies and the Murim Alliance [martial arts alliance] forces were combined, there were only about three thousand left. A total of five thousand troops had evaporated in a battle that lasted just over an hour.

With this level of damage, it was practically a complete annihilation. They were somehow continuing the battle, but just looking at the number of remaining troops, it was clear that this battle was a defeat.

‘What should I do?’

Namgoong Seung was confident that he wouldn’t die, but it would be meaningless if all of his allies died and he was the only one left alive.

‘I should have killed the enemy commander!’

Even the great Namgoong Seung couldn’t help but feel anxious.

A miracle, or rather, a miracle, was surprisingly rising from the south.

Kwaaang!

Namgoong Seung’s eyes widened.

“This is!”

The cavalry, which had been charging in a straight line, gradually solidified their formation, and before they knew it, the right side of the forces had been blown open.

“Break through! Break through again!”

“Block them!”

“Left, no, right! We must not let them escape from here!”

Thud thud thud!

Once the formation was broken, everything went smoothly.

The Silver Tiger Horse Soldiers split into three formations and quickly broke through the flanks of the allied forces.

“No!!”

It was just a futile cry.

Namgoong Seung wanted to chase after the enemies who had broken through the allied forces, but he couldn’t. If he did, the center he was in charge of would also be broken, and as a result, he would be creating another hole.

‘How can this be! What on earth…!’

Namgoong Seung, since entering the pinnacle, felt frustration with his martial arts for the first time.

He could face a hundred or a thousand people alone. But in a battle between groups, all he could do was take on a hundred at a time. To block all the enemies breaking through the allied forces, he needed a corresponding number of troops.

This was proof that a pinnacle master could not be an absolute being. A pinnacle master was someone who could change the tide of battle depending on the situation, but they were not someone who could bring about absolute victory.

Dragon Seon Jin-in shouted.

“The third formation, strengthen the defense! The fourth and fifth formations, pursue the enemies! Do not let them reach the capital!”

Thwack!

Dragon Seon Jin-in personally led the warriors of the fourth and fifth formations and chased after the cavalry that had broken through the rear.

Fwee fwee fweeng!

They were terrifying foes.

Even while breaking through the enemy’s formation and charging madly, they would turn their upper bodies and fire arrows at the pursuing enemies.

It was as if the fatigue they had accumulated had been blown away, and each arrow was imbued with powerful force. Twenty swordsmen from Mount Hua and over a hundred martial artists from Shaanxi, who were chasing after hundreds of cavalry, were hit by arrows and fell on the spot.

Even on Dragon Seon Jin-in’s face, who was running while deflecting arrows, frustration finally settled.

‘Is this really the end?!’

The backs of the black cavalry rushing away looked like darkness covering the sun.

Just as Dragon Seon Jin-in unknowingly closed his eyes tightly.

Kwaaang!

There were fifty cavalry who were creating a miracle they could never have imagined.

“How dare you!”

A voice, unlike any they had ever heard, resembling that of a lion, cut across the battlefield.

“Where do you half-wits think you’re running wild?!”

Thud thud thud!

The sound of flesh tearing echoed indiscriminately.

Dragon Seon Jin-in’s eyes widened.