Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1191

‘Bok Ho-Satae.’

As Yeon Ho-Jeong rode forward with the Beggars’ Union elders, his thoughts turned to Bok Ho-Satae.

The head of the Emei Sect and a pillar of the Martial Alliance, she had always supported Yeon Ho-Jeong in the political battles within the Alliance.

Even though they had no personal ties, she must have done so because she recognized that Yeon Ho-Jeong’s actions were for the good of the martial world, and indeed, the entire continent.

She was a good person, a kind soul who also possessed the dignity of a sect leader.

That dignity did not waver even when Pung Byeok-Ja, the head of the Qingcheng Sect, with whom she had been friends for a long time, was revealed to be a spy for the Three Evil Sects. Although greatly shocked, she continued to actively participate in the Alliance’s operations as a pillar of the martial world, achieving great administrative feats alongside the other pillars.

And now, she was dead.

That such a good person, the leader of the Emei Sect, had been destroyed.

It was far more unbelievable than the news of Tang Hyeong’s death. Unlike Tang Hyeong, who had met his end in a way befitting his nature, Bok Ho-Satae had been swept away by a sudden disaster.

‘The Blood Demon Cult Leader.’

Upon hearing that he and his two disciples had destroyed the Emei Sect, Yeon Ho-Jeong had wanted to shatter the Wind and Earth Imprisonment Formation [a powerful sealing technique] and personally behead the Blood Demon Cult Leader.

But that was not the right course of action. Despite his extreme anger, Yeon Ho-Jeong viewed the situation with a clear head.

That was why he had requested support from the Tang family, and why he was now marching out with the Beggars’ Union experts to eliminate the Cult Leader’s escort unit.

“Lord Yeon! Let’s stop for a moment!” Ga Deuk-Sang’s shout made Yeon Ho-Jeong slow the Black Blood Divine Steed.

A moment later.

“This is the place.”

Ga Deuk-Sang pointed to a spot on the map.

“They will soon pass through Gamrak and head up to the southern part of Aksan.”

“I see.”

“Going further would make it difficult to take advantage of the terrain, so it would be better to meet them here.”

“Let’s do that.”

“Lord Yeon.”

“Speak.”

After hesitating for a moment, Ga Deuk-Sang cautiously asked,

“Are you alright?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong spoke honestly.

“I am not alright.”

“……”

“Who could be alright? Emei’s Bok Ho-Satae was a pillar who protected Sichuan just by her existence, and a person who truly cared for the world. For such a person to be killed by the leader of an enemy who came to the Central Plains as if on a stroll, wouldn’t it be stranger if I were alright?”

“You are right, Lord.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes deepened.

“If I couldn’t prevent her death, then at least I must avenge her. That is the duty I can fulfill for her as the Black Emperor Lord.”

“And it is the duty of us all.”

Ga Deuk-Sang sighed.

“It’s a relief that the Tang family dealt with the Blood Demon Cult Leader.”

‘Was it really?’

Yeon Ho-Jeong almost said that without realizing it, but it seemed premature, so he barely held back.

He sensed that the Blood Demon Cult Leader was not yet dead.

It had to be so. He had heard that the Wind and Earth Imprisonment Formation was a death formation that absorbed the internal energy and life force of the person trapped inside, and that if it determined there was nothing more to absorb, the formation itself would melt away, erasing the host’s corpse as well.

It was a unique formation that annihilated existence itself. But the fact that the formation was still maintained meant that the Blood Demon Cult Leader was not dead either.

Yet these people, and even the Tang family, thought that the Blood Demon Cult Leader was dead.

He would die soon, so it was as good as dead. But Yeon Ho-Jeong was not careless.

In the past and even now, he had seen quite a few times when people he thought were dead had returned. Unless he had personally beheaded them, he should not be certain of their death.

Especially if the target was the leader of the Three Evil Sects.

‘Their movements are also unusual.’

When the Blood Demon Cult Leader was traveling with his disciples, they maintained the front line, but as soon as the Cult Leader was trapped in the formation, they moved immediately.

Even though there was no way to contact them, the fact that they moved meant that the Blood Demon Cult Leader could communicate with his subordinates even while trapped in the formation.

It was an unusual matter.

“For now.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong pointed to Aksan on the map.

“When the Tang family reinforcements arrive, it would be best to position them here, where the Wind and Earth Imprisonment Formation is located.”

“Why?”

“If a force of a thousand is as powerful as two great sects of the Nine Great Sects, it will be a difficult battle even for me and the Beggars’ Union elders.”

Ga Deuk-Sang shook his head.

“In my opinion, they are more likely to go straight to the Cult Leader. If their goal is to pass through rather than to win a fight, it might be easier to deal with them.”

“That’s not wrong, but…”

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked at Ga Deuk-Sang.

“I wonder if you are looking at this situation too easily.”

Ga Deuk-Sang’s face hardened.

“What do you mean?”

“They are a force equivalent to two of the Nine Great Sects. If we simply consider their power, it can be said that even two experts of the Saintly Heaven [a high level of martial arts] can handle them.”

“Of course. That’s why even more…”

“That kind of force is the Blood Demon Cult Leader’s escort unit. Whether they trusted the Cult Leader’s power or were guarding the front line due to orders, they are coming because they know something is wrong with the Cult Leader, even though they were far away.”

“……!”

“Going to the Cult Leader is their first priority, but if their path is blocked, they will be desperate to break through. Moreover, they are from the Three Evil Sects, aren’t they? Do you know how many secret weapons they have?”

“That is…”

“Even most people didn’t know about the Poisonous Yellow Wind Bombs of the Evil Sound Sect. I was the one who gave the Tang family the antidote to those Poisonous Yellow Wind Bombs.”

Surprise flickered across Ga Deuk-Sang’s face.

“The Evil Sound Sect has many such weapons. So, would the Blood Demon Cult be any different?”

“……!!”

“From the beginning, the fact that they were spiritually connected to a thousand escorts was something that was hard to understand with the common sense of the martial world. It is said that those at the level of Limitless Master have reached the peak of using the upper dantian [a key energy center in the body], but their sorcery is different from that.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong slammed the map.

“Don’t make any hasty assumptions about anything related to them. Also, the Blood Demon Cult Leader is trapped in the Wind and Earth Imprisonment Formation, but he is not dead yet. If you are certain that he is dead and he somehow escapes, and if people who didn’t have to die end up dying, are you confident that you can handle the regret?”

“……”

“Don’t underestimate them. I, who have fought the Three Evil Sects the most in this era, feel more confused the more I fight them. That’s how strong they are, which is why I summoned the Tang family’s support forces.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong rose from his seat.

“You weren’t like this in the past. Your information analysis skills and wisdom in predicting the future were impressive to me.”

“……”

“If you are tired, rest. If you are not tired but are still worse than before, it is ultimately a matter of mindset, so reflect on yourself.”

With those words, Yeon Ho-Jeong walked towards the Black Blood Divine Steed.

The words Yeon Ho-Jeong left behind greatly shocked Ga Deuk-Sang.

‘Have I changed from the past?’

People change. Of course, he couldn’t be the same as before.

But if he had regressed from the past, then there was definitely a problem. He had always looked ahead and ran, never giving up on anything, nor had he ever properly played around.

‘Lord Yeon is right.’

The Blood Demon Cult Leader’s escort unit.

In other words, the strongest shield to protect the king. Even if they used tactics focused on escorting rather than attacking, the fact that their power was enormous did not change.

Their goal is to go to the Cult Leader, so it will be easier to deal with them?

That was a valid point, but the problem was that their power was extremely great.

Moreover, what would happen to the Beggars’ Union members who would die fighting them? Simply fighting them with equal power was not a good choice. The best thing was to overwhelm them with overwhelming power, and if that was not possible, they had to focus on stopping the enemy with minimal damage.

The moment he realized that, Ga Deuk-Sang felt a chill run down his spine.

‘Why did I forget that obvious fact and come here so carelessly?’

Then, he realized something even more shocking.

‘Dragon and Tiger Wind Cloud!’

The strongest guard unit that protects the Beggars’ Union’s Dragon Head Chief [the leader of the Beggars’ Union].

Although he was a proxy, he was practically the Dragon Head Chief. Yet, he had rushed here like a runaway horse with its tail on fire, without even bringing the Dragon and Tiger Wind Cloud unit.

This was not something a chief should do. A leader of an organization should never be so careless.

Ga Deuk-Sang thought about it. Why had he become so clumsy?

‘……’

There was no need to think about it.

The answer came naturally as he tried to find it.

‘Master.’

He had lived like a beggar and died like a beggar. He had lived like a leader and died like a leader.

Since Hwa Jin-Cheon’s death, he had been suffering from an unknown sense of powerlessness. He had been so burdened by the will to do better and the great responsibility that he had forgotten his usual self.

‘Even though I lived so clumsily, it’s a wonder that no major problems broke out in the Beggars’ Union.’

That was because the elders, the branch chiefs, and even the hundred thousand beggars were doing their jobs well in their respective positions.

The members were ready to live for a new era, but only he, the proxy chief, had retreated. Ga Deuk-Sang felt a deep sense of regret.

And one more thing.

‘I was relieved. No, I had to be relieved.’

The death of the Dark King, Tang Hyeong.

One of the greatest figures in the martial world had fought the enemy, killed one, and sealed the other.

Watching the end of that great hero, Ga Deuk-Sang thought he had to believe.

Just as Hwa Jin-Cheon had given him teachings as he was dying without anyone seeing him, as if those teachings were alive and breathing in his heart.

If a master like Tang Hyeong had risked his life to defeat the enemy, then the enemy had to be dead. So he thought the Blood Demon Cult Leader was dead and did not try to see beyond that.

“Haa.”

Ga Deuk-Sang sighed.

“How can a person be so foolish?”

At that moment, one of the Beggars’ Union elders said as if throwing a stone.

“Do you think you are foolish?”

“……”

“I think I understand.”

“……”

“You didn’t even have time to dwell on the sadness after that damned Chief Hwa died. Every day was like hell. Moreover, the lives of the members were in your hands, so it’s a wonder you didn’t become a fool.”

“……”

“You should have taken enough time. You should have rested. The reason why you have become so much more foolish than you should be is because you didn’t rest when you should have.”

“No.”

Ga Deuk-Sang shook his head.

“It’s just an excuse. I’m just incompetent.”

The Beggars’ Union elders chuckled. Even for a beggar, it wouldn’t be easy to say such things when they were about to become the leader.

That was why they trusted Ga Deuk-Sang. They thought that he was at least as capable as Hwa Jin-Cheon.

Ga Deuk-Sang’s eyes gleamed.

“I must live like a chief from now on. Therefore…”

“……”

“I will run away.”

The Beggars’ Union elder nodded.

“Of course, you should.”

“However, I need to talk to Lord Yeon a bit more.”

Ga Deuk-Sang walked towards Yeon Ho-Jeong.

The successor of the Beggars’ Union, who would have continued to go astray if someone hadn’t told him, was now ready to become a true chief.

Half a day later.

The sight of a thousand demons running over the peaks was caught in everyone’s eyes.