Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1198

It started then.

‘This is a bit tough.’

As he faced the true beginning of the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art, he used martial arts and Divine King Qi to spread power like a command, leading the Old Nine Factions.

If the Old Nine Factions had been comrades who shared their hearts, there would have been no need for that. Still, thanks to it, he learned the true nature of the Blood Sovereign Clan, so even if he pushed himself quite hard, it was a gain.

However, even with his essence, qi, and spirit not fully united, he fought three far more powerful experts than the Six Great Commanders he had faced in Sichuan in the past. Moreover, back then, the Six Great Commanders had grotesque bodies with flesh falling off, so they were incomparable to their current, living selves.

He stood on the path toward becoming an absolute being, but he had not yet become a true transcendent. He had engaged in a group battle, including three experts, so it would have been stranger if he hadn’t been exhausted.

“Go!!”

As someone from the Blood Sovereign Clan shouted, the demonic beings charged again.

With the Tagu Formation [a formation using staffs] broken, there was no longer a barrier to stop them. Yeon Ho-Jeong swung his axe as if it were a habit.

Thwack! Thwack-thwack!

The truly remarkable thing about the Blood Sovereign Clan was that they felt no fear.

The Yellow Dragon Divine King Art was a collaboration between the secret techniques of the Four Divine Martial Arts and the Five Colors Hell Art, the worst demonic art of the Blood Cult. It had great power to dispel evil, and it was particularly strong against the demonic arts of the Blood Cult.

However, the Blood Sovereign Clan did not fear the Yellow Dragon because their demonic arts were not at the highest level. The dynamics of power were that subtle.

Thud! Thud-thud!

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who was killing nearby enemies with the palm strikes of the Golden Dragon Second Martial Art and striking down distant ones with the sword techniques of the Mad Dragon Axe and the Black and White Twin Dragon Axe, suddenly felt a killing intent from behind and leaped to the side.

Kwaaang!

Another insane lightning bolt struck the ground, emitting flashes of light in all directions.

It was an amazing power, even when seen again. In a way, it was similar to the martial arts of an assassin. It was not easy even for Yeon Ho-Jeong to gather that much power in an instant and unleash it.

Ham Mu-Heon shouted.

“The path is open! Everyone, go to the Clan Leader!”

“Waaaah!!”

At that moment, Hong Hae-Pyo, the leader of the Old Nine Factions, shouted.

“Reform the formation! Stop them!”

If the Blood Sovereign Clan was the Blood Sovereign Clan, then the Old Nine Factions were the Old Nine Factions.

They quickly reformed the Tagu Formation of the Dragon and Tiger Storm, and their speed in blocking the charging demonic beings was remarkable. Everyone’s faces were pale as they forcefully drew up their inner energy, but they didn’t even notice it.

“You, fight me!”

Ham Mu-Heon persistently followed Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Whoosh! Clang! Clang!

Ham Mu-Heon’s Lightning Blade and Yeon Ho-Jeong’s Mad Dragon Art collided, creating a dazzling shockwave.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face hardened impassively.

‘Strange.’

As the mighty power of the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art diminished, his reason and innate strategic eye naturally filled the void.

‘Why exactly three?’

The number of former commanders manifested through soul transference, including Ham Mu-Heon, was three.

Even if their essence, qi, and spirit were not united, their power, having entered far more complete bodies than the former Six Great Commanders, was considerable. While two might be ambiguous, three could certainly capture one of the Three Emperors of Seongcheon [a powerful group of martial artists].

In other words, the Blood Sovereign Clan was a unit that led over five hundred demonic beings and guarded the Clan Leader.

That was enough to guard the leader of a cult. In fact, it would be hard to find such a guard unit anywhere.

However.

Yeon Ho-Jeong felt one question.

‘If there are three, it means there could be four or five. Moreover, they are already dead and have lost their flesh. If they were guarding the Clan Leader, it would be much more efficient to reduce the number of demonic beings and bring all the former commanders.’

One thousand for a guard unit was excessive.

He was talking about numbers, not power. Rather, if they had increased the number of top experts to five and formed a unit with two or three hundred skilled demonic beings, they could have provided a more secure guard.

The number one thousand was more suitable for a combat unit than a guard unit. Especially for a unit that had learned martial arts.

‘An organization like the Blood Cult should know the optimal efficiency better than anyone. Yet, they deliberately kept one thousand?’

This question started from the fact that the number of former commanders ended at three, and further, that even if a former commander died, their power was no longer transferred to the remaining Blood Sovereign Clan.

‘Such a unit’s guard ability rapidly decreases as its numbers dwindle. Yet, they deliberately kept one thousand, and some of them were even used to summon the power of the former commanders.’

The more he thought about it, the stranger it became. Although Yeon Ho-Jeong was greatly exhausted in body and mind, not as much as Ga Deuk-Sang, the question that he would have thought of earlier if he had been in top condition came to him while fighting the enemy.

‘Why is this guy only trying to catch me?’

Clang-clang!

As he received Ham Mu-Heon’s fierce attacks with soft power, Yeon Ho-Jeong continuously retreated.

Soon, he reached the middle of the Blood Sovereign Clan. Then, Ham Mu-Heon’s eyes wavered.

Clang-clang-clang!

He screamed and charged, launching even faster attacks.

He had no intention of looking for the enemy’s weakness and responding. The closer Yeon Ho-Jeong got to the Blood Sovereign Clan, the more violent and faster Ham Mu-Heon’s attacks became. His attacks, which were not delicate but overwhelming, were hiding an intention to push Yeon Ho-Jeong away from the Blood Sovereign Clan rather than to win.

And that intention finally began to be seen by Yeon Ho-Jeong.

‘Until just now, he didn’t care about the guard demonic beings dying. But now he cares.’

As his thoughts reached that point, he remembered the situation before the fight began.

What had he said to Hu Gae?

‘Such power is the Blood Cult Leader’s guard unit. Whether they trusted the Clan Leader’s power or were guarding the front line because of orders, they knew something was wrong with the Clan Leader even from that far distance and came looking for him.’

‘From the beginning, it was hard to understand with the common sense of the martial world that a thousand guard units were spiritually connected. Even if a master of the Limitless Art has reached the extreme of using the upper dantian [an energy center in the body], their sorcery is different from that.’

A sorcery that went beyond the common sense of the martial world.

This sorcery of the Blood Cult, which was clearly the origin, was different from the power transfer of the White Yin Ghost. Why did it exist in the Clan Leader’s guard unit?

What was the reason for their existence?

‘In fact, there were many reports that they were better at defense than offense.’

‘They are probably the Clan Leader’s guard unit.’

Defense rather than offense.

It was natural since they were a unit that existed to protect the Clan Leader, but the martial arts of the Blood Cult fundamentally emphasized destructive power, and no matter how much they focused on defense, their unique aggressive nature would inevitably be revealed.

But these guys were different. Even though they had mastered demonic arts as hard as steel, they were evaluated as being good at defense until they went berserk. It was hard to be evaluated as having good defense even if one had mastered demonic arts.

What was the reason?

The reason why the guard unit was one thousand, the reason why there were only three former commanders, the reason why Ham Mu-Heon was now trying to separate him from the guard unit.

Then, Yeon Ho-Jeong recalled another thing Ga Deuk-Sang had said.

‘A distant relative of the Tang family, Tang Yu-Gwang, said that the Blood Cult Leader said this. Some unknown guy sent someone to grab the lifeline of a Great Master…’

‘A Great Master?’

‘For us, a Great Master would be Master Mu Heo or the Alliance Leader, but would they call them Great Masters? Anyway, it seems that the Blood Cult Leader had his own purpose in coming to the Central Plains.’

Someone was trying to grab and wield the lifeline of a Great Master. And the Blood Cult Leader was somehow related to that Great Master and came to the Central Plains.

The fact that he seemed to have a purpose, whatever the reason, meant that the Great Master existed in the Central Plains.

‘Spiritual connection… power transfer… Wind Island Soul Burial Formation… Great Master… the Clan Leader’s life and death…’

At that moment.

Yeon Ho-Jeong realized all the answers.

Kwaaang!

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had pushed back Ham Mu-Heon with a combined strike of the Black and White Twin Dragon Axe, shouted.

“Old Nine Faction members, open the path!!”

Woo-woo-woo-woong!!

It was the will of the Yellow Dragon piercing through the formation. Jang Gon and Dae Juk-Sin Gae scattered the Tagu Formation as if they were possessed and opened the path.

Then, the demonic beings of the Blood Sovereign Clan rushed out through the open path. Like a river pouring out through a broken dam, their momentum as they rushed toward the Evil Mountain was almost insane.

“Th-this…!”

The Old Nine Faction members were flustered and looked at each other, then turned their gaze to Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Ham Mu-Heon also looked flustered. However, Yeon Ho-Jeong did not miss the triumphant look on his face.

“You! Now fight me properly…!”

Ham Mu-Heon, who was adjusting his Demon Slaying Blade and taking a stance, saw Yeon Ho-Jeong’s figure blur for a moment.

His hair stood on end.

‘Body Swap!!’

Thwack!

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had appeared behind him, cut off Ham Mu-Heon’s right arm completely.

Ham Mu-Heon, who had lost an arm, staggered back. A white energy flowed out of his severed right arm.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flashed.

‘Demonic Qi.’

A person who had been hit by the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art. A person who had mastered the high-level demonic arts of the Blood Cult.

The white demonic qi that flowed out and scattered was a trace of being hit by the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art, its natural enemy.

“You!”

Kwaang!

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had blown away Ham Mu-Heon with the Golden Dragon Sky Piercing Palm, quickly approached Jang Gon.

“From now on, I will chase the Blood Sovereign Clan. The Old Nine Factions will deal with the remaining enemies and guard this path.”

Jang Gon quickly asked.

“Lord, why did you let them go?”

“It’s a chance to truly kill the Blood Cult Leader.”

“Wh-what?”

“It is also a chance to obtain an important clue.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong spoke to Hong Hae-Pyo, the leader of the Old Nine Factions.

“As the Black Emperor Lord, I say this. Defeat that man, and command the Sichuan martial forces that are chasing the demonic beings to protect the north.”

“The north?”

“It’s not certain, but it would be good to set up a front line in Sichuan just in case. If you trust me, please do so.”

Hong Hae-Pyo, who had been quietly looking at Yeon Ho-Jeong, nodded.

“I know that the Black Emperor Lord Yeon Ho-Jeong is someone who has fought the Three Sects for a long time, and that his abilities have reached the heavens. We are already half-retired beggars, so even if we make a mistake, we won’t be criticized.”

“I ask for your help.”

Fwaaaang!

Yeon Ho-Jeong ran after the Blood Sovereign Clan.

“I-is this okay?”

At Dae Juk-Sin Gae’s words, Hong Hae-Pyo sighed.

“What else can we do if it’s not okay? Frankly, how much do we know about this war?”

“Even so…”

“The Black Emperor Lord’s reputation is already above that of the Martial Alliance Leader. His influence is also the highest in Seongcheon. It is an influence proven by his past achievements and results, not by his martial arts skills.”

“……”

“If he says so, there must be a reason. Let’s put down the habit of sticking our noses everywhere out of curiosity like we used to.”

“Tch.”

“Well, that’s that.”

Hong Hae-Pyo looked at the corpses scattered on the ground.

Among the corpses were also dead members of the Old Nine Factions. The number was close to one hundred.

“They said they would go first when it was time, but I didn’t know so many would leave like this…”

Hong Hae-Pyo’s murderous eyes turned to Ham Mu-Heon.

Then, the momentum that the Old Nine Faction members were emitting was all focused on Ham Mu-Heon.

“We have to settle that grudge.”

A smile spread across Ham Mu-Heon’s pale face.

“It won’t be easy.”

“It will be easy.”

Whoosh.

The Old Nine Faction members approached, spinning their Tagu staffs.

“Catching dogs is our specialty.”