Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1216

At the same time, the Martial Alliance was deploying its dragnet.

Seng-hyeon Jin-in, having sensed the disturbance at Wudang Mountain, broke through the front lines with Ok-cheong and other Wudang disciples, heading towards Wudang Mountain.

“This is…?!”

Ok-cheong’s eyes wavered.

Though they hadn’t even entered the mountain yet, he could feel it—the ominous atmosphere enveloping the entire mountain.

It was the trace of demonic energy, the wails of a ravaged mountain.

Woo-woo-woong!!

The true energy of the Honwon-gyeol [a divine art], the divine art perfected by the Sword Immortal Tak Mu-ja, revered as the Martial God of Wudang, surged.

It was the inner energy of the Honwon-gyeol, the essence of Wudang martial arts. The gateway connected to enlightenment resonated intensely with the divine energy permeating Wudang Mountain, reading its emotions.

‘The mountain is crying…’

Ok-cheong stared blankly at the mountain.

He seemed to be under some kind of spell.

Unlike Ok-cheong, Seng-hyeon Jin-in, who was observing Wudang Mountain with profound eyes, spoke.

“You all go up to Sangcheong Palace with Ok-cheong.”

“What about you, Sect Leader… ?”

“I need to look around the mountain. Go on now.”

At that moment, Ok-cheong spoke.

“Senior Brother Sect Leader, I will go with you.”

“Do you have an idea of what’s going on?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then, so be it.”

Despite the ominous situation, he chose to explore the mountain rather than return to the sect. It was an incomprehensible decision, but the disciples, as if accustomed to it, moved on ahead.

Seng-hyeon Jin-in was a supreme master on the verge of reaching the pinnacle of martial arts, Muguk [a state of ultimate martial enlightenment]. It was said that he was so deeply enlightened that he didn’t bother to ascend to Muguk because he didn’t need any more power than he already possessed.

Moreover, beside him was Ok-cheong, whom the Sword Immortal Tak Mu-ja had praised as the greatest talent in Wudang’s history.

What these two extraordinary individuals felt was bound to be exceptional. That was why the disciples headed to the main sect without a word.

Pa-a-ang!

Seng-hyeon Jin-in and Ok-cheong dashed through the mountain.

It was Wudang’s supreme movement technique, Jeyun-jong [a movement technique]. Unlike Ok-cheong’s Jeyun-jong, which had become somewhat intense due to the powerful force of Honwon-gi [inner energy], Seng-hyeon Jin-in’s Jeyun-jong remained smooth and natural.

How long had it been?

“…This is?!”

How could one describe this scene?

A radius of several tens of yards had been devastated. The giant trees, uprooted, had been reduced to dust, leaving only traces, and the somewhat sloped ground had been broken and leveled.

Blackened marks and a pungent smell still lingered. It was the scent of a fierce battle that even the sacred winds of Wudang Mountain could not wash away.

Ok-cheong felt a chill run down his spine.

‘Such demonic energy…’

It wasn’t just the smell of burning that remained.

Traces of demonic energy lingered everywhere. Yet, even these mere traces of demonic energy sent shivers of terror down one’s spine.

Despite having mastered the Honwon-gyeol, the divine art of Wudang that embodied the power of dispelling evil, there was no way to stop the creeping fear. It was an absolute demonic energy that rendered the power of opposition useless. It was the totality of a rebellious energy that could not be contained within a human body.

“…Impressive.”

Unlike Ok-cheong, who was looking around with indescribable emotions, Seng-hyeon Jin-in seemed very calm.

He slowly lowered his stance and picked up some of the soil from the ground. It was the little remaining soil on the ground that had been hardened by the extremely high temperature of the flames.

Seng-hyeon Jin-in slowly brushed the soil with his thumb and lowered his hand.

The black soil, scattering like the souls of evil spirits being shattered.

“The emitted power is fire, and the thunderous energy created by the collision of yin and yang. Although the source of the ignition was demonic arts, the power that actually emerged was a natural energy that had reached its peak.”

It was an insight that could not be described as merely outstanding. Just by looking at the traces left on the mountain, he was able to instantly deduce what kind of demonic art the unknown demon had used.

“It’s more like he used demonic energy as a catalyst. Naturally, the burden on his body must have been immense. Just by seeing how recklessly he used such power, one can tell how twisted the demon’s nature is, and how supreme his level of attainment is.”

Ok-cheong spoke with difficulty.

“What kind of demon could possibly possess such power?”

Seng-hyeon Jin-in did not answer.

He hadn’t told Ok-cheong yet, but news had arrived last night that the Emei Sect in Sichuan had been annihilated.

And that the one who had annihilated the Emei Sect was the leader of the Blood Demon Cult.

‘Bok Ho Sa-tae [a Buddhist nun].’

She was a deeply enlightened Buddhist nun.

In some ways, she was a person who showed too much humaneness to be considered a member of the Buddhist community.

That was why Seng-hyeon Jin-in liked Bok Ho Sa-tae. She was a person who embodied both Buddhist law and human compassion, a rare find.

Then, one day, Bok Ho Sa-tae, who had suddenly returned to the Emei Sect with a bad premonition, had passed away with her disciples, fighting against the leaders of the Three Teachings [referring to the three main religions of China: Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism].

Seng-hyeon Jin-in involuntarily sighed.

‘Perhaps I have been too indifferent to worldly affairs under the guise of pursuing the Dao [the Taoist path].’

If he had been more passionate and actively involved in the affairs of the martial world.

If he had participated in the events of the Martial Alliance with a righteous mindset, perhaps Bok Ho Sa-tae would not have ended up in such a state.

And it wasn’t entirely Seng-hyeon Jin-in’s fault.

The culprit was the leader of the Blood Demon Cult. It was too unexpected that he possessed such power and that he had entered Sichuan to blame himself for not being prepared.

‘And now, even Wudang Mountain…’

Sabeok. Sabeok.

As Seng-hyeon Jin-in walked on the hardened ground, he suddenly noticed a crumbled, gray stone-like object.

“This is…?!”

It was an object he didn’t want to approach, yet he couldn’t take his eyes off it.

Seng-hyeon Jin-in closed his eyes.

“This is the one who emitted this demonic energy.”

“Yes?!”

“Although I don’t know much about the Three Teachings, it’s hard to imagine that there would be another person who could emit such destructive demonic energy.”

Ok-cheong’s eyes widened.

“Could it be?!”

“Yes. It seems this is the leader of the Blood Demon Cult.”

Seng-hyeon Jin-in opened his eyes again.

In that instant, Ok-cheong involuntarily swallowed.

Seng-hyeon Jin-in’s eyes, as clear and deep as a spring stream, held a fierce anger that struck Ok-cheong’s heart.

Even the most benevolent person could get angry. Moreover, Wudang Mountain was a sacred mountain, and the elders of Wudang taught that it was like a living being in itself.

Whether it was actually so, or whether they had only believed it to be so.

The fact that such a battle had taken place in the sacred land of Taoism, and that such a demon had appeared, was enough to incite anger.

“Then, who was the one who fought against the leader of the Blood Demon Cult…?”

“Let’s go over there.”

Seng-hyeon Jin-in, cutting off Ok-cheong’s words, instantly deployed Jeyun-jong.

A moment later.

“….”

Ok-cheong involuntarily closed his eyes.

“Master Uncle…”

They had completely evaporated, but the remnants of their robes were scattered here and there.

A suppressed voice escaped from Seng-hyeon Jin-in’s lips.

“It’s the trace of the Seven Star Sword Formation. It seems that another demon, difficult to handle, appeared besides the leader of the Blood Demon Cult.”

Tears finally flowed from Ok-cheong’s closed eyes.

He hadn’t seen them since he had left the mountain, but they were his master uncles, with whom he had spent many years like family.

Those master uncles had ascended to the heavens. Only their clothes remained, but in this place, he could feel their souls and the lingering scent of Wudang’s divine arts.

Seng-hyeon Jin-in spoke calmly.

“Do not grieve. They are individuals who have reached a state where they see life and death as one. They gave everything to protect Wudang Mountain, so it is not right for us, their successors, to grieve, no matter the outcome.”

“…Yes.”

But human emotions are not so simple.

In the end, Ok-cheong collapsed to the ground and wept. He had experienced a terrible sense of loss after sending off several comrades, but the fact that his family-like master uncles had passed away so meaninglessly was unbearable.

Seng-hyeon Jin-in left Ok-cheong as he was. He was just as sad. But as the Sect Leader of Wudang, he had a duty to fulfill.

“It’s here.”

Seng-hyeon Jin-in’s hand caressed a spot next to a tree that was particularly blackened.

“It’s a terrible demonic energy. It’s different from the demonic energy of the demon presumed to be the leader of the Blood Demon Cult. If that was the demonic energy of power, this is the core of an unknown demonic energy itself. This is also something that cannot be accepted by a human body.”

Seng-hyeon Jin-in closed his eyes.

Woo-woo-woong!!

The Wonmu-chisang-gyeol [a mind method], created by Tak Mu-ja, had a special power in governing the upper dantian [an energy center in the body]. If sorcerers mastered it, it would function as an upper dantian mind method, and even if one was not a sorcerer, it would maintain a clear mind and a cold reason, and further, it would allow one to feel the spiritual energy spread throughout the heavens and earth.

As the Sect Leader of Wudang, although he had not reached Muguk, his enlightenment was also highly regarded.

Flash!

The Ilwon-yangsin-gyeol [another mind method], an upper dantian mind method that was like a sibling to the Wonmu-chisang-gyeol, revealed itself after a long time.

Seng-hyeon Jin-in’s eyes, which had become somewhat turbid, changed. However, it meant that his eyes had begun to see the spiritual world that existed beyond the material world of this life.

‘This is…!’

Seng-hyeon Jin-in was greatly taken aback.

‘Is there such a demon?’

It was as if a lump of lava had fallen and cooled.

The trace, which had only appeared black to the naked eye, appeared to Seng-hyeon Jin-in’s spiritual eye as an ominous, blood-red color.

‘It’s an unbelievable density. This level of demonic energy shouldn’t exist, and it shouldn’t exist. It’s a dense energy that could destroy even the mind of a sage on the verge of enlightenment in an instant.’

Trickle.

Blood flowed from Seng-hyeon Jin-in’s nose.

The Ilwon-yangsin-gyeol was more actively drawing power from the upper dantian than the Wonmu-chisang-gyeol. Unlike the Wonmu-chisang-gyeol, which was a power of governing and healing, if one had not completed the Yangsin [a stage of Taoist cultivation], the final stage of Taoist cultivation, one would inevitably suffer great damage.

Woo-woo-woong!

Seng-hyeon Jin-in, having calmed the Ilwon-yangsin-gyeol, wiped the blood from his nose.

“I can’t believe it. The fact that the mountain’s spirit has not collapsed even though someone with this level of demonic energy has entered can only be explained by the spiritual energy of the sages scattered on this land.”

Ok-cheong, having sensed the unusual atmosphere, also tried to calm his mind. His heart was shaken by uncontrollable grief, but now was not the time to be immersed in sorrow.

“Is there another demon as powerful as the leader of the Blood Demon Cult?”

“It’s different from the leader of the Blood Demon Cult. The traces of the leader of the Blood Demon Cult’s demonic energy were indeed terrible, but there was still a human vitality within it. It was the power of a human.”

“Then…?!”

“This demonic energy is fundamentally different. If we only look at the density, there is not much difference from that of the leader of the Blood Demon Cult, but there is no trace of it being cultivated by a living being.”

“…!!”

“It’s as if there is a true demon god, and someone has stolen the power of that demon god. It’s a power that no human can ever accept. Even if a deeply enlightened practitioner were to accept it, their spirit and flesh would scatter within a few years.”

Seng-hyeon Jin-in looked far to the north.

A gaze slowly moving from the north to the west. It was the ability of the current Sect Leader of Wudang, seeing what even Jo Yang-jin-in could not see.

“Dark clouds are gathering in the west. In the north, the seeds of war are sprouting. I must cut off at least one of these two disasters, even if I have to actively use the Yangsin-gyeol.”