Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1346

The Blooming of the Celestial Eye (13)

Puh-uh-uh-ung!

Ham Mu-Heon, spitting blood, quickly righted himself and swung his fist.

Jjeo-eo-eo-eong!!

With a metallic clang, the bodies of three Righteous Army soldiers flew backward. Even the horses they were riding were lifted into the air.

‘These guys are relentless.’

He had killed twenty cavalrymen with the supreme technique of the Dragon Wind Divine Fist. Among them was a spear wielder who appeared to be a nun from the Emei Sect [a famous martial arts school].

However, this fact did not please Ham Mu-Heon.

“A tenacious bastard.”

Kwarurung!

A thunderous sound came from the poison palm extending from behind him.

Normally, a poison palm was meant to kill an opponent with the poison it contained rather than the palm’s own power.

But that damned poison palm was also exceptionally powerful. In fact, its power alone was comparable to the protective martial arts of the Demonic Yin Sect. [a fictional evil sect]

On top of that, if one were to take a direct hit, they would also suffer from poisoning symptoms, making him a truly difficult opponent.

Kwarurung!

He also used the Dragon Wind Divine Fist to counter the poison palm.

The raw power of the Dragon Wind Divine Fist was superior. While Tang Gwan’s poison palm was faster, the Dragon Wind Divine Fist had the advantage in terms of the power to break through a wide area.

Anxiety flickered across Tang Gwan’s face.

‘Damn it, wouldn’t it be better to just leave this guy?’

He could see Muk Bi fighting fiercely in the distance.

However, with Muk Bi’s skills, it would be difficult to catch the fleeing enemy. Moreover, the thousand or so experts coming down the slope seemed to be a force comparable to the Righteous Army at first glance.

If they failed to capture Ham Mu-Heon here, the Righteous Army would be crushed by a supreme expert and a force as strong as themselves.

However, he couldn’t send the Moyong family’s forces to deal with the newly arrived troops either. They were currently engaged in a fierce battle with the elite forces of the Demonic Yin Sect.

‘Why is this so difficult?’

He had never thought such a thing in his life of fighting.

That was how stagnant the fight with these guys was. The results were not coming out clearly.

‘Damn it! Hurry up and get here! Something’s happening here!’

Cursing someone who had yet to arrive, Tang Gwan sent out numerous iron shards.

Peo-peo-peong!

The thrown projectiles were all swept away by the power of the Dragon Wind Divine Fist.

By now, Ham Mu-Heon’s power had also weakened considerably. However, Tang Gwan’s projectile techniques had also lost their sharpness and precision.

This would not happen if supreme experts were fighting each other. Even if someone died, the power of their martial arts would not gradually decline like this.

That was how fiercely Tang Gwan and Ham Mu-Heon were fighting. They had transcended the human realm, but they were still clearly human, and this was their limit.

‘Aside from everything else, this guy is fighting well.’

Ham Mu-Heon’s struggle was astonishing.

He had sacrificed his arm to escape the crisis, and somehow managed to recover half of it on the way here. Although he couldn’t use his main martial art, he was still throwing punches that were threatening enough to the Righteous Army.

‘It’s like he’s acting as if he’s received a revelation from the heavens.’

Tang Gwan’s eyes turned cold.

‘But you are just demons.’

Puh-uh-uh-ung!

They exchanged blows and retreated.

Tang Gwan shouted.

“Righteous Army, take care of the forces in the rear! I will kill this guy!”

The Righteous Army immediately turned their horses around.

Ham Mu-Heon did not let them go. He immediately tried to gather the power of the Dragon Wind Divine Fist. Although its power had weakened, his reaction speed seemed to have increased.

However, Tang Gwan had fully anticipated his actions.

Woo-woo-woo-woo-oong!!

The spiritual energy, gathered according to the mantra of the Myriad Heavenly Flowers, wrapped around Ham Mu-Heon’s wrist.

Ham Mu-Heon’s face flushed red. The fiercely rotating energy was mercilessly suppressing the power of the Dragon Wind Divine Fist.

Joo-reureuk.

Blood dripped from Tang Gwan’s nose. He had reached his limit due to the excessive use of his upper dantian [an energy center in the body].

Still, his eyes remained sharp.

“Let’s finish this now, you damned demon.”

“Uaaaah!!”

Kwang!

Ham Mu-Heon’s upper body twisted diagonally.

Tang Gwan’s eyes wavered. That tenacious bastard had finally broken the vacuum grab with his strength.

Pa-a-a-a-ang!!

The moment the spiritual energy was cut off, the Lightning Thrust Divine Method was activated, and Tang Gwan lunged into Ham Mu-Heon’s side.

Peo-eok!

Ham Mu-Heon spat out blood from the elbow strike.

Peo-ung!

Tang Gwan staggered backward, hit in the side by a kick that spun out the moment he was struck.

The two men rushed at each other like madmen.

Puk! Peo-beo-beok! Kwang! Kwang!

There was no Myriad Heavenly Flowers, no Dragon Wind Divine Fist.

It was as if they were possessed, throwing punches wildly at each other. There was not a trace of dignity befitting experts in their actions.

That was why the fight was even more brutal. The two men, who had only been chasing and being chased, counterattacking and being counterattacked, were finally trying to end it this way.

Tang Gwan’s body was instantly covered in blood.

Ham Mu-Heon’s face was also covered in blood.

Kwaduk!

Ham Mu-Heon’s left arm was broken once again by an elbow strike that pressed down diagonally. It was an attack that targeted the moment his arm was extended in a straight line.

At that moment, Ham Mu-Heon’s knee reflexively shot up.

Peo-eok!

Blood spurted from Tang Gwan’s mouth.

The knee came up from an angle that should have been impossible. Ham Mu-Heon was not only a master of fist techniques and internal energy, but also a top-class martial artist.

Murderous intent blazed in Tang Gwan’s eyes.

Peo-beok! Uduk!

Tang Gwan, having slapped Ham Mu-Heon’s cheek with a backhand, grabbed his collar with his right hand.

Peo-eok!

“Keuk!”

Ham Mu-Heon, whose nose bridge was broken by a headbutt, let out a groan for the first time.

Until now, the internal energy that was unconsciously being used had thoroughly protected his face. That was why his bones had not broken even when hit by blows that could shatter rocks.

But now, even that had reached its limit. He had never expected a headbutt, but the smoothly flowing true energy was now breaking down, causing real damage and pain.

“If Father were watching from heaven, he would be clicking his tongue.”

Peo-beo-beok!

Ham Mu-Heon’s two fists pounded Tang Gwan’s chest.

However, only two of them landed properly. Even then, they failed to inflict real damage due to Tang Gwan’s internal energy barrier.

Tang Gwan grabbed Ham Mu-Heon’s head and pulled it down.

Kwaduk!

He smashed Ham Mu-Heon’s jaw with a brutal upward strike.

Puh-uh-ung!

Even in that state, Ham Mu-Heon exploded his inner power with all his might, shaking off Tang Gwan.

Tang Gwan’s face finally showed a hint of admiration. He had never seen such a tenacious opponent, even though he was an enemy.

“Heok! Keoheok!”

Blood flowed from his broken jaw.

Nevertheless, Ham Mu-Heon’s fighting spirit did not diminish. He straightened his staggering body and glared at Tang Gwan, his eyes looking as if he would tear Tang Gwan apart at any moment.

It was then.

Hoo-oo-oong!

Ham Mu-Heon’s eyebrows twitched.

Tang Gwan sighed.

“So you’ve finally arrived.”

A clear energy could be felt in the distance.

Although he looked exhausted, his will, shining like the sky, was still there.

A supreme expert, whom they had contacted through the Martial Alliance and the Beggars’ Union before leaving Shanxi, had finally arrived here.

“I’m sorry. I’m a bit late, right?”

He was not dressed in his usual elegant attire. His clothes, stained from the Shanxi battle, were tattered and covered in bloodstains.

However, even that appearance did not diminish the dignity of this old swordsman, who was called the pride of the Central Plains Sword Family. He exuded an overwhelming enlightenment, as if he could look down on the entire world at any time, in any moment.

“I was delayed more than expected because I had to move the Martial Alliance forces to a safe place.”

“It’s alright. I’m just glad you came, even now.”

It was Namgoong Seung.

Originally, he had intended to bring Mak Won, but he had decided that it would be better to bring Namgoong Seung, who seemed stronger, and had contacted him.

Also, Tang Gwan wanted to give Namgoong Seung a chance.

The Namgoong family was in a situation where it would not be strange if they closed their doors due to the crimes committed by the family head and his son. To clear the shame of his family, this old master was running around all the battlefields.

Although it had not been long since the battle had begun, if he made a great contribution here, the debt in Namgoong Seung’s heart would also be greatly reduced.

“You seem very tired, so I requested support. I’m sorry.”

“You can even say such things, it’s true that you never know what will happen in life.”

Namgoong Seung’s face, who would rarely show any signs of fatigue, was full of exhaustion. He seemed to be so tired that he could not control himself.

Still, his power was strong. He seemed to have recovered almost all of his internal energy on the way here, and a terrifying sword pressure could be felt.

Namgoong Seung looked at Ham Mu-Heon.

“Who is this?”

“He is the enemy.”

Tang Gwan’s eyes sharpened as he looked at Ham Mu-Heon.

With Namgoong Seung’s appearance, Ham Mu-Heon seemed to have given up on everything. His body, which had relaxed its stance and was looking down at the ground, was filled with an aura of emptiness.

For some reason, Tang Gwan did not want to ambush Ham Mu-Heon.

If they were from the Three Teachings [a reference to a group of evil sects], they were no different from mortal enemies, regardless of age or gender, but the struggle and madness that this guy had shown had truly touched his heart.

Besides, even though it was a matter of course, he had killed this guy’s younger brother. Even if he had to kill him, he didn’t want to kill him the same way as the other vermin.

“It’s over now.”

Ham Mu-Heon raised his head.

He could not speak because his jaw was broken. However, Ham Mu-Heon’s eyes, which had been burning with murderous intent, now held a hollow and clear light, unlike before.

Tang Gwan had seen such eyes before.

That was the look that someone who thought they had fulfilled their destiny showed.

‘Even though he’s the enemy, really…’

He didn’t know how many times he had thought that.

Tang Gwan was about to say that he would grant him a last request, but then he closed his mouth. Such words would be an insult to someone with a broken jaw.

Ham Mu-Heon, who had been quietly looking at Tang Gwan, pointed at Tang Gwan with his finger, and then pointed at himself.

A bitter smile appeared on Tang Gwan’s face.

“Yes, since I started it, it’s right that I should see it through to the end.”

Ham Mu-Heon’s eyes curved slightly.

His broken jaw and teeth were dangling, but it did not look ugly.

Rather, it looked sad. Even though he was an enemy… he thought that he was a man who was a little bit of a waste.

But such thoughts were only for a moment.

Hwa-a-a-ak!

The two men emitted fierce energy waves, as if they had agreed to do so.

Tang Gwan carefully took a stance, while Ham Mu-Heon lowered his stance further, raising his right fist.

Shortly after.

Pa-a-a-a-ang!

The two men, who had charged at the same time, powerfully extended their fists towards each other.

Kwang! Peo-eo-eo-eok!

Ham Mu-Heon’s right arm was completely blown away.

It was not just the power, but the iron shards around Tang Gwan’s fist were rotating in a circle. That sharp energy had torn off Ham Mu-Heon’s arm.

Ham Mu-Heon did not think it was cowardly, and Tang Gwan also thought that the opponent would think the same.

It was a battle of strength, but it was a fight to the death. The one who won, by any means, was the truth.

Tang Gwan’s foot struck Ham Mu-Heon’s hamstring.

Peo-eok!

Ham Mu-Heon, who had knelt down, continued to spit blood and looked up at Tang Gwan.

Tang Gwan looked down at him with a bitter face.

Ham Mu-Heon’s eyes curved like a crescent moon.

“…Farewell.”

He placed his hand on Ham Mu-Heon’s head.

Too-o-o-oong!!

The fiercely penetrating energy destroyed Ham Mu-Heon’s Baihui point [a vital point on the head].

Ham Mu-Heon’s eyes slowly closed. At least the moment of death would not have been painful.

Namgoong Seung, who had been silently watching the fight, sighed.

“Was it a fight with a story behind it?”

Joo-reureuk.

His nose kept bleeding on his pale face.

Wiping the blood, Tang Gwan said.

“It was just a fight where the dead one was a fool.”