Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1349

“……!”

Tang Gwan’s eyes wavered.

‘Enemies?!’

Swoosh.

He had closed half the distance to Hyeolrin, but that wasn’t the important thing right now.

“Patriarch?!”

Muk Bi, who had stopped some distance away, turned to look at Tang Gwan.

Tang Gwan’s gaze shifted to the right.

‘Enemies. And a huge number at that…’

He couldn’t gauge their exact level. But one thing was certain: an enemy who had reached the Supreme level had appeared.

Moreover, a powerful military presence accompanied that enemy. The density of that surging military force was enough to overwhelm even a Supreme Master.

“Patriarch!”

“Enemies.”

“Yes?”

“Enemies have appeared from the south. One has reached the Supreme level, and the military force accompanying them is enormous. It looks like there are at least several thousand.”

Muk Bi’s eyes widened.

As soon as she heard Tang Gwan’s words, she could guess the identity of the enemies. Just as they had taken the shortest route to Mount Tai, the enemy forces that had been defeated and fled from the Jiangxi Province battle had also arrived here.

“They must be the remnants of the Jiangxi Province battle.”

“They’re too strong to be called remnants.”

“That’s why we were chasing them. They’re not the kind of guys you can just leave alone.”

“So, they detoured and came here.”

“That’s right.”

Conflict arose on Tang Gwan’s face.

‘Damn it, it’s one problem after another.’

Whatever the case, climbing the mountain was the right thing to do. His intuition told him so.

However, if such a large force appeared, the allied soldiers fighting below the mountain would be annihilated.

The battle taking place at the foot of Mount Tai was somewhat balanced. To put it bluntly, it was a mess, but the forces were so evenly matched that it would take a long time to see a result.

In the midst of that, if such a large force joined, the scales would tip at once. The enemy’s power, which had grown so rapidly, would overwhelm the allies in an instant.

‘If I leave them alone, they’ll all die. No matter how important this is, is it worth such a sacrifice?’

He still knew nothing about the Reverse Heaven Divine Pearl or the Blood Jade.

However, their behavior was too suspicious, and especially the fact that they had shaken the very earth of Mount Tai was significant. The scheme they were plotting here was surely beyond imagination.

‘I have to make a decision quickly. Should I go on, or…’

It was then.

“I’ll go.”

Tang Gwan looked at Muk Bi.

Muk Bi pointed towards the top of the mountain with her hand.

“Hurry and chase after him. I’ll go down the mountain.”

“Did you not hear what I said? It’ll be hard for me to stop them even if I go. I’ll only be able to buy some time.”

“Something unimaginable is happening at the top of this mountain right now. There’s no way they wouldn’t have placed experts there to carry out such a scheme.”

Tang Gwan couldn’t refute Muk Bi’s words. He could actually feel the presence of an incredibly powerful expert from up there.

“If I go with you, I might be able to help. But I can’t do it alone. It’s better for me to go down the mountain.”

Tang Gwan shook his head.

“We either both go up or both go down. We have to choose one.”

“Although my skills aren’t great, I can do things that you can’t, Patriarch.”

She meant that she had her own plan.

Tang Gwan thought that further conversation was unnecessary. Even at this moment, the enemy was running.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course.”

That was the end of it.

Tang Gwan took out two pills from his pocket and threw one to Muk Bi.

“It’s a power recovery pill. It’s the best recovery pill from Sichuan, so take it.”

“You need it more than I do…”

“Just shut up and eat it.”

Indeed, the internal energy of a Supreme Master always showed an unimaginable recovery power. Tang Gwan was not a man Muk Bi needed to worry about.

“Then.”

Muk Bi, who had immediately put the recovery pill in her mouth, bowed her head briefly and kicked off the ground.

Whoosh!

Her movements as she flew into the sky and down the mountain were impressive even to Tang Gwan.

‘Do your best to get through this.’

Tang Gwan trusted Muk Bi. Not only her talent, but especially her experience and judgment in leading many battles to victory with Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Perhaps she might actually achieve a better result than if he went himself.

‘I’m going.’

Whoosh!

Tang Gwan ran again.

The mountain path he was running alone on felt twice as burdensome, and the exhaustion he had accumulated was also clearly felt.

‘I might end up being buried here today.’

He quickly closed the distance he had lost during the brief conversation.

Still, he couldn’t see the enemy. He could feel their presence, but the distance had been too great from the start.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

Tang Gwan traversed the steep slope that ordinary people wouldn’t dare to climb in just a few steps.

‘…!’

It was when he thought he had closed the distance to Hyeolrin considerably.

‘Damn it.’

Woo-oong.

The Myriad Return Divine Art [a powerful internal energy cultivation technique] began to waver.

He still had internal energy left, but the internal energy rising with his breath had clearly decreased.

That was also due to his physical exhaustion. How many nights had he stayed up, how many nights had he worried, and how many life-or-death battles had he gone through?

Even a Supreme Master’s grandfather would be exhausted. Considering Tang Gwan’s level, it was a miracle that he could even move at this speed.

‘No, let’s not think like that.’

In that moment of crisis.

Tang Gwan thought of Yeon Ho-Jeong.

‘That bastard was able to overcome even more difficult situations than this even when he was weaker than me.’

It was true.

Even when his life was hanging by a thread, that guy would charge at the enemy and swing his axe. If he couldn’t win with strength, he would summon allies, and if he didn’t have allies, he would dig a trap, and if he didn’t have time to dig a trap, he would somehow cling on and wear the enemy down.

He was truly the best in the world when it came to tenacity. Although he didn’t say it, Tang Gwan had admired Yeon Ho-Jeong countless times.

‘I am the patriarch of the Tang family. I have to do better than that guy, not worse.’

And Yeon Ho-Jeong’s martial arts.

Thinking of that absolute martial art that had completely transcended the limits of humanity based on imagination, he felt his strength recover on its own.

‘My upper dantian [an energy center in the body] operation method is similar to that bastard’s. The mental strength that doesn’t set limits is what drives me now.’

Honestly, he was tired. His body, his mind, and his spirit.

Tang Gwan honestly acknowledged it. He didn’t look away.

‘But I’ll overcome it.’

Immediately after acknowledging everything, he made up his mind to overcome it.

The Tang clan’s unique pride, the determination to never lose, ignited his divine art.

Woo-oong!!

The wavering Myriad Return Divine Art regained its place. He had corrected his mind and body, as well as his internal energy state, with sheer willpower.

It was something that even a Supreme Master couldn’t do. It was a trick that was possible because it was Tang Gwan, because his method of operating the upper dantian was unique, and because his pride and will as a member of the Tang clan were on a different level from ordinary people.

‘It’s working.’

Whoosh!

The amount of internal energy entering with his breath increased exponentially.

The internal energy that had fallen to less than half was rising rapidly. He couldn’t do anything about his physical exhaustion, but he even felt a thrill at the surging energy.

‘I can fight anytime.’

Tang Gwan realized that he had transcended his own limits and that he could become as strong as anyone.

A smile naturally appeared on his face.

Since he had started practicing martial arts, he had never felt such great joy and pleasure. How many hardships had he endured, and how many battles had he fought to reach the point where he could do anything if he tried?

Flash!

His eyes regained their original color, and Tang Gwan’s unique confident expression returned.

With his internal energy abundant, his depleted spiritual power was also gradually gaining momentum. He wouldn’t be able to return to his perfect state, but at least he would be able to maintain his current condition. No, if he continued to maintain this feeling, his depleted spiritual power would also recover to some extent.

The biggest problem was his physical strength.

‘If it’s a truly dangerous moment… I’ll have to use it.’

There were many ways to temporarily recover his physical strength. The problem was that most of those methods were dangerous.

However, in order to succeed in the task he had been assigned, he had to risk his life.

Whoosh!!

As his mind and body stabilized and his internal and spiritual power became full, his speed increased by one and a half times.

“Huff! Huff!”

Hyeolrin’s face turned pale.

His face, now completely white-haired and wrinkled, was filled with urgency.

‘He’s coming! He’s coming!’

He felt like he was suffocating from the dark red darkness emanating from behind him.

He felt that he would never be able to win against that guy, even if he was in perfect condition. He was truly horrified by the feeling of the guy’s spiritual power, which was writhing and approaching.

‘To possess such an absurd vessel.’

Thwack! Thwack!

He gritted his teeth and drew more of the Origin’s energy. The Origin wasn’t completely broken, so he wouldn’t have a problem staying alive, but he would have to live a rather miserable life.

Whoosh!

Hyeolrin’s movement technique became faster.

But Tang Gwan’s movement technique was even faster.

The distance, which he could only sense, had now shrunk to a distance that he could see.

At that moment, both Tang Gwan and Hyeolrin sensed it.

That this was the turning point.

‘Danger!!’

Woo-oong!

A strange evil energy flashed from the bead he was carefully holding in his arms.

At that moment, Hyeolrin made a choice that was different from his own will.

Boom!!

He completely shattered the Origin and ran with all that energy.

Tang Gwan’s eyes sharpened.

‘He’s made up his mind.’

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

He unleashed the Thunder Leg Technique with his full internal energy. His movement speed increased once again.

But even though he was moving at his limit, he couldn’t seem to catch up to his opponent. It was only natural, since he had poured out all the life force he would live for the rest of his life in an instant.

Sizzle!

A reddish mist flickered from Tang Gwan’s hand.

At this point, it was meaningless to keep chasing. He had to see the end of it.

His hand stretched forward.

Woo-oong!!

A tremendous spiritual power began to wrap around Hyeolrin’s entire body like chains.

He was using the spiritual power of Myriad Heavenly Flowers on a person. It was a technique he had used on Hang Mu once before, an act of binding the opponent’s body like a curse.

Hyeolrin’s face turned bright red.

He had almost reached the top of Mount Tai. But he was now bound by this terrifying telekinesis and unable to move.

‘No. I can’t move anymore.’

His heart was pounding.

No, perhaps it was the bead that was pounding.

‘Even if I die, this much…!’

It was then.

‘…!!’

Hyeolrin saw a pair of vicious blue eyes beyond the desolate mist.

He didn’t know if it was a hallucination or reality. But just seeing those eyes was enough for Hyeolrin.

‘Please forgive this unworthy servant.’

Hyeolrin threw the bead with all his might.

Whoosh!

The bead flew through the air at an incredible speed.

Tang Gwan’s eyes blazed.

Flash!

He instantly crushed Hyeolrin’s head and moved forward, reaching out his hand towards the bead. The spiritual power of a master who was unrivaled in telekinesis poured out.

And then.

Boom!

A silent palm strike sent Tang Gwan flying far away.

“Damn it!”

He didn’t know when he had appeared without a trace. Jo Hol was there.

“Evil Sorcerer!”

“Don’t worry. I’ve received it well.”

The bead was in the hand of the exhausted Evil Sorcerer. He handed it to Sa Mun-Hyang, who was sitting cross-legged inside the Soul-Stealing Demonic Formation.

And at that moment.

Flash!

Sa Mun-Hyang’s eyes opened.

His eyes, with even the whites turned black, held the darkness of the Reverse Heaven.

“…Finally, all the beads are gathered.”

Rumble!

A thunderclap echoed in the sky.

The clouds scattered with the thunder. It was as if the eye of the sky had opened.

That eye was looking down at Sa Mun-Hyang.