Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1355

The old warrior’s spirited roar ignited even Myeong Yu’s heart, which was already filled with elation.

‘Now, there’s no reason to hold back and fight you. Our god has descended upon this land.’

*Thud!*

A light step shook Mount Tai.

‘However.’

Myeong Yu slowly raised his hand.

His left hand extended forward, and his right fist settled at his waist. It was the ready stance of a martial artist, not the Yin-Yang Demonic Art [a martial art that combines opposing energies].

‘I cannot allow your blasphemous swords to touch the sacred one.’

Namgoong Seung chuckled coldly.

‘How pathetic.’

‘What did you say?’

*Whoosh!*

The Heavenly Flower Steps [a movement technique known for its speed and agility] unfolded.

It was as if flower petals from the sky were moving freely with the wind. Creating numerous afterimages, Namgoong Seung was above Myeong Yu’s head, behind him, right in front of him, and to his side.

Myeong Yu’s eyes turned cold.

‘Useless tricks!’

His hands drew a circle.

*Papak! Papapang!*

It was a movement like Tai Chi, but the fist wind that erupted in an instant covered all directions.

Namgoong Seung’s shadows were all shattered by the fist wind. It was a swift attack that left only Namgoong Seung’s true form, which was captured by his upper dantian’s [an energy center in the body] spiritual power.

Though an illusion, if the power of the Infinite was applied, it would boast the same attack power as a real entity. Myeong Yu had blocked Namgoong Seung’s surprise attack itself.

*Flash!*

A sword fell like lightning.

Myeong Yu’s body spun, evading the slash, and immediately charged in, delivering a collapsing fist.

*Thud!*

Blood sprayed from Namgoong Seung’s mouth.

The gushing blood flew towards Myeong Yu’s face. However, the blood instantly evaporated due to Myeong Yu’s Yin-Yang Demonic energy.

‘A ghost who has given up on life…’

*Crack!*

Myeong Yu’s eyes wavered.

Namgoong Seung’s body, which was falling backward, suddenly stopped. It was because Namgoong Seung had grabbed Myeong Yu’s wrist with his left hand.

‘Who said I gave up on life?’

Namgoong Seung smiled.

In that instant, Myeong Yu felt an indescribable sense of dread.

His white beard was covered in blood, and his complexion was extremely pale. Yet, Namgoong Seung was smiling more brightly than ever.

That mad smile was clear evidence of life.

‘I have finally found myself again.’

‘You fiend!’

*Whack!*

Myeong Yu, having knocked away Namgoong Seung’s grip, unleashed a flurry of punches towards his upper body.

*Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow!*

It was a force that could collapse a cliff. A rapid-fire barrage that seemed like it would never stop until his breath was cut off, an attack that would be fatal even to the greatest master if they received it unguarded.

Namgoong Seung’s body shook violently.

However, he did not budge.

‘Sword Curtain!’

The fine sword energy flowing from the sword’s tip was covering his entire body with a flexible yet tough shield.

It was an incredible sword energy technique. There were masters who protected their bodies with martial arts based on weapons, but there would be no one else in the world who could display such a flexible and perfect technique.

‘Now, I have found my battlefield.’

Myeong Yu’s eyes wavered once more.

He felt an intangible sharpness emanating from Namgoong Seung’s left hand, which was holding nothing.

Namgoong Seung swung his left hand.

*Swish!*

A handful of Myeong Yu’s hair was cut off.

His hair was cut by an invisible sword. If he hadn’t ducked, his neck would have been severed.

*Crack!*

Myeong Yu’s leg muscles swelled greatly.

Twisting his ankle to increase rotational force, he twisted his waist and unleashed a palm strike.

*Thud!*

It was a direct hit from the Yin-Yang Divine Palm.

Even if he blocked it with the sword curtain, there was a limit. Namgoong Seung spat out blood once more and flew away.

*Bang!*

Myeong Yu immediately chased after Namgoong Seung.

‘This isn’t good.’

He had a bad feeling. It seemed best to take him down quickly while he could.

It was then.

*Whoosh!*

An intangible projectile flew in a curve, grazing Myeong Yu’s cheek.

It was Muk Bi’s arrow. Even in the rush, Myeong Yu had read the trajectory of the intangible projectile and evaded it.

‘Elder Namgoong!’

*Flash!*

A sword enveloped in blue light shot towards Myeong Yu’s torso.

Its speed was truly like lightning. Startled, Myeong Yu quickly twisted his body, but the launched sword grazed his chest.

*Swish.*

The wound was shallow.

However, the sword energy that entered through the wound was not to be trifled with. The sword energy, which penetrated softly like a needle piercing the skin, was heading straight for his heart meridian [a pathway for energy flow in the body].

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Myeong Yu, hastily pulling up his Yin-Yang Demonic energy to extract the sword energy, turned his head.

At that moment, the world went dark.

Namgoong Seung, who had been flung far away, had somehow appeared above Myeong Yu’s head.

*Thud!*

Myeong Yu’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The old warrior’s power, attacking him with a pair of palm strikes, was truly formidable.

No, he couldn’t tell if it was his power or his spirit that was formidable. Whatever it was, it was clear that it was difficult to withstand with his power.

‘How can an old man who was dying just a moment ago…?!’

Namgoong Seung charged like a gale.

His empty hands transformed as if they were holding swords.

No, Namgoong Seung was holding swords. One in his right hand, and one in his left.

‘This can’t be.’

Myeong Yu could no longer feel the demonic energy that covered the entire mountain.

It wasn’t because he felt a life-threatening crisis. His extremely developed spiritual power could only focus on Namgoong Seung.

Namgoong Seung’s presence, rushing towards him with hundreds of swords adorning his entire body like a blooming flower, was terror itself.

And the two sharpest swords among those countless swords were held in the old swordsman’s hands.

‘Formless Swords…’

Namgoong Seung swung his hands.

*Flash! Flash!*

They passed through everything and cut through everything.

Neither air, internal energy, nor spiritual power could hinder the formless swords. Yet, the movements, as if wielding real swords, were full of weight.

*Swish! Swish!*

Myeong Yu’s face contorted.

He was struck on the shoulder and thigh.

The wounds were shallow. The sword energy didn’t penetrate like before.

However, the impact was a hundred times worse than before.

‘I can’t read it.’

The form of the formless swords was visible. But the moment the sword attacked, the sword’s shape disappeared.

It was because there was no killing intent. His fighting spirit was great enough to cover the world, but there was not a single trace of killing intent.

That was why his reaction was a beat late. He had been moving by reading Namgoong Seung’s utterly empty killing intent, but in an instant, as if he had gained some enlightenment, he was using a completely different martial art.

‘Yes, this is it.’

The divine sword, which looked like a transparent sword to Myeong Yu, looked like a real sword to Namgoong Seung.

It was not flashy. It was just a simple iron sword, standing straight, with no decorations from the hilt to the guard.

Namgoong Seung thought that the sword was truly like him.

‘No, it’s not like me. It’s just the way I want to be.’

He had finally grasped the sword he wanted to be, the sword he wanted to wield.

At that moment, he reached the truth.

‘Jongri Musang, how did you wield your sword?’

Namgoong Seung swung his left sword.

*Flash! Crash!*

The formless sword energy that grazed Myeong Yu created a huge furrow in the ground.

It was neither the Boundless Azure Sky Sword nor the Emperor Sword Form [two powerful sword techniques]. Yet, it was incredibly powerful. It was as if he had unleashed the final move of the Emperor Sword Form.

Then, like a hallucination, Jongri Baek’s voice was heard.

‘Your waist is bent. That’s why your power is leaking out in useless places.’

Namgoong Seung closed his eyes.

‘I know that.’

Jongri Baek burst into laughter and disappeared.

And in that place, the truth revealed itself again.

This time, he swung his right sword.

*Flash! Crack!*

The formless sword shadow cut through space.

With an eerie sound, the ground cracked open. It was a sword energy that was over twenty yards long and so deep that its depth could not be estimated, something that could not be displayed by human ability.

Namgoong Seung opened his eyes.

As he embodied the truth, he felt somewhat floaty. Yet, his five senses were clear. It was as if he was floating on water.

Myeong Yu, with a contorted face, shouted something and rushed towards him.

Even though his five senses were clear, he couldn’t hear his shout. Perhaps he heard it but didn’t care.

‘He’s lost his composure.’

The opponent’s eyes, expression, and energy were extremely violent. There was a passion there that he had never shown before.

Namgoong Seung calmly crossed his two swords.

Myeong Yu, who was swinging his fist, was startled and twisted his body. It was only natural, as two formless swords had suddenly risen in the position he was about to attack.

‘I can read it.’

What about the next attack? Wouldn’t he charge in with the left stance and the Warrior’s Stance?

The moment he thought that, Myeong Yu, as if it were a lie, moved with the left stance and unleashed the Warrior’s Stance, charging in from the left.

Namgoong Seung coldly swung his right sword.

‘It’s heavy.’

It was as if the wind was caught on the tip of the sword.

It was the Heavenly Wind. A refreshing and heavy wind was enveloping Myeong Yu.

*Splat!*

A large amount of blood splattered. He couldn’t tell if the blood was his or his opponent’s.

He just thought that this strike was very good. He felt great joy at the thought that he had finally wielded his sword properly.

And at that moment, the strength in his left hand gave out.

He knew without looking. There was a hole in his elbow. He had failed to block the wind blade that the enemy had released as he retreated.

‘He fights truly well.’

Myeong Yu’s upper body was covered in blood.

It was a wound that was no exaggeration to call fatal. He had failed to properly evade the right sword strike that contained the Heavenly Wind.

‘I’m glad. To have met an opponent like you.’

It was then.

‘Elder Namgoong!!’

It was a cry close to a scream.

Namgoong Seung knew why Muk Bi was screaming like that.

Myeong Yu’s attack wasn’t just aimed at his left arm. When he received the right sword strike, Myeong Yu’s fist had grabbed and torn a chunk out of his side.

It was a strike that had penetrated so deeply that it had torn through muscle and even some of his internal organs.

‘I’ve become lighter.’

He felt neither pain nor despair.

Rather, it felt like his body had become lighter by the amount of flesh that had been torn away. If his strength was depleted to this extent, how much more powerful of a wind could the next sword swing create?

Namgoong Seung was curious, and he had no intention of simply suppressing his curiosity.

He swung his right sword.

*Flash!*

This time, it wasn’t wind. It was lightning.

‘What’s next?’

With his body completely drained of strength, he swung his sword once more.

Then, the formless sword shattered into pieces, creating a mesmerizing flower wind.

A formless sword strike that started with the Heavenly Wind, moved to the Heavenly Lightning, and ended with the Heavenly Flower.

The sword strikes of the Heavenly Sword, called the Three Heavens Heart Sword, though not the Namgoong family’s greatest secret, had made a mess of Myeong Yu.

‘This is it!’

Namgoong Seung smiled brightly.

He thought that the Boundless Azure Sky Sword and the Emperor Sword Form were his own swordsmanship. But he was wrong.

In his first fight where he had let go of responsibility and fought as himself, he could see his true sword.

The Heavenly Wind, as free as the wind.

The Heavenly Lightning, as intense and pure as lightning.

The Heavenly Flower, as beautiful as scattering flower petals.

‘Ah!’

The family’s downfall, his ruined children, and his honor.

The fatigue, indescribable in words, that had accumulated while serving in the military for that, had even stained his soul black.

But not now.

Namgoong Seung’s soul, having found his true sword, was shining pure white, and his heart, having grasped a truth he had never reached before, was filled with joy.

‘Why was I so obsessed with the sword… If I had just lived my life, I could have wielded the truth.’

Namgoong Seung’s eyes blurred.

‘The truth was always by my side.’