Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 430

Parrarararak!\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong retreated hastily.\n\n’Impressive.’\n\nTam Gyeong, with a smile, repeatedly clenched and opened his outstretched hand.\n\nHis hand was unharmed. The aged hand, surrounded by a faint golden aura, looked large and generous, like the palm of a Buddha.\n\n’The Vajra [a Buddhist term referring to an indestructible substance or spiritual power] is an unparalleled force, capable of crushing rocks and tearing through iron plates. At its peak, no villain in the world can dare to penetrate it.’\n\nWhoooong.\n\nAs the golden aura disappeared, a small scratch was visible on Tam Gyeong’s palm.\n\nIt was a wound so slight that it barely drew blood. It was hardly even a scratch, but the fact that it had pierced the power of the Great Vajra Palm, a famous technique of the Shaolin [a famous Buddhist monastery known for its martial arts], was remarkable in itself.\n\nShhh.\n\nRather, blood flowed from Yeon Ho-Jeong’s hand, which was holding the Black Dragon Axe. Unable to withstand the impact of striking the Great Vajra Palm, the guard of his hand had been torn.\n\nIt was a strength akin to steel. How long had it been since he had been injured in the hand holding his weapon, unable to overcome his opponent’s power?\n\n’Fists and palms are one, but in my case, I’ve put more effort into palm techniques than fist techniques. It’s because the emission of qi [life force or energy] is so diverse that I found it interesting. And yet, you pierced the Great Vajra Palm I emitted and made a wound…’\n\nTam Gyeong took a step forward.\n\nThud!\n\nEven though it wasn’t a true stomp, the entire open space seemed to shake.\n\n’Who is your master?’\n\nWhy ask as if he didn’t know, even though he suspected?\n\n’You are similar to him, yet so different. He wouldn’t have done that.’\n\nChaaang!\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong, having drawn the White Dragon Axe as well, spoke in a monotonous tone.\n\n’If I knew that, I wouldn’t be here.’\n\n’I’ll ask again.’\n\nA stern look flashed in Tam Gyeong’s eyes for a moment.\n\n’Who is your master? And who are you?’\n\n’You’ll find out from now on.’\n\nPaah!\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong, advancing at a terrifying speed, powerfully swung his twin axes.\n\nTam Gyeong’s eyes gleamed.\n\nThe Black Dragon Axe aimed for the neck, and the White Dragon Axe aimed for the shoulder.\n\nEven though they were small hatchets, their weight and sharpness were beyond imagination. Even he, who had mastered the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art, couldn’t simply take the attack head-on, relying on the strength of his body.\n\nTam Gyeong’s hand moved smoothly, deflecting the Black Dragon Axe.\n\nTzeoeong! Tzeoeong!\n\nThe deflected Black Dragon Axe collided with the White Dragon Axe, completely disrupting Yeon Ho-Jeong’s stance.\n\nIt was terrifying power, astonishing senses. It was surprising enough that he had deflected the Black Dragon Axe’s strike with a mere flick of his hand, but to instantly come up with the idea of colliding the deflected Black Dragon Axe with the White Dragon Axe to disrupt his stance was truly remarkable.\n\nHowever, Yeon Ho-Jeong was not surprised at all.\n\nThwack!\n\nEven though his stance was broken in mid-air, he rotated his body using the divine skill of internal energy manipulation, unleashing a kick.\n\nNot only that, but as soon as Tam Gyeong blocked the kick with his forearm, he plunged into his chest and raised the White Dragon Axe upwards, the angle of which was exquisite. He had accurately targeted a blind spot that was difficult to evade, counter, or even defend against.\n\nBut his opponent was Tam Gyeong.\n\nA master who had risen a step above Yeon Ho-Jeong, a master who had reached the realm of the Absolute, completely mastering the principles of martial arts.\n\nTzeojeojeojeong!\n\nThe power of the Guanyin Azure Steel Hand was incredibly fast and powerful. He blocked the White Dragon Axe’s continuous strikes with hand techniques that created dozens of afterimages, truly boasting the might of an iron wall.\n\nIt was hard to even remember when he had last seen such a level of defense. It was reminiscent of the Black Tortoise Art of the Four Divine Martial Arts, and what’s more, Tam Gyeong wasn’t implementing a martial art specialized for defense, but rather instantly modifying his flamboyant hand techniques to suit defense.\n\n’As expected.’\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes deepened.\n\n’This realm is not easy.’\n\nThe Absolute is a realm where one has mastered the principles of martial arts, and the moment one’s will arises, qi already embodies the technique.\n\nNo matter what martial art one has learned, if the speed of thought is like lightning, the practitioner’s martial art will also be like lightning. Whether targeting blind spots or exploiting weaknesses, if one seriously employs martial arts, they will boast an iron defense that is impossible to overcome.\n\n’However, I too am one who has once been in that same realm.’\n\nRather, it was fortunate that he hadn’t risen further in this realm.\n\nBecause qi couldn’t keep up with the speed of will, he could constantly contemplate how he and his opponent would move in that fleeting gap.\n\nSoon, Yeon Ho-Jeong moved.\n\nPapapapapak!\n\nEvading Tam Gyeong’s counterattack with godlike footwork, Yeon Ho-Jeong swung the Black and White Dragon Axes like lightning.\n\nHe swung them so savagely, as if trying to shred his opponent. A wall of strikes with no room for even a needle to enter was about to swallow Tam Gyeong’s upper body whole.\n\n’He’s so versatile.’\n\nTam Gyeong could see it. The flow of strikes created by Yeon Ho-Jeong’s axes.\n\n’How can he execute such exquisite attacks…’\n\nThe crescent moon-like continuous attacks completely robbed him of any chance to evade or counter. Realizing that defense was possible no matter what, he had blocked off any way to escape from the start.\n\nHe couldn’t help but be amazed countless times.\n\nHe changed the density of his attacks after seeing his opponent’s response just once. His thinking ability and practical sense were unparalleled, but in addition to that, his ability to instantly translate what he had in mind into martial arts was outstanding.\n\nTam Gyeong extended both hands forward.\n\nKwarururung!\n\nThe power of the Great Vajra emanating from both palms shattered all of the Black and White Dragon’s strikes.\n\nPaah!\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong retreated to dissipate the impact.\n\nTam Gyeong, who was rushing towards the retreating Yeon Ho-Jeong, was momentarily shocked. A pitch-black axe had already flown to within three inches of his forehead.\n\n’Fast!’\n\nTam Gyeong quickly turned his head.\n\nKwaang!\n\nEven before the Black Dragon Axe could hit the ground, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s palm force exploded in front of Tam Gyeong’s chest.\n\nThe power was not much, but the speed was so fast that even Tam Gyeong was surprised.\n\n’What for?’\n\nWhy did he not strike directly but instead explode it in the air in front of his chest, only disrupting his stance?\n\nCharrrrrrrrk!\n\nAt that moment, Tam Gyeong’s eyes wavered at the chilling sound of metal.\n\n’Huh!’\n\nIf Tam Gyeong had been solely immersed in martial arts until now.\n\nIf he had been reaching for a higher realm, not to find something, even though he was still receiving the love of the Martial God.\n\nThen he would have been able to avoid Yeon Ho-Jeong’s technique this time.\n\nHowever, Tam Gyeong had not done so. Even though he had reached the realm of the Absolute, he was still human, and his senses had dulled a lot as he had not experienced real combat for a long time.\n\nChiririring!\n\nTam Gyeong’s stance became awkward.\n\n’…What is this?’\n\nHe looked down at his right foot. A blackish-gray iron chain was tightly bound around his right ankle.\n\nPaah!\n\nAt the same time as sealing one ankle, Yeon Ho-Jeong moved.\n\nSurprisingly, it was not his usual linear movement. The speed was the same as before, but he approached Tam Gyeong’s left side with a curved movement, his body movements were very flexible.\n\nThis was not the time to think about this and that. Tam Gyeong forcefully extended his palm.\n\nIt was then.\n\n’…!!’\n\nThe Coiling Dragon Chain, connected to the inside of Yeon Ho-Jeong’s sleeve, twitched.\n\nIt wasn’t a particularly great force. However, that one pull caused the trajectory of Tam Gyeong’s palm force, which had been extending without hesitation, to waver.\n\nIt wasn’t just a slight waver. The palm force that had been extended went far up into the sky, not around Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body.\n\nIt was no exaggeration to say that it was a complete miss. Just the disruption of the ankle’s movement had caused the trajectory of the palm force to waver this much.\n\nPaah! Kwaang!\n\nTam Gyeong’s body shook greatly. He had failed to properly deflect Yeon Ho-Jeong’s Tiger King’s Wall-Breaking Stance, which had approached to close range.\n\nFrom then on, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s merciless attacks began.\n\nKwakwakwakwang! Peopeopeong!\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong’s attacks were astonishing in themselves.\n\nHe was driving Tam Gyeong into a corner, seemingly maintaining the trajectory of the Tiger King’s Wall-Breaking Stance, yet freely switching techniques.\n\nTam Gyeong blocked Yeon Ho-Jeong’s attacks with lightning-like true qi manipulation, but even that was very rushed. At crucial moments, the Coiling Dragon Chain would pull taut, disrupting the degree of true qi emission.\n\n’Hoo!’\n\nPapapapapang!\n\nWhile hastily deflecting Yeon Ho-Jeong’s attacks, Tam Gyeong inwardly clicked his tongue.\n\n’Could it be that he was reading me?’\n\nTam Gyeong forcefully extended his right foot backward.\n\nWhooong!\n\nIt seemed as if Yeon Ho-Jeong was being pulled along, but then he mercilessly swung his fist.\n\nThwack!\n\nTam Gyeong’s body shook and was pushed back. The shockwave was so strong that even though he had blocked it by crossing his arms, he had to retreat about ten steps.\n\nWith his original skills, he would not have retreated this far. No, he wouldn’t have needed to block such an aggressive punch in the first place, let alone retreat.\n\n’I see. He was reading me.’\n\nTam Gyeong’s pupils dilated.\n\n’My right foot, he was really reading it.’\n\nFlash! Tzeoeong!\n\nThe White Dragon Axe, flying like lightning, struck the taut Coiling Dragon Chain.\n\nIn that instant, Tam Gyeong felt a sharp pain in his right foot. The hidden force emitted from the White Dragon Axe flowed through the Coiling Dragon Chain, pressing on the nerves in his ankle.\n\nHwarurururuk!\n\nAt that moment, the Vermilion Bird’s fire energy ignited in Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes.\n\nAt the same time, a crimson fire energy condensed in his hand, creating wings of flame.\n\nKwaaaaang!\n\nThe ground behind Tam Gyeong, within a radius of ten feet, exploded, creating a huge blaze.\n\nTam Gyeong stood calmly.\n\nHe hadn’t deflected or evaded it. Yeon Ho-Jeong had allowed the palm force that was about to hit Tam Gyeong’s body to pass through to the rear.\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong was still standing with his hand extended. His hand was fixed half a foot in front of Tam Gyeong’s chest.\n\n’That’s an amazing technique.’\n\nTam Gyeong said in a voice that did not hide his surprise.\n\n’I’ve seen many masters, but I’ve never seen anyone implement the technique of striking through the mountain so skillfully. You’ve truly mastered martial arts that are not befitting of your age.’\n\nStriking through the mountain was one of the highest-level martial principles, which involved striking an object behind a fixed object.\n\nIn reality, many people knew how to use it, but not many could apply it in actual combat. It was not a matter of skill, but a matter of application and a matter of senses.\n\nThis young man knew how to do it. His ability to apply the martial arts he had learned and realized in actual combat was unparalleled.\n\n’By the way, how did you know? About my right foot.’\n\n’I figured it out after clashing three times.’\n\n’Three times… Hahaha!’\n\nTam Gyeong looked up at the sky and laughed.\n\n’You figured out that my martial arts are based on my right foot’s stomp and the rotation of my right leg after only three clashes?’\n\nDecades ago, Tam Gyeong had severely injured his left foot.\n\nHe had been so busy with work that he had treated it carelessly, and now that he was older, problems had arisen. There was no problem with walking or running, but the blood vessels leading to his left ankle had become very narrow.\n\nThe doctor didn’t know how to fix it. He simply said that the only way was to widen the blood vessels through constant qi circulation.\n\nTam Gyeong had left it as it was. After all, he was not a martial artist. However, because of that, his right foot had to bear the burden that both feet should have shared.\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong had seen that. He had seen that all of Tam Gyeong’s martial arts started from his right foot.\n\n’I only noticed it quickly because we’ve been together for a few days. If you had been serious from the start, old man, I would never have been able to defeat you.’\n\n’Whether it was seriousness or carelessness, the result is the result.’\n\nTam Gyeong smiled faintly.\n\n’I’ve lost.’\n\n’There’s no point in determining victory or defeat…’\n\n’And now I can be sure.’\n\n’…?’\n\n’You are not ‘his’ disciple.’