Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 555

The woman’s face was hard to place an age on. She was clearly middle-aged, yet somehow, she looked much younger than her years. If you looked closely, she seemed close to fifty, but if you glanced at her, she could easily pass for thirty. It was a strange face.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes deepened.

“An Emei disciple.”

From the Emei Sect, and a master who was a cut above Song Ha-shinni. Though she was a cut above, when considering combat power, she was a master so far beyond Song Ha-shinni that they couldn’t even be compared. Within the Emei Sect’s unique, profound aura, her sharply honed senses were very impressive.

Rather than a Buddhist disciple, she had the aura of a martial artist. And one who had killed many people, almost like a murderer.

The woman asked,

“Where is Song Ha?”

“None of your business, you bald monk.”

“What did you say?”

Yeon Ho-jeong chuckled.

“For an elder of Emei, you’re wearing silk clothes and makeup. And what’s with that hair hanging down to your shoulders?”

“…….”

“I can’t find the serene scent of Emei’s Buddhism in you. The vulgar smell of powder is numbing my nose.”

The woman’s lips curled up. She seemed displeased, yet also looked down on her opponent.

“You’re a rude one.”

It was a harsh way of speaking. It was a tone that one could never imagine coming from someone affiliated with the Emei Sect. Moreover, the way she spoke was extremely natural. It seemed she had a habit of cursing.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed.

‘How strange.’

The aura of the nun in front of him, or rather, the woman who used to be a nun, was quite surprising. She was someone who had killed as easily as eating a meal. In other words, she seemed accustomed to the taste of blood.

Yet, despite exuding such a strong smell of blood, she was completely looking down on her opponent. For a martial artist to exude that much of a bloody scent, they would have had to survive dozens of life-or-death situations. In other words, they would have to have a wealth of martial arts experience.

Someone with a wealth of martial arts experience would never look down on their opponent. They might say whatever they want, but even while cursing, their eyes would be focused on assessing their opponent.

The woman didn’t have that. The smell of blood was strong, but it was strangely clumsy.

Judging by the aura she exuded, her combat power would be outstanding. However, even that was ambiguous compared to the thick smell of blood.

“I’ll ask one last time. Who are you?”

“If a fight breaks out here,”

Yeon Ho-jeong tilted his head.

“You, the former nun, are going to get wrecked, no matter what.”

“You’re a funny one.”

“I’ll wreck you and then reveal your identity to the world. That would cause the Emei Sect’s reputation to plummet.”

The woman scoffed.

“You have quite the imagination.”

Yeon Ho-jeong, who had been quietly observing the woman, chuckled.

“Threatening me with the Emei Sect doesn’t work. I don’t feel any affection or concern for Emei from you at all.”

“Where did you learn to run your mouth like that…….”

“It doesn’t matter what happens to Emei… You’ve already given up on them.”

The woman’s face hardened.

Yeon Ho-jeong rotated his wrist. Even though he was turning it slowly, there was a series of cracking sounds.

“Even if I don’t know about other things, you’re definitely one of the Emei Sect’s lackeys from the Paradise Society, right?”

In that instant, the woman’s eyes wavered.

“You, how do you know about the Paradise Society?”

‘As I thought.’

She fell right into this simple and easy trap. Her combat power was high, but her martial arts experience didn’t seem to be that great.

Yeon Ho-jeong nodded.

“So the Paradise Society is a real place. The information was true after all.”

Only then did the woman realize that she had been manipulated by Yeon Ho-jeong.

“You damned bastard…….”

“There are many eyes watching.”

Yeon Ho-jeong pointed with his chin towards the building where the assassins were running rampant.

“Shall we move locations?”

The woman smiled coldly.

“Do you have the courage?”

“Lead the way.”

“You impudent fool. Don’t you value your life…….”

“Lead the way.”

“…….”

“Do you want to get wrecked here?”

The woman scoffed.

“I don’t know who you are, but today is the end of your life.”

“That’s your problem. You try to kill people without even knowing who they are.”

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.

“Those who aren’t prepared for destruction always rush towards it.”

“You!”

At that moment, Yeon Ho-jeong’s body blurred.

Crack! Crack, crack, crack!

Yeon Ho-jeong moved to the left and right in an instant and reappeared in front of the woman.

The woman’s eyes wavered.

Yeon Ho-jeong gestured with his chin.

“Lead the way. I’ll follow you closely.”

“……You, what is your identity?”

The woman was flustered. Both his outward age and the aura he exuded made him seem like a nobody. Yet, the movement he had just shown was so incredible that it could be described as extreme speed. Even she, one of the highest elders of the Emei Sect, couldn’t figure out how he had moved.

Yeon Ho-jeong said,

“Aren’t you going to lead the way?”

“……!”

“From now on, I won’t say the same thing to you more than twice. If you don’t understand after I say it once, I’ll tear your limbs apart in front of everyone.”

In that instant, the woman felt a terrible chill. He didn’t reveal any killing intent, nor did he glare at her. He just spoke calmly as if he was passing by, and that made it even more terrifying.

Yeon Ho-jeong said again,

“Lead the way.”

The woman, who had been hesitating, turned and walked away. At that moment, a faint sound reached her ears.

Crack!

The woman’s eyes wavered. Another Black Eye [assassin] had lost his life at the hands of that man.

‘How can this be……!’

The Black Eye’s stealth techniques were top-notch. They were the real deal, never revealing even a hint of killing intent when attacking their target. That man was quickly identifying the assassins’ locations and killing them before returning.

‘W-what is this?’

She was flustered. She had never heard of such a master in Sichuan. Although she had been frequently visiting the Paradise Society for the past two years, she had definitely paid attention to the surrounding information.

‘Just who is that man?!’

The woman swallowed. It felt as if a black panther was silently approaching from behind. And so, she led Yeon Ho-jeong with hesitant steps. She had come prepared to torture or kill if threats didn’t work, but she was the one being manipulated by her opponent. She didn’t even realize that fact.

How much time had passed? In an alley not far from the three-story building where the assassins had been killed.

Thud.

The woman stopped walking. Yeon Ho-jeong also stopped walking.

“I’ll ask again.”

The woman’s voice was filled with strength. There was a clear sense of confidence. Yeon Ho-jeong chuckled.

“What is your name…….”

“Did you call about three or four people?”

“What?”

“Seeing you so cocky after calling a few mediocre guys is a bit funny.”

“……!!”

Yeon Ho-jeong lightly rotated his shoulder.

“You brought me to a good place. Even if a fight breaks out here, the sound won’t leak out to the streets.”

The woman turned around. Her eyes gleamed with cold killing intent.

“You, who are you?”

“Who are you?”

“…….”

“If you want to know the other person’s name, it’s only right to reveal your own name first.”

“You madman! I have no name to give to the likes of you!”

“Why? Are you scared?”

Yeon Ho-jeong grinned.

“Are you so afraid that you can’t even give me your name because you’re afraid you can’t catch me?”

“…….”

“I don’t know why you’re doing things that would get you killed with such a chicken heart. If you’re a nun, you should just quietly chant Buddhist scriptures.”

The woman’s face contorted. His way with words was truly remarkable. Even though she knew it was a provocation, she couldn’t help but get angry.

“You dare to act like this when I was going easy on you!”

“Then try attacking me.”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s face turned expressionless in an instant. A change as fast as lightning, and blue flashes of light began to flicker in his eyes. It was as if he had become a different person in an instant.

“Try attacking me, whether you want to subdue me or kill me. Don’t just flap your tongue.”

The woman gritted her teeth. But that was only for a moment.

“Since you’re going to die anyway, there’s no need for me to dirty my hands.”

“Those who stand before me usually say that.”

“How arrogant!”

It was then.

Whoosh!

Red flames flickered from Yeon Ho-jeong’s body. The firepower that was released in an instant was truly enormous. It was so hot that even the woman, who was standing three yards away, was startled and took ten steps back.

“Hmm.”

In the midst of the blazing flames, Yeon Ho-jeong stroked his chin.

“Is it poison?”

Terror washed over the woman’s face.

‘How can this be!’

Whoosh!

The madness of the crimson flames that were being released seemed to make the very air hold its breath. The firepower was enormous, but what was even more surprising was the aura that made even that great fire seem ordinary. It was as if gravity had suddenly increased by three or four times. Her body felt heavy, and her feet wouldn’t leave the ground.

‘Such an unbelievable aura……!’

Even after breaking through the Wall of No Form [a martial arts breakthrough], she had spent a long time practicing the Emei martial arts. Her martial arts were so strong that she was among the top three in the Emei Sect, excluding the previous and current sect leaders, Bok Ho. For such a master to have her body’s control become difficult just from the opponent’s aura, she had never imagined such a day would come in her life.

‘Could it be?!’

The woman’s eyes shook as if there had been an earthquake.

“……Saintly Heaven?!”

Whoosh!

Yeon Ho-jeong took off his bamboo hat. That was also an incredible feat. With such strong firepower, even if the body was fine, the clothes should have been damaged to some extent. No matter how good one’s control of their inner energy was, there was a clear limit. But Yeon Ho-jeong’s clothes were perfectly fine. Even the bamboo hat, which was close to the palm, the core of inner energy output, was undamaged.

‘Incredible mastery of inner energy!’

He was a master whose ability to control inner energy had reached its peak.

“You’re being too shy.”

Whoosh!

The flames that had been erupting like a volcano suddenly condensed into Yeon Ho-jeong’s left hand.

Flash!

The small sphere floating on his palm was emitting such a bright light that it was difficult to look at directly.

Yeon Ho-jeong swung his hand.

Thud!

The sphere of fire, shot like a beam of light, made a clean sound as it pierced through a wall.

“Cough!”

A strange scream erupted from beyond the wall.

“Kuaaak!”

Crash!

The person who broke through the wall with a scream was engulfed in flames. His clothes had already been burned to ashes. He tried to gather his inner energy to put out the flames, but with that level of power, he couldn’t extinguish the Vermilion Bird Fire [a powerful flame technique].

Yeon Ho-jeong said coldly,

“It seems like he’s from the Tang Clan, but I don’t particularly want to know his name. Just die like that.”

Whoosh! Thud!

The man, who had been writhing in pain, eventually collapsed to the ground. Even in his collapsed state, the flames did not go out. With a pungent smell, the man’s body gradually shriveled. He was dead. He had been burned alive and lost his life.

The woman’s body trembled. She had seen a lot of blood, but this was the first time she had seen someone die so horribly.

“Do you remember? That I wouldn’t ask more than twice.”

Whoosh.

Yeon Ho-jeong raised his fist.

“What is your name?”

The woman couldn’t answer. She just stared at Yeon Ho-jeong with a terrified expression.

Yeon Ho-jeong nodded.

“I’ll start by tearing off your limbs.”

Whoosh!

Yeon Ho-jeong charged forward with terrifying speed.

Crash!

At the same time, four masters broke through the wall and jumped out. Sword, Palm, Dagger, Fist. The martial arts of Qingcheng, Tang Clan, and Emei swirled and threatened Yeon Ho-jeong.