Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 658

Ha Eun-gyo’s eyes wavered.

‘This can’t be.’

It was an incredibly stealthy approach.

Her hearing was more than twice as developed as a master of the same level. It was a different realm from the sense of touch; her hearing was so sharp that she could discern a person’s age and gender from the slightest difference in sound.

‘Even if my mind is disturbed…’

A master of the Supreme Path [a high level of martial arts cultivation] was still human. When the mind was disturbed and focused on one thing, one was bound to become insensitive to the surrounding situation.

Even considering that, the opponent’s stealth was truly remarkable. Not even a legendary assassin, the Sound Demon, could be this stealthy.

Ho Yeon-jong spoke.

“Are you the Sound Master?”

“……”

“As you know, I came from over there.”

Even in the midst of this, he refrained from mentioning the Three Harmonies Law of the Evil Sound Sect [a forbidden martial arts technique].

Ho Yeon-jong chuckled.

“I heard you were going to stay put, but were you meeting with some unknown person here?”

“It’s not like that.”

Ha Eun-gyo said, flustered without realizing it.

“I was just…”

She couldn’t continue her words.

What could she say? That this young man named Yeon Ho-jeong had kidnapped her disciple, and she had come all this way to find her?

And then what? How would ‘they’ view her if she returned quietly? It was a meaningless explanation anyway.

Ho Yeon-jong’s eyes sharpened.

“Enough, go up. We’ll settle this later.”

Ji So-hyeon exclaimed instinctively.

“That’s not it! Master was just… !”

As she spoke, Ji So-hyeon suddenly collapsed to the ground.

Saaaak.

It was as if an invisible snake was crawling up her body, its jaws opening wide beneath her chin.

The gaze of Ho Yeon-jong, staring at her. The moment Ji So-hyeon met his terribly sinister eyes, she was plunged into an indescribable fear.

“Cough! Keh-cough!”

Involuntary groans mixed with coughs escaped her lips.

Shudder.

Her body trembled, and her complexion turned pale. Ho Yeon-jong’s mad killing intent was ruthlessly violating her mind and body.

At that moment, Ha Eun-gyo swung her hand.

Thwack!

With a loud explosion, Ho Yeon-jong’s killing intent was abruptly cut off in mid-air.

Ha Eun-gyo embraced Ji So-hyeon.

“It’s okay. It’s okay.”

“Huu… Huu…”

Ji So-hyeon, trembling in Ha Eun-gyo’s arms, soon lost consciousness. It was the result of being exposed to unbearable killing intent.

Ha Eun-gyo glared at Ho Yeon-jong.

“If you lay a hand on my disciple again, I will tear everyone here apart, starting with you.”

The killing intent that surged forth was not as wicked as Ho Yeon-jong’s, but it was twice as dense, enveloping the area.

Ho Yeon-jong chuckled.

“It’s like the one who struck is getting angry. Have you forgotten your position?”

“……”

“Get lost. I’ll come for you after I deal with this one.”

Ha Eun-gyo, suppressing her anger, looked at Yeon Ho-jeong.

Kneeling on one knee, Yeon Ho-jeong, who had covered his face and part of his upper body with a massive axe, remained motionless.

Ha Eun-gyo’s face was filled with pity.

She wanted to drive away the impudent Ho Yeon-jong, but she had no choice.

“…I’m sorry.”

In the end, that was all she could say.

Hugging Ji So-hyeon, Ha Eun-gyo vanished from the spot in an instant.

Ho Yeon-jong frowned.

‘Damn woman.’

He unconsciously stroked his shoulder.

‘They call her a Saintly Celestial, but she’s ridiculously strong.’

When Ha Eun-gyo’s killing intent exploded, an unseen force was released without her knowledge.

The unseen force was a technique that caused vibrations without any sign, striking the opponent’s body. It was Ha Eun-gyo’s unique skill, more advanced than the ‘Striking the Cow Across the Mountain’ [a martial arts technique that allows one to strike an opponent from a distance].

If Ha Eun-gyo hadn’t instinctively controlled her power, Ho Yeon-jong’s shoulder bone would have been broken. He hadn’t even been able to react to the unseen force.

‘The Divine Celestial Kings, I thought they were just boasting with their ridiculous titles, but they’re really something else.’

With his current martial arts, he couldn’t win. Unless he landed a blow with the Dark Emperor Palm [a powerful martial arts technique], he would surely lose.

‘My competitive spirit is burning.’

In recent times, he had been feeling dejected and powerless, but now his ambition was rising again.

Ho Yeon-jong, controlling his surging competitive spirit, looked at Yeon Ho-jeong.

“Before I kill you, let me hear your name. What is it?”

Yeon Ho-jeong was still motionless.

Fssst!

Subtle yellow smoke was rising from his body. It was the smoke of his internal energy, vaporized as it shattered Ho Yeon-jong’s power.

Ho Yeon-jong frowned.

“So, you’ve reached a certain level. Even if Ha Eun-gyo, that damn woman, warned me, it wasn’t an easy blow to block. You must be someone of some renown.”

“……”

“Damn it, the ones who get caught in the middle always act like idiots.”

Whoooom!

A subtle yellow energy gathered in Ho Yeon-jong’s hand.

The yellow, dry energy resembled the color of sand. It was a dull yellow, far from gold, the true energy of the wasteland gathering.

“I’ll leave your head intact. The rest of your body, I’ll send to the hell of sin.”

It was then.

Thwack!

The massive axe cut through the air and struck the ground.

The speed was truly indescribable. Even Ho Yeon-jong had reacted and dodged it instinctively. If he had thought about it and then moved, he would have been helpless against such a fast and sharp attack.

Ho Yeon-jong’s hand moved like lightning. This was also an instinctive counterattack.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s hand swung back.

Whoooosh!

There was no explosion. But a tremendous wind blew, sending Ho Yeon-jong flying dozens of yards away.

‘What is this guy?’

His killing intent was strong, but the power of his energy was negligible.

There was no need to avoid it, so he simply rode the wind and found himself flying in the air. It was truly a remarkable wind.

‘It has no power, but it lifted me into the air?’

Ho Yeon-jong’s eyes emitted a blue glow.

Saaaraaaak!

Ho Yeon-jong, stepping on tree branches and deflecting the oncoming wind, looked ahead.

“…?!”

Ho Yeon-jong’s face hardened.

About ten yards away, there was a person standing on a tree branch, looking at him. It was the same person.

Flash!

With an axe the size of a human torso slung over his shoulder, he was glaring at him, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

Fwoooosh!

The red-tinged pupils were closer to the color of blood than fire.

Yet, they were burning. It was blood fire. The blood-stained gaze was burning madly, fueled by the killing intent of the Vermilion Bird [a mythical fire bird].

“…He’s no ordinary man. Did he undergo a reverse aging process?”

Crack.

Ho Yeon-jong loosened his wrists.

“Who are you? Reveal your identity.”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s answer was simple.

“Shut up.”

Thwack!

With that one word, he kicked off the tree branch and shot forward, the sound incredibly loud.

With this much sound and vibration, it was clear that it would reach the place where the divine instrument was.

‘This bastard!’

He seemed to be charging, but he was already right in front of him.

In that brief moment, Ho Yeon-jong had to admit it. That the opponent was dangerous, that he could be defeated if he made a mistake.

He could tell that the opponent was also a master of the Half-Immortal realm [a high level of martial arts cultivation], having reached the same level as himself.

Whack! Crack!

Ho Yeon-jong soared into the sky. The force of the Tongcheon Clan [a martial arts clan] that swept through the spot where he had been shattered about six trees.

Thwack!

He seemed to be rising, but he was already descending.

He created a wall of energy in the air and kicked off it. He could freely change direction even in the air. It wasn’t a matter of possibility or impossibility, but he seemed extremely familiar with such methods.

It was proof that Ho Yeon-jong was a true master. He was a flawless powerhouse who was not satisfied with the level he had reached, but had gained immense combat power through constant struggle. This was revealed in that one move.

‘I don’t know who he is, but…’

The enemy’s face was getting closer.

His murderous intent was far more savage and destructive than when he was ten yards away. It was the first time he had felt such a burdensome killing intent just by facing it. It was as if his gaze itself was another martial art, filling his heart with a chilling sensation.

‘This guy is dangerous. I must kill him.’

Ho Yeon-jong’s fist slammed into Yeon Ho-jeong’s face.

Wham! Wham!

It was one punch, but the internal energy contained within was layered in a series of strikes.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s body crashed into the ground, breaking a large tree diagonally.

Thwack! Thwack!

Ho Yeon-jong, arriving at the spot where Yeon Ho-jeong had crashed with a ghostly speed, was momentarily startled.

‘He’s gone?!’

At that moment, he felt as if someone was mercilessly stabbing the back of his neck with a needle.

Flash!

A streak of light cut through the air.

Once again, Ho Yeon-jong’s instincts saved him. Ho Yeon-jong’s body, soaring high into the sky, was like a hawk freely roaming the heavens.

It was then.

Swish! Cling!

Ho Yeon-jong’s eyes wavered.

Before he knew it, a chain was tightly wrapped around his waist. It was an incredibly fast binding, leaving him no time to dodge.

‘This is bad!’

Grabbing the chain with both hands, he pulled up his Dark Emperor Evil Energy [a powerful and dark martial arts energy]. He intended to tear the chain apart with force.

But.

Whoosh!

His body, bound by the chain, curved in an arc and fell to the ground.

The speed was truly immense. It was a raging gale, so fast that even a master like him had difficulty opening his eyes.

Crash!

Yellow energy rose again from Ho Yeon-jong’s body, buried in the ground.

Whoooom!

The Dragon Binding Chain [a special chain used in martial arts], which had been filled with white energy, was now being dyed with Dark Emperor Evil Energy.

Crack! Crack!

The power of the Dark Emperor Evil Energy, pushing out the white energy while emitting strange sparks, was truly overwhelming. It was an energy that was adept at penetration, combining powerful force with softness. Seventy percent of the Dragon Binding Chain, which had been filled with the power of the Tiger King [a powerful martial artist], was now dyed with Dark Emperor Evil Energy.

It was then.

Fwoooosh! Thwack! Thwack!

The trees around the Dragon Binding Chain were engulfed in a firestorm and shattered as if exploding.

Fwoooosh!

Behind the retreating Tiger King, wings of fire added power, creating a fiery gale.

Ho Yeon-jong’s eyes were bloodshot.

Fssst!

The heat transmitted from the ends of the chain he held in both hands instantly pushed back the Dark Emperor Evil Energy and was now penetrating his palms.

‘Damn it!’

Cling! Cling!

Ho Yeon-jong quickly rotated his body and released the chain that was wrapped around his waist.

Swish!

The Dragon Binding Chain, having lost its target, swept across the ground like a snake, then instantly disappeared into Yeon Ho-jeong’s sleeve.

Whoosh!

White smoke rose from Yeon Ho-jeong’s right shoulder. It was the smoke from his right arm where the Dragon Binding Chain had been sucked in.

Ho Yeon-jong shouted.

“What the hell are you doing, you bastard… !”

Whoosh!

In an instant, Ho Yeon-jong was startled. Before he knew it, the opponent was swinging a massive axe from the lower left.

He wasn’t charging in a flashy way like before, but he was incredibly fast. It was a stealthy and sharp movement technique, as if he had become a snake.

‘I can’t dodge this!’

The speed was such that the axe handle was bending.

Ho Yeon-jong filled both hands with Dark Emperor Evil Energy and struck down.

Crash!

The tremendous shockwave caused the surrounding trees to fall in concentric circles.

The range was well over twenty yards in radius. The shockwave created by the clash of super masters was beyond imagination.

“…You!”

Trickle.

Blood flowed from Ho Yeon-jong’s palm, which had blocked the axe blade. His hand, which had never been scratched by any divine weapon, had burst open after blocking an axe blade made of ordinary steel.

“What are you, you crazy bastard!!”

Yeon Ho-jeong grinned.

Over his brightly smiling face, the eerie murderous intent of the scarred Dark Heavenly Lord [a powerful and feared figure] surfaced.

“From now on, it’s the Dark Abyss.”