Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 735

Just before Gongson Baek-Ryong moved, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s telepathic message reached Gok Gyeong.

[Go to the Wudang Sect!]

Gok Gyeong’s eyes wavered.

Wudang? Why on earth?

At that moment, Gongson Baek-Ryong rushed at Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Clang!

With a dazzling clash, Yeon Ho-Jeong was thrown backward.

However, Gongson Baek-Ryong was already closing in on Yeon Ho-Jeong. His speed was incredible.

Then, Gang Ryang approached Gok Gyeong.

“Let’s go!”

“Wh-what?”

“I said, let’s go!”

Gang Ryang’s eyes were too urgent to ask why.

Gok Gyeong gritted his teeth.

‘No, I can’t do that.’

He had to capture the Biwang here, in this place. Capturing just the Biwang would make many things easier in the future.

He had traveled thousands of miles for that one goal. Even if he was a master of the Green Wall [a reference to a powerful martial arts technique or school], was it really okay to leave it to that guy?

Clang! Thud!

Barely four seconds had passed, but blood was already spurting from Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body. Gongson Baek-Ryong’s short sword had slashed his shoulder.

It was a deep cut, too deep to just ignore. If it weren’t for his unique reflexes, he might have lost the use of one arm.

Nevertheless, Yeon Ho-Jeong created another opening.

Whoosh!

Before Gongson Baek-Ryong could approach, a kick infused with Vermilion Fire Qi [a type of internal energy used in martial arts] was swung with terrifying killing intent.

Flinch!

Gongson Baek-Ryong’s body recoiled.

In that moment, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s telepathic message flew to Gok Gyeong like lightning.

[Go to the Wudang Sect and request reinforcements! Tell them everything about being the Emperor’s secret envoy and show them the proof! We need to make a move before the Biwang does!]

Gok Gyeong gritted his teeth.

“Let’s go!”

Swoosh!

Gang Ryang and his men followed Gok Gyeong.

Regardless, Gongson Baek-Ryong attacked Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Though he had hesitated for a moment, Gongson Baek-Ryong’s speed was so fast that he closed the distance in an instant.

Yeon Ho-Jeong was inwardly dumbfounded.

‘Is this even allowed?’

It had been a long time since he had such a thought while fighting an enemy.

This speed was truly a cheat. His martial arts were at the level of a Three Armies General [a high-ranking military officer], but they said he could take a seat among the Divine Immortal Kings with just his footwork. It was truly a martial art worthy of that title.

‘But.’

Flash!

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flickered with a fiery killing intent.

‘That’s why one-on-one is better than facing a crowd!’

Whoosh!

The crescent blade, swung like lightning, drew four cross-shaped slashes.

It was a strike infused with intense fire energy. Since it was fired in all directions, he absolutely couldn’t charge straight in.

Of course, that didn’t mean he would give up the attack.

Where would the attack come from?

‘Above!’

Boom!

Gongson Baek-Ryong’s foot slammed into the ground, turning the area into a wasteland.

Even Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had moved half a beat faster, was caught in the destructive force of the kick and momentarily lost control of his body. It was a destructive power beyond imagination.

Thud!

Minimizing the impact from his toes, ankles, knees, and hip joints, Yeon Ho-Jeong unleashed the Hundred Kings Wave of the Howling King’s Wall [a powerful martial arts technique].

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

A massive wave of slashes, imbued with tremendous power, tore through the front.

Even the mighty Gongson Baek-Ryong couldn’t break through this attack. The ferocity and power of the attack were too intense to simply charge through.

Whoosh!

The dust settled, revealing Gongson Baek-Ryong.

His posture was strangely lowered as he glared at Yeon Ho-Jeong with cold eyes.

Yeon Ho-Jeong grinned.

“Aren’t you going to chase them?”

“You were the one who wanted a one-on-one fight.”

“I thought you’d use any cowardly tactic without hesitation.”

“I would if I had to, but not now. It doesn’t seem necessary.”

“Good for me. And one more thing.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong flicked his finger.

“You’ll never be able to shake the Wudang Sect.”

“……!”

For the first time, Gongson Baek-Ryong’s eyes wavered.

It was an extremely subtle tremor, but Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes, which were intensely focused on his opponent, caught his reaction precisely.

Thud!

Gongson Baek-Ryong, who was about to charge, tapped the ground with his toe.

“What are you talking about?”

“I guess I was right.”

“…….”

“Whew, thanks. Let me catch my breath.”

Gongson Baek-Ryong, who had been staring at Yeon Ho-Jeong, smiled.

“I can’t miss the chance to take them down one by one just to chase those fools. You’ve failed.”

“When are you coming? Three seconds left.”

Clang! Boom!

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body was thrown backward like crazy.

Immediately after, a sonic boom erupted. It was the shockwave from Gongson Baek-Ryong’s movement, which had broken the sound barrier, that exploded belatedly.

Crack!

Yeon Ho-Jeong gritted his teeth.

It was the first time he had directly taken Gongson Baek-Ryong’s attack. It wasn’t a significant attack, but the speed alone generated tremendous destructive power. His slashed shoulder couldn’t withstand the force and dislocated.

Thud! Snap!

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body rolled on the ground, smashing through three trees.

‘Fast.’

Using the true qi of the Bright Light Divine Art [a powerful internal energy technique], he instantly fixed his dislocated shoulder and blocked the leg technique. If he hadn’t, that one move would have taken his life.

‘But it’s okay.’

The moment Yeon Ho-Jeong regained his posture, a brilliant light flashed in his eyes.

‘He’s coming, as expected.’

The reason Yeon Ho-Jeong insisted on a one-on-one duel with Gongson Baek-Ryong was not just for one goal.

Gongson Baek-Ryong, who had been secretly shaking the information network, had suddenly appeared near Mount Wudang.

Was it just to pull out the imperial palace’s forces? To lure out Gok Gyeong, the Emperor’s closest aide and sharpest blade?

That couldn’t be it. While those might be some of his intentions, he wouldn’t have acted so boldly for those reasons alone.

Then what other intentions could he have?

The answer was obvious. It was the Wudang Sect.

If he appeared near Mount Song, it would be the Shaolin Temple; if he appeared near Mount Hua, it would be the Mount Hua Sect; and if he appeared near Mount Wudang, it would be the Wudang Sect. The Biwang, Gongson Baek-Ryong, could only be targeting the Wudang Sect.

Everyone was flustered by his sudden appearance and wondered if he had other intentions, but they didn’t think deeply about the Wudang Sect, which was too obvious.

It was impossible to know how he planned to attack the Wudang Sect. However, since the Sword Immortal Tak Mu-Ja was there, it would be impossible for him to handle the Wudang Sect alone. Even without the Sword Immortal, it would be the same.

‘He was probably trying to lure the Ghost Lord.’

Gok Gyeong, the Mad Ghost Lord.

Who would know that he was a master working under the Emperor?

To the Wudang Sect’s Taoists, Gok Gyeong was undoubtedly a master of the Demonic Sect. If anyone entered the mountain without permission, they would have no choice but to suspect that Mount Wudang was under attack.

If he was the Biwang with absolute footwork, he would be able to lure Gok Gyeong and turn the Wudang Sect into a wasteland.

If that happened, it could even provoke a conflict between the Wudang Sect, the righteous sects, and the Emperor. The possibility was small, but Seongcheon’s reputation was great enough to create that much chaos.

Even if that wasn’t his goal, it was clear that he would try to harm the Wudang Sect in some way.

In other words, the Biwang’s appearance was an extremely strategic action with multiple purposes.

‘I’m the same.’

The speed of his thoughts became lightning fast.

The reason Yeon Ho-Jeong volunteered for a one-on-one fight with Gongson Baek-Ryong was not simply to buy time or to protect the Wudang Sect.

‘I can surpass him.’

Surpass him.

Yeon Ho-Jeong was truly thinking of killing the Biwang, Gongson Baek-Ryong, and taking another step forward from his current level.

His own development, the loss of a card for the Three Teachings [a reference to major philosophical or religious schools of thought], the safety of the Wudang Sect, and the prevention of a possible conflict between the righteous sects and the imperial palace.

For all of that, Yeon Ho-Jeong was standing here.

And he was confident that he could do it.

‘He’s coming.’

Whoosh!

The moment a terrifying killing intent was felt, Gongson Baek-Ryong’s short sword had already reached Yeon Ho-Jeong’s throat.

A faster and sharper movement than before.

A desperate moment where it seemed impossible to dodge or block.

Flash!!

The wind of the short sword that cut through the air caused five large trees across the way to be cut down diagonally.

“…….”

Gongson Baek-Ryong’s eyes wavered.

“Whew.”

A soft breathing sound.

In Gongson Baek-Ryong’s eyes, as he slowly turned his body, he saw Yeon Ho-Jeong with a thin cut on his face.

“…You dodged it?”

“I guess so.”

The corners of Yeon Ho-Jeong’s mouth curled up.

It was a sly smile that made people’s stomachs churn.

“By the way, you couldn’t kill me. That was ten seconds.”

“…….”

“You really were a fool. You call yourself a Divine Immortal King, but you’re nothing special.”

There was a deep disappointment in Yeon Ho-Jeong’s voice.

Gongson Baek-Ryong’s hand holding the short sword turned white.

Yeon Ho-Jeong pointed his crescent blade at Gongson Baek-Ryong and said,

“If you fought the Ghost Lord, it’s highly likely that the Ghost Lord would lose. But I’m different.”

“…….”

“Your outdated fighting style is completely useless against me, who is weaker than the Ghost Lord.”

He would kill him in ten seconds.

It wasn’t that he underestimated him by thinking he could kill him in ten seconds. For Gongson Baek-Ryong, ten seconds was an extremely efficient move and time.

“Come at me.”

A smile appeared in Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes.

“I’ll kill you in ten seconds.”

“…You brat!”

Flash!

Gongson Baek-Ryong instantly entered Yeon Ho-Jeong’s range.

Yeon Ho-Jeong couldn’t even properly react to the speed. He simply turned the edge of his crescent blade horizontally.

‘Too late.’

Gongson Baek-Ryong’s face was filled with killing intent.

‘Die.’

Flash! Slice!

Blood splattered in the air.

Clink!

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s armor was split vertically and fell to the ground.

That was all. There were no other injuries.

But what about Gongson Baek-Ryong?

Trickle.

A cut appeared on his neck.

It didn’t hit the artery, but he would have cut his throat if he had been careless.

Gongson Baek-Ryong’s face turned pale for the first time.

“What is this?”

“What?”

“What did you do to me?!”

Whoosh!

Yeon Ho-Jeong silently charged and swung his crescent blade.

It was the Crimson Lotus Flash of the Vermilion Art and the Crimson Flame Six Kill Art [powerful martial arts techniques]. A single strike, as brilliant as a flame and as fast as lightning, seemed as if it would cut Gongson Baek-Ryong’s body diagonally in an instant.

‘Too slow!’

Gongson Baek-Ryong, rotating his body and swinging his short sword.

His short sword was already within five inches of Yeon Ho-Jeong’s abdomen. It was an incredibly fast speed.

But.

Flash! Swoosh!

The two swordsmen passed each other.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s side was stained with blood, but it was just a graze.

However, a long cut was etched on Gongson Baek-Ryong’s upper body. The diagonal cut was quite deep. It was a much more serious injury than the one he had inflicted on Yeon Ho-Jeong.

“……!!”

Confusion filled Gongson Baek-Ryong’s face.

‘Half a beat late?!’

His speed was still superior. But strangely, the moment his sword was about to cut the enemy, his attack and evasion were half a beat late.

“That’s why you’re not qualified.”

Whoosh!

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had approached like lightning, unleashed the Thirteen Fists of the Yeon Family [a martial arts technique].

Compared to the Four Divine Arts, it was a very simple and flexible fist technique, but Gongson Baek-Ryong was flustered and allowed one fist to land.

Thud!

The Hooking Fist of the Thirteen Fists of the Yeon Family struck Gongson Baek-Ryong’s abdomen.

“Cough!”

Gongson Baek-Ryong, who had let out a rough breath, retreated like crazy.

Yeon Ho-Jeong gave up on the follow-up attack. There was no point in going further, as he would immediately widen the distance. It was a meaningless attack.

“You threw away many of the qualities you should have possessed in the Limitless for the sake of speed alone. You can never defeat me.”

Speed is power.

The faster a cannonball is fired, the better its destructive power, and the faster an arrow flies, the better its penetration. That was a fact that even a child would know.

However.

For Yeon Ho-Jeong, who was superior to even the masters of Seongcheon in terms of combat techniques, Gongson Baek-Ryong’s simple martial arts could not inflict much damage.

That was why Gongson Baek-Ryong carried a short sword. In order to cut down an enemy in one blow with a different dimension of speed, the blade could not be shorter or longer than that.

That also meant that Gongson Baek-Ryong’s martial arts were extremely simple, focusing only on speed.

The reason he had been using only his sword, fists, and feet without any techniques was because even if he used techniques, he wouldn’t be able to attack the enemy effectively due to his excessive speed. It would be more dangerous for him to self-destruct.

In a short battle, even the Three Armies could not withstand him. In a long battle, even the Three Armies could not win if they could not find a way to counter him.

However, for Yeon Ho-Jeong, who was the epitome of all the combat techniques scattered throughout the world, the Biwang’s martial arts were merely a somewhat difficult martial art to deal with.

“Seven moves left.”