Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 754

In a silent and dark place, a beast opened its eyes.

A clear red glow was tinged with a terrible murderous intent. Even without trying to reveal it, the murderous aura was already flashing.

He was a being cursed by the heavens. A monster with a history of generating natural demonic energy based on his innate murderous intent.

The beast opened its mouth.

“…Displeasing.”

The low, heavy voice was extremely rough. It sounded like it was gargling with metal filings, the unmistakable growl of a wild animal.

“I feel a filthy energy. But somehow, it feels familiar.”

The beast’s eyes narrowed.

“What is this?”

It was then.

Creak.

A metal door opened, and a Taoist [a follower of Taoism, a Chinese philosophy and religion] walked in.

His posture was very respectful, and strange patterns were embroidered in gold thread on the sleeves of his loose red Taoist robe.

The Taoist knelt on the spot and bowed his head.

“It is not yet time for you to awaken, so why have you opened your eyes already?”

“I felt a strange energy. It’s very unpleasant.”

“A strange energy, you say…?”

“Mu Heo, it’s not him. It’s not the disgusting subjugating power of Buddhism. Nor does it seem to be the pure energy of Taoism… It’s irritating.”

“… !”

“The purity is low. It’s someone who hasn’t opened the Extreme Gate [a state of enlightenment in martial arts]. But for some reason, it’s getting on my nerves. It feels similar to when I first saw that Mu Heo.”

“I-Is that so?”

“It’s an energy that penetrated the Forbidden Righteous Binding Talisman you set up. Either your talisman is a terrible thing, or the owner of this energy I felt has a strong potential.”

The Taoist’s face showed surprise.

The Forbidden Righteous Binding Talisman was a talisman he had created, but the magic used in the talisman was based on one of the most renowned techniques on the continent.

There were one hundred and seven such talismans. He had taken all sorts of measures to ensure that only yin energy and ghost energy accumulated in a space where pure natural energy could not enter.

Yet, this beast was saying that it felt an unusual energy.

“What’s going on outside?”

“Ah, the eunuch…”

“Eunuch?”

“…I apologize. The Vice Head of the Hwaun Secret Pavilion said that he would wipe out the Empress’s forces before dawn and seize all power in the Imperial Palace.”

“This energy is not from the Divine Flame Church. It can’t be. The foundation is different.”

“Then…?”

“Whether it’s from Buddhism, Taoism, or a righteous sect that has mastered orthodox martial arts, someone from the Central Plains has entered the Imperial Palace. And it’s someone who is on the verge of opening the Extreme Gate.”

The Extreme Gate meant the Limitless. Although countless masters were swarming in the world, there were only a handful of masters who were on the verge of the Limitless.

“I will go and investigate.”

“That’s not the real problem.”

“Yes?”

“Remove the binding.”

The Taoist’s face hardened.

An astronomical amount of money had been spent to create this talisman technique. All of it was to increase the power of this beast.

It would still take another half a year for that power to be exhausted, but he was being told to remove the binding?

“Elder.”

“Remove it.”

The Taoist sighed inwardly.

No matter how regrettable it was, there was no use if this guy refused.

‘Damn it.’

The Taoist waved his hand.

Whoosh!

The one hundred and seven large talismans that decorated the iron walls on all sides began to burn.

It had taken so much effort to make them, but they were destroyed in an instant. The Taoist clicked his tongue in regret.

Whoosh!

The Forbidden Righteous Binding collapsed.

Power surged into the eyes of the beast, which had been bound by chains.

Crack! Clang!

As if breaking through a pile of mud, the thick, long chains were easily broken and fell to the ground.

The Taoist’s face stiffened.

Crack!

The beast slowly straightened its back, placing one hand on the ground, creating a strange sense of fear.

Its unwashed body and disheveled hair reached down to its buttocks. Yet, it was not tangled.

Swish!

The sound of the silky smooth hair brushing the floor was like the sound of a snake flicking its tongue.

“Hmm.”

A moan filled with pleasure.

The sharp, claw-like nails were as strong as steel. The five murderous fingers easily dug into the floor like tofu.

Crack! Crack!

The sound of bones twisting echoed throughout its body.

It straightened its back, stood up, and placed its feet on the ground.

Even though it was a simple movement, it was impossible to look away. When it was sitting and bound by chains, it looked so pathetic, but when it broke the chains and stood up, it looked like a black-scaled dragon rising.

Whoosh. Haa.

The repetition of inhaling and exhaling.

Throb! Throb!

Veins bulged all over its lean body.

Thick pectoral muscles appeared on its flat chest, and muscles began to form on its back, broadening its shoulders. Its arms, which had been as thin as branches, became as thick as logs.

It was a change that was hard to believe even when seen with one’s own eyes. It was not uncommon for a master of inner energy to gain great enlightenment and change their physical body, but it could not be this dramatic.

It was not the natural order, but a defiance of it. Only the power of defying the natural flow could make this possible.

The Taoist’s eyes widened.

Swish!

A huge snake was now moving between the beast’s broad shoulders.

It was both an illusion and reality. The demonic energy emanating from the beast’s body had created the form of a terrifying monster snake.

“Good.”

The beast smiled.

Sharp fangs, like nails, were revealed.

“I’ve regained more than enough of the demonic power I lost because of that monk. This is enough.”

The Taoist, swallowing hard, bowed his head.

“Elder. I congratulate you on your recovery, but if you had taken a little more time, you could have had even more powerful demonic energy than before…”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Yes?”

“For those who open the Extreme Gate and roam the heavens, the quantitative increase in inner energy is of little significance.”

“B-But demonic energy is different. A greater amount of demonic energy will make your body even more robust.”

“That’s what I thought when I was greedy for energy and got caught by that monk.”

“… !”

The beast turned its eyes behind it.

Although the walls were made of iron, it seemed to see something.

“…My intuition was right.”

“Are you talking about the master who was said to be on the verge of opening the Extreme Gate?”

“No.”

“…?”

“The reason I told you to release the Forbidden Righteous Binding wasn’t because of him.”

“Then…?!”

“Someone stronger than him, someone who has opened the Extreme Gate, is coming this way.”

Someone who has opened the Extreme Gate.

That meant an absolute master who had broken through the Limitless. The Taoist’s face turned pale.

The beast looked around.

‘This is definitely a miraculous place.’

This place, which had been painstakingly created for the Forbidden Righteous Binding technique, excessively amplified the spiritual power of the upper dantian [an energy center in the body] with unimaginable magical power.

Now that the binding was released, the magical power of this space would soon disappear. But it could still fully enjoy the characteristics of this space.

‘That’s quite a guy.’

The demonic lord who had opened the Limitless sensed another master of the Limitless in this special space.

A person filled with urgency, but whose foundation was a terrifying murderous intent and madness that could not be extinguished even by seawater.

‘I don’t know who it is, but…’

The beast’s eyes were filled with greed and delight.

‘Someone with a similar nature to me is coming.’

He said to the Taoist.

“I will finish my ablutions and head to the royal court. Have the underlings prepare.”

Before ‘that guy’ arrived, he would wash away the old grime, embrace a woman, eat delicacies, and then take a leisurely rest.

And when that nameless guy arrived, he would make his move.

Bang!

With a wave of his hand, the beast blew away the iron door and left the room with slow steps.

The Taoist sighed.

‘I need to report this.’

From the beginning, that beast was not a person of the Divine Flame, nor of the Evil Yin, nor of the Blood Frenzy.

Whether the Emperor was okay or not, whether the Empire was okay or not, it was all worthless to that beast. All that beast wanted was blood and pleasure.

‘But…’

The Taoist, who followed him out of the room, stopped walking without realizing it.

‘Limitless? Who the hell is coming here? Could it be Seongcheon?’

* * *

Boom!

With a fierce explosion, golden flames and dark blue sword energy scattered.

Crack!

The clash of two super masters who transcended humanity cracked the sacred path in many places.

The force of the impact sent debris flying, creating holes in the walls of distant buildings. The followers of the Divine Flame Church quickly distanced themselves from the violent collision, but one who could not avoid it was burned to death with his limbs broken.

‘Seriously.’

Swish!

A dark sword energy twisted like a snake, grazing past Gi Woo-heon’s neck.

It was a sword energy that was as flexible and sharp as it was chilling. It was only because he had read it with the sensation of his constantly activated fire barrier that he had avoided it; otherwise, he would have been in trouble.

‘He’s really amazing.’

Whoosh!

Not only did he spew flames, but he himself became a flame.

Gi Woo-heon closed a distance of ten feet in an instant, like a weightless fire. The burning wheels of fire around his feet seemed to add power to his agile footwork.

Gi Woo-heon’s fist was swung towards Yeon-wi’s sternum.

Clang!

Yeon-wi, holding his sword in reverse, blocked Gi Woo-heon’s Flame King Fist by placing it diagonally.

It was amazing that he had blocked such a powerful fist, but what was even more amazing was Yeon-wi’s posture.

He easily blocked it while maintaining his upright posture without lowering his center of gravity to receive the force. Although he was exuding a much fiercer aura than before, his unique upright posture in combat remained unchanged.

‘How is he not affected at all?’

Flash!

Four streams of fire that had sprung up from behind Gi Woo-heon formed long tails and aimed for Yeon-wi’s body.

It was neither a fist technique nor a palm technique. He had created and fired fireballs using only his energy.

He was able to implement such an attack without going through the palm center, the exit point of his energy. It was not the realm of a human.

Murderous intent flashed in Yeon-wi’s eyes.

Swoosh!

The four streams of sword energy that were fiercely swirling instantly extinguished the four golden fireballs that had flown towards his upper body.

This was also amazing. The firepower of the Golden Restraint Purification Art did not go out when cut. If the owner’s will was alive and connected to the dantian, it could be recombined at any time to attack the enemy.

But the fireballs that were struck by Yeon-wi’s sword disappeared at that moment. The penetrating energy carried by the sword had severed the root of the energy release connected to Gi Woo-heon’s dantian.

Gi Woo-heon frowned and stepped back.

Whoosh!

Even as he retreated, the fire of the Golden Restraint Purification Art became even more intense.

Although he had completely unleashed the martial arts he had sealed away, his inner energy had been stagnant for too long. It would take some time for the released inner energy to spread throughout his body and for his essence, energy, and spirit to become perfectly one.

Flash!

A stream of dark sword energy flew like an arrow, aiming for Gi Woo-heon’s forehead.

Gi Woo-heon’s eyes widened.

It pierced through the burning wall of flames so easily.

‘But!’

Boom!

A brilliant explosion, red blood soared high into the sky and then evaporated.

Whoosh!

Gi Woo-heon’s feet left the ground.

It was not the technique of walking on air. It was as if he had become a weightless fire human and had risen into the air on his own.

Gi Woo-heon smiled fiercely and clenched his fist. His hand, which had been pierced by the sword energy, had already been completely healed by the restorative power of the fire essence.

“I’ve waited a long time. Now, my true power… !”

“You’ve been waiting a long time indeed.”

Rumble! Rumble!

Just as it had taken Gi Woo-heon some time to adjust to the Golden Restraint Purification Art, which he had not used for a long time.

Yeon-wi also drew the Asura Eight Swords for the first time since reaching this level.

Even the greatest masters in the world needed time to get used to that terrible murderous intent and sensitivity.

Yeon-wi’s pupils, which had been slowly turning red, were completely dyed crimson.

“Come.”

Gi Woo-heon raised his hand with a hardened face.

Flash!

A single arrow shot from somewhere far away was sucked into the royal court.

At the same time, Gi Woo-heon moved.