Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 856

His eyes opened, and his ears could hear.

*Gurgle.*

The familiar sound of birds chirping reached his ears.

A cold teacup sat there, and the chair opposite was empty.

However, such things were not important to Yeon Ho-Jeong. He was only aware that he had returned to reality, and he had no interest in anything else.

‘So, this is it.’

*Whoosh.*

His heart emitted a subtle tremor.

The fresh air entering his lungs seemed to envelop his entire body. His liver felt clear, and his kidneys felt more robust than before.

*Hooong. Hooong.*

A faint light emanated from his solar plexus.

It was the inner core of the Radiant Divine Elixir. It was the final gate that the Yeon Family’s Divine Elixir, created by mastering all five of the Yeon Family’s divine arts, ultimately reached.

However, for Yeon Ho-Jeong, the Radiant Divine Elixir was not the end but the beginning.

If he had focused on the Yeon Family’s secret techniques, the Radiant Divine Elixir would have grown much larger. It would have become much more refined, and it would have possessed much more powerful control.

However, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s Radiant Divine Elixir did not have that level of power.

No, that level of power was not needed.

Perfectly controlling the Four Divine Energies and suppressing another ultimate technique, the Black Lion Energy. Condensing the bright and powerful energy into an endless source of power.

That was what the Radiant Divine Elixir had been until now. It meant that it was sufficient for that role.

But from now on, it would be different.

‘If I had mastered the Hongcheon Energy, I would have reached the Limitless Realm much faster. Perhaps I might have become even stronger than I am now.’

But there was nothing beyond that.

As his master had said, he wanted more than the Hongcheon Energy. To achieve the ultimate mastery of the Four Divine Arts themselves, beyond the Four Divine Energies, he decided to form the Yeon Family’s Divine Elixir, even if it was a little late.

The result of that decision was now being realized at this very moment.

Yeon Ho-Jeong closed his eyes.

‘There is no limit to Qi [life force or energy].’

The White Tiger Metal Qi governs the lungs.

However, having broken through the limits, he no longer needed to breathe only through his lungs.

*Whoooooooosh!*

A sudden gust of wind was sucked into Yeon Ho-Jeong’s entire body and then expelled repeatedly.

It was a peaceful yet radical change. Namgoong Seung, who had been watching Yeon Ho-Jeong from afar, exclaimed in admiration.

“It’s beginning.”

*Sarasarasarak!*

Turbid Qi was expelled from Yeon Ho-Jeong’s Mingmen acupoint [located on the lower back].

There was no way that turbid Qi would remain in a body that had reached perfection. The turbid Qi now escaping through the Mingmen acupoint was the energy of his past worries, the turbid Qi of his upper dantian [energy center in the head].

Detoxification and filtration. What the liver and kidneys should have handled was now being managed by his entire body using the Azure Dragon Wood Qi and the Black Tortoise Water Qi, drawing it out through the Mingmen acupoint, the gateway for Qi.

It was the work of the five viscera and six bowels. If one was born human, with the five viscera and six bowels, they should have used them to manage it. Instead, he was replacing it with his entire body, with his true energy.

And then.

*Hwaaaaaak!*

The rough and fierce Vermilion Bird Fire Qi burned away the impurities remaining in his upper dantian.

The upper dantian is a dangerous place from the start. If one touched it carelessly, they could become insane or brain-dead. Even if one avoided all that, they could lose all the spiritual power they had accumulated with a moment’s mistake.

Yet, the Vermilion Bird Fire Qi was emitted at maximum output, without causing any abnormalities anywhere.

Just naturally.

The Four Divine Energies, having only left behind pure spiritual power and blown away all other evil, gradually left Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body.

*Hooong! Hooong!*

It was a mystical sight.

The four-colored energies that had left Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body became small spheres, spinning around him.

Namgoong Seung’s eyes wavered.

‘It’s incredible.’

To ordinary people, the four-colored true energies were nothing more than a mystical and dazzling spectacle.

However, Namgoong Seung could see. The immense density of power contained in each of those energies.

‘The Fire Qi is so fierce that it seems capable of evaporating an entire lake, and the Water Qi is so dense that it could extinguish even a forest fire in an instant. The Wood Qi is so vibrant that it could cover even a desert with greenery, and the Metal Qi is so rough that it could blow away hundreds of giant trees from their roots.’

The power contained in each one was truly like a disaster.

They might not actually possess such abilities, but their force was so intense that it sent shivers down his spine. It was hard to believe that he had lived with such fierce energies within his body until now.

‘The true energy that was merging has now sprung out of his body again. Has he failed?’

No, that was not the case.

Even the Sword Saint of the world, who had not mastered the Four Divine Arts, could not clearly analyze the current situation.

Yeon Ho-Jeong had not failed. Rather, he had drawn out the true energy that was slowly merging to the outside of his body in order to taste an even greater success.

‘Before this realization, which travels between eternity and a moment, disappears.’

*Wiiiiiiing!!*

The Radiant Divine Elixir rotated at high speed.

It always rotated like this when exerting its full power. The rotation itself generated a strong force, greatly increasing the output of the Four Divine Energies.

But not now.

A terrifying gravitational force, never seen before, began to form in the high-speed rotating Radiant Divine Elixir.

A sea of light that did not touch any external objects, only desiring sacred energy.

It was another source of life that would function as the egg of a dragon’s head, silently governing the power of the divine beasts of all directions.

‘Come in.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes opened.

Eyes without flashing light or thunderous power.

His gaze was as peaceful and serene as that of an enlightened Taoist, like a high monk on the verge of enlightenment.

*Woong! Woong!*

The four-colored true energy masses that had been slowly circling around Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body gradually increased their speed.

‘Thanks to the time I’ve spent with you, I have grown.’

Even though they were rotating so fast, Yeon Ho-Jeong could see each energy clearly.

‘Together with you, I want to start from the beginning at a higher place.’

The Four Divine Energies are not a martial art that can be mastered just by knowing the formulas.

Along with the formulas, one must gather the characteristics of each energy sleeping in the earth and summon them with one’s own spiritual power. In other words, it is a summoning.

Once summoned, the energy remains in the master’s body until death and grows. That was the fundamental difference between the Four Divine Energies and other internal energy cultivation methods.

The energies summoned by spiritual power.

As they communicated with Yeon Ho-Jeong’s upper dantian, each energy was no different from having gained life.

White Tiger, Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise.

Four kinds of divine energies with spiritual power. They were the energies of the soul.

Those four sacred energies responded to Yeon Ho-Jeong’s powerful call and pure sincerity.

*Hooook!*

The first to enter was the Black Tortoise Qi.

Black Tortoise Water Qi. The water god of the North, first summoned after his regression.

*Hwaaaak!*

It was antagonistic but also neutralizing.

The Vermilion Bird Fire Qi, which had been so fierce, nestled in the embrace of the Black Tortoise as the fire god of the South.

*Thump!*

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body twitched.

For a moment, he felt bloated. He had gathered the energies that had been dwelling in each organ and amplifying their power into one place. It was impossible not to feel the burden.

However, even so.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s mind did not waver in the slightest.

‘Come.’

*Crackcrackcrack!*

The Wood God of the East, the epitome of vitality, entered the neutralized sea.

A single giant seed burrowed into the source, creating a pulsating egg of life. It was still small and tiny, but it had clearly formed a shape.

Just like the Azure Dragon of the East Wood God, with its body.

A long and flexible body was sleeping inside the small egg.

And finally.

‘Grow.’

*Wheeeeeeeeeeng!!*

The white energy swirled, gradually increasing in size.

‘Come into me, become one, and nurture this.’

*Hooook!!*

The white wind, shot like a gale, permeated Yeon Ho-Jeong, creating a terrifying wind.

The wind soon became a gale, creating waves, and the waves melted back into the gale, supplying infinite nourishment to the small egg floating in the air.

The moment everything became one.

A single egg born from the Four Divine Energies began to grow at a terrifying speed with the help of the Four Divine Energies.

*Thump! Thump!*

A powerful resonance spread from within the five-colored egg.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face flushed red.

*Chiiiiiiiiik!!*

The intense heat met the cold late winter air, creating steam.

‘Come out.’

White, blue, red, black.

And yellow slowly merged into one, creating cracks in the egg.

‘Together with you, I will walk a path where I will never be defeated by anyone.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong closed his eyes.

And then, he slowly opened his mouth.

“Come out.”

A single word, like the dignified incantation of a sorcerer.

*Pusuk!*

The egg broke.

“……?!”

Mak Won’s face, who had been laughing heartily at the now-lively drinking party, instantly hardened.

Jin Yang tilted his head.

“What’s wrong, Senior?”

His words were strangely slurred, as if he had drunk too much.

“Just stay still.”

Gang Ryang, sensing something was amiss, pushed Jin Yang’s head, which was leaning towards him, to the side. Jin Yang let out an “Ouch!” and fell over.

It was quite a funny sight, but Mak Won’s expression did not change. His expression, looking around with a strange look of surprise and bewilderment, was definitely odd.

Gang Ryang whispered to Muk Bi.

“Sister, why is Senior suddenly like that……”

*Thump!*

“Ugh!”

Gang Ryang almost fell over because Muk Bi suddenly stood up.

Muk Bi was the same. No, it was a little different.

Her face revealed a sense of familiarity, as if she understood something, but the wonder in it was no less than Mak Won’s, if not more.

Gang Ryang was about to shout, asking why even his sister was like that, but he felt his body stiffen for a moment.

“……!!”

*Hooooooong.*

A cool breeze blew. It was a pleasant breeze, so much so that it was hard to believe it was a late winter mountain breeze.

If the wind had a color, wouldn’t this wind be dyed a clear and beautiful golden color?

*Paaaaaaak!*

No one was first. The four of them instantly left the dining hall and headed towards the Martial Arts Pavilion.

They were not the only ones.

The top experts who were close to the Martial Arts Pavilion all rushed out with surprised faces and gathered at the Namgoong family’s residence.

There was Yeon Wi, and Yeon Ji-Pyeong was also there. From afar, Gong Gong Daesa and Seung Hyeon Jin-in, along with the Bonggong and elders, were also rushing over.

The Namgoong warriors lined up at the main gate of the Martial Arts Pavilion were clearly flustered. With so many experts suddenly gathering, even they, with their strict military discipline, did not know what to do.

However, no situation that would embarrass them occurred.

“Let’s not go in.”

The strongest person here, more than anyone else.

Mak Won said, looking at the main gate of the Martial Arts Pavilion with trembling eyes.

“Just in case, we shouldn’t go in.”

It was then.

*Krrrrrrrrrr!*

The ground trembled.

It was as if this vast earth was letting out a sorrowful yet joyful cry, like a mother experiencing labor pains.

And then.

*Kyaaaaaaaat!!*

Like the roar of a tiger, or the cry of a dragon.

Like the high-pitched cry of a bird, or the fierce threat of a snake.

Or, like a combination of all those sounds.

Along with an intense cry that none of them had ever heard before, a giant light soared high into the sky.

*Flash!*

It was a flamboyant ascension. A golden, long, and enormous something writhed and pierced through the sky.

It was an illusion. It could only be an illusion.

However, to the eyes of the experts who had extremely refined upper dantians, it was not an illusion but reality.

Gong Gong Daesa said in a trembling voice.

“The dragon has awakened.”