Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 895

The group traversed the Shaanxi martial world at a terrifying speed.

They tried to stick to the least populated areas, but when they had to make excessive detours, they would travel on the main roads.

“Hey, brother. Is it really necessary to go this far?”

It was right to prepare for an enemy attack, but Yeon Ho-Jeong seemed to be in too much of a hurry.

It was Cheon Hyo-Rak who answered Mak Won’s question.

Her unique, clear voice flowed from inside the carriage.

“It’s to minimize casualties.”

“I understand that, but how is running this fast related to casualties…?”

“If, by any chance, those guys enter Shaanxi, we’ll have to stop to fight them. If such incidents continue, the time it takes to pass through Shaanxi will lengthen, and the more that happens, the more enemy forces will continue to enter Shaanxi.”

“……!”

“So, we need to get to Qinghai as quickly as possible. To them, the martial world and civilians are the same. If they use some strange tactic to catch us, then the time it takes to get to Qinghai will only get longer.”

Even if he didn’t know everything, one thing was certain.

The faster they reached Qinghai, the fewer unnecessary sacrifices there would be.

“Of course, that won’t be all. Isn’t that right, Vice Leader Yeon?”

“That’s right.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flashed.

“As long as our goal is fixed on the ‘Divine Demonic Forest,’ there’s something that should take precedence over managing fatigue.”

“What is that?”

“Increasing and preserving our strength.”

“……?!”

“I don’t know how good their intelligence is, but considering our travel speed and the paths we’ve taken, they probably don’t know our full strength either.”

“That’s probably true.”

“That’s all that matters.”

Who could know what Yeon Ho-Jeong was thinking?

Under normal circumstances, he would have shared what he knew. But the fact that he wasn’t speaking meant either there was no need to, or he hadn’t properly organized his thoughts yet.

How long had they been traveling like that?

Just as the group, having taken only minimal rest, was passing near Little Mount Hua.

“Brother!”

“I felt it too.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flashed.

‘Quite a few of them.’

Fifty, no, more than sixty soldiers.

“Okcheong, Jipyeong.”

“Yes!”

“Yes, brother.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked back at the two of them.

“We’re going to break through that place without even taking a breath.”

“Yes!”

“Of course, they’ll follow us. Considering fatigue management and the distance we have to travel, these horses are essential. We’ll just protect our own horses and carriages.”

The two men’s eyes sparkled.

“I’ll take care of the bugs in front.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong turned his head again.

The place where they were leaving the forest path. It felt like a wide plain, and beyond the plain was another path.

“Take care of it and follow us.”

It was neither a request nor a demand.

It was an order. The leader of this group was giving a task to his subordinates.

“Understood.”

Okcheong answered immediately. He was used to this kind of situation.

On the other hand, Yeon Ji-Pyeong hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Total annihilation?”

“Yes.”

“……!”

“Not a single one should be left alive.”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s face hardened.

But only for a moment.

“I’ll do it.”

“Good.”

Shortly after, the group passed through the forest path and entered the plain.

Mak Won muttered.

“There’s no need to leave them alive just for the sake of the two of them gaining more experience and improving their martial arts, right?”

It was a mutter, but Yeon Ho-Jeong could hear his words clearly.

“What about the ones in front?”

“Good.”

They quickly crossed the center of the plain and entered another mountain path.

That’s when it happened.

Whoosh!

Masked men, who had been hiding in the surrounding forests, soared into the sky.

It was an incredible movement technique. They moved over ten yards with a single leap, and it was clear that the movement technique itself was far superior to their internal energy level.

And as soon as they took to the air, they scattered dozens of hidden weapons and over a dozen nets.

Mak Won snorted.

“Amateurs.”

The seven-foot-long iron staff in his hand trembled.

“Get lost.”

Mak Won swung the iron staff forward as if he were thrusting it.

Kwarururung!

A terrifying explosive force swirled, completely crushing and blowing away the hidden weapons and over a dozen masked men in the air in front of the forest path.

There was no visible, vivid-colored true energy, nor any flow of energy that heated the air. He simply swung once and swept away all the enemies in front and in the air.

‘He’s strong.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes widened.

‘This is a power he hasn’t shown before.’

The formless Heavenly Martial Divine Weapon Qi [a type of energy] created a whirlwind, tearing everything apart.

A silent and still martial art, so subtle that even the flow of energy couldn’t be felt. Yet, the result was the destruction of the enemy, covering a radius of more than five yards.

Tadatadatadang!!

Hundreds, thousands of hidden weapons poured down, targeting the group.

And the group was deflecting many of the hidden weapons with incredible ease.

The front assault team, Bu Seon and Pae Yul, each used their staff and sword barriers to deflect the hidden weapons and tear the nets.

The same was true for Yeon Ho-Jeong’s Azure Dragon Armor. He created a massive barrier of energy that covered not only his horse but also the carriage, deflecting all the hidden weapons and nets.

That was enough. None of their allies were injured, not even scratched by the hidden weapons.

Kurururung!

The group quickly entered the forest path.

The masked men split into three groups and chased after them. One group went through the forest path, and the other two tried to go through the forests on the left and right.

That’s when it happened.

Chwaaaak!

There was no loud explosion or harsh metallic sound.

Okcheong’s sword, which had sprung from the left forest, made a graceful movement.

Thud! Thud!

A fierce sword wind swept through, leaving fist-sized holes in the chests of four masked men.

It was the Wudang’s secret technique based on the Primordial Chaos Qi [a fundamental energy], the Tai Chi Wisdom Sword. The Tai Chi Wisdom Sword, which prioritized enlightenment over forms, was reborn in Okcheong’s hands as a calm, deadly sword technique.

Jjeojeojeojeong! Swish!

Another wave of hidden weapons and arrows was swept away by the flow of the sword wind, circling before falling to the ground.

It was a defensive form of the Tai Chi Wisdom Sword, swung with intent. By pouring in Primordial Chaos Qi, he activated a massive Sword Qi Circle [a circular barrier of energy], a brilliant technique that protected not only himself but also Tang Gwan and Muk Bi behind him.

Okcheong was inwardly surprised.

‘It’s wider now.’

The range of the energy barrier had widened, and its strength had also increased.

As the level of his Primordial Chaos Qi rose, the power of the explosive force he released with his sword also increased. Before, he had to pour in eight parts of internal energy to achieve a result of ten, but now it seemed like five parts of internal energy would be enough.

While Okcheong’s attack and defense were impressive, Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s swordsmanship was also incredible.

Jjeojeojeojeojeong!

He didn’t need flashy energy techniques or sword winds that hinted at enlightenment.

The sword that Yeon Ji-Pyeong wielded was fast, precise, sharp, and strong. It captured every movement, technique, and attribute of the sword without missing a single one, and not a single hidden weapon could penetrate his sword barrier.

‘It’s orthodox.’

Okcheong, who had glanced at Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s swordsmanship, was inwardly surprised.

‘I knew he had improved tremendously through his training with the Great Master, but…’

Sparring with Moyong Gun and his constant pursuit of the sword.

Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s sword was a righteous sword. It was an honest swordsmanship that was correct, straight, and faithful to the basics, so honest that it made you smile just by looking at it.

But.

Swish!

Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s eyes trembled slightly as he cut down a masked man.

His swordsmanship and posture didn’t waver, but his energy did. The fact that his energy wavered meant that his mind wavered. Even though they were clearly enemies, it couldn’t have been easy to cut down strangers who had suddenly appeared.

‘Should I help him?’

For a moment, he had that thought, but Okcheong soon focused on his own area.

‘I shouldn’t help him.’

Chiriring! Thud!

The sword that had pierced the neck of one masked man instantly changed its trajectory, slicing through the waists of two enemies who had passed him.

Okcheong’s sword was resolute. The smooth and seamless sword path took the lives of the enemies so naturally that it was clearly a war sword. No one would have known that the Wudang’s swordsmanship, a sword of life and death gained from countless battlefields, could kill enemies so efficiently.

‘Don’t waver.’

Watching Okcheong’s outstanding sword techniques, Yeon Ji-Pyeong also steeled his mind.

‘I shouldn’t hesitate. They are the enemy.’

Whether they covered their faces with masks or not, if he left them alive, his people would die.

He could tell just by looking at their eyes. They were people who valued human lives less than pebbles on the side of the road.

‘This is a fight. Not training or sparring.’

Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s posture lowered.

‘I haven’t steeled my mind yet. I think I know why my brother told me to take care of them.’

The path ahead would be a path of carnage.

And his brother had reached his current position by breaking through countless such paths.

‘Don’t think about anything else. I’m doing it because I have to.’

Woo wo wo wo woong!!

A chilling sword energy covered Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s entire body.

A small smile appeared on Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face as he rode his horse.

“That’s it.”

Flash! Swish!

A single slash of swordsmanship that drew a huge crescent moon.

With that one strike, the bodies of six masked men were cut horizontally.

It was as fast as lightning, but it didn’t give the impression of being evil or overly destructive. It just felt like a complete martial art in itself.

It was the Crescent Moon Righteous Sword, one of the thirty-six forms of the Iron Sword Great Evolution [a sword technique].

It was an outstanding power, an amazing sword energy. Even though he was far away, Tang Gwan felt Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s sword energy and was quite surprised.

“Did that brat also know such an extraordinary swordsmanship?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong said.

“It’s the Iron Sword Great Evolution. It’s one of the three great swordsmanships of the main family, and its power is the weakest.”

“Weakest? It’s not an ordinary strong swordsmanship?”

“It’s not the martial art that’s important, but the enlightenment and martial prowess of the person who interprets that martial art that’s important, and Jipyeong has realized that.”

Depending on how quickly and powerfully you make the incantation that releases explosive force, it can become an advanced martial art or not.

Compared to the Gentleman’s Eight Sword Styles or the Asura Eight Swords, the Iron Sword Great Evolution is clearly a weaker swordsmanship.

However, with one form of the Iron Sword Great Evolution, which contained all the mysteries of the world’s swords, Yeon Ji-Pyeong was able to kill six enemies who were rushing in at once.

Regardless of incantations or explosive force, he was already incorporating his own enlightenment and creating his own swordsmanship. Instead of creating a new martial art, he had made the Iron Sword Great Evolution, which unfolded from his hands, into a martial art that was no less powerful than the Gentleman’s Eight Sword Styles.

That was Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s true ability, and the essence of the insight he had gained by following Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Yeon Ho-Jeong shouted.

“Finish up and follow us! We need to conserve our stamina as much as possible!”

Pupupupung! Thud!

Countless explosions and clean impact sounds.

Okcheong and Yeon Ji-Pyeong gradually narrowed the distance, then switched positions perfectly, and finally took the life of the last enemy.

Whoosh!

The two men landed on the horses running beside the carriage.

“Catch your breath.”

There were no words of praise. This was something they were expected to do.

Yeon Ho-Jeong said.

“It was partly to test our level, but they followed us to the end. They’re guys who have no fear of death.”

“Does that mean…?”

Tang Gwan’s face hardened.

“It’s a war of attrition.”

“It seems they intend to accumulate our fatigue as much as possible.”

“They’re going this far?”

“I heard there are a lot of crazy people in the Western Regions?”

“That’s right. But to be using up so many troops already…”

“Let’s think about that later.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flashed.

“From now on, we’ll be fighting non-stop.”