Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 920

The short, repeated palm strikes looked incredibly smooth and natural.

Thwack, thwack, thwack!

The four intangible demonic phantom palms were completely shattered by the spinning Mad Dragon Axe.

Muk Ro’s eyes wavered. Yeon Ho-Jeong’s approach, stepping through the air with minimal movement, made it seem as if he were walking on the back of an invisible dragon.

Flash!

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s dance was beautiful.

His empty left hand extended naturally, pointing at his opponent, while his right hand, wielding the massive Mad Dragon Axe, moved as smoothly and lightly as a dancer performing a sword dance.

Mad Wind Nine Dragon Kill, First Form, Dance Slash.

Flash! Crack!

The dance continued.

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had summoned a mad wind, naturally rotated his body as if performing Tai Chi, swinging the Mad Dragon Axe from low to high.

Mad Wind Nine Dragon Kill, Second Form, Ascending Sky.

Boom!

Three massive ravines were carved into the cliff.

Each ravine was easily seven or eight yards long. The width was nearly two feet, and the depth was immeasurable.

It was a truly devastating attack. Muk Ro was taken aback by Yeon Ho-Jeong’s reckless assault.

‘How can he generate such power?’

Despite unleashing such a merciless attack, he showed no signs of fatigue.

Beyond that, in terms of pure martial arts skill, Yeon Ho-Jeong was clearly a step below him.

This difference was greater and more significant than he had anticipated. A single step difference was often an insurmountable gap. Although the Upper Danjeon [A cultivation point in the body] was unstable, and a one-step difference could become negligible or even a larger gap depending on the situation, he should have been the one pushing Yeon Ho-Jeong back.

Crucially.

‘That kind of power…’

The marks on the cliff looked as if a giant beast had struck with its unimaginable heavy forefoot.

This was not normal. Even masters who had reached the Saintly Demonic level had their limits. To unleash such an attack without showing any fatigue, and to possess such stamina, internal energy, and destructive power, there were no more than five people in the Three Sects who could do that.

‘It’s abnormal. And…’

Muk Ro had to admit it.

‘I don’t know what it is, but he is my greatest adversary.’

He hadn’t fully grasped it yet.

Although the situation wasn’t ideal, he couldn’t rush the fight. Muk Ro evaded Yeon Ho-Jeong’s attacks with nimble footwork, observing him.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes sparkled.

He realized that Muk Ro’s movements, which had been probing for an opening, had changed.

‘Observation, huh.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had been about to unleash another Mad Wind Nine Dragon Kill, stopped his attack.

Muk Ro’s lips curled up.

“Why aren’t you attacking? Not going to swing that axe?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong, staring silently at Muk Ro, chuckled and threw the Mad Dragon Axe.

Clang!

The Mad Dragon Axe embedded itself in the center of the cliff.

It was far from where Muk Ro was standing. The massive axe blade was almost entirely buried, leaving only a hand’s width exposed.

“What are you trying to pull?”

Crack. Crack.

Yeon Ho-Jeong rotated his fists, shoulders, and neck in turn, and said,

“You seem like someone I should fight with my bare hands.”

It wasn’t a provocation, but a fact.

Muk Ro’s footwork was fast, erratic, and difficult to sense. If he unleashed all the power of his Upper Danjeon, he could keep up and have a proper fight, but there was no need to waste that much energy.

Every martial art had its purpose. At least, that was the case with the Yellow Dragon Art right now.

Yeon Ho-Jeong beckoned with his hand.

“Don’t be too scared, and come at me slowly.”

Muk Ro’s face contorted.

He had the composure to laugh off even the insulting remarks of the much younger Mok Gye-Dam. But strangely, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s words kept shaking his emotions.

It wasn’t just that Yeon Ho-Jeong was good at provoking. It was a reaction that Muk Ro himself found difficult to understand.

“Fine.”

Thud!

Muk Ro, planting his staff into the ground, slowly walked towards Yeon Ho-Jeong.

“I’ll make sure to confirm it properly.”

“Just confirm it and die quietly. I’m tired.”

Whoosh!

Muk Ro’s figure appeared a yard away from Yeon Ho-Jeong’s upper right side.

It was the Ghostly Eighteen Steps, a footwork technique that paired with the Intangible Demonic Phantom Palm.

It was both a footwork and a movement technique. Muk Ro’s footwork, moving like an intangible ghost, was filled with a sinister quality that even Yeon Ho-Jeong had never experienced.

Muk Ro unleashed the Intangible Demonic Phantom Palm. Yeon Ho-Jeong also raised his palm, pushing out the Golden Dragon Sky Piercing Palm.

Boom!

With a deafening explosion, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s upper body was bent sideways.

On the other hand, Muk Ro, who had initiated the attack, was sent flying backward.

The Golden Dragon Sky Piercing Palm was a powerful energy technique directly connected to the internal energy of the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art. The Golden Dragon Crushing Fist was the same.

However, the Intangible Demonic Phantom Palm was also a top-tier demonic art of the Blood Demon Sect. In terms of destructive power, there wasn’t a significant difference.

Yet, Muk Ro, who had rushed in to attack, was pushed back further than Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had received the attack in place. Although it was in the air, considering the difference in their levels, it was clear that Muk Ro had been pushed back a step.

Muk Ro calmly stepped through the air, approaching Yeon Ho-Jeong’s front again.

Whoosh!

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s fist moved.

On the fist that tore through the air, the forefoot of a dragon, crushing a mountain, seemed to overlap.

Muk Ro also clenched his fist, unleashing the Intangible Nail Fist.

Boom!

The air vibrated, creating cracks in the debris of the collapsed buildings.

The ground cracked open. An endless fissure appeared behind Muk Ro, who had retreated three steps.

Thud!

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had retreated two steps to absorb the impact, moved like lightning.

Muk Ro’s eyes widened.

‘What?’

It was fast. But slower than him.

The attack line coming in was clearly visible. It was a situation he could easily handle.

Yet, he couldn’t decide how to move for a moment. It felt like no matter how he responded, he wouldn’t be able to shake it off. No matter how he countered, he wouldn’t be able to inflict any damage.

Muk Ro’s hands spread wide, emitting a dual palm force that covered all directions.

Crack!

Although invisible, the power was so immense that it could blow away a fortress wall.

Swoosh! Boom!

The Coiling Dragon Chain, which had suddenly extended, struck vertically, splitting the palm force in half before slamming into the ground.

Bang! Bang!

The two split streams of palm force destroyed a building and shook the cliff.

Yeon Ho-Jeong, retracting the Coiling Dragon Chain with his right hand, used an erratic rhythm to extend a kick towards Muk Ro’s upper body.

Bang!

Muk Ro’s body shook violently.

‘This…?!’

He was pushed back five yards with a single kick.

From his shoulder to his collarbone, which had blocked the kick, he felt a momentary numbing pain. Not only had the kick shattered the perfectly formed barrier of the Intangible Demonic Phantom Palm with a single blow, but it had also transmitted the shock.

Thwack! Thwack!

Muk Ro, once again using the Ghostly Eighteen Steps, grabbed Yeon Ho-Jeong’s rear and swung his elbow towards his back.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes wavered.

When was the last time he had been caught from behind in a one-on-one battle? Muk Ro’s footwork was truly remarkable. His speed was impressive, and his ability to reduce his presence was also impressive, but his ability to disrupt the five senses and move with the Upper Danjeon was particularly outstanding.

‘It’s a footwork technique.’

Thud!

He instinctively twisted his upper body, but he still took a blow near his shoulder blade.

Fortunately, it wasn’t broken. He rotated his body and thrust his palm towards Muk Ro’s abdomen.

As if he had anticipated the attack on his abdomen, Muk Ro swung his knee.

Bang!

Muk Ro’s body rotated.

Using the power of the Sky Piercing Palm, he spun and swung his heel like an axe, aiming for Yeon Ho-Jeong’s head.

Boom!

Muk Ro’s foot created a crack in the ground.

Yeon Ho-Jeong, stepping back, unleashed a double palm strike.

Boom!

Muk Ro’s body flew and crashed into the debris of a destroyed building.

“…”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flashed.

Whoosh!

He felt the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art heating up. The amount of energy filling his body remained the same, but the intensity seemed to be burning more fiercely.

It wasn’t because of the Upper Danjeon. It wasn’t that the density of his true energy had increased due to his focus on his opponent, but rather, it felt like the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art was amplifying its power simply because it had encountered an enemy named Muk Ro.

‘His martial art’s core is his footwork. He’s using the Upper Danjeon as a support for his movements.’

Muk Ro’s demonic arts were impressive in many ways, but his real strength lay in his movements.

Yeon Ho-Jeong couldn’t even read when, how, or where he would move. The Upper Danjeon’s divine skill, which so smoothly disrupted the five senses, made his already fast and sinister footwork even more perfect.

‘Amazing. It’s a completely different concept from the Deathly Demonic Eye. It supports him to efficiently unleash his martial arts with even less power.’

It was then.

“…I see.”

Swoosh.

Muk Ro rose from the pile of rubble.

Even though he had been buried in the debris, there wasn’t a single speck of dust or stone on him as he stood up.

“I don’t want to admit it, and I don’t know why this is happening, but…”

A somber look appeared on Muk Ro’s face.

Looking at his expression and aura, Yeon Ho-Jeong realized. He had deliberately taken the Sky Piercing Palm he had unleashed earlier.

‘I thought it felt a bit hollow.’

Thud!

Muk Ro, emerging from the debris, stared directly at Yeon Ho-Jeong.

“Your martial art is the natural enemy of the Intangible Demonic Phantom Palm.”

“Is that so?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s lips curled up.

“I don’t really know.”

“The momentary density of true energy was clearly a step above mine. Yet, your attacks tear through or ignore mine.”

“Hmm.”

“What martial art did you learn? Who taught you?”

“In my opinion…”

“Surely you didn’t learn the martial arts of an ancient blood god…”

“Before being natural enemies, isn’t it just that your skills are lacking?”

A burst of explosive killing intent erupted from Muk Ro’s body. The killing intent was so intense that even Yeon Ho-Jeong was taken aback.

He had met countless masters, but he had never seen anyone emit such a dense killing intent. Of course, except for himself.

“…Fine.”

Muk Ro’s aura changed as he tapped the ground with his toes.

He had given his best effort earlier, but there was a clear intention to understand his opponent.

But not anymore. He had acknowledged that he couldn’t defeat his opponent unless he fought with the intent to kill.

“Let’s see if you can remain so composed even after your limbs are torn off.”

“If my limbs are torn off, I’ll die, you idiot. Don’t you even know that?”

“You!”

Whoosh!

Muk Ro moved.

And the moment he thought his opponent was moving, Yeon Ho-Jeong made the first move.

‘…?!’

In that split second, Muk Ro was about to use the Ghostly Eighteen Steps along with the Mist Dance Demonic Eye, which blurred the enemy’s five senses, but he flinched.

‘Upper Danjeon…?!’

Whoosh!

Muk Ro’s eyes wavered. He saw Yeon Ho-Jeong’s hand reaching for his neck.

‘Danger!’

Swoosh.

Muk Ro’s figure instantly leaped over Yeon Ho-Jeong’s shoulder.

It was a reaction speed that even the Deathly Demonic Eye couldn’t catch. It was fast and exquisite.

It was then.

Muk Ro, who was about to strike Yeon Ho-Jeong’s back, saw a massive hand filling his vision.

‘Eek!’

Thud!

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s large hand grabbed Muk Ro’s face.

Boom!

Yeon Ho-Jeong, holding Muk Ro’s face, slammed his head into the ground.

Yeon Ho-Jeong grinned.

“I don’t know if we’re natural enemies, but I’m starting to get used to your movements.”