Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 926

Puh-buh-buh-buk!

Muk Bi’s formless bullets were now, without exaggeration, perfected.

Though he sometimes used iron pellets for greater penetration depending on the situation, he mostly fired formless bullets.

It was impossible to know if he had shot dozens or hundreds of them. Considering he was also targeting those who were trying to exploit gaps in Ok Cheong’s defenses, he might have really shot hundreds.

In the process, the speed at which he generated formless bullets with minimal internal energy and maximum efficiency had become incredibly fast. It was the ability of a divine archer to easily massacre enemies without the destructive Nine Dragons Heaven Piercing Bow Technique.

Koo-roo-roong!

Though it was called a gap, Ok Cheong’s openings were also disappearing over time. The number of Iron Horse Clan members was decreasing, and as he entrusted everything to the fiercely heated Chaotic Origin Core, the essence of Wudang martial arts was adhering to his body every moment.

Tang Gwan leisurely crushed the Iron Horse Clan with his hands behind his back. His venomous poison technique, which reliably poisoned each and every one of them, served as an incredibly sturdy barrier for the Sword and Bow duo.

Thus, the number of Iron Horse Clan members quickly dwindled to about twenty.

Fear was etched on the faces of the Iron Horse Clan. It was a battle close to a massacre where it wouldn’t be strange for them to all flee, but despite their fear, they did not stop advancing.

Tang Gwan frowned.

“Is this truly a battle that will only end when they are all dead?”

It was then.

Flash!

From afar, something huge rapidly rotated and flew towards the remaining Iron Horse Clan members.

Puh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buk!

The dark, massive weapon that flew like a whirlwind tore through the armor of the Iron Horse Clan members like paper.

Its immense weight, unimaginable rotation, and speed comparable to Muk Bi’s arrows.

The remaining Iron Horse Clan members were annihilated by the Mad Dragon Axe that had pierced through the ranks in an instant, without even having time to scream.

The three looked up at the hill.

Clang!

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had caught the Mad Dragon Axe as it returned spinning, said very naturally,

“Is anyone hurt?”

Tang Gwan chuckled.

“That one is using informal speech now.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled.

“I believed that the Clan Head wouldn’t be harmed even by a hair.”

“How was your fight?”

“I killed him.”

Tang Gwan’s eyes sparkled.

Setting aside his hatred, the enemy commander’s martial arts were truly remarkable. He hadn’t reached the Supreme realm yet, so a detailed assessment was impossible, but he still thought the enemy was a level above Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Of course, he was certain that he would win somehow, but he didn’t expect him to return looking so unscathed. He looked somewhat tired, but his internal and external injuries seemed much lighter than expected.

‘That monster.’

Pa-ba-bak!

The three quickly approached Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Yeon Ho-Jeong sighed.

“It’s a bit tough.”

Concern filled Muk Bi’s face.

“Shall we rest for a bit?”

“We can’t do that. I was just complaining.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes turned towards the direction of the main hall in the distance.

Around the massive palace, hazy smoke was billowing everywhere.

“Unusual demonic energies are pouring out one after another. Let’s go quickly.”

* * *

Kaaaang!

Hyeok Ryeon-hwi’s demonic eyes flashed.

He had tried to twist his neck in an instant, but the chains that had wrapped around Mok Gye-dam’s neck had been severed.

Of course, it was Mok Gye-dam who had cut the chains.

Buru-ru.

Mok Gye-dam, who had trembled once, glared at Hyeok Ryeon-hwi with crazed eyes.

“Cheon In-geol.”

Hyeok Ryeon-hwi did not answer. He simply stared at Mok Gye-dam with cold eyes.

“Did you think I was that easy?”

Mok Gye-dam reached out towards the collapsed main hall.

A pile of rubble stirred, and a long, curved blade was grasped in his hand.

It had an appearance almost identical to the Green Dragon Crescent Blade of the Central Plains, but the blade was slightly longer, and the dragon head had been replaced with the maw of an unknown beast.

The beast resembled a tiger, a lion, or perhaps a wolf. A red jewel was embedded in the long, torn eye area, and it looked very ominous.

Murderous intent filled Hyeok Ryeon-hwi’s eyes.

‘The Heaven Piercing Moon Blade?!’

It was a divine blade and an absolute demonic weapon, forged by the founder of the Divine Demonic Forest, Cheon Yo-myeong, and completed by the three successive Forest Lords.

The four-foot-long black spear shaft was engraved with delicate scales like a dragon’s, and the thick blade was over two feet long.

Even the head of the demonic beast and the blade were all dyed black.

That demonic weapon contained the demonic energy of the previous generations who had achieved the Demonic Saint. Due to the demonic energy that had perfectly blended without any conflict, anyone who had not reached the Demonic Saint could become a madman or have their essence stolen and die if they wielded it.

A weapon imbued with the will to one day destroy the Blood Demon Sect, the sky of the current demonic path.

“How dare you wield the Heaven Piercing Moon Blade?”

Hwa-roo-rook!

Black flames flickered from the Heaven Piercing Moon Blade.

It was not a flame caused by Mok Gye-dam’s demonic art. It was a demonic flame emanating from the Heaven Piercing Moon Blade itself.

Hyeok Ryeon-hwi’s face contorted.

“How dare you!”

Pa-a-a-ak!

Mok Gye-dam screamed and charged at Hyeok Ryeon-hwi.

His speed was noticeably faster than before. He closed the distance in an instant, without using any particular footwork or movement technique. It was simply by kicking off the ground, yet he was able to achieve such speed.

In that fleeting moment, Hyeok Ryeon-hwi looked into Mok Gye-dam’s eyes.

His eyes were filled with madness, and the whites of his eyes had turned black. The demonic energy of the Heaven Piercing Moon Blade had instantly penetrated Mok Gye-dam’s body.

Hyeok Ryeon-hwi swung both hands.

Jjeo-jeo-jeong!

He blocked the Heaven Piercing Moon Blade, which was swung in a vertical and horizontal cross, with just ten black-stained fingernails.

Blocking it was not the problem. The real problem was the force.

Hyeok Ryeon-hwi’s body was pushed back madly. He didn’t fall, but the shockwave of the overwhelming demonic power made the joints of his entire body creak.

“Hoo-woo-woo.”

White smoke rose from Mok Gye-dam’s mouth.

His eyes had become completely black, and red and blue demonic energy flowed from his shoulders.

He looked like a demon that did not exist in reality. He looked like the general of demons leading the devils of hell.

Hyeok Ryeon-hwi looked at Mok Gye-dam with sorrowful eyes.

The vertical and horizontal cross slash. It was the One Line Sword Technique that he had first taught Mok Gye-dam.

Among them, the cross slash was the beginning and the end of the One Line Sword Technique, and he was confident that if one reached its pinnacle, they could face the Sword Emperor of the continent without lacking.

That cross slash technique was now directed at him. In this life-or-death battle, unnecessary emotions kept shaking his heart.

“You won’t give up the Heaven Piercing Core even if you die, is that it?”

“……”

“Fine. I will kill you here and go to your son.”

Mok Gye-dam laughed evilly and raised the Heaven Piercing Moon Blade.

“Don’t worry. Once you spit out the Heaven Piercing Core, I won’t have any business with your son, so I’ll send him to where you are soon…”

Thud!

With a short, intense explosion, Mok Gye-dam was pushed back three yards.

His eyes, which had turned black with Demonic Weapon True Energy, were filled with surprise.

‘When?’

He looked at Hyeok Ryeon-hwi.

Clang! Clang!

The chains that had been wrapped around Hyeok Ryeon-hwi’s body broke on their own and fell to the ground.

Woo-woo-woo-woong!

Several dozen types of demonic energy, which seemed to mix but did not, were forcibly bound and began to circulate through Hyeok Ryeon-hwi’s acupoints.

Kwa-deu-deu-deuk!

Deep, thick cracks spread out from under Hyeok Ryeon-hwi’s feet.

Mok Gye-dam’s eyes widened.

Behind Hyeok Ryeon-hwi’s body, which was emitting colorful demonic energy, something huge was rising.

It was not an illusion. The energy that had been achieved was so immense, and the level of attainment was so high that it was different from the aura of an absolute master who had opened the power of the upper dantian [a key energy center in the body].

The colorful true energy that was being emitted soared high, creating a visible form.

That form was…

‘Gasp!’

Mok Gye-dam looked at the Heaven Piercing Moon Blade.

The head of a demonic beast, with ominous jewels for eyes, was biting the blade of the Heaven Piercing Moon Blade and roaring.

Looking back at Hyeok Ryeon-hwi, the five-colored demonic energy, as large as a house, had transformed into a much more realistic demonic beast than the demonic beast of the Heaven Piercing Moon Blade, and was opening its maw.

“The dragon head of the Heaven Piercing Moon Blade is modeled after the Hell Beast of the Heaven Piercing Core.”

Hyeok Ryeon-hwi’s voice was low and booming, as if speaking from inside a cave.

“Also, the Heaven Piercing Core is a demonic art that the founder of the Divine Demon, Cheon Yo-myeong, wanted to break the Blood Demon Sect someday, and was modified so that his descendants could learn it more easily. Unlike what you know, the Heaven Piercing Core itself is an individual demonic art.”

“Wh-what are you saying?!”

“This is the original version of the Heaven Piercing Core. Unlike the Heaven Piercing Core, which has its output limited for stability, this is the ultimate half-finished version that aims for extreme output and absolute destructive power.”

Flash!

Mok Gye-dam felt an unspeakable fear the moment he saw Hyeok Ryeon-hwi’s eyes.

Hyeok Ryeon-hwi’s bloodshot pupils were also glowing with five colors. The five-colored demonic energy that had gathered in one eye was changing its position at will, creating a bizarre atmosphere.

“This is the absolute demonic art that even the leaders of the Blood Demon Sect in the past did not dare to attempt to learn, the Five-Colored Hell Art.”

Hyeok Ryeon-hwi was forcibly operating the demonic art by stealing the demonic energy of dozens of people with the Absorption Demonic Art. No matter how great his enlightenment was, there was no way he could properly realize the power of the original martial art. Because the foundation of my martial arts, my internal energy, is a mess.

Nevertheless, the aura emanating from him was overwhelming Mok Gye-dam. It was partly because his enlightenment was at a level that discussed the best in the martial world, but it was also because the Five-Colored Hell Art itself was great.

Mok Gye-dam, who had been staring blankly at Hyeok Ryeon-hwi, shouted reflexively.

“You madman! With such power, you’ve been stuck in this desolate Qinghai land, playing king!”

A bitter look appeared on Hyeok Ryeon-hwi’s face.

“If I could have fully mastered this power, why wouldn’t I have gone to the Blood Demon Sect?”

“……?!”

“Even if you have the power to subdue the heavens, if you can’t wield it as you please, it’s only half-finished. Is there any other reason why I abandoned the demonic path and pursued the pure martial path?”

Despair spread across Mok Gye-dam’s face.

Hyeok Ryeon-hwi slowly rotated his shoulder.

“The explanation was long. From the start, you were not the protagonist of this fight. It’s time for you to leave the stage.”

“…What?”

Kaaaang! Kwa-deu-deuk!

Mok Gye-dam’s lower body dug into the ground.

Hyeok Ryeon-hwi, who had approached like lightning, blocked the hand he had struck down with the spear shaft of the Heaven Piercing Moon Blade. However, he could not withstand the force and half of his body was buried in the ground.

Mok Gye-dam’s eyes became hazy.

He had seen the end of power for a moment.

No, he had felt the power full of desire that the demon possessed. When he received the demonic energy flowing from Hyeok Ryeon-hwi’s hand, he felt as if he couldn’t breathe.

Pa-sak!

His mind felt like it was collapsing.

Mok Gye-dam’s face turned white. It was because the huge red eyes of the hell beast behind Hyeok Ryeon-hwi were staring directly at him.

That majesty, that fear.

An infinite despair where he couldn’t even move a finger.

“Uwaaaaaaaah!!”

Hyeok Ryeon-hwi grabbed the Heaven Piercing Moon Blade.

U-du-du-duk!

Mok Gye-dam’s two arms, which had not let go of the Heaven Piercing Moon Blade until the end, were torn off and flew away.

Even though both arms were gone, Mok Gye-dam screamed with his veins bulging. He couldn’t even feel the pain of his flesh. The fear of facing the hell beast manifested by the Five-Colored Hell Art was too great.

Even the upper dantian that had been expanded by breaking through the Demonic Saint could not withstand it. Rather, because he had broken through to a great realm, Mok Gye-dam was trembling in fear without even dying.

Hyeok Ryeon-hwi closed his eyes and swung the Heaven Piercing Blood Blade.

Seo-geok.

Mok Gye-dam’s head flew high into the sky.

Even as his head, separated from his body, flew through the air and fell, his expression was contorted with fear.

“……”

Hyeok Ryeon-hwi, who had opened his eyes again, looked at the half-destroyed main hall.

“Come out now.”