[Chapter 73]
"Young Master!"
Urgency painted Shinmo's face as he called out.
Amidst the earth-shaking tremors, Yeon Hojeong surged forward like a tempest, swiftly reaching the vanguard of the enemy lines.
His speed was monstrous. Closing the distance not with mystical steps but with mere strides, such extravagance was unheard of.
But the real issue was Yeon Hojeong's murderous intent.
Shinmo had seen that aura once before, as fierce as when they stormed the Thunder Sect's Chuseong. Yet, this intensity was incomparable.
If the previous aura was a gentle breeze, now it was a wild storm. If it was a campfire before, now it was a blazing inferno capable of melting mountains.
'Dangerous!'
How he conjured such murderous intent was unknown. What mattered was the Young Master could be carelessly ensnared.
"Protect the Young Master!"
With a resounding crack, the spear unit, led by Shinmo, sprang into action.
Racing mindlessly, Shinmo suddenly noticed the footprints left on the ground. They were the marks of Yeon Hojeong's passage.
'Such traces?!'
It was chaos.
Not mere footprints, but cracks spread in all directions as if boulders had smashed the earth. It seemed he had poured his inner power into the ground with the intent of shattering it.
The traces, devoid of any calm, revealed Yeon Hojeong's ruthless state of mind.
'Danger!'
Boom! Boom!
Finally, Shinmo, with all his might, caught a clear glimpse of Yeon Hojeong's back.
'Gasp!'
His eyes widened in shock.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sound of explosions thundered like cannon fire.
Startled, Shinmo unwittingly halted his mystical steps.
Thud! Thump! Crash!
Cracks formed inches before his feet.
It wasn't Shinmo's doing. Invisible shockwaves had caused these marks.
"Stop, everyone! Do not approach!"
The spear unit hastily ceased their mystical steps.
Shinmo's mouth slowly opened in disbelief.
"How can this be?!"
* * *
As the Giant Above Reminiscent of a Diamond Warrior
Hovering high above, on the verge of swinging his axe, Yeon Hojeong pondered.
Is this truly wise?
His opponent was a master. Not quite transcending the wall of enlightenment to reach the pinnacle of martial arts, but certainly a master who could vie for the lead in the tier just below.
And it wasn't just this giant. Two other masters, three paces behind, watched him with startled eyes.
Together, these three could capture a clan leader of the Seven Great Families, or even a representative elder of the Nine Martial Factions.
Yeon Hojeong had charged at them.
'I can't face them all at once. I must target one ruthlessly. I can't use the Divine Major Technique now. Fortunately, they don't intend to kill me.'
In an instant, he read the situation, reality, and the future.
Countless possibilities. He couldn't control the murderous intent that exploded upon seeing his sworn enemy, but he was a veteran of countless battles.
He reads. Calculates and derives. Reviews the derived answer and fits it into the situation.
The fusion of fiery emotion and cold reason.
As Yeon Hojeong, he raged; as the Dark Emperor, he swung his axe.
Thump!
The giant, Myeong-Hak, was taken aback.
'What?!'
His muscles were compressed to the extreme, and he had mastered the Ling Turtle Divine Technique, a martial art passed down from his noble ancestors.
The Ling Turtle Divine Technique, one of the Four Great Divine Techniques left by the ancestors, was a miraculous art that achieved indestructibility at its peak.
It was the same technique mastered by the Dark Faction's leader, Myeong Unji. And Myeong-Hak had reached a much higher realm than Myeong Unji, thanks to the depth of the martial arts he had originally practiced.
The axe bit into his arm, now as hard as steel from the Ling Turtle Shell technique.
The blade had dug more than an inch deep. Considering the rebounding force of the Ling Turtle Shell, it was an unbelievable feat.
"You cur!"
Whoosh!
Myeong-Hak's fist tore through the air.
It was a foolishly large fist. Even without fully extending, it seemed to disturb the atmosphere.
An unavoidable strike. Yeon Hojeong's eyes held the darkness of the northern abyss.
Boom!
'Gasp!'
Myeong-Hak stepped back involuntarily.
It wasn't by choice. His thrown fist felt like it would shatter.
"What are you?!"
Thud!
Yeon Hojeong landed, and a translucent hexagonal pattern of armor appeared around him.
Whirring!
Above Yeon Hojeong's shoulders, a monstrous creature resembling a snake writhed as if ascending.
It was the Black Tortoise's technique, the Northern Twelve Walls. A renowned defensive skill that, at its peak, could deflect cannons with just an inner power shield.
Myeong-Hak's face twisted.
"What in the world are you…?!"
Crack!
There was no need to listen. Yeon Hojeong approached with nimble movements.
Not the White Tiger's Dominance Step, but still fast. In terms of closing distance, he was superior to Myeong-Hak.
Surprised, Myeong-Hak swung his twin fists.
Vroom! Vroom!
It was a heavy boxing technique. And it was powerful.
But if it was a matter of heavy techniques, Yeon Hojeong was not to be outdone. His martial art was the Eighty Catty Heavy Strike, a technique that ensured a kill with one blow.
He wielded the Beast Spear Technique, no, the Beast Killing Axe.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The left fist was deflected, and the right fist bent down, smashing the ground.
Surprise crossed Myeong-Hak's face again.
He had used the Ling Turtle Divine Fist. Even without full power, it was a strike that could incapacitate any master with one blow.
And yet, it was blocked. A strike that could send boulders flying.
Swoosh! Thump!
Legs as sturdy as the pillars of a great hall lashed out at Yeon Hojeong's iron body. Yeon Hojeong's body slid back.
Myeong-Hak's lips quivered slightly.
Pain surged through the leg he had extended in a kicking technique. It was the rebounding force.
Thud!
Myeong-Hak, regaining his posture, asked in a cold voice.
"What are you? Daring to oppose the Myeong family… Hm?"
He hadn't noticed in the sudden attack, but upon closer inspection, this seemed to be the very person.
"Are you the whelp known as Yeon Hojeong?"
Yeon Hojeong replied coldly,
"Is this all of you?"
"Ha!"
Myeong-Hak burst into a hearty laugh.
"Ha-ha-ha! Have I ever seen such a madman? Knowing who we are, yet you rush in swinging your axe?"
His laughter was laced with ease.
Not just that. Despite the sudden attack, the two masters standing with their hands behind their backs three paces away also seemed relaxed.
Murderous intent flared in Myeong-Hak's eyes.
"It's better this way. I'll maim your limbs and send you back to your family."
Maiming limbs.
He had heard it countless times. So often that it had become a cliché threat.
Tss, tss, tss.
Yeon Hojeong felt a fiery murderous intent rising within him, chilling even to himself.
'It's him.'
It was definitely him. He was sure.
It wasn't because they practiced the same martial arts. It was an old memory, but Yeon Hojeong remembered his opponent's temperament precisely.
It was certain. This man, and the two behind him with their hands behind their backs, had been the vanguard when the Yeon family was invaded.
Rumble.
The axe trembled. A rage that ignored cold reason infused the axe with terrifying power.
Myeong-Hak's face hardened.
"Such deadly murderous intent. Not even the dogs of the underworld could exude such. Truly fitting for a villain who treats murder as a trivial matter."
"Treating murder as trivial?"
Sparks flew from Yeon Hojeong's eyes.
"To you, it is justified."
Flash! Flash!
The murky murderous intent flickering in his eyes sent chills down Myeong-Hak's spine.
Myeong-Hak reached behind.
"I'll capture him; you rest."
The middle-aged man with a long sword at his waist spoke.
"Be careful, brother. That one is no ordinary wild beast."
"Even so, it's just a beast."
With a Thunderous Roar!
Myeong-Hak stepped forward with vigor.
His stance was as solid as a rock, rivaling even Yeon Hojeong's formidable presence.
"Come forth."
His confidence was unshakable.
Regardless of his character, his demeanor as a warrior entering a duel was as majestic as one from a prestigious martial house.
Yeon Hojeong despised that confidence.
The audacity of this man, who had buried innocent factions under the guise of serving his clan and had beaten people to death like a mad dog while masked, was revolting.
Yeon Hojeong, with his axe resting on his shoulder, spoke up.
"What's your name?"
"Such insolence. Well, I am the esteemed Myeong-Hak. The one who will have you locked up in the family's Thunder Prison. Remember that."
"Myeong-Hak… Myeong-Hak…"
Yeon Hojeong nodded.
"I'll remember that."
"Enough prattle. Now come—"
Boom!
Yeon Hojeong closed the distance in an instant and swung his axe.
It was a lightning-fast strike, a speed entirely different from before.
Yet, Myeong-Hak was unfazed. He thrust out a single punch towards the swiftly approaching axe, bending as if to meet it.
Clang!
The sound of metal clashing resonated through the air.
'What is this man…?'
Myeong-Hak was shocked once again.
The strength was extraordinary, forcing even him, who yielded to no one in power, to tense every muscle in his body.
Yeon Hojeong unleashed a storm of attacks.
Clang! Clang!
Fast and fierce.
Though it seemed reckless, each strike was lethal, severing the flow and preventing any follow-up.
Was there another master who could wield such a large and heavy weapon with such speed and precision?
Bang!
Yeon Hojeong spat out blood.
The force from the punch that had struck the axe blade reverberated within him instantly.
Within the strong fist was a soft force. Just the impact was enough to cause an internal injury.
But Yeon Hojeong did not retreat.
The White Tiger's spirit surged within him, embodying the infinite advance of combat footwork.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
It was all about power.
Yeon Hojeong, having closed the short distance, now executed the Majestic King's Unyielding Stance.
'…!'
Myeong-Hak's complexion changed drastically.
The attack was of a different caliber than before. His skin felt like it was splitting even before the axe made contact. It had a murderous aura.
This was not an attack to be received with moderate strength. Myeong-Hak summoned all his Ling Turtle Divine Technique.
Rumble! Crash!
The axe and fist collided, creating a tremendous shockwave.
The spreading force swept through the surroundings. Not only Myeong-Hwi and Myeong-Heon, the two masters, but the entire three hundred of the White Dragon Army were forced to retreat.
A careless encounter could result in injury. Those of lesser skill might even be thrown into a life-threatening state by the shockwave. It was that powerful.
The two continued to collide.
Rumble!
It was a clash of strength against strength, inner power against inner power.
Myeong-Hak was strong. Though not agile, his entire body was a weapon. A martial artist with the external power to deflect an eighty catty axe and a fist that could send boulders flying.
Yeon Hojeong was no different. Contrary to appearances, his brute strength was innate. He was second to none in power.
Crash! Thump!
Yeon Hojeong spat out blood once more.
Crack!
Myeong-Hak staggered.
"Ugh."
He had aimed for a connecting strike to the chest, but the curving axe had struck his thigh instead.
The blow was so powerful that he nearly fell. His right thigh swelled up.
Myeong-Hak gritted his teeth.
"You brat, you're pushing your luck!"
Screech!
Myeong-Hak's energy surged skyward.
The pressure from the energy alone was almost unbearable. He was unleashing his full power, pushing the Ling Turtle Divine Technique to its limits.
A terrifying martial art. Myeong-Hak's true strength. Those untrained in martial arts would faint just standing before it.
That's when it happened.
"You…"
A look of bewilderment crossed Yeon Hojeong's face.
His complexion was pale, and his mouth was smeared with blood.
Myeong-Hak's thick eyebrows twitched.
'What's this?'
Hum. Hummm.
Just as Myeong-Hak was about to unleash another attack, he felt a strange sensation.
'Why is his energy…?'
Tss, tss, tss.
Black energy surged from Yeon Hojeong's body.
Astonishingly, his energy had grown stronger than before he was injured. It was unbelievable.
Yeon Hojeong was equally surprised.
"What martial art have you mastered?"
"What are you saying!"
Yeon Hojeong's expression twisted.
"A counterfeit Black Tortoise Technique?"