[Chapter 74]
In the current state, Yeon Hojeong had not fully integrated his newfound understanding into his body, placing him definitively below Myeong-Hak.
However.
Yeon Hojeong possessed the ability to turn this duel around. Despite the gap in skill, his abundant experience and insights were sufficient to bridge it.
He had stubbornly insisted on a head-on clash fueled by a murderous intent, but realizing this approach was futile, he contemplated a change in tactics.
It was at that moment. The Xuanwu Qi reacted.
Whooosh.
The turbid energy, arising from internal injuries, was expelled at a terrifying speed.
Even the slightest damage to the meridians could cause turbid energy to rise. Such energy could disrupt the cultivation of inner strength and, in severe cases, even degrade its quality.
Yeon Hojeong expelled all the turbid energy in an instant with the enlarged Xuanwu Qi. That alone made him feel the internal injuries gradually heal.
But that wasn't all.
'Now that I think about it.'
Myeong-Hak's boxing routine flashed through his mind.
Short but smooth movements. A fist technique that drew maximum power from minimal movement.
Yet, this routine seemed to exhibit greater prowess in defense than offense.
The reason being.
'The Northern Heavenly Walls!'
Indeed.
Myeong-Hak's noble spirit technique, though different in color, shared the same essence as the Xuanwu technique.
It was a startling revelation. So unexpected that it swept away all killing intent and anger.
In a flash, Yeon Hojeong recalled what Jegal Ayeon had told him during their meeting.
'The history of the Goojoo Myeong family is long enough. But not as long as the Five Great Families, excluding your own. The ancestors who founded the Myeong family contributed to ending the Blood Cult turmoil three hundred years ago with the help of the Four Directions Martial Emperor. That's how our family's history began.'
The Four Directions Martial Emperor and the Blood Cult turmoil.
Yeon Hojeong remembered another thing Jegal Ayeon had said.
'If the Four Directions Martial Emperor's skills are as legendary as history suggests, then he would indeed be invincible. Not one, but four martial arts perfected to the extreme.'
There was no certainty.
But Yeon Hojeong guessed that the Four Directions Martial Emperor might be a descendant of the Death God Martial.
'Later, he was even called the Yellow Dragon Emperor because he commanded a golden dragon. Even I think that's a bit much.'
Four martial arts skilled in attack, evasion, and counterattack.
And a golden dragon.
The likelihood that he was a descendant of the Death God Martial was high. No, at this point, it was almost certain.
And the ancestors of the Myeong family had helped the Four Directions Martial Emperor put an end to the Blood Cult turmoil.
'Could it be that the Four Directions Martial Emperor passed on some of his martial arts to the ancestors of the Myeong family?'
It was the only conclusion he could draw.
He had wondered if the Myeong family's ancestors had stolen the martial arts of the Four Directions Martial Emperor, but the probability was almost nil.
No one could defeat the possessor of the Yellow Dragon Qi, the secret technique of the Death God Martial, the Yellow Dragon Divine King Technique.
The creator of the Yellow Dragon Qi was akin to a natural disaster. You can't grapple with a natural disaster as you would with a person.
In essence, the Myeong family could be considered a collateral branch of the Four Directions Martial Emperor.
'Such a…?!'
Yeon Hojeong realized something else.
The mysterious energy of the martial arts, orthodox yet divergent from the central plains' techniques.
Even as the upper echelons grew vast, it was difficult to remember each beast's martial characteristics during the time of flight.
Yet, Yeon Hojeong remembered the color of their inner strength and the characteristics of their martial arts.
How?
'Because they resembled each other.'
Yeon Hojeong's eyes reddened.
As the White Tiger Qi subsided and the Xuanwu Qi took over his body, the color of the energy surrounding Myeong-Hak's body was immediately detected.
'The color is different. But the essence is the same.'
He thought of Myeong-Hak's fist technique's energy.
It was entirely different from the Northern Heavenly Walls. However, in defense, it created an inner strength shield that inflicted damage on the enemy through rebounding force, sharing many similarities.
In essence, Myeong-Hak's boxing technique utilized the rebounding force of the Northern Heavenly Walls to enhance its offensive power. Naturally, this came at the cost of defense.
'I can't believe it. I was unaware of this…'
It was inevitable.
No one could have imagined that the fragments of martial arts one had learned would be passed on to sworn enemies. Even Yeon Hojeong, despite feeling a sense of familiarity, would have found it difficult to sense the connection.
Until now, until the direct confrontation.
Yeon Hojeong felt an inexplicable sense of emptiness.
'The martial arts passed down by my master, they share the same lineage as the martial arts of the beasts that harmed my family…?'
He was astounded.
After regressing to the past, he had never experienced such a profound mental shock. For a brief moment, Yeon Hojeong felt the urge to uproot the White Tiger Qi and Xuanwu Qi entirely.
'That's right. That's why I…'
Everything fell into place.
Before battling the Qingbai Wubing on Myeongchi Mountain, he had recalled the martial arts of Myeong Onji and felt an inexplicable sense of déjà vu.
Her martial arts followed the characteristics of the Xuanwu technique. It was just that Myeong Onji's realm was too low to sense the unique water energy and heaviness of the Xuanwu.
Had she fully mastered the Xuanwu Qi, Ming Onji would not have been a match for even a second.
'Death God Martial… Death God Martial!'
"Xuanwu technique? What nonsense is that!"
Yeon Hojeong looked at Myeong-Hak with a dazed expression.
Myeong-Hak twisted his lips.
"What's with that look? Hmph! Have you lost your mind seeing my martial arts?"
"…"
"You're speechless. Good, I'll finish this now."
Thump!
Myeong-Hak approached with a powerful stance.
Unknowingly, Yeon Hojeong shook his head.
'The Unmoving Strange Pillar is not a technique to be used so carelessly.'
Even the footwork resembled his. Like the boxing technique that enhanced offensive power through the Northern Heavenly Walls, this footwork borrowed the walking style of the Unmoving Strange Pillar to create an advancing form like the White Tiger's Descent.
"Kaaap!"
With a shout, Myeong-Hak's fist aimed for Yeon Hojeong's chest.
A lethal strike. Without inner strength to withstand it, the sternum to the spine would shatter completely.
Yeon Hojeong closed his eyes.
Bang!
"Huh!"
Overwhelmed by the impact, Myeong-Hak staggered back five steps.
Whirring.
Yeon Hojeong, having laid down his axe, spread his hands. Around his open hands, the form of a hexagonal tortoise shell emerged.
The Northern Heavenly Walls, the True Martial Emperor's Heavy Wall technique.
The True Martial Emperor is the same as the Xuan Heavenly Emperor, and the Xuan Heavenly Emperor is the deified form of Xuanwu. The defensive power of this technique is evident just from the name.
But Myeong-Hak was repelled not just because of the rebounding force of the True Martial Emperor's Heavy Wall.
"Again."
Screeeech!
With the dark smoke dissipating, Yeon Hojeong's hexagonal tortoise shell of translucent inner strength vanished.
Yeon Hojeong flicked his wrist.
"Come at me again."
Myeong-Hak's face flushed red with rage.
"You cur!"
Boom!
This time, he put forth all his might. Even if this strike led to his death, it did not matter.
Myeong-Hak's attack laid bare his murderous intent. The final form of the Noble Spirit Fist unfolded after an explosive step.
Myeong-Hwi and Myeong-Heon, who had retreated ten paces away, shouted.
"Brother!"
"Do not kill him!"
A massive fist struck straight at Yeon Hojeong's chest.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion echoed.
It was as if gunpowder had been ignited by the fist. The force was brutishly overwhelming.
Crack.
Yeon Hojeong's feet dug five inches into the ground.
'…!!'
Horror spread across Myeong-Hak's face.
His fist was touching Yeon Hojeong's chest, and both arms were grasped by Yeon Hojeong's hands.
Yeon Hojeong slowly raised his head.
"…I'm fine."
Yeon Hojeong's face grew paler.
But that was all. He couldn't avoid internal injuries, but he had prevented any bones from breaking.
It wasn't the Northern Heavenly Walls. Nor was it the Tiger King's Four Walls.
Before the punch landed, he had unraveled the swirling force, reversing the form of the Northern Heavenly Walls and blowing it all away.
With the destructive force dissipated, there was no power left in the punch. His muscles and trained fists were protected by the White Tiger Qi.
"How, how did you…?!"
Myeong-Hak's mouth gaped like a fish out of water.
"How… did you unravel it?!"
"Like this."
Xuanwu Qi rippled across Yeon Hojeong's upper body.
Tssssss.
The rising Xuanwu Qi moved from his shoulder to his hands.
And then, the swirling Xuanwu Qi around his hands penetrated Myeong-Hak's arm in an instant.
"Gasp!"
Startled, Myeong-Hak tried to withdraw his fist.
But the fist wouldn't budge. The grip strength of this young man had become terrifyingly strong. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't pull his arm free.
"You brat!"
Thud!
Yeon Hojeong's head turned with the punch from the other, ungrasped fist. Blood spurted from a tear at the corner of his mouth.
Myeong-Hak's face turned pale.
'What, what is this?!'
Even a punch without inner strength from him could shatter a log. It wouldn't have been surprising if his cheekbone and jaw had been shattered.
But Yeon Hojeong was unscathed. Only the corner of his mouth was torn, and blood flowed—that was all.
Witnessing this surreal scene, Myeong-Hak had a chilling realization.
'Is he getting stronger while I'm getting weaker?'
Then, Yeon Hojeong spoke.
"The Xuanwu represents the North and winter. As the Water God of the Guihai year, it governs water."
"…?!"
"Streams flow into the main river. That's the nature of water. The myriad powers scattered across the world will eventually converge back to the main family."
"What nonsense are you spouting?!"
"The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Xuanwu. They are also known as the Dragon Wave, Tiger's Ferocity, Flying Kill, and Strange Wall. The Xuanwu, the Strange Wall, symbolizes perfect defense and an invincible shield."
Dignity filled Yeon Hojeong's eyes.
Seeing those eyes, Myeong-Hak felt himself shrinking in disbelief.
"A martial art that has reached perfection, loosely modified by you, will soon lead to a reversal of Qi and the shattering of your original essence. This is because, in the Death God Martial, Qi and technique are one.
"…!!"
"To manifest martial arts at the cost of your lifespan. You've turned the divine technique of the era into a half-baked demonic art."
Myeong-Hak's mouth fell open.
To shorten one's lifespan? What a profound statement.
Screeeech!
Yeon Hojeong's eyes were completely shrouded in darkness.
"All that you have, I, as the Grandmaster, shall take."
Crack!
Myeong-Hak fell to his knees. His thick forearm was crushed by Yeon Hojeong's grip.
But that wasn't all.
Gush!
Myeong-Hak's mouth gaped open.
The noble energy was being sucked into Yeon Hojeong's hand. It flowed away at a terrifying speed, like a twisting river, and no resistance was possible.
Fear shadowed Myeong-Hak's face.
Decades of cultivated inner strength, and recently, he had transformed that inner strength into Noble True Qi while mastering the Noble Spirit Technique.
All that energy was now flowing into his opponent. Too easily, too smoothly.
'Could it be… Essence Absorption…?!'
Screeeech!
All the true energy was sucked into Yeon Hojeong. Most of the impurities in the absorbed Noble True Qi were expelled, and the little pure Xuanwu Qi seeped into Yeon Hojeong's kidneys.
Click!
Yeon Hojeong grasped Myeong-Hak's face with one hand.
Myeong-Hak couldn't turn his head. He had lost his strength along with his Qi.
From a distance, Myeong-Hwi and Myeong-Heon sensed the ominous atmosphere.
"Brother?!"
"What are you doing?!"
Yeon Hojeong smiled.
His smile was somehow vacant yet filled with authority.
"Are they your brothers?"
"Cough."
"I wonder what counterfeit techniques your brothers have learned. Soon, I'll send you to join them."
"Please, spare…"
Crack!
Myeong-Hak's skull was crushed.
"Gasp!"
"What, what did he do?!"
Boom!
Myeong-Hwi and Myeong-Heon charged with tremendous force.
Yeon Hojeong's eyes flashed.
The speed was hard to react to, but to him, it was visible. He could tell at a glance what martial arts the two had learned, what they had based their modified techniques on from the Death God Martial.
Rrrrring!
A fierce slash and a flame-like force pushed Yeon Hojeong back. If he hadn't lifted his axe in time to block with the shaft, he would have been killed on the spot.
Fssssst.
White smoke rose from the shaft.
It was an immense murderous intent, a terrifying killing technique. A single slice carried the energy to slay thousands, a single gesture could spill the blood of a thousand.
Yeon Hojeong raised his head.
Within the dark glow of the North, a power like the sun rose.
"…Vermilion Bird."