Chapter 324: The One Who Lights the Sacred Fire (6)
It was not a matter of yesterday or today that the Empire’s power had weakened.
However, the Empire still existed, and even if it wasn’t as much as before, it was exerting great power in encompassing the people’s livelihoods.
As the Empire lost power, naturally the Murim’s power grew stronger. The Murim put effort into the public order where the Empire could not properly exert its power, and especially the martial sects of the White Path orthodox factions devoted their maximum effort to the safety of the people’s livelihoods.
Of course, the treaty of Non-Interference between the Government and the Murim was still valid. In a way, the Murim taking over what the Empire should be doing was also the same as violating that treaty.
However, the Imperial family and the government could not argue that they had violated the treaty. Because it was them who actually didn’t have the power and couldn’t put effort into the safety of the people’s livelihoods, they were rather in a position to be grateful that the Murim had stepped up.
However, even so, the Murim could not covet the imperial family and the government. They could not do so.
A country is the root that supports the world. If the Murim caused a ruckus and the country disappeared, then the world would truly collapse at that time.
Selecting a few from the disciples in famous sects and sending them to the imperial family and the government was because of that reason. Because there were so many talented people in the Murim who possessed both literary and martial arts, they would sometimes send renowned talented people so they could support the Empire.
Like that, the Empire was supported with difficulty. The Murim respected the Imperial family and the government, and they were respectful to the officials who acted as proxies for their influence.
The reason why Yeon Ho-jeong could see through what government post it was after seeing Gyu Jeok’s official uniform was also there.
To establish a single organization, it was natural to have to pay attention to not only the sects in that region but also the government. To create a super-massive faction on the level of Dark Emperor Castle, one had to pay attention to the Empire itself.
As the Dark Emperor, the head of Dark Emperor Castle, Yeon Ho-jeong had memorized almost all matters, such as the ceremonial dress and official uniforms of the imperial family and the government, as well as what they did and their income.
“It’s surprising.”
Gyu Jeok’s eyes deepened.
A light of unexpectedness appeared in his eyes that were shining with competitive spirit and killing intent.
“You look very young, but you managed to know the attire of a Garrison Commander. Your insight is amazing compared to your age.”
“It was like that as expected, huh.”
The corners of Yeon Ho-jeong’s mouth rose sharply as if they would even pierce the sky.
“The Divine Fire Cult is active in secret in the Imperial family and the government… I did know about it, but seeing it directly like this, you bastards definitely did put in effort.”
Flinch!
The competitive spirit sank from Gyu Jeok’s eyes.
Instead, surprise and fierce emotion replaced that light.
“You bastard knew about that?”
Recognizing the official uniform of a Garrison Commander was something possible if one had insight. Since a master of this level had suddenly launched a surprise attack, he thought he might have known that he was a person on the Divine Fire Cult side.
However, knowing the fact that the Divine Fire Cult was active in secret in the Imperial family and the government was a completely different matter. It was of a different dimension from arguing whether the chicken came first or the egg came first.
Crack.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who cracked his fingers, lowered his posture again.
“Looking at your state, you are also a bastard who is wrong for becoming big. Exchanging names? It isn’t even funny.”
“…”
“Since it has become like this anyway, I should take out my anger a bit and use you well as firewood.”
Originally, Yeon Ho-jeong had intended to tail Gyu Jeok and thoroughly investigate his tracks.
However, Gyu Jeok’s movement technique was faster than expected, and his qi perception was also sharp.
Perhaps Yeon Ho-jeong’s anger towards the Three Cults also played a part in there. He said he would calmly gather his qi, but it was also difficult to continuously control his mind.
Furthermore, it was unreasonable to reduce his presence and catch up to the speed Gyu Jeok was running at with determination. That was why he had decided to just catch him and shake him down.
“Taking out anger? Firewood, you say…”
Gyu Jeok’s face distorted strangely. It seemed he was extremely angry at Yeon Ho-jeong’s statement, and it also seemed he was rather welcoming the opponent’s reaction.
“Try doing it if you can, greenhorn.”
Puuuung!
Gyu Jeok’s body slid backward.
Even without words like ready, start, he launches an attack first at any time.
A fight with one who knows the beauty of actual combat. It was a life-and-death battle with a true master, of a different dimension from Beom-oh, who had a similar size of strength but lacked flexibility.
Tadadadak!
Yeon Ho-jeong approached at a terrifying speed.
The speed was similar, but unlike before when he approached with Blood Wing Sweeping Heavens, he advanced making countless footprints with short and elastic steps. It was body movements capable of responding whenever and whatever kind of counterattack came.
‘This bastard.’
Just looking at the transformed footwork alone, one could tell how skilled the opponent was in actual combat.
Deep excitement filled Gyu Jeok’s eyes again.
‘I can play properly.’
Paaaak!
This time, Gyu Jeok also ran to meet him.
The two people got closer at a terrifying speed and finally clashed.
Kwang!
The first exchange of blows, without anyone deciding, was the identical body ramming.
Vwooooong! Thud!
Yeon Ho-jeong, who called forth the wind of the White Tiger, his two feet dug into the ground.
Hwa-rr-rr-rr! Tuduk! Tududuk!
Gyu Jeok, who called forth the flames of the Azure Furnace, his two feet were pushed backward little by little.
The person holding out with strength and advancing was Yeon Ho-jeong. Leaving aside branch factions, he was fighting with a master from the Three Cults side for the first time in a truly long while. His muscular strength burning with extreme killing intent and excitement was again different from before.
Gyu Jeok briefly inhaled a breath.
Paaaak!
Gyu Jeok, who flexibly laid his body down, grabbed Yeon Ho-jeong’s arm just like that and threw him backward.
Although Yeon Ho-jeong’s strength was amazing, Gyu Jeok’s strength was not weak either.
Chiiiiik!
Yeon Ho-jeong’s both forearms, which had been grabbed by Gyu Jeok’s hands, heated up red.
The moment he was grabbed, he blocked the Fire Qi with the Black Tortoise Qi, but he still almost suffered a burn.
The ability to infiltrate internal power in a split second was superb. It was fantastic internal energy control showing that it was a battle where it wouldn’t be strange for anyone’s head to fly off in an”oops” moment.
Kwang!
Yeon Ho-jeong, who flew behind Gyu Jeok, stepped a powerful stomping step.
Gyu Jeok, who was directly rushing at Yeon Ho-jeong, quickly straightened his body. Because he read the momentum of an unusual counterattack from the opponent’s stomping step.
Papapapang!
As much as the shooting speed was fast, he needed kicking for braking as many as four times.
The speed rapidly decreased, but Gyu Jeok’s body narrowly entered Yeon Ho-jeong’s attack range.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s two eyes were dyed with killing light.
Rumble!
He spewed out the strength pulled out with the intense stomping step as an ignorant fist wind.
Gyu Jeok’s eyes widened.
‘Hundred Steps Divine Fist?!’
A legendary martial art of Shaolin that completely pulverized the opponent with an intense stomping step and explosive fist wind.
He did not have deep knowledge of the Central Plains’ martial arts, but it seemed like a movement very similar to the Hundred Steps Divine Fist he had heard of through rumors. Its destructive power was also so mighty that his spine went cold the moment the fist wind was shot out.
Of course, Yeon Ho-jeong’s martial art was not the Hundred Steps Divine Fist.
It was the White Tiger Art unfolding for the first time in a truly long while, pulling up the earth force with the One Step Stomping Step of the White Tiger’s Sovereign Step and unleashing a strike of the Sovereign Tiger’s Kill.
‘Too late!’
The destructive power was destructive power, but it was shot out at too timely a moment. Doing defense instead of evasion was right.
Kurreureung!
Gyu Jeok also stood his body up with a strong stomping step and thrust his fist towards the midsection. It was the Fire Dragon Entering the Path of the Flame King’s Eight Fists, an advanced absolute skill of the Divine Fire Cult.
The strong and hot fist strikes of the two masters clashed head-on.
Kwaaang!
Along with an explosion sound, Gyu Jeok stepped back a couple of paces.
There was no way he would be pushed back in strength. The reason Gyu Jeok was pushed back was because his hand execution was late, and he could not load its proper might onto the fist wind.
Pabababak!
Yeon Ho-jeong, who resolved the shock one beat faster, dashed toward Gyu Jeok again.
It was a bloody martial arts showdown striking out by pulling up internal energy as much as there was. Even if just one hit landed properly, the struck area would evaporate just like that.
Gyu Jeok quickly took his stance and looked at Yeon Ho-jeong.
Hwaaaaak!
‘…!’
On the stage of flames burning from all directions.
With a cold expression, yet spewing out eye light hotter and more evil than flames as he ran, Yeon Ho-jeong’s figure was truly fear itself.
Before the achievement of martial arts, the momentum itself was different. It was to the extent that one could even catch a glimpse of bloody obsession, as if an envoy of the King of Hell who jumped out of the underworld was coming to catch an escaped ghost.
Gyu Jeok, gritting his teeth, swung his twin fists like crazy.
Boom!
Fists and fists clashed, bursting an ignorant shockwave. The shockwave was so fierce that even the flames burning from all directions drew a circle and retreated with a”huk!” sound.
A fierce battle of supreme masters who knew actual combat. In front of the overflowing destructive power and suffocating killing intent, even the forest fire spreading like a disaster could not approach.
Puuuuck!
Yeon Ho-jeong’s fist was embedded into Gyu Jeok’s abdomen.
Snap!
Gyu Jeok’s knee struck Yeon Ho-jeong’s chin upward.
Yeon Ho-jeong staggered and stepped back. Since he was hit squarely on the chin, it was fortunate just that his mind didn’t fly away.
Gyu Jeok’s eyes shone.
Paak!
If it was a short distance of not even two zhang, there was no speed difference with Yeon Ho-jeong. Gyu Jeok, who closely approached momentarily, aimed for Yeon Ho-jeong’s Adam’s apple with a straight fist.
It was then.
Paaaak!
“Keuk!”
There was no sign at all, and he didn’t know when he had kicked it. The pile of dirt kicked up by the tips of his toes embedded in the ground was sprinkled onto Gyu Jeok’s face just like that.
Flustered by the unexpected technique, his upper body shook. Gyu Jeok’s straight fist grazed past Yeon Ho-jeong’s shoulder.
Yeon Ho-jeong did not miss the opportunity. For a moment, his mind really almost flew away, but he held onto his consciousness with superhuman patience and infinite killing intent towards the enemy.
His two hands pounded Gyu Jeok’s upper body at an incredible speed.
Pupupupupung!
“Keok!”
It was an eighteen-hit combo spewed out in a split second. The might of a single strike wasn’t big, but it was a continuous attack with no unreasonableness in shaking up the insides of a master receiving the protection of internal energy.
Pababak!
Gyu Jeok frantically stepped back. Before he knew it, blood was flowing from the corners of his mouth.
It was Yeon Ho-jeong who grabbed the chance of victory with a momentary counterattack. Yeon Ho-jeong, who directly entered the attacking range, quickly pulled his body back at the immense baptism of flames approaching from the left side in an instant.
Hwa-rr-rr-rr! Kwarreung!
The flames that crossed the empty air scratched the surface of the earth and disappeared with a’huk’. Gyu Jeok, who read the follow-up attack, pulled his Fire Qi and completely blocked the attack itself.
The qi manipulation art of divine skill that pulls burning flames and attacks, there was quite a bit of internal energy consumption, but if he hadn’t even done this much, he would have been cornered and cornered until he was finally defeated.
Ududuk!
Yeon Ho-jeong grabbed his knee. Not only did he brake his body that had been approaching at explosive speed to hurry and dodge, he threw it to the rear. His joints throbbed as if they would break.
Hudududuk!
Gyu Jeok, who dusted off the dirt smeared on his face, glared at Yeon Ho-jeong with gloomy eyes.
“You use quite petty tricks.”
Yeon Ho-jeong grinned.
“I will do anything if it is to win.”
“Are you saying you see the strength of the victor as a virtue rather than the victory of the strong?”
“A match is originally like that, greenhorn.”
Greenhorn, he said. Looking at the face of Yeon Ho-jeong, who was much younger, those words sounded too awkward.
However, unlike his young appearance, the elegance of a grandmaster overflowed in Yeon Ho-jeong’s voice.
While exchanging offense and defense overflowing with killing intent with the master on the enemy’s side, he was regaining the figure of the emperor who ruled the Dark before he knew it.
Gyu Jeok’s face stiffened.
It was because he read the aura of an emperor exuding from Yeon Ho-jeong.
“…Good.”
Gyu Jeok stepped on the ground strongly.
Kwaaang! Hwa-rr-rr-rr!
In an instant, all of his hair soared up to the sky.
Hwa-rr-rr! Hwa-rr-rr-rr!
The Fire Qi spewing from Gyu Jeok’s body gradually became dyed blue. It was pulling up the Azure Furnace Purification Art to its extreme peak.
“The preliminary skirmish is over. Now I will not go easy on you, nameless little kid.”
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled wickedly.
Before he knew it, the axe that was rolling on the ground was held in his hand.
“I will hack you to pieces alive until the words asking me to kill you come out, greenhorn.”
Rumble!
The winter night sky.
Thunder rang out, piercing through the chilly clouds.