Chapter 325: The One Who Lights the Holy Fire (7)
Rumble!
“Hmm?”
Yeon Wi looked up at the sky.
“Huh, thunder on a day like this. How truly bizarre.”
“Indeed.”
Zhuge Wen-hu sighed.
“In any case, Army Commander Yeon has been very busy lately. Knowing that, and since he works so well, I let it be, but hearing the Clan Head’s words, this person was too indifferent.”
Yeon Wi shook his head.
“Do not say that. Does the Strategist have only one or two things to handle? If someone who is busier than my son says so, I cannot raise my face.”
“Haha.”
Zhuge Wen-hu smacked his lips.
“Since we decided to divide the work in that way for now, Army Commander Yeon should be able to focus on his own work. At least that is a relief.”
“But I am still worried. That lad’s anger toward the Three Cults of Fanaticism is piercing the sky. I am needlessly anxious that he might make a mistake.”
“Haha! It seems Clan Head Yeon is still a father. Even a fully grown lion is bound to look like a child in a father’s eyes.”
“Ahem.”
“Do not worry too much. Army Commander Yeon is a genius who stands out with cold reason as much as his powerful driving force. Even if he encounters a dangerous situation, he will find a way to live, so put down your worries.”
“That may be so, but.”
It was then.
“Father!”
Zhuge Ah-yeon’s voice was heard from afar.
Zhuge Wen-hu looked out the window in surprise.
“Ah-yeon? Why are you here at this hour…?”
Pang!
Zhuge Ah-yeon leaped to the window in one breath. Although she was lacking compared to Yeon Ho-jeong, her study of movement techniques was also quite outstanding.
“It’s a big problem! Jeong-yi went after an expert of the enemy!”
“What?”
“But that expert’s realm is unusual. He seems to be an expert that makes Jeong-yi tense! It’s my first time seeing Jeong-yi so tense!”
“…!”
“We have to send someone secretly! We don’t know what might happen!”
Clatter!
Yeon Wi stood up from his seat.
Before they knew it, his eyes became as cold as ice.
“Strategist. Please call Advisor Ga Deuk-sang. And Ah-yeon, guide me.”
* * *
Bang! Whoosh!
Along with an explosion, the flames split perfectly to the left and right.
Pang!
A fist wind rotating at high speed smashed the flames and pierced straight through the empty air.
Bang! Rumble!
As if the words that he hadn’t used his full power were true, the power of the Fire Power Force Emission bursting from Gyu Jeok’s hands was truly incredible.
The power of the force emission was incredible, but the fire qi itself, which scattered while bursting shockwaves, was threatening. The Vermilion Bird Qi of the Four Gods Martial Arts was indeed worthy of being called the best under heaven as a Heat Yang Art, but it was bound to be pushed back by the fire qi that Gyu Jeok spewed out.
Flicker!
Yeon Ho-jeong’s body rapidly rotated, shedding the flames of the Azure Furnace True Fire.
Sizzle!
Even though he wrapped his entire body in Black Tortoise Qi, water vapor rose. It was because the firepower of the Azure Furnace True Fire was too strong.
“This bastard!”
Gyu Jeok’s hand swung, aiming for Yeon Ho-jeong’s back.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed.
Smack! Slash!
A single slash of the axe striking upwards diagonally split the palm force of the Blazing Fire Divine Palm in half.
Pushed back in a firepower versus firepower contest?
There was nothing to worry about. Yeon Ho-jeong had the Black Tortoise Art, which countered fire qi, and he also had the Azure Dragon Art supporting the Black Tortoise Art and the White Tiger Art specialized for advancing.
The power of the Yeon Clan’s Divine Elixir, which solidly tuned the Four Gods’ qi, was deeper than anyone else’s, and furthermore, his divinely possessed combat abilities and supreme enlightenment were thoroughly dismantling Gyu Jeok’s martial arts.
Yeon Ho-jeong swung his axe once again.
Smack! Smack!
It was an incredibly fast series of slashes.
It was not the Crazy Dragon Axe, but a hand axe made of high-quality iron. Its weight was only half that of the Crazy Dragon Axe, but thanks to that, a divine speed of axe-wielding was possible.
Thud, thud, thud!
Its power was weaker than the Crazy Dragon Axe, but speed compensated for it. The madly swinging axe slashed or burst all the fire qi Gyu Jeok spewed out, rendering it useless.
‘This bastard…!’
Gyu Jeok’s face contorted.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who glared at him with an expressionless face and cold eyes while pouring out axe strikes and palm force, did not look like a human being.
‘How can there be such a bastard?!’
Unlike the fire qi he spewed out, his head was gradually cooling down.
‘He uses such terrifying combat techniques at that age? Is this even possible?’
It wasn’t simply that his practical combat abilities were outstanding.
Even though the distance had widened considerably, he appropriately used his axe and fist to slash or burst the barrier of true qi to grab the line of attack.
This was a method that could never be used unless one was a genius proficient in qi arts or an experienced old master. In the first place, it hadn’t been long since Gyu Jeok himself realized this method.
“This bastard!”
Rumble!
If the power of the Blazing Fire Divine Palm was like a pouring wave, the power of the Flame King´s Eight Fists was like a solid hammer.
Thwack!
Blood burst from Yeon Ho-jeong’s mouth.
He was hit head-on by a timely strike. If it weren’t for the Jade Gauze True Formula melted into the Yeon Clan’s Divine Elixir, he would have suffered a near-fatal injury.
Pang!
Gyu Jeok, who closed the distance in one breath, grabbed Yeon Ho-jeong’s shoulder.
Sizzle!
The collar of his shoulder burned. Yeon Ho-jeong’s two shoulders were instantly stained with burns.
Gyu Jeok, who intended to infiltrate the Blazing Fire Divine Palm while keeping his grip, let go in a moment of unknown eeriness.
Slash!
“Keugh!”
A hand drooping as if it had no joints came up to the upper body and created a long wound on Gyu Jeok’s upper body.
It was an axe slash. And it wasn’t just at the level of damaging the skin and flesh. Perhaps because it lacked an edge, the wound running from the left hip joint to the right shoulder was as deep as a dug furrow.
Gyu Jeok endured the extreme pain and threw a punch with all his might.
Smack!
Blood burst from Yeon Ho-jeong’s mouth once again.
Gyu Jeok’s eyes flashed.
‘His reaction has slowed down.’
The opponent’s reaction speed was gradually slowing down.
It was natural if one thought about it. The depth of internal energy they possessed was different in the first place. Rather, the combat ability of the opponent, who had endured until now and inflicted wounds on his body, was ridiculously amazing.
However, the difference in power was inevitable.
In combat techniques such as practical combat abilities, Yeon Ho-jeong was clearly superior. However, Gyu Jeok also possessed outstanding combat techniques, and crucially, his internal energy was deeper than Yeon Ho-jeong’s.
That difference created the current situation. It might have been different if it was a quick battle, but the longer the fight dragged on, the more disadvantageous it was bound to be for Yeon Ho-jeong, who lacked internal energy.
Stronger power was loaded into Gyu Jeok’s two fists.
Bang! Rumble! Smack!
Yeon Ho-jeong continuously vomited blood and retreated.
While throwing out brutal fist strikes, Gyu Jeok couldn’t help but admire the opponent’s abilities.
‘He is truly a terrifying bastard!’
The scale of victory had definitely tilted. Looking at the amount of damage and internal energy consumption, the opponent had already practically lost.
Even so, he was individually striking away or dodging the Flame King’s Eight Fists with increased output. Although internal injuries were accumulating from the shockwaves, he was not allowing a decisive blow.
Gyu Jeok’s eyes sank coldly.
‘A monster-like bastard! I must definitely kill this bastard here.’
His burning competitive spirit had disappeared at some point. Gyu Jeok’s heart was already fully filled with vigilance toward Yeon Ho-jeong.
‘How on earth can he have such martial arts at that age?’
At a glance, he seemed to have just passed twenty.
The internal energy possessed by such a young bastard was approaching the Eighteen Martial Generals, and the combat techniques he used were rather above the Eighteen Martial Generals.
Was the Cult Leader’s childhood, who was called a rare genius in the history of the Divine Fire Cult, like this? Gyu Jeok felt a chill not at Yeon Ho-jeong’s skills but at his ridiculous potential.
‘Even that bastard named Yeon Ho-jeong, who is said to be the number one rising star in the Central Plains, shouldn’t be at this level. This bastard must be the… of some retired old master.’
In an instant, Gyu Jeok’s eyes trembled.
‘Wait, Yeon Ho-jeong?’
His eyes touched the opponent’s hand.
‘It’s an axe. But didn’t they say he uses a giant battle axe?!’
Bang!
Reading the brief moment of flinching, he immediately counterattacked. Gyu Jeok quickly stepped back one pace.
Bang, bang, bang!
He opened a path of retreat in an instant, but Gyu Jeok was formidable. Maintaining the maximum output of the Azure Furnace Purification Art, he used the Blazing Fire Divine Palm to push Yeon Ho-jeong back once again.
The outcome was now clear. As long as he wasn’t careless, there was no way he would lose. Gyu Jeok was confident of his victory.
Of course, the surprise remained.
‘Right, this bastard is Yeon Ho-jeong!’
The contents of the letter given by Dong Gak came to his mind.
‘If this bastard is really Yeon Ho-jeong, it means that half-baked damn bitch fell for this bastard’s fake information. Just how did this bastard know about us…?’
It was then.
Between the blue flames spreading out with an explosion.
Gyu Jeok realized that Yeon Ho-jeong’s two eyes were burning more intensely than when he first saw him.
In an instant, the hair all over his body stood on end.
‘Danger!!’
Pang!
Due to an unknown eeriness, he retracted the attacks he was pouring out and retreated to the rear flank.
At that moment, Yeon Ho-jeong reached out his hand.
Bang!
“Ugh?!”
Gyu Jeok was flustered. Before he knew it, a translucent wall of water was blocking his back.
That water power was so strong that his entire back was stung rather than just being cold. It was enough to shake the Azure Furnace Pure Fire Art itself for a moment.
It was when the flustered Gyu Jeok righted the Azure Furnace Art again.
Thwack!
“Keoheok!”
Gyu Jeok’s mouth dropped wide open.
An axe that flew like a ray of light crushed his right shoulder bone and embedded itself.
It was a jaw-dropping speed. To throw an axe at this speed, a force corresponding to almost the maximum output of the Azure Furnace Purification Art was required. It meant that it wasn’t power that a bastard who continuously vomited blood and was drained of internal energy could show.
That wasn’t all.
Slash!
“Keuaaak!”
The moment he tried to pull out the axe, the Black Tortoise Qi spewed from the axe dug into his entire right upper body in an instant.
It was an incredible penetrating power. He had thrown it after binding the force emission power of the Infiltration Force to the axe in the first place.
Yeon Ho-jeong kicked off the ground.
Bang!
Along with an explosion, the flames were pushed back forcefully.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who flew like lightning, grabbed Gyu Jeok’s hair and swung his knee just like that.
Crack!
This time, there wasn’t even a scream. The large kneecap crushed his nose, left cheekbone, and left eyeball entirely.
Puhak!
Gyu Jeok, who spewed blood from his nose and mouth, collapsed in his spot without realizing it.
At that moment, Yeon Ho-jeong, who floated in the air, swung his hand toward Gyu Jeok’s left collarbone.
Thwack!
Gyu Jeok’s remaining eye opened wide.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who pierced the flesh and grabbed his left collarbone, had veins bulging like spider webs on his left forearm.
Crunch!
“Aaaah!”
His collarbone was ripped out raw.
It was truly an incredibly cruel method. Not to mention the Orthodox Path, even the experts of the Black Path did not use such horrific methods.
Drip!
The bleeding from his left upper body was considerable. The blood vessels connected along the collarbone were damaged. Was it fortunate that the artery wasn’t damaged?
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.
His panting breath quickly regained normalcy. It was the power of the Yeon Clan’s Divine Elixir.
“You have good intuition. I was just waiting for you to pull out your firepower at maximum output, but to think you stepped back immediately.”
He had only endured some damage to settle the match while getting hurt a little less. Although his internal and external injuries were considerable, the fact that he hadn’t suffered a single fatal wound was proof of it.
If Gyu Jeok had pushed him more intensely, he intended to infiltrate Black Tortoise Qi into Gyu Jeok’s pores at a decisive moment and reverse the match just like that.
“Well, I won anyway, so is it fine?”
“Cough!”
Gyu Jeok, who let out a dry cough, looked up at Yeon Ho-jeong with his one remaining eye.
Wooooong! Woooong!
Yeon Ho-jeong’s trembling aura quickly regained its normal state at a terrifying speed.
Whoosh!
Yeon Ho-jeong’s qi wave laying low.
Gyu Jeok’s ruined mouth slowly opened.
‘This can’t be!’
The opponent’s aura he felt was surprisingly stronger than when they first met. It wasn’t just a level that wasn’t significantly lacking compared to his own, but internal energy that almost rivaled his own.
‘Could it be that you were hiding your power?!’
As if reading his mind, Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.
“If you want to enjoy delicious food, you must know how to endure a little hunger.”
“…!!”
“Anyway.”
Crack!
Yeon Ho-jeong, who pulled the axe out of Gyu Jeok’s shoulder, spoke with an impassive face.
“Are you ready to be sliced, greenhorn?”