Chapter 331: Darkness Returns (6)
The bursting sound of thunder crossed the training ground and reached the sky.
Pababababang!
Yeon Ho-jeong quickly retreated backward. He couldn’t overcome the pressure of the formation.
“Keugh!”
“Udadadada!”
Over ten soldiers in the front retreated more than ten steps backward without distinction. They were pushed back by Yeon Ho-jeong’s fist pressure.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s power to make peak experts retreat all at once was incredible, but what was more amazing was that the formation was maintained even though so many people were pushed back.
It was because the formation itself was very free. If it had been rigidly lined up, half of the formation would have collapsed with this single strike.
“Phew.”
The light in Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes gradually turned red.
Flicker.
The flames of the Vermilion Bird burned.
Woooong! Wooooong!
The Yeon Clan’s Divine Elixir rotated at high speed, continuously releasing the power of the Dragon Robe Divine Art. The Vermilion Bird Qi, boosted by the explosive momentum, emitted a terrifying qi wave.
The Vermilion Bird Qi itself was firepower and murderous intent. Yeon Ho-jeong had been freely handling murderous intent while operating the Vermilion Bird Art until now, but not right now.
Gulp! Gulp!
His heart rate soared, and his blood circulation sped up.
Sizzle!
Blood-red smoke rose from Yeon Ho-jeong’s body. It was not Vermilion Bird Fire Qi, but the murderous intent burning upon receiving that fire qi had materialized.
‘…!!’
Muk Bi’s face hardened.
She knew how much Yeon Ho-jeong cared about the Evil-Annihilating Army. No matter how much it was a match like a real battle, he had never genuinely burned his murderous intent, not simply for the sake of an imposing aura.
It wasn’t ‘like’ a real battle, it was a real battle. Yeon Ho-jeong was genuinely facing the Evil-Annihilating Army.
It was when Muk Bi tried to open her mouth again.
[It is fine.]
Startled, Muk Bi looked at the front of the Evil-Annihilating Army.
There was Ok-cheong rolling his shoulders round and round.
[It is a rare opportunity to fight an expert at the Army Commander’s level. It is fine.]
[But!]
[It is also an opportunity to verify the Army Commander’s greatest talent that I saw. If that talent I saw is real, we can become stronger.]
[What…?]
Ok-cheong smiled faintly.
His face was smiling, but his eyes were extremely serious. It was just before an explosion, but even with that, he could feel how dangerous Yeon Ho-jeong’s murderous intent was.
[Also, we have received a great favor from the Army Commander. That Army Commander looks somewhat precarious in my eyes right now.]
[…!!]
[Not only can we become stronger, but it is an opportunity to repay even a thousandth of the favor we received from the Army Commander. Please leave it to us.]
Ok-cheong, who finished the telepathy, shouted.
“From now on, this poor Taoist and Taoist friend Yeo-guk will take on the role of Formation Master!”
Yeo-guk looked at Ok-cheong.
Ok-cheong nodded.
“Let us properly receive the Army Commander’s martial arts.”
Yeo-guk grinned.
“Sounds good.”
Dash!
Yeo-guk, who quickly took three steps forward and stood at the head of the Evil-Annihilating Army, raised his sword to the middle guard.
Woooooosh.
In an instant, the atmosphere of the Evil-Annihilating Army changed.
Whether the Formation Master is outside the battle line or inside is completely different. Although the field of vision narrows, combat power and reaction speed at the front become much superior.
In other words, Ok-cheong and Yeo-guk leading the formation meant they would properly face Yeon Ho-jeong.
A formation practiced by the Evil-Annihilating Army, solely for the Evil-Annihilating Army.
Evil-Annihilating Three Killing Formation, Open Formation.
Yeo-guk shouted.
“Front Middle!”
Flutter!
The ranks of the Evil-Annihilating Army, which had been freely scattered, became as sharp as an awl.
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.
It was a smile that felt an unknown coldness.
“This is proper.”
He could feel the will of the Evil-Annihilating Army even without them speaking.
Clatter!
The Flood Dragon Chain, extended by internal energy, squirmed haphazardly. Blood-red flames danced on the squirming Flood Dragon Chain.
“…”
Even though the trembling of the air caused by the formation power and the noise of the qi wave caused by the Four Gods’ Qi shook the atmosphere, a strange silence seemed to rush in.
Smack! Dash!
Even the fierce wind could not infiltrate inside the training ground. It was because the momentum emitted by Yeon Ho-jeong and the Evil-Annihilating Army sharply opposed each other, creating an intangible true qi barrier.
Ok-cheong, who stood at the center of the formation, opened his mouth.
“Capture Attack.”
As soon as his words finished, the fifty soldiers of the Evil-Annihilating Army moved.
Kwaaaang!
It was an incredible speed.
They only kicked off the ground, but an explosion burst out. The true qi running organically within the formation power doubled everyone’s speed.
The Evil-Annihilating Army charging toward Yeon Ho-jeong like lightning.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s reaction was immediate.
Whoooosh!
Even before the soldiers came into close range, the Flood Dragon Chain was swung horizontally.
It was the Red Flame Six Killing Art of the Vermilion Bird Art, imbued with the Force Emission maximized by the Dragon Robe Divine Art.
Rumble!
The formation power of the Evil-Annihilating Army swayed greatly.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s martial arts, attacking deliberately with murderous intent, were shockingly powerful. It was such an incredible physical strength that the speed of the charging soldiers dropped to thirty percent in an instant.
However, the Evil-Annihilating Army did not panic.
Swaaaaash!
Sword qi attacks shot out covering all directions.
It was a response anticipating Yeon Ho-jeong’s breakthrough, which aimed to shake the formation with powerful force and defeat them individually. Yeon Ho-jeong, who intended to go to the end in one breath and knock down the spear masters of Emei first, had to change his tactics immediately.
Clang, clang! Ba-bang!
Various parts of the training ground burst or were gouged out by Force Emission and shockwaves.
Yeon Ho-jeong swung his fists and kicks.
Baaang! Claaang!
It was an incredible repelling force.
With his right hand, he unfolded the Red Flame Six Killing Art of the Flood Dragon Chain, and with his left fist, the Sovereign Tiger’s Nine Thunderclaps of the White Tiger Art, performing the Azure Dragon Cloud-Treading Step and the White Tiger’s Sovereign Step to minimize damage while simultaneously embodying efficient attacks.
Yet the formation power did not break at all. Far from breaking, its momentum rather gradually revived. It felt as if every attack he inflicted was completely absorbed.
‘If so.’
Flash!
Yeon Ho-jeong, who flew up in one breath with the Blood Wing Sweeping Heavens, took a deep breath.
Paaaang!
As if they had even guessed that he would jump up. Yun-ho and Dong-ho of Mount Hua unfolded the Plum Blossom Three Crossing Sword.
Whiriririk!
Intangible Force Emission scattered like dozens of blossoms and surrounded Yeon Ho-jeong.
In an instant, Yeon Ho-jeong put strength into his lower abdomen.
Roar!!
It was an incredible Lion’s Roar.
No, rather than a Lion’s Roar, it should be called a White Tiger’s Roar. An ignorant shockwave burst out in the sound wave poured out by inflating the lungs to the absolute limit with White Tiger Metal Qi.
Clang, clang, clang! Thwack!
The soaring sword qi of the plum blossoms were completely shattered.
That wasn’t all. Due to the unexpected sound wave Force Emission, the formation power of the Evil-Annihilating Army was disrupted, and more than half of the soldiers staggered.
If the intangible qi barrier hadn’t been created, more than ten people would have had their eardrums burst. It was that powerful of a shockwave.
Paaaang!
The Flood Dragon Chain squirmed in the empty air and attacked the soldiers.
Clang! Clang, clang! Clang!
The movements of the Flood Dragon Chain were truly amazing.
It moved as if the iron chain itself was alive.
It was majestic like a wriggling dragon, and insidious like a squirming snake. At that exquisite and vigorous attack, the soldiers were busy striking away the Flood Dragon Chain.
Paaaang!
Yeon Ho-jeong, who descended to the outskirts of the training ground, swung the Flood Dragon Chain again.
Swish!
Dong-ho’s eyes trembled. The Flood Dragon Chain that flew like a ray of light had wrapped around his sword before he knew it.
Yeon Ho-jeong pulled the Flood Dragon Chain forcefully.
‘…!’
Surprisingly, Dong-ho was not pulled along. But he didn’t let go of his sword either.
He held on. Dong-ho, who couldn’t be compared in either physical strength or internal energy, was holding on against Yeon Ho-jeong’s strength.
It was the power of the Evil-Annihilating Three Killing Formation. Even if the formation was disrupted, if their wills were united, it was possible to concentrate energy on a minority.
Paaaang!
At that moment, Ok-cheong led the spear masters of Emei and struck into Yeon Ho-jeong’s left and right.
It was a truly exquisite moment. Even Yeon Ho-jeong was surprised by the attack that aimed for the moment he took a breath.
Pang!
Yeon Ho-jeong, who let go of the Flood Dragon Chain, rotated his body on the spot.
Pipipiping!
Four spears and one sword inflicted shallow cuts on Yeon Ho-jeong’s body.
Papapapang!
Ok-cheong and the spear masters were bounced backward by the Reverse Dragon Palm fired while rotating.
Flash!
Yeon Ho-jeong, who dug into the backbone of the formation at an even faster speed than Ok-cheong and the spear masters who were bounced back, madly threw fists and kicks in all directions.
Bang! Claaaang! Smack!
Three or four people retreated, five people held on, and two people staggered while vomiting blood.
Although he wasn’t holding an axe, Yeon Ho-jeong’s fist and kick techniques also exerted enough power to kill a person if they landed properly. The two soldiers who vomited blood after being hit by his fist eventually lost their strength and collapsed.
Woooooong!
The formation power swayed.
The formation didn’t collapse just because two people fell. But Yeon Ho-jeong did not miss that golden opportunity when the formation power swayed.
Kwang!
Yeon Ho-jeong, who gathered power with the most powerful foot stomp since the spar began, dashed toward Yeo-guk. He intended to knock down the one who was the backbone of the formation to affect the flow of the formation.
It was then.
‘…?!’
Yeon Ho-jeong, who was charging toward Yeo-guk, suddenly twisted his body and ambushed Peng Man-ho.
“Gasp!”
Startled, Peng Man-ho swung his great blade with the momentum of cutting everything in two. It was an agile reaction unsuited for his large build.
Yeon Ho-jeong opened his palm and swung it horizontally.
Clang!
The great blade bounced sideways. Blood also burst from Yeon Ho-jeong’s hand.
Smack!
“Ugh!”
Peng Man-ho collapsed on the spot from an elastic Short Strike Kick.
Whoosh!
In an instant, the formation power violently fluctuated.
‘As expected.’
Yeo-guk and Ok-cheong are the backbone of this formation.
However, there were a few soldiers who led the formation power from unseen places. One of them was exactly Peng Man-ho, and when exerting overwhelming attack power, Peng Man-ho was performing an even more important role than Yeo-guk.
‘This was the weak point…’
It was then.
Paaang!
Yeon Ho-jeong staggered, vomiting blood. Gray smoke soared from his back.
‘…?!’
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes trembled.
Sizzle!
Between the white smoke, blood-red smoke surged for a moment, and then soon disappeared with a whoosh!
“Phew, as expected.”
Swoosh.
The fluctuating formation power subsided. The soldiers calmed their true qi.
“You are indeed the Army Commander. To attack Man-ho at once in that urgent and dizzying situation.”
Yeon Ho-jeong looked back.
Ok-cheong was smiling. Even though he was panting quite heavily.
“My eyes were right. The innate talent hidden by the Army Commander’s ignorant practical combat abilities, I have properly verified it at this moment.”
“Talent?”
“It is talent. You instinctively saw through the weak point, didn’t you?”
“…!”
“The Strategist said this. With this current formation, even Master Kong-kong or my Sect Leader senior brother would not be able to hold out. Of course, we would also suffer considerable damage.”
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes trembled.
“I know that the Army Commander’s martial arts are still lacking compared to those two. And yet you targeted the weak point of the formation and systematically crumbled the formation power. Thanks to the Army Commander, we learned what the weak point of this formation, no, our weak point is.”
Drip.
Blood flowed from Ok-cheong’s mouth. Due to the unreasonable attack, he had also suffered internal injuries.
“It is awkward to say it is a reward for that, but we blew away the unvirtuous madness that was lurking inside the Army Commander.”
The palm force planted on Yeon Ho-jeong’s back.
It was exactly the Brocade Palm of the Sword Immortal Taoist Tak-mu. It was an enlightenment martial art that freely placed form and style, contained the enlightenment of the Way of the Immortal inside, and led to the truth.
“How is it? Do you feel a little better?”
“…Huh.”
Yeon Ho-jeong stroked his chest.
The inexplicably dark and stuffy feeling seemed to have improved much better.
“I could have blown it away immediately, but I thought the difference could be known more clearly if it was evaporated when emotions were intense, so I inevitably committed disrespect.”
Ok-cheong cupped his fists.
At the same time, all the soldiers cupped their fists. The entire Evil-Annihilating Army knew Ok-cheong’s intention and had pooled their strength.
“We have learned well!”
The ringing voices swept across the training ground.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who had been quietly looking at Ok-cheong, soon smiled bitterly.
“…Goodness me.”
He tried to teach them a lesson, but instead, he received help from the soldiers.
But why was it? His pride wasn’t hurt. He felt sorry for making the soldiers worry about him, but somehow his heart felt warm.
In the end, this was the only thing Yeon Ho-jeong had to say.
“I look forward to working with you in the future.”
“We look forward to working with you!”
The spar that started murderously ended in a soft atmosphere.