KURURURUNG!

“Hmm?”

Yeon Wi looked up at the sky.

“Good heavens. Thunder on a day like this? How strange.”

“Indeed.”

Je Gal Munho sighed.

“In any case, Commander Yeon has been terribly busy all this time. I knew that, but he handled the work so well that I simply let it be. Hearing the Clan Lord say it aloud, I realize I was far too thoughtless myself.”

Yeon Wi shook his head.

“Do not say that. How could the strategist’s office have only one or two matters to handle? If someone even busier than my son says such a thing, I will have no face left to raise.”

“Ha ha.”

Je Gal Munho smacked his lips.

“For now, since we have agreed to divide the work in that fashion, Commander Yeon should be able to focus on his own tasks for a while. That much is a relief.”

“I am still worried all the same. His anger toward the Three Fanatic Creeds is piercing the heavens. I cannot help feeling anxious that he may make a mistake.”

“Ha ha! It seems Clan Lord Yeon is still a father, after all. Even a full-grown lion is still a child in his father’s eyes.”

“Hm.”

“Do not worry too much. Commander Yeon is a genius whose cold reason stands out as much as his formidable drive. Even if he does encounter danger, he will find a path to survival, so set your worries down.”

“That may be true, but...”

It was then.

“Father!”

Je Gal Ahyeon’s voice came from afar.

Startled, Je Gal Munho looked out the window.

“Ahyeon? What brings you here at this hour...?”

PAAAAAK!

Je Gal Ahyeon leaped to the window in a single breath. She fell short compared to Yeon Hojeong, but her study of movement techniques was also exceptionally advanced.

“We have a serious problem! Jeong followed a master from the enemy side!”

“What?”

“And that master’s level is no joke. I think he’s strong enough to make Jeong tense! I’ve never seen Jeong that tense before!”

“...!”

“We need to send people quietly! We don’t know what might happen!”

Rrrk.

Yeon Wi rose from his seat.

Before anyone knew it, his eyes had turned cold as ice.

“Strategist. Call Advisor Ga Deoksang. And Ahyeon, guide me.”

*****

KWAAAAANG! HOOF!

With an explosion, the flames split wide to the left and right.

BOOOOOM!

The high-speed rotating fist-wind shattered the fire and pierced straight through the air.

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM! KURURURUNG!

As though his claim that he had not gone all out had been true, the fire-powered explosive force bursting from Gyu Jeok’s hands possessed truly tremendous power.

The explosive force itself was impressive, but the Fire energy scattering with each shock wave was also a threat. The Vermilion Bird Qi of the Four Spirit Martial Art could also be called the finest under heaven among heat-yang arts, but it could only be pushed back before the Fire energy Gyu Jeok unleashed.

Frrrrrk!

Yeon Hojeong’s body spun rapidly, shedding the flames of Blue Furnace True Fire.

Chiiiiik!

Even though Black Tortoise Qi covered his entire body, steam rose from him. The firepower of Blue Furnace True Fire was simply too strong.

“You bastard!”

Gyu Jeok’s hand swung for Yeon Hojeong’s back.

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes flashed.

THUD! CHWAAAAAK!

A single diagonal upward chop from the axe split the palm force of Heat-Fire Divine Palm in two.

He was being pushed back in a contest of firepower against firepower?

There was nothing to worry about. Yeon Hojeong had Black Tortoise Art, which countered Fire energy, along with Azure Dragon Art supporting Black Tortoise Art from behind, and White Tiger Art specialized in forward advance.

The power of the Yeon Clan Divine Core, which firmly regulated the Four Spirit Qi, was deeper than anyone’s, and furthermore, his almost supernatural combat ability and supreme enlightenment were thoroughly dismantling Gyu Jeok’s martial arts.

Yeon Hojeong swung the axe again.

THUD! THUD!

They were tremendously fast cleaving strikes.

It was not Mad Dragon, but a hand axe made of high-quality iron. Its weight was only five percent of Mad Dragon’s, but thanks to that, axe work of divine speed was possible.

BAM-BAM-BAM!

It was weaker than Mad Dragon, but speed made up for the difference. The axe, swinging like mad, cut down or burst apart every wave of Fire energy Gyu Jeok unleashed, rendering all of it useless.

This bastard...!

Gyu Jeok’s face twisted.

Yeon Hojeong, glaring at him with an expressionless face and cold eyes as he poured out axe strikes and palm force, did not look human.

What kind of monster is this?!

Unlike the Fire energy he was pouring out, his head was gradually cooling.

He can use such terrifying combat arts at that age? How is that possible?

It was not merely that his practical combat ability was excellent.

Even with a fair distance between them, he used axe and fists and palms appropriately to cut or burst through the screen of True Qi, trying to seize the attack line.

This was a method that absolutely could not be used unless one was either a genius who had mastered qi arts or an old master rich in experience. To begin with, even Gyu Jeok had only recently realized such a method existed.

“You bastard!”

KURURURUNG!

If the power of Heat-Fire Divine Palm was like a crashing wave, then the power of the Flame King Eight Fists was like a solid hammer.

THUD!

Blood burst from Yeon Hojeong’s mouth.

He had taken a direct hit from a perfectly timed blow. If not for Jade Wave Art melted into the Yeon Clan Divine Core, it would have left a wound close to fatal.

PAAAAAK!

Gyu Jeok closed the distance in one breath and seized Yeon Hojeong by the shoulders.

Chiiiiik!

The cloth over Yeon Hojeong’s shoulders burned away. Both of his shoulders were instantly stained with burns.

Gyu Jeok had been about to infiltrate Heat-Fire Divine Palm while holding him, but the next instant, an inexplicable chill forced him to let go.

CHWAAAAAK!

“Ghk!”

A hand that hung loose as though it had no joints rose toward the upper gate and carved a long wound across Gyu Jeok’s upper body.

It was a cleaving strike from the axe. And it was not merely a wound to skin and flesh. Perhaps because the axe had no proper blade, the wound running from his left hip joint to his right shoulder was deep, as if a furrow had been carved through him.

Enduring the extreme pain, Gyu Jeok thrust out his fist at once.

THUD!

Blood burst from Yeon Hojeong’s mouth again.

Gyu Jeok’s eyes flashed.

His reaction is slowing.

His opponent’s reaction speed was gradually slowing.

It was natural, if anything. The depth of their internal force was different from the start. Rather, his opponent’s combat ability, managing to endure this long and wound his body, was absurdly impressive.

But in the end, the difference in power could not be helped.

In combat arts such as practical fighting ability, Yeon Hojeong was clearly superior. However, Gyu Jeok also possessed outstanding combat arts, and crucially, his internal force was deeper than Yeon Hojeong’s.

That difference had created the present situation. If this had been a battle decided swiftly, it might have been different, but the longer the fight dragged on, the more disadvantageous it became for Yeon Hojeong, whose internal force was running short.

Greater power gathered in Gyu Jeok’s two fists.

BANG! KURURURUNG! THUD!

Yeon Hojeong spat blood again and again as he retreated.

Even as he launched vicious fist strikes, Gyu Jeok could not help admiring his opponent’s ability.

He truly is terrifying! 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The scales of victory had clearly tilted. Judging by the damage taken and the amount of Inner Qi consumed, his opponent was already as good as defeated.

Yet he was still striking away or dodging every Flame King Eight Fists attack whose output had been raised. Internal injuries were accumulating from the shock waves, but he was not allowing a decisive blow.

Gyu Jeok’s eyes sank coldly.

Monster of a bastard! This one must die here.

The competitive spirit that had been burning inside him had vanished before he knew it. Gyu Jeok’s heart was now filled entirely with wariness toward Yeon Hojeong.

How, exactly, does one possess martial arts like this at that age?

At a glance, he looked barely past twenty.

The Inner Qi that a man so young carried was approaching the Eighteen Warrior-Generals, and the combat arts he displayed were instead above the Eighteen Warrior-Generals.

Had the Cult Leader, who was called one of the greatest geniuses in the history of the Divine Flame Cult, been like this in youth? More than Yeon Hojeong’s current skill, Gyu Jeok felt a chill from that absurd potential.

Even Yeon Hojeong, called the foremost young talent in the Central Plains, could not be at this level. This bastard must be some retired old master’s...

For an instant, Gyu Jeok’s eyes shook.

Wait. Yeon Hojeong?

His gaze reached his opponent’s hand.

An axe. But didn’t they say he uses an enormous war axe?!

KWAAAAANG!

Yeon Hojeong read that brief flinch and counterattacked at once. Gyu Jeok quickly stepped back.

PUH-PUH-POONG!

For an instant, he had opened a retreat, but Gyu Jeok was no easy opponent. While maintaining Blue Furnace Pure Fire Art at maximum output, he used Heat-Fire Divine Palm to pressure Yeon Hojeong again.

Now the outcome had certainly been decided. As long as he was not careless, there was no way he could lose. Gyu Jeok was certain of his victory.

Of course, his surprise remained.

Yes. This bastard is Yeon Hojeong!

The contents of the letter Donggak had given him flashed through his mind.

If this bastard really is Yeon Hojeong, that means that damned half-blood woman fell for his false information. How exactly does he know about us...?

It was then.

Between the blue flames spreading with explosive roars,

Gyu Jeok realized that Yeon Hojeong’s eyes were burning even more intensely than when he had first seen him.

In an instant, every hair on his body stood on end.

Danger!

PAAK!

Out of an inexplicable chill, he withdrew the attack he had been pouring out and retreated to the rear side.

At that moment, Yeon Hojeong stretched out his hand.

BOOM!

“Urk?!”

Gyu Jeok was stunned. Before he knew it, a translucent water wall was blocking his back.

Its Water energy was so strong that his entire back felt not merely cold, but stinging. For a moment, even Blue Furnace Pure Fire Art itself was shaken.

Just as the startled Gyu Jeok corrected Blue Furnace Art again—

THUD!

“Kuheok!”

Gyu Jeok’s mouth gaped open.

The axe that had flown like a beam of light had smashed into his right shoulder bone and buried itself there.

The speed was jaw-dropping. To throw an axe at this speed required power nearly equal to the maximum output of Blue Furnace Pure Fire Art. It was not power a man who had been coughing blood and running out of internal force should be able to show.

And that was not all.

CHWAAAAAK!

“Kraaaagh!”

The moment he tried to pull out the axe, Black Tortoise Qi bursting from it dug into the entire right side of his upper body in one breath.

Its penetrating force was tremendous. Yeon Hojeong had bound penetrating-force explosive power into the axe from the start before throwing it.

Yeon Hojeong kicked off the ground.

KWAAAAANG!

With an explosive roar, the flames were driven backward.

Yeon Hojeong flew in like lightning, grabbed Gyu Jeok by the hair, and swung his knee straight into him.

Crack!

This time, there was not even a scream. His large kneecap had crushed Gyu Jeok’s nose, left cheekbone, and left eye all at once.

PUHWAAAAK!

Blood sprayed from Gyu Jeok’s nose and mouth, and he sank to the ground without realizing it.

At that moment, Yeon Hojeong, hanging in the air, swung his hand toward Gyu Jeok’s left collarbone.

THUD!

Gyu Jeok’s one remaining eye sprang wide.

Yeon Hojeong had pierced through the flesh and seized the left collarbone. Veins like spiderwebs bulged across his left forearm.

KWADUDUDEUK!

“Aaaaargh!”

The collarbone was ripped out raw.

It was a method horrifically cruel beyond words. Not only masters of the Orthodox Path, even masters of the Dark Path would not use a method ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) this dreadful.

Drip, drip.

The bleeding from the left side of his upper body was severe. The blood vessels running along the collarbone had been injured. Was it fortunate, at least, that the artery had not been damaged?

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

His panting breath rapidly returned to normal. It was the power of the Yeon Clan Divine Core.

“You have good instincts. I was waiting for you to draw your firepower up to maximum output, but you backed off right away.”

He had merely been accepting a little damage in order to settle the fight while getting hurt as little as possible. The proof was that, although he had suffered considerable internal and external injuries, he had not received a single fatal wound.

If Gyu Jeok had pushed even harder, Yeon Hojeong had intended to infiltrate Black Tortoise Qi through Gyu Jeok’s pores at the decisive moment and overturn the fight then and there.

“Well, I won anyway, so I suppose it’s fine.”

“Cough!”

Gyu Jeok let out a dry cough and looked up at Yeon Hojeong with his one remaining eye.

ZIIIIING! ZIIIIING!

Yeon Hojeong’s wavering presence was returning to normal at terrifying speed.

HOOF!

Yeon Hojeong’s qi wave settled low.

Gyu Jeok’s ruined mouth slowly opened.

Impossible!

The presence he felt from his opponent was, shockingly, stronger than when they had first met. Not merely not far below his own—it was almost equal to his own internal force.

Don’t tell me he was hiding his strength?!

As if reading his mind, Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“If you want to enjoy delicious food, you need to be able to endure a little hunger.”

“...!!”

“Now then.”

JJEOOOEONG!

Yeon Hojeong pulled the axe from Gyu Jeok’s shoulder and spoke with an indifferent face.

“Ready to be carved up, brat?”