The bursting thunderclap reached past the training ground and up into the sky.

PABABABABAK!

Yeon Hojeong quickly retreated. He could not overcome the pressure of the formation.

“Grrrgh!”

“Udadadada!”

More than ten troops at the front stumbled over a dozen steps back all at once. They had been forced away by Yeon Hojeong’s fist pressure.

Yeon Hojeong’s power, which had made Peak masters retreat all at once, was tremendous. But what was even more remarkable was that the formation pressure remained intact despite so many people being pushed back.

It was because the formation itself was so free. If they had been arranged in rigid ranks, half the formation would have collapsed from that single blow.

“HOOF.”

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes grew redder and redder.

HWARURURUK.

The flames of the Vermilion Bird burned.

ZIIING! ZIIING!

The Yeon Clan Divine Core rotated at high speed, continuously releasing the power of Dragon-Embrace Divine Art. Vermilion Bird Qi, empowered by that explosive momentum, radiated a terrifying qi wave.

Vermilion Bird Qi itself was firepower and Killing Intent. Until now, Yeon Hojeong had controlled Killing Intent freely while using the Vermilion Bird Art, but not this time.

Throb! Throb!

His heartbeat soared, and his blood circulation accelerated.

Chiiiiik!

Crimson smoke rose from Yeon Hojeong’s body. It was not Vermilion Bird Fire Qi. The Killing Intent burning under that Fire energy had taken visible form.

“...!!”

Mookbi’s expression hardened.

She knew how much Yeon Hojeong cared for the Evil-Smiting Corps. No matter how real-combat-like a match was, he had never burned Killing Intent sincerely, rather than simply using it for intimidation.

This was not “like” real combat. It was real combat. Yeon Hojeong was facing the Evil-Smiting Corps in earnest.

Mookbi was about to open her mouth again.

[It’s all right.]

Startled, Mookbi looked toward the front of the Evil-Smiting Corps.

There stood Okcheong, rolling his shoulders.

[This is a rare chance to face a master like the commander. It’s all right.]

[But!]

[It’s also a chance to confirm the greatest talent I have seen in the commander. If that talent I saw is real, we can become stronger.]

[What...?]

Okcheong smiled faintly.

His face was smiling, but his eyes were extremely serious. It had not erupted yet, but even that much was enough to make him feel how dangerously terrifying Yeon Hojeong’s Killing Intent was.

[Also, we owe the commander a great debt. And right now, to my eyes, that commander looks somewhat unstable.]

[...!!]

[This is a chance for us to grow stronger, and at the same time, repay even a thousandth of the grace we received from him. Please leave it to us.]

After ending the voice transmission, Okcheong shouted.

“From this point on, fellow practitioner Yeoguk and I will take the formation master’s role!”

Yeoguk looked at Okcheong.

Okcheong nodded.

“Let us properly receive the commander’s martial arts.”

Yeoguk grinned.

“Sounds good.”

PABABAK!

Yeoguk quickly took three steps forward and stood at the head of the Evil-Smiting Corps, raising the sword to the middle line.

HOOOOOOONG.

In an instant, the atmosphere of the Evil-Smiting Corps changed.

There was a world of difference between having the formation master outside the fighting zone and having that person inside it. Their field of vision narrowed, but their frontal combat power and reaction speed rose much higher.

In other words, Okcheong and Yeoguk leading the formation meant they intended to face Yeon Hojeong properly.

The formation trained by the Evil-Smiting Corps, and for the Evil-Smiting Corps alone.

The Evil-Smiting Three-Kill Formation had opened.

Yeoguk shouted.

“Front center!”

PABABABAK!

The ranks of the Evil-Smiting Corps, which had been scattered freely, sharpened like an awl.

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

For some reason, there was a coldness in that smile.

“Now that’s proper.”

Even without words, he could feel the will of the Evil-Smiting Corps.

CHWAAAAAK!

Flood Dragon Chain, lengthened by Inner Qi, thrashed wildly on its own. Crimson flame surged over the writhing Flood Dragon Chain.

“...”

The trembling air caused by the formation pressure and the noise of qi waves caused by the Four Spirit Qi shook the atmosphere, yet strangely, silence seemed to press in.

PAAK! PABABAK!

Even the sharp wind could not penetrate into the training ground. The momentum released by Yeon Hojeong and the Evil-Smiting Corps clashed too keenly, creating an invisible barrier of True Qi.

Standing at the center of the formation, Okcheong opened his mouth.

“Capture attack.”

The moment his words ended, the fifty members of the Evil-Smiting Corps moved.

KWAAAAANG!

Their speed was tremendous.

All they had done was kick off the ground, yet an explosion burst out. The True Qi turning organically within the formation pressure doubled everyone’s speed.

The Evil-Smiting Corps charged toward Yeon Hojeong like lightning.

Yeon Hojeong’s reaction was immediate.

SHIIIIIIK!

Before the troops even entered close range, Flood Dragon Chain was swung horizontally.

It was Red-Flame Six-Kill Art of the Vermilion Bird Art, carrying explosive-force technique maximized by Dragon-Embrace Divine Art.

KURURURUNG!

The formation pressure of the Evil-Smiting Corps surged violently. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Yeon Hojeong’s martial arts, used in an attack loaded with deliberate Killing Intent, were shockingly powerful. His physical strength was so immense that the charging troops’ speed dropped by thirty percent in an instant.

But the Evil-Smiting Corps did not panic.

CHWAAAAAAAK!

Sword Aura Art shot out, covering every direction.

It was a response that had anticipated Yeon Hojeong’s method of breaking the formation by shaking it with overwhelming power and aiming for individual defeat. Yeon Hojeong, who had intended to reach the end in one breath and take down the Emei Sect spearman first, immediately had to change tactics.

JJEOJEOJEOJEONG! BOOOOOM!

The training ground burst and caved in at various points from explosive force and shockwaves.

Yeon Hojeong swung his fists and feet.

BOOOOOM! JJEOOOOOEONG!

The rebounding force was tremendous.

With his right hand, he unleashed Red-Flame Six-Kill Art through Flood Dragon Chain. With his left fist, he used Tiger King’s Nine-Wall Breaker of the White Tiger Art. At the same time, he used Azure Dragon Cloud-Stepping Step and White Tiger Monarch-Step to minimize damage while carrying out efficient attacks.

Even so, the formation pressure would not break. Far from breaking, its momentum °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° gradually began to recover. It felt as though every attack he delivered was being absorbed.

In that case.

FLASH!

Yeon Hojeong soared upward in a single burst of Blood-Wing Sweeping Heaven and inhaled deeply.

PAAAAAK!

It was as though they had predicted he would leap. Yunho and Dongho of Mount Hua Sect unfolded the Plum Blossom Three-Ridge Sword.

Whiririririk!

Formless explosive force scattered like dozens of blossoms and surrounded Yeon Hojeong.

At that moment, Yeon Hojeong put strength into his lower abdomen.

Grrrrrrooooooowl!!

It was a tremendous Lion’s Roar.

No, should it be called a White Tiger Roar instead? The sound wave he poured out after swelling his lungs to the limit with White Tiger Metal Qi erupted into a savage shockwave.

CHACHACHACHANG! THUD!

The rising plum-blossom sword force was shattered entirely.

That was not all. The unexpected sound-art explosive force disrupted the Evil-Smiting Corps’ formation pressure, and more than half the troops staggered.

If an invisible qi barrier had not formed, more than ten of them would have had their eardrums burst. That was how powerful the shockwave was.

PAAAAAK!

Flood Dragon Chain writhed in midair and attacked the troops.

JJEOOOEONG! JJEOJEOJEONG! JJEOOOOONG!

The movement of Flood Dragon Chain was truly astonishing.

It moved as though the iron chain itself were alive.

At times it was majestic, like a dragon twisting. At times it was sinister, like a snake writhing. Under that cunning yet grand attack, the troops were hard-pressed just to deflect Flood Dragon Chain.

PAAAAAK!

Yeon Hojeong landed on the outer edge of the training ground and swung Flood Dragon Chain again.

CHWAAAAAK!

Dongho’s eyes shook. Flood Dragon Chain, which had flown in like a beam of light, had already wrapped around his sword.

Yeon Hojeong pulled Flood Dragon Chain powerfully.

“...!”

Astonishingly, Dongho was not dragged over. Nor did he lose his sword.

He endured. Dongho, who could not compare to Yeon Hojeong in either physical strength or Inner Qi, was enduring Yeon Hojeong’s power.

It was the power of the Evil-Smiting Three-Kill Formation. Even with the formation pressure disrupted, if their will aligned, they could concentrate energy into a small number of people.

PAAAAAK!

At that moment, Okcheong led the Emei Sect spearmen and drove in from Yeon Hojeong’s left and right.

It was a truly exquisite moment. Even Yeon Hojeong was surprised by an attack that aimed for the exact instant he took a breath.

PAAK!

Yeon Hojeong released Flood Dragon Chain and spun his body where he stood.

PIPIPIPIPING!

Four spears and one sword left shallow cuts on Yeon Hojeong’s body.

PUH-PUH-POONG!

Okcheong and the spearmen were flung back by Reverse Dragon Palm fired as Yeon Hojeong spun.

FLASH!

At a speed even faster than Okcheong and the spearmen being thrown away, Yeon Hojeong pierced into the formation’s core and wildly hurled fists and kicks in every direction.

BOOM! JJEOOOOOEONG! THUD!

Three or four people retreated, five endured, and two staggered while coughing blood.

He was not holding an axe, but Yeon Hojeong’s fists and feet were also powerful enough to kill a person if they landed properly. The two troops who coughed blood after being struck by his fists eventually lost their strength and collapsed.

WOOOOONG!

The formation pressure shook.

The formation would not collapse just because two people fell. But Yeon Hojeong did not miss that perfect moment when the formation pressure trembled.

KWANG!

After gathering power with the strongest Stamping Step since the duel began, Yeon Hojeong charged toward Yeoguk. His intent was to take down the person serving as the formation’s core and affect the flow of the formation.

It was then.

“...?!”

Yeon Hojeong, who had been charging toward Yeoguk, suddenly twisted his body and launched a surprise attack at Peng Manho.

“Ghk!”

Startled, Peng Manho swung his great blade with enough force to split him in two. It was an agile reaction that did not match his large build.

Yeon Hojeong opened his palm and swung it horizontally.

JJEOOOEONG!

The great blade was knocked aside. Blood also burst from Yeon Hojeong’s hand.

THUD!

“Ghk!”

Under the elastic short kick, Peng Manho collapsed where he stood.

HOOF!

At that instant, the formation pressure shook violently.

As expected.

Yeoguk and Okcheong were the core of this formation.

But there were several troops guiding the formation pressure from places unseen. One of them was Peng Manho, and when the formation exerted intimidating offensive power, Peng Manho was carrying out an even more important role than Yeoguk.

This was the weak point—

It was then.

BOOOOOM!

Yeon Hojeong coughed blood and staggered. Pale smoke surged from his back.

“...?!”

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes shook.

Chiiiiik!

For an instant, crimson smoke surged up amid the white smoke, then vanished with a whoosh.

“Hooo. As expected.”

SHHHK.

The violently shaking formation pressure settled. The troops had lowered their True Qi.

“As expected of you, Commander. To think you would attack Manho in one stroke amid that urgent, chaotic situation.”

Yeon Hojeong turned around.

Okcheong was smiling. His breathing was quite rough, but still.

“My eyes were right. The innate talent hidden beneath the commander’s monstrous real-combat ability—I have now confirmed it properly.”

“Talent?”

“Talent. You instinctively see through weak points, don’t you?”

“...!”

“The strategist said this. With the formation as it is now, even Venerable Gonggong or our sect leader senior brother would not be able to withstand it. Of course, we would also suffer considerable damage.”

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes shook.

“I know the commander’s martial arts still fall short of those two. Even so, you targeted the formation’s weak points and steadily broke down its pressure. Thanks to you, we have learned what the weakness of this formation is—no, what our weakness is.”

Drip, drip.

Blood flowed from Okcheong’s mouth. He had also suffered internal injuries from the excessive attack.

“It is not enough to call it repayment, but I blew away the unvirtuous madness lurking inside you, Commander.”

The palm force lodged in Yeon Hojeong’s back.

It was the Brocade-Severing Palm of the Sword Immortal Takmuja. A martial art of enlightenment that freely left form and technique behind, while containing within it the realization of the immortal path to guide one toward truth.

“How is it? Do you feel a little better?”

“...Huh.”

Yeon Hojeong rubbed his chest.

For some reason, the dark, suffocating feeling had eased considerably.

“I could have blown it away right away, but I thought the difference would be clearer if it was evaporated when your emotions had intensified. I had no choice but to commit this discourtesy.”

Okcheong clasped his fist.

At the same time, all the troops clasped their fists. Every member of the Evil-Smiting Corps had known Okcheong’s intent and pooled their strength.

“We have learned well!”

Their ringing voices swept across the training ground.

Yeon Hojeong silently looked at Okcheong, then gave a bitter smile.

“Well... damn.”

He had meant to teach them a lesson, only to receive help from the troops instead.

But why was that? His pride was not hurt. He felt sorry that he had made the troops worry about him, but somehow, his heart felt warm.

In the end, there was only one thing Yeon Hojeong could say.

“I’ll be counting on you from now on, too.”

“We will be counting on you!”

The duel that had begun with lethal intensity ended in a gentle atmosphere.