“Something has happened.”

“Something?”

“It seems Yangcheon has cut off contact with the Perverse Lust side.”

“...”

“It seems there has been no word from one of the Seven Chiefs of the Evil Lord who was sent in as one of Yangcheon’s trusted men. He had been operating as Black Sheep of the Twelve Zodiac Gods, Yangcheon’s elite force, but at some point he vanished from inside the manor.”

“The fact that they directly noticed the disappearance of one of the Seven Chiefs of the Evil Lord means there are still spies left inside Ink Dragon Manor, yes?”

“The disappearance of that man, and the death of the mysterious master who became the new Director of the Intelligence Division at the hands of Clan Lord Mo Yong, were the last pieces of information the spies sent.”

“Then does that mean every spy planted in Ink Dragon Manor has been caught?”

“At present... that seems the most likely conclusion. If all of them had not disappeared, contact would not have been cut off for over a month.”

“How delightful.”

“...”

“I told them again and again not to underestimate Yangcheon. The Seven Chiefs of the Evil Lord? They should never have sent some brat like that as their representative. They said they were confident they could put a leash around Yangcheon’s neck, and now they’ve made fools of themselves.”

“...”

“How is the Perverse Lust side reacting?”

“They are silent.”

“So it’s humiliating enough ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ to leave them speechless. Well, they can hardly complain if they get cursed for it.”

“And while it is not confirmed information, I would like to add one more report.”

“Proceed.”

“There is a possibility Yangcheon made some kind of deal with Clan Lord Mo Yong.”

“With Clan Lord Mo Yong?”

“Yes.”

“They said Clan Lord Mo Yong killed Ink Dragon Manor’s Director of the Intelligence Division, so why would there be a deal?”

“The exact reason is unknown. The credibility of the information itself is not especially high either, but despite meeting Yangcheon face-to-face, Mo Yonggun returned safely to the Alliance of the Martial World, and a woman believed to be Mo Yonggun’s daughter was confirmed entering Ink Dragon Manor.”

“Oh?”

“I suspect there may have been some sort of agreement. Of course, as I just said, it is no more than conjecture.”

“It may be conjecture, but considering the sequence of events, it sounds highly credible.”

“I can believe it of Yangcheon. But Mo Yonggun has no reason to make a deal with Yangcheon.”

“No reason... Do we have any personal information on Clan Lord Mo Yong?”

“We do. Not in fine detail, however.”

“Check it. Look into what sort of disposition he has, and even how much the Mo Yong Clan expanded after he became clan lord.”

“I understand, but... why do you ask?”

“If Clan Lord Mo Yong is hiding ambition, then he has more than enough reason to make a deal with Yangcheon.”

“Pardon?”

“Didn’t they say the Alliance Leader of the Martial World will be chosen next year?”

“...!”

“The Alliance of the Martial World has not existed very long. They too will want someone capable of stable rule seated in the position of first Alliance Leader.”

“Shaolin...”

“Or Wudang. Most likely, the odds are highest that the choice will come from the Nine Sects and One Union. But the board can always be shaken. If someone stands out to a degree that goes beyond common sense, that person may seize the seat of Alliance Leader.”

“I see. So Clan Lord Mo Yong...”

“From what I’ve heard, Mo Yonggun’s ambition is considerable. I also heard he is exceptionally skilled at presenting himself to the outside world in kind with that ambition. A more detailed investigation is needed, of course.”

“I understand.”

“If Mo Yonggun has truly joined hands with Yangcheon...”

“...”

“Then we may be able to shake this board ourselves.”

“Would that not be dangerous? Especially if the Perverse Lust side chooses to make an issue of it...”

“The Perverse Lust side was in charge of the Dark Path. We are aiming at Mo Yonggun. We are fighting on different boards.”

“Ah!”

“Bring me everything on Mo Yonggun.”

“By your command.”

*****

CHWARURURURURUK!

The Flood Dragon Chain ripped through the air with terrifying force.

TITITITING!

The chain knocked away the raining arrows one after another.

Surprise flashed across Mookbi’s face.

PAAAAANG!

With the Flood Dragon Chain wrapped around his hand, Yeon Hojeong charged forward at horrifying speed.

It was the Vermilion Bird’s footwork, the incarnation of the Southern Heaven. No matter how confident Mookbi was in her movement technique, she could not afford to stay relaxed in front of that.

TUH-UH-UH-UNG!

Using the movement technique of Dragon Flight Swift Passage to open the distance, Mookbi pulled the bowstring without an arrow.

It was the Formless Shot, an arrow fired in invisible True Qi.

TAAAAANG!

The power of the Formless Shot as it tore through the air, burning it, was different from before as well.

Fire lit in Yeon Hojeong’s eyes.

KWAAANG!

It happened in an instant, his swift footwork changing into footwork of power and forward momentum. A white gale whirled and formed a single step of White Tiger Monarch-Step.

With the Flood Dragon Chain wound around both fists, Yeon Hojeong hurled out both fists like a madman.

PUH-POONG!

The Formless Shot shattered, and two streams of fist-wind tore toward Mookbi.

Fast, razor-sharp fist strikes. A terrifying martial art that did not hold back against the opponent in the slightest.

And then Mookbi’s body displayed an uncanny movement.

PAAAAK!

Mookbi shot out like lightning and instantly reached the wall beyond the training ground.

PAK!

She kicked off the wall of the training ground, and in the next instant her body had reached the wall on the opposite side.

PABABABAK!

Dragon Flight Swift Passage was not merely a movement technique that was fast. It was a supreme art that fulfilled every category movement arts could offer—elasticity, flexibility, long-range movement, short-range bursts, attack support, everything.

That movement technique, combined with her inborn elasticity, the training that had pushed that elasticity to the extreme, and finally Mookbi’s fearsome dynamic vision, created an astonishing sight.

PAPAPAPAPAPAPANG!

Stone dust sprayed in all directions.

PAPAPANG! TATATATATATANG!

The sound of the air exploding grew even sharper.

“W-What is this?!”

Peng Manho’s voice was full of shock.

And it was not only him. Every soldier of the Evil-Smiting Corps watching Mookbi’s movements stood with mouths hanging open.

Mookbi moved as though erasing every region within the training ground. Her speed was so absurd that her movements could barely be tracked with the naked eye.

She moved like a thick brush drenched in white paint, crazily drawing dozens of straight lines through the air. Astonishingly, even at that speed, the movements of the tips of her feet as they struck earth and wall looked incredibly light.

Hmm.

Yeon Hojeong’s gaze deepened.

It’s incredible, but the stamina drain must be brutal.

Mookbi’s martial art was a dynamic one. Her lung and heart capacity would not fall far behind Yeon Hojeong’s own.

But movement like this was not something that could be sustained indefinitely.

She’s trying to settle it in a short fight. But she knows my reaction speed. Even if she fires from where I can’t see, I’ll dodge every shot. In that case...

KURURURUNG.

It felt as though invisible waves were rushing in from all sides. Yeon Hojeong had drawn up Black Tortoise Qi.

Simultaneous sniper fire!

His guess was correct.

BOOOOOOM!

A Formless Shot carrying tremendous resonance blasted toward Yeon Hojeong.

It was not just one.

Mookbi crisscrossed the entire space without pause, firing Formless Shots each time she moved. It was just that her speed was so extreme only a single explosive report could be heard.

WOOOOOOONG!

The Wall of Martial Arts surged upward like lightning.

It felt as though the world had slowed. Yeon Hojeong counted the Formless Shots converging from all eight directions.

Forty-seven, forty-eight, forty-ni... fifty-nine? She’s dumping out ten shots every time she moves?

He could not help but marvel.

This is insane. She came up with a martial art like this?

Of course, this was no time to stand around admiring it. If he let his guard slip even a little, even he could be taken down.

In that case.

If the opponent had launched an attack that went beyond common sense, then he too had no choice but to answer with something beyond common sense.

Black water qi gathered in both of Yeon Hojeong’s hands.

KWAAAAAAANG! PUH-PUH-PUH-PUH-PUH-POONG!

The training ground shattered and filled with thick smoke.

“Aaagh!”

“Get back!”

“Shit, we’re going to die just from watching!”

The soldiers of the Evil-Smiting Corps recoiled in terror. Even the aftershock of the rebounding force alone was enough to threaten them with internal injury.

TU-U-U-U-UNG!

Mookbi shot high into the air, her face already quite pale. The drain on her Inner Qi and the burden on her body were both too great.

And yet her expression alone was bright.

The Nine-Dragon Destruction Formation landed properly. I didn’t think it would actually succeed in real combat.

The Nine-Dragon Destruction Formation was not a martial art from the Nine-Dragon Heaven-Shattering Bow Mastery. It was a technique she had devised herself while receiving instruction from Yeon Wi.

A martial art of her own that fused the elasticity and speed of Dragon Flight Swift Passage with the destructive power of Nine-Dragon archery. There was still much to refine, but in terms of firepower it was an even stronger technique than Dragon Fang Cannon.

KURURURUNG!

As the dense dust cloud settled, the training ground was revealed, blasted and ruined from end to end.

At that moment, Mookbi’s eyes wavered.

Where did he go?

If anyone took a direct hit from the Nine-Dragon Destruction Formation, not even the corpse would remain intact.

But that did not apply to Yeon Hojeong. She knew his capabilities, and never once doubted that he would take an attack of this level with ease.

And yet Yeon Hojeong had vanished.

Only a massive crater remained in the center of the training ground.

No way?!

Had he really been hit by the Nine-Dragon Destruction Formation? Truly?

TAAAK!

Dropping swiftly to the ground, Mookbi swept her gaze in all directions. Confusion was written plainly across her face.

“Y-Young Master Yeon!”

It was then.

BANG! CHWARURURURURUK!

The Flood Dragon Chain burst from the ground and seized her ankle.

“Hk!”

KWADUDUDEUK!

Bound by the Flood Dragon Chain, her foot was driven down into the ground up to the ankle.

It was monstrous Inner Qi. She had blocked with force in an instant, and even so she had still been buried to the ankle. Considering Mookbi’s amount of Inner Qi, it was truly absurd power.

Surprise rose on Mookbi’s face.

The ground?!

KWAKWAKWAKWANG!

With an earthshaking roar, Yeon Hojeong burst up from the ground to her left.

Mookbi’s hand moved on reflex.

TITITITING!

In that single instant, Mookbi’s reaction speed—firing four consecutive Formless Shots—was no longer within the realm of the human either.

But Yeon Hojeong was faster. Evading the Formless Shots with quick, supple footwork as he closed in, he unleashed the Tiger King’s Nine-Wall Breaker.

KWANG!

“Kh!”

Mookbi collapsed on the spot.

The Red Lotus Bow slipped from her grasp and flew far away. She should have been sent flying by the overwhelming blow, but with her ankle bound by the Flood Dragon Chain, she could neither evade nor defend properly.

“Ugh.”

“You okay?”

Yeon Hojeong grinned wickedly.

“I win.”

Mookbi pouted.

“That was cheap.”

“What was cheap?”

“Going underground like that. What kind of rule is that?”

“What rules are there in real combat?”

“And what is this on my ankle? Tie me up and then hit me? Is that it?”

“This is entirely because you let your guard down. Don’t tell me you actually mistook that attack for one that would grind me away without leaving a trace.”

He really was infuriating.

Mookbi grumbled.

“Just untie this already. How did you wrap it like this? I can’t move at all.”

As Yeon Hojeong unwound the Flood Dragon Chain from around her ankle, he said,

“Still, it wasn’t bad.”

“Hm?”

“That attack just now. Most opponents wouldn’t even dare try to dodge it. Though if you really want to land every single shot, it’ll need to be much more delicate.”

Joy lit Mookbi’s face.

“It was good?”

“Yeah, but it’s not ready for real combat yet. It burns too much Inner Qi and stamina. If it kills for certain, fine—but if it doesn’t, then you’re the one who’ll go down.”

“...That’s true.”

“Refine it a little more. Once it’s complete, it looks like it’ll be flawless as a decisive battle weapon.”

“Yes.”

The soldiers of the Evil-Smiting Corps clicked their tongues at the monstrous sparring match between the two. They had expected it to be fierce, but this had gone well beyond fierce.

And once again they felt it with fresh clarity. Their commander was strong.

Yeon Hojeong’s martial arts, coming out of that catastrophic attack without even a scratch, were truly beyond the human realm.

“Commander!”

Yeon Hojeong, who had been about to suggest they go eat together, turned his head.

Far away, Je Gal Ahyeon was waving her hand.

“A guest is here—... what is this?! Who wrecked the training ground? Did you two spar?”

“Ahem.”

“Hey, if you’re going to fight, go do it out in some mountain valley somewhere! What is this supposed to be?!”

Yeon Hojeong pointed at Mookbi.

“Vice Commander Mookbi wrecked it. My only crime was hiding underground.”

Mookbi looked at Yeon Hojeong with betrayed eyes.

Je Gal Ahyeon grumbled.

“Tch. It’s going to cost a fortune from the public funds to repair this.”

“But why?”

“A guest is here. Hurry up.”

“Who?”

Je Gal Ahyeon pointed upward with her finger.