The empire’s power had not begun weakening yesterday.

Even so, the empire still existed, and although it was no longer what it had once been, it still exercised tremendous power when it came to encompassing the lives of the people.

As the empire lost strength, the power of the martial world naturally grew. The martial world devoted its strength to maintaining public order where the empire could no longer do so, and in particular, the martial gates of the Orthodox Path put their greatest effort into protecting the people’s safety.

Of course, the Pact of Mutual Non-Interference Between the Government and the Martial World remained valid. In a way, the fact that the martial world had taken on work the empire should have done was itself no different from violating that pact.

But the imperial palace and the authorities could not accuse them of violating the pact. After all, they were the ones too weak to protect the people’s safety, so they were in a position where they ought to be grateful that the martial world had stepped forward instead.

Even so, the martial world could not look down on the imperial palace and the authorities. It simply could not.

A nation was the root that supported all under heaven. If the martial world ran wild and the nation disappeared, then the world truly would collapse.

That was why famous sects selected a small number of disciples and sent them to the imperial palace and the authorities. Since the martial world had so many people skilled in both learning and martial arts, it would occasionally send renowned talents so they could help sustain the empire.

In that way, the empire barely held together. The martial world respected the imperial palace and the authorities, and it was courteous to officials who acted on their behalf.

That was also why Yeon Hojeong had been able to identify Gyu Jeok’s post at a glance from his official uniform.

When establishing an organization, it was only natural to pay attention not only to the local sects, but also to the authorities. To create a colossal force on the scale of the Black Emperor’s Citadel, one had to pay attention to the empire itself.

As the Dark Emperor, master of the Black Emperor’s Citadel, Yeon Hojeong had memorized almost everything about the imperial palace and the authorities—not only their ceremonial robes and official uniforms, but their duties, revenues, and much more.

“Remarkable.”

Gyu Jeok’s eyes deepened.

In those eyes, which had been shining with competitive spirit and killing intent, a light of surprise rose.

“You look very young, yet you somehow know the uniform of a Pacification Officer. For your age, your knowledge is impressive.”

“So that was it.”

The corners of Yeon Hojeong’s mouth rose sharply, as if they would pierce the sky.

“The Divine Flame Cult is operating in secret within the imperial palace and the authorities... I knew that already, but seeing it directly like this makes it clear you bastards really have been working hard.”

Flinch!

The competitive spirit sank from Gyu Jeok’s eyes.

Surprise and violent emotion took its place.

“You knew that?”

Recognizing the uniform of a Pacification Officer could happen if one was knowledgeable enough. Since a master of this level had launched a sudden ambush, Gyu Jeok had also considered the possibility that Yeon knew he belonged to the Divine Flame Cult.

But knowing that the Divine Flame Cult was operating in secret within the imperial palace and the authorities was an entirely different matter. This was not on the level of arguing whether the chicken or the egg came first.

Crack.

Yeon Hojeong loosened his fingers and lowered his stance again.

“Judging from the state of you, you’re not going to amount to much either. Exchanging names? Don’t make me laugh.”

“...”

“Since it’s come to this, I’ll vent a little and then put you to good use as firewood.”

Originally, Yeon Hojeong had intended to trail Gyu Jeok and investigate his movements thoroughly.

But Gyu Jeok’s movement technique was faster than expected, and his sensory perception was sharp.

Yeon Hojeong’s anger toward the Three Creeds had probably played a part as well. He had tried ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) to coldly rein in his qi, but it was hard to keep governing his heart without pause.

On top of that, it was unreasonable to erase his presence and keep up with Gyu Jeok’s full running speed at the same time. So he had decided to catch him outright and wring him dry.

“Vent? Firewood...”

Gyu Jeok’s face twisted strangely. He looked as if Yeon Hojeong’s words had enraged him beyond measure, yet also as if he welcomed the other man’s reaction.

“Try it, if you can, brat.”

BOOOOOM!

Gyu Jeok’s body slid backward.

No words like ready or begin were needed. He could attack first at any time.

This was a fight against someone who understood the essence of real combat. Their raw power was similar, but this was a life-and-death clash with a true master, one on an entirely different level from Beomo, whose strength had been comparable but whose flexibility had been lacking.

TADADADAK!

Yeon Hojeong closed in at terrifying speed.

His speed was similar to before, but unlike the way he had approached earlier with Blood-Wing Sweeping Heaven, he now advanced with short, elastic steps that left countless footprints behind him. It was movement that could respond no matter when or how a counterattack came.

This bastard.

Just by looking at a single altered footwork pattern, one could tell how skilled the opponent was in real combat.

Thick excitement filled Gyu Jeok’s eyes again.

I can have a proper bout with him.

PAAAAAK!

This time, Gyu Jeok charged to meet him.

The two men closed in at frightening speed and finally collided.

BANG!

Their first exchange was the same body slam, though neither had arranged it.

HOOOOOOONG! KWADUDUDEUK!

Yeon Hojeong summoned the wind of the White Tiger, and both his feet dug into the ground.

HWARURURUK! Crack! Crack-crack!

Gyu Jeok summoned the flames of the Blue Furnace, and both his feet were driven back little by little.

The one enduring and pushing through with sheer strength was Yeon Hojeong. Regardless of branch or lineage, it had been truly long since he had crossed hands with a master from the Three Creeds. His muscles, burning with extreme Killing Intent and excitement, were different from before.

Gyu Jeok drew a short breath.

PAAAAAK!

Gyu Jeok smoothly leaned his body back, seized Yeon Hojeong’s arms, and flung him behind himself.

Yeon Hojeong’s strength was tremendous, but Gyu Jeok’s was by no means weak.

Chiiiiik!

Both of Yeon Hojeong’s forearms, where Gyu Jeok had gripped them, glowed red-hot.

Even though he had blocked the Fire energy with Black Tortoise Qi the moment he was seized, he had almost been burned.

Gyu Jeok’s ability to drive power into an opponent in an instant was superb. It was fantastic Inner Qi control, proof that this was a battle where either man’s head could fly off the moment one made the slightest mistake.

BANG!

Thrown behind Gyu Jeok, Yeon Hojeong stamped down with a powerful Stamping Step.

Gyu Jeok, who had been rushing straight at him, quickly straightened himself. He had read an ominous counterattack in the force of Yeon Hojeong’s Stamping Step.

PAPAPAPANG!

Because his launch had been so fast, he needed four braking kicks just to stop.

His speed dropped quickly, but Gyu Jeok’s body still barely entered Yeon Hojeong’s attack range.

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes filled with murderous light.

KURURUNG!

The force drawn up through that fierce Stamping Step erupted as a savage fist-wind.

Gyu Jeok’s eyes widened.

Hundred-Pace Divine Fist?!

It was Shaolin’s legendary martial art, said to completely crush an opponent through a powerful Stamping Step and explosive fist-wind.

Gyu Jeok did not have deep knowledge of Central Plains martial arts, but the movement looked extremely similar to the Hundred-Pace Divine Fist he had heard of in passing. Its destructive power, too, was so overwhelming that a chill ran down his spine the moment the fist-wind shot out.

Of course, Yeon Hojeong’s martial art was not the Hundred-Pace Divine Fist.

It was the White Tiger Art, displayed for the first time in a truly long while. He had drawn up earth force through the One-Step Stamping Step of White Tiger Monarch and unleashed one blow of Tiger King Kill.

Too late!

Its destructive power was one thing, but it had been fired at far too perfect a moment. Defense, not evasion, was the correct answer.

KURURURUNG!

Gyu Jeok also planted himself with a powerful Stamping Step and thrust a fist toward the centerline. It was a high-grade secret art of the Divine Flame Cult: Fire Dragon Emergence from the Flame King Eight Fists.

The two masters’ powerful, burning fist strikes collided head-on.

KWAAAAANG!

With an explosive roar, Gyu Jeok retreated two steps.

It was not because he had been overpowered. Gyu Jeok had been pushed back because his attack had come late, preventing him from loading his fist-wind with its full strength.

PABABABAK!

Yeon Hojeong dissolved the impact a beat faster and threw himself at Gyu Jeok again.

This was a vicious duel of martial arts where both men dragged up their internal force to the limit and unleashed it. If even one blow landed properly, the struck area would simply evaporate.

Gyu Jeok quickly steadied his stance and looked at Yeon Hojeong.

HWAAAAAAK!

“...!”

Upon a stage of flame blazing across heaven and earth,

Yeon Hojeong charged in with a cold expression, yet the light blazing from his eyes was hotter and more wicked than fire. The sight of him was terror itself.

Before one even considered his martial achievement, his force was different. There was even a murderous obsession in him, as if an emissary of the King of Hell had leaped from the underworld to seize a runaway ghost.

Gyu Jeok clenched his teeth and swung both fists like a madman.

KWAKWAKWANG!

Fists collided with fists, unleashing brutal shock waves. The force of those shock waves was so fierce that even the flames burning all around them drew back in a circle with a whoosh.

This was a fierce clash between supreme masters who knew real combat. Before that overflowing destructive power and those chilling waves of Killing Intent, even the mountain fire spreading like a disaster could not approach.

THUD!

Yeon Hojeong’s fist buried itself in Gyu Jeok’s abdomen.

Crack!

Gyu Jeok’s knee smashed up into Yeon Hojeong’s jaw.

Yeon Hojeong staggered back. Taking a direct hit to the jaw and not losing consciousness was already fortunate enough. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Gyu Jeok’s eyes flashed.

PAAK!

At a short distance of less than two zhang, there was no speed gap between him and Yeon Hojeong. Closing in tight in an instant, Gyu Jeok aimed a level fist at Yeon Hojeong’s Adam’s apple.

It happened then.

PAAAAAK!

“Urgh!”

There had been no sign of it, and Gyu Jeok could not tell when the kick had come. A clump of dirt kicked up by the toe Yeon Hojeong had dug into the ground sprayed straight into Gyu Jeok’s face.

Caught off guard by the unexpected method, his upper body wavered. Gyu Jeok’s level fist grazed past Yeon Hojeong’s shoulder.

Yeon Hojeong did not miss the opportunity. For one instant, his mind truly had nearly flown away, but he held on through superhuman endurance and limitless killing intent toward his enemy.

His hands hammered Gyu Jeok’s upper body at incredible speed.

PUH-PUH-POONG!

“Guh!”

It was an eighteen-hit chain unleashed in an instant. The power of each blow was not great, but as a linked attack, it was more than enough to shake the insides of a master protected by internal force.

PABABAK!

Gyu Jeok retreated frantically. Before he knew it, blood was flowing from the corner of his mouth.

Yeon Hojeong had seized the advantage with a momentary counterattack. He immediately entered attacking range, but then quickly pulled himself back from the tremendous baptism of flame approaching from his left.

HWARURURUK! KURURUNG!

The flames that crossed the air scraped along the surface of the earth and vanished with a whoosh. Gyu Jeok had read the follow-up strike and drawn in Fire energy to cut off the attack itself.

It was a qi art close to a divine skill, pulling in the surrounding flames to attack. It consumed a fair amount of Inner Qi, but if he had not done even this, he would have been driven back again and again until he was finally defeated.

Crack, crack.

Yeon Hojeong grabbed his knee. He had been approaching at explosive speed and had been forced not only to brake but to throw himself backward in a hurry. His joints throbbed as if they were about to shatter.

Rustle, rustle.

Gyu Jeok brushed the dirt from his face and glared at Yeon Hojeong with shadowed eyes.

“You use rather petty methods.”

Yeon Hojeong grinned.

“I’ll do anything to win.”

“You see the victor’s strength as virtue, rather than the victory of the strong?”

“That’s what a fight is, brat.”

Brat, he called him. Looking at Yeon Hojeong’s much younger face, the word sounded terribly strange.

But unlike his young appearance, Yeon Hojeong’s voice overflowed with the dignity of a grandmaster.

While exchanging murderous attacks with a master from the enemy side, he had at some point recovered the image of the sovereign who had once ruled the darkness.

Gyu Jeok’s face hardened.

He had read the imperial presence radiating from Yeon Hojeong.

“...Good.”

Gyu Jeok stamped the ground hard.

KWAAAAANG! HWARURURUK!

For an instant, all his hair shot toward the sky.

HWARURUK! HWARURURUK!

The Fire energy pouring from Gyu Jeok’s body gradually dyed itself blue. He had drawn Blue Furnace Pure Fire Art up to its extreme.

“The preliminary bout is over. I won’t go easy on you now, nameless little brat.”

Yeon Hojeong smiled wickedly.

Before anyone knew it, he was holding the axe that had been rolling across the ground.

“I’ll carve you apart alive until you beg me to kill you, brat.”

KURURURUNG!

In the winter night sky,

thunder rumbled through the cold clouds.