Chapter 1811 – Return of The Mount Hua Sect
The feet of
the Sun Palace Lord began to retreat involuntarily.
But he
desperately anchored himself to the ground. He wasn’t alone here with Maeng So.
Countless eyes were watching them.
To show
himself faltering under the pressure in front of so many onlookers was worse
than death. He’d rather bite his tongue and die. Especially if his opponent was
the Namman Beast Palace Lord, someone akin to a barbarian.
“You...
bastard...”
He forced
out his voice roughly, trying to change the atmosphere—or perhaps to deny the
emotions he harbored, if only for a moment.
But his
opponent didn’t give him even that respite and moved immediately.
Kwaang!
Maeng So
charged forward, kicking off the ground.
It was a
sudden assault with no warning, no indication. By the time the Sun Palace Lord realized
it and widened his eyes, Maeng So, like a pouncing tiger, was already right in
front of him.
The Sun
Palace Lord reflexively unleashed three powerful strikes forward.
Fwoosh!
Three
ferocious blasts of energy surged forth, as if igniting the air itself. But
instead of evading them, Maeng So charged even faster.
Kwang!
Kwaang! Kwang!
The three
impacts echoed almost simultaneously, sounding like a single explosion. The
energy blasts that the Sun Palace Lord hurled toward Maeng So shattered as soon
as they struck his broad shoulders—or perhaps even before they made contact.
It was a
scene that made it impossible to estimate how solid his body truly was.
But there
was no time to marvel or feel fear. Those shoulders that shattered the energy
strikes were now barreling straight toward the Sun Palace Lord.
‘This
bastard!’
He
acknowledged Maeng So’s strength. Incredibly fast and overwhelmingly sturdy.
Even if the Namman Beast Palace was a place known for taming wild animals like
a barbarian circus, it was undoubtedly one of the pillars of the Five Outer
Palaces. The lord of such a place couldn’t possibly be weak.
However,
this attack was overly straightforward.
The Sun
Palace Lord leaped diagonally, unleashing his energy as he moved. No matter how
tough the body, the back couldn't be as fortified as the chest. He planned to
exploit Maeng So's reckless charge and land a decisive strike on his exposed
back.
As expected,
Maeng So charged past where the Sun Palace Lord had been, seemingly unable to
control his momentum. At this rate, he would keep going for quite a while
before stopping. The Sun Palace Lord was about to unleash his energy without
hesitation when—
Kwang!
Maeng So’s
foot suddenly drove into the ground. With immense force, his foot dug in almost
to his knee, cracks spiderwebbing out from where he had struck.
Whoosh!
Maeng So’s
body spun like lightning. His leg swung horizontally through the air.
It was a
simple rotation, but its simplicity made it all the more effective. It allowed
him to pour his strength entirely into the kick.
The spinning
kick tore through the air, hurtling toward the Sun Palace Lord’s head.
Panicking, the
Sun Palace Lord raised both hands. It was too late to dodge, so he braced
himself to block it somehow.
Kwaaaaaang!
The moment
Maeng So’s leg, brimming with force, collided with the palms of the Sun Palace
Lord—imbued with his Heat Yang Qi Art—an ear-splitting explosion erupted, and a
storm of energy swept in all directions.
“Ugh…”
For a
fleeting moment, the Sun Palace Lord’s world turned black. Even then, he
instinctively unleashed a series of energy blasts toward Maeng So. At least,
that was his intent.
Crack!
But before
he could act, Maeng So’s claw-like hand raked across his chest, leaving a deep
gash. Before the pain even registered, Maeng So’s elbow targeted his temple.
Kwang!
The Sun
Palace Lord barely managed to block the elbow with his forearm. Yet the impact
sent him flying over three meters like a kicked ball.
Thud.
Thump.
Staggering
upon landing, he barely managed to steady himself, narrowly avoiding a
disgraceful collapse.
“You...
dare... ugh...”
The Sun
Palace Lord tried to shout at Maeng So but wavered again. His vision spun. The
sky and earth swapped places repeatedly, refusing to settle.
Thud.
Unable to
endure the dizziness, he fell to one knee. He stared at the ground in
disbelief.
“This...
can't be...”
Realizing
his ear was damp, he touched it to find blood on his hand. Despite blocking the
kick, the aftermath had ruptured his eardrum and violently shook his brain.
A wave of
nausea surged through him, but the humiliation was even worse.
Blood
dripped from his ear down his chin, falling in droplets that seemed to mirror
his crushed pride.
“This...”
How could
this happen?
Seven. He
had unleashed the Sun God Palm seven times.
Seven
full-force strikes capable of turning a vast lake into a dry desert. Yet that
monstrous beast had charged through the heat, forcing him to his knees.
Of course,
it wasn’t as though Maeng So was unscathed.
“Hm.”
Maeng So
nonchalantly pulled at his singed hair, breaking off charred strands. Burns
marked his face, shoulders, and hands.
But that was
all.
Whatever
damage he had sustained, it was minimal. Despite the Sun Palace Lord’s all-out
attack with the Heat Yang Qi Art, Maeng So had emerged with little more than
superficial burns.
Maeng So
brushed at his arm where the burns were, inspecting them, before speaking his
thoughts.
“It’s hot.”
....The Sun Palace
Lord’s shoulders trembled uncontrollably, unable to suppress his humiliation.
‘My Qi Art…’
The Heat
Yang Qi Art sacrifices the stopping power and destructiveness typical of other
palm techniques, instead wielding immense heat to produce lethal force.
In other
words, if heat doesn’t work, it lacks the stopping power and destructiveness of
techniques of the same level.
It was as if
Maeng So’s very existence had been designed to exploit the weaknesses of the Heat
Yang Qi Art. His monstrous body endured the heat of a furnace-like intensity,
and his formidable physique could not be deterred by the Sun Palace Lord’s
techniques.
Maeng So.
No, perhaps the entire martial art of the Namman Beast Palace—was likely
crafted with this in mind from the very beginning.
The Sun
Palace Lord felt this realization painfully keenly. He finally understood what Maeng
So meant when he spoke of why the Sun Palace could not surpass Yunnan.
Until now,
he’d thought it was merely because Yunnan, though remote, was still considered
part of the Central Plains. But now, he knew otherwise.
If monsters
like Maeng So lurked in the dense jungles of the boundary between Yunnan and Namman,
then the world they belonged to would never expand.
“It seems
you’ve finally understood.”
The Sun
Palace Lord bit his lip hard.
“Why…
haven’t you attacked us?”
“Hm. You’re
still asking for reasons? If I must answer, it’s because there’s no reason to.
Not everyone seeks greater power or authority.”
Maeng So
shrugged and continued.
“And, to be
perfectly honest, the simpler reason is that while I can handle you easily, the
Namman Beast Palace cannot so easily handle the Sun Palace. Beasts don’t
particularly like heat or fire. And for the palaces that don’t command beasts,
well, they’re too underwhelming to bother with. So, in conclusion…”
“…..”
“There’s no
reason to fight a battle that would lead to mutual destruction, is there?”
It was a
convincing argument. That was undoubtedly why the Namman Beast Palace and Sun
Palace had spent so long ignoring each other’s existence.
The years
had been so many that even the current Sun Palace Lord no longer understood the
original reason.
“Does that
answer your question?”
“Heh…”
The Sun
Palace Lord staggered as he rose to his feet.
“Indeed,
that's a reason an ignorant barbarian would babble.”
Maeng So’s
eyebrow twitched slightly. It wasn’t that his pride was hurt by the remark.
Rather, it was the ominous aura emanating from the Sun Palace Lord that caught
his attention.
“A battle
that would lead to mutual destruction has no reason to happen, you say?”
Bloodshot
veins spread through the Sun Palace Lord’s eyes.
“Listen
well. I would rather die with you than endure this humiliation. Now, more than
ever!”
Kwaaaaaah!
Suddenly,
flames erupted from the Sun Palace Lord’s right arm. This was no metaphor—the
arm was literally ablaze. The Heat Yang Qi Art, pushed to its absolute limit,
was now burning his very body.
Maeng So’s
large eyes widened even further.
‘Crazy!’
Martial arts
exist to protect the body. No matter how powerful a technique may be, if it
harms its user, it has no value.
Yet here was
the Sun Palace Lord, burning himself alive with his own technique.
“Uooooohhh!”
Finally, he
charged at Maeng So. The sheer heat radiating from him made even Maeng So
flinch with dread. Each step left searing orange footprints that melted the
ground beneath him.
“Dieeeee!”
“Ugh…!”
Maeng So
gritted his teeth, trying to throw a punch. But his arm wouldn’t fully extend.
‘This is…?’
Everything
before him was painted in a white tinged with orange. The heat emanating from
the Sun Palace Lord’s right arm had consumed his entire form and was now
enveloping Maeng So.
Sizzle!
Black smoke
began rising from various points on Maeng So’s body. The heat was enough to
burn even bones.
This was a
suicidal strike, a desperate attack meant to annihilate the opponent, even at
the cost of one’s own life. Not even Maeng So could endure such an onslaught.
His massive
fist began to tremble.
Where should
he aim? What should he block? Even if he shattered the body hidden within that
Qi Art, could he withstand the heat?
Amid this
near-supernatural phenomenon, Maeng So found no solution. The heat penetrating
his body felt like it was burning every last drop of his blood.
Maeng So
crouched low, like a tiger preparing to pounce on its prey. Yet his claws—his
mighty fists—remained frozen, unable to find their mark.
The world
grew ever brighter and hotter, dissolving into a blazing haze. The Sun Palace
Lord, now one with the inferno, squeezed out the last of his internal energy.
Even if his body melted entirely, he would drag Maeng So to the afterlife.
It was the
only way to protect the pride of the Sun Palace Lord, who had once been crushed
by Jang Ilso.
“Haahhhhhh!”
Finally, the
Sun Palace Lord unleashed his full power upon Maeng So.
But in his
fading vision, the Sun Palace Lord noticed something. Two figures darted toward
Maeng So, who was crouched like a smoldering black rock.
It didn’t
matter who they were. It didn’t matter at all.
At this
moment, he could reduce anyone to ashes. It was a technique that could only be
performed once in a lifetime. But if unleashed, the Sun and Moon Sacred
Flames could destroy anyone. [il-wolseonghwa, 일월성화(日月聖火)]
The two
figures extended their palms toward him. The motion seemed as futile as a
mantis trying to stop a speeding cart.
But from
their hands, a frosty white Qi emanated—a cold light tinged with blue that was
entirely different from the Sun Palace Lord’s flames.
For the
briefest moment, the hellish heat that consumed the world came to a halt.
The Sun
Palace Lord realized what that light was. He knew what it was called and why it
was said to be the perfect counter to his flames.
‘Ice
White Divine Palm? Could it be… the North Sea Ice…’ [bingbaegsinjang,
빙백신장(氷白神掌)]
At that
moment, the blazing world was interrupted.
And through
that fleeting gap created by the radiant white light, the crouched tiger
uncoiled.
Maeng So’s
enormous fist tore through the glowing world, flying in a straight line.
‘You… lowly…
creature…!’
That fist
turned the Sun Palace Lord’s world black.
Kwaang!
And finally,
it completely painted it in the unchanging color of death.
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