Black and White Martial Emperor

The place Tang Gwan took Yeon Hojeong was a training ground prepared not far from the quarters.

It was an outdoor training ground, but it had not been properly maintained, so cracks and broken places lay scattered everywhere. The Martial Alliance had grown rapidly, but there were still many spaces within the Alliance like this, never properly put to use.

Yeon Hojeong whistled.

“It’s wide.”

“It is.”

“If it were repaired properly, it would be large enough for even a corps-level unit to train here. To think a place like this existed. The main Alliance still has a long way to go.”

“Thanks to that, it’s perfect for training alone.”

Training.

For some reason, it was a word that did not suit Tang Gwan. He was a man who seemed as if he would always be arrogant and aloof.

“Come up.”

“Yes.”

After stepping onto the training ground, Yeon Hojeong suddenly noticed that the floor was damaged in several places.

It melted.

It had been broken and melted at the same time.

They were traces left by training in poison arts. Extremely faint traces, but for someone with Yeon Hojeong’s eye, they were traces he could certainly see through.

Fists, palms, fingers, and kicks aren’t the main focus. Those traces are here too, but the core is hidden weapons.

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes shone.

These are traces of poison qi loaded into hidden weapons and fired. Impressive.

It was no simple matter to do this—not merely coating them in poison, but making poison qi seep into the hidden weapons themselves and maintaining it until the moment of impact.

Leaving the method of operation aside, the force-emission formula itself would be tremendously complex. If it were only one or two hidden weapons, that might be one thing, but to scatter several dozen, one had to be able to operate formulas complex enough to make the eyes spin, all at once.

This was why the Tang Clan’s martial arts were terrifying. No one could approach them easily, and even a peerless genius would have difficulty reaching great accomplishment. One had to accumulate broad knowledge of poison and hidden weapons, and to melt that into martial arts required effort and intellect beyond imagination.

He is still lacking.

In the era of the Dark Emperor, Tang Gwan had been called the Emperor of Ten Thousand Poisons and had spread his fame as a terror of the martial world.

But that was the result of Tang Gwan thoroughly hiding himself. He had displayed ability in poison incomparable to anyone else, enough to be called the emperor of all poisons, but in truth, his true hidden art had not been poison, but hidden weapons.

Compared to the era when he was the Emperor of Ten Thousand Poisons, he still lacks many things. The traces say as much. However.......

Yeon Hojeong looked at Tang Gwan again.

Tang Gwan stood with his back turned, hands clasped behind him. It seemed he had been lost in thought in his own way.

He is clearly taking the proper steps. He knows exactly what shape the invincible hidden art he will gain in the future will take.

Yeon Hojeong was inwardly impressed.

He is a genius.

Tang Gwan of that era had not been a talkative man.

It could not be helped. Whatever the reason, Yeon Hojeong had been the King of the Dark Path, while Tang Gwan had been the second-in-command of the Orthodox martial world.

Still, he knew that the “legendary” hidden art Tang Gwan was learning had been passed down to him by his father, Tang Hyeong.

An unfinished hidden art. Then that means the current Dark King is also in the middle of supplementing this martial art.

He had passed down an unfinished martial art to his child. That must mean he had that much confidence in it.

And comparing “that martial art” Tang Gwan had shown in his Emperor of Ten Thousand Poisons era to the traces here now, there was a high chance Tang Gwan had realized it alone without the Dark King’s help and created the strongest hidden art in Tang Clan history.

Tang Gwan said,

“When someone reaches your level, he would not be unable to use a new weapon in actual combat merely because he obtained it not long ago.”

“Of course. Though I won’t be able to draw out ten-tenths of this weapon’s ability.”

“I suppose so.”

Tang Gwan turned around.

For an instant, Yeon Hojeong twitched. It was because Tang Gwan’s eyes, fixed on him, were more serious than ever before.

“Do you know why I intend to show this martial art to you, who are neither your father nor my daughter?”

“I do not.”

He meant it. Even Yeon Hojeong could not read Tang Gwan’s intention in this matter.

With a slightly pained face, Tang Gwan said,

“I saw the hidden art your father displayed against the First Warrior-General. It was truly extraordinary. Such a martial art is not something one can learn because someone teaches it. It is a martial art that can be obtained only for oneself, through effort that makes one vomit blood and through endless inquiry.”

“I think so as well.”

“That is why your father would not have sought advice from anyone. There would be no need, and no meaning. He must have simply devoted himself endlessly to the martial path and seized that absolute single sword strike in his hand.”

“That is correct.”

“However, my martial art is different from the single move your father possesses.”

Fire lit in Tang Gwan’s eyes.

“My martial art has countless forms, and because it is not a single blow, but the sum of a barrage and linked strikes, it draws out Inner Qi operation so complex it is almost absurd, as well as the exhaustion of True Qi.”

“......”

“Your father, Clan Lord Yeon’s enlightenment, is supreme. At least when it comes to the sword. The problem is that his enlightenment is weighted toward the sword. If someday he reaches the ultimate way of the sword and masters all martial arts, that may be different, but at least right now, he would not be able to look into the flaws of my martial art as well as you.”

It was a startling statement.

Tang Gwan was certain that Yeon Hojeong would be able to examine his martial art better than Yeon Wi. And he was saying that directly to the person concerned.

Yeon Hojeong was greatly shocked.

He had not known Tang Gwan held him in such high regard, and he had never imagined that Tang Gwan would openly show him the weakness in his own martial art.

“Your father’s martial art is an unchanging pure strike, while my martial art is a many-changing chaotic strike. Your father’s martial art is simple yet strong, while mine is colorful and sharp.”

Srrrk.

Tang Gwan raised both hands.

Tsst, tsst, tsst.

Deep green mist flowing from his fingertips slowly wrapped around his entire body. It looked as if two enormous green venomous snakes were protecting him.

“I will not show you all of it. I will not show it twice either. But if there is something you see and feel, I want you to tell me exactly as it is.”

A strange look entered Yeon Hojeong’s face.

“Is that the repayment you are demanding from me after I received the Black-White Twin Dragons?”

“It is.”

“It seems I will receive two and give ten.”

Tang Gwan chuckled.

“No one knows whether your advice will amount to one thing or ten.”

“Of course. And that is why.”

Srrng.

Though there was no scabbard to take in their blades, when he lifted the twin axes, a cold sound rang out.

“I will receive it directly.”

“......?!”

Tang Gwan’s eyes opened wide.

“You mean to receive this martial art directly with your body?”

“To properly understand a martial art whose formula and method I do not know, there is no better method than facing it directly.”

“Arrogant brat! This martial art is no ordinary martial art! Even I still cannot control its power or direction properly! I am saying it is that dangerous!”

“Then all the more reason I should clash with it head-on. So I can give you a satisfactory repayment.”

“......!”

“Do not worry. If I die like this, that will be because my ability was lacking, so I will not resent you, Clan Lord.”

It was a meaningful statement.

In the past, Yeon Hojeong had lost his life to the feather needles Tang Gwan fired. Since he was the one saying it, the weight carried by those words was different.

And Tang Gwan felt that weight in Yeon Hojeong’s words.

“Do you want to die that badly?”

Srrrk.

Yeon Hojeong lowered his stance.

As if he had always trained in such a martial art, the hand holding the White Dragon Axe naturally extended forward, while the hand holding the Black Dragon Axe fixed itself in front of the right side of his upper body.

“Shall we begin?”

Tsst, tsst, tsst, tsst.

The deep green mist that had been wrapped around Tang Gwan’s body slowly seeped into his sleeves.

Tang Gwan stared silently at Yeon Hojeong, then nodded.

“The poison qi will not be easy to control. However, I will not load it with deadly poison. If signs of poisoning appear, immediately sit cross-legged and drive out the poison.”

“Understood.”

“......Stupid brat.”

Chiriririring.

In an instant, glittering shards of metal flowed out in lines from inside his sleeves.

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes flashed.

Controlling objects through empty air.

It was not surprising. That hidden art of Tang Gwan’s was an absolute hidden art that required at least the ability to control objects through empty air.

HWARURURUK!

Vermilion Bird Fire Qi rose from Yeon Hojeong’s body.

Hooooong.

By contrast, white smoke was rising from both feet planted on the ground. White Tiger Metal Qi, the White Tiger Monarch-Step, was manifesting naturally.

Sensing those two energies, Tang Gwan nodded inwardly. Not only was the harmony between Fire energy and metal qi remarkable, their strength was also extraordinary, so with Yeon Hojeong’s skill, Tang Gwan thought he at least would not die.

“I begin.”

WHOOOOOOOSH!

Following Tang Gwan’s hands as they drew circles like flowing water, the path of the glittering hidden weapons moved beautifully.

Flower Rain Art, opening chapter.

Chiriring! Chiriririring!

Shards of daggers smaller than a thumb collided, making an eerie sound.

Even though he had seen the hidden art before, Yeon Hojeong felt his body tense on its own. He had seen that hidden art sweep enemies away in an instant, but he had never faced it directly himself.

Flash!

A deep green light burst from Tang Gwan’s pupils.

“......Gale Form.”

It was at that moment.

WHOOOOOOOOOSH!!

A brutal gale that seemed ready to tear the atmosphere apart suddenly blew in, and two massive streams of light-shards shot toward Yeon Hojeong’s front.

......!!

Shock appeared on Yeon Hojeong’s face.

It’s different!

It was different from the hidden art Tang Gwan had shown in the era of the Emperor of Ten Thousand Poisons.

No, it was a kind of that same hidden art, but the content was different. In terms of forms, it was a frontal direct attack completely opposite to the form from back then.

It was as if two enormous serpents made of thousands of iron scales were each racing forward.

Damn it! Don’t tell me this martial art has a different attack range and direction for every form?!

It was as if he had been vaguely expecting something and then had been struck completely from behind.

Yeon Hojeong quickly took one step.

KWAAAAANG!

With a Stamping Step more urgent and powerful than ever before, the Black-White Twin Dragon Axes blazing with Vermilion Bird Fire Qi swung at terrifying speed.

Vermilion Bird Art, Red-Flame Six-Kill Art.

Flower Rain Art, opening chapter, Gale Form.

Two extreme killing arts collided head-on.

JJEOJEOJEOJEOJEOJEOJEOJEOONG!

The countless crescents drawn by the Black-White Twin Dragon Axes knocked away the dagger shards fired while raising a gale.

It was truly tremendous speed. Even though this was his first time handling them properly, Yeon Hojeong’s twin-axe art had already risen to the level of a master.

JJEOJEOJEOJEOONG! FWIP!

However, even that astonishing twin-axe art could not block every shard. The bombardment of hidden weapons crashing in while raising a gale—their number was too great to count one by one, so even Yeon Hojeong under heaven could not defend perfectly.

JJEOJEOJEOJEOJEOONG! FWIP!

He knocked away almost all the hidden weapons from the front, but with a strange current, a hidden weapon climbed along the axe, grazed Yeon Hojeong’s forearm, and slipped behind him.

Thud-thud-thud! SWISH-SWISH-SWISH-SWISH!

Both of Yeon Hojeong’s arms were instantly dyed with blood. It was because not one or two, but several dozen hidden weapons had grazed past his forearms.

This is bad.

Chiiiiik!

Whitish smoke rose from the wounds. His Vermilion Bird Fire Qi was evaporating the poison qi that had seeped into his body.

But the real problem was not the poison qi.

Why is the force so strong?!

The shock transmitted through the twin axes was truly immense.

Every single hidden weapon contained power that could not be ignored. Since he was knocking down hundreds of them, the impact was accumulating in his wrists, elbows, and then even his shoulders.

It was a terrifying linked assault. The dagger shards pouring down without end were like fluttering flower petals, but their destructive power was like a rain of steel.

Yeon Hojeong gritted his teeth and endured. The instant he made a mistake and lowered the axes, that terrifying storm of hidden weapons would mince his upper body into thousands of pieces and turn him into a spray of blood.

JJEOJEOJEOJEOJEOONG! BANG!

After blocking Gale Form with several hundred axe strikes, Yeon Hojeong twisted the direction of the hidden weapons curving in with a final Stamping Step and sent them into the sky.

“Hup!”

Yeon Hojeong let out a deep breath.

Damn it, this really isn’t easy.

At that moment, Tang Gwan said,

“You blocked all of that?”

Yeon Hojeong looked at Tang Gwan without answering.

Tang Gwan, who had been staring at Yeon Hojeong with a shocked face, unconsciously chuckled. It was because he saw the expectation, surprise, and passion on Yeon Hojeong’s face.

“You want to receive more?”

“Yes.”

“......Good.”

Chiririririring!

As if they had surged up from nowhere, dagger shards formed a vast dark cloud above Tang Gwan’s head.

Deathly scales embroidered the whole sky. Every single one of them looked like a petal made of light.

“Then I suppose I shall let you taste just a bit.”