Chapter 65: The Eldest Son of Beksan (5)

"Hmm, it's done."

Yeon Ho-jeong clenched his fist.

Sssss.

The White Tiger Qi naturally gathered.

He wanted to punch out immediately. If he swung at a rock, it would shatter; if he swung at a tree, it would splinter.

Of course, this was also possible with the Beksanjinjeol, which he was gradually mastering.

However, there was a difference in offensive power when using the Beksanjin Qi to control and channel the White Tiger Qi.

'Now I can control it properly.'

The White Tiger Qi is fierce. It is not a heavy and static energy like the Black Tortoise Qi.

Therefore, it always tries to burst out. If he can't properly control the White Tiger Qi, it becomes difficult to control his martial arts.

If he can't control his martial arts?

Then it's self-destruction. Even the greatest sword must be used at the right time to shine. If he misuses the uncontrolled White Tiger Qi, his body will collapse before his inner energy is depleted.

'But still.'

Pride filled Yeon Ho-jeong's face.

'With the White Tiger, I feel much more secure.'

It had been eight days since he obtained the White Tiger Qi.

During this time, he controlled his inner energy and refined it to fit his body.

He didn't practice swinging his axe or footwork, but he felt his martial arts had greatly improved. Even in the pursuit of extreme martial arts, a minimum balance is necessary.

Yeon Ho-jeong picked up his axe and stood up. After spending several days in the forest, his beard was unkempt, but his skin seemed clearer.

"Then."

He took a powerful step forward.

Boom!

His footsteps shook the earth, announcing the presence of the mountain's master.

Yeon Ho-jeong's body dispersed like smoke.

Bang!

Just as he seemed to disappear, he reappeared ten steps away and split a tree with a diagonal slash.

Originally, his footwork was not that fast. Even now, the level of his footwork was not much different from before he obtained the White Tiger Qi.

However, his footwork was different.

He was always fast at closing the distance. But now, he was even faster, almost as quick as lightning.

This was the White Tiger Overlord Step (White Tiger Ruling Step). It was the step of the Western Great Emperor, who dominated the bloody battlefield.

A footwork that could handle all enemies within its range, specialized for combat.

Yeon Ho-jeong swung his axe again.

Swoosh!

He swung it so powerfully that the handle seemed to bend.

It was similar to the Beast Spear Technique but completely different. Now, it truly contained the essence of one-strike fatal moves.

A powerful martial art that could crush the enemy's momentum before the actual attack, the Tiger King Nine Wall Stance.

After swinging his axe dozens of times, he struck the base of a rock with the axe in his right hand.

Boom! Rumble!

A fairly large rock rolled five zhang (about 16.5 feet) and stopped when it hit a huge tree.

He sent the rock flying with explosive force. Such strength was unheard of.

Boom!

Yeon Ho-jeong put down his axe and looked at his hands.

His fingertips were trembling slightly.

'The Qi is perfect, but my body can't keep up.'

With the White Tiger Qi infused in his axe, the rock should have shattered. However, Yeon Ho-jeong pushed the rock away with its destructive energy.

This meant he could freely control his inner energy, a sign that he could perfectly control the White Tiger Qi.

However, his muscles, tendons, and joints could not withstand the destructive technique.

'For now, it's fine. But if I don't address it, it will eventually lead to a breakdown.'

Yeon Ho-jeong was not worried.

The White Tiger Qi is rough, but it also strengthens the bones and muscles.

In other words, if he can properly control the White Tiger Qi, this problem will eventually disappear without additional physical training.

Yeon Ho-jeong took a deep breath.

Hum.

He stabilized himself with the Beksanjin Qi, recovered his inner energy with the White Tiger Qi, and dispelled the impure energy with the Black Tortoise Qi.

The recovery was incredibly fast. His sluggish body was instantly filled with vitality.

"Alright, then."

He slung his axe over his shoulder and looked at the tall building in the distance.

His stomach growled.

"It's been a while since I had a good meal."

Yeon Ho-jeong had arrived in Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan.

While Kaifeng was bustling, Zhengzhou was even more crowded. The streets were more splendid, and the buildings were larger and taller.

Yeon Ho-jeong entered a particularly large and luxurious building and immediately booked a room.

He hadn't bathed properly for several days. He washed his body for over half an hour and changed into new clothes.

The clothes he had requested in advance were martial arts attire. They were black, which didn't show dirt easily.

After changing into the martial arts attire, he picked up his axe and headed to the dining area.

Clatter.

The building was noisy. Many people were already drinking, even though it wasn't evening yet.

He sat in a corner on the top floor and ordered some dishes. Of course, alcohol was included.

"The smell is good."

Three dishes he ordered arrived. Yeon Ho-jeong devoured the food like a madman.

However, he was not a glutton. After finishing two dishes, his stomach was comfortably full.

'Just enough for a snack.'

He happily took a sip of alcohol.

He felt people glancing at him, but he didn't care. He wasn't the type to be bothered by others' gazes, and he was used to it.

Just as he finished a bottle and ordered another, a voice spoke up.

"You drink very heartily."

Yeon Ho-jeong looked up.

A woman with a radiant appearance stood there. Her cheeks were flushed, indicating she had been drinking.

She was very attractive. Whether intentionally or not, her curvaceous figure was clearly visible, making it hard for any man to look away.

"Are you a martial artist from the Jianghu? Wow, carrying such a large axe? That's amazing! You must be very strong, right?"

Yeon Ho-jeong replied calmly.

"I use my strength appropriately."

"Heh, you're a serious one, aren't you? That's attractive."

She openly called him attractive. It wasn't easy for even a shameless person to say such things.

The woman placed her hand on the table.

It was a bold and alluring pose. The cleavage in her open neckline was visible.

"How about it? I'm also alone, so would you like to drink together?"

"Is that okay?"

"Mother. Why not? Is there a law that says men and women can't drink together?"

"There isn't, right?"

"Then let's drink together."

"No, thank you."

Disappointment showed on the woman's face.

"Why? Do you prefer to be alone?"

Yeon Ho-jeong gestured to the surroundings.

"People aren't looking at me, you know."

"Huh?"

"It's because I carry such a fearsome weapon. They pretend not to look, but they all glance at me. But now, no one is looking at me."

"Mother, are they looking at me then?"

The woman looked around. But no one was looking at this place.

Yeon Ho-jeong chuckled.

"Seems like you had quite a few troublemakers while I was away. Even though no one is looking at you, right?"

The woman continued to look around.

"Really? They're not looking at me? Why is that?"

"Why? Because you're scary."

"I'm scary? What did I do?"

"I don't know. How many people have you dealt with, how many have you messed with?"

The woman fell silent.

Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.

"You're really clumsy. If you want to deceive someone, you should deceive everyone, not just me."

"Hmm."

"When the time comes, I'll play along. For now, go clean up and get some sleep."

"Mother, that sounds intriguing."

The woman turned back to Yeon Ho-jeong.

Her face was still cheerful, but her eyes were as cold as ice.

"How did you know, little brother?"

Her tone had changed.

"Didn't I just say?"

"No, not that reason. I'm really curious how you knew."

"I've said all I need to. Go."

"Hmm, really? You figured it out so easily?"

Of course.

There was also a sense of intuition that couldn't be logically explained. Having seen so many people who deceived others and stabbed them in the back, he could smell it from the moment they approached.

Thud.

The woman sat down opposite him with a good-natured smile.

Yeon Ho-jeong grumbled.

"Let me eat in peace, will you?"

"Eat. I won't touch you."

She was sincere. Yeon Ho-jeong could read the sincerity in her words.

Sincerity always comes from confidence. The woman, or rather, they, were confident they could easily capture Yeon Ho-jeong.

The woman leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand.

She was still in an alluring pose, but the sultriness was gone. Her eyes, cold and pure, revealed a childlike innocence.

"I'm amazed. You were the fastest. Most men are all over me when I approach."

"You must have only dealt with fools."

"Is that so? But among those we captured, there were some pretty good ones. Like the Hengshan Sword Hero, I think?"

Yeon Ho-jeong's eyes lit up.

He knew the nickname Hengshan Sword Hero. The reason was that he was the last great master of the declining Hengshan Sect.

What mattered was his martial prowess.

The Hengshan Sword Hero was a legendary master who was on par with the elder of the Qingcheng Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects. Capturing such a master indicated their exceptional abilities.

"How many of you are there?"

"Let's see? About seventy? After a few new members joined, I haven't counted properly."

"Quite a few of you to capture one person."

"Come on, really? We're not that bad. It took only five of us to capture the Hengshan Sword Hero."

Yeon Ho-jeong's eyes sparkled.

That was quite surprising. How many organizations could capture a martial artist on par with an elder of the Qingcheng Sect with just five people?

"How many of you came this time?"

"All of us."

"Hmm?"

"That's why I was curious. I thought maybe the target was the Thirteen Celestial Seats. Out of curiosity, I came first to check it out."

Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.

"I guarantee, no matter who you are, you can't capture the Thirteen Celestial Seats."

The woman smirked.

Her eyes grew even colder.

"Why are you so confident? In the Jianghu, even top-notch masters can be killed by a dagger thrown by a child, you know?"

"I know. But not the Thirteen Celestial Seats."

"Do you know them?"

"I know them by face. You can't capture the Thirteen Celestial Seats, let alone my father."

"Judge Sword Yeon Wei. I've heard he's a great master."

"He'd soil himself if he saw me."

"Boasting about your father, huh?"

"If the opportunity arises, come and see. Oh, but that won't happen. You'll all die before then, right?"

The woman shook her head in disbelief.

"You're fearless, little brother."

Yeon Ho-jeong waved his hand.

"If you're done, go rest. I want to get drunk today."

The woman, who had been quietly observing Yeon Ho-jeong, stood up with a smile.

"Drink a lot. You won't be able to drink when you're dead."

"I get it, now go."

"Hehehe."

The woman left with a hearty laugh.

Yeon Ho-jeong's eyes deepened.

'Impressive.'

The smell of blood was strong.

She had killed countless people. Probably all the members of her organization had done the same.

'Seventy of them?'

This is getting interesting.

Such bloodthirsty people would never join a prestigious sect. A prestigious sect wouldn't accept them either.

It seemed they weren't from a prestigious family.

"Quite greedy, aren't they?"

At that moment.

[It's the Beggar Sect. The head of the Murong family has arrived in Zhengzhou.]

Yeon Ho-jeong's eyes sparkled.

'Finally.'

He's here.

Yeon Ho-jeong murmured to himself.

"Tell him I'll clean up one more time before I leave."

[Yes.]

Mourong Jun, the head of the Murong family.

A legendary master who received the title of Sword God and became the leader of the martial arts alliance, a comrade who climbed Heavenly Pillar Peak with him to suppress the Demon King of the Four Sounds, and an enemy.

Finally, he was about to meet him.

Not as the Black Emperor of the Black City, but as Yeon Ho-jeong, the eldest son of the Beksan Yeon family.

Yeon Ho-jeong, calming his racing heart, raised his hand.

"One more bottle, please."