Chapter 355: The Hidden Power Within The Imperial Palace (4)
The presence of a different, unknown energy.
In short, Chun Yeowun's ability to judge the situation was accurate.
If Chun Yeowun decided to remain in the courtyard, it was definite that the spies of the Blade God Six Martial clan might join forces with the Guardians and confront the most dangerous person out there, which was none other than Chun Yeowun.
However, by hiding himself for a while, he managed to lessen the people from both sides, increasing his chances of survival.
'The hidden power of the Imperial family...'
He was aware of the presence of such forces, but seeing them with his own eyes made him realize their staggering power. In the war of Gyoju, gauging the hidden power of the Imperial family was difficult, besides it was the promise to maintain a non-aggression treaty between the clans.
It was absolute that their strength and forte were different from the common martial arts.
'A completely unique form of power. Like...'
"How dare you use such tricks against the leader of the Imperial Palace's Guardians!"
Lady Yeongwol soared in anger at the thought of her being manipulated by an unknown person. Nearly 10 of her people had died trying to subdue the East Spear Warriors who were spies of the Blade God Six Martial clan.
Even if they're unable to feel pain, death wasn't what their leader wished for them.
'That unruly energy being released from his body.'
The energy which Chun Yeowun was releasing made Yeongwol's entire body rigid in alertness that magnified her senses. Moreover, she realized how dangerous he was once he took down Elder Khum of the Blade God Six Martial clan in one hit while he was using the Blood Reversion Act.
-Swoosh!
Yeongwol's eyes, which turned back to their normal black color, began to emit a yellow hue. Her body began to release a red haze all around as if she was on fire.
'Should I try negotiating with words?'
He had changed his appearance to that of a guard to find the spies, but Chun Yeowun didn't exactly kill the spy of the Blade God Six Martial clan. He only concealed himself as much as possible.
It was because he wanted to speak to Elder Khum.
"Stop! I am not trying to fight you."
"What did you say? Not trying to fight?"
"I just came here because I needed something. I have nothing against the Imperial Palace."
He was someone capable enough to reach the Sky Demon energy and was already a Perfect Supreme Master warrior in both skill and execution. However, his previous actions were disrespectful to the non-aggression treaty, thus he had to be taken alive.
Chun Yeowun himself revealed that he had no hostility towards them. However, it didn't seem trustworthy.
"You were here because you needed something? How futile. You entered the Imperial Palace as if it was your bedroom."
Even though Chun Yeowun had no intention of fighting, from Yeongwol's point of view, he was no more than an intruder in the Palace. He came all the way to the Daemyeong Empire and said that his deeds were warranted. His reasons felt shady to the ear.
"Let's see if your skills can help you out!"
Phat!
Yeongwol suddenly moved ahead and reached for Chun Yeowun. She was nimble as she teleported to her target in a matter of seconds and went to pierce his neck.
But,
Phuk!
Chun Yeowun simply raised his hand and lightly struck a simple blow on her hand. As if she predicted motion, her left hand targeted Chun Yeowun, who just blocked her.
'Flame?'
Her sleeve was covered in red and it looked like fire danced on her hand. Fortunately, Chun Yeowun acted cautiously because of witnessing the defeat of the warriors using the Blood Reversion to the court ladies.
'Then...'
-Swoosh!
Chun Yeowun's left hand moved faster than Yeongwol and stopped right at her wounded forehead. If she didn't retreat right away, or even if she tried to move her hand further towards him, her forehead would've gotten pierced, leaving her dead.
However, Yeongwol plowed ahead and attacked Chun Yeowun.
Phat! Pak!
The two of them simultaneously attacked and hit each other. In that instant, Chun Yeowun's eyes discerned something. Yeonwol, who got her forehead slightly cut because of Chun Yeowun's Sky Demon energy, took a few steps back.
Phat!
Blood began to flow from her wound as she was pushed back in ten strides. Although Chun Yeowun tried his best to make sure that the Sky Demon's energy didn't fatally wound her, he still wounded her pretty badly. Thankfully she survived.
The woman didn't even blink.
'Can't she feel any pain?'
She wiped the blood on her forehead, eyes, and nose with her long sleeves. What was more shocking was the rapidly healing wound on her forehead. The blood stopped flowing and the skin regenerated back.
'Such great regeneration skill!'
Honestly, the regeneration wasn't that astounding for Chun Yeowun. But it wasn't as if the lady harbored Nano Machine in her body, seeing such resilience from her stunned him. That wasn't the only thing that shocked Chun Yeowun.
'She was trying to cut down my arm.'
Her red-colored left hand was trembling violently. She deliberately took a hit on her forehead so she could cut down his hand. But the body of Chun Yeowun, which developed rapidly into an Perfect Supreme Master Level with the help of Nano, couldn't be easily attacked.
Ssssshhhhhh!
Chun Yeowun looked at his hand that was struck by her. The trace of flame didn't disappear, and it seemed like the flame on his hand was trying to penetrate into his skin.
'Dealing with a woman who has such weird attacks is troublesome.'
It was difficult for women to learn martial arts since it requires yang energy. Girls, on the other hand, innately possess yin energy. However, in order to develop such kinds of flame Qi, it was necessary to hold a high level of yang. He felt that the energy that flowed out was inherent rather than an acquired one.
"Huuu."
Chun Yeowun immediately gathered his internal energy to the veins which were under his wound. The flame, which stubbornly burned his hand, soon lost its power and disappeared with a steam.
That sight made Yeongwol go stiff.
'I saw him generate a white light, but does he have the power to get rid of the flame Qi too? Who in the world is that person?'
She did classify him as a dangerous person, but he seemed to be a lot stronger than she imagined.
Her gaze turned serious.
She came to the decision that she wouldn't be able to subdue him.
"Oh my. You must have invaded the Imperial Palace thinking that we are nothing! If this is how you are going to act, then I will have to bring you down!"
Goooooo!
The leader, Yeongwol, began to raise internal energy in earnest.
The pale and red haze around her body began to gradually turn darker, indicating that she's becoming stronger. Stabling his voice, Chun Yeowun once again spoke.
"I'll repeat it once again, but I have no intention of spying nor intruding on the Imperial Palace. If you let me take this one, I will retire from here as quietly as possible."
He knew that it was better to step back before things took a turn for the worse. From what he heard from her, he knew that these women weren't the only hidden power of the Imperial Palace. They were being cautious not to reveal everything, but Chun Yeowun didn't need her to spill everything for him to understand.
"This one is a spy of the Blade God Six Martial clan who is plotting against the Wulin. Since hitting them in the Imperial Palace would be humiliating for them, I came here. The only reason I am here is to stop these people."
"Blade God Six Martial clan?"
Hearing the phrase 'Blade God Six Martial Clan', Yeongwol's eyes narrowed. One of the roles of the Imperial Palace's Guardians was to collect information regarding all the clans in order to protect the Imperial Palace.
"You want to stop them?"
"Yes. Wulin and we are involved. But the Blade God Six Martial Clan is using the Imperial Palace to execute their plan. This is why I am trying to figure out who they are and stop them."
He revealed quite a bit of information. However, he was aware that he could be misunderstood for giving too much. But, not everything worked in favor of Chun Yeowun all the time.
"If that is the case, I can't let go of it anymore. The Emperor and the Crown Prince showed favor and acknowledged the Wulin. But now you want to fight in the Imperial Palace!"
'...words don't work on her.'
Yeongwol, the leader of the Imperial Palace Guardians, couldn't share the same ideas and thoughts regarding the Wulin. From her point of view, they would only judge the entire situation as the Wulin clans acting rudely towards the Imperial Palace and the family.
"I knew that the Wulin too had to be brought under the control of the Emperor."
Moreover, she was someone who was loyal and in support of the Imperial Palace. The hostility she showed was understandable.
'She has to be knocked down.'
Persuading her didn't seem to be helping. It looked like it would be more efficient to suppress all the court ladies of the Imperial Palace Guardians.
"Well, there is nothing more that I can do. I tried to warn you."
With those words, Chun Yeowun began to take slow strides towards Yeongwol, who flicked her finger and said.
Snap!
"Forget about the fame and titles you were given in the Wulin. This is the Imperial Palace. Throw away the illusion that you'll be able to leave from a place filled with Guardian warriors."
Swwosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
The court ladies began to gather at the snap of her finger.
Due to the numerous battles that transpired in the courtyard, their number had decreased by a lot, but more than 50 of them still survived.
Two of the inspection maids, who overpowered those beastly men also walked towards her with stained swords dripping with blood. The fact that these women vanquished those men who used Blood Reversion meant that they were extremely skilled.
Hweeing!
The sleeves of Yeongwol burned with the flames. Ashes formed where her sleeves previously touched revealing red scales. Like a shield, the red haze began to wrap around her arms and legs.
"It will be different from before. This time, make sure to be on guard. Oh, arrogant and cheeky Wulin warrior. You will have to fall alone."
With a numerical advantage on their side, Yeongwol couldn't help but feel confident. She judged Chun Yeowun as someone who was equal to her in terms of power, but with her subordinates by her side, she was sure that the intruder could be taken down.
But it was strange. Despite being alone, Chun Yeowun didn't seem afraid. Rather, he muttered unexpected words.
"Alone..."
"What are you talking about?"
At Chun Yeowun's words, Yeongwol couldn't help but ask.
"Who told you I was alone in this?"
"What was that?"
It was then,
From the eastern wall and the roof of the main hall of the Guest House, three humans dressed in full black appeared. Yeongwol couldn't help going stiff at the sight of the people whose energy couldn't even be felt by her!
'He wasn't alone?'
Looking up, she saw one man dressed in a junior officer's uniform, his face was full of scars. The moment she tried to look at other's face:
Slash!
The other one disappeared in an instant. She tried to move her gaze to find out where the other was positioned, but it seemed like her naked eyes weren't of much help. Giving up on her sight, she concentrated on hearing his movement. The sound she heard made it felt like the entire court ladies were surrounded by an unknown force.
'Unbelievable? How could I miss an enemy's presence?'
Someone came over and stood next to Chun Yeowun. This person wore a strange mask on his face.
"Marakim has come as called for."
This person seemed to be waiting for Chun Yeowun's order.
Unlike the words that escaped his mouth, the body of the one beside Chun Yeowun radiated energy that poured in all the directions where the court ladies stood.
A feeling like death was waiting for them.
The released energy's true identity was related to a section of the Wulin, it was none other than the Demonic Cult.
"You were all hiding!"
"Well, I never said that I was alone."
At that moment, the man standing on the east wall, who was hidden in the shadows, came down and slowly walked towards the court ladies. A man with flaming red hair.
'Red hair?'
As they slowly moved, one of the inspection maids stepped forward and yelled while aiming her sword at the red haired one.
"Stop right there. How dare you break into this place? If you don't stop right now..."
Despite her warning, the masked man with red hair didn't stop. Feeling threatened by the energy he was releasing, she immediately imbued her flame Qi onto her sword without bothering to warn him again.
-Hwweeeing! Crack! Crack!
The sword which turned red with the flame Qi bent like a whip while moving at the speed of lightning towards the masked man.
"Flame, huh..."
The masked man had gaps on his mask, seeing the skill the lady unraveled, he couldn't help but smile. The moment the sword reached him, the masked man pulled out a sword from his waist.
Slash!
A blade covered in red patterns.
In an instant, intense heat began to engulf everything around him and collided with the sword of the inspection maid.
Clang! Clang!
Their swords clashed with heat, and the result was bizarre.
Blaze!
"Th-that sword is!"
The eyes of the Guardians were filled with shock and embarrassment.
Startlingly, the sword of the inspection maid began to crack as it was unable to overcome the masked swordsman's skill and shattered on spot.
Clang! Crack!
'My, my flame sword got taken down?'
The man in the mask spoke to her in a daunting voice.
"You are acting so arrogant just because you used the flame Qi? Woman, you only operate the flame Qi. I am the sword of the red flames which consumes every flame that surrounds me."
"Red flame?"
"My skills and yours, are like heaven and earth."
Hweeing! Woong!
With his words, the red sword began to vibrate and the masked man went to stab the maid right at her heart.
Pierce!
Shocked, she tried to avoid getting hit by moving her body, but the masked man was quick to move and went for her shoulder.
Even though they were unable to feel physical pain, she still felt fear from the overwhelming energy he was releasing. As soon as she was injured, she made sure to increase their distance.
"It can't be?! My, my sword got cut with his?"
Another maid took the guard position to protect her injured companion. Two of the new court ladies were more powerful compared to the others, but they didn't seem to have any regenerative power, as their right arm seemed weakened.
"Ugh, the red hair and red flame?... it can't be... you are the Fire King, Lee Hameng?"
Their eyes widened as they looked at him.
Although they weren't active in the Wulin, they were still aware of the guardians who were known to be the most loyal and skilled members of it.
"What?"
At the words of the court maid, the leader, Yeogwol, looked at the masked man in shock.
"You are the Fire King? The left hand of the Demonic Cult's Lord? Wait... wait a moment... if that is the case, then the one in the mask right next to him is Marakim?"
It was none other than the Great Guardian Marakim, the famous Guardian of the Wulin.
Hundred of masters had died in his hands, and he was known as the greatest of the three Guardians of the Demonic Cult.
The Fire King and the Great Guardian of the Demonic Cult.
Yeongwol, who couldn't guess the true identity of the man who used Sky Demon energy, was now trembling as she opened her mouth.
"The, then you must be... the... Lord... of... the Demonic Cult?"