Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 39

“Father.”

“Come in.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong entered the family head’s room.

*Hoo*

As soon as Yeon Ho-Jeong stepped inside, a strong smell of sweat filled the air.

Yeon-wi’s eyes gleamed.

“Were you training?”

“It’s alright. I was thinking of stopping for today.”

Yeon-wi scanned Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body from head to toe.

He wasn’t wearing his usual long robe but a tight-fitting martial arts uniform. The sweat-soaked uniform revealed the contours of his body.

‘He’s gotten bigger.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body had changed remarkably.

His once slender legs had filled out, becoming as sturdy as iron pillars. Though still lean, his shoulders, chest, and arms were much more robust than before, and the quality of his muscles was clearly defined.

It was hard to believe this was the result of just four months. It was thanks to the intense training, sufficient nutrition, proper rest, and his inner energy [qi] that enabled super recovery.

Of course, it was easier said than done. The fact that he hadn’t missed a single training session, even to the point of collapsing, showed his exceptional mental fortitude.

“I remember you being even thinner a couple of months ago.”

“I thought I was going to die.”

“That’s why I didn’t stop you.”

“If I had listened, would I have grown this much?”

In fact, the two had not seen each other for almost eighty days. Yeon-wi had deliberately not called for Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Even so, not showing his face even once, wasn’t his son a truly ruthless one?

“It seems you’ve established a certain routine.”

“Yes. I think it’s time to make some changes.”

Yeon-wi turned his gaze to the documents and said,

“Come by for tea once in a while.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled and replied,

“Understood.”

“Have a seat.”

“Yes.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong sat down and asked,

“But what did you call me for?”

Did he have to have a reason to call him?

That was what he thought, but there was actually a reason. Yeon-wi quickly reviewed a few documents and then handed over a letter that was placed to the side.

“This came for you.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong tilted his head. Was there a letter for him?

‘Oh?’

Come to think of it, there was one place.

Yeon Ho-Jeong hurriedly opened the letter. Soon, his eyes sparkled.

*Give me the commission, you thief.*

He almost burst out laughing as soon as he read the first line.

*Damn it! I thought I could finish the investigation quickly, but it was much harder than I thought! You knew, didn’t you? Yes, you knew. Damn it, I only took on this request and lost a lot of money!*

What was a beggar doing talking about money? This guy seemed to have forgotten that he was a successor.

*Anyway, I’ve mostly finished the investigation. I was going to visit in a couple of months, but I’m sorry it’s been delayed. I’ll be there in fifteen days, so prepare some delicious food. If you don’t satisfy my taste, I’ll make a scene.*

Judging by how he was talking, he must have gone through quite a bit of trouble.

But Yeon Ho-Jeong knew that the harder the process, the greater the reward.

‘The investigation is over.’

He could have just sent the investigation results in a letter, but he was going to come in person.

‘It’s one of two things. Either the information is confidential, or the content is too extensive. Or maybe both.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes deepened.

‘Fifteen days from now… it might be a bit tight.’

If Ga Deuk-Sang had gathered enough information, then that would be the time for Yeon Ho-Jeong to move.

Until then, he had to prepare his body as much as possible. You never knew what could happen in the martial world. At the very least, he had to grow one step further than he was now.

“The name Ga Deuk-Sang was written on the letter.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked at Yeon-wi.

Yeon-wi, still looking at the documents, asked,

“Is he perhaps the Beggar Union’s successor?”

“Yes, he is.”

“When did you form a connection with the successor?”

“We met at a gathering.”

A smile spread across Yeon-wi’s lips. It was so subtle that it was hard to tell if it was a smile.

“Well done.”

Yeon-wi knew well how young people viewed the Beggar Union. But seeing that he had even sent a letter, it seemed that he had built a decent relationship.

“There’s a reason why the Beggar Union is mentioned alongside the Nine Great Sects. Maintaining a good relationship with the successor of such a sect is very important.”

“He’s a good person even without approaching him that way.”

“Of course. How many people would be able to put up with your stubbornness?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong coughed awkwardly.

“Anyway, he says he’ll be here in fifteen days. I hope you’ll receive him as a guest.”

“He’s the successor of the Ten Thousand Beggars Union. Moreover, he’s your friend, so of course, he’s welcome.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong put the letter in his pocket.

Yeon-wi didn’t ask about the contents of the letter. He thought there must be a reason why his son didn’t tell him.

“Then, I’ll be going now…”

“Are you going to end your training there for today?”

“Huh? Ah, yes.”

Yeon-wi got up from his seat.

Yeon-wi, who had been looking at the documents until the end as if there was something he didn’t like, took off the long robe he was wearing.

“Follow me.”

Behind the family head’s room.

It was the place he had visited when he transformed the Flying Swallow Heart Method into the Azure Wall Energy.

‘I felt it then, but it’s very good.’

The state of the training ground was good, but it was also good that it was uncluttered.

Yeon-wi, standing in the center of the training ground, asked with his hands behind his back,

“Are you still practicing spear techniques?”

“Yes, I am.”

Yeon-wi pointed to the weapon rack with his hand.

“Choose one.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes gleamed.

Choose a weapon? That meant one thing.

‘A spar with Father?’

Yeon Ho-Jeong felt his heart pounding.

He had never sparred with his father before. He remembered being taught by his father when he was very young, but he only had memories of it being extremely difficult.

Yeon Ho-Jeong went to the rack, looked at a few spears, and asked,

“Are you going to go all out?”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you going to give it your all?”

Yeon-wi’s eyes gleamed.

“If I wasn’t going to, would I have called you here?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Yeon Ho-Jeong picked up a spear.

It wasn’t just a regular spear. It was a long weapon with crescent-shaped blades on either side of the long spearhead, a halberd.

‘Good.’

The shaft was also made entirely of iron, making it incredibly heavy. Yeon Ho-Jeong swung the halberd around and gave a satisfied smile.

“Then I’ll take this.”

“Did you perhaps also train in halberd techniques?”

“It’s an extension of spear techniques. I think this is the best I can do for now.”

Yeon-wi thought.

‘This is the best he can do? That means he can improve in the future?’

Yeon-wi, who had been quietly watching his son, also took out a sword from the rack.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes widened.

“A heavy sword?”

Yeon-wi paused.

“You recognize it?”

“Yes. The weight is extraordinary.”

What Yeon-wi held was similar in shape to any other sword in the Central Plains. But this sword was a heavy sword that had been deliberately made heavy by a master craftsman.

Yeon-wi was surprised by his son’s keen eye.

‘He can see through the nature of weapons.’

Amazing. Even his second son, who had a good sense, couldn’t see this.

*Clang! Thud!*

The scabbard that fell to the ground made a heavy sound.

“Come up.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong took a deep breath.

‘This is nerve-wracking.’

His father was a strong man. Just from the aura he had felt before, he had felt that he was the best among the Seven Great Families.

But the reason Yeon Ho-Jeong was nervous wasn’t because his father was strong.

*Thud.*

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had entered the training ground, rested the halberd on his shoulder.

Yeon-wi’s eyes deepened.

He felt an unwavering firmness in his son’s posture as he slowly lowered his stance and rested the halberd on his shoulder.

“Do you know why I wanted to see your martial arts?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong said something different from what he felt inside.

“I don’t think there’s a big reason for a father to see his son’s martial arts.”

“You’re right. But today, there is a clear reason.”

“What is it?”

Yeon-wi suddenly closed his mouth.

Confusion appeared on Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face.

“Why are you doing that?”

“…I’ll tell you after the spar.”

“Understood.”

Yeon-wi took a stance.

*Whoooom.*

The steel sword emitted a subtle hum.

Yeon-wi’s stance was unique. He straightened his back and put his left hand behind his back. The steel sword in his right hand was lowered, and he even kept his gaze on the tip of the sword, not on Yeon Ho-Jeong.

A stance that exuded elegance. But no matter how you looked at it, it wasn’t a practical stance.

However, Yeon Ho-Jeong could see the steel-like intent hidden within that gentlemanly appearance.

*Sssrrrk.*

A premonition that made his hair stand on end.

The extremely refined inner energy stabilized his body, and the tip of the sword, lowered to the bottom, held a powerful force that seemed capable of cleaving the sky in an instant.

*Whoooom.*

Since when?

The intangible aura emanating from Yeon-wi slowly began to ensnare Yeon Ho-Jeong.

It was a terrifyingly sharp energy. It was so sharp that he was afraid to even touch it.

‘Sword Extreme Thought Energy!’

One of the five great divine arts of the Byeoksan Yeon Family.

It was the pinnacle of divine art that concentrated energy to the extreme, increased the quality of the energy, and then pushed it to the limit once more.

‘And that stance… it’s the Gentleman’s Eight Sword Stance.’

If Sword Extreme Thought Energy was one of the five great divine arts, then the Gentleman’s Eight Sword Stance was one of the three great sword techniques of the Yeon Family.

In other words, Yeon-wi was planning to use the best martial arts of the Yeon Family. He would adjust the power, but the fact that he had used two ultimate techniques at the same time meant that he was serious about this spar.

A blue light flashed in Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes.

*Thud!*

With a powerful Zhen Foot [a powerful step using inner energy], Yeon Ho-Jeong, holding the halberd with both hands, lowered his stance even further.

Yeon-wi’s eyes flashed with a different color.

‘That grip?’

It was a stance that looked like he was about to chop down a tree with an axe.

It was no less unique than the Gentleman’s Eight Sword Stance. However, while the Gentleman’s Eight Sword Stance was static, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s stance was dynamic.

*Whoosh.*

A gust of wind cooled the heat between the two.

“Come.”

“I’m coming.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong rushed towards Yeon-wi.

*Thwoom!*

The sound of him kicking off the ground was like the sound of a war drum.

Yeon-wi’s eyes gleamed.

‘Fast.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had closed the distance in an instant, swung the halberd.

*Swaaaaack!*

A strike that came in diagonally!

It was truly a merciless strike. The chilling power and speed were as if he was swinging it at an enemy, not a family member.

Yeon-wi’s sword gently rose to the middle.

*Kaaang!*

The halberd was deflected.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes gleamed.

‘Amazing.’

The weight of the halberd, which was made entirely of iron, was more than three times that of the sword his father was holding.

Yet, it was easily deflected. The inner energy contained in the sword was shockingly powerful.

He knew from this strike. The light exchanges at the beginning were meaningless.

He had to go all out. His father’s martial arts, the divine arts of the Yeon Family, were great enough to handle everything Yeon Ho-Jeong had.

*Kwaang!*

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s Zhen Foot shook the entire garden.

It was a stronger Zhen Foot than ever before. Using the rebound force from the ground, Yeon Ho-Jeong unleashed a strike as fast as a ray of light.

*Hwoom!*

Yeon-wi’s eyes widened.

The force of the halberd, which seemed capable of splitting even a mountain, was truly ferocious. Leaving aside the power, the force alone was enough to earn him the title of a master of the world.

Yeon-wi swung his sword briefly.

*Jjeoooong!*

The halberd was deflected.

As if he had expected it, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body rotated on the spot. At the same time, a series of palm strikes were unleashed directly at Yeon-wi’s chest.

It was truly a surprise attack.

Surprise appeared in Yeon-wi’s eyes.

*Puh-uh-uhk!*