Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 711

“Taeul Pill.”

Just as the Shaolin has the Great Return Pill, and Wudang has the Zisoo Pill, Jongnam also has a divine pill that represents their sect, and that is the Taeul Pill.

The divine pills that each of the Nine Great Sects boast of all have different characteristics, except for the common point that they have condensed their medicinal power to the extreme.

The Shaolin’s Great Return Pill is extremely potent, but unlike a Buddhist divine pill, its medicinal properties are very toxic. If an ordinary person were to take it, they would not be able to withstand the medicinal power and would die instantly. Even a first-rate master would suffer from Qi deviation [a dangerous imbalance of internal energy] if they did not have an internal energy cultivation method to control their energy.

The Wudang’s Zisoo Pill is much more stable than the Great Return Pill because it is harmonized with yin and yang [complementary opposites]. However, its medicinal power is comparable to the Great Return Pill, so if taken carelessly, it would not kill you, but it would easily weaken your body or cause problems.

Moreover, even if you can withstand the medicinal power, most of your energy will be lost if you have not cultivated the Taoist divine skills. Even if it falls into the hands of a villain, it is a divine pill that cannot increase the villain’s power.

Then, what about Jongnam’s Taeul Pill?

The Taeul Pill of Jongnam does not provide as much powerful internal energy as the Great Return Pill or the Zisoo Pill.

However, it was a divine pill that could be called the best among the Nine Factions in terms of completing the bones and muscles. Since Jongnam’s training itself prioritizes the completion of the body rather than internal energy, unlike other Taoist sects, the divine pill also has such characteristics.

Yeon Ho-Jeong didn’t know much about the Taeul Pill. In the first place, he didn’t know much about the divine pills of famous sects.

However, even though it was inside the pouch, it was exuding an unusual energy. That alone was enough to know that it was no ordinary item.

“Sect Leader.”

“You can refuse it. I don’t want to force it on you if you don’t really need it. It’s not because I’m being stingy, but because I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

Sun Woo smiled faintly.

“However, even so, I would like you to accept it. This is not just to apologize, or because you have made a great contribution in this war.”

“……”

“You will continue to travel around the Central Plains [the heartland of China] and fight against foreign enemies. I dare to predict that you will live a much more passionate life than the leaders of any sect.”

“……”

“I don’t want to discuss your character, skills, or influence. I just know that you are someone who will do great things for our future.”

“Sect Leader.”

“Please prevent another tragedy.”

Sun Woo’s eyes deepened.

“If another sect finds itself in a situation like our Jongnam, please lend your strength.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong shook his head.

“That is natural. And it’s not just me. Everyone…”

“Of course, we all have to do that. Still, I want to give this to you.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes became serious.

Jongnam lost many disciples in this war. The damage cannot be converted into money.

They will have to raise other disciples in the future, and the money needed to treat the seriously injured will not be small. In the midst of all that, he is offering me a divine pill that can be called a treasure.

“What will you do? Will you accept it?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong clasped his hands.

“Since you say so sincerely, how can I refuse? I will make sure to use it for good.”

Sun Woo smiled brightly.

“Thank you for accepting my sincerity.”

Sun Woo handed the Taeul Pill to Yeon Ho-Jeong.

It was light but also heavy. This divine pill was not just a divine pill, but a treasure filled with Sun Woo’s frustration, anger, hope, and regret.

Sun Woo turned his body.

“Let’s have a meal. I haven’t eaten anything all day either. Just in case, there is no greasy food from the secular world.”

“Okay.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong followed him.

Sun Woo opened his mouth again without turning his head.

“Yeon Daesu.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“Thank you.”

It was not an apology, but gratitude.

“Jongnam survived thanks to you. I will repay this favor in the future.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled.

“The Taeul Pill is enough, but if you think it’s not enough, please repay me.”

Sun Woo chuckled.

“You are a strange person.”

* * *

Muk Bi greeted Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had returned to his residence after having a meal with Sun Woo.

“Did you have a good time?”

“Yeah. I had a delicious meal. And I got a gift too.”

“I see.”

“It’s late at night, why haven’t you gone to sleep yet?”

Muk Bi scratched her head.

“I just couldn’t fall asleep. I’m going to sleep now.”

“Okay. See you tomorrow.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong plopped down in the courtyard in front of the stairs.

Muk Bi’s face was puzzled.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?”

“I have something to think about. You should go to sleep first.”

“Okay. Don’t overdo it.”

“I got it.”

Muk Bi disappeared into her residence. The guest house where she slept was quite far from here.

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who was alone, took out the Taeul Pill from his pocket.

‘……’

A faint medicinal fragrance flowed from the Taeul Pill wrapped in a silk pouch.

It wasn’t toxic or strong. If you put it in your pocket, most people wouldn’t even be able to smell it.

Yeon Ho-Jeong stared at the Taeul Pill for a while and then put it back in his pocket.

‘I received a great treasure.’

Taeul Pill.

It’s not just a divine pill that represents a sect. It was gold stained with Sun Woo’s, and Jongnam’s blood and sweat.

However, there was an even greater treasure.

‘It was amazing.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong recalled Sun Woo’s sword.

‘Amazing. It contained a different principle from the martial arts I know.’

It was the first time he had seen Jongnam’s Heavenly Sword properly.

The Thirty-Six Heavenly Swords. The strongest sword technique of the Jongnam Sect.

The explosive power that bloomed from the sword was much more mysterious than the routine of the sword.

Looking at the sword path alone, it didn’t really feel that great. It was exquisite, but that level of sword technique could be found more easily than you might think.

However, the power and momentum within it had a uniqueness that was hard to find in any martial art in the world.

The momentum was fierce and flamboyant like fire, but the sword energy flowing out was like a proud stream of water. It was the pinnacle of the sword wave that no one could escape once swept away.

‘The Plum Blossom Sword of the Hwasan is the epitome of precision. Rather, that’s familiar.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s martial arts were a combat technique that achieved a delicate balance of offense, defense, evasion, and counterattack.

However, since the martial art itself was extremely destructive, he could easily understand the opposite path, the martial arts of Hwasan. Just by looking at it, he could roughly predict how to use the Plum Blossom Sword.

The Heavenly Sword was different. It was similar in ferocity, but it had a softness within it that was no less than the Tai Chi Wisdom Sword of the Wudang Sect.

The principle of softness gathering and gathering to become a wave that no one can stop.

It was literally a sword like water. A single drop of water is easily scattered, but a stream of water that has gathered and become huge sweeps away everything in the world.

‘My martial arts are simple. It’s fast and strong because it’s simple. The Qi cultivation technique is not like that, but the routine itself is just swinging without containing any principles.’

The Four Divine Arts are different from Taoist martial arts or Buddhist divine skills. It is an extreme practical martial art that does not seek enlightenment but thoroughly destroys the opponent.

Yeon Ho-Jeong had never thought that was a problem. It was the same even after reaching his current level. The Four Divine Arts were already perfect in themselves.

But at this moment.

The advantages of other martial arts that he had never felt even during the Black Demon Emperor era were shaking Yeon Ho-Jeong’s heart.

‘No.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong thought again.

‘It’s not just the Heavenly Sword.’

Myeong Geuk’s Peach Blossom Heavenly Divine Art.

He created martial arts close to sorcery by utilizing the divine energy of the upper dantian [an energy center in the body].

The mysterious martial art that blurred the sense of rhythm without the opponent noticing was worthy of being called a divine skill in itself.

And the hardness of the true energy that creates that absolute defense and attack power.

It is armor and a sword. The indestructible steel true energy raised both offense and defense to the highest level.

‘I could see it.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes became slightly dazed.

‘When I fought him, I entered an area that was difficult to define. It wasn’t just simple immersion. I entered a much deeper world and threatened him.’

Whoooosh.

Bright true energy rose from Yeon Ho-Jeong’s hand.

It was not the Four Divine Energies. It was the core of Yeon Ho-Jeong’s inner strength, pure Bright Energy, that was being emitted.

‘At that time, I could see not only his movements but also the core of the internal energy he was using.’

Zzzzzzz.

The sacred energy that was rising soon hardened like steel and dyed his entire forearm.

‘It was this feeling.’

It was impossible to explain logically. Because the formulas were not organized.

However, he could go a similar path just by feeling it. He was imitating the Peach Blossom Heavenly Divine Armor with Bright Energy.

Paah!

The Bright Energy that had protected his arm for a moment scattered with a popping sound.

He remembered the feeling and operated it instinctively, but it was only for a moment. It was impossible to continue the operation, so it was impossible to use it in actual combat.

‘And.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong reached out his hand into the air.

His fingertips were aimed at a tree far away.

‘Senior Eumje’s Hidden Force Strike was also an excellent technique.’

Whoooosh.

The Bright Energy flowing from his fingertips soon turned into an invisible energy.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes sank.

He naturally opened his hand and then closed it, flicking his middle finger and thumb.

Flick! Thud!

As he flicked his finger, a branch of a tree far away broke with a thud!

It was the power of vibration. Unlike Myeong Geuk’s Peach Blossom Heavenly Divine Art, he roughly understood the principle, so he could use the Hidden Force Strike in his own way, similar to but different from Eumje.

‘It’s an amazing technique. I don’t know the formulas, but I know the principle, so I can use it instantly.’

The meeting with Myeong Geuk ended with a life-or-death battle, but he had a conversation with Eumje all day long.

She even controlled her internal energy to heal his broken body. He read that power, the characteristics of the true energy of an absolute master entering his body, and he was able to understand the principle of the Hidden Force Strike.

‘Senior Eumje, and the enemy commander’s martial arts. And even Jongnam’s Heavenly Sword.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong exclaimed without realizing it.

‘There are so many things to learn in the world, but I have been too narrow-minded in my pursuit of my own perfection, ignoring even what I could have obtained.’

You must complete yourself to understand others.

In that respect, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s method was correct. But now, there was no need to do so.

Like in the Black Demon Emperor era, his martial path was no longer his own path.

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who is walking a path that is similar to but completely different from that time, was developing from a martial path for combat and destruction into a martial path like a castle that seeks to protect everything.

‘I can become stronger.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s hand gently swirled in the air.

The fight with Myeong Geuk, the unknown world he entered at that time.

‘If I can throw myself into a principle that has gone off the rails at some point.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong recalled the moment when he was slowly and surely falling into the principle of martial arts. He recalled his hand that had almost pulled out Myeong Geuk’s collarbone even though he had not put any force into it.

Yeon Ho-Jeong closed his eyes.

Whoooosh.

The Bright Divine Core emitted a faint cry.

Concentration, and further, immersion.

For the first time in a long time, Yeon Ho-Jeong entered meditation and looked back at himself.

Chiiiiik!

At that moment, when he was completely focused on himself without any external stimuli.

The Bright Divine Core roamed his entire body faster and more smoothly than before, accelerating his recovery.

Three days had passed since Yeon Ho-Jeong had fallen into meditation.

Muk Bi came to visit, and Seo Jeong-Gwang, who didn’t know where he was staying, also stayed by his side.

Hwang Seok-Tae, who had finished his work, also stayed by Yeon Ho-Jeong’s side from the second day, and Gang Ryang and Ji So-Hyun, who had received the message, also came up to Jongnam.

And on the fourth day.

Flash!

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes opened.

Muk Bi approached with a happy face.

“Did you wake up?”

“Yeah.”

“You’ve been concentrating for a long time. It’s already been four days.”

“Is that so.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong said calmly.

“Let’s wrap things up. It seems like it’s time to go.”

“Okay.”

“Ah, before that, let’s eat.”