Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 962

The Emperor, who had been quietly observing Gi Cheon-ung, spoke as if tossing out a casual remark.

“Explain it to me.”

From their first meeting until now, the Emperor had spoken as if a ruler of a nation, an absolute authority, would address his subjects.

Surprisingly, Gi Cheon-ung did not show any displeasure at the Emperor’s words. It was rather unusual.

Flap.

From the wine cup Gi Cheon-ung was holding, a blue flame flickered again.

It was a mystical sight. The wine cup itself was not made of ordinary porcelain.

Though there was no wine inside, the fire was burning.

‘A rare object.’

At a glance, Gok-gyeong could tell that the wine cup was a divine artifact rarely found in the world.

“Originally, the Gwangse Blood Sect was supported by three noble families. They are Gwanghyeol, Sinhwa, and Saeum. We, who serve the Blood God, were each called Maga [Demon Family].”

“……”

“The circumstances are endless, but in the end, our three noble families each established their own religions and split apart. It’s as if each family received three characteristics symbolizing the ancient Blood God.”

“What are they?”

“Destruction, purification, and expansion.”

“……?”

“Gwanghyeol means destruction. It is the very image of the enraged Blood God. Now, it has all decayed and only remains as scriptures that are difficult to decipher, but the Blood God’s rage described in those scriptures turns the world red with reversed blood. In his right hand, he held a giant spear made of blood.”

“……”

“Sinhwa means purification. In the left hand of the Blood God, who destroyed the world with his unleashed rage….”

Gi Cheon-ung raised the wine cup.

“This very Holy Grail is held. With the blue flames coming from the Holy Grail, the world is burned to evaporate all the impure blood. That is purification, the ability representing the Sinhwa Maga.”

“Then what about expansion?”

“Saeum [Evil Lust].”

“……”

“Expansion means spreading one’s own blood-linked clones throughout the world to create new masters of the world. Only those who have inherited the Blood God’s blood can live in a pure world. Therefore, the Saeum Maga, or rather the Saeum Sect, encourages orgies through large festivals from time to time.”

“They are no different from beasts.”

“It wasn’t like that in the beginning. Expansion was merely a symbol of the Saeum Maga, and the true bloodline was always with the direct line of the Blood Sect. Rather, the Saeum Maga was a place where they were forced to live a stricter life than anyone else for the sake of the expansion myth to be spread in later generations.”

Gi Cheon-ung smiled wryly.

“I doubt there’s anyone who cares about that now.”

The Emperor asked.

“So, what does your coming to the Central Plains have to do with the history of the Blood Sect?”

“I don’t know about Gwanghyeol and Saeum, but Sinhwa thoroughly reveres power. It doesn’t matter how old or young you are, or how high or low your status is. Only the strong can rise to the top in this sect. Except for the Gi family bloodline, that is.”

“……”

“The sect, which was burning for stronger power and greater authority, crossed the line at some point.”

“Line?”

“The boundary collapsed. They wouldn’t even defy the natural order to gain more power. Parents started eating their children, and children started pulling out their parents’ hearts.”

The Emperor could not understand what that metaphor meant.

Gi Cheon-ung’s explanation continued.

“Fire only merges into one to become a bigger fire. Our martial arts are the same. Our martial arts, which have the same origin, gain more powerful internal energy and superior firepower control the more they devour their opponents.”

“……Devour, you mean?”

“It means sucking their life force.”

Gok-gyeong muttered without realizing it.

“Death Absorption Technique?”

Gi Cheon-ung looked at Gok-gyeong with a strange gaze.

“How do you know about the Death Absorption Technique?”

Gok-gyeong looked at the Emperor.

The Emperor nodded slightly. He had allowed the conversation.

Gok-gyeong told him that a certain group had released the Death Absorption Technique to several successors of the Central Plains martial arts world.

Among them were the young master of the Tang family and Yeop Seong, the eldest son of the Mukryong Clan.

Gi Cheon-ung chuckled.

“The masters of our sect live with two lives without such miscellaneous martial arts. They don’t even think in that direction in the first place. We are not the ones who released the Death Absorption Technique in the Central Plains.”

“We suspect it’s the Saeum Sect.”

“If it’s the Saeum Sect, it’s plausible. Our three noble families have been trying to transcend human lifespan in their own ways.”

“Lifespan?”

“Gwanghyeol is skilled in the Soul Transfer Technique and the Soul Summoning Technique. They seek another life by transferring their soul to another’s body or summoning and controlling another’s soul.”

“……”

“Sinhwa formed the Hwajeong [Fire Core]. If you live with a completed Hwajeong, you can live longer than your natural lifespan. Of course, it’s not to the point of transcending common sense, but you age slower than others. With the strange power of the Hwajeong itself, you can also gain extreme recovery power unless it’s a fatal wound that would sever your neck.”

“It’s bizarre. Then what about Saeum?”

“Saeum failed. Of course, there are many things they hide from each other, so I don’t know if they truly failed. Perhaps they have completed their own method by now.”

“……”

“As you said, if the Death Absorption Technique was spread in the Central Plains, it would have been induced by Saeum. They have been researching the techniques of the Star Absorption Technique, the Yin Replenishing Yang, or the Yang Replenishing Yin for a long time.”

“I heard the Death Absorption Technique originated in the Western Regions.”

“I don’t know about that far.”

The Emperor interjected.

“I’m intrigued. Let’s put aside why you want to come to the Central Plains for a moment, and I want to hear about the three sects.”

Gi Cheon-ung smiled.

“Isn’t this enough?”

He meant that he had already given enough information about the three sects, and that he had shown his willingness to enter the Central Plains.

“It is not enough. Everything you have said is interesting, but there are no important parts such as the weaknesses or current situations of the three sects.”

“That’s a pity.”

“I’m curious. Wanting to extend one’s lifespan is the wish of all people, but you all seem to have crossed the line. Why do you go so far?”

“To become a god.”

“God?”

Gi Cheon-ung closed his eyes.

“Can someone be called a god if they are skilled in martial arts or a scholar who knows everything?”

“……”

“All areas that can be achieved through effort are far from being a god. However, if you reach an area that cannot be achieved through effort, you are truly worthy of being called a god.”

“Is that lifespan?”

“That’s right.”

“Why are you so obsessed with god?”

“Over many generations, the reason has become unimportant. The children of children inherited the wishes of their ancestors and tried to transcend their lifespan. I was the same.”

“I see.”

“However, I speculate that it is because of legitimacy. The Blood Sect was divided, and the three noble families are each pushing themselves as the predecessor of the legitimate Blood Sect. If you are truly the predecessor of a god, you must have the ability to match it.”

“Then.”

Now was the time to truly listen.

The Emperor stared intently at Gi Cheon-ung.

“Are you giving up on becoming a god and coming to the Central Plains to die as a human?”

“……”

“Why do you want to settle in the Central Plains?”

Gi Cheon-ung’s eyes deepened.

He was silent for a moment. From the moment he declared that he would enter the Central Plains, he had no choice but to explain the reason.

However, how should he say it?

After a brief silence, Gi Cheon-ung opened his mouth.

“I am dying.”

“……?!”

“Before I die, I want to resolve my lifelong destiny with you. I want to burn my last flame here.”

The words he blurted out were truly shocking.

“You’re dying?”

“That’s right.”

The Emperor glanced at Gok-gyeong.

Gok-gyeong frowned and said.

“Your martial arts realm is too high. I can’t be sure, but it seems like you have truly reached the realm of Returning to the Origin.”

“Returning to the Origin… I’m halfway there.”

“How can someone who has reached such a great realm easily talk about death? It doesn’t seem to be just because of your lifespan.”

“No, it’s about my lifespan.”

Gok-gyeong momentarily saw bluish veins flickering on Gi Cheon-ung’s white neck.

Was it an illusion? Or a sign of something?

His breathing did not waver, but as a master who had reached the realm of Returning to the Origin, he could not detect even the slightest change in internal energy.

The Emperor asked.

“What is your lifelong destiny?”

“The destruction of the Saeum Sect.”

“……!!”

Even the Emperor of the world was surprised by that statement.

Gok-gyeong as well, and countless warriors and soldiers who were listening with their ears open on the ramparts were also startled by Gi Cheon-ung’s statement.

“The destruction of the Saeum Sect?”

“That’s right.”

“……I can’t understand. Why would you want to destroy an organization that has been a competitor and ally for a long time?”

Gi Cheon-ung closed his eyes.

He was once again lost in thought without a word. He had come all the way here, but his mind must have been complicated.

Gok-gyeong, who had been quietly watching Gi Cheon-ung, asked.

“The Central Plains suffered from the machinations of the Sinhwa Sect. I don’t know why, but just because you say you want to destroy the Saeum Sect, you’re siding with us….”

“It’s not me.”

“What do you mean?”

Gi Cheon-ung opened his eyes again.

In that moment, Gok-gyeong flinched.

Those exotic blue eyes. The blue eyes, like the sea, which did not suit the leader of the fire god clan who controlled flames, could not have looked any sadder.

“It hasn’t been two years since I came out into the world after fifteen years of secluded training.”

“……?!”

“In the meantime, my son has been leading the sect in my place.”

Gok-gyeong’s mouth dropped open.

The Emperor nodded slightly.

Gi Cheon-ung smiled and asked.

“Did the Emperor know?”

“I had some speculation. I didn’t know that your son was acting as a proxy, but I guessed that you were not properly involved in the organization.”

“How?”

“Considering the things your Sinhwa Sect has been doing, the sudden advance of the sect leader into the imperial palace was an incongruous move. If that was the case, wouldn’t you have brought your troops and attacked long ago?”

Gi Cheon-ung smiled.

“Just because of that reason?”

“It’s not just that, it was the most decisive factor. The color of an organization changes depending on the personality and ideology of its leader. Moreover, a while ago, a cyan fire appeared in the bronze brazier in the imperial court, and a strange giant appeared.”

“That’s Hwahwasul [Fire Transformation Technique].”

“I don’t know what kind of technique it is, but it felt very messy and petty. At least the technique was great, but I was puzzled. I heard that the Sinhwa Sect leader was coming to attack the imperial palace himself, so why would he try to talk to me with such a technique?”

“……”

“Nothing made sense. That’s why I asked you about the matter of Eunuch Woo earlier.”

Gi Cheon-ung nodded.

“You may have thought it was logical, but in the end, it was intuition. The Emperor’s intuition is truly extraordinary.”

“Whether it’s intuition or whatever, what’s important at this point is that the so-called Sinhwa Sect leader, one of our enemies, truly wants to enter the Central Plains.”

“……That’s right.”

Gi Cheon-ung said with a bitter smile.

“Will you accept me?”

“If you enter the imperial palace and start rampaging, the damage we will suffer will be astronomical. We can’t let you in that easily.”

“What else do I need to prove?”

“The story about the Saeum Sect.”

“……”

“And that story.”

The Emperor rose from his seat.

“Let’s do it in the imperial court.”