Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1008

Abbot Gong Gong’s speech carried weight because it was truthful, and it was frightening because of his confidence.

The anti-Black Faction warriors gathered in the plaza had no choice but to disperse without achieving their goal. If they pushed any further, they would be seen as a faction rebelling against the Martial Alliance.

‘……’

As the warriors scattered, Gu Il-baek glanced at Yi Gyeol.

His figure, standing proudly before the main gate leading to the Alliance Leader’s residence, seemed like a celestial king from mythology. At least, that’s how he appeared in Gu Il-baek’s eyes.

He turned his head with a bitter smile.

“Um… Clan Leader Gu.”

One of the warriors who had gathered in the plaza spoke cautiously.

“It would be best to observe how the situation unfolds for now.”

Someone else chimed in.

“Honestly, I didn’t expect the Alliance Leader to come out and say such things himself. Isn’t that enough?”

“That’s right. The Alliance Leader, no, Abbot Gong Gong, is a universally recognized virtuous person. Since he made a public declaration, it’s best to watch for a while….”

Gu Il-baek shook his head.

“I will go first.”

“Ah, yes.”

With that, Gu Il-baek left the plaza with his subordinate martial artists.

The head of the Lion Fist Clan, Heo Jung, spoke up.

“Clan Leader. Let’s return to our residence first….”

“You all return to the residence.”

“Yes?”

“I will stop by the Namgoong Family on the way. You go ahead.”

“Clan Leader, we will escort….”

Gu Il-baek turned to Heo Jung with a cold gaze.

Heo Jung quickly lowered his head.

“Understood.”

Thus, the martial artists also returned to their residence under Gu Il-baek’s command.

Alone, Gu Il-baek walked towards the Namgoong Family.

The main road was wide, and there were many buildings. However, perhaps due to the sudden death of the Namgoong Family Head, the atmosphere was chaotic, and there were not many people around.

How long had he walked like that?

“Have a cup of tea before you go.”

Gu Il-baek’s steps halted.

He turned his head to the left.

There stood an unnamed building. It was probably vacant.

And the voice that came from there rang clearly in his ears.

Anxiety flickered across Gu Il-baek’s face.

But only for a moment. He slowly walked into the building where the voice had come from.

“You’ve arrived?”

Surprisingly, Abbot Gong Gong and Master Seung-hyeon were in the main room of the building.

It was impossible to know when they had entered. They had even prepared tea already.

Gu Il-baek bowed his head.

“I greet the Alliance Leader. And Master Seung-hyeon as well.”

Master Seung-hyeon smiled and said,

“It’s brewed with tea leaves from Mount Wudang [a famous mountain in China known for its Taoist temples and martial arts]. The aroma might be a bit rough, but the taste will be fine.”

“……”

“Please, sit down.”

Gu Il-baek, who had been quietly observing Abbot Gong Gong and Master Seung-hyeon, sat down opposite them.

Abbot Gong Gong opened his mouth.

“Clan Leader Gu.”

“If you are requesting that I do something about the anti-Black Faction warriors, unfortunately, I do not have such power.”

His tone was slightly sarcastic.

Looking at his eyes, voice, and overall expression, Gu Il-baek was extremely tense. Yet, he was still saying such things.

It felt as if he was struggling.

Abbot Gong Gong, who had been quietly watching Gu Il-baek, lightly tapped the table with his hand.

Thwoom.

With a clear sound, a semi-transparent golden aura enveloped the entire building.

Gu Il-baek’s face turned somewhat pale.

In that instant, he had covered the entire vast space with an aura barrier. [Aura barrier is a common concept in martial arts novels, referring to a protective field of energy.]

It was an unbelievably terrifying level of power. It was hard to believe even after witnessing it. He had seen masters of the Heavenly Realm spar before, but witnessing such power up close was a different experience.

“Clan Leader Gu.”

Abbot Gong Gong’s voice was deep and calm, just like when he gave his speech.

“We haven’t met often, but I thought Clan Leader Gu was someone who was more righteous than anyone else.”

“……”

“I have heard many rumors that you are a cautious and cooperative martial artist. But after meeting you in person, I don’t think you are as noble and virtuous as the rumors suggest.”

Master Seung-hyeon looked at Abbot Gong Gong with surprised eyes.

However, Abbot Gong Gong’s words seemed to have eased Gu Il-baek’s mind. A small smile appeared on Gu Il-baek’s pale face.

“Is that so?”

“Yes. However, I thought you were truly a human being.”

“……”

“Not all of us who claim to be righteous and virtuous need to be noble and virtuous. Rather, I wish there were more people like Clan Leader Gu, who have flaws and desires but are willing to abandon their desires and act for others.”

It was a statement made as the Alliance Leader, not as a follower of Buddhist law.

“Flaws and desires….”

Gu Il-baek, who was muttering as if chewing over Abbot Gong Gong’s words, closed his eyes.

“Did you investigate me?”

“I began a thorough investigation from the time you joined the anti-Black Faction.”

“……”

“I couldn’t find out what happened in Clan Leader Gu’s past. However, I did learn that you are just like everyone else.”

“……I see.”

“It seems like it will be a long story if we go on, so I will get straight to the point.”

Abbot Gong Gong’s eyes turned cold.

“Who is it?”

“……”

“I have examined the life Clan Leader Gu has lived and observed your nature. Clan Leader Gu, you are someone who knows well what consequences your actions will bring to the Alliance.”

“The Alliance….”

“Furthermore, I don’t think you are someone who would step forward in such a matter. Yet, you are at the forefront, stirring up trouble. As a monk, I can only think of two possibilities.”

“……”

“Either Clan Leader Gu has gone mad, or you are being threatened by someone.”

Master Seung-hyeon looked at Abbot Gong Gong with a stern gaze.

Abbot Gong Gong was not so reckless as to openly call someone mad in front of them.

That meant he was determined to thoroughly investigate this matter as the Alliance Leader.

“Clan Leader Gu, who is deeply cultivated enough to be revered by the Gangseo martial artists, could not have gone mad.”

“……”

“Who is it? No, what happened?”

Gu Il-baek’s eyes became bloodshot.

“I….”

“I know you deliberately sent your subordinate martial artists away.”

“……!”

“It wouldn’t be to do something secretly behind everyone’s back. From what I see, it seems like Clan Leader Gu wants someone to notice your situation and save you.”

“……”

“Am I wrong?”

Abbot Gong Gong’s words were sharp as a needle.

And his words were true. Gu Il-baek was actually in a state of half giving up.

Gu Il-baek, who had been staring blankly at Abbot Gong Gong, took a sip of tea.

Master Seung-hyeon’s words were true. The aroma was a bit rough, but the taste was very good. The warm tea made him feel calmer.

It was an hour later that Gu Il-baek, who had been staring at his teacup for a long time, finally opened his mouth.

“It started with Vice Sect Leader Yeon.”

“……?”

“I ordered my subordinate martial artists to bring Vice Sect Leader Yeon. As respectfully as possible.”

“I heard about it.”

Gu Il-baek smiled bitterly.

“He refused.”

“He had no choice.”

“I understand. It was right after the incident with the Crimson Spear Sect, so why would Vice Sect Leader Yeon want to get involved in something complicated?”

Master Seung-hyeon’s eyes deepened.

Gu Il-baek continued with a bitter smile.

“I heard that Vice Sect Leader Yeon is quicker than anyone else to read the situation. So, I thought that if I talked to him, he would notice.”

“Notice what?”

“……My condition.”

“Condition?”

“Before my condition, I wanted to give him a hint.”

“About what?”

“Not to go to the Namgoong Family.”

At that moment, Abbot Gong Gong and Master Seung-hyeon’s eyes wavered.

Gu Il-baek’s statement in itself was shaking the entire case.

Gu Il-baek knew that Namgoong In would die. And he also knew that Yeon Ho-jeong would eventually go to the Namgoong Family.

“‘He’ told me. That Vice Sect Leader Yeon would head to the Namgoong Family. Sooner or later.”

“Who is ‘he’?”

“…….”

“Clan Leader Gu.”

“It’s because of me.”

“……?”

“It’s all my fault. I lived my life wrong.”

“Clan Leader Gu, calm down and tell me. Who is he….”

“I assassinated my younger brother and poisoned my father.”

“……?!”

“I did it without anyone knowing. I couldn’t stand having a younger brother who was more talented than me, and I couldn’t bear my father’s gaze that looked at me like a bug.”

“……!!”

“Furthermore, my father’s words that I would have to give up everything I learned from the Lion Clan and leave if I didn’t become the Clan Leader triggered my fear.”

Gu Il-baek’s jaw jutted out.

“It was a perfect crime. No one knew. At least, until ‘he’ appeared.”

It was a terrifying truth.

No one would have thought that the Clan Leader of the Blue Lion Clan, known for his righteousness, would have committed such acts of patricide in his youth.

“I wanted to be a good person. I thought that if I exerted a positive influence, my sins would be forgiven.”

“…….”

“It was nonsense. No matter how many good deeds I did, how could a parricide who killed his brother and father live with his head held high, looking at the sky?”

“……Clan Leader Gu.”

“In the end, my evil deeds from thirty years ago have come back like this.”

Gu Il-baek was now confessing his sins that he had never told anyone.

Abbot Gong Gong calmly asked,

“Are you saying that ‘he’ you mentioned threatened you with that?”

“That’s right.”

“Did he have evidence?”

It was not an easy question to ask from a humanitarian standpoint, but as the Alliance Leader, he had to know how he was being threatened.

“He didn’t.”

“……?!”

“He had no evidence. If he had such evidence, would I have been able to live this long?”

“He threatened you without evidence….”

“Yes. There is no evidence. ‘He’ just knew the truth.”

Gu Il-baek’s bloodshot eyes looked as if they would burst into tears at any moment.

“And he made me realize it. That’s all.”

“……!”

“I don’t know. Why I did this. I talked to him, and from then on, I became someone who couldn’t tell what was right.”

Abbot Gong Gong couldn’t bring himself to speak.

Master Seung-hyeon cautiously opened his mouth.

“So, you moved as that person told you to?”

“Told me… he never told me with words.”

“……?”

“I just understood. No, I accepted it.”

“Accepted what?”

“That the world was originally chaotic.”

Gu Il-baek’s fist turned white.

His face was gradually becoming blank.

“That it’s not me who is wrong, but the world that is wrong.”

“……?!”

“I, I am not wrong… he told me that.”

It was at that moment.

Abbot Gong Gong’s eyes flashed with fire.

“Stop!”

Whoooom!

The aura of the Supreme Great Power enveloped Gu Il-baek’s body.

But it was too late. Blood was already flowing from Gu Il-baek’s nose and mouth.

“Oh, no!”

Master Seung-hyeon quickly caught Gu Il-baek’s collapsing body.

Abbot Gong Gong’s reaction was blindingly fast. Thanks to that, only half of his meridians were ruptured. [Meridians are pathways in the body through which energy flows, a concept in traditional Chinese medicine.]

Of course, he would still die. It had only prevented instant death.

“Clan Leader Gu! Clan Leader Gu! Wake up!”

“……Master Seung-hyeon.”

“Yes, it’s me, Seung-hyeon!”

Gu Il-baek’s eyes gradually became cloudy.

“A person… can be consumed by madness… in a day… no, with just one incident….”

“Clan Leader Gu!”

“The world… why did I….”

Tears flowed from Gu Il-baek’s eyes.

“Even in death, I don’t want to meet my brother and father….”

That was the end.

Life began to drain from Gu Il-baek’s body as he dropped his head.

“What in the world is going on!”

Master Seung-hyeon, who was out of his mind, could only stare blankly at Gu Il-baek.

Abbot Gong Gong placed his hand on Gu Il-baek’s forehead with a somber expression.

“It’s not a technique like Soul-Seizing.”

“…….”

“It’s just… suicide.”