Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1351

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked around.

“I’m used to it now… Huh?”

He was quite surprised inwardly.

“It’s different from usual.”

Indeed, it was different from usual.

He had been in this dreamlike world several times before. It was the same right before he encountered his master’s thoughts, and when he looked back at himself before fighting Sa Moon-Hyang, he walked through the dream as if it were his own world.

However, the scenery had never been as clear as it was now.

A barren wasteland stretched out endlessly. On that land where even a single blade of grass could hardly grow, a desolate tree that had lost its leaves stood withered.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes clouded over.

“I don’t know what’s going on.”

His original memories were jumbled.

He remembered that he was Yeon Ho-Jeong, that he was a member of the Yeon family, and what he had been striving for.

However, he couldn’t remember what had happened right before he entered this dreamlike world.

After pondering for a while, Yeon Ho-Jeong soon gave up trying to remember. He knew that no matter how hard he tried, he wouldn’t be able to recall it.

Sighing, he looked around the world again and felt a sudden urge to approach the tree.

“…It’s huge.”

From afar, it looked like a moderately large tree, but when he got closer, it was over ten *jang* [approximately 33 meters] tall and incredibly thick.

But it was still withered. The surface of the tree was completely rotten, and dust was flying off even now. It seemed like this huge tree would crumble at any moment if he punched it.

As Yeon Ho-Jeong stared at the tree, he felt a strange sense of frustration.

He didn’t know why. The more he looked at it, the more wistful and even sad he felt. It was as if something was stuck in his chest, making it hard to breathe.

Yeon Ho-Jeong slowly reached out his hand toward the tree.

*Fuss.*

Even though he hadn’t touched it, the closer his hand got, the more dust flew off the surface.

Yeon Ho-Jeong couldn’t bring himself to touch the tree. It was just a dying tree in this desolate place, and he didn’t need to pay any attention to it, but strangely, he didn’t want to destroy it.

After looking at the tree for a long time, Yeon Ho-Jeong sighed.

“Why am I in a place like this again, looking at this tree?”

It was then.

“It’s because the level you’ve reached is dangerous.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong was startled and looked around.

But there was no one around. Only the endless, desolate field stretched out.

Again, a voice was heard.

“When divine energy awakens, you see things that cannot be seen in this world. That’s why people with strong innate divine energy weaken and die if they cannot control it.”

“Who are you?”

“But you have developed your divine energy in an extremely human way, based on your acquired efforts and fierce life. However, while the divine energy is raging like a wildfire, your body cannot keep up with it, so the divine energy overflowing out of the vessel keeps trying to pull you down into your subconscious.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked around again.

Again, the owner of the voice was not visible. It sounded as vivid as if they were speaking right next to him.

“In other words, whenever you have entered this kind of realm, excessive divine energy has always been the problem.”

“……!”

“Fortunately, your subconscious has not lost itself. In the process of letting go of hatred and resentment, you have become stronger and more solid moment by moment.”

“…….”

“That’s why you were able to reach this place without being consumed by your subconscious.”

Hatred, and resentment.

Letting go, burning away, releasing.

They were familiar words, familiar phrases.

And now he realized that it was a familiar voice.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes trembled.

“Master…?”

And at that moment, Yeon Ho-Jeong felt a tingling sensation all over his body and turned around.

In the desolate scene with the dying tree.

His master was there. Cheon In-Ryong was there.

“Master!”

“Yes.”

It was clear.

His master’s eyes, nose, and mouth were clear. His expression, presence, and even his divine, beautiful figure were all incredibly clear.

Yeon Ho-Jeong bowed on the spot.

“Disciple Ho-Jeong greets Master.”

“Hahaha.”

The kind laughter seemed to penetrate his ears.

“It’s embarrassing to even call you a half-immortal now. You who have opened the path of the Immortal Martial Way and reached the door of ascension, do you still consider me your master?”

“What are you saying? To me, you are the only master.”

Cheon In-Ryong smiled.

“Get up.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong carefully stood up.

He was much more polite and respectful than when they had met again in this world. He cherished this moment even more because he had met the person he thought he would never see again, even if it was in this world.

“But how did you come to be here, Master…?”

“Do you see it?”

Cheon In-Ryong stroked the tree.

Unlike when Yeon Ho-Jeong had tried to touch it, the tree did not crumble.

“I met my master under this tree.”

“Yes?”

“The one who is your grandmaster.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face was filled with emotion.

He didn’t know why he had fallen into this world, but it was an honor just to know that his respected master was in the place where his grandmaster had met him.

Cheon In-Ryong smiled and said,

“My master was not a talented person, even by a long shot. Rather, he was closer to being a dullard. When my master told me that he would teach me martial arts, I was worried.”

“What do you mean?”

“I hoped that the heart of the person I had already taken as my master would not be hurt. I thought I could master the Four Divine Arts in one night.”

It was a terrifying confidence. And Cheon In-Ryong was indeed a person who could have such confidence.

He was a genius who had reached the pinnacle of martial arts at a young age and had compiled the demonic arts of the Blood Cult.

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled.

“You must have been quite embarrassed.”

“Hahaha! I was. Unlike what I thought, the Four Divine Arts were very difficult and abstruse. One night? I couldn’t even see the end of it even after a year.”

“It was indeed a very difficult martial art.”

“It was difficult, but passing on the Four Divine Arts was not just about passing on the martial art itself. It was about passing on the spirit of a Four Divine Arts master, and even the perspective of looking at this world.”

“…….”

“The biggest surprise was my master’s talent. My master had no innate talent, and yet he had mastered the Four Divine Arts to that level. That was a great surprise to me.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong nodded.

“I know the reason for that.”

“Yes, it’s time you knew.”

Cheon In-Ryong looked up at the tree.

“The Four Divine Arts are not just a simple martial art. The beginning of the Four Divine Energies was like a kind of health cultivation technique. It is a martial art that governs the five viscera and six entrails and makes people healthy, so it is not wrong to call it a health cultivation technique.”

“And health cultivation is necessarily based on an understanding of humans and nature.”

“That’s right. My master had no talent in martial arts, but his perspective on the world was very outstanding. My master was the one who reached that level with only that perspective.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong suddenly became curious.

What was Cheon In-Ryong looking at now? Was he looking at his grandmaster? Or was he reminiscing about the past?

Cheon In-Ryong lowered his head.

“Ho-Jeong.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Haven’t you run enough now?”

“…Yes?”

“You have already let go of all your hatred and resentment. That is why you can be here.”

“…?!”

“It’s also because of excessive divine energy, but if that were the case, there would have been no need to bring you to the end of this world. It would have ended with you just having a happy dream or reminiscing about the past.”

“What does that mean…?”

“This is the world you wanted to come to. You wanted to check yourself one last time. That’s why you are here.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong couldn’t understand.

“I’m sorry, Master. I don’t understand what you’re saying at all…”

“You tried to save Sa Moon-Hyang, didn’t you?”

“…!!”

“Even though your anger towards him was enough to burn the world, you gave him a chance. You have let go of all your hatred and resentment.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s mouth dropped open.

Only then did he remember. That he had fought a terrible battle with Sa Moon-Hyang before coming here.

The memory that came in an instant also revived his power.

*Hwaaaak!*

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s entire body was dyed golden.

*Kuururung!*

At the far end of the wasteland, something as huge as a mountain rose up.

It was a yellow dragon. The sight of the yellow dragon raising its body, which was thicker and longer than a mountain range, was a spectacle to behold.

Cheon In-Ryong, who had been quietly watching Yeon Ho-Jeong, said as if throwing it away,

“Even my yellow dragon from back then, when I was called the Yellow Dragon Emperor, wasn’t that big.”

“…….”

“You have reached a higher level than I was when I ended the Blood Cult rebellion.”

“Master…”

“In other words, you are ready to shed your human shell and leave this world.”

“Are you saying that I have reached the Immortal Path?”

“That’s right.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong was shocked.

He had killed countless people and even committed somewhat cold and cruel acts for his own benefit. He couldn’t understand how he, who had done such things, had reached the Immortal Path.

Cheon In-Ryong burst into laughter.

“Look, you have obtained qualifications that are second to none, and yet you have a nature that reflects on your own mistakes. How could I have turned away from you? It was truly a blessing that a good child like you came into my sight.”

“…Master.”

Cheon In-Ryong tapped the tree.

“Do you know what this dying tree is?”

“I don’t know.”

“It is your subconscious.”

“…!!”

“When you touch the tree, the tree dies. But that’s not a bad thing. When the tree disappears, you will finally remove your subconscious and have a complete self.”

Ascension.

A human who has eliminated their subconscious can control even that realm with their own will. It means making the impossible possible.

Yeon Ho-Jeong stammered,

“Am I… ascending to immortality?”

“That’s right.”

“If I eliminate my subconscious, does that mean the Immortal Path will open for me?”

“To be precise, it’s not about eliminating it. It’s just about becoming an immortal who controls even the place where the subconscious exists under their own will.”

Cheon In-Ryong’s eyes sparkled.

“It must have been very difficult. Until you reached that level.”

“…….”

“You must have cried a lot and despaired a lot. You have reached this point with your strong character even in such a harsh life.”

“Master…”

“The time has come.”

Cheon In-Ryong turned around.

Nothing could be felt from his turned back.

“Forget all your ties and ascend to the heavens.”

The heavens, the heavens.

Yeon Ho-Jeong slowly approached the tree.

Standing in front of the tree, having passed his master, Yeon Ho-Jeong looked at the tree with trembling eyes.

A tall and thick tree, but one that looked terribly fragile.

At that moment, Yeon Ho-Jeong realized that his master’s words were true.

‘This is me.’

The subconscious, which had already rotted away, was crying sadly. No, it was crying happily.

It was the cry of the subconscious, which was coming to an end as a part, but had realized that another part of itself could become truly great, that shook the wasteland.

Yeon Ho-Jeong closed his eyes.

“Master.”

“Yes.”

“I have made my choice.”

“Then act without hesitation.”

*Sreuk.*

The hand slowly rising. That hand touched the tree.

And.

*Hwaaaak!*

The world was filled with light.