Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1050

Whoosh.

The wind blew.

Even though the weather was milder than in the north, Hunan was still cold in winter, especially in the highlands.

White frost covered the majestic mountain range of Hengshan in the distance.

“It’s definitely different.”

Gi Cheon-ung, who had opened his eyes after ten days, was still dazzling. [Dazzling here implies an almost radiant or otherworldly presence.]

Within a radius of ten feet around where he stood, not a single snowflake fell. Instead, quite a bit of snow had accumulated around him.

“What a sight. Indeed, there was a reason why the founders were so eager to seize the land of the continent.”

In weather cold enough to make ordinary people wear fur coats, he was still wearing only a loose white robe.

He even maintained his barefoot habit. Despite walking on the bare ground, his feet were as clean as those of a woman who had taken great care of them.

Gi Cheon-ung looked up at the sky.

The sunlight, having pushed away the cloudy sky, was shining down intensely.

“Very good. Even with this weather, the harmony of yin and yang is remarkable. It’s not a place I’d recommend for someone who has mastered the Scorching Yang Art, but there’s no better place to stabilize the mind, body, and martial arts.”

“Indeed.”

Gi Cheon-ung turned around.

There stood Seo Jeong-gwang. He was neither too tall nor too short, and though his physique was a bit small, the aura of a well-trained swordsman was clearly evident.

“How long have you been waiting?”

“Not long.”

“…You’re good at lying. I almost fell for it for a moment.”

“Haha, I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Gi Cheon-ung chuckled.

“You were once our enemy, but to try to deceive the master of a myth, you really have some guts.”

“Isn’t it hard to fight a war with a clear mind? We need to go a little crazy when things are calm so we can endure when we feel like we’re about to lose it.”

“That’s a good way to put it.”

“By the way, it’s fascinating. Usually, martial artists in the Central Plains sit cross-legged when meditating or circulating their energy, but you, Master, are doing it standing.”

“Whether it’s seated, standing, or moving, it’s best to find the path that suits you. You don’t have to reach the Heavenly Flower Realm right away, and you shouldn’t be bound by posture when circulating energy or meditating, right?” [Heavenly Flower Realm is a high level of martial arts mastery.]

“I’m still lacking in many ways. The world of masters is indeed different.”

It wasn’t just a casual remark.

He wasn’t just agreeing to create a friendly atmosphere before getting down to business; he was genuinely focused on every word Gi Cheon-ung said.

An unexpected light flickered across Gi Cheon-ung’s face.

“Your talent is definitely outstanding. Though a bit different, you’re just as good as that friend of yours who you can’t live without.”

“It’s not that I can’t live without him, it’s that I don’t have the strength to beat him, so I have to pretend to be close.”

“Still, you chose the path of a strategist, yet I can’t help but notice the strong scent of a warrior about you.”

Seo Jeong-gwang smiled awkwardly.

“A strategist who can’t command on the field is only half a strategist. If I’m going to fight with those damned Black Path bastards, I’ll have to shed some blood myself.”

“An interesting place.”

“You can say that again. When I was young, I never thought I’d end up in the Black Path, swinging a sword.”

“And I never thought I’d cross the continent to fight my own son.”

“I have nothing to say to that.”

“That’s just how it is, I guess.”

Seo Jeong-gwang smiled and looked around.

“The scenery is nice, isn’t it?”

“It’s magnificent and beautiful.”

“This peak suits you well, Master. This is called the Zhurong Peak of Hengshan, and Zhurong is the god of fire in our Central Plains. In fact, if you go a little further, there’s a place dedicated to Zhurong.”

“I know. I went there on my first day. I didn’t know he was the god of fire.”

“Hengshan is also called the Southern Mountain, but it’s also called the Longevity Mountain. Zhurong, the god of fire in the Central Plains, also governs people’s lives and relationships. That’s why those who want to live long lives come to Hengshan.”

“I see.”

“You will live a long life, Master.”

“Do you know how old I am?”

“You’re not a hundred yet, are you?”

“Not far off.”

“May you live long after the war is over.”

Gi Cheon-ung chuckled. It was the first time they had a private conversation, but he was quite fond of Seo Jeong-gwang’s easygoing nature.

“If I survive after restoring the myth to its original state, I’ll try to conquer the continent on my own.”

“It will be difficult for you then.”

“Why do you think so?”

“Our Lord’s temper is so fierce. He might really go all out then.”

“Hahaha.”

Gi Cheon-ung burst into laughter.

Seo Jeong-gwang also laughed heartily. Their laughter echoed clearly.

“After having a casual conversation with you, I feel like my body is finally loosening up.”

“You’ve been standing in the same position for ten days, and that’s all it takes to loosen up? You’re a monster.”

“Our conversation has been enjoyable, but I’m not someone without manners. I can’t keep a busy person for too long, so tell me why you came all this way.”

Seo Jeong-gwang’s face immediately turned serious.

“I’ll get straight to the point. Do you know about the Northern Ice Palace?”

“…!!”

Gi Cheon-ung’s eyes deepened.

“Are you talking about the Ice Wheel Sect?”

“Huh? The Ice Wheel Sect?”

“Don’t you know?”

“…?”

“The Northern Ice Palace was formerly the Ice Wheel Sect. Among ourselves, we called it the Thousand Crystal Ice Wheel Divine Sect, but people back then just called it the Ice Wheel Sect.”

“There are so many religions in the world.”

“Indeed. It’s better to boldly claim to be a god than to claim to be a king or emperor.”

“Your scale is different.”

“Stagnant water is bound to rot, so I heard there were quite a few internal conflicts. Was it before the Blood Sect disappeared and the Three Families changed into the Three Sects? I heard there were some local battles in the border regions.”

“…Huh.”

“Anyway, why the Ice Wheel Sect?”

It seemed that the Three Sects had been calling the Northern Ice Palace the Ice Wheel Sect all along.

That meant they knew more about them than he did. Just that alone made Seo Jeong-gwang feel that the day’s wait was not in vain.

“Warriors dispatched from the Northern Ice Palace have entered the Central Plains.”

“…”

“They sent Commander Gang along with the Dragon Slaying Unit. The Meng side will also send people.”

“Did they say anything else?”

“No, they didn’t.”

“Those are some nerve-wracking fellows.”

“You can say that again. They’re already on edge, and they came to Shanxi without a word and are just holding their ground. However, given their location, it doesn’t seem like they came to start a fight.”

“If they’ve even brought in the Ice Wheel Sect, they might be using them as a distraction while they strike elsewhere.”

“You really know your tactics. We’re not ruling out that possibility either.”

“What do you think?”

“We can’t be sure of anything. It’s unlikely they came to fight, but they wouldn’t have come just for a stroll either, right?”

“Of course not.”

“If they’ve been watching this world, they would have noticed that the fight between us and the Three Sects is imminent. We’re guessing they might have come to propose an alliance to gain something.”

Gi Cheon-ung tilted his head.

“That’s possible, but… I’m not so sure.”

“Why is that?”

“The Ice Wheel Sect, or those guys from that region, are notorious for being narrow-minded and closed off. Why else would they have been stuck in that place for a thousand years?”

“Hmm.”

“Of course, there are some unique ones among them, and I’ve heard that some occasionally come to the continent to see the world.”

“Yes. It’s recorded in the historical records of the great sects. They were all masters of great martial prowess, and masters of ice techniques that could freeze you to the bone.”

“That’s probably true. Our sect’s records also have detailed descriptions and characteristics of them.”

Gi Cheon-ung walked with his hands behind his back. Seo Jeong-gwang followed him a step behind.

“Among the Three Sects, our sect is the most knowledgeable about the Ice Wheel Sect.”

“Why is that? Is it because of the opposing elements of fire and ice…?”

“Nonsense. It’s because we’re geographically closer to them.”

“Ah, I see.”

“But you’re right too. It’s not impossible to travel back and forth if you’re determined. That’s why we’ve always been mindful of the Ice Wheel Sect.”

“The Ice Wheel Sect is further north, right?”

Gi Cheon-ung smiled.

“You really know your stuff.”

Seo Jeong-gwang scratched his cheek and said,

“We can’t rule out the possibility of them coming down from the north… If that’s the case, it must have been quite troublesome for the Divine Flame Church.”

“Of course. They even tried to send an envoy to at least establish some kind of relationship, but they were rejected. They haven’t come out of the world for so long, so we just let it be now.”

“But you can’t completely ignore them, right?”

“That’s why we tried to investigate and find out more about them. There were even hardliners who wanted to take over their region by force. They thought it was better to start a war and expand their territory than to be anxious and watch their every move.”

“It’s a bit cruel, but… I can understand why they would think that way.”

“As a result, there were a few local battles, but no real war broke out.”

Seo Jeong-gwang felt troubled.

Gi Cheon-ung clearly knew more about the Northern Ice Palace than the people of the Central Plains, but he didn’t know enough to be of much help.

Then, Gi Cheon-ung said,

“What does it mean that those guys have come all this way?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why don’t you know?”

“Yes?”

“You said it yourself. We were geographically close.”

“…?”

“So many Ice Wheel Sect members moved, wouldn’t the Divine Flame Church have noticed it?”

“…!!”

Seo Jeong-gwang’s eyes wavered.

Gi Cheon-ung smiled.

“They probably couldn’t picture our region in their heads, so they must have missed it. I understand.”

“So, what you’re saying is…?”

“It’s one of two things. Either the Ice Wheel Sect guys coincidentally came to propose an alliance at this time, or…”

“They came while hiding the fact that they’ve joined hands with the Divine Flame Church.”

“Even if they came by chance, the Divine Flame Church wouldn’t have easily started a fight. The Ice Wheel Sect is strong. They couldn’t afford to lose a certain amount of power in this situation where war could break out at any moment.”

“But if they were determined to resolve it somehow, it wouldn’t have been impossible.”

“Of course not.”

“Then…”

Gi Cheon-ung shook his head.

“I don’t know. However, considering my son’s temper, I don’t think he would have just let it go.”

“But he’s not foolish enough to fight such a strong force and risk losing power, is he?”

“That’s true. But if the Ice Wheel Sect joins hands with the Central Plains, it’s a fire on the Divine Flame Church’s feet. Their martial arts are incompatible, and they’ll be criticized by the Blood Fiends and the Evil Yin for just letting it happen.”

Seo Jeong-gwang sighed.

“I think I should go down first.”

“I’m done too. Let’s go down together.”

Whoosh!

The two of them descended the snow-covered Zhurong Peak in an instant.