Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1072

The most senior figure in the martial world of this era had shown the utmost respect.

Yeon Ho-Jeong, as a junior, also had to return the courtesy. However, he was so surprised by Mu Heo’s words—that he was the twenty-sixth successor of the Four Divine Martial Arts—that he forgot to bow.

“How do you know that I am the successor of the Four Divine Martial Arts, Senior?”

“Haha.”

“Could it be… because of my master?”

Mu Heo, who had undone his half-bow, pointed towards the palace gate with his hand.

“This isn’t a conversation for a place where people come and go. Shall we take a walk for a bit?”

* * *

Even within the imperial palace, there were forests. The palace itself was as vast as a decent-sized city, so it was only natural.

The place the three of them headed to was quite far from the imperial court, a dense bamboo forest where few people passed by.

“You said you discovered the Yellow Dragon.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked at Mu Heo.

Tak Mu-Ja, who had been keeping a slight distance, also opened his ears to listen to their conversation.

“You came to this old monk who was holding onto hellish energy and said that. After some conversation, you suddenly said you felt the aura of the Yellow Dragon.”

“……!”

“That person had half-shed his human form. But because he worried too much about the world, he couldn’t move towards the light and wandered the mortal realm.”

“…….”

“I can’t forget the shock I felt when I first met him. Ah, so there are people like this in the world. They say there are countless eccentric masters hidden in the martial world, and that was indeed true.”

Eccentric master.

He was a being that couldn’t be described by the mere term of eccentric master. A genius who reached the pinnacle of martial arts at a young age, read the heavenly principles, prevented wars, and reached such a high level that he transcended even death.

In other words, the Yellow Dragon Emperor, the twenty-fifth successor of the Four Divine Martial Arts, was a being beyond human.

“Yet, he acted like a human and saw the world like a human.”

“…….”

“Once the amazement at the great heights he had reached subsided, this old monk couldn’t help but feel a sense of sorrow.”

“Sorrow, you say?”

“He had become a lost soul.”

“…….”

“If one reaches a level where they can glimpse the heavenly principles, they should naturally attain enlightenment and become a Buddha. Or, in the way of the immortals, they should become a deity and leave this world. Yet, he was bound to the mortal realm. He knew the heavenly principles, yet he rejected them.”

“……Why do you think he did that?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong had never seen his master in such a state.

To him, his master was always perfect. A perfect person and a perfect martial god.

Yeon Ho-Jeong was curious as to why Mu Heo, who was said to be the closest to the best in the world, felt sorrow when looking at his master.

“The Martial Lord could not turn a blind eye to the suffering of the people living in this world, so he refused the path to ascension.”

“……!”

“He must have already known. That life is suffering, that the conflicts of the mortal world will never cease, and that frustration, hatred, sorrow, and despair will always stain the world.”

“…….”

“This old monk has not reached that level, but I can guess. When a person’s soul reaches the heavenly path through sudden enlightenment, they will only see the path of ascension, grasping the string of enlightenment.”

“…….”

“But it seems that he saw this world. Even in the face of absolute temptation, he saw the people groaning.”

Mu Heo closed his eyes.

He couldn’t remember the face of the divine being. It hadn’t been long since he had seen him off, but strangely, he couldn’t remember it.

It must have been because he wished it so.

Having abandoned all worries and attachments to the mortal world, he had truly become a god and departed, no longer a ghost in human form. The face of a god is inherently formless.

“Even if he wandered the mortal realm, he knew he couldn’t change the world. He also knew that he shouldn’t step forward to the forefront of the world. Yet, he couldn’t leave, which must be because his compassion and love for the people were too strong.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes wavered.

Though he didn’t express it, just listening to Mu Heo’s words, he could glimpse his master’s agony.

Born as the successor of the Blood Cult, he realized the heavenly principles and instead rebelled, participating in wars to eliminate the suffering of the people, and then wandered the world, saving those who were suffering.

But even with the power of a god, he couldn’t eliminate conflicts alone. He couldn’t eliminate sorrow, hatred, despair, and regret.

Knowing all that, yet unable to ascend and living for over three hundred years, what a pitiful existence he must have been.

“This old monk knew. The way to heal his heart. I knew that the agony and wounds received from people should be soothed by connections with people.”

“…….”

“But I also knew that unless he realized it himself, it would be meaningless. So, I just watched.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong listened to Mu Heo’s words without a word.

Mu Heo smiled wryly.

“About ten years ago, when he appeared before this old monk again, I realized. Let me take away the hellish energy that he is carrying. I’ve also raised a decent disciple, so all I have to do is abandon my ego and dedicate my life to the nameless hero who has lived for the sake of the world….”

“…….”

“And recently, he went to meet another Yellow Dragon. Leaving behind the words that a divine object and demon called the Divine Jade had been shattered a few years ago.”

“……!”

“After that, all the hellish energy that had been gnawing at this old monk’s body disappeared. It’s proof that he truly became one with the world and left the mortal realm.”

Mu Heo stopped walking.

In Mu Heo’s eyes as he turned to look at Yeon Ho-Jeong, surprisingly, there was no suspicion or wariness.

“The person this old monk is talking about must be the Lord’s master.”

“……That’s right.”

“He never had a disciple in his life. He is not a person who speaks falsehoods.”

“That is who he is.”

“Yet, a disciple suddenly appeared. This old monk could feel his lingering presence in the Lord’s energy. Not just because he had learned the same martial arts, but because there was the essence of enlightenment that could only be passed on when people meet.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong didn’t speak. The fact that he had returned to the past with the help of a demonic object called the Blood Jade.

It wasn’t because he thought they wouldn’t believe him if he told them. It was because he knew that even if he didn’t say it, Mu Heo was someone who would understand somehow.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s thoughts were accurate.

“He possessed abilities that cannot be explained by human common sense. He must have passed on the Four Divine Martial Arts to you in some mysterious way.”

“That’s right.”

“The words that he was going to see the Yellow Dragon clearly mean that he was going to see the Lord.”

“I had a deep conversation with him after a long time. And then he ascended high into the sky.”

Mu Heo smiled.

“How was your reunion with your master?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s voice slightly lowered.

“I met someone I thought I would never see again, thanks to everyone’s consideration. He gave me enlightenment until the very end of his departure, so his shadow will be with me until I die.”

“Hahaha.”

Mu Heo nodded.

“The Martial Lord has such a solid disciple, it’s truly a blessing from the heavens. I heard rumors that the Lord was working tirelessly for the world, and I wondered where such a remarkable person came from, but if he is his disciple, it’s not strange at all.”

That’s not true.

The reason Yeon Ho-Jeong could grow to be who he is now was not simply because of the existence of a master called Cheon In-Ryong.

He had a reliable father and precious brothers.

Countless comrades he had made in the world were firmly supporting him from behind.

If even one of them was missing, Yeon Ho-Jeong would not have grown as he had now.

Even this Mu Heo.

“Thank you.”

“Hmm?”

“It was because you shared my master’s pain that I was able to see him again. Your help was significant in allowing our master and disciple to have such a precious meeting.”

Mu Heo shook his head.

“If I hadn’t met the Martial Lord, this old monk would have remained a scholar monk of Shaolin. We have influenced each other and passed on teachings to future generations, so there is no need to thank each other.”

Mu Heo, who showed a different kind of enlightenment from Cheon In-Ryong, Tak Mu-Ja, and even the Emperor.

Although he was a stranger, Yeon Ho-Jeong could strongly feel the shadow of his master and the heart of Gong Gong [a legendary figure known for his compassion and dedication] from Mu Heo.

“I’ve kept a busy person for too long. I’m sorry.”

“No, it was a very precious time for me.”

“Haha, then that’s a relief.”

Mu Heo’s eyes twinkled.

“Then, could you spare me another half an hour?”

“I can, but what is it for?”

Mu Heo looked at Tak Mu-Ja.

Tak Mu-Ja chuckled.

“I’ll go tell the Lord that you’ll be late.”

“Sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong bowed his head towards Tak Mu-Ja.

“The situation wasn’t good for catching up. Let’s have a drink together later.”

“The real catching up should be done properly when this situation is over. Old men like us can just move as we’re told, but you young ones will be very busy.”

“I understand.”

“Then, I hope you have a good time.”

Tak Mu-Ja was practically a soulmate of Mu Heo. He seemed to know why Mu Heo had asked Yeon Ho-Jeong for more time.

As Tak Mu-Ja disappeared, Mu Heo sat cross-legged on the spot.

Yeon Ho-Jeong naturally sat opposite him.

Mu Heo said in a calm voice.

“This old monk has never learned martial arts, but the Martial Lord told me a lot about the Four Divine Martial Arts. Well, he only had this foolish monk to talk to openly for all those years, so it’s understandable.”

“…….”

“I don’t know the incantations of the Four Divine Martial Arts, but thanks to his enlightenment, I was able to develop greatly and reach this level.”

“I see.”

“So, I can tell. Because I met him, saw him, and felt him, I know that the current Lord is not fully drawing out the power of the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes widened.

“You can see that?”

He hadn’t even shown him his martial arts directly, yet he said he could see it. It was something Yeon Ho-Jeong himself hadn’t even realized.

“The Yellow Dragon Divine King Art is the pinnacle of martial arts, and if one reaches it, it can be considered that they have reached the Dao [the Way or the Path] through martial arts. But the Lord, like him, is only drawing out the extreme divine energy as the destructive power of martial arts.”

“……!”

“I know that the Yellow Dragon Energy governs the middle and lower dantian [energy centers in the body], and the Divine King Energy governs the upper dantian. When the upper, middle, and lower are perfectly trained and move towards complete light, what else could this be if not the ultimate martial art?”

Whoooom.

A faint milky white light emanated from Mu Heo’s hand.

It was a deep and sacred energy. Without any force, it was just endlessly deep. Yeon Ho-Jeong stared blankly at that hand, feeling comfortable just by looking at it.

“I don’t know the incantations or the enlightenment, but I know how to guide the Lord to better control the Divine King Energy. Because his enlightenment is also melted into this old monk’s martial arts.”

“……Senior.”

“Now, this is the Great Prajna Power [a Buddhist concept of wisdom].”

Mu Heo’s hand touched Yeon Ho-Jeong’s forehead.

Flash!

A pure white light soared high into the sky.