Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1120

The spectacular sight of an entire mountain collapsing was clearly visible even from the North Gate of the Imperial Palace.

“Wh-what is that?!”

Everyone who witnessed the scene was in utter shock. Gi Cheon-ung, in particular, couldn’t help but be even more astonished.

“That mountain wasn’t supposed to crumble from cannon fire alone?!”

As someone who had set foot on that very ground, he found the current act of blasting away an entire mountain range with artillery incomprehensible.

Of course, even the most skilled martial artist couldn’t know the exact sturdiness of a mountain just by standing on it.

However, people have common sense. Gi Cheon-ung had the eye to distinguish between soft and hard ground.

Naturally, that mountain range was not soft ground. Even if it were, it was impossible to collapse it with just a few hundred cannon shots.

“Although it’s called a mountain range, it’s actually not very high, low, or thick. It’s more accurate to call it a large hill.”

Even Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face was filled with admiration.

“But even so, there’s no one else who could do such a thing.”

“What do you mean, ‘person’?”

“Don’t you understand? Yeon-wi Martial Chief didn’t just collapse the mountain with cannons. He used his Mind Sword [a technique that allows one to perceive the inner structure of things] to examine the mountain range’s structure, identified its weak points, and then fired cannons at those spots, completely obliterating an entire hill.”

At that moment, everyone gasped in awe.

That’s right. Yeon-wi possessed the Mind Sword.

With the Mind Sword, it was understandable. If one had the ability to cut through even a person’s will, seeing the weaknesses and structures of minerals was certainly possible.

The Mind Sword was something impossible without the Mind’s Eye [a heightened state of perception].

“But even that would be difficult.”

Tak Mu-Ja, who had briefly left the Emperor’s side, wore a worried expression.

“Cutting through a person’s will means shaking their upper and middle dantian [energy centers in the body]. Making someone unable to move their limbs with a single Mind Sword strike is akin to severing the connection between the limbs and the brain by cutting a part of the upper dantian with the Mind Sword.”

“……!”

“In other words, he used an ability that he normally uses on people on minerals. It’s certainly possible, but using the Mind Sword on something with a different structure would have put a great strain on the user.”

“Does that mean?”

“If his mental strength is sufficient, he won’t suffer internal injuries, but it will take a long time before he can use the Mind Sword again. For example, he would have suffered an internal injury to his mind, a mental wound.”

Everyone’s faces were filled with concern.

“It’s alright.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s faith in Yeon-wi was unwavering.

“If it were something he couldn’t handle, he would never have done it. I trust Yeon-wi Martial Chief’s cold judgment. That judgment applies to himself as well, not just others.”

“Hmm, I suppose so.”

Still, Yang Cheon’s face was filled with worry.

“But is it really alright? It’s certainly an amazing feat to blow away an entire mountain with cannons, but because of that, you’re now facing over twenty thousand enemies.”

“Yes. Also, Yeon-wi Martial Chief’s military tactics are certainly first-rate, but it’s hard to say they’re as great as anyone else’s.”

“Then isn’t that a big problem?”

“Again, if he wasn’t confident, he wouldn’t have even thought about destroying a mountain. The operation has already begun, and everything must be left to the capabilities of the front-line commanders. From the start, there was no plan to blow up a mountain with cannons, was there?”

That was true.

Yang Cheon sighed.

“I wish I had gone to help with the Twelve Zodiacs. I wonder if I should go now.”

“No. Grandfather is the Emperor’s son-in-law. Just as I didn’t go with my father, Grandfather must also stay in his position now.”

It meant not to act rashly. Yang Cheon groaned and sighed.

Yeon Ho-Jeong quickly scanned the gathered information. Even at this moment, hundreds of carrier pigeons and falcons were flying through the sky.

‘As expected.’

Master Mu Heo’s divine movement technique was beyond human comprehension. The fact that the carrier pigeon he sent had already arrived meant that he had reached a place not far from the Imperial Palace with the troops stationed in the east.

‘This gives Father enough leeway. The problem is whether to engage the enemy directly there or pull back the forces to the rear.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes wavered.

‘I’ll leave it to Father.’

Anxiety that he couldn’t express to others. As a son, he was a thousand times more worried than anyone else, but as a military strategist, he couldn’t show it carelessly.

‘Now is the time to think about other things. If my guess is correct…….’

Just in case, he had deployed a thousand elite cavalrymen from the Imperial Palace to the west.

Now that all preparations were complete, Yeon Ho-Jeong actually hoped that his guess was wrong.

‘I can’t send Master into battle.’

Yang Cheon, the Black Dragon Castle’s Grand Elder and the Imperial Palace’s son-in-law, was a symbolic figure. He was someone who absolutely could not lose his life in such a battle.

The same went for Gi Cheon-ung. He was someone the Jianghu [martial arts world] had to take responsibility for. Until the traitor who committed the heinous act was brought down, it was burdensome to put Gi Cheon-ung on the front lines.

Not to mention Tak Mu-Ja.

‘I wish Senior Gok Gyeong was here.’

Gok Gyeong couldn’t return to the Imperial Palace because of matters to handle in the Martial Alliance.

‘In the end, it’s me.’

He was called the Grand Strategist, but once this battle was over, he would have to relinquish that position.

If so, then this was the end of what he had to do. All that remained was to fight the enemy.

Yeon Ho-Jeong hurriedly flipped through other information documents. In just this short time, dozens of letters had piled up.

How much time had passed?

‘……!’

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flashed as he checked a letter from the Beggars’ Sect that had arrived directly from Shanxi Province.

‘As expected!’

Just in case, he checked a few more letters. It wasn’t just the Beggars’ Sect, but also information sent by the Martial Alliance and the Black Dragon Castle’s intelligence units stationed in Shanxi Province.

All of that information pointed to one fact. If so, then his guess was indeed correct.

‘Considering the time the letters arrived…….’

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked up at the sky.

‘Alright, I need to prepare.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong spoke to Yang Cheon.

“Master.”

“Huh?”

He had been calling him Grand Elder and son-in-law, but suddenly he was calling him Master.

Yang Cheon felt a pang of unease.

“What is it?”

“Please protect the Imperial Palace well, even without me.”

“You little rascal! Why are you suddenly acting like you’re going to die?!”

“Who said anything about dying? I’m just saying that I’m going to step down from the position of Grand Strategist.”

Yang Cheon’s face turned grim.

“You! The real battle hasn’t even started yet! And you’re saying you’re going to step down from the position of Grand Strategist? Are you out of your mind?!”

“The battle has already begun. All that remains is the fighting. And if it’s clear that we can win the battle here, then we need to focus on the battles that will take place elsewhere.”

“What on earth are you talking about?!”

“If we win this battle, it will take a long time for them to try to attack the Imperial Palace again. Considering the mobilization of troops, strategies, and tactics, it will take at least three months.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about…….”

Yeon Ho-Jeong took out a few neatly folded documents from his chest and handed them to Yang Cheon.

Yang Cheon’s eyes widened as he quickly checked the contents of the documents.

“Th-this is?!”

“Yes. These are documents summarizing the things I’ve planned after I step down from the position of Grand Strategist.”

Yang Cheon’s mouth dropped open.

“You thought this far ahead while working as the Grand Strategist?”

“It’s nothing much. It was possible because I had help.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face became serious.

“It’s something I’ve been planning for a long time. Of course, His Majesty the Emperor is also aware of it.”

“……!!”

“And Lord Moyong is directly in charge of this. It should be about half completed by now.”

Although it wasn’t the right situation, Yang Cheon couldn’t help but be impressed by Yeon Ho-Jeong’s thoroughness and incredible speed in handling things.

“You rascal, if something like this was going on, you should have told this master beforehand.”

“Should I have shared such things with a master who’s burning with the joys of newlywed life?”

“You little rascal?!”

“Anyway, please discuss the remaining matters with Sect Leader Gi and Senior Tak Mu-Ja and finish them up.”

Yang Cheon’s face was filled with regret.

“I’m always just sending you away.”

“In the Black Dragon Unit, I was the one who sent Master away.”

“You rascal, that’s not what I mean.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll meet again soon.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked at Gi Cheon-ung.

“This document also details how Sect Leader will move. I’ll go ahead and wait, so you can come slowly.”

“I can’t understand what you’re saying at all. But I understand. It’s not like I haven’t seen your ghost-like strategies once or twice.”

Gi Cheon-ung was rather calm.

Yeon Ho-Jeong bowed to Tak Mu-Ja.

“I apologize once again for sending Master Mu Heo into battle.”

If something happened to Master Mu Heo, Tak Mu-Ja’s life could also be in danger. Knowing that, he had sent him into battle without a word of consultation, so he was apologizing for that.

Tak Mu-Ja, who had been quietly watching Yeon Ho-Jeong, swung his fist.

A thud! sound came from Yeon Ho-Jeong’s head. It had been a long time since he had been flicked on the forehead.

“Tsk! How old am I, and where am I? Why would I worry about my life? If you were my disciple, I would have flicked your forehead until it was on fire.”

“It hurts.”

“It should hurt. This old man could die, you know?”

Unlike how they had treated each other with reverence, the two were now talking like a grandparent and grandchild.

Yeon Ho-Jeong rubbed his head and said,

“Master Mu Heo will be safe. Don’t worry.”

“Of course, I’m not worried. That monk’s fist is ten times more fierce than this old man’s fist that just flicked you. He’s not someone who will leave this world as he pleases before Buddha calls him.”

“I see.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked at everyone once and bowed again.

“Thank you for following me, who was lacking, all this time. I hope you all stay healthy until we meet again.”

After greeting everyone like that, Yeon Ho-Jeong quickly left the North Gate.

He was so hurried that he even used his movement technique, disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye. It was a speed that was hard to believe even after seeing it with one’s own eyes.

Yang Cheon shook his head.

“That naughty fellow. I was going to formally introduce him to my wife after this battle.”

Gi Cheon-ung chuckled.

“Introduce her to me later.”

“No need.”

“That’s disappointing.”

It was then.

Whoosh!

A cold aura surged from the distance.

The moment everyone felt that aura, two women quickly approached the North Gate.

Yang Cheon, Gi Cheon-ung, and Tak Mu-Ja’s faces lit up with joy.

“You’ve arrived.”

Unlike Muk Bi, who seemed somewhat tired, Mo Ja-Seon’s face was still indifferent.

“Where is the Black Dragon Castle Lord?”

“Before that, how did the battle go?”

Muk Bi took a breath and said,

“It was a complete victory. We eliminated all five thousand enemy troops and their leaders.”

Yang Cheon clenched his fist without realizing it.

“Well done! And thank you for your hard work! But what about the remaining troops……?”

“They’re coming slowly. We came first to prepare for a surprise attack on the north of the Imperial Palace.”

“That’s the right decision.”

Yang Cheon explained the current situation in detail.

“I see.”

Muk Bi, who had been deep in thought, sat down cross-legged on the spot.

“I will gather my energy as much as possible. Please tell me about the battle situation.”

“Aren’t you going to follow Lord Yeon?”

“Lord Yeon will head to Lord Yeon’s side after his battle is over. Just for a little while.”

Muk Bi closed her eyes.

“I will help the Lord.”