Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1352

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked at the world again.

‘It’s good.’

New sprouts were emerging from the barren land.

Light was returning to the dark sky. The wind was still strong, but the sunlight was incredibly clear.

*Sasaak.*

The sand and dust that had been scattered by the wind were gone. Before he knew it, countless flowers filled the fields. Various flower seeds fluttered about, and small, colorful insects flew around, making a buzzing sound with their wings.

Yeon Ho-Jeong turned his head.

Where the giant Yellow Dragon had been, a mountain stood tall, painted in vibrant colors. It was a truly magnificent mountain that seemed to refresh the heart just by looking at it.

And the tree.

Life was returning to the dying tree.

The cracked surface was now glossy. The bare branches were covered with green leaves.

Each of those leaves was full of life. The leaves, which were moderately wide and sturdy, seemed to have the strength to withstand the trials of winter.

Tall, majestic, and splendid.

His subconscious was gaining life.

“Why?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong turned to look at the Thousand-Faced Dragon.

The Thousand-Faced Dragon was still smiling. He would have smiled no matter what choice Yeon Ho-Jeong had made.

Yeon Ho-Jeong chuckled.

“As you know, I’m quite the rebel.”

“It was an opportunity to ascend.”

“I know.”

“If you opened that door, you could have let go of all your ties to this world and become light.”

“I know that too.”

“But why did you reject such a glorious future and revive your subconscious?”

“I am a human being.”

A powerful force was contained in his calm voice.

“From the moment I was born until now, I have been nothing more than a single human being.”

“Everyone is human. They are born as humans and become immortals.”

“Maybe later, but for now, I like being human.”

“You must know what it means to become an immortal, or rather, light.”

“It is filled with infinite glory.”

“It is filled with things that cannot be expressed in human language. It is to be reborn in a new world.”

“I know.”

“Knowing that, why did you give up the path of light?”

“I can’t become a bad disciple who didn’t even properly follow my master’s teachings, can I?”

“What do you mean?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked around.

“How does this scene look to you?”

“Peaceful and beautiful.”

“That’s right.”

“But why this scene?”

“I want to live in a place like this with my people.”

For the first time, he spoke his true feelings in front of his subconscious and his master.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes, which had been looking around the field with clear and peaceful eyes, gradually became wet.

“I want to be happy.”

“…”

“My life has been incredibly depressing, but I still know what happiness is. Because I had a master who guided this lacking person, a father and younger sibling who were gruff but always worried about me, and many friends, I know what happiness is.”

“…”

“I want to return more than a hundred times the happiness I felt to them.”

“…”

“You told me to be happy, Master.”

“I did.”

“I want to gain all the happiness I can in this world.”

“Even if your path to immortality is closed forever?”

“Yes.”

“Is that truly the path you have chosen?”

“Yes.”

The Thousand-Faced Dragon, who had been staring at Yeon Ho-Jeong, burst into laughter.

“Hahahaha!!”

It was the first time Yeon Ho-Jeong had seen it. His master laughing so happily.

Admiration, amazement, joy, satisfaction, and other similar yet completely different emotions were contained within his laughter. He was an immortal, but he was also someone who knew how to laugh more humanely than anyone else.

The Thousand-Faced Dragon’s face, after stopping his laughter, was incredibly benevolent. It was a human face that he had not shown even right before his ascension.

“Ho-Jeong.”

“Yes, Master.”

“I don’t know if we’ll ever meet again.”

“That’s why I’m sad.”

“If you had chosen the light, you wouldn’t have known sadness.”

“That’s why I know what happiness is.”

The Thousand-Faced Dragon nodded.

“We may never see each other again, or we may see each other a hundred or a thousand more times. The future is uncertain.”

“Yes.”

“And even if we see each other a hundred or a thousand more times, I will always say this.”

The Thousand-Faced Dragon smiled brightly.

“I am proud to have a disciple like you.”

“…”

“I thank the heavens. For guiding me to discover you, for whispering to you to choose me.”

“…”

“I was grateful and happy for every moment of our connection.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong felt tears welling up.

“Me too, me too.”

“Well, you’re right. Still, I’m supposed to be your master, and I gave you teachings after much deliberation, but you shouldn’t surpass them before even digesting them all. You’re not quite there yet, you rascal.”

“Hahaha!”

The two looked at each other and laughed heartily.

The whole world was filled with joy. It was filled with happiness.

The world of the master and disciple, who had completed each other, was surprisingly vibrant and extremely ‘human’.

After laughing for a long time, the two gradually stopped laughing, as if by mutual agreement.

“Ho-Jeong.”

“Yes.”

“Sa Mun-Hyang is a difficult opponent.”

“I know.”

“Even I don’t know how his power of defying the heavens will manifest. He could truly distort space-time like a blood jade [a mythical gem with reality-bending powers], or he could turn the world into a sea of fire in an instant. On the contrary, his power might weaken, or if handled improperly, even his soul could be torn apart.”

“…”

“The thing he created is that dangerous.”

“I suppose so.”

“That’s why you must quickly regain your strength.”

“Yes?”

“Completion is not something special. When you are complete as yourself, you will finally be able to be certain. That you can defeat Sa Mun-Hyang.”

“…”

“If Sa Mun-Hyang does not die and gains great power, you will be defeated no matter what in your current state. I can guarantee that much.”

“Is that so?”

“So, forget about the world for a while and complete yourself. Don’t be impatient if you don’t know how to complete yourself, and take enough rest while reflecting on yourself.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

The Thousand-Faced Dragon nodded.

“Go now.”

When he had ascended the Yellow Dragon, when he had appeared as a thought, Yeon Ho-Jeong had sent his master off.

When they had met again in this world and had many conversations, Yeon Ho-Jeong had sent his master off.

But now it was different.

His master was alive in his world as well. This time, his master was trying to send him off.

Yeon Ho-Jeong bowed respectfully.

“Since I don’t know if we’ll ever meet again, I’ll say goodbye as if it’s the last time.”

“Alright.”

“Then, I’ll be going now.”

“Go forth with confidence.”

With that, Yeon Ho-Jeong turned around. There was nothing but an endless field, but he knew how to leave this place.

Shortly after.

Yeon Ho-Jeong disappeared.

The Thousand-Faced Dragon, left alone, stroked the tree.

A tree that had grown so upright. The fact that his disciple had grown this tree, which was so admirable just to look at, was truly a joy that could not be expressed in words.

“Ho-Jeong.”

The Thousand-Faced Dragon’s eyes blurred.

“Choice is like the two sides of a leaf on the tree you grew.”

The Thousand-Faced Dragon sighed deeply and then smiled again. He couldn’t leave a regrettable sigh in this wonderful space that his disciple had created.

With that, the Thousand-Faced Dragon disappeared.

The door to this beautiful world would also close for a while, just for a very short while.

* * *

At the moment when Yeon Ho-Jeong revived his subconscious and gained great enlightenment.

The natural enemy sent by the heavens was also facing a moment of destiny.

*Kwaaang!!*

A tremendous explosion caused the mountain to roar.

The Evil Sorcerer was anxious. It was not just the mountainside, but a situation where two masters of the Four Kings level were clashing near the Essence Gathering Formation. If things went wrong, the creation of the Heaven-Defying Divine Pearl could be ruined.

*Wooo wooo woong!*

The evil energy emanating from the Evil Sorcerer’s hand cast a gray veil over the area.

It was the maximum magical defense he could muster in his exhausted state. It was one of the advanced techniques of the Evil Sound Sect, the Yin Fire Great Wall.

*Kung. Kung.*

The shockwaves emitted by the two masters had weakened somewhat.

Cold sweat formed on the Evil Sorcerer’s forehead. The magical power he had poured in to help Sa Mun-Hyang was so great that he felt extreme fatigue just maintaining the Yin Fire Great Wall.

Of course, he couldn’t give up.

‘Master! Hurry!’

Sa Mun-Hyang, inside the Essence Gathering Formation, had already opened his eyes.

But that was all. The two orbs he had obtained were hovering in the air, and the energy of the Fire Jade within them was wildly pounding inside the formation without mixing.

The Evil Sorcerer closed his eyes tightly.

‘Master!’

It was then.

*Flash!!*

Lightning struck from the sky.

Dark clouds gathered from the left and right of the torn sky. They were thick, dark clouds that were actually visible to the human eye.

*Kurururung.*

The thunder that seemed to collapse the sky was a bonus. It was too ominous to be dismissed as a simple weather anomaly.

The Evil Sorcerer, who had opened his eyes again, looked up at the sky.

Joy filled his face.

‘Finally!’

The celestial energy was distorted, and the celestial secrets not allowed in the mortal world were pouring down.

The celestial energy was about to spread in all directions, but as if it had been caught by something, it writhed fiercely and gradually descended towards the mountain.

More precisely, it was gathering towards the summit of the mountain, towards the Essence Gathering Formation.

The Evil Sorcerer smiled brightly.

“It’s done!”

Shortly after.

*Hoo wooo woong!!*

The two orbs and one energy slowly merged into one.

*Chiiiik!*

The orbs, which had been emitting terrifying heat, gradually began to turn blood-red. And Sa Mun-Hyang’s eyes were also completely red.

*Flash!*

The moment the orbs were filled with blood-red light.

“Aaaaaaaah!!”

Sa Mun-Hyang screamed.

It was a scream, but it was not a simple scream. It was filled with extreme pain and excruciating pleasure, pure chaos and stained light.

“Aaaah! Uaaaaaah!”

His voice gradually became dull and cracked.

The Evil Sorcerer’s eyes trembled.

‘Wh-what is it?!’

It was the moment when the Blood Jade, the Heaven-Defying Divine Pearl, was completed. But why was the Master in so much pain?

*Jing! Jing!*

The Heaven-Defying Divine Pearl, floating in the air, trembled and flickered. In response, Sa Mun-Hyang’s screams also cut off.

It was as if…

‘As if… he had become one with the orb…?!’

And shortly after.

*Sreuk.*

The Evil Sorcerer’s eyes widened as if they would tear.

He saw the Heaven-Defying Divine Pearl being sucked into Sa Mun-Hyang’s chest without any resistance.

No, rather than being sucked in, it was more like it had seeped in. As if they had been one from the beginning, the union of the two beings was so natural.

The moment the Heaven-Defying Divine Pearl completely seeped into Sa Mun-Hyang’s chest.

*Kwaaang!!*

“Cough!”

The Essence Gathering Formation shattered, causing a tremendous explosion.

The Evil Sorcerer, unable to withstand the aftermath, was thrown back about ten feet. His body, which had been thrown back, was broken and bruised in various places.

The Evil Sorcerer forced his trembling head up.

*Sss sss.*

In the faintly spreading gray mist.

*Flash!*

A blood-red light appeared.

The Evil Sorcerer smiled brightly.

“M-Master! You’ve succeeded!”

“…Yes.”

Something huge slowly rose from the mist.

“I feel so languid. And…”

A groan-like voice flowed from Sa Mun-Hyang’s mouth as he raised his head.

“I feel very good.”