Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 19

The Sichuan Tang family.

A unique martial arts clan renowned throughout the Central Plains for their mastery of poison and hidden weapons.

Due to the nature of the orthodox path, which values uprightness and morality, poison and hidden weapons were difficult to accept. These weapons were more suited for assassination than fair combat.

The first family to break that prejudice was the Tang family. They were as ruthless and cold-blooded as their main weapons, but they never crossed the line.

Of course, Yeon Ho-Jeong didn’t care about such history.

He unconsciously stroked his solar plexus.

The unpleasant sensation of the cow hair needle [a very thin, almost invisible needle] that had pierced his dying chest was still vivid.

‘Tang Gwan.’

Tang Gwan, the vice-leader of the Martial Alliance.

The snake-like bastard who had completely sent his body, which was heading to the underworld, to the afterlife.

Twitch!

His hand gripping the iron bar unconsciously tightened.

The Black Emperor’s instinct, which never forgot a grudge, was awakening.

‘…….’

Yeon Ho-Jeong calmed his mind.

The opponent was not Tang Gwan. Even if it were Tang Gwan, he shouldn’t attack just because of a grudge.

He was not the Black Emperor Lord now, but the eldest son of the Yeon family. At least, unless provoked first, rash actions were forbidden.

“By the way, who are these people…?”

“They are the Yeon family’s eldest son, Yeon Ho-Jeong, and second son, Yeon Ji-Pyeong.”

Han Ho-Myeong greeted them with a smile.

“Nice to meet you. I am Han Ho-Myeong.”

His greeting was so simple it was almost curt.

Shin-mo’s face slightly hardened.

To Han Ho-Myeong, they were just members of another family, but this was a gathering of the younger generation of the Seven Great Families. While his tone was acceptable, he shouldn’t have put his hands behind his back and acted as if he were addressing subordinates.

Just as Shin-mo was about to speak up,

“I greet Great Warrior Han. I am Yeon Ji-Pyeong, the second son of the Yeon family.”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong bowed respectfully.

Unlike Han Ho-Myeong’s arrogant greeting, Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s greeting was courteous and polite.

Han Ho-Myeong burst into laughter.

“So you’re Young Master Yeon. I heard that the second son of Byeoksan is a very talented martial artist. Seeing you in person, it seems the rumors are true.”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong smiled.

“You flatter me. I don’t have that much talent, and I’m nothing compared to my brother.”

People’s gazes naturally turned to Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Interest sparked on Han Ho-Myeong’s face.

“Young Master…”

“Chief Shin.”

Shin-mo bowed his head.

“Yes, Eldest Young Master.”

“I’m hungry. Let’s find a place and eat.”

“Understood.”

“The guards should take turns. There’s no need to escort us here, so let the rest rest.”

“I obey your command.”

Shin-mo said to Han Ho-Myeong in a stiff voice.

“We’ll go ahead. Please rest comfortably.”

With that, the Yeon brothers entered the manor with Chang-eungdae.

Han Ho-Myeong’s eyes darkened. The friendly smile had vanished.

“Even dull fangs can bite, can’t they?”

At that moment,

“Warrior Han.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

The young man who had received Han Ho-Myeong’s respectful greeting, Tang Yang-Seon, tilted his head.

“Is that arrogant fellow really the eldest son of the Yeon family?”

“It seems so.”

“Hmm? Is he perhaps ill?”

“Pardon?”

“He looks quite healthy, but the energy he possesses is too ordinary. His level is quite low.”

Han Ho-Myeong stated firmly.

“According to rumors in the streets, the eldest son of the Yeon family is a typical dog son under a tiger father [a useless son of a great man].”

“Oh ho?”

“In contrast, the second son is said to have talent surpassing even the current family head.”

“So, they’re from the same bloodline, but their talents are polar opposites? That’s interesting.”

Han Ho-Myeong bowed his head.

“From what I see, it seems there’s no need for the Young Master to pay him any attention. It would be best to ignore him.”

“Really?”

“Yes?”

Tang Yang-Seon shrugged.

“At least he has guts, doesn’t he? Showing such disrespect in front of a Tang family member, that’s not easy.”

There’s a saying among martial artists: if you prepare for the Tang family’s poison and hidden weapons, you can live ten years longer.

There’s also a saying that if you incur the Martial Alliance’s wrath, you’ll have trouble sleeping, but if you incur the Tang family’s wrath, you should end your life immediately. That’s how much people feared the Tang family’s martial arts and ruthless nature.

“Anyway, we arrived too early. Let’s unpack and look around Hefei.”

“Understood.”

The Yeon family had already disappeared from their minds.

Because they had arrived early, they could choose any room they wanted. The servants who had come to the manor beforehand guided the group.

Yeon Ji-Pyeong glanced at Yeon Ho-Jeong.

“Um…”

“Hmm? What is it? Do you have something to say?”

“Is it okay?”

“What is?”

“The Tang family.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong tilted his head.

“Why? What about them?”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong unconsciously swallowed.

‘Them’? If a Tang family member had heard his brother’s words, they would have been furious.

“Did I do something wrong?”

“Pardon? Ah, no! It’s not that…”

“Hey, Chief Shin. Did I make a mistake?”

Shin-mo said in a respectful voice.

“Absolutely not.”

Absolutely not, he said. The words were funny, but Yeon Ji-Pyeong couldn’t laugh. Shin-mo’s face was serious.

It wasn’t because of Yeon Ho-Jeong. He was angry at Han Ho-Myeong’s arrogant behavior.

Shin-mo, who was quite angry, added another comment.

“I think you did well.”

“I did well?”

“Yes. You can know the depth of a river, but not the heart of a man, but sometimes you can know ten things from one [a saying that means you can infer a lot from a single action].”

“So, it’s better not to associate with them?”

“This is a gathering place for the successors of the Seven Great Families. Even if it’s not your own place, you should show respect to the members of other families.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong said with an amused expression.

“Well, his posture was crooked, but it wasn’t a big mistake.”

“If it was an unintentional act, I wouldn’t have said this much.”

“Did you know?”

Shin-mo silently bowed his head.

Yeon Ji-Pyeong asked with a puzzled face.

“What?”

“Was it Han Ho-Myeong? That guy’s rude behavior wasn’t just his own intention.”

“Then?”

“The Tang family guy ordered him to do it.”

“Huh?!”

Yeon Ho-Jeong shook his head.

“They’re curious, but they’re too proud to step forward themselves. So, they order their subordinates to provoke the other party to find out something.”

“… !”

“Isn’t it a classic tactic that’s so obvious it’s boring?”

“Then, did you ignore them on purpose?”

“I didn’t want to get involved with them from the start. But if they act like that, why would I bother?”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong exclaimed in admiration.

At the same time, he felt ashamed. He didn’t even realize it and was needlessly worried.

Yeon Ho-Jeong stroked Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s head.

“In that sense, you’re definitely growing up well.”

“Me?”

“Yes. I ignored them, but you treated them with the courtesy you learned from the family. That’s not something you can do just by learning it. Especially at your age.”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s face flushed.

“I, I didn’t mean to…”

“Father said that enduring insults is not patience but cowardice. But he also said not to bark back just because a dog is barking.”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong coughed awkwardly.

“I don’t think the Tang family members are… I mean, I would never call them dogs…”

“It’s just a figure of speech. Shin-mo and I are twisted, so we can’t live as properly as Father or you.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked at Shin-mo and asked.

“Isn’t that right, Chief Shin?”

Shin-mo smiled faintly and replied.

“I believe so.”

“See? It’s easier to ignore the other party. Anything by the book is difficult.”

Confusion filled Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s face.

“I don’t know what’s what.”

“It’s not difficult. You just live as you’ve learned, as you’ve always done. I wish you were more flexible, but I don’t want you to abandon your current self.”

“…Am I not wrong?”

“Absolutely not. You’re upright and ideal. There will be many fools who criticize that as unrealistic, but those guys are idiots who will never understand that the foundation of this world was built on ideals.”

“Then what about you, brother?”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong said with a bitter face.

“I’m a stubborn fool who has trouble distinguishing between dogs and people.”

* * *

Two days passed quickly.

Until the day of the gathering, Yeon Ho-Jeong remained secluded. And so did Yeon Ji-Pyeong. Yeon Ho-Jeong reviewed his martial arts and planned for the future, while Yeon Ji-Pyeong pondered his identity.

The younger generation of each martial family also did not arrive until the night before the gathering. It seemed they were looking around the streets of Hefei.

There were no further clashes with the Tang family, with whom there had been some tension on the first day of entering the gathering place. This was because their accommodations were far apart.

Thus, the two days passed peacefully.

On the morning of the gathering day.

Shin-mo’s telepathic message reached Yeon Ho-Jeong’s ears as he was meditating in his room.

[Eldest Young Master.]

[Speak.]

[The successors from the Namgoong and Peng families have arrived.]

Flash!

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes opened.

The Azure Serenity Qi, now a little more mature, settled in his eyes. The faint blue light that had been in his pupils became clearer before disappearing.

Yeon Ho-Jeong got up from his seat and walked towards the open window. It was a room with a good view, overlooking the entire interior of the manor.

He saw a group of people entering through the main gate.

‘Namgoong.’

A very handsome man with a tall stature came into view.

He wore an extraordinary sword at his waist, and his expression was confident. He had a refined aura that could be felt even from this distance.

He was definitely a successor of the Namgoong family. Even before his appearance, the energy he exuded was similar to Namgoong Sang-Hwa.

But he was not the focus of Yeon Ho-Jeong’s attention.

He turned his gaze to two young men. They were similar in height to the Namgoong successor, but their physiques were much larger.

‘Peng family!’

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes deepened.

Whoosh.

The Azure Serenity Qi, which had been in his dantian, instantly coursed through his entire body. The noble Xuanwu Qi rose along his lumbar spine and cooled his head.

Tsutsutsutsu.

His five senses became sharp.

He could hear the birds chirping in the distance, the scent of wood in the room, and even feel a speck of dust clinging to his skin.

‘…….’

Yeon Ho-Jeong frowned.

‘What is this? Their energy is completely different?’

To see accurately, he would have to look at their internal energy cultivation methods. He also needed to examine the atmosphere of the internal energy itself in more detail.

But it was so unique that it seemed meaningless. The Peng family’s energy was so different that there was not even a trace of connection to the attackers from that time.

‘This won’t do.’

There was a limit to checking from the window like this. Yeon Ho-Jeong quickly left his residence and walked to the main gate of the outer courtyard.

“Hmm? Who is that?”

“I don’t know… he doesn’t look like a servant?”

The Peng family successors said as they saw Yeon Ho-Jeong. They tried to speak quietly, but their voices were as loud as their size.

Thanks to that, everyone’s attention was focused on Yeon Ho-Jeong. But Yeon Ho-Jeong didn’t care about their gazes.

Standing next to a tree, Yeon Ho-Jeong crossed his arms and stared at the Peng family successors.

‘As I thought.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s expression naturally soured.

‘I need to check more, but…’

No matter how he looked at them, it wasn’t them.

He had to keep looking just in case, but his intuition was telling him. It wasn’t the Peng family.

Could the Peng family’s leaders be different?

His head said it was possible, but his heart was certain it wasn’t. As Shin-mo had said, the Peng family seemed to be one of those families where you could know ten things from one.

‘…….’

What should he do?

In the end, Yeon Ho-Jeong made a decision.

‘I’ll have to see the Myeong family first. There’s plenty of time. Let’s not rush it.’

At that moment,

“…Do you hear me?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong turned his gaze to the voice that was faintly reaching him.

It was Namgoong Hyeon.

“I don’t know who you are, but staring at someone so intently on a first meeting is rude, don’t you think?”

The Peng family successors burst into hearty laughter.

“Haha! Brother Namgoong, you don’t have to be so serious. We’re fine with it. Right, brother?”

“It’s not like it’s going to wear out, so whatever.”

“See?”

Their tone was rough, but there was a sense of naivety about them.

Yeon Ho-Jeong, feeling a bit deflated, clasped his hands in greeting.

“I apologize. You just looked like someone I know.”

“Hahaha! There’s another hero like me? The world is indeed vast!”

“Brother. Maybe he was looking at me?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. If you looked like him, I’d run away first, you crazy bastard. You look like a bandit.”

“Did you forget? We’re twins.”

“Just because we’re twins doesn’t mean we have to look alike?”

“…What does that even mean?”

Now that he looked at them, they seemed to have personalities as lively as their size. Such personalities couldn’t be faked.

“Anyway, who are you, young master?”

“I am Yeon Ho-Jeong.”

“Yeon Ho-Jeong?”

“I came from the Byeoksan Yeon family.”

“Oh! The Byeoksan Yeon family!”

At that moment, Yeon Ho-Jeong could see it. Namgoong Hyeon’s eyes changing.

The Peng family’s young master, Peng Dae-Ho, rushed over and grabbed Yeon Ho-Jeong’s hand.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flashed.

His fingers naturally moved towards Peng Dae-Ho’s pulse point.

“Kuhahahat! So you’re from the Yeon family? It’s a pleasure to meet you! I’ve always wanted to meet someone from the Yeon family!”

“Hmm?”

“Ahaha! Just think of it as personal curiosity! Ah, I’m Peng Dae-Ho! And the bandit standing behind me is Peng Man-Ho, my brother who is lacking in many ways!”

He shook his hand so vigorously that he was dizzy.

Even if he wanted to check through the pulse, it was too chaotic to do so. Still, he could analyze the energy more clearly through his hand.

‘It’s best to put the Peng family last for now.’

At that moment,

The gate opened once again.

“Oh! It looks like someone else is coming! Who could it be?”

Clunk!

The door opened, and a brother and sister, escorted by a group of guards, entered.

Namgoong Hyeon’s eyes widened. The Peng brothers were stunned.

The young man was impressive, but the woman’s beauty was truly remarkable. Even though she wasn’t wearing luxurious clothes, her beauty was so radiant that it lit up the surroundings.

Namgoong Hyeon unconsciously murmured.

“Ayeon?”

“Huh?!”

Jeagal Ayeon pointed towards the group.

Just as Namgoong Hyeon smiled slightly and raised his hand,

“Jeong-ah!”