Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 207

The False King (2)

Nature refers to one’s innate disposition.

Yeon Ho-Jeong was certainly not born with a kind nature, but it couldn’t be said that he was born with a truly evil one either.

He was born with a strong character.

A character as unyielding as bamboo, that would break rather than bend. His nature was that strong and upright.

However, the world was too harsh to navigate with just one’s innate disposition.

Yeon Ho-Jeong, having experienced such a world, learned how to be flexible. How to deceive others, how not to be deceived, how to slip away like an eel, and even how to be servile.

But in crucial moments, he was always strong and unyielding.

And that was the case now as well.

He wouldn’t be servile in important moments unless absolutely necessary. He wouldn’t bow his head, nor would he act sly.

Always strong and dignified, as always.

A confident, head-on approach without any tricks.

“Deputy Leader Yang, is it….”

Yang Cheon’s face noticeably hardened. It was an expression that even a three-year-old could tell was displeased.

“This is a first. You’re the first person to call me by such a disrespectful title.”

“Is that so?”

His tone was quite something.

Yang Cheon, who had been staring at Yeon Ho-Jeong, burst into laughter without realizing it.

How long had he lived under the invincible name of the Thirteen Seats of the Heavenly Star [a group of powerful martial artists]?

No one dared to hold their head high in his presence. No one dared to be arrogant before him, and certainly no one dared to deceive or test him.

Faced with such an almost unfamiliar reaction, Yang Cheon was surprised to find himself more intrigued than angry.

“It seems unnecessary to say, but you do know who I am, don’t you?”

“That’s why I came to find you.”

“Knowing who I am, you still speak to me like that?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled.

“Well? Even if you were the emperor, my tone wouldn’t have changed if I came with a clear purpose.”

“What?”

“I didn’t come to see the status of the Fighting King Yang Cheon. I came to see his ability and future.”

“Huh!”

“This is a meeting to learn about a person. If they are someone worth staking one’s life on, one should naturally bow their head, but Deputy Leader Yang has yet to prove himself to me.”

Yang Cheon chuckled.

He hasn’t proven himself? That’s an interesting thing to say.

In the martial world, martial arts are power, and a title is authority.

He was a king. A legendary figure who had proven himself to be at the pinnacle of power in the martial world through his martial arts alone.

For such a person to say he hasn’t proven himself yet, what a cheeky fellow.

Was it too unexpected? Again, Yang Cheon felt more intrigued than angry.

“Are you saying I need to prove myself to you separately?”

“Of course.”

“The order is reversed. There have been many cases of a lord choosing a subordinate, but never has a subordinate chosen a lord throughout history.”

“There has been. If you truly believe there hasn’t, then consider this the first time.”

“Hahahaha!”

Yang Cheon burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Kugugugung!

The entire Black Dragon Hall shook, and stone dust fell from the ceiling.

This wasn’t an intentional release of internal energy [a martial art concept of inner power]. It was the unconscious outpouring of Yang Cheon’s internal energy as his emotions intensified.

And yet, it was this powerful.

The shockwave of internal energy unconsciously emitted was enough to shake this massive stone hall as if an earthquake had struck. It was an absolute internal energy that far exceeded imagination.

‘It’s been a while.’

His whole body creaked from the shockwave mixed with laughter.

But faced with that terrifying power, Yeon Ho-Jeong felt a slow surge of excitement.

‘It’s been a while. This level of power.’

The power of a transcendent being that seemed to boil his marrow and cook his insides.

Even when he saw his father, Yeon-Wi, or Moyong Gun and Tang Gwan, he was astonished by the density and principles of their power.

But facing Yang Cheon’s power, which was on a different level, he felt more familiarity and excitement than surprise.

‘Yes, it was there.’

Suddenly, Yeon Ho-Jeong felt a dazzling sensation.

‘I was there too.’

The Black Demon King, who had completed all the divine techniques of the Four Divine Arts, wielding an axe that called forth wind and thunder and steel chains based on the Hongcheon energy that had expanded to near infinity.

The greatest gambler in the martial world, who had fought against the world, was in the same position as him. No, he was one step higher.

A great name that was never left out when discussing the strongest in the world, though not confident enough to call himself the best in the world.

The past, when he was called the Great Master of the Black Path and the King of Darkness, awakened the senses of his entire body.

‘But.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had been briefly intoxicated by the illusion of his past, suddenly felt a sense of bewilderment.

‘What is this?’

Yang Cheon’s overwhelming aura.

However, Yeon Ho-Jeong felt a shadow cast within that invincible aura.

It was something very difficult to explain.

It was like a clump of rolled-up dust was stuck there? It was certainly not debris that a master of Yang Cheon’s caliber would carry around without shaking it off.

‘Something’s different. Come to think of it, was Yang Cheon’s power this level?’

Yeon Ho-Jeong couldn’t shake off his inner doubts.

‘It’s definitely impressive, but in my memory, it was much more….’

Soon, Yang Cheon stopped laughing.

“As a subordinate, you’ll examine whether I’m a lord worth serving? That’s quite interesting.”

“Is that so?”

“If the leader of those White Path sects had come and said such a thing, I would have crushed their head with one palm.”

It was a threatening remark. Of course, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s expression remained unchanged.

Perhaps he liked that steadfastness, as a smile returned to Yang Cheon’s face.

“You don’t seem to be even thirty years old, even if I’m being generous.”

“I’m younger than you think.”

“Judging by your temperament, you have a strong and generous nature, yet there is no pettiness in your indifferent eyes. I don’t know the origin of your martial arts, but you’ve already reached a level where you could establish your own school.”

“……”

“I like you, you rascal.”

It was high praise. Praise that couldn’t be any higher.

Yang Cheon nodded.

“So that’s why.”

“……?”

“I received information about you after you entered Honam. The starting point was unknown, but it seems you came from the Guizhou area.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes sparkled.

As expected, his information network was top-notch. Even though he hadn’t yet unified all the Black Path, it was this good. Indeed, the Black Path’s information network was arguably the best in the current martial world.

“One of your group seems to have come from the north, but the exact entry route is unknown. It seems you were planning to scout the atmosphere in Honam in advance.”

He was talking about Pa Yul. It was worth it to send him ahead and take a detour.

Yang Cheon continued.

“The important thing wasn’t that. I told them not to miss any suspicious martial artists entering Honam, but I heard that you killed our informant.”

“That’s right.”

“The Black Path’s martial strength is subpar, but their information and infiltration capabilities are top-notch. They are fundamentally different.”

“It seems so.”

“In other words, you’ve managed to find and eliminate all the Black Path informants, who are difficult for anyone to detect.”

Yang Cheon’s eyes sharpened.

“It was you. It wasn’t the group’s expert in hidden weapons, but your eyes that were sharp. That’s why you came to me alone as the representative of the Martial Sect.”

It was a sharp insight.

Personality can change, but one’s innate abilities do not. Yang Cheon’s insight was as sharp as his martial arts.

Yeon Ho-Jeong nodded.

“That’s right. I am the center of the group and the representative of the Martial Sect.”

“Who are you in the Martial Sect?”

“I’ll tell you when we become more comfortable with each other.”

Yang Cheon’s eyes sharpened for the first time.

“You’re all covered up in those clothes, and you expect me to trust you?”

“Isn’t that the same for Deputy Leader Yang?”

“What?”

A meaningful light flickered in Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes.

“In my opinion, you also seem to be wearing quite thick clothes.”

“……!”

“It’s getting chilly as the season changes, but with Deputy Leader Yang’s level of martial arts, you don’t seem to need such cumbersome fur clothes.”

Yang Cheon’s eyes deepened.

Yeon Ho-Jeong continued.

“Do you understand? I came here knowing that you, Deputy Leader Yang, also have secrets you don’t want to readily show to others.”

“……”

“Because Deputy Leader Yang is one of the top masters in the martial world? That can’t be it. If that were the case, my tone wouldn’t be so stiff, and I would have gone to the Fist God of Shaolin instead of you.”

In an instant, Yang Cheon’s aura surged violently.

The Fist God of Shaolin was one of the Thirteen Seats of the Heavenly Star and one of the Gods of the Divine Immortal Emperor.

The person who was considered the closest to being the strongest among the Thirteen Seats of the Heavenly Star, where it was difficult to determine superiority.

That was the Great Master Mu Heo, the Fist God.

“As I said before, I didn’t come just to see Deputy Leader Yang’s fame and skill.”

“……”

“I came to see if Deputy Leader Yang is truly a vessel capable of dominating the world.”

Yang Cheon, who had been glaring at Yeon Ho-Jeong with eyes as sharp as blades, suddenly smiled coldly.

“Let’s not reveal all our cards and try to persuade each other, is that it?”

“You only need to persuade me, Deputy Leader Yang. I’ve already made my choice.”

He would follow someone worth following. If they weren’t worthy, he would leave.

It was a statement that felt beyond firm, even like a conviction.

Truth is always simple. That’s why Yang Cheon liked people who spoke directly rather than those who twisted their words in a complicated manner.

And now, Yeon Ho-Jeong had become the perfect person to match Yang Cheon’s taste, tempting him.

Yang Cheon, who had been quietly observing Yeon Ho-Jeong, opened his mouth.

“It’s overwhelming.”

It was an unexpected remark. Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyebrows twitched.

Yang Cheon’s eyes, which had been so sharp, gradually softened.

“It’s truly overwhelming. Is it that the sun is finally shining on this inadequate person, or is it that talented people naturally roll in for those who sit on the throne?”

It was indirect praise. The fact that great fortune had come to him meant that he acknowledged Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Yang Cheon smiled and asked.

“Do you like simple things?”

“It’s difficult to become simple.”

“Hahaha! You are absolutely right. Absolutely right. Then, how should I prove myself to you?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flashed.

“That’s unexpected.”

“What is?”

“I thought you would ask more questions. About my group, about my purpose.”

Yang Cheon made an uncharacteristic playful expression.

“Didn’t you say you like simple things? Let’s discuss that after we’ve fully acknowledged each other.”

That’s it!

At that moment, Yeon Ho-Jeong was certain. Yang Cheon would no longer be interested in the others.

He had focused Yang Cheon’s interest solely on himself.

That was enough. Now, the fate of the group that came with him would be determined by what he did.

And Yeon Ho-Jeong was confident.

That Yang Cheon would trust him. That if he could get his hands on him, he wouldn’t pay any attention to the group that came with him.

“For you to prove your worth as my lord, it’s enough to tell me how far your dream extends.”

“Oh?”

“I don’t think you like to speak at length, so let’s decide our future with a question that requires a clear answer.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flashed.

“How far does the world you envision extend, Deputy Leader Yang?”

“……?”

“Does it end in the Central Plains [the heartland of China]? Or… does it extend to the Outer Regions?”

“……!!”