Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 303

“Huh? Brother?”

“What?”

“What is that?”

“It’s an axe.”

“I know that… but where did you leave the Dragon Axe and why are you carrying around such a cute little axe?”

“Cute axe? It’s a well-made axe in its own right.”

“It’s cute compared to the Dragon Axe. That’s a hand axe.”

“That’s right.”

“Well, with your martial arts skills, you could use anything well… but why are you suddenly using a hand axe?”

“I’m trying to use a hand axe ‘too’. My martial arts have completely changed from before. I need to try various things to know my limits.”

“I, I see.”

“Enough, are you ready?”

“I’m a bit nervous. To think we’re going to meet that Moyong Clan Head.”

“He’s a formidable man. I’ve been in trouble more than once because of his scheming.”

“If you say so, Brother, he must be quite the character.”

“In some cases, he’s harder to deal with than even Yang Cheon, the Vice Chief of the Black Dragon Unit.”

“…”

“Keep your wits about you. You’ll get caught up in his schemes if you’re not careful.”

“I understand. But Brother, why do you need me to come along when we’re going to meet the Moyong Clan Head?”

“You’ll see when we get there. And it’s not just about beating up the Moyong Clan Head. I want you to stick by my side and broaden your horizons.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

* * *

“You are a very interesting person in many ways.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled.

“In what way?”

Moyong Gun said with a disgruntled look.

“I didn’t think we’d be facing each other like this for a while.”

“Is that so?”

“You always have something that goes beyond my imagination. That’s why it’s difficult to deal with you.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“As if you need to.”

Moyong Gun, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time, seemed unchanged from before.

At least, that’s how he appeared on the surface.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes sparkled.

“Impressive.”

“What is?”

“Your aura… it’s been refined more subtly than before. Have you gained some enlightenment in the meantime?”

Moyong Gun exclaimed in admiration.

“You are truly remarkable. To be so sensitive to the changes in a master who has reached a higher level than yourself. I’ve felt it before, but your keen senses are truly the best in the world.”

It was Moyong Gun’s misunderstanding.

From the start, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s talent was inferior to Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s. Yet, he could sense Moyong Gun’s changes and even discern the nature of countless martial artists’ inner energy because his upper dantian [an energy center in traditional Chinese medicine] was more expansive than anyone else’s.

If the upper dantian is properly cultivated, it shows overwhelming growth in all areas that can be utilized by the brain.

And if that growth continues, one might even gain supernatural powers that are difficult for humans to comprehend.

There was still much that was unknown about the use of the upper dantian. The important thing was that Yeon Ho-Jeong’s upper dantian was more expansive than anyone else’s in the current martial world, and he was reaping many benefits from it.

“You too seem to have improved your martial arts.”

“I gained a small enlightenment recently.”

“A small enlightenment… that’s an unusually modest expression for you. I don’t know about your current skills, but your aura itself has changed drastically from before. It seems you’ve gained a great enlightenment in the field of Qi [vital energy] cultivation.”

“Depending on how it’s handled, it could regress or grow from before. But looking at the change itself, it can certainly be seen as progress.”

Moyong Gun chuckled.

“Try to slow down a bit. At this rate, I might get caught up to you in two or three years.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled back.

“You’re not one to let that happen, are you? You’ll try to suppress me somehow. And if that’s impossible, you’ll try to kill me.”

“Of course, I would.”

Moyong Gun was honest in front of Yeon Ho-Jeong.

“Your nature, martial arts, and rate of development are a serious threat to your enemies. And I’m not one to just sit back and watch my enemies grow.”

A subtle murderous intent flickered in Moyong Gun’s eyes.

“Be careful. Now, you and I cannot live under the same sky. But you’re not someone I can take lightly, so I have no choice but to bury you somehow.”

“The same goes for me.”

“Indeed, it does.”

Moyong Gun relaxed his expression.

“So, what brings you here today?”

“I was curious if the place I hit before was okay, and I also wanted to see what kind of trouble you’re planning next.”

“Hmm? The place you hit?”

“I’m talking about Master Gong Gong and the Tang Clan Head.”

“Ah, that?”

Moyong Gun burst into laughter.

“It was truly dizzying. And it was a pity. I never imagined that the Tang Clan Head would cut ties like that.”

“It’s understandable.”

“Of course, I know that you instigated the Tang Clan Head. At first, I thought about how to repay you for this, but after my emotions calmed down, I had this thought.”

“…?”

“The Tang Clan Head is not someone who can be easily swayed by someone’s words. In other words, your words were just a catalyst, and he was always a person who could cause trouble for me.”

As expected, he had great insight. He had been on a winning streak, so he had become careless without realizing it, but he hadn’t lost his inherent abilities.

“Thinking about it, I should be grateful to you. Besides, Master Gong Gong’s case was a reckless move even now that I think about it. I was quite impatient at the time, and I made a mistake that was unlike me.”

“So it seemed.”

“It’s thanks to you. If you hadn’t intervened, I would have suffered a great loss.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong chuckled.

“Too bad. I should have just let it go to the end.”

“That’s why I’m curious.”

A hint of suspicion emerged from Moyong Gun’s eyes.

“You must have known that as well, so why did you have to detonate it at that point? You’re not someone who lacks that much patience, are you?”

“I wonder.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong scratched his head.

“I’m not someone who plans too far into the future. At that time, I thought it was the best option. And I also had personal matters, so I didn’t want things to get complicated around me.”

“Hahaha.”

“But it’s over now. My personal matters are settled, and now all that’s left is to run forward, right?”

“So you came here. To find out what a man who will be an obstacle on your path is thinking.”

“Aren’t you curious too? What kind of scheme I’m plotting?”

“I am curious.”

Moyong Gun, who had quenched his thirst with tea, shook his head.

“But at the same time, I’m not curious. As much as I want to kill you right now, I don’t want to clash with you for the time being.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes sparkled.

“General Jeagal said that there are already three candidates for the Martial Alliance Leader.”

“Don’t act like you didn’t know. One of them is the Tang Clan Head, and I know that you instigated him.”

“You’re really quick on the uptake.”

“To use the Tang Clan Head as a means to keep me in check, it’s indeed like you, but at the same time, my pride is a little hurt.”

“Why is that?”

Moyong Gun’s lips curled up.

“Did you think you could keep me in check with just the Tang Clan Head? You should have used your father, the Peng family, or if not, the Abbess of Emei.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong shook his head.

“I think the Tang Clan Head is enough.”

“Well, if that’s what you think, I won’t say more. I guess you have your own methods.”

His tone was quite confident.

Moyong Gun was someone who didn’t show his true feelings to anyone. But he showed a somewhat sincere side to Yeon Ho-Jeong.

It wasn’t because he was stimulated by Yeon Ho-Jeong. It was because Moyong Gun recognized Yeon Ho-Jeong that much.

As his rival.

And Yeon Ho-Jeong felt the same way.

That’s why Yeon Ho-Jeong made the first move.

“I heard that the Guiju Merchant Guild is quite active in Honam.”

Moyong Gun’s eyes deepened.

“What about it?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled coldly.

“I know that the Guiga and the Guiju Merchant Guild have a trading relationship.”

“That’s right. But why? Is it such a big deal that the Guiju Merchant Guild is active in Honam, where my family is located?”

“It’s strange.”

“…?”

“The Guiju Merchant Guild is active in Honam, where the Moyong family is located, and the two groups have a trading relationship. It smells very suspicious.”

“Is there anything that doesn’t seem suspicious to you?”

“It’s not that it’s suspicious.”

“Then?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled coldly.

“The Guiju Merchant Guild’s boisterous movements, it seems like they’re doing it on purpose. As if they want everyone to watch the Guiju Merchant Guild.”

“…!”

“General Jeagal said that he would stop them even if it meant mutual destruction. That will is truly strong, but in my opinion, trying to catch the Moyong family through the Guiju Merchant Guild seems like a meaningless death.”

Moyong Gun smiled.

“Do you think so?”

“I do.”

“Then, continue to think so.”

“Of course. I will continue to think so. However, I hope you don’t forget this one thing.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s expression turned cold.

“I can use the Guiju Merchant Guild to strike at you at any time.”

Moyong Gun nodded.

“If you’re going to try something by touching my people in the Black Dragon Unit operation, go ahead. Anyway, you’ll be known as accomplices, so I won’t be the only one to die.”

“Let’s confirm that later.”

“Do as you wish.”

Perhaps Moyong Gun had directly intervened in the Guiju Merchant Guild’s affairs. He might have even eliminated everything that could become his weakness.

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had been quietly watching Moyong Gun, smiled.

“It’s been a while.”

“Hmm?”

“This kind of conversation that seems serious yet trivial at the same time. This strange atmosphere where we pressure each other with sharp words, as if we’re going to tear each other apart.”

Moyong Gun chuckled.

“You might have missed it, but I didn’t. I’ve been living peacefully lately, and thanks to you, my peace has been shattered.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Hahaha.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong leaned back in his chair.

“Well, now that we’ve had our little reunion, let’s start pulling out our cards one by one.”

Moyong Gun frowned.

“I don’t want to.”

“The conversation we’ve had so far under the guise of a reunion, it was all things we already knew, wasn’t it? We’ve had superficial conversations, so now let’s move on to meaningful ones.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m different from before.”

“Different from before?”

“That’s right. In the past, I thought I was in control of the situation. So I was more aggressive and tried to dig out and eliminate the root of the problem first.”

Moyong Gun scoffed.

It was a self-directed mockery.

“If it weren’t for you, I could have created a pretty interesting history.”

“But it wasn’t.”

“That’s right. I even committed the hasty act of trying to manipulate Master Gong Gong. After that incident, I thought deeply about why I made such an unlike-me mistake.”

“So, did you find the answer?”

“That’s why I’m acting like this now, isn’t it?”

Moyong Gun spread his hands.

“I plan to secure my defense before going on the offensive. Therefore, I have nothing more to ask you.”

“…”

“Since I have nothing to ask you, I won’t have any more conversations. In other words, you won’t be able to find out anything from me either.”

“That’s a bit anticlimactic.”

Moyong Gun picked up his teacup.

“Since you’ve come all this way, finish your tea. It’s a precious tea.”

“Since I’ve come all this way, I can’t just drink tea and leave.”

“Haha, is that so?”

He certainly seemed to have become more cautious. At least, it seemed like he intended to maintain this stance for the time being.

Of course, Yeon Ho-Jeong had no intention of just letting it go.

“I brought someone with me.”

“I could already feel a foreign aura. Judging by the vitality emanating from him, he seems young, but he has a rather solid sword energy.”

“He’s someone I recently took in as a brother.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“May you have a deep brotherly bond.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled coldly.

“That friend of mine is from the Black Path.”

“…What?”

“And you know, that friend of mine said he saw informants from the same Black Path near the Martial Alliance. He even managed to catch one of them.”

“…?!”

“Judging by the looks of it, that guy seemed to be from the Black Dragon Unit.”

Moyong Gun’s hand holding the teacup trembled slightly.