Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 327

The late winter wind had calmed down quite a bit, but spring was still far away. Even with a fur coat on, the weather was cold. In such weather, Dang Sang-ah stood in the training grounds, wearing light martial arts attire, with her eyes closed.

Sss. Hooo.

Unlike her usual long and calm breathing, her breaths were very short and deep.

‘…….’

How long had it been?

Crack.

A small piece of paper fixed to the wall fluttered in the cold wind before tearing and flying away.

In that instant, Dang Sang-ah’s eyes snapped open.

Piiiiiing!

With a sharp sound, two iron coins flew in arcs to the left and right.

Thwack! Clang!

The center of the flying paper was blown out. The two iron coins had pierced the same spot with a slight time difference. The coins, having pierced the paper, embedded themselves in the wall with a sharp metallic sound.

Flutter!

The pierced paper flew even higher.

Dang Sang-ah sighed.

“I can’t control my power.”

Her hidden weapon techniques were very delicate. Her well-trained eye techniques, flexible wrists, and the intangible net of qi [life force or energy] she spread were all flawless.

The one thing she lacked was the control of her internal energy output.

‘Still not working. Was my effort lacking?’

That couldn’t be.

Although many things had happened in the Martial Alliance, Dang Sang-ah had been training alone. Of course, as a member of the Tangma Army, she had never missed joint training, but aside from that, she had devoted herself to training, even forgetting meal times.

Perhaps because of that, her martial arts had reached another level compared to a few months ago.

However, like many other studies, the higher one climbs, the more one sees their shortcomings.

That was why Dang Sang-ah was becoming increasingly obsessed with training. As she reached higher levels, she felt her shortcomings more clearly, and she wanted to compensate for them.

She looked at the paper fluttering away.

‘I thought it would be possible this time.’

She wasn’t trying to pierce the center of the paper. Her intention was to press down on the center and embed the iron coins in the wall to fix the paper in place.

One might ask what the difference was, but for Dang Sang-ah, it was the difference between taking another step forward at a crucial moment or stagnating. This was because it required extremely delicate control of internal energy.

Only with such delicate control of internal energy could she implement more diverse martial principles when she reached higher levels. In other words, it meant becoming stronger.

Dang Sang-ah took a deep breath.

“Whether it’s effort or talent, if it’s lacking, you have to accept it. If it doesn’t work, you have to keep trying until it does.”

She shook off her disappointment. It seemed she had grown a lot, just like others had.

And the driving force behind that growth was the establishment of ‘relationships.’

Piiiiiing! Cling!

Dang Sang-ah’s eyes widened.

An iron coin, flying from somewhere, drew an arc, snatched the paper, and embedded itself in the wall with a thud!

The ideal internal energy control she had wanted was there. And in this Martial Alliance, there was only one person capable of such advanced hidden weapon techniques.

“It’s not a problem with internal energy.”

Dang Sang-ah turned around.

There, Dang Gwan was walking towards her with his hands behind his back.

“Father.”

Dang Gwan spoke in his usual stiff voice.

“Broaden your perspective.”

“Yes?”

Although they didn’t understand each other perfectly, their relationship had clearly improved a lot. That was why Dang Sang-ah could focus on her training without wavering.

However, the accumulated conflicts were too deep. That was why Dang Sang-ah couldn’t easily ask her father for guidance.

“Internal energy is a product of intention. Therefore, the subject that moves internal energy is also this.”

Dang Gwan tapped his head with his finger.

Will, intention, concentration.

Dang Sang-ah cautiously asked.

“Are you saying I didn’t concentrate enough……?”

“Your concentration is sufficient. But you overlooked one thing.”

“Yes?”

“If internal energy is manipulated by intention, then the accumulation of internal energy is also a product of intention. But what is that intention connected to?”

“……?”

“This.”

Dang Gwan poked his sternum with his thumb.

Dang Sang-ah’s eyes lit up.

Head, then chest.

“The upper dantian [energy center in the head] and the middle dantian [energy center in the chest]?”

“There’s no need to go that far. The important thing is that the nature of your internal energy can change subtly depending on your mindset.”

“The nature changes? My internal energy has developed, but its nature is the same as before…….”

Dang Gwan looked at Dang Sang-ah without saying anything.

It wasn’t exactly a glare, but more like a steady gaze. However, Dang Sang-ah felt inexplicably embarrassed.

“Just a moment.”

Dang Sang-ah closed her eyes and focused her mind on her internal energy.

‘It’s the same?’

It was the internal energy of the Three Yang Return to Origin Art, which she had learned directly from her grandfather. Thanks to her grandfather’s remote power transmission with a minute amount of internal energy, the quality of her accumulated internal energy had increased at a terrifying rate, but that didn’t mean this internal energy was her grandfather’s.

Dang Sang-ah opened her eyes again and was about to ask her father a question, but she stopped herself.

‘He wouldn’t have said that for no reason. It’s just that I haven’t seen it.’

She trusted her father’s skills. Although their relationship was twisted, her father’s skills were genuine. He was probably among the top leaders of the Six Great Clans.

If her father said so, then it was so. She looked at her internal energy a little deeper, more seriously.

After a while.

‘……Huh?’

Dang Sang-ah’s eyes snapped open. Her eyes were filled with surprise.

“This can’t be……!”

“Do you understand now?”

Dang Gwan frowned.

“Until now, you’ve simply followed the flow of internal energy your father gave you. With your talent, effort, and your father’s remote power transmission, you were able to become stronger faster than anyone else, but you haven’t made it completely your own.”

That was right.

Dang Sang-ah had been mistaken. The internal energy she had cultivated so far was more like that of her grandfather, the Dark King, one of the Thirteen Seats of the Heavenly Star, rather than her own.

She didn’t think it was strange. Her grandfather’s remote power transmission was not for the sake of increasing the amount of internal energy, but for improving its quality. He had simply shown her the path to take.

Naturally, her internal energy would resemble her grandfather’s. That’s what she thought.

But now, her internal energy was subtly different from the Dark King’s.

“Your internal energy still resembles your father’s, but its foundation is changing. I can see it.”

“……!!”

“That is your true internal energy.”

Dang Sang-ah let out a hollow laugh.

“Why……?!”

The question of why the nature of her internal energy had changed only now was secondary.

She was greatly shocked by the foolishness of having mistaken the internal energy she had cultivated so far as completely her own. How could she have made such a mistake?

“It’s because you’ve been living passively.”

“……Passively?”

“Internal energy is the mind. The stronger the practitioner’s mind and intention, the greater the power of the self.”

“…….”

“The fact that the qi in your dantian has finally become your own means that your immaturity, which had been dependent on your father, has disappeared.”

Dang Gwan took out a handkerchief from his pocket.

“Now, control your internal energy in your own way. Your father had extremely strong internal energy at your age. You are different.”

Dang Sang-ah’s eyes lit up.

Dang Gwan threw the handkerchief without saying anything.

Flick! Whoosh.

The handkerchief, which had flown like a dagger, lost its momentum near the wall and fluttered down.

At that moment, Dang Sang-ah’s hand moved like lightning.

Cling!

The iron coin, flying in an arc, pulled the handkerchief and embedded itself in the wall.

Dang Sang-ah’s expression brightened. Although the handkerchief was heavier than the paper, she had still succeeded.

“Father……!”

Her eyes widened as she turned her head to call Dang Gwan. Her father was already walking away with his hands behind his back.

“Father!”

Dang Gwan stopped walking. Of course, he didn’t turn around.

Dang Sang-ah, who had quickly approached him, spoke in an awkward voice.

“Thank you.”

“I didn’t teach you because you’re pretty.”

“Yes?”

Dang Gwan looked at Dang Sang-ah.

“Don’t go around calling yourself a talent of the Dang family with that pathetic appearance. You’re far from good enough.”

“Ah, yes.”

“The family’s reputation is not light. If you don’t want to tarnish that name, you should at least be better than that.”

Dang Sang-ah smiled.

She now knew her father’s personality well. He was probably embarrassed to have given her advice.

“Yes. I’ll work harder.”

Dang Gwan turned his head without a word.

Dang Sang-ah quickly added.

“You came all the way here, are you just going to leave?”

“…….”

“If you haven’t eaten, let’s eat together.”

“No.”

“Ah! I see you’re busy.”

Dang Sang-ah tried to hide her disappointment.

Dang Gwan spoke in an even stiffer voice.

“He’s not the type to come looking for me unless it’s a big deal. He even brought an axe, so he must be serious.”

“Yes?”

Dang Sang-ah turned her gaze to where Dang Gwan was looking with a puzzled expression.

“Oh? Commander Yeon?”

Indeed, Yeon Ho-Jeong was walking towards them.

He was wearing the uniform of the Myulsa Army Commander, and the Gwangryong Axe was slung over his shoulder. The faint sound of metal clashing indicated that he was also wearing the Gyoryong Chainmail under his clothes.

He was fully armed. It had been a while since Yeon Ho-Jeong had been seen armed like this.

But Dang Gwan saw something that Dang Sang-ah didn’t.

“He’s different.”

“Yes?”

Dang Gwan’s eyes narrowed.

“Kid. Did something happen? Your eyes are different.”

Dang Sang-ah looked at Yeon Ho-Jeong again.

His face was expressionless. His black and white eyes were as clear as ever. She couldn’t tell what was different about Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes.

After a while, Yeon Ho-Jeong stopped in front of the Dang family father and daughter.

“Clan Head.”

Dang Gwan asked with a nonchalant expression.

“Why did you come all the way here? Even bringing that hideous axe.”

“I have a separate request to make.”

“I suppose it must be important.”

“But…….”

Yeon Ho-Jeong tilted his head, looking at Dang Sang-ah.

“Oh? Something’s different?”

“Yes, yes?”

“Your qi is subtly different. It doesn’t seem like it’s because your internal energy has increased, it seems like you had a separate enlightenment?”

Surprise flickered across Dang Sang-ah’s face.

She could understand her father, who was familiar with the Dang family’s internal energy, but she never expected Yeon Ho-Jeong to see her change at a glance.

“Whatever it is, congratulations. It seems like you’re wearing a much better-fitting outfit than before. I look forward to your future development.”

“Th, thank you.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong nodded and looked back at Dang Gwan.

Dang Gwan’s eyes deepened.

“So, what is it?”

“Before I make my request, please take a look at this.”

Whoosh.

Yeon Ho-Jeong grabbed the shaft of the Gwangryong Axe and held it out.

He held the eighty-plus-pound axe as lightly as a hand axe. His strength was still impressive.

Dang Gwan, who had been quietly watching Yeon Ho-Jeong, lowered his gaze to the Gwangryong Axe.

“Hmm.”

Dang Gwan, who had touched the axe blade of the Gwangryong Axe, nodded.

“Impressive. I don’t know which artisan made it, but they are worthy of being called a master craftsman.”

It was an evaluation that came from Dang Gwan’s mouth. It was nothing short of high praise.

“But why are you showing me this?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong lowered the axe.

“Please make a few more axes.”

“What?”

“It doesn’t have to be as good as the Gwangryong Axe, but I would appreciate it if you could put as much effort into it as possible.”

“……I’ve known for a while that your arrogance knows no bounds. I’ll ignore the fact that you dare to make such a request to the head of the Dang family for now.”

“…….”

“What is it?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes turned cold.

Dang Gwan felt a chill run down his spine for a moment.

“It seems like there will be some bloodshed.”