Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 33

That day, Namgoong Hyeon hosted a grand banquet. It was intended for everyone to gather and relax with drinks after the martial arts competition. However, the person most anticipated did not attend the banquet.

There was one more person who did not attend the banquet.

It was Yeon Ho-Jeong.

The junior disciples were disappointed. Regardless of the reason, Yeon Ho-Jeong was a major topic of conversation at this gathering. There were quite a few people who wanted to speak with him.

However, people also understood.

Yeon Ho-Jeong had engaged in martial arts exchanges with the junior disciples after his match with Chu Seong, and finally fought with Myeong Ho-Rim.

It was understandable that he would be exhausted. He needed to rest.

Thus, the last night of the junior disciples’ gathering deepened.

* * *

It was a rather chilly night.

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had gone to the back garden of his residence, was sitting in a lotus position. His energy circulation was nearing its end.

“Hoo.”

With his exhale, a murky energy was expelled.

He had killed Ma Bang in Choseong Tower, overwhelmed Dang Yang-Seon, pushed Chu Seong, and competed with Myeong Ho-Rim.

In fact, these were impossible feats for Yeon Ho-Jeong’s current level.

Of course, his understanding of the Byukra Jin’gyeol [a martial arts manual] was almost complete, reaching its pinnacle. Thanks to the Black Demon Emperor’s insight and knowledge, his training speed was unimaginably fast.

Still, there were limits. At least, he was not yet at a level recognized in the martial world.

Yet, there was one reason why he was able to gain the upper hand in all his matches.

Experience.

The enlightenment that was ingrained in his experience was supreme.

His level was high enough to compensate for his insufficiently trained internal energy and body.

However, experience and enlightenment could not compensate for everything.

Shudder.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s shoulders trembled as he circulated his energy.

It was due to the overexertion of his muscle nerves. His mind and instincts could handle the fights, but his body could not keep up. Forcing it to do so was damaging his body.

This was also why his basic energy circulation had not finished for over half a day.

“…Hmm.”

The pallor on Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face gradually returned to a healthy color.

‘Is it done?’

His repairs were finally complete. He wasn’t fully recovered, but he was fit enough to move around.

“Hoo!”

Yeon Ho-Jeong released his posture and lay down on the spot.

‘Stiff.’

His whole body ached. It felt like his joints were creaking, beyond just his muscles.

‘I need to train more thoroughly. My training so far is not enough.’

He clenched his fist.

He couldn’t exert his full strength. It seemed he would need to rest for a whole day to recover.

Whoosh.

As his body lost strength, the Black Tortoise Energy [a type of internal energy] automatically activated.

The kidney function began to activate. As the kidney function activated, the movements of his other organs also gradually improved.

‘This is enough.’

He had done all he could. He had even activated the Black Tortoise Energy, so his recovery time would be faster.

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked up at the sky.

The night sky was very clear. It wasn’t a full moon, but the moonlight was abundant, and the starlight was mysterious.

A beautiful sight that anyone would stare at blankly.

However, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s gaze as he looked at the sky grew colder.

“Yes, it was the Myeong family.”

More precisely, it was the Myeong family’s martial arts.

The reason for his certainty was simple. While the internal energy and forms of techniques could be similar, it was nearly impossible for the methods of qi [life force] manipulation to be alike.

The reason why the inner cultivation methods had separate formulas and doctrines was due to the strictness of the transmission process. And in that process, qi manipulation accounted for more than 90 percent.

In other words, each sect’s inner cultivation method had a distinct individuality in its qi manipulation. Unless they were from the same lineage, they could not be similar.

Moreover, the sword technique that Myeong Ho-Rim had used.

That simple yet power and speed-focused sword technique.

‘That was originally a sword technique. Not a palm technique.’

He remembered it clearly. Twenty-six years ago, the powerful palm technique of the attacker who had broken his younger brother’s spine.

The reason why he hadn’t immediately thought of the attacker’s martial arts when he saw Myeong Ho-Rim’s sword technique was because of that. That palm technique was originally the sword technique that Myeong Ho-Rim used.

‘…’

The fist that had been unable to exert strength was trembling. Remembering that time, strength he didn’t have was coming to him.

‘Pyeong-ah [a term of endearment for his younger brother].’

Something welled up inside his chest.

Even when his spine was broken and he was on the verge of death, his younger brother did not look at him. He knew that if he turned his gaze, his older brother’s location could be exposed.

However, Yeon Ho-Jeong heard Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s cry in his heart.

‘Run away, brother!’

He had thought that crying tears of blood was just an exaggeration. He had once scoffed that only people with diseases or eye injuries cried tears of blood.

However, when a person is truly sad, they cry tears of blood.

That was what Yeon Ho-Jeong had done.

He had shed so many tears that even after three days and nights, the red tear stains did not disappear. That was how great his resentment was.

‘Never again.’

Swish.

The grass where Yeon Ho-Jeong was lying slowly withered. The intense killing intent he was emitting was killing the weeds.

‘I will never leave any regrets again.’

It was then.

“How fierce.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flashed.

He jumped up, and his eyes saw a person.

“Ah, so fierce, so fierce. It’s so scary I can’t even get close. Oh my, my hands.”

“Yong…”

“…Not the head of the Two Dragons, but the successor.”

“Ah.”

“Anyway, how about controlling that killing intent first? I came with the Jeagal siblings, and they were so surprised they went back to their lodgings first.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong was startled. He hadn’t even realized he was emitting killing intent.

Swoosh.

The eerie air calmed down.

Ga Deuk-Sang was honestly impressed.

“You really are amazing the more I see you. Killing intent is a branch of willpower, so the stronger your mind, the stronger your killing intent tends to be.”

“…”

“I don’t know why you live with such killing intent, but you are truly amazing.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong got up from his spot.

His body was still stiff, but he couldn’t afford to sit down in front of this person.

“What brings you here?”

“This.”

Ga Deuk-Sang held up two large bundles.

“Didn’t we agree to have lunch together? But you just skipped out.”

“Ah…”

“Ah? Hahaha! You can make that sound too? You’re more charming the more I see you? Huh?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong pointed to an outdoor table.

“Let’s eat there.”

“Good. I brought some alcohol too.”

He must have already drunk a considerable amount. Ga Deuk-Sang’s face was flushed under the moonlight.

Thus, the two sat down.

“Where’s Pyeong-i?”

“He’s having a lot of fun right now. As his brother, you probably know, but that young master has a great personality. Everyone is eager to be by his side.”

“I see.”

“Here, have a drink.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong respectfully took the cup.

Ga Deuk-Sang chuckled.

“Don’t be so formal. You don’t need to be polite to a beggar.”

“Give it to me.”

“Huh! Haven’t you heard that you’re stubborn?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong, having received the cup, now filled Ga Deuk-Sang’s cup.

Ga Deuk-Sang did not stand on ceremony. But it seemed natural. The freedom of the beggar king who wandered the world was palpable.

“Let’s have a drink.”

“Let’s.”

The two downed their cups coolly.

“Wow, the Seven Great Families must have a lot of money. Is this the famous Shaoxing wine?”

“It seems so.”

“It’s my first time drinking it. I’ve always just gulped down cheap white liquor, so drinking a famous wine is making my head spin.”

He scratched his throat, gathered phlegm, and spat it out with a ‘ptoo!’.

He casually put one leg up and patted his belly, showing the epitome of freedom. But that appearance was not at all unpleasant.

“Is your body okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“You seem to be. You overexerted your muscles, but you’ve already calmed them down. Amazing.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flashed.

He had recognized the overexertion of his muscles at a glance. As expected, he had extraordinary insight from a young age.

“It seems that not just anyone can become a successor.”

“Of course, not just anyone can become one. You have to be the most beggar-like to become a successor.”

The nuance was a bit strange.

Yeon Ho-Jeong chuckled.

Ga Deuk-Sang laughed back.

“It’s good to see you smile. Don’t keep your face so tense, smile like that more often.”

“I’ll smile often if there’s something to smile about.”

“Hahaha! That’s true too. Then, it seems there hasn’t been much to smile about for young master Yeon lately?”

There was a knife hidden in his laughter, and a dagger in his joke.

Yeon Ho-Jeong didn’t bother to hide it.

“Would someone who has a lot to smile about be causing this much trouble?”

“That’s what I’m saying. I heard you completely wrecked the eldest son of the Dang family yesterday?”

“You heard about that too?”

“I counted up to seventy-six times and then stopped. Everyone is talking about it until their lips are swollen.”

“He seemed like someone who was poorly educated.”

“He did seem like that. But you went too far. The Dang family won’t stay still.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong shook his head.

“I don’t care.”

He didn’t care.

It was a statement that could be interpreted in many ways. But at least, it didn’t seem like he had given up on life.

Ga Deuk-Sang, who was about to ask a deeper question, grinned and raised his cup.

“Here! Let’s have another drink!”

“Let’s.”

The two drank one after another.

It was a strange encounter. Ga Deuk-Sang had met Yeon Ho-Jeong for the first time today.

Yet, the atmosphere between the two was as deep and comfortable as old friends. Without any effort, such an atmosphere had formed naturally.

Thus, half an hour passed.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For what happened at Choseong Tower.”

“…”

“The tower master said that he survived thanks to the Yeon family. He asked me to thank you if I ever met you.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong chuckled.

“He doesn’t even feel uncomfortable mentioning it?”

“Oh? How did you know?”

“I just thought he would be like that.”

“It’s not ‘just’. Even if he’s a villain, he saw a person burned alive, so who wouldn’t be scared?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong did not answer.

Seeing that, Ga Deuk-Sang was certain.

‘He’s not someone without emotions.’

He clearly recognized what he had done and how it appeared to others.

However, this young man would not change his beliefs or his standards. Because it was the right thing to do for him.

Ga Deuk-Sang, who had been staring at Yeon Ho-Jeong, stretched exaggeratedly.

“Ah, I drank a lot for the first time in a while, so I’m tired. We’ve eaten enough, so let’s clean up.”

“Before that, let me ask you for one favor.”

Ga Deuk-Sang’s eyes widened.

A favor? The Yeon Ho-Jeong he had seen was not someone who would ask for a favor.

His interest was piqued.

“What kind of favor is it?”

“No, ‘favor’ is not quite right. Let me commission you.”

“A commission… Well, we make a lot of money from information. But we’re both part of the righteous path, so do we need a procedure like a commission? I’ll tell you if it’s something I can, so tell me what it is.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong said a few things.

Ga Deuk-Sang’s face hardened.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“…I can grant the first request. The second one is even easier. But do you know how difficult the third request is?”

“That’s why I was going to commission you.”

“…”

“It’s okay if it’s too difficult.”

“Huh? Who said it’s difficult? It’s not difficult, not difficult! I can do it.”

“Indeed, the Beggar Clan [a powerful information network].”

“I’m just curious. I won’t take a commission fee, so tell me the reason.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes shone blue.

His eyes, which resembled the moonlight, were as eerie as a demon’s eyes.

“If the successor delves into it properly… you will know without me telling you.”

He would know in the process of investigating?

Ga Deuk-Sang grinned.

“That’s a statement that provokes a challenge. You’re good at manipulating people, not like your age.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It’s more than a compliment. What exactly are you?”

“I am Yeon Ho-Jeong, the eldest son of the Byeoksan Yeon family.”

Ga Deuk-Sang was certain that wasn’t all there was to it.

He got up from his seat.

“Well, whatever, I’ll go first. I’ll let you know what you requested soon.”

“Confidentiality?”

“Are you kidding? Of course.”

“I understand.”

Ga Deuk-Sang smiled and turned around.

“Be careful tomorrow. Some young beasts with wounded pride might try to bite you.”

Leaving those meaningful words, Ga Deuk-Sang disappeared.

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked up at the sky.

The moon was still there.

A half-formed moon that hadn’t become a full moon, just like his cold gaze.

“…Shall I start running?”

Sizzle.

The weeds on the ground that Yeon Ho-Jeong stepped on withered instantly.