Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 331

Five days later.

‘Hmm.’

I’d been so busy lately that I hadn’t had a proper meal with my family.

Since I had some time, I suggested we all eat together. Thanks to that, my eldest son, my second son, and Muk Bi were all here.

At that gathering, Yeon-wi could immediately sense the change in Yeon Ho-Jeong.

“Ho-Jeong.”

“Yes?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who was picking at the finely chopped meat with his chopsticks, looked at Yeon-wi with a puzzled expression.

‘……?’

Yeon-wi’s expression became strange.

The face of his son looking at him seemed very innocent. His unique black and white eyes were also exceptionally clear.

‘How peculiar.’

After the fight with the Twelve Commanders of the Shinwha Cult [a powerful and influential group], his son had changed somehow.

To be precise, it was as if he had revealed his hidden nature. It felt like the madness and demonic nature he had cultivated through the hellish chaos was finally emerging.

Because of that, he had many worries. If he had a physical wound, he could call a doctor to heal it, but the shaking of the heart and mind could only be overcome by oneself.

Today’s gathering was also made to help clear the darkness in Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes, but unexpectedly, his son’s eyes were clear and deep.

‘What happened in the meantime? Or…….’

Yeon-wi smiled.

“Your portions have decreased.”

“Is that so?”

“Didn’t you used to eat enough for three or four grown men?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong scratched his head.

“I haven’t been pushing my body too hard lately. This amount is just right for me now.”

There’s something people often misunderstand. They think martial artists only eat and fight.

But the truth is different.

It’s true that the martial world is a dangerous world of swords and spears, but there are far more people who haven’t experienced real combat than those who have.

Furthermore, there are many who die in a single real battle than those who experience real combat and grow.

In the first place, real combat is based on someone’s death. There are often exceptions, but those who engage in real combat usually don’t consider survival in defeat.

In other words, real combat is an act of putting one’s entire life on the line. Beyond simple physical exertion, the mental strain is immense. It is, in itself, the ultimate tension.

In that sense, Yeon Ho-Jeong is a very unique case.

He has experienced more real combat than any other martial artist of his time, and he has also experienced numerous defeats. Yet, he has survived to this day.

A life marked by countless victories and defeats.

In other words, for him, real combat or life and death were no longer a stage he had to consciously step onto.

Life itself is life and death, real combat, and a continuous state of tension. That’s why his mind is at peace, and why he can approach real combat like a sparring match without any tension.

The embodiment of real combat.

He is one of the few people in the world with such ghostly skills, so he can adjust everything, including his meals, rest, and work, in proportion to his training.

“How is your injury? I heard you got hurt in a sparring match with the soldiers.”

“We have a skilled doctor at our residence, don’t we? It’s completely healed.”

“I see. That’s a relief.”

It was a relief that his body was healed, but it was also reassuring to see his son return to his former wise and confident self.

Yeon-wi suddenly looked at Yeon Ji-Pyeong and asked.

“Aren’t you bored?”

“Yes? Ah, me?”

“Yes.”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong said, looking embarrassed.

“I’m too busy chasing the path of the sword every day to be bored. I’m just worried that I’m just eating without contributing. My father, as well as my older brother and sister, are so busy, but I feel like I’m the only one doing nothing.”

“Don’t think like that. The Martial Alliance is an alliance of the White Path martial world [a righteous faction in the martial arts world]. You are also a member of the White Path and a descendant of the Yeon family. It is right for you to train hard every day in preparation for when the martial world calls upon you. Sharpen your sword well.”

“I understand.”

“The reason I didn’t stop you from coming to the Martial Alliance is because the family has stabilized, and I wanted you to come to a bigger place and broaden your horizons.”

Yeon-wi pointed at Yeon Ho-Jeong and Muk Bi.

“Your brother and Bi-a are not just strong in martial arts, nor are they just busy. You must also observe what these two have seen and experienced, and how they resolve conflicts and incidents.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s expression was calm, but Muk Bi’s face turned red for no reason. She felt embarrassed because it seemed like she was being praised when she wasn’t that great.

Yeon-wi smiled and looked at Muk Bi.

“By the way, congratulations.”

“Yes?”

Muk Bi blinked.

“Me, me?”

“Yes.”

“For what……?”

Yeon-wi frowned and looked at Yeon Ho-Jeong.

“Didn’t you tell her?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong replied calmly.

“I thought it was important for her to realize it herself. If she continues as she has been, that’s all there is to it. From the perspective of martial arts, I didn’t think it was something to make a fuss about.”

“You fool. She’s a genius who has half-broken the wall that marks the first destination of martial arts. It’s something that deserves three days and nights of celebration.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled awkwardly.

“I’m in the process of breaking it, not completely broken it.”

“Still, that’s not how it is.”

It was a strange conversation. At least, it was for Muk Bi.

Yeon Ji-Pyeong looked at Muk Bi in surprise.

“Sister!”

“Oh, oh? Why?”

“Congratulations!”

“……For what?”

“You’ve broken the wall of the Martial Ancestor! That’s amazing!”

Muk Bi blinked.

“Martial Ancestor…… Oh? Broken what? Who? Me?”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s face showed genuine admiration.

“I thought your inner energy seemed strangely deeper, so that’s what it was.”

“Huh?”

Muk Bi looked at Yeon-wi in confusion.

Yeon-wi nodded.

“You are in the process of breaking through the wall of the Martial Ancestor. If you continue as you have been, you will likely ascend to the realm of advancement before the end of this month.”

“Gasp!”

Muk Bi was startled.

“M-me, I broke through the wall of the Martial Ancestor?!”

Yeon Ho-Jeong shook his head.

“You have to be precise. You’re in the process of breaking through. You haven’t broken through yet.”

“It’s the same thing!”

“It’s different, you idiot. So don’t get excited and overdo it. Just do as you’ve been doing, like Father said.”

Muk Bi’s face was flushed.

Yeon Ho-Jeong clicked his tongue.

“That’s why I didn’t say anything.”

Yeon-wi shook his head.

“You should be happy enough. You too, but Bi-a is also young. It’s rare to see a master break through the wall of the Martial Ancestor at this age.”

“Well, that’s true.”

Muk Bi swallowed.

‘I’m breaking through the wall of the Martial Ancestor……!’

Her fist clenched involuntarily with the overwhelming joy.

But that was only for a moment.

“But.”

“Hmm?”

Muk Bi’s face became bewildered.

“I didn’t know about my change…… How do you know that I’m breaking through the wall of the Martial Ancestor?”

“Ah, you mean that?”

Yeon-wi smiled.

“In fact, breaking through a certain realm is a very personal feeling, so it’s not easy for an outsider to judge. However, there is a ‘gateway’ that many people experience just before reaching a similar realm.”

“Ah, yes.”

“However, the process of passing through that gateway varies greatly from person to person. In Ho-Jeong’s case, he awakened all the martial arts of the Four Divine Beasts and achieved the tenth level of the Byukra Jin Gyeol [a powerful martial art technique], passing through it in one go. In my case, I had quite a hard time at the gateway of the Martial Ancestor.”

Even though his sons’ talents were outstanding, Yeon-wi was also a talented individual. Even such a legendary swordsman had a difficult time at the gateway, so the difficulty of the wall of the Martial Ancestor was beyond imagination.

“The way to break through the wall and move forward is different for everyone, but when you reach the extreme, everyone encounters a similar wall. Of course, the form and difficulty of that extreme wall will also be different.”

“Yes. So, what I’m saying is……”

“But there is one characteristic that is seen in those who break through that wall and move forward.”

“A characteristic?”

“That’s right.”

“What kind of characteristic?”

“Inner energy.”

“……?”

Muk Bi tilted her head.

Yeon Ho-Jeong chuckled.

“The density of your inner energy changes. If I just say it like that, you might wonder how great it is, but it’s completely different.”

“How so?”

“When the density of your inner energy changes, the dantian [an energy center in the body] you originally had rapidly shrinks. Of course. Because you have to increase the density.”

“……!!”

“The dantian becomes smaller, but the inner energy it contains becomes more solid and dense, and the efficiency is also maximized depending on how the user operates it.”

Yeon-wi took over Yeon Ho-Jeong’s words.

“Furthermore, when you break through the wall and the density of your inner energy increases, even the inner energy in your bones and muscles gathers into the dantian.”

“What?!”

“Don’t you have to empty it to fill it? When the pure energy of nature fills the emptied bones and muscles, not only the dantian but also the body develops more perfectly and flawlessly.”

Whoosh!

Yeon Ho-Jeong lit a chopstick on fire.

The chopstick quickly turned black and then white.

Squeeze.

He crushed the charcoal-like chopstick with a strong grip and trapped it in his fist. This time, he drew up the Xuanwu energy [a type of martial energy].

Chiiiik!

A small bead appeared in his hand along with white smoke. It was so compressed that its size was as small as a thumbnail.

“A body of the highest ascension with impurities removed, and a dantian with increased density.”

“……!!”

“It’s a reconstruction of the body to gain a greater enlightenment. The current body cannot fully contain the enlightenment of the transcendent realm that people talk about. That’s why the inside and outside of the body begin to change from the root. To contain a stronger martial art.”

Muk Bi’s eyes trembled.

“……Are you talking about a rebirth?”

“Strictly speaking, it’s different, but if you only think about the aspect of change, you can also see it as a rebirth. Although the bones and muscles themselves don’t change.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smacked his lips.

“Anyway, I was going to keep quiet until you realized it yourself, but it turned out like this. Congratulations.”

“Yes? Ah, yes!”

Normally, Muk Bi would have grumbled at Yeon Ho-Jeong, even as a joke.

But she couldn’t do that now. She was bewildered and happy. She was completely out of it.

Yeon Ho-Jeong chuckled.

“Since we’re all gathered like this, shall we have a drink?”

“That’s a good idea. You and Ji-Pyeong go and prepare the drinks. I’ll take a look at Bi-a’s inner strength while we’re at it.”

“I understand.”

It was when Yeon Ho-Jeong was about to get up from his seat.

‘Hmm?’

He and Yeon-wi turned their eyes to the window almost simultaneously.

Yeon-wi tilted his head.

“Huh, what brings you here at this hour?”

“I wonder.”

“Perhaps, did you ask him for something?”

“I did, but it’s not something that would produce results in a few days. It seems like he’s here for something else.”

“Hmm.”

Yeon-wi said to Muk Bi.

“Wait here with Ji-Pyeong for a moment.”

“Yes!”

It was an unusually forceful answer. Yeon-wi got up from his seat with an awkward expression.

Thus, Yeon-wi and Yeon Ho-Jeong opened the main gate of the Pagun Pavilion.

There was Tang Gwan there.

Yeon-wi took a fist salute [a traditional greeting].

“Welcome.”

Tang Gwan also took a short fist salute. There were no separate greetings.

Yeon Ho-Jeong asked directly.

“What brings you here?”

Tang Gwan glanced at Yeon Ho-Jeong.

After looking at him silently, Tang Gwan said to Yeon-wi.

“Yeon Family Head.”

“Speak.”

“Let me borrow your son for a while.”

Yeon-wi asked with a puzzled expression.

“For what reason……?”

Tang Gwan smacked his lips.

“I’ll tell you when I get back. It seems like this disrespectful bastard is better for this matter than the Yeon Family Head. Well, he’s the one who made the mess, so he should clean it up.”

“Hmm?”

Tang Gwan turned his body.

“Follow me.”

Yeon-wi and Yeon Ho-Jeong looked at each other.

The father and son’s eyes looked similar for the first time in a long time.