Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 440

Whiff!

The pressure from the fist shot out, compressing the air for a moment before it burst with a crack.

Bu-seon’s eyes narrowed.

‘Is it still not working?’

Her body was drenched in sweat.

She didn’t know how many hours she had been throwing punches. And not just any punches, but only straight punches, not using the Blood Lion Fist.

For someone of her level, with a body as well-trained as hers, it was unusual to be this soaked in sweat just from throwing straight punches for several hours.

That meant the mental exertion was immense.

‘I can’t even imitate that one punch Master showed me back then.’

Enlightenment can be found anywhere. While sleeping, while eating, while spacing out, even while using the restroom. That’s what enlightenment is.

In other words, there’s no definitive way to gain enlightenment. Only consistent effort and contemplation can become the nourishment that eventually brings enlightenment.

But this time was different.

She was certain that she could become stronger from that one punch her master had unleashed back then.

It wasn’t a technique that could be copied by simply imitating it, but she was sure that if she pursued that punch relentlessly, she would definitely gain something. Bu-seon was certain of it.

The problem was that she had no idea when that enlightenment would come.

“You have too many distracting thoughts.”

Bu-seon was startled and turned her head at the voice that came from beside her.

There was her master. His smiling face, with his hands behind his back, held a kindness she hadn’t seen before.

“Master.”

Bu-seon knelt on the spot.

“I have shown you an unsightly appearance.”

“It is indeed an unsightly appearance. In training, focus and immersion are not options but necessities. Right now, you have too many distracting thoughts.”

“I am sorry.”

Yang Cheon shook his head.

“However, I know why you are so troubled. It must be because of that one punch from back then.”

No matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t escape her master’s gaze.

Yang Cheon smiled.

“If constantly showing you that punch, that martial principle, could accelerate your growth, I would have shown it to you countless times. But that could lead to me forcing my martial principles onto your own martial path. That’s why I haven’t shown it to you all this time.”

“…”

“I have nothing else to say. All I can tell you is to keep striving and contemplating. But don’t be too fixated on that punch. Sometimes, try using the Lion God Fist, and other times, try practicing with weapons. If your heart is still chasing that punch, you might find a clue in an unexpected place.”

Yang Cheon acknowledged Bu-seon’s talent. And he acknowledged her effort even more than her talent.

His disciple would become great. Even with less talent, she had already reached a level comparable to, or even surpassing, his first and third disciples. For that alone, Bu-seon deserved recognition.

That was why Yang Cheon hadn’t given Bu-seon detailed instructions.

Sometimes, detailed guidance could ruin a disciple. If he thought his guidance wouldn’t cause any problems in the formation of his disciple’s own martial path, he would have taught her already.

“However, I think I can help you clear the frustration that has clouded your mind.”

“…Yes?”

“Who is it? Who is the person who has caused you so much anguish?”

“…!!”

“Who is it? Who is the person who has made you so impatient?”

“…”

“Is it Yeon Ho-jeong?”

Bu-seon couldn’t say anything.

That’s right. She was impatient. Unlike her past self, who could turn impatience into a driving force for martial arts growth, she was now consumed by impatience and couldn’t even train properly.

And Yang Cheon had accurately seen the reason.

Yeon Ho-jeong.

Bu-seon couldn’t forget Yeon Ho-jeong, who had fought a terrifying battle with her master in the past.

‘He was amazing. Truly, such a master…’

It was the first time.

Age? He seemed younger than her, but that didn’t matter at all. Whether someone was younger or older, what mattered more was whether they were someone she would clash with in the next generation of the martial world.

From that perspective, Bu-seon didn’t think she could surpass Yeon Ho-jeong.

It wasn’t just because Yeon Ho-jeong was strong. Yeon Ho-jeong had a certain presence, a certain ‘level’ that she didn’t have, and perhaps could never have, in addition to his martial arts.

A person’s dignity? No. At first glance, she couldn’t feel any nobility from Yeon Ho-jeong. Rather, it was hard to believe that he was the eldest son of the prestigious Byeoksan Yeon family, as he was so rough.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s presence was the presence of a strong person.

A presence that only those who had reached a certain level could possess. It could be martial arts, writing, or music.

And that kind of presence was being felt from a young man who wasn’t even thirty years old yet.

‘That man, he has already opened the door to the ultimate realm!’

Surprisingly, Bu-seon could faintly glimpse the extreme realm that Yeon Ho-jeong had achieved in the past, not his current level.

It wasn’t because Bu-seon had any special talent.

It was because she had always looked up from below.

There was a feeling that she could sense because she had analyzed and analyzed countless competitors, and had surpassed them by even cutting into her sleep time.

That feeling was telling her. That she could never surpass Yeon Ho-jeong through normal means.

Even if she became a Saintly Heaven level master, even if she became stronger than anyone else, she had an ominous certainty that Yeon Ho-jeong would always be one step ahead of her.

That was why Bu-seon was being swayed by impatience. The feeling of frustration, which she had never felt before, was eating away at her mind.

“It must have been shocking.”

Yang Cheon nodded.

“Your desire, which didn’t falter even in the face of the terrifying talents of the first and third disciples, has faltered in front of that guy. Yes, I understand.”

“…I am sorry.”

“That guy is different. Even with my eyes, I can see it. There are many geniuses in the world, but there is no one like Yeon Ho-jeong. Moreover, he has a brain and a sense that goes beyond martial arts. Sometimes, even I am amazed at how such a guy can exist.”

“…”

“Do you want to surpass that guy?”

Bu-seon raised her head.

Her eyes, looking at her master, were bloodshot.

“I want to surpass him.”

That short sentence contained more meaning than simply wanting to surpass him in martial arts.

Yang Cheon smiled faintly.

“Follow me.”

Silence filled the space between the two people as they left the training hall.

How long had it been?

“The reason I established the Mukryong Clan here is not simply to live here for the rest of my life.”

“Yes?”

“No matter how great and secret a place is, a cave is still a cave. The Mukryong Clan is a black alliance. It might even be the first of its kind. Should such a group remain in this cave forever?”

Yang Cheon shook his head.

“At least as long as I am alive, I will not let the Mukryong Clan end up in a place like this. I will build a great fortress in the open and make it the greatest power in the world. That is one of my many goals.”

Bu-seon was deeply moved.

Given her master’s personality, he wouldn’t have said such things to his first or third disciples. Even if he had, she was deeply moved just by the fact that her master had shown her the sincerity he had kept hidden deep within his heart.

“But we can’t abandon this place either. This place is deep, sturdy, and large enough to withstand any explosives. Wouldn’t it be a waste to just leave such a secret place?”

“Yes.”

“So, I have planned to turn this place into a prison and interrogation room. The construction that is currently underway is not to make this place a secret fortress of Mukryong. It is to make it a prison and interrogation room that the construction has been continuing until now.”

“I see.”

“Therefore, there are several unique spaces that no one knows about.”

Yang Cheon, having passed through numerous caves, stopped in front of a stone wall that had a reddish hue compared to the others.

Yang Cheon placed his hand on the stone wall and said,

“It looks like a stone wall, but it is an iron door with a texture similar to stone. Moreover, this iron is mixed with a rare material called Yusanggwicheol [a fictional metal]. It is a rare material that can expand or contract depending on the amount of internal energy injected into it.”

“What?!”

“I haven’t known about it for long either. There are truly many mysterious things in the world.”

Yang Cheon raised his internal energy.

Whoooom. Thud.

The red stone wall shrank slightly.

“Of course, it’s a rare material, so the amount is extremely small. But even mixing a little bit allows you to slightly adjust its size.”

Bu-seon could only gape at the sight she was seeing for the first time.

Iron that changes size when internal energy is injected? She had never imagined that such a rare material could exist.

Yang Cheon put strength into his hand.

Thud.

He pushed the shrunken stone wall with force, and it slid open with a heavy sound.

Even if one knew the secret of this stone wall, it would take more than the internal energy of a top master to push such a thick and large iron door. It was clear that a lot of thought had gone into making it.

“Come in.”

“Yes, yes!”

Bu-seon, hiding her bewildered heart, followed Yang Cheon inside.

The inside was darker than she had expected. Like other places in the Mukryong Clan, this place also had night-illuminating jewels embedded in the ceiling, but there were few of them and their brightness was subpar.

Bu-seon’s eyes widened.

“This is a surveillance room connected to the interrogation room.”

Yang Cheon pointed to one wall made of transparent glass.

Beyond the glass wall, two women were sitting and drinking tea.

“From this surveillance room, you can see the interrogation room. But from the interrogation room, you can’t see this side. Of course, you can’t hear any sounds either.”

“H-how amazing.”

“The world is vast. For us who live in the martial world, the growth of martial arts is a task we must carry with us for the rest of our lives, but if you turn your gaze just a little, you will find unimaginable rare materials and legendary events.”

Yang Cheon laughed cheerfully.

After detoxifying the Yin-Yang Divine Palm, he had become so relaxed that it surprised those who saw him.

“Someday, I plan to modify it so that we can hear the sounds from the other side only from this side. Very clearly. Of course, I don’t know if it will be possible.”

“You are amazing.”

“Well, that’s that.”

Yang Cheon pointed his chin at the young woman.

“What do you think?”

Bu-seon looked at the woman with sharp eyes.

She couldn’t feel the other person’s voice or even their energy. All she could see was their posture and eyes.

After a moment.

“…She’s incredible.”

Bu-seon’s face was once again filled with shock.

“That woman is incredibly strong. She doesn’t seem to be much older than me…”

“She hasn’t reached the Limitless Realm yet. But with that level of martial arts at her age, she will be able to reach the Saintly Heaven level in ten years.”

“…!!”

“That is the one who is considered to be the closest to the next Sword Empress.”

Yang Cheon’s eyes deepened.

The kind look in his eyes disappeared, and the gleam of an ambitious man who wanted to conquer the world was burning like a flame.

“I will obtain those, the power of the Sword Empress. And that is not something you can get just by being strong in martial arts.”

“…?”

Yang Cheon looked at Bu-seon and said,

“This master has reached this point by eliminating countless strong people whom I felt were insurmountable. Do you think I have never been frustrated in those decades?”

“…!!”

“The world is vast, and there are many strong people. Like Yeon Ho-jeong or that woman. But the martial world is not a world where the strong win. It is a world where those who win are considered strong.”

Little by little, vitality returned to Bu-seon’s exhausted eyes.

Yang Cheon said in a stern voice,

“Don’t try to surpass them. What’s important is to win. If they are stronger than you, use any means to exploit their weaknesses.”

“…”

“If what you want is to be a ruler, not a master.”