Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 459

The moment Yang Cheon’s fist cut through the air and approached, Gang Ryang’s eyes accurately captured that fleeting instant.

‘Fast. And strong.’

The fist, piercing through the air like a sharp awl, possessed a power that far exceeded imagination.

It was a realm that Gang Ryang, in his current state, could hardly dare to look upon. The density of power, its flow, even the way it created geometric waves in the air—everything was awe-inspiring.

‘So, there is such a fist.’

The fact that such complex true energy [internal energy cultivated through martial arts] manipulation and power flow were contained within that seemingly ordinary fist was astonishing.

Gang Ryang’s eyes deepened.

The astonishment was only momentary.

‘Am I going to die like this?’

He couldn’t evade it, nor could he block it. None of the training he had undergone could counter it.

The efforts he had accumulated over the past dozen years could vanish in an instant.

‘How futile.’

The slowed time sped up again at a terrifying pace.

Paah!

Considering the speed of the fist, the sound of the air exploding wasn’t that loud.

“Cough!”

Gang Ryang, who had been sent flying three yards, vomited a mouthful of blood.

‘……?!’

Surprisingly, Gang Ryang was not dead.

‘Fishy?’

Perhaps it was because of the night, but the color of the blood he had spat out looked particularly dark.

The smell rising from the blood was also extremely fishy and toxic, as if he had been poisoned.

Gang Ryang looked up at Yang Cheon.

Yang Cheon stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at him.

“…What is it?”

“What do you mean?”

Gang Ryang rose from his spot.

The dull pain in his chest felt like it would last for days. It was that painful of a blow.

However, his insides were much cleaner than before. The blood Gang Ryang had vomited contained a concentrated amount of impurities that he hadn’t even been aware of.

Gang Ryang, staring intently at Yang Cheon, asked again.

“Why this favor?”

Indeed, it was a favor.

Moreover, he was someone who had openly declared that he would kill Yang Cheon. Yet, Yang Cheon had instead extracted the impurities from his body.

Yang Cheon shook his head.

“Don’t misunderstand. I’m not crazy enough to help a man who wants to kill me.”

“But…”

“However, the pride of a Fighting King is much stronger than you think.”

Yang Cheon’s eyes twitched.

It seemed like he was smiling, yet also frowning. It was a truly strange expression.

“Even if you are dangerous, how could you compare to Yeon Ho-Jeong? Moreover, even Yeon Ho-Jeong cannot compare to the strong of Seongcheon [a powerful martial arts sect]. At least, not yet.”

“……”

“The number of people in the world who want to kill me is too numerous to count. It’s not like my life will change just because one more talented young man joins them.”

Yang Cheon looked up at the sky.

The unusually bright moonlight seemed to give him a strange feeling. His eyes, which had been as hard as steel, seemed to have softened a little.

“As the Vice Chief of the Black Dragon Unit, you are a being that must be killed. However, the Fighting King Yang Cheon, who knows that such an action would hinder the growth of a talent who could be a good stimulus for his disciples, would be disappointed.”

Yang Cheon looked back at Gang Ryang.

Gang Ryang’s eyes did not waver even at this moment.

Yang Cheon smiled.

“Think of it as putting things back to how they were. If I hadn’t come here, you would have crossed the wall of the Martial Ancestor [a significant breakthrough in martial arts] and entered a new world. Although I cannot immediately help you cross that wall, I can at least create a few stepping stones for you.”

Yang Cheon, who had been quietly observing Gang Ryang, began to walk towards the tavern.

“That was an impressive sword dance. You’re still far off, but at least you’re not going in the wrong direction.”

Yang Cheon walked away calmly, as if he had said everything he needed to say.

Watching his retreating figure, Gang Ryang momentarily felt an emotion that was difficult to harbor towards an enemy.

‘……Is that what they call a master?’

Gang Ryang asked.

“I’m sure you’ve heard this countless times, but…”

“Hmm?”

“You will regret this.”

Yang Cheon paused.

But only for a moment, as he waved his hand as if to show off.

“At least, if you become stronger than me, I will never regret being defeated by such an opponent.”

“Then I’ll have to aim for the moment when the Vice Chief weakens.”

“Unfortunately, the moment I weaken will never come. You’ll become stronger faster.”

With that, Yang Cheon entered the tavern.

Left alone, Gang Ryang pondered Yang Cheon’s words.

‘I’ll become stronger faster…’

What incredible confidence. That meant that Yang Cheon himself would not weaken until he died.

But what if those words were interpreted differently?

‘You may not weaken, but it means I can become stronger than you.’

He didn’t know what his intention was in saying those words. However, what was important was that an absolute master, who was both his sworn enemy and a figure at the pinnacle of the martial world, had acknowledged him as a martial artist.

And that fact did not give Gang Ryang much emotion.

“To most of the Black Path martial artists, you are a giant worthy of respect. But to me, at least, you are nothing more or less than an enemy with whom I cannot live under the same sky.”

Gang Ryang touched his chest.

He did not consider Yang Cheon’s help as help. In the same vein, he did not think that he had failed to break through the wall of the Martial Ancestor because of Yang Cheon.

It was simply because he was lacking. If he had truly focused, he would have broken through the wall of the Martial Ancestor no matter if Yang Cheon had come or not.

Of course, if that had happened, Yang Cheon’s reaction would have been different.

“Haaahm!”

Gang Ryang stretched.

The pain was still there, but he felt refreshed. At the same time, he was extremely tired.

“I should get some sleep. Damn, it hurts so much. I wonder if that guy intentionally left the pain behind.”

* * *

Yeon Ho-Jeong, with two bright lamps and one candle lit, was drinking alone.

Creak. Creak.

The sound of the stairs creaking echoed.

Yeon Ho-Jeong righted the overturned cup.

Shortly after, Yang Cheon appeared.

“It’s been a while.”

“Have you been well?”

“That’s quite a picture. Drinking alone on a moonlit night… You seem to have a sense of elegance.”

“I’ve prepared good wine. Please, sit down.”

“Good.”

Yang Cheon, walking with a swagger, sat opposite Yeon Ho-Jeong.

His expression was as soft as if he had come to meet a close friend. Not only his expression, but also his gait and atmosphere were like that.

Yeon Ho-Jeong sighed.

Yang Cheon tilted his head.

“Why the sudden sigh?”

“Have you gained some enlightenment in the meantime? You seem even more difficult to deal with.”

It was a frank and honest statement.

Yang Cheon thought that Yeon Ho-Jeong’s perception and reaction were remarkable. Just like he had said to his disciple, this guy knew how to deal with people too well.

“It’s thanks to you. Ever since I detoxified that damn poison, I’ve had more peace of mind.”

“I did a needless thing.”

“If you hadn’t done that needless thing, your life would have become quite rough, wouldn’t it?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong chuckled.

“I can’t deny that.”

“Enough of the nonsense, fill the cup.”

“Let’s do that.”

Shortly after, the two men clinked their cups and emptied them cleanly.

“Kuh, didn’t you say it was good wine?”

“Don’t you like it?”

“Isn’t the simplicity a bit too much? How can cheap white liquor be good wine?”

“I haven’t found anything better for my taste.”

“If you keep drinking that kind of stuff, you’ll ruin your stomach.”

“If my stomach could be ruined by that, I would have died of illness long ago. Anyway…”

Yeon Ho-Jeong gave a meaningful smile.

“Why did you do something so unlike the Vice Chief?”

Yang Cheon feigned ignorance.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I’m talking about Gang Ryang.”

Yang Cheon felt a bit embarrassed for no reason. He thought he was talking about Bota.

“He’s not a guy who would catch the Vice Chief’s eye yet.”

“If he had a martial power that caught my eye, his head would have already been gone.”

“I guess I need to increase my training time too.”

“Hahaha.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong said in a somewhat serious voice.

“No one can know the future, but if a situation arises in the future where our relationship is severed, I have a feeling that it will be his hand, not mine, that takes Vice Chief Yang’s head.”

“On the contrary.”

Yang Cheon said, filling Yeon Ho-Jeong’s cup.

“All of you could die by my hand. And I think that’s more likely.”

“That’s true.”

“How easy and comfortable would life be if it went according to plan? Well, a life that’s easy and comfortable isn’t fun.”

“That’s also true.”

The two men emptied their cups again.

Yang Cheon, who was frowning at the harsh taste of the white liquor, said with a sigh.

“I received the gift you sent.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong chuckled.

“I only did the wrapping.”

“I know. If it had been in your hands, all the bones would have been crushed.”

“It might have been better that way. For a martial artist, losing an arm is fatal.”

“If you can reach a higher realm by sacrificing an arm, wouldn’t that be a good deal? Unlike a leg, that is.”

‘He’s serious.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong realized. Yang Cheon’s words were sincere.

“I didn’t think he was a talent to be cherished.”

“I am very fair when it comes to my disciples. I value equal education and equal treatment. However, I give generously to those who properly climb up from there.”

“Like your second disciple?”

“That’s right.”

For a moment, Yang Cheon’s eyes turned cold.

“However, even if he is foolish and ill-mannered, he is still my disciple. The title ‘Disciple of the Fighting King’ before the name Jeon Hong has not disappeared.”

“That’s a relief. Thanks to that, he didn’t die.”

“A descendant of the annihilated Ghost Sword Clan overwhelmed and disgraced the Third Young Master of the Black Dragon Unit. I’m sure you know how troublesome this is.”

“That’s why I said it was a relief.”

“If he had killed him, at least a picture of generous forgiveness could have been drawn.”

“Are you serious?”

Yang Cheon, who had been glaring at Yeon Ho-Jeong with cold eyes, smiled.

“I guess this level of intimidation won’t work on you.”

“If you really didn’t like it, Gang Ryang wouldn’t have survived.”

“I’m impressed again. You really have great insight.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had been quietly smiling, refilled his cup again.

“Anyway, since the Vice Chief’s disciple started the trouble first, let’s consider this matter as if it never happened.”

“Let’s do that.”

The two men emptied their cups again.

After three cups had been emptied, the conversation moved to the main topic.

“I believe you know why I invited the Vice Chief.”

“Is the time for playful probing over?”

“It is.”

“Then I admit it. Yes, I know why you invited me here.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes narrowed.

At that moment, Yang Cheon felt it. Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had returned after finishing the work in Guangdong, had grown another step further than when he had seen him in the past.

Before enlightenment or inner energy, he sensed that something had changed.

“Are you the one who brought Botaam to that state?”

Yang Cheon admitted it with an almost cheerful voice.

“There is no more certain fact than that.”

“As the Vice Chief of the Black Dragon Unit, I know that the Sword Queen of Botaam is a thorn in your side.”

“…You knew.”

“But it doesn’t seem to be just for that reason…”

“I’m sorry, but let me ask you one thing before that.”

“Please, speak.”

Yang Cheon asked with a blank face.

“To destroy the Evil Sound Cult, what are you willing to do?”

“……?!”