Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 472

“It’s been a while… or so I should say as a greeting.”

Gang Ryang looked at the Yeon family father and son with a dumbfounded expression.

“I thought you were busy, but did you two go to some battlefield or something?”

Yeon-Wi and Yeon Ho-Jeong looked quite disheveled. Their clothes were torn and tattered in several places, and to put it exaggeratedly, they looked worse than beggars in the marketplace.

It was clear how fierce their battle had been; their faces were still flushed. They hadn’t fully caught their breath.

These were top-tier masters, true experts on the verge of reaching the realm of a martial god, and yet they were still struggling to regain their composure. It was a testament to how much they had poured into their fight.

Yeon-Wi smiled and said,

“It’s been a while. Have you been well?”

“Thanks to you.”

“Ho-Jeong is one thing, but you’ve improved so much too. You’re like a completely different person from before.”

Not many in the orthodox White Path [a term referring to the righteous martial arts factions] followed the traditional martial path as closely as Yeon-Wi. It was a compliment hard to earn with mediocre training.

Gang Ryang looked at Yeon Ho-Jeong with a strange gaze.

“Compared to you, Brother, I’m still at the crawling stage. By the way, how did the match end?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong shook his head.

“It wasn’t a match to determine a winner. However, I realized that I’m still far behind my father.”

Yeon-Wi chuckled.

“You’re so shameless. You didn’t even allow a proper hit.”

“Isn’t it the same for you, Father?”

It wasn’t just a statement to praise his father.

From Yeon-Wi’s martial arts, Yeon Ho-Jeong could see how much his father had been agonizing over the past.

The change wasn’t something that could be evaluated simply by whether he had become stronger or reached a higher realm.

‘It was truly incredible.’

The power of his martial arts was one thing, but the extent of the change astonished Yeon Ho-Jeong.

‘Father is someone who would have made a mark on the orthodox swordsmanship of the Central Plains [a region often used as a setting in martial arts stories]. But now it’s different. He stopped deepening and chose the path of becoming more expansive.’

No one knows which path is more efficient.

The important thing was that his father had broken his own mold.

His father was as stubborn as anyone. Yet, such a father had expanded the limits of swordsmanship by abandoning the Yeon family’s martial arts several times.

For someone of his character, such an idea must have been excruciating. He must have felt countless times that the path he had walked until now was being completely denied.

A swamp of shock that one could not escape once fallen into.

His father had fallen into that swamp several times and had come out of it several times.

‘Unlike the Yeon family’s swordsmanship, he embraced a domineering style, and even incorporated the fierce and rapid sword techniques of the battlefield. It wasn’t just about being able to use them; he had trained to the point of becoming a master in those areas.’

The Yeon family’s martial arts emphasized restraint and moderation.

However, in this match, his father had shown extravagance and extremes.

But did he abandon the Yeon family’s martial arts? No, he didn’t. Based on the Yeon family’s martial arts, he had created a swordsmanship more ruthless than that of a seasoned wanderer of the Jianghu [a term referring to the martial arts world].

A swordsman who could be called the embodiment of the Yeon family’s martial arts was now transforming into the embodiment of the sword itself.

‘I’m ashamed.’

He had inwardly prided himself on his creative martial arts implementation and his exceptional practical sense, which allowed him to expand his thinking.

However, seeing his father’s current state, he realized that he was still far behind.

‘I thought I was running without limits, but was I actually relying on the efforts I had made in the past?’

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled and looked at Yeon-Wi.

“Thanks to you, Father, I can see the path I need to take. At least, I can’t stay like this.”

Gang Ryang shuddered.

“What are you going to do again? You’re running so fast that it’s discouraging to even try to catch up.”

“My path is my path, and your path is your path. It’s not like you’re practicing martial arts to catch up with someone, is it?”

“That’s not wrong… but still, I lose my strength sometimes. Every time you say something like that, Brother.”

Unlike Gang Ryang’s reaction, Yeon-Wi nodded seriously.

“I’m glad if it helped in any way. I’ve also learned a lot from you.”

“Learned? What can you learn from my reckless martial arts?”

“You are a sufficiently excellent martial artist. There’s no reason why a father can’t learn from his son. I don’t know what you realized because of me, but I also gained a lot from watching your martial arts.”

“I’m embarrassed that you say that. I’m also relieved.”

“As a father, I’m overjoyed at my son’s growth, but as a martial artist, I’m still in my prime. I need to grow even more to become a wall that blocks your path.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled.

This aspect of him really hadn’t changed. Yet, the martial arts he used had changed so much. That’s what made it even more amazing. Usually, when martial arts change this much, one’s personality also changes.

‘Father’s mental cultivation, which still maintains moderation, is truly the best in the world.’

Gang Ryang sighed.

“I’ll prepare the bathwater. Both of you should wash up.”

“It’s okay. I can do it myself, why bother…”

“Just wait. I need to earn my keep, don’t I?”

Gang Ryang went inside without waiting for an answer.

Yeon-Wi said to Yeon Ho-Jeong,

“He’s almost there.”

“Are you talking about Ryang?”

“Yes. In fact, it wouldn’t be strange if he broke through the wall right now.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled.

“That guy is greedy too; it seems he wants to get everything he can before moving on to the next stage.”

“Not being attached to realms, knowing how to be relaxed even though he’s younger than you. You should learn from that.”

“Yes, I will.”

Everything is a lesson. There’s no reason not to learn from someone weaker or younger than oneself.

In the end, life is a journey to complete oneself. On the path where one must keep moving forward until their last breath, one should not neglect learning because of pride or ego.

As the two were sitting on the platform, chatting, a powerful energy surged from afar.

Yeon Ho-Jeong calmly rose from his seat.

“I’ll go meet him.”

Yeon-Wi sighed.

“He doesn’t give you a moment to rest.”

“Since I’ve joined the Alliance, he’s someone I’ll have to face often. I should at least say hello.”

“I’ll tell Ryang.”

“Yes. Please have dinner first. I should get something good to eat from that man.”

Yeon-Wi couldn’t help but laugh.

“You’re so easygoing.”

“There’s nothing more delicious than a feast prepared by an enemy. You should try it sometime, Father.”

“Stop talking nonsense and go. I’ll report your return separately.”

“Thank you.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong left the Pargun Pavilion.

A moment later.

“Hoo, I’ve finished preparing the bathwater… Huh? Where did Brother go?”

“He went to meet someone for a bit.”

Gang Ryang’s face twisted.

“That guy… I even heated up the bathwater for him.”

“It couldn’t be helped. I’m sorry.”

“Yes? Ah, no. There’s no need for you to say that, Father…”

“Since the bathwater is already prepared, you should use one of them.”

“I’ve already washed…”

“Then, shall we create a situation where you need to wash again?”

Yeon-Wi tapped his sword hilt.

“The bathwater will be fine even if it cools down a bit, wouldn’t it?”

Gang Ryang, who was looking at Yeon-Wi with a bewildered expression, eventually laughed as if he couldn’t help it.

“I think I can finally be sure where Brother’s temperament came from.”

* * *

The sun was setting.

Looking at the red sky, Moyong Gun thought,

‘It’s truly beautiful.’

The sun, passing between the mountain peaks, was scattering its crimson light with its last strength.

It was a strangely serene scene. If he could, he wanted to jump into that sunset sea and swim.

‘Today is ending like this, but my day is just beginning.’

Moyong Gun smiled without even turning his head.

“Isn’t that so?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had come to his side, stood next to him, watching the sunset.

“I don’t know what you’re asking, but it’s a beautiful sight.”

“You saw it correctly. I wanted to ask if that sunset is beautiful.”

Moyong Gun turned his head to look at Yeon Ho-Jeong.

His eyes widened slightly.

“You’ve grown a bit, haven’t you?”

“Hasn’t my impudence always been at the level of the Thirteen Seats of the Heavenly Saint [a high-ranking position in a martial arts organization]?”

“That’s not what I meant. It seems like you’ve grown a little taller?”

“Is that so? I don’t know.”

Looking closely, it didn’t seem like he had grown taller. Nor had he become bulkier.

Moyong Gun’s eyes deepened.

‘He’s become stronger.’

It was his presence. A more solid and abundant presence was making Yeon Ho-Jeong look bigger.

‘I thought he would return having grown, but I never imagined he would develop this much.’

Moyong Gun was genuinely impressed by Yeon Ho-Jeong’s level.

After Yeon Ho-Jeong left the Alliance, Moyong Gun had also continued his bone-grinding training.

No, after fighting the warriors of the Divine Cult, Moyong Gun had driven himself relentlessly. He couldn’t bear the thought that the martial arts of those lowly barbarians from the borderlands were superior to his own.

Training that risked his life every day. Through extreme training, Moyong Gun had also grown significantly compared to before.

However, when it came to the extent of growth, he couldn’t compare to Yeon Ho-Jeong.

“It’s truly difficult to discuss victory or defeat now.”

“Are you talking about with me?”

“Yes.”

“Wasn’t it before?”

“It wasn’t.”

He was sincere. He had been confident that if they fought, he would be the certain victor, barring any unforeseen variables.

But now it was different.

The gap between him and Yeon Ho-Jeong was now almost imperceptible. They had reached a point where victory or defeat could be decided by a split-second choice, beyond the power or speed of their martial arts.

‘He’s truly terrifying.’

Moyong Gun’s eyes, looking at Yeon Ho-Jeong, grew colder.

He had predicted that with his talent and effort, this guy would become a master worthy of discussing the world within ten years.

But looking at his current state, it seemed that even that ten years was too long. It seemed that he could achieve a level that would be among the best in the world within five years, not ten.

Of course, the path ahead would be much more painful than all the hardships he had faced so far.

“Are you starting already?”

“Hmm?”

“You look like you’re about to grow icicles from your eyes. Do you want to devour me that much?”

Moyong Gun smiled.

“If I could devour someone like you, it would be a great boast to my juniors.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong chuckled.

“Don’t forget. Neither you nor I are at the point where we can devour each other yet. Don’t squander your assets in the storm that will come while you’re busy worrying about each other.”

It was a remark considering the Three Teachings [likely referring to a major faction or philosophy in the story].

Moyong Gun shook his head.

“I need to settle the score with you separately. It’s not good to have noise at that decisive moment. We need to solve the immediate problem first.”

“That’s a good idea.”

Although he said that, Yeon Ho-Jeong didn’t believe Moyong Gun’s words.

From the start, the four words ‘fair and square’ didn’t suit this fight. Neither he nor Moyong Gun were the kind of people who would risk their lives for a clean fight.

‘Here we go again.’

One good thing about seeing Moyong Gun was that it naturally made him tense.

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled and said,

“Have you had dinner?”

“I turned down a meeting with the military advisor to eat with you.”

“The military advisor must be jealous.”

“If the military advisor is jealous of you, then he’s no ordinary person. I don’t think I’d be jealous if I were him.”

“It’s been a while, and you’re giving me such compliments. You’ve changed a lot.”

“Stop with the nonsense, shall we move? We should resolve our past with alcohol.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled coldly.

“Yes, we should resolve it with alcohol.”

They resolved things with family through swords and with enemies through alcohol.

That’s right. They lived in such a world.