Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 476

“Ugh, haaaahm!”

A yawn so drawn out, it seemed to ripple like heat haze, even though it wasn’t spring.

“Oh, so languid.”

His tone was utterly languid.

It was the kind of tone that would be perfect to hear when nursing a hangover. Coincidentally, Peng Woon, who had indulged quite a bit the previous night, was soothing his aching stomach while listening to the Clan Lord’s yawn, which seemed to echo from the heavens themselves.

Peng Mu-Gang, who had been scratching his chest vigorously, spoke.

“Woon-ah.”

“Yes, Clan Lord.”

“Wake him up.”

“Understood.”

A moment later, Peng Woon, having fetched a bucket of water from somewhere, splashed it onto the collapsed young man.

Splash!

“Cough!”

The startled young man quickly scrambled to his feet.

He was huge, yet his overall physique was remarkably well-balanced. It was a physique that anyone would admire as excellent.

Of course, that would have been the case under normal circumstances.

The young man’s body, cut and bruised all over, was a mess, truly deserving of the term ‘miserable.’ His hair, matted with dried blood, looked like dried seaweed.

Peng Mu-Gang, sitting on a chair in the training grounds, looked down at Peng Dae-Ho and clicked his tongue.

“He’s definitely improved a bit.”

Peng Dae-Ho grumbled.

“Do you have to make your son look like this to gauge his skills?”

“Practice like it’s the real thing. Every drop of sweat you shed now prevents a bucket of blood from being spilled in actual combat.”

“If it were just sweat, that is.”

“It’s not like it’s the first or second time, is it? Stop complaining. You look pathetic.”

“How can you say that after making your son look like this!”

He looked miserable on the outside, but the inside was even worse. He had internal injuries as well as fractures.

It was a testament to Peng Dae-Ho’s endurance that he could sit there and argue back. In this state, most people would struggle to even move a finger.

Peng Mu-Gang chuckled.

“What’s so bad about that? It’s better than having your head chopped off by some random guy’s sword.”

“You’re going too far. You were a bit harsh today. He’s going to die from being beaten before he gets his head cut off by some nameless guy’s sword.”

“Then he should train harder.”

Peng Dae-Ho shouted.

“I’m already losing sleep over it!”

That was the truth.

There were many masters and geniuses in the Martial Alliance. Inspired by them, Peng Dae-Ho had more than doubled his training intensity compared to when he was in the family.

Every day was a continuous cycle of grueling training. It was a level of intensity that would make even the most hardened individuals shake their heads.

“Are you talking back to your father now?”

“Shouldn’t I talk back to a father who’s trying to kill his own son?”

“There’s no such unfilial child in the world. Where else would you find a parent who trains you with as much affection as I do?”

Peng Dae-Ho, glaring at Peng Mu-Gang, turned his head away.

He was not someone you could reason with. Peng Dae-Ho had some experience in the martial world and had met quite a few unique individuals, but none of them could compare to his father.

‘No, it would be a blessing if it ended with just a unique personality.’

This was assault disguised as training!

That thought nearly escaped his lips. He was someone who could endure most pain with a smile, but his father’s punches inflicted pain that was worse than a fracture with each blow.

He knew it was training, but wasn’t this method a bit too harsh?

“Stop with the useless talk and start circulating your energy.”

“My shinbone is broken.”

“Who told you to sit cross-legged? Did you throw away the standing stance you learned with such difficulty?”

“I’m telling you, my shinbone is broken! It’s hard to do both sitting and standing stances!”

“Then do it lying down, you idiot! Ah, that brat is so talkative. He’s huge, who did he take after?”

Peng Dae-Ho grumbled and flopped down. He was not one to be easily pushed around, even if he was told to lie down.

But that was only for a moment.

Soon, Peng Dae-Ho’s expression became peaceful. He had entered a state of energy circulation in an instant.

Peng Mu-Gang’s harsh expression also softened.

“That rascal.”

He didn’t say it, but his face was full of pride.

Peng Woon subtly spoke.

“His swordsmanship is impressive, but his hand-to-hand combat skills have really grown tremendously, haven’t they?”

“Indeed. I thought he was just getting a bit stronger, but I didn’t expect him to grow this much.”

Peng Mu-Gang looked down at his own solar plexus.

Under his loose clothing, there was a small bruise near his solar plexus. He had tried to block it, but the force of the ‘Armor Piercing Hammer’ had penetrated his defense.

He hadn’t used his full power, but it was still impressive. It was clear that he had not only trained his body but had also deeply honed his inner energy and explosive power techniques.

“He must have been stimulated in many ways. It’s not just anyone, but his own brother who has developed so much.”

Peng Dae-Ho’s twin brother, Peng Man-Ho, was currently serving as a soldier in the Righteous Army’s Annihilation Unit. [A specialized military unit focused on eliminating threats.]

He had been training as a soldier and had been deployed in operations. Peng Man-Ho’s combat power, honed by crossing the line of life and death, was truly remarkable.

Naturally, Peng Dae-Ho couldn’t wholeheartedly rejoice in his brother’s growth.

The reason was that he was the Young Clan Lord. Moreover, he was from the warlike and proud Habuk Peng Clan, so it was only natural. Rather, Peng Man-Ho’s easygoing personality was the unique one.

“Is that why you’re doing this?”

“Hmm?”

“Weren’t you striking the Young Clan Lord’s body to soften his inner energy and burn away impurities?”

That was the reason why Peng Mu-Gang’s punches were so excruciatingly painful. The penetrating explosive power inflicted injuries while simultaneously burning away impurities and kneading his inner energy like dough. For Peng Dae-Ho, who was on the receiving end, it was truly a living hell.

Peng Mu-Gang shrugged.

“Don’t misunderstand. Dae-Ho and Man-Ho are both equally precious to me. But as the Clan Lord, I have to maximize the abilities of the one who will succeed me. It’s not a right, but a responsibility.”

“I see.”

“Well, I wouldn’t have done it if he wasn’t ready. He managed to reach this level in a short time.”

Peng Mu-Gang’s face was full of pride as he looked at his son.

Peng Woon cleared his throat.

“Still, the fractures were a bit severe.”

“It’s fine. His Iron Body Technique is still going strong. He’ll be fully recovered in about six days. Sometimes, it’s good to inflict this level of damage. The more he does, the more his Iron Body Technique will improve. His bones and muscles will become more flexible and stronger.”

It was a rough-looking training method, but it contained its own meticulous calculations.

Peng Mu-Gang yawned again.

“Oh dear, should I take a good rest today? I heard there’s another council meeting tomorrow.”

“Another meeting?”

“Indeed. Well, I understand why, but the meetings are too frequent.”

To become the leader of any organization, one needs abundant knowledge, brilliant wisdom, and the ability to read the current situation. In that regard, Peng Mu-Gang was an excellent Clan Lord.

But he was also a man of the Peng Clan. He was magnanimous and disliked complicated things. Unless it was something that harmed the family, he generally didn’t like using his head.

“I should give that guy a lecture when he gets up and then rest. You should go in and rest too. You drank a lot yesterday, didn’t you?”

“Haha, you drank a lot too, Clan Lord.”

“Don’t waste time pretending to be concerned about the leader, go inside. A person should know how to live efficiently.”

Peng Woon smiled.

“Yes. Then I’ll go in first.”

“Alright.”

But Peng Woon had to stop before he could even take a few steps.

‘……?!’

Peng Woon’s eyes gleamed.

“Clan Lord?”

“Yes.”

A strange light flickered across Peng Mu-Gang’s face.

“It seems we have an unexpected guest.”

He didn’t try to hide his presence. Nor did he exaggerate it, which made his imposing aura even more powerful.

A moment later, a young and clear voice echoed from outside the gate.

“Is anyone there?”

Peng Mu-Gang said.

“The door’s open. Come in.”

Creak.

Yeon Ho-Jeong appeared through the open gate.

Yeon Ho-Jeong bowed respectfully.

“I greet the Clan Lord of the Peng Clan. I am Yeon Ho-Jeong of the Yeon Clan.”

It was a short but masculine greeting.

Peng Mu-Gang rose from his seat.

“The Great Commander of the Righteous Army has graced this humble place with his presence.”

“You flatter me.”

“Is this the first time we’ve met like this?”

They had only seen each other a few times during the council meetings. There had been no private conversations, and they hadn’t even made proper eye contact.

“That is correct.”

“I haven’t even been able to visit after entrusting my son to you. I don’t like gossip.”

He was referring to Peng Man-Ho. Yeon Ho-Jeong nodded.

“I understand.”

“How is he? Is he doing well?”

“He is more than fulfilling his role. Of course, there is still room for improvement.”

Peng Mu-Gang grinned.

“The more you beat them, the stronger they get. Not just him, but all the men of our Peng Clan are like that. Please put some effort into hammering him so he can grow well.”

“Since you say so, Clan Lord, I will push him harder.”

“That’s music to my ears.”

To a third party, it would be hard to understand what kind of conversation this was.

But Peng Mu-Gang was satisfied with Yeon Ho-Jeong’s straightforward remarks. He liked people who showed themselves honestly and openly.

Yeon Ho-Jeong glanced at Peng Dae-Ho.

“By the way, Peng Hyung [Older brother or respected male figure] is also training hard, isn’t he?”

“He is. He can’t lose to his brother, can he?”

“That’s right.”

“Well, he must be far from your standards. What do you think? Does he seem useful?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled.

“His inner energy is circulating very actively. His body is also incomparably more trained than when I first met him. This level of effort would be difficult even for the most hardened individuals.”

“Kuhahaha!”

Peng Mu-Gang burst into unrestrained laughter.

There was not a hint of ulterior motive in his laughter. He didn’t think Yeon Ho-Jeong was arrogant or presumptuous.

“If even the greatest master of the younger generation thinks so, then at least that guy hasn’t been neglecting his training.”

“That’s not true. Peng Hyung will become a great Clan Lord.”

“Thank you for the kind words.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Anyway.”

Peng Mu-Gang tilted his head.

“Why have you come at this hour? It seems like you have something to say.”

“Of course, I do.”

“Should I have some drinks brought out?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Actually, until I came here, I was hoping for that. I wanted to get to know you better while sharing a drink.”

It was a statement that could sound quite presumptuous.

Peng Mu-Gang asked with a smile.

“Not anymore?”

“Yes. I’ll just ask you directly.”

“Kahat! Direct is good. What is it?”

“Are you a spy dispatched by the Three Sects?”

It was an extremely audacious question.

Beyond being audacious, even if he were a real spy, he wouldn’t say, ‘Yes, I am a spy.’ Yet, Yeon Ho-Jeong was asking that.

Peng Mu-Gang’s answer was a masterpiece.

“Do I look like someone smart enough to do such a bothersome thing as a hobby?”

“So you’re not.”

“I wouldn’t do that even if you gave me the Emperor’s throne. I’m already dying from worrying about my gray hair.”

The world wouldn’t know that Peng Mu-Gang’s personality was like this.

But Yeon Ho-Jeong liked Peng Mu-Gang’s personality very much.

“Then I’ll believe you’re not.”

Peng Mu-Gang’s eyes gleamed.

“Of course, I’m not… Do you believe my words?”

“If it’s true, it’s true, and if it’s not, it’s not.”

“Kuhahahaha!!”

Peng Mu-Gang’s laughter was louder than ever.

“This guy is a masterpiece? I like him very much. I see why my second son is so fond of you.”

“You flatter me.”

“Alright, then.”

Peng Mu-Gang’s eyes immediately sharpened.

“What do you need me to do?”

He’s a smart one.

There really isn’t anyone who is easy to deal with.

Yeon Ho-Jeong said seriously.

“Please help me find the spies.”