Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 535

“Deputy Chief.”

“Hmm?”

Yang Cheon, who was sharing a drink with Mak Won, tilted his head.

“What is it?”

He had said that he wouldn’t receive any more reports today unless it was something significant. Especially Baek Seo, who had served him for a long time, would handle most things on his own.

Yet, he had come. This meant it was an issue that was difficult for him to handle alone.

Baek Seo’s lips moved. He was sending a telepathic message.

After a moment, Yang Cheon’s eyes flashed.

“So that’s what happened.”

“What should we do?”

“Leave it be.”

Baek Seo asked cautiously.

“Is it really alright to do that?”

“Of course. Rather, I’m more curious as to why you’re so worried?”

“Because someone not on our side is involved…”

Someone not on their side. He meant Yeon Ho-jeong.

Yang Cheon shook his head.

“That guy is incredibly good at walking the line. Even if he crosses it, there’s a good reason for it.”

“I see…”

Yang Cheon said in a nonchalant tone.

“And honestly, it would be nice if he accidentally crossed the line. I could use that as an excuse to smack him a few times, wouldn’t that be quite satisfying?”

It was a playful remark, but Baek Seo sensed Yang Cheon’s true feelings.

In other words, he believed that Yeon Ho-jeong would never cross the line. It was a tremendous amount of trust.

Baek Seo bowed his head.

“Understood. Then, I will watch without taking any action.”

“Of course, you should. It’s not right for adults to interfere in children’s fights.”

As Baek Seo left, Mak Won asked.

“Did Deputy Yeon cause some trouble?”

“Your intuition is really good. You immediately realized it was something involving Yeon Ho-jeong.”

“You said it was someone not on our side. That can only be Deputy Yeon.”

“It could be the guys he brought with him, couldn’t it?”

“I don’t think there’s anyone else you trust as much as Deputy Yeon.”

Yang Cheon chuckled.

“You’re not wrong.”

Mak Won, who had been quietly watching Yang Cheon, silently refilled his cup.

Whatever it was, it was an issue within the Mukryong Clan. He didn’t want to pry into every little thing.

Yang Cheon, who had emptied his cup with a refreshing gulp, smacked his lips and said.

“Do you have any disciples?”

Mak Won smiled wryly.

“I’ve taught a few guys some moves, but I wouldn’t call them disciples. I didn’t teach them inner energy or the spirit of a martial artist.”

“I see.”

This time, Yang Cheon refilled Mak Won’s cup.

“Lately, I’ve been reflecting on my own methods.”

“…?”

“I don’t raise my disciples with affection. I picked out those with useful talents, but more than seventy percent of them went astray. Some even became worse than beasts after falling into demonic cultivation due to their greed for martial arts.”

Mak Won tilted his head.

“Why don’t you raise your disciples with affection?”

“That was my method. I don’t want to change it now, but it seems there’s a problem.”

He teaches martial arts. And he watches them until they grow to a certain extent.

Then, he gives them tasks and sends them out into the world. He observes how they grow as a result.

It could be called a hands-off approach. He takes in those who are promising but casts out those who go astray.

Out of the disciples he had taught and watched, three remained intact. They were Yeop Seong, Bu Seon, and Jeon Hong.

“Then, the third one lost an arm while fighting a guy named Gang Ryang. Whether you’re a swordsman or a fist fighter, losing an arm is fatal for a martial artist.”

“…”

“But I thought, it’s actually a good thing. The third one is good in many ways, but he’s too arrogant. He’s been out of my favor for a long time, but he’s been surviving solely on his talent.”

“Even if a disciple is arrogant, shouldn’t you comfort him if he loses an arm?”

“Comfort? What’s that? Is it something you eat?”

“…”

“There have been many masters in the history of the martial world who were one-eyed or one-armed. There was even an absolute master who used a prosthetic leg. Do you know about the One-Legged Demon God?”

“Isn’t he an absolute master from a hundred years ago?”

“That’s right. The One-Legged Demon God lost a leg at the age of thirty. It was a miracle that he survived, but what’s truly terrifying for a martial artist is what comes next. All sorts of guys who held grudges against him pounced on him like a pack of wolves.”

“That’s a truly cowardly thing to do.”

“Cowardly? Why is that cowardly? The weak get eaten. That’s a natural law.”

“We’re not beasts, are we?”

“You have to acknowledge that you’re a beast to become a better person. Those who know the world all admit that they’re flawed.”

“…”

“Losing an eye is more fatal than losing an arm. And losing a leg is more fatal than losing an eye. At least for a martial artist.”

Yang Cheon emptied his cup.

“If you don’t get eaten, and if losing an arm allows you to reflect on your own arrogance and past mistakes, I think that’s better than a thousand words of teaching.”

“You’re a terrifying teacher.”

“But the third one didn’t do that. At least not yet. He hasn’t even reflected on why he lost. He’s just busy hating and hating the guy who cut off his arm.”

“Anyone would feel that way.”

“That’s why I’m being indifferent to the third one. Not just anyone can become a disciple of the Fighting King.”

“That makes sense.”

“Yeon Ho-jeong, the guy he took as a brother, is the guy named Gang Ryang. And I’m the one who destroyed that guy’s sect. I knew that, yet I brought him into the Mukryong Clan, and he knows he can’t beat me, so he’s quietly focusing on his training.”

Mak Won inwardly clicked his tongue.

Gang Ryang, who was calmly training in the enemy’s group, and Yang Cheon, who knew all of this but didn’t touch him.

The Black Path was truly a difficult world to understand. He didn’t know if he should call them bold or just crazy.

“Let’s say I’ve cast out the third one, then that leaves the first and second. The second one worked hard and earned my recognition. But the first one hasn’t yet.”

“Is the first disciple the one related to Deputy Yeon?”

“Maybe.”

Yang Cheon’s lips curled up.

“Maybe he’s entangled with everyone.”

“Hmm?”

“Whatever it is, I knew all sorts of things would happen because of Yeon Ho-jeong.”

“Isn’t it dangerous? Even if he’s a great talent, Deputy Yeon is a member of the Martial Alliance. Even if he’s a witness to the alliance between the two factions, if he causes trouble in the Mukryong Clan, it won’t be easy for you to just stand by, will it?”

“Maybe it’s the opposite.”

Yang Cheon smacked his lips.

“Thanks to him, the headquarters might become a lot cleaner.”

“…There’s something going on, isn’t there?”

“The headquarters is a newly formed coalition. It’s not very noticeable, but if you look closely, there are all sorts of problems.”

“Deputy Yeon can sort that out?”

“At least he can make the leaders of the headquarters aware of what the problems are.”

Mak Won tilted his head.

“Isn’t it dangerous?”

“What is?”

“I know your presence is immense, but… if you just watch Deputy Yeon run wild, won’t there be complaints from below?”

Yang Cheon readily admitted.

“That could happen.”

“Are you going to endure it?”

“Endure? I’m sorry, but I’m not a merciful person who would endure something like that.”

“Then…?”

“If they don’t like it, I’ll just wipe them all out.”

“…!!”

“I’m an ambitious person. But to achieve that ambition, I must first win this war. And to win the war, I need subordinates who absolutely trust me. An organization that’s just big is full of flaws.”

Yang Cheon refilled his own cup.

“It’s rough, but it’s worth the sacrifice.”

Mak Won thought.

‘He’s a truly terrifying person.’

The Mukryong Clan was a massive monster maintained by the absolute power of its Deputy Chief.

But it was new, and there were many problems.

Yang Cheon seemed to think that Yeon Ho-jeong was necessary to solve these problems. That also meant he trusted Yeon Ho-jeong that much.

What if those who were dissatisfied with Yang Cheon’s handling of things came out to argue?

Right then, Yang Cheon would gather the dissatisfied forces and bury them all.

A method unique to the Black Path, where even if the power is slightly reduced, they create a stronger, sharper, and more loyal organization.

It was a terribly dangerous yet truly Black Path-like method of operation.

“Anyway, what should we do about those guys?”

Yang Cheon smiled and stroked his beard. He had a very intriguing expression.

“It seems the first one really scratched the pride of the second and third… If they find out that the first one is in that state, will those two really join forces?”

* * *

“Huff! Huff!”

Yeop Seong did not enter the Mukryong Clan.

There were many skilled doctors in the Mukryong Clan. The internal and external injuries Yeop Seong had sustained could be healed within ten days.

However, that was too dangerous.

The fact that he was injured spreading within the Mukryong Clan was a problem in itself. Leaving aside his pride, if his reputation was tarnished, he would lose the trust of those who had been relying on him.

That was the bottom line. Just like the third-rate thugs in the back alleys who wouldn’t show their injured selves to their subordinates, Yeop Seong wouldn’t show his injured self to others.

Only the size was different, but the world of the Black Path was so similar.

“Cough!”

Yeop Seong, who had circled around the entrance of the Mukryong Clan headquarters and entered another forest, coughed up blood repeatedly.

“This is…!”

He had coughed up blood several times on the way. The blood he had coughed up then was all bright red.

But now it was different. The dark red blood pooled on the ground smelled foul.

His internal injuries were getting worse. They were already severe, but moving his body forcefully was making them deteriorate at an alarming rate.

“Ugh!”

He must have lost too much blood. Suddenly, his vision spun.

Yeop Seong, leaning against a tree, activated the Blood Lion Art [a martial art focused on self-healing and enhancing physical abilities].

Whooong.

Violent energy seeped into every part of his internal organs. For a moment, he almost screamed involuntarily.

The Blood Lion Art was an ancient divine art, and it was good for healing. However, the energy itself was so rough that the pain of self-healing was beyond imagination.

Pain that was so shocking. How long had it been since he had experienced such pain?

‘Damn it.’

Crack! Crack!

He used his energy to realign the broken bones in his right hand one by one.

The pain was indescribable. It was fortunate that he had reached the realm of ascension and could move his bones with his energy. If an ordinary person had suffered such injuries, their right hand would have been crippled.

Anyway, it was fortunate. The pain was extreme, but he managed to stop his worsening internal injuries from deteriorating further, and he realigned the crushed bones in his right hand and hardened them.

That was enough for now.

“You bastard!”

Yeop Seong couldn’t control his killing intent.

“How dare you touch me? You made a mistake, Yeon Ho-jeong.”

He didn’t know Yeon Ho-jeong was that strong. Honestly, his pride was greatly hurt.

But now was the time to put those feelings aside.

He had never let anyone who had harmed him go unpunished. He had even succeeded in taking revenge on those who were stronger than him.

It was no different now.

He would definitely make him pay the price.

“I need to fix my body first.”

He couldn’t enter the clan in this state. At the very least, he had to heal himself to the point where there were no visible signs of injury.

‘If I go thirty li [approximately 15 kilometers] further southeast…’

That was when it happened.

‘…?!’

Yeop Seong’s eyes flashed.

He turned his head to the right.

Rustle, rustle.

A person was approaching, parting the bushes.

Bu Seon was there.

“Oh my, brother.”

Bu Seon smiled sweetly.

“Are you badly hurt?”