Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 54

“My Lord, a letter has arrived for the Young Master.”

“Give it to me.”

Yeon Wi, having received the letter and opened it, his eyes gleamed.

‘He’s fast.’

He had already reached Henan. Even if he had traveled on horseback, it was an incredible speed. He must have changed horses several times.

‘He’s trying to make the Moyong family desperate.’

Yeon Wi could immediately grasp what Yeon Ho-jeong intended.

He was once again surprised by his son’s ability to act. He had gained countless experiences as the head of the family, but his son had not had such opportunities.

His swift movements would confuse the opponent. A confused opponent would reveal unexpected weaknesses, and the moment those weaknesses were exploited, the enemy’s defenses would be disarmed.

It was the method of an old veteran of the Jianghu [the martial world] who had been through it all. Even Yeon Wi found it difficult to come up with such a response immediately.

Moreover, when capturing the spy, he had directly infiltrated the enemy’s camp, manipulating them to reveal the truth.

It was a bold method. A wise drive. A method that did not shy away from danger to defeat the enemy.

As a father, he was worried, but as a martial artist, he could not help but admire the response.

‘In any case, now that Ho-jeong has moved like this, the Moyong family will try to make contact somehow. But since there is a distance, there is a high probability that they will get support from a reliable ally.’

Yeon Wi’s eyes deepened.

He recalled his conversation with Yeon Ho-jeong before he left.

‘It’s definitely the Myeong family.’

‘Is there a reason you think so? In fact, there are many forces that could join hands with the Moyong family. There’s no need to ally with a family called the best under the heavens.’

‘Still, it’s the Myeong family. It has to be the Myeong family.’

‘So, I’m asking you why you think so.’

‘……It’s difficult to give a definite answer. However, it will be revealed during this trip to Henan. Where the Moyong family has joined hands.’

Even now, it was a question. Why did he think the Moyong family had joined hands with the Myeong family?

Yeon Wi also did not think that the Moyong family had done this alone. There were too many risk factors for that.

However, the organization they joined hands with did not necessarily have to be the Myeong family.

‘……’

However, there must be a reason why his son said that. Having gone through a series of events, he trusted Yeon Ho-jeong’s excellent insight and judgment.

Yeon Wi, who had been lost in thought for a moment, called for Lee Baek-hyeon.

“Contact the head of the Cheolgon branch. Contact them and ask them to check if there are any sects or organizations in the vicinity of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces that are related to the Myeong family.”

“Understood.”

Yeon Wi, with his hands clasped, was lost in thought.

A sharp glint flickered in his eyes.

“…If they are really related to the Myeong family?”

Then, he would draw the family head’s sword without hesitation.

* * *

The place where the young man guided Yeon Ho-jeong was a secluded forest.

He was being led into the forest at sunset. Even if he knew where the other party came from, it was bound to be unsettling.

However, Yeon Ho-jeong’s expression was indifferent.

There was no sign of fear, anxiety, or suspicion. Nor was there any sign of tension or excitement.

He was just calm and composed. At least, that’s how he appeared on the outside.

The young man, Myeong Do, frowned.

‘Is this guy not nervous at all?’

The best family under the heavens, the Guju Myeong family, had asked to meet. No matter how much of a young master of the Byeoksan Yeon family he was, it was normal to be nervous.

But this guy showed no such thing.

“What’s that?”

“What?”

“That axe, I mean.”

“It’s my weapon.”

Myeong Do was dumbfounded.

“You use that big axe as a weapon? Not a sword?”

“Yes.”

The main martial art of the Byeoksan Yeon family was swordsmanship.

Their swordsmanship was so outstanding that such words were spoken.

“It’s not as soft as the Wudang’s sword, nor as precise as the Huashan’s sword. It’s not as grand as the Namgoong’s sword, nor as fierce as the Moyong’s sword. But the Yeon family’s sword is strong. Its honesty is the most orthodox of the orthodox, and in a way, it can be seen as the most suitable for righteous martial arts.”

Even though the Yeon family had only been counted among the Seven Great Families for fifty years, they had gained such great fame, not simply because they were righteous.

It was because they were strong. Their swordsmanship was capable of representing the Central Plains [the heartland of China].

Despite having such amazing swordsmanship, their power among the seven families was the smallest. A gentleman does not reveal himself, which was why martial artists praised them.

“Even though you’re a young master, you use an axe as a weapon?”

“What’s wrong with that?”

Myeong Do frowned even more.

“I’ve been wanting to say this since earlier, but why don’t you fix your way of speaking?”

“Do you think your way of speaking is full of courtesy?”

“……”

Well, he had asked for his time without any prior notice, so he had no right to say anything.

However, Myeong Do frankly expressed his displeasure.

The Myeong family was the best family under the heavens. They were counted as one of the Seven Great Families, but they were on a different level from the other six families.

In the martial world, power was authority, and fame was status.

In other words, the Guju Myeong family was no different from the highest nobility in the martial world. Except for the Shaolin, a family like the Yeon family with its small power could not dare to look down on them.

‘Is this because he’s at the age where he’s full of himself?’

He inwardly sneered at Yeon Ho-jeong.

He had heard that he had made a very impressive performance at the gathering of the rising stars.

It was understandable that he would be arrogant. A guy who was ridiculed by the world as a good-for-nothing son had even earned a decent nickname, ‘Mad Wind Warrior’.

‘Enjoy it while you can.’

How many masters had risen to prominence and then disappeared without a trace? Myeong Do thought Yeon Ho-jeong would be no different.

After walking for about an hour, they saw the light of a bonfire.

Myeong Do pointed his chin towards the bonfire.

“Go there. There’s someone who wants to see you.”

“I will.”

“Leave that behind.”

Myeong Do pointed at the axe.

Yeon Ho-jeong chuckled and headed towards the bonfire without replying.

Myeong Do’s eyes turned cold.

“There’s a limit to how much arrogance I can tolerate. Put it down right now.”

Yeon Ho-jeong continued to walk without a word.

Murderous intent flared in Myeong Do’s eyes.

“How dare you… !”

It was then.

“Let it be.”

A clear voice was heard from somewhere.

Myeong Do, who was about to act, flinched. An order had been given by someone he could not disobey.

In the end, he could only glare at Yeon Ho-jeong’s back with murderous eyes.

Yeon Ho-jeong did not pay attention to Myeong Do. He had no interest in small fry in the first place.

He recalled the voice he had just heard.

‘Impressive.’

The inner energy contained in the voice had an unusual depth. At this level, it could be considered the inner energy of a supreme master.

‘They’ve brought quite a few.’

Moreover, there were more than one or two presences he could sense. Although it was not accurate because they were gathered together, there seemed to be at least twenty of them.

His senses were accurate.

“That’s a huge axe, isn’t it? It looks incredibly heavy, how do you manage to carry it around?”

As he approached the bonfire, he saw a woman sitting with about twenty warriors standing around her.

The owner of the voice was a woman. She was a woman who looked to be about the same age as Myeong Do, with delicate features.

Yeon Ho-jeong tilted his head.

“So, who are you?”

“Oh? A fresh reaction. They said you had a rough personality, and it seems to be true?”

The woman said with a smile.

“I’m Myeong On-ji. You haven’t heard of me, have you?”

“No.”

“Huhu! How embarrassing. Usually, people at least say they’ve heard of me, don’t they?”

Thud!

Yeon Ho-jeong placed the axe down, leaned against a tree with his hand on it, and said with an indifferent face.

“If you called me here, tell me why.”

Myeong On-ji’s eyes sparkled like stars.

‘He’s not ordinary.’

Whether he was rough, timid, indifferent to others, or wary. It didn’t matter what kind of personality a person had. The real problem was when you didn’t know the other person’s personality.

In that sense, this young man named Yeon Ho-jeong was not ordinary. His tone was rough, but it was impossible to read what kind of personality he had.

“By the way, where did the guy who came with you go? I had my men check the taverns, and they said he disappeared?”

That meant they had searched the taverns in that short time.

Yeon Ho-jeong tilted his head.

“He’s a free spirit, so I don’t know either. So, what’s the matter?”

“Oh, is that so?”

Myeong On-ji said with a bright smile.

“You came alone? Did you know we were coming?”

“My life is full of annoying people. I thought it would be those annoying flies again, so I came.”

“If they’re flies, should we swat them?”

“Are they flies?”

It was a provocative tone.

Myeong On-ji’s face was calm, but the eyes of the warriors behind her changed.

They did not release murderous intent. However, they were ready to kill at a moment’s notice.

Even though they knew that the other party was the eldest son of the Byeoksan Yeon family.

“You’ve got guts, haven’t you? Didn’t you hear from Myeong Do that we’re from the Myeong family?”

“What does it matter if you’re from the Myeong family or whatever, if you’re a moron worse than a bug?”

“Hmph.”

At this point, even Myeong On-ji found it hard to listen quietly.

“You can’t keep being so twisted. What if you get hurt before I even tell you the reason?”

“So, hurry up and say it. I feel like I’ve said it several times already, are you perhaps lacking in understanding?”

Myeong On-ji’s eyes turned cold.

Even the head of the Myeong family’s intelligence organization, the Dark Death Squad, found it difficult to maintain her composure.

She was already over thirty years old, unlike how she looked. However, she was not of an age to be in charge of an intelligence unit.

That was why it was even more impressive. To become the head of an intelligence organization at that age, one had to have outstanding abilities and talents.

Maintaining composure was also one of her great abilities. But this impudent guy was shaking it.

“Interesting. You’re an interesting friend.”

Myeong On-ji said with a smile.

“You don’t like wasting time with useless chatter, do you? Fine, let’s get straight to the point.”

“……”

“How is the Yeon family these days? Are you living peacefully without any problems?”

Yeon Ho-jeong gave a cold smile.

She said she was getting to the point, but she was asking about the Yeon family. Even though she had heard everything from the Moyong family.

This was how people who were involved in intelligence organizations or handled information spoke. They would say they were getting to the point, but they would subtly probe the other party.

It was not to confirm the content, but to confirm the other party’s reaction.

Myeong On-ji’s expression, tone, and way of speaking were based on the thoroughly trained, or to put it badly, typical rhetoric of an intelligence operative.

“It’s a mess.”

“Oh? What happened?”

“Some stupid family planted a few spies. I’m so sore from pulling them all out and cleaning up.”

Myeong On-ji’s expression hardened.

She was trying to ask subtly, but he was telling her everything outright. She was even more surprised because she didn’t think he was the type to reveal such things.

“You’re telling us that…?”

“And.”

Ssssk.

Yeon Ho-jeong said as he stroked the axe blade.

“There were also some jackals trying to swallow our family whole with that stupid family, weren’t there, perhaps?”

“……?!”

Was it because of the bonfire light?

Myeong On-ji’s eyes seemed to flicker particularly.

“Come to think of it, isn’t it strange? The ones who are most desperate right now are the Moyong family, but you came to find me before them? The Moyong family isn’t so incompetent that they would be outmaneuvered.”

“That’s…”

“The title of the best under the heavens, you got it in such a shabby way. Right?”

Woo-oong.

Murderous intent slowly rose from the axe.

“Since you got it so easily, I don’t think it’ll be hard to break it apart, what do you think?”