Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 622

Having sent Tang Gwan away and fought the white-masked man, crossing countless life-or-death situations, the actual time it took for Yeon Ho-Jeong to reach the realm of the Absolute was extremely short.

Just a moment before the birth of an absolute master who would shake the world.

In a corner of the vast Tang family, the relationship between a father and son, stained with immorality and betrayal, was also gradually coming to an end.

“Now.”

In Tang Hyeong’s eyes, looking down at his second son, there was no longer a hint of pity or affection.

“Give up.”

Or you will die.

Now, there was no way for Tang Ho to reverse this situation, no matter what he tried. The moment Tang Hyeong emerged from his confinement, all of Tang Ho’s plans had become as good as nothing.

Yet, was it a trace of paternal compassion that made him tell his son, who was collapsed and writhing, to give up?

“…….”

Tang Ho gritted his teeth.

His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and his body, soaked in cold sweat and blood, was that of a defeated man.

Tang Hyeong, who had been silently looking down at his son, continued calmly.

“I’ll say it again. Acknowledge your sins now. If you do, your child will not be executed.”

Tang Yeo-Seon, who was standing to one side, flinched.

Tang Ho spoke in a trembling voice.

“What is my sin?”

Tang Hyeong’s eyes turned cold.

“Are you still going to cling to meaningless stubbornness?”

“I…!

“If that is the end you have chosen, then so be it. As the former head of the family, and as your father, I will show no more leniency.”

“……!”

Tang Hyeong turned his gaze to Tang Yeo-Seon.

Instantly, Tang Yeo-Seon collapsed on the spot. He wanted to turn and flee immediately, but the moment he saw his grandfather’s gaze, his legs went weak.

Tang Hyeong sighed inwardly.

The gap between himself and his grandson was literally like heaven and earth. But if they were of the Tang family bloodline, they should have the tenacity to keep their heads held high until the end, even if they collapsed from exhaustion.

‘This is also my fault.’

The second son had tenacity. It was just that his tenacity was intertwined with personal greed, bringing the family to this state.

However, his grandson, born from the second son’s seed, seemed to lack that tenacity and pride.

Tang Hyeong flicked his finger.

*Snap!*

With a clear sound, Tang Yeo-Seon’s eyes slowly closed.

An invisible poison technique; it was impossible to know how he had put a person to sleep. It was a mystical poison technique that was unbelievable even when witnessed.

“Let’s end this now.”

It was then.

“That won’t do.”

A stiff voice was heard from afar.

Tang Hyeong was not flustered. He knew ‘that guy’ was coming.

At the same time, Tang Hyeong was flustered. He didn’t know what kind of face to show in front of ‘that guy’.

‘Gwan-ah.’

Tang Hyeong closed his eyes.

The first son he had wanted to protect, embrace, and care for so much.

The eldest son, with whom he had fought fiercely after handing over the position of family head, and with whom he had not even exchanged a glance for many years.

That eldest son had finally come here.

Step, step.

Tang Gwan’s steps were unwavering.

However, his heart was no different from Tang Hyeong’s. His unique expressionless face and the murderous aura rising from him were the same, but his heart was filled with bewilderment and an unknown complexity.

*Swish.*

And finally, Tang Gwan arrived.

“…….”

A moment of silence flowed.

Tang Gwan looked at Tang Hyeong.

His father stood with his back slightly turned. His white hair and the black hem of his robe formed a stark contrast.

‘He’s still the same.’

He truly had the same imposing presence.

He never flaunted his power. Rather, it was to the point where one could barely feel his presence.

But Tang Gwan felt an immeasurable power from his father, who was as natural as flowing water.

An absolute power that could not be felt with the five senses.

Now, Tang Gwan could see it too. He, who had constantly developed, could see his father’s power more clearly and vividly than before.

And even the unknown illness inherent in that power.

After staring at his father for a long time, Tang Gwan finally parted his heavy lips.

“Have you been in good health, all this time?”

At that moment, Tang Hyeong felt a lump in his throat.

How long had it been since he had heard his son’s voice?

Time is truly strange. The hatred between father and son, who had fought as if they would kill each other, was gradually, but surely, being scraped away and peeled off.

And that time was over twenty years.

It was too long a time to call it nothing. For Tang Hyeong, who was well over seventy, that time was like a hell filled with pain, regret, resentment, and love-hate.

‘It’s lowered.’

His son’s voice was different from what he remembered.

It was lower, calmer, and more composed.

He felt that the person himself was solid. Just by hearing his voice, he could tell that his son had grown greatly.

Decisively, Tang Hyeong had never imagined that his son, whom he was seeing after a long time, would say such words to him.

“……I am healthy.”

As he spoke, Tang Hyeong was once again flustered.

It was his son whom he had met after twenty years. Wasn’t it too unrefined a thing to say to his son?

Tang Hyeong thought. What should he say to his eldest son, whom he had met after a long time? What should he say so that he wouldn’t feel awkward?

“…….”

Again, silence fell.

Just as Tang Gwan, who had been quietly looking at Tang Hyeong, was about to open his mouth.

“You’ve grown a lot.”

Tang Gwan almost chuckled without realizing it.

“Yes. I’ve become a little more mature.”

It was a word that flowed out quite naturally. It was a word that was truly like Tang Gwan, yet without awkwardness.

Tang Hyeong took a moment to catch his breath.

Even the strongest of Seongcheon [a fictional martial arts world], who discussed the best in the world, needed to take a deep breath at times.

“The achievement of the Emperor’s Scripture has increased beyond recognition. You’ve already trained it to near perfection.”

He offered praise to try and soften the atmosphere.

It was praise that came from the heart, but it was not the right thing to say in this situation.

In other words, Tang Hyeong was still flustered. He was not in a normal state. It was his reunion with his son after twenty years of fighting to the death, so it was impossible not to be nervous.

Tang Gwan’s eyes deepened.

“I know that mastering one martial art to its extreme is not everything.”

“……Yes, that’s right.”

He knows it well.

Tang Hyeong was inwardly proud.

Tang Gwan knew the true meaning of Great Accomplishment. Even if one perfectly interpreted the scriptures they had memorized, could they say they had mastered those scriptures?

Great Accomplishment was about changing oneself, and on a larger scale, the world, through the mastered scriptures.

The same was true for martial arts. Just because one had achieved Great Accomplishment in the Emperor’s Scripture did not mean they had truly become great.

Where could one reach with that martial art? What kind of world would one fight with it?

The ultimate, the Absolute, was exactly that.

His son knew what he had not taught him.

He had grown so much. He had grown so much.

As a father, he was proud of his son.

“However.”

Tang Gwan turned his gaze to Tang Ho.

Tang Ho’s face, covered in cold sweat, and his distorted expression as he looked up at the two of them, looked so ugly that it was hard to bear.

‘Don’t look at me like that.’

Tang Hyeong’s gaze was indifferent, and Tang Gwan’s gaze was deep.

‘Don’t look at me like that!’

While watching Tang Ho, Tang Hyeong asked Tang Gwan.

“There is something I want to confirm.”

His voice was calm.

Thinking that he was finally acting a bit like a father, Tang Gwan replied.

“What is it?”

“Is it true, as Ho-ah says, that you brought in wicked groups and endangered the main family and Sichuan [a province in China]?”

Tang Gwan’s eyes turned cold.

“There are often crazy bastards who entrust their own families to outsiders they’ve never even met.”

“…….”

“When I see those kinds of guys, I really want to smash their heads and peek inside.”

It was a sufficient answer.

It meant that he had never done such a thing and that he could not understand such people.

Tang Hyeong asked again.

“Are you sure?”

Tang Gwan did not answer.

No further answer was needed. If the truth could be known with a few words, that person would be a fortune teller, not a martial artist.

Tang Gwan reached out his hand towards Tang Ho.

*Whoosh whoosh whoosh.*

Black smoke seemed to gather in Tang Gwan’s palm, and soon formed a swirling black sphere.

*Hoo!*

The surrounding air felt like it was being pushed away just by its creation. It was a terrifying explosive force technique that could blow away an entire house with one strike.

*Ooh!*

Tang Ho’s face turned pale.

“I told you. I will no longer treat you as a brother.”

Tang Gwan’s voice was truly murderous.

“I gave you a chance for forgiveness, and I gave you a chance to reflect. You committed a great sin that will go down in the history of the main family, but because you were a brother who had contributed in the past, I hesitated several times.”

“……!!”

“You brought in the demons of a strange group that was trying to turn the entire Central Plains into a sea of fire to kill me, and you brought the main family to this state.”

*Saaah!*

Murderous intent emanated from Tang Gwan’s body.

It was genuine murderous intent. Not only Tang Ho, but even Tang Hyeong’s face visibly hardened.

“You don’t need to make any more excuses. You will be named the worst traitor in the history of the main family. I don’t know if you’ll go to the underworld or hell, but at least there is no place for you to set foot in this world.”

“B-Brother!”

“Farewell.”

The secret technique of the Emperor’s Scripture, the Black Dragon Palm, was unleashed.

*Puh-uh-uh-uh-uh-ung!*

The black explosive sphere that was shot out with a roar shattered and disappeared.

*Sss sss sss.*

The black smoke, scattering like clouds, swirled around the surroundings.

Tang Gwan frowned as he looked at Tang Hyeong.

“Why are you doing this?”

*Drip.*

Blood flowed from the lips of Tang Ho, who was lying prostrate on the spot.

It was not an internal injury. It was blood that had come from his lips, which he had bitten in an attempt to suppress his shock and fear.

In other words, Tang Ho was not dead. And the one who had saved him was none other than Tang Hyeong.

Feeling Tang Gwan’s gaze, Tang Hyeong clenched his fist tightly.

It wasn’t that he had a particular reason for blocking Tang Gwan’s Black Dragon Palm. The moment his eldest son tried to kill his second son, his hand had moved on its own.

“I…”

Tang Hyeong, who was uncharacteristically stammering.

“I just…”

“Father.”

Tang Gwan’s voice was very gentle.

“I didn’t want you to interfere.”

“……I know.”

“But it seems that one of my companions didn’t think so. Without consulting me, he went straight to your residence and somehow persuaded you.”

“…….”

“I understand your anguish.”

Why was it?

At those words, Tang Hyeong felt like he was about to cry.

*Hoo!*

Tang Gwan’s aura, which had been gentle, suddenly became stern.

“But this is as far as it goes. I am the master of the Tang family. And the one who handed over this position of master to me is none other than you, Father.”

“…….”

“The master of the Tang family does not receive orders or interference from anyone.”

Tang Hyeong closed his eyes.

*Swish.*

The transience of time was evident in his slowly lowering arm.

Tang Gwan looked down at Tang Ho again.

Tang Ho was trembling, but still looking up at Tang Gwan with eyes that had not lost their spirit.

“Did you see it?”

“……?!”

“This is instinct. The instinct of blood seeing blood.”

“……!!”

“You, who have abandoned that, are truly worse than a beast.”

Tang Gwan coldly swung his hand.

*Crack!*

Tang Ho’s spine collapsed completely.