Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 75

“What? Is that true?”

“It, it’s unbelievably true. The fight that started last night continued until this morning, and so far, no one has been able to defeat Young Master Yeon.”

Ga Deuk-Sang’s mouth gaped open.

“No, how can that be? The Myeong Family Head isn’t a fool; he wouldn’t have sent anyone who wasn’t a match!”

Bi Ho-Gae swallowed hard.

“Just yesterday, they dispatched three experts: Myeong Hak, Myeong Hwi, and Myeong Heon.”

“Huh?! Who are they? I think I’ve heard of them…”

“I also found out while investigating this time. They are experts from the Myeong family’s side branches, and it’s said that if the three brothers work together, they can subdue even the highest elders of the Nine Great Sects.”

“T-That level of expert?”

“That’s the minimum estimate. It’s an analysis from the Oigak [Dirty Ear Pavilion, an intelligence network], so it’s definitely correct.”

“Hoo…”

Ga Deuk-Sang shook his head.

“This feels like a dream.”

He knew Yeon Ho-Jeong’s martial arts.

Of course, there might be martial arts he hadn’t shown him. But that was just martial arts, and it was a different issue from skill.

Yeon Ho-Jeong was strong. At the young age of nineteen, not even at the age of manhood, he was a capable person who could easily push most top-tier experts.

With that level of talent, he was at least on par with the Twin Dragons and Three Phoenixes [a group of highly skilled martial artists]. No, in terms of pure talent, he might be even better.

But that was all. He was undoubtedly a genius, but he was still an unfinished vessel. There were countless martial artists in the Central Plains stronger than Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Yet, he was fighting them. The experts of the Myeong family.

‘This guy, what the heck is going on?’

Originally, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s role was to be bait.

Literally, to buy time. With his flamboyant rhetoric, he was supposed to stand there in front of many people, asserting the Myeong family’s recklessness and his own innocence, and that was the primary plan.

The secondary plan was himself. If the Myeong family tried to drag Yeon Ho-Jeong away by force, then he, as the Beggars’ Union’s successor, would step forward and proclaim Yeon Ho-Jeong’s innocence.

That’s why he had been gathering information all night. Not information to defend Yeon Ho-Jeong, but information about the illegal activities the Myeong family had been carrying out.

Of course, that wouldn’t be enough to damage the Myeong family. But at least it could buy time.

Until when? Until the Grand Assembly was held.

And during that time when everyone’s attention was focused on the Myeong family, he planned to gather the sects in Henan that had ties with the Beggars’ Union and pressure the Myeong family.

‘The core of this plan isn’t to corner the Myeong family. It’s to buy time to investigate the source of the rumors after making the Myeong family hesitate.’

It seemed complicated, but it wasn’t complicated at all. With Yeon Ho-Jeong’s abilities and the Beggars’ Union’s information network, it was a plan that could be fully realized.

But Yeon Ho-Jeong had ruined it.

“That crazy bastard. I told him repeatedly not to fight.”

“Um… Successor.”

“What!”

“Should I tell you something even more serious?”

Ga Deuk-Sang made a disgusted face.

“Is there anything more serious than this?!”

Bi Ho-Gae hesitated and said,

“…He’s doing it.”

“Speak clearly! So I can hear you!”

“Y-Young Master Yeon, he’s demanding that the Family Head come out.”

“What?”

“He’s pressuring them not to waste valuable subordinates and to show himself directly.”

“… !”

“This is really, I don’t know what kind of reckless act this is. No matter what, if it’s come to this point, it would be better to retreat… Besides, he’s chopping down the experts the Myeong family sent like firewood…”

“That’s not it.”

“Yes?”

Ga Deuk-Sang’s eyes flashed.

“He’s doing well in the meantime.”

“W-Well? Is it good to tell the head of the most powerful family in the world to come out directly?”

“It’s good. Because he’s focusing all of Henan’s attention on them.”

Although they couldn’t even exchange a single letter.

Ga Deuk-Sang could immediately understand what Yeon Ho-Jeong was intending.

‘He means to dig up as much of the Myeong family’s corruption as possible before the Grand Assembly is held.’

All of Henan’s attention is focused? The Guju Myeong family is also included in that attention.

The Guju Myeong family, after gaining the title of the most powerful family in the world, was being tested by one person for the first time. And it wasn’t an elderly master, but a fresh young man who hadn’t even reached manhood.

They would be furious.

Since all of Henan’s attention was focused on them, they couldn’t send assassins, and since it was obvious that he would prove his innocence, they couldn’t just kill him.

No, in the first place, as the eldest son of the Seven Great Families, killing him was out of the question. The death of a subordinate or a side branch was a different matter from the death of a direct descendant.

“Just in case, should we release the assassination squad now?”

“Are you crazy?! Then the Myeong family will have a reason to kill Young Master Yeon!”

“Ah…”

“The assassination squad should be released after the Grand Assembly is held. What we need to do now is to dig up the Myeong family’s corruption.”

Either way, the decisive blow would be delivered by the Moyong family. Until then, he just needed to expose the Myeong family’s corruption one by one, so that they couldn’t touch Yeon Ho-Jeong.

“Ah, and there’s one more thing I didn’t tell you!”

“Report it all at once! What is it?!”

“Lee Cheol-Gyeong has appeared.”

Ga Deuk-Sang’s eyes widened.

“Lee Cheol-Gyeong? That Lee Cheol-Gyeong?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Lee Cheol-Gyeong was an expert who boasted the strongest reputation among the secular disciples of the Shaolin Temple.

He was a secular disciple who had mastered several of the invincible Shaolin’s top martial arts, a genius with innate talent. His age was similar to Ga Deuk-Sang’s, but his martial arts were already known to have reached the level of the elders of the Nine Great Sects.

It was the general opinion that even if the Twin Dragons and Three Phoenixes were to change to the Three Dragons and Three Phoenixes because of him, it wouldn’t be strange. In fact, in some regions, they even called him the Three Dragons and Three Phoenixes.

Moreover, he was already leading a sect called the Geumgang Fist Sect at the young age of just over twenty.

The Geumgang Fist Sect was one of the top ten secular sects of Shaolin. Its influence was also immense in Henan.

“Why did that guy suddenly appear?”

“Suddenly? It’s an unprecedented situation for the Myeong family, and it’s a rare event in the history of the Henan martial world. It’s natural for him to move.”

“That’s true… But, where is that guy right now?”

“He was seen at a tavern not far from Young Master Yeon’s group.”

“Is that so?”

Ga Deuk-Sang grinned.

“This might be easier than I thought.”

“Yes?”

“You! Immediately tell all the beggars in Henan, Hubei, Jiangsu, Anhui, and Zhejiang! If there are any businesses or organizations related to the Myeong family, raid them all!”

“Ah, I understand! Then what about the Successor?”

“I’m going to that crazy bastard!”

While Ga Deuk-Sang was moving so fast that several layers of dirt were peeling off the soles of his feet.

The atmosphere in the Byeoksan Yeon family of Jiangsu Province was somber.

“…That’s how things have turned out.”

“…”

“What will you do?”

Yeon Wi, who was looking out the window, didn’t move.

Cheol Gon-Gae sighed inwardly.

‘It’s understandable.’

Even a man of iron will would be worried when his son’s life was on the line.

But he couldn’t move right away. He was the Family Head. If the Myeong family went crazy and invaded Jiangsu in this situation, the Yeon family could be completely destroyed.

Besides, he had already sent the Chang-Eung unit. For the Family Head to move again would be a disgrace to the family’s dignity.

But he couldn’t just stand by and watch his eldest son’s crisis, so it was a truly maddening situation.

At that moment, Yeon Wi opened his mouth.

“Branch Manager.”

“Yes, Family Head.”

“Family Head Moyong sent letters to the leaders of the Nine Great Sects and the Seven Great Families. He’s thinking of opening the Grand Assembly.”

Cheol Gon-Gae’s eyes lit up.

“It’s already arrived.”

“It arrived this morning.”

“Are you planning to go?”

Yeon Wi slightly raised his head. He was looking up at the sky outside the window.

“I’m not planning to go.”

“…”

“If I move now, Ho-Jeong will be shaken. In this situation, it’s best to just stay put.”

Cheol Gon-Gae’s face showed pity.

He could tell that Yeon Wi’s voice was trembling slightly. He probably wanted to rush there immediately, regardless of the Grand Assembly.

“I have one request for you.”

“Please speak.”

Yeon Wi turned his body. His expression was the same indifferent one he always had.

“Receive this.”

The letter he handed over was quite thick.

Cheol Gon-Gae, who received the letter, looked at Yeon Wi with a puzzled expression.

“What is this?”

“It’s what I found out separately through my merchant.”

“Merchant?”

“Yes.”

“Um… May I see it?”

“Look at it.”

Cheol Gon-Gae unfolded the letter.

In an instant, his eyes widened as if they would tear.

“Actually, I don’t care if the Myeong family falls or not. But they crossed the line and coveted our territory, so I think it would be enough to end it with a warning.”

“Gulp.”

“However, my son dying is a completely different matter. Before I am the Family Head, I am a father, and I cannot help but avenge my son.”

“… !”

“Blood will form a river. Many innocent people will die. I want my son to be safe, and I don’t want to kill innocent people.”

“…”

“So, send this directly to the Myeong family.”

“F-Family Head. If you send this to the Myeong family, the Myeong family’s blade will be directed at you instead.”

“That’s right.”

“This is not enough to bring down the Myeong family. But if this fact becomes known, the Myeong family will have to give up the name of the most powerful family in the world.”

“That’s why I’m telling you to send it.”

“R-Rather than that, sending this to Family Head Moyong and revealing it sequentially at the Grand Assembly…”

At that moment, Yeon Wi’s eyes emitted a terrifying glow.

“More than the Myeong family disappearing from the world!”

“…?”

“My son’s life is more important to me.”

“Family Head.”

“Even though he’s my son, I haven’t been able to properly embrace him even once. That kid has grown up so much and gone out into the world, fighting alone while bearing the burden that his father should be responsible for.”

“…”

“Send it to the Myeong Family Head. Directly. It must not leak to any other place in the middle.”

“…I understand.”

“Sorry for raising my voice.”

“No, I’m the one who should be sorry. I was blinded by the desire to punish the great evil and failed to understand your heart. Please forgive me.”

He knew that he wasn’t someone who easily said sorry. That meant he was that anxious.

“I’m counting on you.”

“Don’t worry. It will arrive within three days.”

Cheol Gon-Gae hurriedly left the Family Head’s room.

Yeon Wi turned his gaze back to the window.

“…It’s clear.”

The sky, without a single cloud, was disgustingly clear. It was so clear that he wanted to tear it all apart with the Cheonra Sword Technique.

“Just hold on a little longer. Just a little longer.”