Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 77

Screeeeeech!

Myeong Cheon tore the letter to shreds, his face flushed crimson. He was furious, utterly enraged.

Myeong Woo-San swallowed hard.

The family head had been unusually agitated lately due to his lifespan issues. He’d been quick to anger over minor matters, but he had never been this furious before.

“Yeon Wi, that son of a bitch! I could grind his bones to dust!”

He didn’t call him the Yeon Family Head, but Yeon Wi. That was proof of his extreme rage.

Myeong Woo-San spoke quickly.

“We only need to focus on one thing.”

“What?!”

“We just need to make this information disappear. The Grand Assembly is today. If the Moyong Family Head exposes the Yeon Family’s actions, the Yeon Family Head will be summoned within days.”

“Who doesn’t know that?!”

“We need to send troops.”

“What?!”

“We must dispatch the best warriors we can muster from the main family. We need to find and eliminate the merchants in Jiangxi Province and detain the Yeon Family Head.”

Murderous intent filled Myeong Cheon’s eyes.

Fwoosh!

It was a murderous intent that burned like fire. Red flames were actually rising from Myeong Cheon’s body.

Myeong Woo-San’s face turned pale.

‘He’s become stronger.’

The family head from a few days ago and the family head now were completely different.

His energy had increased explosively. An increase in energy didn’t always translate to skill, but to unconsciously emit this much energy meant his martial arts level had also increased.

“I apologize for saying this, but… you must calm down first.”

He had said it knowing he might get cursed at.

Surprisingly, Myeong Cheon, who had been huffing and puffing, calmed himself with a deep breath.

“Yes, you’re right.”

“… !”

“This is an unexpected turn of events, but once we get past this hurdle, everything will be in our hands. We shouldn’t act rashly.”

Myeong Woo-San bowed his head.

“That is a wise decision.”

“What about Yeon Ho-Jeong? Is he still quiet?”

It was a question that felt like a surprise attack. At least, it did to Myeong Woo-San.

“Yes, he is.”

Myeong Cheon smiled coldly.

“So, like the son of a dog, he knows how to bark a little, does he?”

“He is stronger than we imagined. If we could, we would mobilize troops and wipe him out, but if we do that…”

“It’ll be war. I know. There’s no reason to waste our strength just to catch one young punk.”

That was a relief. He was still angry, but it seemed he had regained his composure.

“Once today passes, the Yeon Family will become the public enemy of the martial world. But Yeon Wi must not realize that. He’s not attending the Grand Assembly either, so it will take some time for him to receive the letter.”

“That is correct.”

“In other words, we need a decisive move to divert his attention, right?”

“That is a wise assessment.”

Myeong Cheon rose from his seat.

“If we send all the death swords of the main family, we can destroy the Yeon Family. But we can’t do that.”

“That’s right. Moreover, the Moyong Family’s spy we planted within the Yeon Family has been discovered. The damage from the death swords would be enormous.”

“Then there’s no reason to dispatch the death swords.”

“Huh?”

Myeong Cheon grinned viciously.

“He’s the head of one of the Seven Great Families. Even if we send troops that overwhelm the Yeon Family, we can’t eliminate the family head. We don’t have the justification.”

“That is correct.”

“But if we create the justification, we can eliminate Yeon Wi as well.”

“Huh?!”

“I will go.”

Myeong Woo-San’s eyes widened.

Myeong Cheon’s eyes gleamed with strange pleasure and terrifying ambition.

“The head of the greatest family in the world is going to punish the head of one of the Seven Great Families. Dialogue? That’s not important. I’ll find any excuse to start a fight and kill Yeon Wi.”

“F, Family Head! That is… !”

“I, as the leader, will be the justification. I will make it so.”

It was the most certain method, but also the most reckless.

Myeong Woo-San quickly spoke.

“That is dangerous! The Moyong Family Head will bring down the Yeon Family at the Grand Assembly! There’s no need for you to go… !”

“If not me, then who is the right person?!”

Myeong Woo-San’s mouth closed automatically at the resounding shout.

Myeong Cheon emitted murderous intent.

“The main family’s disgrace is there. If that fact gets to the temporary martial arts alliance, it will severely damage not only the Yeon Family but us as well.”

“Y, yes, but…”

“I don’t know how they found out about that, but it’s a good thing. If we take over Jiangxi Province at this opportunity, we will become the true greatest family in the world.”

Myeong Woo-San bit his lip.

In fact, it didn’t matter if Myeong Cheon went to the Yeon Family. No, as he said, that was the most certain method.

But why? He felt uneasy.

The strange tension that was flowing through the Henan martial world felt like it had spread to Jiangxi Province. And the family head was going directly to the place where that tension was felt.

“And.”

Fwoosh!

The flames rising from Myeong Cheon’s hand emitted a terrifying aura.

His face was filled with ecstasy.

“Isn’t this a great opportunity to test the greatest martial art left by our ancestors?”

“… !”

“You said before, didn’t you? That Yeon Wi is a master who will be worthy of the Thirteen Seats of the Holy Heavens [a legendary ranking of martial artists] in ten years.”

“That was just a rumor circulating among the people…”

“Let’s see.”

Myeong Cheon smiled murderously.

“I, the master of the Nine Provinces Myeong Family, will personally test if he truly has the qualifications.”

* * *

“Immediately monitor the South and East Gates of the Myeong Family. Gather all the beggars from Henan. You must monitor the Myeong Family at all costs.”

“W, why all of a sudden?!”

“There’s a high possibility that the Myeong Family Head will go to Jiangxi Province.”

“What? In person?!”

“They are convinced that the main family will become the public enemy of the martial world at the Grand Assembly. In other words, there’s only one thing left to deal with.”

“Ah, even so, for the Myeong Family Head to go in person…”

“Whether it’s the Myeong Family Head or not! They will send at least enough force to overwhelm the main family! We can’t let them leave Henan!”

“Damn it! There are too many possibilities! Can you be sure about that?”

“There aren’t many possibilities, there’s only one! Once the temporary martial arts alliance is established, the alliance representative will head to the main family! If they don’t do it now, the Myeong Family won’t have a way to eliminate their disgrace!”

“Tch! Fine! I’ll trust you this time… huh?!”

“What is it now?”

“You said we shouldn’t let them leave Henan?”

“Of course!”

“We’re not enough on our own, are we? Did you think we could buy time somehow?”

“Whether we can or not, we have no choice but to confront them now.”

“No, we can’t do that. You’re too hasty right now. If what you say is true, we can’t stop the Myeong Family’s forces with just us.”

“I’ll go first.”

“Let’s wait half a day.”

“Why, what is it?!”

“I want to ask you that, you crazy man! Just wait half a day. There are people who will go with us.”

“What…? !”

“Even if the Myeong Family moves, there’s a limit to their speed southward. So don’t worry. The Beggars’ Union has a tight grip on all the back roads in the Central Plains. We can definitely get ahead of the Myeong Family.”

“…”

“Trust me once, trust me twice, trust me three times.”

Thump!

The South Gate of the Myeong Family opened.

“Let’s go!”

Neigh!

Several dozen sturdy horses galloped out briskly.

They were Myeong horses, their entire bodies shimmering with golden fur. Their legs were longer and thinner than ordinary horses, and their speed was easily twice as fast.

They were Ferghana horses [a breed of horse known for its speed and endurance]. They were top-grade breeds, so-called ‘thousand-mile horses,’ whose value was immeasurable.

And there were dozens of them.

Thud thud thud!

Behind the Ferghana horses that were galloping at a terrifying speed.

Six horses, slightly shorter in height than the Ferghana horses but much sturdier and more robust, were pulling a huge carriage.

The carriage’s exterior was incredibly luxurious. Anyone who saw it might mistake it for the palanquin used by the emperor.

Myeong Cheon was inside the spacious carriage.

It was a carriage made solely for the head of the greatest family in the world. It was furnished with a huge silk bed instead of chairs, allowing for comfortable travel.

“Huhu, this is reassuring.”

Through a small window in the front of the carriage, he could see the family’s warriors riding the dozens of Ferghana horses.

Whoosh.

It felt like even the wind was startled and ran away.

Over fifty masters were each riding a Ferghana horse. However, their postures were completely unwavering. They were not affected at all by the dynamic movements of the Ferghana horses.

‘Not bad.’

They were all masters from the collateral lines, raised as death swords.

Even before learning the Four Divine Arts of the Four Spirits, each of them had reached a level beyond the Myeonghak brothers. They had each chosen and learned one of the Four Divine Arts that suited their existing martial arts.

There were over fifty such masters. Moreover, three hundred Red Dragon Army soldiers followed behind the carriage.

Like the White Dragon Army, they were also internal troops, the strongest among the Four Dragon Armies.

And then there was himself.

He was confident that he would become the strongest family head in the history of the Nine Provinces Myeong Family. With this much force, they could easily wipe out a small family like the Yeon Family.

‘It’s a shame it’s not complete.’

The fifty masters leading the way were not as skilled in the divine arts as he was. They should have trained for at least a year, which was somewhat regrettable.

But it was still okay.

‘I just need to catch Yeon Wi first.’

He intended to start a fight no matter what. Yeon Wi would never be able to avoid a fight.

If that happened, the Yeon Family would be finished. At the same time, the Myeong Family’s disgrace could also be eliminated.

Wasn’t it an amazing strategy no matter how you looked at it?

Originally, the leader should be dignified and not move carelessly. But the strategy was to overturn that common sense and deliver an unexpected blow.

“Kekek!”

He felt good. Very good.

His heart was pounding. His heart, which was beating powerfully, felt stronger than before. It was thanks to the Phoenix Energy.

“I wish we could arrive sooner.”

How much time had passed?

When it was the afternoon of the second day.

Neigh!

Myeong Cheon frowned.

The Ferghana horses in front gradually seemed to slow down, then they all started to shake their heads.

‘What is it?’

That’s when it happened.

‘…? !’

Myeong Cheon’s face hardened.

Whoosh.

A terrifying murderous intent was carried in the wind blowing from far ahead.

It was no ordinary murderous intent. Even he, the head of the Nine Provinces Myeong Family, flinched.

Myeong Cheon opened his mouth.

“Who is blocking the way?”

“F, Family Head!”

There was panic in the voice.

“What is it?”

“It’s Yeon Ho-Jeong.”

“… What?”

“The eldest son of the Yeon Family, Yeon Ho-Jeong, is blocking the way.”

Surprise flickered in Myeong Cheon’s eyes.

“Yeon Ho-Jeong? How did he know?!”

“I, I don’t know…”

Thud!

Myeong Cheon opened the carriage door and stepped out.

Whoosh.

The moment he seemed to kick off the ground, his body was already on the roof of the carriage.

Myeong Cheon’s eyes wavered.

“Yo.”

In the middle of the path that split to the left and right in the distance.

A slender young man with a ridiculously large axe slung over his shoulder was standing there.

The blood-stained white robe and the coolly subdued gaze were the highlights. He was emitting a mysterious energy from his entire body, and his presence was so great that it naturally drew the eye.

“You…?!”

“Even though I shouted for you to come, you didn’t show up, so what could I do? I had no choice but to come find you myself.”

Myeong Cheon’s face hardened.

The voice speaking from thirty yards away was as clear as if it were right next to him. It was tremendous inner power.

Yeon Ho-Jeong gave a meaningful smile.

“I’ve finally caught you, you thief.”