Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 796

“Hoo.”

Thick heat radiated from Mak Won’s body as he forcefully swung the iron rod.

Tsutsutsu.

The sweat he shed evaporated instantly, and his damp clothes felt as fresh as new.

‘It’s about nine parts now.’

He had lost a significant portion of his internal energy [qi or life force] during the process of detoxifying the vile poison of the Divine Cult.

Of course, for a master of his level, the loss of internal energy wasn’t a major problem. If he had lost it all, that would be another matter, but a partial loss could be recovered in a few years or even months with dedicated effort.

Fortunately, Mak Won’s efforts were relentless, and thanks to that, he had restored about nine-tenths of his original internal energy.

‘It’s a shame.’

Mak Won clicked his tongue.

He hadn’t fully recovered, but the quality of the restored internal energy was as good as before. So, he had no regrets about that.

However, he yearned for a higher level of enlightenment. Therefore, he devoted himself to meditation and martial arts training, except for the time he spent accumulating energy through dynamic and static exercises.

But there was no breakthrough. Or rather, there were changes, but he couldn’t advance to a higher realm.

‘It can’t be helped.’

This wasn’t the first time this had happened. If regret piled up and turned into poison, he would lose even what he had gained.

Being able to remain detached without being disappointed by the reality of stagnation—that too was a mark of a true master.

Woo woong!

A faint glow emanated from his body.

It was the unique divine art he had created by blending his sect’s martial arts with his own enlightenment, the Heavenly Martial Divine Weapon Qi. Like the edge of a sharp blade, his energy was both cool and as hard as steel.

Mak Won opened his mouth.

“If it’s been a while since we met, you should come and say hello. Why are you just standing there watching?”

Yeon Ho-jeong was visible in Mak Won’s eyes as he turned his head.

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled and bowed his head.

“Have you been well?”

“Haha, it’s been a while.”

Mak Won approached Yeon Ho-jeong and patted his shoulder as if he was genuinely glad to see him.

His words and actions conveyed pure joy. Although there was a significant age difference, Yeon Ho-jeong thought of him as if he were an older brother.

“So, did you handle the matter you went out for well?”

“Of course. It’s all thanks to your constant concern.”

“This fellow, you can even say such things now. They say a man becomes an adult when he goes out into the world, and you seem to have grown for sure.”

Mak Won burst into laughter.

Watching him laugh heartily, Yeon Ho-jeong thought.

‘He’s a good person.’

Before being a great martial artist, Mak Won was a person with outstanding charm.

He too was someone who risked his life for the martial path. Moreover, he had reached the pinnacle of martial power in the Central Plains through his innate talent and endless effort.

Yet, he set aside Yeon Ho-jeong’s improved martial power. It wasn’t that he was pretending not to notice, but that he was genuinely happy to see Yeon Ho-jeong.

‘It’s not just that.’

Mak Won was someone who was amazed by the growth of others, but he wasn’t someone who envied or was jealous of them.

The reason was clear. His dream was for his own martial path to grow, not to defeat others.

Of course, even so, Mak Won’s personality was amazing. Especially for Yeon Ho-jeong, who had experienced the jealousy, envy, and suspicion of many people, it was an even more surprising personality.

“How is your body?”

“I’m fine. I owe my life to you and the divine doctor.”

Yeon Ho-jeong grinned.

“Even if you tell me to forget it, I don’t think you ever will, so from now on, if I ask you for a drink, you must drink with me no matter what.”

“Euhahahaha! Of course! Is it just drinks? If you ever need my help, I’ll drop everything and rush to your side.”

“Just hearing those words makes me feel secure.”

“Well, I’ve decided to spend my future with you, so there won’t be any particular issues.”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s face became awkward.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“No, that won’t do. A man shouldn’t take back the words he’s spoken.”

“Senior, you can live comfortably anywhere in the world.”

“That’s true. But I wouldn’t be able to live comfortably anywhere in the world. I’d always be tormented by the compulsion to repay the favor I received from you.”

“Keong.”

“Besides, I have a lot to learn too. Does the martial path only open up properly by just training in martial arts? I plan to learn a lot by experiencing the world with you.”

“It could be dangerous.”

Even knowing the martial power of the White-Clad Divine Army, saying such things meant that the reality Yeon Ho-jeong faced was not easy.

Mak Won said with a cheerful face.

“You’re the one who saved me from that dangerous situation. There’s no need to say more. I look forward to working with you.”

Yeon Ho-jeong chuckled.

“If you keep taking care of a junior who is so much younger than you, you’ll experience a lot of embarrassing things.”

“I’m not someone who cares about the opinions of others.”

Mak Won patted Yeon Ho-jeong’s back.

“Instead of this, let’s go somewhere and have a drink. You don’t have anything else to do, do you?”

“Things to do…”

Yeon Ho-jeong looked back the way he had come.

But only for a moment.

“Yes, I don’t have anything for the time being. Let’s go for a drink.”

“Hahaha, good. Ah! While we’re at it, why don’t you call your companions too? If they are people you cherish, they will become my companions as well.”

“They’re all people you’ve met before. Let’s have a formal meeting next time, and today, let’s just have a good drink together.”

“Hehehe, that’s good too. Let’s go.”

The two left the Mukryong Unit and headed to an inn in Chang’an.

The distance was quite far, but that was only for ordinary people who had not learned martial arts. For the two who had reached the pinnacle of the martial world, the inn in Chang’an was just a short stroll away.

“I see.”

The inn was crowded with people.

The two drank in a corner on the top floor of the inn.

“The Bi King was a lackey of the Blood Demon Cult…”

A light of anger flickered in Mak Won’s eyes as he spoke quietly.

Strictly speaking, he wasn’t a person from the Central Plains. He was a martial artist, but he wasn’t someone who valued bloodlines in the first place.

However, he simply didn’t like what the Three Sects were plotting. Moreover, he had almost died due to the Divine Cult’s scheme. He couldn’t have a good impression of the Three Sects.

“It’s truly terrifying. How nice would it be if we could believe the world as it appears on the surface. In the world I don’t know, such unimaginable schemes were rampant.”

Yeon Ho-jeong said calmly as he emptied his glass.

“It’s not just the Three Sects. Such things happen frequently everywhere in the world. Even in my own family, the remnants of the destroyed Guju family were openly plotting.”

“Heo.”

“It’s like that everywhere. And…”

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled bitterly.

“I don’t have the confidence that I won’t do such things for the rest of my life.”

Thud.

Mak Won, who had put down his glass, quietly looked at Yeon Ho-jeong.

Yeon Ho-jeong silently filled Mak Won’s glass and then filled his own.

“You.”

“Yes.”

“Is there something bothering you?”

“Haha, there’s always something bothering me. I’ve been so busy with so many things.”

“That may be so, but…”

Mak Won stroked his chin.

“It seems like you have more worries than when I saw you before. You were busy back then too, but you were truly fearless.”

Was that so?

Yeon Ho-jeong, who had quietly recalled the past, chuckled.

“It seems like it. Actually, I don’t remember well.”

Mak Won raised his glass.

Yeon Ho-jeong, who had clinked glasses with him, emptied his glass again.

“You’re drunk?”

“Yes?”

Yeon Ho-jeong stroked his face.

Indeed, his face was really hot. He would be red, without a doubt.

“It’s already like this.”

Even if one becomes a supreme master, they can instantly detoxify and dispel the incoming alcohol energy. That’s why it’s harder for masters to get drunk.

To really get drunk, one must completely control their internal energy and let the incoming alcohol energy take its course. In fact, both Yeon Ho-jeong and Mak Won were drinking while controlling their internal energy. Because you drink to get drunk.

Even so, the body that has broken through the Limitless [a high level of martial arts] is close to perfection, so even if you control your internal energy, it’s not easy to get drunk. That’s how strong the alcohol Yeon Ho-jeong was drinking was, and how fast he was drinking it.

“This feeling of my mind going blank after a long time, I like it.”

“It seems like you do have worries.”

Mak Won emptied his glass and said.

“What did I call you before?”

“Yes?”

“I mean the title. I was so focused on my own body that I can’t remember.”

Yeon Ho-jeong tilted his head.

“I don’t remember either, but wouldn’t you have just called me Vice Commander Yeon?”

“Ah, was that it? Now that I think about it, it seems like it.”

“Yes, that’s what it was.”

“From now on, call me hyung [older brother].”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes widened.

Mak Won chuckled.

“Why? You don’t like it?”

“How could I not like it? But even so…”

“It seems like you don’t like it.”

“That’s absolutely not true. It’s just that I thought it might tarnish your reputation, senior.”

“Tarnish? Your martial power is already that of a Martial God, how could it tarnish it? Soon, your reputation will shake the four seas and five lakes [a common idiom for the entire world].”

He was already shaking the world with the title of Overlord. Only Mak Won, who had been focusing on his training alone, did not know.

“And, to be honest, who cares about tarnishing or not? If you get along, you can become friends, or sworn brothers. When you look at a woman, do you look at her family background before you meet her?”

“Haha.”

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled happily at the words that still felt pure.

“If you say so, then I’m happy. I have a reliable hyung to back me up, so I’ll pour you a drink.”

“Good. I’ll receive a drink from my first ever martial world brother.”

“I wonder if I’ll get scolded by my father later for creating a messed-up family tree.”

“Messed-up family tree?”

“Senior, no, hyung’s reputation is the highest in the martial world, so having such a person as my hyung is a problem, a big problem.”

“Since when have you been worrying about such useless things?”

The two laughed heartily and clinked glasses.

How long had it been?

Thud!

Yeon Ho-jeong slammed his head on the table. And then, he fell asleep, snoring.

It was an amazing thing.

Yeon Ho-jeong had never lost his mind due to drunkenness at any time or moment. It was because he had always lived a life full of tension, and he had the compulsion that he shouldn’t show any weakness.

Moreover, Mak Won was someone he had a relationship with, but not someone he had met often. He had openly gotten drunk and lost his mind in front of such a person.

Choruru.

Mak Won, who had filled his empty glass, looked at Yeon Ho-jeong with his arms crossed.

Pity arose on Mak Won’s face.

“This fellow, how can a young man have so many worries?”

Yeon Ho-jeong didn’t reveal his worries until the end. And Mak Won also didn’t bother to ask what his worries were.

Actually, it wasn’t just worries, he just looked like he was feeling dizzy. That’s how it looked to Mak Won.

It even felt like he had deliberately chosen someone he wasn’t familiar with, but someone he had a connection with, but hadn’t seen often.

Perhaps he wanted to unwind himself in a different atmosphere and in a different way than usual.

“Well, he’s been wandering all over the Central Plains without a moment’s rest, taking care of this and that, how can a person not get tired?”

Mak Won emptied his glass and said to himself calmly.

“I don’t know what it is, but when you’re confused, trust your judgment. If you hesitate without confidence for too long… you’ll become a fool like me.”