Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 86

“Did such a thing happen?”

“Yes.”

The middle-aged man gazed out the window.

He wasn’t particularly tall, and his build was average. However, the man’s aura was completely different from his ordinary appearance. It was an energy that felt both empty like a cloud and strangely resolute.

He had the air of a scholar or a learned man rather than a martial artist. He was one who cultivated wisdom through accumulated knowledge and pursued righteousness with that cultivated wisdom.

He was none other than Jeagal Mun-Ho, the head of the Jeagal Clan.

Jeagal Ayeon asked calmly,

“Father, you are the head of the family. Even if I am your daughter, I shouldn’t overstep my bounds.”

“……”

“But this time, I want to ask.”

“……”

“This marriage proposal, what do you think about it, Father?”

Jeagal Mun-Ho turned to look at Jeagal Ayeon.

A bitter look was cast over his profound gaze.

“What parent in this world would want their child to spend their life with someone they don’t want?”

“……”

“However, several pillars of our family have rotted. Even though I sensed it, I easily overlooked it under the excuse of being busy. I still regret not dealing with it properly back then.”

“……It’s already in the past.”

“Yes, it’s in the past. But……”

Jeagal Mun-Ho closed his eyes.

A hint of self-reproach was visible on his gentle face.

“But, it was just that my greed was excessive.”

“……”

“If something collapses, you just have to rebuild it. However, the problem is the time it takes to rebuild. The current martial world may seem peaceful, but beneath the surface, the law of cause and effect of the martial world, which demands blood and death, is always ready to burst forth.”

“The law of cause and effect……”

“I didn’t want to see the family collapse in my generation. But in the end, that seems to have been just an excuse. Seeing what happened with the Myeong family, I was reminded of the obvious truth that excessive greed inevitably leads to destruction.”

Jeagal Ayeon asked,

“Do you also have ambitions, Father?”

Jeagal Mun-Ho nodded as if it were obvious.

“Of course.”

“……I see.”

“I don’t think it’s wrong to have ambitions. It’s just… I think it was wrong not to honestly acknowledge those ambitions.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho’s eyes changed.

“I was foolish. I almost made my daughter unhappy because of my greed.”

“No, Father.”

“The Dragon Head’s words are correct. I plan to reject the marriage proposal from the Namgoong family.”

Jeagal Ayeon’s eyes wavered.

“For the time being, the Namgoong family won’t be able to antagonize us either. Such a big incident has occurred, so they will have no choice but to lie low.”

“……”

“Don’t worry about anything and focus on your studies.”

Jeagal Ayeon smiled and stood up.

“Father.”

“Speak.”

“Don’t try to carry all the burdens alone.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho burst into laughter.

“It’s too early for you to say such things. Keep training and training.”

“Yes!”

“Ah! By the way……”

An honest curiosity arose on Jeagal Mun-Ho’s face.

“Did you give the Socheon Spirit Pill [a rare and potent medicinal pill] to that young man named Yeon Ho-Jeong?”

Jeagal Ayeon’s face contorted involuntarily.

“I gave it to him. Just thinking about that time still makes my teeth grind.”

“What happened?”

Jeagal Ayeon recounted Yeon Ho-Jeong’s reaction without missing a single word.

“It was an outrageous act. I really wanted to punch him in the face.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho’s eyes curved into a smile.

“Ayeon.”

“Yes?”

“Do you perhaps have feelings for the eldest son of the Yeon family?”

It was like an unexpected blow.

Jeagal Ayeon shook her head so hard it seemed her neck would break.

“No! No! Who would have feelings for such an uncouth man!”

“Aren’t you also lacking in refinement?”

“Father!”

Jeagal Mun-Ho chuckled.

“I was just asking in case. Your reaction is so unusual whenever his name is mentioned.”

“What’s wrong with my reaction? What’s wrong with it!”

“Your mother was similar to you now. She’s probably still cursing me like that.”

“That’s not true at all?!”

“Then, what is Yeon Ho-Jeong to you?”

Jeagal Ayeon’s eyes narrowed.

“Hmm… a hateful guy for no reason… and an old soul who stimulates my curiosity… something like that? Just a friend.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho’s expression became awkward.

“That’s an interesting assessment.”

“He can’t be defined in one word. He’s such a unique guy. Well, I do think about him sometimes when I don’t see him. I wonder what kind of trouble he’s getting into?”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“I see.”

“Why are you smiling?”

“I just smiled.”

“……That’s meaningful! Don’t think strange things!”

Jeagal Mun-Ho looked out the window.

The passing clouds looked very peaceful.

‘Ayeon has grown up too.’

Jeagal Ayeon protested.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but it’s definitely not like that!”

* * *

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s group left the medical clinic and took a mountain path.

It would have been easier to travel on the main road, but the problem was Yeon Ho-Jeong’s fame.

Rumors tend to ignite quickly and spread in an instant. Of course, they also die down just as quickly.

But the immediate problem was that, because he had become so famous in Henan, many people approached him just to exchange a few words.

In the end, they chose a mountain path. It took a bit longer, but they could avoid the hassle.

Of course, that wasn’t the only reason.

Fwoosh.

A hazy shimmer rose from Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body as he sat cross-legged.

‘It’s finally working.’

The Black Tortoise energy surged, removing all the impurities from the damaged meridians. The mountain air he inhaled through his nose instantly cleared his head. It felt like his reason was becoming clearer.

Naturally, the White Tiger energy was released, healing the shock remaining in his bones and flesh. The Vermilion Bird energy, burning like fire, circulated clean blood throughout his body.

His physical condition was improving day by day. The chest wound he received from Myeong Cheon’s sword had almost completely healed.

It was an amazing recovery speed.

He had been impatient with the slower-than-expected recovery, but in just a few days, he had rapidly returned to normal.

‘Why is this happening?’

It was good that he had recovered, but he didn’t know the reason.

‘I am clearly aware of the difference between my old body and my current body. Even considering that, my recovery was slow. However, once my body got somewhat better, it started recovering at a rapid pace.’

A sense of unease settled on Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face.

‘This isn’t good.’

Whether it was a good or bad phenomenon, he needed to know the reason to prepare for it.

‘Is it because I don’t have the Azure Dragon energy?’

In a short moment, he summoned three of the four divine beast energies. It was a much faster summoning than he had vaguely planned. Thanks to this, his combat ability and martial power increased rapidly.

That was why he was in an unstable state. Although he had refined each energy, he had not yet harmonized them. Of course, without obtaining the Azure Dragon energy, he could not achieve complete harmony of the four divine beast energies.

However, since it was such an inexplicable phenomenon, his thoughts even reached the Azure Dragon.

“Hoo.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong sighed and stood up.

“Let’s keep training. Then, someday, I’ll find the answer.”

He could intuitively tell that it was not something that could be solved by delving into it right away.

It was unsettling, but he had no choice but to shake it off. It would be better to do something more productive with that time.

‘I also need to refine my martial arts.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong recalled his fight against the experts of the Myeong family.

‘I was able to overwhelm them if they were at a reasonable level. Even before summoning the Vermilion Bird energy, I was able to withstand dozens of exchanges against Myeong Cheon.’

The Myeong family’s martial arts were a forced twist of the four divine beast techniques. That was why they were strong, but they had serious flaws.

‘There were many openings.’

When facing them, Yeon Ho-Jeong thoroughly dismantled the fake four divine beast techniques.

In fact, the four divine beast techniques were not something that should be easily dismantled. Although there is no absolute in this world, the four divine beast techniques are almost immune to any counter-techniques in terms of their forms.

However, he had almost mastered the four divine beast techniques, except for drawing out the Yellow Dragon energy. That was why he was able to exploit the subtle openings and completely dismantle them.

The change in his true energy also played a big role. Before the energy of the true successor of the four divine beast techniques, the fake energy was helplessly dismantled or extinguished.

In other words, the reason why Yeon Ho-Jeong was able to overwhelm so many experts of the Myeong family was because of the martial arts he had mastered.

‘I’ve become stronger, but I’m still far from enough.’

He had to become stronger. He had to grow more.

At the very least, he had to regain the martial power he had in his days as the Black Demon Emperor.

Yeon Ho-Jeong, having released his cross-legged position, picked up his axe.

“Yang Heum.”

“Yes, Young Master!”

“Where is Commander Shin?”

“Ah, Commander Shin has gone down to the town for a while.”

“To the village? Why?”

“We are not sure about that……”

Just then, Shin Mo walked up from the foot of the mountain.

“Commander Shin.”

“Ah, have you finished your energy cultivation?”

“Yeah.”

“How is your body?”

“Perfect. I’m all healed.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Well, that’s not important right now. How about it? The weather has cooled down a bit, shall we have a match?”

A look of bewilderment appeared on Shin Mo’s face.

“Young Master.”

“Huh?”

“First, I would like to discuss the matter we talked about before.”

“Discuss? What matter?”

“About serving you, Young Master.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong shook his head.

“As I said before, I’m just going to experience the world. I don’t need the help of the Chang-Eung unit anymore.”

“As you well know, Young Master, the martial world is dangerous. You don’t know what dangers might come.”

“If you’re afraid of seeing blood, you can’t call yourself a warrior.”

“Still……”

“Besides, you guys belong to the main family. As the main family’s martial force, you can protect me, the young master, but if you’ve finished your mission, you should go back and do your own work.”

“……”

“I don’t know the details, but the main family’s situation isn’t very good right now. You must be very busy. So, go and help my father. That’s what you guys should be doing.”

Shin Mo sighed.

“Then, at least let two teams……”

“No. Stop worrying about me and focus on what you need to do in your position.”

Protecting the family’s young master was indeed their job.

However, Yeon Ho-Jeong firmly refused.

He had the confidence to survive in any environment, but he also didn’t want his family to suffer because of what he was doing.

After some deliberation, Shin Mo made up her mind.

“Understood. Then, we will return to the family.”

“Okay. I’ll send a separate letter to my father.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong tapped the axe blade.

“Is everything ready? Then, shall we have a match?”

“However, please allow us to follow you until this matter is resolved.”

“This matter?”

Shin Mo took out a letter from her pocket.

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked at the letter with a puzzled expression.

“The Beggars’ Union has contacted us.”

“Let me see.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flashed as he unfolded the letter.

Tension settled on Shin Mo’s face.

“Considering who the opponent is, there might not be any trouble, but there must be a reason why they are trying to hold you back now that you are leaving. It doesn’t feel like a good intention.”

“……Moyong Clan Head.”

That’s right. The person who sent the letter was none other than Moyong Gun.

A look of indifference settled on Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face as he folded the letter.

‘Well, it wasn’t going to end cleanly.’

He had to meet him once anyway. It was better that he contacted him first, which made him feel more at ease.

‘If I waited, he would have strangled himself.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong slung his axe over his shoulder.

“Let’s prepare to descend the mountain.”