Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 862

Namgoong Seung, sitting in the gazebo in front of the detached palace early in the morning, drinking tea, looked indifferent yet peaceful.

But only for a moment.

“……”

Namgoong Seung, sensing an unknown flow of power, turned his head towards it.

Whoooom.

Namgoong Seung remained still, but the iron sword leaning against the bottom of the gazebo was trembling strangely.

How much time had passed?

“Hoo.”

A light breath escaped, leaving a white mist.

Soon, Namgoong Seung’s gaze turned elsewhere.

“Truly frustrating.”

The eldest grandson was well over thirty, and the second grandson was also nearing thirty.

At that age, it wouldn’t be strange for them to have established a family and have somewhat grown children. Being from a martial arts family, they were getting married late, but usually, at that age, they would have seen three or four children.

They had eaten enough.

Yet, they were still sleeping at this hour.

If they had received a great shock as martial artists, they wouldn’t be able to sleep. Even if they swung their swords until dawn, being anxious while trapped by inner demons was the pride of a martial artist.

Of course, he didn’t want them to go down such a wrong path, but sleeping so peacefully was quite remarkable.

‘It’s important to establish good habits, but they also need the experience of immersing themselves in one thing and forgetting the world.’

Namgoong Seung clicked his tongue inwardly.

Let’s say Namgoong Hyeon could be like that. The first, Namgoong Pyo, had witnessed Yeon Ho-jeong’s explosive change with him. Furthermore, unlike when he usually taught, he had clearly explained and taught them the mindset of a martial artist.

Yet, their breathing was so even. They were clearly in a deep sleep. A supreme master who had broken through the wall of martial arts was sleeping for nearly three hours.

‘Will there ever be a moment when they train like madmen until their bodies break?’

Namgoong Seung knew why his two grandsons were like this.

It was because of their father.

The current head of the Namgoong family, Namgoong In, had sufficient talent, but he wasn’t someone who could aim for the best in the world.

If that were the case, he should have worked even harder and burned with the desire to reach the ultimate, but at some point, his son gave up on effort and turned his eyes to politics.

The moment the head of a martial arts family turns from martial arts to politics, the level they have achieved begins to regress. Even if it’s not immediately noticeable, they will feel bewildered by their own laxity as each year passes.

What’s worse is that his son taught his children something similar.

Even if they have the same blood in their veins, their souls are different, their appearances are different, and their talents are different.

Namgoong In had maintained thorough sleep and proper meals for decades. In other words, it was Namgoong In’s way of living in his own world.

However, Namgoong Pyo and Namgoong Hyeon didn’t need to be like that.

Yet, the grandsons lived like their father. They should have thought for themselves and established their own clear attitude and life principles, but they were just following what they were taught.

He had emphasized that point when teaching them swordsmanship, but when they entered the Martial Alliance, it was as if they had forgotten everything they had learned.

Namgoong Seung was frustrated by that.

‘It’s not something they’ll realize just by being told.’

To be precise, telling them too often would not be good for his grandsons. Just yesterday, he had scolded Namgoong Pyo severely, hadn’t he?

It would be better to give them the necessary amount of criticism at the necessary moment. At least, not now. That’s what Namgoong Seung thought.

‘…….’

Namgoong Seung, shaking his head at his disappointment in his grandsons and frustration with his son, naturally turned his consciousness to those who possessed this supreme energy.

A slight hesitation flickered across Namgoong Seung’s face.

But only for a moment.

Whoosh!

Along with the iron sword, Namgoong Seung disappeared.

* * *

Thwaaaang!!

Mak Won’s body stiffened at the fist that created a fierce shockwave.

“Hoo.”

Yeon Ho-jeong, breathing lightly, nodded his head slightly.

“I think the basic framework is roughly set.”

“……”

“There’s no need to make it complicated. Although I’ve lost the forms of the Four Divine Martial Arts, the principles that the Four Divine Martial Arts taught me remain intact.”

“……It seems so.”

“After mastering all martial arts of attack, evasion, counterattack, defense, and instant kill techniques, my actions have finally become simplified.”

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled wryly.

“The forms are simple, the true energy [internal energy] is delicate… after going around and around, I’ve returned to the basics again. I could have realized this sooner, but seeing this, I’m still far off.”

Simplicity always touches the truth.

But it varies from person to person. Just as the simplicity that suits Yeon Ho-jeong is different from the simplicity that suits Mak Won.

The simplicity of Mak Won’s martial arts is closer to a decisive, one-hit-kill technique. However, Yeon Ho-jeong’s martial arts pursue simplicity from the moment he implements the martial art.

That’s why it looks easier, but creating it is several times more difficult.

“Amazing.”

Mak Won clicked his tongue.

“Creating a fist technique in just thirty exchanges?”

“After sparring for two exchanges, I pondered, after three exchanges, we discussed, and after another exchange, we overlaid them one by one. It’s called thirty exchanges, but it was not an easy and careful task.”

“Still, it’s thirty exchanges.”

“It’s not just thirty exchanges.”

It was thirty years.

Only after learning the Four Divine Martial Arts for thirty years, experiencing war, and seeing countless bloodshed did he reach the Yellow Dragon [a high level of martial arts].

That was also a great feat, but compared to his master, it was just a drop in the bucket.

He didn’t like the hypothetical, but he also thought that if Ji-pyeong, Gang Ryang, or Muk Bi had learned the Four Divine Martial Arts, they would have reached the Yellow Dragon before him.

Of course, it was just a hypothetical.

‘It was really difficult.’

No matter how it looked to others, Yeon Ho-jeong had not easily reached this level.

Mak Won, who was looking at Yeon Ho-jeong with admiration, suddenly tilted his head.

“But it’s a bit strange.”

“What do you mean?”

“The previous four martial arts had no distinction in form. Was it called the Four Divine Martial Arts? You could use all of attack, evasion, counterattack, defense, instant kill, and healing techniques without distinguishing between weapon techniques and fist and leg techniques.”

Mak Won stroked his chin.

“But the fist technique you’ve created now cannot be converted into palm techniques, sword techniques, or spear techniques. It’s a fist technique that is truly a fist technique.”

“That’s right.”

“You said that even though you lost the forms of the Four Divine Martial Arts, the principles given by the Four Divine Martial Arts remained, but it doesn’t seem to fit with the Four Divine Martial Arts at all.”

“No. It fits perfectly with the Four Divine Martial Arts.”

“Hmm?”

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled and said.

“The Three Seconds Fist. The totality of the fist technique I see is contained in these three moves. I am satisfied with this, though it may change later.”

“You can’t not be satisfied. Even I can see that it was a perfect fist form with nothing to add or subtract.”

“The form is like that. I need to refine the true energy operation a bit more.”

“With that level of form, any kind of true energy technique would fit.”

The moment one reaches the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art, everything must be newly created according to the will of the master.

The core of true energy and the Four Divine Energies, as well as all the Four Divine Techniques, are combined into one in the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art. Within it, there is no distinction between techniques or differences in nature.

There is only one martial artist of truth who has awakened to all of it.

Whoosh!

Mak Won stabbed a dagger into the air.

“It was like shaking a rugged mountain range. It was heavy and powerful. It was just that, but it was filled with a perfection that needed nothing more.”

“A mountain range……”

“Suppressing Mountain Fist (鎭嶽拳). It would be good to name it Suppressing Mountain Fist.”

Flash!

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes sparkled.

When naming moves or divine arts, deliberately making them fancy and flashy is something only third-rate people do.

A name reveals the goal that the study must reach and embodies the ideal to be pursued.

Just as a name is important to a person, a name is also important to martial arts. Just by reviving the true meaning within that simple yet meaningful name, the supreme masters who control energy with their mental power can exert twice the power.

“Suppressing Mountain Fist. It’s a good name.”

Golden Dragon Suppressing Mountain Fist (金龍鎭嶽拳).

Thus, the first martial art that could be used with Yeon Ho-jeong’s own Yellow Dragon Divine King Art, with its golden true energy, was born.

“Your body techniques were often more destructive and impressive than weapon techniques in some ways. In terms of power alone, weapon techniques are superior, but in terms of effectiveness, you often defeated enemies with bare-handed combat.”

“Yes. That was the case.”

“However, in my opinion, you were much more skilled in upper body fist and palm techniques than in lower body leg techniques.”

“Leg techniques have large movements, so I didn’t feel the need to create and divide moves. It’s difficult to win with leg techniques in real combat where life and death are decided in a single move. That’s why fist and palm techniques became the main focus.”

“But your earth-shaking kick (震脚) was the best in the world.”

“That’s why the power of the fist and palm techniques was enhanced even more.”

“Then, let’s leave the leg techniques and focus on palm techniques and footwork. I can’t help much with footwork, but I can definitely help with palm techniques.”

“I’m in your care.”

The two clashed fiercely once again.

Although it was said to be fierce, there were no killing moves like in a life-or-death battle. There was no power exertion with all their might.

However, even if it was just exchanging blows, the two had reached a supreme level of enlightenment. Yeon Ho-jeong could create the framework of martial arts with simple movements, and Mak Won could see what kind of muscles would suit that framework.

“It’s surprisingly flexible, but when it pushes forward, it’s like an angry wave. Free movement, like a dragon swimming in the air. It’s much freer and higher than swimming in the sea.”

“Overturning Heaven Palm (翻天掌). Overturning Heaven Palm would be good.”

Following the Golden Dragon Suppressing Mountain Fist, the Golden Dragon Overturning Heaven Palm (金龍翻天掌).

Fist and palm, fist technique and palm technique. The birth of the powerful dual palm techniques (肉掌雙功) of the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art, the Golden Dragon Dual Hands (金龍二手).

It seemed to have been created easily, but the true energy operation melted into the simple movements was beyond imagination. It was twice as complex and sharp as the true energy operation when he fought against the Sword Emperor Namgoong Seung.

Simple but unique martial arts of Yeon Ho-jeong that no one else could imitate, enlightenment.

While quickly creating the forms of martial arts and the complex formulas for true energy operation with Mak Won, Yeon Ho-jeong was finally able to clearly grasp the position his martial arts had reached.

“Suppressing Mountain is heavy and intense, while Overturning Heaven is flexible yet destructive. Even though strength and softness (强柔) are well mixed, the fact that they generate outstanding power remains unchanged, so they are truly martial arts that I covet more and more as I see them.”

“You can copy the forms.”

“You brat, even if it’s like that, how can I take away the martial arts created by my younger brother? Besides, what use is it to take the form when I don’t even know the formulas?”

“Since it’s a form that contains enlightenment, it will be helpful to you even if you don’t know the formulas.”

“……Tsk, that’s true.”

Even so, he was grateful that he said that. Mak Won cleared his throat and vowed to study what he had seen and learned today.

“Anyway, even though the principles are different, this footwork is perfect for generating powerful force. It’s not flashy but classic, and it’s intense but not simple. This is also a wonderful footwork that contains the enlightenment you have gained.”

“I see.”

“No matter how I look at it, it’s a dragon form (龍形). It seems that it can be used not only as footwork but also as a movement technique.”

“It seems so.”

“The artistry of seven steps is beyond imagination. We can go with the Dragon Form Seven Techniques (龍形七技) footwork.”

“Good.”

“Now, we’ve created the framework for fist and palm techniques and footwork, so let’s move on to weapon techniques.”

Saaaak!

Mak Won, with a single swift motion of his dagger, trimmed a thick branch that had broken off and flown over.

The branch had become a thin wooden staff five feet long.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t be as relaxed when it comes to weapon techniques.”