Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 863

Yeon-wi’s eyes sparkled as he poured slightly cooled boiled water into a teacup filled with tea leaf fragments. The morning sun warmly caressed his back.

Yeon-wi spoke calmly.

“Please wait a moment.”

He spoke to no one in particular, alone.

Yeon-wi went inside and brought out another teacup. It also contained small tea leaves.

“There isn’t much water left. I’ll have to brew it strong.”

Pouring sound.

Two teacups with faint steam rising from them were placed on the small table on the platform.

Yeon-wi took a deep breath and looked at the right wall of the Pagun Pavilion.

There, an old man stood with his hands behind his back.

There were several Hwaryongdan warriors, but none of them noticed the old man. Given their senses and martial arts, or even a commoner with no martial arts experience, they should have noticed him standing so openly on the wall. Yet, the warriors showed no reaction.

Yeon-wi clasped his hands in greeting.

“I am Wi of the Gangdong Yeon clan, paying respects to the former head of the Anhui Namgoong family.”

His courtesy was as impeccable as it could be. Yet, it didn’t feel excessive at all. It was a greeting that could be called exemplary.

The old man, who had been watching Yeon-wi for a while, took a step.

Whoosh.

In what felt like a gust of wind, the old man arrived next to the platform. He was five steps away from Yeon-wi.

The old man, Namgoong Seung, clasped his hands in greeting.

“I am the old sword of Namgoong. I apologize for entering and eavesdropping without the owner’s permission.”

He didn’t bow as deeply as Yeon-wi, but considering his age and status, it was more than enough courtesy. Apart from anything else, his voice, expression, and tone towards Yeon-wi were not those of a senior addressing a junior.

Yeon-wi was greatly taken aback.

“Senior, please do not put a junior of the martial world in such a difficult position. If a senior of your stature speaks like that, I don’t know what to do……”

“The etiquette of the martial world, the relationship between seniors and juniors, none of that matters to us now.”

“Senior.”

Namgoong Seung, having released his clasped hands, looked at Yeon-wi.

In Namgoong Seung’s eyes, as he looked at the Gangdong’s strongest swordsman, the Judge’s Sword, there was more than just surprise; there was awe.

“When I faced the Overlord at the martial arts arena, I sensed an unusual aura of enlightenment and turned my head to see you.”

“……”

“I could tell you were the Overlord’s kin without even asking. Your level was astonishing, but it didn’t diminish my focus, which was filled with competitive spirit.”

“……”

“But today, knowing that there is a divine lord [神君, shén jūn – a term for a highly enlightened or powerful individual] who matches the newly enlightened Overlord, I felt a strange loneliness and came to see you.”

“It is an honor.”

“I was going to knock on the door and enter through the main gate, but the sudden surge of sword energy was so impressive that I crossed the wall without realizing it. Please forgive me.”

Sword energy was so impressive that he crossed the wall?

It was difficult to understand what he meant at first.

However, Yeon-wi didn’t try to understand Namgoong Seung’s words.

Although he hadn’t reached the Supreme Extremity, his enlightenment at the pinnacle of the world gave him a vision comparable to those who had reached the Supreme Extremity.

That’s why he knew. That masters of the Supreme Extremity saw the world in a completely different way from ordinary people.

A single moment of enlightenment could cause a martial art to fluctuate greatly. If one didn’t constantly observe the world and adapt to the changing flow, they could quickly become someone who could be called a monster.

Having gained power not granted to humans, it was difficult for the mind to keep up. Even someone as self-controlled as Namgoong Seung would occasionally show such bizarre behavior, which was a characteristic of masters of the Supreme Extremity.

“If my presence makes you uncomfortable, I will no longer feel embarrassed.”

“Haha, very well.”

“Please have a cup. It’s not high-grade tea, but I brewed it with care, so it should be palatable.”

Namgoong Seung naturally sat on the platform and drank the tea.

“It’s good.”

“Does it suit your taste?”

“It suits me very well. As the head of the family said, it’s not high-grade tea, but it has a much richer aroma than most top-grade teas.”

“You flatter me. I’m glad it suits your taste.”

“So.”

Admiration was admiration, and expectation was expectation.

In Namgoong Seung’s eyes as he looked at Yeon-wi, there was a strong sense of anticipation and a hint of doubt.

“How is it that a remarkable practitioner who has reached the Mind Sword Path has not yet transcended the human body?”

Why hadn’t he reached the Supreme Extremity?

Yeon-wi smiled wryly.

“Even if it is the Mind Sword Path, I have not seen its end.”

“There is no end, like this universe.”

“That’s right.”

“But among the many masters who have entered the infinite darkness, only a few have reached the Mind Sword like you. It seems you could easily transcend if you wanted to.”

Namgoong Seung’s eyes deepened.

“Like the abbot of the Shaolin Temple.”

“……”

“I don’t know why you keep your body bound to the earth, but there isn’t much time.”

“Pardon?”

“The Mind Sword, so to speak, is like the level of enlightenment that allows Taoists to be called half-immortals.”

“……”

“If your mind and soul have entered an unparalleled realm, then your body should also be soaring in the sky. If the body cannot keep up with the mind for too long, there is a risk of losing all that enlightenment someday.”

Yeon-wi closed his eyes.

“I had a hunch.”

“It seems you were not just guessing, but were already certain.”

“……”

“The mind and body are one. You are bridging the gap with terrifying will, but there is a limit.”

Yeon-wi lowered his head.

“I will take your words to heart and strive to have a good future.”

To say more would be rude. Namgoong Seung knew that much.

However, his disappointment was so great that he couldn’t help but click his tongue a few times.

But that was only for a moment.

“Now I understand why In-ah is so consumed by inferiority and unable to accept reality.”

“Pardon?”

“There are many sword sects in the Central Plains. Among the Nine Great Sects, there are Wudang and Huashan, and among the martial families, there are our Namgoong and the Yeon family, where you are the master.”

“Ah, yes.”

“It would not be an exaggeration to say that none of them can be called the strongest in the world. One can argue about who is the strongest, but where in the world is there a sect that everyone acknowledges as the strongest?”

There was such a family. It was the Guju Myungga [古株名家, Gǔzhū Míngjiā – a prestigious and ancient family].

However, the Guju Myungga was called the strongest family in the world because of their wealth and power, and also because their ancestors had sacrificed their lives for the world three hundred years ago.

It was not the true meaning of the strongest in the world. The reason why other sects remained silent even though the Myungga was called the strongest was not because they acknowledged the Myungga as the strongest, but because they were not interested in such things.

“However, In-ah was different.”

In-ah.

Namgoong In, the current head of the Namgoong family and Namgoong Seung’s eldest son.

“He believed without a doubt that the main family was the head of the Seven, no, Six Great Families, and the strongest sword family in the world.”

Yeon-wi smiled.

“In this vast Central Plains, isn’t the sword family worthy of being called the best among sword sects?”

Indeed, it was.

The Namgoong family’s sword techniques had a longer history than even the Huashan Sect. If it was limited to swords, everyone would acknowledge them as the best in the world.

“That’s not true.”

Namgoong Seung’s eyes deepened.

“If he truly wanted to believe he was the best in the world, he should have become the best in the world himself.”

It was strict and ruthless.

However, Namgoong Seung’s words contained a clear principle. It was the principle of the martial world.

“The head of the family is the representative of the family. If the martial arts of the person representing the family are not the best in the world, how can they proudly bear the title of the best in the world?”

“……”

“Moreover, the head of the neighboring family, who is several times stronger and more talented than him, is calmly focusing on swordsmanship.”

Yeon-wi was a little taken aback.

“There’s no need to go that far……”

“That’s why, even more so, he must have wanted to believe that Namgoong was the best family in the world.”

“Pardon?”

Namgoong In smiled wryly.

“The master of a small sword family is so humble even when he is on the verge of reaching the Supreme Extremity, so he must have felt anxious. If he reached the Supreme Extremity with that humility and overflowing talent, then his beliefs and convictions would be shaken to their roots.”

“Senior.”

“But while I feel sorry for him, I cannot resent you or your kin because, in the end, my son is just too incompetent.”

Namgoong Seung burst into a hearty laugh.

“My bloodline is all like that. The head of the family was pushed aside by the head of the family, and the younger generation was pushed aside by the younger generation. The history of Namgoong for hundreds of years is so futile, so we should not dare to speak of being the best in the world.”

Yeon-wi felt a great burden from Namgoong Seung’s words.

But Namgoong Seung, the Sword Emperor, could say such things in front of anyone. Moreover, he wasn’t trying to burden his opponent, but rather expressing a feeling close to regret.

Also, as a matter of courtesy, he couldn’t tell him to stop because it was burdensome. That was why Yeon-wi kept clearing his throat.

Namgoong Seung sighed.

“I’m saying all sorts of things.”

“It’s nothing.”

“I would like to see your enlightenment, but the time is a bit awkward.”

Yeon-wi’s face brightened.

It was a hundred times better to confirm each other’s enlightenment than to have such a burdensome conversation. In fact, he was also curious about how high the Sword Emperor’s enlightenment was.

“Enlightenment doesn’t come by considering time and place.”

“Oh?”

“If you don’t mind, I would like to ask for guidance from the best swordsman in the Central Plains.”

“Hahaha! Guidance? That’s absurd. I know that your sword is no less than mine, even if you haven’t changed it to a flamboyant sword armor.”

“Your words are too burdensome.”

“But I have a request.”

“Yes?”

“Could the place to see the enlightenment be in front of my private chamber?”

Namgoong Seung’s face was filled with embarrassment.

“They are my incompetent bloodline. The future is said to be rough, so I want to show my children your enlightenment and mine. Would that be alright?”

Yeon-wi burst into laughter.

“It is a great honor just to receive guidance from you. Wherever the place is, I will be grateful.”

“Thank you.”

“I am the one who is grateful.”

“Hahaha.”

Namgoong Seung suddenly realized that he no longer felt the divine energy of Yeon Ho-jeong and Mak Won. It was because he was no longer interested in them.

“Then, let’s meet at noon. I will reflect on myself until then.”

“Yes, I will visit you by noon.”

Namgoong Seung, who had been nodding with a smile, turned his head to the east.

In an instant, his eyes blazed with competitive spirit.

“Today, it seems like it will be a very interesting day.”