Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 9

“Whew, Brother. I was so nervous.”

“Huh? About what?”

Yeon Ji-pyeong groaned.

“I was so worried that Father would get angry.”

He seemed to have been very tense, watching his brother speak so casually to their father.

Yeon Ho-jeong chuckled involuntarily.

“Hey, is Father some kind of soldier? Is he our superior?”

“It’s not like that, but still.”

“No matter what anyone says, Father is our father, and you and I are his children. What’s wrong with a child being friendly with their father?”

“Heh.”

Yeon Ji-pyeong stared blankly at Yeon Ho-jeong. He seemed never to have thought of it that way before.

Yeon Ho-jeong tugged at his younger brother’s cheek.

“You.”

“Ouch! That hurts!”

“Don’t be so afraid of Father.”

“Huh?”

The smile on Yeon Ho-jeong’s face as he looked at his younger brother was very gentle, unlike the Black Demon Emperor, who was known as the terror of the White Path [a term referring to the orthodox martial arts world].

“Do you think Father wants to be strict in front of his children? There are family laws and rules, so he’s trying to set an example, isn’t he?”

“Ah…”

“Well, even so, I think he’s being a bit too much.”

“Cough!”

“Father has lived like that his whole life, and he will continue to do so. And his love for his children will never change.”

Yeon Ho-jeong turned away.

“Don’t wait for affection, and don’t try to be rewarded. It might be a little hard, but it’s better for your mental health.”

“I-is that so?”

“It’s not like parents are the only ones who should wait for their children, right?”

Yeon Ji-pyeong smiled, watching Yeon Ho-jeong, who was already walking far away.

“Come to think of it, you’re right.”

His brother had been the first to let go of his hatred for him. But it was his own courageous action that confirmed the result.

The relationship with his father was a little different, but in the big picture, it was no different.

“…Still, it’s scary.”

* * *

The next day at dawn.

“We greet the Great Young Master.”

Unlike before, the gatekeepers bowed respectfully.

Yeon Ho-jeong nodded.

“I’ve come to see my father.”

“Yes.”

They seemed to have been informed in advance. The Sword Guard and the Saber Guard opened the door leading to the Family Head’s residence.

The sight inside the wide-open door was strangely new.

“The Family Head is currently at the training grounds. You may go there.”

“Understood.”

Beyond the Family Head’s residence, past a small bamboo forest, was an open training ground.

Whoosh.

As Yeon Ho-jeong headed to the training ground, he felt a strange vibration rising from his dantian [an area in the lower abdomen considered the center of vital energy]. Even though he hadn’t focused his mind on his inner energy, his true energy was wriggling.

‘Resonance.’

The Flying Swallow Energy seemed to be at a loss. It was as if the true energy itself was scared, yet also excited.

It was because of Yeon-Wi.

Whoooosh.

From Yeon-Wi, who was sitting cross-legged in the center of the training ground, a beautiful auspicious aura was rising.

He had never learned it, but he knew what martial art it was. The sharp and noble atmosphere within the pressure that gripped the entire training ground was the highlight.

‘Sword Extremity Thought Energy.’

Sword Extremity Thought Energy was also one of the Five Great Divine Arts [the most powerful martial arts techniques].

‘Amazing.’

It wasn’t a matter of whether he had achieved mastery or not.

The countless times he had refined his energy had reached a saturation point, then compressed, and the compressed energy had expanded again, filling his entire body.

His understanding of true energy was on a different level than any other martial artist. It was as if he was proclaiming that this was the Family Head of the Yeon family.

Whooosh. Whooosh.

The emanating energy gradually subsided.

“You’ve come.”

He spoke even while circulating his energy.

The moment when a martial artist is most vulnerable is when they are circulating their energy. Because it requires extreme concentration, they become insensitive to external energy, and even a small shock can lead to irreversible consequences.

Yeon-Wi was free from the dangers of circulating energy. The Family Head of the Yeon family’s level was that great.

‘He’s at least not below the Namgoong Family Head.’

He had come to know the level of the Nine Great Sects and the Seven Great Families better than anyone else, having clashed with the White Path. In Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes, his father’s martial arts were among the top in the Seven Great Families.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“Sit here.”

Yeon Ho-jeong stepped onto the training ground.

It was only a small height, but it felt like he was climbing a very high staircase.

Yeon Ho-jeong sat cross-legged in the center of the training ground. It was the same spot where Yeon-Wi had been circulating his energy just now.

“Recite the incantation of the Azure Sky True Art.”

Yeon Ho-jeong calmly recited the incantation.

Yeon-Wi’s eyes gleamed.

“You certainly remember it well.”

“Yes.”

He sat behind Yeon Ho-jeong and placed his hand on his Mingmen acupoint [an acupuncture point located on the lower back].

“Move the Flying Swallow Energy according to the incantation of the Azure Sky True Art. I will help with the changes in true energy.”

Whoooosh.

No sooner had Yeon-Wi finished speaking than Yeon Ho-jeong drew up his Flying Swallow Energy.

Yeon-Wi’s eyebrows twitched.

‘He’s still impatient.’

He understood his feelings. He had been bound by the Flying Swallow Art for ten years, so he would want to learn advanced martial arts right away.

However, with an impatient nature, it is difficult to master divine arts. He had said it yesterday, but it seemed he hadn’t taken it to heart.

Yeon-Wi calmly guided the surging Flying Swallow Energy.

‘Once the energy circulation is over, I’ll give him another stern…’

That’s when it happened.

Whoooosh!

In an instant, the Flying Swallow Energy surged with full power.

The circulation of energy according to Yeon-Wi’s intention was only once. Yet, the Flying Swallow Energy was boiling madly.

‘Danger!’

Krrrrrr!

Yeon-Wi was startled as he tried to control the energy.

The Flying Swallow Energy was coursing through his acupoints at an incredible speed. The speed was faster and more passionate than anyone he had ever seen.

And it was smooth.

It was natural and splendid. It was like watching a raging river flowing along its course.

Whoooosh!!

The Flying Swallow Energy, which had circulated several times with a storm-like force, slowly began to change.

In terms of color, it was like a light green wave turning into a cloudless sky blue. The color of the Azure Sky, a blue net.

It’s changing. The true energy.

Into a higher-dimensional energy, a more dignified energy.

‘Azure Sky True Energy!’

The speed at which the Flying Swallow Energy transformed into Azure Sky True Energy was beyond imagination.

Chiiiiik!

The shape and size of his dantian also changed. It was as if a moderately spacious house was expanding into a palace.

It was an unprecedented surprise. Even Yeon-Wi himself had spent a full fifteen days just on the change of true energy when he transitioned from the Flying Swallow Art to the Sword Extremity Thought Energy. His late father had rarely praised him, saying that it was fast.

His son was different.

In less than half an hour of energy circulation, his son had transformed almost all of his Flying Swallow Energy into Azure Sky True Energy.

‘How can this be?’

After a while.

“Hoo.”

Yeon Ho-jeong, who had been controlling his breathing, slowly gathered his energy.

Yeon-Wi was surprised once more.

‘He’s skillfully gathering his energy. He’s as familiar with it as if he’s been doing it his whole life.’

He had only given it a single push, but the carriage had already gone down the mountain and reached its destination.

‘Amazing.’

Flash!

Yeon Ho-jeong opened his eyes.

A different, intense light was in his eyes. The pupils, which had a subtle blue tint, slowly returned to their original color.

“It’s over.”

“I see.”

“Thank you for your guidance.”

Yeon-Wi stared at his son.

His son showed no sign of joy. He was just endlessly calm.

As if he had expected this to happen.

“You didn’t need my help.”

“Yes.”

It was an honest answer.

“But it was a meaningful moment because I could feel Father’s energy.”

This time, Yeon-Wi couldn’t understand what that meant.

After another moment of silence, Yeon-Wi spoke after half a quarter of an hour.

“You said you know all the incantations of the Five Great Divine Arts?”

“Yes.”

“Among them, the reason you chose the Azure Sky True Art must be for its stability, right?”

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.

“That’s right.”

The Five Great Divine Arts were all martial arts that were neither excessive nor lacking. However, each had its own distinct personality.

Among them, the most majestic yet stable martial art was the Azure Sky True Art. Even if you used your true energy aggressively, the burden on the body was less than with other divine arts.

At the same time, it also had an output that was comparable to the other Four Great Divine Arts. Considering Yeon Ho-jeong’s personality, choosing the Azure Sky True Art was the right choice.

Yeon-Wi hesitated for a rare moment.

He had something to say to his son. But he didn’t know what that something was.

After a while, he nodded and said,

“If you encounter any obstacles, come find me then.”

“Understood.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

There wasn’t as much conversation as yesterday. But the father and son shared much more than they had yesterday.

Yeon Ho-jeong, who was about to bow and leave the training ground, suddenly looked at the weapon display.

There, numerous weapons were displayed.

“Do you train with various weapons?”

“A martial artist should be able to exert the same power as their original martial art even if they are holding just a twig. To do that, you need to understand more about various weapons.”

That was true.

You never know when or by whom you might be killed in the martial world. To survive, you must be able to execute your best martial arts even in the worst moments.

Yeon Ho-jeong had learned that through fighting, and Yeon-Wi had learned it through self-discovery.

“May I take a few?”

“Hmm?”

Yeon-Wi wondered what this amazing son of his would ask for next.

“It doesn’t matter. What will you take?”

“First, a steel staff.”

“A steel staff?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s lips were smiling, but his eyes were filled with an unknown ferocity.

“An axe.”

* * *

“…So, it’s expected to take about six months for everything to heal.”

A middle-aged man looked down at the young woman with splints all over her body and asked,

“What about internal injuries?”

“They’re not as severe as I thought. However, the problem is more with her mental wounds than her internal injuries.”

“Mental wounds?”

“Yes, it seems she’s suffered a great shock. The internal injuries will be taken care of soon, and the external injuries will be healed in half a year, but there’s nothing we can do about the mental shock.”

“I see.”

The middle-aged man, Namgoong In, seemed much calmer than expected.

He patted the doctor’s shoulder.

“She grew up wild, but she’s still a child of the Namgoong family. She should be able to overcome a mental wound. Please do your best to take care of her.”

The doctor bowed, as if honored.

“Of course. It’s just an estimate of half a year, she may recover sooner.”

“I trust you.”

Namgoong In, who had patted the doctor’s shoulder several times, left the medical room.

Namgoong In looked up at the sky for a moment.

A young man approached Namgoong In.

“Father.”

“Hyeon, is that you?”

He was a handsome man whose beauty reached the heavens. Yet, his physique was imposing, creating a mysterious atmosphere.

He was Namgoong In’s second son, Namgoong Hyeon.

“How is Sang-hwa?”

“She was hurt quite badly.”

His father was a man who never exaggerated or boasted in any situation. If his father said she was hurt badly, then she must have been hurt very badly.

Namgoong In shook his head.

“Looking into the details of the incident, it seems Sang-hwa was at fault. I sent her out to learn and grow more, but it seems she’s become worse.”

“She’s always been a vain and arrogant child. It would be good if she could grow from this experience.”

“I think so too.”

“However.”

Namgoong Hyeon’s eyes turned cold.

“Just because she learned the value of life by encountering a robber, it doesn’t mean we have to forgive the robber.”

“The opponent is the Yeon family.”

“It’s just a family that’s only been around for fifty years.”

“It’s a family that turned the Six Great Families into the Seven Great Families in just fifty years. Martial artists aren’t fools. If they didn’t have the qualifications, they wouldn’t have dared to put their name alongside the Six Great Families.”

“No matter how great they are, they touched the Namgoong family.”

“The justification is with the Yeon family.”

Namgoong Hyeon was silent for a moment.

Namgoong In said in a calm tone,

“Your uncle has already apologized.”

“Apologized?”

“Yes.”

The corners of Namgoong Hyeon’s lips curled up.

“Then the Yeon family will let this incident go?”

“They would have done so even if we hadn’t apologized.”

“But since we apologized, they will be relieved.”

“They will.”

“My uncle made a mistake, but he was quick to clean up the mess.”

“If we were going to harass the Yeon family, that’s how it would be.”

Namgoong In looked at Namgoong Hyeon.

Even after seeing his son’s cold eyes, Namgoong In’s expression remained calm. His unchanging expression was similar to Yeon-Wi’s, but it was different in nature.

“Are you planning to endure this, Father?”

“Of course. I have no intention of making a bad move by starting a fight with such a force just because one of my children was harmed.”

He made a cold statement with a kind and calm face.

Namgoong Hyeon smiled even after hearing his father’s words.

“You should. The head of a clan shouldn’t act rashly in such a matter.”

Namgoong In smiled strangely.

“Are you planning to take a trip to Jiangsu Province?”

“How could I? The justification is on their side, there’s no need to rush.”

“Then?”

Namgoong Hyeon asked in a meaningful voice,

“When is the gathering of the younger generation of the Seven Great Families this year?”