Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 91

After the interrogation, Go Pyeong collapsed, bleeding.

The two had learned a great deal from him. More precisely, Baek Gung-Cheon had done most of the work, with Yeon Ho-Jeong occasionally assisting.

After learning the truth, Baek Gung-Cheon seemed utterly devastated.

“…I’ve been deceived.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face showed a hint of discomfort.

Normally, someone who had been deceived would be furious. But Baek Gung-Cheon was not. He seemed completely lost, as if he had given up entirely.

“I… because of me, Ga Ryeong…”

Baek Ga-Ryeong was Baek Gung-Cheon’s daughter.

The Gwigungsu [Guardian of the Palace] of Gwanil Valley could not marry or have children. Because the divine is a symbol of perfection, they should not form relationships with worldly people.

However, Baek Gung-Cheon had secretly formed a relationship with a woman from the secular world. It seemed he had only learned about his daughter recently.

And that his daughter was ill.

It was during the competition that he learned about his daughter’s existence and illness. That was why Baek Gung-Cheon had caused such a commotion.

Yeon Ho-Jeong opened a box placed on the bed. Inside were several black pills.

These were the pills Go Pyeong had given to Baek Gung-Cheon. To be precise, they were not medicine but poison.

In other words, the fact that Baek Gung-Cheon did not have much time left was also because of Go Pyeong, or rather, the person behind him.

“Baek So-Gyeong, was it? The one who sent that swindler to you.”

“……”

“I didn’t know that being a Yeshin [a high-ranking position in Gwanil Valley] was such a coveted position that you would resort to such trickery.”

Baek Gung-Cheon looked up at Yeon Ho-Jeong.

His expression was blank. He seemed to have lost his mind.

He had been deceived by a swindler sent by a competitor, putting himself and his daughter in danger. It would have been difficult for even a trained martial artist to endure such a blow to their mental fortitude.

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had been quietly looking down at him, asked abruptly,

“How about you?”

“……”

“Is your daughter more important, or is winning the competition more important?”

In an instant, Baek Gung-Cheon’s eyes flashed with a fierce light. It was as if he had become a different person.

“I never wanted to be a Yeshin! I just wanted to… to take care of my daughter in place of my dead wife!”

He couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence.

Yeon Ho-Jeong nodded.

“Take me to your daughter.”

“…What?”

“I need to see her condition to know if she can be saved or not.”

Baek Gung-Cheon’s eyes widened.

“What, what did you say? You can save Ga Ryeong?!”

“I didn’t say I could save her. I need to see her condition first.”

“You, are you perhaps a doctor?”

“I’m not the one who will treat her. I don’t know if he’ll even come if I call him. But we should try everything we can, right?”

Baek Gung-Cheon’s face brightened.

“Th-thank you! If Ga Ryeong’s illness is cured, I’ll give you my life…!”

“I don’t need your worthless life. Instead, do me a favor.”

“Of course! Of course!”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled faintly.

“The deal is sealed.”

Baek Ga-Ryeong was a girl who was not even ten years old.

After examining Baek Ga-Ryeong’s condition, Yeon Ho-Jeong realized that the child’s condition was quite bad, but not immediately life-threatening.

He immediately went to the local branch of the Beggars’ Union.

“Send a renowned physician to the north end room on the second floor of Cheongsaru. It’s for a young child. Tell them to prepare in advance as she has severe internal injuries.”

“Understood.”

“I have somewhere to go for a while, so please assign someone trustworthy to watch over her.”

“Don’t worry.”

“And send this letter to the Jeagal family. It’s urgent as well. It needs to be as fast as possible.”

The person Yeon Ho-Jeong wanted to call was none other than the Tongcheon Divine Physician [a highly skilled and renowned doctor].

A physician of Tongcheon Divine Physician’s caliber was not someone you could call just anyone. Since he had examined his body at Jeagal Ayeon’s request, he intended to ask for his help again this time.

Having taken care of the arrangements, Yeon Ho-Jeong came out with Baek Gung-Cheon.

“Cough!”

Baek Gung-Cheon coughed roughly. He didn’t cough up blood, but his complexion was extremely pale.

Yeon Ho-Jeong sighed.

“Just tell me the location and wait here.”

“I’m finished.”

“……”

“I don’t know how my body got into this state, but I know one thing. I don’t have much time left.”

“…Okay.”

“If I had taken the medicine he gave me, my lifespan would have been shortened even more. It’s a relief.”

“The pain will be severe. That medicine, I don’t know much about it, but it seemed to have excellent pain-relieving effects.”

“But it would shorten my life even more.”

“……”

“Considering the pain my daughter has endured, it’s not even a scratch. And… I can’t forgive them.”

“Was it Baek So-Gyeong?”

“If they had only touched me, I wouldn’t have cared, but they touched my daughter. Baek So-Gyeong is mine.”

“You can do whatever you want with her. But before that.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flashed.

“Just guide me to where Baek Hyang is.”

“…Understood.”

And so, the two of them headed towards Anhui’s Mount Bagong.

Paah!

Baek Gung-Cheon’s movement technique was astonishing.

Even though his body was not in good condition, he was as agile as a bird soaring through the sky. It was an efficient movement that minimized the consumption of internal energy while maintaining speed.

Baek Gung-Cheon glanced sideways.

Yeon Ho-Jeong was running with a frown. There was nothing wrong with his breathing, but it seemed difficult for him to go any faster.

“That’s strange.”

“What is?”

He spoke while using a rather fast movement technique. Baek Gung-Cheon was able to do this because of his high level of movement technique, and Yeon Ho-Jeong was able to do this because of his tremendous stamina.

“Your martial arts were very combat-oriented. Honestly, they seemed no less than the Nine Dragons Breaking Heaven Bow [a powerful martial arts technique].”

“……”

“But your movement technique is not good. Are you just running with your internal energy?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong clicked his tongue.

“My stamina is good enough, so it’s fine.”

“Stamina is finite. Movement techniques are useful.”

“You’re right. I should have learned a useful movement technique.”

“Shall I teach you one?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong was inwardly surprised.

“You’re going to teach me a movement technique?”

“Is there a problem?”

“Why?”

Baek Gung-Cheon tilted his head as if Yeon Ho-Jeong’s question was strange.

“Thanks to you, I can call a good doctor. I also found out that old man Go was a swindler. Since I received a favor, shouldn’t I pay the price?”

It was true, but…

‘What’s with this guy?’

Come to think of it, he didn’t even know that Go Pyeong was a swindler.

For a master of Baek Gung-Cheon’s level, it shouldn’t be a problem to discern whether someone’s words are false or true. At the very least, he should have been suspicious.

Yet, he was deceived. So easily.

Not only that, even if he had given up on himself, after experiencing such a thing, he should not have dismissed his doubts about himself.

Nevertheless, Baek Gung-Cheon did not doubt Yeon Ho-Jeong. He was just expressing endless gratitude.

And on top of that, he was even offering to teach him a movement technique. It was something he could do for someone who had saved his life, but it was still something he could hesitate to do.

‘He has no experience.’

Only now did Yeon Ho-Jeong realize the reason for Baek Gung-Cheon’s foolish innocence.

‘He’s hardly ever been out in the world. He knows about it, but he hasn’t experienced it.’

He had never been deceived, never been attacked for no reason, and never even been in a fight.

He was literally transparent. He had only trained in martial arts his whole life and had no proper social experience, so this was how he acted.

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled.

“I’ll decline.”

“Why?”

“I’m planning to find a movement technique that suits my body and learn it. I appreciate your offer, but I’m fine.”

“But…”

“Tell me when you need to speed up. I’m confident in my stamina.”

Baek Gung-Cheon nodded.

“Understood.”

How long had they been running?

“I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“How do you know Baek Hyang?”

“……”

“Not only that, you knew about the Dragon Fang Cannon. The Dragon Fang Cannon is one of the secret techniques of the Nine Dragons Palace, and no one but the people of Gwanil Valley can know about it.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong shook his head.

“That’s something I can’t tell you.”

“Understood.”

Unexpectedly, Baek Gung-Cheon didn’t say anything else. He didn’t want to make his benefactor uncomfortable.

Yeon Ho-Jeong thought as he watched him.

‘He’s completely given up on it.’

He had given up on Gwanil Valley. There was no way he would react like this otherwise.

‘That’s strange.’

It was a place he had devoted his life to, yet he was so coldly giving up on it. It seemed that Gwanil Valley was not a very good group.

Yeon Ho-Jeong stopped thinking about Gwanil Valley. Anyway, what was important now was Muk Bi, or rather, Baek Hyang.

And so, a day passed.

The two climbed a ridge of Mount Bagong.

“It’s over there.”

Baek Gung-Cheon pointed to a relatively low peak.

“I don’t know if she’s still there.”

“If she’s not, there’s nothing we can do. Thanks for the guide.”

“It’s nothing.”

“And…”

“Speak.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong sighed.

“I understand your situation, but you killed a Beggars’ Union member. And the Beggars’ Union will call someone to heal your daughter.”

“……”

“If you’re still alive after your revenge, go and apologize.”

Baek Gung-Cheon nodded.

“If I’m still alive by then, I will definitely do so. If I die…”

“I’ll tell them. But it would be better if you could do it yourself.”

“Thank you.”

At that moment.

Bang! Ku-gu-gung.

The two turned their eyes to the source of the loud noise.

They could see several trees exploding into pieces. It was an incredibly long distance, but it was visible even to the eyes of ordinary people. That was how large the trees were.

Not only that.

Ku-gu-gung! Crack!

It seemed as if dozens of killing intents were intersecting, and then a whirlwind blew to the left and right, smashing trees and rocks to pieces.

It was an incredible destructive power. It was a powerful archery using internal energy.

Baek Gung-Cheon’s face was filled with surprise.

“Nine Dragons Archery!”

Paah!

Yeon Ho-Jeong descended the mountain at a terrifying speed.

After hesitating for a moment, Baek Gung-Cheon also leaped after Yeon Ho-Jeong. It was because Baek So-Gyeong might be there.

Pa-ba-ba-bak!

Even though he had started late, he quickly caught up with Yeon Ho-Jeong. No matter how much Yeon Ho-Jeong had neglected his movement technique, it was a speed that made his jaw drop.

At that moment, a red fire energy burst from Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body like the sun.

Bang! Kwa-kwang! Bang!

Each time he kicked off the ground, a tremendous explosion resounded. The distance between him and Baek Gung-Cheon widened again.

Baek Gung-Cheon’s eyes widened.

‘That movement technique?’

No, it wasn’t a movement technique, it was a footwork.

It was the footwork he had shown when he killed the Beggars’ Union member who was a witness. Within the combat area, it seemed even faster than the Dragon Flight Instant Movement [a very fast movement technique].

To use such footwork in succession and charge forward.

‘His internal energy is incredible. So that’s why he said he wouldn’t accept a movement technique.’

Paah!

Baek Gung-Cheon also increased his speed. He quickly followed behind Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Then, at some point, Baek Gung-Cheon overtook Yeon Ho-Jeong. Using the Blood Wing Soaring Heaven [a powerful movement technique] in succession would consume a lot of internal energy, so he was controlling his stamina and internal energy.

But it was okay. The two were now almost at the battlefield.

Bang! Kwa-ji-jik!

A small rock floated into the air, then smashed into several trees and fell to the ground.

Pat!

Baek Gung-Cheon kicked off the rolling rock and soared into the air. It was a movement as light as a feather.

Kwaang!

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had smashed the rock with a brutal fist force, charged straight ahead.

At that moment, Baek Gung-Cheon’s lion’s roar was heard from somewhere he could no longer see.

“Baek So-Gyeong!!”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flashed.

The Vermilion Bird energy that had been warming his heart suddenly contracted.

Flash!

Yeon Ho-Jeong instantly covered a distance of twenty yards and climbed up the mountain ridge.

He looked at the battlefield where dozens of giant trees had fallen and been devastated.

Baek Gung-Cheon was firing his great bow at a terrifying speed.

A middle-aged woman was dodging all the arrows with incredible evasion skills.

And in a corner, hidden behind an unbroken giant tree, a woman was drawing the string of her horn bow.

“Muk Bi!”