Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 964

When the group arrived at the imperial palace, it was past midnight.

The palace guards asked with tense faces,

“Who are you?”

Yeon-wi, representing everyone, handed over the envoy’s visit pass from the Murim Alliance [Martial Arts Alliance].

The guard, after checking the pass, said,

“Please wait a moment.”

Yeon-wi stood there silently.

After a while, Yang Cheon, who was standing some distance away, focused his mind and surveyed the imperial palace.

“…This is.”

Peng Mu-gang asked,

“What is it?”

Yang Cheon’s face was filled with shock. There was a hint of surprise, competitiveness, and even disbelief.

“Incredible. This heat yang energy, what is it…?”

“Heat yang energy, you say?”

Yang Cheon didn’t answer. He was not in the right state of mind to reply.

‘It’s incredible.’

Even before arriving at the imperial palace, he had sensed that there was no particular commotion here. Yeon-wi felt the same.

It was truly strange. They had received word that the Shin-hwa Cult’s [Divine Flower Cult] forces had arrived, yet no fighting had broken out. It was incomprehensible.

The Emperor might have already died without anyone knowing. That was why they had sped up, significantly shortening their travel time.

But no matter how much he thought about it, the Emperor couldn’t have died. He had many experts by his side, and crucially, the Gwanghon Ghost Lord [Ghost Lord of the Wide Soul] was there.

And now.

Upon arriving at the imperial palace, Yang Cheon realized that within the vast palace, larger than most towns, there was an overwhelmingly powerful individual.

‘Even though their energy is barely perceptible.’

They were too far away to feel their presence. Rather, the traces of the evil energy, presumed to be from the Gwanghon Ghost Lord, and the similar heat yang energy were clearly discernible.

However, a faint, very faint strand of energy was caught by Yang Cheon’s sensitive senses.

Yang Cheon was able to sense what the Gwanghon Ghost Lord, Gok Gyeong, had not.

‘Just the concentration of true energy in a small fragment can give such an intense feeling.’

Yang Cheon’s hair writhed wildly, rising towards the sky.

The Black Lion Energy was about to activate on its own. Just sensing the energy was enough to make his whole body tense.

Since his battle with the Saeum Cult Leader [Cult Leader of the New Sound], this was the first time he had felt this level of tension.

‘Could it be?’

A moment later.

“You may enter, but the righteous and demonic alliance forces must remain stationed near the outer walls of the imperial palace.”

“Thank you.”

It seemed they had prepared a place in advance.

Thus, the group entered the imperial palace.

Yeon-wi, Peng Mu-gang, and Yang Cheon separated from the troops and entered the inner palace. They had been summoned by the Emperor.

There was a rule that one should not run within the palace grounds, but such rules were meaningless to the group. The Emperor’s life was at stake, and it was not the time to adhere to every rule.

Guided by a palace guard, the three headed towards the imperial audience chamber.

The more they ran, the more Yeon-wi and Yang Cheon’s faces hardened.

“It’s incredible.”

“Indeed.”

Yeon-wi’s eyes were filled with tension.

“There is a powerful individual similar to the Ghost Lord. They possess a lava-like energy. If a fight breaks out, it seems that only you, senior, can guarantee a certain victory.”

He meant that with his current abilities, he couldn’t guarantee victory.

Yang Cheon shook his head.

“But the real problem is someone else.”

“Yes. It’s hard to describe with words like ‘incredible’.”

Yang Cheon looked at Yeon-wi with surprised eyes.

“You felt it too, Yeon Clan Leader?”

“Faintly… yes. I can feel it.”

“Huh!”

“If the expert with power similar to the Third Army, no, now the Second Army, is like lava, then the owner of this subtle energy possesses a power akin to the sun.”

“You are amazing. I thought it would be hard for you to feel it at your current level, but indeed, the Mind Sword is great.”

“You flatter me.”

Peng Mu-gang cautiously interjected.

“I don’t understand. Who is this problematic person?”

“Who knows who it is, but who else could it be?”

“Could it be?!”

Yeon-wi’s hand instinctively reached for his Imperial Sword.

“I don’t know how the leader of the Shin-hwa Cult is in the imperial audience chamber.”

* * *

Setting down his teacup, the Emperor said,

“How is it?”

“……”

“They are the forces dispatched from the Murim to protect me.”

Gi Cheon-ung, who was sitting comfortably at the bottom of the stairs, sipping tea, smiled.

“They are quite powerful. Two experts have reached the Heavenly Fire Realm, one is incredibly well-trained, and the other possesses a mysterious ability.”

“I should have learned martial arts too. It’s always fascinating. That sensation, I mean.”

“If you had learned martial arts, Your Majesty, you would have become an extraordinary expert.”

A moment later.

“Your Majesty.”

Before the guard could finish speaking, the Emperor said,

“Let them in.”

“By Your Majesty’s command.”

The doors of the audience chamber opened.

Whoosh!

The wind blowing in from outside the door shook the candlesticks inside the audience chamber.

Yeon-wi and Peng Mu-gang prostrated themselves on the spot.

“We pay our respects to His Majesty the Emperor.”

The Emperor smiled.

“It has been a long time since I last saw you.”

“It is an honor to see you again.”

“I feel the same. You have become even more outstanding in the meantime, which I can tell even without knowing martial arts. You have worked hard.”

Gok Gyeong, who was standing behind the Emperor, was also impressed by Yeon-wi. Compared to when he last saw him in the Murim Alliance, the difference was like night and day.

‘A monster father and son.’

And then.

“And you.”

Finally, the Emperor and Yang Cheon looked at each other.

Disrespectfully, Yang Cheon did not prostrate himself. He simply looked at the Emperor with clear eyes.

The Emperor, too, did not feel displeasure at Yang Cheon for not immediately showing respect.

They simply looked into each other’s eyes, trying to sense each other.

The two men’s inexplicable atmosphere was unique, even amidst the gathering of experts who could blow away the entire imperial palace.

How much time had passed?

The Emperor opened his mouth.

“You are the same as ever.”

“……”

“Good eyes. Two eyes that hold candlelight, I can feel the fierce beastliness and the majesty of an absolute being.”

“……”

“I had assumed you would be a manifestation of greed-filled desire, but I truly did not know you would be such a manly expert.”

The Emperor’s words were filled with undisguised admiration.

Only then did Yang Cheon open his mouth.

“A wise ruler who ascended to the throne with heaven-sent talent and worked for the people without resting on his laurels, but from one day, he indulged in debauchery and neglected state affairs, turning into a dark ruler whom the civil and military officials lamented.”

Yeon-wi and Peng Mu-gang’s eyes trembled.

Interest arose on the Emperor’s face, and a strange smile appeared on Gi Cheon-ung’s face, who had not turned around.

Yang Cheon continued calmly.

“However, he, who had evaded the eyes of enemies that a dark ruler could not overcome, finally realized that the time had come, shed the filth he had been wearing, and returned to the light, regaining the qualities of a heaven-sent ruler to re-establish peace and order in the endless world.”

“……”

“Many people say that about Your Majesty.”

Peng Mu-gang cursed inwardly.

It was neither formal nor informal. It was a moment where a fiery shout could have erupted at any moment.

But surprisingly.

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“Then, setting aside the evaluations of the world, what kind of person do you see me as?”

“I cannot evaluate someone I have not even had a proper conversation with.”

Yang Cheon called him a person.

The Son of Heaven was a god sent by heaven. To call such a person a mere human in this place was blasphemous.

But again, the Emperor smiled and accepted Yang Cheon’s words.

“At our level, can’t we see a rough sketch of what kind of person the other is without conversation?”

“Has Your Majesty reached such a level?”

“It has been decades. It is also why I could become a dark ruler.”

“……”

“So, do you not have that eye?”

Yang Cheon, who had been quietly looking at the Emperor, slowly prostrated himself.

“Yang Cheon, the Vice Chief of the Mukryong Division [Black Dragon Division] of the Black Demonic Murim Alliance in the southern part of the continent, pays his respects to the master of the Empire.”

“Hahahaha!”

The Emperor burst into loud laughter.

To him, Yang Cheon’s bold and quick acknowledgment was like a sweet gift, more delightful than heavenly nectar.

“When Yeon Ho-jeong, that young hero, suddenly discussed marriage, I was briefly annoyed, thinking that he was trying to use me.”

“……”

“However, seeing the talent who will become the imperial son-in-law like this, it seems that even tens of thousands of gold and hundreds of thousands of acres of land would not be enough to give to the Gangdong Yeon Clan. Seeing is believing, I have clearly seen that the head of the Black Demonic Murim is a giant born of the times.”

If Yang Cheon’s evaluation greatly pleased the Emperor, the Emperor’s evaluation was more than enough to make Yang Cheon’s heart flutter.

A meeting of giants. As they acknowledged each other, the tense atmosphere of the audience chamber was instantly filled with a heavy softness.

“You may rise.”

The three rose from their seats.

“There is no need for long words. I am not one to adhere to formalities in such a place, so make yourselves comfortable, though not as if you are in your own home.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than the three stepped forward.

Slowly and calmly.

But with steps that were never careless.

A blue aura flickered in Yeon-wi’s eyes.

Thump, thump.

Below the dragon throne, he saw a fair-skinned man with golden hair, dressed in white, sitting comfortably and drinking tea.

Even though they were getting closer step by step, he seemed to be growing twice, three times larger in his vision.

The person himself was large. The feeling of being detached from the world made his presence seem even larger.

That was how the golden-haired man appeared in Yeon-wi’s eyes. And although not as much as Yeon-wi, Peng Mu-gang could also tell at a glance that the man before him was extraordinary.

Yang Cheon was different.

‘It’s burning.’

In Yang Cheon’s eyes, the golden-haired man in white was not a person but a fire.

A huge fire was constantly surging, changing colors from moment to moment. The closer he got, the more he felt a burning heat on his face.

They saw different things, but the three could sense it.

The identity of that formidable foe, no, the identity of that giant.

“Impressive.”

Thud.

The fingers that set down the teacup were as delicate as they could be called, despite having the large bones of a Westerner.

“Battles between those who have reached this level are decided in an instant. One could reach an even higher level, but one mistake could erase all the effort they have put in. Nevertheless, I thought that the three Heavenly Fire Hands of the Central Plains could handle it alone.”

The voice that flowed out was low and intense.

Yet, it was also soft, and the moment it penetrated the ear, it released the strength of the limbs. It was a strange voice.

“I was wrong. If all the Heavenly Fire Hands of the Central Plains are like you, then it would have been impossible with just our cult’s forces. There must be a reason why the evil spirits of Gwanghyeol [Wide Blood] and Saeum have been making a fuss about laying the groundwork for decades.”

He slowly turned his head.

“If it’s the two of you, I can’t be careless, or my life could be in danger. I’ve heard since I was young that the power of the Central Plains Murim is like lava, but I never thought I would realize it like this.”

Swoosh.

The Shin-hwa Cult Leader slowly rose and turned his body.

Still barefoot, his white muscles were fully exposed through his loose front. His body blocked the dragon throne. The bright candlesticks on either side of the dragon throne made his golden hair look like a lion’s mane.

Yeon-wi said in a heavy voice,

“Shin-hwa Cult Leader.”

Gi Cheon-ung nodded.

“I am Gi Cheon-ung.”

Yeon-wi raised his Imperial Sword.

He didn’t draw it, but his hand on the hilt was ready for a lightning-fast draw at any moment.

Gi Cheon-ung’s blue eyes darkened.

“Will you draw it?”

Yeon-wi’s answer was the highlight.

“Why don’t you try dying?”