Monochrome Sovereign (Novel) - Chapter 107 - You Have to Lift Your Head to See the Sky (1)

Chapter 107 – You Have to Lift Your Head to See the Sky (1)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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The movement speed of Yeon Ho-jeong and Muk Bi was incredibly fast. The reason they moved so excessively fast, even though there was no need to, was entirely because of Yeon Ho-jeong.

“Huu. Even I am getting exhausted.”

Yeon Ho-jeong glanced at Muk Bi.

Muk Bi had quite a relaxed complexion. However, seeing her slightly leaning against a tree unlike usual, it seemed she was indeed tired.

“It seems your legs are trembling too, right?”

Muk Bi furrowed her brows.

“It was my first time running for this long. We didn’t rest even once, right?”

“That is how you train.”

“They say too much is as bad as too little.”

“You have to know how much is too much to say that. I still have a long way to go.”

Was he saying that sincerely?

Muk Bi felt earnestness from Yeon Ho-jeong’s face. Then again, that human had never not been serious when it came to martial arts.

Muk Bi felt an inward shudder.

‘He truly is a monster, a monster.’

From the perspective of Muk Bi, who was a master of lightness arts, Yeon Ho-jeong’s realm in lightness arts was still far off.

However, his learning speed was phenomenally fast. It seemed like he already possessed the most important core principles of lightness arts from the start, but even considering that, it was too fast.

‘At first, he was no different from a turtle.’

His speed increased by the day. Initially, a thudding sound was heard every time he kicked off the ground, but now he was as nimble and light as a moving cat.

‘Moreover, that internal energy operation…’

The better the lightness art, the more it pursues maximum efficiency with minimal internal energy.

The lightness art Yeon Ho-jeong learned was the same. The Heaven-Sent Moving Flight, the best lightness art of the Yeon Clan, was as high in level as the sword techniques the Yeon Clan possessed.

‘His accomplishment isn’t that high. Yet, he is already showing an operation with a minimal amount of internal energy.’

His accomplishment in the lightness art itself wasn’t outstanding, but through extremely efficient internal energy operation, he achieved both fast speed and tremendous stamina simultaneously.

If Yeon Ho-jeong were to master the Heaven-Sent Moving Flight, he might be even faster than her.

‘His understanding of Qi is incredibly outstanding.’

Indeed, that was why he became such a monster at a younger age than her. He was a person for whom the expression ‘Internal Master’ suited perfectly.

“It can’t be helped. We don’t have much further to go, but should we rest a little before going?”

“Were you not planning to rest then?”

“Your voice has become quite sharp.”

“I am hungry.”

Since they had been running around for days drinking only water, it was understandable.

Yeon Ho-jeong untied the bundle he had tied to the shaft of the Crazy Dragon Axe. Inside the bundle, it was full of cold rice balls, jerky, and fasting pills.

“Here, let’s eat.”

The two of them ate deliciously, munching and chewing. Although it was cold food, hunger was the best sauce, and it was so delicious that it brought tears to their eyes.

When their stomachs were somewhat full, Muk Bi asked.

“Are you also going to see Ji-pyeong?”

“Huh? Ji-pyeong?”

“Yes.”

Yeon Ho-jeong blinked.

“What do you mean see Ji-pyeong? What does that mean?”

“He is in Zhejiang, Pyeong.”

“Oh? He was?”

“You didn’t know?”

“I didn’t know. I heard from Father that he was sent to an acquaintance along with the Flying Eagle Squad…”

Muk Bi felt dumbfounded by Yeon Ho-jeong’s indifference.

“I heard it was somewhere in Zhejiang… some mountain.”

“Moganshan?”

“Ah, right. Moganshan, he said he was going there.”

Interest arose on Yeon Ho-jeong’s face.

“Moganshan… It’s not far.”

Murong Yu was in Shaoxing, which was further south than that. Zhejiang Shaoxing was precisely the headquarters of the Murong Clan’s Zhejiang branch.

‘It’s closer from here.’

If they moved west along the mountain path from their current location, Moganshan would appear.

Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.

“He must have been sent because there was a task. We just need to focus on our task.”

“I see.”

“Why? Do you miss Ji-pyeong?”

Muk Bi smiled, which was rare.

“He’s cute, isn’t he.”

Over the past two months, Muk Bi and Yeon Ji-pyeong had become quite close. That was entirely due to Yeon Ji-pyeong’s sociability.

By now, the two were practically like brother and sister. In fact, Muk Bi had even overseen Yeon Ji-pyeong’s lightness arts.

Muk Bi found Yeon Wi difficult to deal with. Naturally, checking the lightness arts of Yeon Ji-pyeong, who was directly taught by Yeon Wi, required great courage.

It was a point that showed how much she cared for Yeon Ji-pyeong.

“Well, let’s drop by once we finish our work and head back. If we can see him then, let’s go together.”

“Should we?”

“Yeah.”

“…Hehe.”

Yeon Ho-jeong made a strange expression as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have.

“What is that unimaginably wicked smile?”

“Why.”

“Did you learn it from Ji-pyeong?”

“…”

“It was cute when Ji-pyeong smiled.”

It meant that even if she smiled like that, it wasn’t cute. Muk Bi felt an urge to punch Yeon Ho-jeong.

“If you get a hole in your head while sleeping, just know that I did it.”

“If there’s a wind hole in my head, would I even be able to think?”

“Just know it was me.”

Yeon Ho-jeong giggled.

Muk Bi was not the Muk Bi he knew in the past. Seeing her different from the past, he kept wanting to throw jokes at her.

But that was only for a moment.

“Since we rested, shall we get up?”

“Already?”

“There isn’t much left. It’s roughly half a day more to Hangzhou. I contacted the Beggars’ Gang, so they should have prepared a good accommodation.”

Muk Bi grumbled while massaging her thighs.

“We are resting for a long time once we arrive, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Understood. Let’s go then.”

Teoeoeong!

The two of them unfolded their lightness arts once again.

Half a day later, they were able to enter Hangzhou.

“…!”

Muk Bi’s mouth dropped wide open.

Yeon Ho-jeong lightly patted her shoulder.

“Why are you spacing out like that?”

“It, it’s amazing!”

Hangzhou was beautiful.

It was the same when viewed from afar, but as they entered inside, the atmosphere the city of Hangzhou gave off overwhelmed people. There were actually many people, making it hard to walk even at the time of sunset.

If there were many people on the streets, it should have felt stuffy and noisy, but even that bustle became a charm. Muk Bi was thoroughly engrossed in the mystery that Hangzhou provided.

“I thought you hated crowded places.”

“Wow…”

“Wipe the drool off your chin.”

“Sseub.”

“Stop making a fuss and let’s go to the accommodation.”

“A, accommodation?”

“Then? Are you not going to go?”

“No, we have to go.”

She wanted to rest, and she also wanted to immerse herself more in this atmosphere. Hangzhou had a magical power that made one forget even their fatigue.

A moment later, the two arrived at a place where huge buildings were gathered.

Muk Bi had a face as if her soul would fly away.

On the other hand, Yeon Ho-jeong’s expression was strange.

“Lake Fresh Great Joy Tower. So it’s here?”

It was a specialty of Hangzhou said to have been built over a hundred years ago.

However, it was a tavern that Yeon Ho-jeong had never seen before.

‘So it had this appearance.’

When he stopped by Hangzhou during his Dark Emperor days, the Lake Fresh Great Joy Tower did not exist. Because it had collapsed after being swept up in a massive bloody incident.

He was able to see the best tavern of Hangzhou, which he hadn’t seen in the past, by returning to an even further past.

‘…’

The reason this tavern remained in his memory was because of ‘that guy’.

That guy, who was one of the Five Great Divine Generals, had three wishes. One of them was precisely to stay at the Lake Fresh Great Joy Tower for a year.

He used to sing songs about how much he wanted to go, but he himself had ended up coming first.

Yeon Ho-jeong closed his eyes.

‘Will I be able to meet those guys too?’

It was unknown. Muk Bi was lucky to have met like this, but there was no guarantee that the other Five Great Divine Generals would be the same.

The reason being, three of the Five Great Divine Generals were ruffians from the back alleys of the Unorthodox Path.

The life of an Unorthodox Path person was like floating duckweed. They lived here and then drifted there, and sometimes lived there and then returned here.

‘I should look into it once this task is over.’

Their talents were outstanding. It seemed it would be better to meet them early like Muk Bi, train them, and prepare for the future.

Folding his thoughts, Yeon Ho-jeong pulled Muk Bi.

“Let’s go in.”

“Yes!”

She was full of spirit.

As the two entered, a waiter approached immediately.

“Welcome!”

It was the same on the streets of Hangzhou, but the waiter here also didn’t mind looking at Yeon Ho-jeong and Muk Bi.

Yeon Ho-jeong was holding an incredibly huge axe, and Muk Bi was holding a red bow. Although there were many martial artists in the world, such a combination was rare.

Yet, there was no surprise in the eyes looking at the two.

“How may I serve you?”

“The Beggars’ Gang, Hangzhou Branch Leader should have reserved two rooms under the name Yeon Ho-jeong.”

It was then.

“Tiger General of Green Mountain?!”

The bustling first floor of the tavern instantly quieted down.

The person who was emptying their wine cup with a hearty laugh, the person who was intoxicated by delicious food, and the person quietly drinking tea.

All of them looked at Yeon Ho-jeong.

“Gasp! The axe is huge!”

“No, by the way, didn’t someone say Tiger General of Green Mountain?”

“Tiger General of Green Mountain? Yeon Ho-jeong?”

“It’s the Eldest Young Master of the Yeon Clan!”

The sudden silence disappeared just as quickly, and splendid exclamations poured out from everywhere.

Yeon Ho-jeong furrowed his brows.

‘Goodness.’

There is a limit to not caring about people’s eyes. With nearly two hundred people looking this way with surprised eyes, even he couldn’t help but feel burdened.

The waiter, as if noticing Yeon Ho-jeong’s feelings, bowed his head.

“Actually, I received a contact two shichen ago. I will guide you.”

He said he received contact two shichen ago. It meant they knew as soon as he entered Hangzhou.

Indeed, the eyes of the Beggars’ Gang were incomparably sharp.

The man and woman avoided people’s eyes and entered the backyard of the Lake Fresh Tower. It was a splendid space meant only for VIPs.

As soon as they entered their accommodation, the two cleanly washed up and came out wearing the martial arts uniforms prepared in advance.

A middle-aged man who had been waiting outside bowed his head.

“I will guide you to the top floor. Please follow me.”

Muk Bi looked at Yeon Ho-jeong as if she felt uncomfortable.

Yeon Ho-jeong let out a fake cough.

“Just accept it.”

Indeed, a famous tavern was different. It seemed Muk Bi found this kind of treatment awkward.

Thus, the two reached the top floor.

“Uheok!”

Muk Bi’s mouth dropped wide open.

Yeon Ho-jeong quietly muttered.

“They plastered it with gold.”

In reality, it wasn’t plastered with gold. But it was so luxurious that such words popped out involuntarily.

Moreover, the scenery seen through the window was truly a fairyland. West Lake, which was not large but discussed as the best in the Central Plains for its beauty, could be clearly seen.

‘Qin Yang, I understand why that guy wanted to come so much.’

If luxury was excessive, it tended to be burdensome, but this place was not.

“Please sit here.”

The middle-aged man guided the two to a window seat. It was the best seat on the top floor, where the scenery of West Lake could be seen the best.

As he sat down, Yeon Ho-jeong suddenly realized that one of the gazes directed at him was quite strange.

Since there were so many people looking, he had just let it be, but this gaze was different. It was a gaze where intense energy could be felt.

Calmly standing his axe to one side, he turned his head.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes shone.

‘Murong Yeon-hwa?!’

Murong Yeon-hwa was seated with a dozen men and women. They were young people who appeared to be in their twenties and thirties.

‘Why is she here?’

The Lake Fresh Great Joy Tower, especially the top floor, was not a place one could come just because they had a lot of money. A reputation matching the money was necessary.

Of course, if it was Murong Yeon-hwa, she naturally would be able to ascend to the top floor. The problem was why she was here precisely now.

A moment later, Murong Yeon-hwa stood up from her seat and approached Yeon Ho-jeong.

“I never thought we would meet here again.”

Murong Yeon-hwa wore a bright smile.

“How long has it been, for us?”

…This is a bit dangerous.