Monochrome Sovereign (Novel) - Chapter 110 - You Have to Lift Your Head to See the Sky (4)

Chapter 110 – You Have to Lift Your Head to See the Sky (4)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Even while his body stiffened in surprise, Murong Yu could be certain of one thing.

He was someone difficult to handle.

He was not a person to be looked down upon just because he was young. His voice, the spirit he exuded, and his brilliantly shining eyes proved that he was a Master of a Generation.

An indescribable shock was engraved on Murong Yu’s face.

‘Why did I only see this now?’

An honest question arose, and at the same time, he found the answer.

‘It’s because he is the Eldest Young Master of the Green Mountain Yeon Clan.’

Mad Wind Lion, Tiger General of Green Mountain.

A hot-blooded young master who once tried to single-handedly face the Nine States Myeong Clan, which was renowned as the Number One Clan under Heaven.

A rare warrior who received the martial power of the Myeong Clan with his fiery Heart of Chivalry and Righteousness and tiger-like outstanding bravery.

The impression the world had of Yeon Ho-jeong was like that. And Murong Yu, upon hearing the rumors about him, was able to paint a picture of him in his head even without ever having met him.

‘I was wrong.’

That’s right.

He was wrong, and it was completely different. Murong Yu only now realized that the Yeon Ho-jeong he imagined and the actual Yeon Ho-jeong were poles apart.

‘He is an extraordinary person. So excessively extraordinary that I feel a sense of incompatibility!’

How extraordinary was he?

He was such an extraordinary person that he would seriously utter the words “Number One under Heaven.”

“Stand at the peak of the Orthodox Murim? W-What do you mean by that?”

“I meant exactly what I said.”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes deepened.

“The Orthodox Murim Alliance. I am saying you should become the Leader of the Murim Alliance and seize the world.”

Murong Yu’s mouth opened and closed.

He was a person who suddenly came and easily spat out shocking words. Murong Yu realized that his cognitive ability was struggling to keep up with Yeon Ho-jeong’s words.

Seeing Murong Yu’s face stained with shock, Yeon Ho-jeong smiled without realizing it.

‘He’s naive.’

His expression was quite a sight. Despite possessing both martial talent and business acumen, and having the discerning eye to see through people’s truths and falsehoods, he had a mild disposition.

Such a person was hard to find. Even though he must have experienced enough of the world’s chaos while serving as the Zhejiang Branch Leader, he maintained his honest and straightforward nature well.

His nature was mild and kind. He lacked decisiveness, but he was too attractive a person to turn away just because he lacked that one thing.

“Even if you suddenly say such a thing…”

Yeon Ho-jeong nodded his head.

“I am sorry for flustering you. It was a joke.”

Murong Yu spoke with a face that seemed to say he knew it.

“It was an excessive joke. Asking me if I have any thoughts of becoming the Murim Alliance Leader? It’s an excessively dangerous remark, so even if you go somewhere else…”

“What are you talking about?”

“…?”

“The part I said was a joke was the part about receiving Murong Jun’s apology through you. My thought that you should become the Murim Alliance Leader remains unchanged.”

Murong Yu spoke with a shocked voice.

“That was sincere?”

“That’s right.”

At first, he tried to approach slowly.

He tried to build a friendship and overcome various matters. He thought of naturally creating a friendship, fanning his ambition, and making him the Murim Alliance Leader.

However, Yeon Ho-jeong folded that thought.

He was not a person to be swayed by a forcibly created friendship. Furthermore, it was something that did not suit Yeon Ho-jeong’s personality.

If he had marked him as the material for the Murim Alliance Leader anyway, he would just grab him by the hair and run.

When he thought it was absolutely impossible, when he judged that the losses would outweigh the gains.

He could just give up right then.

‘If I weigh this and that, I will only lose a good talent. Now is the time to be bold.’

Murong Yu shook his head.

“I will pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“Do you not like it?”

“It’s not a matter of liking it or not. The Murim Alliance Leader? That’s nonsense. I will consider it a harsh prank you played to lighten the mood.”

It was then.

Tsu-tsu-tsu-tsu.

Murong Yu flinched.

Woooooong.

A terrifyingly cold energy erupted from Yeon Ho-jeong’s body.

It was a terrifyingly intense momentum. An energy as hot as fire, as intimidating as a storm, and as despairing as an overflowing flood tightly bound Murong Yu.

‘Heup!’

Murong Yu’s eyes trembled.

Yeon Ho-jeong spoke in a cold voice.

“Do I look like a person who has the leisure to run a thousand li just to play a prank?”

“…!!”

“If that’s truly how I looked in your eyes, then I have nothing more to say. I will consider that I misjudged you.”

Radiating a terrifying energy, he said he had misjudged the person.

Since the content was so shocking, it would be better to just let him go back like this. Murong Yu thought so.

However, he could not turn his head away from Yeon Ho-jeong’s gaze.

Because of the chilling eyes, the signs of disappointment cast in the light of his eyes where blue lightning struck.

Because he knew what it meant for a person to be disappointed in another person, Murong Yu had no choice but to open his mouth.

“I… am not a person fit to sit in such a grandiose position.”

“I think so too.”

“T-Then why?”

“You aren’t right now.”

“…?!”

“Let’s drop the trivial talk. I saw potential in you. You are weak enough to turn a blind eye to the faults of your flesh and blood, but if it’s you who endures it not out of fear but because they are your flesh and blood, I think you are perfectly suited for the position of the Murim Alliance Leader.”

Murong Yu’s face was filled with shock.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes deepened.

“I will tell you one thing. I cannot be certain because the flow of the times has changed, but a great tribulation will occur in the Central Plains within the next twenty years.”

“A great tribulation…?”

“That’s right. That tribulation is so great that it will sweep away the entire Central Plains. Blood will flow like a river, and death will pour down like a rain shower. Their power is that strong.”

Murong Yu’s eyes deepened.

‘Within twenty years? They? A great tribulation?’

It was all talk that was hard to understand.

If it hadn’t been for Yeon Ho-jeong’s convinced eyes, he might have just dismissed it as absolute nonsense.

“Even just one of them is at that level. If all three resolve themselves and burst out, then no one will be able to stop them. At least with the power of the current Murim, it cannot be stopped.”

“Three?!”

“Three Cults of Fanaticism. The bastards who will become the great enemies of the Central Plains are called that.”

It was a name he had never heard before.

Murong Yu felt his head suddenly grow dizzy.

“It is up to you whether you believe it or not. But keep this one thing in mind. If you don’t prepare from now on, I guarantee you will absolutely never be able to stop them.”

“That is…”

“Shall I put it more simply? It means your family members will die too.”

“…!!”

Murong Yu’s eyes wavered.

Yeon Ho-jeong continued speaking in a calm voice.

“I am not a good person. I feel no agitation at the deaths of others I do not know. However, if the life and death of my family is on the line, the story changes.”

“…”

“That is why I came to you. Because I know that you would suit the position of the Murim Alliance Leader better than anyone else.”

He brought up the death of family. Now, he could no longer end this conversation as a prank.

Murong Yu, who had fallen into thought for a moment, soon opened his mouth.

“Let’s summarize.”

“…”

“Your purpose for coming to me is to make me the Murim Alliance Leader. The reason is that you think I am suitable material for the Alliance Leader, and furthermore, it is to prepare for the enemies who will invade the Central Plains in the future. Is that correct?”

“You summarized it well.”

“If so, I want you to understand that I cannot help but feel absurdity at this summarized statement.”

“I understand. But I am serious.”

“I know. If you hadn’t come out this seriously, I would have immediately ended this conversation.”

There are bound to be ears everywhere in the world. This Zhejiang branch was the same.

He had made everyone his people, but what if that wasn’t the case? What if an outstanding master capable of deceiving his senses was eavesdropping on this conversation?

Then things would become complicated. Murong Yu did not want that.

“And as you probably expected, even if I believe your words, it is a matter I cannot help but agonize over.”

“Exactly.”

Yeon Ho-jeong fixed his posture.

“If you sincerely understood that I am serious, that is enough. Furthermore, if you knew that I am not a crazy bastard, that’s enough.”

“…You are a person with harsh words.”

“I have no intention of making you do something that doesn’t come from your heart anyway. However, I will show you the world.”

“Show me the world? What does that mean?”

“The world you do not know. And I will also show you the abilities of the person who will make you the Alliance Leader.”

“…”

“Make your choice later. However, I want you to think about it seriously. Agonize over why I came all the way here and suddenly brought up a dangerous topic.”

Murong Yu, who was staring at Yeon Ho-jeong with complex eyes, let out a deep sigh.

“Goodness, it’s like I’m bewitched by a ghost.”

“It couldn’t be helped. I had no intention of meeting you this urgently in the first place. If it hadn’t been for Murong Yeon-hwa, I would have taken more time.”

At that moment, surprise colored Murong Yu’s face.

“You know Yeon-hwa?”

“Isn’t it obvious. We are descendants of the same Six Great Clans.”

“No, what I mean is…”

“Murong Yeon-hwa is in Hangzhou. I met her at the Lake Fresh Great Joy Tower.”

“Ah!”

“And I thought about it. I wondered why Murong Yeon-hwa came here.”

“…”

“I don’t know for what reason, but there is no need to let her hinder what I have to do. That’s why I overexerted myself and came quickly.”

Yeon Ho-jeong read Murong Yu’s expression.

“Seeing your reaction, it seems I came at the right time. Murong Yeon-hwa, she’s planning to drop by the Zhejiang branch, right? She certainly wouldn’t be coming just to play. Murong Jun must have ordered her to go and personally see how things are running.”

He was a terrifying person.

Murong Yu was startled by Yeon Ho-jeong’s insight. As if he had seen his past from the side, he grasped the flowing situation like a ghost.

Martial arts, stratagems, discerning eye.

A person who had gained everything that could not be obtained at a young age.

‘Just where did such a monster come from?’

Yeon Ho-jeong spoke plainly.

“Before the Alliance Leader, do you have any thoughts of correcting your clan?”

“…!”

“I don’t know when Murong Yeon-hwa will come. It will take time to agonize and make a choice. Don’t waste time and answer the question firmly.”

“…That’s right. If I can correct my clan, I can do anything.”

“Even if you have to fight your flesh and blood?”

“…!!”

“I will ask again. Even if you fight your flesh and blood, do you want to correct your clan?”

“If I could do that…”

Murong Yu nodded his head with a heavy face.

“If I could have done that, I definitely would have.”

The reason why he had no choice but to secretly support them while holding back tears of blood even as innocent people died.

That was because he lacked power.

The world is scary. One cannot fight the world with just one’s own martial arts and justice.

No matter how outstanding Murong Yu’s talents were, he could not face the clan alone. Putting aside familial affection, he was simply no match in terms of power to begin with.

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled as if satisfied.

“You seem to have the will. At least that’s fortunate.”

“But the main family…”

“How do you think I faced the Myeong Clan?”

“…?”

“Do you by any chance think I am strong enough to handle all the power of the Myeong Clan? That is something only possible if you are one of the Saintly Heaven Thirteen Seats.”

“T-Then?”

“I shouldn’t match my power to the opponent, but make the opponent match their power to mine.”

Yeon Ho-jeong stood up from his seat.

“Depending on how you handle the power you possess, you can lead the situation to your liking, or you can have it taken away by others.”

“Lead…”

“Put aside thoughts of the Alliance Leader for a moment. Since it’s dangerous even if you sit in the Alliance Leader’s seat if you don’t overturn the Murong Clan anyway.”

Yeon Ho-jeong reached out his hand.

Calluses were embedded in every joint of his fingers, which were long like a woman’s yet appropriately thick.

“I will ask one last time. Do you need my help?”

Murong Yu, who was staring blankly at that hand, shook his head.

“I do not need help.”

“Is that so?”

“However, I will make a deal.”

The corners of Yeon Ho-jeong’s mouth went up.

Murong Yu spoke confidently.

“I cannot live only receiving help. If you give me help, I will also give you corresponding help.”

“If you stay still, you can get a free meal, do you really want to do that?”

“It’s my nature.”

Yeon Ho-jeong nodded his head.

“Good.”

Only then did Murong Yu grab his hand.

“I will leave it in your care from now on.”

“Likewise.”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes shone.

“Strike while the iron is hot. You said you were having a headache because of the trade alliance?”

“That’s right. Their representative is scheduled to visit around noon today…”

“What visit? Tell them not to come.”

“W-What did you say?”

“Weren’t you going to mediate between them?”

“…That’s right, but.”

“You shouldn’t let them come to complain and demand food, you have to make them come begging for forgiveness.”

Yeon Ho-jeong lifted his axe.

Murong Yu felt an unknown eeriness.

“Wait here. I will drive the prey to you before noon. When you think it’s an opportunity, bite their neck immediately.”