Monochrome Sovereign (Novel) - Chapter 132 - Price of Greed (2)
Chapter 132 – Price of Greed (2)
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Translated by Heavenly Cat
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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Twaaaang!
“Huuph.”
The draw weight of the Red Lotus Bow was truly enormous. She couldn’t even imagine what kind of material it was made of.
‘I shouldn’t pull it with strength.’
With abundant internal energy, she could fire the Nine Dragons Heaven-Shattering Bow about seventy times using the Red Lotus Bow, excluding the secret techniques.
But Muk Bi knew. It was because her internal energy operation was lacking that she could ‘only’ use it seventy times.
A much more delicate operation is needed. If so, the strength to pull the bowstring would also decrease, and the number of times she could fire would increase.
“Ugh, my arm is gradually hurting.”
At that time, a heavy voice was heard.
“You are working hard.”
“Keuk!”
Surprised, Muk Bi looked back. Yeon Wi was there.
“Ah, Clan Head?”
“Yeah.”
“Have you not slept? I heard you stayed up all night.”
“It’s fine. It’s only staying up one night.”
“Ah… Yes.”
Muk Bi’s expression instantly became awkward.
She respected Yeon Wi as an adult. In fact, he treated her well too, and she knew those were actions that came from his sincere heart.
Still, it’s scary.
Yeon Wi’s expressionless face was similar to that of the brothers who coldly glared at her in the past. Even knowing that the feelings carried inside were different, because the expression was similar, she kept shrinking back.
Yeon Wi approached Muk Bi.
“I saw it before, but it’s not an ordinary bow. The tension of the bowstring is also beyond imagination.”
“…Yes.”
“Extend your left arm.”
“Yes?”
“…”
“Ah, yes!”
Muk Bi abruptly held out her left arm.
Yeon Wi grabbed her forearm and drew up his internal energy.
Woooong.
A beautiful light green energy repeatedly flickered over her entire left arm. It was an energy that calmed the mind of the beholder.
Muk Bi’s eyes widened.
The muscles of her left arm that had been tightly stiffened instantly relaxed. It felt so good that she almost inadvertently spat out the words ‘Aigoo, that’s good’.
Of course, she didn’t make such a mistake in front of Yeon Wi.
“The power you embrace is like a great mountain, yet you cannot even properly use a third of it. Your ability to utilize qi is far worse than that.”
“Cough! Y-Yeees…”
“If you explode all the latent power inside you and become able to tune your true qi freely, you would even surpass me.”
Muk Bi was startled.
“P-Please don’t say such things, Clan Head. I could never…”
Yeon Wi said as if he found it strange.
“Why do you act like that? If you are going to live as a martial artist, shouldn’t you rather think about surpassing me?”
“…!”
“I hope you and Ho-jeong surpass me, rise to the stage of the Saintly Heaven Thirteen Seats, and leave your footprints on the world.”
For a moment, Muk Bi felt a surge of emotion. Although there was no pitch in his voice, anyone could tell those words were sincere.
“Fortunately, your talent is outstanding, your fundamentals are excellent, and the power you embrace is fully capable of pulling up mountains and covering the world, so if you do not neglect your efforts, you will be able to surpass me someday.”
“…Yes.”
Yeon Wi, who quietly looked at Muk Bi, nodded.
“Today, let’s examine your martial arts with me. Just by tweaking it a little, it could become greatly different from before.”
“Heuk! R-Really?”
“It is the words of the Yeon Clan’s Clan Head. You can trust it.”
“Thank you!”
Yeon Wi liked Muk Bi’s naive appearance.
He suddenly thought of his firstborn. He knew his eldest was getting along like friends with Muk Bi, but with this kind of nature, he wanted to take her as a daughter-in-law rather than his son’s friend.
But how could that be done with human power. Yeon Wi did not intend to resist the law of cause and effect created by flowing human affairs.
‘By the way, I wonder if Ho-jeong is doing well?’
Yeon Wi looked towards the northwest.
It was the place where the Murong Clan’s Greedy Wolf Pavilion was located.
‘What are you intending to do, Ho-jeong.’
* * *
Murong Jun thought.
‘I misjudged this guy.’
Mong Ui learned the Sun-Piercing Sword Technique?
That wasn’t important. What was really important was that he had looked down on the opponent too much.
Yeon Ho-jeong is sufficiently a monster. He didn’t not know that.
However, he thought this guy was a genius who was smart, greedy, and had a knack for strategy, he didn’t think he was a guy who acted recklessly to this extent.
He says he imprisoned Mong Ui in the prison. On top of that, he says the guy is quite ruined.
‘Just returning alive was surprising. But he even captured him alive?’
It means he didn’t hesitate to even torture him after capturing him alive.
‘This guy, he’s not Orthodox Path.’
A trivial difference, but due to that triviality, the political situation could be shaken.
‘This guy is a guy who could commit any terrible act if necessary.’
He thought he was a guy similar to himself.
He was wrong. This guy was not a similar type to himself.
Murong Jun clearly knew his own limits. That’s why he used subordinates for more vicious acts, and naturally, he had no choice but to put effort into appointing talented people.
Yeon Ho-jeong does not do that. He doesn’t need to.
This guy is a guy who has made up his mind to do all those things alone.
“Let’s flick the abacus… Hoho.”
Murong Jun, who was staring blankly at Yeon Ho-jeong, stood up from his seat.
“I want to check.”
“Check what?”
Murong Jun smiled faintly.
“I mean I want to directly see your skills to see if it’s okay to entrust you with the position of leader of the Independent Mobile Unit, which is free from the Alliance Law.”
Yeon Ho-jeong frowned.
“Are you saying let’s have a sparring match?”
“That is so.”
“Where did the abacus go?”
“Since we brought such a big stake, what’s there to flick or not flick the abacus for.”
“Hmm?”
“I mean let’s lightly mix hands. There’s no need to grandly call it a sparring match.”
Hmm…
Yeon Ho-jeong, who was quietly looking up at Murong Jun, smiled and stood up from his seat.
“An opportunity to mix hands with the widely renowned Clan Head Murong, I have no reason to refuse.”
“Hoho.”
He didn’t know what his intention was, but if this was also a study, it was a study. Yeon Ho-jeong didn’t want to miss this opportunity.
Like that, the two people came out of the Greedy Wolf Pavilion.
He thought they would lightly mix hands in the rear garden, but that wasn’t it. Murong Jun guided Yeon Ho-jeong to the center of the inner castle, a plaza huge enough to be used as a training ground.
“Let’s fight here.”
Yeon Ho-jeong looked around.
Quite a lot of people were coming and going and looking at them. Since both of them were very famous people, most people were openly looking.
“Did you not bring your axe?”
“I left it at my residence.”
“Hoho, I don’t think your skills will drop significantly just because you didn’t hold your axe.”
Srrrk.
Murong Jun, who put his left hand behind his back and extended his right hand to the middle stage, said.
“Now, try coming.”
Yeon Ho-jeong looked around again.
There will be more and more people. Because the Clan Head of the Murong Clan and the eldest son of the Green Mountain Yeon Clan are sparring, there wouldn’t be another spectacle like that.
Yeon Ho-jeong smirked.
‘A human like a sly snake.’
Now he knew what Murong Jun wanted.
But it didn’t matter. Since he was right on the verge of getting what he wanted, he could make this much concession. In a way, it was something good for himself too.
Srrk.
Yeon Ho-jeong lowered his posture.
Murong Jun’s smile deepened.
“The center of gravity of your body is low. It’s extremely stable.”
“I’m going.”
“Come.”
Boom!
Yeon Ho-jeong took one step.
At the same time, Murong Jun’s eyes changed. It was because he could feel Yeon Ho-jeong’s powerful Sovereign’s Energy from that one step.
Thud!
When he took a step, it seemed like it would even collapse mountains, but in the footwork that closed the distance in an instant, the appearance of a gentleman was imbued.
It was clearly the Yeon Clan’s footwork. It was a posture that was extremely fast yet stable. The spirit of a scholar that seemed like it wouldn’t be disturbed even if he was on the verge of losing his breath could be felt.
Tuung!
Yeon Ho-jeong, who approached at a terrifying speed, instantly entered the right blind spot.
‘Fast.’
A speed faster than the footwork. It was a movement that far exceeded human reflexes.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s fist was swung drawing an arc.
Vwoong!
Murong Jun’s hand moved like lightning.
Paaak!
It didn’t seem to contain any energy, but sparks flew from the fingertips that struck away the fist.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s movements became faster.
Pabababak!
In an instant, he steps on the ground several times and advances. A white vortex arose from Yeon Ho-jeong’s twin fists that were storming in.
It was the White Tiger Dance, the fist form of the Sovereign Tiger’s Nine Thunderclaps.
Popopopong!
Murong Jun’s martial art, which struck away all the fist attacks that stormed in with terrifying power with just his right hand, was amazing enough to not be believed even while seeing it.
His speed wasn’t outstanding, but he reads the flow and strikes away. It was a hand technique several times more difficult than martial arts performed with strong power and elasticity.
Paaak!
Yeon Ho-jeong kicked up his left foot aiming for Murong Jun’s upper stage, his chin.
It was a flexible yet tough kicking technique. The sense of aiming for the place with the most gaps in the midst of it was amazingly outstanding.
Vwoong!
Yeon Ho-jeong’s foot cut through the empty air.
Murong Jun, who dodged the kicking technique and was about to push it down softly, suddenly shone his eyes at the killing intent plunging down towards the crown of his head.
Kwaaang!
Yeon Ho-jeong’s foot shook the earth.
How powerful the strike was, his heel pierced five cun into the bluestone floor.
“It’s an interesting physical technique.”
Murong Jun’s posture as he slipped to the left was exactly the same as the beginning.
“To know that the upper stage strike failed and instantly turn the direction to stomp down. Aside from the lightning-fast reflexes, such control of power and flexibility is hard to find in anyone in the world.”
Woooong.
A clear and blue true qi like a cloudless sky flickered on Murong Jun’s right hand.
“This time I will go.”
Hook!
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed.
Even though he knew he would charge in head-on, his reaction was late. He thought he moved softly, but he was already right under his nose. It was footwork of the extreme peak.
Pababababak!
Yeon Ho-jeong’s fist palm emitted the momentum of the Tiger Sovereign, and Murong Jun’s right palm emitted a spirit like blue bamboo.
Popopopopong!
To use the White Tiger Dance as a chain skill, explosive power and tireless stamina are needed simultaneously. Naturally, its power is unmeasurable.
Murong Jun was completely blocking that destructive fist technique absolute art with exquisite hand techniques. It was a skill that had reached the level of a divine skill.
Pooong! Riiip!
With an explosion, Yeon Ho-jeong’s body retreated three or four steps back.
‘He’s strong as expected.’
Although he didn’t hold a sword, Murong Jun was seriously facing Yeon Ho-jeong.
The martial power of the Six Great Clans’ Clan Head. Yeon Ho-jeong had grown enough not to receive a major blow even from the hand technique Murong Jun decisively struck out.
“Amazing.”
Flap.
Murong Jun lifted his right arm to show.
The sleeve that was torn and burst by Yeon Ho-jeong’s fist pressure was dangling hideously.
“To pierce through my martial arts with just two fists, the nickname Tiger General of Green Mountain is indeed not excessive.”
Yeon Ho-jeong stroked his chest.
Inside the clothes torn in a spiral shape from his solar plexus, his solid pectoral muscles and upper abdominal muscles were revealed.
Yeon Ho-jeong looked around again.
Murmur murmur.
Before he knew it, dozens of martial artists were looking at the two people. Their faces were flushed with excitement at the short but thrilling close combat.
Yeon Ho-jeong took a cupped fist posture.
“I have lost.”
Murong Jun said with a smile.
“If just ten years pass, you will be able to look down on the world. I was impressed.”
It was a sonorous voice that everyone could hear. The people were surprised by Murong Jun’s high praise and looked at Yeon Ho-jeong with fresh eyes.
Yeon Ho-jeong smacked his lips.
“It is a pity.”
“What is?”
“If I knew we would fight here, I should have rather brought my axe.”
Murong Jun smirked.
As expected, the guy knew the reason why he deliberately held the sparring match here.
“If you had brought out your original skills, the sense of mystery would have faded.”
“That is true too.”
“If you want to gamble, you should bring your cards, are you trying to intimidate with the stakes?”
“Until I saw your reaction, Clan Head, I didn’t know if it was a card or stakes, did I?”
“What? Hahaha!”
Murong Jun burst into hearty laughter.
If people who didn’t know heard the conversation between the two, they had no choice but to think it was just a story related to martial arts. They couldn’t help but admire Yeon Ho-jeong’s ambition and Murong Jun’s relaxed handling.
Murong Jun smiled and nodded.
“Let’s do that.”
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed.
“You don’t intend to add seasoning, do you?”
“I like bland things. I wish you did too.”
It meant whether he killed Mong Ui or sent him far away, to finish it cleanly.
Yeon Ho-jeong never let Murong Jun’s words go out the other ear. If he held onto Mong Ui and shook him to the end, Murong Jun would also cross the line.
He did not want that.
“Do not worry.”
“Hoho, that’s good.”
Murong Jun, who put his hands behind his back, turned his steps towards the Greedy Wolf Pavilion.
“I won’t add seasoning. Instead, please understand about the vegetables to go with it.”
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed.
It meant he would attach a few of his people to the Independent Mobile Unit.
“I tend to be a picky eater.”
“Do not worry. They aren’t vegetables I grew.”
“You mean it depends on my appetite.”
“That is so.”
“Good.”
Murong Jun, who turned his back, waved his hand.
“Do not forget. That this is just the beginning.”
Yeon Ho-jeong answered with a relaxed smile.
“I wish this was the end. Sincerely.”