Monochrome Sovereign (Novel) - Chapter 135 - Price of Greed (5)
Chapter 135 – Price of Greed (5)
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Translated by Heavenly Cat
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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The Dabie Mountains, located at the border area of the three provinces of Henan, Hubei, and Anhui, boasts diverse scenery throughout the four seasons.
In spring, flowers are in full bloom, and in summer, green shade grows thick. In autumn, autumn leaves raise their heads, and the snowy landscape in winter is a spectacular sight among spectacular sights.
Because it boasts distinct scenery each season, it does not lack in hearing the sound of being called a famous mountain.
And now this season, winter.
Everywhere in the Dabie Mountains, where the Murim Alliance had settled, was dyed pure white. As the heavy snow of two days slowed down, only now did it feel like there was a taste to watch the scenery.
The young youths gathered in the Murim Alliance climbed the hills inside the Murim Alliance or went outside the alliance to look around the whole mountain. Since all of them were masters who learned martial arts, the cold was not much of a problem.
However, there were also many people who gave up on the superb view of the Dabie Mountains that could only be seen in winter.
Yun-ho was also one of those people.
Boom!
Shock was cast over Yun-ho’s face.
The brilliant sword moves of the Thirty-Six Plum Blossom Swords, an absolute art representing the Mount Hua Sect, was collapsing from a single fist strike. The unique stance of the Plum Blossom Sword, which pressured the opponent with cheerful and fast sword formulas, had been smashed to pieces by overwhelming power.
Peoeooeok!
“Kkeueoeoeok!”
Truly, this time around he didn’t want to be like this.
But even if it hurt, it hurt too much. His concentration wasn’t so shallow as to feel pain during a fight, but every single fist and kick this human struck out induced terrible pain.
“Does it hurt?”
Yun-ho, who was kneeling and trembling violently, raised his head.
A blue-eyed ghost standing with his back to the sun was looking down at him.
“I am in pain too. My mind hurts.”
“Keoheok! Heokheok!”
“Stop coming now.”
“O-One more time…”
“I hate it.”
Peoeok!
Yun-ho, who flew away fluttering, bumped into the wall at the entrance of the Army-Destroying Pavilion and fell to the ground. Sprawled out in the shape of a large character on the frozen solid floor, Yun-ho lost consciousness just like that.
Yeon Ho-jeong shouted at Ok-cheong.
“Hey! Old Taoist!”
“Y-Yes?”
“Throw this bastard outside the gate.”
“In this winter? Even an internal martial arts master in an unconscious state would…”
“Damn it, deciding a bout, would he have come without even the resolve to die? If I tell you to clean it up, clean it up, punk!”
“Yep.”
Ok-cheong hurriedly lifted Yun-ho.
Why was it? Yun-ho’s body felt exceptionally light. Although he had met Yun-ho a few times, he didn’t know his body was this light.
‘He isn’t dead, right?’
Fortunately, his life force was active. Even though he kicked him as if he would really kill him, it seemed he only made him lose consciousness. Although his mouth was rough, he was secretly a person with affection.
“Uhm…”
“What.”
“C-Can I go drop him off at the Mount Hua Sect’s quarters and come back?”
“Do whatever you want.”
“Thank you. I will return soon!”
“You don’t have to come back.”
Ok-cheong quickly unfolded his footwork. It was the Wudang Sect’s greatest footwork, the Cloud-Scaling Step.
Yeon Ho-jeong unconsciously blew a whistle.
“A guy whose sword is terribly light is outstanding in footwork at least. No wait? Is that guy someone whose martial arts and body are all light?”
Muk Bi said with a sour face.
“It is a unique footwork. It isn’t dynamic, but he went far away before I knew it.”
“That is the Cloud-Scaling Step of the Wudang Revered in the South. The Wudang Sect’s martial arts all contain profound martial principles. The Cloud-Scaling Step is the same.”
“I heard from Clan Head before that the Wudang Sect’s sword is extremely soft.”
“Outwardly, it looks like that.”
“Are you saying it isn’t?”
Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.
“Soft and seamless. That is correctly the characteristic of Wudang Sect martial arts. But if it were me, I would absolutely never end it there.”
“Then?”
“Hardness and softness are one. In Murim, the Wudang Sect is the most skilled at Silk-Reeling Energy. At first glance it looks flexible, but if you gather the circular force into a single point and strike out, its destructive power is fully worthy of discussing Number One under Heaven.”
“Oh…”
“With martial arts that are only boundlessly soft, one cannot reach the Dao. The Wudang Sect is not called Revered in the South for nothing. Therefore, the martial arts of Wudang are easy to begin but difficult to reach a high stage.”
“How do you know things like that?”
“It is a story I picked up while coming and going.”
There was absolutely no way that was the case. Because he was not a person who would speak with such conviction about stories he had picked up.
“But.”
“Yeah?”
“You seem very annoyed?”
“Try catching and fighting them one by one yourself. Would you not be annoyed.”
“Can’t you just think of that as a part of training? Since they are rising stars of famous sects, they must be learning the secret arts of their respective sects. Couldn’t you use them as a stepping stone for growth?”
“Growth? Only empty husks who haven’t even gone near the profound secrets of each sect’s secret arts are lining up and coming in and out, growth my foot.”
“Hmm, is that so.”
Yeon Ho-jeong frowned.
“From now on, if there’s a guy snooping around asking for a bout, just shoot him. If a hole is made somewhere, they won’t even dare think of fighting.”
“You’re not serious, right?”
“I held back from telling you to blow their heads off.”
“If we poke a hole in a body, wouldn’t the incident become too big?”
“Who cares. You’re the one who shot it anyway.”
Have you ever seen such an irresponsible person.
Kung.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who put down the Crazy Dragon Axe and sat on the flat wooden bench, rubbed his neck. No matter how much they were people who hadn’t realized the profound secrets of each sect’s secret arts, he had fought with over fifteen rising stars just today alone.
“It is indeed tiring.”
If he had fought life-and-death battles instead, he wouldn’t have been this tired.
Rather, trying to deal with them moderately felt like dying. Because his annoyance was stretching to its limits, he would command his martial arts with the thought of blowing them away in a single breath, but as Muk Bi said, knowing that it would cause various headaches if he really smashed them, he repeatedly pulled back his strength midway.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes sparkled.
‘Well… growth is impossible, but.’
Through the series of annoying fights, there was something he had realized in his own way.
‘I am no longer the Dark Emperor. I cannot live the way I used to live in the Black Path.’
From a stranger to becoming the Emperor of the Black Path Murim.
Exactly how many enemies had he defeated, and how many comrades had he lost?
Therefore, there was no mercy in his martial arts. Once a fight broke out, it unconditionally determined life and death. There was no such thing as moderation in the Dark Emperor’s fights.
However, now living in the White Path Murim after regressing, it was different.
If he unfolded his martial arts with only the thought of killing, a huge problem would arise. Even if he himself was fine, damage could go to his family.
‘I am skilled at adjusting my strength. However, I don’t know the method to make an opponent step back.’
A martial art of enlightenment that makes one step back on their own.
That was what Yeon Ho-jeong lacked. His martial arts, extremely developed for the annihilation of enemies, were intensely overbearing and overflowing with killing intent.
‘Father must be different.’
The martial art of the Middle Path. A true swordsman who encompasses all martial arts.
There is a reason why people of the world praise him as the Judge Sword. To the wicked he strikes down a sword of judgment, but enemies who have no reason to be killed are made to step back on their own.
It could be seen as the most necessary method for the current Yeon Ho-jeong living in the White Path.
“Knowing what one needs to learn is a good thing.”
“What do you mean?”
“It is nothing.”
Yeon Ho-jeong stood up from his seat.
“I will go in first and rest.”
“Okay.”
It was then.
The bodies of the man and woman stopped.
Tension was cast over Muk Bi’s face.
“This time… it is different?”
“It isn’t just different.”
Yeon Ho-jeong’s face became serious.
He turned his head toward the entrance of the Army-Destroying Pavilion.
Wuuung.
Beyond the wall, the snow laid on the ground could be seen scattering according to the wind.
It was not a natural wind. The intense Qi waves emitted by a martial artist were blowing away the piled snow with every step.
‘This energy is?’
It felt somewhat familiar. A familiar yet unfamiliar energy, a presence of a Six Great Clans Clan Head level.
A moment later, a person revealed their appearance.
“I have come to meet Young Master Yeon, but.”
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed.
An ordinary physique with a height neither small nor large.
An empty presence like flowing clouds. It was similar to the presence of a Taoist in the mountains but with a much stronger worldly vibe. He was someone whose presence was closer to a scholar than a martial artist.
However, his martial arts were doubtlessly those of a supreme peak master.
The middle-aged man’s eyes looking at Yeon Ho-jeong sparkled.
His deeply profound wisdom, and eyes overflowing with resolve like a stiff bamboo were impressive.
“A tremendous martial art. That wind-like Qi wave that sweeps up disregarding water and fire, there likely wouldn’t be many even in my main family who could deal with you right now.”
The man smiled.
“It seems I found my way well just in time. Are you Yeon Ho-jeong?”
Only then was Yeon Ho-jeong able to recognize who the opponent was.
Yeon Ho-jeong gave a disciplined fist-and-palm salute.
“I use the surname Yeon and the name Ho-jeong. It is an honor to meet the Clan Head of the Zhuge Clan.”
Muk Bi looked at the man in surprise.
The man, Zhuge Wen-ho, wore a smile.
“If perhaps you have the time, may I get a cup of tea?”
* * *
“Huuuu.”
The exhaled breath was cloudier than ever before.
However, that was not a bad thing. It was a destiny anyone would experience if they were a martial artist when trying to tear down existing things and build up new things.
Wuuuuuung.
Blue energy surged from Murong Yu’s body.
It was not vastly different from the color of the Burning Wilderness True Qi he had previously learned. However, it was an energy that gave a much clearer and more elegant feeling.
The sky and the earth, because people are in the middle of it, the qualification to grasp the power to play with heaven and earth belongs entirely to humans alone.
The Clan Head’s Learning of the Murong Clan, the energy of the divine art Heaven and Earth Eight Extremes Mind Method described in the Heaven and Earth Martial Resolution, filled Murong Yu’s entire body to the brim.
“Amazing.”
Murong Yu turned his head.
Unconcealable admiration arose on the face of the approaching Murong Jun.
“Did you pour all of your internal energy into the basket of the Heaven and Earth Eight Extremes Mind Method in just two days?”
“Yes.”
“It is a truly amazing talent. There is also the fact that your enlightenment is second to none, but even taking that into account, it is an astonishing speed.”
Murong Yu shook his head.
“It is now the beginning. Since I haven’t even tried swinging my sword yet, it should actually be seen as late.”
“If someone else other than you said those words, I would have scolded them saying they are thinking of running around when they can’t even walk.”
Murong Jun smiled in satisfaction.
“There are only a few days left now.”
“Yes?”
“I mean the Murim Alliance establishment conference.”
Murong Yu, who was observing Murong Jun’s face, realized that he had a task to order him to do.
“What should I do?”
“Heoheoheo.”
A prodigal son who had returned after going astray for over ten years.
It would be understandable if his shoulders were stiff, but there was no such sign at all. A quiet spirit of excellently fulfilling whatever task was ordered emanated from his entire body.
“The Murim Alliance will be established. We will have to discuss it with the representatives of minor factions, but the masters of the Nine Great Sects, One Gang, and Six Great Clans will almost unanimously cast votes in favor, so the general trend cannot be gone against.”
“…”
“After the Murim Alliance is established, there is one organization you must take charge of.”
Murong Yu’s eyes shone.
“What is it?”
“It is an Independent Mobile Unit.”
“…?!”
“Two Independent Mobile Units will be created in the Murim Alliance. I want you to take charge of one of them. Of course, if it doesn’t work out, there’s nothing we can do.”
“Mobile unit…”
“There is no need to take charge for a long time. The captaincy of a combat unit dwells at the very bottom among the countless positions you must ascend to. Consider it an experience.”
“Understood.”
“However, if you become the head of a mobile unit, you must establish more war merits than the other mobile unit. To the extent of being able to absorb or disband that unit. Will you be able to do it?”
Murong Yu nodded.
“Do not worry.”
“Haha! I believe in you.”
“By the way, who are you considering as the captain of the other Independent Mobile Unit?”
Murong Jun’s eyes sank frigidly.
“It is the eldest son of the Yeon Clan.”
“…!!”