Monochrome Sovereign (Novel) - Chapter 154 - Infamy and Name of Chivalry (4)
Chapter 154 – Infamy and Name of Chivalry (4)
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Translated by Heavenly Cat
Edited by Celestial Knight
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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Surprisingly, the one who reacted first was Cheok-gang.
“Heok! Martial Uncle!”
Cheok-gang, stepping forward breathlessly, folded his waist in half.
“Disciple Cheok-gang greets Martial Uncle.”
The middle-aged man, Pae-yul, pretended not to see Cheok-gang’s greeting.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes sparkled.
‘If he’s Cheok-gang’s Martial Uncle, Diancang?’
Diancang Sect.
A sect coiled up in Mount Diancang in Yunnan, it initially rose as a Taoist sect, but after jumping into the Murim, it gradually took on a secular atmosphere.
In the present day, it was also the sect with the strongest secular color among the Nine Great Sects. Actually, their martial arts, along with the Kongtong Sect, were practical enough to compete for the top spot among the Nine Sects’ martial learning.
In fact, looking at the martial arts commanded by Cheok-gang, unlike the other soldiers, they were fast and linear. In the same situation, he used methods to strike down the opponent more radically.
Also, the mountain men of the Diancang Sect all resembled the martial arts they learned.
They were fast, intuitive, and had no lingering feelings.
“I am Yeon Ho-jeong.”
Pae-yul frowned.
“I am an elder of Diancang. Show more manners.”
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.
“I would if it were within the Alliance.”
“What?”
“I am the leader of the mobile unit under the Murim Alliance. Whether you are an elder or the Sect Leader of the Diancang Sect, if you don’t have a position, there is no reason for me to bow my waist.”
The content of what he said was quite arrogant, but his expression was full of leisure. His voice had no highs or lows, and his eyes were also clear and deep.
Pae-yul, who was staring blankly at Yeon Ho-jeong, looked at Cheok-gang.
Subtle anxiety surfaced on Cheok-gang’s face. It was because he wondered if the elder of his sect and the head of the organization he belonged to were having a battle of nerves.
Pae-yul nodded his head.
“Not bad.”
It was an unexpected reaction.
Yeon Ho-jeong tilted his head.
“What do you mean?”
“Since it’s a squad that my cherished martial nephew entered without saying a word, I wondered what was so loose about it. However, it’s not bad. The head of an organization should have that level of fortitude.”
Saying that with an incredibly blunt tone, it was impossible to tell if it was praise or sarcasm.
Yeon Ho-jeong looked at Cheok-gang.
“Did you come without telling them?”
“…Yes.”
“You’ll get scolded quite a bit.”
A shadow fell over Cheok-gang’s face.
Yeon Ho-jeong turned his gaze back to Pae-yul.
“If you want to take Cheok-gang, please wait a little. After returning to the inner castle and going through the return procedures…”
“My business is not with my martial nephew, but with you.”
“With me?”
“That’s right.”
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes deepened.
He felt he knew why Pae-yul had sought him out. He had a feeling.
However, there was something questionable.
‘How did he know?’
If his father had told him, there would be no reason to specifically seek him out, and if Murong Jun had let it slip, he also wouldn’t have a reason to seek him out. It is common sense to go to his father first.
Why? What is it?
“Do you know about the martial learning of Sun Piercing Sword?”
As expected.
Yeon Ho-jeong had no intention of beating around the bush.
“Is it because of Mong-ui?”
“…!”
Pae-yul’s eyes suddenly changed.
“There is no need to specifically bring that name into your mouth.”
“Understood.”
“There is only one thing I am curious about.”
“…”
“How was that guy’s sword?”
Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.
“I don’t know with what intention you’re asking such a question, but I didn’t properly observe his sword.”
“Why? I heard you shared a life-and-death battle with him.”
“In a fight of killing and being killed, preventing the opponent from exerting their power is the priority. I saw him use ‘that martial art’, but I didn’t see it properly.”
“You subdued him before that, is that it?”
“That’s right.”
“…Amazing.”
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled and patted Muk Bi’s shoulder.
“He fell to this friend’s arrow before he could properly command his martial arts. If it weren’t for this friend, it probably would have been quite tough.”
Pae-yul looked at Muk Bi.
‘A master?’
Because Yeon Ho-jeong’s presence was so refined, he hadn’t paid attention, but looking like this, that woman’s presence was also amazing.
“You attacked together?”
“That’s right.”
Pae-yul nodded his head.
“I see.”
The corners of Yeon Ho-jeong’s mouth slightly curled up.
Figures from prestigious Orthodox Sects were usually negative about joint attacks. Whether the opponent was a sparring partner or an evildoer, they preferred a fair and square one-on-one match.
But Pae-yul was not. To be precise, the Diancang Sect didn’t teach like that.
In actual combat, surviving without dying is the truth. If a battle occurs, it is the best to not only kill the opponent but also seek one’s own survival.
Pae-yul was a person who properly knew the charm of that actual combat. That’s why he didn’t express any rejection to the fact that they attacked together.
Pae-yul, quietly looking around the Evil-Annihilating Army, shook his head.
“My mind was urgent, so I came out first and waited. I really wanted to check on him.”
“…”
“I’ll visit your residence again tomorrow.”
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled bitterly.
“If possible, please come in the evening.”
Pae-yul turned his body without answering.
He had a character crossing between honesty and rudeness. Probably the martial arts he possessed were also much rougher than Cheok-gang’s.
Pae-yul, walking ahead like that, stopped his steps and looked back.
“You.”
“Please speak.”
Pae-yul tilted his head.
“Are you perhaps hurt somewhere?”
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed.
“I am perfectly healthy?”
“…Really?”
Right then, Yeon Ho-jeong could see Pae-yul’s eyes sweeping over his right abdomen.
Pae-yul nodded his head.
“Let’s see tomorrow.”
“Understood.”
Kugugung.
The Azure Dragon Main Gate opened.
Pae-yul entered the Alliance first, and the Evil-Annihilating Army followed him.
Yeon Ho-jeong inwardly couldn’t hide his wonder as he recalled Pae-yul’s words.
‘Did he see something in me?’
Feeling wondering, he observed his interior and checked the Jade Gauze True Formula as well as the Three Divine Arts, but there was no problem.
‘Hmm.’
But there’s no way a master of Pae-yul’s level would say such words for nothing.
‘Well, I should rest well for the time being and gather my body.’
Yeon Ho-jeong, who passed the wide and long outer castle and entered the inner castle, shouted.
“I’ll take care of the return procedures. You’ve worked hard all this time. Get some good rest.”
At Yeon Ho-jeong’s words, thunderous cheers erupted.
“Euaaaaaa!”
“It’s a vacation, a vacation!”
“Ah, I feel like I’m going to collapse already.”
It was a boisterous uproar. Those who finished greeting Yeon Ho-jeong individually disappeared at terrifying speeds.
“…”
Yeon Ho-jeong, blinking his eyes like a fool, looked at Muk Bi.
“Let’s go do the return procedures together…”
“I’m going to see my father.”
Muk Bi disappeared from before his eyes in an instant with that fabulous movement technique.
His mouth felt bitter. He felt an inexplicable sense of betrayal.
Yeon Ho-jeong looked at Peng Man-ho.
Peng Man-ho smiled awkwardly.
“You know why they call a person in charge a person in charge, right?”
“Didn’t you call me brother?”
“Work hard, brother.”
“Only words of brother… That punk, was he that fast.”
Yeon Ho-jeong, chasing with his eyes the back of Peng Man-ho running away like lightning, smacked his lips.
“Erai, punks without a speck of loyalty.”
Grumbling, Yeon Ho-jeong suddenly looked at Zhuge Ah-yeon-yeon.
Zhuge Ah-yeon-yeon tilted her head.
“Why?”
“Why don’t you also hurry up and go like a foal with its tail on fire.”
“Go where. We have to do the return procedures.”
“Huh?”
“Despite how I look, I am the strategist of the Evil-Annihilating Army. I should finish things properly.”
“…I have never seen such an awesome person!”
Yeon Ho-jeong put his arm around Zhuge Ah-yeon-yeon’s shoulders.
“Let’s go! Leave the ill-mannered kids behind and let’s advance toward the blue sky!”
“Hey! Let go! You’re heavy!”
“Haha! It’s a relief to have a guy overflowing with a sense of responsibility. The future of the Evil-Annihilating Army is very bright.”
“I said you’re heavy!”
The two people bickered and headed toward the Martial Sage Hall.
***
That evening.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who entered the Army-Destroying Pavilion for the first time in a while and slept for over half a day, frowned and woke up.
‘Is it night?’
The moonlight coming in through the window was very beautiful.
It was the period transitioning from summer to autumn. His body gradually cooled down in the cool blowing wind.
He liked this cold wind. Yeon Ho-jeong, raising his body, sat cross-legged.
Uuuuung.
As the Jade Gauze True Qi arose, the muscles and nerves of his entire body became active.
The blue true qi surrounding his whole body was as clear and beautiful as always. Perhaps because it was night, the color of the Jade Gauze True Qi seemed to particularly resemble the moonlight.
‘Good.’
Now it’s really right before his nose. The Jade Gauze True Formula was struggling on its own to break through the realm of the Tenth Star.
Uuuung.
Based on the stable Jade Gauze True Formula, the White Tiger Qi arose.
“Hoo-oop.”
A large amount of nature’s qi was contained in the abundant air coming in.
The white true qi that entered the lungs extended to the nerves of the whole body. His heartbeat gradually hastened, soon sprouting a clear red energy.
Psssssh.
According to Yeon Ho-jeong’s exhalation, translucent black energy flowed out of his body. The Black Tortoise Qi of the North tied up the turbid qi lurking inside his body and discharged it.
‘Refreshing.’
Lately, to heal his internal injuries, he paid a lot of attention to the Jade Gauze True Formula itself rather than the Three Divine Ars. Of course, it was also to raise his achievement.
Activating the Three Divine Arts for a long time after a while, he definitely felt his body changing. He wanted to run out to the training ground right away and swing the Crazy Dragon Axe.
Kku-uk.
His torn palm also completely recovered. It seemed most of his body’s fatigue was blown away by one deep sleep.
“Good grief.”
His mind and body were more refreshing than ever, but Yeon Ho-jeong had no choice but to wear a bitter smile.
“No matter how much I say I paid attention to the kids, I was too complacent all this time. I should reflect.”
Even if the Jade Gauze Qi and the Three Divine Arts could be like that, to say he didn’t even know fatigue was accumulating in this body right in front of the wall of the Peak state.
During the Dark Emperor days, he wasn’t like that. Setting aside the issue of his skills or foundational internal energy, back then he thoroughly fought alone.
When fatigue accumulated, he entered a residence nobody knew, recovered his stamina for days, and came out. Then he fought battles again, and if severely injured, he hid again and stored up stamina.
The days when he could endlessly grow stronger because he was alone.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who had been carefully reminiscing about the past, soon shook his head.
“Stop saying things that aren’t even funny. Whether alone or together, the reason my development speed slowed down is because I wasn’t tense.”
There certainly is a difference in environment. However, Yeon Ho-jeong didn’t intend to use that as an excuse.
‘Slowly.’
Three colors of light swayed in Yeon Ho-jeong’s blue pupils.
‘I should wake it up.’
The Jade Gauze True Formula is right in front of the Tenth Star, and with the actual combat so far, the Three Divine Arts also showed sufficient maturity and separation.
In his greed, he wanted to pull it out after ascending to a higher place, but he felt he shouldn’t delay it any longer.
He felt the need to make his somewhat loosened mind taut like before.
‘Before leaving the Alliance, I will summon the final God of the Four Gods.’
Azure Dragon.
He would summon the Divine Beast of the East, the Avatar of Vitality, to form the complete Four Gods Qi.
‘I should ask father for a spar tomorrow.’
When doing the return procedures, he was able to see his father in the Martial Sage Hall.
However, the meeting of the honoured guests was long today as well. The system of the Murim Alliance is slowly being established, but it was probably because there were still many detailed chores.
“Hmm, should I sleep more?”
It’s a precious rest he obtained. He felt it would be better to put aside his worries and get some sleep today.
When Yeon Ho-jeong was about to lie down on the bed like that.
“…Oh?”
A clear presence felt from the entrance of the Army-Destroying Pavilion, outside the window.
Yeon Ho-jeong immediately flew his body out the window.
Parararak!
His clothes fluttering in the wind were like wings.
In front of Yeon Ho-jeong, who landed softly, stood a single man.
Yeon Ho-jeong swept over his body with curious eyes.
“Heo! I should reflect. In the time I didn’t see you, you developed astonishingly.”
“Is that so?”
Murong Yu wore a brighter smile than ever before.
It was a cool expression of a person with absolutely nothing to hide, which he hadn’t even shown in front of Murong Jun.
“Have you been well, Younger Brother Yeon?”