Monochrome Sovereign (Novel) - Chapter 161 - The Essence of the Secret Struggle (1)
Chapter 161 – The Essence of the Secret Struggle (1)
===================
Translated by Heavenly Cat
Edited by Celestial Knight
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
===================
“Um? Taoist Friend Ok-cheong?”
“Ah…… it has been a while.”
“What do you mean it has been a while? It’s only been one day.”
“Is that so……?”
Doubt hovered on Yeo-guk’s face.
“Why is your expression so sour? Has something bad happened?”
“There isn’t.”
The appearance of his hands trembling with a pale complexion was a masterpiece. As it was an appearance openly indicating something had definitely happened, he rather wondered if there truly wasn’t anything going on.
“What happened? No, anyway, did you also hear, Taoist Friend Ok-cheong? That Army Commander Yeon broke through the Wall of Martial Arts’ End. Heo! I knew he was an amazing person, but seeing it now, he’s simply a monster…….”
“…….”
“Eum, it seems you are very tired. Go in and rest a bit.”
“……I am a guy with no right to rest.”
What kind of sound is this again?
Although Yeo-guk didn’t usually pay attention to others’ business, Ok-cheong’s expression was too unusual.
Yeo-guk asked.
“Please speak. What happened?”
“By all means…….”
“By all means?”
In the end, Ok-cheong let out a heavy sigh.
“It seems I entered the Evil-Annihilating Army pointlessly.”
“Euing?”
Yeo-guk looked at Ok-cheong in surprise.
He looked gentle and mild, but in the Evil-Annihilating Army, there were few people as passionate as Ok-cheong. As well as martial arts training, of course, the degree of concentration on missions.
Separate from skills, he is a person who works truly diligently, so what are these words out of the blue?
Ok-cheong touched his forehead.
“It won’t do. I must go to the Army Commander.”
“What…….”
“Let us see each other later.”
With those words as the end, Ok-cheong hurriedly ran out. The direction was the direction where the Army-Destroying Pavilion was located among the residences of the Six Great Clans.
Yeo-guk smacked his lips.
“Just why is he acting like that?”
* * *
In Immortal Seung-hyeon’s eyes, he didn’t even seem to see the gatekeepers or anything. He was ready to smash the gate of the Army-Destroying Pavilion and enter right away.
In the end, Yeon Ho-jeong stepped forward.
“Are you?”
“I am the Evil-Annihilating Army Commander. I greet the Sect Leader of Wudang.”
Yeon Ho-jeong politely took a fist-palm salute.
Immortal Seung-hyeon’s face, which had been flushed red, regained its proper color before he knew it. Seeing the person involved, his mind calmed down.
‘Um.’
Regaining his composure and calming his excitement, he could fully concentrate on the youth named Yeon Ho-jeong.
Immortal Seung-hyeon’s eyes widened.
“Heo-eo.”
Yeon Ho-jeong asked calmly.
“What brings you here?”
In his heart, he wanted to issue an eviction order, but considering who the opponent was, he couldn’t bring himself to do that.
Immortal Seung-hyeon was Ok-cheong’s martial senior and the giant leading the contemporary Wudang Sect. Decisively, he was also a Murim Alliance honored guest like his father.
It would be a different story if conflict beyond a certain degree occurred, but he had to show minimum courtesy.
“You are Army Commander Yeon?”
“That is correct.”
“Heo-eo, heo-eo.”
Immortal Seung-hyeon, who was only making bizarre sounds not knowing whether it was admiration or sighing, soon opened his mouth.
“Nice to meet you. I am the Sect Leader of the contemporary Wudang. I use the Taoist name Seung-hyeon.”
“I know.”
It was speech and behavior with courtesy and moderation.
In the midst of that, a strange composure oozed out. His clear gaze and naturally relaxed posture looked extremely flexible.
Immortal Seung-hyeon was inwardly flustered.
‘Is it because he took a rest? Or is it because his martial arts stage has risen…….’
He gives off much more of a human feeling.
When he made his return report, he had seen him in passing at the Martial Star Hall.
At that time, a strong killing intent was felt from Yeon Ho-jeong. Because he had smashed countless enemies, a killing intent had settled without him realizing it.
But it was different now.
‘It’s been a truly long time since I saw such deep and clear eyes.’
Even in Mount Wudang, which is a holy land of Taoism, there are not many with such clean eyes.
Immortal Seung-hyeon stealthily turned his head.
Far away, there was a woman standing awkwardly. Not as much as Yeon Ho-jeong, but considering her age, she was an amazing master, and especially her eyes were clearer than Yeon Ho-jeong’s.
‘Did he say that friend is the Vice Commander of the Evil-Annihilating Army.’
He came blindly out of anger, but seeing the man and woman with clear eyes, his equanimity returned before he knew it.
Yeon Ho-jeong tilted his head.
“What is the matter?”
“Eum.”
He had a bunch of things to say, but actually facing him, his mouth wouldn’t open easily.
In the end, Immortal Seung-hyeon let out a sigh.
“By any chance, could I get a cup of tea?”
“Of course. Please come in.”
After a while, in Yeon Ho-jeong’s room, the two people sat with a table between them.
Now he had to say what he had to say. Immortal Seung-hyeon asked point-blank.
“I came because of Martial Nephew Ok-cheong.”
“Ok-cheong?”
“That is right.”
Yeon Ho-jeong tilted his head.
“Is there any problem with Ok-cheong?”
“I think there is.”
Immortal Seung-hyeon’s eyes deepened.
“I looked after my Martial Nephew’s martial arts for the first time in a while. He had changed surprisingly. He was properly understanding the true formula of Wudang martial arts. From my Martial Nephew who had previously walked the path of seeking the Dao through thorough training of forms, the smell of a martial artist oozed out before I knew it.”
“That is a good thing.”
“Yes, it is a good thing. If it ended there.”
Only then could Yeon Ho-jeong know what Immortal Seung-hyeon wanted to say.
“You are doing this because of the killing intent residing in his martial arts.”
“That is right.”
Immortal Seung-hyeon’s face became completely stiff before he knew it.
“It was not a simple change. Every single move, every single move was an extreme killing method that ruptures the opponent’s pulse and aims for vital points.”
“It must be.”
It’s a strange answer.
That answer sounded as if he knew he would naturally change like that.
Immortal Seung-hyeon’s eyes became sharp.
“It is fortunate that he did not lose the essence of Wudang martial arts even though such bloodthirsty martial arts stuck to his body. However, it is said when the Dao is one foot high, the Demon is one zhang high. If he trains martial arts dyed in killing intent, there is a high probability he will lose the original fairy qi of Wudang martial arts before he knows it.”
“That could also be so.”
This time too, it was a strange answer.
The nape of Immortal Seung-hyeon’s neck slowly turned red. The heat that had calmly subsided until just a little while ago seemed to raise its head again.
“I know Martial Nephew Ok-cheong. No matter what hell-like situation he experienced, he is not a child who would train such martial arts.”
“It looks like that to me as well. At first, I thought he was a lazy genius caught up in stereotypes, but it turns out his nature is pure enough to be suitable to inherit the lineage of the Dao of Immortals.”
“That is right.”
Immortal Seung-hyeon, who paused his words for a moment, asked point-blank.
“Did you fix him?”
“That is correct.”
It was an expected answer. But saying it so plainly, he rather had nothing to say on his side.
Immortal Seung-hyeon, who blankly looked at Yeon Ho-jeong, spoke.
“Do you know that the person who taught martial arts to Martial Nephew Ok-cheong is the highest elder of our sect and the Sword Immortal Martial Uncle praised by ten thousand people.”
“I know, but.”
“A person is bound to change according to their environment. No matter who he studied under, if Ok-cheong stepped forward and modified his martial arts himself, I would have fully understood.”
“…….”
“However, that child’s change is not his own enlightenment, but due to someone else’s coercive teachings…….”
“I apologize for cutting you off in the middle, but so what is it that you want to say to me?”
It was a bold question.
Surprisingly, Immortal Seung-hyeon could not easily open his mouth at Yeon Ho-jeong’s words.
Will he take Ok-cheong away? He cannot do that. As long as Ok-cheong entered the Evil-Annihilating Army, the only person who can decide his course of action is the Evil-Annihilating Army Commander. Since the honored guests meeting acknowledged that, it wasn’t a matter for Immortal Seung-hyeon to argue about now.
But he thought Yeon Ho-jeong’s method definitely had a problem.
“Did you really have to do that?”
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled faintly.
Immortal Seung-hyeon immediately continued his words.
“The Evil-Annihilating Army established a great merit. It is all thanks to you, and it is also the result of the soldiers exerting their strength. I also understand that bloodthirsty martial arts are more advantageous for returning alive from deadly situations. However…….”
“You are saying from a long-term perspective, a great harmful effect might occur.”
“That is right.”
“Then please have the elders of Wudang correct that.”
“What?”
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes shone.
“It is more advantageous for returning alive from deadly situations. With that one reason alone, I taught them actual combat and killing methods. Assuming long-term development is, at least from my standpoint, a matter not even worth considering.”
“……!”
“The Evil-Annihilating Army had to establish merits. But merits can also only be established if the soldiers are intact. Furthermore, even if the Evil-Annihilating Army cannot establish merits, the soldiers must not die.”
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.
“Unless the majority of the soldiers joined the army with determination, their safety is my top priority. However, as the Evil-Annihilating Army is also an independent mobile unit, we must definitely establish merits. In this contradictory situation, the only method I could choose was sharpening the soldiers’ swords.”
That was the reason he was unusually fully tense while watching the battles of the Evil-Annihilating Army.
And that will continue in the future as well. Until they truly consider the organization called the Evil-Annihilating Army as their own sect, like their family.
Also, even after it becomes like that, he would have to constantly pay attention. Because he promised to at least prevent them from dying a dog’s death.
‘…….’
Embarrassment arose on the face of Immortal Seung-hyeon looking at Yeon Ho-jeong.
‘Is that how it was.’
He had many things he wanted to nitpick with Yeon Ho-jeong in various ways.
But Yeon Ho-jeong’s firm answer made Immortal Seung-hyeon look back on himself.
‘Does it mean Army Commander Yeon is caring for the subordinate soldiers in his own way.’
It was a natural fact. He had come panting and tried to scold him over that naturalness, simply because Ok-cheong’s martial arts had become excessively bloodthirsty.
If it were his usual self, he would absolutely not have stepped forward like this. Because the position of Wudang Sect Leader is not something that can be seized just because one’s martial arts are strong.
Immortal Seung-hyeon spoke honestly.
“Unbefitting a person leading Wudang, I could not see far, wide, or deep.”
Rising from his seat, he bowed his head while taking a fist-palm salute.
“What else is there for me to say. It must have been a choice you also made after long deliberation; due to my ignorance, I committed a great discourtesy. I will apologize like this.”
It was a greeting he dared not receive lightly. Yeon Ho-jeong also stood up and bowed his head in return.
“No. I think it is something you can sufficiently worry about.”
Immortal Seung-hyeon smiled.
Strong sincerity resided in words that could sound like empty talk. It must mean he cares for the other party that much.
“Ok-cheong is a good child. Maintaining purity at that age is difficult for anyone. So all the Daoists of our sect cherish Ok-cheong.”
It probably meant that strong affection for his youngest Martial Nephew clouded his eyes.
Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.
“If the day comes when the Evil-Annihilating Army is disbanded in the future, I will try to take back the killing methods taught to Ok-cheong as much as possible.”
“I would be grateful if you did. Although I don’t know by what method that would be possible.”
Immortal Seung-hyeon burst into a loud laugh.
It was a situation where the relationship could have gone awry if they made a mistake. However, Yeon Ho-jeong’s resolute response and Immortal Seung-hyeon’s flexibility rather made the relationship solid.
Human relationships are all like that. One must be able to distinguish when to step back and when to push forward, and must also know how to look back on one’s own words and actions.
‘He is a good person.’
Yeon Ho-jeong felt a subtle liking toward Immortal Seung-hyeon.
Originally, he likes people who know how to take care of their own people, and he also likes honest wise men. Immortal Seung-hyeon was a person equipped with both of those characteristics.
‘Since he grew up in the embrace of such people, Ok-cheong won’t go astray either.’
It was at that time.
“Anyway, you.”
“Please speak.”
“To the extent of affecting the extremely detailed forms within Ok-cheong’s fist techniques and sword palms, it would be possible only if you are quite well-versed in Wudang martial arts.”
“……Ah, that is.”
“Speak.”
Immortal Seung-hyeon asked with a mischievous face.
“How much did you steal?”
It was the moment the initiative of the conversation reversed.