Monochrome Sovereign (Novel) - Chapter 20 - A Martial Artist's Values (4)
Chapter 20 – A Martial Artist’s Values (4)
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Translated by Heavenly Cat
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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The Sichuan Tang Clan.
It is a unique martial family that has spread its reputation throughout the Central Plains by making poisons and hidden weapons its main strength.
Due to the nature of the White Path, which pursues upright justice and morality, poisons and hidden weapons were difficult weapons to accept. This is because they are weapons specialized for assassination rather than fair and square combat.
The first family to break that prejudice was the Tang Clan. They were as toxic and cold-blooded as their main weapons, but they did not cross the minimum line.
Of course, from Yeon Ho-jeong’s perspective, such history was none of his business.
He unknowingly stroked his solar plexus.
It was still vivid. The unpleasant sensation of the Cow Hair Needle embedded in his chest as he was dying.
‘Tang Kwan.’
Vice Leader of the Murim Alliance, Tang Kwan.
That snake-like fellow who completely sent his physical body, which was heading toward the River of Three Crossings, to the underworld.
Twitch!
Strength was unknowingly applied to the hand holding the iron staff.
The instinct of the Dark Emperor, who never forgot a grudge, was awakening.
‘…’
Yeon Ho-jeong composed his mind.
The opponent is not Tang Kwan. Even if it were Tang Kwan, he should not attack just because there was a grudge.
This was because he was currently the Eldest Young Master of the Yeon family, not the Dark Emperor Castle Lord. Unless he was touched first, rash behavior was strictly forbidden.
“By the way, these people are…?”
“They are the Eldest Young Master Yeon Ho-jeong and the Second Young Master Yeon Ji-pyeong of the main family.”
Han Ho-myeong greeted them with a smile.
“Nice to meet you. I am Han Ho-myeong.”
It was a greeting that was blunt, even short.
Shin Mo’s face stiffened slightly.
To Han Ho-myeong, they were just children of another family, but still, this place was the meeting place for the rising stars of the Seven Great Clans. His tone of speech could be like that, but he should not have treated them like subordinates with his hands behind his back.
It was when Shin Mo was about to argue.
“I meet Great Hero Han. I am the Second Young Master of the Yeon family, Yeon Ji-pyeong.”
Yeon Ji-pyeong clasped his hands with discipline.
Unlike Han Ho-myeong’s arrogant greeting, Yeon Ji-pyeong’s greeting was polite and possessed etiquette.
Han Ho-myeong burst into laughter.
“So you are Young Hero Yeon. I heard that the Second Young Master of Green Mountain is such a talented martial genius. Seeing you in person, it seems the rumors are not false.”
Yeon Ji-pyeong wore a smile.
“You overpraise me. I do not have such talent, and I am nothing compared to my brother.”
People’s gazes naturally turned toward Yeon Ho-jeong.
Interest appeared on Han Ho-myeong’s face.
“Young Hero is…”
“Leader Shin.”
Shin Mo bowed his head.
“Yes, Eldest Young Master.”
“I am hungry. Let’s take a place and eat first.”
“I understand.”
“Take turns on guard duty. There is no need to escort me even here, so let the rest of them rest.”
“I receive your command.”
Shin Mo said to Han Ho-myeong in a stiff voice.
“I will go first. May you rest comfortably.”
In that way, the Yeon brothers entered the interior of the manor along with the Goshawk Squad.
Han Ho-myeong’s gaze turned dull. His good-natured smile had vanished before anyone knew it.
“You mean even a dull fang can bite?”
It was then.
“Warrior Han.”
“Yes, Eldest Young Master.”
The young man who received Han Ho-myeong’s polite bow, Tang Yang-seon, tilted his head.
“Is that arrogant fellow really the Eldest Young Master of the Yeon family?”
“It seems so.”
“Hmm? Does he have some disease by any chance?”
“Pardon?”
“He looks quite healthy, but the Qi he harbors is too ordinary. The level is quite poor.”
Han Ho-myeong said flatly.
“According to market rumors, the Eldest Young Master of the Yeon family is a typical ‘dog son’ under a ‘tiger father.’”
“Oh?”
“Unlike him, the Second Young Master is evaluated as someone with talent exceeding that of the current family head.”
“They are of the same bloodline, but their talents are poles apart? That’s interesting.”
Han Ho-myeong lowered his head.
“Seeing it, it seems there is no need for the Eldest Young Master to pay attention to him. It would be best to ignore him.”
“Well, I wonder?”
“Pardon?”
Tang Yang-seon shrugged his shoulders.
“At least he has some guts, doesn’t he? To show such lack of manners in front of a person of the Tang Clan, that is really not an easy thing to do.”
Among the proverbs of the Murim, there is such a saying. If you prepare for the poisons and hidden weapons of the Tang Clan, you can live ten years longer.
If you earn the grudge of the Murim Alliance, it is difficult to sleep with your legs stretched out, but if you earn the grudge of the Tang Clan, it is said that you should end your life immediately. People feared the martial arts and cold-blooded character of the Tang Clan to that extent.
“Anyway, we have come too early. Let’s unpack and look around Hefei a bit.”
“I understand.”
Already, the Yeon family had vanished from the minds of the two people.
Perhaps because they came early, they could choose the room they wanted as they pleased. Servants who had come to the manor in advance and were working guided the group.
Yeon Ji-pyeong glanced at Yeon Ho-jeong.
“Um…”
“Hmm? Why? Do you have something to say?”
“Will it be all right?”
“What?”
“The Tang Clan.”
Yeon Ho-jeong tilted his head.
“What about them?”
Yeon Ji-pyeong unknowingly sucked in his breath.
‘Them’? If a member of the Tang Clan nearby had heard his brother’s words, they would have been angry.
“Did I do something wrong?”
“Yes? Ah, no! It’s not that…”
“Hey, Leader Shin. Did I make some mistake by any chance?”
Shin Mo said in a polite voice.
“There is absolutely none.”
He said there was absolutely none. The words were funny, but Yeon Ji-pyeong could not laugh. It was because Shin Mo’s face was serious.
It was not because of Yeon Ho-jeong. He was angry at Han Ho-myeong’s arrogant behavior.
Whether he was deeply angry, Shin Mo added one more word.
“Rather, I think you did well.”
“Did I do well?”
“That is right. Although one may know the ten fathoms under the water, it is difficult to know the one fathom of a person’s heart, but sometimes one can know ten things by seeing one.”
“In other words, it is better not to associate with them?”
“This is the meeting place for the successors of the Seven Great Clans. Even if he is not from this family, it is only right to show respect to the children of the opponent family.”
Yeon Ho-jeong said with an interested expression.
“Well, his posture was crooked, but he didn’t make a big mistake either, did he?”
“If it were unintentional words and deeds, I would not have spoken this much either.”
“Did you know?”
Shin Mo lowered his head without a word.
Yeon Ji-pyeong asked with a puzzled face.
“What?”
“The one called Han Ho-myeong? That fellow’s rude behavior was not purely his own intention.”
“Then?”
“The Tang Clan fellow ordered it.”
“What?!”
Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.
“Curiosity is piqued, and he seems to think it would hurt his dignity to step forward himself. In such a case, he orders a subordinate to provoke the opponent and wants to find out something.”
“…!”
“Isn’t it a classic behavior enough to make one yawn? It is too obvious, so it’s boring now.”
“T-then, Brother, was you ignoring them also…?”
“I didn’t have any intention of exchanging words from the beginning. But since they act that way, why would I get involved?”
Yeon Ji-pyeong let out an exclamation.
At the same time, he was embarrassed. He, who didn’t know that, was unnecessarily worrying, wasn’t he?
Yeon Ho-jeong stroked Yeon Ji-pyeong’s head.
“Looking from that aspect, you are certainly growing up upright.”
“Me?”
“Yes. I ignored the opponent, but you treated them with etiquette as you learned in the family. That is not something that can be done just by learning. Especially at your age.”
Yeon Ji-pyeong’s face turned red.
“I-I didn’t mean that…”
“Father said this. To endure an insult is not patience but cowardice. But he said not to bark back just because a dog barks.”
Yeon Ji-pyeong cleared his throat.
“I didn’t… I mean, I never… called the Tang Clan people dogs…”
“It’s just a way of speaking. Neither I nor Leader Shin can live correctly like Father or you because our hearts are twisted.”
Yeon Ho-jeong looked at Shin Mo and asked.
“Isn’t that right, Leader Shin?”
Shin Mo replied with a small smile.
“It seems so.”
“See. Rather, it is easy to ignore the opponent. Anything orthodox is difficult.”
Confusion dwelled on Yeon Ji-pyeong’s face.
“I do not know what is what.”
“There is nothing difficult. You can live as you learned and as you have done until now. I hope you become more flexible, but I hope you do not discard your current self.”
“…Am I not wrong?”
“Absolutely. Rather, it is correct and ideal. There will be many fools who mock that appearance as unrealistic, but those fellows are fools who will not understand even if they die and are born again that the foundation of this world was established by ideals.”
“Then what about you, Brother?”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
Yeon Ho-jeong said with a bitter face.
“I am a blockhead who finds it difficult to distinguish between dogs and people.”
* * *
The time of two days passed quickly.
Until the day of the meeting, Yeon Ho-jeong did not leave his room. And that was the same for Yeon Ji-pyeong. Yeon Ho-jeong looked back at his martial arts and planned for the future, while Yeon Ji-pyeong agonized over his identity.
The rising stars of each martial family did not come until the night before the meeting. It seemed they were looking around the market street of Hefei.
They did not clash further with the Tang Clan side, who had a slight psychological war on the first day they entered the meeting place. This was because their accommodations were so far apart.
In that way, the time of two days flowed peacefully.
On the morning of the day of the meeting.
The transmission of Shin Mo reached the ears of Yeon Ho-jeong, who was performing internal exercise in his room.
[Eldest Young Master.]
[Speak.]
[The rising stars of the Namgung and Peng families have arrived.]
Flash!
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes opened.
The Jade Gauze Qi, which had become a bit more mature, formed in both eyes. A fairly vivid blue light lingered in his pupils, which had been only faint, and then vanished.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who stood up, walked toward the wide-open window. It was a room with a good view and where the entire interior of the manor could be seen.
In his eyes, a group of people entering while opening the main gate was visible.
‘Namgung.’
A very handsome man with a tall stature was visible.
He wore an extraordinary precious sword at his waist, and his expression was confident. He was establishing a refined air that could be felt even from this long distance.
He was clearly the rising star of the Namgung Clan. Even before his appearance, the Qi he emitted was similar to that of Namgung Sang-hwa.
However, that side was out of Yeon Ho-jeong’s interest.
He turned his gaze and looked at two young men. Their height was similar to that of the Namgung rising star, but their frame was much more grand.
‘Peng family!’
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes deepened.
Vrrrrrr.
The Jade Gauze Qi that had settled in his dantian instantly traveled through the acupoints of his entire body. The noble Black Tortoise Qi rose through his lumbar vertebrae and cooled his head.
Sizzle sizzle.
His five senses became sensitive.
Even the sound of birds chirping in the distance, the wooden scent in the room, and even a single grain of dust clinging to his skin were felt.
‘…’
Yeon Ho-jeong frowned.
‘What? The disposition is completely different?’
To see accurately, he even had to see the method of internal energy operation. He also had to examine the atmosphere of the internal energy itself more closely.
However, it was unique to the extent that such a thing seemed meaningless. The Qi of the Peng family was so heterogeneous that there was not even a bit of a corner to be entangled with the attackers at that time.
‘This won’t do.’
There is a limit to checking from the window like this. Yeon Ho-jeong instantly came out of his quarters and walked to the main gate of the outer courtyard.
“Hmm? Who is it?”
“Well… He doesn’t look like a servant?”
The rising stars of the Peng family who saw Yeon Ho-jeong said so. They seemed to try to speak softly, but their voices were as large as their frames.
Thanks to that, everyone’s gaze was concentrated on Yeon Ho-jeong. However, Yeon Ho-jeong did not pay attention to those gazes.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who stood next to a tree, crossed his arms and watched the rising stars of the Peng family.
‘As expected.’
Yeon Ho-jeong’s expression frowned involuntarily.
‘I must check more, but…’
No matter how I look at it, it’s not them.
Just in case, he had to continue to examine, but his sixth sense was telling him. It was not the Peng family.
The core members of the Peng family could be different?
His head said that could be so, but his heart was convinced it was not. As Shin Mo said, the Peng family seemed to be a family of those where one could know ten things by seeing one.
‘…’
What should I do?
In the end, Yeon Ho-jeong made a judgment.
‘I must first see the Myeong family too. Time is sufficient. Let’s not think hurriedly.’
It was then.
“…Don’t you hear me?”
Yeon Ho-jeong turned his gaze at the voice that was heard stingingly.
It was exactly Namgung Hyeon.
“I do not know who you are, but I think it is rude to stare at a person so intently upon the first meeting, don’t you think?”
The rising stars of the Peng family burst into a hearty laugh.
“Haha! Brother Namgung, there’s no need to be like that. We are fine. Right, Brother?”
“It’s not like we’re being worn down anyway.”
“See.”
Their tone of speech was rough, but an unknown innocence was buried in it.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who felt deflated for nothing, clasped his hands.
“I was rude. Because you resemble someone I know.”
“Uh-huh-huh-huh! There was another brave man like me? As expected, the world is wide!”
“Brother. Maybe he said that because he saw me?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. If someone resembled you, they should run away first, you crazy fellow. You’re no different from a mountain bandit.”
“Did you forget? We’re twins.”
“There’s no need to resemble each other just because we’re twins, is there?”
“…What on earth does that mean?”
Seeing now, it seemed they were lively characters as much as their frames. Such a character cannot be made up.
“Anyway, who might the Young Hero be?”
“I am called Yeon Ho-jeong.”
“Yeon Ho-jeong?”
“I have come from the Green Mountain Yeon Clan.”
“Whoa! Green Mountain Yeon Clan!”
In an instant, Yeon Ho-jeong could see. That Namgung Hyeon’s gaze transformed.
The Successor of the Peng family, Peng Dae-ho, rushed over and grabbed Yeon Ho-jeong’s hand.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes shone.
His finger naturally headed toward Peng Dae-ho’s pulse point.
“Kwahahahat! So you were a person of the Yeon family? This is nice to meet you! I really wanted to meet a person of the Yeon family!”
“Hmm?”
“Ahaha! Just know it as personal curiosity! Ah, I am Peng Dae-ho! And that mountain bandit fellow standing behind me is Peng Man-ho, my younger brother who is infinitely lacking!”
He grabbed his hand and shook it vigorously, so it was enough to make him lose his senses.
Even if he wanted to check through the pulse point, he couldn’t because it was distracting. Still, he could analyze the Qi more clearly through the hand.
‘I should first postpone the Peng family to the very back.’
It was then.
The main gate opened once again.
“Oh! It seems someone else is coming! Who could it be?”
Clatter!
The door opened, and a pair of siblings accompanied by a group of guards entered.
Namgung Hyeon’s eyes widened. The Peng brothers were dazed.
The young man was a young man, but the beauty of the woman was truly great. Even though she was not wearing very high-quality clothes, her beauty, which brightly illuminated the surroundings, was the highlight.
Namgung Hyeon involuntarily muttered.
“Ah-yeon?”
“Eh?!”
Zhuge Ah-yeon pointed with her hand toward where the group was.
It was when Namgung Hyeon was about to smile slightly and raise his hand.
“Jeong-ah!”