Monochrome Sovereign (Novel) - Chapter 25 - Windstorm (5)
Chapter 25 – Windstorm (5)
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Translated by Heavenly Cat
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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“Eldest Young Master, are you alright?”
“…….”
“Eldest Young Master?!”
“Hmm? Ah, did you call me?”
“Yes. I was wondering if your body was alright…….”
“I’m fine. I haven’t even properly warmed up my body yet.”
“I, I see.”
A look of bewilderment appeared on Shin Mo’s face.
Yeon Ho-jeong spoke with a hint of apology.
“It seems I’ve caused trouble and put you all in a difficult position. I’m sorry.”
“Ah, no! How could you say such a thing?”
“I have much to think about today. I’ll buy you a drink of apology tomorrow.”
“A drink of apology? That is far too much.”
Shin Mo bowed his head.
“I am glad to hear that you are alright. Please rest well.”
“You should rest too.”
“Just in case, I will station members of the Goshawk Squad near your quarters.”
Yeon Ho-jeong was about to say it wasn’t necessary, but then he nodded. If he didn’t set up a guard, Shin Mo would be even more anxious.
He didn’t want to make others worry anymore.
“Thank you.”
“Then, I shall take my leave.”
As Shin Mo left the room, Yeon Ho-jeong turned his eyes toward the window.
The banquet, which had started shortly after noon, was canceled in less than half an hour. Thus, the day was still bright.
Looking out the window, Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes were dyed with a chilling darkness.
‘Is it the Myeong Clan?’
He had shown a nonchalant appearance to settle the incident, but his senses remained focused on Myeong Ho-rim.
‘It’s the same. It’s not at a stage to be certain yet, like the Zhuge or Peng Clans. However…….’
Though it was a bit hasty, Yeon Ho-jeong trusted his intuition. He relied on his instincts.
A strong sense of dissonance was felt from Myeong Ho-rim’s internal energy.
To be precise, it was different from the internal energy emitted by the family’s killers. If only the similarity of temperament was considered, it could be seen as a completely different martial art.
However, Myeong Ho-rim’s internal energy was on a different path from the martial arts of the Central Plains. It was as if a wolf had donned a sheep’s skin and introduced himself as a sheep.
One could say that a rough and ominous energy was well-refined to suit the sentiments of the Central Plains. Internal energy was something whose color changed depending on the character of the practitioner, but he felt that Myeong Ho-rim’s internal energy was fundamentally not of the Central Plains.
‘It’s a pity. If I had pushed him properly, I could have seen his true skills.’
Yeon Ho-jeong, who was sighing, suddenly tilted his head.
“But how did the Myeong Clan collapse?”
It was around the time he had learned martial arts from his master, descended the mountain, pacified the Unorthodox Path, and turned his eyes to the world.
At that time, the Myeong Clan had already disappeared. It was said that they were not destroyed by someone like the Yeon Clan, but their family influence had declined so rapidly that they dissolved in less than three years.
Yeon Ho-jeong stroked his chin with a bitter face.
“Exactly how?”
If a clan of the level of the Nine States Myeong Clan had collapsed, there was no way he, who had begun to shake the history of the Unorthodox Path at that time, would not have paid attention. To be precise, information about the Myeong Clan should have reached his ears.
However, he had received no information about the Myeong Clan. He was incredibly busy laying the foundation for the Dark Emperor Castle, but even so, wasn’t this a bit too much?
“Did someone control the information?”
The information power of the Unorthodox Path was sharper and faster than that of the Orthodox Path.
In the early days of the Dark Emperor Castle, Yeon Ho-jeong also held the important responsibility of being the head of information. At least in the Unorthodox Path, there was no one who could escape Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes among those who toyed with information.
‘Could it be from the Orthodox Murim?’
Thoughts followed one after another.
Even if he tried to shake them off, he couldn’t. Even though the important thing was whether the Myeong Clan was the culprit or not, his thoughts kept flowing in that direction.
It was while Yeon Ho-jeong was agonizing over that part for a long time.
“Eldest Young Master.”
Shin Mo’s voice was heard from outside the door.
“Yes?”
“The eldest daughter of the Zhuge Clan has come to visit. What should I do?”
Even though there was a personal friendship, Shin Mo drew a clear line. Yeon Ho-jeong nodded.
“Let her in.”
Rattle.
Zhuge Ah-yeon entered as if she had been waiting.
Having changed from her bright light-green clothes to more active-wear, she looked even more energetic.
“What are you doing alone? Sitting by the window.”
“Why did you come?”
Zhuge Ah-yeon grumbled.
“Even so, a guest has come, so you should at least tell me to sit down, shouldn’t you?”
“Sit.”
“What about tea?”
“Brew it yourself.”
“How prickly.”
Zhuge Ah-yeon sat down with a groan. It seemed as if weariness could be felt.
“How is your body?”
“It’s fine.”
“I see. You look so fine that it’s embarrassing for me to have worried by your side. Then again, I never thought you had the skill to toy with that rascal of the Tang Clan.”
No matter how ignorant she was of the world’s ways, Tang Yang-seon was the direct heir of the Tang Clan. There was no way the Tang Clan would have taught their son, who would represent the clan in the future, lightly.
Zhuge Ah-yeon examined Yeon Ho-jeong’s face.
Yeon Ho-jeong was still looking out the window with an expression that made it impossible to know what he was thinking.
She had many things she wanted to ask Yeon Ho-jeong.
She was curious about how he had become so strong, why he was so obsessed with Myeong Ho-rim, and what he was thinking.
‘Sigh.’
She, who had sighed inwardly, smiled brightly.
“If something happens later, I can just hide behind you.”
“So, what is your business?”
“Your stiffness is no less than the club my father used to hold often when I was a child. I just came to see your face.”
Yeon Ho-jeong frowned.
Just as Zhuge Ah-yeon was preparing to grit her teeth, thinking that another blunt remark would come out.
“Thank you.”
“……Eh?”
“I said thank you.”
Zhuge Ah-yeon blinked.
“Thank you? For what?”
“For defending me at the right time. Thanks to that, the incident could be settled for now. It’s thanks to you.”
“……Why are you suddenly like this, so unlike you? It’s chilly, hey.”
“Your skill at catching people’s slips is top-notch. A Zhuge is indeed a Zhuge.”
“Slips? I’d prefer if you called it the art of speech.”
“I could see that you might aim for success with just three inches of tongue.”
“Is that a compliment or an insult?”
“It’s gratitude.”
“Hmph, fine! Tsk! I’d rather you didn’t say thank you!”
“Then pretend you didn’t hear it.”
“I don’t want to.”
Yeon Ho-jeong turned his head away. An aura of not even wanting to talk to her wafted out strongly.
Zhuge Ah-yeon’s face flushed slightly.
She had just blurted it out because she was flustered, but she actually felt good. Especially because she knew he was a person who didn’t easily say thank you to others.
She had come to offer comfort, thinking he might be feeling frustrated, but she received an unexpected greeting. Though she hadn’t intended to mention it, she felt she could say a word in this kind of atmosphere.
“Be a little more careful in the future.”
“I understand.”
“……Heehee.”
“What is that sly laughter?”
“Sly?!”
She, who had flared up, soon let out a weak sigh.
“Che, you’re stronger than me, so I can’t even give you a thump…… Ah!”
Zhuge Ah-yeon’s face became a bit more serious.
“I have one thing to ask.”
“What is it?”
“You know, at the Tower of the Chu Sound. That guy who was the Hall Master of the Thunder Fire Hall.”
“What about him?”
“I’ve been wanting to ask for a while, how did you wound him?”
Yeon Ho-jeong tilted his head.
“Is there a special way to wound someone? I just struck him with the intent to kill, that’s all.”
“It’s not that…….”
Wuuu.
A strong internal energy bloomed from Zhuge Ah-yeon’s hand. At the same time, the scent of sandalwood began to swirl in Yeon Ho-jeong’s room.
“The Primordial Sandalwood Divine Art of my family is called one of the few secret techniques. And my attack had properly landed on that guy’s abdomen.”
Even if struck without internal energy, the abdomen is a dangerous area. Since all those internal organs are squeezed in, a wrong hit can lead to inability to act, or in severe cases, death.
“But instead of collapsing, that guy didn’t even show any sign of pain. It’s not like his internal energy was several times stronger than mine, was it?”
“It’s the difference in the nature of the Qi.”
“Hmm? Nature?”
Yeon Ho-jeong spoke as if it were nothing.
“The level of the Heat Yang Art that guy mastered is very high. In other words, the internal energy itself contains Fire Qi. However, your internal energy is centered on Wood Qi.”
“……?!”
“If you throw a piece of firewood into a blazing campfire, does the fire go out? Rather, it burns more strongly.”
Zhuge Ah-yeon was dumbfounded.
“No matter how different the fundamental nature of internal energy is, the difference in martial studies is clear…….”
“His martial art is not a simple trivial skill. It is a martial art that once even discussed the best under heaven.”
“What?”
“The Yin Fire Red Type, which was famous as one of the two great techniques of the Yin God along with the Yin Cold White Type, is the martial art he mastered.”
Yin God? Yin Fire Red Type?
Zhuge Ah-yeon frowned.
“It’s a martial art I’ve never even heard of?”
That was only natural. Because even Yeon Ho-jeong only learned about the existence of the Yin God after becoming the Lord of the Dark Emperor Castle.
The Yin God was the king of the assassination world.
The Yin God during his time as the Lord of the Dark Emperor Castle had ambiguous achievements after the generational change. However, in the case of the former Yin God, he was a mythical existence who succeeded in all ninety-nine assassinations except for a single one.
And after that one failed assassination, he disappeared until he had raised a successor.
“Even so, it’s not right that he didn’t receive even a slight shock…….”
“That’s because the achievement of you two is low.”
“Ah?”
“Even if you reach the extreme realm, it’s hard to ignore compatibility. This is the reason why there can be a person who is the best under heaven, but Absolute Invincibility cannot exist. Because the Heavens never allow solitary supremacy.”
“…….”
“Well, it seems that guy hasn’t even been passed thirty percent of the Yin Fire Red Type, let alone the Yin Cold White Type.”
“Thirty percent…….”
Zhuge Ah-yeon’s face became serious.
“You’re saying that with just thirty percent, he was at that level.”
“Whether it’s thirty percent or a hundred percent, the important thing is to master it as deeply as possible within the limits of what one has learned. Both he and you have only licked the surface of the Divine Art.”
“Somehow, it doesn’t feel good to be grouped in the same category.”
“That’s none of my business.”
“Tch.”
Zhuge Ah-yeon let out a deep sigh. She had come to comfort and worry, but her mood just became restless for no reason.
“There is a best under heaven, but no Absolute Invincibility? That’s true.”
“If you’ve finished your business, then now…….”
“But isn’t there one person?”
“What?”
“The one who was called Absolute Invincible in the history of Murim.”
Yeon Ho-jeong tilted his head.
“If you are talking about Bodhidharma, the founder of Shaolin…….”
“No, not Great Master Bodhidharma. There was a legendary martial artist who suppressed the Blood Cult Rebellion three hundred years ago, which was said to be the peak prosperity of Murim.”
“Three hundred years ago? Who?”
“You don’t know?”
“I don’t. I’m busy enough living my own life, what do I care about three hundred years ago?”
“You really are a mysterious fellow. I thought you saw through the principles of how the world works like a ghost, but you don’t know that famous person?”
“I dislike studying history.”
“That figures.”
“So, who is that great person?”
His tone was no different from before, but to Zhuge Ah-yeon, it somehow sounded sarcastic.
She snorted and said.
“When you hear it, you’ll be surprised too.”
“So, who is it?”
“The Four Directions Martial Emperor.”
“The Four Directions Martial Emperor?”
“You really didn’t know? You’re amazing, too.”
“What a childish title.”
“Don’t say that. To us Orthodox martial artists, he is someone evaluated even higher than Great Master Bodhidharma. If he hadn’t suppressed the Blood Cult Rebellion back then, the world would have become a hell by now.”
Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.
“The world is already hellish enough now.”
“Ugh, so dark. You really are a dark fellow.”
“Be quiet.”
“Anyway, if the skill of the Four Directions Martial Emperor is exactly as history says, he certainly deserves to be called Absolute Invincible, don’t you think? Because they say he mastered not just one, but four types of martial arts to the extreme.”
“Four types of martial arts?”
“Yes. They say that in offense, defense, and evasion, no martial art under heaven can follow him. Besides, he even handled the Two Qi of Yin and Yang?”
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed.
“Offense, defense, evasion, and the Two Qi of Yin and Yang?”
“That’s right. Well, since he’s such a deified person, I don’t think there can’t be exaggeration. Later, he was even called the Golden Dragon Emperor because he was said to command even a golden dragon. Even I think that’s going too far.”
“…….”
“Anyway! Don’t live your life so gloomily. As you live, aren’t there many interesting things like this…….”
“…….”
“Jeong-ah?”
Zhuge Ah-yeon was flustered.
It was the first time she had seen Yeon Ho-jeong’s blank expression.
‘The Four Directions Martial Emperor? Commanding a golden dragon?’
Perfect offense, defense, and evasion. And the Two Qi of Yin and Yang.
On top of that, a golden dragon?
“Um…… I don’t know why, but I might have said something unnecessary…….”
“Tell me more.”
“E-eh?”
Thunder struck in Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes.
“Tell me in detail about that person called the Four Directions Martial Emperor.”