Monochrome Sovereign (Novel) - Chapter 61 - The Eldest Son of Green Mountain (1)

Chapter 61 – The Eldest Son of Green Mountain (1)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“Clan Head. A guest from the Beggars’ Gang has come to visit.”

“Bring him in.”

After a while, Iron Staff Beggar entered the Clan Head’s room.

Even Iron Staff Beggar, who was usually famous for being sly, did not dare to act impudently in front of the Yeon Clan Head.

“I am Iron Staff Beggar. It seems this is the first time I am meeting you like this.”

The grime was practically flowing down his face from how long he had not washed. Even so, there was no change in Yeon Wi’s expression.

“I am Yeon Wi. Nice to meet you.”

A powerful dignity was felt in the short greeting.

Iron Staff Beggar felt a prickling in his neck for no reason.

‘He is enormous.’

It was as if he were looking at a single Divine Sword. The pressure felt was immense.

‘The Judge’s Sword. They said he is a swordsman worthy of ascending to the Saintly Heaven Thirteen Seats ten years from now, and it seems the words of the people were not an exaggeration.’

Parting the sea with a single shout, chasing away evil with an iron sword.

These were words referring to the Yeon Clan Head, Yeon Wi. Seeing him today, there seemed to be no exaggeration in those fearsome nicknames.

“Since I have work and must go soon, I will only tell you what I have investigated so far.”

Yeon Wi’s eyes flashed.

It was a situation where not even half a month had passed, let alone a month. Yet Iron Staff Beggar seemed to have found something out.

“Please do.”

“Please look at this.”

He took out a carefully folded letter from his bosom and offered it politely.

His appearance was no different from a top beggar, but the letter he brought was very high-quality.

Yeon Wi’s eyes shone as he unfolded the letter.

“I intended to investigate all the way to Zhejiang and then give it to you, but since time seems pressing, I have summarized only Jiangsu Province and given it first.”

“The factions written here are?”

“That is right. They all joined hands with the Myeong Clan. The more a faction is written on the right side, the higher its association with the Myeong Clan.”

A brilliant light lingered in Yeon Wi’s eyes as he quickly scanned the letter.

“Ancient Sword Hall?!”

“It is a familiar faction, right?”

“Do not tell me even this place joined hands with the Myeong Clan?”

“To be precise, rather than joining hands, it seems they received a lot of money from the Myeong Clan. Circumstances of them reporting the Yeon Clan’s movements have been discovered.”

Yeon Wi felt inwardly despondent.

The Ancient Sword Hall was a place that had dealings with the Yeon Clan. More than half of the weapons used by the warriors in the household were manufactured at the Ancient Sword Hall.

‘The main house was being quietly destroyed like this without me knowing.’

Iron Staff Beggar opened his mouth.

“So, I came because I wanted to ask you directly.”

“What are you saying.”

“There will clearly be lackeys related to the Myeong Clan in Zhejiang too. However, I do not think investigating them will have much meaning.”

“Why do you think so?”

“Because the Murong Clan reached out to Zhejiang first.”

“…”

“In fact, the Zhejiang branch is earning enormous profits from maritime trade. No matter how much of a Myeong Clan it is, they will not try to poke into Zhejiang.”

“I see.”

“Yes, rather than investigating them, I thought it would be better to summarize the factions in Jiangsu Province right now and dig deeper. That is why I came personally.”

Yeon Wi nodded his head.

“Your thought is correct.”

“Then, shall we start right away?”

“Before that.”

Yeon Wi handed over a letter from his bosom.

“Please send this to my son.”

“Ah, to the Eldest Young Master?”

“That is right. Sorry to trouble you.”

“Haha! It is fine. It is not like I am the one doing the work anyway.”

Iron Staff Beggar, who stuffed the letter into his bosom, asked as if he suddenly remembered.

“That… by any chance.”

“If it is about a meal, I have already spoken in advance. If you go to the Guest Hall, they will guide you.”

Iron Staff Beggar smacked his lips. Does this gentleman really think I am just a beggar?

“It is not that. By any chance, have you received a separate letter from the Eldest Young Master?”

“I have not received anything other than that he arrived in Henan.”

“Ah…”

Iron Staff Beggar was truly flustered. Did he not tell his own father? Is this not going too far?

Yeon Wi’s eyes flashed.

“Has something happened to his personal safety?”

“Pardon? Ah, it is not that but…”

“…”

“…It cannot be helped. I will tell you.”

Iron Staff Beggar relayed Yeon Ho-jeong’s current situation while clearing his throat repeatedly.

Yeon Wi’s eyes shook.

“The Myeong Clan?!”

“Yes, that is right. So he even drew in the Murong Clan.”

Yeon Wi felt his mind going blank.

Not telling him could be overlooked. Since his mind would be in a whirl.

But the idea itself was absurd. Joining hands with the Murong Clan to strike the Myeong Clan? Just what kind of nonsense strategy was this?

‘This.’

Thinking about it, this was a very serious problem. Was it not a situation where a war could break out between families if things went wrong!

“If he needlessly provokes the Murong Clan Head…”

“Eh, I was worried about that too.”

“Hmm?”

“They say he is really coming.”

“…?!”

“Murong Clan Head Murong Jun, they say he really departed from Hunan.”

Iron Staff Beggar explained the story a bit more in detail.

All information regarding the things Yeon Ho-jeong had experienced until now had already passed over to the Beggars’ Gang. Since the person moving together was the Successor, it was natural if it was natural.

“Mmm.”

Yeon Wi’s eyes shone.

“Right, hearing it in such detail, I can see what Ho-jeong is aiming for.”

Of course, he could not know in detail.

He was currently in a state where he did not even know how he found out that the Myeong Clan was behind it. Such a fellow had now even captured the Myeong Clan’s intelligence organization.

When he heard that part, his vision felt dizzy for a moment. He thought his son had finally gone and done it because of that rough temper.

But after hearing the series of situations, he could tell how Yeon Ho-jeong intended to deal with the Myeong Clan.

However, the thing he was worried about was.

“He is drawing in the Myeong Clan?”

“That is right. And that will probably… be very dangerous.”

Iron Staff Beggar added words as if he suddenly realized something.

“Of course, since the Beggars’ Gang has dispatched masters to encircle the area, there will probably be no big problem.”

“I understand.”

“Pardon?”

“I said I understand.”

“Ah… ye-es.”

“You worked hard. Drop by the Guest Hall and have a spoonful of rice before you go.”

Iron Staff Beggar scratched his head awkwardly. Although he said he would go soon, there was no way he would refuse since he even set a meal for him.

“Th, then I will be shameless and have a meal before I go. Ahem!”

Like that, Iron Staff Beggar left his spot.

Yeon Wi immediately called Shin Mo.

“Did you call, Clan Head.”

“Currently, how many Goshawk Groups are out of the house?”

“All Goshawk Groups are staying within the house.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Shin Mo asked with a puzzled face.

“But for what matter are you asking…?”

“Go to Henan.”

Yeon Wi’s eyes became cool.

“Let the entire Goshawk Squad go to Henan and protect Ho-jeong. If necessary, you may release your seal.”

* * *

Murmuring.

Kaifeng, Henan, was an ancient historical capital.

As it was also close to the provincial capital Zhengzhou, the floating population was enormous. There were many people during the day as it was day, and there were many people during the night as it was night.

The people walking through the market like that, while laughing and chatting for a long time, also glanced toward one place.

“Hmm, how much is this?”

“…Tw, two taels.”

“Two taels? This?”

“Yes, yes!”

“It is that cheap? That cannot be right?”

“Ah…”

“If you sell it too cheaply, no profit will remain. Here, I will give you five taels, so give me that too.”

“Hut! Th, thank you!”

A young man walking while carrying food with a smile.

Hair freely flowing. The neatly dressed clothes were impressive. He was a handsome young man who looked like a scholar in terms of stature and attire, although he was tall.

But what the young man was resting on his shoulder was not ordinary.

‘That is an axe, right?!’

‘Indeed. It is an axe for sure but…’

‘Goodness, it is my first time seeing such a large axe too! I do not think it could even be used on a battlefield.’

‘Can a person even lift it?’

‘Not even a change in facial color? Just how good is his strength?’

What the young man rested on his shoulder as if showing off was a giant axe.

It was not a sword, nor a spear. It was an axe. An axe, but its size was enormous.

The axe handle was made into a shaft, and the length of that shaft alone was six cheok, and its thickness was also considerable. Especially the axe blade was a masterpiece, it was easily twice the width of an ordinary adult male’s shoulders.

It was almost the size of a human torso. It was an overwhelming size and pressure. Since a person who did not look like he would do so at all was carrying it, he looked even more majestic.

Since Kaifeng had a large floating population, there were also many martial artists. So people do not particularly get scared or think it is special even when they see a martial artist.

This young man was different. It was an appearance that could not help but catch people’s attention.

Yeon Ho-jeong looked around his surroundings.

He had guessed, but he really did seem to stand out.

‘It is different from the Unorthodox Path.’

In the back alleys of the Unorthodox Path, there are bastards carrying all sorts of weapons everywhere. Among them, there was a fellow carrying a giant pair of scissors, and there was also a crazy fellow carrying ten swords.

Of course, both Unorthodox and Orthodox Paths were distributed throughout the Central Plains, but Henan was a place where Shaolin and the Myeong Clan were settled. There was no corner for an Unorthodox Path martial artist to set foot.

Was that why? The people’s gazes were fresh.

‘Since I have looked around moderately, I should pull out.’

He arrived in Kaifeng three days after departing from Shangqiu. He also spent four days in Kaifeng wandering through the market streets. Naturally, the Myeong Clan also captured this side.

‘One, two… six.’

Since yesterday, he had felt the existence of ‘eyes’ looking at him.

Those eyes increased one by one and now there were six. And they did not increase further from six.

‘The pot is all heated up.’

Taking the food he had packed, he left the central street of Kaifeng and walked through a quiet bamboo forest.

Choosing a place where people did not come and go, there was only the forest. Since it was at least a bamboo forest, the scenery was good.

Rustle.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed.

The sound of bamboo leaves rustling was heard from far behind. It was an ambiguous sound, whether it rustled in the wind or against a person’s body.

‘They attached.’

It was a restrained gait. A maturely trained beauty stood out. It was completely different from the Hidden Death Squad, yet there were strangely similar parts.

‘Hidden Death Squad…’

Yeon Ho-jeong thought of Myeong On-ji.

Myeong On-ji, who learned the martial art of the Vajrapani who broke the main gate of the family.

‘I wonder if there is a fellow among those fellows who also learned that martial art.’

A martial art that made the whole body hard. A martial art that made the whole body as hard as iron armor to draw out a strong defensive power and divine strength.

‘If possible, one more time… eh?’

At the thought that suddenly occurred, Yeon Ho-jeong tilted his head.

‘But it is strange.’

The moment Myeong On-ji took out that martial art, his eyes flipped. The fact that he opened up killing moves without hesitation was also because he was that angry.

But why?

Now that his mind was calm, recalling Myeong On-ji’s martial art at that time, a strange sense of déjà vu was felt.

Because it was the martial art of the Vajrapani who came to destroy the family in the past?

Rather than particularly that, there was a strange feeling.

Like a memory of a dream that gradually disappears the more one recalls it.

Myeong On-ji’s martial art, which conveyed an unknown familiarity, made Yeon Ho-jeong puzzled.

‘…’

Yeon Ho-jeong, who was lost in thought, smirked.

‘What kind of leisure is this when the enemy is right in front of your nose?’

Entering inside the bamboo forest, he discovered a large rock.

Thud!

Resting the axe, he sat on the rock and began to eat rice balls.

They were well-made rice balls. The seasoning was also appropriate, so they were very good to eat.

While eating the rice balls, Yeon Ji-pyeong suddenly occurred to him.

‘You are hungry, right? Please eat a lot. I will bring more tomorrow.’

Yeon Ho-jeong smirked unknowingly.

“You fellow. Your older brother has come to a far-off strange land and is struggling with ruffians, but does the rice go down your throat?”

He wanted to say that jokingly. Hearing these words, Yeon Ji-pyeong would probably become sulky and just kick the ground with his toes.

Thinking of his younger brother, his father’s face also occurred to him.

A deep affection felt beyond the face that was only strict.

“If the world calls my son a devil, I will place that fellow called the world under my sword.”

‘Father.’

Somehow he felt good.

It was a feeling he had not been able to feel during his days as the Dark Emperor. Because at that time there were comrades-in-arms, but there was no family.

Now it was different. Not the back alleys of the Unorthodox Path, but there was a family he had missed for decades. Having a place to return to made his heart feel reassured.

Yeon Ho-jeong, who was smiling while thinking of his family, spoke in a calm voice.

“It is today’s first meal. Wait until I finish eating.”

Swish! Thud!

The rice ball he was holding in his hand disappeared before he knew it. An arrow had flown in and dropped the rice ball.

Yeon Ho-jeong grumbled.

“These rice balls are always suffering.”

Descending from below the rock, he looked forward. Before he knew it, ten men were standing there.

A middle-aged man standing in the center asked.

“Are you Yeon Ho-jeong?”

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.

“Yes. I am Yeon Ho-jeong, the eldest son of the Green Mountain Yeon Clan.”