Monochrome Sovereign (Novel) - Chapter 67 - There May Be Opponents, but There Is No Absolute (2)

Chapter 67 – There May Be Opponents, but There Is No Absolute (2)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“Mm.”

Murong Jun looked out the window.

The sun was setting.

“The sun is already setting.”

Murong Yeon-hwa scowled. Having been stuck in the quarters all day, her body felt stiff.

“I wonder how it turned out?”

“Who knows.”

Since it had already been a day since they had stayed in one place, it was understandable for Murong Yeon-hwa to throw such a useless question. Not having had an occasion where she had just waited for contact without doing anything, she couldn’t help but feel restless.

Murong Yeon-hwa sighed.

“I’d rather he lived.”

Murong Jun smirked.

“Of course he should. Otherwise, the trouble of coming all the way to Henan would be in vain, wouldn’t it?”

“That’s true too, but I really want to meet him and give him a piece of my mind.”

Murong Jun said slyly.

“Was he not the fellow who almost became your husband, if only for a moment?”

He was referring to the time when he had made a business proposal to the Yeon Clan.

Murong Yeon-hwa shrugged her shoulders.

“But it didn’t work out, did it?”

Murong Jun smiled.

She seemed somewhat bored, but that was all. His daughter was still showing a detached appearance.

Even though he hadn’t explicitly told her not to go out, Murong Yeon-hwa hadn’t taken a single step outside the lodging.

It was because she thought there was no point in distracting the Beggars’ Gang’s eyes with useless movements. In a situation where they didn’t yet know whether to join hands or reject them, rash movements were absolutely forbidden.

She knew how to keep the big picture in mind even with small things. That was why Murong Jun favored Murong Yeon-hwa.

“The sun is setting, so let’s have dinner too.”

“Yes.”

Murong Jun grabbed a cord hanging in the air. Pulling this would ring a bell, and soon after, the waiter would come running.

Just as he was about to pull the cord.

‘…’

Murong Jun’s eyes gleamed.

Murong Yeon-hwa tilted her head.

“What is it, Father?”

“It’s the smell of blood.”

“Yes?”

Taking his hand off the cord, Murong Jun looked out the window again.

A single line of sound-transmission reached his ears.

[Young Master Yeon has arrived.]

“…What did you say?”

A look of surprise appeared on Murong Jun’s face.

‘This fast?’

No, before that, did he mean he survived the offensive of the Blue Wolf Ghosts? Just how?

“Father?”

“He is coming.”

“Yes?”

“I’m told Yeon Ho-jeong is coming.”

Murong Yeon-hwa unknowingly opened her mouth.

“He defeated the Blue Wolf Ghosts?!”

Murong Jun did not answer.

Naturally, the thought occurred that he must have defeated them. He wouldn’t have come to visit without having swept those fellows all away.

At the same time, the thought also occurred that it couldn’t be.

‘Did they not say they clashed at noon today?’

It was said that once the Blue Wolf Ghosts captured a target and began to move, it took three to five days at the earliest. They would take their time to wear down the target and plunge a blade into their neck at the decisive moment.

It was exactly like the habits of wolves. Wolves with good physical strength would inevitably complete the hunt by chasing and chasing until the prey collapsed from exhaustion.

And yet, he swept away those poisonous fellows all in half a day? And by himself?

‘It’s impossible.’

There was no way it was possible.

Even if Yeon Ho-jeong alone had pushed the Blue Wolf Ghosts, the remaining Blue Wolf Ghosts would not have hesitated to flee to hide themselves. Catching and killing each and every one of them was by no means an easy task.

‘Did the Beggars’ Gang give him help? No way? If they knew it was the Myeong Clan’s strength, they wouldn’t have been able to intervene easily.’

It was then.

Whoosh.

Murong Jun felt the smell of blood suddenly thicken in an instant.

Thump. Thump.

The sound of knocking on the door was quite rough.

Murong Jun said calmly.

“Come in.”

Creeeeeak.

The door opened, and a young man entered.

He was a young man with a tall and slender build. His eyes were somewhat sharp, but he was still a very handsome young man.

Thud!

The floor shook.

The young man, who put down an axe the size of a human body next to the door, gasped for breath.

“I shall take a liberty.”

The young man’s entire body was covered in blood.

His clothes were torn or had holes in various places, and his exposed skin was entirely stained with blood. A bloodstain that ran across his temple passed his jawline and continued to his neck, and the blood had not yet dried.

He was full of wounds, and his breathing was rough. It was the appearance of a general who had fought through a chaotic battle.

“Are you the Eldest Son of the Yeon Clan?”

“Are you the Clan Head of the Murong Clan?”

“That is correct.”

“It is so.”

The young man, Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed.

‘Murong Jun.’

He was looking at him with surprised eyes, but there was an unshakable leisure in his entire expression.

A wild ambition that would burn even the heavens was hidden within his clear eye-lights. His thick lips, encased in a well-trimmed beard, were stubbornly closed, and a sense of determination was felt in his angular jaw.

‘…’

Strength automatically entered his fists.

If that half-white hair and black beard were to turn entirely white.

If, instead of a perfectly constructed skeleton that had somewhat shrunk, one were to draw in an expression from which much deeper eyes and transcendence emanated.

If, instead of luxurious silk clothes, he were to wear snow-white martial robes and a long robe.

‘He’s the same.’

Murim Alliance Leader Murong Jun, who had been revered as the Sword God.

He was exactly the same as the him of that time when he met him as the Dark Emperor Castle Lord, the Dark Emperor. Even if there were differences in appearance, that unique, flawless air about him was unmistakably that of Murong Jun.

Yeon Ho-jeong took a low, deep breath.

Actually seeing this gentleman, his mind was complicated. In fact, he was closer to the side that disliked Murong Jun than the side that liked him.

Furthermore, he was the person who had ordered Tang Kwan to kill him at the end of his life.

‘If I die, who will be there to stop you? The current Orthodox Murim… cannot stop the Dark Emperor Castle.’

‘I shall apologize in the afterlife. Let us go together.’

Even if it was a precarious alliance, a comrade-in-arms was a comrade-in-arms. He had died after being betrayed by a comrade-in-arms. Naturally, his feelings toward Murong Jun could not be good.

However.

‘…’

The coldness gradually vanished from the look in Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes as he looked at Murong Jun.

“I am Yeon Ho-jeong of the Green Mountain Yeon Clan in Jiangsu.”

He cupped his fists with discipline.

“I pay my respects to the Clan Head of the Murong Clan.”

Murong Jun’s eyes gleamed.

In the look in Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes as he looked at him, he saw fragments of inexpressible emotion. It seemed like hatred, and it also seemed like a lingering yearning.

‘What is it?’

It was an unknown emotion.

Since he was the person who had planted spies to destroy his family, he could be angry. But what was the yearning that dwelt behind the hatred?

“I am the person responsible for the Murong Clan.”

Murong Jun smiled.

“I see the widely rumored Mad Wind Lion this way.”

“Phew.”

Murong Jun rose from his seat and reached out toward a large table set to one side.

“Please sit there.”

“Then.”

Yeon Ho-jeong sat in the chair.

Even though he was so heavily injured and exhausted, there was no wobbling in his gait. Murong Jun marveled at Yeon Ho-jeong’s fortitude.

“Should you not receive treatment? Your injuries look quite severe.”

“It is fine.”

He had sustained wounds of this level countless times. The number of times he had fought day and night while sustaining injuries worse than this was too many to count.

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled broadly.

“By the way, is there no liquor?”

“Liquor? Will it be okay with that body?”

“It is fine.”

“Ho-ho.”

Murong Jun signaled to Murong Yeon-hwa.

Murong Yeon-hwa pulled the cord in the air. After a moment, when the waiter arrived, Murong Yeon-hwa ordered a meal and liquor.

Murong Jun sat opposite Yeon Ho-jeong.

“I didn’t know that due to this matter, I would see the Clan Head’s Eldest Son instead of the Yeon Clan Head.”

Murong Jun pointed to Murong Yeon-hwa.

“You likely have met at the Gathering of the Rising Stars. This is my daughter Yeon-hwa.”

Murong Yeon-hwa greeted him with a smile.

“I am Murong Yeon-hwa. We’ve met sooner than I thought.”

Yeon Ho-jeong, who was staring at Murong Yeon-hwa, merely nodded his head once.

He had come to see Murong Jun, not Murong Yeon-hwa. Furthermore, he was busy managing the complex emotions directed toward Murong Jun.

Murong Yeon-hwa’s complexion changed slightly.

Murong Jun burst into a boisterous laugh.

“He is a man of few words.”

“It is because I am awkward at conversing with women. Please understand.”

“Are you saying you’re a naif? That too is quite unexpected.”

Yeon Ho-jeong smirked.

The look in Murong Jun’s eyes became strange. Although he was wearing a soft smile, his eyes were sharpened as they searched the opponent.

‘Amazing.’

He recognized Yeon Ho-jeong’s strength at a glance.

Yeon Ho-jeong was strong. The internal energy or sharpness he possessed was by no means at a level that could be called that of a rising star.

‘No, it likely doesn’t just end there.’

Internal energy was internal energy, but the person itself just looked strong.

A strength that would not break, the steel of steels forged by a great general of the world. Murong Jun could glimpse a shadow of a divine weapon, rarely seen anywhere, from Yeon Ho-jeong’s chilling air.

Murong Jun’s mouth opened of its own accord.

“Did you defeat all of the Myeong Clan’s Blue Wolf Ghosts?”

“Do you call those fellows the Blue Wolf Ghosts?”

“Did you not even know who they were?”

“I only knew they were sent by the Myeong Clan.”

“Hahaha! That is truly spirited.”

Murong Jun asked in a meaningful tone.

“So, did you catch them all?”

Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.

Murong Yeon-hwa raised the corners of her mouth slightly as if she had expected that.

Murong Jun tilted his head.

“Seeing your momentum, I thought you had swept them all away, but that wasn’t it?”

“Of seventy fellows, I caught sixty-eight, and the remaining two I sent back to the Myeong Clan with one arm each removed.”

“…!”

“Do you not think the Myeong Clan Head’s face will be quite worth seeing?”

Murong Jun’s face hardened.

Murong Yeon-hwa spoke in disbelief.

“Young Master Yeon. If you are lying out of unnecessary pride…”

Murong Jun raised his hand. Then, Murong Yeon-hwa’s mouth closed of its own accord.

Murong Jun, who had been examining Yeon Ho-jeong’s face for a long time, opened his mouth.

“You intended to make the Myeong Clan Head angry on purpose?”

“That is correct.”

“I tell you clearly, that was a bad move.”

Murong Yeon-hwa was inwardly appalled.

Like Murong Jun, she too could read Yeon Ho-jeong’s air. However, what she had read was nothing more than abundant internal energy and a well-structured air; it was nothing more than that.

A vessel that had not yet been completed. She could not help but fail to see what her father, Murong Jun, saw.

Yeon Ho-jeong tilted his head.

“Why do you think so?”

“If you had annihilated them without a trace, from now on, the Myeong Clan Head would have also become cautious.”

“Likely so.”

“When he exercised caution, that was when you should have struck. If you anger him unnecessarily, Henan could accidentally become a fiery hell.”

Yeon Ho-jeong admitted frankly.

“That could happen too.”

“Ho-ho, are you joking with me now?”

“Did you receive my letter well?”

“…?”

“Since you received it, you are likely in this place now. Then I shall ask. No matter how rough and arrogant a fellow might be, what would he have believed in to send such a letter to the Clan Head?”

Murong Jun’s eyes flashed.

“Are you saying you had something to believe in?”

Yeon Ho-jeong took out a letter from his robe. The letter, heavily stained with his own blood, felt eerie just to look at.

“What is this?”

“Please unfold it.”

Murong Jun felt an unnecessary sense of unease.

He slowly unfolded the letter.

“…Shaolin?!”

Yeon Ho-jeong showed a meaningful smile.

“I do not doubt for a moment that the Clan Head has a decisive move to bring down the Myeong Clan.”

“…!”

“But for that move to work properly, there must be a buffer to check the Myeong Clan, must there not? Therefore, I intend to summon a reliable checking force, so how about it? Does my plan please you?”