Dark and Light Martial Emperor

Chapter 9. What Comes Before Addition (3)

“Master, the eldest son has arrived.”

“Let him in.”

The door opened and Yeon Hojeong and Yeon Jipyung entered.

As soon as they stepped in, the temperature of the master’s room seemed to rise. Yeon Hojeong’s body was radiating a tremendous heat.

“Father.”

“Sit down.”

There were already two cups of warm tea on the table. The fragrance of the dahyang tea was very pleasant, along with the faint steam.

Yeon Wi glanced at Yeon Jipyung. He had called for the eldest son, but why did he come along? It was a look of curiosity.

Yeon Jipyung scratched his head awkwardly and said.

“I couldn’t pay my respects to you today.”

It was a lame excuse.

“Sit together.”

Yeon Jipyung sighed in relief and sat next to Yeon Hojeong.

Yeon Wi pushed the teacup towards Yeon Jipyung. Yeon Jipyung was so distracted that he didn’t notice it.

Yeon Wi scanned Yeon Hojeong from top to bottom and nodded his head.

“You seem to have done well.”

“My legs are still shaky.”

It was a joke, but Yeon Wi’s expression didn’t change.

“If you work hard and become a master who can harmonize your spirit, energy, and essence, you will be able to do it for three days and nights.”

“If I become such a master, I won’t waste time doing that.”

Yeon Jipyung discreetly elbowed Yeon Hojeong’s side. He thought he was being too rude to his father.

But Yeon Wi didn’t take issue with Yeon Hojeong’s words.

“By the way, why did you call me? Did you want to check my homework?”

“I told you clearly, that was not homework, but punishment. I thought you had reflected properly, but you only tortured your body.”

“It seems that my nature won’t change even if I die.”

It was a sincere remark. He had experienced death once, so it was natural.

Punishment only had meaning when one repented of one’s sin. But he couldn’t reduce the punishment once it was given, so Yeon Wi didn’t scold Yeon Hojeong any further.

“I couldn’t ask you something I should have asked earlier because of the incident with Namgung. You want to learn the Wall Breaking Technique?”

“Yes, I do.”

Yeon Jipyung was surprised and looked at his brother. He didn’t know he had told his father that.

But at the same time, he understood. His brother had mastered the Non-Connection Heart Method, so now it was time to learn the martial arts of the family.

Yeon Wi spoke in a stern tone.

“The Wall Breaking Technique is one of the five divine arts of the main house. But it is meaningless to learn it if the root is not supported. You know that, right?”

“Of course.”

Yeon Wi felt a strong confidence in Yeon Hojeong’s answer.

“Did you attain the ninth stage of the Non-Connection Heart Method?”

Yeon Hojeong silently held out his wrist. He thought it was better to check it directly than to say it.

Yeon Wi, who had been quietly looking at his son, put his hand on his wrist.

‘Hmm?’

Yeon Wi’s eyes changed once.

The vigorous flow of energy. The blood vessels in the head and most of the limbs were open.

“When was it?”

“It was the morning after I came out of the interrogation room.”

Yeon Wi checked Yeon Hojeong’s inner state again.

And he realized one thing.

“The flow of energy is unfamiliar. You didn’t gradually awaken and adjust to your body, but you realized it at once.”

This time, Yeon Hojeong’s eyes shone.

‘You are truly amazing.’

He could tell how he had mastered the heart method by looking at the traces of the energy flow, blood circulation, and blood vessels.

This was not an easy thing to do. Even a master of the ascension level would miss it if his senses were not keen.

Yeon Hojeong glanced at Yeon Jipyung.

Yeon Jipyung’s face was full of wonder. He wondered why he had to hold his wrist and check it when he already knew it.

‘Jipyung’s senses were inherited from father.’

Compared to him, he was definitely less talented. His keen senses were only awakened after going through countless battles and facing constant threats to his survival.

He was different from his father and brother.

“Did you approach the heart method academically, since you escaped the confusion caused by energy?”

“It just got analyzed.”

“It is important to dig one path steadily, but when it doesn’t work, it is also a good way to look for another path. You did well.”

“…!”

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes widened like lanterns. Yeon Jipyung also opened his mouth wide.

It was the first time they heard the words of praise from their father’s mouth.

Yeon Jipyung, who had the best talent in the history of the family, had never received a compliment from Yeon Wi. Yeon Wi was stingy with praise and harsh with criticism.

It was a meaningful word for the brothers in many ways.

“Good. I will grant you the permission to practice the five divine arts.”

“Thank you.”

“But why did you choose the Wall Breaking Technique?”

Yeon Hojeong nodded his head.

“Because it seems to suit me best.”

The five divine arts of the family had their own characteristics. At the same time, all five were similar in level and difficulty.

In the end, it was a personal choice which one of the five martial arts to learn.

Yeon Wi, who had been silently watching Yeon Hojeong, opened his mouth again.

“There is something I want to ask.”

“Yes.”

“I only granted you the permission to practice the five divine arts now. No one in the family can learn the five divine arts without my permission.”

“I know that.”

“But you told the Twin Gates to learn the Wall Breaking Technique in advance.”

Yeon Wi was not trying to discipline Yeon Hojeong’s arrogance.

“Did you know the formula of the Wall Breaking Technique?”

Yes.

The five divine arts could not be learned by blood relatives without the permission of the master. That meant that the formula of the martial arts was not leaked to the outside.

But the eldest son had said that he would learn the Wall Breaking Technique in advance.

Yeon Hojeong, who had paused for a moment, opened his mouth.

“Not only the Wall Breaking Technique.”

“Uh?”

“I know all the formulas of the five divine arts.”

This time, Yeon Wi had to be astonished. His slightly widened eyes revealed his state of mind.

Of course, Yeon Jipyung looked like he was about to doze off.

“You know the formulas of all five arts?”

“Yes, I do.”

“How?”

Because you taught me.

When the family was raided by some thugs.

While the valiant warriors of the family were fighting and bleeding on the front line, Yeon Wi passed on all the formulas of the five divine arts to his two sons.

Of course, there was no time to memorize all the formulas. Yeon Wi gave Yeon Hojeong the five original books and Yeon Jipyung the five simplified books and tried to send them away.

But Yeon Jipyung was unlucky. He died in a fierce battle with the masters who blocked the escape route.

Yeon Hojeong fled with tears of blood. At that time, he also wanted to avenge his brother, but the powerless reality and the responsibility of restoring the family led his feet to the forest.

And three months later.

Yeon Hojeong met his master and defeated the Black Blade after years.

“Did you go to the Martial Library?”

The Martial Library was the library where the family’s martial arts secrets were stored. It was also a place where only a handful of warriors in the family could guard it strictly.

“I never went in without permission.”

“Then?”

Yeon Hojeong looked at Yeon Wi with curiosity.

“You showed me.”

“What?”

He wanted to tell him everything.

That he was Yeon Hojeong who came back from the future. How the future would change and what kind of life he had lived. He wanted to tell him everything.

He really wanted to tell his father everything.

Yeon Hojeong’s fist clenched.

‘Not yet.’

He might not believe me, and even if he did, now is not the time. He thought so.

“You showed me the secrets of the five divine arts? When?”

“When I was young, didn’t you take me to the Martial Library several times?”

Yeon Wi raised his eyebrows.

“When you were young… do you mean when you just started learning martial arts?”

“Yes.”

“You still remember the formulas of the five divine arts that you saw then?”

“Yes.”

In the end, he had to beat around the bush.

In fact, Yeon Hojeong’s memory was much better than when he was young. It was natural since he had refined his brain and upper elixir field deeply.

He was sorry to deceive his father, but he had no choice.

‘It’s better for the future.’

The best martial art of the family was not the five divine arts.

Rather, he had to know all the five divine arts to awaken the best martial art of the family.

Yeon Hojeong’s saying that he knew all the formulas of the five divine arts was a stepping stone for the future. He planned to learn the secret of the family after he mastered the Jade Blue Art.

He had to learn the secret to become the best.

“You remember the formulas of the martial arts that have been over ten years old…?”

Yeon Wi shook his head.

“Why didn’t you tell me until now?”

“What’s the use of the five divine arts for a guy who’s struggling with the basics?”

“Now that you’ve mastered the mind art, you can tell me?”

“Yes.”

He felt a bit uneasy.

“One formula of a martial art is over a thousand characters long.”

Yeon Wi nodded his head repeatedly.

“Your memory is quite remarkable.”

One surprising thing was that Yeon Wi didn’t ask Yeon Hojeong to prove it.

“Just because you know all the formulas of the five divine arts, did you have any reason to learn them quickly? If you’re not trying to show off your memory, there’s no reason to be in a hurry.”

I do.

He shouted in his mind. Of course, he couldn’t say it this time either.

“I just wanted to learn them as soon as possible.”

“When you learn a divine art, you need a calm mind and a careful approach. Remember that.”

“I understand.”

Yeon Wi leaned back slightly in his chair.

“Good. I’ll allow you to train in the Jade Blue Art.”

“Thank you.”

“Come here before breakfast tomorrow. I’ll guide you through the basics of the mind art and the transformation of the Flying Swallow Qi into the Jade Blue Qi.”

“I understand.”

It would be faster to train alone, but he followed his father’s words this time too.

There were things in the world that had to be kept even if they were in a hurry. For Yeon Hojeong, it was a promise and love with his blood relatives.

‘I just need to get some help at the beginning, and I’ll do the rest myself.’

With that little help, he could say one more word to his father. That was enough.

Step by step, slowly approaching each other. At least in this life, he would not leave any regrets for his relatives.

“Go and take care of your things.”

“Ah, there’s one thing I want to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Did you hear from the Namgoong family?”

He asked just in case, but the answer was surprising.

“I did.”

Yeon Hojeong frowned.

“You heard from them? Did they apologize?”

“It wasn’t an apology from the family head.”

“Of course not. The distance to Anhui is quite far. It’s impossible in terms of time.”

“But I got a letter from the clan leader himself. He apologized on behalf of the incident at midnight and his nephew’s rudeness.”

The clan leader sent an apology letter overnight?

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes suddenly turned cold.

‘This is not good.’

A hot-tempered person apologizes quickly?

It could happen. But Namgoong Daesan was the clan leader of Namgoong Sega and the younger brother of the family head. No matter how unreasonable he was, he wouldn’t apologize so quickly.

“Are they plotting something?”

He muttered without knowing.

Yeon Wi’s eyes looking at Yeon Hojeong were not only strict as before.

“I’ll take care of this matter, so you can go now.”

“Yes.”

Yeon Hojeong and Yeon Jipyung bowed politely and left.

Yeon Wi, who had been looking at the cold tea, emptied all the tea cups that were in Yeon Hojeong’s seat.

Yeon Wi’s face, who leaned back comfortably in his chair, was still stern.

“It didn’t take twenty years.”