Trash of the Count's Family

“Truly, did gramps truly say that?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Empress Dowager fell deep into thought as she watched Mok Hee nod her head.

‘Mok Hyeon. The Fist King is suspected of being at least in the latter stages of the Unrestrained Realm.

The stages of the Martial Arts world were Third Rank, Second Rank, First Rank with the Peak Realm and the Transcendent Realm beyond that. Above that was the Unrestrained Realm. Once someone got past the Unrestrained Realm, they would reach the Profound Realm.

Anybody who managed to get into the Peak Realm was called an expert.

‘Anybody who reaches the Transcendent Realm is treated as a great expert anywhere they go in the Martial Arts world.’

As for the Unrestrained Realm which was above that, that was something only a handful of people in the respective sects, cults or factions reached.

‘The Imperial family believes gramps Mok Hyeon might be in the Profound Realm.’

At least in the latter stages of the Unrestrained Realm. At max at the early stages of the Profound Realm.

That was the conclusion that the Imperial family had stealthily reached about Mok Hyeon.

‘...Then does that mean that the guy from earlier is at least in the latter stages of the Unrestrained Realm and at max at the early stages of the Profound Realm as well?’

The Empress Dowager could not believe that.

However, she clenched her eyes shut, thought about what she had just experienced, and bit down on her lips.

‘Such an aura-’

The Empress Dowager had experienced all sorts of hardships.

Whether it was the Emperor from two generations ago... And even when she met the former Emperor and had a confrontation with him... The Empress Dowager had not been afraid.

However, the moment she faced that guy's aura... It felt as if she was going to suffocate.

She probably would have plopped down on the ground if it had not been for all of the experiences she had faced in her life.

‘However, all I felt was an aura.’

All she felt was this feeling as if he controlled the air.

She had not felt any murderous intent coming from him.

He did not even have a weapon in his hand.

“Mok Hee.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“...I've heard that in the Martial Arts world, the stronger you get the more average you look. Is that true?”

“…….”

Mok Hee was silent for a moment before she responded.

“Your Majesty, it is said that once you get past a certain stage, a Martial Artist does not look very different from a regular person.”

“Yes. Just like gramps.”

The grim reaper looked even more like a regular person than gramps.

No, honestly speaking, he looked even weaker than the Empress Dowager herself. He was skinny and his face looked extremely tired. And-

“...He looked young. Someone that strong can’t truly be that young, right?”

“It is difficult to answer that question, your Majesty. However-”

Mok Hee hesitated for a moment before continuing to speak.

“There is a process called Rejuvenation where an expert who reaches a certain stage will have their body and bones go through a metamorphosis that makes them look young once again. Unfortunately, I am unable to say for sure because I have never seen it before.”

“I see.”

The Empress Dowager nodded her head before looking up again after hearing a noise.

“Your Majesty.”

She heard a court lady’s voice from outside the door.

“His Majesty requests an audience.”

The Empress Dowager looked out the window.

It was dark.

Her son wanted to see her despite it being night time.

“His Majesty must have heard the information.”

There was no way that her son, who had let her take Mok Hyeon with her, did not know about the grim reaper’s visit. A smile formed on the Empress Dowager's face.

“His Majesty has ears even in the Moonflower Palace.”

Mok Hee’s shoulders shook a bit after hearing that comment.

The Empress Dowager was saying that her son, the current Emperor, had planted an informant in her residence. However, her voice did not sound displeased at all.

In fact, she sounded happy.

“How wonderful. There will be nowhere in the Imperial Palace that his Majesty’s ears cannot reach since he has even infiltrated my palace.”

She was truly praising her son's abilities.

The Emperor knew that Empress Dowager would feel this way, which was why he was openly showing that he had informants in the Moonflower Palace and requesting an audience.

“It would be difficult to sleep tonight anyway so please inform his Majesty to please come.”

The Empress Dowager gave an order to the court lady outside before commenting to Mok Hee.

Stay here with me. You will be able to explain his strength better than I can.”

“Yes, your Majesty.”

into the darkness beyond the window and mumbled

see them together with his

to one of the guesthouses attached to the Moonflower

currently had torches

not turn off in that guesthouse

* * *

‘What is going on?’

Cale suddenly felt iffy.

there no

strong

called gramps had stared at Cale before laughing and

feels a bit...

was weighing heavily on his

nobody said a thing as they continued to head to the residence the Empress

quiet but

making sure to look around without others noticing as they walked in order to assess the

The Moonflower Palace.

there were torches lit up all around, making it not very

to Chief

Chief Eunuch Wi, the courtesans of Moonflower Palace

was at that

- Human, human!

Cale, suddenly started talking

‘What is going on?’

Cale’s eyebrows

Human! I keep getting

‘Hmm?’

me something! He said that I must figure out the flow of mana in the world whenever

the ancient Dragon gives great

that thought and nodded his

reading the flow

‘Discovered?’

exchanging conversations with one another! I can read

‘Hmm?

are secretly

Isn't that sound transmission?’

use their internal ki to use a method called sound transmission

‘...He can read it?

With mana?’

Cale’s eyes opened wide.

could feel his heart beating wildly. He

might be able to stealthily

This, this!

If used properly!’

Cale's eyes clouded over.

talk to him. He seemed quite amused by this concept of sound

this old man

‘Is that so?’

had seemed quiet but he was currently busy chatting with

his mouth, was silent

did his best to stop the corners of his lips from curling

I focus! Figuring out the fluctuation is difficult because I am still unfamiliar with

a person who had discovered an item from a new

is similar to the aura that good Choi Han uses!

‘That’s right.’

by martial artists were a bit different

it would be similar

- Oo!

Raon gasped.

like I need to practice some more but I am a Dragon who can focus very well

his heart beating

where we can hear the

truly are great

Cale wholeheartedly believed that.

tell

now knew what to do even without Cale telling him

telling Cale things he wanted to know

Eunuch Wi is

that he is at minimum

old man is

is calling himself weak. I guess he has no intentions of

Twitch.

Cale’s lips

Human, what is

the Unrestrained

that a person

Cale was flabbergasted.

am in the Unrestrained

started laughing in

and faint and cause all sorts of issues even if I just used half the strength

relieved that my regeneration and wind powers

the water, fire, and earth were significantly sealed... The ancient powers with low destructive powers still remained at over fifty

Human! The gramps is

In addition, the others with the grim reaper seem quite strong as well. However, I do not feel any internal

‘Of course.

has internal

all use

“This is it.”

Wi stopped

at a two

stay here at

for a moment after seeing the person standing outside the annex before continuing to

care of things within the annex so please

toward the five

were two court ladies

‘Hmm?’

on the

“...Chief Eunuch Wi.”

“Yes, Grim reaper-nim.”

seems

who seemed to be

Eunuch Wi flinched before

no... That child will be the