Chapter 14: Seolyoung, Makes a Decision

Baek Seolyoung returned to the Northern Sky Clan and resumed her daily life.

She began meeting again with the important figures of the clan for the appointments that had been postponed.

These people were the heads of each of the Northern Sky Clan’s various factions, and all of them pledged loyalty to her. Of course, very few of them truly meant it.

However, there was someone who was being truthful.

“You must gather more strength.”

The gray-haired old man was none other than Kwon Deokchan, the head of the Righteous Chivalry. They were the only one of the seven factions within the clan that sincerely supported Baek Seolyoung.

“I heard that Elder Yang met with the heads, Seok and Wang in secret.”

Seok was the head of the Ferocious Tigers, Seok Pyeong, and Wang was the head of the Flying Tigers, Wang Gunbo. Both had remained neutral and had not yet been swayed by Yang Sebang.

Yang Sebang had now begun to move to win them over as well.

“Once the scales start to tip, the fall only gets faster.”

Baek Seolyoung showed no reaction. She heard that Yang Sebang met with Seok Pyeong, but she didn’t know about Wang Gunbo.

She had believed Wang Gunbo would stay loyal to her to the end, but if he had met with Yang Sebang, then it meant another name to cross off the list.

“Elder Yang is a highly ambitious man. He will try to kill you one day, my Lord.”

Kwon Deokchan purposely used provocative words.

“Elder Yang would never do that.”

Baek Seolyoung replied, pretending to be naive. Kwon Deokchan narrowed his eyes and looked at her. His disapproval quickly turned to concern.

“I know you are not that naive, my Lord. I also know how intelligent you are.”

They had known each other since she was young. Her father had treasured him greatly.

Her father often drank with him. During those times, he would brag endlessly about his daughter, saying she would one day surpass him as a Lord.

“You don’t need to hide anything from me. Please, believe in this old man’s loyalty. I no longer have any lingering attachments to life.”

Kwon Deokchan genuinely wished to protect her. He wasn’t afraid of death.

“Why didn’t you act sooner?”

Baek Seolyoung gave a bitter smile after hearing his question.

Had she done so, she might have held at least a third of the clan’s power by now.

But if she had made such a move, Yang Sebang would have responded with even greater cunning and ruthlessness to seize power.

It would’ve led to internal conflict, or even a rebellion. The Lord position of the Northern Sky Clan was far too tempting for Yang Sebang to give up easily.

Martial artists of the clan would have shed blood in the end.

The other two clans protecting the Murim Alliance, Righteous Chivalrous Sword Clan and the Guanghai Blade Sect would’ve danced happily if such a thing happened.

After all, they were waiting for the Northern Sky Clan to fall into chaos so they could rise to the top.

Even if the rebellion were crushed and she regained influence in the clan, it would’ve already been in a weakened state.

Baek Seolyoung could not allow her clan, built through her father’s blood and sweat, to fall into ruin like that.

That was why she sought strength from outside the clan.

The metal box and the Black Dragon King.

However, she had missed both opportunities. Though of course, she didn’t yet know the important truth.

If she had opened the metal box, she would have died. Plus, the Black Dragon King was not the man she believed him to be.

No one told her the full truth about the metal box, and she didn’t know what kind of person the Black Dragon King was as she hadn’t seen him in a long time.

Baek Seolyoung spoke with a smile.

“I believe in Elder Yang. He is not the type of person to do such a thing.”

Kwon Deokchan, who was ready to argue, let out a sigh. Whether it was because she truly believed him or not, he had nothing more to say.

“Understood, my Lord.”

Kwon Deokchan left the room, and Chu Sang-gi entered.

He carefully asked.

“Why didn’t you ask him for help directly? Do you not trust him?”

“I do.”

“Then why?”

“I trust him, but I don’t trust my damned fate. It’s bound to end in disaster anyway.”

“My Lord!”

When Chu Sang-gi yelled, Baek Seolyoung smiled to show she was joking.

“If I reveal my true intentions to him, Elder Yang will find out.”

“He won’t betray you.”

“Yes, he won’t tell anyone, but he’ll give himself away.”

“…!”

“He’s too upright. He can’t hide his feelings. Do you think that sly fox Yang Sebang wouldn’t see through Kwon? He absolutely would. If I show my cards to Kwon, it’d be the same as showing them to Elder Yang.”

“Ah! I see. You should’ve said that from the beginning.”

Chu Sang-gi finally relaxed. He was worried that she might fall into despair after so many setbacks.

As if trying to tease him again, Baek Seolyoung spoke in a gloomy voice.

“At this rate, I’m going to die anyway.”

“What? What do you mean by that?”

“They are letting me live for now because of how many are watching, but once Elder Yang fully seizes power, I’ll be like a thorn stuck in his throat for him. He’ll kick me out with some excuse, then send an assassin posing as an Unorthodox Faction.”

“My Lord! I’ll protect you with my life.”

Yes, and you’ll likely die with me that day.

Hiding that thought, Baek Seolyoung spoke with a smile.

“That’s reassuring.”

“S-Such a thing will never happen.”

Chu Sang-gi stuttered, as he didn’t want to even imagine Baek Seolyoung dying.

Baek Seolyoung spoke while walking to the window.

“They say a person is given three chances in life, right? Will I be given the same?”

“Of course.”

“What if I’ve used all three chances?”

If being born into the Northern Sky Clan was one, then the metal box and the Black Dragon King might have been the other two.

“You definitely have another! Believe it!”

Her smile deepened at his unfounded certainty.

“Then I’ll believe I have one last chance and act. I’ll have to prepare myself though.”

“Just what are you planning?”

“I’m going to hold a martial arts tournament, inviting all of the Orthodox Faction.”

“Why do you have to steel yourself for that?”

For a clan like the Northern Sky Clan to host such a tournament wasn’t a big deal.

Baek Seolyoung hesitated for a moment.

“It’ll be a martial arts tournament for marriage.”

Chu Sang-gi was shocked at her response.

“No! Absolutely not!”

He immediately shouted. A tournament for marriage was beyond anything he had imagined.

A martial arts marriage tournament. In other words, she would marry the winner of the tournament.

With Baek Seolyoung’s beauty, martial artists from all over would swarm in.

The strongest of them would win.

She’ll be able to gain an incredibly powerful fighter, a master martial artist ranked among the greatest in the world.

However…

She’d have to marry a stranger. Who knew what he’d be like in personality, looks, or age?

It was a cruel thing for a woman.

But with such a master as her husband, she could take back the clan.

“No! Absolutely not! Never!”

Chu Sang-gi shouted again.

Baek Seolyoung smiled faintly, having expected such a reaction.

“Sang-gi.”

“No!”

“Sang-gi.”

“…Yes.”

“I’ll die if things go on like this.”

“I’ll protect you. I swear on my life! So please, don’t even think about such an option! Please!”

Baek Seolyoung remained calm as Chu Sang-gi was frantic.

“Sang-gi, do you not believe in my destiny?”

“I do.”

“Yes, so do I.”

If my fate wasn’t a Lord of a clan, then nothing could make it happen. Still, I had no plan to leave the clan and live by myself.

I’d either have to protect the clan, or die trying.

That was my fate.

Chu Sang-gi realized her resolve was unshakable. He knew that he couldn’t change her mind once she was set.

“Then at least set an age limit. Only those under thirty, no, twenty-five can participate…”

“Sang-gi, I’m looking for a master, not a husband.”

She’d have to marry an unwanted stranger anyway, what did age matter for?

“Whether it’s a kid, an old man, an ugly man, or a one-armed man, if they are strong, I’ll let them participate.”

This was life or death.

I will use everything I have to move forward.

To speak of a woman’s fate… is a luxury I cannot afford.

* * *

“The cleanup seems to have gone well. Word is spreading across the world that the Black Dragon King and the Twin Monsters of Heaven and Earth killed each other.”

Lee Jaseung nodded after hearing Dan Woobin’s report.

“That’s a relief.”

They had thoroughly cleaned up the aftermath, and Dan Woobin had discreetly spread those rumors.

“What about the Northern Sky Clan?”

“I’m working on a plan right now. I’ll have it prepared in a few days.”

Lee Jaseung trusted Dan Woobin. If anyone could devise the most effective way to seize control of the clan, it was him.

At that moment, a subordinate entered, announcing urgent news and handing over a letter.

Dan Woobin became shocked as he read the letter.

“We need to throw out all the plans we’ve made so far and start from scratch.”

“Why?”

“The Northern Sky Clan just announced they’ll be holding a martial arts tournament.”

“A tournament?”

“But it’s a marriage tournament.”

“A marriage tournament?”

Lee Jaseung was also surprised.

“People still do that kind of thing these days?”

“I guess.”

“Surely she must be up to something, right?”

“Possibly…”

Dan Woobin trailed off for a moment and continued.

“Maybe Baek Seolyoung is just desperate. When people are driven into a corner, they sometimes make extreme choices. At the very least, it’ll be effective. She was renowned for her beauty after all.”

Lee Jaseung was impressed by her. Sacrificing herself for her goal, that couldn’t have been an easy decision.

“Countless martial artists will probably enter. The chance to marry into enormous power, and that power being an unparalleled beauty? Every man with a sword will come running.”

“For sure.”

Dan Woobin stared at Lee Jaseung.

“Why are you looking at me like that? You aren’t telling me to enter, right?”

“You do carry a blade by your waist, don’t you, my Lord?”

Lee Jaseung gave him a dumbfounded look after hearing Dan Woobin’s words.

“So you really want me to participate?”

“Why not?”

“No.”

“Why don’t you want to?”

“You want me to marry her?”

“Is there anything wrong with that?”

“What?”

Lee Jaseung looked even more bewildered.

“When I read that letter, do you know what I thought? Even though the plan I worked on for ten nights straight just went up in smoke, I was still happy. It felt like heaven was helping you, my Lord!”

Lee Jaseung understood what Dan Woobin meant by his words. At the moment when they were planning to make a move on the Northern Sky Clan, the announcement of a marriage tournament arrived.

This was a clear sign of fate. Even if it was a joke made by fate, they couldn’t afford to miss this opportunity.

“But only those from the Orthodox Faction could participate, right?”

“You’ll have to hide your identity. Disguise yourself as someone from a lesser-known sect of the Orthodox Faction.”

“What if someone recognizes me?”

“There’s barely anyone in the world who’ll recognize you. At the very least, not your enemies. You killed them all, remember?”

“You are treating me like a murderer again.”

“It is the truth after all.”

Lee Jaseung smirked at his response.

“So, what’s your decision?”

Lee Jaseung replied with another question.

“Be honest, is this really the best option?”

Dan Woobin answered without hesitation.

“Yes, the fastest and the most certain path.”

Just as Baek Seolyoung had done, Lee Jaseung walked to the window and looked up at the sky.

Marriage huh.

It was something I had never once thought of. Marrying someone from the Orthodox Faction at that.

Of course, this was just a means to an end. I’ll use this opportunity to eliminate all obstacles and unify the whole world.

She’ll likely end up depressed, or dead.

At that moment, a face suddenly flashed in the sky.

It was the woman I saw back at the inn. I didn’t know her face suddenly flashed.

Perhaps it was because Baek Seolyoung was said to be so beautiful. After all, the woman I saw that day was also truly stunning.

“Can I even afford to leave?”

“For such an occasion, we’ve already prepared a body double to take your place. No one will notice. Leave either the Iron Cavalry regiment or the Divine Sword Regiment behind at the main base, and there will be nothing to worry about.”

I had faced many crossroads before. Each time, I made my decision by one principle.

Thankfully, I had been lucky so far, and my decisions had never been wrong.

The principle was simple.

Will this choice help me achieve my dream?

I didn’t know what would come of this choice. But like before, I only hoped that it was the right one.

Finally, with resolve, Lee Jaseung spoke.

“I will enter the tournament.”

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