Chapter 142: Proposals, Back and Forth

Lee Jaseung held out his hand and said,

“There’s something on your clothes.”

He even spoke as he approached. It was more natural than the trick Yim Sayeon had shown earlier.

Yim Sayeon drew one shoulder back and said,

“It’s fine. I’ll brush it off myself.”

Avoiding his hand, she brushed her own shoulder.

Tap, tap.

It was a truly light motion.

But an immense force rode the flick of her hand toward Lee Jaseung. There was no sound and no gust punching through space.

Even so, if it hit him, it was a deadly force that would take his life, and it was flying straight at him.

Lee Jaseung withdrew his outstretched hand and swept once through the air.

A moment later, the powerful force headed for him vanished noiselessly at his fingertips.

Their movements were so natural that Baek Seolyoung didn’t even realize techniques were being exchanged between them. Their exchange was a move that only transcendent masters, the very best among them, could pull off.

Lee Jaseung’s heart pounded.

It was a different kind of thudding from when he’d fought the Eternal Life Buddha statues before. With those, it had been a fight for survival. What had just happened felt like he had truly traded martial arts.

Come to think of it, he couldn’t even remember the last time he’d used martial arts as martial arts.

Martial arts were always used as a tool to kill the opponent.

That was Lee Jaseung’s Way.

As the Leader of the Unorthodox Faction, speaking of martial arts for their own sake might be a luxury others would find hard to understand, but Lee Jaseung was still a man of the sword. No, at this very moment, for the first time in a long while, he felt that he was indeed a martial artist.

“Thank you.”

Lee Jaseung bowed to Yim Sayeon with formality. The gratitude he felt at that moment was wholly separate from the reason he’d come today.

How could Yim Sayeon fail to notice his heart?

The hint of displeasure on her face disappeared with a sigh.

“May I ask why you’ve come to see my son?”

“I have a request to make.”

“From a child who’s dying?”

“Yes. Please let me see him alone.”

Having already decided, Yim Sayeon readily stepped aside.

After bowing once more in thanks, Lee Jaseung walked toward the building.

Baek Seolyoung watched him with a slightly tense look, then felt Yim Sayeon’s gaze and turned her head.

She worried the mood would turn awkward, but thankfully Yim Sayeon was smiling at her. She had already returned to her usual cheerful self.

“How’s married life?”

“It’s good.”

“At night? How good is it?”

“Wait, that’s not what I…”

Baek Seolyoung’s face flushed hot with embarrassment. She hadn’t expected such a teasing joke.

“I’m jealous, so jealous. Hahaha.”

This was exactly the role Lee Jaseung had mentioned for her. The difference between her being present and not. The very air was different from the start.

Cheon Myeongin lay asleep on the bed.

For a moment, Lee Jaseung stood by and looked down at him as he slept soundly.

He had thought of Cheon Myeongin as the one to pass on the method of informing the hidden power about the Demonic Cult’s involvement. There were other ways, of course. The easiest was to spread a rumor in Jianghu and let it flow naturally.

But that would take a long time, and there was no guarantee it would be delivered precisely. The person in charge of information might judge on their own that it wasn’t useful.

The other methods each had their problems too.

But if it was Cheon Myeongin, who had once served as the leader of that organization, it was different. He could surely leak the information most reliably into their ranks.

There was one question. Why hadn’t they killed Cheon Myeongin? Ever since learning of his existence, he had wondered.

Out of respect for a former leader? Was their organization the sort to keep such courtesies?

If not, was it because of Yim Sayeon?

Yim Sayeon and Cheon Myeongin hadn’t been able to meet for a while. They could have eliminated him before she met her son.

Were they afraid of Yim Sayeon’s revenge?

If that was the reason, they could have staged it as something they hadn’t done, that he got caught up and died in some other trouble.

So it didn’t seem to be because of Yim Sayeon. There had to be another reason this organization wouldn’t kill Cheon Myeongin. That was what Lee Jaseung thought.

Cheon Myeongin looked worse than before. He was dying by the day.

Lee Jaseung set his palm over the man’s chest.

Vmmm.

A thread of Qi flowed in, and Cheon Myeongin’s eyes flew open.

It was only a stopgap, but the effect of Lee Jaseung’s check was sure. Color returned to Cheon Myeongin’s face, and his expression eased at once.

He pushed himself up in bed. He had to lean against the wall, but talking was no problem.

“Thank you.”

“Think nothing of it.”

Cheon Myeongin recognized him.

“You came before, didn’t you?”

He meant when Yim Sayeon had brought him. So he hadn’t been asleep but had listened to their conversation. A mother asking someone to kill her son.

“So, have you made up your mind?”

He was asking whether he had come to kill.

“No.”

“Then why did you come?”

Cheon Myeongin looked at him with curious eyes. Instinctively, he knew some chance had come to change his life.

“The Alliance Leader has ordered your arrest.”

“The Alliance Leader? Arrest me?”

Lee Jaseung didn’t bother to circle around. With a man like Cheon Myeongin, who had seen it all, playing games would only waste time. Today, his weapon was the truth.

“He’s mistaken. He believes your mother is the one who obstructed his work.”

For an instant, Cheon Myeongin’s expression creased.

“So he’ll use me as a hostage to leverage my mother?”

He grasped Jang Wonso’s intent at once. He was as keen as ever.

“Yes.”

“He doesn’t know my mother very much huh. She wouldn’t bat an eye at that.”

After looking at him for a beat, Lee Jaseung spoke quietly.

“You’re the one who doesn’t know your mother.”

“What?”

“If he takes you hostage, she’ll do as he says.”

“That’s nonsense!”

He raised his voice to deny it, yet he knew it might be true.

“Why tell me this?”

“Because I want to save her.”

Lee Jaseung hid his true aim completely, to foment a split between the hidden power and the Demonic Cult.

Cheon Myeongin couldn’t know. Either way, both he and Lee Jaseung had reasons to keep Yim Sayeon alive.

Add to that his tie to Baek Seolyoung, and Cheon Myeongin wouldn’t doubt this justification. No, he would doubt, of course, but in the end it would remain only doubt.

“He underestimated my relationship with her. Or overestimated his relationship with me.”

Cheon Myeongin sneered.

“You’re popular I see.”

Lee Jaseung accepted it mildly.

“You could say that.”

Since he admitted it easily, Cheon Myeongin didn’t tease further. He asked in earnest,

“So what do you want from me?”

“Leak to your organization that Jang Wonso has joined hands with the Asura Demon Sect.”

“Jang Wonso, with the Demonic Cult?”

Cheon Myeongin was shocked. It seemed he hadn’t expected it at all.

“I knew that mad dog would cause a disaster someday.”

He could have chuckled, since he was already cast out from the organization, but he didn’t. Instead, he worried about the Murim Alliance, the hidden organization, and the situation.

In that feeling, Lee Jaseung sensed he’d found the answer to why the man was still alive.

“Why inform our organization?”

“Because I want to use them to remove Jang Wonso.”

Words mixed of truth and falsehood continued to flow.

“If we leave him be, he’ll get your mother killed. I want to prevent that one thing.”

Cheon Myeongin stared as if to pierce him, testing whether he spoke the truth.

All his life, he had prided himself on the discernment to know when another was lying or not.

And at least in this moment, that discernment judged that Lee Jaseung wasn’t lying.

That was only natural. In truth, Lee Jaseung didn’t want Yim Sayeon to die. Though that wasn’t why he had come today.

“Fine. I’ll grant your request.”

His answer held conviction. Just as Lee Jaseung had guessed, Cheon Myeongin had a way to pass that news to the organization.

“Thank you.”

“In exchange, I have a request as well.”

“Please say it.”

“Look after my mother from now on.”

“You say that knowing your mother’s martial prowess?”

“That’s why I worry more. Will you accept my request?”

He knew what the man feared. Since he had asked, it had to be granted.

And even without the request, it was something he himself should do if he could.

“I’ll do everything I can.”

“That much is enough.”

With a satisfied look, Cheon Myeongin added,

“I’m sorry, but I have one more favor.”

“What is it?”

The second was, to him, the more important.

“Save me.”

Lee Jaseung flinched. He could grant any other favor, but not this one.

He could extend the man’s life, but at most for a year.

And if he did, the side effects would be severe. That was why he hadn’t saved him last time either. A dying power-holder could do anything.

Cheon Myeongin pleaded earnestly,

“Just one year.”

He too knew his own condition exactly, and that a year was the most he could live.

For a moment, Lee Jaseung said nothing.

It was a crucial moment. Saving him could lead to many outcomes. Some good, some bad.

Perhaps the worst would come to pass, or unexpectedly it could give the Black Way Alliance a dramatic chance.

At length, Lee Jaseung spoke.

“Alright. I’ll save you. For one year, and only one year.”

Perhaps he hadn’t expected acceptance? Color returned to Cheon Myeongin’s face. As he opened his mouth to thank him, Lee Jaseung spoke first.

“On one condition! If you grant my request.”

“What is it?”

Lee Jaseung hoped Cheon Myeongin could grant what he was about to ask.

“The Hainan Sect map that Jang Wonso holds. Tell me how to obtain it.”

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