Chapter 144: Jaseung, Splits Them

Yim Sayeon wasn’t greatly surprised even when her son came out together with Lee Jaseung.

It seemed as though she had already expected this from the moment she let Lee Jaseung into the room.

Baek Seolyoung studied Lee Jaseung’s expression. He wasn’t smiling, but she could tell. His conversation with Cheon Myeongin had gone well. By now she could read a lot from his face alone.

Cheon Myeongin lifted his head to the sky. He squinted hard against the sunlight that he hadn’t felt in so long, but his mouth was smiling.

His illness wasn’t cured. Without someone’s support he still couldn’t walk on his own.

It was only possible because Lee Jaseung had infused a little Qi into his body, letting him move for a few minutes. He had wanted to part with Yim Sayeon properly.

Cheon Myeongin stepped toward his mother. Even when she offered to give him Qi so he could go outside for fresh air, he had never accepted. Now that son was walking out on his own.

“I have somewhere to go with this man.”

“How long will it take?”

“I’ll only know once I go.”

This time Yim Sayeon looked at Lee Jaseung. He accepted her gaze calmly.

He didn’t say anything. He himself didn’t know how this would end. He couldn’t give her any certainty.

He didn’t tell her he would protect her son, or that he would do his utmost to keep him safe.

The chance that he couldn’t protect him was too great. To be honest, he didn’t even want to protect him.

This was only a transaction with Cheon Myeongin. Each would use the other as they were. If he lived, he lived, if he died, he died.

She would understand as well. She knew better than anyone what kind of person her son was.

Even so, Yim Sayeon’s heart was complicated as she looked at him.

When it came to family, he was the only one she had left.

They had clashed for many long years, but he was still her son.

Not long ago, he had reached his final crisis.

She couldn’t stand to watch him wheeze and die. So she had injected Qi to ease the illness. If she used her Qi, she could give him one more day. She couldn’t just let him go.

So she infused Qi and kept him alive another day. Then again, another day.

If it had been her parent instead of her child, she would have let them go.

Telling them to go to a better place.

But with her son, she couldn’t. No matter how useless, even if he was a madman screaming to rule the martial world, if she could keep him alive, she couldn’t just send him away.

While she passed those agonizing days, Water came to her, sent by Rain.

If she saved Jang Wonso, they said, they would extend her son’s life for a time.

She accepted. With the pill sent by the secret powers, Cheon Myeongin passed the crisis.

And today, Lee Jaseung came.

“Have a safe trip.”

Yim Sayeon spoke calmly.

“Mother, please take care of yourself.”

Cheon Myeongin bowed deeply. She saw in his face an emotion he couldn’t hide, and she felt how dangerous what he intended must be.

But she didn’t stop him. She felt it was his fate, and her own as well. If she had one wish, it was simply that he would live the rest of his days well.

Lee Jaseung spoke softly to her.

“Soon the Alliance Leader might reach out to you.”

That single line was enough to explain the situation.

Yim Sayeon nodded.

“I’ll handle my affairs. You two handle yours.”

* * *

Lee Jaseung brought Cheon Myeongin back to his quarters first.

After hiding him in a secret chamber, he ordered Dan Woobin to bring a certain item.

“Does this have enough value to use?”

At his question, Lee Jaseung nodded.

Before them lay a large pill. It was the Black Way Alliance’s miracle medicine, the Revival Pill.

Most revival pills carried names that implied they could even bring back the dead, like this one, but they never truly did. They only prolonged life to a degree.

The Black Way Alliance’s Revival Pill was an improved version of the Trigger Pill. A normal Trigger Pill exploded the latent energy inside a person to draw out greater strength.

But since it used innate vital energy, the side effects were immense. When its effect wore off, the body suffered terrible internal injuries, often leading to ruin or death.

The Black Way Alliance had researched the pill to minimize those side effects, and that was what created the Revival Pill.

Because it was so difficult to make, Dan Woobin felt regret. The Alliance only had three left, and they were about to use one.

“It has more than enough value.”

At Lee Jaseung’s certainty, Dan Woobin let go of his regret.

It was said, small greed caused great loss. To cling to something little might cost them something greater.

“With this, he should easily last a year.”

Lee Jaseung looked down at the pill for a moment, then suddenly spoke.

“Split it into twelve pieces.”

“Huh?”

Dan Woobin gaped at him.

“Make the effect last one month. It’s possible for you, right?”

“Yes, with added ingredients and adjustments, it’s possible.”

“Then we’ll give him only a month of life at a time.”

Dan Woobin understood. Lee Jaseung didn’t trust Cheon Myeongin.

“Giving him a full year at once would be too dangerous.”

This task itself was already perilous. Honestly, even a single day of life was risky to grant.

But this way, at least, they could keep him under control.

“I’ll carry it out at once.”

Dan Woobin took the pill and left quickly. His brisk steps showed he agreed this was the right choice.

Lee Jaseung walked to the window.

Arms crossed, he stared into the deep darkness.

Whether he obtained the map or not would change everything. The future could be hard, or it could be easy. He had not lived by choosing the easy path, but there was no reason to choose difficulty either.

The decisive moment was coming.

* * *

“Oh! You’ve done it!”

Jang Wonso was overjoyed when he saw Cheon Myeongin brought in.

Cheon Myeongin sat on a wooden cart with wheels. There was no need to bind or pressure-point him.

With no Qi at all, his illness was obvious. It was the same condition as when Lee Jaseung first met him.

Lee Jaseung had not given him the Revival Pill. Suspicious as Jang Wonso was, he would never fail to examine him.

As expected, Jang Wonso gripped his wrist to check his state. He clicked his tongue after looking inside.

“Even a Great Luo Immortal couldn’t save him.”

He knew the man had little time left.

It was Cheon Myeongin who had once placed him on the Alliance Leader’s seat. But no gratitude remained in him.

Instead, Jang Wonso showed open hostility.

“You strutted so arrogantly!”

This was why Lee Jaseung had told Cheon Myeongin his life would be on the line. He had to stand exposed before Jang Wonso.

Because of Yim Sayeon, he wouldn’t be killed easily, but who could guarantee anything in the martial world?

Worse, Jang Wonso believed Yim Sayeon was the one who destroyed the Myriad Yin Orb, which made this dangerous.

Fortunately, he knew how to restrain himself. Instead of venting, he calmly checked Cheon Myeongin’s pulse.

Looking down at the sleeping man, he smiled coldly. Then he turned to Lee Jaseung with a bright grin.

“You’ve done well. Truly, you’ve done something difficult.”

“Thank you.”

Lee Jaseung bowed politely.

Watching Jang Wonso, the urge to kill rose suddenly. He longed to draw Asura and slice his throat. When he had just become Alliance Leader, he wouldn’t have been able to conceal such feelings.

But now he could harbor the urge and not show it at all. He had always been good at controlling his emotions, and after his recent achievements in martial arts, he was perfect at it.

“With respect, there is one promise I must ask of you.”

“What is it?”

“Allow me to come daily to check his condition. I gave my word to the Elder.”

“The Elder? I thought you snatched him away without her knowing. How did that work?”

“I judged that it was impossible to deceive her. So I told her openly. I said I needed to take him to the Alliance for investigation. Instead I promised I’d care for him well.”

“So she just let you take him?”

“No.”

“Then how?”

Jang Wonso looked at him suspiciously, but Lee Jaseung didn’t flinch.

“I told her I would look for a way to save him.”

“Is there such a way?”

Jang Wonso’s eyes widened.

Lee Jaseung asked in return.

“Is there?”

A pause, then Jang Wonso burst into laughter. Only then did he realize Lee Jaseung had lied to Yim Sayeon.

“You really are something. Hahahaha.”

He laughed long and loud. In fact, he had suspected Lee Jaseung and Yim Sayeon might be working together. Part of the reason he entrusted this task to him was to test it.

But listening to him, it didn’t seem so at all. If the two were allied, they would have prepared a more convincing story, not an absurd answer like that.

In truth, the excuse of a promise was Lee Jaseung’s way to see the Alliance Leader every day.

He had decided to search the Alliance Leader’s hall for the map himself. To do that, he needed access inside.

Giving Cheon Myeongin a year of life in return, he would use this opportunity.

The faction behind them would have already scoured the hall as well.

They spent a long time searching for the map, but didn’t find it. If it existed, it was hidden somewhere very difficult.

But that didn’t mean Lee Jaseung wouldn’t try. Even a one percent chance was worth an attempt.

Suddenly Jang Wonso asked.

“Why don’t you ask?”

“Ask what?”

“Whether this man is really a lackey of the Demonic Cult.”

“That doesn’t matter to me. What matters is that you gave me an order, and I should follow it.”

Jang Wonso gave him a meaningful look.

‘The more I see, the more I like him.’

But that didn’t mean he lowered his guard. He was suspicious by nature after all.

“Where do you plan to confine him?”

“I’ll take care of that myself. You may leave now.”

“Understood.”

Lee Jaseung turned without hesitation. He strode to leave, but Jang Wonso called out.

“Wait.”

When he turned back, Jang Wonso was walking toward the back wall.

“Bring him and follow me.”

He stopped before the wall, touched a statue, and a section of the wall opened. There was a secret passage.

In front of it, Jang Wonso looked back at him.

“What are you standing for? Come.”

Lee Jaseung hurried, pushing the cart toward it.

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