Chapter 59: Jaseung, Meets a New Master

The man sat alone in the darkness.

His back was turned as he quietly drank, but just seeing the man’s silhouette made every nerve in Lee Jaseung’s body go taut.

Lee Jaseung’s body reacted first. His inner Qi surged instinctively, and a protective Qi barrier wrapped around his body. That alone showed just how dangerous the man was. His body had sensed it before his mind.

A martial artist of the Orthodox Faction. And not just any martial artist, but someone who had received proper instruction.

Lee Jaseung immediately assessed the man’s level.

It was exactly where he himself had been before he opened the Limitless Iron Chest.

Even that much meant the man was incredibly skilled.

Surely the man had noticed his presence, but he showed no reaction.

At this level, any expert would have sensed someone entering. A true master could always recognize another.

Lee Jaseung revealed just enough presence to match Seop Mu-pyeong, the champion of the martial arts tournament.

Since the man was slightly below his level, he could easily conceal the rest of his Qi.

Lee Jaseung glanced toward the kitchen. He sensed no movement. No scent of blood, either.

Yes, no way Yim Sayeon had been taken out. Now that he thought about it, it really hit him how powerful she was.

Most skilled fighters gave off a distinct presence. Tense and sharp, like things could end in a blink.

But Yim Sayeon hadn’t had that tension at all when they first met.

Her strength was subtle. Like a drizzle slowly soaking your clothes. By the time you noticed, you were drenched.

Still, one thing was certain. She was stronger than both Lee Jaseung and the man in front of him. Seeing this man only confirmed it.

Lee Jaseung was curious about the stranger’s identity, but he didn’t approach. No reason to step into the man’s domain without knowing who he was.

Then, the man placed a few silver coins on the table and slowly stood up.

He turned toward Lee Jaseung. He looked to be a man in his forties with an ordinary face. He had the gentle look of a friendly neighbor, someone you’d never take for a martial artist, let alone a master.

But Lee Jaseung knew. These were the ones to be wary of.

“I waited for the owner, but they never came, so I helped myself to a bottle. Isn’t that the charm of an abandoned tavern?”

The man’s voice carried a calm confidence.

It also meant he felt the Qi Lee Jaseung had intentionally let out.

“Do you know the owner?”

“A little.”

“Then tell her this. She should work on her cooking skills. Hahahaha.”

Laughing heartily, the man walked toward Lee Jaseung. Lee Jaseung remained ready, having only shown a sliver of his presence to prepare for any sudden clash.

He had no idea who this man was, so he couldn’t afford to expose himself.

Fortunately, the encounter passed without incident. The man simply walked past and left.

Immediately, Mook Young’s telepathic voice came through.

— Should I tail him?

— Assign the best we have. He’s extremely skilled, so just track his movements from afar. It’s okay if we lose him. Do not take any risks.

— Understood.

The man’s Qi had been a warning in itself, telling everyone not to mess with him. If he were to be watched, only Lee Jaseung or Mook Young could do it. Sending anyone else might get them killed.

Still, Lee Jaseung ordered surveillance because he was sure the man was from the Orthodox Faction. At the very least, he didn’t seem like someone who would kill indiscriminately.

He’d said he just stopped in for a drink, but that was a lie. He was clearly here to see Yim Sayeon.

But what was their relationship?

Lee Jaseung stepped outside. At a distance from the door, Baek Seolyoung stood with a tense expression. When she saw him, she relaxed and rushed over.

“Can I go in now? Is Grandma okay?”

Too anxious to wait, she hurried inside before hearing his answer.

“Grandma! Grandma!”

She called loudly as she ran to the kitchen, fear rising in her voice.

“Where are you, Grandma? Grandma!”

Then a voice called from behind her.

“You brat, you’re gonna make me deaf. Who comes into an empty house yelling like that?”

Yim Sayeon walked in, both hands full of groceries. She’d just come back from shopping in the market.

“What are you doing just standing there? Take these. My arms are gonna fall off.”

Baek Seolyoung quickly took the bags from her.

“Are you okay?”

“No. My arms are killing me. Put these in the kitchen.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Relieved, Baek Seolyoung carried the groceries away.

Yim Sayeon turned to Lee Jaseung and asked,

“Did someone come by?”

Judging by Baek Seolyoung’s behavior, she’d figured something had happened.

“Yes. Someone waited, then left.”

Yim Sayeon nodded once but said nothing more.

Baek Seolyoung returned with drinks and some snacks.

“From now on, make him do this stuff. You shaved thirty million silver coins off his debt. We can put him to work, right?”

Yim Sayeon laughed heartily.

“You brat. Let’s see if you still say that later. Don’t complain to me if I make your husband work more than you want him to.”

“I won’t, I promise.”

“Don’t be so sure.”

She repeated it with a serious tone.

“Never be too sure of anything in life.”

The words carried some unknown weight, and Baek Seolyoung sobered.

Yim Sayeon turned to her and smiled.

“Not long until the wedding, huh?”

“Three days left.”

After a few hours, there would only be two days left.  

“How do you feel?”

“I still can’t believe it’s happening.”

Baek Seolyoung suddenly wondered.

‘Did Grandma ever get married?’

But she couldn’t ask. It was too personal. It could even be tied to painful memories.

As if reading her mind, Yim Sayeon spoke up.

“I was married once, long ago.”

That startled Baek Seolyoung.

“Ah, I see.”

She wanted to ask more about her family but couldn’t find the words.

Then, Lee Jaseung suddenly asked,

“Do you have any family members still alive?”

So naturally that even Yim Sayeon replied with ease.

“A few, far away.”

She didn’t elaborate on who they were, so Lee Jaseung didn’t ask about it.

“Do you keep in touch?”

“Very occasionally.”

Lee Jaseung smiled and spoke.

“You’re better off than me. At least you have someone you can still see.”

“Haha, is that so?”

Baek Seolyoung was surprised to learn Yim Sayeon had a family. She’d never said anything about them.

‘Then again, I never asked huh.’

Watching how easily Lee Jaseung spoke, she realized something.

Even a sensitive topic like this could be approached comfortably when handled sincerely.

Maybe it wasn’t a sensitive topic at all. Maybe she’d just assumed it was.

Lee Jaseung wasn’t careless, he was simply genuine.

That’s why he was able to ask like that.

Do you have a family? Do you ever see them?

Those were the questions Baek Seolyoung should’ve asked long ago.

And if painful memories surfaced, she could have just shared in that sadness. Or maybe just quietly listened. That might have been the more respectful thing to do.

Either way, it would’ve been better than saying nothing out of baseless assumptions.

Once again, she found herself changed by Lee Jaseung’s influence.

“What are you thinking about?”

Yim Sayeon’s question pulled her from her thoughts.

“I’ve just been thinking a lot lately.”

Baek Seolyoung smiled sheepishly.

Yim Sayeon chuckled and patted her head.

“You’ve gotten prettier lately.”

* * *

Lee Jaseung sat by the lake, drinking alone.

The earlier get-together with the three had ended quickly. With a mysterious master showing up that day, it hadn’t felt right to sit around drinking for long. And the wedding was coming up fast.

He had sent Baek Seolyoung home, saying he wanted some fresh air, then came here for another drink.

He couldn’t invite her for a drink in the end. There was a weird awkwardness he couldn’t shake.

If Mujin found out, he’d call him a coward. Dan Woobin would probably whine in frustration too.

Lee Jaseung smirked and emptied his cup.

An owl hooted in the distance.

It had been a long time since he’d had time to himself. These moments were a rare but precious kind of rest.

A lot had happened since he became Lord of the Black Way Alliance.

He’d dealt with the outer regions and installed someone he could control in the leadership of Lianzhou.

He learned the Limitless Iron Chest’s techniques, refined his old Yama’s Dagger Art to become even more powerful.

Formed an alliance with the Golden Ants, won a staggering one hundred twenty million silver coins from the martial arts gambling ring.

Everything had gone smoothly. Some might worry that such success was too good to be true.

But not Lee Jaseung.

Life was like the tides. Sometimes high, sometimes low. If a wave came in, it would also recede.

That’s why you had to succeed as much as possible while things were going well.

Because the bad times would come. And when they do, you would survive on what you built during the good times.

That mindset kept him unafraid of life’s ups and downs.

He emptied his cup.

Through everything, there had also been new encounters.

Meeting his grandfather’s master was something unimaginable. And that meeting led to another.

Her, Baek Seolyoung.

Now, not even three days. In just two days, they would be married.

He had lived his whole life without looking back. But this one thing kept making him turn around.

Could he really build a life with her? Was marrying her truly the right choice?

Even though he’d already made up his mind, the doubts crept in whenever he was alone.

Then, a voice carried on the wind.

“Would you pour me a drink, too?”

He turned to see who it was, and was stunned by it.  A woman was walking toward him, but it was someone he never expected to see here.

It was Nam Seohyang the Great Ant, head of the Golden Ants.

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