Chapter 98: Jaseung, Opens Up

Lee Jaseung stood alone in a clearing within the forest.

In his hand was the Dream Phantom Dagger.

He wanted to train with a dagger whose nature was completely different from Asura’s.

Swiish.

The Dream Phantom flew through the air and embedded itself into a rock. As expected of the finest dagger, it sank in as smoothly as if it were piercing tofu.

For Lee Jaseung, how sharp the dagger held little meaning. Even with a rusty, worthless blade, he could still kill anyone he intended to kill.

What he focused on was the nature of the Dream Phantom.

He held Asura in his right hand and the Dream Phantom in his left. Into Asura he infused pure Yang inner Qi, and into Dream Phantom he infused pure Yin inner Qi. As he expected, the Dream Phantom was a dagger suited to extreme Yin Qi.

Swoooosh!

Two different energies burst forth from the two daggers. If any martial artist had seen it, their face would have been filled with disbelief and shock.

It would be an attack the opponent could never predict. Depending on the opponent’s inner Qi, he could also choose whichever of the two techniques would be more advantageous.

Shk shk shk shk shk!

Lee Jaseung executed moves with both types of inner Qi.

Hot and cold Qi, each completely different, spread in all directions. Extreme Yin and extreme Yang clashed, then complemented each other, then clashed again. Through this repetition of opposition and harmony, the two daggers unleashed incredible power.

It also helped greatly that Lee Jaseung’s martial arts had advanced to another stage.

And there was one decisive factor.

Zing, zing-

Ziiiing, ziiing-

Previously only Asura had resonated, but now the Dream Phantom began to resonate as well.

They had sensed they were in competition with each other.

Asura grew angry, while Dream Phantom tried hard to prove itself.

Lee Jaseung knew that in the martial world, almost no one could ever experience something like this.

Two daggers, each imbued with opposing inner Qi.

And two distinct emotions.

He could not know exactly what kind of result this would produce.

But there was one thing he could sense with certainty. That result would never be negative.

He felt good about this.

* * *

A rumor began to spread through the martial world.

It was the rumor about the chance that the Black Way Alliance might attack the Murim Alliance.

In fact, Lee Jaseung had dispatched the Iron Cavalry Regiment from the Black Way Alliance’s main base toward the Murim Alliance. He also redeployed the frontline warriors into a wartime posture.

To anyone, it was clearly a provocation aimed at the Murim Alliance.

Even the forces stationed in the rear were brought forward.

The news threw the Murim Alliance into an uproar.

Dan Woobin reported the situation.

“Ban Yeo has left the Alliance with Virtuous Heroes and his most important organizations. Even as Alliance Leader, no one can touch him until the truth of this rumor is revealed. Ban Yeo is like an old serpent that has lived a hundred years.”

Lee Jaseung nodded and spoke.

“He is a genuine contender.”

Though Ban Yeo was struggling after being drawn into his scheme, what deserved acknowledgment had to be acknowledged.

“You see him correctly.”

“And the gold?”

“We found all of it and distributed it for safekeeping among the Treasury and trading companies the Alliance runs.”

“Well done.”

“But those gauntlets look very plain.”

Dan Woobin examined the gauntlets Lee Jaseung wore on his hands. On the surface, there was nothing special about them. The fingers were exposed, so wearing them in daily life caused no inconvenience.

Yet faintly engraved on the palm was a pattern.

“Oh? A lightning pattern.”

Dan Woobin realized it resembled the scar on Lee Jaseung’s chest. But he did not mention it aloud, because Lee Jaseung disliked speaking of that wound.

“Have you tested the gauntlets’ effect?”

Lee Jaseung nodded.

“They are very good.”

In truth, he did not need them. With his current strength, every blow was already a killing strike, and doubling his power was unnecessary.

But he paid attention to the fact that they were connected to the martial art from the iron chest. As if fate had tangled them together, he felt that one day the gauntlets would be absolutely necessary.

Lee Jaseung rose from his seat.

“Where are you going?”

Striding forward, he replied,

“I have an answer to hear from her.”

Baek Seolyoung’s figure moved lightly through the air. Having reached the eighth level of the Northern Sky Sword Art, her movements were now incomparable to before.

On top of that, she had recently endured two moments of patience.

The first was when she had stood still so as not to break Lee Jaseung’s state of selflessness. The second was when she had overcome the fear of possible death while blindfolded.

Though they seemed unrelated to martial arts, they were not. Those two experiences were deeply influencing her skills.

Her visible techniques had not simply grown faster or stronger, but she herself had become stronger as a person. That change would surely help her reach the level of a master.

Shk shk shk shk shk!

She rose into the air like a butterfly, then dove down like an eagle. After sweeping her sword across the ground, she thrust straight ahead in rapid succession.

When all the movements ended, she took a deep breath and sat where she was. Though her movements had been light, her face was full of thoughts.

Lying back, she gazed upward. She was currently in the inner court of the Murim Alliance. After Ban Yeo left the Alliance, Lee Jaseung returned here with her.

The sky was high and clear. The drifting clouds felt endlessly peaceful.

Suddenly, she remembered what Lee Jaseung had said.

“You plan to grow stronger to protect this rotten, corrupt Murim Alliance?”

Baek Seolyoung shook her head. Since that day, she had kept thinking about it, yet had reached no conclusion. She had thought sweating it out might lead to an answer, but her mind remained restless.

She wanted to go before him and shout,

“Then what do you expect me to do? Our family has always protected the Murim Alliance. Are we supposed to stop just because we don’t feel like it?”

But she could not. Deep inside, her conscience said this.

Why protect filth? That is not justice, it is collusion.

She wanted to shout again,

“We cannot even know for certain that they are corrupt. Have you seen it yourself? With your own eyes!”

Yet she could not. She had heard too many rumors of the Alliance’s corruption. To trust them, she would have to ignore the thick smoke rising from a chimney where there was supposedly no fire. The current Murim Alliance was surely corrupt.

She suddenly sat up.

“Then we should choose a new Alliance Leader who is not corrupt! And protect him!”

A voice came from behind her.

“That’s a good idea.”

She turned in surprise and saw Lee Jaseung standing there.

“Although, it is not the kind of thing one should declare in the Murim Alliance’s inner court.”

Only then did Baek Seolyoung look around in alarm. Speaking of corruption might be forgivable, but talk of a new Alliance Leader was dangerous.

She called out loudly,

“If anyone was listening, I was just joking! It was all a joke!”

Her words made Lee Jaseung smile faintly. Though she seemed unlikely to do so, there were times she spoke or acted in ways that did not match her usual self. Just like now. In such moments, she was rather cute.

Lee Jaseung sat down beside her.

“I cannot find an answer. When I parted from you, I thought it would be easy to decide. But the only conclusion I have reached is that I am truly a disappointing person.”

“Self-torment does not suit you.”

“It is not self-torment. It is the truth.”

She lowered her head onto her knees.

“I never knew I was this cowardly. I dislike the corrupt Murim Alliance, yet I want to keep the prestige of being from a guardian clan. Pathetic, pathetic.”

“You are not pathetic. In your situation, anyone would be torn like that.”

“You really think so?”

Lee Jaseung nodded.

“You can think it over for ten days or for a year. The important thing is the conclusion.”

Baek Seolyoung asked seriously,

“Do you believe this Murim Alliance can be changed?”

Meeting her eyes, he replied,

“I believe it.”

“How?”

“By the method you mentioned.”

She looked puzzled, then suddenly startled. Lowering her voice, she asked,

“A new Alliance Leader?”

When he nodded, she quickly asked,

“Who?”

“You.”

“Hahaha. That is really amusing. The first female Alliance Leader in history! Sounds great huh? Just thinking about it is fun.”

Then Lee Jaseung asked again.

“Then what about me?”

She chuckled, about to tease him with some joke, when she noticed his expression was serious.

“You… Are you serious?”

He silently nodded.

“Do you remember when you asked why I entered the martial arts tournament?”

Of course she remembered. He had hurt her with his sharp words, saying it was certainly not because he wanted to marry her.

With a trembling voice, Baek Seolyoung asked,

“My goodness! Was this your answer back then?”

Calmly, Lee Jaseung said,

“I want this world for myself.”

It was the moment he first opened his heart to her.

Through that open door, his first true feeling stepped out.

“Will you help me?”

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