◈ Absolute Dominion
Chapter- 29
When Jeok Lee-Gun returned to the spot, Cha-Ryun was alone.
The three elders had gone somewhere.
Cha-Ryun’s face was flushed as she sat deep in thought. She closed her eyes, then opened them again, sometimes smiling as well. It seemed she could not hear the surrounding sounds.
She was completely immersed in deep contemplation. In her mind, she was organizing the teachings of the elders, one by one. These would serve as the foundation that would lead her to becoming a true master.
Jeok Lee-Gun remained silent, patiently waiting for her to come back to her senses.
How much time had passed?
Cha-Ryun finally took notice of his presence.
“Huh? When did you get here?”
Jeok Lee-Gun, who had been dozing off, scowled as he woke up.
“Let’s go. I’m starving.”
Cha-Ryun glanced around at her surroundings, realizing that the sun was now hanging high in the sky.
“Has that much time passed already? Oh! What about the elders?”
“How would I know? You were the one with them.”
“Oh no! I made a mistake—I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”
Cha-Ryun stood up abruptly, looking around anxiously for the elders.
“Don’t worry. You’ll meet them again.”
“Really? You promise?”
“I promise. So, did you learn something?”
It was more than just learning. She had received teachings from the Supreme Demon Empress herself. She felt like she had already reached the pinnacle of the Red Silk Sword Technique, though it was just a feeling for now.
“Thank you.”
“Then you owe me a treat.”
Not just a treat—she’d be willing to spend everything she had if necessary. The problem was she only had two nyang.
For the first time since they’d met, Cha-Ryun walked ahead of Jeok Lee-Gun.
“Let’s go. It’s on me.”
At the same time.
A man sprinted desperately, his breath ragged and uneven.
His name was Myung. His body, drenched in blood from numerous wounds, made it look like he would collapse at any moment.
Every ounce of strength had left him. His eyelids felt as heavy as iron, and his waist and ankles throbbed with unbearable pain, threatening to snap under the strain of each step.
He wanted to give up, to lie down and rest right there. He wanted to spread his arms wide and shout at his relentless pursuers, ‘You want to gut me that badly? Then come and do it!’
But surrender wasn’t an option.
‘I have to let them know.’
The fate of the martial world depended on it.
Several times, his legs buckled beneath him, sending him crashing to the ground, but each time he quickly stood up again.
After what felt like an eternity, he finally reached the bamboo forest—the designated rendezvous point.
Whistle—
A soft whistle escaped his lips.
From within the shadows of the bamboo, a figure emerged.
It was the women sent to meet him. She presented her identification badge first.
It was the insignia of the Black Tortoise Division. The Black Tortoise Division was the intelligence organization within the Orthodox Alliance.
Myung’s face brightened. The person he had been hoping for had arrived.
“I am Myung of the Northern Sky Clan.”
There was no time for lengthy greetings.
“We must leave immediately. The pursuers are right on our tail.”
“There’s a secret safehouse nearby. Once we get there, we’ll be safe.”
The secret safehouses of the Black Tortoise Division were known to be shielded by intricate formation techniques, making them hidden and secure from outsiders.
Without wasting another second, the woman took the lead and began running. As they ran, she spoke.
“Why did you contact us directly instead of reporting this to your superiors?”
“That’s because...”
Myung hesitated but then decided to reveal everything to her. After all, they were still being pursued, and they could be forced to part ways at any moment. Both of them needed to know the secret.
“My direct superior, Bong Su-Chan, has betrayed us.”
Bong Su-Chan was one of the four great elders of the Northern Sky Clan and the chief overseer of this Young Dragon and Phoenix Tournament.
The woman’s eyes widened in shock.
“Betrayed? To whom?”
“I couldn’t trust anyone once I learned he was a traitor. That’s why I sought the help of the Orthodox Alliance.”
“Could it be that the Demonic Cult is rising again?”
“No. This is a new threat—a new organization.”
“A new organization?”
“They call themselves the Veiled Lotus Society.”
“The Veiled Lotus Society?”
“They are at the center of a huge conspiracy involving both of the martial arts tournaments. We must inform the leader of the Orthodox Alliance. There’s no way of knowing how many spies there are within the main household.”
“This... it’s hard to accept.”
The woman, seemingly in shock, began to slow her pace. If someone as powerful as Bong Su-Chan, one of the Northern Sky Clan’s four great elders, had been recruited by a shadowy organization, the implications would be catastrophic.
Suddenly, the woman looked back and shouted.
“The pursuers are catching up!”
From the far end of the path, dark figures began to emerge.
Myung’s voice was filled with urgency.
“We have to call off the Heavenly Dragon Tournament—the Young Dragon and Phoenix Tournament must be canceled as well.”
The woman asked urgently.
“Has this information been leaked anywhere else?”
“You are the first to hear it.”
“That’s a relief.”
“W-what did you just say...?”
“And what’s the part you don’t agree with?”
“It’s too idealistic. It also feels like you’re looking down on people who work hard and save their money. Sometimes, life doesn’t always go as planned. What if something goes wrong, and you end up in a situation where you have to borrow a half nyang? Living in that half-nyang place might have saved you from debt.”
“And the part you agree with?”
“On the other hand... it does make sense.”
“That’s why I like you.”
“What?”
“You’re kind, but not overly so. Being too kind is exhausting.”
Jeok Lee-Gun strode ahead as the chef signaled by waving for them to come over from ahead.
Cha-Ryun stood still for a moment.
‘Kind, but not overly so? Was that an insult...?’
“What are you doing? Hurry up!”
“...I’m coming.”
They were led to a spot by the window on the second floor of the Tranquility Inn.
Jeok Lee-Gun glanced out the window and tilted his head in curiosity.
“What’s causing all the commotion out there?”
The young waiter who came to take their order was practically bouncing with excitement as he answered.
“The Divine Dragon, Young Master Lim, has just arrived! And with him is Young Lady Sama, who will be competing with him in the Young Dragon and Phoenix Tournament.”
Jeok Lee-Gun’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Young Lady Sama? Is she beautiful?”
Cha-Ryun shook her head in exasperation. Of course, that’s the first question he asks.
“Of course, she’s beautiful. That’s why she’s participating in the tournament alongside the Divine Dragon.”
“Who is this Divine Dragon?”
The waiter’s expression was one of complete disbelief, as though he couldn’t fathom how someone could be so oblivious.
“Are you seriously asking that? How could you not know Young Master Lim of the Northern Sky Clan?”
“You fool, it’s possible not to know.”
“Impossible! How could anyone be ignorant of the title of the Divine Dragon?”
“Do you know the name of the person who sells the best fruits at the Jade Gate Pass?”
“No, I don’t.”
“See, you punk? Then it’s possible I don’t know of this Young Master Lim either.”
“Young Master Lim is the successor of the Northern Sky Clan!”
The young waiter was clearly idolizing Lim Ha-Gi, his face was turning red as he raised his voice in anger. The only reason he had the gall to vent his anger at Jeok Lee-Gun was due to his gentle demeanor. This made him an easy target for the waiter’s frustration.
“How can you say that he’s the successor when he hasn’t become the leader yet? The only way you’ll know that he is the successor is once he’s actually inherited the position. Most of the time, brothers end up fighting and killing each other before they can even inherit their position.”
“Young Master Lim is one of the strongest contenders for winning the Young Dragon and Phoenix Tournament!”
“The word ‘contender’ is just something people made up to console the losers!”
“We’re not serving you! Get out!”
“You can save lines like that for when you become the owner of this place.”
The young waiter’s eyes began to fill with tears.
Cha-Ryun shook her head in disbelief at Jeok Lee-Gun’s childishness.
“What are you doing, picking on a kid?”
“A kid? He’s probably ten times more scheming than you. Hey, kid! I bet you’ve taken money from that Young Divine Dragon or whatever he’s called, right?”
The waiter hesitated, clearly flustered by his piercing intuition. It seemed he had indeed received money from him before.
The young waiter shouted defensively.
“It wasn’t because of that!”
“See? I knew it. How do you even know what kind of person that guy really is? He could be doing all sorts of dirty things behind the scenes. Tomorrow, he might even assault your brother.”
“I don’t have a brother!”
“If it’s a sister, it’s even more pathetic... mmm—!”
Cha-Ryun clamped Jeok Lee-Gun’s lips shut with her fingers, pinching them tightly.
“Aah! That hurts!”
Ah, that felt so satisfying. She had always wanted to do that.
As she twisted Jeok Lee-Gun’s lips back and forth, she winked at the young waiter.
“Why don’t you let this go, just this once? How about bringing us some tea first?”
At last, the waiter’s anger cooled. Now that he was calm again, he nodded.
Jeok Lee-Gun shook off Cha-Ryun’s hand and shouted at the retreating waiter.
“Tell that Divine Dragon or whatever that the winner of this tournament has already been decided!”
The waiter stuck his tongue out in defiance before disappearing into the crowd.
At that moment, a voice came from behind Jeok Lee-Gun.
“May I ask who that might be?”
The man who approached from behind was tall and had a sturdy build. His gentle eyes and masculine face gave him the aura of a righteous hero.
“Who are you?”
“I am Lim Ha-Gi. The martial artists of the world have graciously given me the title of Divine Dragon, though it is far more than I deserve.”
Cha-Ryun was startled and instinctively, she stood and greeted him with a respectful fist salute.
“I am Cha-Ryun of the Righteous Sword Sect.”
Lim Ha-Gi was the successor of the Northern Sky Clan, one of the Four Great Conquerors. Even though Cha-Ryun wasn’t one to care about making a good impression, she couldn’t help but feel intimidated by his prestigious background.
“Oh, as the rumors suggest, you are truly beautiful. It’s an honor to meet you.”
Meanwhile, Jeok Lee-Gun seemed to be unimpressed, and simply glanced up at Lim Ha-Gi with a bored expression.
Cha-Ryun nudged Jeok Lee-Gun in the side, prompting him to offer a reluctant greeting.
“I’m Jeok Lee-Gun.”
Lim Ha-Gi’s expression subtly stiffened at Jeok Lee-Gun’s lackluster attitude.
In the martial world, the name “Lim Ha-Gi of the Northern Sky Clan” carried tremendous weight. Those seven syllables alone made any difficulty or impossibility before him disappear. That’s how he had been raised. Even the leaders of prominent families didn’t dare to treat him disrespectfully.
Cha-Ryun quickly intervened.
“My friend is not well-versed in the etiquette of the martial world. Please excuse him.”
Lim Ha-Gi nodded, though the sight of Jeok Lee-Gun’s massive sword and saber slung across his back only served to make him seem even more insignificant.
Just then, another person approached from behind.
“Young Master Lim, what are you doing here?”
Cha-Ryun’s face immediately soured upon recognizing him. There’s an old saying in the martial world that, “Enemies always meet at inns.” It couldn’t have been truer, for the person was none other than Jang In-Gyeol.