Chapter 92

Are They One, or Two? (1)

The sparring match was only four days away.

The duel between Baek Socheon and Yeom Sawon had become so widely known throughout the Central Plains that there was hardly anyone who hadn't heard about it. People had begun calling it the Orthodox-Unorthodox Sparring Match.

Martial artists from all over the land poured into Wuhan to witness the duel.

Only invited guests would actually be allowed to watch, but even those without invitations gathered in the hope that they might somehow find a way inside.

Because of the long war, not a single Martial Arts Tournament had been held in all that time. Under such circumstances, a sparring match between representatives of the orthodox and unorthodox factions was being held, so it was naturally regarded as a grand festival of the martial world.

The sheer number of people gathering in Wuhan even produced an unprecedented spectacle.

Martial artists who hadn't received invitations flocked to the Martial Alliance and protested.

It was the first time anything like this had happened in the history of sparring tournaments.

"Let us watch too!"

"This is a historic duel! Hold it as a public tournament!"

"It should be open equally to everyone!"

But that was impossible.

There was no arena large enough to accommodate so many spectators, and even if such an arena existed, controlling that many people would be impossible.

On the day of the duel, the Alliance Leader, the Alliance's most important figures, and renowned masters from across the land would all be gathered in one place.

Assassins from the Heaven-Measuring Alliance could easily infiltrate such a massive crowd.

To appease the angry public, the Martial Alliance organized various events around its headquarters.

Performing troupes were invited to stage puppet shows and plays, while masters of the Martial Alliance gave martial arts demonstrations and lectures. Small-scale sparring tournaments organized by minor and medium-sized sects were also held every day.

Wuhan was truly engulfed in unprecedented excitement.

And martial artists weren't the only ones who had gathered.

Wherever crowds gathered, merchants naturally followed. Traders from all across the Central Plains filled the streets, calling out to customers and selling goods rarely seen in Wuhan. There were even many merchants from beyond the borders.

And it wasn't only merchants.

Gamblers arrived as well and began organizing wagers.

Countless people placed money on this closely matched duel.

The betting itself evolved beyond simply wagering on who would win or lose. Bets were divided into countless categories: how long the duel would last, how many exchanges it would take to determine the winner, who would suffer the first injury, which part of the body the decisive blow would strike, and much more.

For this occasion alone, even the Martial Alliance turned a blind eye to gambling surrounding the tournament.

Amid all the commotion in Wuhan, Yeom Sawon, who had been confined within the Alliance for some time, decided to go outside.

The martial artist assigned to supervise him blocked his path.

"You must not leave."

"I'm just going out for some fresh air."

The martial artist responsible for him was considerably older and held a position within the Alliance equivalent to a Unit Leader, yet Yeom Sawon treated him with utter contempt.

"Many martial heroes have gathered in Wuhan. Among them are numerous people who lost family members to the Heaven-Measuring Alliance during the last war. It will be dangerous for you to wander around carelessly."

"Let those bastards try something. I'll send every last one of them off to join their families."

"Young Master Yeom."

"Young Master? I told you to call me Great Hero."

"Great Hero Yeom! There are only three days left until the duel. What are you going to do if an unfortunate incident occurs at a time like this?"

"Move! Unless you want to die."

In the end, overwhelmed by Yeom Sawon's aggression, the martial artist stepped aside.

Jan Baek and Go Goeng simply let Yeom Sawon do whatever he pleased. They followed from a distance, concentrating solely on guarding him.

As Yeom Sawon was about to leave the Alliance, he looked toward the sparring arena, where construction was now in its final stages.

Even he had never seen such an enormous arena in his life.

Only after seeing the arena with his own eyes did the reality that he would soon fight Baek Socheon truly sink in.

I'll kill that bastard here.

He would kill Baek Socheon without fail and regain his father's trust.

After leaving the Alliance, Yeom Sawon swaggered through the marketplace.

As expected, the streets were packed with martial artists.

Come on!

He hoped someone would recognize him.

That's Yeom Sawon! The successor of the Heaven-Measuring Alliance!

Kill him! Someone step forward and kill that bastard!

Then, after he thoroughly beat them down, they would scream,

He's a master! We need a master too! Someone go bring a real expert!

He hoped something like that would happen.

But not a single passerby recognized him.

The streets were so crowded and chaotic that even if he walked around with the words SUCCESSOR OF THE HEAVEN-MEASURING ALLIANCE pasted across his forehead, it seemed unlikely anyone would bother looking at him.

These idiotic orthodox bastards! One day, I'll wipe every last one of you out.

Instead of returning directly to the Alliance, Yeom Sawon stopped by Cheongeuk's teahouse.

"Forget the tea! Where's your master? Bring her out."

"Yes, sir."

The attendant went to inform the kitchen, and soon Cheongeuk appeared.

"Great Hero Yeom, you've come to visit."

Cheongeuk greeted him with a radiant smile.

Of course, the smile wasn't because she was happy to see him. It simply reflected how good her mood had been lately.

"Hmph! So you smile like that at any man who comes along. Is that how you seduced that Baek bastard?"

"Why? Do I look pretty to you?"

"Don't flatter yourself!"

In truth, Cheongeuk did look beautiful in Yeom Sawon's eyes.

Whenever she had been with Baek Socheon, all his attention had been focused on Baek Socheon, so he hadn't noticed. But seeing her alone like this, he realized she was truly beautiful.

Meol Jiryun was younger and possessed an exotic beauty, but even she couldn't compare to Cheongeuk.

"Once my Alliance unifies the martial world, you'd better watch yourselves too. The fact that you've been cozying up to Baek Socheon won't simply disappear."

Cheongeuk found him ridiculous.

He was nothing more than a pathetic man who oppressed others by relying on the backing of the Heaven-Measuring Alliance rather than his own abilities.

"You misunderstand. How could people like us ever join hands with the orthodox factions?"

"Then why do you associate with Baek Socheon?"

"Don't you know about our relationship with him?"

"What relationship?"

Amazingly, he knew nothing about the past relationship between the Assassin Alliance and Baek Socheon.

What in the world has this pathetic fool been doing with his life? Perhaps instead of killing him, making him the Leader of the Heaven-Measuring Alliance would be the fastest way to destroy it.

At that moment, Cheongeuk genuinely had that thought.

"Baek Socheon killed all the senior assassins of our Alliance. How could we possibly defy him?"

"He did? Come to think of it, I think I've heard something about that. But you're lying."

"What do you mean?"

"Baek Socheon lost all his internal energy, didn't he? If you wanted to kill him, you could do it anytime."

"But the Martial Alliance stands behind him, doesn't it? Why else do you think I've been dragged all the way here and forced to sell tea?"

That argument worked perfectly.

Even Yeom Sawon had found it strange that she was here selling tea.

"If what you're saying is true, those Martial Alliance bastards really are a vicious bunch."

"Please lower your voice. I'm afraid someone might hear you."

Cheongeuk was manipulating Yeom Sawon as effortlessly as if he were a pebble rolling around in her palm.

"Who cares if someone hears!"

Yeom Sawon deliberately raised his voice instead.

Cheongeuk thought to herself that if the martial world were filled only with people like Yeom Sawon, she really might be capable of unifying it.

Then another thought suddenly occurred to her.

Perhaps when Baek Socheon looked at her or other people, he sometimes felt something similar.

"Anyway, Baek Socheon will die in this duel."

"Then I'll finally be freed from this miserable oppression."

When Cheongeuk gazed at him expectantly, Yeom Sawon's mood immediately improved.

Looking at Yeom Sawon made Cheongeuk realize all over again what a decent man Baek Socheon was.

The two couldn't have been more different.

"By the way, have you seen Baek Socheon recently?"

"No. I haven't seen him at all."

Cheongeuk lied without the slightest hesitation.

Yeom Sawon spoke irritably, as though merely thinking about Baek Socheon annoyed him.

"Where the hell has that damned Baek Socheon been hiding? He hasn't shown his face at all lately."

Cheongeuk lowered her head and thought,

You idiot. That precious man has been busy taking lessons from me!

***

Meol Jiryun was drinking tea with Rap Sa in her quarters.

"Only four days remain until Baek Socheon and Yeom Sawon's duel."

"The streets of Wuhan are overflowing with people."

"Aren't you nervous?"

"I'm not the one fighting."

"That's true."

Whenever she was with Rap Sa, Meol Jiryun behaved like an innocent young girl.

"Elder, you must be tired. Please go and rest."

"You should retire early as well, Young Lady."

"I will."

Rap Sa left the room.

He knew nothing about the current plan.

Rap Sa genuinely believed that she had come here merely to escape her marriage to Yeom Sawon.

Once he was gone, the innocent young girl disappeared.

In her place remained a calculating woman entrusted with an enormously important mission.

When truth and lies are mixed together, the opponent falls into confusion.

Just as Baek Socheon had suspected, the division between Meol Saeng and Jeok Parap had been entirely deliberate.

Meol Jiryun remembered the day before she had left the Blood Cult.

A farewell had taken place in the most secretive location within the cult.

My daughter.

Yes, Father.

Meol Saeng was dressed like a monk.

At the center of his shaved head was a blood-red tattoo depicting nine snakes intertwined with one another. His entire body was also covered in all manner of indecipherable characters and images.

Simply facing him was enough to find his appearance bizarre and chilling.

Your role in this matter is extremely important. Can you accomplish it?

I can.

Good. I raised you to be strong precisely for a day like this.

I've been waiting for the day when I could render a great service to our Cult as well.

Jeok Parap stood beside Meol Saeng.

His appearance was hardly normal either.

Although he was over a hundred years old, his skin remained smooth and taut. Judging by appearances alone, he actually looked younger than Meol Saeng.

He maintained his youth by absorbing the vitality of young people through a unique sorcery of his own creation.

The fate of our Cult rests upon you.

Yes, Grand Master.

Do not be afraid. Pa jeong will help you. You will not fail.

Pa jeong was no ordinary martial artist.

He was Grand Master Jeok Parap's newest disciple.

Jeok Parap had firmly declared that Meol Saeng would be the last disciple he ever raised. However, after becoming captivated by Pa jeong's talent, he had gone back on his word and accepted him as a disciple.

Pa jeong was still young, but his abilities were extraordinary.

The veteran master Rap Sa ranked among the Ten Great Masters of the Blood Cult.

Yet Pa jeong was even stronger than Rap Sa.

That was precisely why Meol Saeng and Jeok Parap had felt comfortable sending her into the Martial Alliance.

You must be particularly wary of Baek Socheon. Although he has lost his internal energy, he is by no means an easy opponent. Be more vigilant against him than even Ak Sogun or Zhuge Hyeon.

Meol Jiryun returned from her memories to the present.

Don't worry. I'll make this operation succeed and fulfill our Cult's long-cherished ambition without fail.

The gray depths of her eyes grew even darker.

Just then, her young bodyguard, Pa jeong, entered the room.

"Baek Socheon deposited the money at the bank."

Still staring out the window, she sneered.

"Those orthodox fools. For all their self-righteous posturing, they're no different from anyone else."

"Giving that bastard 300,000 nyang was such a waste."

"If we accomplish our great undertaking, that amount of money will be nothing but pocket change."

She turned toward Pa jeong.

"The preparations?"

"Everything is proceeding according to plan. In fact, the chaos surrounding this tournament is making my work even easier."

"Be careful. Baek Socheon is exceptionally perceptive. He's already suspicious of me."

"Don't worry. Everything is being carried out discreetly, and that bastard will be too occupied preparing for the duel to notice."

Meol Jiryun smiled with satisfaction, apparently thinking the same thing.

At that very moment—

Pa jeong raised a finger in a silent warning.

He quietly walked toward the window beside Meol Jiryun and suddenly threw it wide open.

A rush of frigid air swept into the room.

"What's wrong?"

Pa jeong sharpened his senses and carefully surveyed the surroundings.

There was no one outside.

"It's nothing."

He closed the window again.

"Do you think I would have been standing here without checking our surroundings?"

"My apologies. I must have imagined it."

But he hadn't imagined anything.

A short distance from the window, Baek Socheon stood perfectly concealed.

He had managed to fool Meol Jiryun, who had been much closer, yet had nearly been detected by Pa jeong, who stood farther away.

He's no ordinary man.

This had nothing to do with martial prowess or internal energy.

Just as Baek Socheon had detected Cheongeuk even when he possessed no internal energy, Pa jeong had been born with extraordinarily keen senses.

Just what are you plotting?

It was now certain that the Blood Cult was planning something significant.

All that remained was to uncover exactly what their conspiracy was.

Only three days remained until the duel.

Just as silently as he had arrived, Baek Socheon disappeared from the area.

His movement was as natural and imperceptible as darkness descending upon the world.