Chapter 585: Protecting the Master
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 585: Protecting the Master
'Why... him...'
Joo So-yang’s expression was one of pure bewilderment.
She had never expected him to wake up first. This was Lee Jae-won, a man who had just lost an arm, suffered massive blood loss, and endured a devastating mental shock.
How could he possibly recover faster than Sun-woo, who had merely collapsed from exhaustion?
'It’s too... fast.'
It was fast. Far too fast.
Sun-woo showed no signs of waking up yet. If they encountered Lee Jae-won in this state, they would be utterly helpless.
'I can't let that happen!'
Joo So-yang rejected the horrific possibility. She couldn't allow it to come to pass.
"Where is he now?" Joo So-yang asked Lee Ye-seol in a calm, steady voice.
"He’s being confronted by the Palbok Hall Master."
"The Palbok Hall Master?"
Joo So-yang looked at Lee Ye-seol, her brow furrowed in confusion. Why would he suddenly appear out of nowhere?
"It seems he came to check on Sun-woo’s condition and ran into Father."
Lee Ye-seol continued, her expression grim.
"That is a stroke of luck amidst this misfortune," Joo So-yang said, her face relaxing slightly.
She felt they had gained some precious time through this unexpected coincidence. It seemed the heavens had not yet forsaken Sun-woo.
Stand.
Joo So-yang rose from her seat.
"You must continuously pour internal energy into Sun-woo’s pulse points. Do it so his internal systems can reactivate."
She gave the command while looking directly at her daughter, Lee Ye-seol.
"What about you, Mother?" Lee Ye-seol asked, her eyes filled with doubt.
She thought her mother would be better suited for the task of replenishing his vitality with internal energy. Generally, the higher one's realm, the more refined their internal energy became. Compared to herself, who had only just reached the Super-Peak Realm, her mother—a master of the Upper Stage of the Transcendent Realm—possessed far more pure energy.
She couldn't understand why such a task was being left to her.
"I must go outside and stall for time," Joo So-yang replied, her expression stoic.
"Outside!?"
"Yes. The Palbok Hall Master is buying us time, but I doubt it will last long. Your father’s heart is currently consumed by a murderous desire for revenge against Sun-woo."
Joo So-yang’s voice remained composed.
"It might be dangerous," Lee Ye-seol said, her face clouded with worry.
Going out now was risky. No, it was more than risky—it was suicidal. Her father, Lee Jae-won, had lost an arm; he was likely out of his mind with rage. If her mother stood in his way to protect Sun-woo, even as the Great Matriarch, there was no guarantee she would come away unscathed.
She could get hurt.
"Do not worry. Would he truly harm his own wife?" Joo So-yang said, trying to reassure her daughter.
"Father isn't in his right mind after losing his arm! It’s too dangerous to stand in his way!"
Lee Ye-seol desperately tried to dissuade her. She didn't want to see her mother get hurt.
"But I have no choice... We cannot let Sun-woo be harmed, can we?"
Joo So-yang spoke with a pained expression. She knew better than anyone how dangerous it was to block Lee Jae-won right now. Having lost his left arm—a limb he had relied on his entire life—so pointlessly, there was no way he could maintain his sanity.
Standing before him was like jumping into a pit of fire while strapped with explosives.
And yet, she couldn't give up. If she gave up here, her beloved Master would lose his life. She couldn't bear to see that happen, even if it meant risking her own life.
"Then I... I'll go... and stall for time... Father may be cold, but he’s always been kind to me. I’m sure I can buy us some time."
Lee Ye-seol spoke up, her face etched with concern.
"No, I will go. With the Palbok Hall Master there, I will be of more help than you."
Joo So-yang slowly shook her head. In this situation, she would be more effective than Lee Ye-seol. Rather than trying to stop him with force, it would be better to use her political standing to pressure him.
"......Mother."
Lee Ye-seol’s eyes welled with tears as she looked at her mother. The fear that her mother might be hurt gripped her heart.
"Don't worry. Surely he won't kill me."
Joo So-yang forced a faint smile and began to walk away.
Step. Step.
Stop.
Joo So-yang halted right in front of Lee Ye-seol.
"I leave Sun-woo in your hands."
Tap. Tap.
Joo So-yang patted Lee Ye-seol’s shoulder twice.
".............Yes."
Lee Ye-seol nodded slowly, sensing her mother’s unwavering resolve.
Smile.
Seeing her daughter’s response, Joo So-yang gave a small smile. Then, she turned and headed toward the outside, toward where Lee Jae-won was waiting.
"Why are you stopping me!?"
Lee Jae-won roared, his face twisted in frustration.
"A proper judgment regarding Young Master Jang has not yet been reached! How can the Alliance Leader take it upon himself to kill him!"
Heo Sam-gwan refused him, his expression calm and steady.
"Palbok Hall Master, can you not see this!?"
Lee Jae-won gestured with his chin toward his empty left sleeve as he screamed.
"Can you not see this pathetic, empty sleeve!?"
Lee Jae-won glared at him, his eyes burning with fury.
"......I see it."
"Do you really see it?" Lee Jae-won asked suspiciously.
".....I see it clearly."
"Then why are you stopping me!?"
Lee Jae-won roared again, unable to comprehend the situation.
"The supreme leader of the Cheonmu Alliance! A hero of the Great War of Righteousness and Demons! I have lost an arm! An arm! How can you possibly stand in my way!?"
"It was the Alliance Leader who tried to kill him first," Heo Sam-gwan replied, maintaining his composure as best he could.
"What on earth are you talking about!? I was merely admonishing a junior as his senior! I have no memory of trying to kill him!"
Lee Jae-won retorted as if the suggestion were absurd. He claimed he never intended to kill him, only to teach him a lesson.
Of course, it was a lie. He had wanted to kill him from the very beginning, even before he drew his Formless Sword. But he couldn't reveal his true intentions. He had to play the role of the absolute victim to justify his actions. To justify the murder of Jang Sun-woo.
"Did you not draw your Heart Sword to kill him, Alliance Leader!?"
Heo Sam-gwan raised his voice, shouting back.
"What are you talking about!? A Heart Sword!?"
Lee Jae-won feigned ignorance. He figured a mere Super-Peak martial artist like Heo Sam-gwan couldn't possibly recognize a Heart Sword. His Heart Sword was the Formless Sword—a blade of pure will that lacked physical form. Unless one had reached a certain realm of mastery, they wouldn't even notice its existence. He was certain Heo Sam-gwan hadn't realized he’d used it.
'This fucker is just fishing.'
Lee Jae-won knit his brows slightly.
"Do you take me for a fool, Alliance Leader?"
A blunt remark suddenly escaped Heo Sam-gwan’s lips.
"Wh-what!?"
"A thunderous roar erupted from thin air, and Young Master Jang was wounded! If that wasn't a Heart Sword, then what was it!?"
Heo Sam-gwan shouted, his expression sour. He had seen it clearly—the way Sun-woo was suddenly slashed. At that moment, Lee Jae-won hadn't even swung a physical blade; he had merely waved his hand. Seeing that, Heo Sam-gwan was certain that what wounded Jang Sun-woo was the Alliance Leader’s Formless Sword.
And yet, here he was, shamelessly denying it.
"................"
Lee Jae-won fell silent. He was at a loss for words, caught off guard by a reaction far more intense than he had anticipated.
'That son of a bitch... he’s too damn sharp for his own good...'
Internally, Lee Jae-won began to curse Heo Sam-gwan for his annoying perceptiveness.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, Lee Jae-won’s hand shot out.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
He began striking Heo Sam-gwan’s body with rapid precision.
"Ugh!"
Heo Sam-gwan let out a groan. A foul sensation washed over him as his entire body stiffened.
'Acupoint Striking!?'
Heo Sam-gwan realized instantly that his pressure points had been struck.
"Alliance Leader! What is the meaning of this!?" Heo Sam-gwan shouted urgently.
"Just stay here quietly," Lee Jae-won replied, his face devoid of emotion.
"What do you—!"
"Stop blocking my path!"
Lee Jae-won roared. He was annoyed. He was annoyed at Heo Sam-gwan for preventing him from killing the boy, and he was annoyed at himself for being unable to come up with a proper rebuttal.
'I'm doing whatever the fuck I want, you bastard!'
A mad glint flickered in Lee Jae-won’s eyes.
"Alliance Leader! Release the points at once! How can you commit such an outrageous act!?"
Heo Sam-gwan’s voice rose in disbelief. Because he couldn't win the argument, the man had resorted to brute force. The leader of the Cheonmu Alliance—the man who should be the most just and rational of all—was acting like this. It was beyond absurd.
"You are impossible to reason with," Lee Jae-won said flatly.
"The one who is impossible to reason with is you, Alliance Leader! How can you resort to force just because you have nothing left to say!?"
'This motherfucker is hitting way too close to home.'
Lee Jae-won’s face contorted. The fact that the words were so true only made him more irritated.
"I told you! I never intended to kill him!" Lee Jae-won argued, raising his voice.
"How can you claim you had no intent to kill when you used a Heart Sword!?"
"Didn't I already explain that? I never used a Heart Sword."
Lee Jae-won spat out the lie with a straight face. He showed not a shred of remorse.
"That is a blatant lie!"
"See? You don't believe a single word I say. What is the point of talking to you?"
Lee Jae-won shook his head, acting as if Heo Sam-gwan was the one being unreasonable.
"Alliance Leader!"
"I’ve always felt this, but you really do talk too much."
Thwack!
Lee Jae-won’s finger shot out again with lightning speed.
"..............."
Heo Sam-gwan, who was about to scream, found his mouth clamped shut. His Acupoint of Silence had been struck.
Only then did Lee Jae-won look satisfied. If Lee Dae-gon was annoying because he was slow-witted and talkative, Heo Sam-gwan was the opposite—he was annoying because he was too quick to catch on and kept bombarding him with painful truths.
'Fuck, finally some peace and quiet. I should have done this from the start.'
Lee Jae-won made a mental note: if those two ever annoyed him with their words again, he would just strike their silence points immediately.
'Now, shall we?'
Step. Step.
Lee Jae-won began walking briskly toward the quarters where Sun-woo was sleeping.
Step. Step.
He reached the main gate and slowly reached out his hand. He intended to head inside immediately.
Just then, his senses picked up a presence.
'What's this?'
Creek.
The door suddenly swung open from the inside.
An all-too-familiar woman dressed in white entered his vision.
Hair as fine as ebony.
Eyes that sparkled with brilliance.
A nose as sharp and straight as a blade.
Skin so firm it seemed to defy time.
Lips as alluring as a ripe persimmon.
And breasts so massive they could be called the best under heaven.
Hips that were just as voluptuous as her chest.
And a waist as slender as an ant's.
".........Joo So-yang."
Lee Jae-won spoke the woman's name as she came into view.
"What brings you here, Alliance Leader?"
Joo So-yang asked, glaring at him with a gaze as sharp as a razor. Her eyes were filled with wariness.
"I’ve come to kill Jang Sun-woo."
Lee Jae-won told her the truth. He felt that trying to hide it would be ridiculous.
"I cannot allow that."
Joo So-yang shook her head, refusing him.
"A decision regarding his treatment has not yet been made. I cannot let the Alliance Leader punish him based on his own whims."
Joo So-yang stared him down with cold, piercing eyes.
"Joo So-yang."
Lee Jae-won studied her intently before calling her name again.
"Speak."
"Can your eyes not see this empty left sleeve?"
Lee Jae-won gestured with his chin toward the fluttering fabric.
"I see it," Joo So-yang replied, her expression unperturbed.
"You see it, you bitch!"
Lee Jae-won’s voice rose to a shout.
"And yet you dare stand in my way!?"
His eyes were filled with a profound sense of betrayal.