Love Ballad of the Tyrant King

Chapter 38: Jaseung, Wins

The arena hosting the finals was truly packed with countless people.

The clan had tried to ensure that as many people as possible could watch, but they couldn’t accept everyone pouring in. Because of that, a long line of people stretched endlessly outside, unable to enter.

Officials sent by the Murim Alliance also attended to watch the finals. Most of them were acquaintances of Jin Yang. The Murim Alliance sent them, certain of Jin Yang's victory.

Baek Seolyoung greeted them with a smile, but her heart remained cold.

"Rotten bastards."

There was no genuine congratulation in their visit. It was nothing but political maneuvering to align with the strong.

After greeting Baek Seolyoung, they found Jin Yang waiting below the stage and offered him congratulations as if he had already won.

The Righteous Chivalrous Sword Clan and Guanghai Blade Sect also sent people. Naturally, the clan Lord or sect Leader should have come in person, but each sent Elder-level representatives. After a formal greeting with her, they were too busy talking with Yang Sebang.

Though there were many guests around her offering congratulations, she felt as if she were standing alone in a windy wasteland.

At that moment, a cheer erupted from the opposite side.

Lee Jaseung was walking toward the arena. Following him was Dan Woobin. He had fully prepared for an investigation that would begin on the Flying Dagger Sect after Lee Jaseung wins the tournament.

The gathered warriors who recognized Lee Jaseung began to shout.

"The man of fortune! You must win!"

"You're the best! I'm only cheering for you!"

"Show them the spirit of youth!"

There were far more people cheering for Lee Jaseung than expected. Because this final was a clash between the old and the new, most young people wanted him to win. The fact that he was once Hae Ryang’s rival added to their support.

Lee Jaseung was the first to step onto the stage.

Dan Woobin watched, feeling a bit tense.

‘My Lord, please be careful.’

Dan Woobin glanced over to the VIP seats. He could see Baek Seolyoung watching Lee Jaseung.

Dan Woobin sincerely hoped the two would fall in love. That way, it would give them great strength for the difficult and tiring journey ahead.

But Lee Jaseung did not give a single gaze toward her direction.

Dan Woobin shook his head with a smile.

‘Of course. That’s my Lord alright.’

Unlike Dan Woobin's gentle gaze, Yang Sebang’s eyes were filled with sharp hostility as he stared at Lee Jaseung.

‘Where the hell did this guy come from!?’

As Dan Woobin had guessed, Yang Sebang had long been connected to the Guanghai Blade Sect. He had received large sums of money from them and took the lead in seizing the Northern Sky Clan clan after the previous leader died.

As Lee Jaseung had suspected, the Guanghai Blade Sect held a major weakness over him. In the past, he had murdered his sister-in-law and then massacred his brother and nephews to cover up the crime.

A secret that should have been buried in hell had flowed into the hands of the Guanghai Blade Sect, making him their puppet.

Everything had been going smoothly until Seop Mu-pyeong appeared and messed it all up. Originally, the plan was to make Gwak Pil the winner. He was someone the Guanghai Blade Sect had raised over a long time.

If he had reached the finals, Jin Yang would have purposely lost to him. Jin Yang was just a backup piece in case something unexpected happened.

He too owed a debt to the sect Leader of the Guanghai Blade Sect. He had entered this match to settle that debt.

His martial arts were powerful, but he was so well-known in the martial world that it was difficult to manipulate him from behind the scenes.

Baek Seolyoung noticed Yang Sebang glaring at Lee Jaseung with fierce eyes.

Not knowing the full background, she found it odd. From his position, it would be better if Seop Mu-pyeong won.

Sensing her gaze, Yang Sebang quickly relaxed his expression.

"Hahaha. A battle between old and new, how exciting."

Baek Seolyoung gave a faint smile and turned back to the arena.

The final match had finally begun.

As the judge gave the signal, the two began their initial probing exchange.

Facing Jin Yang up close, his presence was overwhelming. He was no opponent to be taken lightly. His skills were clearly above those of Mujin or Ma Young-gi.

Jin Yang too was impressed by Lee Jaseung. And that admiration soon turned into regret.

‘I was too arrogant.’

He had never properly watched any of Lee Jaseung's matches. He had only heard that he was someone blessed with fortune. He had been confident he could beat any opponent and didn’t want to show concern about another contestant.

But the man in front of him was not just someone with decent skill enhanced by luck. Lee Jaseung radiated an overwhelming presence.

‘He fooled everyone.’

Jin Yang became convinced that Lee Jaseung had been hiding his skills all along. That thought sparked his curiosity.

‘Where did someone like him come from? Ah!’

At that moment, Jin Yang had a thought.

‘He must be someone sent by the Righteous Chivalrous Sword Clan.’

That was his guess. The opponent's Qi was too extraordinary to be considered just an unknown rising star. If he was aligned with the Guanghai Blade Sect, then the opponent must be backed by the Righteous Chivalrous Sword Clan.

In fact, if not for the changes in Lee Jaseung’s martial arts, he wouldn’t have caught Jin Yang’s attention to this extent.

As he developed new techniques, Lee Jaseung’s martial arts rose a level.

But that new art had not yet been fully refined. Lee Jaseung had already reached the level of concealing his Qi completely, but with his recent growth, his control had not yet caught up. It was something that would take time.

Still, there was an upside.

A faint smile formed on Jin Yang’s lips.

‘Impressive, but unpolished.’

He had manage to let down his guard.

Lee Jaseung held his dagger lightly and gave a respectful bow.

"I ask for your guidance."

Jin Yang slowly drew his sword.

"I’ll yield the first move."

Lee Jaseung’s gaze settled calmly.

He envisioned the battle in his mind. He resolved to finish it quickly.

He decided not to use the newly created technique from the day before. It was too important to reveal in front of so many onlookers. Not that any of them could understand the profundity it contained.

Instead, he planned to use the old second and third form of his secret technique he would never use again.

If his opponent was Jin Yang, the Greatest Swordsman of Central Plains, it was a worthy farewell.

"Here I come!"

At the same time of his roar, Lee Jaseung’s form darted toward Jin Yang.

Swish swish swish swish swish!

The speed of the flying daggers shocked Jin Yang. He hadn’t expected such swiftness.

In hindsight, Jin Yang should not have yielded the first move.

Once he began to fall behind, he couldn’t seize the opportunity to counterattack.

Clang clang clang clang clang clang!

The long sword and the short daggers collided, but the daggers were actually pushing the sword back.

Lee Jaseung’s assault was so fast that Jin Yang couldn’t use sword Qi or sword force. Even if he had the chance to use them, Jin Yang was not the kind of trash who would ignore the spectators like Myeong Do did.

The cheers from the beginning had long faded. All around was silence. Everyone watched the duel without even breathing.

Splatter!

Blood burst from Jin Yang’s arm.

Shing! .

Jin Yang counterattacked. A moment ago, he had let his arm be cut intentionally to create an opening for a counterattack. Lee Jaseung sensed that as well, but still chose to cut his arm.

A fight between masters ultimately came down to choices.

Rather than who was faster or stronger, victory depended on what choices were made.

Jin Yang’s counterattack began.

His sword was faster than any opponent Lee Jaseung had faced recently. A single mistake could have led to death.

Jin Yang wasn’t just sparring. He was fighting a duel of life and death. Holding back for a junior would have been suicidal at that point.

Swish swish! Swish, swish!

Jin Yang’s relentless attacks flew in. Lee Jaseung dodged them with dazzling footwork.

Only then did Baek Seolyoung realize. Lee Jaseung’s skill was far higher than she had imagined.

He had been controlling the flow of the fight from the very beginning. Even before creating a new technique, Lee Jaseung could have defeated Jin Yang.

But not like this, not by dominating the battle from start to finish.

The tide surged forward, then retreated, and again surged in waves.

After several exchanges, Lee Jaseung’s eyes sharpened.

The next moment, his Asura savagely pierced Jin Yang’s opening.

Before Jin Yang could react, it was already over.

Thunk! Thunk!

Lee Jaseung’s daggers pierced Jin Yang’s shoulder and abdomen in quick succession.

With a short cry, Jin Yang dropped his sword.

Blood spurted from his shoulder and stomach. Jin Yang quickly pressed on his wounds to stop the bleeding.

Some spectators might have thought the match ended due to a mistake, but in truth, that was not the case at all.

Lee Jaseung’s attacks had been fast and precise. So much so that one could not dodge even after seeing them coming.

‘A complete defeat.’

They were deep wounds that would require at least a year of recovery. Lee Jaseung had inflicted them intentionally, to keep Jin Yang from interfering again anytime soon.

Lee Jaseung no longer attacked. He stepped back and respectfully bowed.

“Thank you for giving this junior a chance.”

The judge approached Jin Yang.

Jin Yang let out a sigh and nodded. To continue fighting in that condition would not only have been reckless but disgraceful.

The judge raised his voice, infused with inner Qi so that all could hear.

“Victory! Seop Mu-pyeong of the Flying Dagger Sect!”

Thunderous cheers erupted. The spectators clapped and celebrated. Fireworks exploded in succession to mark the victory.

The young man known as the man of great fortune had even won the championship. This was a major upset among upsets.

Yang Sebang’s face had turned pale with shock.

“The Greatest Swordsman of Central Plains lost?”

He wasn’t the only one surprised. Officials from the Murim Alliance, as well as the Righteous Chivalrous Sword Clan and Guanghai Blade Sect, were also deeply astonished.

Baek Seolyoung stepped onto the stage to congratulate the winner. She remained composed on the outside, but inside she was trembling.

If he had lost this match, he would have disappeared from her life. Someday in the future, she might remember him as a man who briefly crossed her path through a string of coincidences.

But now that he had won, coincidence had become destiny.

She handed him the prepared gold medallion. It had a dragon and tiger engraved on it and had been specially crafted for the winner of this tournament.

“Congratulations.”

Lee Jaseung calmly replied to her congratulation.

“Thank you.”

Their eyes met in the air.

Her emotions were complicated. She was happy, but also worried.

Compared to Jin Yang, his youth was certainly more appealing. That was beyond comparison.

But everything else was a problem.

Lee Jaseung had a personality that was anything but easygoing. He also gave off an air of secrecy.

The biggest issue was that those who had turned toward her might now shift their allegiance back to Yang Sebang.

But if this was fate, she was prepared to accept it.

Baek Seolyoung quietly said to Lee Jaseung,

“You once told me that I had the confidence to control the winner of this marriage tournament and that my arrogance was the reason I started it. Fine. I will try to control you as you said. And don’t forget, I am the Lord of Northern Sky Clan and the one who put you in this position.”

Lee Jaseung smirked at her words.

‘Yes. This boldness of hers isn’t so bad.’

Baek Seolyoung added one more thing.

“Congratulations on your victory.”

Then she stepped back.

The crowd shouted,

“The man who won love! Congratulations!”

“I hope you have a happy life!”

“Awesome! You’re the best!”

Lee Jaseung waved to them. Everyone enthusiastically cheered the birth of a new young hero.

While the celebration showed no sign of cooling down, a single carriage quietly departed the area.

* * *

A short while later, a carriage that had left the marketplace stopped on a quiet roadside.

Yang Sebang got out of the carriage. He had taken off his flashy robe and was now wearing plain martial clothes with a hat pulled low over his face. He spoke to the bodyguard on the horse seat.

“There is an urgent place I must go. None of you follow me.”

Since he occasionally went out on secret solo trips, the guards obeyed without question.

Yang Sebang walked toward the outskirts. He had received a message to meet the Guanghai Blade Sect at their usual contact point. Since Jin Yang had been defeated, the plan was in shambles, and it was only natural for them to want to meet right away.

But the message had not come from the Guanghai Blade Sect. It was sent by Dan Woobin. Though the style of the message was slightly different than usual, the situation was what it was, so he had not suspected anything.

Yang Sebang slipped into an alley, avoiding people's eyes. His steps were quick, reflecting his urgency.

Sssshk!

Clang!

He drew his sword to block a sudden surprise attack. A spear flew at him.

Swish swish swish swish!

More spears flew in rapid succession. He had no time to see who the attacker was. That was how fast and strong the attacks were.

Crack!

After only twenty exchanges, his sword broke.

Thunk!

An assassin’s hidden weapon struck his chest.

Clutching his chest, he staggered and collapsed. The man who threw the weapon walked up and looked down at him. It was Ma Young-gi.

Gasping for breath, Yang Sebang asked,

“...Who are you?”

Ma Young-gi looked down at him with a cold gaze and replied.

“You chose the wrong enemy.”

With eyes full of confusion, Yang Sebang breathed his last. At first, he thought he had been betrayed by the Guanghai Blade Sect. But when he heard Ma Young-gi's words, he realized it wasn’t them.

Even in the final moment of his death, he never figured out who had killed him or why. Not that it would have made much difference. History would record that he was killed not by the Black Way Alliance or the Guanghai Blade Sect, but by a Demonic Human.

That was because the hidden weapon lodged in Yang Sebang’s neck was the signature poison dart of Yoma.

It was the very item Lee Jaseung had obtained before sending Yoma to the Great Demon. Knowing Dan Woobin intended to frame the incident as the work of the Demon Cult, he had kept it on hand.

Ma Young-gi vanished.

Moments later, a scream rang out as people discovered the body.

* * *

At the same time, near the arena, in a side alley—

Thunk!

Another of Yoma’s weapons pierced the chest of a middle-aged man. He was Nam So-pyeong, one of Yang Sebang’s subordinates listed on Dan Woobin’s list. Nam So-pyeong had assassinated countless people under Yang Sebang’s orders, but today, the roles were reversed.

He coughed up blood and staggered backward before collapsing. As he struggled to lift his head, a foul curse escaped his lips.

“...God damn it.”

Looking down at him with a grin was Mujin.

“That’s how this world works. Live like shit, die like shit, right?”

Without hesitation, Mujin drove another blade into his neck.

“Don’t be too sad. If you didn’t want to end up like this, maybe you should’ve lived a better life.”

Nam So-pyeong’s head dropped without even a scream.

The top commander of the Divine Sword Regiment landed beside Mujin.

“All the others have been taken care of.”

“Well done.”

They had eliminated all of Yang Sebang’s people in one sweep. Some among them were top-level martial artists, but with Dan Woobin planning the operation and the Divine Sword Regiment executing it directly, their deaths had been inevitable.

“All right, the annoying ones are gone. Should we go have a drink to celebrate in advance?”

“A celebratory drink?”

“He’s getting married after all.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

Mujin looked up at the sky.

Nam So-pyeong’s blood still flowed beneath their feet, but the cloudless sky above was bright and clear.

“Our Lord’s wedding huh, even I’m getting excited.”