Love Ballad of the Tyrant King

Chapter 50: Jaseung, Stimulated

“First, no matter what I do with the Four Dragons of Northern Sky, don’t interfere. Even if I kill them all. Can you agree to that?”

That was Lee Jaseung’s first request.

Baek Seolyoung looked at him. He was someone who followed through his words. He really might kill Peng So or even all of the Four Dragons of Northern Sky.

“You might die.”

“If you really thought that, you wouldn’t have asked me this favor.”

She let out a small incredulous laughter because she understood exactly what he meant. Yes, this was the kind of person she had chosen to entrust the task to. He would also make sure to do his job.

“Fine. Kill them or spare them, do as you like. I’ll take care of the aftermath. Sounds good?”

“Good. Second, since I’m entering the clan, I want a completely private residence. I don’t want anyone entering except for you. That includes your guards.”

Chu Sang-gi sent her a secret voice transmission saying it was absolutely not okay, but Baek Seolyoung nodded anyway.

“Alright. I promise. What’s the last request?”

“Do not ever cry during training! Can you do that?”

Baek Seolyoung furrowed her brow.

‘What did he take me for? I could tolerate anything, but not this.’

She shouted,

“Are you messing with me?”

* * *

But the training was no joke.

“Aaaaaahhhh!”

In the end, Baek Seolyoung screamed. She had never experienced anything this difficult.

Her body trembled as she stood on her hands.

Watching her struggle, Lee Jaseung spoke coldly.

“The reason you’re weak is simple. You’ve never properly trained.”

With a strained expression, Baek Seolyoung barely managed to ask,

“You’re just doing this to torment me, aren’t you?”

She also sighed inside.

‘Agh, we’re supposed to be getting married in less than two months. This isn’t the kind of conversation we should be having!’

Lee Jaseung smirked at her comment.

The day after she visited him, he entered the Northern Sky Clan with his disciples. As promised, Baek Seolyoung gave him a separate residence within the clan grounds.

She ordered that no one was to go near the place. Even she herself didn’t come close to it.

And today, the very next day, full-fledged training began.

The training had reached a brutal intensity. That was because Lee Jaseung had forbidden her from using inner Qi.

He made her run over a hundred laps around the training grounds, carry stones weighing nearly a hundred pounds, and strengthen her lower body. Then came the handstand training.

She had initially thought he would listen to how her martial arts techniques worked, observe her forms, and suggest a solution. But Lee Jaseung had immediately started her on physical conditioning.

His reason was simple.

“The vessel that holds inner Qi and the tool that uses external techniques is ultimately the body. If that body isn’t strong, what good is six hundred years worth of Qi, or even the greatest martial art in the world?”

Baek Seolyoung gritted her teeth and endured as long as she could, but she eventually reached her limit. Just as she was about to collapse, she met Lee Jaseung’s upside-down gaze.

Seeing his calm, indifferent eyes made her change her mind. She didn’t want to lose.

She put strength into her arms and shouted,

“You nasty bastard! You demon! How dare you act so disrespectful to someone older than you! You think I’ll give up?”

Shouting while doing a handstand only made things harder, but she felt like she wouldn’t be able to endure it unless she cursed at him.

Lee Jaseung smiled as he listened to her rant.

‘Hey, I’m actually way older than you.’

After her outburst, she asked breathlessly,

“Did you go through this kind of training too?”

“Of course.”

He couldn’t bring himself to say it was only the beginning. That the final stages of training would be ten times harder than today. That the results would only come after overcoming that kind of pain.

“Will I really become strong?”

“What you need to do right now isn’t doubt, but focus. Focus on your body and your mind. Listen to what they’re whispering to you.”

“They’re whispering. That I should quit immediately! I’m asking you! Will I really become strong?”

“You will.”

“Alright!”

Baek Seolyoung clenched her teeth and steeled her resolve.

‘Yes, I’ll endure it.’

‘Think of it as punishment for not having lived properly until now. This kind of pain is something I should accept.’

With that mindset, she didn’t give up to the end.

How much time had passed?

“That’s enough. We’re done for today.”

Baek Seolyoung collapsed and lay flat on her back.

The sky spun above her. But deep inside, a sense of joy welled up.

‘I did it. I didn’t give up.’

She couldn’t remember the last time she felt this way. No, maybe she had never felt this way before.

“Same time tomorrow. Right here.”

Lee Jaseung walked out of the training ground.

There were less than two months left until the wedding, but if she followed the plan, she could show visible progress before then. Maybe even break through her current limitations. She still had endless potential for growth after all.

Lying down, Baek Seolyoung looked at his retreating figure.

‘Jerk!’

But a smile formed on her lips.

Maybe he was a jerk, maybe not, but it didn’t feel bad at all.

There were others secretly watching from afar. Mujin, Dan Woobin, and Ma Young-gi. They had entered the Northern Sky Clan with Lee Jaseung and had been given their own rooms.

They had been lazing around due to the order not to leave the residence. But when they heard that Lee Jaseung was teaching Baek Seolyoung martial arts, they all came out to watch.

“He’s a bit sadistic, huh?”

At Mujin’s comment, Dan Woobin shook his head.

“He truly wants Lord Baek to become strong.”

“You sure know how to spin it. You like Lord Baek, don’t you?”

“I do.”

Dan Woobin’s eyes gleamed. If anyone else had asked, he would’ve scowled and denied it, but he and Mujin had joked around so long that he was used to it.

And he genuinely liked Baek Seolyoung, as Lee Jaseung’s match of course.

Mujin then turned to Ma Young-gi and asked him.  

“What about you, Captain Ma?”

Ma Young-gi replied,

“He’s trying to slowly get control over her before the marriage. It’s a good move.”

“See? Captain Ma really gets it.”

Dan Woobin made a speechless look on his face.

“He’s not like that. Don’t judge our Senior Brother with your shallow standards.”

Mujin shook his head and replied.

“You didn’t see how he handled us during sparring. He was smiling while beating us half to death!”

Ma Young-gi nodded, saying you only understand after taking a few hits.

Mujin looked at Baek Seolyoung and spoke.

“Still, Lord Baek is pretty ruthless too. They’re a good match, those two.”

* * *

That evening, Peng So, the head of the Four Dragons of Northern Sky, was shocked to hear that Lee Jaseung had suddenly come to visit.

“Seop Mu-pyeong is here? Why?”

He tilted his head in confusion, then grinned.

“Heh, I see. He wants to cozy up to me, does he? I thought he was just some backwoods hick, but he’s got guts.”

He deliberately went out late to the guest room. The one who visits first is always in the weaker position.

Lee Jaseung stood with his hands behind his back, looking at a painting on the wall.

Even after Peng So entered, Lee Jaseung didn’t turn to face him, still staring at the painting. Peng So cleared his throat, but Lee Jaseung didn’t budge.

‘Arrogant bastard!’

Peng So spoke with visible annoyance.

“Nice meeting you. I’m the man who leads the Four Dragons of Northern Sky…”

It was the next moment.

Lee Jaseung swiftly twisted and leaped into the air.

Thud!

His fist slammed into Peng So’s stomach, sending him flying backward. The ambush came so fast that Peng So couldn’t even react.

He scrambled to his feet and tried to counter with inner Qi, but Lee Jaseung’s fist landed first.

Wham!

Even though he had summoned Qi to defend himself in time, it felt like his stomach was about to explode.

“Guh…”

Smack! Smack!

Lee Jaseung kept punching. Peng So tried to dodge, but it was useless.

He couldn’t understand why his body wasn’t responding. It felt like his limbs were soaked rags. Maybe he’d been poisoned? But that wasn’t it either.

Beaten senseless, Peng So collapsed to his knees.

Lee Jaseung looked down at him and asked coldly,

“I heard you abandoned my fiancée and sided with someone else?”

He was intentionally playing dumb and violent. There was no need to let Peng So know his real motives. It was better if it looked like he was acting solely for Baek Seolyoung.

Still kneeling, Peng So quickly replied,

“It’s a misunderstanding! I only did what I thought was best for the clan!”

“For the clan?”

Thud!

This time, a kick sent Peng So rolling to the ground.

“If you’re a man, then be honest like one. Just say you couldn’t defy Yang Sebang’s orders.”

Back on his knees, Peng So lowered his head.

For someone leading the Four Dragons of Northern Sky, this was unthinkable. But pride meant nothing if he thought he might die here.

Lee Jaseung glared coldly and spoke.

“I even considered killing you.”

Peng So flinched. He really hadn’t expected to hear those words.

“If I die, people won’t stand for it!”

Lee Jaseung replied coldly.

“Oh yeah? Who exactly?”

“The Four Dragons of Northern Sky won’t sit idly by!”

“You really think so?”

Of course not. They hated him too. He had ousted the former leader and taken the position under Yang Sebang’s authority.

Lee Jaseung drew a dagger.

“Let’s see who protests your death.”

His eyes gleamed with killing intent.

Peng So dropped flat to the floor.

“Please! Spare me!”

“No. I should eliminate you for her sake. She’s too kind and you’re too rotten.”

“I’ll be loyal! I swear!”

“I don’t trust scum like you.”

“I swear! I’ll even write it in blood if I must! Please believe me! I’ll do anything!”

“Anything?”

“Yes! Just name it!”

Then, Lee Jaseung held out a small pill.

“Eat it.”

It was the same poison he had once given to Dobaek of the Ten Thousand Evils Alliance.  

“What is it?”

“So that ‘I’ll do anything’ was just talk, huh?”

As Lee Jaseung raised his dagger as if to stab him, Peng So swallowed the pill in one gulp.

“It’s a poison that will kill you without the antidote. If you take the wrong one or miss a dose, your organs will rot and you’ll die after a hundred days of unbearable pain.”

Peng So trembled in fear. But he had no choice now. His only hope was to obey and somehow find a way to completely neutralize the poison.

“I will serve you with my life.”

“As you should. First, take complete control of the Four Dragons of Northern Sky. I’ll give you further orders later.”

“I accept your order.”

Lee Jaseung walked out without so much as a smile. He knew all too well what men like Peng So were. The kind who turned every kindness into an opportunity.

Evil men feared him more than anyone, which made them easier to control.

But Lee Jaseung knew. The real villains in the world of martial arts hadn’t even shown up yet. Hae Ryang and Peng So were just rookies.

The true enemies were still waiting.

When Lee Jaseung returned to the clan, Baek Seolyoung was running alone in the dark training ground.

‘She must be exhausted.’

But she was running silently and without pause.

Watching her, Lee Jaseung suddenly remembered his old self. Training like a madman, rain or snow.

His subordinates still said he trained too much, but compared to back then, he was practically slacking. There were too many responsibilities now as an Alliance Leader.  

Suddenly, he began to think that maybe that was just an excuse.

He knew he had been a huge source of motivation for her.

But now, she was becoming one for him.

It wasn’t just because she was running while tired.

It was everything she had shown yesterday and today. Her effort to change, to move forward. All of that stimulated Lee Jaseung.

He resolved to work harder.

‘The peak of hard work… I didn’t get to see that yet.’

Just then, the clouds parted, revealing the moon.

Soft moonlight lit up the surroundings, but Lee Jaseung was no longer there.

Instead, a quiet moonshadow followed her silently, as if to say she wasn’t alone anymore.