The Former Supreme - Chapter 85

WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME NOVELS

Translator/Editor: Chen

◈ The Former Supreme ◈

Chapter 85: Please Kill Me (1)

──────

Yeom Sawon's rude question, thrown out without even a greeting upon their first meeting, was answer enough as to why she had rejected the matchmaker.

Fortunately, Myeol Jiryun was not as reckless as Yeom Sawon.

She smiled as she answered.

"I'm a pacifist."

Yeom Sawon barely stopped himself from blurting out, 'What nonsense is that bitch, the Blood Cult's heir, spouting?'

"What do you mean by that?"

"If we marry, won't war break out?"

After all, people said war was inevitable now that the Black Heaven Alliance and the Blood Cult had joined hands.

"Young Lady Myeol, you don't want war?"

"That's right."

"You're only seeing half the picture."

"What do you mean?"

"If you marry Baek Socheon, war will come even sooner."

"Why?"

"Just look at me. Isn't that answer enough?"

The implication was clear. Hadn't he come charging over in a rage?

Myeol Jiryun looked him straight in the eye and asked,

"Fine. Then may I ask you a question?"

"Ask ten if you wish."

"One will be enough."

She asked the question at the heart of the matter.

"Then if I marry Young Hero Yeom, can you stop war from breaking out?"

Yeom Sawon flinched.

He had no power to stop a war. More than anyone, he knew how desperately his father wanted the unification of the martial world.

When he could not answer, Myeol Jiryun smiled.

"That's why I sent a matchmaker to the Murim Alliance. If war cannot be prevented either way, then I intend to balance the power between both sides and prevent it that way."

Whether she meant it or not, she had cleverly evaded Yeom Sawon's pressure.

Still, Yeom Sawon was not one to meekly retreat just because he had lost an argument.

"Fine. I understand your petty pacifism. But that is your opinion, and I cannot allow it."

"Then what do you propose?"

Yeom Sawon's gaze shifted to Baek Socheon.

"Let him and me fight. Whoever wins will marry you."

"So you intend to disregard my wishes completely."

"You were the first to disregard me, Young Lady Myeol."

Baek Socheon listened to their exchange with interest.

Whether they intended it or not, both were selfish. They cared only for themselves, without considering anyone else's position.

Of course, that was likely their parents' fault. They had struggled to seize and maintain power, but not to raise their children well.

Yeom Sawon called out to Baek Socheon.

"What do you say? Let's settle this in a fair fight."

"Fairly? Do you intend to fight without using internal energy as well?"

Yeom Sawon snorted at Baek Socheon's question.

"That would be impossible. You were once the strongest man under heaven, weren't you? I'll use internal energy, and you won't. That is what can be called fair."

Silence fell for a moment.

Baek Socheon had to accept the proposal. Not because of Yeom Sawon, but because of Yeom Hwasin.

He had used the Black Banner to draw Baek Socheon out, sent his son here, and spread word throughout the martial world.

It was pressure to make him accept.

What would happen if he refused?

Yeom Hwasin would surely make an example of someone. The greater problem was that the example would not be directed at him. Yeom Hwasin would kill an innocent person, someone whose death would pain him.

If he had to accept anyway...

"Fine. I accept."

Everyone present was startled by Baek Socheon's answer.

Ak Sogun and Zhuge Hyeon, however, trusted Baek Socheon and believed he must have some plan in mind.

As expected, Baek Socheon named one condition.

"Instead, I will stake something else."

Myeol Jiryun's expression hardened at once. The "something else" Baek Socheon mentioned did not mean her.

"Something else?"

"If I win, promise not to start a war for the next year. Of course, your father, the Black Heaven Alliance Leader, must personally announce it to the martial world."

"What?"

"If you don't accept this condition, there will be no martial match."

"People in the martial world will mock you as a coward."

"Let them mock me. I've heard enough mockery already. But will I be the only one they mock?"

"What do you mean?"

"If a martial match against a man without internal energy is canceled just because one condition was added, the mockery aimed at you will be considerable as well."

Yeom Sawon's face twisted into a deep frown.

'That damned bastard!'

Baek Socheon quickly flattered him.

"I heard you are the only one who can persuade the Black Heaven Alliance Leader. I trust that you can secure this condition."

With so many people watching, Yeom Sawon could not bring himself to say he could not do it.

"And if I win?"

"Marry Young Lady Myeol."

This time, Myeol Jiryun exploded in anger.

"Why are you deciding that?"

Baek Socheon turned to her.

"You were the one who sent a matchmaker of your own accord. You created this situation. I have to risk my life, so shouldn't you stake at least that much as well?"

He was right, so Myeol Jiryun could not refute him. She asked something else instead.

"And if you win, what happens to the marriage?"

"You said you wanted to protect peace. Peace in the martial world is far more valuable than our marriage. Let us postpone the marriage for one year."

She could not argue against him after what she had said. Besides, she was the one who had sent a matchmaker to someone she had never met.

"I'm not saying we should call it off. Only that we should delay it by one year."

Naturally, Baek Socheon had another intention. He planned to train himself to death over the next year and somehow achieve full mastery of the Greatest Martial Arts of All Time. Then he would cut down every person who so much as mentioned war and leave the martial world.

Neither Myeol Jiryun nor Yeom Sawon could know his true intentions, and both fell into thought.

Baek Socheon lightly provoked Yeom Sawon.

"There's nothing to fear. If you win, everything will be resolved."

As expected, Yeom Sawon took the bait.

"I'm not afraid of trash like you!"

Yeom Sawon glared at Baek Socheon.

'That's right. There's no way I can lose.'

He was confident. By his understanding, someone without internal energy could neither block nor evade his attacks. He would kill Baek Socheon in that fight.

He was not seeking this martial match because he wanted to marry Myeol Jiryun. He wanted it because he wanted to kill Baek Socheon.

"I will send a dispatch to Father and discuss it with him."

"Fine. Let us speak again once you have an answer."

Yeom Sawon left with Jan Baek and Go Goeng. Lost in his own emotions, he even forgot to bid Ak Sogun farewell.

Myeol Jiryun, on the other hand, politely greeted everyone before departing.

Once the visitors had left, Ak Sogun finally asked,

"What do you intend to do?"

"I intend to delay the war somehow."

"Will Yeom Hwasin truly keep his promise?"

"I don't know."

Even after publicly announcing it, he could simply break his promise and start a war. Baek Socheon could only try to make the most of this opportunity.

On Byeokhwa joined their conversation.

"But can you win?"

Since she did not know he had regained his internal energy, that was what worried her most.

"I'm confident."

If the martial match took place, he truly intended to face his opponent without using internal energy. Many people would be watching.

And if he absolutely had to use it, he intended to do so without anyone noticing. Avoiding Jan Baek's eyes would be the key.

"First, let us see whether Yeom Hwasin accepts the proposal."

Everyone nodded.

* * *

"You must not accept it."

Go Goeng's words made Yeom Sawon snap irritably.

"Why not?"

"It would mean falling for their scheme. The fact that he accepted the martial match also means he is confident he can win."

"I know that much!"

Still, Yeom Sawon could not back down. From the start, this fight had been a fated one.

He knew his father's heart. He knew that his father wished Baek Socheon, not him, had been his son.

If his father had simply shouted, "I wish Baek Socheon were my son instead of an idiot like you!" then the wound in his heart might have been less painful than it was now.

'I will kill him!'

No matter how formidable Baek Socheon had once been, Yeom Sawon was confident he could win if Baek Socheon no longer had internal energy.

"Putting the wager aside, the Alliance Leader will be furious if we change the conditions."

"Father may think differently. Send the dispatch at once."

Go Goeng looked toward Jan Baek, silently asking him to help dissuade Yeom Sawon, but Jan Baek showed no reaction, as though he had heard nothing.

"Send it now!"

Yeom Sawon walked away first.

Go Goeng asked Jan Baek,

"Are you just going to stand by?"

Jan Baek answered,

"If the Alliance Leader believed we needed to stop him, I do not think he would have sent us here in the first place."

Go Goeng could not refute that and could only nod.

* * *

Baek Socheon and Cheon Geuk were sparring.

Cheon Geuk's figure vanished, then reappeared as she thrust out her dagger.

Whoosh!

But Baek Socheon, who had been there, had already disappeared.

Two trails of sword light cut through the air again.

The sword and dagger collided. The strike, laden with powerful internal energy, produced an ear-splitting crash.

Whenever they had the chance, the two trained in real combat at this secret location.

Their practical sparring sessions were mutually beneficial and stimulating.

Through them, Baek Socheon had learned exactly how skilled she was.

She was two or three levels behind the four strongest people in the Martial World Ranking Record.

That showed just how powerful the martial arts of Yeom Hwasin, Myeolsaeng, and Ak Sogun were.

Baek Socheon hoped her martial arts would improve by just one more level. Then the gap between her and the strongest would shrink to one or two levels. At that point, she would not die easily in any situation.

Cheon Geuk, for her part, did everything she could to help Baek Socheon. She fought him as if they were truly locked in a battle to the death.

After an intense match, the two lay side by side on the ground.

"Haa, haa."

Cheon Geuk's ragged breathing echoed through the air.

She turned to Baek Socheon.

"Are you even human? How are you so calm?"

"You're at the threshold."

"The threshold?"

"Yes. If you improve just this much more, I'll start breathing hard too."

Baek Socheon held up his thumb and forefinger to show how small the gap was.

"Can you see that? Do you think I'm close to breaking through if I improve just a little more?"

"I can see the wall blocking your path."

"And you're looking beyond that wall?"

"Yes."

"Can I break through it?"

Baek Socheon nodded, and Cheon Geuk's heart stirred.

"I had given up, thinking I would never become any stronger. I thought I had only reached this level because I had used up all my luck."

"Then perhaps you still have some luck left."

"You mean I can truly become stronger?"

Baek Socheon answered with certainty.

"Yes."

He could be certain because both of their martial arts pursued ultimate speed. After countless sparring matches that resembled real combat, Baek Socheon had been the first to see her wall. He had also realized how she could break through it.

"You must break it in real combat."

"Real combat?"

"Your martial arts are assassination arts built around ultimate speed. You have probably trained in nothing but surprise attacks your entire life."

"That's right."

"Now you must shatter that wall in a proper fight, not an ambush. But you will have to take a great risk."

"How great?"

"An ordinary fight will not do. This will not be like our sparring so far. I will truly try to kill you. If you survive my attacks, you can break through that wall."

Her martial arts pursued ultimate speed, but they were also martial arts meant for real combat. The only way to overcome that limit was to find the answer in real combat as well.

"I may kill you."

"......!"

Knowing he was not joking, Cheon Geuk's voice trembled.

"You're joking to make me nervous, right? You can save me, can't you?"

"No. If I could, I would have already done it without telling you."

"Ah, I see."

"There's one more problem."

"What is it?"

"Even if you survive, you might not break through that wall. The odds are fifty-fifty."

"You mean I could risk my life and still fail to get past it?"

"Your level is already very high. Advancing another level will not be easy."

"Can I think about it?"