Love Ballad of the Tyrant King

Chapter 250: Jaseung, Finds it

The interior of the Hall of Heart-Clearing was even gloomier than the exterior.

It was not merely a place for punishment by making erring students meditate.

It was a dungeon.

Iron doors lined the long hallway between the dismal gray walls.

The students threw Lee Jaseung into one of those rooms and locked the iron door firmly.

“You are dead once you get out!”

The students did not forget to leave a single threat along with their displeased glares.

Lee Jaseung examined the door. Because it was such a thick iron door, it seemed impossible to open without inner Qi.

There was nothing in the room. It was truly an empty room. Furthermore, the four walls were painted white. It was exactly the kind of room where one would go mad if they stayed too long.

He could stay for ten years, let alone ten days, but for an ordinary student, it would not be easy to endure even ten days here.

“I really don't like this.”

A feeling of displeasure arose. The target was not the room, but this training hall.

From the hall master who naturally brought Jang Wonso to mind, to the off-putting welcoming ceremony, and even the fact that they locked him in a room like this for ten days just because he did not bow.

Lee Jaseung intended not to leave the hall master or the leadership alone once he got out of here later.

At any rate, that was for later.

He sat in the middle of the room.

Since things had turned out this way, he intended to continue the attempt he had tried earlier. He had established the basic concept of creating a membrane with energy.

However, the problem was inner Qi.

Because he lacked inner Qi, he could not make any attempts. Various thoughts occurred in his mind, but he could not put them into practice.

It would be good if he had just a handful of inner Qi.

It was then. Someone walked down the hallway.

He stood up and looked out through the small door in the iron door. Someone was pulling a small handcart from the end of the hallway and coming this way.

The cart stopped for a moment in front of the door where he was imprisoned.

The old man turned his head toward the door. His gaze met the old man's as he looked out.

Lee Jaseung glared at the old man with a somewhat stiff face. He knew well that this was a more natural reaction than remaining calm. Especially when he felt that the opponent was no ordinary person.

The old man pushed the rice ball placed on the cart through the small hole in the iron door.

The old man pushed the cart again and moved his steps.

As he disappeared, Lee Jaseung breathed a sigh of relief. His heart had dropped the moment he saw him.

There was one reason. He had felt a certain energy from him. He could not fail to recognize this energy, even if he did not know other energies.

It was an energy that should never be felt in a place like this.

It was none other than Demonic Qi.

The old man was clearly a Demonic Human. A considerable master among Demonic Humans. He was not an old man who should be handing out rice balls in a place like this.

There is something here!

Lee Jaseung was certain.

Then, another sound of footsteps was heard, and the door opened.

The man who entered was the swordsmanship teacher, So Chuyang, who had sent him here earlier.

What he held in his hand was a wooden sword. The reason he brought a wooden sword was surely because he intended to administer a flogging. It was truly the worst training hall.

“You said you've been in a few fights? To think you'd babble such words in front of the Grand Master!”

Indeed, he was in a mood to beat him up immediately.

At that time, the sound of the cart was heard in the hallway.

Soon, the old man was seen pushing the cart through the open door. He was returning after distributing all the rice balls.

As the old man disappeared at the end of the hallway, So Chuyang approached threateningly.

“I know well about guys like you. That you don't listen to a single word. Only when beaten like a beast do you even make a show of listening. I will completely overhaul that rotten mental state of yours!”

So Chuyang held the wooden sword high.

Then he spoke abruptly.

“I came from the Main Cult.”

So Chuyang blinked his eyes and then shouted.

“What is this crazy bastard saying now?”

Whoosh!

So Chuyang struck down with the wooden sword he held toward Lee Jaseung mercilessly.

Smack!

So Chuyang fell forward while clutching his neck.

Lee Jaseung had lightly dodged the wooden sword and struck his neck with the edge of his hand.

Thud!

He struck the back of his neck again. After one more firm strike, So Chuyang fainted. Because he had never dreamed that Lee Jaseung would counterattack, he was easily subdued.

Lee Jaseung could tell. The teacher knew nothing about the Demonic Cult. If so, there was no need to linger with him.

He left So Chuyang lying on one side, closed the door, and came out. From the outside, it would look as if he was sleeping.

He came out and walked cautiously toward where the old man had walked earlier.

There were people imprisoned throughout the dungeon.

He examined them through the small windows. They were all eating rice balls.

There were three imprisoned people in total. Including himself, there were four people imprisoned here.

However, there were clearly five rice balls placed on the cart.

When the old man returned, not a single rice ball remained on the cart. It was the moment Lee Jaseung’s sharp observation was exerted properly.

Where did the last one go?

Did he give two to someone? Or did the old man eat it while returning?

It was clearly neither. Even when examining the rooms, no one was eating two rice balls, and it did not seem likely the old man would eat a rice ball while walking down this hallway. There was also a lack of time for that.

He examined the wall at the end of the hallway.

He examined the wall surface very slowly with his fingertips. He thought there might be a secret passage somewhere here.

While he was touching the wall like that, he felt a minute protrusion at the tip of his finger.

When he pressed it slightly, the wall opened silently.

He did not hesitate and went inside. As he went inside, the wall closed by itself.

Walking through a narrow hallway, there was a room at the end.

Standing in front of the door, he steadied his breathing. Opening this door where he did not know what might be inside was a kind of adventure in his current physical state.

But since he had no intention of avoiding it, he slowly opened the door.

Lee Jaseung was startled by the sight in the room.

* * *

Dan Woobin was taking a walk.

Since the war had broken out in earnest, there were many things to think about.

The opponent had tried to give them a blow with a surprise attack using the Rapid Unit. If he had not predicted it, and if Lee Jaseung had not been there, the Jiangxi branch would have been smashed, and they would have had to start a very disadvantageous fight.

It would be good to land a big blow by striking their weak point, but what was needed now were the details. Because war was not done with emotion, but with reason.

He pondered and pondered over how to move the various organizations of the Murim Alliance and where to attack in the future.

While he was lost in such deep thought, he heard someone's transmission.

— Stop where you are.

Surprisingly, the one who sent the transmission was Baek Seolyoung.

— Turn back the way you came naturally.

Dan Woobin did as she instructed. He nearly tripped because he was so nervous.

Just how many steps had he moved?

Ssss.

Someone revealed themselves from behind him. It was a refined footwork as if he had been standing there from the beginning.

Dan Woobin turned around in surprise.

The one who revealed himself was none other than Strange Demon.

“Your intuition is sharp.”

He felt as if his heart were about to burst.

Warriors of the Guard Hall were guarding the area, yet a master with the skill to avoid their eyes had appeared.

Of all times, Mujin and Ma Young-gi were absent due to their missions. The warriors of the Divine Sword Regiment who were stationed also moved following Mujin.

The forces of the Northern Sky Clan were to arrive only tomorrow. An intruder had appeared by aiming for that small gap.

Strange Demon spoke while looking at the tree behind Dan Woobin's shoulder.

“Come out!”

Then, Baek Seolyoung revealed herself from behind the tree.

Strange Demon said while looking at her.

“Your observation is impressive.”

He had realized that the person who noticed his stealth and made Dan Woobin turn back was her.

“It is the power of the sense of smell rather than observation.”

“What does that mean?”

“A stench was vibrating from your direction.”

In an instant, Strange Demon's expression was distorted. Since she was an opponent she had to fight anyway, she was using a provocation strategy.

Dan Woobin had no way of knowing her mind.

“I am fine, so withdraw!”

Dan Woobin spoke as if treating a subordinate on purpose. It was because he worried she would be in danger if Strange Demon found out she was Lee Jaseung's wife.

However, that was an unnecessary worry and attempt.

Strange Demon already knew her identity, and today's goal was Dan Woobin himself.

Baek Seolyoung said with a smile.

“I also have something to say to Strategist Dan.”

With that, she spoke while looking at Strange Demon.

“Therefore, it would be better for you to visit again later.”

“A wench dares to impudently tell an elder what to do.”

Baek Seolyoung drew her sword slowly and said coldly.

“Then you must not be an elder to be treated with manners.”

Her aura changed.

Dan Woobin, who was about to tell her to withdraw because it was dangerous, swallowed his words.

He felt a certain familiar sensation from her. He could soon tell what kind of feeling it was.

It was exactly the sense of relief Lee Jaseung had given him. A firm belief that she would protect him in any situation, it clearly resembled that feeling.

At her aura, Strange Demon let out a bizarre smile and muttered something.

Then, a black Demonic Beast surged out from around him. It was the size of a calf and shaped like a dog. The sharp teeth were the size of an adult's fist, and the canines in particular were as large and long as an adult's forearm.

Black smoke flickered around the body of the Demonic Beast, which was dripping saliva and emitting killing light from its eyes.

“Grrrrrrr.”

Truly, just looking at it made one's knees tremble.

Dan Woobin's mind grew urgent.

'Where on earth is Captain Mook?'

If Mook Young was absent, at least other warriors of the Guard Hall should have come out. However, not a single person revealed themselves. It was truly an incomprehensible thing.

At that moment, the Demonic Beast rushed toward her.

The startled Dan Woobin shouted.

“No!”

However, there was no way the Demonic Beast would hear that cry.

The Demonic Beast leaped while aiming for her white neck with its mouth wide open.