Absolute Dominion

◈ Absolute Dominion

Chapter- 32

Although they were both famous figures in the martial world, Yang Su-Chang and Lim Ha-Gi were meeting for the first time today.

This was because Yang Su-Chang had not participated in the Young Dragon and Phoenix Tournament two years ago.

It also reflected the strained relationship between the Northern Sky Clan and the Southern Peak Alliance. If not for the Young Dragon and Phoenix Tournament, such a peaceful meeting would never have occurred.

“I am Seol Byeok-Hwa.”

“I am Sama Young.”

“It’s been a while.”

“Yes, we met at the Great Hero’s birthday banquet two years ago, didn’t we?”

Unlike the two men, the two women seemed to know each other from occasional meetings.

Seol Byeok-Hwa was the only daughter of Seol Gun-Myung, the leader of the Green Water Clan, a place of great renown in the martial world. Seol Gun-Myung was known as the Greatest Hero of the Nine Provinces and had lived a life dedicated to righteous deeds. Those who respected and followed him had built the clan, making it a gathering place for many great masters who aligned with his sense of justice. No matter how much strength a sect or family had, they wouldn’t dare to take the Green Water Clan lightly.

“I am Jang In-Gyeol of the Palm Heart Clan.”

“And I am Jang In-Hwa, his younger sister.”

As the two introduced themselves, Yang Su-Chang let out an “Ah!” as if he recognized their names, though his expression suggested he’d only heard of them in passing.

Feeling insulted, Jang In-Gyeol scoffed. After all, there was no need for him to fear Yang Su-Chang. His focus wasn’t on the Southern Peak Alliance but the Northern Sky Clan. Strictly speaking, the Southern Peak Alliance was the enemy.

“And who are they?”

Yang Su-Chang’s gaze landed on Jeok Lee-Gun and Cha-Ryun. Though his question was directed at both of them, his interest was clearly drawn towards Cha-Ryun’s beauty.

“I am Cha-Ryun of the Righteous Sword Sect.”

“And I am Jeok Lee-Gun.”

Yang Su-Chang acknowledged their introductions with a nod. He had heard rumors that the second daughter of the Righteous Sword Sect was known by the title, ‘The Most Beautiful Woman of Wuhan’. Indeed, Cha-Ryun seemed worthy of her title. Until now, Yang Su-Chang had thought Seol Byeok-Hwa was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, but now he realized how vast the martial world truly was.

Seol Byeok-Hwa, quick to notice this shift in attention, subtly furrowed her brow. She stared at Cha-Ryun with a strange, envious gaze.

Cha-Ryun was fully aware of what that look meant, so she held her head high and returned Seol Byeok-Hwa’s gaze with as much pride as she could muster.

Now that two of the Eight Beauties of the Martial World, Seol Byeok-Hwa and Sama Young, were present, everyone started to compare Cha-Ryun and Jang In-Hwa to them.

Though their beauty was comparable in some respects, each possessed a unique allure. Jang In-Hwa had a glamorous and sensual beauty, Sama Young exuded an intellectual aura, Seol Byeok-Hwa possessed an aloof and commanding beauty, and finally, Cha-Ryun embodied pure and innocent beauty.

The atmosphere was charged with tension—it felt like the heat in the room was rising by the moment. Even the waiter and distant guests, watching from afar, stood awestruck, their jaws hanging open.

All eyes in the inn were locked onto the scene before them.

Yang Su-Chang signaled to the waiter who had been observing them from the side.

“Clear all this and bring us some fresh dishes and another round of refreshments.”

Then, he turned to Lim Ha-Gi and belatedly asked for his agreement.

“It must be fate that we’ve met here, so allow me to treat you all to some food and drinks. What do you say?”

Originally, Yang Su-Chang had stormed up in anger after being provoked. But after realizing he was in the company of such beautiful women like Cha-Ryun and Jang In-Hwa, he decided there was no need to quarrel.

From Lim Ha-Gi’s point of view, there was no reason to refuse a free drink. Plus, it provided him with an excuse to continue admiring Seol Byeok-Hwa’s beauty.

“Let’s do that.”

Sitting beside Cha-Ryun, Jeok Lee-Gun leaned in and muttered softly.

“About that Young Lady Seol…”

Cha-Ryun felt a mix of anxiety and anticipation as she wondered what kind of bombshell remark would come out of his mouth.

“Please, lower your voice.”

At the same time, she couldn’t help but be curious about his opinion.

“She’s beautiful, but…”

“But what?”

“Don’t you think she’s a bit overrated? If she’s called the Most Beautiful Woman of Chongqing, shouldn’t she be even more stunning?”

“Your standards are just too high.”

“Is that so?”

For a moment, it seemed as though Jeok Lee-Gun was agreeing, but then he added another statement.

“In that case, I think you’re quite underrated.”

“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”

“It’s a lamentation. It’s a shame that the beauties of the martial world can’t even surpass someone as modest as you!”

His last words were loud enough for everyone to hear.

Seol Byeok-Hwa shot him a disdainful look, her eyes silently demanding what he meant by that.

Jeok Lee-Gun grinned mischievously and turned his gaze toward Jang In-Gyeol.

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“Which one do you think is more beautiful?”

Jang In-Gyeol was caught off guard by the unexpected question.

“What are you talking about?”

“Between Young Lady Sama and Young Lady Seol, who do you think is more beautiful?”

All eyes now fell on Jang In-Gyeol. Both Seol Byeok-Hwa and Sama Young were subtly tense, though Seol Byeok-Hwa, who was objectively the more beautiful, remained more composed.

“Why should I have to answer such a ridiculous question?”

“You think it’s a ridiculous question? Is that how you regard these two ladies’ beauty?”

“You bastard! Don’t twist my words!”

“I was just curious. Who do you think is more beautiful?”

Yang Su-Chang, who had been observing with amusement, decided to chime in.

“Let’s hear your thoughts. I’m curious too.”

With Yang Su-Chang joining the conversation, Jang In-Gyeol scowled.

Objectively, Seol Byeok-Hwa was indeed the more beautiful one of the two. Even from Jang In-Gyeol’s subjective viewpoint, it was clear that she was the more stunning woman.

“Beauty isn’t something that can be measured solely by physical appearance. While Young Lady Seol is undoubtedly beautiful, I would still give higher marks to Young Lady Sama, who possesses both intelligence and grace.”

Seol Byeok-Hwa scoffed and turned her head away, while Sama Young’s lips curled into a satisfied smile.

Jeok Lee-Gun muttered as if speaking to himself.

“So what you’re saying is… Young Lady Seol is nothing more than an empty shell, pretty on the outside but with nothing in her head.”

Of course, his “mutter” was loud enough for everyone to hear.

Seol Byeok-Hwa’s face turned red with shame.

Jang In-Gyeol sprang from his seat.

“You bastard! What nonsense are you spewing?!”

He looked ready to beat Jeok Lee-Gun to a pulp right then and there.

Jeok Lee-Gun quickly turned to Seol Byeok-Hwa for help.

“Isn’t he practically announcing he’s trying to kill me with how much killing intent he’s releasing?”

With an innocent expression, Jeok Lee-Gun spoke in such a way that Seol Byeok-Hwa couldn’t just stand by and watch him suffer. After all, if things went as they were, it would mean that she was considered less beautiful than Sama Young.

“Young Master Jang, I would appreciate it if you could refrain from further rudeness.”

“I have never been rude to Young Lady Seol.”

That was when Yang Su-Chang stepped in.

“It seems to me that you’ve already been quite rude.”

Yang Su-Chang was slightly irritated. Since Jeok Lee-Gun appeared foolish, he could tolerate his nonsense. But what really bothered him was Jang In-Gyeol running his mouth carelessly, relying on nothing but the power of the Palm Heart Clan.

“A true man would never comment carelessly on a woman’s beauty, let alone compare someone to the esteemed Young Lady Seol of the Green Water Clan!”

“Hmph! So, you’re implying that Young Lady Sama of the Sama Clan is not as esteemed?”

Jang In-Gyeol shot back, twisting Yang Su-Chang’s words.

Yang Su-Chang’s expression turned cold, and a fierce killing intent flashed from his eyes.

“They say the influence of the Palm Heart Clan surpasses even that of the Northern Sky Clan. It seems that rumor was true.”

Jang In-Gyeol was taken aback. Even though he knew Yang Su-Chang’s words were clearly laced with sarcasm, they still managed to strike a nerve. Lim Ha-Gi, who had been watching, now wore a hardened expression.

“Where did you hear such bullshit? You son of a bitch!”

Jang In-Gyeol shouted in anger, but he immediately regretted his outburst. “Son of a bitch” was an insult that went too far.

And sure enough, Yang Su-Chang rose from his seat, his expression now ice-cold.

“What did you call me, a son of a bitch?”

Even though Jang In-Gyeol should have apologized immediately, now he couldn’t as the crowd’s eyes were all on him. Even a stray dog is given some respect in its own territory, and Jang In-Gyeol was, after all, the heir of the Palm Heart Clan. Moreover, in Wuhan, he was the one who wielded direct influence.

“Yes, a son of a bitch! How could you compare the two? That was an insult not only to Young Master Lim but also to the entire Northern Sky Clan!”

Jang In-Gyeol tried to drag the Northern Sky Clan into the conflict.

Yang Su-Chang scoffed.

“How pathetic. I can’t just stand by and watch any longer.”

“And what will you do about it?”

Jang In-Gyeol retorted, not backing down.

“As men of the martial world, we can only settle this by following the rules of the martial world.”

Yang Su-Chang was determined to completely crush Jang In-Gyeol. He began to push aside the tables in the area to create an open space for their fight. The surrounding guests got up from their seats and quickly moved to the edges of the room. Some, whose nerves were weaker, left the inn entirely, but most of the customers were eager to witness the spectacle, assuming it would be a good fight.

Jang In-Gyeol shot a glance at Lim Ha-Gi, hoping he would step in, but Lim Ha-Gi remained passive, choosing to stay out of it.

‘Damn bastard.’

Jang In-Gyeol was cursing inwardly. This whole mess had started because of Jeok Lee-Gun in the first place.

Jang In-Gyeol was seething in rage as he darted his eyes around trying to find him, but he was no longer where he had been.

Jeok Lee-Gun had already dragged Cha-Ryun along with him to a safe distance. He was now standing in a spot halfway up the stairs to the second floor.

Jeok Lee-Gun grinned as he spoke.

“This spot is perfect for watching the show.”

Wow, he really got us here fast.

Jeok Lee-Gun suddenly pulled something out to give to her.

“Here, eat this.”

He held out a skewer with a boiled potato on it.

“Where did you get this, and how did you even have the time to find it?”

“That waiter from earlier had some. I slipped him a couple of nyang and bought it.”

What a diligent guy.

Meanwhile, Jeok Lee-Gun had bought a skewer with seasoned meat on it.

“You don’t like meat much, do you?”

He remembered that Cha-Ryun wasn’t particularly fond of meat, which was probably why he had brought the potatoes for her instead.

He always seems to act like a fool, but he’s oddly considerate. A somewhat contrasting thoughtfulness.

Under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t have eaten it. She would have complained that the person who ordered it should eat it first.

But instead, Cha-Ryun accepted the skewer and took a bite of the potato without saying anything.

The saying is true: “The one who touches ink becomes stained.”

Being around Jeok Lee-Gun seemed to be rubbing off on her.

But strangely enough, it wasn’t entirely unpleasant.

Just as Jeok Lee-Gun had said earlier, this was the perfect spot to watch the fight—it was starting to seem fun to her.

Jeok Lee-Gun took it a step further.

“Want to bet on who will win?”

Did he even realize that this whole fight started because of him in the first place? Probably not.

“Sure.”

Sure? Did I really just agree?

She was completely falling into his corruption.

Cha-Ryun glanced at Jeok Lee-Gun.

Through him, she kept discovering a different side of herself she hadn’t known before.

“How much are you betting?”

“Two nyang.”

“That’s all the money you have. Are you sure?”

“Sometimes, you have to take risks.”

“That’s not a bad mentality to have.”

“But can I place my bet first?”

I need at least this much of an advantage to keep up with him.

“Sure, who do you want to bet on?”

“I’m betting on Young Master Yang to win.”

That was the most obvious choice.

Yang Su-Chang was the heir to the Southern Peak Alliance. No matter what tricks Jang In-Gyeol had up his sleeve, he wasn’t going to beat the heir of the Southern Peak Alliance. There couldn’t possibly be any surprises.

“What about you?”

“Alright, I’ll bet…”

Jeok Lee-Gun looked at Yang Su-Chang and Jang In-Gyeol.

“I’ll bet on a draw.”

“What?”

“Why are you surprised? A draw could happen, right?”

This guy really was unpredictable. But then again, a draw could happen.

Now that Jeok Lee-Gun had bet on a draw, it suddenly seemed plausible that the fight would end in a draw.

Whoosh.

With a dramatic flutter of his sleeve, Yang Su-Chang struck a stylish pose, then beckoned with his hand. It was a signal that he would take on Jang In-Gyeol barehanded.

Jang In-Hwa shook her head and signaled with her eyes, telling her brother not to fight. No matter the conflict, he was still her brother.

In the end, Jang In-Gyeol bowed his head.

“I made a mistake. I apologize. Let’s go, In-Hwa.”

His opponent was the successor of the Southern Peak Alliance, after all. Jang In-Gyeol wasn’t foolish enough to believe he could win, and even if he somehow pulled off a victory, he knew he wouldn’t be able to handle the repercussions.

As he turned to leave, Yang Su-Chang’s cold voice stopped him in his tracks.

“Who said you could leave?”

Jang In-Gyeol froze.

“Do you think you can just walk away whenever you feel like it? Do I look that easy to you?”

Yang Su-Chang had already made up his mind to thoroughly humiliate Jang In-Gyeol. Meanwhile, Lim Ha-Gi continued to watch passively, which only fueled Jang In-Gyeol’s growing resentment toward him.

“What do you plan to do? Do you intend to spill blood over such an insignificant matter?”

“If you truly consider yourself a man…”

At that moment—

Crash!

Someone flew in through the window, shattering the glass, and landed inside the inn, smashing a table and collapsing on the floor.

Everyone recoiled in shock, taking a few steps back.

The figure who had crashed through the window was a middle-aged man, covered in blood. His wounds were severe, and if he didn’t receive treatment immediately, his life would be in danger. He looked as though he had been fleeing desperately from someone.

The middle-aged man struggled to his feet.

Barely able to stand by leaning on his sword, he looked like he might collapse at any moment. With unfocused eyes, he scanned the room as he muttered weakly.

“Where… where am I?”

Neither Lim Ha-Gi, Yang Su-Chang, nor Jang In-Gyeol made a move. The man’s condition was so critical that no one was willing to take a step forward.

He muttered again in a voice that was barely above a whisper.

“Please… take me to the Orthodox Alliance.”

The mention of the Orthodox Alliance made everyone scowl. The expressions of everyone present stiffened, but no one stepped forward.

The relationship between the Four Great Conquerors and the Orthodox Alliance had never been good. Moreover, the Orthodox Alliance had recently withdrawn from public activities entirely.

The one who finally stepped forward was Sama Young.

The Four Great Families were more closely aligned with the Orthodox Alliance compared to the Four Great Conquerors.

“Senior, are you affiliated with the Orthodox Alliance?”

Sama Young asked.

The man shook his head weakly, his strength visibly fading.

“No… but I have important information that must be delivered to the Orthodox Alliance… something crucial… Kuugh!”

The middle-aged man coughed up a mouthful of blood and, with great effort, revealed his identity.

“I am… Gu Ik-Hwan.”

At that, everyone gasped in shock.

Gu Ik-Hwan, also known as the Dragon Tiger Official, was a renowned martial artist familiar to all those of the orthodox factions.

He wielded a pair of brush-like sabers like twin swords, and his reputation as a fighter was matched by few. He was known for his iron will and chivalrous nature. He had even participated in the Great War of the Orthodox and the Demonic during his youth, making him a man with a wealth of real combat experience.

Even though they had lacked courtesy earlier, now, Lim Ha-Gi and Yang Su-Chang quickly rushed to support him.

“Senior, I am Lim Ha-Gi of the Northern Sky Clan.”

“Senior, I am Yang Su-Chang of the Southern Peak Alliance.”

Even individuals of their stature didn’t dare to treat a figure like Gu Ik-Hwan lightly.

“Where am I?”

It seemed that in his desperation, he had fled here without even realizing where he had ended up.

“You are at the Tranquility Inn in Wuhan.”

“Is that so?”

“Senior, your injuries seem severe. We must find a doctor immediately.”

However, Gu Ik-Hwan shook his head, his pale face showing urgency.

“Take me to the Orthodox Alliance… quickly. This place is… dangerous.”

“Do not worry, Senior. We will protect you.”

Though Lim Ha-Gi spoke reassuringly, Gu Ik-Hwan only shook his head once more, his expression grim.

“I appreciate your concern… but the enemy that was chasing me is beyond your ability to handle.”

At that moment—

Whoosh!

Another figure flew in through the broken window, landing gracefully with an impressive display of lightness technique.

Although this person’s face was hidden behind a mask, it was clear from her posture and movements that she was a woman.