As Yoon-seok raised his head, he could see a familiar flying from above him. He was now easily larger than the invaders he encountered a few days ago, however.
“Yongyong…?”
It is said that children grow every day, but when did they get so big? Well, that was probably not important right now.
‘How on earth did she know that I came here?’
He didn’t know. However, Yoon-seok smirked as he heard her familiar yet reassuring voice.
‘Still, the timing could not be better.’
She was like a ray of light that illuminated the darkness. Her appearance changed the tide of battle. Now it was a team match.
—Hahahaha! Where did that confidence go?
Yoon-seok hoped that the head of the Black Alliance wouldn’t lose the confidence he had just shown before, but…
It was probably going to be difficult. The one who joined was the Cheon-ma. If this was the case, wouldn’t he just wet his pants?
“Maiden Zheng! Please listen to me!”
Perhaps he made a judgment similar to Yoon-seok’s as the head of the Black Alliance hurriedly poured out lame excuses.
“What do you mean with Hundred Styles of Separating Body? There must be some misunderstanding!”
Cheon-ma didn’t answer. She jumped off Yongyong’s back and landed in front of Yoon-seok. Then, she slowly stretched out her hand. As if nothing could be more important than this.
“There is blood on him.”
There was anger in her voice. Yoon-seok felt embarrassed. He lowered his head in compliance with the approaching hand.
Oh, was it because of this? The small cut the head of the Black Alliance inflicted?
“…Did you get hurt?”
“It’s a slight scratch, so you don’t have to worry too much.”
Yoon-seok replied as if it was nothing. It wasn’t something to worry about either. The wound wasn’t deep, so it healed immediately. However, Cheon-ma rebuked Yoon-seok.
“Isn’t this what always happens when you walk around alone?”
Did a nobleman in the Joseon Dynasty feel this way in front of his parents?
“…I’m sorry.”
An apology left Yoon-seok for some reason. However, Cheon-ma still looked sullen.
“If you want, I will be with you wherever you go…”
“What?”
When Yoon-seok tilted his head, Cheon-ma moved her gaze.
“I mean… you need to cherish yourself a little more.”
Yoon-seok didn’t know what exactly she meant, but it seemed to mean hurry up and get stronger. However, even the quick-witted Yoon-seok couldn’t understand what followed.
“You have to be alive for the flower’s message to come true, right?”
Flower’s message? What the hell was this? Feeling suspicious, Cheon-ma turned her head as he tried to ask for more details.
“Wait.”
Like a hare captured by a beast, the head of the Black Alliance stopped sneaking away as Cheon-ma turned her eyes on him.
“Where are you going?”
“…Hahaha! Even if I look like this, I am someone who has risen to this position with a sense of wit. How could I interfere with the private time between Maiden Zheng and the Co-Sect Leader? I’m going to leave now, so have a good time…”
The head of the Black Alliance smiled slyly, but Cheon-ma asked again with a sincere expression.
“Didn’t you hear what I said?”
“…”
“Didn’t I tell you that I will cut your body into a hundred pieces and throw it away as dog food?”
“…You didn’t say that you’d throw it to the dogs!”
It sounded kind of unfair. However, he wondered if the head of the Black Alliance reached his position by joking around.
“…I guess you want to go all the way, so I have no choice but to fight.”
The head of the Black Alliance readied his blade with a firm look. Then he murmured, exploding the vast amount of inner Qi in his body.
“It’s been decades.”
A time when rivers and mountains had changed many times, and with the appearance of the Tower of Heaven, all laws were twisted. Even Cheon-ma wasn’t the same as before.
“I’m telling you in advance, but it’s not going to be the same as when I was shivering at every word you said.”
The head of the Black Alliance looked at Cheon-ma aggressively and warned her. His attitude to show off his skills without feeling discouraged in front of this legendary warrior was exemplary. But unfortunately, he didn’t know that sometimes there are things in this world that do not change.
“Elder, if I give you a signal then….”
“Elder? Do you mean this guy?”
The moment the head of the Black Alliance spoke to someone who couldn’t be seen-
Whoosh-!
Cheon-ma’s soft hand stretched out to the side. She dug into the empty air and pulled at something.
Swoosh-!
Before he knew it, Cheon-ma’s hand was wrapped around an old man’s neck. Yoon-seok’s eyes widened.
“Hmph, hmph…!”
A small physique of about 160 cm tall. A curved back and a gigantic iron bow nearly twice his size. If his prediction was correct, this old man was the Overlord of Bow Shama Liu.
The one that Yoon-seok was looking for this whole day.
“E-Elder…!”
Although the head of the Black Alliance was stunned, he was not in awe of the phenomenal powers that Cheon-ma showed him. Seeing that, Cheon-ma clicked her tongue and muttered.
“What are you so surprised about? Did you think it would be safe to stay a hundred li away?”
“…!”
Yoon-seok was astonished.
‘That’s crazy…’
He thought Cheon-ma broke his stealth technique when she pulled the Overlord of Bow from the empty void. So, he felt ashamed because he couldn’t feel the presence even though he was so close. But…
‘It isn’t stealth…?’
Cheon-ma felt a presence a hundred li away and one that was working carefully to keep that presence hidden. But the really surprising part was what happened next.
‘Now it’s completely out of common sense…’
She ignored physical distance. This was possible for Yoon-seok through Dimensional Muscle. However, substances other than swords were an exception. And she kidnapped someone that way?
“…”
Yoon-seok felt his skin grow cold. In other words, didn’t this mean that every place she touched was Cheon-ma’s territory? She must have reached a new level again.
Ah, this wasn’t the time to just admire her.
“Hmph, hmph…!”
Yoon-seok was awakened by the Overlord of Bow’s babbling sound. If this continued, he would die.
“First, I’ll take care of this guy, and then you too…”
“W-wait! Don’t kill him!”
When Yoon-seok hurriedly stopped her, Cheon-ma relaxed her grip.
“Can’t I just kill him?”
“Let me solve it.”
“…I don’t know what you’re thinking, but let’s do it.”
Cheon-ma, who was always generous, nodded without asking why. Well, she just didn’t give her grip any strength. The fact that she was holding the Overlord of Bow’s neck remained the same.
“Hmph, hmph…!”
Yoon-seok breathed out a silent sigh of relief and looked to the head of the Black Alliance.
“I want to ask you a favor.”
He quickly sheathed his blade and changed his expression, perhaps seeing a faint possibility in this question.
“Hahaha! A favor? Just say anything. Aren’t we all fellow disciples?”
All the people in the world are brothers, the generous leader of the Black Alliance claimed.
“Okay, what is our Co-Sect Leader trying to ask? Please feel free to tell me.”
Yoon-seok was surprised by his change of attitude. This man was iron-skinned beyond imagination.
“It may be a pretty unreasonable request, but…”
“Isn’t it said that even ghosts don’t know if you don’t talk? Tell me first. Isn’t that the first step in everything?”
Now he looked pretty eager to discuss the importance of an open dialogue.
‘As expected, do I have to be strong first…?’
Yoon-seok felt it both funny and sad. This man, who rushed to the point of using the Five Body Parts Technique, was now desperately hoping this situation could be resolved through dialogue more than anyone else.
‘…It’s kind of annoying.’
Maybe it was because of the obvious difference in attitude. It was pretty uncomfortable, even though the conversation Yoon-seok was hoping for had been set up. However, Yoon-seok slowly began to talk, excluding his personal feelings.
“That person’s nickname is the Overlord of Bow, right?”
“That’s right?”
“In three months, I want him to help me. No, we want him to help us.”
“What are you doing with an old man who looks like he’s going to die soon?”
At that moment, Cheon-ma realized what Yoon-seok wanted and spoke up, but it was only to complain.
“Hmph, uuuuh…”
Seeing the Overlord of Bow started to froth at the mouth, the head of the Black Alliance sped up the conversation.
“You want him to help you? Can you tell me more?”
Yoon-seok briefly explained. However, he knew exactly what Yoon-seok was trying to do.
“Co-Sect Leader, even if it’s your request, I think it’s going to be a bit difficult…”
“…?”
“Aren’t you trying to use the Last Bastion, a piece of equipment that no one has returned alive from in tens of thousands of years?”
Well, it was like that. However, he didn’t know it had been tens of thousands of years. The head of the Black Alliance looked around and carefully continued.
“…If you’ve seen the old man who lives next door, you’ll understand. Without Elder Shama, we would not be able to keep the people of the Black Alliance safe.”
Looking at those gentle eyes, Yoon-seok thought he knew what this man wanted to say. He wanted something.
‘Is he trying to negotiate in the midst of this?’
Yoon-seok asked with a snort.
“But his thoughts might be different, right?”
As a courtesy, Yoon-seok spoke to the head of the Black Alliance first, but in the end, it all depended on the will of the Overlord of Bow, Shama Liu. If he said he wanted to join, it would happen, and if he said he wouldn’t, even if the head of the Black Alliance agreed, they were out of luck.
However, even though this was pointed out, the head of the Black Alliance was relaxed.
“Then let me ask him myself. Elder Shama will never betray our Alliance.”
When Yoon-seok glanced back, Cheon-ma let go of the Overlord of Bow’s neck.
“Keh, heheh…”
At first, he was busy coughing, but he quickly regained his breath and answered the question.
“…I don’t know why you want this old man, but it all depends on what the Alliance Head says.”
“Are you saying you can’t cooperate no matter what?”
“…Right. Until the Alliance Head’s permission is given.”
At first glance, it sounded like he was a loyal servant, but his face and voice seemed strange. Yoon-seok asked again.
“Does he know your weakness?”
“…”
It was just in case, but considering that he couldn’t answer, Yoon-seok thought it was correct. However…
‘Is it better?’
Yoon-seok felt relieved. This wasn’t bad, and the solution was clear.
“We need a promise that the Demon Sect will help if the League attacks the Black Alliance first. Then we will grant you this small favor.”
Was this the old man’s wit? Earlier, he spoke as if he would do whatever he was asked, but he became a cunning merchant at some point.
“What do you think about this suggestion?”
“I don’t know.”
“Think carefully. What could be more desirable than this, that mutual benefit could be achieved without spilling a drop of blood?”
Achieve what you want by words without hurting each other… for some reason, those words reminded Yoon-seok of a liberal arts textbook he had read before. Was the title Non-Violent Communication?
It was a book about speech that reduced emotional consumption between two different sides through logical communication, and the author divided the stages of this communication into four steps.
‘The beginning is to see and hear as it is.’
The beginning of communication mentioned in the book was simple. Step one, observation. Focus not on subjective evaluation but only on the facts.
“I’m asking the Overlord of Bow, but it’s difficult because the Alliance Head took hold of his weakness.”
Step two, feeling. This was the stage of examining what emotions you felt from the observed facts.
“I think it is very unfair.”
Once you’ve done this, you’re left with step three, need. Why did you feel that way, and what do you want?
“Because I’m the type of person who can’t get over things like that, and to be honest, I don’t like being asked to pay for something like that.”
Yoon-seok finally entered the long-awaited fourth stage, the process of request. The author was particularly hard on this part. When making a request, you should explain your needs positively and end it in a question.
“So, can you just let the Overlord of Bow go free?”
Yoon-seok, completing the fourth stage of non-violent communication, looked at the Alliance Head with satisfaction.
But was there something lacking?
“…”
The head of the Black Alliance made a look as if he was shitting himself. Yoon-seok realized what he had missed and quickly added more. In retrospect, the author of the book also said this-
“If you don’t want to get hurt.”
To leave no room for misunderstanding. That was the core of non-violent communication.
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