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.
âYongyongâŚ?â
It is said that children grow every day, but when did they get so big? Well, that was probably not important right now.
âHow on earth did she know that I came here?â
He didnât know. However, Yoon-seok smirked as he heard her familiar yet reassuring voice.
âStill, the timing could not be better.â
She was like a ray of light that illuminated the darkness. Her appearance changed the tide of battle. Now it was a team match.
âHahahaha! Where did that confidence go?
Yoon-seok hoped that the head of the Black Alliance wouldnât lose the confidence he had just shown before, butâŚ
It was probably going to be difficult. The one who joined was the Cheon-ma. If this was the case, wouldnât he just wet his pants?
âMaiden Zheng! Please listen to me!â
Perhaps he made a judgment similar to Yoon-seokâs as the head of the Black Alliance hurriedly poured out lame excuses.
âWhat do you mean with Hundred Styles of Separating Body? There must be some misunderstanding!â
Cheon-ma didnât answer. She jumped off Yongyongâs back and landed in front of Yoon-seok. Then, she slowly stretched out her hand. As if nothing could be more important than this.
âThere is blood on him.â
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?
ââŚDid you get hurt?â
âItâs a slight scratch, so you donât have to worry too much.â
Yoon-seok replied as if it was nothing. It wasnât something to worry about either. The wound wasnât deep, so it healed immediately. However, Cheon-ma rebuked Yoon-seok.
âIsnât this what always happens when you walk around alone?â
Did a nobleman in the Joseon Dynasty feel this way in front of his parents?
ââŚIâm sorry.â
An apology left Yoon-seok for some reason. However, Cheon-ma still looked sullen.
âIf you want, I will be with you wherever you goâŚâ
âWhat?â
When Yoon-seok tilted his head, Cheon-ma moved her gaze.
âI mean⌠you need to cherish yourself a little more.â
Yoon-seok didnât know what exactly she meant, but it seemed to mean hurry up and get stronger. However, even the quick-witted Yoon-seok couldnât understand what followed.
âYou have to be alive for the flowerâs message to come true, right?â
Flowerâs message? What the hell was this? Feeling suspicious, Cheon-ma turned her head as he tried to ask for more details.
âWait.â
Like a hare captured by a beast, the head of the Black Alliance stopped sneaking away as Cheon-ma turned her eyes on him.
âWhere are you going?â
ââŚHahaha! 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? Iâm going to leave now, so have a good timeâŚâ
The head of the Black Alliance smiled slyly, but Cheon-ma asked again with a sincere expression.
âDidnât you hear what I said?â
ââŚâ
âDidnât I tell you that I will cut your body into a hundred pieces and throw it away as dog food?â
ââŚYou didnât say that youâd throw it to the dogs!â
It sounded kind of unfair. However, he wondered if the head of the Black Alliance reached his position by joking around.
ââŚI guess you want to go all the way, so I have no choice but to fight.â
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.
âItâs been decades.â
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 wasnât the same as before.
âIâm telling you in advance, but itâs not going to be the same as when I was shivering at every word you said.â
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 didnât know that sometimes there are things in this world that do not change.
âElder, if I give you a signal thenâŚ.â
âElder? Do you mean this guy?â
The moment the head of the Black Alliance spoke to someone who couldnât be seen-
Whoosh-!
Cheon-maâs soft hand stretched out to the side. She dug into the empty air and pulled at something.
Swoosh-!
Before he knew it, Cheon-maâs hand was wrapped around an old manâs neck. Yoon-seokâs eyes widened.
âHmph, hmphâŚ!â
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.
âE-ElderâŚ!â
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.
âWhat are you so surprised about? Did you think it would be safe to stay a hundred li away?â
ââŚ!â
Yoon-seok was astonished.
âThatâs crazyâŚâ
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 couldnât feel the presence even though he was so close. ButâŚ
âIt isnât stealthâŚ?â
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.
âNow itâs completely out of common senseâŚâ
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?
ââŚâ
Yoon-seok felt his skin grow cold. In other words, didnât this mean that every place she touched was Cheon-maâs territory? She must have reached a new level again.
Ah, this wasnât the time to just admire her.
âHmph, hmphâŚ!â
Yoon-seok was awakened by the Overlord of Bowâs babbling sound. If this continued, he would die.
âFirst, Iâll take care of this guy, and then you tooâŚâ
âW-wait! Donât kill him!â
When Yoon-seok hurriedly stopped her, Cheon-ma relaxed her grip.
âCanât I just kill him?â
âLet me solve it.â
ââŚI donât know what youâre thinking, but letâs do it.â
Cheon-ma, who was always generous, nodded without asking why. Well, she just didnât give her grip any strength. The fact that she was holding the Overlord of Bowâs neck remained the same.
âHmph, hmphâŚ!â
Yoon-seok breathed out a silent sigh of relief and looked to the head of the Black Alliance.
âI want to ask you a favor.â
He quickly sheathed his blade and changed his expression, perhaps seeing a faint possibility in this question.
âHahaha! A favor? Just say anything. Arenât we all fellow disciples?â
All the people in the world are brothers, the generous leader of the Black Alliance claimed.
âOkay, what is our Co-Sect Leader trying to ask? Please feel free to tell me.â
Yoon-seok was surprised by his change of attitude. This man was iron-skinned beyond imagination.
âIt may be a pretty unreasonable request, butâŚâ
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âIsnât it said that even ghosts donât know if you donât talk? Tell me first. Isnât that the first step in everything?â
Now he looked pretty eager to discuss the importance of an open dialogue.
âAs expected, do I have to be strong firstâŚ?â
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.
ââŚItâs kind of annoying.â
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.
âThat personâs nickname is the Overlord of Bow, right?â
âThatâs right?â
âIn three months, I want him to help me. No, we want him to help us.â
âWhat are you doing with an old man who looks like heâs going to die soon?â
At that moment, Cheon-ma realized what Yoon-seok wanted and spoke up, but it was only to complain.
âHmph, uuuuhâŚâ
Seeing the Overlord of Bow started to froth at the mouth, the head of the Black Alliance sped up the conversation.
âYou want him to help you? Can you tell me more?â
Yoon-seok briefly explained. However, he knew exactly what Yoon-seok was trying to do.
âCo-Sect Leader, even if itâs your request, I think itâs going to be a bit difficultâŚâ
ââŚ?â
âArenât you trying to use the Last Bastion, a piece of equipment that no one has returned alive from in tens of thousands of years?â
Well, it was like that. However, he didnât know it had been tens of thousands of years. The head of the Black Alliance looked around and carefully continued.
ââŚIf youâve seen the old man who lives next door, youâll understand. Without Elder Shama, we would not be able to keep the people of the Black Alliance safe.â
Looking at those gentle eyes, Yoon-seok thought he knew what this man wanted to say. He wanted something.
âIs he trying to negotiate in the midst of this?â
Yoon-seok asked with a snort.
âBut his thoughts might be different, right?â
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 wouldnât, 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.
âThen let me ask him myself. Elder Shama will never betray our Alliance.â
When Yoon-seok glanced back, Cheon-ma let go of the Overlord of Bowâs neck.
âKeh, hehehâŚâ
At first, he was busy coughing, but he quickly regained his breath and answered the question.
ââŚI donât know why you want this old man, but it all depends on what the Alliance Head says.â
âAre you saying you canât cooperate no matter what?â
ââŚRight. Until the Alliance Headâs permission is given.â
At first glance, it sounded like he was a loyal servant, but his face and voice seemed strange. Yoon-seok asked again.
âDoes he know your weakness?â
ââŚâ
It was just in case, but considering that he couldnât answer, Yoon-seok thought it was correct. HoweverâŚ
âIs it better?â
Yoon-seok felt relieved. This wasnât bad, and the solution was clear.
âWe 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.â
Was this the old manâs wit? Earlier, he spoke as if he would do whatever he was asked, but he became a cunning merchant at some point.
âWhat do you think about this suggestion?â
âI donât know.â
âThink carefully. What could be more desirable than this, that mutual benefit could be achieved without spilling a drop of blood?â
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.
âThe beginning is to see and hear as it is.â
The beginning of communication mentioned in the book was simple. Step one, observation. Focus not on subjective evaluation but only on the facts.
âIâm asking the Overlord of Bow, but itâs difficult because the Alliance Head took hold of his weakness.â
Step two, feeling. This was the stage of examining what emotions you felt from the observed facts.
âI think it is very unfair.â
Once youâve done this, youâre left with step three, need. Why did you feel that way, and what do you want?
âBecause Iâm the type of person who canât get over things like that, and to be honest, I donât like being asked to pay for something like that.â
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.
âSo, can you just let the Overlord of Bow go free?â
Yoon-seok, completing the fourth stage of non-violent communication, looked at the Alliance Head with satisfaction.
But was there something lacking?
ââŚâ
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-
âIf you donât want to get hurt.â
To leave no room for misunderstanding. That was the core of non-violent communication.