Chapter 141
Chapter 141
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 141
Chapter Title: Encounter with the Sea
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Main Palace.
Even though it was labeled as such, could this really be called a palace?
Wi Seong-cheon turned his head while having such thoughts.
It was his first time seeing the sea. The pitch-black sea, dyed in the hue of night, reflected the starlight.
The waves surged in and out, swallowing the sandy beach and then releasing it, rippling the surface each time.
It was a mystical and awe-inspiring sight. The entire expanse of sea visible to the eye writhed just like that.
Wi Seong-cheon stared blankly at the sea for a moment.
More than admiring the beauty of the sea he was seeing for the first time, he felt a twinge of fear.
Fear of the unknown.
What lay beyond it—no, what lurked within it.
The jet-black sea offered no glimpse of its depths, only the twinkling reflections of starlight. It surged forward ceaselessly, then receded again.
The sea was utterly unlike a lake or a river—nothing of the sort. Even the shrill cries of the seagulls sounded faintly ominous as he gazed upon it.
“Is this your first time seeing the sea?”
Wi Seong-cheon, lost in a daze gazing at the sea, turned to look ahead.
The lord of the North Sea Ice Palace.
Frostwhite Divine Lord Ha Myeong-il.
Unlike Ha Ji-eun, his hair had turned completely white, but his eyes were the same vivid blue as hers.
Wi Seong-cheon bowed his head deeply and replied.
“Yes.”
“What do you make of it?”
Ha Myeong-il gazed at Wi Seong-cheon with serene, sunken eyes as he asked.
Wi Seong-cheon pondered briefly how to take the question and respond.
The current lord of the North Sea Ice Palace, Frostwhite Divine Lord Ha Myeong-il, was not a figure well-known in the righteous faction.
That was because the North Sea Ice Palace had always remained secluded at the southern tip of Guangxi.
He was merely someone with few rumors to his name, but to Wi Seong-cheon’s senses, Ha Myeong-il was an extraordinary master.
Even if he had not earned a place among the Ten Heroes.
If counted among the righteous, he stood equal to the sect leaders of the Nine Great Righteous Sects, so it was only natural.
“……It frightens me.”
Wi Seong-cheon answered honestly.
Invited to the North Sea Ice Palace by Ha Ji-eun, he had immediately entered the main palace for a private meeting with Ha Myeong-il—that was just moments ago.
Wi Seong-cheon had no read on Ha Myeong-il’s temperament, but seeing the man’s broad smile, he felt his response had not missed the mark.
“The sea is like that.”
“……Is it frightening?”
“The sea is vast and deep.”
Ha Myeong-il nodded as he spoke.
“Towering waves swallow everything in their path, yet beneath them teem countless lives of every kind. No one knows what lies in the ocean’s depths, nor what waits beyond its horizon. Filled with such unknowns, it’s only natural to feel fear.”
“But it’s not frightening in every way.”
“It is also a gracious force. The very survival of the North Sea Ice Palace owes itself to the sea’s benevolence.”
“If you’re truly curious, go experience it for yourself. A fishing boat sets out tomorrow morning.”
Ha Ji-eun spoke as she pushed open the door and entered. She strode into the room and plopped down beside Ha Myeong-il.
“Liqueur.”
Ha Ji-eun turned her head and tossed the bottle in her hand to Wi Seong-cheon.
Wi Seong-cheon caught it and blinked.
“……What am I supposed to do with it?”
“Drink.”
“……By myself?”
“The three of us will drink together.”
As she spoke, Ha Ji-eun shot a glance at her father, Ha Myeong-il.
At her look, Ha Myeong-il let out a low, awkward cough and turned to gaze at the sea for no reason.
“There were three bottles left before I went to fetch the young hero. No idea where the other two ended up.”
“I offered them as tribute to the Sea God.”
“Did two bottles suffice?”
“Sincerity is what counts.”
A faint whiff of alcohol drifted from Ha Myeong-il as he replied.
Ha Ji-eun eyed him with exasperation before flicking the wrapped bundle in her other hand toward Wi Seong-cheon.
“……And what’s this?”
“Side dish.”
Inside was dried octopus leg.
Ha Myeong-il’s face fell.
“That was tribute for the Sea God too.”
“He’ll be content with the sincerity.”
It was the side dish they shared whenever he sneaked drinks, and now deprived of it, Ha Myeong-il’s eyes grew forlorn.
A peculiar drinking session commenced.
Amid Ha Myeong-il’s envious stares, Wi Seong-cheon accepted whatever Ha Ji-eun poured and chewed the octopus legs.
The cheap liquor burned fiercely with bitterness, while the octopus was salty and chewy.
“Don’t get the wrong idea, young hero.”
Ha Ji-eun poured more into Wi Seong-cheon’s cup as she gnawed on an octopus leg.
“Right now, I’m giving you a proper welcome. It’s just that the North Sea Ice Palace has nothing to offer, so the hospitality is meager. My intentions are genuine.”
“The lord doesn’t seem all that welcoming toward me.”
“He’s just pouting because we’re drinking without him.”
“Then why not join us?”
“The lord offered tribute to the Sea God today. He can’t drink more.”
Ha Ji-eun replied stubbornly. The first bottle emptied in no time.
“So, young hero. What will you do?”
“……I gave my answer about joining hands back at Golden Thread Lake.”
“I’m no fool.”
Ha Ji-eun’s voice was cool.
Was she, though?
Wi Seong-cheon felt a flicker of doubt.
“That exchange was to keep me from digging in my heels. And to leave enough room for me to accept it. Did you really not notice Young Master Jehal’s scheme?”
“……No. I noticed.”
“Of course, if we could truly ‘join hands together’ as Young Master Jehal described, neither he nor I would ever betray one another—with you standing in the middle to link our hands. But if an alliance isn’t possible.”
She had seemed like a worldly innocent swept along by Jehal Hyeon back at Golden Thread Lake. Clearly not foolish enough to call a complete idiot, though.
“You need to decide for sure which hand to grasp, young hero.”
“What if I’ve already agreed to join hands with Young Master Jehal?”
“Then I’ll work to change your mind.”
“You don’t need me all that badly.”
“Sword Seal or Heavenly Person, maybe even the Four Beauties would be ideal for an alliance, but they’re not here. You, however, are right in front of me.”
“Do I need to answer right this instant?”
“That’d be ideal, but I can’t force it.”
Surprisingly, Ha Ji-eun wasn’t one to bulldoze in such matters.
“Just understand this: I need you that much. What I told you on the way here to the North Sea Ice Palace was the truth.”
Watching Ha Ji-eun yield a step, Wi Seong-cheon voiced the small question that arose, treading carefully.
“……You knew Young Master Jehal’s intentions and played along anyway because of that banquet at Golden Thread Lake?”
“Are you insulting me?”
Ha Ji-eun fixed him with icy eyes.
But he had struck true. Her ears flushed the faintest red.
Wi Seong-cheon saw it plain as day but betrayed no reaction, merely shaking his head.
“I spoke out of turn.”
“Agreeing to join in at that moment wasn’t mere politeness in refusing Young Master Jehal’s invitation. I also wanted to build ties with you over drinks.”
“I see.”
“It’s the same now. Cheap swill and paltry snacks, but this is the finest welcome the North Sea Ice Palace’s vice lord can offer you.”
With that, Ha Ji-eun rose.
“You’re free to leave tomorrow, but night has fallen deep—stay here tonight. If a day isn’t enough, remain at the North Sea Ice Palace until you’re satisfied.”
Without waiting for Wi Seong-cheon’s reply, Ha Ji-eun left her words hanging and departed.
‘Even Mu Yeon-jun wasn’t this forward.’
All while wishing he could witness the two of them speaking face-to-face.
Wi Seong-cheon glanced sidelong at Ha Myeong-il.
He remained fixed on the sea, eyes melancholic.
“Stay as long as you like.”
“……I’ll set out tomorrow.”
“Then dawn this morning would be best.”
“Pardon?”
“The sea.”
Ha Myeong-il stood.
“Don’t you want to see it?”
The sea? He was looking at it right now.
Wi Seong-cheon cocked his head, uncomprehending Ha Myeong-il’s words, but the man offered no explanation.
“Sleep in this room.”
He left those words behind and went.
Sleep in this room.
He had heard it, but sleep didn’t come easily.
This was the North Sea Ice Palace’s main palace—the lord’s own chambers.
‘Is this their idea of hospitality?’
If anything, it felt burdensome.
Wi Seong-cheon sat in lotus position, eyes open through the night. He mulled over Ha Myeong-il’s parting words.
Dawn this morning would be best. What had he meant?
“You’re a guest who’s come after quite some time.”
Before the sun rose.
Ha Myeong-il returned.
“You said it was your first time seeing the sea.”
“……Yes?”
“Come along.”
Bluntly saying only what he wished seemed a North Sea Ice Palace tradition.
Wi Seong-cheon trailed after Ha Myeong-il as he headed for the shore.
Whoosh.
Each time the sea surged over the white sands, the sound rang out. Closer to the water, it grew louder.
Leaving the main palace behind, the huts housing the palace disciples grew more numerous the nearer they drew to the coast.
Dawn had yet to break, yet many disciples stood outside their huts, readying for the sea.
Those mending nets bowed deeply to Ha Myeong-il at the fore.
Wi Seong-cheon felt a profound impression from the disciples’ bearing.
Their features differed markedly from those of Central Plains folk—sturdy frames, eyes keen and fierce.
‘So this is the North Sea Ice Palace.’
Seeing it firsthand drove home the realization.
This was no mere impoverished fishing village.
“Do you know of the North Sea Ice Palace?”
Ha Myeong-il asked abruptly.
Wi Seong-cheon hesitated, then answered truthfully.
“……As much as the world knows.”
“Then you don’t truly understand us.”
“I can’t help thinking you bind yourselves too harshly to tradition.”
“Get too comfortable here, and you forget to yearn for home.”
Ha Myeong-il chuckled lowly.
“I’ve never even been to that homeland myself. But from childhood, I heard the tales endlessly, and now it’s a place I can never return to... You can’t help wanting to go back, to see it just once. That’s why we choose this harsh path. Hundreds of years may have passed, but we mustn’t forget our roots lie not in this Central Plains, but in those distant northern snowlands. One day, we will return there.”
Wi Seong-cheon nodded.
Full agreement eluded him, but he grasped the man’s meaning.
Centuries on Guangxi’s coast or not, the North Sea Ice Palace’s roots lay outside the Central Plains.
For hundreds of years since migrating to Guangxi, they had wed only among descendants of the northern snowlands, guarding their bloodline pure.
They refused to melt into the Central Plains even now, homesick for a homeland none had seen.
“I can guess what my daughter told you. Help her, and she’ll hand you the world?”
“Yes.”
“Foolish prattle from an immature girl. Pay it no mind.”
“She seemed quite earnest.”
“She’s young.”
Ha Myeong-il muttered as he halted.
They had reached the shore.
Ha Myeong-il indicated a small rowboat perched atop the sands.
“If you wish to see the sea, take that boat.”
“……Am I not seeing it already?”
“Looking is enough if that satisfies. Standing here, watching the waves roll in—it’s an experience in itself.”
Ha Myeong-il turned to regard Wi Seong-cheon.
“But there’s a world of difference between beholding the sea and confronting it. This is a North Sea Ice Palace rite: on their coming-of-age day, we send the young out bare to the sea in such a tiny craft.”
“To come to know the sea?”
“To come to know the world. The sea is part of it, vast as it is. Adrift alone in that little boat, you’ll learn much. What dawns on you depends on the stray thoughts clouding your mind then. Perhaps nothing at all.”
Ha Myeong-il’s eyes grew profound.
“The choice is yours alone. All I offer is the sight of the sea and the loan of one humble boat. If it doesn’t appeal, turn back. Stand or sit and watch. Or venture forth yourself.”
“……Why suggest this to me?”
“Not for my daughter’s sake—don’t suspect as much.”
Wi Seong-cheon tilted his head. He had assumed the unfamiliar palace lord’s kindness stemmed from Ha Ji-eun, naturally.
“I’ve no designs on having you join hands with her. That’s your call.”
“……Didn’t you bring me out here to sway me?”
“Not my purpose in coming.”
Ha Myeong-il shook his head with a quiet laugh.
“Didn’t I say the choice is yours? Hold her hand if you wish; don’t if you don’t. She won’t take offense.”
Would she, though? Wi Seong-cheon harbored doubts.
“You might see my actions as favors, but as I said: I merely show you the sea and lend a boat. Anyone could manage that, palace lord or no. The sea isn’t mine to claim, so what absurdity is it to say I ‘show’ it?”
“……I see.”
“Barely advice at all. Just... well, you seem troubled by something, but I’ve no place prying. So I suggested one path to contemplation.”
Ha Myeong-il shrugged.
“Do as you will.”
With that, he turned away.
Wi Seong-cheon watched, rooted in place, as Ha Myeong-il departed across the sand without leaving a single footprint.
“……Troubled, am I.”
Was it so obvious? Wi Seong-cheon raised a hand to his face.
He had thought himself adept at concealment. Yet one of the palace lord’s years saw through even that.
Wi Seong-cheon gave a wry smile and shook his head.
“The sea.”
Leaving Cheonhwa Gate for Heavenly Academy, he had crossed rivers more than once.
Boats were no novelty, but sailing solo? Never.
Curiosity stirred.
Wi Seong-cheon shoved the boat from behind.
An incoming wave yanked it seaward; he leapt aboard in haste.
No sail on this little craft.
Wi Seong-cheon gripped the long oar, easing it into the water.
The relentless current wrenched at it.
Unflustered, Wi Seong-cheon tightened his hold.
Rowing grew familiar bit by bit.
Poised against the boat’s pitch and roll, Wi Seong-cheon swallowed hard.
Boats were foreign enough; the open sea moreso.
Gazing at the heaving waters, Wi Seong-cheon kept at the oars.
The sun crested the horizon. Stars faded; the sky deepened to blue.
The sea shifted hue as well—like a brimming basin shaken, the whole of it undulated.
Wi Seong-cheon scanned his surroundings. The North Sea Ice Palace lay far distant now.
The boat had covered ground swiftly. Distance felt uncanny.
How far out am I?
Tearing his eyes from the remote shore, Wi Seong-cheon wheeled about.
The sea unfurled without end.
From afar, Ha Myeong-il watched Wi Seong-cheon row.
“What you take from it is yours alone.”
He murmured the words, sinking onto the sands.
“In the end, a single chain.”
He knew not where this linked sequence led.
He had merely fulfilled his given task.
Even so, unburdened at last after so long, his heart felt light.
‘Divine Maiden. I have done what was asked.’
Ha Myeong-il lifted his gaze to the heavens, looking away from the ever-dwindling figure of Wi Seong-cheon.