Chapter 429: I Am Strong Against the Cold
Chapter 429: I Am Strong Against the Cold
The Ice Palace Master stood by the window.
Her gaze was fixed on the distance, toward the quarters where Geom Mu-geuk and the Drunken Demon were staying. She had received a report long ago that the battle had begun, but news of its conclusion had yet to arrive.
Though she wanted to rush there this very instant, the Ice Palace Master struggled to maintain her composure.
Outside the window, beneath the Palace Master’s hall, the Northern Wind Squad—the elite organization under her direct command—stood in wait. They were not alone; various organizations and masters of the Ice Palace were stationed at their designated posts.
Normally, all of them should have been out there fighting.
‘Let a devil catch a monster.’
Was he catching it? Or was he perhaps being devoured by the monster instead?
If such a thing were to happen...
The King of Demons, having lost his child, would come here seeking vengeance. At that point, perhaps no one would be able to stop him.
Han Seol watched the Ice Palace Master in silence. Though her mother’s posture by the window remained unchanged, she was different from her usual self.
For one, her attire was different. She was dressed in martial robes suited for movement, and her wrists bore artifacts she rarely wore. Beneath her sleeves, the Great Ice Ring—bracelets that pushed the power of ice arts to their absolute limit—were visible.
She was fully prepared to leap into battle at a moment’s notice.
Han Seol shifted her gaze from the Ice Palace Master to Lee An. Unlike her mother, who radiated tension, Lee An was the picture of peace.
Lee An was reading a book she had pulled from the shelves of the Palace Master’s hall. After asking for permission, she had sat down and immersed herself in it. It was Han Seol's first time seeing someone actually read here; she had always assumed the books on those shelves were merely for decoration.
‘What kind of book is she reading?’
Han Seol walked over and sat across from Lee An. Sensing the movement, Lee An looked up from the pages and met Han Seol’s eyes.
“There is a Demon Lord I know who loves books,” Lee An said. “He reads all sorts of things, so there’s nothing he doesn't know. He always says that to be good at martial arts, one must read many books.”
“Do you mean martial arts manuals?”
“No, he says to read everything without being picky.”
With that, she showed the cover of the book she was currently reading. It was, quite unexpectedly, a volume on house construction in the northern regions.
“Does that really help with martial arts?”
“Who knows? Maybe while running away, I’ll find a hiding spot in a house built this way.”
Han Seol’s face betrayed her confusion. “Do I seem too relaxed? Even though the Young Cult Leader is fighting?”
This time, Han Seol nodded honestly. If it were her, she wouldn't have been able to focus on a single word.
“If the Young Cult Leader dies, I’ll simply follow him to the afterlife. That’s all.”
As Han Seol’s eyes widened, Lee An gave a small smile. “It’s a joke, a joke. I’d have to get revenge first before following him.”
Lee An laughed at the still-silent Han Seol. “That was a joke, too.”
“It’s not funny.”
It wasn't a situation for joking, but Lee An was desperately trying to keep her mind at ease. Though she appeared peaceful and carefree on the outside, a storm was raging in her heart.
Her heart was pounding so hard she couldn't endure it without reading, and her mind kept conjuring images of Geom Mu-geuk being killed by the enemy. Scenarios kept playing out where he might have lived if only she had leaped in to help with just one move.
‘Right, this is just a side effect of being a bodyguard for so long.’
In the past, when Geom Mu-geuk left the Cult alone and returned, she had simply assumed he would be fine. But being close to him like this made her worry a hundred times more.
‘The Young Master has been fighting battles like this all along.’
Just then, Han Seol asked, “Would you like some tea?”
“Yes. I’ll prepare it.”
“No, keep reading your book.”
Han Seol went over and began to brew the tea. Feeling awkward just sitting there, Lee An walked over to her side. As she looked for something to help with, her eyes fell on the tea set.
The white teacups were engraved with two birds in flight, and the design was quite unique.
“Why are you looking at them like that?”
“The birds engraved on this cup... I feel like I’ve seen them somewhere before.”
Han Seol glanced briefly at the Ice Palace Master by the window before turning back to Lee An. “That’s unlikely.”
She meant that the pattern was an original design, but Lee An still tilted her head in doubt. “I’ve definitely seen it.”
The Ice Palace Master turned her head toward Lee An. A strange light flickered in her eyes.
It was at that moment a subordinate rushed up and reported urgently.
“The battle is over.”
*
When the three women arrived at the quarters where the battle had taken place, they were rendered speechless.
The place was a sea of blood. Dozens of corpses were scattered everywhere, and the stench of gore was so thick they wanted to cover their noses. In the center of that bloody field were two men.
The Drunken Demon was lying in the blood, and Geom Mu-geuk was leaning against a broken stone lantern, looking up at the sky.
The moment Lee An saw that sight, her heart sank. She thought the Drunken Demon, lying in the pool of blood, was dead.
But then, the sound of snoring reached her ears. The thunderous sound seemed to say, ‘I’m fine, so don’t worry.’
Seeing the three of them, Geom Mu-geuk made a shushing gesture. He didn't want to wake the sleeping Drunken Demon.
Geom Mu-geuk had experienced the same state as the Drunken Demon many times. When sleep washes over you after fighting with every ounce of your strength—that is when you must sleep. Following what the body desperately craves is the best form of treatment. One had to trust the constitution of a master.
Seeing the scene for herself, the Ice Palace Master realized once again how severe the battle had been. If a Demon Lord had fought to the point of exhaustion, she could guess how strong the enemy must have been.
She examined a nearby corpse. These were the subordinates of the Blood King who had died at Geom Mu-geuk’s hands. One could guess their level of martial arts just by looking at their tempered bodies. They were masters. If they had also mastered the Self-Destruction Art, many warriors of the Ice Palace would have been sacrificed.
Their vital points had all been severed by a sword.
‘He cut all their blood vessels before they could use the Self-Destruction Art.’
The cause of death alone revealed the incredible depth of Geom Mu-geuk’s martial prowess.
Finally, the Ice Palace Master looked at the Drunken Demon again. Was it because he was lying in the blood? She felt an even greater sense of apology toward him. If not for him, countless warriors of the Ice Palace would have been submerged in that blood instead.
“Let us return.”
Lee An and Han Seol turned to follow the Ice Palace Master. Before Lee An turned away, Geom Mu-geuk waved at her with a bright expression that said, I’m okay.
At that gesture and smile, the storm raging in Lee An’s heart finally subsided. She gave him a wide smile in return before turning around.
Liking someone isn't hard. What’s truly difficult is the effort and struggle to not lose that person and those feelings. Happiness is constantly besieged by the anxiety that it might break at any moment. The storm blowing in one's heart often doesn't stop even when morning comes.
*
The Drunken Demon opened his eyes at the cold sensation on his cheek. It was snow falling on his face. Turning his head to the side, he saw Geom Mu-geuk looking up at the snowy sky.
“You’re awake?”
“How long did I sleep?”
“About six hours.”
“Is my face crooked? In this cold place...”
The Drunken Demon stopped mid-sentence. He wasn't cold. The blood-soaked ground and the air around him were warm. He realized then that Geom Mu-geuk had been using his Heat Yang Energy to keep the surroundings warm.
As the Drunken Demon tried to sit up, he let out a cry of pain. “Aigo! It hurts. It hurts so much.”
“Want some booze?”
“Forget it. My head feels like it’s going to split.”
He had drunk so much during the fight that his hangover was immense. “If I ever drink again...”
“You’re my younger brother!”
“Right, if I ever drink again, I’m your younger brother. Ah, my head feels like it’s going to explode.”
Clutching his head, the Drunken Demon absentmindedly looked down at the ground. “Ugh! What’s with all this blood? Is it that guy’s? Don’t tell me you just left me lying here?”
“You don’t remember a thing, do you?”
“Ugh, the smell of blood is disgusting.”
“A while ago, you were lying there with a smile on your face.”
“Were you drunk too?” Then, he looked at the sole of his foot and jumped in surprise. “My foot! What happened to my foot?”
A piece of a broken wine bottle was embedded in his sole. He had been so drunk while fighting that he hadn't even realized his foot was being torn apart. The Drunken Demon pulled out the shard of glass.
“Oooooh, it hurts. You should’ve pulled this out while I was drunk.”
“If I were going to do that, I would’ve started with the thing stuck in your shoulder.”
Startled, the Drunken Demon looked at his shoulder. “Gah! What is this now?”
Only then did he notice a sharp sword fragment embedded in his shoulder.
“When did this get stuck there?”
“There’s one in your other arm, too.”
“Call the Demon Doctor! Tell him to come quickly! A Demon Lord is in pain!” The Drunken Demon shouted, exaggerating his agony.
Geom Mu-geuk hadn't simply left him lying there for hours. He had confirmed that the external wounds hadn't damaged the bone and had secretly checked his internal state with True Qi. After confirming there were no internal injuries, he had let him sleep.
“Scars are a point of pride for a martial artist,” Geom Mu-geuk said.
“These scars aren't even worth bragging about.” The Drunken Demon looked down at the blood still pooling on the ground. “He looked handsome and cool on the outside, but he was a pathetic bastard on the inside. He hadn't even learned the Self-Destruction Art himself.”
Geom Mu-geuk was also surprised by that fact. He didn't know much about the Blood King before his regression; he only knew of the cruel deeds his subordinates had committed.
“If he weren't pathetic, he wouldn't have planted the Self-Destruction Art in his subordinates in the first place.”
The Drunken Demon nodded in agreement.
The snow began to fall more heavily. The two of them looked up at the snow falling from the darkening sky for a moment.
“Now the Institute Head can close his eyes in peace.”
What started with the Institute Head failing to send wine had led all the way here. It had begun with the Drunken Demon and ended with the Drunken Demon. And at the center of that incident was the most important task Geom Mu-geuk had to resolve.
Fate was flowing like this, intertwined with the people around him.
“Before we go back, let’s have a drink at the top of the snowy mountain.”
At the Drunken Demon’s words, Geom Mu-geuk smiled and replied, “Sure thing, little brother.”
*
The Drunken Demon washed up, ate, and fell back asleep. The most skilled physician in the North Sea Ice Palace had come to examine him and prescribed medicine for a quick recovery.
While the Drunken Demon rested, Geom Mu-geuk met with the Ice Palace Master.
“You’ve worked hard,” she said.
“Not at all. I am truly grateful that you allowed us to handle it.”
Though she had a rough idea, the Ice Palace Master’s main curiosity was this: “Did you find out what his goal was?”
“The battle was urgent, so I didn't hear it directly from him, but I suspect he intended to use the Extreme Cold Body to neutralize your martial arts, Palace Master.” Geom Mu-geuk added another speculation. “He had been searching for an Extreme Cold Body for a long time. If his only goal was to harm you, he would have used the Self-Destruction Art more aggressively. I expect there was another reason he needed an Extreme Cold Body. Do you have any idea what it might be?”
The moment she heard those words, one reason came to the Ice Palace Master’s mind. Even so, she didn't answer immediately because it wasn't something to be revealed lightly to outsiders. She would never have told anyone else, but she felt she had to make an exception for Geom Mu-geuk.
“It seems he was after the Ice Palace Treasury.”
The Ice Palace Treasury was a place that could only be entered by those who had mastered the unique martial arts passed down to the Palace Master or those who possessed an Extreme Cold Body.
“An ordinary person could never endure the cold in that place.”
“Then he was definitely targeting the Ice Palace Treasury.”
As the enemy’s specific goal was revealed, the Ice Palace Master’s heart grew cold. She felt a deep regret that she hadn't killed him herself. At the same time, a thought occurred to her.
What if Geom Mu-geuk and the Drunken Demon hadn't come to the North Sea? What if they hadn't killed Elder Seo and rescued the girl with the Extreme Cold Body? What if they hadn't uncovered the fact that the North Blood Sect had joined hands with those people?
Would she have been able to withstand their conspiracy? A confident answer didn't come easily. If she hadn't, she and Han Seol would have met their deaths, and the North Sea Ice Palace would have been taken from them.
Because of that, there was nothing she wouldn't give to Geom Mu-geuk.
“Is there something you want? If there is, I will grant anything.”
After a moment of thought, Geom Mu-geuk spoke. “There is one thing.”
“What is it?”
“Please allow me to choose one treasure from the Ice Palace Treasury.”
It was an unexpected request.
“What is it you want? Tell me, and I will give it to you. Whether it’s an ancient elixir or a treasured sword, just say the word.”
“No. I want to go in and see for myself.”
It was because of the Secret Casket. He had obtained the Black Essence from the Pungcheon Cult and the Blue Essence from the Unorthodox Path Alliance. He held a glimmer of hope that he might find something related here as well. This was an opportunity that would be hard to come by again.
“Did I not just tell you? You cannot enter unless you have an Extreme Cold Body.”
Geom Mu-geuk replied with an inscrutable smile. “I am strong against the cold.”
Since she didn't think Geom Mu-geuk was the type to joke about such things, the Ice Palace Master asked cautiously, “Are you perhaps an Extreme Cold Body as well?”
“No.”
“Then you cannot go there. Absolutely not.”
Despite her use of the word 'absolutely,' Geom Mu-geuk spoke with confidence. “Please, trust me once.”
Did he perhaps have a demonic art that blocked the cold? Even so, it shouldn't be enough to withstand that level of freezing.
“I even endured my father’s cold and chilly fatherly love.”
“This is no time for jokes. You could die.”
The Ice Palace Master was certain that Geom Mu-geuk could never go there. Still, it was a request from the man who had saved the Ice Palace. Moreover, she was curious why he insisted on going, and she also felt a slight urge to crush this stubbornness.
“Fine, let’s go. I’ll listen to your regrets and repentance once I’ve brought you back to life.”
Geom Mu-geuk followed after her and remarked, “Doesn't everyone who comes to the North Sea experience their heart freezing and stopping at least once?”