Chapter 607: Curse of Ice Crystals (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 607: Curse of Ice Crystals (3)
Hearing his words, I couldn't help but tilt my head in confusion.
‘The Supreme One?’
For a moment, I even forgot about the biting cold. That was how baffling his statement was. Did he just say the Supreme One of the Central Plains?
‘What does that even mean?’
I stood there, stunned into silence for a long while.
‘The Supreme One…?’
The Supreme One of the Central Plains. Hearing those words, no particular face came to mind. The title 'Supreme One' was synonymous with the 'Zenith Under the Heavens.'
‘There’s no one like that in the Central Plains right now.’
There was no martial artist in the current era who held such an undisputed position. Even the Three Venerables, who stood at the pinnacle of the Beyond the Heavens, were three distinct individuals, and the Alliance Leader—the Sword of Wudang—was considered a step below them.
The lords of the Four Noble Clans… no, the Three Noble Clans, were merely martial artists in their physical prime. They were far from being worthy of such a title.
Then who was this man talking about?
‘Could it be the Sword Venerable?’
The Alliance Leader before the last, one of the Three Venerables who had led the Alliance through its golden age. He wasn't technically the Zenith Under the Heavens, but he was called the Strongest Sword Under the Heavens. Could he be referring to him?
It wouldn't be strange. In this era, with the Heavenly Demon absent, he was the most frequently mentioned candidate for the title. Besides, a man like the one before me might very well have a connection to the Sword Venerable. He might have met him in person or heard of him. I couldn't be sure.
So, I decided to just ask.
“Are you referring to the Sword Venerable?”
[Hmm…?]
At the mention of the Sword Venerable, the man's eyes flickered. Seeing that, my brow furrowed slightly. His eyes were unsettling, as was the frozen breath he exhaled. The way he looked at me—everything about him was grating.
[…The Sword Venerable. Yes, there was such a person.]
From his tone, it seemed he wasn't talking about the Sword Venerable. Then who?
‘I don’t know. And now’s not the time to worry about it.’
Who cared about some "Supreme One"? The important thing was...
“...Are you the Ice Lord?”
...exactly who the man in front of me was.
In truth, there was no need to even think about it. I had already been told who had summoned me. Just from the sheer pressure emanating from him, I could guess his identity.
Shudder.
My fingertips trembled. The cold was trying to pierce through my internal heat and dig into my skin. The aura radiating from the man continuously pressed down on my shoulders.
He was strong. Far stronger than that Black Lion or White Lion guarding the door.
‘So this is the master of the North Sea.’
The Martial World beyond the borders, far from the Central Plains. The master of a harsh land where snow falls in all four seasons. The Lord of the North Sea Ice Palace.
That was the man before me. He answered my question immediately.
[My current state is a disgrace, but I did once fulfill that role.]
“You said that in the past tense.”
[Heh heh….]
At my words, the Palace Lord chuckled. With every soft sound he made, a wave of chill flowed out.
[In this fallen state, how could I claim otherwise?]
“Hmm.”
Listening to the Palace Lord, I slowly scanned his form. A mass of ice, starting from his right jawline, traveled down his shoulder and encased half his body. Seeing this, I shifted my feet slightly. The ice connected to him didn't just cover the floor; it spread across the surrounding walls like a frozen web.
‘What is this?’
What in the world happened here? Was the ice manifesting from the Palace Lord himself? Or was the ice from the walls binding him in place?
As I stared at the ice in wonder...
[I shall ask again. Do you truly have no connection to the Supreme One?]
The Palace Lord questioned me again. It was the same question as before.
“What is this 'Supreme One' you keep mentioning?”
My reply was tinged with annoyance. It felt like a waste of time to answer such a bothersome question. Just suppressing the hostility I felt whenever I looked at him was taxing enough. I scowled deeply at the Palace Lord.
[Cheolun of the Gu Clan.]
Huh?
[That was certainly the name of the Supreme One.]
“...What…?”
Hearing that familiar name from the Palace Lord, I almost lost my composure. Why was my father’s name coming up now? I’d just had a ridiculous dream about the man, too. To think his name would suddenly come out of the Palace Lord's mouth.
And what's more...
‘...The Supreme One?’
What in the world was that ridiculous nickname? The discomfort I had been feeling vanished completely, replaced only by sheer bewilderment.
The Palace Lord, seeing my reaction, seemed to realize something and continued.
[Judging by your reaction, you seem to be related. Perhaps…]
Damn, did he figure out I'm his son? Then again, if he’d heard the general situation, there was no way he wouldn't know—
[Are you a nephew, or perhaps related through the maternal line? You don't seem to be of the direct line…]
“I’m his son.”
[I thought you looked quite similar.]
Don't lie.
“You definitely didn’t think I was his son, did you? You thought I didn’t look like him at all.”
[No. It's just…]
The Palace Lord fell silent for a moment, choosing his words carefully.
[I simply thought the resemblance was a bit… unfortunate…]
“Just don’t say it.”
[Hmph.]
My mood soured for no reason.
[In any case.]
The Palace Lord seemed eager to move on. His words were subtly grating, but I decided not to press the issue for now.
[So you are indeed the son of the Supreme One.]
“Why do you keep calling him that?” I asked, full of doubt. It was a terribly cringeworthy title.
At my question, the Palace Lord looked back at me with a questioning expression of his own.
[What else should one call the Supreme One, if not the Supreme One?]
“...”
No matter how many times I heard it, I couldn't get used to it. It sounded like a compliment for my father, but it just felt... wrong.
[How curious.]
The Palace Lord let out a short, dry laugh. Keke.
[I never thought the day would come when I would meet his son.]
“...What is your relationship with the Lord of my clan?” I asked, feeling a bit tense. If he said he and my father were on bad terms, things could get rather troublesome.
[A close friend.]
The Palace Lord gave a short reply. Hearing it, my eyes widened. A friend? A friend?
“My father had a friend?”
I flinched after spitting out the words. I think I might have misspoken.
[Haha.]
Hearing me, the Palace Lord laughed. Tuk, tuk. As he shook, something fell from his cheek. A scale? That's what it looked like.
[At least, that is what I believe. I do not know what he would think.]
“What do you mean by that…?”
[If not a friend, you may consider him my benefactor.]
“Benefactor?”
The Lord of the Ice Palace not only called my father a friend but also his benefactor. Hearing that, I couldn't help but wonder.
‘What in the world were you doing back then, old man?’
What did he do in his youth for everyone who knew him to react like this? Some feared him. Others expressed admiration and gratitude. It seemed he was quite the figure in his heyday.
But no one knew exactly what my father had been up to. Or rather, they wouldn't answer even if asked.
Just then.
[So the one called Red Feather was his son… But you don’t look much like him—]
“Excuse me?”
[Nothing.]
At the Palace Lord's words, I scowled fiercely. No, he definitely said something else at the end. I glared at him, but the Palace Lord just kept smiling as if nothing had happened.
‘What is with this guy?’
He was strangely different from what I had imagined. Very different.
[Isn't this a curious twist of fate?]
He was even changing the subject. And he was good at it; he transitioned masterfully.
‘From what Yuri told me, I heard he was a terrifying person.’
Taciturn and... what else was it? I had heard a lot of gossip about him, but I didn't remember the details. Anyway, seeing him now, he seemed completely different from the stories.
[My father received help from your father. And now, I am to receive help from you.]
“...”
The Palace Lord had said it casually, chuckling. But I knew I had just heard something incredible. Didn't the Palace Lord's father—the former Palace Lord—receive some kind of help from my father?
I was getting curious now. I caused my fair share of trouble wherever I went, but what on earth was my father doing in his prime?
‘No wonder he let me off easy whenever I caused trouble.’
Of course, in my past life, I was called the Gu Clan's Disgrace, but not in this life. Could it be because my father caused just as much trouble as me in his youth? The thought suddenly occurred to me.
[Heh heh heh.]
The Palace Lord's laughter deepened.
Ruuuumble—!
Whether by coincidence or not, the cave shook as his laughter grew louder.
[…Ah, my apologies. Old memories came to mind, and I couldn't help but laugh.]
The chill intensified. Perhaps because of that, it felt genuinely cold.
‘Ha, to think I actually feel cold.’
A dry laugh escaped me. How long had it been since I'd felt this sensation? It was a feeling I hadn't experienced since the early days after my regression. As I rubbed my arms, taking in the sensation...
[The question I most wanted to ask has been answered, so shall we move on to the main topic? Would that be alright?]
At the Palace Lord's words, I immediately straightened my posture.
“Yes.”
Finally, the main topic.
[First, hmm… What should I call you?]
“Call me whatever you like. It’s not particularly important—”
[Then I shall stick with Red Feath—]
“My name is Gu Yangcheon, Your Lordship.”
[In that case, I shall call you Young Master Gu.]
“Yes.”
That damned feather. I swear, I need to pluck them all out. Who the hell spread that name? If I ever find them, I'll kill them.
As I was secretly grinding my teeth in frustration...
[Well then, Young Master Gu.]
At the Palace Lord's words, my body froze for an instant. The atmosphere had changed in a flash. The chill had sharpened, as if a blade was touching my throat.
[Can you truly break this curse?]
Curse.
At that word, I examined the Palace Lord more closely. A body covered in ice. Skin sprouting scales. Even vertically slit pupils. It was far from ordinary—a form that could hardly be called 'human.'
“When you say curse, are you referring to your current appearance?”
[I am.]
The chill coming from the Palace Lord's body was intense. That's why I had a question.
‘If that’s a curse...’
Does that mean it's the same as what Moyong Hi-ah suffered from in my past life?
‘But hers wasn’t this severe.’
Compared to the illness Moyong Hi-ah had, the difference was too great. She, too, had been slowly freezing, unable to withstand the cold energy in her body, but this...
The Palace Lord's current state was so extreme that the cold energy was not just leaking out; it was forming chunks of ice on its own. Moreover, his very body was transforming.
Then, did Moyong Hi-ah also... meet her end looking like that in my past life?
It was a thought I didn't want to entertain. I didn't know how she met her end. The Snow Phoenix had simply vanished one day. How she died, or what she looked like when she died, was never known. The Moyong Clan had only announced that she had passed away.
As such, the Palace Lord's words gave me much to think about.
‘The Curse of Ice Crystals.’
Why a 'curse' of all things? The choice of word was bothering me.
‘The Dark King said the same thing.’
The Curse of Dragon's Blood. The Dark King had described his body that way, saying that only I, having become a dragon, could break his curse. The Palace Lord's condition now was eerily similar.
Could this be a mere coincidence?
‘No.’
I didn't think so.
‘This Curse of Ice Crystals, just like the Dark King’s… might be related to ‘dragons’.’
The thought crossed my mind. The circumstances all pointed to it. If that was truly the case, then the reason I was able to cure Moyong Hi-ah’s illness was also because it was related to me being a dragon.
It wasn't just a change caused by the mixing of the Demonic Absorption and Gu Flame Wheel Art in my body. It was an anomaly born from the change in my very existence. Could that have been the key to curing her?
If so, the pieces fit. The things I had found strange were gradually falling into place. The problem was, the more they did, the worse I felt.
‘In the end, this is no different from saying I wasn't a human vessel to begin with.’
Where did the change begin? The fact that I could cure Moyong Hi-ah's illness in this life, when I couldn't in my past one, meant some anomaly must have occurred in this life. An anomaly that happened to me...
‘...There are too many.’
There were countless. Too many to count, but if I had to pick just one, it would ultimately be regression. The fact that I had traveled back in time to arrive here again. Could that have been the catalyst?
There was no way for me to know. It was just the most likely possibility.
‘What I can be sure of right now is that the Curse of Ice Crystals the Palace Lord mentioned is likely related to this 'dragon' business.’
If that was really the case, did the Palace Lord know about these dragons? If he did, how involved were the people of the Ice Palace with them? And if they were, did they view them with hostility? I had to watch this carefully.
While the number of things to figure out grew in an instant...
[You seem to be deep in thought.]
“...!”
The Palace Lord spoke to me.
[I can wait, so take your time to think.]
Right. He had asked me a question. He asked if I could really break the curse.
“I don’t know.”
For now, I had to give a vague answer.
[You don't know?]
Naturally, the Palace Lord expressed his doubt. I immediately followed up with an explanation.
“I have treated someone who I suspect had the ‘curse’ you mentioned. But I don’t know if it’s the same as the one you have. Furthermore...” I took a breath. “Even if it is the same, I have no confidence that I can treat your body.”
[I see.]
This was the best answer I could give. It was obvious his condition was on a different level from Moyong Hi-ah's. If I rashly said I could do it and something went wrong, I would be the only one to suffer the consequences.
[Is that so. I understand.] The Palace Lord nodded. [You mean you need to confirm it.]
“Yes.”
I couldn't tell just by looking. Can a condition like that even be treated?
“Now, may I ask a question?”
I also had something to ask the Palace Lord.
[Go ahead.]
“How did things get this bad?”
[...]
I blurted it out as soon as I had permission.
“Your body, for one. And the current situation is a complete mess.”
I didn't filter my words. The time for caring about his title as Palace Lord was long past.
[I believe the Young Lady explained the situation. Do you require a further explanation from me?]
“I heard. I heard, but… seeing how things are unfolding, it seems there’s more to it than what I was told.”
The Palace Lord's health deteriorated, and at that moment, the clan in charge of their military forces started a rebellion. So they asked me to treat the Palace Lord before it was too late. That's what I heard when I came here.
“But no matter how I look at it, it’s not that simple. This isn't a typical rebellion. This is a rebellion by your own kin. It's not just a clan rebelling; it's a betrayal by your own bloodline, aiming for the throne. Were you truly unaware of this, Your Lordship?”
[...]
The Palace Lord remained silent. But I could tell from his expression. He knew. Of course, he knew. Unless he was an idiot, there was no way he wouldn't.
“I’ll probably hear about it outside after this, but I need an explanation on this part from you.”
I looked at the Palace Lord without averting my gaze. I knew it must be difficult to recall the rebellion started by his own kin to kill him, but I had to hear it. I had to gather information. That was the only way.
‘I can go find them. Find them and kill them.’
My current physical condition? Who cared. I would go even if it meant my body would break.
With that resolve, I was about to press him further when...
[You are correct.] The Palace Lord nodded. [This is a rebellion in which my kin are involved.]
I wasn't surprised. It was an obvious conclusion. The problem was...
[However, I do not know who started it.]
“What?”
I was genuinely surprised by his next words. His kin started the rebellion, but even the Palace Lord didn't know who?
‘What is this now?’
It was an absurd statement. Did he mean someone from his bloodline was hiding their identity while leading the rebellion? Seeing my expression of incomprehension, the Palace Lord continued.
[According to information I've recently gathered, it was the Blue Wolf who started the rebellion. Biwegun, the son of its lord. The story is that he started the rebellion with the backing of the bloodline. But I have yet to find out from which part of the bloodline he received his justification.]
The Ice Palace, and a clan in charge of its military power. And it wasn't the lord of that clan who started the rebellion.
‘The lord’s son started it?’
The context was strange. Was this clan's management a complete mess, too? In the Central Plains, this would be like a Young Lord rebelling against the Alliance. It was no different...
‘Oh, this… sounds a bit like my story, doesn't it?’
A trivial thought crossed my mind. Though it was a different situation from mine, so it was hard to compare.
[Therefore, if it concerns Biwegun, I am the one who has a question for you.]
I heard something strange from the Palace Lord.
“...What do you mean by that?”
A traitor named Biwegun. Why would he want to ask me about that bastard's affairs?
Just then.
[I heard…]
[...that Biwegun was a close friend of yours.]
“...?”
The Palace Lord looked at me intently. I wondered what kind of bullshit he was spouting. A friend? That was ridiculous.
“A close friend? I don’t know anyone like that.”
[You truly don't know him?]
“Yes, how would I know someone from the North Sea…”
[Biwegun, the youngest son of the Blue Wolf. By the name he was known in the Central Plains, it would be...]
The Palace Lord looked at my denial and uttered his final words.
[Sleeping Dragon, Woo Hyuk.]
The instant I heard that name, my mind went completely blank.