Chapter 229
Chapter 229
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 229
Chapter Title: The Little Palace Lord's Invitation
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Yeon Jeokhwa reacted with intense agitation, but Hyeok Mulin simply watched her with calm indifference.
The palace attendants of the Blood Heaven Divine Palace glanced back and forth between them, unsure how to proceed.
Given the Little Palace Lord's strong reaction, it was clear they knew each other, so they couldn't dismiss the possibility that he was indeed a friend, as he claimed.
In the end, all they could do was hold their breath and silently observe the conversation between this mysterious man and their Little Palace Lord.
Before long, the man spoke again.
"It seems you haven't forgotten my voice after all. You've been thinking of me quite a bit, haven't you?"
In truth, at their first encounter in the auction house, they had both concealed their faces and identities.
Hyeok Mulin had worn a mask, while Yeon Jeokhwa had used a veil.
Even without tracking her down separately, Hyeok Mulin had more than enough basis to guess her identity.
There was only one woman in the world with the resolve to desperately claim the Blood River Lotus Divine Art and the funds to back such a bid at auction.
The Little Palace Lord of the Blood Heaven Divine Palace, Yeon Jeokhwa.
And now, hearing her voice and observing her figure up close, Hyeok Mulin confirmed his suspicions were correct.
"Who said I was thinking of you...!"
However, Yeon Jeokhwa, on the other hand, had never been able to uncover Hyeok Mulin's identity despite everything that followed.
After being thoroughly outmaneuvered at the auction and returning home, she had immediately ordered a full investigation into him, but it yielded absolutely nothing.
It was as if the man had vanished into thin air, either flying off to the heavens or sinking into the earth.
She had even tried tracing the items he had won at the auction, but that too led nowhere.
In the end, only two clues remained.
The glint in his eyes visible through the mask and the sound of his voice.
Using those as her basis, she scrutinized every notable figure in the martial world, checking their eyes and listening closely to their voices.
But no one matched that voice, and exhausted, she had eventually given up the search.
She had been going about her daily routine as usual when, out of nowhere, that unforgettable voice rang in her ears today.
"It's a poor welcome for an old friend you haven't seen in ages."
"How shameless. You're no friend—you're my enemy."
Even now, just thinking of him made Yeon Jeokhwa boil with rage in her sleep, kicking off the blankets.
Because of his interference at the auction, she hadn't been able to secure the Blood River Lotus Divine Art without paying an exorbitant premium.
The mere thought of the funds squandered still gave her a throbbing headache.
In fact, considering how she had returned to the main palace afterward and become the target of everyone's scrutiny and reprimands, she could chew him up and it still wouldn't be enough.
Yet here he was, suggesting they weren't enemies but friends despite all that bad blood—it left her utterly dumbfounded.
But at his words, Hyeok Mulin shook his head as if her thinking was off the mark.
"If I had intended to make an enemy of you, I would have taken the Blood River Lotus Divine Art at that auction."
"It wouldn't have been easy for you to muster that kind of money."
"Do you really think I stopped bidding because I lacked the funds?"
Yeon Jeokhwa fell silent at Hyeok Mulin's words.
Soon after, she let out a sigh and parted her lips.
"...No, I suppose not. For that, at least, I owe you my thanks."
He was right.
Judging by his bold display at the auction, he clearly had the wealth to match.
If he had kept driving up the price or competed to the end and taken the Blood River Lotus Divine Art, her situation would have been far worse.
In a way, she had benefited from his concession.
Of course, that didn't erase the loss she had suffered.
"So, what brings you here...?"
Yeon Jeokhwa spoke curtly, carefully hiding her inner turmoil over having mobilized all her forces to track him down.
Hyeok Mulin gestured toward an open clearing to the right.
"It might be better if we move somewhere else first."
Glancing at her subordinates, she nodded.
"Very well."
She then issued orders to her attendants.
"Wait here. I'll have a private word with him and return."
Leaving her subordinates behind, Yeon Jeokhwa followed Hyeok Mulin.
They arrived at a small clearing and stood at a suitable distance, facing each other.
She glanced around, then spoke with a mix of self-deprecation and doubt.
"Hoo, holding a secret meeting in the mountains—there's a first for everything."
Having erected a barrier of qi to prevent their words from leaking out, she turned to Hyeok Mulin.
"They can't hear us now, so tell me why you've come looking for me. Even disguising yourself as one of the Saan Valley assassins."
"Oh? So you knew they were from Saan Valley."
"Who else in Gui-ju Castle knows the terrain that well and would send assassins after me? The answer was obvious from the start."
She had been aware of Saan Valley stirring up trouble in Gui-ju Castle, but the Blood Heaven Divine Palace had merely observed from one step back.
There was no need to dive into a cesspool just to swat flies.
That negligence must have led them to view the main palace as soft.
'Looking at their forces, I can guess their intentions.'
There were no true masters among the assassins who had swarmed her.
Saan Valley's real goal wasn't to kill her—it was to indirectly eliminate threats to their group using the Blood Heaven Divine Palace's hand.
But that alone was enough for them to cross the line.
'Time to wipe them all out while I'm at it.'
Yeon Jeokhwa's eyes turned icy cold as she resolved to clean up the pests thoroughly.
Hyeok Mulin posed a question.
"You never once thought I might actually be one of them."
"Of course not. Saan Valley couldn't even afford the entry fee for that auction. Besides, you don't carry their vibe at all—no one would mistake you for one of those assassins."
Her gaze, which had swept over the assassins, returned to Hyeok Mulin.
"So, why have you shown up here?"
Hyeok Mulin closed his eyes briefly, stroking his chin.
Then, with a smirk, he opened them slowly and spoke.
"Would you believe me if I said I just wanted to hear your voice again after so long?"
"...Not a chance."
Though, for some inexplicable reason, her mood lifted for a moment—she knew that couldn't be the real reason.
Staring intently at Hyeok Mulin, Yeon Jeokhwa was determined to hear the truth.
He cleared his throat and replied in a leisurely tone.
"Hm. It seems you need a reason every time to visit a friend."
"That's...!"
She started to retort that of course one did, but faltered midway.
What was a friend, anyway?
Ever since childhood, Yeon Jeokhwa had been surrounded by those seeking to use her, so she had long since closed off her heart.
Even when chances for closeness arose, she built walls; with those who drew near, she erected barriers to keep distance.
As a result, she found relationships based on mutual gain far more comfortable than true friendship.
'Do I even have friends?'
She was ignorant of such emotions.
And she wasn't one to rattle off retorts about things she didn't understand, so she couldn't immediately counter Hyeok Mulin's words.
But stopping there felt like admitting defeat, so she quickly changed the subject.
"Ahem. Did you put those auction items to good use?"
"You mean the ones from the auction? Like this?"
Pew!
Hyeok Mulin fired an ice orb toward a nearby tree.
The moment it struck, the surrounding trees froze solid in an instant.
Seeing them transformed into massive ice sculptures, Yeon Jeokhwa's eyes widened like a startled rabbit.
"Th-this is that Ice Stone Palm?"
Hyeok Mulin nodded, and she stared blankly at the frozen trees in disbelief.
The Ice Stone Palm she knew was a mediocre technique at best—what had happened to make this possible?
Moreover, judging by the qi invested, he had clearly held back considerably.
'If he went all out...'
Gulp.
Imagining its full power, Yeon Jeokhwa swallowed hard.
What she had seen at the auction was a paltry Ice Stone Palm, but this was a divine art worthy of the name.
'Who the hell is this guy?'
Her gaze lingered on the ice before finally settling on Hyeok Mulin.
The look in her eyes had shifted subtly.
He was undoubtedly a martial artist with profound insight into techniques.
He had reborn a technique everyone dismissed into something divine.
Then, perhaps...
'He could decipher that one too.'
The technique everyone had failed to interpret and ultimately abandoned.
A faint spark of hope flickered in Yeon Jeokhwa's pupils as she thought of it.
Soon after, she cleared her throat awkwardly, steadied her breath, and addressed Hyeok Mulin.
"As I understand it, friends invite each other freely and visit without reservation."
She glanced at him sidelong before continuing.
"Since you've come all this way to see me, why not visit the main palace together?"
Hyeok Mulin regarded her impassively.
One display of the Ice Soul Severing Palm, and her attitude had flipped completely.
He could see right through her intentions.
She needed help with some technique.
"Sure, why not."
Hyeok Mulin accepted the invitation readily.
He had long been curious about the Blood Heaven Divine Palace's martial arts, as public knowledge of them was extremely limited.
Yeon Jeokhwa's face lit up with delight.
"Then let's set out right now..."
As she turned to head straight for the carriage, Hyeok Mulin added,
"One more thing. I'm bringing them along too."
Following his gesture, she spotted two assassins hiding in the brush.
Frowning, she voiced her displeasure.
"I only invited you. Allowing more intruders is out of the question."
"Is that so? Then I'll be on my way."
"W-what?!"
As Hyeok Mulin turned without hesitation, Yeon Jeokhwa's voice spiked in panic.
His stride was unwavering—he meant it.
Her shoulders trembled as she squeezed her eyes shut and shouted,
"Fine! They can come too!"
It grated on her, but she had no choice.
She was desperate to bring Hyeok Mulin along, somehow.
With the agreement reached between both sides, Jeok Igam—who would now be traveling with them—asked in bewilderment,
"Come along? Brother, what is that woman talking about?"
Jeok Mugun replied matter-of-factly.
"We're going to the Blood Heaven Divine Palace."
"...We?"
"Yes. Me, and you."
Jeok Igam's mind went blank for a moment before he frantically waved his hands.
"No way! I have to go back! Those guys are ruthless—if they sense I'm gone, they'll slaughter everyone connected to me!"
Pity flickered in Jeok Mugun's eyes at his brother's desperate plea.
His younger sibling hadn't chosen to stay with Saan Valley of his own will, after all.
He had been bound to them by threats and coercion.
Jeok Mugun felt deep sorrow for the burdens his brother had shouldered alone.
Swallowing that pity, Jeok Mugun shook his head, refuting him.
"No need."
"Huh? What do you...?"
By now,
"It should all be over."