Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: The Ice White Soul-Stealing Palm
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"Ooh..."
"So that's the Ice Arts they've been talking about."
The crowd gazed at the display table with eyes full of curiosity.
"Everyone here knows the power and rarity of these foreign martial arts. And among them, you all know how formidable the North Sea Ice Palace's Ice Arts are without me saying a word. It was obtained with great difficulty."
Wolgwang began explaining the technique with a satisfied voice, basking in the attention.
"Ice Stone Palm hardens objects upon contact, turning them as solid as ice or stone in an instant. It has endless uses in combat and training. For example, in battle when facing multiple enemies at once..."
The audience watched with moderately interested looks, as if it were amusing enough.
But one person alone—Hyeok Mulin—stared down at it with piercing eyes.
'No, that's not some mere Ice Stone Palm.'
It was unmistakably the signature ultimate technique of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's ninth Heavenly Demon, the Ice Soul Demon Emperor Seol Wungang: Ice White Soul-Stealing Palm.
Seol Wungang.
The first from the outer regions to ascend to the Cult Leader's throne.
Born as one of the eight prodigies of the North Sea Ice Palace's Palace Lord, he had shone with exceptional talent from childhood, drawing the expectations of all around him.
'But that became poison instead.'
Expectations and jealousy go hand in hand.
The other successors, envious and fearful of his power, banded together to kill him.
Thus, over a dozen successors attacked Seol Wungang with combined force. Still immature, he couldn't overcome them and fled, gravely wounded.
Leaving the outer regions behind, he came to this Divine Province.
Seeking refuge in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, time passed, and his outstanding talent fully matured. In the end, he rose to the Cult Leader's position.
And finally, he led the demon army in a campaign of vengeance against the North Sea Ice Palace.
'His Ice Arts were truly unparalleled.'
Countless Ice Arts gained fame in his hands.
When naming his signature ultimate technique, opinions might differ, but most chose one without hesitation.
That was Ice White Soul-Stealing Palm.
Having mastered it, he became like a force of nature.
Charging straight from Divine Province to the North Sea Ice Palace, Seol Wungang froze everything in his path—the land, rivers, villages, people, ancient trees, even the raging blizzard itself.
The entire world that touched his gaze.
Whirling frost around him, he reached the Ice Palace and forced its Lord's surrender.
'Calling something like that Ice Stone Palm? It's laughable.'
Wolgwang explained.
It hardens objects upon contact, like ice or stone, in an instant.
No.
It's not just hardening—it's truly freezing them.
And if mastered to Seol Wungang's level, it can be used without contact, with power beyond imagination.
Furthermore, Wolgwang explained.
The name of this technique is Ice Stone Palm.
Wrong.
That manual is clearly Ice White Soul-Stealing Palm.
So why was it known as Ice Stone Palm?
It was due to Seol Wungang's deep paranoia and distrust.
Betrayed by his brothers, he was a pessimist who trusted no one or the world.
As such, he feared his signature technique's manual leaking out.
He split the core into two parts, creating two manuals.
He cunningly recorded only different key points in each, so unless both were studied together, it would only produce meager power.
One he stored in the Heavenly Demon Secret Vault's Heavenly Demon Cave, the other in his personal residence.
'Later, that became a problem.'
Time passed, he met his end, and the Cult's demons searched his residence thoroughly to recover the remaining manual.
But no matter how they tore it apart, the other half was gone.
The remaining portion he had kept at home had vanished completely.
'In the end, the Cult gave up on recovery back then. Who would have thought it would resurface after hundreds of years?'
In his previous life, few knew the true value of Ice Stone Palm.
Conversely, a select few did know its true worth.
Thus, over a decade later, a warrior rose to fame in Divine Province with Ice Arts.
Some big shots recognized it as the missing half of Ice White Soul-Stealing Palm and ordered a pursuit.
As a result, today—along with the Blood Demon's Blood River Linked Divine Art—it appeared here under the name Ice Stone Palm, revealed to the world.
Even more shocking, it was bought cheaply with little competition, stunning the Cult followers.
'I have to get that no matter what.'
Setting everything else aside, Hyeok Mulin had come solely for Ice White Soul-Stealing Palm.
If he failed to win the bid or the auction was halted for some reason, he planned to smash the place and take it by force.
Ice White Soul-Stealing Palm was worth it.
"Alright, let's start right away! The starting bid is two hundred gold nyang!"
Two hundred nyang.
Lower than other manuals' starting prices.
Naturally so—rare foreign art or not, the Ice Stone Palm they knew was mediocre.
Even mastered, it would barely reach peak level, they figured.
Not wrong.
If only that manual were obtained.
But combined with the half in the Cult's Heavenly Demon Cave, its power could threaten the world.
"Two hundred ten nyang."
"I'll take it at two hundred twenty."
"Hm, I'll go up to two hundred forty nyang."
The bidding proceeded smoothly.
But given the technique's apparent low level, participation was lukewarm.
Around three hundred nyang, it stalled—then Hyeok Mulin slowly raised his hand.
"Four hundred nyang."
"Four hundred nyang?"
"That's too expensive."
"Who the hell's wasting that much on a peak-level technique?"
At four hundred nyang, people glanced at Hyeok Mulin and whispered.
They shook their heads, signaling withdrawal.
"Too heated. I'm out."
"Same here. Not bidding more."
"Four hundred nyang on some rootless Ice Stone Palm or whatever. He bought that weird old coin earlier too—doesn't know the value of money."
They muttered among themselves, but Hyeok Mulin calmly stared only at the manual on the table.
As long as he won that one, he'd be the victor...
"Four hundred ten nyang."
Then, a woman's voice rang through the auction house.
She's jumping in?
Two fools?
Just when it seemed over, another bidder shocked the crowd.
"Four hundred twenty nyang."
Hyeok Mulin countered immediately.
"Four hundred thirty nyang."
The woman fired back.
In the end, Hyeok Mulin turned to look at her.
"......"
Meeting the eyes of the woman whose face below the nose was covered in red silk gauze, he turned away again.
'She doesn't know its true value.'
Her face showed no desperation or urgency.
He'd wondered if she knew the manual's secret, but it seemed mere momentary interest.
Thinking he wouldn't back down from four hundred nyang, she joined for fun, despite no intention to win.
In that case.
"Five hundred nyang."
"F-Five hundred nyang?"
"Five hundred nyang for a peak-level manual...?!"
At Hyeok Mulin's declaration, eyes widened.
The competing woman flinched in slight surprise.
After that, she didn't raise her hand or bid again.
'As expected.'
She must have thought it risky.
If her funds were exactly five hundred nyang, raising more might mean actually winning it.
With her out, no one else bid.
"Sold! Sold! Sold! Ice Stone Palm goes for five hundred nyang!"
Wolgwang shouted joyfully, thrilled by the unexpected haul from a supposed peak-level art.
Since deals finalized after the auction, Hyeok Mulin watched the rest leisurely.
Wolgwang introduced higher-grade manuals one by one.
The mood heated up over time, reaching a fever pitch.
About an hour later, as the auction neared its end, Wolgwang spoke.
"You've all waited so long. Everyone here at tonight's Full Moon Underground Auction has been counting down to this moment."
The crowd erupted in frenzy.
"Ooooh!"
"Finally...!"
"Let me introduce it right away. No need for much explanation. This is tonight's star, the infamous Blood Demon's ultimate technique...!"
Wolgwang dramatically swept away the luxurious black cloth on the table.
Revealing a blood-red manual to all.
"Blood River Linked Divine Art!"
Some stared intently, others curiously, some jumped up.
But while reactions varied, Hyeok Mulin alone rested his chin on his hand, looking bored.
'The Blood Demon's art.'
Honestly, zero interest.
Blood River Linked Divine Art was an inner art for infusing qi into bodily fluids—specifically fresh blood. But he already cultivated Pure Soul Divine Demon Art.
Which operated extreme demonic qi, an apex inner art incomparable to others—no need for more.
'Well, excluding me, plenty want it.'
Those idolizing the Blood Demon's past ferocity.
Or.
'The Blood Heaven Divine Palace, successors to the Blood Cult, must want it badly.'
After the Blood Cult's fall, Blood Heaven Divine Palace rose, vowing to carry their legacy.
Thus, they'd crave the Blood Demon's core ultimate technique most.
In his previous life, it ended up in their hands at auction's close.
They'd prepared vast sums to outbid anyone.
"Starting bid: one thousand gold nyang."
No other manual had started so high.
Yet the crowd's fervor drove it skyrocketing in seconds.
"I'll bid one thousand one hundred nyang!"
"I'll take it at one thousand three hundred nyang!"
"One thousand five hundred! One thousand six hundred nyang!"
"One thousand eight hundred nyang!"
But as the price soared, competitors dwindled.
"Please, let me have it at two thousand nyang!"
"Hmph, then I'll bid two thousand two hundred nyang!"
"Damn it, two thousand three hundred nyang! That's all I have!"
Still, a few battled to the end, pushing it to two thousand five hundred nyang.
"Three thousand nyang."
Amid the noise, a woman casually dropped the sky-high bid.
All eyes turned to her.
The bidder was the same woman who competed fiercely for Ice Stone Palm.
"Three thousand one hundred nyang!"
Undeterred, someone shouted back, and she responded coolly.
"Three thousand five hundred nyang."
Jumping four hundred nyang at once horrified the crowd.
She exuded iron will to win and fearless confidence to crush rivals.
"Three thousand five hundred nyang, any higher bids?"
A fortune ordinary folk—or even most rich ones—never touched.
No more bidders emerged; the crowd just swallowed hard.
"Then, final sale at three thousand five hundred nyang..."
But just as it seemed settled.
"Five thousand nyang."
A man's calm voice echoed softly through the auction house.
The crowd stiffly turned, necks creaking.
Every single gaze converged on one spot.
On Hyeok Mulin, chin propped lazily, eyes half-lidded.