Chapter 339
Chapter 339
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 339
Chapter Title: Laying the Bait
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In the quarters of Bing Han-pung, Lord of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
He lay on his bed, drawing ragged breaths.
No one could be allowed to discover that his injury was a ruse. Thus, he had not hesitated to take the full force of Bu Eun-seol’s palm strike.
As a result, he had suffered a grievous wound, the area around the center of his chest torn to shreds, along with deep internal injuries.
“Truly remarkable enlightenment.”
Recalling the frigid energy of the Glacial Divine Flow that had gathered in Bu Eun-seol's palm, Bing Han-pung muttered under his breath.
“To think he could create an Ice Crystal with the Glacial Divine Flow after learning it for only four days.”
While his wound was grievous, the damage was limited to his physical body.
He could heal the internal injuries in an instant if he so chose.
This was because Bu Eun-seol had used the Glacial Divine Flow to create an Ice Crystal—the very essence of extreme yin energy—and embedded it near the center of his chest.
For a master of ice arts, having an Ice Crystal embedded in him was practically harmless.
However, by refraining from circulating his energy to absorb the crystal’s chill, he was feigning a deep internal injury.
The method was so ingenious that even the highly skilled Divine Physician Dong-ju was convinced he had sustained a fatal internal wound.
“He said this was the first trap…”
Even if the traitor came to examine him, they would never be able to discern the truth.
They would be convinced that Bing Han-pung had suffered an irreversible, critical injury.
“How merciless the passage of time.”
A sense of desolation filled Bing Han-pung’s eyes as he lay on the bed.
There was a time when he believed he might ascend to the throne of the greatest under heaven.
The power of the Millennial Ice Crystal was limitless, and when combined with the martial arts of the Ice Palace, it could freeze any foe in an instant.
In fact, he had once secretly traveled to the Central Plains for martial contests and defeated countless masters.
That is, until he was defeated by a renowned, peerless master of the Demonic Path.
The Seven-Fingered Demonic Blade, Bu Jan-yang.
That fearsome demonic swordsman had shattered the Glacial Soul Art he had unleashed in a mere three moves.
Fortunately, the man had stopped his attack after breaking the ice art. Had he chosen otherwise, his head would have been severed within ten seconds.
‘He was a swordsman far more merciful than the rumors suggested.’
Bing Han-pung’s eyes narrowed as he recalled the past.
—I had intended to make you promise not to covet the Central Plains as long as I live…
The Seven-Fingered Demonic Blade, Bu Jan-yang, had bared his white teeth as he looked down at the fallen Bing Han-pung.
—But it seems there is no need.
The Demonic Blade had discerned not only that Bing Han-pung, the Palace Lord, possessed a generous and simple character, but also that he had failed to master the divine arts of the Glacial Great Emperor.
—Master the Glacial Divine Flow first. If that is impossible, find a disciple who can.
Then, he departed, leaving behind a cryptic message.
—Otherwise… the Northern Sea Ice Palace will not survive the great blood calamity to come.
In truth, Bing Han-pung had never even thought of coveting the Central Plains.
Moreover, after witnessing Bu Jan-yang’s terrifying skill, he had developed a reverence for the martial arts of the Central Plains, as well as a fierce warrior’s spirit.
He had since dedicated himself to studying the arts of the Glacial Great Emperor and searching for a disciple who could master them… but had failed in every attempt.
Of course, this was Bing Han-pung’s personal affair, a secret he had told no one.
“But he disappeared long ago.”
A deep, dark light flowed from Bing Han-pung’s eyes.
“To think that the one I sought for so long, the one who could master the Glacial Divine Flow, would be the successor to the Demonic Cult he belonged to… Is this also fate?”
*Knock, knock.*
At that moment, a knock on the door was followed by the low voice of a maid.
“Family Head Eom has requested to see you, my lord.”
‘He’s here.’
Bing Han-pung narrowed his eyes.
Hearing that he was in critical condition must have made the five family heads anxious.
The Millennial Ice Crystal stored in the dantian could lose its mystical power if its owner died.
This was precisely why the Northern Sea Ice Palace chose its next lord earlier than other clans.
—The Palace Lord’s condition has stabilized.
The Divine Physician Dong-ju, who had treated Bing Han-pung’s wound, had announced that he had passed the critical stage.
But the family heads’ hearts must be racing.
In the end, all the family heads except Han Wu-sang were now arriving one by one under the pretext of visiting the sick.
“Let him in.”
As Bing Han-pung spoke, the door opened, and Eom Wu-jung, the head of the Eom family, entered cautiously.
“Palace Lord. How is your body?”
“Thanks to you, I’m managing.”
He placed a wooden box containing a spiritual pill on the table beside the bed.
“This is an Azure Cloud Pill I acquired in Xinjiang in the past. One pill should help you recover your vitality, Palace Lord.”
“Thank you.”
Bing Han-pung smiled faintly.
“I don’t know when I last received such kindness.”
For a moment, Eom Wu-jung’s cheeks flushed red.
The memory of the long days he had refused to acknowledge the Palace Lord’s authority flashed through his mind.
“Is that not because you failed to deal with matters decisively all this time, Palace Lord?”
With a deep sigh, Eom Wu-jung instead blamed Bing Han-pung’s generous nature.
“If you had severely punished that Han Wu-sang from the very beginning, none of this would have happened.”
“Perhaps you’re right.”
As Bing Han-pung smiled placidly, Eom Wu-jung began to get to the point.
“And surely we cannot delay the selection of the next Palace Lord any longer?”
“Of course.”
Bing Han-pung said calmly.
“As soon as my body recovers, I will select the next Palace Lord.”
“Thank you. And if possible… I would be grateful for your consideration.”
Eom Wu-jung was an ambitious man who had made various moves to ensure his son would become the next Palace Lord.
And even now, he had not abandoned that thought.
“I understand.”
At Bing Han-pung’s short reply, Eom Wu-jung clasped his hands and cautiously exited.
After he left, Bing Han-pung was about to close his eyes on the bed.
But a moment later, the maid’s voice was heard again.
“Family Head Seol has requested to see you, my lord.”
“Let him in.”
Seol Se-geuk, the head of the Seol family, also visited, bearing a spiritual pill beneficial to one’s health.
He then spoke with an unprecedentedly furious expression.
“Who in the world would dare to assassinate the Palace Lord? Was it the successor of the Demonic Cult?”
“I do not know. However… the Head of the Disciplinary Hall said they are investigating with all possibilities in mind.”
“He must have panicked and committed this act now that your name has been cleared.”
For a long time, Bing Han-pung had lost his authority as Palace Lord.
But after the truth of Han Ja-uk’s assassination was revealed, public opinion in the Northern Sea Ice Palace had completely changed.
Not only all the disciples but also the family heads had come to respect Bing Han-pung, who had silently held his position without making excuses.
And Seol Se-geuk was no different.
“If the Head of the Disciplinary Hall cannot find him, I will find the culprit myself.”
He continued to vent his rage about the culprit for a while longer before taking his leave.
The next visitor was Baek Jin-yu, the head of the Baek family.
He formally expressed concern for Bing Han-pung’s health before quickly getting to his point.
“To frame the Palace Lord and leave our palace in this state for so long… The culprit must be one of the five family heads.”
That was not a thought unique to Baek Jin-yu.
Though none of the disciples of the Northern Sea Ice Palace voiced it, they were convinced that the one who had assassinated Han Ja-uk and brought down the Palace Lord’s authority was surely one of the heads of the five families, excluding the Bing family.
“One can never know.”
As Bing Han-pung shook his head bitterly, Baek Jin-yu spoke.
“In any case, it seems our palace’s expansion to the outside world has become an unstoppable tide.”
Bing Han-pung looked slightly surprised.
Baek Jin-yu was a man who had long wished for the Northern Sea Ice Palace to maintain its isolation.
Was he not also the one who hoped the five families would remain divided for a long time to maintain power equivalent to the Palace Lord?
So why was he suddenly speaking positively about forming an alliance?
“However, the Central Plains’ Demonic Path cannot be trusted.”
“Hmm.”
“It would be best to consider an alliance in another direction. Alliances of the non-Central Plains sects have historically been formed out of necessity.”
He went on to emphasize several times that the non-Central Plains sects should join forces and the necessity of such an alliance.
Only then did Bing Han-pung grasp Baek Jin-yu’s true intentions.
‘Since he can’t stop the alliance, he’s trying to steer it in a direction favorable to him.’
Unable to stop the tide of forming alliances, Baek Jin-yu was trying to create a non-Central Plains alliance that would preserve his own power.
“If such an alliance were to be formed, then of course you would have to be its leader.”
As Bing Han-pung spoke with uncharacteristic directness, Baek Jin-yu’s face turned red.
“How could I dare harbor such thoughts? I merely…”
As he tried to make excuses, Bing Han-pung cut him off with a nod.
“I will give that some thought as well.”
The last family head to visit was Dong Yu-gak of the Dong family.
He expressed great concern for Bing Han-pung’s health for a long time and brought a Frozen Ice Harmony Pill, a spiritual medicine passed down through the Dong family for generations.
“Palace Lord, are you alright?”
“I’m managing.”
“You have suffered a great deal.”
Dong Yu-gak bowed his head with an embarrassed expression.
Then, gently taking the hand of Bing Han-pung who lay on the bed, he spoke with a pained look.
“All this time, every family head has lived only for their own self-preservation, not caring what became of the palace.”
“It’s alright.”
Bing Han-pung offered a generous smile.
“Unlike the other family heads, you have never once criticized me or disobeyed my orders.”
Dong Yu-gak had always been a bystander in Bing Han-pung’s affairs.
But he had never disrespected Bing Han-pung like the other family heads. He had never failed to treat him with the proper respect due a Palace Lord.
“I am grateful for your generosity, Palace Lord. However, I am ashamed and sorry that the truth of the rumors that tormented you for so long has only now been revealed by someone from another clan.”
“Hahaha. Don’t say such things. Pay it no mind.”
“Please recover quickly and rise to create a united palace once more. That is the common wish of all the family heads.”
“I understand. Thank you.”
Finally, all the family heads had visited Bing Han-pung.
With the exception of one, of course: Han Wu-sang. He had been the first to pledge his loyalty to Bing Han-pung and had stayed by his side, spending sleepless nights while he was being treated in the Divine Physician’s hall.
Only after Bing Han-pung’s condition improved did he finally feel relieved and return to the Han family, which was why he did not come to visit.
*Creeak.*
Bu Eun-seol, who had heard everything, opened the door to the secret passage and emerged.
Bing Han-pung’s eyes flashed as he saw him.
“Well? Do you know who the traitor is?”
Bu Eun-seol nodded at Bing Han-pung’s question.
“I do.”
“How?”
“Because traitors try to conceal their true intentions as much as possible.”
“I don’t understand.”
Bing Han-pung tilted his head.
The head of the Eom family had shown his ambition for the palace lordship.
The head of the Dong family, his desire for a united Northern Sea Ice Palace.
The head of the Seol family, his rage toward the one who had harmed the Palace Lord.
And the head of the Baek family had emphasized an alliance with other non-Central Plains sects.
Their opinions were consistent with the stances they had always held. Thus, Bing Han-pung had not noticed anything particularly strange.
“Furthermore, there is a fact that only the traitor knows: that the assassination attempt on you, Palace Lord, has a high probability of being self-staged.”
Bing Han-pung nodded.
Within the Northern Sea Ice Palace, the only one who would assassinate him was the traitor who had caused the division among the family heads.
“Therefore, it is not important to him whether your injury is severe. His purpose was only to probe whether you were truly seriously injured and what scheme you were plotting.”
“Hmm.”
Finding Bu Eun-seol’s riddle intriguing, Bing Han-pung asked again.
“Explain in more detail.”
“The families of the Northern Sea have pledged loyalty to the Palace Lord, but in their hearts, they wish for their own families to prosper more.”
“That is true.”
“Though public opinion in the Northern Sea Ice Palace has shifted and you have regained your authority, only he did not reveal his inner thoughts. He merely confirmed the details of your condition and left. Because he now knows that you are truly injured.”
At that moment, Bing Han-pung’s eyes trembled.
He finally realized who Bu Eun-seol was identifying as the traitor.
The other three family heads all had clear objectives beyond just visiting the sick. But he had come with no other purpose.
Because the most important thing for him was to confirm whether Bing Han-pung was truly injured or faking it.
“He was the collaborator.”
“Indeed.”
Bing Han-pung’s face twisted in agony.
The one who, among the five families, had always remained quiet, neither criticizing him nor offering any opinions.
And the only one who had come close enough to meticulously check his internal injuries by clasping his hands…
To think that Dong Yu-gak, the head of the Dong family, was the traitor who had orchestrated all of this.
“But there is no proof.”
Swallowing his anguish, Bing Han-pung let out a sigh.
“The reason we haven’t caught the culprit until now is because there was no evidence. No matter what trick we use, he will not reveal that he is the traitor.”
“Do not worry.”
Bu Eun-seol said calmly.
“If we use the final method in the plan I told you about, we will be able to obtain proof.”
“A plan? What plan?”
Yu Un-ryong blinked.
Instead of answering, Bu Eun-seol took something out from his robes and handed it to him.
It was the scroll on which the entire plan was written, the one he had previously shown to Bing Han-pung.
Having grasped the whole situation, Yu Un-ryong’s eyes widened.
“This plan is too dangerous.”
“The Palace Lord went so far as to harm his own body. There’s no reason I can’t do the same.”
Yu Un-ryong shook his head firmly.
“This plan has too many flaws. The probability of it being seen as a trap is too high.”
“You’re right.”
Despite this, a smile graced Bu Eun-seol’s lips.
“But he will have no choice but to come.”
“What do you mean by that?”
A sharp glint flashed in Bu Eun-seol’s eyes.
“Because I’ve wagered something he has desired for so long.”
At that, So Ok-rim, who had been listening silently, crossed her arms.
“True, human desire is difficult to control.”
She smiled and looked down at Yu Un-ryong.
“When a plan that has been carefully built for ten years is about to crumble, no one would just stand by and watch.”
Yu Un-ryong looked surprised.
Was So Ok-rim, like Bu Eun-seol, also well-versed in the ways of the world and human emotions?
“Hmm.”
Yu Un-ryong let out a hum and nodded his head.
“That could be true.”
Bu Eun-seol said with confidence.
“He will certainly show his true colors. If not all of them, then at least a part.”
Bu Eun-seol’s final plan.
It was to use something they could never ignore, a tempting bait… to expose the true colors of the descendant of the Eight Desolations Three Sages and the head of the Dong family in one fell swoop.
The Northern Sea Ice Palace was in an uproar.
—While being investigated for harming the Palace Lord, the successor of the Demonic Cult has escaped from the palace!
While being interrogated in the underground prison, Bu Eun-seol had reportedly attempted a sudden escape.
It turned out that he was also the one who had ambushed Bing Han-pung.
His goal was not an alliance, but to steal the martial arts manual possessed by the Palace Lord.
—Is this even possible?
All the disciples of the Northern Sea Ice Palace could not hide their bewilderment.
The successor of the Demonic Cult, the alliance of the Central Plains’ Demonic Path, came all the way to the Ice Palace just to steal a manual?
—The Demonic Cult wanted an alliance with the Yeolha Sacred Palace. They demanded our palace’s manual as a condition for that alliance!
Shockingly, what the successor of the Demonic Cult wanted was an alliance with the Yeolha Sacred Palace, and to achieve that, he had come to steal the Northern Sea Ice Palace’s manual.
—We were too naive!
As this plausible reason spread through rumors once again, half of the disciples of the Northern Sea Ice Palace were enraged, and the other half resigned.
—The family that captures the fugitive Martial Soul Lord will produce the next successor! And I will immediately pass on the Millennial Ice Crystal!
As if enraged, Bing Han-pung issued this order to all the families of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
He had now regained his authority as Palace Lord, and no one would object even if he were to select his own son as the next lord.
Furthermore, the Millennial Ice Crystal was only effective if passed on while he was alive.
The reason the six families of the North Sea could unite, and the reason they could not forcibly usurp the Palace Lord’s position…
It was because of this special treasure unique to the Northern Sea Divine Palace, the Millennial Ice Crystal.
But now, the family that caught the Martial Soul Lord, Bu Eun-seol, would produce the next Palace Lord?
Every family, except for the Bing family, went mad with greed.
—Capture him!
The five families, excluding the Bing family, immediately began to pursue the fugitive Bu Eun-seol.
In the endless snowy plains of the North Sea, it was nearly impossible to escape alone without a trace.
Moreover, Bu Eun-seol had forcefully broken through the palace’s mechanisms to escape, leaving him severely injured.
If they could capture him, the Northern Sea Ice Palace would finally welcome a new master.
The snowfield was stained pure white.
There, groups of trackers ran in five different directions.
As the fugitive Bu Eun-seol’s tracks had split into several paths, the five families had no choice but to divide and begin their pursuit in different directions.
“Halt!”
Dong Yu-gak, leading the pursuit team, stopped his movement technique and looked down at the ground for a while.
A very faint trace remained there.
“It seems his injuries are too severe to maintain his traceless steps.”
Discerning that the faint mark was a footprint left while performing a lightness skill, Dong Yu-gak wore a faint smile.
The fleeing Bu Eun-seol was so severely injured that he could no longer maintain a stable lightness skill.
As if to prove it, a trail of bright blood from an artery was clearly visible along his escape route.
“If I catch him, no one will be able to object.”
Dong Yu-gak trembled slightly.
For a long time, he had been working with outside forces on a plan to swallow the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
Originally, he had intended to frame Bing Han-pung as the culprit in Han Ja-uk’s assassination and provoke Han Wu-sang to force him from the Palace Lord’s seat.
But Han Wu-sang only hated him to death and would not agree to any decisive action.
And Bing Han-pung had also silently held his position, indefinitely postponing the selection of the next Palace Lord until the culprit was caught.
As he stubbornly held on, refusing to hand over the Millennial Ice Crystal to the point where his blood vessels were about to freeze, Dong Yu-gak was on the verge of going mad.
—This is a blessing from the heavens!
But then, the successor of the Demonic Cult suddenly came to the Northern Sea Ice Palace and stirred things up, claiming to investigate Han Ja-uk’s assassination.
From Dong Yu-gak’s perspective, however, this was another opportunity.
Just as he was preparing his conspiracy step by step, the successor of the Demonic Cult self-destructed.
‘Perhaps this is also something he plotted with the Palace Lord.’
Dong Yu-gak already knew that Bing Han-pung and Bu Eun-seol were hiding something.
Although the forces collaborating with him had advised him to be cautious, Dong Yu-gak saw this as an opportunity.
—If I capture him, the Northern Sea Ice Palace will fall meekly into my hands.
Bing Han-pung had publicly declared that the family of the one who captured him would produce the next Palace Lord.
No matter what scheme was at play, if he captured Bu Eun-seol, the position of Palace Lord going to the Dong family could not be revoked.
Growing impatient, Dong Yu-gak shouted to his subordinates.
“Follow me quickly.”
He immediately unleashed a gale-like movement technique and dashed along the trail of blood.
After running for about an hour…
In the distance, he saw the wretched figure of a man, huddled in front of a small rock face.
It was none other than the successor of the Demonic Cult who had escaped from the underground prison of the Northern Sea Ice Palace, Bu Eun-seol.