Chapter 215: Evil Demon Ju Do-san-1
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 215: Evil Demon Ju Do-san-1
"Damn it, damn it, damn it!"
Ju Do-san spat out a string of curses as he sprinted toward the fortress walls.
He was seething with irritation at the sudden appearance of the Northern Army.
Why the hell are those butcher bastards, who spend their days slaughtering barbarians, showing their faces at the Ice Palace?
Ju Do-san’s expression twisted in annoyance as he pushed himself to run even faster. He needed to figure out why they had suddenly turned up.
.
.
.
.
After a short while, Ju Do-san reached the top of the wall and cast his gaze toward the outskirts of the fortress.
His brow furrowed instantly.
Before his eyes stood a massive force, numbering at least several thousand.
"Shit, just how many of them are there?"
Ju Do-san cursed under his breath as he took in the scale of the army. Even for a master of the Transcendent Realm like himself, the sheer size of the force was overwhelming.
"It looks to be several thousand, sir," a demonic practitioner standing guard nearby answered.
"I know that, you brat!"
Ju Do-san snapped at him, his mind in a state of disarray. His expression hardened immediately; he had a bad feeling about this.
He had assumed that even if the Northern Army appeared, there would be a few hundred at most. He didn't think the Northern Army, which should be busy dealing with the northern barbarians, would bring their entire strength to visit the Ice Palace.
But now that he was seeing it for himself, it wasn't hundreds—there were thousands gathered there.
An army of this size was meant for annihilation, not a visit.
He stared straight ahead with grim eyes.
"I am Ju Do-san, the current master of the Ice Palace! For what reason have you come to our gates?!"
Ju Do-san poured his internal energy into his voice, making it thunder across the plains. His shout echoed powerfully, reaching the ranks of the Northern Army.
Yet, despite his booming cry, not a single soldier in the Northern Army wavered. It was a testament to how well-trained they were.
Ju Do-san’s face darkened. His attempt to seize the initiative with a show of force had been far less effective than he’d hoped.
It was then.
Rumble—
The soldiers in the center began to part to the left and right, creating a long, straight path through the middle of the formation.
Step. Step.
Someone began to walk down that path.
Step. Step.
Gulp.
Ju Do-san unconsciously swallowed hard. The presence of the person walking toward them was so immense it could be felt even from atop the wall.
`Shit, am I actually nervous?`
Ju Do-san felt a surge of bewilderment. Though he had grown somewhat lax in his training since settling in the North Sea, he was still undeniably a master of the Transcendent Realm—a realm often referred to as the Absolute Stage.
And yet, he was feeling nervous?
Step. Step.
Finally, the figure walking at the end of the path revealed himself.
The man possessing that overwhelming presence was middle-aged. He had a sturdy build, standing at least eight feet tall. His hair was neatly tied up, and his beard was meticulously trimmed.
In stark contrast to his tidy appearance were his eyes, which were terrifyingly sharp. He wore ink-colored armor emblazoned with a golden dragon, and a dense, heavy aura swirled around him.
The man, a fusion of all these imposing traits, radiated a staggering presence just by standing there.
`Shit.`
Ju Do-san cursed inwardly the moment he identified the man.
He knew exactly who that was.
A brilliant commander who had turned down a life of courtly politics to spend his life slaughtering northern barbarians, leading countless wars to victory. A loyalist among loyalists who followed only the Emperor’s commands. A master of the Imperial Palace whom even the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot—organizations that made Murim experts tremble—dared not look down upon.
The First Sword of the Imperial Palace.
It was General Lee Yeon.
`Why the hell is that bastard here!`
Ju Do-san screamed internally, his irritation reaching its peak. Even for Ju Do-san, the "Evil Demon" who had once struck terror into the hearts of the entire Murim, Lee Yeon was an incredibly burdensome opponent. Though Ju Do-san was a powerhouse who had reached the Transcendent Realm, the title of "First Sword of the Imperial Palace" was a weight far too heavy for him to handle.
`Shit, shit, shit.`
The curses kept coming.
"It has been a long time, Evil Demon."
Lee Yeon’s voice reached Ju Do-san’s ears. Despite the considerable distance from the wall, the voice permeated his ears as if the man were whispering right next to him.
Shiver.
Hearing that voice, the Evil Demon felt a chill run down his spine.
"W-what brings you to this place?!" Ju Do-san shouted down at Lee Yeon.
"I have business to attend to."
Lee Yeon gave a short, clipped response.
"What kind of business?!"
"This does not seem like the place for such a conversation."
The Evil Demon’s face soured, looking as if he’d swallowed a toad. He understood the implication: he was being told to prepare a proper place for them to talk.
He fell into a brief dilemma. He wondered if it was truly wise to let such a man inside the fortress.
"Open the gates!"
However, he soon gave the order to his subordinates. If that man truly set his mind to it, he could tear the Ice Palace down in an instant. There was no point in trying to block him.
Rumble—
The massive fortress gates began to groan open with a heavy roar.
"Stand by."
Once the gates were fully open, Lee Yeon gave an order to the lieutenant beside him.
"By your command!" the lieutenant replied, quickly dropping to one knee.
""By your command!""
Following him, the thousands of soldiers behind them also dropped to one knee in unison. The thunderous response echoed through the air.
Step. Step.
Leaving the shouts of his loyal subordinates behind, Lee Yeon walked through the open gates alone. Thousands of eyes watched his retreating back.
*
"Just what is this business you speak of?"
After guiding Lee Yeon to the reception hall, the Evil Demon asked bluntly as soon as the general took a seat. His face was full of annoyance.
"You are insolent."
As if displeased by his attitude, Lee Yeon spoke indifferently.
Swoosh!
The moment he finished speaking, a pressure as sharp as tens of thousands of needles piercing at once began to envelop the Evil Demon’s entire body.
"Khhh!"
The Evil Demon let out an involuntary groan at the sudden pressure.
`Shiiiiiiit.`
He cursed inwardly. He felt a pressure so intense that even he, a master of the Transcendent Realm, found it difficult to resist.
`Dammit...!`
Wooooong—
The Evil Demon circulated his internal energy, struggling to break free from the pressure. A viscous Demonic Energy began to coat his body. Only then was he able to escape the brunt of Lee Yeon’s crushing aura.
"Huff... huff..."
The Evil Demon panted heavily. Though he had broken free, the sensation of being crushed lingered.
"Have you... crossed the wall?" the Evil Demon asked in a trembling voice.
Decades ago, Lee Yeon had been a powerhouse worthy of the title "First Sword of the Imperial Palace," but he hadn't been strong enough to unilaterally suppress a Transcendent Realm master like this. It was impossible unless he had crossed the wall.
"I have merely placed one foot across the threshold," Lee Yeon replied calmly.
Hearing this, the Evil Demon felt his skin crawl. The realization that Lee Yeon—who was already a monster—had reached the Profound Realm sent shivers down his spine.
"I was in the wrong. Please, forgive me."
The Evil Demon immediately apologized with a groveling expression. The gap between them was already insurmountable. He judged that it would be foolish to remain hostile toward such a man.
"There won't be a second time."
Lee Yeon spoke with a cold, mask-like face, then immediately withdrew his aura.
"Phew."
Only then did the Evil Demon breathe a sigh of relief. The energy that had been crushing his body vanished all at once.
"General Lee Yeon, why have you come to the Ice Palace?" the Evil Demon asked politely, having regained his composure.
"There is something you must obtain for me."
"Something I must obtain?" the Evil Demon asked, puzzled. What could he possibly need to do?
"I need Ice Essence."
Lee Yeon continued in a calm tone.
"Ice Essence?!"
The Evil Demon blurted out in shock. What was Ice Essence? It was a crystal of cold energy formed over hundreds of years in the freezing depths of the North Sea. It was said to freeze everything within a thirty-foot radius, making it a legendary elixir for those who practiced martial arts based on Yin-Cold Qi. Moreover, the conditions for its natural formation were so rare that finding one was said to require a lifetime's worth of luck.
And he was suddenly asking where to get such a thing?
"How am I supposed to find that?!"
The Evil Demon shouted reflexively at the absurd demand. Ice Essence wasn't something you could just find because you wanted to. It was a treasure that might not be found even if one searched the entire vast North Sea.
"I heard that the North Sea Ice Palace has a place where they have been artificially creating Ice Essence for centuries."
"Then you've come to the wrong person! I am merely occupying the Ice Palace; I am not a martial artist of the North Sea Ice Palace! I know absolutely nothing about Ice Essence!" the Evil Demon cried out, feeling wronged.
He had driven out the North Sea Ice Palace's warriors and taken over the palace, but he had no connection to their traditions. How was he supposed to find Ice Essence created by them?
"If you do not know, can you not simply ask someone who does?" Lee Yeon continued, his expression unmoved.
"The North Sea Ice Palace was annihilated! I killed them all with my own hands!"
The Evil Demon told Lee Yeon the secret history of the Ice Palace without reservation. Twenty years ago, during the Great War of Righteousness and Demons, the Master of the North Sea Ice Palace—the Ice Demon—had met his end at the hands of Lee Jae-won. The warriors he had brought with him were also wiped out by the heroes of the war. As a result, the North Sea Ice Palace, having lost its master and its main strength, was barely clinging to life.
The Evil Demon had swallowed it whole. Since there were no masters left who could oppose him, the Ice Palace was taken over without much resistance, and he became its new master. For twenty years, he had spent his boredom torturing and violating the remaining members of the North Sea Ice Palace. As of last year, not a single survivor remained.
So how could there be anyone left who knew the location of the Ice Essence? It was impossible.
"There is a survivor," Lee Yeon said, looking at the Evil Demon. "A survivor of the North Sea Ice Palace remains."
The Evil Demon’s eyes widened. He was the one who had killed them all—men, women, young, and old. Who could possibly have survived?
"Ah!"
Then, something flashed through his mind. He remembered someone whose death he hadn't personally confirmed.
"......Bukgung Yeon."
"Yes. The bloodline of the Ice Demon is still alive."
"How do you know this?"
"I had an encounter with her a few years ago," Lee Yeon replied with a stiff face.
"A few years ago...?"
"Exactly three years ago."
Lee Yeon looked at the Evil Demon and continued. "At the time, a company patrolling the northern region discovered a barbarian village and immediately began to pillage it."
He continued calmly. "However, the company showed no signs of returning. Sensing something was wrong, I went to the village myself, and I was quite surprised by what I found."
"Why is that?"
"When I entered the village, the barbarians were nowhere to be found, and hundreds of soldiers, including the centurion, were dead—frozen solid."
"Could it be...?"
"Yes. It was the mark of the Ice White Divine Art."
The Evil Demon’s expression turned grave. The subordinates under Lee Yeon were on a completely different level from ordinary soldiers. They were trained in basic internal energy cultivation and were seasoned veterans of decades of northern warfare. Yet, a company of such men had been annihilated by Bukgung Yeon alone. This was not something to be taken lightly.
"After that, similar incidents occurred several times, and I lost hundreds of troops."
Lee Yeon continued his story. "Then one day, by chance, I ran into her and we crossed blades."
"What happened?"
"I failed to kill her."
"........."
The Evil Demon couldn't close his gaping mouth. This was a staggering fact. Who was Lee Yeon? He was the absolute powerhouse known as the First Sword of the Imperial Palace. How could a mere girl, not even thirty years old, survive an encounter with him? Furthermore, hadn't Lee Yeon already stepped into the Profound Realm? Surviving against him was impossible, even if she had started practicing martial arts in the womb. It made no sense.
"How is that possible?"
"A blizzard struck. In the end, I lost her."
Lee Yeon spoke with a look of regret. He remembered how he had her cornered, only for a sudden blizzard to allow her escape.
The Evil Demon thought, Of course. Without such a stroke of luck, how could she have survived Lee Yeon?
"What level of cultivation had she reached?" the Evil Demon asked, curious.
"The Transcendent Realm."
Upon hearing those words, the Evil Demon’s face began to turn a sickly shade of grey.