Chapter 336: Ice and Fire-1
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 336: Ice and Fire-1
KABOOM!
With a thunderous roar, thousands of spears began to scatter once again.
"Haah... haah... haah..."
Seeing this, Bukgung Yeon finally let out the breath she had been holding, as if finally finding a moment of relief.
"Haah... haah... damn it."
A curse escaped her lips. She was currently irritated for two reasons.
The first was Lee Yeon’s Soul Link, which surged toward them without end. No matter how great the Profound Realm was, there were bound to be limits to the internal energy stored in one's Dantian. This was because they were at the Half-Immortal stage, not yet true Immortals.
Yet, Lee Yeon’s Soul Link seemed to have no limit. Even while facing two Profound Realm masters at once, he wasn't being pushed back at all. Not only was he holding his ground, but he didn't show a single sign of exhaustion—even while performing countless feats of Spear Kinesis with thousands of weapons.
It was infuriating. It felt less like fighting a human and more like trying to move a mountain.
And the second reason was...
"Ice Palace Master! What on earth are you doing?!"
It was Neung So-hwa, her temporary ally.
"Did I not tell you to stop firing chunks of ice?! Why are you so incapable of listening?!"
"And why exactly should I do what you tell me to do?" Bukgung Yeon retorted with a crooked expression.
"When you pour out those blocks of ice, they cancel out my flames! How can you be so thoughtless?!"
"The foundation of my martial arts is Ice Arts! How am I supposed to not use ice? Besides, do you have any idea how annoying your flames are? Why are you melting the spears I’ve already frozen? Are you trying to sabotage your own side?"
"Just whip up a Snow Wind! My flames will take care of the rest!"
"Don't order me around! Do I look like your subordinate? You can create a Heat Wind too, can't you? Just whip up some wind and support me!"
Bukgung Yeon spoke with blatant irritation as she glared at Neung So-hwa, who kept using that commanding tone.
"Flames are the very source of my martial arts! How dare you suggest such nonsense!"
"See! You hate the idea too, yet you're trying to force it on me!"
"This is a strategic choice! Flames grow stronger when fanned by the wind, do they not?!"
"My ice gets stronger with the wind too!"
"Don't be absurd! How does ice get stronger just because the wind blows?"
"It gets faster, so the ice chunks fly harder!"
"It is nothing compared to the burning of flames! Now, hurry and conjure a Snow Wind!"
Neung So-hwa and Bukgung Yeon began to bicker incessantly. Their mutual frustration had reached its peak. This conflict arose because their martial arts were complete opposites. If they used fire and ice simultaneously, the energies would cancel each other out, killing the momentum of their attacks.
One of them had to yield so the other could exert their full power.
However, neither was willing to back down. Their stubbornness had nearly led to a disastrous opening that Lee Yeon’s Soul Link almost exploited.
"Do you have an attitude problem?"
"You are the one with the problem! How can you be so ignorant of the virtue of compromise?!"
"Then why don't you, the one who knows that virtue so well, be the one to compromise?"
"I told you! My decision is purely a strategic judgment—"
"You think that excuse is going to work?"
"Do you not trust me?!"
The conversation between Neung So-hwa and Bukgung Yeon continued to run in parallel lines. Neither was willing to give an inch. Bukgung Yeon refused to yield out of spite because Neung So-hwa kept barking orders like she was a servant, while Neung So-hwa was frustrated and annoyed that Bukgung Yeon wouldn't follow what she considered a perfectly rational plan.
Normally, Neung So-hwa might have been generous enough to step back, but for some reason, her competitive streak against Bukgung Yeon was unusually high. In the end, their mutual defiance resulted in a confrontation that was the height of inefficiency.
"I cannot understand it! Why must you be so stubborn?!"
"I'm the one who doesn't understand! Do you think you're still royalty even here in the North Sea? Why do you keep trying to rule over me?"
"My status as royalty is irrelevant! I am simply speaking of maximum efficiency!"
"Then fix your tone first! Try asking politely for once!"
"Do you truly think I would ever do that for you?!"
"Fine, then go ahead and die fighting that monster!"
"Do you think I would be the only one to die?!"
Neung So-hwa and Bukgung Yeon glared at each other with eyes full of annoyance. Both were thinking the exact same thing: I really can't stand this woman.
It was then, in the middle of their bickering...
Swoooooosh!
The sound of spears whistling through the air reached their ears again. Lee Yeon was preparing another volley of Soul Link.
"Does that bastard have infinite internal energy or something?"
Bukgung Yeon turned her head toward Lee Yeon, her fine brows furrowed.
"That shouldn't be possible. He is a martial artist who has reached a staggering realm, but he is not an Immortal of the Harmony Realm. There must be a limit to his internal energy."
Neung So-hwa spoke in a calm tone, responding to her.
"Then how do you explain that monstrous amount of energy? Did he swim in Stalactite Fluid as a kid and eat Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng for all three meals?"
Bukgung Yeon asked with a look of utter disbelief.
"Hmm... I have never heard such a thing. But looking at him now, I suspect that might not be far from the truth."
Neung So-hwa replied, her expression turning uncharacteristically serious as she pondered the possibility.
Indeed, even to her, Lee Yeon’s seemingly infinite internal energy was so alien that it couldn't be explained unless he had literally bathed in Stalactite Fluid and lived on Snow Ginseng since childhood. She knew better than anyone that he was a Half-Immortal who had reached a magnificent realm. Even so, maintaining thousands of spears with Spear Kinesis without a moment's rest was simply nonsensical.
"Does that even make sense? You dummy."
Bukgung Yeon spoke with a mischievous smirk.
"Dummy?! I was merely playing along with your hyperbole!"
Neung So-hwa flared up, raising her voice.
"You looked pretty serious for someone just 'playing along.'"
"......"
"Anyway, there's definitely a secret hidden here."
"A secret?" Neung So-hwa asked, sounding puzzled.
"Even if you eat Stalactite Fluid like it's rice, there's a limit to the size of the Dantian. You can't stack infinite energy. There has to be a secret."
Bukgung Yeon glared at Lee Yeon with a sharp, serious gaze.
"What kind of secret?"
"The secret that allows him to fire thousands of spears without stopping."
"It is a difficult riddle."
Neung So-hwa shook her head. She couldn't grasp it at all.
Swoooooosh!
Woooo... woooo... woooo...
Aaaah... aaaah... aaaah...
Then, accompanied by a ghostly wail, thousands of spears began to resonate with a low hum. Seeing this, Neung So-hwa and Bukgung Yeon tensed up. They knew the real Soul Link barrage was about to begin.
"Let's do this. One ice attack for every three heat winds, and then one fire attack for every two snow winds."
"You get one more turn than me!"
"Fine, then how about this: one fire attack for every two snow winds, and then one ice attack for every three heat winds."
"Do you take me for a monkey?! That is the exact same thing!"
"Oh, so you're smarter than a monkey?" Bukgung Yeon said, sounding impressed.
"How rude!" Neung So-hwa shouted in anger.
"Fine, let's just go fifty-fifty," Bukgung Yeon compromised. "I'd love to keep being stubborn, but if we waste any more time, we're going to end up skewered by those spears."
Bukgung Yeon’s tone turned dead serious.
"Fine. I shall accept those terms."
"I'll launch an ice storm, so give me a heat wind."
"Understood."
Neung So-hwa nodded. Immediately, the two began to circulate the Heavenly Yin Ice Soul Divine Art and the Extreme Yang Flame Emperor Demonic Art, respectively.
A pure white aura began to shimmer around Bukgung Yeon, while a scorching red light flickered around Neung So-hwa.
Bukgung Yeon opened both her palms and thrust them toward Lee Yeon. A terrifying chill erupted from her hands.
Fshhhhhhh!
The signature technique of the North Sea Ice Palace, the Ice White Divine Palm—which could freeze even the North Sea itself—manifested.
Cr-cr-crack!
Her Ice White Divine Palm struck Lee Yeon’s Soul Link spears, freezing them solid instantly.
Whooooosh!
Seeing this, Neung So-hwa released her Yang Energy, summoning a heat wind. The blistering wind struck the frozen spears.
Clatter! Clatter! Clatter!
The frozen spears began to drop to the ground one by one.
'It worked!'
'It's working!'
Both women cheered inwardly. Their coordinated attack was actually effective.
After some time, every single Soul Link spear had fallen to the ground. Once she confirmed they were all down, Bukgung Yeon finally withdrew her cold energy.
"Haah... haah... haah... haah..."
She panted heavily, catching her breath.
"You did well," Neung So-hwa said, looking at her.
"Thanks. You too."
Bukgung Yeon nodded slightly in response.
Cr-crack.
Snap.
Just then, the sound of something fracturing echoed from a distance. The two women sharpened their eyesight to look.
They saw it. The ice encasing the spears was cracking.
Bukgung Yeon and Neung So-hwa grimaced. It seemed it wasn't over yet.
"It's your turn now, Fireball."
Bukgung Yeon spoke with an annoyed expression.
"Understood, Ice Cube."
Neung So-hwa nodded and immediately conjured a massive wall of flames. Bukgung Yeon summoned a Snow Wind to support her.
The flames and the Snow Wind merged into one, sweeping toward Lee Yeon. Lee Yeon countered their attack with his Soul Link, and a series of thunderous explosions erupted.
.
.
.
.
Thud, thud, thud.
Thousands of spears fell around Lee Yeon. He looked down at the weapons with an indifferent gaze. He began to call upon the souls of the soldiers once more, intending to fire another volley.
But then, something strange happened. Not a single spear responded to his call.
Puzzled, Lee Yeon turned his gaze to his surroundings. He saw it then.
The soldiers' spears had completely crumbled. These weapons, forged from high-quality iron by skilled blacksmiths, were now shattered. It seemed that being repeatedly exposed to extreme heat and extreme cold in rapid succession had completely exhausted the metal's structural integrity.
"Farewell, soldiers," Lee Yeon said briefly.
He reached his hand toward the sky.
Vrooom!
A single sword flew into his hand.
Clap!
Lee Yeon snatched the hilt out of the air.
Screeech.
He slowly drew the blade. A peerless treasure sword was revealed, emitting a silver glow as if it had swallowed the moonlight.
Swish. Clang.
Having drawn the sword, Lee Yeon tossed the scabbard aside.
Step. Step.
With the sword hanging low at his side, he began to walk forward slowly. His eyes were like those of a predator.
He was heading straight toward Neung So-hwa and Bukgung Yeon.
*
Roar!
Whoosh!
The flames and the Snow Wind had merged, completely swallowing Lee Yeon’s Soul Link.
After a while...
Clatter, clatter.
The spears began to fall to the ground one by one, charred black.
"Haah... haah... haah..."
Neung So-hwa panted heavily. Perhaps because she had pushed her firepower to the limit while holding her breath, her breathing was ragged.
"Good job, Fireball," Bukgung Yeon said, looking at her.
"Haah... haah... it was... thanks to your... help."
"I know. Without me, you'd be a pincushion by now."
"Haah... you really... haah... don't know the meaning of modesty..."
"It's the truth, isn't it?"
"Haah... how... obnoxious."
Neung So-hwa let out a small chuckle. Despite her words, she had felt that when it came down to it, Bukgung Yeon was a reliable ally.
"Anyway, what's he going to do now?"
"What do you mean?" Neung So-hwa asked, her breathing finally stabilizing.
"The spears all crumbled from your flames just now."
"Is that true?!" Neung So-hwa asked, sounding delighted.
"Didn't you see?" Bukgung Yeon chided.
"I lowered my head the moment I withdrew my flames. I didn't have the energy to look."
"You have less stamina than I thought."
"You weren't much different earlier, were you?" Neung So-hwa snapped back. She always felt that this woman had a strange inability to see herself in others.
"Anyway, the spears are all broken, so there won't be any more Soul Link volleys."
"That is good news! Then the advantage is ours."
"I don't know. We'll have to see about that."
"Why?"
"Look ahead."
At Bukgung Yeon’s words, Neung So-hwa slowly turned her gaze forward.
She saw him. Lee Yeon was approaching, his sword trailing at his side.
"This doesn't look good," Bukgung Yeon said, her expression turning grim.