Chapter 245
Chapter 245
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 245
Chapter Title: Pillar of the Ice Palace (2)
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The profound essence of Reverse Heaven pulsed strongly from the nameless manual.
I tucked Regret into my bosom and asked my master.
"Doesn't this resemble the heart formula and essence of our sect?"
- Keep turning the pages for now.
"Yes, sir."
A moment after Master and I began poring over the manual together.
As we reached about the halfway point, Master spoke up.
- ...The way it harmonizes inner energy within the dantian does indeed resemble the heart formula of our Heaven-Splitting Sword Sect.
"You see it too, don't you, Master?"
- Indeed. However, the qi absorption method is peculiar.
The qi absorption method referred to the way one took in true energy.
- It doesn't seem to be about harmonizing natural qi or inner power gained from spirit medicines. There's a passage about settling yin energy while preserving cold energy, and detailed instructions on suppressing issues caused by the settled yin energy within the body... It feels exactly like...
"Exactly like a method to absorb yin-cold true energy from corpses, right?"
- That's how it seems to me as well. Hah. Did a few passages I taught to that rascal Ryeon-geum birth these kinds of techniques?
As Master trailed off, confronted by the fruits of his own past actions.
I turned to Dam Yong-ju and spoke.
"This is a demonic art."
"...What do you mean?"
Dam Yong-ju's eyes widened in disbelief.
I flipped to the pages I had memorized and continued.
"Look at this page. Why would spreading one's hands be necessary to take in true energy?"
"There could be unique circulation methods in some heart formulas..."
"Then look at this page. Cold energy and yin energy are usually synonymous, so why separate them? And why include methods to suppress rampaging yin energy?"
"...That doesn't make sense."
"I'll tell you the answer. It's not refining cold energy from nature into cold-ice true energy. This demonic art describes imprisoning yin-cold true energy absorbed directly from corpses in the dantian..."
"......"
"After draining the energy like that, nothing but bleached bones would remain. Something like the Yin-Absorbing White Bone Art."
Dam Yong-ju stared in stunned disbelief.
He muttered to himself.
"No way... Did Brother really collude with the Demonic Cult? ...Why?"
Unable to fully accept the truth,
He tried to defend Vice Palace Lord Dam Kyung-ju.
"He must not have known what kind of scum the Demonic Cult are. The North Sea Ice Palace is inherently slow with news by nature. They treat events in the Central Plains as mere stories, so..."
Vice Palace Lord Dam Kyung-ju was no fool.
Yet he said such things because he refused to believe the confirmed facts.
I could understand, but dealings with the Demonic Cult required cold judgment.
I asked firmly.
"Do you really think so? With this demonic art, even those unsuited to it could accumulate cold-ice true energy in their bodies. Isn't that one of the North Sea Ice Palace's long-cherished goals?"
"......"
"It even ties into recruiting ten times more initiates for Selection Mountain Villa."
Dam Yong-ju had no answer to my question, so I pressed on.
"Earlier, after returning from the Vice Affairs Bureau, you said you'd share everything except classified matters since you couldn't broadcast all the Ice Palace's affairs. Think it over including those secrets. For now, let's leave Selection Mountain Villa."
"Understood."
Dam Yong-ju and I took the demonic manual and departed Selection Mountain Villa.
Back at the guesthouse, Uncle Jae-hyeok was waiting.
"Uncle, could you come to my room for a bit?"
"Sure... But why are you dressed like that? You said you went for a stroll with the second young master."
"Ah, no time to change."
"It's not about having no time— you look like a thief... Hmph. You must've been up to something behind my back?"
"...I'll explain everything."
And so, with Uncle Jae-hyeok, Dam Yong-ju, and my younger siblings gathered.
I recounted everything from the clue in the Each Palace Record to discovering the Yin-Absorbing White Bone Art at Selection Mountain Villa.
"...That's how it happened."
As my explanation ended,
Eun Ha-seong reached for the demonic manual with the Yin-Absorbing White Bone Art.
"So this is that demonic manual, right?"
I flicked his forehead.
Thwack!
"Ow!"
"Tsk. Don't just flip open a demonic manual willy-nilly. An immature kid like you could get the incantations stuck in your head and fall into qi deviation."
"I-I didn't see anything."
At my words, Woo So-rung squeezed her eyes shut, not even wanting to glimpse the cover.
Uncle Jae-hyeok had his eyes closed, as if needing time to think.
"...So you knew from the Each Palace Record that the Demonic Cult had entrenched themselves in the North Sea Ice Palace but kept it hidden... And the others went along with it?"
As he finished speaking, Uncle's eyes snapped open, and a thunderous command rang out.
"These fools have completely lost their minds!"
...He's right, we had lost our minds.
Even I have a shred of conscience.
Uncle had joined us to prevent us from doing something like this.
Yet instead of informing him beforehand, we explained only after the fact, so I had no grounds to complain about his anger.
As I resolved to stay silent until his rage subsided,
Yong-myeong spoke up.
"Uncle—no, Professor. You've always taught us Cloud Plum Hall students that for justice, we mustn't hesitate even to roll in ashes and leap into fire. Brother and we did disrupt the hierarchy, that's true. But we felt it was the only way to uncover the Demonic Cult's trail."
"...That's!"
The remaining two Cloud Plum Hall students chimed in.
"He's right."
"What Yong-myeong said—you've told me and Sis that since we were kids! Right, Sis?"
"...Well, yeah, you did."
"......"
Uncle Jae-hyeok was speechless, like a mute fed honey.
It was then that Master, who had been quietly observing, spoke.
- ...When did you give them separate training in rhetoric? Their excuse-making is starting to resemble someone.
'...Who might you mean?'
- ...Silent and dark, they say.
When did the kids' silver tongues... er, eloquence improve so much?
Amazed for a moment, I seized the momentum and spoke again to keep it going.
"We'll accept punishment for this later. First, shouldn't we address the situation? Any good ideas?"
"Ideas? With evidence in hand, we inform the Murim Alliance!"
"Yes, we should. But we need to think carefully. That would spark all-out war with the North Sea Ice Palace."
As I finished,
Jeon-gal Seol-ji and Yin Ha-yeon spoke up.
"They'd see us as full enemies then. Whether the White Council reaches a quick decision is secondary. If the Ice Palace forces ally with the Demonic Cult's army... Blood will flow like rivers."
"Plus, the North Sea Ice Palace and Central Plains would become eternal foes. The One Iron Path would close."
Hearing this, Uncle Jae-hyeok rubbed his dry face and asked me.
"Hmph. But you brought it up, so you have another way, Yong-un?"
"What if we exclude just the Vice Palace Lord?"
Jeong-hyeon nodded at my words.
"Capture the king to rout the thieves. To catch enemies, grab the leader first—so the Vice Palace Lord fits perfectly. But is it feasible? Brother Dam here said even the Royal Guard has been strengthened."
"Using force is a last resort if all else fails."
"Then?"
"Couldn't the North Sea Ice Palace Lord, Brother Dam's father, step forward?"
"That makes sense, but... Isn't he bedridden? Ah! Like Elder San-seo Geum-bung with a curse?!"
"I haven't seen him myself, so I can't be sure. If it's a curse, I can handle it. If it's truly old age and qi deviation combined, then Dang Ok-gi can step up."
Dang Ok-gi jumped up in protest.
"Me? No physician can heal someone whose time has come!"
"Right, not even an immortal could."
"Ack! You know that and still tell me to?!"
"But you can briefly restore their vitality, right? You carry the Tang clan's Return Light Bee Needles."
"...Yeah, but."
As the conversation reached this point, listening Dam Yong-ju interjected.
"Curse? Return Light Bee Needles? What's all this?"
I briefly explained to Dam Yong-ju how my great-uncle had suffered at the Demonic Cult's hands.
"...That's how I ended up helping with the exorcism."
"Heavens. Such things happened."
I also explained the Return Light Bee Needles.
"Return Light Bee Needles induce the return of light. They gather a dying person's remaining strength in one burst. Used when someone beyond hope has vital words to share."
"...Ah."
"But they borrow the power of deadly poisons, so once the permitted time ends, the recipient inevitably dies."
"......"
"The decision is yours, Brother Dam."
I concluded,
And silence fell over the room for a moment.
In that quiet, Dam Yong-ju finally spoke heavily.
"...I'll take the Black Dragon's method."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I headed to the Palace Lord's chambers with Dam Yong-ju and Dang Ok-gi.
Uncertain what measures to take, our steps were heavy.
Yet all three of us knew the urgency, so we didn't dawdle.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
With most of the Royal Guard transferred to the Vice Palace Lord along with power, the path to the Palace Lord's chambers was unobstructed.
We arrived swiftly.
Thud!
"?!"
Thud!
"!"
After subduing the guards at the inner chambers' entrance, we met the current North Sea Ice Palace Lord, Elder Dam Chang-gyu.
"I'll check first."
I quickly examined the elder's condition.
No unusual energy or traces of sorcery were evident.
Just an old man whose life was ebbing away like a withered tree.
Not a curse.
"...No curse."
Now we had to decide on the Return Light Bee Needles.
I said to Dam Yong-ju,
"I won't force it. Whatever you choose, I'll respect it and seek other ways, so we can leave now if you wish."
At my words,
Dam Yong-ju shook his head.
"Father spent his life worrying for the North Sea Ice Palace's safety and the realm. He would never wish for North Sea lands to become the Demonic Cult's granary, its people tools and slaves."
"......"
"Better one hour as the true master of the Ice Palace than scant days bedridden in that state. Physician Dang."
"Yes?"
"Administer the needles."
"...Yes."
Hearing Dam Yong-ju's decision, Dang Ok-gi drew out his needle pouch with a grim face.
He regulated his breathing as if preparing a ritual,
Then began inserting needles into the elder's acupoints with a tense expression.
Poke. Poke.
Poke.
By the time a mere ten needles were placed, Dang Ok-gi's face was drenched in sweat.
After placing the final one at the Baihui point atop his head,
"Hoo."
A faint breath escaped the elder's lips, and his eyes snapped open.
"Father!"
"...Yong-ju? What brings you to my room at this hour in such attire? And who are these people?"
Dang Ok-gi poured a cup of water for Elder Dam Chang-gyu,
And Dam Yong-ju summarized the essentials the elder needed to know.
"...In the midst of that, we discovered this demonic manual. We just administered the needles I mentioned."
Listening, the elder skimmed the demonic manual with sunken eyes, then let out a long sigh.
"Hah. Did Kyung-ju's steadfast nature lead him astray like this? How much time do I have left?"
"...About one hour, Father."
"No need for such faces. Truth be told, closing my eyes bedridden and watching the Ice Palace drown in blood—I couldn't have rested even in the Ice White Hall after death. My thanks to you both."
"No need."
"Not at all."
"It is needed. You risked false charges for our sake—my gratitude."
After thanking me and Dang Ok-gi, the elder turned back to Dam Yong-ju.
"It felt like endless nightmares, but demons had infested North Sea lands. ...So, what will you do?"
"What do you mean?"
"After my time runs out."
"......"
"Yong-ju, you've been clever since childhood, but with an elder brother above and a kind heart, you falter at decisive moments. Tell me your thoughts on what to do. You two, please step out briefly?"
At the elder's words, Dang Ok-gi and I bowed with cupped fists and exited the inner chamber.
A short while later,
Dam Yong-ju emerged carrying an official edict stamped with the seal, ordering the hundred officials' assembly.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ While the edict circulated the palace, Dam Yong-ju, Uncle Jae-hyeok, my siblings, and I changed into proper attire and waited in the North Sea Ice Palace's main hall.
Soon, the hundred officials began gathering one by one.
They murmured among themselves.
"How did the Palace Lord's command come so suddenly? Why are Central Plains juniors in the main hall?"
"No idea. I just saw the stamped order and came."
"Young Master Dam Yong-ju must've done something. With the Vice Palace Lord's temper, this could spark a huge uproar."
As their talk inevitably turned to the Vice Palace Lord,
The man himself, Vice Palace Lord Dam Kyung-ju, kicked open the main hall doors and strode in.
Bang!
He drew his sword at Dam Yong-ju and bellowed.
"Yong-ju, you've gone completely mad! Forging Father's name and dragging Central Plains folk into the main hall? What do you think you're doing?!"
At that moment, Elder Dam Chang-gyu entered, supported, and issued a thunderous rebuke.
"And what are you doing?! Drawing a sword in the main hall against kin?!"