Chapter 246
Chapter 246
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 246
Chapter Title: Pillar of the Ice Palace (3)
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Dam Chang-gyu, the elder, entered the main hall with a stern shout directed at Dam Kyung-ju.
The elder brushed off the supporting arms of those around him and took a step forward.
"Father..."
As the elder passed by Dam Kyung-ju with a cold gaze.
The assembled officials were stunned upon encountering the true master of the North Sea Ice Palace.
"...Am I seeing things? How is the Palace Lord...?"
"Indeed. We came to the main hall after receiving the edict bearing his spiritual energy, but I never imagined he had recovered enough to move on his own..."
"Medical Division Leader, didn't you say it would be impossible for the Palace Lord to regain his strength? Ah, you said it would be difficult... so it was possible after all? Did you find a way?"
"...No such thing. I said as much, but even if the Great Immortal of the Central Plains came, improving the Palace Lord's condition would have been impossible. And it wasn't my doing."
"Not the Medical Division Leader's doing? Then who raised the Palace Lord to his feet...? Surely not the Central Plains folk?"
"Come to think of it, there was the daughter of the Poison Sage among the Righteous Martial Academy delegation. The Sacheon Tang Family is renowned for poisons, but they also have expertise in medicine. Isn't that right, Medical Division Leader?"
"Sacheon Tang Family? ...No way?"
Such murmurs ceased abruptly as Dam Chang-gyu seated himself on the jade throne.
The officials pressed their sleeves together and bowed deeply.
"We pay our respects to the Palace Lord."
However, the middle-aged man referred to as the Medical Division Leader pushed through the crowd of ministers and addressed Dam Kyung-ju.
"Little Palace Lord. The Tang Family..."
"Use a transmission."
"Yes."
After that, only transmissions were exchanged, so their exact words were unclear.
- Hah, look at that bastard Dam Kyung-ju's eyes.
'I'm watching.'
From Dam Kyung-ju's gaze, which carried not just resentment but even faint killing intent, one could guess the content.
'He must have heard about the return of light technique.'
A supreme art that temporarily restores vitality by burning away all remaining life force, cast on his successor without consultation.
If he had even a shred of filial piety or pride, it was natural to be furious.
'It's not incomprehensible.'
Sure enough, Dam Kyung-ju sheathed the sword he held.
And immediately brought it up.
"Seeing Father in such good health fills me with deep emotion. However, I just heard from the Medical Division Leader that the Central Plains folk injected you with an extreme poison."
The main hall filled with shock once more.
"Extreme poison?!"
"Hah. So he rallied his body with poison qi?"
"From the way you're speaking, it seems the Little Palace Lord was unaware?"
"Of course! Would the Little Palace Lord permit such a thing?!"
"Hah, then the Central Plains folk dared to lay hands on the Palace Lord's body without permission?"
In that atmosphere, Dam Kyung-ju continued.
"Before I could even speak, the ministers are reporting the crimes of the Dragon Lord and the Central Plains folk. Father, please allow the Medical Division Leader to examine you, and issue an order to apprehend the Dragon Lord and the Central Plains folk!"
As he finished speaking.
A large number of the officials in the main hall echoed his final words like parrots.
"Issue the command!"
However, Elder Dam Chang-gyu firmly shook his head.
"It was with my permission."
At the elder's words, the Ice Palace officials fell silent as if their mouths were glued shut.
Dam Kyung-ju opened his mouth in bewilderment.
"...You permitted it?"
"Yes."
"The Dragon Lord and Central Plains folk ransacked the inner palace of the North Sea Ice Palace like it was their own bedroom, without my permission as Little Palace Lord, and injected extreme poison into your body!"
Yet the elder shook his head once more.
"The actions of the Dragon Lord and our Central Plains guests were a breach of decorum and unjust toward you, the Little Palace Lord. However, if done for the greater good, they are trivial."
"The greater good? If your body has recovered, one could call it action for the greater good. But right now, Father, you've merely regained strength temporarily thanks to vicious poison qi—you haven't overcome your illness. Those bastards have burned away all your remaining lifespan. Are you truly grasping the situation before saying such things?"
"Do you take me for a fool? I know that as well. Rather than lying powerless in bed awaiting death, I will live these fleeting moments as the master of the Ice Palace."
"......"
"And the greater good I just mentioned isn't about my well-being. Kyung-ju, it's about your self-righteousness."
At the elder's words, Dam Kyung-ju flinched visibly.
"...Self-righteousness?"
But he soon opened his mouth again.
"I don't know what sorcery the Dragon Lord and Central Plains folk used to cloud your eyes and ears, Father, but I have fulfilled my duties as Little Palace Lord without a shred of shame before heaven."
And he commanded his personal guard.
"It seems Father's mind is clouded by the extreme poison! Escort Father to the Palace Lord's chambers! Apprehend the Finance Division Vice Leader and the Central Plains folk!"
At Dam Kyung-ju's order, the personal guard in the back rows surged forward.
But immediately, Elder Dam Chang-gyu's thunderous command rang out.
"The Little Palace Lord is merely my proxy in my absence—he is not the master of the North Sea Ice Palace!"
At that dignity, the guard warriors swallowed dryly and halted their steps.
In the meantime, the elder looked at Dam Kyung-ju with a wry smile.
"Without a shred of shame before heaven, you say."
His gaze shifted toward me.
That look was a signal of sorts.
I pulled the Yin Absorption White Bone Technique from my bosom, cleared my throat, and stepped forward.
"This is a demonic manual found at the Talent Selection Mountain Lodge."
* * *
I displayed the early and some later sections of the demonic manual, explaining why the Yin Absorption White Bone Technique was demonic.
"...Therefore, this martial art is demonic. At first, it seems one can accumulate Profound Ice Qi regardless of constitution, but beyond a certain level, one can only draw yin energy from corpses. And in doing so, one risks being consumed by yin qi in the future."
As my explanation ended, the Ice Palace officials murmured once more.
Several high officials, including the External Affairs Leader, conveyed their desire to verify it with their own eyes.
"...May we examine the manual ourselves?"
Even in this moment, they called it a 'manual' instead of a demonic manual, as if struggling to accept the reality before them.
Understanding their mindset, I nodded.
But I added a condition.
"Come over here to see. To prevent damage, I'll hold the book."
As several high officials approached to inspect the demonic manual.
Elder Dam Chang-gyu questioned Dam Kyung-ju.
"Without a shred of shame, you said? What is that demonic manual, then?"
"......"
Dam Kyung-ju did not answer readily.
It was then that the silently standing Dragon Lord spoke.
"...This demonic art could drastically lower the barrier of the North Sea Ice Palace's martial legacy, accessible only to the chosen few. It connects to accepting over ten times the usual number of youths at the Talent Selection Mountain Lodge recently. Little Palace Lord—no, brother. Answer honestly. Have you... joined hands with the Demonic Cult?"
At Dragon Lord's words, Dam Kyung-ju laughed hollowly.
"Hah. So you're showing your true colors, Yong-ju. I shouldn't have entrusted palace affairs to you out of shallow sentiment..."
"Brother!"
"Yes! I have joined hands with them!"
"...You must not know, unaware of who they are. It's not too late even now. This monster here is from the Demonic Arts Defense Research Society..."
"You know nothing! Demonic manual? That manual is the long-cherished wish of the North Sea Ice Palace!"
Thus opening, Dam Kyung-ju stared at Elder Dam Chang-gyu and said.
"Didn't you yourself fall into qi deviation while trying to create such a martial art, Father?! It's flawed because those ignorant in ice arts made it, but merging it with the Ice Palace's legacy would eliminate the flaws that Eon Yong-un just mentioned!"
The elder gazed at such a Dam Kyung-ju with sunken eyes.
"...You've been completely tainted by those deluded fools."
He named several high officials.
"External Affairs Leader. Disciplinary Leader. Ice Guard Leader. You've heard the conversation between Kyung-ju and me, so you know my time left is short. Thus, I appoint you as Ministers of the Last Will."
Ministers of the Last Will.
The term for ministers who carry out the final edict.
At those words, the named officials and others spoke in unison.
"Such words are too burdensome! Retract your command!"
"Retract it, please!"
However, Elder Dam Chang-gyu waved his hand.
"The safety of the Ice Palace hangs by a thread, and my time is short. Waste no more on empty formalities—obey my command."
At that, the Ministers of the Last Will, including the External Affairs Leader, bit their lips before prostrating and responding in unison.
"As you command."
"I will appoint a new Little Palace Lord. Depose Dam Kyung-ju from Little Palace Lord and install Dragon Lord as the new Little Palace Lord. Dam Kyung-ju, surrender your seal, and Ministers, groom Dragon Lord to succeed me."
It was then that Dam Kyung-ju clutched his face and burst into laughter.
"Hah! Haha! Hahahaha!!!"
How long did he laugh like a madman?
Dam Kyung-ju opened his mouth with madness flashing in his eyes for an instant.
"The deluded one is you, Father."
"What?"
Having opened thus, Dam Kyung-ju sneered and continued.
"It seems lying long in bed has clouded your vision of the world, Father. Or perhaps the Central Plains poison has dulled your reason? How else could you speak such nonsense?"
Elder Dam Chang-gyu glared at Dam Kyung-ju with a complex expression before issuing a command to those around.
"What are you doing? Personal guard, apprehend Dam Kyung-ju!"
But at this moment.
Dam Kyung-ju drew his sword again.
"Father's time left is less than half a shichen! I am the pillar of the North Sea Ice Palace! I refuse the order to yield the Little Palace Lord position!"
And he addressed the personal guard.
"Who is demon and who is righteous? When the people of the North Sea starved! Those bastards only looked after their own! Is Father sane to hand the throne to Dragon Lord, who brought such Central Plains folk to ruin the Ice Palace's grand plan?!"
At those words, the personal guard's steps froze.
Sensing the ominous atmosphere, I sent a transmission to Uncle Jae-hyeok.
[The mood has turned dangerous.]
[I see it too.]
[We'll prepare.]
[Do it.]
And I commanded my Eon brothers.
"Everyone, get ready."
Having overcome many moments together, that was enough for my Eon brothers and me.
In the meantime, Dragon Lord tried to dissuade Dam Kyung-ju.
"Brother!"
"Who is your brother?! The one trying to usurp the Little Palace Lord position with Central Plains power!"
"...That's not true!"
"Not true, my ass! Well, at least one thing Father said is right—the Ice Palace's safety is at a critical juncture. If the Righteous Martial Academy delegation reports what they've heard here to the Martial Alliance and their sects, their armies will march on the North Sea."
But it was futile.
Dam Kyung-ju aimed his drawn sword at us.
"Then this land will become ruins! Killing those bastards will buy us time! The fate of the North Sea's people hangs in the balance! Warriors of the North Sea Ice Palace, follow me!"
Clang clang clang!!
At his words, a considerable number of Ice Palace warriors drew their weapons and stood behind Dam Kyung-ju.
But it was worth a fight.
Not all North Sea Ice Palace people sided with Dam Kyung-ju.
Led by the Ministers of the Last Will, warriors stood behind Dragon Lord as well.
"...Is bloodshed coming to the North Sea Ice Palace?"
"...External Affairs Leader! We must obey the Palace Lord's command!"
"......"
"The Disciplinary Division Leader is right! Follow the Palace Lord's will! The Little Palace Lord's thoughts are what will lead the Ice Palace to ruin!"
And Uncle Jae-hyeok and my Eon brothers drew their weapons and assumed ready stances.
Clang clang clang clang!
I also drew Regret.
"Formation same as on the plains. Subdue Dam Kyung-ju and protect the North Sea Ice Palace from the Demonic Cult fiends."