Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Holy Fire Palace's Left Envoy 1
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Baek Moo-jin, who had returned to the North Heaven Alliance, often found himself thinking of the middle-aged man from the Holy Fire Palace.
It was partly because the man's speech and demeanor radiated the leisure of a true powerhouse. But it was also because, in their brief exchange, he had subtly treated Baek Moo-jin like a child.
'I should have fought him after all... I regret it in so many ways.'
Baek Moo-jin had another reason for his regret. It was that irritating question from the middle-aged man that still lingered unpleasantly in his ears.
[What should we do with these men?]
It was a question asking whether to kill or spare them.
An arrogant attitude and tone that didn't regard him in the slightest.
Those words hadn't left Baek Moo-jin's chest for days.
Was it a competitive spirit?
Or was it pride surging up belatedly?
Of course, the Holy Fire Palace had quite a few members. And the middle-aged man's martial prowess must have been extraordinary.
If the North Heaven Alliance comrades had clashed with that many Holy Fire Palace warriors, there would have been massive casualties.
Even a first-grade warrior like Lee Jeong-nam might have escaped alive, but Seo Moon-geuk and Dam Ji-woon surely wouldn't have survived.
Baek Moo-jin snorted inwardly.
'Soon enough, I'll have to go find him alone, no matter what.'
Feeling stifled, Baek Moo-jin headed to the training hall in the annex and drew his sword.
He stood there silently for a long time without even swinging it. But before he knew it, he was imagining the Holy Fire Palace warriors charging at him.
Then, brutally vivid fantasies forced their way into Baek Moo-jin's mind.
Slicing down the Holy Fire Palace warriors.
Forcing the middle-aged man to his knees.
Even smashing the carriage where the woman had been staying. Naturally, what would emerge next would be the woman inside.
"Hm..."
Suddenly, a small sigh escaped Baek Moo-jin's lips.
He had thought he was lost in cruel imaginings born of resentment toward the middle-aged man and the Holy Fire Palace. But somehow, his thoughts had drifted to the woman in the carriage.
'Ridiculous.'
Baek Moo-jin shook his head a few times, raised his sword to the ready, and glanced around. Fortunately, no one was nearby.
Suddenly, he channeled internal energy into the White Swallow Sword he held. Then, as he pushed the White Flower Divine Art to its rational limits, his white robe fluttered dramatically.
A sword cry rang out next.
As Baek Moo-jin gripped the sword tightly, suppressing the cry, and elevated the White Flower Divine Art to its third star, a white frost began to envelop the blade.
At that moment, the massive flame emblem on the middle-aged man's back flashed into Baek Moo-jin's mind.
'That flame... it nags at me strangely.'
He wielded ice arts, yet the name Holy Fire Palace felt like it countered his own techniques perfectly.
But whatever the flame's meaning...
Baek Moo-jin wanted to extinguish it with his own martial arts.
Sensing someone's presence, Baek Moo-jin swiftly sheathed his sword and turned around. His movements were unnaturally abrupt, as if caught in a dark thought. But the chill he had generated was already settling over the surroundings.
So-ah, who had been visiting frequently as if she were now his personal maid, approached cautiously, rubbing her shoulders with both hands.
"Mr. Baek, a guest has arrived."
"A guest? I wasn't expecting anyone."
"Um... someone from the Snow Mountain Baek Family, I think?"
"What?!"
Baek Moo-jin's voice rose sharply, and So-ah, thoroughly intimidated, stared at him with wide eyes.
Baek Moo-jin tilted his head.
"That can't be right. Where are they?"
"They've come as far as the main hall. I talked them out of coming all the way here."
"Got it. Ah, sorry about that. I wasn't angry—I was just startled."
"I know."
As Baek Moo-jin passed by So-ah, he remarked,
"The night air feels especially cold today."
"You're telling me. It was a bit warm earlier, but as soon as the sun set, it got chilly fast."
Baek Moo-jin vanished with an enigmatic smile, leaving So-ah to tilt her head at the chill permeating the annex.
"Huh? Is it just here that's cold?"
So-ah stood there for a while, looking around. The sky was perfectly clear without a single cloud, yet she felt like she was the only one standing in falling snow.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 2.
Baek Moo-jin had returned to the Alliance Lord's residence and was staying in the White Sword Unit building again. So the guest was waiting in the place where he and Seo Moon-geuk had met before.
"There's no reason for the family to send someone. Could it be bad news?"
By the time Baek Moo-jin arrived at the main hall, entertaining every possible thought, a man in shabby clothes was grinning at him.
The moment Baek Moo-jin laid eyes on him, a vein bulged on his forehead.
"How dare you impersonate my family and enter this place?"
Having thought of this man for days, his words naturally came out harsh. The lone figure in the main hall was none other than the Left Envoy of the Holy Fire Palace.
It was hard to be this audacious.
Of course, Baek Moo-jin had investigated the Holy Fire Palace during his time in the North Heaven Alliance, but they had no visible activities or conflicts with the alliance. Still, it was clear the North Heaven Alliance wasn't a place where a Holy Fire Palace man could just waltz in alone.
Unless, of course, he disguised himself as someone from the Snow Mountain Baek Family, as he had now.
The fact that Baek Moo-jin hadn't exploded in rage beyond mere exasperation was a testament to his restraint.
The Left Envoy apologized first thing.
"My apologies. This was the only way to meet you. I even checked the inn where North Heaven Alliance warriors frequent, but couldn't find you there. Learning your name and family took considerable effort."
Baek Moo-jin was dumbfounded.
At the same time, he had to admire the man's boldness.
Impersonating the Snow Mountain Baek Family must have been the only way to enter the North Heaven Alliance undetected.
As Baek Moo-jin fell silent, the Left Envoy chuckled.
"So, now that a Holy Fire Palace man is here, are you planning to call the guards? Tell them to seize me?"
"No need for that. Get to the point."
"Heh heh."
Only then did the Left Envoy introduce himself.
"To apologize for my rudeness, allow me to introduce myself properly."
"Hah, everything feels backwards here."
"Patriarch Baek, you must understand. I've rarely revealed my identity to anyone in the martial world."
Baek Moo-jin let out a sigh.
'Patriarch Baek... Such a distant term now.'
The Left Envoy said,
"I am Lee Gon, Left Envoy of the Holy Fire Palace."
"Left Envoy?"
Baek Moo-jin couldn't help but be startled by the title.
'Isn't that a position from the old demonic cult?'
Lee Gon's words continued.
"Truth be told, I didn't come here of my own will. It was impossible to refuse the will of the one I serve."
The one he served was undoubtedly the woman in the carriage.
Baek Moo-jin decided to hear him out quietly for now.
"The one I serve is currently on a martial journey. You've recently defeated renowned experts from the evil demons and outlaws—Mak Clan Sword Patriarch, Jinseo Three Freaks, Light-Splitting Sword Tiger Ko Ho-bin, Shredding Wind Old Freak, and others. Well, the Mak Clan Sword Patriarch was an exception. Anyway, the key point is that she single-handedly defeated Lim Ga-so, the sect leader of the Death Gate who ambushed you recently. Without any help from those around her."
Baek Moo-jin had never heard of these people. Feeling no particular emotion, he responded curtly. The main topic hadn't come up yet.
"So?"
"She was preparing to return to the palace and asked me about it."
Lee Gon grinned at Baek Moo-jin and continued.
"You see, my apologies. At the time, I didn't know you were a patriarch. She asked what it would be like to spar with you. I told her it wouldn't matter much if you fought, but since the North Heaven Alliance and Holy Fire Palace have no ties and aren't forces that cause trouble, it might be difficult. When I answered that way, she shook her head and clarified—it wasn't about that; she was asking who would win."
Lee Gon's eyes sharpened after a brief silence. In that instant, Baek Moo-jin sensed killing intent from him and instinctively locked eyes in tense readiness.
Lee Gon said,
"I replied that I didn't know. But I said I'd go ask your intentions first."
This was why the Holy Fire Palace's Left Envoy, Lee Gon, had risked danger to enter the North Heaven Alliance. Baek Moo-jin knew Lee Gon was deliberately dragging out his words, constantly probing him.
Baek Moo-jin snorted and asked,
"So, now that you've seen me in person, what do you think? Do you know who would win?"
In response to Baek Moo-jin's question, Lee Gon answered,
"I don't know. You might not realize it, but the one I serve is strong. Far stronger than you can imagine."
Baek Moo-jin replied indifferently.
"Is that so?"
"That's why, in all the matches I've arranged, I've never once said I didn't know. It was my mistake. Now she's being stubborn about it."
Baek Moo-jin's response was clear.
"Interesting."
"Interesting?"
"And thank you for the hard journey here. Next time, please never impersonate the Snow Mountain Baek Family again."
"Apologies once more. But what's your answer?"
As Lee Gon stared at Baek Moo-jin, he replied after a moment.
"Where is she?"
Lee Gon shook his head, correcting Baek Moo-jin's phrasing.
"'Where is she staying?' would be the proper form."
At that nonsense, Baek Moo-jin corrected him right back.
"That might hold as a North Heaven Alliance member, but right now, I'm speaking as the Snow Mountain Baek Family Patriarch. Where is she?"
Baek Moo-jin deliberately demoted the Holy Fire Palace's Left Envoy to a mere errand boy and inquired after the woman, whom he presumed to be something like the Holy Fire Palace Lord's daughter.
It was only natural that Left Envoy Lee Gon's expression hardened rigidly. But no matter how much he glared with barely contained anger, Baek Moo-jin's face remained utterly unshaken.