Chapter 248: Ice Crystal (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 248: Ice Crystal (1)
“Ugh…! Get away!”
Baek Seol-hyang shoved Seo-jun’s face away. Seo-jun smirked as he watched her.
This is actually pretty fun.
She was a bit of a dork, making her incredibly easy to tease.
Wasn't that just human nature? Honestly, when faced with someone as perfectly teaseable as Baek Seol-hyang, failing to poke fun at her would be an act of Heaven-Defying.
Once again, he couldn't help but be appalled by the sheer inhumanity of the King of Heaven-Defying, the Heavenly Demon.
“Anyway, I asked what you’re going to make me do for the final task.”
“Just wait! How can a man be so impatient?!”
Seol-hyang huffed, pointing an accusing finger at him.
“Whatever woman becomes your wife is going to lead a truly tragic life! I bet you don’t have a speck of patience when it comes to… night work, either!”
“Ho, are you sure you can handle where this is going?”
“Handle what?!”
“It won’t do you any good to steer the conversation toward topics like that.”
“Urgh…!”
Only then did Seol-hyang realize her blunder. She clamped her mouth shut, her face flushing.
She glared at Seo-jun for a long while, simmering with rage, before suddenly jumping up and preparing to leave.
“Fine, just follow me!”
Was this the third task? Seo-jun followed behind her without a word.
Seol-hyang left the Ice Palace entirely and headed off somewhere, even utilizing her Lightness Skill.
At this point, curiosity got the better of him.
“Where are we going?”
“The village.”
“A village? Which one?”
Seol-hyang snorted.
“Is there more than one? It’s the only village ruled by the Ice Palace.”
The Ice Palace's village didn't even have a specific name. Everyone just understood that 'the village' meant that village.
Since the North Sea wasn't exactly a hospitable environment for humans, there was only one settlement near the Ice Palace to begin with.
“No wonder.”
Seo-jun nodded.
“I thought it looked a bit poor for a branch of the Seven Evil Black Sect.”
“…You are the Young Palace Master of that ‘poor sect.’”
“Hah, how tragic for me.”
Even though they weren't moving at breakneck speed, they reached the village in no time.
Entering the settlement, Seo-jun scanned his surroundings with a curious gaze.
It’s humble.
It was a small village, but it felt lived-in and possessed a certain rustic charm.
The villagers generally looked bright and lively. On the bustling streets, merchants hawked their goods—mostly seafood, like fish.
It was a far cry from the typical impression one had of a village under an Evil Sect’s influence.
The locals' reaction to martial artists was especially telling.
“Oh, what brings you here?”
As he walked alongside Seol-hyang, the villagers bowed deeply.
Seo-jun watched them closely.
Their gestures weren't born of fear. They greeted the pair with bright expressions, and some even offered gifts.
One man spotted Seol-hyang passing by and rushed over to offer some dried fish.
“These were just dried recently, and the salting turned out great. Please, have some.”
“Ah, thank you. Has anything happened lately?”
“A few demonic beasts popped out of the sea, but wasn't that resolved in an instant? Nothing else to report, ma'am.”
The man continued to chatter away.
He talked about how he’d been startled to find the middle of the sea frozen solid while out on his boat, and how the catch had increased lately, making life a bit more prosperous.
After the man—who had been shooting off words like a rapid-fire cannon—finally departed, Seo-jun let out a small laugh as he walked beside Seol-hyang.
“You’re quite popular, aren’t you?”
“They didn't recognize me specifically. They’re just well-disposed toward the martial artists of the Ice Palace.”
It was easy to distinguish a villager from an Ice Palace martial artist at a single glance.
Attire aside, the martial arts of the Ice Palace caused a practitioner's hair to turn white upon reaching a certain level of achievement.
It wasn't just a few gray hairs, either; it became as stark white as a snowfield. There was no way it wouldn't stand out.
Regardless, the fact that the residents were so friendly toward the Ice Palace warriors meant the sect governed the village well.
“You are the representative of the Ice Palace, after all. It’s true that you’re popular.”
When Seo-jun spoke with a sly grin, Seol-hyang snapped her head away.
“Be quiet.”
She clicked her tongue for no reason and stepped into a nearby building. Seo-jun followed her inside. As soon as he opened the door, a wave of warmth and a delicious aroma washed over him.
“I thought you were going to give me the third task?”
“Hmph.”
Seol-hyang snorted and took a seat. Then, after clearing her throat a few times—actually, it was more like a dozen times—she called for the owner. Since it was a small shop, the owner simply poked his head out from the kitchen and shouted.
“Ready to order?”
“Yes. Two bowls of fish porridge.”
“Coming right up!”
As soon as the order was placed, a heavy silence fell between the two. Seol-hyang severely lacked social skills, and Seo-jun was only marginally better. Even that was only the result of recent improvements.
It was all thanks to Geum Chun-bong—his external conscience, social coach, etiquette teacher, and restraint device… anyway, it was thanks to her.
Still, I’m a bit better at this than she is.
Feeling a self-imposed sense of duty, Seo-jun squeezed out a topic of conversation.
“So, uh, I guess farming is actually possible up here? Since you ordered porridge.”
“Well, our predecessors put in a lot of hard work.”
“I see.”
The conversation died again. The atmosphere grew awkward. Seo-jun’s eyes darted around the room.
Usually, in this situation, the other person is supposed to keep it going, right?
It was no easy feat for two people with zero conversational skills to hold a dialogue.
Eventually, Seo-jun let out a sigh and leaned back in his chair.
“So, why the sudden change? You usually stay cooped up in your room, yet here you are, out on the town.”
“I just thought I’d be considerate since you seemed to dislike banquets. There should be a reward for finishing your work.”
“Coming to the village with you is the reward?”
“Yes. Be grateful. This is the best restaurant in the North Sea.”
The owner, who was approaching with two steaming bowls of fish porridge, gave a wide grin.
“Oh, you flatter me. Though it is true that the Ice Palace folks stop by quite often. Haha!”
The fish porridge placed on the table did indeed look appetizing.
It was packed with large chunks of fish, and the milky broth gave off a rich, savory scent.
As Seo-jun poked around the porridge curiously, Seol-hyang furrowed her brows.
“Don't play with your food like a child. Eat it before it gets cold.”
It was a valid point, leaving him with nothing to say. Seo-jun scooped up a big spoonful and took a bite.
“Oh, this is good.”
“Of course it is.”
Seol-hyang blew on her porridge to cool it down before taking a bite. As she chewed and swallowed, her expression took on a somewhat nostalgic hue.
“…The taste hasn't changed.”
“Did you come here often?”
“Not often. The former Palace Master brought me here a few times, and that was it.”
With those words, Seol-hyang focused silently on eating her meal.
Seeing her expression, which clearly suggested there was a story behind it, Seo-jun also continued eating in silence.
“Please come again!”
Receiving the owner’s warm farewell, Seol-hyang stepped out of the building and began walking again. Seo-jun followed her and asked.
“It seems you had a fairly good relationship with the former Palace Master?”
“She was like a parent to me. Though she’s gone now.”
“…Oh. I shouldn't have brought it up.”
At Seo-jun’s apology, Seol-hyang made a strange face. She stared blankly at him for a moment before letting out a small laugh.
“You seem to have misunderstood. It’s not that she passed away. Didn't I tell you? Once the Master of the Ice Palace passes their True Qi to their successor, they become a free person.”
“Ah, right. Then do you not keep in touch occasionally?”
“Not at all. From the moment one leaves the Ice Palace, they are no longer a person of the Ice Palace.”
Phew. Seol-hyang let out a long breath and gave a faint smile.
“Well, I’m sure she’s living well. She was a woman with the skills to do so.”
* * *
Afterward, Seol-hyang took Seo-jun to various places filled with memories of the former Palace Master.
There wasn't any particularly deep meaning behind the tour. It was simply that Seol-hyang didn't know any other places besides those.
Upon realizing that, Seo-jun couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh.
“I’m being serious, not joking… you should really get out more. Cooping yourself up in the Ice Palace all day is doing nothing for your mental health.”
“Nonsense. I am a martial artist of the Transcendent Realm. I have no need to worry about trivial things like mental health.”
“My, coming from someone who just suffered from Qi Deviation, that’s incredibly persuasive.”
“Ugh…! Didn't I tell you to show me some respect?! I am the Palace Master of the Ice Palace!”
“Oh, I’m so scared.”
As Seo-jun walked away with a smirk, Seol-hyang huffed and puffed, chasing after him.
By evening, the two returned to the Ice Palace and naturally headed toward the room deep within the frozen fortress.
There wasn't a grand reason for it; it was simply the place where Seol-hyang stayed cooped up all day.
From what Seo-jun had observed, she spent about twenty-three hours and thirty minutes out of a twenty-four-hour day in that single room.
Seol-hyang had reached the peak not only in martial arts but also in the art of being a shut-in—she was truly a first-rate homebody, even if she hadn't quite reached the Absolute Peak Realm of laziness just yet.
As Seo-jun looked at her with pitying eyes, she clicked her tongue in annoyance.
“This is the third task I’m entrusting to you.”
“Oh, that was faster than I expected.”
“You’ve been pestering me all day! Honestly, you don't have a lick of patience….”
Seol-hyang grumbled as she stomped hard on the floor. Thump! With a strange, heavy vibration, the solid wall behind the throne slid open.
Seo-jun’s eyebrows twitched.
A Mechanical Trap Formation?
He had sensed there was something hidden there, but he hadn't realized it was a door that opened in such a manner.
Judging by the fact that his senses hadn't fully grasped its design, it was likely built from physical mechanical devices rather than Qi-based formations.
As he scanned the opening with curious eyes, Seol-hyang gestured to him.
“Follow me.”
The space beyond the wall revealed a long corridor.
It was pitch black without a single light source, but the two people walking through it were experts of the Transcendent Realm. They navigated the darkness with ease.
Leading the way, Seol-hyang skillfully deactivated all sorts of hidden traps and devices, her movements practiced and familiar.
No matter how one looked at it, this was a highly secure space where significant secrets were hidden.
“Is it really okay to bring me down here?”
“I am the Palace Master.”
“I feel like I’ve heard that dozens of times today.”
“It means there is nothing in the Ice Palace I cannot do.”
The long corridor seemed to extend far beyond the main palace. His sensitive Transcendent senses picked up a slight downward slope, indicating they were heading deep underground.
Casting a strange glance over her shoulder, Seol-hyang placed her hand on a massive door handle.
Judging by the strange energy it emitted, the metal wasn't ordinary in the slightest. Yet, when Seol-hyang gave it a light push, the heavy door slid open with eerie ease.
“Ho.”
The moment the door opened, a wave of biting cold that far exceeded his expectations washed over his skin.
Narrowing his eyes, Seo-jun peered into the space beyond the door—his gaze landing specifically on a fist-sized orb resting in the center of the room.
Is that the Ice Crystal?
The ambient energy was absurd. It was potent enough to freeze even a Super Peak Realm martial artist solid if they weren't careful.
“Don't be surprised. The cold energy of the Ice Crystal is actually quite weak right now.”
“This is it being weak?”
“Yes. The Ice Crystal needs its cold energy replenished periodically.”
Seol-hyang clicked her tongue and lightly tapped the Ice Crystal.
“Normally, we replenish the cold energy every four to five years, but since the deadline has passed a bit, we need to hurry.”
“The deadline passed? Did something happen?”
“Yes.”
“What happened to cause a delay?”
Had some problem occurred with the Ice Crystal during the Divine Priestess incident? When Seo-jun asked, Seol-hyang replied with absolute confidence.
“I just didn't feel like doing it.”
“I see…”