Chapter 105
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: The Strategist Yu Gong-seon
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Yu Gong-seon, freshly bathed and dressed neatly, was truly a sight to behold. He had tied his scholar's robe tightly at the waist, and his beard was trimmed impeccably.
It was hard to believe he was the same disheveled man from before.
Yu Gong-seon clasped his hands in a polite fist salute.
“It is an honor to meet you like this. I am Yu Gong-seon.”
Seol Wi-myeong nodded as he gazed at the man who had arrived with Seol Hwa-un.
“Yu Gong-seon, is it? Come to think of it, I believe I've seen you at the main family before.”
“You remember me. Not long after I joined the Snow Family as a new warrior, I greeted you when you visited.”
“That’s right. Your sharp eyes left an impression, so I remembered you.”
Seol Wi-myeong had even heard that he later became the Snow Family's youngest chief steward.
‘If only I had paid more attention…’
Then Yu Gong-seon wouldn't have been forcibly dragged to Bing Ju Valley by the Elder Council.
“You've suffered greatly. I promise ample compensation.”
Unexpectedly, Yu Gong-seon shook his head.
“No, not at all. Of course, when I first entered Bing Ju Valley, I felt wronged and angry at the main palace for failing to protect me.”
But that resentment was short-lived. The elders of Bing Ju Valley pitied him and provided various supports.
They gathered countless books for him and made arrangements for him to live comfortably on his own.
Thanks to that, Yu Gong-seon was able to devote himself to reading and furthering his self-development.
“Thanks to them, my knowledge has deepened, and my thoughts have grown more profound. And now, just in time for the push into the Central Plains, I have the chance to venture out. Truly, a blessing in disguise.”
“Then I'm glad to hear it.”
Seol Wi-myeong conversed with Yu Gong-seon on various topics. The discussion wasn't limited solely to the advance into the Central Plains.
After some exchange, Seol Wi-myeong couldn't hide his admiration.
“Impressive. Your insight is truly remarkable. No wonder the Five Great Protectors recommended you.”
“You flatter me.”
“Then tell me.”
“What…?”
“It doesn't seem like you only read books in Bing Ju Valley.”
Yu Gong-seon's eyes widened.
“As expected of the Palace Lord. Even the Young Palace Lord didn't notice.”
“Hm? You didn't tell me?”
“It was over ten years. Too long for just reading books.”
“Then…?”
“I pondered it. What role could I play in the main palace's advance into the Central Plains, given my constitution prevents me from properly mastering the palace's martial arts?”
Seol Hwa-un asked.
“Not satisfied with the strategist role?”
“At the time, I couldn't guarantee anything. So I wanted to contribute to the main palace's Central Plains endeavor in any way possible, strategist or not.”
“So, what did you learn?”
“I studied formations.”
A gleam lit up in Seol Hwa-un's eyes.
“Formations? Self-taught, no less?”
It was unfamiliar to the North Sea Ice Palace. Formations were typically set up to protect buildings or specific locations, but in the North Sea, the climate itself served that role.
“For the first three years, I devoured all the existing books on formations. By the fourth year, they no longer helped.”
“……!”
“After that, I occasionally obtained rare, hard-to-find books. They were quite interesting.”
Yu Gong-seon smiled with confidence.
“Then I devised my own formations. It might sound arrogant, but now I believe I can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with any formation master in the Central Plains.”
If he said that much, it had to be at a considerable level.
Seol Wi-myeong nodded.
“That will certainly be a great help in establishing branches in the Central Plains.”
“I'll do my utmost.”
As the three men's conversation wrapped up, Seol Hwa-un handed over a paper with the One Yang Art formula written on it.
“Palace Lord. I'd like this made into a book.”
“One Yang Art?”
Seol Wi-myeong's eyes widened slightly as he examined the One Yang Art formula.
“This is… a Yang Gang Qi method. Remarkably concise formula.”
Yu Gong-seon chimed in.
“You should have seen it. When I gave the Young Palace Lord the One Yang Divine Art formula, he simplified it like this.”
“What? Really?”
Seol Hwa-un spoke calmly.
“Actually, I made a bet with the Elder Council Leader.”
“A bet?”
He recounted the story of his meeting with the Elder Council Leader.
“What! How could you be so reckless…!”
“I thought so too. Before seeing the Young Palace Lord produce the One Yang Art formula, that is.”
“Hm!”
“Don't worry. I'll complete all the formulas within two months.”
“…….”
Seol Wi-myeong silently stared at Seol Hwa-un.
‘This kid really surprises me every time.’
To solve a problem unsolved for centuries in just two months.
If he hadn't seen the One Yang Art formula himself, he would have dismissed it as nonsense.
“I'll stay in Bing Ju Valley for the time being.”
Seol Wi-myeong readily permitted it, having heard that Seol Hwa-un would learn new martial arts from the Five Great Protectors.
Afterward, at the leadership meeting, Seol Wi-myeong formally appointed Yu Gong-seon as the North Sea Ice Palace's strategist.
The North Sea Ice Palace then began preparations for advancing into the Central Plains, and Seol Hwa-un headed back to Bing Ju Valley with Dong Ho-won and Eom Mu-hwi.
* * *
Dong Ho-won thrust his spear with great force.
Paaaang!
A long furrow formed in the ground, and a sharp whoosh echoed. As he tried to smile in satisfaction,
Someone smacked the back of his head.
Thwack!
“Ugh!”
It was Baek Ro, one of the Five Great Protectors.
“You think that's enough to be satisfied? Still lacking!”
Dong Ho-won protested with a wronged expression.
“Wasn't the stance perfect? What's still missing…?”
“You brat! Talking back? Did you transmit the power from your toes to the spear tip completely? Without the slightest waste?”
“Th-that's…”
“Not a single ounce of power should leak. That's when the Dong Family Soul-Falling Spear's true might emerges!”
“…Is that really possible?”
“Of course!”
Baek Ro spoke as if it were obvious, but in truth, even he couldn't achieve perfect power transmission.
‘If that were possible, I'd have ascended to the Heavenly Martial Realm long ago.’
“Your waist movement was a bit lacking just now. Think about that and try again!”
“Yes.”
“Even for a single thrust, concentrate every nerve!”
A short distance away, Eom Mu-hwi was receiving instruction in martial arts from Heuk Ro.
Unlike Baek Ro's scolding style, Heuk Ro explained meticulously and corrected Eom Mu-hwi's movements carefully.
‘Tch, why can't he teach me like that!’
In fact, this was at Seol Hwa-un's suggestion. He had asked them to teach according to each person's temperament.
Seol Hwa-un, as promised, was receiving instruction from Jeok Ro.
Not only the North Sea Wind God Fist, but other North Sea fist arts as well, newly learned.
The elders had repeatedly revised and refined the existing arts over time, making them quite different from what Seol Hwa-un had learned before.
Seol Hwa-un had sensed this during his previous spar with Jeok Ro and requested it specifically.
He had brought Dong Ho-won and Eom Mu-hwi for the same reason: to learn the newly reconstituted arts.
As he taught Seol Hwa-un the fist arts, Jeok Ro couldn't stop talking.
“…Truly absurd learning speed.”
“You flatter me. Since it's variations of arts I've already mastered, it's not that hard to pick up.”
Jeok Ro let out a chuckle.
“Those guys would be furious if they heard that.”
Seol Hwa-un had mastered all the refined arts in just half a month. It was no wonder Jeok Ro was amazed.
‘Definitely a level higher than the original arts.’
Jeok Ro said.
“Now, I'll teach you the North Sea Wind God Fist.”
“Please do.”
“I'll demonstrate, so watch closely.”
The North Sea Wind God Fist's starting stance was already different. Both hands extended at different angles left and right, and uniquely for a fist art, fingers fully spread.
“The North Sea Wind God Fist follows a different trajectory from other fist arts. It's a wind fist art, literally—maximize the use of wind.”
“…….”
“North Sea Wind God Fist, First Form.”
Jeok Ro's hands rotated widely. Then, like lightning, he thrust them out. By then, his fists were clenched.
“North Sea Wind Wall!”
Kwaaaaa!
An immense fist wind surged. Far wider and fiercer than any ordinary fist wind.
“Second Form.”
Jeok Ro's body spun like a top.
Whiriririk!
“Vortex Wind Wave!”
His hands shot out in different directions.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
The fist wind writhed like snakes, spraying in all directions. Soon, the ground bore clear marks as if raked by a massive claw.
“Third Form!”
Jeok Ro's hands crossed dozens, hundreds of times. It almost seemed like layers of pure white energy were visibly stacking.
Straining to perform it, Jeok Ro's face gradually twisted.
‘Damn.’
But he forcibly compressed the now-clear white energy.
“Wind Convergence Thunder!”
Pure white lightning burst from his fist.
Kwaang!!!
“Haa, haa, haa!”
Jeok Ro, having poured out his qi, gasped for breath.
“Whew… Getting old, it's tough.”
“……!”
“This is the North Sea Wind God Fist's three forms. What do you think?”
“A truly astonishing fist art.”
“Hahaha, right?”
In truth, Seol Hwa-un hadn't been particularly impressed by the first two forms.
A qi-based fist art, he thought it might fall a bit short compared to the Ice River Nine Splits Divine Fist.
But the final third form was different.
‘Condensing qi like that, turning it into sword aura-like energy and unleashing it.’
Like weaving fabric, interlacing qi coarsely to maximize power.
It had the drawback of taking time to build up the energy, but it was excellent for powerful long-range strikes.
‘The completion is a bit lacking, but I can refine it. Above all, it's extremely useful against multiple foes.’
“Now, shall we begin in earnest?”
“Yes, Elder.”
Even for a genius like Seol Hwa-un, mastering such a fist art took time.
About a month after starting to learn the North Sea Wind God Fist, a North Sea Ice Palace warrior arrived at Bing Ju Valley. He headed straight for Seol Hwa-un.
“I greet the Young Palace Lord.”
“What brings you here?”
“The Palace Lord summons you.”
“Something happened at the main palace?”
The warrior shook his head.
“No. Actually, a guest from the Central Plains has come to meet the Young Palace Lord.”
“A guest? Who?”
“The young lord of the West Gate Family.”
“……!”
A gleam sparked in Seol Hwa-un's eyes.