Chapter 146
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 146
Chapter Title: North Heaven Manor
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Mae Jong-pyo set Seol Hwa-un's group down back on the small boat that had carried them.
“Hahaha, it was a pleasure. Let's meet again next time.”
As they exchanged final farewells, Seol Hwa-un left a cryptic remark with a meaningful smile.
“It's a bit early yet... but congratulations in advance, Manor Leader Mae.”
“Huh?”
“You'll understand what I mean in time.”
“...?”
Mae Jong-pyo tilted his head in confusion before mounting Black Pearl and heading back to the Yangtze. Only Seol Hwa-un's group remained.
Despite it being midday, Eom Mu-hwi and Dong Ho-won had glazed eyes and flushed faces. They had been drinking with the boatmen even during the trip.
“Alright, now it's time to return to our routine.”
Seol Hwa-un said with a stern expression.
“Both of you, circulate your qi right now and drive out the alcohol haze!”
“...Pardon?”
“Do it!”
“Ah, yes.”
The two, momentarily dazed by the booze, soon sat cross-legged and began meditating.
“...”
Before long, white steam rose from their bodies.
Shooo!
As Eom Mu-hwi and Dong Ho-won expelled their haze, Seol Hwa-un spoke again.
“We're going to run from here on. Do not lose sight of me no matter what.”
“Suddenly...?”
“Lightness skills are forbidden. If you use internal energy or fall behind, you'll regret it.”
While the two stared blankly, unable to grasp the situation, Seol Hwa-un shot forward.
Swoosh!
“...!”
Dong Ho-won and Eom Mu-hwi kicked off the ground belatedly, watching him pull away rapidly.
“Wait, hold on!”
“Young Palace Lord!”
The expressions of the running pair twisted slightly.
'Hmm! No wonder my body feels heavy.'
'Ugh, I definitely expelled all the haze!'
Eom Mu-hwi soon realized why.
'I see. The alcohol toxins from days of drinking have built up in my body.'
The haze could be blown away easily, but not the accumulated toxins.
Since they hadn't meditated right after each session to dispel it, the buildup had become hard to remove now. Plus, with days of heavy drinking in a row, it was no surprise.
They had also neglected training in the meantime. Their poor condition was inevitable.
'But the Young Palace Lord must be the same...'
On the return boat, Seol Hwa-un hadn't drunk, but before that, there was little difference.
From behind, it was clear he wasn't using lightness skills—just running purely by moving his legs fast.
'Is he just enduring it?'
Rough breaths were audible.
'Kuh, and still so fast!'
The two gritted their teeth and chased after Seol Hwa-un. Their run lasted a full hour.
“Haaak, haaak, haaak!”
“Heuk, heuk, heuk!”
Eom Mu-hwi and Dong Ho-won collapsed spread-eagled on the ground, gasping raggedly.
“Haa, haa, haa.”
Seol Hwa-un was panting too, though still on his feet.
All three were drenched in sweat.
“Phew. How's that? Feel lighter now?”
The two men's eyes widened slightly.
“...Come to think of it, yeah, a bit.”
“You didn't run us like this just to draw out the toxins, did you?”
Seol Hwa-un smiled faintly at Eom Mu-hwi's question.
“Exactly. You could do it through meditation too, of course, but running like this loosens up your stiff body as well—one stone, two birds.”
“It does, but... it's tough.”
“Training is supposed to be tough. Rest time's over. Up you go.”
Dong Ho-won and Eom Mu-hwi's faces fell.
“Ah...”
Leaving them behind, Seol Hwa-un dashed forward again. The two had no choice but to follow.
Repeating one hour of running and fifteen minutes of rest brought nightfall swiftly.
Only then did they fully expel the toxins from their bodies. After washing clean at the inn and having dinner, sparring resumed.
Though Dong Ho-won and Eom Mu-hwi were nearly exhausted, Seol Hwa-un showed no mercy.
In less than half an hour, the two collapsed.
“Hmm. Too tough after all?”
“...”
To them, Seol Hwa-un looked like a monster.
'How can he not be tired yet?'
But Seol Hwa-un was struggling too—just enduring with iron will.
“Good. That's enough for today.”
As the two headed to their rooms, only Seol Hwa-un remained.
“...”
He slowly began flowing through fist form sequences.
'The martial world is full of the strong. I've been too complacent.'
Being not even mid-twenties yet was no consolation.
'Blade King, Yangtze Dragon King.'
Already two on this Central Plains trip alone.
Setting aside the Nine Thousand Martial Emperor, there were still so many stronger than him.
Past life's realm meant nothing. His current low realm was what mattered.
'Sleep a bit less, maybe.'
Seol Hwa-un's training continued long after.
* * *
Dong Ho-won shouted excitedly.
“There it is—the Tae Valley branch!”
“I see.”
Still some distance away, but the building looked fully complete. The damage from the Shanxi conflict had been perfectly repaired.
Arriving at the manor gate, the three widened their eyes. Even Seol Hwa-un was no exception.
“Young Palace Lord, did the owner change while we were gone?”
“No way the strategist sold the manor and bolted...”
Eom Mu-hwi frowned.
“Enough nonsense.”
Dong Ho-won had good reason for his wild talk. The manor's plaque was unfamiliar.
[North Heaven Manor]
As Seol Hwa-un's group approached, two guards at the gate dropped to one knee.
“We greet the Manor Lord!”
“...!”
At the same time, North Heaven Manor's gates swung wide open.
Creeeak!
Yu Gong-seon and the Tae Valley branch's leadership stood before the entrance. They cupped fists toward Seol Hwa-un in unison.
“We greet the Manor Lord!”
The North Wind Brigade Leader, standing at the front, smiled.
“Welcome, Manor Lord.”
Seol Hwa-un felt dazed.
“North Wind Brigade Leader, how did you know... More importantly, North Heaven Manor? What's this?”
At Seol Hwa-un's question, Yu Gong-seon, standing right behind the Brigade Leader, spoke.
“Knowing you'd arrive isn't hard, Manor Lord. This branch—no, this manor—is no longer blind.”
“No longer blind... You don't mean you've fully built the intelligence network in that time?”
“Yes. The Murim Alliance's help was immense. Thanks to them, we now have an intelligence network in Shanxi Province unmatched by any other group.”
It was the culmination of steady preparations since starting the Tae Valley branch.
“Then the name North Heaven Manor...”
“It's awkward talking out here. Come inside for the rest.”
“Hmm. Very well.”
They headed straight to North Heaven Manor's grand meeting hall.
Seol Hwa-un nodded at the perfectly maintained interior.
'Less than two months... Impressive.'
Entering the hall, the North Wind Brigade Leader said,
“Take the head seat, Manor Lord.”
“Understood.”
Everyone took seats around the long table.
Bing Cho-pung spoke first.
“As expected of you, Manor Lord! An alliance with the Orthodox Heaven Alliance!”
“It's nominal only.”
“Such humility. How hard was it to even get that much?”
Yu Gong-seon nodded.
“I agree. This achievement surpasses wiping out several unorthodox sects.”
“More importantly, explain what's happened.”
All eyes naturally turned to Yu Gong-seon.
“As expected of Strategist Yu?”
“Hahaha. I merely suggested it to the Palace Lord.”
After the Shanxi conflict, the Tae Valley branch had fully established itself and cleared its wrongful suspicions.
But that was the extent of it.
For instance, warrior recruits who had flooded in after the conflict suddenly dried up.
The fundamental aversion to 'Outer Realm forces' hadn't fully vanished.
Of course, with time and effort, that perception could change—but who knew when.
“In truth, this is something I planned from the branch's inception.”
The name 'North Sea Ice Palace branch' itself repelled Central Plains folk.
Thus, renaming to the entirely new 'North Heaven Manor' lowered that barrier.
“Of course, changing the name doesn't make us any less a North Sea Ice Palace branch.”
The leadership were all North Sea natives using North Sea Ice Palace arts. The essence remained.
“However, viewing us now as a branch sect rather than a mere branch feels more natural.”
Even prestigious orthodox sects in the Central Plains had numerous branch sects alongside branches. North Heaven Manor was closer to that than the main North Sea Ice Palace itself.
“We named it North Heaven Manor after the Young Palace Lord's moniker. These days, the Heavenly Dragon of the North's fame outshines even the palace itself.”
The assembly broke into warm chuckles.
“Hahaha.”
Yu Gong-seon had proposed all this to Seol Wi-myeong, who approved readily.
“Heh, looks like I have no choice but to take Manor Lord.”
“That's how it became, Manor Lord.”
“North Heaven Manor... Not bad. I had planned to put the North Wind Brigade Leader in as branch head.”
The North Wind Brigade Leader smiled faintly.
“I'm content as Deputy Manor Lord.”
“The reorganization is already drafted.”
Bing Cho-pung laughed and handed over a paper.
“As expected, Manor Lord. Just review and approve.”
“Let me see.”
[Manor Lord: Seol Hwa-un.
Deputy Manor Lord: Han Jong-il.
First Chief Manager: Yu Gong-seon.
Second Chief Manager: Bing Cho-pung.
Wall Defense Brigade Leader: Bing Seol-pung.
North Heaven Brigade Leader: So Yeon-bang.
...]
The North Sea Martial Corps became the Wall Defense Brigade, and the Shanxi Martial Corps the North Heaven Brigade.
Seol Hwa-un tilted his head at an unfamiliar name.
“So Yeon-bang?”
Jeok Rang-do, seated at the end, awkwardly raised a hand.
“Ah, that's me.”
“I see.”
Seol Hwa-un's gaze sparkled as he looked at him.
“Keep up the good work, North Heaven Brigade Leader.”
Jeok Rang-do bowed crisply.
“Yes, Manor Lord!”
He was the rookie with the greatest feats in the Shanxi conflict. He was fully North Heaven Manor now.
As the name implied, the North Heaven Brigade was the manor's face.
It was true their forces were still lacking somewhat, but their significance lay in being a martial organization of Central Plains natives.
“We'll keep the North Wind Brigade as is, with the Deputy Manor Lord doubling as Brigade Leader.”
“Hmm.”
The First and Second Sword Brigades retained their names like the North Wind Brigade.
They belonged to the Ice Sword Corps after all. Once their dispatch ended, they'd return to the North Sea Ice Palace.
'The real work starts now.'
He must act henceforth not as North Sea Ice Palace Young Palace Lord, but as North Heaven Manor Lord.
Yu Gong-seon said,
“Manor Lord, issue your first command as Manor Lord.”
“...”
All eyes turned to Seol Hwa-un.
“Very well.”
He stood and declared,
“North Wind Brigade Leader.”
The Brigade Leader shot to his feet and bowed.
“Yes, Manor Lord.”
“I now command the first action in North Heaven Manor's name.”
“Give the order.”
“Lead the North Wind Brigade and annihilate Ghost King寨. Then, eradicate all remaining bandits in Shanxi Province.”
“...!”
When Seol Hwa-un first set foot in Shanxi, Ghost King寨 was one of two bandit strongholds threatening Shanxi Sword Sect.
But now, having lost its leader to Seol Hwa-un's group, its power was greatly weakened—barely clinging to existence.
“Let's clean up Shanxi Province first.”
Seol Hwa-un's eyes gleamed sharper than ever.