Chapter 86
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Lord of Sammuhyeon
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Songran let out a long breath.
"If you've seen it, then you understand why I wanted to leave Cheongyo unnie's side. Mukrimcheon will come for me no matter what."
I flashed a grin.
"This is unorthodox territory, and Sammuhyeon to boot. They won't think they can just take you away easily. With the Lord of Unorthodoxy wide awake and me here too, they can't believe they can sneak you off."
"They'll find me no matter where I go. The reason I stayed anyway is that if they're going to track me down anywhere, it's better to be by the side of someone I care for."
I fully understood Songran's feelings. The desire to protect someone precious.
"In any case, I hold gratitude toward you, Scholar Cheon. So I wanted to repay the favor in some way like this."
Songran, having made up her mind, turned to Yeoseol and spoke.
"Truth be told, I've been watching Yeoseol's changes too. She's different from when we came from the Nangong Family to Present Heaven Gate. It's not just her personality that's changed—her gaze has shifted. That suggests another consciousness may have intervened in her original one."
As expected of the possessor of the Soul Dominion Divine Eyes, she had noticed Yeoseol's changes.
"But I couldn't analyze Yeoseol's consciousness without permission, so I waited for you to bring it up, Scholar Cheon. If it seemed like it would be too late, I planned to speak first."
This meant Songran had been looking out for Yeoseol in her own way.
Songran still didn't know that Yeoseol possessed an Ice Sacred Body.
Cheongyo and Songran both believed Yeoseol was truly my cousin.
"Yeoseol. Come here."
When Songran beckoned, Yeoseol approached but suddenly hesitated.
Sensing something off, Yeoseol slowly backed away.
"I'm not sick or anything."
Yeoseol said this while hiding behind me.
I spoke to Yeoseol.
"It's not because you're sick, Yeoseol. It's to keep your head from hurting when your memories return."
Yeoseol tended to believe everything I said, so her eyes widened.
"Really?"
"Of course."
Yeoseol approached Songran again and sat down.
"Just stay still."
"Okay."
Songran lifted her veil and gazed into Yeoseol's eyes.
A moment later, Yeoseol mumbled.
"Mm... I'm sleepy."
I replied.
"If you're sleepy, go ahead and sleep."
Yeoseol didn't respond.
It seemed her consciousness had sunk under the influence of Songran's Soul Dominion Divine Eyes.
Songran's consciousness delved into Yeoseol's mind.
Then, Songran jolted in shock.
She sensed a massive consciousness power, one she had never seen before, slumbering in a corner of Yeoseol's psyche.
It existed like a silkworm cocoon, with threads slowly unraveling from it.
Songran unleashed her Soul Dominion Divine Eyes to their utmost. She then grasped what the cocoon in the consciousness was.
'What in the world is this? The Sixth Palace Lord of the Ice Palace, Maeyuyeon?'
Even knowing her Soul Dominion Divine Eyes couldn't be wrong, she could hardly believe it.
'How could this be? It's not something newly inserted—it's a consciousness that's been embedded in Yeoseol's mind for a long time.'
Songran realized Yeoseol harbored a profound secret.
Songran drew closer to the cocoon, trying to touch it.
Only then could she obtain more detailed information.
At that moment, an inexplicable repulsive force prevented her from approaching.
The consciousness was instinctively defending itself.
Songran could no longer sustain her Soul Dominion Divine Eyes and withdrew from Yeoseol's consciousness.
"Ugh!"
The repulsion was stronger than expected; even after pulling out, the shock left her dizzy.
Yeoseol collapsed and fell asleep as she was.
After re-covering her face with the veil, Songran spoke.
"Yeoseol is no ordinary child."
Cheon Taesan could not respond to those words.
Not even Songran could be told the truth about the Ice Sacred Body.
"What of Yeoseol's memories?"
He changed the subject instead.
"There's another person's consciousness within Yeoseol's mind."
Cheon Taesan frowned more than he was surprised at the words.
Songran immediately picked up on it.
"You knew."
"It's not that I knew—merely that I suspected as much. You say it's another person's consciousness. Whose is it?"
"The Sixth Palace Lord of the Ice Palace, Maeyuyeon. Her soul spirit has fully entered. It's so powerful it repelled even my consciousness. It'll only be a matter of time before it dominates Yeoseol's mind."
Cheon Taesan had anticipated something like this, but he hadn't imagined the Sixth Palace Lord's soul would be lodged in Yeoseol's consciousness.
He recalled records of the Ice Palace from his memory.
He remembered that Maeyuyeon was one of the rare martial artists bestowed the title of Martial Marquess and an absolute expert.
She was also famous by the epithet Three Gates Martial Marquess and the Ice Palace Lord best known in the martial world.
'That must be why they preserved her soul and implanted it into Yeoseol's body.'
Perhaps part of the Ice Palace leadership had inserted Maeyuyeon's soul into Yeoseol to reclaim the glory of the Martial Marquess.
'Come to think of it, the Demonic Cult and Blood Cult don't know this. Not just them—Jong Sobin doesn't know either. If she did, she would have tipped me off. But even if Jong Sobin knew, would she have handed Yeoseol over to me so readily?'
Cheon Taesan thought of Yu Yeongrip.
'Elder Yu knew, it seems. They acted as if they had no need for a palace lord or little palace lord. That was because they knew Maeyuyeon would awaken through Yeoseol.'
The Demonic Cult and Blood Cult were likely in the dark.
If they knew, their approach would have been entirely different.
Rather than securing the Ice Sacred Body, they would have aimed to kill her.
Maeyuyeon was the Ice Palace Lord who despised the Demonic Cult and Blood Cult the most in its history.
"Is there no way to excise Maeyuyeon's consciousness?"
"This consciousness was planted right from Yeoseol's birth, making it practically one with her. It's fused with her innate energies. Even if excised, it couldn't be complete—some of Maeyuyeon's consciousness would remain in Yeoseol."
"Even if it can't be fully removed, it can still be excised to some degree?"
"Yes, it is possible. But it requires someone from Wusangcheon. The people of Wusangcheon know how to handle souls and spirit energies, so their aid is needed to carve out Maeyuyeon's consciousness."
Songran looked at Yeoseol with regretful eyes.
"With my Soul Dominion Divine Eyes, I can prevent Maeyuyeon's consciousness from stirring, but I can't sever one fused with innate energies. Only the people of Wusangcheon can. We must find them first."
Cheon Taesan spoke frankly to Songran.
To save Yeoseol, he revealed a secret he had sworn never to divulge to anyone in his lifetime.
"Miss Song, you may not know this, but I've actually mastered the arts of Guiseonja. He was a man of Wusangcheon. That's why I can handle spirit energies."
"Ah!"
He could sense her startled eyes beyond the veil.
"I know many from Wusangcheon hid their identities to roam the martial world. Guiseonja was probably one of them. That's why even Seonpyeon Samcheon doesn't look kindly on Wusangcheon."
As her attention drifted elsewhere, Cheon Taesan got to the point.
"If I am to carve out Maeyuyeon's consciousness, what must I do and how?"
"We need to draw it into one of our consciousnesses."
"Damn it!"
There was nothing easy about it.
"It'll have to be my consciousness, then. I'll use my Soul Dominion Divine Eyes to subdue and lull it."
Cheon Taesan suddenly considered the opposite scenario.
"What if Maeyuyeon's consciousness awakens even under the Soul Dominion Divine Eyes?"
Songran hesitated at his question.
"Maeyuyeon's consciousness hasn't emerged from the cocoon yet. If it had, it'd be impossible, but since it hasn't, I can control it."
Cheon Taesan stared at her intently, and Songran asked.
"Are you worried about me?"
"Of course. I can't bring disaster upon you just to save Yeoseol."
"It's not all downsides. If I can dominate Maeyuyeon's consciousness, I could inherit her martial prowess. I'd become an absolute expert overnight."
Songran said this out of concern for Cheon Taesan, but she knew how perilous it truly was.
Her hands trembled faintly.
If it went wrong, she'd be consumed by Maeyuyeon's consciousness or die.
"And that's precisely why I respect you and Cheong unnie, Scholar Cheon. You always put others first."
In this era, pursuing one's own gain before considering others was the norm.
"Greed stirs in me too. Mastering Maeyuyeon's arts would let me stand against Mukrimcheon. So I can't back out either."
Confirming Songran's resolve, Cheon Taesan nodded.
"Miss Song, even if something happens to you, I'll ensure Miss Cheong lives in comfort for life. And if you survive, I'll care for you until your dying day."
"That's more than enough reason to take the risk. Especially for Yeoseol. I don't want to see her ensnared by Maeyuyeon's consciousness. I prefer the innocent Yeoseol."
"Then, when shall we begin?"
"Since we're at it, let's do it tomorrow evening. I have preparations to make."
"Understood. I'll come again tomorrow."
Cheon Taesan politely bowed to Songran and carried Yeoseol on his back as he left.
Yeoseol was still sleeping soundly.
Stepping outside, the street was brightly lit despite the fallen darkness.
Many shops had lanterns hung.
Unless it was a bustling district, most shops closed before sundown out of fear of thieves and bandits.
Yet for some reason, shops here openly conducted business, and foot traffic was heavy.
"Oh my."
Just then, someone who recognized me bowed in greeting.
I looked at him, and the man spoke.
"Greetings. Scholar Divine Sword."
"Who might you be?"
The title Scholar Divine Sword felt awkward, but now wasn't the time to quibble.
"Yes. I'm one of the slash-and-burn farmers who received farmland thanks to you, Scholar Divine Sword."
His neat clothes and tidy appearance gave no hint of his origins.
"Oh, how's the farmland treating you?"
"Yes. Among all the lands I've touched, none compare to those of Sammuhyeon. With Poyang Lake nearby, water's no issue, and this year promises a bountiful harvest. We even planted other crops early and sold them, so on our way back from eating at an inn with the family."
He called over his family to bow to me.
"Master!"
His wife called me master, making my face flush hot.
"Haha, such a title is too much."
"Nonsense. You're the landowner— of course you're our master."
When the wife bristled instead, I was at a loss for words.
"Carry on with your business. Don't linger on my account."
"Thank you."
The man and his family bowed deeply and withdrew.
As I walked the street, more than a few recognized and greeted me.
'This reminds me of my time in Bukro. I wonder how Dusik is faring.'
As I walked thinking of Bukro and Dusik, someone from the second floor of an inn shouted at me.
"Scholar Divine Sword!"
Looking up, familiar faces waved at me.
After a moment's recollection, I smiled.
"Oh! Aren't these my comrades-in-arms!"
At my words, the drinking men shot to their feet and saluted crisply.
They were members of the Present Heaven Asura Unit who had fought the Demonic Cult at Hopyeon Battlefield.
Seeing them eased the headache from Yeoseol worries, lifting my spirits.
I kicked off the ground with the Nine Phantom Specter Divine Technique.
Carrying Yeoseol on my back, I soared to the second-floor railing.
"Whoa!"
"As expected of the Scholar Divine Sword!"
The crowd buzzed around us.
"Will you join us for a drink here today?"
They were all older than me, so I used polite speech.
"Yes. Isn't Sammuhyeon these days the safest spot to drink without worry of trouble?"
"Exactly. Who would dare defy the Lord's declaration of the Three Nos?"
Before I knew it, the inn was well-stocked.
While I was away at Hopyeon Battlefield, the village had changed considerably.
I called the innkeeper.
"My word, if it isn't the Lord of Sammuhyeon, Scholar Divine Sword."
"Innkeeper."
"Yes."
"These folks here are my comrades-in-arms. I'll cover their drinks and food tomorrow, so serve them whatever they desire without worry."
The Present Heaven Asura Unit warriors didn't refuse.
They stood and cupped their fists at me.
"Thank you, Scholar Divine Sword."
"You're embarrassing me."
"Someone might drink themselves to death tonight."
"Then enjoy yourselves. I'll be off first."
I descended from the inn using lightness skill once more.
The onlookers even clapped and cheered at my antics.
It was all showy bravado, but wasn't this the spice of life?