Chapter 336
Bu Eun-seol's party decided to stay at the Frozen Ice Pavilion, located not far from the palace lord's residence.
This place had several rooms along with a large study and a meeting hall, making it convenient for gathering and discussing matters.
"First, with the palace lord's assistance, we've obtained information on the Family Heads of the five clans excluding the Bing Clan."
Over the past few days, Yu Un-ryong had completed his investigation into the five clans with the help of Bing Han-pung's trusted aides.
"First, Eom U-jung. The Eom Family Head is greedy and ambitious by nature. He's long maintained connections with various factions. Statistically speaking, he has the highest probability of being the traitor."
"Hmm."
"Dong Yu-gak. The Dong Family Head is a moderate figure without particular ambitions. Even amidst the discord among the five clans, he's taken a step back to maintain a watchful stance."
Yu Un-ryong continued his explanation.
"Seol Se-geuk, the Seol Family Head, is currently ill. It's said he misused his internal energy during the past palace lord succession battle. Recently, his condition worsened... though this isn't confirmed. We should keep him under suspicion."
His voice lowered slightly as he paused.
"Han U-sang. The Han Family Head has the worst relationship with the palace lord. The current fragmentation of the North Sea Ice Palace is essentially tied to the Han Family Head."
Originally, Han U-sang's eldest son Han Ja-uk had been the strongest candidate for the next palace lord.
But the day before the martial contest, he was suddenly ambushed. As a result, the position of next palace lord went to Bing Han-pung's son, Bing Yu-rin.
"When the palace lord's son was chosen as successor, the five clans refused to acknowledge it. Because of this, the North Sea Ice Palace still hasn't officially selected the next palace lord."
"So the rift formed because the palace lord's son was chosen?"
At Bu Eun-seol's question, Yu Un-ryong made a bitter expression.
"No—it's because the culprit was narrowed down to one person."
"Who?"
When So Ok-rim, who had been listening, asked, Yu Un-ryong shook his head.
"The palace lord."
Yu Un-ryong spoke gravely.
"Han Ja-uk was injured by the Cold Ice Five Thunder Palm—a technique only the palace lord can master. All the Family Heads confronted the palace lord about it... but without decisive evidence, the matter was eventually left unresolved."
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
Ultimately, because of this incident, the North Sea Ice Palace failed to select its next palace lord, and the palace lord's authority weakened as well.
Yu Un-ryong rubbed his brow.
"As a result, the Han Family Head harbors intense hatred for the palace lord. He's the most suspicious candidate for being the traitor. He has the strongest motive to side with the descendants of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars."
Bu Eun-seol nodded again.
"Baek Jin-yu. The Baek Family Head?"
"Exclude him. He's the type who pretends to support the weakened palace lord while secretly manipulating him to control the North Sea Ice Palace from behind the scenes. In fact, he wants the current situation to continue."
After hearing Yu Un-ryong's clear explanation, Bu Eun-seol and So Ok-rim fell into deep thought.
To summarize briefly:
The Eom Family Head is full of ambition,
The Dong Family Head has no particular agenda,
The Seol Family Head is ill,
The Han Family Head holds a massive grudge against the palace lord.
Moreover, the Baek Family Head is using this opportunity to control the North Sea Ice Palace from behind the palace lord's back.
"Ugh. What a headache."
So Ok-rim scratched her head as she grasped the unexpectedly complicated situation of the North Sea Ice Palace.
"Damn, where do we even start?"
Yu Un-ryong also furrowed his brow.
"Not to mention, we can only meet each of them once."
So Ok-rim didn't even hold out hope.
Given Bu Eun-seol's exceptional insight, it would be better for him to meet all three Family Heads—that would raise the probability of catching the traitor.
But Bu Eun-seol spoke calmly.
"It's fine. We only need confirmation. It doesn't matter who meets whom."
"Alright then. Out of the five, who are you planning to meet?"
At So Ok-rim's question, Bu Eun-seol began laying out what he had already considered.
"First, you will meet the Seol Family Head."
"Huh? Me?"
"Given your mastery of the Star Emperor's martial arts, you should be well-versed in human physiology."
Bu Eun-seol spoke matter-of-factly.
"Especially if his illness stems from improper use of internal energy, he would be vulnerable to heart-fire imbalances. You're skilled at turning people inside out—you should be able to confirm whether the Seol Family Head's illness is genuine or not."
Though he phrased it that way, Bu Eun-seol knew that So Ok-rim's mind was sharp and her martial arts exceptional.
At the very least, if the Seol Family Head's illness was fabricated, it wouldn't escape her notice.
"Hmm. If he's faking illness, that would indeed raise the probability of him being the traitor."
As So Ok-rim nodded, Bu Eun-seol turned to Yu Un-ryong.
"You will meet the Dong Family Head. Use your conversation to gauge his inclinations."
"Why? Wouldn't the ambitious Eom Family Head be a better choice?"
"The North Sea Ice Palace isn't some minor faction. If someone maintained an ambitious attitude for so long, they would have prepared meticulous plans."
Bu Eun-seol spoke decisively.
"There is zero probability that the Eom Family Head is the traitor."
"But is it really alright for me to go?"
"No need to feel burdened. Simply observe whether his publicly known disposition matches his true character—that alone will suffice."
"What about you?"
"I will listen to your reports before making a decision."
Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly.
"For the final verdict."
"Hmm..."
Yu Un-ryong fell into thought.
Though he, too, had a profound mind, he couldn't begin to guess Bu Eun-seol's plan.
Yet he was certain—Bu Eun-seol would uncover the traitor colluding with outsiders through his Mystic Calculation Strategy.
"Understood. I'll proceed as you say."
Later, Yu Un-ryong sought out the Dong Family Head.
But of course, he was turned away at the door.
Far from holding a conversation, he couldn't even step past the Dong Clan's threshold.
"Seems I have no choice."
Yu Un-ryong retrieved a white jade tablet from his robes.
"I was hoping not to use this."
It was a Command Plaque engraved with the emblem of the Bing Clan—given to him by Bing Han-pung for precisely this scenario, when the family heads refused to meet.
"Using this means I only get one meeting."
To properly assess someone, you needed to meet them at least three times.
Yu Un-ryong had intended to build personal rapport and visit the Dong Clan multiple times.
But if he forced a meeting with this plaque, it would truly be a one-time opportunity.
"No helping it."
In the end, only after brandishing the plaque was Yu Un-ryong granted an audience with the Dong Family Head.
Meanwhile, So Ok-rim also met with the Seol Family Head.
She, too, was initially refused—until she presented her plaque.
During their private discussion, her blunt attitude and words provoked the Seol Family Head's temper.
So much so that the man, forgetting his supposed illness, flared his internal energy in fury.
The next day.
Frozen Ice Pavilion, meeting hall.
"That man—his illness is real. Even when he was fuming, steam practically rising from his head, he couldn't properly control his internal power."
So Ok-rim gave Bu Eun-seol a detailed account of her encounter with the Seol Family Head.
According to her, the man was genuinely ill, his internal energy unstable.
"The Dong Family Head does seem like a person with no particular ambitions."
But Yu Un-ryong's expression was unconvinced as he added,
"However, his mind was deeper than expected. I couldn't tell if he was deliberately putting on an act—or if that's truly his nature."
After listening to both reports, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"Then we must meet the Han Family Head."
"Why? Is he the traitor?"
Bu Eun-seol shook his head at Yu Un-ryong's question.
"That's not the case. But regardless of the traitor, a rift has formed... It's best to mend it as quickly as possible."
With that, he immediately left the Frozen Ice Pavilion and headed toward the South Gate.
The North Sea Ice Palace, spanning vast plains, was structured around six clans—with the Bing Clan at the center, flanked by the Baek Clan.
The remaining four clans guarded the palace from the cardinal directions.
After walking along a road as wide as an imperial highway, a grand palace radiating solemn blue light came into view—the seat of the Han Clan.
Thud. Thud.
As Bu Eun-seol approached, guards clad in snow-white robes barred his path.
"Identify yourself."
Without hesitation, Bu Eun-seol displayed the Command Plaque of the Ice Palace Lord.
"I wish to meet the Han Family Head."
The guards exchanged glances, then shook their heads.
"The Family Head has already decreed: No audience with the Ice Palace Lord's envoys."
Rumors had spread—three guests from the Demon Hall had visited Palace Lord Bing Han-pung, and they were now touring the fractured clans.
Having heard everything, Han U-sang had preemptively ordered his guards to refuse them entry.
"Tell him I come with the truth behind the Young Clan Head's assassination incident."
"The truth?"
The guards' eyes widened in shock. Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly.
"Just relay those words."
Guided inside, Bu Eun-seol arrived at a secluded chamber deep within the Han Clan's palace.
The room's interior was constructed entirely of a transparent material, like glass.
As he entered, a middle-aged man with eyes as cold as glacial ice stared down at him.
This was Han U-sang—Family Head of the North Sea's Han Clan.
"You claim to know the truth behind my son's assassination attempt?"
"I do."
"Speak, then."
"First, I must personally examine the Young Master's injuries in detail."
"I fail to see the meaning in that."
Bu Eun-seol's tone remained dignified yet respectful.
"Only by examining the Young Master's condition can I properly explain the truth."
As the Heir of the Demon Hall, Bu Eun-seol technically outranked the family heads of the North Sea Ice Palace.
Yet his consistently courteous speech—even referring to Han U-sang's son as Young Master, a term of deference—softened the man's expression slightly.
"What exactly will examining the details reveal?"
"Will you allow me to see him?"
Han U-sang bit his lip before speaking.
"The Palace Lord isn't scheming something unnecessary, are you?"
"That would be impossible."
"Fine. But if you spout nonsense... even as the Heir of the Demon Hall, this Family Head won't stand idly by."
That was no mere threat.
His son had suffered a grievous injury over a decade ago. Yet his body remained unhealed, and the truth remained obscured...
Han U-sang's grudge ran deep enough to freeze the heavens themselves.
"That won't happen."
"Good."
He led Bu Eun-seol to a place labeled Sa Ice Storehouse.
Contrary to its name, the interior was scorching hot.
Upon closer inspection, fires were being continuously stoked outside to keep the inside blazing. And at the center of the room, a man lay on a bed, his face deathly pale.
It was Han U-sang's eldest son, Han Ja-uk.
"A characteristic of the Cold Ice Five Thunder Palm. If the yin energy isn't expelled, the blood meridians freeze solid."
Bu Eun-seol studied Han Ja-uk's pallid face intently.
He had thick eyebrows, a prominent nose, and the dignified bearing of a hero.
Yet, as the Extreme Yin Force steadily froze his blood meridians, his expression occasionally twisted in agony.
"Forgive my intrusion."
Bu Eun-seol carefully examined his back.
Only faint traces of the Extreme Yin Force remained—nothing that could identify the assailant.
Given the sheer intensity of the yin energy capable of freezing blood meridians, it was undeniably a technique of the North Sea Ice Palace.
Zing.
Without realizing it, Bu Eun-seol's pupils had turned pure white.
Empty Mind Spirit Perception.
He had heightened his senses to the pinnacle of the Way of the Beast, capable of detecting even decades-old traces.
'Just as I thought...'
A flash of insight flickered in Bu Eun-seol's eyes as he examined Han Ja-uk's wounds.
His long-held suspicions had been confirmed.
"I've seen enough."
"Then speak. What's the truth?"
Bu Eun-seol replied calmly.
"In two hours, wait outside the Glacier Palace's training room. Then you'll know."
"What?"
At this absurd answer, Han U-sang's expression darkened.
"Are you mocking this Family Head right now?"
"This is a truth that's remained unsolved for over a decade, isn't it?"
Bu Eun-seol's expression grew even more solemn.
"To confirm it definitively, trust me just this once."
Han U-sang's face twisted in conflict.
He could sense that Bu Eun-seol wasn't lying or evading.
But summoning him to a place only the Palace Lord could enter—didn't that imply the culprit was connected to the Palace Lord himself?
"Don't tell me... the Palace Lord is the culprit? Is that why you're luring me there?"
"In two hours, you'll understand everything."
Bu Eun-seol's tone was utterly grave.
"I'll see you at the training room."
With that, he turned immediately to leave.
Han U-sang raised a hand to stop him—then, as if reconsidering, lowered it.
He watched Bu Eun-seol's retreating back with an indescribably complicated expression.
As Bu Eun-seol stepped out of the Han Clan's manor, his eyes narrowed.
'The Han Family Head isn't the one.'
Han U-sang's fury was genuine, and his son Han Ja-uk's internal power had deteriorated severely.
Under normal circumstances, he would have had every reason to seek outside forces for revenge.
But his unyielding, principled nature meant he would sooner leave the North Sea Ice Palace than betray it or collude with outsiders.
'Good thing I made arrangements with the Palace Lord in advance.'
Bu Eun-seol's mind raced at lightning speed.
Even before arriving, he had already deduced the circumstances of Han Ja-uk's ambush—and had a strong suspicion of the culprit.
That was why he had first secured an agreement with Bing Han-pung before meeting Han U-sang.
"Greetings."
Just then, at the crossroads leading to the Glacier Palace, an elderly man stood imposingly.
His long, narrow eyes and profound gaze made it clear at a glance that he was a man of deep wisdom.
"This old man is Baek Jin-yu, Family Head of the Baek Clan."
"Martial Soul Lord, Bu Eun-seol."
As Bu Eun-seol bowed courteously, Baek Jin-yu smiled amiably and said:
"To meet the Martial Soul Lord, who shakes the very world, in person—truly, the rumors of the martial world were not unfounded."
"You flatter me."
"Might we walk and talk for a moment?"
Baek Jin-yu seemed to have chosen this "chance encounter" as a way to engage Bu Eun-seol in a brief conversation.
"Of course."
Once Bu Eun-seol agreed, Baek Jin-yu cut straight to the point.
"I've heard that the Martial Soul Lord has come to quell unrest within our palace. That it's a condition for peace between the Demon Hall and us."
Bu Eun-seol answered frankly without concealment.
"It is indeed true."
"There is no need for that."
Baek Jin-yu spoke in a low voice.
"The affairs of this palace can be handled by the palace itself. If an outsider interferes needlessly, it will only cause greater turmoil."
He then let out a sigh and continued.
"The rift in this palace is not something an outsider should mend."
"Why is that?"
"This palace has rejected external forces and stood on its own for generations. But if you were to assist, even the dignity of the Palace Lord would be damaged."
Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly.
"Even though the rift was caused by an external force?"
At his words, Baek Jin-yu's expression stiffened.
"An external force, you say?"
"You will know soon enough."
"Can you be certain of that claim?"
"Of course."
Bu Eun-seol wore a composed smile.
"If no external force had intervened, not even the Demonic Heavenly Emperor himself would have dared to interfere. I, as the Lord, would never have dreamed of setting foot in the North Sea Ice Palace."
Baek Jin-yu's face hardened as he took in Bu Eun-seol's confident smile.
Baek Jin-yu.
Was he, the head of the Baek Clan, a traitor? Or was he a bystander who feigned ignorance despite knowing the full situation, all for the sake of maintaining his regency?
"Is that so?"
Baek Jin-yu soon regained his gentle expression.
"This Family Head has spoken out of turn. Then, let us meet again."
"Take care."
As Bu Eun-seol bowed slightly, Baek Jin-yu smiled and slowly turned away.
The eyes of the retreating Baek Jin-yu narrowed sharply.
The rift must not be sealed.
If it were, his position—which he had long enjoyed in place of the Palace Lord—would be shaken.
***
Glacier Palace.
This was where the Palace Lord resided and handled the major affairs of the North Sea Ice Palace. A large training room had been installed here.
The supreme martial arts of the North Sea Ice Palace were passed down through ancient maxims.
This training room was used when the Palace Lord imparted martial techniques to meritorious figures or outstanding disciples.
Inside the training room, a man clad in black martial robes stood facing a middle-aged man in white garments.
They were none other than Bu Eun-seol and Bing Han-pung.
"Why have you requested a private audience with this Palace Lord in my training chamber?"
At Bing Han-pung's question, Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands together.
"I seek but one piece of guidance from the Palace Lord."
"Guidance?"
"Earlier today, I visited the residence of a certain Family Head and examined the wounds of their noble son."
"I see."
Bing Han-pung smiled faintly, a trace of melancholy in his expression.
"So, to your eyes as well, does it appear as though this Palace Lord struck him down?"
"It does."
The Cold Ice Five Thunder Palm was a martial art exclusive to the Palace Lord—a guardian technique of the palace.
Since Bing Han-pung was the only one in the North Sea Ice Palace who had mastered it, such suspicions were unavoidable.
Yet Bu Eun-seol gave an unexpected answer.
"Had I been a disciple of the North Sea Ice Palace, I would have unquestionably believed the Palace Lord to be the culprit."
"Had you been a disciple...?"
"May I ask the Palace Lord a question?"
Bu Eun-seol pressed his palms together as he spoke.
"Judging by the name Cold Ice Five Thunder Palm, it does not seem to be purely of the True Yin path, like Yin Cold or Mystic Yin... Rather, it appears to contain energies akin to Wind and Thunder or Water and Fire. Am I correct?"
Having examined the traces of the Cold Ice Five Thunder Palm on Han Ja-uk's body, Bu Eun-seol had discerned that it was not a palm technique of the True Yin lineage.
Bing Han-pung did not hide his surprise and nodded.
"You are correct."
"I wish to inquire precisely what energies are contained within it."
Only then did Bing Han-pung realize why Bu Eun-seol had requested a private meeting in the training chamber—a place typically reserved for closed-door cultivation.
"You are asking me to reveal a portion of the secrets of this palace's supreme palm art?"
"That is correct."
Bing Han-pung frowned.
No sect would ever expose even a single line of the True Body Supreme Art's teachings to an outsider.
Yet Bu Eun-seol spoke as boldly as if he were merely reclaiming something entrusted to him.
"I only wish to know what forces are embedded within it."
Not a trace of selfish intent could be seen in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
After a brief hesitation, Bing Han-pung reluctantly opened his mouth.
"Though the Cold Ice Five Thunder Palm is known as a martial art of the True Yin lineage, in truth, it encompasses the Three Yins and Three Yangs, Celestial Wind, and Water Wind in its first transformation, while Heaven and Earth form its second transformation..."
In the end, he explained all the variations embedded within the Cold Ice Five Thunder Palm.
Bu Eun-seol, who had been listening intently, nodded.
"So, the Cold Ice Five Thunder Palm suppresses lightness with weight and overcomes speed with slowness through its palm energy."
"Precisely."
Whoosh.
But then, Bu Eun-seol folded his left palm inward.
And when he extended it back into the air—
Crackle!
A flash of pure white cold energy and faint lightning shadows etched themselves into the void.
It was none other than the supreme palm art of the North Sea Ice Palace—the Cold Ice Five Thunder Palm.