Absolute Ban Order (2)
Silence fell over the hall.
In this heavy hush born of a taboo word, the first to react was the old woman standing beside Palace Lord Seo Bing-bing.
She emanated an aura as sharp as frost, the Grand Elder of the Ice Palace, Sim Na-hu.
"The Absolute Ban Order is our palace's most sacred supreme principle! What nonsense is this?"
If her opponent hadn't been Yeom Hwa-sin, she would have leaped forward and struck him down with a single palm strike.
"Is there truly anything absolute in this world?"
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
"How long do you intend to stay cooped up in the North Sea?"
"Over the years, our palace has shone as the guardian of the North Sea. Why would you say such a thing?"
"Guardian of the North Sea? What exactly is there here worth guarding? Some roadside snowman?"
"Silence!"
Sim Na-hu openly bared her killing intent. Yeom Hwa-sin, by contrast, remained utterly at ease.
"My point is simple. Don't limit yourselves to the North Sea—become guardians of the Central Plains."
Just as Sim Na-hu opened her mouth to bellow, Seo Bing-bing stepped forward first. She spoke calmly to Yeom Hwa-sin.
"Alliance Lord Yeom, that's enough. Even if you are a grand master of the unorthodox paths, I can't indulge any more of your ravings."
"I've heard I'm crazy so often, I might well be. But what I just said wasn't ravings."
"Crazy people never think they're crazy."
Their exchange crackled with tension, but Baek So-cheon could tell. Seo Bing-bing wasn't nearly as angry as Sim Na-hu.
He had caught the expression on Seo Bing-bing's face when Yeom Hwa-sin had mentioned lifting the Absolute Ban Order earlier. Surprise, excitement, passion—all mingled there, but no trace of fury.
With everyone focused on Baek So-cheon and Yeom Hwa-sin, no one else had noticed.
Having properly issued his declaration of intent, Yeom Hwa-sin changed the subject.
"Coming to this chilly place has me shivering. I need a drink to warm up. We'll continue our talk tomorrow."
Seo Bing-bing instructed her subordinate.
"He's an honored guest—see to it he's well attended."
Sim Na-hu, meanwhile, glared at the pair with fierce eyes until they departed.
The gazes following the two as they left split into two kinds: extreme loathing and hopeful anticipation.
Yeom Hwa-sin's words rang true. There were surely those among them who yearned to leave this place.
Once outside the palace lord's hall, Baek So-cheon said to Yeom Hwa-sin,
"Let's talk."
Yeom Hwa-sin grinned.
"Knew you'd say that—why do you think I had a table set with drinks?"
"What are you thinking about?"
Na-sa-rin's words snapped Cheon-geuk out of her reverie.
"Ah, sorry."
Cheon-geuk hurriedly tried to pour Na-sa-rin a drink, only to see her cup was already full.
The two were sharing a rare drinking session. Cheon-geuk had suggested it first, yet here she was, lost in thought.
"Worried about Baek the warrior?"
Na-sa-rin knew her heart better than anyone.
"...Yeah. The opponent's who he is, after all."
"Can't be helped."
"Maybe I shouldn't have fallen for him like this."
"Regretting it?"
"To be honest, I always thought I could walk away from him anytime. That just sharing love with a guy this amazing was enough. Even our first time together, I didn't make a big deal of it. Told myself it was nothing, nothing at all, and kept my heart in check. But..."
"It's not that easy, is it?"
"I never knew I could be this weak."
"It's not weakness—it's strength."
"Strength?"
"Of course. The weak can't truly love anyone. Alliance Lord, keep loving him. That heart will make you even stronger."
"Thank you, Elder."
They raised their cups for a toast—
"Mind if I join you?"
An unexpected visitor arrived at Daroo Tea House. Astonishingly, it was Murim Alliance Lord Ak So-gun.
"Alliance Lord."
Cheon-geuk and Na-sa-rin rose and bowed politely.
Ak So-gun returned the courtesy with a clasped-fist salute. Young as she was, Cheon-geuk was the lord of her own alliance, and venerable Na-sa-rin was a senior of the martial world.
"I was passing by and thought of you on a whim. Hope I'm not interrupting your intimate gathering."
His bamboo hat suggested he'd come with minimal escorts.
"What greater honor than to drink with you, Alliance Lord? Please, join us."
"Grateful for the kind words."
Ak So-gun joined the two women. He reached for the bottle first to pour for Na-sa-rin.
"Let me pour you one."
"Alliance Lord, I should pour for you first."
"No, this is informal—let this junior of the jianghu pour for you."
Ak So-gun poured for Na-sa-rin. If word got out that the Murim Alliance Lord had poured for an assassin, tongues would wag.
But Ak So-gun didn't care. Once the conflict with the Black Heaven Alliance resolved, he planned to pass the throne to Baek So-cheon and retire with On Byeok-hwa. Since that resolve, he'd been free of others' gazes. Looking back, his whole life had been shackled by the world's eyes.
"Thank you again for saving my life back then."
Na-sa-rin humbly accepted the reference to the Heavenly Outer Manuscript.
"My meager skills happened to be of use at the right moment—no need to dwell on it."
Na-sa-rin filled Ak So-gun's cup in return.
The three drank together. An unlikely trio, but the mood was pleasant. Na-sa-rin's vast experience and insight bridged the conversation smoothly between the Alliance Lord and her.
Cheon-geuk quietly sipped and listened.
As talk flowed, Ak So-gun asked Cheon-geuk,
"Does Alliance Lord Cheon know where Baek the warrior went to train?"
Ak So-gun hadn't come by chance. Je-gal Hyeon had reported changed movements from Black Heaven after Baek So-cheon left to train.
Worried Baek So-cheon might be entangled with Yeom Hwa-sin, and knowing his bond with Cheon-geuk, he'd come to ask her.
Cheon-geuk hesitated. She'd lied to Je-gal Hyeon earlier, claiming ignorance. But with the Alliance Lord here in person, it felt awkward.
After a moment, she decided against a second lie.
"I couldn't be honest when the Grand Strategist visited before, but I'll tell you straight, Alliance Lord. He's with Yeom Hwa-sin right now."
"As I feared!"
Ak So-gun had suspected as much. Worry darkened his face.
"This is all because of my shortcomings."
Cheon-geuk drove the nail home.
"Exactly."
Ak So-gun flinched and stared at her. Na-sa-rin beside them also turned in surprise.
Alliance Lord, are you drunk?
But Cheon-geuk was stone sober. She drained her cup and continued.
"You and I—we're too weak. If we were strong, that Yeom bastard couldn't rampage like this. We lost him because we're weak. Without him, war would have erupted last spring. He's standing alone against Yeom Hwa-sin—for us, for all the martial world. So, Alliance Lord, this drink is to our defeat."
Ak So-gun sat stunned for a moment, then let out a hollow laugh.
"You're right."
Who else could say such a thing in this situation? And he was the Murim Alliance Lord. No matter what happened, everyone always deferred: "Not your fault, Alliance Lord."
But what comfort was that? Empty formalities.
Cheon-geuk's candid words, though, truly soothed him.
"But let's not worry."
Having opened up, Cheon-geuk added,
"I read in a book that four out of five worries never come to pass... So the one worry that matters gets buried under the other four useless ones."
She shared the same worry tale she'd once told Baek So-cheon. Ak So-gun's expression brightened as he listened.
"Alliance Lord Cheon is right. Here I am, fretting over nothing instead of what truly needs my attention."
The three drank again.
When the bottle emptied, Ak So-gun rose.
"I'll take my leave. Thanks for the fine drinking."
"Take care."
As Ak So-gun turned to go, Cheon-geuk confessed honestly.
"Truth is, I can't follow that advice on worry myself. I've spent the whole day fretting over him."
Ak So-gun smiled.
"That's why we keep reading books, isn't it? Because we can't easily live by their words—we read and reread to steady our hearts. Alliance Lord Cheon, may I drop by again sometime?"
"Anytime."
They exchanged clasped-fist salutes and parted.
Walking from Daroo Tea House, Ak So-gun gazed at the distant Alliance Lord's Hall and said,
"An-a."
"Yes, Alliance Lord."
Pung-geuk-an's voice replied from thin air.
"Leaving the alliance and looking around, I see a whole new world. Have I been trapped in there too long?"
After a pause, Pung-geuk-an answered.
"Because you have, Alliance Lord, many people can now live freely in this new world."
A smile touched Ak So-gun's lips.
"Thank you for saying that. Let's head back."
"Yes."
Ak So-gun, bamboo hat low, set off toward the Alliance Lord's Hall.
From Daroo's window, Cheon-geuk and Na-sa-rin watched his retreating figure. Meeting him only made her think of Baek So-cheon more.
"What do you think he's doing right now?"
Na-sa-rin replied calmly.
"If he's as we've always seen... he's growing stronger this very moment. And leaving an unforgettable mark on someone."
Cheon-geuk turned to Na-sa-rin, forcing a bright smile.
"Then I'll do the same. Train hard and inspire others too."
Na-sa-rin nodded with a satisfied smile.
She's already made her mark.
Baek So-cheon and Yeom Hwa-sin were drinking at their lodgings. Baek So-cheon had many questions.
"What exactly happened?"
"Where should I start?"
"Tell me about the Life-Death Divine Physician first. Why is he at the North Sea Ice Palace?"
Seo Bing-bing had said he wasn't here, but that couldn't be. Yeom Hwa-sin wouldn't have come all this way without him. On that point, at least, Yeom Hwa-sin was trustworthy.
"He has deep ties with the Ice Palace. When the previous palace lord was at death's door, he saved her life."
"So that's why the Life-Death Divine Physician stays here."
"Exactly. He's been here precisely four years now."
With a timeline from his lips, it was undeniable fact.
"What's your connection to the Life-Death Divine Physician?"
"The injuries you gave me in our last fight were deeper than I thought."
"Ah! So he's the one who treated you."
"Right."
"He vanished from the jianghu some time ago. Did you keep him hidden?"
"He went into seclusion long before I was wounded, no?"
"Then you tracked him down in hiding?"
"No. He came to our headquarters himself—somehow knew to find me."
"He treated you of his own free will?"
"Yes. Voluntarily."
"Hard to believe."
"I get it. He's originally a righteous faction man. But hear his reason for coming, and you'll understand why he saved me."
"Tell me."
"In exchange for treating me, he asked me to kill someone."
"...!"
The Life-Death Divine Physician, who'd devoted his life to saving others, asking for a kill? Unbelievable—but Baek So-cheon sensed Yeom Hwa-sin wasn't lying.
"Someone only I could kill."
"Who?"
Then, from Yeom Hwa-sin's lips came a shocking name.
"Murim Alliance Lord Ak So-gun."