Chapter 13: Disciple
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 13: Disciple
The Snow Wind Sword Saint, Baek Un-han, stared at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom with an intrigued expression.
‘This is the first time I’ve seen someone in the North Sea parry the Snow Wind Sword like this.’
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom was countering Baek Un-han’s Snow Wind Sword by conjuring intense flames. The blizzard was melting away under the heat of the endlessly surging fire.
—Impressive. But I wonder, how long can you hold out?
This was the North Sea.
The North Sea was a place saturated with Yin and cold energy, and the cavern beneath the Heavenly Cliff was where that energy was at its densest.
Would Hyeok Ryeon-yeom exhaust his Extreme Yang Qi first, or would Baek Un-han’s blizzard cease first?
The answer was already clear.
“To think there’s a martial art that can manipulate nature itself.”
The more he parried Baek Un-han’s strikes, the more Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s momentum visibly waned. His Extreme Yang Qi was being consumed at an alarming rate. At this pace, he would soon collapse from exhaustion.
He had to settle this quickly.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s eyes began to analyze Baek Un-han’s movements.
‘His gaze has sharpened.’
It would have been better if a direct descendant of the Ice Palace had found this place, but Baek Un-han found himself liking Hyeok Ryeon-yeom, even if his only connection was possessing Extreme Yin Qi through his bond.
The promise had been made. He could already sense that this was not a man who would go back on his word.
Therefore...
—Behold. This sword is the very blizzard to which I devoted my entire life.
The sword that had led the world to revere the Sword Saint as a Martial God—the Sword Saint wanted Hyeok Ryeon-yeom to experience the Snow Wind Sword in its purest form.
Whirrr!
The blizzard transformed into a gale, beginning to envelop Hyeok Ryeon-yeom. Every single snowflake was a razor-sharp blade. The moment those crystals touched him, his entire body would be shredded to pieces.
‘I have to find it.’
They say that even if you’re dragged into a tiger’s den, you can survive if you keep your wits about you.
Whoosh!
Flames flared up once more, clashing against the blizzard.
In the moment the Extreme Yin and Extreme Yang energies collided, why did the memory of his Yin-Yang Unity with Seol Yerin come to mind?
‘Extreme cold is, in the end, the same as extreme heat.’
If the Snow Wind Sword Saint could do it, so could I.
He watched the trajectory of the Snow Wind Sword and mimicked it exactly. The sword forms and techniques captured by Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s eyes were being reproduced by his own hands.
The only difference was that it wasn't a snow wind, but a flame wind.
“Fire Control Sword, Second Form: Flame Wind.”
A wind of fire charged toward the blizzard.
Boom! Rumble!
The cavern began to vibrate from the collision of the snow wind and the flame wind.
—He... copied it?
The Sword Saint muttered, trying his best not to let his shock show. Just as the blizzard was about to be extinguished by the massive storm of fire...
—Not bad at all.
Flash!
As if the blizzard had never existed in the first place, it vanished. The Sword Saint had made the snow wind disappear in an instant.
“Phew... Have I passed?”
—Heh heh. I never imagined you would copy the Snow Wind.
“I learned something valuable thanks to you.”
Just then.
Glint—
As the skeleton encased in the ice block melted away, a spiritual sword that had been plunged into the ground behind it revealed itself.
“That is...”
—It is the Snow Extreme.
A divine sword. Even at a glance, its brilliantly glowing form marked it as a sacred artifact.
“This is...”
—It seems you don't have a proper sword of your own, so take it. It’s been over three hundred years, so no one will recognize it.
‘Um... excuse me, but its appearance is a bit too extraordinary for that,’ Hyeok Ryeon-yeom thought.
But he couldn't say that out loud. Because he wanted it.
‘I was just thinking I needed a good sword to rival Hyeok Ryeon-geuk’s Heavenly Demon Sword.’
This was perfect. Following the Sword Saint’s words, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom grasped the sword embedded in the ground.
“I will put it to good use.”
—No need to be so grateful. We’ll be traveling together from now on, after all.
“Pardon?”
Whoosh!
—The seal on the Ice Crystal has been broken for the first time in three hundred years. I need to get some fresh air.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom wore a troubled expression.
*
“An hour has passed... and there’s no word.”
“Shouldn't we go down?”
At Weizhi Young and Baek Mu-yong’s words, Eun-bin’s expression turned grave.
“Let’s wait a little longer. You two know better than anyone that he’s not someone who would go down so easily.”
“That’s true, but...”
“If something happens to the Captain, the Young Palace Lord will be in danger.”
Baek Mu-yong was the most aware of the gravity of the situation. The reason they had brought Hyeok Ryeon-yeom here was to save Seol Yerin, the Young Palace Lord of the Ice Palace. And that choice had been correct. As Seol Yerin regained her vitality, the Ice Palace began to brim with life again.
If something were to happen to Hyeok Ryeon-yeom now...
“The Ice Palace will freeze over once more.”
“Ugh.”
Eun-bin looked down the Heavenly Cliff. No matter how confident one was in their lightness techniques, descending such a cliff was impossible.
...Unless they had a rope.
“If you’re that worried, go find a rope or something.”
His inner thoughts slipped out.
“I’ll go get one!”
Eun-bin frowned as he watched Weizhi Young dash away.
“Where in the world is there a Captain who makes his subordinates worry this much?”
“Is that a compliment or an insult?”
“Captain?! Lady Weizhi! Come back!”
Baek Mu-yong was the first to hear Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s voice and shouted at the top of his lungs. It seemed he wanted to relay the news to Weizhi Young.
“Quiet down, Squad Leader Baek. You can just go call Young yourself.”
“Understood!”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom used his lightness technique to ascend back to the top of the cliff.
“Why the long faces?”
Eun-bin was staring at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom with a very displeased look.
“...It’s nothing. More importantly, did you find anything down there?”
A harvest, huh?
“Did I, or didn't I?”
—Heh heh. Who is this bald one?
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom sighed as he looked at the Sword Saint floating beside Eun-bin. As it turned out, the Sword Saint hadn't been trapped in the ice. Before his death, he had infused his spirit into the sword. In other words, carrying the Snow Extreme Sword meant he would be taking the Sword Saint with him everywhere.
“Young Master!”
While he was reuniting with Eun-bin, Baek Mu-yong returned with Weizhi Young.
“Why did you make us worry so much?!”
“Were you worried?”
“Of course!”
Weizhi Young was on the verge of tears.
“If I were to be separated from you in this remote North Sea, I don't know what I would have to live for...”
“Are you sure you weren't just worried about losing your monthly stipend?”
“Ah, did you catch me?”
Weizhi Young giggled, her previous worry seemingly vanished as she pointed to Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s waist.
“That’s a sword I haven't seen before!”
As expected, Weizhi Young had a sharp eye.
“I picked it up down there.”
“The wind was surging up the cliff like crazy; I wonder what happened below?”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom considered telling the Little Snow Unit what had happened at the bottom of the Heavenly Cliff, then glanced at the Snow Wind Sword Saint. Would they even believe him if he said a Martial God from three hundred years ago was floating right next to them?
“It just took a long time to get all the way to the bottom. It was a bust. There was no such thing as a Martial God’s tomb.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Let’s head back for now. A lot of time has passed, hasn't it?”
“An hour has passed,” Baek Mu-yong replied.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom nodded.
“The Young Palace Lord told me to return quickly, so we should get back as fast as possible.”
The search for the Martial God’s tomb ended there for today. However...
—Ho ho. I can feel the energy of Ice Crystals to the east, west, and south.
At the Sword Saint’s words, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom realized he might be able to find the other Martial Gods of the North Sea quite soon.
*
Upon returning to the Ice Palace, Seol Yerin came to find Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
She paused. As she entered Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s room, she looked around.
“...Why do I feel Yin energy in here?”
Seol Yerin was sharp. At her piercing gaze, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom held out the Snow Extreme Sword.
“It’s because of this.”
—Oho, so this child is your partner!
The Sword Saint, emerging from the Snow Extreme Sword, examined Seol Yerin’s appearance with interest.
—A true beauty that could topple kingdoms.
“This sword is...”
“It is the sword of the Snow Wind Sword Saint, who was a Martial God of the North Sea three hundred years ago.”
“Pardon?”
“The Martial God’s tomb actually existed.”
Seol Yerin looked at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom with a bewildered expression. This was a story that had been dismissed as mere legend until now. It was hard for her to believe his claim that he had found the legacy of the North Sea’s Martial Gods—something even the direct bloodline of the Ice Palace had failed to find.
However...
Hummm—
The cold energy radiating from the sword told the truth.
“Extreme Yin Qi...”
If an ordinary person had touched this sword, they would have frozen solid instantly. Only because it was Hyeok Ryeon-yeom, who possessed Extreme Yang Qi, could he hold it.
The moment Seol Yerin reached out and touched the Snow Extreme Sword...
—Greetings, descendant.
Startle!
Baek Un-han, the Snow Wind Sword Saint, became visible to Seol Yerin’s eyes as well.
“A-A ghost...”
Seol Yerin’s eyes rolled back into her head.
“Lady Seol!”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom caught Seol Yerin as she collapsed. Watching this, Baek Un-han muttered with a sheepish expression.
—Ahem. I only said hello.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom hadn't expected Seol Yerin to be afraid of ghosts either.
“What is going on in there?!”
It seemed his shout as he called her name had been heard outside. The door slammed open. A man he had never seen before, dressed in blue martial robes, burst into the room.
“Elder, you cannot do this.”
At Baek Mu-yong’s words from outside the door...
“Are you daring to block my path? Me, Gwak Tae-san?”
Elder Gwak Tae-san, formerly of the Snow Tiger Unit, vented his fury.
“It’s fine.”
As Baek Mu-yong stepped back at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s word, the scene inside the room was revealed: Seol Yerin unconscious, and Hyeok Ryeon-yeom holding her.
“Silence! What do you think you are doing to the Young Palace Lord in broad daylight?!”
—Heh heh. What a madman.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom sighed at the Sword Saint’s commentary. He knew the scene could be misinterpreted, but the man had been confrontational from the moment he entered. The issue was the word ‘Elder’ he had just heard from Baek Mu-yong.
‘Who is this man?’
‘He is Elder Gwak Tae-san, the former leader of the Snow Tiger Unit.’
After confirming the man’s identity via secret voice transmission with Baek Mu-yong, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom carefully laid Seol Yerin on the bed and gave a fist salute.
“I am Hyeok Ryeon-yeom. It is an honor to meet Elder Gwak Tae-san.”
As the matrilocal son-in-law of the North Sea Ice Palace and the man who would become Seol Yerin’s partner, he felt it was necessary to show proper etiquette to the elders of the Palace.
“Etiquette? To hell with your etiquette! I saw exactly what you were trying to do to the Young Palace Lord just now. I shall report this to the Palace Lord, so follow me this instant!”
At the sight of Elder Gwak Tae-san barking orders upon their first meeting...
‘What is the relationship between Elder Gwak and Lady Seol?’ Hyeok Ryeon-yeom sent another question to Baek Mu-yong.
‘They have no personal acquaintance. It seems he came to visit upon hearing the news that the Young Palace Lord had recovered.’
Ah, is that so? Then the story changes.
“Elder, have you not heard from my father-in-law yet? We are a couple who have promised our futures to each other. What you saw just now was a clear misunderstanding, but even if I were trying to share an intimate moment with Lady Seol in broad daylight, that wouldn't exactly be a crime, would it?”
“W-What?!”
“Or is it that you, like some other North Sea people, simply don't like my sudden appearance and came here to pick a fight?”
“Look at the way you speak to your elders!”
An elder is only an elder if they act like one.
“I believe I just told you? I am the man who will marry Lady Seol. May I ask why you are interfering so much in our private business?”
Elder Gwak Tae-san stared at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom with an incredulous expression.
“What? Interfering?”
“Must I also receive the Elder’s permission to share affection with my wife?”
“Ugh.”
Realizing he couldn't possibly win an argument against Hyeok Ryeon-yeom...
“The arrogance of this brat speaking to an elder...”
“Elder. I am the man who will marry Lady Seol.”
Once he became the Ice Palace Lord’s son-in-law, his status would be essentially higher than that of an Elder.
“What? Are you threatening me now?”
Gwak Tae-san was not so dull as to miss the implication in Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s words.
“I am merely reminding you of my position.”
“And is that not a threat?!”
“Hmm. It seems you wish to speak with me without regard for status or rank... In that case, there is a method my family often uses.”
“And what is that?”
“We disregard our ranks and settle it with a fight. The loser obeys the winner.”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s eyes narrowed.
“Well? Do you accept?”
It seemed the Elders of the North Sea Ice Palace were finally stepping up to restrain him. Hyeok Ryeon-yeom was not the type of person to just sit back and let that happen.