Chapter 20: The Reward
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 20: The Reward
“Deputy Squad Leader, where did the Third Young Master go?”
“I do not know.”
Seol Yerin, the Young Palace Lord of the Ice Palace, questioned Eun-bin, the Deputy Squad Leader of the Little Snow Unit.
“Ah, honestly! The Young Master is too much! How are we supposed to handle things if he just vanishes into thin air like this?”
“He truly is an uncontrollable Captain.”
On the frozen earth, Weizhi Young and Baek Mu-yong began to move, searching for Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
“Should we go find the Captain?”
Seeing Tae Un-seo’s unexpectedly calm demeanor, Seol Yerin asked with a puzzled expression, “You seem surprisingly composed.”
“The mounted bandits have all been burned to a crisp, and I’m sure the Captain has his reasons for disappearing.”
Is it faith? she wondered.
For some reason, Seol Yerin felt a pang of envy at the fact that Tae Un-seo trusted Hyeok Ryeon-yeom without a shred of doubt.
“We can’t stay here forever after causing such a scene.”
“We will find him immediately.”
As Eun-bin stood up, Seol Yerin also began to move.
A person couldn't just disappear into thin air.
Believing there must be traces left behind, Seol Yerin scanned the surroundings, her eyes suddenly flashing.
What is this?
She felt Extreme Yin Qi.
She had used her own Extreme Yin Qi to extinguish the fires earlier, but the energy she felt now did not belong to her.
The moment Seol Yerin moved toward the source of the sensation—
Flash!
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom burst out from beneath the frozen ground.
“Kyaak!”
Startled, Seol Yerin stumbled backward.
“Are you alright?”
“Uh, um… thank you.”
“Young Master!”
“Captain!”
“Where have you been?”
At the news of Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s return, the rest of the group swarmed toward him and Seol Yerin.
“It’s a secret.”
In response to Eun-bin’s question, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom placed an index finger over his lips.
“Why… has your Yin Qi increased?”
However, he couldn't escape Seol Yerin’s sharp intuition.
—Ho-oh, so it is this child.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom stared with a troubled expression at the Sword Venerable and the Demon Empress, who were floating in the air.
The number of ghosts had doubled.
By taking the Snow Extreme Sword, the Sword Venerable started following me, and by taking the Cold Snow Secret History, the Demon Empress followed suit.
If this continued, obtaining the legacies of the other two Martial Gods might mean having four ghosts trailing him.
If Seol Yerin, who was terrified of ghosts, heard this, how would she react?
“Let’s head back and talk first.”
Reporting the annihilation of the mounted bandits to the Ice Palace Lord was the priority for now.
*
“Waaaaah!”
“Young Palace Lord! Young Palace Lord!”
It was a triumphal return.
As soon as they arrived at the Ice Palace, the news that the Young Palace Lord’s party had wiped out the mounted bandits spread like wildfire.
“Ugh.”
The ones currently nursing a headache over this were the members of the Ice Council, the assembly of elders.
“I truly did not expect them to return after actually wiping out the bandits.”
“I heard there were only six of them. What are your thoughts, Chairman Seol?”
As Elder Choi Han-lim spoke while looking directly at Chairman Seol Un-gang, Elder Han Bing-ok shouted enthusiastically.
“What are you talking about? We should consider the extermination of the bandits as the Young Palace Lord’s achievement!”
“Regardless of who contributed more to the combat power, clearing out the southern bandits with only six people is a remarkable feat,” Gwak Tae-han, an elder from the Snow Tiger Unit, spoke up in defense of Hyeok Ryeon-yeom and the Young Palace Lord’s party.
Then, Elder Baek Seol-pung made a comment.
“Now that they have even cleared the bandits, shouldn't we recognize the Third Young Master of the Demonic Cult as the matrilocal son-in-law of the North Sea?”
Elder Gwak Tae-san, who had been subtly gauging the atmosphere, also added a word.
“It does seem that the Young Palace Lord was able to recover and clear the bandits thanks to the Third Young Master.”
“Elder Gwak. Ever since you had that duel with the Third Young Master last time, you seem to be defending him quite a bit, don't you?”
“W-Who is defending him!” Gwak Tae-san made an embarrassed face.
“Then, can we ask you to mobilize the Snow Tiger Unit to pressure the Little Snow Unit?”
“Pressure, you say…?”
“I feel it’s about time we started keeping them in check.”
The Ice Palace Lord would undoubtedly grant a reward to Hyeok Ryeon-yeom for clearing the bandits alongside the Young Palace Lord.
At this rate, he might truly become the official matrilocal son-in-law.
The moment Hyeok Ryeon-yeom became the son-in-law of the Ice Palace…
—I am dissolving the Ice Council.
Given the boy's reputation as a madman, it wasn't outside the realm of possibility that he would say such a thing.
“Can you not do it?”
At Chairman Seol Un-gang’s words, Elder Gwak Tae-san let out a sigh.
“I will issue the orders.”
“A wise decision.”
“I shall speak to the Ice Wolf Unit as well.”
No matter how much authority the Ice Palace Lord had over the palace's affairs, the power of the Ice Council, which controlled the internal factions, remained formidable.
—Hmm, the power struggle is as fierce as ever.
High above the Ice Council’s hall.
The elders had no idea that two ghosts had returned to the Ice Palace and were currently scouting the premises.
—Heh heh. The Snow Tiger Unit and the Ice Wolf Unit, eh? Should I tell that brat Ryeon-yeom about this or not?
—Master, that mischievous streak of yours remains unchanged even after hundreds of years.
—Heh heh. They say if a person changes suddenly, they’re about to die.
Since the Sword Venerable was already a ghost, there was nothing more to die from, but since the Demon Empress was in the same boat, she didn't argue further and headed back toward Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
She intended to relay what she had just heard to him.
At the place where the Demon Empress returned.
“We have returned after completely wiping out the bandits, Father-in-law.”
Seol Baek-ho, the Lord of the Ice Palace, was once again clutching the back of his neck in exasperation because of Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“Thank you, Father-in-law.”
Seol Baek-ho still didn't seem used to the term 'Father-in-law.'
Nevertheless.
“How was the world outside?”
The moment he saw his smiling daughter, Seol Yerin, Seol Baek-ho’s hardened expression softened as if by magic.
“Thank you for allowing me to leave the palace. I was able to gain much experience thanks to you.”
Seeing his daughter appear even more mature, Seol Baek-ho’s muscles twitched with emotion.
Next, Seol Baek-ho looked over the members of the Little Snow Unit standing beside Hyeok Ryeon-yeom and Seol Yerin.
They stood in order: Eun-bin, Baek Mu-yong, Tae Un-seo, and Weizhi Young.
“The Little Snow Unit has worked hard as well.”
“Thank you!!”
As if they had practiced, the four of them answered in unison.
“So, what is it you want?”
“Pardon?”
“I am saying that since you have completed the task I personally assigned, I will grant a fitting reward. What do you desire?”
Seol Baek-ho’s gaze began to scan Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
Depending on how he answered here, Seol Baek-ho’s perception of him would change.
The Seol Baek-ho I remember is…
The Lord of the North Sea Ice Palace, who appeared to be a doting father at first glance, was able to maintain his position not just because of his outstanding martial prowess.
I heard he was highly intelligent with excellent strategic judgment.
In other words, he was the type of person who could see right through Hyeok Ryeon-yeom based on what kind of trivial reward he requested.
If so, what Hyeok Ryeon-yeom needed to ask for now was…
“I would like to receive a Search Right.”
“A Search Right?”
“As the matrilocal son-in-law of the Ice Palace, I wish to inherit the legacies of the Martial Gods of the North Sea to be recognized as a true member of the palace.”
At the mention of the Martial Gods' legacies, Seol Baek-ho’s expression stiffened.
“You wish to search for the legacies of the Martial Gods, which haven't appeared once in the last three hundred years?”
At Seol Baek-ho’s words, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom looked back at Baek Mu-yong and Eun-bin.
The two of them should have known that he had already obtained a legacy.
He assumed they would have reported it, but it seemed they hadn't.
—Heh heh. Is this fellow the current Ice Palace Lord?
—His physique doesn't resemble yours at all, Master.
—Heh heh. Our surnames are different, aren't they? A lot must have happened in three hundred years.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom made a troubled face as he watched the Martial Gods chatting idly beside the Ice Palace Lord.
It was truly a pity that he was the only one who could see this.
Regardless.
“Actually… I have already obtained the legacies of the Martial Gods.”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom unhesitatingly brought out the items he had acquired: the Snow Extreme Sword and the Cold Snow Secret History.
“What do you mean…?”
His eyes widening at the mention of the legacies, Seol Baek-ho stared at the items Hyeok Ryeon-yeom presented.
Feeling the Extreme Yin Qi radiating from the brilliantly shining Snow Extreme Sword, Seol Baek-ho’s expression froze.
“That sword is…”
The same went for the book titled Cold Snow Secret History.
“May I touch it?”
“Yes. It is possible, but…”
“But?”
“Please do not be startled.”
When Seol Yerin touched the Snow Extreme Sword, she had become able to see the Sword Venerable.
“Do not be startled?”
Feeling puzzled by Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s words, the moment Seol Baek-ho grasped the Snow Extreme Sword—
—Greetings, descendant!
“Gah!”
Startled, Seol Baek-ho swung the sword.
Whoosh—
However, the ghostly Sword Venerable took no damage at all.
—Heh heh. What a descendant with poor manners.
“A-A ghost?”
“He is the Snow Wind Sword Saint.”
The Snow Wind Sword Saint, Baek Un-han.
At the mention of the Martial God from three hundred years ago, Seol Baek-ho’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
The problem was…
“What is the matter, Palace Lord? We see nothing.”
At the remark from the Chief Officer, Seol Su-hyeok, Seol Baek-ho looked back at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
“Only the person holding the sword can see him.”
“What?”
—The master of this Snow Extreme is that boy. The sword’s master has appeared for the first time in three hundred years, so if you harbor any ulterior motives, know that it won't be pleasant for you.
The Sword Venerable issued a warning while looking at the 'father-in-law.'
“Are you truly… the Sword Venerable?”
“Third Young Master, is my father talking to a ghost?”
“Exactly. Ah, and I’d like Lady Seol to check this as well.”
“Do I have to see a ghost if I touch this too?”
Holding the Cold Snow Secret History would lead to meeting the Demon Empress.
“It’s a secret manual left by the Cold Snow Demon Empress. It might contain martial arts that can overcome the Extreme Yin Body, so it would be good to talk with her…”
—Child with the Extreme Yang Body, just in case, know that the legacies we left behind belong to you until the day you die.
As Hyeok Ryeon-yeom tried to hand the Cold Snow Secret History to Seol Yerin, the Demon Empress warned him.
“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”
“I-I’ll check it later.”
Perhaps afraid of meeting the Demon Empress, Seol Yerin stepped back.
“Incredible.”
Having seen the Sword Venerable with his own eyes, Seol Baek-ho seemed to believe Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s words.
“To have already obtained two legacies of the Martial Gods that haven't been found for over three hundred years.”
He now understood why Hyeok Ryeon-yeom had requested the Search Right.
The fact that these two legacies existed meant that the legacies of the other Martial Gods were also real.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom was saying that, as the matrilocal son-in-law of the Ice Palace, he would find the legacies of the Martial Gods to earn the recognition of the palace people.
“Who else knows of this?”
“Only the people present here.”
“You must never, ever speak of this to others again.”
If rumors spread that the legacies of the Martial Gods had appeared, people would surely target Hyeok Ryeon-yeom to claim them.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom was also aware of this issue, but…
In the future, I never heard anything about the legacies of the North Sea.
It was possible that the information never leaked outside the North Sea, which is why he hadn't known.
However, since it was certain that no martial artist worthy of being revered as a Martial God appeared after that, he thought there would be no problem.
“Yes, I understand.”
“In any case, I have clearly understood your intent.”
Seol Baek-ho seemed to want to touch the Cold Snow Secret History as well, but he returned the Snow Extreme Sword to Hyeok Ryeon-yeom and looked at the Chief Officer, Seol Su-hyeok.
“Chief Officer, assist Hyeok Ryeon-yeom so that he may travel anywhere in the North Sea.”
“Yes, I understand. However, is it alright for Young Master Hyeok to continue holding those legacies?”
“The Great Sword Venerable says they are items whose master has already been decided.”
—A descendant who listens to reason.
“Haha! Not only did you save my daughter, but you’re also going to resolve the long-standing wish of the Ice Palace. We must celebrate today!”
Seol Baek-ho said as he brought something out from behind him.
“Palace Lord. You must maintain your dignity.”
Seol Su-hyeok tried to dissuade him, but…
“I’m going to have a drink with the lad who might become my son-in-law. Are you going to stop me?”
What Seol Baek-ho had brought out was Baijiu, a liquor famous for being incredibly potent.