Chapter 30: Disaster
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 30: Disaster
Choi Han-lim, an Elder and former member of the Guardian Corps who had been observing the situation, realized that the other Elders were more hostile toward Hyeok Ryeon-yeom than he had expected.
Even if he is a member of the Demonic Cult...
Looking at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s actions since arriving at the Ice Palace, one had to give credit where it was due.
He had saved the Young Palace Lord, Seol Yerin, whom they had been unable to help despite all their efforts. He had also wiped out the mounted bandits, even if it was under the Palace Lord’s orders.
It was likely because of these achievements that the Palace Lord had shown him the Ice Crystal—something he had never shown even to the Elders.
To have seen the Ice Crystal and come out unscathed.
Choi Han-lim stared at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
The Ice Palace’s Guardian Corps, whose existence was unknown even to the Palace Lord, would be watching Hyeok Ryeon-yeom closely. If he proved beneficial to the Ice Palace, they would aid him; if he proved a threat, they would find a way to erase his very existence.
Coming to the Council of Elders at this time was a good move. It provided an opportunity to learn more about the man known as Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
"Permission? Of course I should receive it."
At Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s remark, Han Bing-ok stepped forward.
"Don't stop me."
Choi Han-lim had no intention of stopping her. In fact, he was grateful that Elder Han was stepping up. It was a chance to see the extent of Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s martial prowess.
Elder Choi’s gaze shifted to Chairman Seol Un-gang. Normally, he would have stopped Han Bing-ok’s behavior. But there was no restraint. It seemed Seol Un-gang was also curious about Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s strength.
"I visited the Council of Elders to pay my respects, not to seek your approval as the Ice Palace’s matrilocal son-in-law."
As Hyeok Ryeon-yeom spoke, Eun-bin stepped in front of him, his narrow eyes opening slightly.
"Forgive me, Elder. If you intend to harm our Captain, we have no choice but to stand in your way."
"I heard the Little Snow Unit was primarily formed to protect the Young Palace Lord," Tae Un-seo added, standing before Hyeok Ryeon-yeom with his kitchen knife drawn. "But to protect her, our Captain must not be injured."
Weizhi Young fearlessly stood beside Tae Un-seo. "If you intend to hurt the Young Master, you'll have to deal with us first."
Finally, even Baek Mu-yong stepped forward. "Ahem. I have no desire to cross the Elders, but as a member of the Little Snow Unit..."
"Hmph."
Choi Han-lim’s eyes widened as he watched them prioritize their Captain over the Elders of the Ice Palace. This was a sight never before seen in the palace.
These youngsters, who clearly know the power of the Elders...
They were moving voluntarily to protect Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
I heard it’s only been a few days since he arrived at the Ice Palace.
The maid he brought from the Demonic Cult was one thing, but the others were different.
Eun-bin, who was devoted to the Young Palace Lord. Baek Mu-yong of the Ice Wolf Unit. And even that aspiring chef-swordsman from the Snow Tiger Unit.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom seemed to have completely won them over. Regardless of whether he was a philanderer or not, his ability to command people was something that had to be acknowledged.
"How dare you..."
The problem was that the haughty Elder Han Bing-ok had never experienced such defiance.
"I see you all need to be frozen solid to regain your senses."
Whoosh—!
The hair of the "Cold Blood Witch," Han Bing-ok, fluttered as an immense wave of cold energy began to radiate from her.
Hmm?
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom tilted his head as he watched her. It was strange. Their faces didn't look alike at all. Yet, the moment Elder Han Bing-ok released her cold energy, she began to overlap with the image of the Young Palace Lord, Seol Yerin.
*
The moment Elder Han Bing-ok unleashed her Ice Art.
Pant, pant!
The Silver Wolf, Tam Ya, leaped out from Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s robes.
"Oh my!"
Gulp, gulp—!
The creature immediately began to suck in the Yin Qi.
"A Snow Wolf?"
Seol Un-gang’s eyes flashed at the sight.
"I told you not to eat just anything."
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom tucked Tam Ya back into his robes and then ignited a flame.
What was that just now?
He wondered if the reason the two women with completely different appearances overlapped was because of their martial arts. He decided he needed to look further into Elder Han Bing-ok.
"As much as I’d like to test your prowess, Elder, I don't think today is the day."
"What do you mean—"
"What is all this commotion!"
Two men entered the Council of Elders. They were Elder Gwak Tae-san of the Snow Tiger faction and Elder Baek Seol-pung of the Ice Wolf faction.
"...Captain of the Little Snow Unit?"
"Why are you here at the Council of Elders?"
"Elders, you've arrived?"
Both men looked uncomfortable at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s greeting. Having already had a run-in with him, their expressions brightened when they saw Elder Han Bing-ok gathering her energy.
"Ho ho, if it isn't the Captain of the Little Snow Unit. Are you going to trade blows with Elder Han this time?"
"To have a martial duel even in the Council of Elders... how impressive."
"...Elder Baek. Did you give that Snow Wolf to the Captain?"
At Seol Un-gang’s question, Baek Seol-pung nodded. "I had no choice."
"To give a Snow Wolf to someone who isn't even a member of the Ice Wolf Unit..."
"...Was that not within my authority?"
Baek Seol-pung showed blatant discomfort at Chairman Seol Un-gang’s reproachful tone.
It seems the Council of Elders is divided into factions.
Among the people he had observed through conversation, if there was a traitor...
I don't know why, but Elder Han Bing-ok seemed genuinely concerned about Lady Seol.
If Tae Un-seo was right, Elder Choi Han-lim, who protected the palace, wouldn't be the one thinking of overthrowing it. That left only one suspicious person.
Elder Seol Un-gang.
He felt the need to dig into the man’s background.
I’ve achieved my goal for the most part.
It was time to leave.
"I think it’s best we postpone our exchange of skills for another time."
"Wait, where do you think you're going?"
At Han Bing-ok’s words, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom pointed behind her.
"I can't exactly fight in front of the Young Palace Lord, can I?"
Following his gaze, Han Bing-ok looked at the figure following behind Elders Gwak Tae-san and Baek Seol-pung.
"So this is where you were."
"Ah..."
Han Bing-ok let out a soft gasp as she saw the recovered Seol Yerin for the first time.
*
"You saved me back there."
"You wouldn't have died even if I wasn't there, right?"
Thanks to Seol Yerin’s appearance, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom was able to leave the Council of Elders without a clash.
Pant! Pant!
As soon as Tam Ya saw Seol Yerin, the wolf wagged its tail.
"Not this time."
Since the wolf had already absorbed Han Bing-ok’s Yin Qi, he stopped it from trying to absorb Seol Yerin’s Extreme Yin Qi. Tam Ya seemed to understand his words, appearing to grasp the concept of 'too much of a good thing.'
"That’s a very intelligent Snow Wolf."
"I wish it would grow up quickly."
Carrying it in his robes all the time was becoming a chore.
"So, what brings you to me this time?"
"You promised to help me train with the Han Seol Secret Manual."
—Is she learning the Demon Empress's martial arts?
Changseong hovered around Seol Yerin with an interested expression.
—Don't get any ideas. It’s part of her treatment for the Extreme Yin Body.
—Heh heh. Now that she understands the concept of emptying and filling, it might be good to move on to actual combat.
At the Martial Gods' words, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom turned to Seol Yerin.
"That’s a good idea."
"Pardon?"
"Ah, I was thinking that while Lady Seol practices the Han Seol Secret Manual, I should learn some of the Martial Gods' techniques as well."
—Our martial arts will be difficult for a fellow like you to master.
"There’s no rule saying I have to be perfect from the start."
He didn't think he lacked talent in martial arts. Perhaps it was because he had lived three different lives. Improving the Sword Venerable’s Snow Wind Sword to suit his own constitution hadn't been particularly difficult.
They say this kind of talent is that of a Grandmaster.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom didn't think so at all. This wasn't really talent; it was the result of his fierce efforts.
Analysis and effort.
In his first life. In his second life. And in his third life. He had practiced these two things without fail. He had simply been unlucky.
Come to think of it...
Did my luck start to turn after I met Lady Seol?
He had found the Sword Venerable’s legacy, which hadn't been found for three hundred years, and the Demon Empress's legacy, which had been lost for two hundred.
Walking toward the training hall, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom glanced at Seol Yerin’s profile.
She certainly is a beauty.
The saying "beauty is often ill-fated" wasn't for nothing. Seol Yerin’s life had changed significantly since meeting Hyeok Ryeon-yeom. She was originally destined for a short life, but she had been revived through their Yin-Yang Unity.
It was from that point on that he began meeting the Martial Gods, recruiting unit members, and establishing his place in the Ice Palace.
But has Lady Seol’s fate truly changed completely?
Fate is not a lenient thing. Having died three times, he knew that all too well.
"What are you thinking about so deeply?"
"I was thinking about you, Lady Seol."
"Pardon?"
"It’s nothing. Let’s just train."
Lost in thought, they had already arrived at the training hall.
The Young Palace Lord’s Hall.
Entering the private training hall, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom and Seol Yerin stood facing each other.
—Hello? We meet again.
"Hello."
When he handed the Demon Empress's secret manual, the Han Seol Secret Manual, to Seol Yerin, the Demon Empress became visible to her as well.
—Now that you've experienced emptying and filling, let’s go all out!
"By 'all out,' you mean..."
—You've probably been afraid to use your full power because you were scared of freezing everything around you.
At the Demon Empress's words, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom stared at Seol Yerin. Seol Yerin was known to have mastered the Ice Palace’s signature martial art, the Ice White Divine Art, to the twelfth stage. The problem was that because of her Extreme Yin Body, even a slight touch could freeze a person solid.
As the Demon Empress said, if Seol Yerin unleashed her full power, the surroundings would turn into an ice rink in an instant.
"Is it... really okay?"
—Of course. He won't freeze anyway, and the Snow Wind Sword Saint is with him, isn't he?
The Demon Empress explained, pointing at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom. Watching her, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom also asked the Sword Venerable.
"Who created the Han Seol Secret Manual?"
—You could say she was a distant ancestor of the Young Palace Lord.
As soon as the Sword Venerable finished speaking...
Vrrr—!
A cold energy, far more potent than the Yin Qi Han Bing-ok had released at the Council of Elders, began to pour out from Seol Yerin’s entire body.
—If you don't want to die, you'd better block it with everything you've got.
"You heard her, right?"
—Draw the Snow Extreme.
"I’m sorry, but I think I need to change this sword’s name now."
Fwoosh—!
Flames began to surge from the tip of the blade.
—You can name the sword whatever you like. But what are you going to call it?
"Flame Extreme (炎極)."
To survive against Lady Seol, who was unleashing the Demon Empress's martial arts at full power, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom also had to pour his Flame Soul into his sword with everything he had.
"...I'll be disappointed if you freeze, Third Young Master."
Craaaack—!
Everything began to freeze.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom felt the overwhelming power and thought as he gathered his Extreme Yang Qi.
The saying that a woman’s grudge can bring frost in midsummer was a total lie.
A correction was needed. It wasn't frost; it was a disaster. Even without a grudge, Seol Yerin was a disaster in her own right.
And Hyeok Ryeon-yeom intended to be the comrade who shared that disaster with her.
*
At that same time.
The Heavenly Demon Cult, Palace of the Cult Leader.
"Cult Leader. A gift has arrived from the Ice Palace."
"A gift?"
The Cult Leader, Hyeok Ryeon-hwi, tilted his head at the report from his strategist, Sima Yi. For the Ice Palace, which was practically their arch-enemy, to send a gift...
"What kind of gift is it?"
"They say it is an engagement gift."
Clatter—!
At Sima Yi’s answer, the teacup Hyeok Ryeon-hwi was holding slipped from his hand and shattered on the floor.