Chapter 51: The Treasure Map
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 51: The Treasure Map
Cheon Deung-jin, the Young Palace Lord of Potala Palace, was a woman.
As the realization hit him, memories of treating her—holding her hands and even naturally putting his arm around her shoulders just moments ago—flashed through Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s mind.
“You were… disguised as a man?”
“Yes. I apologize for deceiving you.”
“No, it’s not something the Young Palace Lord needs to apologize for.”
The problem was Hyeok Ryeon-yeom, who hadn’t noticed. Even though he had taken her pulse, he had been so certain she was a man because his father-in-law had explicitly said so. He had taken it as an absolute fact.
More than that, he wanted to ask why she had been cross-dressing in the first place.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom shifted his gaze from Cheon Deung-jin to Cheon Jeok-pa, the Palace Lord of Potala, who seemed to hold the key to the truth.
“I have many things I wish to ask you, Palace Lord.”
“Speak.”
“First, may I hear the reason why you had the Young Palace Lord disguise herself as a man?”
“If you saw that thing down there, you might have guessed. The Demonic Cult has visited Potala Palace once before.”
The story that unfolded from Cheon Jeok-pa was something Hyeok Ryeon-yeom had never heard.
“Who was it?”
“The eldest son of the Heavenly Demon, the First Young Lord.”
Hyeok Ryeon-geuk.
“The Demonic Cult already knew of the Fire Spirit Jade’s existence.”
They had demanded only one thing: the full support of Potala Palace. To ensure this, they proposed a blood alliance. They suggested solidifying the bond through marriage with a woman sent from the palace, regardless of who she was.
Though they framed it that way, it was clear that the moment a woman was sent, she would become a hostage.
“So the Young Palace Lord was already known as a male back then.”
“Indeed. I foresaw that such a situation might arise and made preparations in advance.”
Cheon Jeok-pa closed his eyes quietly and let out a long sigh. Arhat, the guardian monk, still watched with a wary gaze but did not dare to interrupt.
“I presume you were also sent here to form a blood alliance with the Ice Palace?”
Cheon Jeok-pa had already deduced Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s situation.
“Well, you’re half right and half wrong.”
It was true the Cult Leader had told him to go, but there had been an option not to. Choosing to go to the Ice Palace had been entirely Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s own will.
“Is that so? Regardless, to protect Jin-i, we had no choice but to keep up the disguise. At least until she fell ill.”
Once Cheon Deung-jin began to suffer from the Fire Spirit Energy, it seemed Cheon Jeok-pa, much like Seol Baek-ho, reached a point where he couldn't afford to be picky. He had even gone so far as to ask for help from their rivals, the Ice Palace.
“Then the Living Zombie guarding the Fire Spirit Jade was…”
“Likely something the First Young Lord left behind.”
Even Cheon Jeok-pa hadn't expected him to still possess an artifact of the Maoshan Sect.
“You must have had many thoughts when you heard I was coming from the Ice Palace.”
“I did. I wasn't sure how much someone with the Extreme Yang Body could actually help Jin-i.”
Furthermore, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom was the First Young Lord’s younger brother. The fact that he was a member of the Demonic Cult must have caused some discomfort. Even so.
“Throwing me to a Living Zombie without a single word of warning was a bit much.”
“I apologize for that.”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom nodded at the sight of the leader of a great power offering a sincere apology. His doubts were cleared.
“Very well. My questions are answered, but I have one more thing to ask.”
“What is it?”
“What do you plan to do next?”
The Living Zombie left by Hyeok Ryeon-geuk had been destroyed. This meant Hyeok Ryeon-geuk was highly likely to target Cheon Deung-jin again.
“I’ve been thinking about that myself.”
Cheon Jeok-pa looked at Cheon Deung-jin, who was standing beside Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
“I would like you to take the Young Palace Lord to the Ice Palace, both for her treatment and her safety. If the third son of the Heavenly Demon takes her, it won't look like our ties with the Cult have been severed.”
Cheon Jeok-pa was right. Hyeok Ryeon-yeom also thought this was the best course of action. It allowed him to secure the strength of Potala Palace.
There was only one concern.
‘I wonder what Seol Yerin will think of this.’
“Achoo!”
“Are you alright?”
Seol Yerin rubbed her nose. For her, someone who never felt the cold, to sneeze was unusual.
“I think someone is talking about me.”
“Is that so? I shall find them.”
“…Deputy Squad Leader, please learn to recognize a joke.”
“My apologies.”
Seol Yerin gazed up at the blue sky of the Ice Palace from the training hall. Fifteen days had already passed since Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s departure. Time truly flew.
Seol Yerin was also training with her Ice Crystal to further her growth. And…
“Young Palace Lord, it is time to go and prepare.”
“Already?”
“Aside from the wedding itself, this is the only major event left. We need to hold a rehearsal.”
This was an order from the Ice Palace Lord, Seol Baek-ho. They had received word through Hyeok Ryeon-mu that one of the heads of the Five Great Demon Families would be visiting as an envoy on the day of the engagement ceremony.
As such, they were told the protocol had to be flawless. It was necessary to clearly show the Demonic Cult that she was the woman who would become Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s wife.
And so, she had begun…
“This is so tedious.”
The history of the Demonic Cult, the history of the Ice Palace, the history of the Central Plains’ martial world, and more. To prevent any potential slips of the tongue, Seol Yerin had begun receiving education in history and etiquette once again.
It was a sort of bride-to-be training.
She thought it was a bit much for just an engagement, but as a father, Seol Baek-ho seemed determined to showcase his daughter as the most beautiful and intellectual woman possible.
“Young Palace Lord, I hear news of the engagement ceremony is spreading to many places. Even the Moyong family is said to be visiting. Martial artists from the Central Plains will surely be interested, so we must be thoroughly prepared.”
“Martial artists from the Central Plains might come too?”
Seol Yerin’s eyes sparkled at the words of Han So-young, the wife of Chief Instructor Seol Su-hyeok, who was in charge of her education.
“My, your interest in the Central Plains is as strong as ever.”
Seol Yerin had long been interested in the Central Plains. It was inevitable, as she had never been able to leave the Ice Palace until Hyeok Ryeon-yeom treated her.
The Ice Palace was always cold. She had heard the Central Plains was always warm. Even now, she harbored a desire to visit the Central Plains at least once.
“Now that I can go outside, I am curious.”
“Is there a specific place you’d most like to visit?”
“Dongting Lake.”
“Oh, that’s a perfect spot for a honeymoon!”
“W-what are you saying?”
Seol Yerin began to stammer at the mention of a honeymoon. She had found herself unintentionally imagining a newlywed life with Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
“Hmm, it seems you aren't entirely opposed to the idea?”
“J-just continue with the lesson!”
“Yes, yes. In the Central Plains, there are ten absolute masters known as the Ten Great Masters. You must never compare them to…”
Han So-young began to lecture fervently about the masters of the Central Plains, but nothing was reaching Seol Yerin’s ears anymore.
‘I hope he comes back soon.’
She had started thinking about Hyeok Ryeon-yeom again.
‘He isn't flirting with other women while I’m not looking, is he?’
He was traveling with the Little Snow Unit, so he shouldn't have time to play around. If he did fool around with another woman…
‘I’ll freeze him solid.’
If Seol Yerin harbored a grudge, it wouldn't just be frost in midsummer; an ice age capable of stopping a heart might descend.
“We shall take our leave then, Palace Lord.”
“…Bear in mind that if anything happens to Jin-i, it could lead to war.”
“Father!”
Cheon Deung-jin called out to Cheon Jeok-pa at his threat.
“Haha, do not worry. I have also made a promise to the Ice Palace Lord. I will take Lady Cheon to the Ice Palace, ensure she is fully recovered, and then send her back.”
“Come back with her when you return her.”
“I cannot give a definitive answer to that, but if time and circumstances allow, I will return with her.”
“That answer is sufficient.”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom and the Little Snow Unit left Potala Palace behind with Cheon Deung-jin. The schedule was a bit tight if they wanted to make it back in time for the engagement ceremony.
Fortunately, Cheon Deung-jin had also trained in martial arts to some extent, so she had no great difficulty performing lightness techniques.
“I’m going now, Father.”
“Yes, go safely.”
Cheon Jeok-pa felt a bit worried about sending Cheon Deung-jin out of Potala Palace without a single guard, but he decided to trust Hyeok Ryeon-yeom. To Potala Palace, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom was a benefactor who had survived the Fire Spirit Jade and even dealt with the Demonic Cult’s zombie.
Whoosh!
As Hyeok Ryeon-yeom took the lead and began to sprint using his lightness technique, the Little Snow Unit and Cheon Deung-jin followed close behind.
“Will it be alright, Palace Lord?”
Arhat, the guardian monk, asked as he looked at Cheon Jeok-pa.
“We must trust him. And…”
—I want to try following Young Master Hyeok Ryeon.
Cheon Jeok-pa had simply granted Cheon Deung-jin’s wish. To be precise, he was trusting the Young Palace Lord, Cheon Deung-jin, rather than Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
Huff, huff.
Cheon Deung-jin kept glancing at the others while maintaining her lightness technique.
‘They’re going to keep running like this?’
She couldn't believe it. When they said they would return to the Ice Palace using lightness techniques, she thought they would run a bit, rest, and then run again.
She never imagined they would run like madmen from the Western Region to Qinghai, day and night. Aside from stopping to eat, it was nothing but repeated sprinting. Thanks to that, they arrived in Qinghai quickly.
“We will move a bit slower from here.”
“Are you alright, Young Palace Lord?”
Weizhi Young asked as she looked at Cheon Deung-jin. Cheon Deung-jin had kept up with the lightness technique better than expected.
“I think I’m okay because the Captain has been boosting my energy.”
Whenever Cheon Deung-jin struggled, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom had infused her with warm energy. Since Extreme Yang Qi and Fire Spirit Energy were of the same nature, it was a huge help to her.
“If such a thing is possible, I wish you’d do it for us as well.”
“You want to accept Extreme Yang Qi while practicing martial arts based on cold energy? If you want to end up bald like Deputy Squad Leader Eun, I’ll gladly infuse you.”
“…My apologies.”
Baek Mu-yong, who had witnessed Eun-bin nearly catching fire before, shuddered.
“Bald?”
“Usually, if someone accepts my energy, they end up being scorched.”
Cheon Deung-jin tilted her head. Her expression seemed to say, ‘Scorched? But it felt so warm and nice.’
“I’ll show you sometime later.”
“Captain, it looks like there’s a crowd of martial artists up ahead.”
Just then, Tae Un-seo pointed forward, his eyes sharp. Several martial artists were whispering near some thickets.
“They don’t look like they’re from Kunlun.”
“You’re right.”
He thought they might still be searching for the "Ice Palace Demon" from the Demonic Cult, but the people gathered there didn't look like members of the Orthodox Faction at all.
The reason he thought so was…
—…The guy who ran off with the Treasure Map didn't head toward Kunlun, did he?
—If he seeks refuge with Kunlun, what are we supposed to do?
—Who cares about Kunlun! If we can just get our hands on the Treasure Map of one of the Ten Great Masters, we can become absolute experts!
They weren't talking about the Ice Palace Demon; they were discussing a "Treasure Map."