Chapter 57: The Engagement Ceremony
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 57: The Engagement Ceremony
Glint!
The gold ring sparkled brilliantly.
“An engagement gift…?”
Seol Yerin’s expression stiffened. It was because she hadn't prepared anything in return.
“I said I’d be back within a month, but I feel like I’m a bit late. Besides, there were things I couldn't tell you earlier that I wanted to say now.”
She had heard that he brought the ring with him on his way back.
“…Thank you. But what should I do? I haven’t prepared anything.”
“It’s fine. More importantly, you seemed concerned about the Young Palace Lord of Potala earlier.”
Flinch.
Feeling as if her inner thoughts had been read, Seol Yerin feigned ignorance.
“Me? I think you’re mistaken.”
Regardless of what Seol Yerin said, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom began to say what he needed to.
“It seems the Palace Lord provided incorrect information. The Young Palace Lord of Potala is not a man, but a woman.”
They say a woman’s intuition is accurate; Cheon Deung-jin was indeed a woman.
“Is that so…?”
As she looked at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom, wondering if her suspicions had truly become reality, he continued.
“She said that due to unavoidable circumstances, she lives as a man to the outside world.”
“How did the… treatment go?”
“…Nothing happened. In fact, that’s why I came to talk to you.”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom explained how Cheon Deung-jin had absorbed Fire Spirit Energy through the Fire Spirit Jade and then discharged it through his Extreme Yang Qi. He mentioned that her acupoints had been damaged as a result, and he asked if Seol Yerin could use her Extreme Yin Qi to cool and soothe the damaged channels.
Pfft.
As she listened to his story, a stray laugh escaped her lips. To think there was a man who would prepare a ring and then explain the events at Potala Palace in such detail, just in case she misunderstood his relationship with Cheon Deung-jin.
“Do you think you could help with the treatment?”
“Of course. Hmm, then would this be the right way to transfer Extreme Yin Qi to Lady Cheon?”
Peck.
“…….”
Sshhh—
Cold Extreme Yin Qi began to flow into Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s body through his cheek. For a moment, he felt as if the world had come to a standstill.
“L-Lady Seol.”
“I-It was practice!”
With a face as red as a radish, Seol Yerin waved her hands frantically.
“I’ve heard everything, so please go and rest! I’ll accept the gold ring with much gratitude! We have the engagement ceremony tomorrow, so it’s best to sleep early!”
Words pouring out in a rush, Seol Yerin practically chased Hyeok Ryeon-yeom out of the room.
Slide! Slam!
The door to the Young Palace Lord’s Hall closed noisily.
“…Did something happen?”
Eun-bin, who was guarding the hall, approached Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
“No… nothing happened.”
After answering Eun-bin, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom began to walk away. Slowly. Very slowly.
Thud.
Back in his room, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom touched his cheek.
‘It was just a return gift for the ring, right?’
Even though they were promised to be wed. Even though they both knew they would become husband and wife in the future.
‘This is the first time she’s expressed it through action.’
He had thought the change in how they addressed each other was mostly for public appearances.
‘Practice, my foot.’
There was absolutely no reason to transfer Extreme Yin Qi to Cheon Deung-jin via a kiss on the cheek. Therefore, it was clearly a return gift. Since she hadn't prepared a physical present, she had clearly responded with a kiss.
As he lay on the bed staring at the ceiling, the image of the blushing Seol Yerin remained vivid in his mind.
“This is… dangerous.”
When he first visited the Ice Palace, he had decided to become their matrilocal son-in-law solely to oppose Hyeok Ryeon-geuk. By chance, their constitutions were compatible, allowing him to treat the Young Lady and earn the position of Captain of the Little Snow Unit. Since then, his focus on gathering the Ice Palace’s factions and building strength was also merely for the sake of survival.
If it were for survival, he could have given up on the Ice Palace. Until quite recently, that was certainly the case.
‘But now…’
Now, he couldn't give up on the Ice Palace. The Northern Sea Ice Palace had become like a second home to him. Especially…
‘I must protect the Young Lady, no matter what.’
Because the one who truly connected the Ice Palace and Hyeok Ryeon-yeom was the Young Lady, Seol Yerin.
The Ice Palace would likely take another leap forward with this engagement ceremony as a turning point. The problem was…
—Captain.
Baek Mu-yong’s voice reached him via Secret Voice Transmission.
—Did you check?
—Yes. The envoys from the Demonic Cult are expected to arrive around dawn. Also, Young Master Moyong Geum has already arrived and is resting.
—What about the external forces responsible for the Ice Palace’s security?
—Since the focus is on the engagement ceremony, the defenses seem to have weakened slightly.
—Tell the Snow Tiger Unit or the Ice Wolf Unit immediately to prepare for any external intrusions. And find out who is coming as the envoy from the Demonic Cult.
—Understood.
Swish—
As Baek Mu-yong moved out, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom let out a sigh. This was an engagement ceremony that would solidify the blood alliance between the Ice Palace and the Demonic Cult. Hyeok Ryeon-yeom already knew that this information had leaked into the Central Plains.
Naturally, he couldn't help but worry. The Central Plains would be most wary of the Demonic Cult and the Ice Palace joining forces.
“I hope nothing happens.”
The night in the North Sea was drawing to a close.
At that same time—
On the outskirts of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
Rumble.
Several carriages were on the move.
“The outer walls of the Ice Palace are in sight. It seems we have arrived, Family Head.”
A man in black reported from the driver’s seat. Inside the carriage, the person lying amidst gold and silver treasures opened his eyes.
“It’s quite bumpy.”
“My apologies.”
“I’m lacking sleep.”
Yayul Cheon-woong, the Family Head of the Yayul Demon Family—known as the Soft Jade Poison Demon—yawned and rubbed his eyes.
“To think I’d be sent all this way just to pack gifts for the Third Young Master’s engagement ceremony.”
The distance from Xinjiang to the North Sea was immense. To be sent on such a trip…
“I could have come alone,” said Yayul Jin, the Young Family Head of the Yayul Demon Family, who was sitting beside him.
“Since this event is essentially a blood alliance ceremony, all the Family Heads should have attended.”
Instead, Yayul Cheon-woong had been sent alone.
“To be engaged to that scoundrel… I feel sorry for the Young Lady of the Ice Palace.”
At Yayul Jin’s comment, a smile played on Yayul Cheon-woong’s lips. This was because he had met Hyeok Ryeon-mu and knew that Hyeok Ryeon-yeom was no longer the person the rumors described.
In fact, that was why he had brought Yayul Jin along. Yayul Jin was terrified of the eldest son, Hyeok Ryeon-geuk. If Hyeok Ryeon-geuk weren't the son of the Heavenly Demon, the two of them would essentially be on the same level. The Young Family Heads of the Five Great Demon Families all held equal status.
However, simply because he was the Heavenly Demon’s son, Yayul Jin had completely prostrated himself before Hyeok Ryeon-geuk, even though the latter hadn't even become the Young Cult Leader yet.
‘The others are much the same.’
He believed this shouldn't be the case. Yayul Cheon-woong felt that the position of Cult Leader couldn't be passed down through the Hyeok Ryeon Demon Family forever.
‘The second son, Hyeok Ryeon-mu, is also a decent fellow.’
But compared to the eldest son’s resourcefulness, he lacked what was needed to become the Cult Leader. The third son, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom, went without saying. That was likely why he had been sent away to the Ice Palace.
However…
—If you go to the Ice Palace, you might be quite surprised.
—Why is that?
—Because you will see exactly how much Yeom has changed.
If Hyeok Ryeon-mu, who was stingy with praise, said such a thing, there must have been a significant change.
‘I am curious.’
If Hyeok Ryeon-yeom had truly changed, Yayul Cheon-woong wanted to find out why and how. Only then could he make his own child change as well.
Flash—
“The sun is rising.”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom of the Heavenly Demon Cult. Seol Yerin of the Northern Sea Ice Palace. The day of their engagement ceremony had dawned.
-
Moyong Jae, the Merchant Group Leader of the Moyong Merchant Group, had visited the Demonic Cult along with Moyong Geum.
“Geum, is this truly the right choice?”
“Yes, Father. We can only make a lot of money by positioning ourselves between the Orthodox and the Evil factions.”
Though they hailed from the Moyong Family, an Orthodox family among Orthodox families, Moyong Geum argued that to make money, one must be able to sweep up "black money" regardless of whether it came from the Unorthodox Union, the Demonic Cult, or the Outlands.
“Has there ever been a time when the martial world was more peaceful than now? This is precisely the time when we, as merchants, must mediate without leaning toward any side and conduct our business to rake in the profits. That is the Righteous Way of the merchant world.”
As he listened, Moyong Jae found himself persuaded, only to realize he was now in the North Sea.
“I’ve always had a connection with the Ice Palace Lord, but you never mentioned that the other party in this engagement was the youngest son of the Demonic Cult Leader!”
“If I had told you that, you wouldn't have come, Father.”
“Ugh.”
“We’re already here, so what can we do? Young Master Hyeok Ryeon was the one who helped me last time. The reason we were able to make such an enormous profit from the Cold Iron was all thanks to him.”
“Fine, fine. I get it. I don't want to catch the Demonic Cult’s eye, so I’ll stay in the background.”
He had already been lectured by the Moyong Family last time. He would likely hear it again because of this, but…
‘Money is king.’
In the end, Moyong Jae knew well that even martial artists were helpless before wealth.
“It seems they are arriving.”
Since they, the guests, were the first to arrive at the ceremony hall, the figures from the Ice Palace and the Demonic Cult began to enter as the time approached.
The Family Heads of the Ice Palace’s Five Great Families, Palace Lord Seol Baek-ho, and Chief Officer Seol Su-hyeok. Members of the Snow Tiger and Ice Wolf Units. Even the Elders of the Ice Council were out in full force.
‘And from the Demonic Cult’s side…’
“Family Head Yayul Cheon-woong of the Yayul Demon Family and Young Family Head Yayul Jin have arrived.”
At the appearance of the Soft Jade Poison Demon, Yayul Cheon-woong, Moyong Geum swallowed hard.
“By the way, I don't see the stars of the engagement ceremony yet.”
Moyong Jae, deciding that since things had come to this, he should take a good look at exactly who was gathering for this ceremony, searched for the protagonists.
“Huh?”
Who said the protagonists appear last? No matter how much he looked, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom and Seol Yerin were nowhere to be seen.
Just then, a person with bronze skin appeared in the hall.
“The Young Palace Lord of the Southern Barbarian Poison Palace has arrived!”
On the day of the engagement ceremony.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom couldn't take his eyes off Seol Yerin, who had begun preparing since dawn.
She wore a palace dress made of snow-white silk that seemed to have captured the perpetual snow of the North Sea itself, woven with Heavenly Silk that shimmered with a faint ice-blue hue. The collar and cuffs were intricately embroidered with silver thread in snowflake patterns, creating the illusion of falling snow with every movement.
“How do I look?”
“You look as noble as perpetual snow and as transparent as an ice crystal.”
“You mean I’m beautiful, right?”
“Yes.”
“I think you look dashing too, Young Master.”
Seol Yerin looked at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom. He wore a long robe made of black silk, a top-tier dark fabric that felt weighty, giving him an overwhelming presence without appearing frivolous.
“They prepared it well.”
He liked this outfit very much. On the black fabric, red butterfly patterns—resembling either flickering flames or blooming crimson butterflies—were luxuriously embroidered with gold thread.
“It seems we’re all ready. Shall we go?”
It was time for the protagonists, who would mark the grand finale of the ceremony, to make their entrance.
The moment the two began walking toward the Great Hall of the Ice Palace where the ceremony was to be held—
BOOM!
A massive explosion erupted from the Great Hall.