The Qi Arts Master Chapter 80
Despite the low tone, the Black Wind Leader's voice carried clearly over the vast distance to the top of the walls, amplified by his profound inner energy. Seol Eom smiled faintly in surprise, a surge of competitive spirit rising within him.
"That's true enough. But what brings so many of you to this remote, forsaken corner of the world?"
The Ice Palace Lord likewise projected his voice with inner energy, but he flaunted his martial prowess by delivering longer sentences.
In response, Seol Hwa and the Ice Palace warriors glared fiercely at the Black Wind Leader.
Ignoring the North Sea Ice Palace's attitude, the Black Wind Leader spoke in his usual icy demeanor.
"I've heard the ice of the North Sea runs mighty cold. How about seeking some warmth under the reign of Mado Cheonha?"
"What? Hahaha!"
The Ice Palace Lord's laughter boomed so hard tears welled in his eyes. Then, with a mocking sneer, he replied,
"Would the wolves of the snowfields ever bow to a mongrel pup? The world itself would scoff."
Shwaaaaa—
A chilling killing intent erupted from the Black Wind Leader, who had maintained his icy composure throughout. Colder than a northern blizzard, it enveloped the Ice Palace warriors, making them all flinch. It was a dense aura of slaughter far beyond what dozens or hundreds of kills could forge.
At the sight, the Ice Palace Lord bared his teeth in a grin and unleashed his own energy in return.
Goooooo—
A resonant hum like howling wind—or perhaps a wolf's cry—arose from the Ice Palace Lord's aura, pushing back the Black Wind Leader's killing intent.
Savoring the resistance of that killing intent, Ice Palace Lord Seol Eom growled,
"Not bad—even a mongrel pup has sharp fangs."
"You'll regret this."
The Black Wind Leader glared savagely at him before wheeling his horse around.
Neigh.
The Ice Palace Lord silently watched the Black Wind Leader's retreating figure fade into the distance amid the horse's whinny.
The Black Wind Corps rode toward orderly ranks of cavalry. At the center of the uncountable horsemen stood figures clad entirely in black, like the leader himself—their razor-sharp auras palpable even from afar, drawing involuntary admiration.
At a glance, the Black Wind Corps numbered around three hundred. Yet from them emanated something that overwhelmingly dominated the remaining three thousand cavalry.
"Well-deserved reputation," Seol Eom muttered in admiration.
Seol Hwa, who had witnessed the same scene beside him, nodded in agreement—then burst into laughter.
"Haha! That Black Wind Leader—if he weren't the enemy, I'd want him as a husband. He doesn't even look that old."
Seol Eom frowned blankly at his unpredictable daughter's words. Seol Hwa giggled at his reaction.
"Hahaha! Just kidding!"
"Sigh. Enough nonsense—get ready."
Shaking his head to banish his daughter's outrageous jest, Seol Eom made a final check of the defenses. Then he ascended the tallest watchtower.
With the vast snowfield between them, an inescapable tension hung over both camps.
Breaking the silence was Black Wind Leader Cho Yeo-un. He raised a black spear forged from the same ore as Chan-ho's sword and thrust it forward like a stab.
"Charge."
At his low, curt command, the cavalry—excluding the Black Wind Corps—surged ahead as one.
The thunderous gallop whipped up a storm, and the three thousand-plus Blood Cult horsemen's red bloodwind banners fluttered in unison, creating a spectacular sight. Like crimson feathers on a white canvas, they fanned out horizontally to encircle the North Sea Ice Palace. Their sheer numbers naturally formed layered ranks.
Ice Palace Lord Seol Eom focused intently, sensing the enemy's numbers as even greater than expected.
"Everyone, prepare!"
At his order, the warriors nocked arrows aimed forward.
Seol Eom waited and waited for the enemy to close in. The moment the front rank leaped over the pre-set ice barricades with their horses, he bellowed,
"Now!"
Shwaaaaaaaa—!
Over three hundred arrows loosed in unison. The first-rank horsemen tumbled under the arrows' terrifying accuracy and power, but the second rank vaulted over, their fierce advance unbroken.
"Fire at will!"
Seol Eom snatched up the massive bow propped against a watchtower pillar. As tall as a burly man's height, its string of heavenly silkworm thread woven with special techniques boasted tension no ordinary strength could draw. Renowned for its durability, it could even serve as a melee weapon in emergencies.
Seol Eom grabbed an arrow thick as a spear.
He aimed ahead of the enemy veering left along the walls.
Kigigig!
A harsh friction sounded, followed by—
Thweeeeeek!
The arrow spun fiercely toward its target.
"Dodge!"
A desperate cry from the cavalry ranks, and an enormous explosion erupted.
"Argh!"
Without checking the result, Seol Eom nocked another arrow and targeted the right-flanking foes.
Thweeeeeek!
Kaboom!
The unbelievable destructive power from single arrows shattered formations on both flanks, producing casualties. But the cavalry swiftly bypassed the blast radii and pressed on.
Seol Eom fired again without mercy.
Thweeeeek!
Kaboom!
As the explosions made the horsemen falter once more, Seol Eom set down his bow and shouted to Seol Hwa,
"Daughter, I'm heading left! Be careful!"
"You too, Father!"
Seol Hwa drew her sword in reply to his call. Both leaped from the wall ends simultaneously.
Seol Eom spread his body like a soaring bird, his form glowing white mid-descent. The light gathered in his hands and shot toward the lead horsemen.
"Haaap!"
Extreme frigid qi burst from Seol Eom's palms.
Kwajijik!
Around ten lead horsemen froze solid mid-gallop, horses and all—like ice sculptures. Nearby, the qi’s aftershock froze random body parts on panicked horses and warriors.
This was Bingbaek Shinjang, the pinnacle of ice arts that had made the North Sea Ice Palace renowned in the martial world.
The overwhelming display halted the left-flank cavalry's bypass attack. But the momentum from the endless ranks behind surged forward anew.
"Damn pests—there's no end to them."
Including the arrows, he'd disabled maybe thirty or forty, but compared to the hundreds pressing on, it was a drop in the bucket.
Seol Eom swiftly gathered inner energy and slammed both palms into the snowfield.
Kudududuk!
Ice pillars erupted from his hands, towering massively toward the oncoming cavalry. As the wide-spanning pillars snared the horses' hooves, the riders drew swords and leaped free en masse.
Seol Eom sneered at them.
"Hahaha! Greenhorns who don't know the North Sea chill!"
He channeled inner energy into his palms and smashed the rising pillars.
As if versed in shattering ice, the thick columns shattered effortlessly at his strikes.
Kwangchangchang!
The fragments scattered like water, drenching at least two or three hundred cavalry in a sudden deluge.
"Huh?!"
"What the—?"
The sword-wielding warriors lunging at Seol Eom and the trailing horsemen stared in bewilderment. After his monstrous attacks, they'd braced for something equally brutal—making their tension seem foolish.
Beholding them, Seol Eom flashed a devilish grin.
"Welcome to the North Sea, you mongrel pups! Bingbaek Shinjang!"
An even mightier frigid qi spread widely from his palms.
Shwaaaaaaaa—!
Waddddddd—!
Those nearby turned to ice statues mid-swing, swords in hand. The drenched cavalry froze solid. Some died instantly as the chill filled their lungs; others desperately circulated inner energy to resist.
Feeling his dantian empty, Seol Eom retreated swiftly to the walls. Unlike his dashing descent, he clambered up using the cold's adhesive grip.
Atop the wall, he saw Ice Palace warriors desperately raining arrows to guard the main gate. Some lay fallen, pierced by enemy spears—turning Seol Eom's mouth bitter. They were like his own children.
"Father!"
Seol Hwa called from the opposite side, having reached the watchtower first. She shook blood from her sword and sheathed it.
"No injuries?"
At his worried question, Seol Hwa thumped her bicep.
"Of course not. I could go all day."
Despite her bravado, cold sweat beaded from successive inner energy drain. Seol Eom smiled back at her bluff.
"The Black Wind Corps?"
Climbing the watchtower, Seol Eom sought them first. They remained at a distance from the main gate, observing as before.
"Tch."
Ice Palace Lord Seol Eom clicked his tongue. Their main enemy force hadn't budged, yet his side tired while endless foes poured in.
For focused defense, he and his daughter had delayed the flanks briefly—but that was all.
Gauging the fallen enemy cavalry, he figured maybe five hundred at most. Impressive for three hundred warriors, but over five times that remained.
Thud!
He sensed foes clinging to the walls channeling inner energy to batter the outer wall and gate.
Kuwoong!
No siege engines since they were cavalry, but martial artists on horseback were human catapults.
Fortunately, the high, slippery walls had no climbers yet. But smashing the outer wall for handholds or breaching the sealed gate was only a matter of time.
Frowning, Seol Eom ordered Seol Hwa,
"Daughter, take two hundred warriors and fall back to the inner keep. Watch for any circling to the rear."
"Yes, Father."
Accepting the order with trust over worry, Seol Hwa moved at once.
The outer keep's vast perimeter outstripped their sparse warriors—everyone knew such defense had limits. Thus, the primary plan was to delay here, secondary to retreat inward.
The inner keep, farthest from the outer gate, would buy more time via street fighting if induced.
"Retreating a bit sooner than planned..."
Regulating his breath, Seol Eom gripped the massive bow again. He eyed the few remaining arrows, plotting optimal shots.
Around sixty Ice Palace warriors remained on the watchtower walls, firing desperately. On undefended flank walls, enemies already abandoned horses to climb.
North Sea Ice Palace Lord Seol Eom silently nocked another arrow.