Chapter 370
"From now on, this is truly important."
"......"
"Do you understand?"
"......I understand enough."
Seol Unhwi released Ha Baekhyun's collar and stepped away slowly.
Seol Unhwi's perception of qi was unrivaled.
Long before reaching the levels called the Three-Manifest Realm or the like — even back when he was in the Energy-Thread Sight Realm — he could read the presence of a warrior at the Heavenly-Man Realm.
Now he stood, arguably, at the edge of the Heaven-and-Earth Fourfold Realm; yet he could not pick out a single petty spy? That would not merely be impossible — it would be unnatural.
From behind Seol Unhwi, Ha Baekhyun's voice came.
"But tell me this."
Seol Unhwi turned his head.
"What became of the man who followed you into the hidden realm?"
"He perished through his own incompetence."
"......"
"He forgot his duty, forgot his place. That is why he died."
"......I see."
"That should suffice as an answer."
Seol Unhwi apparently did not wish to continue the conversation; he turned his body and Ha Baekhyun fell silent as well.
Seol Unhwi threw open the Palace Lord's hall doors.
Inside, the man who had been sitting before the Bingcheon strategic board looked up.
The Palace Lord of the Snow Palace.
Father.
Bingcheon Overlord, Seol Jungcheon.
He gave a small smile.
"You're back."
Seol Unhwi smiled too.
"I have returned, Father."
***
Father and son sat across the Bingcheon strategic board.
There was no talk between them.
As if by agreement, they began a match immediately after the initial exchange, and that was that.
They placed stones continuously for a full two shijin.
The silence was broken, surprisingly, by Seol Jungcheon.
"You did well."
Seol Unhwi's hand, poised to place a stone, paused.
Then he smiled faintly.
"I only did what needed to be done."
"What needed to be done..."
Seol Jungcheon considered for a moment and then nodded, as if satisfied.
From Seol Unhwi's perspective he had done his duty, but from Seol Jungcheon's vantage it had felt like walking a tightrope.
"Did it take half a year?"
"About so."
"To raise the crumbling Heavenly Alliance into one of the three great powers of the Central Plains in half a year... remarkable."
"I was merely fortunate."
That was not out of modesty.
Seol Unhwi carried memories from his previous life and ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) could leverage knowledge of forces and outcomes years or decades ahead.
Even if unfamiliar powers appeared, he could act using the results he already knew.
"And did you know the leader of the Original-Root Blood Sect came by?"
"I see."
"You knew of it?"
"I did not."
"Yet you were not surprised."
Seol Unhwi said evenly, "The Celestial Way Master tends to be such a figure."
"Do you know what was discussed?"
"He proposed to take me as a disciple, I suppose."
Seol Jungcheon blinked.
"I would have refused. And the Celestial Way Master, having no great expectation, would have watched my reply closely and likely been satisfied."
"Satisfied... you think so?"
"Yes. The man you know, Father, is one worthy of universal respect. The Celestial Way Master, not being a fool, would have drawn similar conclusions... Yes. He likely sat across the board for this reason."
"You are correct."
Indeed everything had proceeded exactly as Seol Unhwi had described.
Then—
"It sounds like quite an interesting conversation took place outside."
"You heard it?"
"I did not wish to, but you were gone so long I grew curious and listened."
"......"
"It was an amusing talk. That the First Order, Ha Baekhyun, might be a sleeper agent."
"Ambiguous."
"Ambiguous?"
"He could be a sleeper, or he might not."
"......Hmm?"
"I had hoped to handle it within my circle, but since you are aware I will tell you: the group I mentioned before, do you remember them?"
"You mean the Celestial Gate."
"That name is just an abbreviation. Their full name is the Heavenly-Origin Daoist Method Training Gate; they employ 'arts' rather than the kind of 'martial way' we know."
"Arts?"
"Yes. Their arts specialize in facing many opponents. If I were to bet, if war broke between us and the Celestial Gate, be prepared for annihilation."
"Annihilation... are they that strong?"
"They are powerful and also inconvenient to deal with. Their arts are real. Space-transference, particularly the technique called Folded-Distance, is something their high-level art-masters can use. If they decide to flee, even you would be hard-pressed."
"Does that mean I would struggle — that here in the Snow Palace, apart from me, none could catch them?"
"Yes."
"How many can use folded-distance?"
"Three in total."
"Three...?"
"Now three, but there will be more with time. From my past-life memories, there were six who could use folded-distance."
"Have you faced them?"
"I have."
"Did you kill them?"
"I killed them all."
"That implies you have a countermeasure."
Seol Unhwi smiled faintly.
"There is. They fold the land as they move. If you predict which ground they'll fold and lay down formations there, it stops them."
"Formations...?"
"Even a thrown sword ring will do. It can obstruct their folded-distance."
"And their arts?"
"Those must be met head-on. But because they are arts, the caster inevitably leaves an opening when performing them. Regardless of being an art-master, differences in realm matter — though in a straight contest, your Vast-Empty Transcendence might be on par with the Celestial Gate's leader."
"That sounds like defeat."
"Not defeat so much as a high chance of mutual destruction."
Seol Jungcheon pondered briefly and asked Seol Unhwi.
"So then, leave them be?"
"Yes. Ha Baekhyun is a special case."
"A special case?"
"Though he left the Celestial Gate, he remains connected to one of their branch lords."
"Branch lord... meaning he is a disciple."
"Yes."
"......I see. So he might be a sleeper, or he might not."
"Yes. In my previous life he became deputy leader of the Sacheon League."
"Deputy leader?"
"Yes. Do not doubt his ability."
"When the Snow Palace fell into Yangseoljin's hands, did he lend help?"
"He did not."
Seol Jungcheon's expression turned grave.
He had immediately understood what Seol Unhwi meant.
"Lacks loyalty, you mean."
"At present he will stand with the Snow Palace, but at the decisive moment he might turn his back."
"A man like that as First Order of the Twelve is not right, yet you ask I not remove him?"
"Yes."
"To avoid friction with the Celestial Gate?"
"Something like that."
"......Hmm......"
"Father, no — Palace Lord."
"Speak."
"Do not worry."
Seol Jungcheon lifted his head and looked at Seol Unhwi.
"Nothing you need worry about will occur."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. I will handle it within my scope."
Seol Jungcheon regarded him for a long moment, then spoke in a quiet voice.
"You have hardened."
"Not hardened — only less foolish."
"That too is growth."
Seol Jungcheon picked up a stone again and said, "I am proud."
"......Thank you."
Seol Unhwi's voice trembled for a moment.
Words he had not heard in his previous life.
Being told he was proud warmed his chest.
Seol Unhwi smiled at Seol Jungcheon and said, "One request."
"Speak."
"I ask that the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace watch over the Heavenly Alliance."
"Watch over?"
"Yes."
"To what extent?"
"Not a formal alliance, but when the Heavenly Alliance falls into crisis the Snow Palace must step in."
Seol Jungcheon thought for a moment.
"Crisis... you mean the Murim League?"
"Yes. Precisely, Gun Mugyeol. I have made a bargain with him."
Seol Jungcheon's gaze grew sharp.
"What bargain?"
"Gun Mugyeol was plotting to swallow the Heavenly Alliance whole."
Seol Unhwi spoke slowly.
"But I preempted him. I negotiated, and I exploited his inability to advance beyond the Vast-Empty Transcendence."
"...Offer to raise him to the Sole Primordial Mastery?"
"Yes."
Seol Jungcheon frowned.
"Unhwi, is that truly right?"
"Gun Mugyeol will reach Sole Primordial Mastery before this year ends anyway."
"...What?"
"From my past-life memory, the first to reach Sole Primordial Mastery will be the Sacheon League's lord Kang Cheonwoo."
Seol Unhwi continued.
"Kang Cheonwoo will reach Sole Primordial Mastery, and two months later Gun Mugyeol will reach it as well."
"...Then—"
"Just hasten the timing a little."
Seol Unhwi looked Seol Jungcheon straight in the eye.
"And I have already taken measures with Kang Cheonwoo."
"...Measures against Kang Cheonwoo too?"
"Yes."
"What measures?"
"Through Seo Hyo I secured a Supreme Epistolary Channel directly connected to Kang Cheonwoo. I have exchanged words through that channel multiple times."
"Exchanged words... I cannot grasp the shape of the scheme you draw."
"I am not perfect; I cannot predict everything. But I can state the outcomes."
"Outcomes... yes, that is the most certain."
"I want the martial world to reach a Great-Peace Era."
"......Hmm?"
"I envision the Murim League, the Sacheon League, and the Heavenly Alliance balancing each other to bring stability."
"Oh..."
"There will be intrigues from behind the scenes. That degree I can handle because there are those who can solve such plots; I will create the main trunk."
"The trunk... complicated."
"No need to overthink. You may have heard — rumor that Kang Cheonwoo of the Sacheon League approaches Sole Primordial Mastery."
"I have heard."
"Gun Mugyeol, who planted sleeper agents in the Sacheon League, learned the news fastest. He knows that if Kang Cheonwoo arrives first it will shake the Murim League's standing. Hence he is rushing."
"...You used that."
"Yes."
Seol Jungcheon marveled.
"Impressive. To handle two league lords at once."
"Not handle — balance."
"Balance..."
Seol Jungcheon nodded.
"Indeed your method."
Seol Unhwi thought briefly, then placed a stone and asked.