Chapter 172
Chapter 172. The Fall of the North Sea Ice Palace
The Fourth Seat watched her in silence, as though testing her.
And Tang So-hwa was accustomed to silence.
She had seen too many who tested others — and she knew well how to shatter that rude stillness.
"Decades ago, a Central Plains man entered the North Sea Ice Palace and named it the Outer Region Branch. Do any Central Plains men still remain there?"
Tang So-hwa spoke carelessly, yet her words were laced with danger.
"I heard the Blood Demon bred the Ice Palace's bloodline like beasts and raised them like livestock on a farm."
The Fourth Seat gave no reaction, but the aura of the martial artists prostrated on the floor turned sharp.
"The Blood Demon's goal was a body imbued with extreme yin. So he must have taught everyone the Ice Arts to awaken the Ice Palace bloodline's extreme yin constitution. Yet there's something strange. The secret manuals of the North Sea Ice Palace could never have been written in Central Plains script. If they were raised merely as vessels, there'd be no need to teach them the Central Plains tongue, would there? They should have been made to devote every hour to martial cultivation, to build up delectable yin energy."
It was an insulting remark—words that no one who truly knew what had happened inside could ever dare to utter.
The young martial artists' breathing grew heavy, filled with humiliation and rage.
Yet the man called the Fourth Seat wore only a blank expression. Not a flicker of emotion showed — not even the faintest tremor in his eyes.
"It's my speculation, but I think that the Blood Demon had sufficient internal energy accumulated in his own body, and perhaps intended to absorb their power later. Until then, he likely used the unbelievers elsewhere."
Her calm voice cut through the chill.
“To the Blood Demon, the Outer Region is already his domain, so he must have shifted all his attention to the Central Plains. Excited by the idea of building a new ‘farm’ using the bodies of martial artists from the Central Plains, and has been studying the region in preparation.”
Even the Hall Lords of the Red and Blue Blood Hall, whom the Blood Demon cherished, were all fluent in the language of the Central Plains.
Though she spoke as if guessing, Tang So-hwa knew every word of it was true.
“The relationships and hierarchies within the Murim of the Central Plains change constantly, so he must have needed people who could quickly provide that information. That’s probably why he left those Central Plains people—who were spouting nonsense about an ‘Outer Region Branch’—alone, letting the Outer Regions learn the Central Plains’ language and culture. It would later help when he sent unbelievers and sect members into the Central Plains, to grasp the knowledge needed to map the Murim's landscape.”
The Blood Demon had gathered a vast collection of records in the Black Pavilion. Even before devouring the Outer Regions, he had hunted for the secrets of the Five Palaces. Surely he made the same preparations before turning his sights on the Central Plains.
Surveying the vast Central Plains with only one martial force was impossible. Perhaps that was why he sent unbelievers raised in the Outer Regions into the Central Plains, lumped them together as Profound Emptiness Pavilion, and exploited their entire lives.
The scale of that unseen group called Profound Emptiness Pavilion was unimaginable.
But Tang So-hwa knew one thing for certain:
It was impossible to recognize a member of Profound Emptiness Pavilion as someone from the Outer Regions.
They were perfect Central Plains people.
The North Sea Ice Palace descendants she'd seen at Emei Mountain, the spies like Yun-jin from the Tang Clan of Sichuan, even Namgung Hyun, who discussed strategy with the Namgung Clan and the Murim Alliance..
The Profound Emptiness Pavilion member could not be distinguished by appearance or culture.
Now, even the members of Profound Emptiness Pavilion were capable of teaching the language and culture of the Central Plains themselves.
Which meant — there was no longer any need for the Central Plains men who had settled in the Outer Regions.
Would the Blood Demon, that mad monster, have spared such useless Central Plains people?
She doubted it.
From that monster's perspective, the men of the Central Plains were not humans at all — merely pouches filled with martial arts of the Central Plains.
He must have wondered what kind of flavor the internal energy of a martial artist from the Murim Alliance would have.
Tang So-hwa's voice turned cold.
"The Central Plains men who lived in the Outer Regions long ago served their purpose and were absorbed by the Blood Demon. The remaining Blood Sect members likely imitated the Murim Alliance and sent letters to the headquarters seeking an exchange — is that not so?"
No answer came.
The silence gave her certainty once again.
"To kill the Murim Alliance envoys, then impersonate them and send letters to the headquarters — isn't that an insult to the Murim Alliance itself?"
"......"
"The Murim Alliance is already unsettled by the Blood Sect's resurgence. The more belligerent members might cross the North Sea to fight."
So-hwa's tone was far from hopeful. If anything, it grew darker.
"Of course, there's no guarantee they would win. It could become a battle so great that the Murim Alliance itself perishes. Should that happen — when the Alliance's power weakens — a new alliance may rise, or the unorthodox sects could gain strength and overturn the entire balance of the Murim."
Her voice, though assuming the worst, sounded almost more hopeful for it.
The Fourth Seat listened to the cunning Central Plains young lady's words in silence.
"If that happens, wouldn't the Blood Demon be reluctant to abandon all that effort? He spent years carefully learning the layout of the Central Plains' Murim, placing those Profound Emptiness Pavilion agents and even planting moles inside the Murim Alliance. If the Murim landscape changes, he'll have to start all over again."
So-hwa smiled.
"Therefore, if the Murim Alliance's Four Directions Hall Lord comes to the North Sea and requests an exchange, those on the island won't dare harm them. They'll want to treat them well and quietly send them back."
In her previous life, Tang So-hwa had not belonged to the Murim Alliance, so she couldn't be certain whether Four Directions Hall had visited the North Sea Ice Palace at that time.
But since the Alliance Leader had permitted the Four Directions Hall Lord to travel to the North Sea now, it was likely the Four Directions Hall had once been to the North Sea Ice Palace in her previous life as well. The Alliance Leader was clearly trying to avoid making different choices from before.
As far as she recalled, the Four Directions Hall Lord had lived to old age. The old Peng Sihyeon had pressured Namgung Hyun and outlived Tang So-hwa, who had wiped out Namgung's forces.
From that, she could infer the Blood Sect had not touched the Four Directions Hall Lord who came to the North Sea in her previous life.
'Perhaps the Four Directions Hall Lord who came to the North Sea turned back without entering the island...'
What was certain, though, was that the Four Directions Hall Lord of her past life had returned alive from the Blood Sect nest in the North Sea.
In this life, the Four Directions Hall Lord set out for the North Sea to seek the Extreme Ice Grass — a consequence of So-hwa's influence, making yin elixirs scarce in the Central Plains.
'What was she looking for in her previous life?'
Did the Murim Alliance of that time truly need yin elixirs as well?
Whatever the case, Tang So-hwa planned to use the Four Directions Hall Lord to gain access to the island.
The Fourth Seat, who had been staring at her for some time, let out a dry chuckle.
"So you two intend to go to the island?"
It was a scoffing sound, but So-hwa smiled.
"No. What harm could two small fry like us cause by killing us?"
She spoke evenly.
"If the Four Directions Hall Lord of the Murim Alliance knocks on the island's gates, the Blood Sect members there will not dare harm her. They will treat her kindly and send her back, hoping to finish matters peacefully."
So-hwa cast a quick glance around.
"Those in the island have failed to seize any of the North Sea Ice Palace's bloodline for over three years and so must fear the Blood Demon; they won't risk obstructing the Blood Demon's plans further — if they have any sense."
One corner of the Fourth Seat's mouth lifted.
The ashen elder's voice, threaded with a mirthless laugh.
"So the Four Directions Hall Lord of the Murim Alliance is coming to the North Sea?"
"Yes. She will come to the North Sea branch seeking yin elixirs. I don't know the exact date, but she should arrive within a few days."
"They will arrive within a day."
The Leader, who had been silent, intervened.
For the first time, the Fourth Seat turned his head toward the Leader — and So-hwa did the same.
The Leader, sensing the attention, hunched and continued.
"The Four Directions Hall has crossed the border. They appear, as the physician said, to be heading for the island."
"Physician? Woon-Hyun, do you still call this one a physician?"
The Fourth Seat let out a short laugh.
The old man shifted his gaze back to the two Central Plains people.
"This one gives off no detectable qi, but by his build and posture, he is a practitioner who has trained external techniques diligently. And the young lady behind him possesses more qi than her age would suggest. It's not a strange aura or a Dao-bearing qi — she seems to have absorbed the power of some medicinal draught rather than cultivated it over time. She looks to have taken an elixir."
“This young lady seems to have some problem with her body—there’s no qi emanating from her at all. But judging from her build and posture, she’s clearly a martial artist who has diligently trained in external techniques. And that young warrior behind her—his qi is far too strong for someone his age. It’s not a heretical energy, nor the refined qi of orthodox cultivation. It seems he didn’t build it up through long internal training, but rather by absorbing the power of an elixir.”
Bai Gwi's gaze swept over Namgung Jin.
"For someone not yet of an age to display their true power, he's been rewarded far too handsomely. He must be a direct descendant of a prominent house — whether a martial clan or a sect, receiving such an extraordinary elixir is not common. Whoever enforced such an impossible recompense must be a head with strong authority and wealth."
So-hwa was a little surprised the Fourth Seat had sized them up so quickly, but she took comfort in it — there would be no need to explain herself at length.
"We are indeed members of the Murim Alliance. My apologies."
She apologized quickly.
And she prayed the Fourth Seat would not fix his attention on Namgung Jin any longer.
After all, the North Sea Ice Palace bloodline had later been escorted to the Murim Alliance and executed by Namgung Jin himself. The bloodline may not know the reason for their deaths, but if they learned and harbored resentment toward Namgung Jin, trouble could follow. Caution was necessary.
So-hwa steered the topic back to Four Directions Hall.
"I will personally try to persuade the Four Directions Hall Lord to enter the island. While the Leader keeps the island's attention, I will quietly locate the passage and dismantle the formation."
"You can destroy their passage?"
"If I can find its position, yes."
The passage's formation was said to be intricate, with even a single mistake in a character changing its location and blocking the flow. She only needed to slash the engravings where the formation's scripts were written. It would be impossible to kill every Blood Sect member on the island, but Tang So-hwa, who could poison hundreds, could lull the surroundings to sleep and act through a single night.
And the people before her — those bred as vessels — would surely know the passage's location.
They had crossed the passage to reach the Central Plains.
"Judging by how they take the ship every half-day to break through the ice, it seems the freezing time is short. If we're even a little late, the ice will be too thick to break with the boat—so please hold it for a day. That should be enough."
The Fourth Seat fixed his gaze on So-hwa, then turned his head.
"Woon-Hyun."
"Yes."
"You will guide them."
The Leader hesitated briefly before answering.
"... Yes."
The Fourth Seat tilted his head, as if sensing something odd.
"Don't tell me you're afraid?"
"No."
After some thought, the Leader spoke again.
"In truth, I have a connection with the Four Directions Hall Lord."
"Ah."
The Fourth Seat let out a small laugh.
"Your nickname in the Central Plains was White Gale, wasn't it? You lived as a black path swordsman in Hubei, earned a title of your own—so it makes sense you'd have met the Four Directions Hall Lord."
At those words, So-hwa's brows knitted slightly.
White Gale?
She studied the face of the man they called First Leader with growing disbelief.
She had once married into the Namgung Clan, becoming privy to several of its taboos—one of which involved the Four Directions Hall Lord, Peng Sihyeon.
Namgung An, the Namgung Clan Head, had once been romantically involved with Peng Sihyeon. But the story went that Peng Sihyeon later fell for a much younger black-path man, humiliating Namgung An deeply.
So-hwa swallowed dryly.
That story did not end well.
The black-path man had approached Peng Sihyeon—then a member of the Four Directions Hall—with the intent of stealing something from her. When Peng Sihyeon discovered the betrayal, her fury was such that she personally executed him and his companions.
And the man who died back then had borne the title White Gale.
‘... Then what? He was alive all along?’
Suddenly, the faint scent of pine resin drifted from behind her. So-hwa turned and saw Namgung Jin staring at White Wind Cloud Order, mouth slightly agape.
‘Ah, right... He's a Namgung, too.’
It occurred to her that he would be even more shocked by this revelation.
'His father's...'
So-hwa stopped her thoughts there, feeling a tangle of conflicting emotions.
At least now she understood perfectly why the North Sea Ice Palace martial artist had seemed reluctant to obey the Fourth Seat's command. The Four Directions Hall Lord would surely feel the same reluctance to face him.
So-hwa, who had fallen into the habit of always calculating ahead, suddenly froze mid-thought.
‘... Wait. Doesn't this mean I'm supposed to go to the island with both of them?’
She hurriedly opened her mouth.
"A map alone will suffice. We're Central Plains people, perhaps they'll open the gate for us, but the Leader will be captured immediately."
"Don't worry, these children know the terrain better than you do. So if they are hidden and brought in, they can move without being seen.”
The Fourth Seat shook his head.
"Besides, you've never seen the North Sea Ice Palace for yourself. Even if I told you where the passage lies, you wouldn't be able to destroy it once inside. Less than half the place is habitable, the rest is all mountain ice."
So-hwa frowned, not quite understanding, but the Fourth Seat offered no further explanation.
"I'll hold the ship for over three days. In that time, tell the Central Plains people the location of the passage and come back out."
"Yes."
The North Sea Ice Palace martial artists obeyed the Fourth Seat without question. No one dared object.
Believing the discussion was over, the Fourth Seat took his seat again and said,
"While we wait for them to bring out the ship, I'll have a meal. The smell is hard to bear."
So-hwa looked at him for a moment, then bowed her head.
"Please wait just a moment."
"Ah, and the rest of you, rise now."
At his order, the North Sea Ice Palace martial artists straightened their postures and moved to their places.
The Fourth Seat frowned.
"Why are you climbing onto the beds, you fools?"
Namgung Jin answered in their stead.
"The ones on the beds are the patients."
The Fourth Seat blinked in disbelief, glancing between the men on the floor and those on the beds. The ones dripping with grease claimed to be sick, while the pale, emaciated ones were supposedly healthy—it was absurd.
But soon he understood.
They had starved for so long that even the "healthy" ones were worse off than the ill.
"... So it wasn't the time for a closed-door cultivation after all."
So-hwa held her tongue, watching the silent martial artists. Namgung Jin, however, didn't.
"Does the North Sea Ice Palace also practice closed-door cultivation?"
Curiosity lighting his voice.
The Fourth Seat chuckled softly.
"You'll see when you enter the island. The Ice Palace itself is isolated. There's no need to carve a cave in the mountains to seek enlightenment. Seizing a snow-covered peak and living alongside death—that brings greater understanding."
"Ah, now that you mention it—I saw traces of swordsmanship carved perfectly into the cliffs of the gorge. Could it be... the Bloodless Full Moon Sword?"
The Fourth Seat's lips curved.
“Are you interested in the Ice Palace's swordsmanship because you are a swordsman yourself?”
"Yes."
Namgung Jin did not hide the spark of admiration in his eyes.
The Fourth Seat seemed to like that attitude and nodded in approval.
No sooner had one curiosity been satisfied than Namgung Jin asked another question.
"As far as I know, the Bloodless Full Moon Sword is one of the North Sea Ice Palace's Five Absolute Arts. But if someone has mastered it to perfection, why have you not come out to fight the Blood Sect? Why remain in hiding?"
"To fight and die with one's life on the line is an honorable thing, but the North Sea Ice Palace values protecting its bloodline even more."
He waved his hand lightly.
"Ah, I'm not saying this in the tone of some noble speech. It's just that, in the long run, it's better to have several bloodline members who've mastered the Five Absolute Arts rather than only one. All the rules of the North Sea exist for one purpose—to raise the Seven Seats of the North Sea. So, those of us who've grown old tend to grow soft toward the young ones."
For a brief moment, Najin's gaze darkened, a flicker of unrest passing through it. It seemed her idea of "being soft toward the young" differed from the Fourth Seat's.
Namgung Jin pretended not to notice that silent act of defiance.
"It sounds as though you still remember the Ice Palace's rules. Did you perhaps live in the Ice Palace before its fall?"
"The last Lord of the Ice Palace was my grandfather. I fall somewhere around here."
He tapped the top of the first page of the lineage records So-hwa had handed him—right near the uppermost part of the paper.
Given the way the North Sea Ice Palace bloodline had been bred so recklessly to increase their numbers, it was safe to say he belonged to the first generation that had submitted to the Blood Demon. And through the long years, he had sired many children.
So-hwa had struggled to organize the North Sea Ice Palace's lineage. There had been one man who had fathered offspring over an extraordinarily long period.
It wasn't because that man had been driven by lust. On the contrary, the Blood Demon had used him as a stud.
Indeed, most of his descendants had been born with the Extremely Yin Body.
But at some point, his children had stopped inheriting that physique. From then on, the Blood Demon had no further use for him.
So-hwa realized that this Fourth Seat was the very man whom the Blood Demon had once used as a breeding stallion. Her eyes lingered on him, and she tried hard not to let pity show.
Surviving to prepare for revenge was far more painful than simply dying.
Her own clan—the Tang Clan—had chosen death over the life of survival.
Looking at the grandson of the North Sea Ice Palace Lord, who had endured decades in hell, So-hwa felt something indescribable stir within her.
Then, as his eyes traced the lineage before him, the Fourth Seat spoke again.
"You've done a very thorough job organizing this—but what's written here isn't the entirety of our bloodline. There were times when the Blood Demon took away those who pleased him. The ones chosen by him were moved to his own lineage record. He kept a separate record for the vessels that bore his blood. The madman believed his lineage to be the most superior in all the world."
Tang So-hwa deeply agreed with that last remark.
They shared the same gaze toward a lunatic, and for the first time, she felt a faint sense of kinship with the old man.
"Fortunately, I'm still alive to remember them, so I can fill in the missing names."
"Were there many taken by the Blood Demon?"
"It wasn't a frequent thing, but the monster’s madness lasted so long that the number isn't small. Even my younger sister was taken by him."