Chapter 199
Cheon Hwi-da covered Seol Lihyang’s mouth with his hand and pulled her back, and Tang Sowol, standing protectively in front of her, shook her head firmly with a resolute tone.
“She’s not someone you can take.”
“......?”
That wording… isn’t it a bit much?
Given the current posture, it kind of looks like we’re holding Seol Lihyang hostage.
While I, and Seol Lihyang who was being held, tilted our heads in doubt, Bing Yerin and the martial artists from North Sea Ice Palace suddenly sprang up in alarm.
“P-Please calm down! Who in the world are you to treat the next Young Palace Mistress of our North Sea Ice Palace in such a way!”
“Treating her that way, you say? That’s not a very pleasant way to put it. I’m Tang Sowol of the Sichuan Tang Clan. And this here is my fiancé.”
As their gaze turned to me, I hesitated for a moment, then gave a slight nod while still holding Seol Lihyang.
“I’m Cheon Hwi.” “Cheon Hwi… the Blood Flame Sword Demon?!”
Bing Yerin jumped up again, shouting my alias. Most likely, my name has been spreading lately, and she must’ve picked it up somewhere.
Still, they’re an amusing bunch.
I’d heard that martial artists from North Sea Ice Palace tend to be cold and stoic, but…
Well, I haven’t met every one of them, and all I had were records of those who’d visited the Central Plains.
I suppose going along with their rhythm for a bit won’t hurt.
Smirking, I tugged at Seol Lihyang’s cheek with the hand covering her mouth and spoke.
“That’s right. I’m the Blood Flame Sword Demon. Did you just say you were taking Seol Lihyang?”
“W-We weren’t taking her! We’re inviting her!”
“Same difference. From what I hear, if she doesn’t go, you’ll be heading back empty-handed, no?”
“T-That’s true, but I’m sure the Young Palace Mistress would agree with us!”
“Hm. Then let’s ask her directly.”
I nodded and removed my hand from Seol Lihyang’s mouth.
After rubbing her cheek and shooting me a glare, Seol Lihyang sighed deeply and shook her head.
“You said your name was Miss Bing? I appreciate the offer, but I’ll have to decline.”
“But why?! We promised to support you with martial arts, elixirs, a training environment… everything until you reach the Flowering Stage!”
“Well, I don’t know that much about the North Sea Ice Palace, but even if only half of what I’ve heard is true, I’m sure you would’ve kept that promise. I’m not doubting that part.”
“Then…”
“But if I become the palace mistress, I’d have to live there, right?”
“Of course. The master can’t be away from the palace.”
“That’s why it won’t work.”
Bing Yerin blinked, clearly unable to understand Seol Lihyang’s answer.
Facing her, Seol Lihyang shrugged with a calm tone.
“I plan to live with Sister Tang and Cheon Hwi. I can’t go live far away by myself.”
“Pardon? I believe I heard the daughter of the Tang Clan and the Blood Flame Sword Demon were engaged...?”
Bing Yerin glanced between me, Tang Sowol, and Seol Lihyang—her eyes widening by the second.
“Don’t tell me!”
“It’s exactly that.”
Seol Lihyang took our hands and placed them both on her shoulders for emphasis.
Though the fact that she did it herself made me chuckle a little, it certainly got the message across.
I wouldn’t send Seol Lihyang to the North Sea Ice Palace unless she wished for it herself.
No matter how much more efficient martial arts training might be there, this part will never change.
Everything I’ve done—pushing through hardships to raise my cultivation, trying to bridge the gap between orthodox and unorthodox factions, creating the Justice Alliance—it was all for my people.
If I lose even one of them, what would all that effort mean?
Still, rejecting them too coldly isn’t ideal.
If I could defeat the Heavenly Demon, it would be no problem. But if I fail, I’ll have to run.
Before the regression, the Heavenly Demon obsessively crushed every sect in the Central Plains, yet was indifferent to the outer regions.
Maybe he only turned his attention to the outer lands after unifying the Central Plains, but as far as I remember, he only cared about the Central Plains.
And so, while chaos brewed in the Central Plains, the outer lands also began to stir.
The Poison King who invaded deep into the Central Plains to capture Tang Sowol, the Southern Barbarians' Beast Palace that devoured Yunnan and Guizhou, and Potala Palace that offered shelter to refugees only to sacrifice them—these were all examples.
Perhaps they had formed a prior alliance, carefully avoiding stepping on each other's toes while grabbing what they could.
Yet only North Sea Ice Palace remained aloof, showing no interest in the chaos of the Central Plains.
Neither the Demonic Cult nor any other outer force provoked them.
Well, attacking them would require a long march north through freezing lands, and even then, there wasn’t much to gain beyond martial arts and people.
That cost-benefit ratio probably kept everyone away.
At least, that was the case before regression.
So if I ever need to flee, the North Sea Ice Palace would be a good option.
Better than heading to Haedong or Dongyeong at least—at least we’d still speak the same language.
Rather than cutting ties, keeping a loose connection might be better.
Thinking this, I spoke up.
“Still, I’m not saying you should return to North Sea Ice Palace empty-handed.”
“...Excuse me?”
A flicker of hope lit up Bing Yerin’s previously crestfallen expression.
On the other hand, Seol Lihyang looked at me in confusion, so I gave a small laugh and continued.
“I won’t be sending Seol Lihyang to be your Young Palace Mistress. She doesn’t want to go, and I won’t force her either. But I also understand your position. If you simply leave with nothing, that won’t do either, right?”
“You’re right. If I hadn’t met her at all…”
“I told you, I’m not your Young Palace Mistress.”
At Seol Lihyang’s sharp interjection, Bing Yerin corrected herself immediately.
“If I hadn’t known about Miss Seol, I would’ve accepted the rejection from the Alliance Leader and returned quietly, albeit bitterly. But now, I can’t do that.”
“Aren’t you from a strong sect? Can’t you manage without me?”
“For now, yes. But what about in thirty or fifty years? This concerns the future of North Sea Ice Palace.”
“The future…”
Seol Lihyang murmured absentmindedly.
It’s true. As Bing Yerin said, the North Sea Ice Palace is still powerful. It’ll remain that way for some time.
The current palace master may not have reached the Flowering Stage, but they reportedly rose to the position with widespread support, so they must be a capable leader.
Perhaps the strongest among the remaining candidates, the most respected, the most skilled, or of the most legitimate bloodline.
In any case, they’re competent enough to avoid any major objections.
But there’s no guarantee the next palace master will be the same.
This concern about the future must be what’s driving Bing Yerin and her current master to search for a successor—even if it means reaching into the Central Plains.
And now they’ve learned of someone who could shine a light on that uncertain future: Seol Lihyang.
They won’t push aggressively to the point of being offensive, but they also won’t give up after one refusal.
“That’s why, maybe it’s worth picking a day to visit together. If, after seeing the North Sea Ice Palace with her own eyes, Seol Lihyang’s decision doesn’t change, then you’ll have no choice but to accept and step back. How about it?”
“That sounds good. Since we’ll be staying in the Alliance for a while, why don’t we coordinate schedules and pick a day?”
“Very well. Let’s do that. But for now, would you kindly step aside? We need to meet with the Alliance Leader for a separate matter.”
“Understood. And… thank you.”
Bing Yerin bowed her head. The other martial artists from North Sea Ice Palace followed her lead, apologizing to us and the Alliance Leader before leaving the office.
Only then did Seol Lihyang let out a deep sigh and nudge my side.
“It’s a little annoying that you made a promise without asking me… but thanks. I don’t want to live there, but I am curious about their martial arts.”
“I figured.”
We’d already talked about how her martial arts training had hit a plateau, and she needed environments rich in yin energy, elixirs, or other similar techniques to reference.
Though it's far away, it’s no different in essence from me visiting Wudang, the Namgung Clan, or this time the Jeomchang Sect to hone my sword.
Besides, I had said next time, we should go somewhere someone else wants to visit.
“If you’re satisfied, that’s enough for me. But, if I have somewhere I want to go, would you come with me too, Cheon?”
“Of course. Just say the word.”
We exchanged warm smiles, but it didn’t last long.
Standing on tiptoe and peeking between our shoulders, Seorin—Seo Mun-Hwarin—finally squeezed in and stuck her head through.
“Ahem.”
She then glared at the hand that had been covering Seol Lihyang’s mouth moments ago with a dissatisfied expression.
“What is it?”
“This One asks: Is there nothing for her?”
I wondered if this was truly the side effect of Rejuvenation. Could she actually be senile?
That mildly irreverent thought in mind, I gently covered Seorin’s eyes with my hand instead.
She’d probably prefer something a little different from just covering her mouth.
As expected, she flinched at first, then soon smiled in satisfaction and spoke.
“Alliance Leader. Though there was a slight disturbance, we are here today for a far more important matter.”
“I-Is that so?”
With my hand covering her eyes, the Alliance Leader fumbled for a response, unsure how to react.
He looked at me as if to ask what is going on here...
But I had no idea either.
Seorin does incomprehensible things all the time. This must be one of those moments.
I avoided his gaze and took out the letter from Monk Jeong Hyeon I’d kept in my robes.
“As Senior Seorin said, we’ve come urgently because of something important. It’s already been dealt with, but it concerns the Heaven-Slaughter Star.”
“Did you say… Heaven-Slaughter Star?”
The Alliance Leader, who’d been sitting comfortably like the retired sect leader he was, immediately straightened up and took the letter with a serious expression.
He read it thoroughly, but then, unable to believe his eyes, kept rereading it from the beginning. Eventually, he spoke with a dazed look.
“Is this true? Blood Flame Sword Demon. I only saw your martial arts briefly at the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering, but your killing intent alone… people said it resembled the Heaven-Slaughter Star’s. I’d like to hear your thoughts.”
“As you said, there are few in the current Murim as sensitive to killing intent as I am. And to my eyes, Miss Heo… has completely surpassed the Heaven-Slaughter Star’s killing intent.”
“I see. At last, the long-standing curse of the Heaven-Slaughter Star may finally be lifted.”
Given that he lived during the same era as Monk Gakjeong, perhaps they had some connection.
The Alliance Leader closed his eyes for a moment in deep reflection, then slowly spoke.
“For working to resolve a long-standing issue of Murim, and for choosing the difficult yet righteous path to the end—I thank you sincerely, as Alliance Leader. Thanks to you all, future generations will be safe from the Heaven-Slaughter Star’s rampage, and those born with its energy will no longer be doomed or persecuted.”
“It was something I had to do. And I was lucky enough to be able to do it.”
“That may be so, but what matters is that you acted. The Murim Alliance will not forget your deed.”
As expected of the Alliance Leader. He must have noticed my goal to raise my reputation and influence among the orthodox sects, and responded with implicit support.
Even though he was still deliberately avoiding looking in Seorin’s direction.
“In any case, thank you for coming all this way. We’ll prepare a room for you, so please rest as long as you wish.”
“Thank you for your kindness.”
I bowed and left the office.
***
The guest rooms of the Murim Alliance were as splendid as ever.
“Ah~ Frostjade Celestial Hand is such a great martial art~ It would pair so well with Glacial True Qi~”
The only minor issue was that the martial artists from North Sea Ice Palace were staying in the room next door.