Chapter 220: Spoils of War (3)
“I simply said I hoped your journey would be smooth and that everything ahead goes well.”
As if she’d never once thrown herself flat on the ground and begged Seol Lihyang to become the Little Palace Mistress, the Ice Palace Mistress stood up nonchalantly and offered her blessings.
A shift in attitude so fast it left me speechless. While I let out a dry laugh, the Ice Palace Mistress sitting across from me opened her mouth with a forced smile.
“I heard you're leaving now.”
“That’s right. I’ve stayed longer than planned, so it’s about time I return.”
Originally, I’d left home saying I wanted to see the Sword of Jeomchang Sect.
And once I recovered, they likely assumed I was simply heading out to prove the rumors that I’d reached the Flowering Stage.
There was some truth to that, of course.
But once I sent off my daughter and son-in-law, not long after, they must’ve heard that we resolved the issue with the Heaven-Slaughter Star of Jeomchang Sect.
With no idea what was going on, they waited only for me to return home. Instead, they received a short letter saying I was headed to the North Sea Ice Palace. Though they were shocked and sent a reply, nearly two months have passed with no answer in return.
For reference, I still don’t know what Tang Jincheon’s letter said. That’s because Tang Sowol hasn’t even opened it, just stored it away.
“Huuu.”
“If there’s a reason you need to stay longer, you’re welcome to, truly.”
Perhaps misunderstanding my sigh, the Ice Palace Mistress casually offered again.
But that wasn’t an option. I needed to return as soon as possible. If I didn’t…
Tang Jincheon might come all the way here himself. He’s the type who absolutely would.
“It’s fine. I’ve already made up my mind to return. I appreciate it, but please don’t press further.”
“Understood. Then, allow me to bring up a slightly different matter.”
Clearing her throat a couple of times, the Ice Palace Mistress continued.
“Ahem. As promised, I’ve organized and prepared everything related to the Azure Cold Serpent, so you may take it as is.”
“I understand about the core, but bones and hide—surely the quantity is overwhelming. How are you planning to transport it?”
“For now, we have no choice but to load it onto carts and have people pull them manually. It’s too heavy for animals, and they still get scared of the lingering aura of the Azure Cold Serpent.”
“I discussed that part with others, and I don’t think we need to take everything at once. After all, the Tang Clan and Ice Palace will be in regular contact from now on.”
“Ah! Then shall we hand them over gradually? For now, would you like to take the most valuable parts first?”
“That sounds good. What would you say are the most valuable parts?”
“First, of course, the inner core. Even the exhausted Ice Essence from before was incredible, but the core from the Azure Cold Serpent, fused with that of the Azure Cold Serpent Mother, surpasses that.”
Right. It was the spirit beast that the Ice Palace’s founder had captured. I don’t know how powerful the mother was, but the Azure Cold Serpent itself was nothing to scoff at.
Although it wasn’t as renowned as those in the Central Plains, it was still a rare treasure in the North Sea Ice Palace. Even though it was stored in a box made of Ice Iron, a chill still seeped out.
Eventually, they had to put that box inside a larger Ice Iron container to suppress it.
As I listened, Seol Lihyang peeked her head out from Tang Sowol’s arms and spoke.
“Um. I don’t intend to swallow the inner core directly. I plan to use the energy it emits for training.”
“A wise choice. Then we should send a specialist with you who knows how to handle it.”
“Oh! Thank you. Actually, since it’ll be stored for a while, I was thinking of giving it a name… How about calling it ‘Eternal Ice Essence’?”
“‘Ice Essence’ has become a symbol of the North Sea Ice Palace, but given the origin of this core and the exchange between the Ice Palace and the Tang Clan, I’d say the request is on our side. Call it whatever you like.”
Seol Lihyang bowed politely to the Ice Palace Mistress for her generous permission, then quickly hid again behind Tang Sowol like a shield.
She’s not usually like this… She must’ve really had a rough time.
The Ice Palace Mistress scratched the back of her head with an awkward look.
“Ahem. Anyway, the second most valuable item is something you've likely already received.”
“Do you mean this heart-guard vest?”
“Yes. Whether due to poison or the berserk chill, a few of the scales were especially infused with energy. I used them to craft that, hoping it might someday aid my benefactors.”
“Well… Ideally, it’ll never need to.”
“Haha! That’s true.”
The Ice Palace Mistress laughed but soon paused with a hesitant expression.
“The last one… might feel a bit ominous.”
“What is it?”
“One of its eyes.”
“An eye?”
“Didn’t its energy run amok like a deviation and turn its eyes red?”
Indeed. No matter how extraordinary a spirit beast it was, it shouldn’t have been uncatchable by two warriors at the Flowering Stage—especially while it was poisoned by Death-Despair Toxin.
It had devoured countless Azure Cold Serpent, cores and all, which is what triggered that energy outburst.
Its originally transparent blue eyes turned red as a side effect.
“Normally, once the flow of qi stops, such temporary changes revert.”
“Right. No matter how perfected one’s external cultivation may be, once life ends, even a diamond-like body won’t remain hard.”
“But its eye was different. I don’t know why, but the Azure Cold Serpent’s energy lingers in that eye, still violently churning and glowing red.”
“Lingering energy is understandable, but it’s still moving? Then wouldn’t the energy dissipate quickly?”
“It should, but it hasn’t. That’s what’s strange. We don’t know how it’s possible or what to even do with such a massive eye, but that’s why it’s one of the most valuable.”
“I see. That makes sense. What about the other eye? I recall it was still attached but damaged.”
“Nothing special. As a part of a spirit beast, it contained significant qi, but no more than any other flesh.”
Perhaps because only one eye remained, all the energy concentrated there.
After that, the Ice Palace Mistress gave a brief rundown of the other items obtained from the Azure Cold Serpent’s corpse.
Aside from the three most valuable items, they packed top-grade leather, scales, bones, blood, and other parts into two full carts.
The Eternal Ice Essence and heart-guard vest could be carried, but the eye required its own wagon. So in total, we’d need three carts to get back to Sichuan.
Of course, we wouldn’t be pulling them ourselves—personnel from the Ice Palace would be accompanying us, so there was no need to worry.
A guide, porters, a representative to continue negotiations with the Tang Clan, a craftsman to build a training room for Seol Lihyang…
It was practically a diplomatic envoy. Surely a massive hassle, but our capable chief steward would handle it all.
Just in case, I brought some Azure Cold Serpent meat to give him. Having tasted it, I can vouch for its health benefits.
As the conversation was winding down, I finally broached a topic I’d been putting off.
“This is just out of curiosity…”
“Yes?”
“What do you plan to do with the North Sea Ice Palace moving forward?”
“Haha! I thought you were about to ask something earth-shattering, and it’s just that?”
“It feels a little wrong, taking Seol Lihyang away after receiving so much. Like dangling her as bait and reaping the rewards. And it feels like I’m prying into another sect’s internal matters.”
“If it’s about the Little Palace Mistress seat, even now, I still earnestly hope Lady Seol would take it. But you can’t force someone who refuses. And since you didn’t just shift the problem elsewhere but solved it entirely, this much is nothing.”
The Ice Palace Mistress shrugged and continued.
“We no longer have Ice Essence, but the threat is gone. So we’ll focus on rebuilding our foundation. With the Azure Cold Serpent and its brood gone, the surrounding chill shouldn’t weaken as it did before.”
“But over time, the qi might still weaken—not because of spirit beasts, but due to the martial arts of Ice Palace members.”
“That’s why Lady Seol taught our Divine Maiden the Glacial True Qi technique.”
At the mention of herself, Seol Lihyang, who had been leaning lazily against Tang Sowol, spoke without adjusting her posture.
“Yep. Glacial True Qi doesn’t just rely on one’s own inner energy. It manipulates the surrounding cold qi too. And the land here is vast—just not very livable.”
“Ah, so you’re drawing qi from harsh lands rich in natural energy. Not an easy task.”
At that, Bing Yerin, who had been silently sipping tea beside the Ice Palace Mistress, responded.
“It won’t be easy. But it’s not impossible. And watching Lady Seol gave me some insights as well.”
“Insights? From watching me?”
Seol Lihyang blinked, then nodded as if something clicked.
“No wonder. I thought maybe I had a knack for teaching martial arts since she picked it up so fast. So that’s why.”
“Your guidance was invaluable. I haven’t trained in sound-based techniques, so I couldn’t fully absorb it, but learning it alongside the original form of Glacial True Qi helped a lot.”
“Hm. Well, you can train on your own now, so you’ll be fine. Do your best.”
Maybe because it was her first time teaching someone rather than learning, Seol Lihyang spoke with a strange mix of pride and genuine encouragement.
Bing Yerin smiled and nodded at the encouragement from someone much younger.
“Yes, I will, Master.”
“Master…”
Though joking, Seol Lihyang seemed genuinely moved as she repeated the word softly.
The original purpose of our trip to the North Sea Ice Palace was twofold.
One: to support Seol Lihyang’s martial arts training.
Two: to establish a potential escape route to the North Sea in case we ever needed to flee the Central Plains.
The first was a complete success. And judging by Bing Yerin and Seol Lihyang’s dynamic, the second goal had been achieved beyond expectations too.
Feeling much lighter, I rose from my seat.
“Well, I’ll be going now.”
“Let’s meet again under better circumstances next time.”
With a simple farewell to the Ice Palace Mistress, we finally began our journey back to Sichuan.
***
Even from a distance that a Flowering Stage martial artist could barely make out, he was already standing at the gate.
Arms crossed, eyes wide—Tang Jincheon was waiting, looking like a wrathful guardian statue from Shaolin Temple.
My previously light heart suddenly grew heavy.
“What… should I even say to my father-in-law…”
“I’ve been scolded a lot as a kid, so I know. In times like this, the best move is to just apologize. Add a little charm too.”
“I think just apologizing will do.”
“Tsk. What a shame.”
As Tang Sowol sincerely wiped her mouth in disappointment, I flinched slightly.
Every now and then, I’m reminded…
Tang Sowol is no ordinary person either.