TL: FoodieMonster007
"Are you already trying to win the hearts of the lower houses?"
Seol Suryeon was surprised when Seol Ryonghwi expressed interest in visiting the smaller clans of the North Sea Ice Palace during the three days leading up to the grand conference. However, she quickly dismissed this desire as an attempt to garner support ahead of his bid for the title of Prince. As such, she commended him and even arranged the meetings herself.
Unfortunately, the actual situation was nothing like she had imagined.
"Grandfather…" After months of being bedridden and vomiting up all food and drink, the heir of the Han Clan rose to his feet. Though his face was still pale, the boy smiled brightly. "I'm not sick anymore."
"Hyeon!" Han Songbaek swept his young grandson into a tight embrace.
A true miracle had occurred.
For a long time, he had agonized as he watched his poisoned grandson deteriorate day by day. He had even considered giving in to Seol Suryeon several times just to get the antidote. Just a few more months, no, perhaps even ten more days, and his resolve might have broken.
"You don't have to worry about anything anymore. You won't be sick again," he sobbed.
Even though he had been cured of the poison, it had taken a heavy toll on his vitality.
Han Songbaek gently laid the sleeping boy back down on the bed, then turned to Seol Ryonghwi , his eyes brimming with tears yet also reflecting an unbreakable determination. "Thank you. I will not forget this debt of gratitude, even in death."
Seol Ryonghwi flashed a knowing smirk and quipped, "Just don't try to repay me with something weird.
Han Songbaek nodded.
Subsequently, he secretly contacted the elders of other families whose heirs were being held hostage by Seol Suryeon's poison and shared with them his firsthand account of the miracle. Upon hearing his story, many of them wept silently, overcome with shame and indignation at being compelled to pledge their allegiance to the Seol Clan.
"He can detoxify the poison? Is that really true?"
"If so, then…"
"I'll do anything if you save our family's child!"
Han Songbaek stated his condition, "In return for the cure, you must join our cause."
Although the elders were initially startled by the prospect of opposing the Seol Clan, they readily agreed after much deliberation. Discontent with the Seol Clan, which had reigned over the North Sea for decades, was already rampant, and this was an opportunity they might not get again.
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"…Understood."
"We will do so!"
"The grand conference in three days… We will stand by your side."
Just like that, Seol Ryonghwi made his rounds, treating poison victims, receiving endless thanks, and briefly conversing with the elders who had agreed to join his rebellion. Most importantly, he did all of this behind Seol Suryeon's back.
[What will you do if there is a traitor among them?] the Divine Azure Dragon Sword's voice echoed in his mind.
Baek Suryong shrugged. [The Grand Elder said he only contacted people he could trust. I have no choice but to have faith in his judgment.]
There was no such thing as a perfect plan in the first place. A certain degree of risk was inevitable.
As if waiting for those exact words, though, the Divine Azure Dragon Sword trembled with pride and self-satisfaction. [That is why I have cast a spell on all of them.]
[What spell?]
[If any of them contacts a member of the Seol Clan, I will know immediately.]
"You…" Baek Suryong shot the Divine Azure Dragon Sword an admiring look, but he couldn't praise her out loud with so many ears nearby. [You really are an incredibly useful sword, aren't you?]
[Did I not tell you that before? You need to show me a little more respect,] the Divine Azure Dragon Sword replied smugly.
Baek Suryong patted the Divine Azure Dragon Sword, which quivered as if pleased.
After treating all the poisoned Ice Palace children, Baek Suryong went to see Eun Hwiryong at her chambers.
The Empress of the North Sea Ice Palace was meditating with her sword on her lap, reflecting on her martial arts like a contemplative general on the eve of a great war.
KNOCK KNOCK!
Baek Suryong knocked on the door, then entered without waiting for a response.
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Eun Hwiryong slowly opened her eyes. "…Is it alright for you to visit me so carelessly?"
"Seol Suryeon completely trusts me now, so it's fine. Besides, I have something I must show you."
"What is it?"
Baek Suryong drew his sword without hesitation.
Eun Hwiryong flinched, her hand moving instinctively to the hilt of her White Ice Divine Sword. She soon realized, though, that he didn't intend to attack her and relaxed her guard.
Perplexed, she asked, "What…"
"Watch closely."
Baek Suryong demonstrated the New Moon White Ice Dance.
Despite not being performed under the moonlight, the sword dance was more than enough to captivate Eun Hwiryong. The wind generated by his sword summoned a northern gale, and the pure white energy enveloping his body rippled outwards with his movements, surrounding him with a vortex of shimmering ice crystals.
After completing the dance, he slowly sheathed his sword.
"This is the New Moon White Ice Dance, the ultimate technique of the White Ice Divine Art which the Ice Moon Goddess created in her later years."
"……" Eun Hwiryong was stunned speechless.
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Baek Suryong patiently waited for her to come to her senses.
When it came to proficiency in the White Ice Divine Art, he knew that both she and Seol Suryeon surpassed him, having practiced that one martial art their entire lives. In fact, Eun Hwiryong could probably easily point out the many flaws in his technique.
Nevertheless, he demonstrated his unpolished New Moon White Ice Dance for her, confident that she could discern the essence of the ultimate technique despite its crude execution.
After a long silence, Eun Hwiryong finally whispered, "…It's not that different from the normal White Ice Divine Art."
"Master Eun always said that the White Ice Divine Art was a perfect martial art. The only difference between her version and the original is the mental image. Essentially, adding a single thread of warmth to the ice makes the martial arts you've learned transform completely."
"The mental image… a single thread of warmth…" Eun Hwiryong repeated the words to herself several times, then closed her eyes.
VWOOOOM!
The White Ice Divine Sword on her lap vibrated slightly, aiding its master in her moment of enlightenment.
As if not to be outdone, the Divine Azure Dragon Sword also trembled. [To respond to its master's epiphany, the White Ice Divine Sword truly is worthy of being called a divine sword!]
"……" Baek Suryong sighed softly at his sword's mysterious surge of competitive spirit.
Several minutes later, Eun Hwiryong opened her eyes. "For generations, the White Ice Divine Sword has been passed down to the rulers and the White Ice Bangles to their successors, as dictated by the First Empress. However, the two divine artifacts only reveal their full potential when they are used together."
"…So you want the White Ice Bangles back?" Baek Suryong asked with a frown.
Eun Hwiryong shook her head. "I have no right to demand them. However, could you lend them to me for a short while?"
Baek Suryong opened his mouth to ask why, but Eun Hwiryong explained herself before he could speak.
"It is frustrating, but I am indeed weaker than Seol Suryeon," she admitted frankly.
"……" Baek Suryong nodded. He had guessed as much. It was also for this reason that he showed Eun Hwiryong the New Moon White Ice Dance, hoping she would grow a little stronger before the fight.
Eun Hwiryong added, "Still, I wish to execute that traitor with my own hands. I will avenge my ancestors and reinstate the strict laws of the North Sea. And I will not permit any puppets of the Blood Cult to defile this land!"
WHOOSH!
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Eun Hwiryong's sharp bob haircut swayed in the frigid wind, while flames of determination burned in her eyes.
"…Alright. I will lend them to you," Baek Suryong agreed.
He untied the White Ice Bangles and handed them to Eun Hwiryong, who carefully fastened them onto her own wrists.
VWOOOOOOOOM!
The White Ice Divine Sword and the White Ice Bangles resonated and a snow-white fog quickly enveloped her. For a moment, it seemed as if armor made of white frost encased her entire body. However, the energy slowly subsided into her.
"Hoo…" Eun Hwiryong steadied her breathing, then regarded Baek Suryong thoughtfully. "I have one more request for you…"
"Please don't ask me to be the Prince."
"Are you truly not interested?"
"Nope, absolutely not, never," Baek Suryong refused flatly. He already had more titles than he could handle. "Offer it to your niece later. I believe that child is the perfect candidate for the position."
Eun Hwiryong snorted coldly. " Even if that child is my niece, I will not allow her to become Princess if she is not skilled enough."
Baek Suryong grinned playfully. "You need not worry about her talent. When it comes to Ice Arts… that girl is more outstanding than either you or I."
"Are you serious?"
"Of course. Whose student do you think she is?"
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"Could you… tell me a little more about that child?"
"I don't know much about her childhood. As for now… uh, well… she's quite fond of money."
"M-Money?"
The two talked about Yeo Min for hours. Before they knew it, the sun was already dipping below the horizon.
Baek Suryong dusted himself off and stood up. "If I stay here too long, Seol Suryeon might get suspicious. I'll be on my way now."
"Rest well. Tomorrow will be the day of reckoning."
Eun Hwiryong saw Baek Suryong off calmly. No matter what happened the next day, she had already steeled her resolve to face the future.
The day of the grand conference that would determine the fate of the North Sea Ice Palace dawned. Early in the morning, the gates of the Royal Court opened and the elders began to assemble one by one.
"The Empress Dowager is here!"
Upon hearing this announcement, most of the martial artists who had arrived earlier rose from their seats.
SLAM!
The doors opened wide, and Seol Suryeon strode inside. She had always liked flashy clothes, but today she was dressed to the nines.
If that wasn't enough, the masters of the Seol Clan followed behind her, fanning out like wings. Their eyes glowed with immense power, and their auras, numbering more than thirty, weighed heavily on the atmosphere within the Royal Court.
It was both a blatant display of the Seol Clan's power, and a clever move to seize the initiative.
Baek Suryong sneered inwardly. They look like they came to show off their strength, not to discuss anything.
Scanning her surroundings, Seol Suryeon commanded, "Everyone, be seated."
Eun Hwiryong's eyebrows twitched immediately, but she said nothing. This wasn't the first time Seol Suryong had acted as if she were still the ruler of the Ice Palace, and today, she had more important concerns.
She looked around the hall. The martial artists of the Seol Clan and the families that followed them constituted more than half of the total in attendance. It was no exaggeration to say that all the strongest martial artists in the North Sea were gathered here.
"Seol Ryonghwiiiii…"
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A low growl filled with killing intent reached her ears. It was the Prince of the North Sea Ice Palace, Seol Mugeol. As it was an important occasion, he had been allowed out of confinement to attend.
Seol Mugeol's gaze was fixed on Seol Ryonghwi, who was standing beside Seol Suryeon, and everyone gathered in the Royal Court could feel his overt killing intent.
Seol Suryeon snapped irritably, "This is an important gathering. Can you not restrain yourself?"
"……" Seol Mugeol quickly hung his head low, but his gritted teeth made it clear he was barely suppressing his hatred.
"Everyone seems to have gathered, so let's begin the conference," Eun Hwiryong declared.
As expected, Seol Suryeon was the first to speak up. "Let's not waste any more of everyone's time. As I mentioned previously, this is the final ultimatum. If our Palace continues to refuse the alliance, the Blood Cult will consider us their enemy."
"Are you implying that our Palace should form an alliance because we're afraid of the Blood Cult?"
"Face reality, my dear Empress. The Blood Cult is powerful enough to conquer the Central Plains alone. We stand a greater chance of victory if we ally with them, and in return, we will gain the fertile lands of the Central Plains and countless riches. Our descendants will no longer have to live in this inhospitable environment."
Seol Suryeon's soft, quiet voice, imbued with immense inner qi, resonated through the hall, weighing down on everyone's hearts.
"If you fail to make the right decision, Empress, I will take my family and my followers and create a new Ice Palace."
"……"
Seol Suryeon smiled. Go ahead and struggle until the end.
She could already envision Eun Hwiryong flushing red with anger and humiliation at her threat to split the North Sea Ice Palace in two. The woman might even draw her sword in a rage.
Even so, she wouldn't dare swing it. The North Sea was already under the Seol Clan's dominion. All Eun Hwiryong could do was sit powerlessly on the jade throne and accept her defeat.
However…
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Eun Hwiryong nodded coolly. "…I see. I understand the Empress Dowager's standpoint now."
"!?" Seol Suryeon was taken aback by the unexpected reply.
Huh? Why is she so calm? Has she finally given up? Well, it's possible. I'm sure she knows that she has nowhere left to retreat.
This wasn't the Eun Hwiryong she knew, but one look at the woman's face made it clear that she had given up all hope.
Eun Hwiryong continued, "I would like to hear the opinions of the young people who will lead our Palace's future. What do you think about the Empress Dowager's opinion?"
"The young people?"
As if by some unspoken agreement, both of them naturally turned to look at Seol Ryonghwi.
Seeing this, Seol Mugeol ground his teeth in chagrin again.
Seol Ryonghwi ignored him and stepped forward, clasping his hands together politely. " If you would permit it, I would like to share my opinion regarding the alliance between our Palace and the Blood Cult."
All eyes instantly focused on the young man.
Seol Suryeon smiled in satisfaction. Polite, yet confident. As expected of a true Seol Clan leader.
"Yes, the opinions of the young are important too. Speak freely," she said.
"Blood Cultists are pests that must be exterminated on sight."
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CLICK!
The moment Seol Ryonghwi finished speaking, the sound of the door being locked from the outside rang out. However, due to his imposing presence, no one paid it any mind.
"…What?"
Seol Suryeon and the Seol Clan elders tilted their heads in confusion.
Seol Ryonghwi glanced at them impassively, then continued, "Sixty years ago, those fiends abducted Eun Yerin, then Princess of the North Sea Ice Palace, and tortured her cruelly. Thirty-five years ago, they disguised themselves as Central Plains martial artists, attacked our Palace, and abducted many young children for their experiments."
"You, what are you talking about…?" Seol Suryeon stared at Seol Ryonghwi with wide eyes. Why was there a bitter sneer on the lips of her grandnephew, whom she believed would become the bedrock of her family?
Seol Ryonghwi turned toward Seol Suryeon. "Also, the Empress Dowager Seol Suryeon was their accomplice in all those deeds."
"…What mad nonsense are you spouting!" Seol Suryeon roared, releasing a terrifying aura.
Unfortunately, she failed to notice that Seol Ryonghwi had distracted her on purpose with his shocking words to buy time for her and her followers to be surrounded by a formation.
"Execute the Blood Cult pawns!" Eun Hwiryong screamed, lunging at Seol Suryeon.
CRACKLE!
Where the White Ice Divine Sword passed, a trail of white frost was left behind.
That was the signal. The martial artists of the North Sea Ice Palace charged at the Seol Clan.
Frigid qi ripped through the air, while glacial blades shot up from the floor. The air erupted with screams and shouts. Spilled blood froze instantly into crimson icicles. In a heartbeat, the Royal Court descended into pure pandemonium.
"Seol Ryonghwi!" Seol Mugeol rushed toward Seol Ryonghwi. The whites of his eyes turned black, and a demonic qi overflowed from his entire body. "I'll kill you!"
"Mugeol! Stop!" Seol Suryeon cried out, but Seol Mugeol couldn't hear her.
All he could see at the moment was Seol Ryonghwi's face.
I'll kill him! This bastard who dares to steal my position!
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He could sense the malevolent qi of the demonic art he had secretly learned had invade his bone marrow, but at this point, he didn't care anymore.
Baek Suryong shook his head. Seol Mugeol had lost his reason and succumbed to the demonic art. Now, he was just a mindless berserker.
"Kuhahaha!"
Laughing like a madman, Seol Mugeol advanced on Seol Ryonghwi twice as quickly as he had before. He felt omnipotent, as if he could do anything.
"DIE!" he roared.
Baek Suryong sighed, "To think this trash dares call itself a prince…"
He had no interest in the likes of Seol Mugeol, but he didn't mind ridding himself of an annoyingly persistent pest either.
CLANG!
A sharp glint of steel flashed as the two figures blurred past each other.
PWAAH!
A fountain of blood erupted from Seol Mugeol's throat, and his headless body crumpled limply to the floor.
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