Chapter 318

It had not yet been half a year since Seol Unhwi left the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace, but in that time the palace had found stability, and the structure of power had also been completely reorganized.

In practical terms, nothing like the organization’s name had changed.

But it had been filled, for the most part, with people from the Little Palace Lord’s side, and there was no one who raised an objection to that.

Everyone shared the same intent—and those who did not share that intent had all, without exception, been killed.

As usual, Palace Lord Seol Jungcheon was playing go with Hyunsim, the head of the White Spirit Guard.

Hyunsim asked.

“What will you do?”

What he meant was clear.

Recently, a marriage proposal had come in for Seol Yeonhwa, the Ice-Snow Lord.

“Was it called the Tyrant Blade Sect?”

“Yes. That Tyrant Blade Sect—heirs to the true transmission of the Hebei Paeng Family that collapsed during the Thousand-Year Chaos.”

“It doesn’t reach the Five Great Families, and it’s not a place with the kind of influence the Five Sword Sects or the Four Demon Sects carry either. Do we really need to do anything?”

“Even so, since it came as an official letter, it would be best to send a reply. You know it well, don’t you. Even if the Tyrant Blade Sect is only that much of a sect, the fact that it has a major line into the Martial Alliance.”

Gun Mugyeol, the Alliance Lord of the Martial Alliance, had a deep friendship with Hwang Uhyuk, the Tyrant Blade Sect’s sect master.

“Make an excuse and brush it off.”

“Understood.”

“And make it clear we won’t accept any marriage proposals for Yeonhwa.”

“What if a sect with fame on the level of the Five Great Families brings a proposal?”

“Refuse it.”

Hyunsim chuckled softly.

Because he knew Seol Jungcheon’s heart.

“I’ve said it more than once—I have no intention of marrying my children off for politics. Do you remember?”

“I remember.”

“Then there’s nothing more to say.”

Seol Jungcheon had entered a political marriage.

More precisely, he had married three wives at the same time, and later, after going out into the world, he took one more wife.

The one thing he had realized was this.

No matter how you dress it up, a political marriage is the same as treating your children like tools.

Seol Jungcheon did not have to do that anymore.

Because he had strength enough that he did not need to make his children into tools.

Come to think of it—

“How is Unhwi these days. Is he still in the Heavenly Alliance?”

“...Yes. He’s in the Heavenly Alliance.”

“I heard he took on a new post called Heavenly Arbiter.”

“...That’s what they call him. And more than that, they say he even founded a new realm called the Triple Profound Realm.”

“I’ve still left the Chief Commander’s seat of the Two Spirit Lords vacant. What do you think?”

Hyunsim could not answer easily.

More precisely, from the moment a question about Unhwi came out, he became careful with his words.

Seol Jungcheon, about to set down a stone, lifted his head slightly.

“Is there some problem?”

“...Palace Lord. I truly can’t decide whether I should tell you this or not.”

“Say it.”

“...Yesterday, I heard the Heavenly Dragon Hall of the Heavenly Alliance exploded.”

Seol Jungcheon’s brow twitched.

“The cause?”

“...Nothing else has been made known. They say the Heavenly Alliance main headquarters itself is being thoroughly sealed off by an ‘unidentified expert at the No-Extremes Incarnation’ and the ‘Dharma Protector of the Heavenly Arbiter,’ along with four Elders of the Heavenly Alliance.”

After thinking for a moment, Seol Jungcheon spoke in a low, sunken voice.

“Hyunsim.”

“...Yes.”

“Why tell me this now?”

“...Because I didn’t want to burden you with worry.”

“Worry... did you take measures?”

“I did.”

“Before I hear them—if they are not satisfactory, you will be punished.”

“I accept it.”

“Speak.”

Hyunsim drew a breath, then said shortly.

“I sent the Twelve Lords of the White Spirit Guard, and Joo Che, the commander of the White Snow Guard Lord Division.”

“Joo Che?”

“Yes.”

“And if it’s the Twelve Lords... a descendant of Mount Hua?”

“Yes. Sim Munryong. He’s an exceptional talent among exceptional talents—he hasn’t even been on the snow mountain for a full year, and he’s already reached Unity of Heaven and Man. His sword-control technique is something even I can’t help admiring. Even now, but certainly later, he will carve those three characters of his name into the martial world properly.”

Seol Jungcheon looked at Hyunsim without speaking.

Hyunsim bowed his head deeply.

“...I’m sorry. You’ve been increasing the periods where you circulate your art recently, and I was gravely worried that if I told you this, a heart demon might come.”

“I understand the 마음 you have for me, but you know it too. How much I worry about that youngest son who went out into the Central Plains.”

“I do. That’s why I couldn’t speak all the more. I wanted to handle it as much as I could on my end, and only after I learned for certain what had happened, I wanted to tell you.”

“Then when do you think the information will come?”

“As early as today—at the latest, by tomorrow.”

The distance between the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace and the Heavenly Alliance was not close in the slightest.

But if Sim Munryong at Unity of Heaven and Man and Joo Che at No-Extremes Incarnation ran at full strength, they could arrive within a day.

More than that, the two of them were not only strong in martial arts—they were also people especially versed in lightness skill, so Hyunsim’s measures were appropriate.

Hyunsim asked in a quiet voice.

“More importantly... have you made progress?”

“It’s not that there’s none. I knew the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace inherited the true transmission of the North Sea Ice Palace, but the martial art system was unexpectedly the exact opposite.”

“Opposite, you say....”

“The nature is the same, ice-snow qi, but the method of using martial arts is different. It’s like unfolding the thing from poetic verse collections as ordinary martial arts... it was complicated.”

Hyunsim made a strange expression.

“You need Hyun Seollin.”

“I do. Even though I’ve reached No-Extremes Incarnation, borrowing that brat’s discerning eye is the same as ever—honestly.”

He let out a hollow laugh.

With Unhwi, at the summit of the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace, he had discovered the secret space of Seol Heun, the first Palace Lord.

Seol Jungcheon had been studying the martial arts and scriptures found there all this time.

There had been progress in his own way, but there were also parts that blocked him—so if it was Unhwi, at the same realm, and someone he could trust more than anyone, might Unhwi find a better direction than Seol Jungcheon himself?

Calling it simple trust did not fit.

Absolute trust.

That was what it was.

More than anything, it did not seem like Unhwi would bury his bones in the Heavenly Alliance, and though it was a bit greedy, Seol Jungcheon hoped he would finish things quickly and come back if possible.

Above all, not long ago Hyunsim had gone to meet Unhwi and returned with positive words—so Seol Jungcheon meant to bet on that.

“First, once a letter comes from their side, the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace will also mov—”

Seol Jungcheon trailed off mid-sentence. Hyunsim, who had been watching him, slowly rose from his seat and drew the sword at his waist.

And in that moment.

KRAK-KRAK-!!

The air froze, and Hyunsim’s sword froze in midair.

“Do not step out. He is not your opponent.”

Seol Jungcheon’s gaze had turned to the meeting room entrance.

A white-haired old man stood there.

That old man—larger than expected—was clearly “that person” he had only heard of.

“Heh heh heh... so this is it, Heaven-Snow Dominion.”

“I’d like to hear your thoughts. Will you tell me?”

“It’s not like I can’t.”

The Heavenly Daoist stepped forward and spoke.

“It is wondrous, as if it carries the will of the heavens—embracing all things, yet holding absolute might enough to freeze all things in place.”

It was then that Seol Jungcheon also rose.

“I have something similar as well. May I show you?”

“How could I refuse a move from the Martial World’s Supreme?”

Slowly.

The Heavenly Daoist’s eyes began to redden.

Blood-World Encirclement Dominion.

JJEOG-!!

Space compressed, and time was torn.

Against this terrifying power, Seol Jungcheon responded.

First he seized Hyunsim by the shoulder and threw him backward, then drove Heaven-Snow Dominion to its limit.

KRAK-KRAK-KRAK-KRAK-!!

Something unseen in the air began freezing one after another.

It was space, and it was time, and it was also their fragments.

Then—

KWAAAAAANG-!!

A tremendous explosion erupted.

In the middle of it, the Heavenly Daoist flicked his hand.

The explosions that had erupted halted as they were, then—like time running backward—snuffed out exactly as they were.

At that incomprehensible method, Seol Jungcheon could not hide his shock, and Hyunsim was so stunned he toppled backward.

The dust that should have billowed, the meeting room that should have collapsed—everything remained intact.

“...What is this?”

“What else. Something like the hidden ultimate technique of the one called Supreme in the martial world.”

“......”

“Heh heh heh... this is something. Unexpected, really. I thought you would be like your youngest son.”

“What is unexpected?”

“Your expression.”

“......”

“Truly strange. Your youngest son—no matter what I do, he isn’t surprised for even a single moment. But you, from earlier until now, have done nothing but be surprised.”

Seol Jungcheon let out a small laugh.

“Do you know who I rate highest in this world?”

“Who knows.”

“My youngest son.”

“With me, the Supreme of the martial world, right in front of you?”

“You are impressive, but I don’t think you’re as impressive as my youngest son.”

“Oh?... Still, there is one thing the same.”

“......”

“Confidence. That confidence of yours can be compared to his.”

Heh heh heh—laughing, the Heavenly Daoist sat down in front of the Ice-Heaven Go Board.

“I heard you play the best go on the snow mountain. Is that true?”

“It is.”

“Then let’s play a game.”

“Before that, I’d like to ask something.”

“What is it?”

“Why did you come? All the way to this distant place.”

The Heavenly Daoist smiled.

“Because I want to take your youngest son as my disciple.”

“......”

“He keeps refusing himself, so what can I do. I have to get permission from the parent, at least.”

Seol Jungcheon let out a hollow laugh, and the Heavenly Daoist let out a hollow laugh as well.

“...The Martial World’s Supreme acting like this? I’m thinking the phrase ‘shaking heaven and earth’ must be for moments like this.”

“What can I do. I desire him that much.”

“Then I’ll give you a clear answer here.”

“...Hm?”

“I refuse.”

“Refuse... that’s unexpected. You know it well—I have no disciples. If your youngest son becomes my disciple, that means he becomes my one and only direct disciple, and that means—”

“It means becoming the next Cult Leader of the Original Blood Cult.”

“Then this martial world will become the Seol clan’s. Doesn’t that tempt you?”

“Whether it tempts me or not, that isn’t important.”

“How ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) so?”

“If one is a true parent, should one not block a child’s future for one’s own greed?”

“...Mm. Is that to the point it can be expressed as blocking a future? Becoming my disciple?”

“You misunderstood me a little.”

“Hm?”

“I’m saying that even a parent deciding a child’s future is not right.”

“...Ho...?”

The Heavenly Daoist, staring at Seol Jungcheon with a peculiar expression, smiled brightly.

“This—go is something you play to know a person, but I feel like I already know what kind of person you are before even placing a stone.”

“Are you disappointed?”

“How could I be. I’m more than satisfied. As expected—like father, like son.”

For Seol Jungcheon, it was the highest praise.

And if Unhwi had heard it, he would have accepted it as the highest praise as well.

That was how it was.

“I didn’t achieve my purpose, but since I came, I feel like my heart won’t be at ease unless I at least play one game.”

“......”

“And by now, you must have heard word of what happened in the Heavenly Alliance—are you worried?”

Seol Jungcheon nodded.