At that question, I nodded.
“Yes. Please take good care so the children don’t feel the absence of a father.”
I sometimes think…
If the Palace Lord’s sword, the Silver Mist Sword, hadn’t disappeared, maybe the Snow Wind Palace wouldn’t have been annihilated.
Judging by Yeom’s demeanor yesterday, the other children are probably growing up happy, like Young Lady Yeom.
I pushed aside those complicated thoughts and continued.
“When I return, I’ll sponsor you again. I have enough to spare.”
I left his room after receiving Yeom’s heartfelt thanks.
It was time to leave.
When I returned to my room, Palgap had already finished packing.
“Let’s go.”
We stepped out of the inn.
Leaving the warmth behind and walking back into the snowy wind made me let out a sigh.
Let’s go. We have to. This is part of completing Master’s commission.
Escort bureau people really are something. Going wherever they’re told, no matter the conditions.
“My lord, where are we headed now?”
Escort Guard Jin Yu, who knew the geography of the North Sea well, asked. I recalled Master’s words.
“If we keep heading west, a massive snowy mountain will appear. Once it looks about the size of an adult, we turn to the right.”
Master hadn’t seen it himself but had heard the description from the Black Flute Physician. So it was a bit vague.
Still, if he didn’t think I could find it, he wouldn’t have sent me.
Come to think of it, why did the Black Flute Physician come all the way out here? Does he have a connection to this place too?
Pondering that question, we walked west for about one shichen (around 2 hours).
Before long, we spotted the snowy mountain.
When it looked about the size of an adult man, we turned to the right.
As we walked, I felt it.
There’s something ahead.
It wasn’t a sense of danger. It was more like something was gently pulling me forward.
So I moved without hesitation.
We walked for another shichen.
Eventually, we arrived at the place.
But there was nothing there. That alone was enough to make me uneasy.
“Is this the right place?”
At Palgap’s question, I nodded.
“Yeah. I’m sure of it. This is the place.”
That feeling pulling me hadn’t gone away.
Escort Guard Jin Yu pulled a rod from his saddle and began assembling it.
Then he started probing into the snow.
“Why are you poking the snow?”
Escort Guard Lee Pil asked. Jin Yu explained.
“The terrain around the North Sea Ice Palace changes constantly because of the snow wind. If something’s buried, this kind of rod is useful. It’s also used to find people buried in avalanches.”
So that’s why he brought it.
Before long—
“There’s something here.”
Escort Guard Jin Yu pointed at a spot. We started digging.
And soon, we found the traces Master had mentioned.
“This must be it.”
“It’s a big rock.”
Just as Palgap said, it was about as tall as he was.
To be honest, I had been puzzled.
If even the Black Flute Physician found the Snow Wind Palace’s traces, how had Master not found them?
They weren’t even that far from the North Sea Ice Palace’s inn.
But now I understood.
The snow wind had altered the terrain, burying everything beneath the snow.
The Black Flute Physician must’ve just happened to pass by when the snow had receded.
There was a line carved on the rock.
[Heir of snow and wind, prove your qualification]
Seeing that, I remembered what Master said.
If it’s truly a trace of the Snow Wind Palace, it would respond to the Snow Wind Palace’s martial arts.
“Please step back for a moment.”
I dismounted and stood before the rock.
Taking a deep breath, I drew the Silver Mist Sword.
Srrrng.
“My lord, why the sword all of a sudden…?”
“Because it says to prove qualification. I think I need to show the sword technique I’ve learned.”
“That makes sense. Then you’ll need to perform the entire form from start to finish.”
At Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am’s words, I paused.
The True Snow Twelve Form Sword consists of twelve forms.
But I’d only learned up to the tenth form, Snowslide.
Master knew that better than anyone, yet he sent me here. That means I already have the qualification.
I changed my approach, drew up my internal Qi, and placed my hand on the rock.
Immediately, the rock began to hum, and lines of mnemonics started to carve themselves into its surface.
“…!”
It was the mnemonic of the eighth form, One Hanging Icicle.
And beneath it, a single hole appeared.
I thought I understood.
I raised my internal Qi and moved my sword in the form of One Hanging Icicle.
Then, with focus and the intent to kill in one strike, I thrust the sword into the hole.
Click.
With that sound, something activated.
My surroundings changed.
“…”
Where am I?
Just a moment ago I was standing in the snow in front of a rock. Now I was inside a large cavern.
Palgap and the escort guards were nowhere to be seen.
“Kui?”
Geumryeong poked its head out from my sleeve.
“Ah, you came with me?”
“Kui! Kui!”
“Do you happen to know where this is?”
I didn’t expect much, but Geumryeong nodded furiously.
“Huh? You do?”
“Kui!”
Geumryeong hopped down, its tail whipping back and forth. It only did that when it was in a very good mood.
Like when I gave it gold or silver…
Wait, don’t tell me—
I walked down the straight passage ahead.
After about one shikgyeong (about 15 minutes), I saw light.
“…!”
A mountain of gold and jewels.
That explained Geumryeong’s excitement.
I approached carefully. There could be traps.
Even after coming this far, it wouldn’t be strange for something dangerous to be hidden.
And then I saw it.
A letter.
[To the heir living a second life]
It was obviously addressed to me.
There may be others who’ve lived a second life, but what are the odds of one who also learned the Snow Wind Palace’s martial arts?
Swallowing hard, I opened the envelope.
Tuk.
Inside was a tassel made of silver thread, with a clear crystal bead. It looked like an ornament for a sword.
I set it aside and unfolded the letter.
[You who live a second life, my heir. I’ve waited for the day you would read this letter.]
The handsome man I saw in my dream came to mind.
He said he would be waiting here to hand this to me.
[The Snow Wind Palace taught warmth to me, who had nowhere to go. And the North Sea Ice Palace is my mother’s sect. To protect it and build the Snow Wind Palace, I created the Supreme Yin Ice Sea Divine Art and laid the foundation for our martial arts.]
There was no doubt now.
The writer of this letter was the Patriarch of the Snow Wind Palace.
His mother was a disciple of the North Sea Ice Palace.
[One day, I saw the end of the Snow Wind Palace. I cried blood-tears watching it fall. But I couldn’t just despair, so I chose to change Heaven’s design.]
What?
He saw the destruction of the Snow Wind Palace in advance?
And he changed Heaven’s design?
[So at the cost of my remaining lifespan, I granted a second life to someone tied to me by fate. A man like me, one born with the Black Dragon Star Body.]
“…”
I bit my lip.
The one who gave me this second life—
Was the Patriarch of the Snow Wind Palace.
[Heir, if the second life I gave you has meaning, then I hope you’ll use these riches to rebuild the Snow Wind Palace.]
Does my second life have meaning?
Of course.
It’s the reason I can dream of vengeance against the Murim Alliance and the Baekcheon Merchant Group.
But rebuild the Snow Wind Palace?
Running a sect is no small task. Rebuilding a fallen one is even harder.
Then I read on.
[I know how difficult it is to rebuild the fallen Snow Wind Palace. That’s why I leave you three things. I hope they help.]
Three things…
[First, the tassel enclosed with this letter. Made from ice crystal, it will enhance your internal Qi.]
I looked at the tassel again. Ice crystal?
[Second, one third of the treasures I gathered.]
I looked at the mountain of riches.
With this much…
I could try.
Honestly, I hated not being able to proudly say I was a disciple of the Snow Wind Palace.
If I felt this way, how must Master feel?
At the very least, this was something I could do for him.
[Lastly, the secret manual of the True Snow Twelve Form Sword. Its location is…]
Since I was already learning the tenth form, I wasn’t especially excited.
[Heir, the continuation of the Snow Wind Palace rests with you. I hope you won’t refuse.]
That was the end of the letter.
Even after reading it, I was stunned.
It clearly said “the one who lives a second life.”
He had known I would come here.
Everything was arranged so precisely that it gave me chills.
I should thank the Patriarch.
Whatever his reasons, he gave me a second life.
I had always wondered why I returned from death. It made no sense.
Now that I knew the reason, I felt at peace.
Though he did leave behind a heavy request.
Well, first things first.
I took out an inkstone made of stacked stones and opened my secret vault.
Then I began transferring the treasure.
I thought of leaving it here and telling Master, but it felt more responsible to bring it to him myself.
He was busy, and it wouldn’t be right to make him come all the way out here. There was also the risk of it disappearing in the meantime.
“Kui…”
Geumryeong came over and tapped my leg with its paw.
Then looked up at me with sparkling eyes.
“Kui… kui.”
I knew what it wanted. It was begging cutely for a gold piece.
Alright, fine.
Geumryeong has to eat too.
I handed it one Gold Tael.
“Here. Your share.”
“Kui! Kui!”
Geumryeong happily gulped it down, its tail wagging like mad. It was adorable.
I packed every last coin and jewel into the secret vault.
“Now to figure out how to get out of here.”
But no matter where I looked, there was no exit.
What? After asking me for such a favor, there’s no way out?
I retraced my steps and examined the walls. I even used my internal Qi to feel for hidden mechanisms.
Nothing.
Not a single sign of a way out.
Seriously? How am I supposed to leave?
I sighed and turned to Geumryeong.
“Geumryeong. How do we get out of here? Do you know?”
Geumryeong nodded.
“Huh? Really?”
“Kui! Kui!”
It slipped into my sleeve and pulled out the secret manual I’d received.
The secret manual of the True Snow Twelve Form Sword.
Geumryeong laid it on the floor and opened it.
No way…
If the Patriarch knew I’d come here, he must’ve known I’d learned the sword technique.
So why give me the manual?
I recalled the small spring and the Grain-Avoiding Elixir placed beside it.
They weren’t there by accident.
They were there so I could train.
I had to finish learning the True Snow Twelve Form Sword to get out.
I picked up the manual and sighed.
How long would it take?
I’d disappeared without a trace. Palgap and the others must be worried sick.
Still, I had to focus.
You can’t rush martial arts.
Push too hard, and you risk Qi deviation.
“Alright then. Let’s do this.”
I’ve already learned up to the tenth form.
No, I’ve learned all the forms.
But that was my mistake.
–TL Notes–
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