It had been nearly ten days since we left the Murim Alliance under the guidance of Bing Yerin and her companions.

Although we were still far from reaching the North Sea Ice Palace, we had already passed through Shaanxi Province, officially stepping outside the Central Plains.

Naturally, the climate had begun to shift in ways that diverged from what I was familiar with.

“No matter how deep into winter it is, I didn’t expect it to be this cold even in the daytime under sunlight.”

“Sichuan is one of the warmer regions of the Central Plains. How was Zhejiang Province, Sir Cheon?”

“Zhejiang wasn’t particularly cold. Hebei Province, though, was definitely freezing.”

Back in my previous life, during the period when both orthodox and unorthodox factions fled to Hebei to escape the Demonic Cult’s onslaught, resources became scarce.

There were so many people but not enough supplies. Martial artists with lower cultivation levels couldn’t even get sufficient firewood—let alone civilians.

That winter… so many froze to death.

Even martial artists succumbed to the cold, so how could ordinary civilians possibly survive?

And yet, this winter feels even colder than that.

“To think we still have a long way to go before reaching the North Sea Ice Palace…”

“You and Sowol keep sighing like the world’s ending. With your cultivation levels, this kind of cold shouldn’t even register.”

Seorin was right.

Both she and I had gone through a spiritual rebirth, attaining resistance to both heat and cold, and Tang Sowol, being at the Sub-Perfection level, wouldn’t be affected by the cold either.

So when we say we’re cold, it’s not because we’re physically suffering.

It’s more because we’re curious about the people who do get more energized the colder it gets.

I tilted my chin toward the direction where Seol Lihyang and Bing Yerin were walking.

“Now this feels alive. What do you think, Miss Seol? Isn’t this cold, brimming with natural yin, something you can’t experience in the Central Plains?”

“Phew… It’s definitely nice. Hey, do you have any more of that stuff we ate last time? That cold-something herb?”

“Ah! Do you mean Naengbicho?”

“Yeah, that’s the one.”

“Hehe. In the North Sea, it grows like weeds. Of course I brought plenty. Would you like another?”

“Wait… Even if it’s low-grade, isn’t that still an elixir? You brought that much?”

“You’re right. But to the people of the North Sea Ice Palace, it’s like a chicken rib—something that’s not worth using. It does carry yin energy, but its effect is so weak that natural absorption is better. It has no real medicinal value, and the taste and aroma are too unusual to use in food or tea.”

“I kind of liked that subtly sweet and minty flavor…”

“Same here! But a lot of people really hate that feeling. It’s always ‘pick one or the other.’ Honestly, they just don’t know good taste. Isn’t that right, Young Palace Mistress?!”

“I’m not your Young Palace Mistress. But I’ll agree they’ve got no taste.”

Nodding, Seol Lihyang split a leaf with black spots on a light green base and shared it with Bing Yerin.

In the past ten days, the two of them had grown considerably closer.

Considering how Seol Lihyang had instinctively hidden behind Seorin when they first met, this was a massive step forward.

Though, honestly, it felt more like Bing Yerin was bending over backward to match everything Seol Lihyang said or did.

Ever since witnessing Seol Lihyang’s martial arts at the Murim Alliance, it was like her eyes had glazed over in devotion.

I’d wager that if Seol Lihyang asked for all her elixirs, Bing Yerin would hand them over without a second thought.

And Seol Lihyang, on her part, seemed to genuinely like Bing Yerin’s unconditional praise and friendliness.

Of course, she wasn’t a fool. She wouldn’t be swayed just because someone was nice to her.

…Right?

I excused myself from Tang Sowol and Seorin and approached where Seol Lihyang was.

She was in the middle of an animated discussion about cooking rice with Naengbicho when she spotted me and flinched.

After a moment of serious contemplation, she tore the leaf she was holding in half and offered me one side with trembling fingers—like someone with the shakes.

“Ugh… If it’s you, Cheon Hwi, I can spare half—”

“I’m not here to mooch. You can eat it all yourself.”

“Really?!”

Beaming, she tossed the remaining half into her mouth.

Well… if she’s happy, I’m happy too.

I gave a small laugh and gently wiped the crumbs from the corner of her lips.

“Ah.”

She flinched slightly, as if embarrassed, but maybe the abundant yin in the air had put her in a good mood.

Unlike usual, she subtly tilted her chin upward, as if asking me to do it again.

I tugged at her cheek playfully, prompting a small yelp—“Ow!”—and then turned toward Bing Yerin.

“Now that we’re getting closer to the North Sea Ice Palace, I’d like to ask a few things. Is that alright?”

“Of course! As long as you keep being this good to the Young Palace Mistress, ask anything!”

“I said I’m not your Young Palace Mistress. And this is fine from Cheon Hwi.”

“??”

Bing Yerin blinked, clearly not understanding the satisfied expression on Seol Lihyang’s face as she rubbed her own cheek.

But that’s just how Seol Lihyang is.

She likes playful pats, and she likes receiving them too.

To be precise, she just prefers relationships without formalities.

But it’s not something anyone could figure out by just trying to match her—only those who’ve spent enough time with her would know.

I shrugged and began to speak.

“Bing Yerin. From what I’ve heard, the five major families of the North Sea—Eom, Dong, Seol, Baek, and Bing—are like the Five Supreme Clans of the Central Plains, and the Palace Master usually comes from one of them, right?”

“That’s correct. The former Palace Master, the Bingcheon Divine Lord, was my grandfather.”

“I figured someone from the Bing Clan would have had a Palace Master in their lineage, but I didn’t expect it to be that direct.”

“Thanks to that, I was able to be part of the envoy to the Central Plains.”

“Maybe it was your family’s influence… but I think there’s more to it.”

Bing Yerin looked to be about the same age as Tang Sowol—maybe a bit older—but her martial level was somewhere in the middle of the Peak Stage.

It’s not a low level per se.

But considering she’s leading a delegation that represents the North Sea Ice Palace and carrying valuable resources for a mission as critical as recruiting a successor, it was lacking.

Among her entourage, several martial artists seemed stronger than her, one even close to Sub-Perfection.

Yet no one objected to her being in charge. In fact, they followed her with familiarity.

That meant something.

I gave her a long look, silently pressing her to explain. With a small smile, Bing Yerin raised both hands in surrender.

“Usually, people who are gifted aren’t all that perceptive, but you’re both. Impressive, Blood Flame Sword Demon.”

“Living long enough does that to you. Some things only become clear when you take a step back.”

“Eh? Huh?”

Seol Lihyang tilted her head, not quite following the exchange.

So I put it in simpler terms for her.

“The North Sea Ice Palace is still a martial group at its core, and the outer Murim is still Murim. In the end, martial strength is the highest currency.”

But Bing Yerin’s strength was somewhat lacking compared to the responsibility she held.

Which meant one of two things.

Either recruiting a Young Palace Mistress from the Central Plains wasn’t that important…

Or Bing Yerin had value beyond martial arts.

“We’re not entirely on the same boat yet, but you could say we’ve got one foot in. So if there’s anything you’re still hiding, I’d like you to share. Not forcing you, of course, since we’re not fully committed.”

“Ah.”

Seol Lihyang nodded, seemingly understanding now, and turned to stare silently at Bing Yerin.

Still smiling, Bing Yerin slowly shook her head.

“You didn’t need to look at me like that. I was planning to explain everything anyway. You’d find out once we arrived at the palace.”

With that, Bing Yerin looked up into the air with her icy-clear blue eyes, as if trying to sketch something invisible.

“Have you heard of Ice Essence?”

“Of course. Isn’t it the sacred relic of the North Sea Ice Palace?”

“I’ve heard of it. It’s a special type of ice that releases tremendous cold energy on its own, right?”

“Yes. You’re well informed. Ice Essence was both the sacred relic and the greatest treasure of the Ice Palace, constantly releasing pure cold… But it’s not like that anymore.”

She said this with a heavy voice.

Snowflakes began to drift down over her head—likely because we were nearing the North Sea.

Gazing silently at one melting on her palm, she continued.

“There’s no such thing as permanence in the world. Everything changes and changes again. That’s what a famous Taoist from the Central Plains said when he visited the Ice Palace long ago. And he was right.”

The Ice Essence—a mystical artifact that constantly exhaled yin energy—couldn’t last forever.

As its cold began to weaken with time, the elders of the Ice Palace grew concerned.

Thanks to the Ice Essence, their Palace Masters had always wielded overwhelming power, which in turn protected them from invaders and the harsh environment.

Without it, the palace could splinter apart—or worse, perish.

In the end, one person volunteered to sacrifice themselves.

“They gave up their life and transferred all the cold they had cultivated into the Ice Essence. And it worked. Better than anyone had hoped.”

Even the strongest martial artist is still only one person. But the Ice Essence, having absorbed that one life’s essence, began to emit an even fiercer cold—almost as if it had always craved blood to grow stronger.

“After that, about once every thirty years, someone would volunteer to offer their life to it. Usually women—since they’re more likely to master yin-based techniques. That’s why they were called Shin-nyeo, Divine Maidens.”

“Divine Maidens… huh.”

“Yes. Divine Maidens are chosen only from volunteers. While alive, they’re treated just below the Palace Master in status.”

Now it all made sense.

“You’re the current Divine Maiden of the North Sea Ice Palace.”

“I am.”

“Then the reason you personally came to the Central Plains…”

“The Young Palace Mistress is meant to become the future Palace Master. And the Palace Master is the only one allowed to draw on the power of the Ice Essence. I wanted to know who I’d be dying for. And if possible, I’d like to choose for myself.”

She said it with a serene smile.

But I didn’t like it.

Seol Lihyang’s expression had gone completely cold.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep