“Ahem! I haven’t personally encountered the Azure Cold Serpent, so unlike Cheon Hwi, I can’t say I’m absolutely certain. However, among the poisons the Thousand Poison Gate once used to subdue snakes in Yunnan Province…”

The moment poison was mentioned, Tang Sowol’s explanation poured out without giving anyone room to breathe.

It was complex—hard to fully grasp—but as you listened, you couldn’t help but nod along.

Not because you fully understood, but because the gist seemed to be: “I don’t really get it, but it sounds like it’ll work.”

Yes, leaving this to the expert was definitely the right choice.

As I nodded in satisfaction, Bing Yerin approached hastily.

“Blood Flame Sword Demon! What on earth is going on here?!”

“What else? Exactly what it looks like. The issue is simple—North Sea Ice Palace is weakening, and there’s an impending threat. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s true! And we can’t keep putting things off—there’s no fundamental solution in delay alone!”

To solve it fundamentally, they’ll have to become stronger again.

The leader of the Azure Cold Serpent group still holds back, focused only on raising its offspring. The reason it hasn’t attacked yet is likely because the Ice Palace Lords have always been powerful.

But you can’t just make Flowering Stage masters pop out of thin air. That’s not how it works.

This overlaps with what happened to the Jeomchang Sect and the Hwangbo Clan.

They both declined because no one reached Flowering Stage anymore, though the outcome was very different.

The Jeomchang Sect still has hope: the Heaven-Slaughter Star, who overcame his killing instinct, and Jang Inam, who, despite his age, has talent and strong will.

The Hwangbo Clan, on the other hand, couldn’t accept their fall and ended up destroying themselves with reckless desperation.

What I realized watching both cases is this:

“You never know what’ll happen in life.”

“…Pardon?”

“As you said, Bing Yerin, delaying things won’t always solve them. But some problems can be solved by waiting.”

Of course, I don’t mean doing nothing and sitting on your hands.

North Sea Ice Palace is weakening because there are no Flowering Stage masters now.

And the future looks unstable because the surrounding cold energy is visibly diminishing, making it harder to master techniques that require intense cold.

“In that case, you just need to take time and build your internal energy. If you have enough time, the future of the Ice Palace doesn’t seem so dark… At least from my perspective, it feels too early to make any final decisions.”

“The future of the Ice Palace…? But if Lady Seol doesn’t become the Young Palace Mistress, then who—wait, are you saying…”

Bing Yerin frowned deeply, then suddenly made a strange expression and pointed at herself.

“Are you talking about me?”

“Yes. I’m talking about you.”

I heard that while the Divine Maiden lives, she receives greater support than even the Ice Palace Lord. She’s basically second only to him.

Still, no matter the support, reaching such heights at her age isn’t something anyone can do.

Our group is exceptional, but Bing Yerin’s accomplishments aren’t lacking even compared to the direct heirs of the Nine Great Sects or the Five Supreme Clans.

“B-But I’m the Divine Maiden. Everyone in the palace is hoping for my death—to recover the Ice Crystal.”

“Then just become strong enough to crush everyone who wants your death.”

“W-What kind of nonsense…!”

“It’s not nonsense. If even your plan to bring in a new Young Palace Mistress failed, how many candidates are left in the Ice Palace? How much potential do they have? And what do you lack compared to them?”

Bing Yerin opened her mouth, but no words came. She just silently moved her lips, and I smirked as I raised two fingers.

“Bing Yerin, your plan has two problems.”

“What are they?”

“First—didn’t you promise to let Seol Lihyang learn all the Ice Palace’s martial arts? That’s too big a gift for someone who hasn’t even been confirmed as the successor.”

I looked her straight in the eye as she flinched.

“Were you planning to fool everyone into thinking she’d become the Young Palace Mistress until we left?”

“It might not be a problem for us—since we could just flee back to the Central Plains or Sichuan. But was it really the same for you?”

Bing Yerin said nothing, as if struck right in the heart. I continued in a calm tone.

“Even if you do take the Ice Crystal, if the people of the palace don’t support you, it’s meaningless. No one wants a con artist as their leader.”

“A… con artist?”

“Yes. You should’ve gone head-on instead.”

“Are you suggesting I stand up against over a hundred years of tradition and clan pressure? That’s foolishness.”

“If that’s what it takes, then yes. It might be foolish, as you say… but all martial artists are fools. A martial artist’s life is like a drunkard teetering on the edge of a blade. If you want safety, you should abandon everything and run.”

“…”

“But you can’t do that, can you? Then at least, be honest with yourself.”

“With… myself?”

“Exactly. Especially if you want to reach even greater heights.”

Bing Yerin closed her mouth with a complicated expression, clearly lost in thought.

Watching her, Seol Lihyang—still held by the shoulder—finally spoke.

“Wow. Cheon Hwi is sounding like a righteous sect martial artist for once.”

“I mean, I’m clearly part of a righteous sect, though?”

I was trying to build my status in the righteous sects. That’s why I got involved in the Heaven-Slaughter Star case and had all sorts of other plans in motion. So her comment stung a little.

“But didn’t you just threaten the Ice Palace Lord for martial arts and elixirs like a bandit?”

Seol Lihyang shot back with a smug smile. Technically correct, annoyingly so.

Still, isn’t having power and not using it just inefficient?

…I didn’t say that out loud. Didn’t want to be called a demonic cultivator again. So I changed the subject.

“And the second problem with your plan—people don’t always fall for deception. The Palace Lord already had an idea what you were planning, didn’t he?”

“You’re trying to switch topics all sly-like, but I’ll let it slide this once.”

For some reason, Seol Lihyang said that proudly, then turned to Bing Yerin.

“I agree with Cheon Hwi, but I’m a bit different.”

“Different how?”

“I kind of understand what made you come up with that plan.”

Her teasing expression disappeared, replaced with a serious one.

“I know what it’s like to stand on the edge of a cliff, pushed forward against your will, forced to wait for death with your eyes wide open.”

“Even you, Lady Seol…?”

“Surviving is a fight. Whether it’s fair combat or backhanded trickery, you do what you must. But there are exceptions.”

Seol Lihyang tilted her head back and began poking her head against my chest as if to emphasize her point.

“People who help me. People I want to help. People I can lean on. You don’t lie to those people.”

“Ah.”

“Bing Yerin, you’re not risking your life just for yourself, but for the Ice Palace. So why do you keep trying to carry it all alone?”

“A-All alone…?”

“Yeah. Whether it’s offering your life as the Divine Maiden for the Ice Crystal, or taking the Ice Crystal yourself to fight the Azure Cold Serpents, you’re doing it all alone. Did you really think you could manage that by yourself?”

Still leaning her chin up, Seol Lihyang gave a soft laugh.

“You’re not that strong.”

Bing Yerin blinked in shock, caught off guard by Seol Lihyang’s direct words.

She opened her mouth to reply but kept closing it again and again, unable to speak.

While we were talking to Bing Yerin, the conversation on the other side must’ve wrapped up well, because the Ice Palace Lord, who’d been nodding all along, spoke up.

“I see. In that case, it’s worth trying. If there’s anything you need, let me know—I’ll provide support.”

Seems he decided to gamble on Tang Sowol’s poison.

When he asked what she needed, Tang Sowol thought briefly before speaking.

“I heard a former Palace Lord once attempted a subjugation of the Azure Cold Serpent. Is there any preserved corpse from that event?”

“There are no complete corpses left. But we did preserve some hides, bones, and internal cores during dissection.”

“Better than nothing. Could you gather and send them all to me? Also, I’ll need a large room with no foot traffic.”

“Understood. I’ll prepare everything. As for the martial arts and elixirs the Blood Flame Sword Demon mentioned earlier…”

He glanced at me, so I answered in his place.

“Half in advance, the rest after the job is done.”

“Then I’ll give you the martial arts and elixirs I originally prepared to entice you into becoming the Young Palace Mistress.”

The Ice Palace Lord shrugged with a playful tone.

What started as a welcoming ceremony ended after some minor chaos and concluded peacefully.

***

Afterward, the Palace Lord kept his word and promptly fulfilled all the promised support.

Thanks to that, Tang Sowol holed up all day researching poisons that might work against the Azure Cold Serpent—or occasionally clung to me to replenish her energy.

Seol Lihyang was now properly learning the Ice Palace’s martial arts and consuming elixirs suitable to her level, with Seorin helping her out.

And Bing Yerin? She was under house arrest by order of the Palace Lord. Which, honestly, was only to be expected.

But there was one thing that felt suspicious—rather than punishing her, it seemed the Palace Lord was actually helping Bing Yerin.

Sure, house arrest restricted her movements…But it also restricted others from approaching her.

Considering she was facing pressure from her family and the fact that the Palace Lord often brushed off demands from retainers insisting she be severely punished…

It’s hard to shake the feeling that he’s protecting her in his own way.

Not that it’s a bad thing.

Anyway, while everyone else was busy with their tasks… what was I doing?

“Hm. I’m a little bored.”

Just doing solo training like usual—from sunrise to sunset.

The room, once lively like a guesthouse, was now quiet.

I said I was bored earlier, but truthfully… it felt more like a hint of loneliness.

“Still, I can’t disturb the others.”

As I gazed up at the night sky with a half-moon hanging there, I sighed and closed the window.

Just as I lay down to end the day…

Creak.

The sound of a door opening—faint but familiar footsteps.

Someone coming quietly at night without a word… could only be Tang Sowol.

She’s done it before, so I pretended to sleep, planning to tease her for it.

But something felt different—hesitant movements, shy presence.

Suddenly, I felt lips near my ear, and someone whispered:

“Cheon Hwi. You awake?”

…I wasn’t expecting Seol Lihyang.

A cold sweat started forming.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep