Chapter 407: If You Prepare, I Will Prepare Too
I was drinking tea at a tea house while watching people pass by.
People walked down the snow-covered road without slipping at all. Just like the people living under the sandstorms of Wilderness, the people of Northern Sea lived alongside the snow.
The person I was supposed to meet here was someone I was meeting for the first time today. So I didn’t know who among the passersby would suddenly enter the Tea House and sit across from me.
The reason I pressed down my bamboo hat was not to hide myself, but because of the person I was meeting. He was someone whose life depended on secrecy.
How much time had passed like that?
A middle-aged man naturally sat down in the seat in front of me.
"Oh dear, it’s cold."
The man, with a plump and kind appearance, was none other than the Northern Sea Branch Leader of Hidden Moon.
All the information networks of Heavenly Communication Pavilion and Hidden Moon were currently focused on Northern Blood Gate and Northern Sea Ice Palace. It was Hidden Moon who had urgently contacted me, saying there was something to report. Although it was something that could have been conveyed through a long-distance transmission, I wanted to meet the Branch Leader once.
"Have a warm cup of tea first. You've had a hard time."
I poured tea into his cup. I wanted to offer at least a warm cup of tea to a subordinate who had been working hard, even if I couldn't offer liquor.
Of course, liquor would have been better, but the reason I chose the Tea House instead of an inn as the meeting place was because of Drunken Demon. Although I had told Han Seol that we would drink next time, until Drunken Demon drank, I had decided not to drink either.
While I was pouring the tea, the man quickly sent a transmission.
―Yang Joong, the second son of Northern Blood Gate, has died.
It was unexpected news. I had anticipated that Yang Joong would be pushed out from the succession with this incident, but.
Dead? The courteous image of the Northern Blood Gate Master, who had invited me, flashed through my mind.
'He’s much more ruthless than he appears.'
What on earth is he plotting, to the point of killing his own child?
They could easily fabricate a reason for the death. Since it was the son of the Northern Blood Gate Master, no one would step up to investigate the cause.
This report allowed me to deduce one clear fact.
Northern Blood Gate was connected to the Blood King.
If not, he wouldn’t have hastily handled this matter by killing even his own son.
―Now, pay attention to the movements of the eldest son of Northern Blood Gate.
―I will inform you immediately if I detect any special movements.
―Thank you.
The man left first.
I stayed behind for a while, finished my tea, and then left the Tea House.
As I opened the Tea House door and stepped out, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
The name Northern Blood Gate was truly a name born of fate.
A gate that would lead me to the Blood King.
Ah, Blood King. Do you know this?
The northern gate is the gate that leads to the afterlife.
* * *
When Geom Mugeuk returned, Drunken Demon delivered good news.
"I found out why she was killed."
He had deliberately not told Lee Ahn and Han Seol, planning to speak when Geom Mugeuk returned and everyone was gathered.
"I knew our Demon Supreme would find out."
In front of Han Seol, Geom Mugeuk addressed Drunken Demon not as an elder brother but as Demon Supreme.
Now that everyone had gathered, Drunken Demon revealed how he had discovered it.
"First, I examined the letters recently exchanged with her, operating on the firm belief that it was related to liquor. Most of our conversations were indeed about liquor."
Since the letters were ones collected by Former Master Brewer, it was natural that what he had read were letters she had sent. That made it very difficult to find any clues.
"Then I found this passage."
Drunken Demon showed them a line.
―I too want to try Fragrant Snow Ice Liquor.
Fragrant Snow Ice Liquor was a liquor neither Geom Mugeuk nor Lee Ahn had ever heard of. In contrast, Han Seol knew well about Fragrant Snow Ice Liquor.
"Fragrant Snow Ice Liquor isn't just an ordinary liquor. It's a liquor with special effects."
"What kind of effects?"
"It helps you endure the cold. Normally, drinking liquor warms the body and makes you feel less cold, but Fragrant Snow Ice Liquor is particularly remarkable in that effect."
Drunken Demon, too, was well aware of Fragrant Snow Ice Liquor’s properties. And the moment he saw the term Fragrant Snow Ice Liquor, one fact came to mind.
"This time, the constitution they were looking for was the Extreme Cold Constitution, right?"
Extreme Cold Constitution and Fragrant Snow Ice Liquor. They both had the commonality of enduring the cold.
"Isn’t it quite a coincidence?"
Geom Mugeuk and Lee Ahn nodded.
At that moment, Han Seol raised a question.
"Isn’t it still lacking as a reason to say Former Master Brewer was killed just for that?"
"You're right, it is."
Drunken Demon readily agreed and added another decisive reason.
"From what I know, Fragrant Snow Ice Liquor is a liquor that can only be made with the permission of the Ice Palace."
"That's correct. Any liquor with special effects must be authorized by the Palace."
"But when we reviewed the records of liquor production at Hundred Liquors Snow Courtyard earlier, there was no mention of Fragrant Snow Ice Liquor."
"No mention? That can't be right."
If so, it was certainly suspicious.
"Someone must have secretly asked her to make it."
Drunken Demon agreed with Geom Mugeuk’s speculation.
"The fact that she informed me about it means she never imagined the liquor would be used for anything bad. It was probably someone she trusted who asked her. Someone she could believe in."
It was an assumption possible only because they knew her well.
"Did she say who asked her to make it?"
Drunken Demon shook his head with a look of regret.
"She didn’t tell me that part. She just said it was her first time making Fragrant Snow Ice Liquor and that it was a really good experience, and I replied that I wanted to try it."
"To deduce the answer from just that passage... truly impressive."
Geom Mugeuk praised Drunken Demon. It was not just empty words but sincere praise. Indeed, Drunken Demon was a smarter man than he had expected.
"Since I’m not drinking, my mind must be spinning sharp and clear!"
Smiling at Drunken Demon’s joke, Geom Mugeuk looked at Han Seol.
Han Seol could tell what Geom Mugeuk wanted.
"I'll find out who asked for the Fragrant Snow Ice Liquor to be made."
Though she answered, a doubt arose — would she really be able to find out? If it had been made without the Palace's permission, the process would have been thoroughly hidden. Had he read such a thing from her heart?
"Move together with Lee Ahn."
Han Seol rejected Geom Mugeuk’s suggestion.
"It's more convenient for me to investigate alone."
Even sharing a room was already burdensome enough. And now, being told to roam around together during the day too? It was an unpleasant thought.
"I know."
"Then why are you saying this?"
"Because I fear for your safety."
Not just Han Seol, but also Lee Ahn and Drunken Demon found that an unexpected reason.
"Are you saying you're worried about the safety of the Young Palace Master from the Ice Palace?"
Then, Geom Mugeuk relayed the news he had just learned.
"Yang Joong has died."
The one who was most shocked was Lee Ahn.
"He died? Why?"
"To the Northern Blood Gate Master, he must have been just another tail."
That one sentence contained everything.
After all, he was a man who had deceived and brought so many people only to kill them in experiments; he was a man who deserved to die. But the fact that the one who killed him was his father — that was shocking.
Han Seol, too, was surprised, but not because of Yang Joong’s death. She was surprised that Geom Mugeuk knew of his death before she did.
'Their intelligence network is better than ours? Even here in the Northern Sea? Does Mother know about this?'
As Han Seol briefly drifted into other thoughts, Geom Mugeuk gave her a warning.
"You must never let your guard down. The fact that the Northern Blood Gate Master's son met his death within the Northern Blood Gate — that is the essence of this fight."
In broader terms, it meant that within the Northern Sea Ice Palace, the offspring of the Ice Palace Master could also die in this battle.
"That’s why you must move together with Lee Ahn."
In Geom Mugeuk’s gaze, Han Seol felt an authority she could not resist. It was not an oppressive attitude. It was a compulsion born from a heart that truly cared for her.
"Alright."
Han Seol no longer refused. After all, this was the first time she had ever felt such tension while living as the daughter of the Ice Palace Master.
Geom Mugeuk looked at Lee Ahn. There was no need for words, no need for a transmission, not even a nod. She would handle it well on her own. Just a glance was enough.
After the two women left the room, only Geom Mugeuk and Drunken Demon remained.
"They're looking for a way to endure extreme cold. Why? Are they trying to master some unknown martial art? Or are they plotting some conspiracy related to the Northern Sea Ice Palace?"
At Drunken Demon’s question, Geom Mugeuk rose from his seat.
"I have somewhere to go. Brother, secretly protect Lee Ahn and the Young Palace Master."
"Where are you suddenly trying to go?"
Geom Mugeuk spoke with an enigmatic smile.
"I'm going to prepare for the cold too."
"What do you mean?"
Leaving behind the curious Drunken Demon, Geom Mugeuk also left the room.
"At least answer me before you go! Hurry! I told you, I get sensitive when I don't drink!"
* * *
Even if he wanted to answer, it was something he absolutely could not reveal. He had come to handle something related to his pre-regression life.
Using Star Light Step, he instantly flew to the Snowy Mountains.
Among the vast Snowy Mountains, he headed to the coldest, most ferocious place: Great Wind Valley. This place was said to have the strongest winds in the world.
Whoooooooooooooosh.
A terrifyingly strong wind blew through the valley. It was known as the Wind Valley that even masters trained in martial arts could not pass through. A place where the wind would tear apart human flesh and bone. On top of that, the snow whipped along with the wind, making it nearly impossible to see.
The people of Northern Sea called the wind here Mad Killing Wind. It was truly a mad, deadly wind. It was so cold and vicious that even if one raised their inner energy to protect their body, crossing the valley was no easy task. Truly a marvel crafted by nature.
After hearing the speculation that the enemies were seeking a way to endure extreme cold, he realized it was time to come here.
Before regression, when he had wandered all over in search of materials for the Great Technique, he had traveled to all sorts of places. When encountering places like this, he had instead stubbornly pushed further inside.
He had even come here back then.
Ugh, honestly, he had no confidence to live that life again.
Whoooooooooooosh.
Breaking through the wind, he continued to walk deeper into the valley.
The further he went, the stronger the wind became.
The wind blew so fiercely it seemed it would tear apart even Protective Energy, and he had to use his internal energy just to avoid being blown away, so advancing further was truly not easy.
'It was around here.'
As he kept walking, he entered a crack in the right-side wall. It was a place where he could briefly shelter his body from the outside wind.
Back then, he had also hidden himself here.
It must have been fate. Discovering that there was a passage leading elsewhere at the edge of this crack. It was during a time when he meticulously explored every nook and cranny.
There was another gap invisible to the eye. A narrow gap hidden behind thick vines.
It didn’t look like somewhere anyone would want to enter. It made him naturally think, "If I try to squeeze through there, I'll die stuck for sure."
I entered inside. I kept going through the narrow gap where just one person could barely pass.
After I completely passed through it, a slightly wider space appeared.
It was as if I had come to another world — sunlight streamed in, and grass and trees grew there. Outside, cutting winds were blowing, but here, a brook flowed gently. It was a place where one could feel the ancient mystery.
"It's been a long time."
In the middle of it stood a tree. On that tree was a white fruit, looking as if a chunk of ice hanging. This was the legendary elixir.
Millennium Snow Fruit.
It could provide far greater internal energy than Millennium Snow Ginseng, and it had one more incredible effect.
Not only did it make one strong against the cold, but it also allowed any cold-attributed energy to be absorbed easily. Moreover, it allowed one to withstand attacks imbued with extremely cold internal energy.
For example, even if struck by Cold Ice Palm, one's blood vessels would not be damaged by the cold. On the contrary, it meant mastering the Cold Ice Palm would be much easier than for others.
In the past, after obtaining the Heavenly Qi Pill from the Poison King, my body had become resistant to both heat and cold with the ability of Heat and Cold Immunity. However, this Millennium Snow Fruit was a specialized elixir for enduring cold. If both elixirs overlapped, it would be possible to withstand even cold that surpassed all limits.
In my pre-regression life, I had not been able to consume the Millennium Snow Fruit.
The cold energy contained within it was too powerful; attempting to consume it recklessly would freeze one’s blood vessels immediately. It was an elixir that perhaps only someone like the Ice Palace Master, who had fully mastered the Ice Cold Divine Art, could consume.
I still remembered.
The words I spoke as I left behind the Millennium Snow Fruit.
If fate allows, we shall meet again.
At that time, I already had the belief that I might find my way back here after regression.
Now, I could finally attempt it. I had obtained internal energy incomparable to before, my blood vessels had become strong, and, above all, I had achieved the full mastery of the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique.
I believed that the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique, in its perfected state, would protect my body from the cold emitted by the Millennium Snow Fruit.
If even a sliver of doubt remained in this belief, I should not attempt to consume the Millennium Snow Fruit. It was certain that I would suffer severe internal injuries otherwise.
However, I felt it deep in my bones — this was fate.
I had discovered this place before regression, achieved full mastery of the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique, found and sought to exploit the Extreme Cold Constitution.
Fate was telling me.
The time had come to consume the Millennium Snow Fruit. No — it was commanding me that I must consume it.
Along with fate, my instincts were also telling me.
If you are preparing for the extreme cold, then I too shall prepare.
'Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique, I’m relying on you.'
The moment I grabbed the Millennium Snow Fruit, a chill so intense it felt like my whole body would freeze surged through me. Just touching it, the Millennium Snow Fruit was warning of its danger — if consumed, it would kill.
Without hesitation, I consumed the Millennium Snow Fruit.
The moment it entered my mouth, I felt a cold unlike anything I had ever experienced. I had thought it would be hard and take time to melt, but that was not the case. The instant it entered my mouth, it melted instantly, and an extreme coldness spread throughout my body.
The Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique was already activated, resisting the icy chill.
Sssssssssss.
The coldness was so intense that a scream almost burst from my mouth.
It was hard to believe that something this cold could even exist in the world.
Even though the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique had activated, I felt the pain as if my whole body was freezing solid. I wanted to expel this energy from my body immediately. A fear that I might die overwhelmed me.
'Endure, I must endure.'
While enduring and dissolving the energy of the Millennium Snow Fruit, I recited the formulas of the Nine Calamities Demon Art, recalling the demons.
I thought of the east, west, south, and north, and recalled the Heavenly Demon Souls I had seen in visions.
I recalled everything related to the Nine Calamities Demon Art and the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique.
Even that was not enough to endure it, so I thought of my father. I recalled the sight of him mocking me.
It worked.
Even in this agonizing situation, surprisingly, a smile appeared on my lips.
I endured, and endured again.
And the result was a great success.
I succeeded in dissolving all the energy of the Millennium Snow Fruit.
A large amount of internal energy was added to my dantian, and most importantly, I achieved what I had desired.
The cold energy of the Millennium Snow Fruit had permanently permeated my blood vessels.
Unless energy colder than the Millennium Snow Fruit invaded my body, no coldness would be able to harm me.
I felt joy at having gained another weapon to oppose them.
This was how I was growing stronger and stronger.
"I will surely use this strength for good."
I brought my hands together in front of the Millennium Snow Fruit tree and bowed, then left the place.
Passing through the narrow passage, I returned to the valley where the Mad Killing Wind blew.
Whooooooooooooooosh.
A tremendous wind assaulted me.
Even though I had not raised my internal energy to protect my body, the skin-piercing wind did not feel cold at all.
To exaggerate a little, the Mad Killing Wind had now become a spring breeze and a warm wind to me.
Before regression, I had turned back the way I came. I could not go any deeper into the valley back then.
But today, I was curious. Curious about what lay at the end.
Thus, I began walking toward the source of the wind.