Chapter 646: Chill.

The moment I opened my eyes again, it was a cold night.

The white night created by my father had vanished, and the moon had risen once more.

The blade-like cold remained, and I could feel the chill gradually deepening.

Though it wasn’t snowing, the cold was intensifying.

From within that uncomfortable sensation, a sound reached me.

“Bwiwegun–!”

It was the cry of the Black Lion.

My gaze shifted.

The Black Lion had somehow placed the Duke I was supporting onto the floor, and adopting his characteristic posture, was glaring somewhere.

Following his gaze, I turned my eyes and saw Woohyuk collapsed on the floor.

It felt like we were just talking moments ago.

‘Did he just faint like that?’

I was about to ask what happened, but seeing him like that, it wouldn’t be possible right now.

‘What is it?’

Clutching my dizzy head, I tried to grasp the situation.

The recent encounter couldn’t have been an illusion, so I needed to properly check my condition.

‘It was definitely Namgung Myung.’

Whether he was lying or not was uncertain, but it felt ridiculous to doubt him now.

It was probably best to proceed assuming he was the real Namgung Myung.

Let’s gather the information.

I recalled the words Namgung Myung had spoken.

-All ghost-beasts will bow their heads before you.

That was the first piece of information.

The reason I could use ghost-beasts, including Naea, who already had a designated master, was because I was a ‘Dragon’.

However, he had said that while I could forcefully use them, making them obey me like his words implied was another matter.

I could use Naea, but making her obey me like Gwijung did would be different.

That was why Namgung Myung had been so certain.

-You are the reincarnation.

Specifically, that I was the body that Shin Noyya should have reincarnated into.

‘What the hell is this nonsense?’

How could that possibly be true?

Even after hearing it, I didn’t understand.

Even if that was the reason Gwijung obediently followed me, it wasn’t something I could easily believe.

Questions still remained.

‘Why me, of all people?’

I wasn’t a disciple of Hwasan, nor from an ordinary sect, but a blood relative of the Gu family.

If someone like me happened to be Noyya’s reincarnation, it was something I couldn’t comprehend.

The Hwasan Sword Saint.

And the Number One Sword Under Heaven.

If I were the reincarnation of such an outstanding individual, capable of achieving anything I set my mind to.

‘Damn it, I should have inherited something, shouldn’t I?’

Wasn’t I supposed to be born just as outstanding?

Even though I’ve raised my level by devouring all sorts of fortuitous encounters now, looking back at my past life, I was far from it.

Furthermore, what about the difference between Noyya’s beliefs and mine, as Namgung Myung mentioned?

‘Living for the world? That’s hilarious.’

Maybe if it were about living for myself. But I held the exact opposite belief.

Even if I were reincarnated, I didn’t resemble him in any important aspect, yet they expected me to believe this naively?

‘…Besides, it’s strange that Noyya didn’t know.’

It didn’t make sense that Noyya, who personally handed over Gwijung, didn’t realize it when Namgung Myung recognized me instantly upon first sight.

‘In the end, I’ll have to ask Noyya about this when I meet him, or ask Namgung Myung again.’

It was too much to ponder alone.

‘And even if, by some chance, I really am Noyya’s reincarnation.’

Would that really hold such significant importance?

I was merely surprised; it didn’t resonate much with me.

After all, Sa-nyeom is in a separate body, and I have no memories of living as Noyya centuries ago, so why should I care about that?

I wasn’t sure.

It felt burdensome and cumbersome.

Only those feelings remained now.

There was no helping it.

‘Whether it’s true or not, I have to do it anyway.’

Noyya’s tasks were included in what I had to do, and even if there was a separate reincarnation, these were things I was already planning to do.

Given my position, it didn’t matter what the circumstances were.

‘Right now, more than that…’

Namgung Myung’s parting words were more important.

-Find Xinjiang.

Those were the words he uttered after poking my forehead.

I also knew that Namgung Myung’s brain qi had permeated my body at that moment.

‘Why would he tell me to go to Xinjiang?’

Where even is Xinjiang?

It’s the far end, a long journey from Henan to the Western Regions.

‘It’s the region where the Demonic Cult existed in my past life.’

It was the place where the sect founded by the Heavenly Demon, the Heavenly Demon Cult, had its headquarters.

It was a location revered as a holy ground (聖域) by its followers, and for me, it had become a personal hell.

‘Why would he tell me to go to such a place?’

What on earth could be there that made him direct me towards Xinjiang?

As far as I remember, it was a place that became ruins when the Demonic Gate appeared, like the front line handled by the Gu family…

‘Ah?’

As I was thinking, something came to mind.

Come to think of it, that was right.

‘If it was Xinjiang around the time the Demonic Gate erupted…?’

In my past life, it was the place where the Demonic Cult existed, but during the time Noyya or others were active…

‘It was also the place where the Blood Cult (血敎) existed.’

Just like the Cult created by the Heavenly Demon, Xinjiang was also where the sect created by the Blood Demon (血魔) was located.

‘Why wasn’t I thinking about this?’

Was it because it was too much in the past?

Thinking about it now, it felt unusual.

‘Is there something in Xinjiang?’

Why did both the Blood Demon and the Heavenly Demon choose Xinjiang for their main bases?

It felt unsettling to call it a coincidence.

Was it because Namgung Myung specifically pointed to Xinjiang?

‘Whatever the case, I guess I have to go.’

It was a place I had considered visiting someday.

I just hadn’t chosen it because I lacked the time or justification.

If I moved up the schedule due to overlapping important matters, there would be no problem.

‘I’ve roughly sorted things out… now what’s left is.’

Perhaps the most crucial final words.

-Be careful of Yeon Ilcheon.

“…”

A fellow returner like myself, the former number one under heaven, and a figure who led the contemporary elites, including Noyya.

The Golden Sky King Yeon Ilcheon.

Why did Namgung Myung mention him and warn me to be careful?

‘Wasn’t this guy supposed to be gone already?’

From my perspective, he wasn’t someone I felt particularly good about.

When I encountered Sa-nyeom in the Bigo of the Divine Dragon Pavilion.

Without Noyya’s help, I would have been killed by Yeon Ilcheon there,

and he had previously singled me out, labeling me a disaster.

That I would destroy the world.

He had definitively concluded that I would become a disaster.

‘But… ironically, it seems like things are heading exactly that way.’

If what he said back then was bullshit, fine.

But my current body, no longer human, and the series of events unfolding felt like they were pushing me towards becoming a disaster.

In such a situation, Namgung Myung telling me to be careful of him meant…

‘That I would eventually meet Yeon Ilcheon?’

It meant that whether I liked it or not, my connection with him wasn’t over.

I didn’t know why Namgung Myung was so certain, or why his Sa-nyeom was even in the Northern Sea looking for something, but…

‘That means I have to meet him again to find out, doesn’t it?’

This implies I’m in a situation where I need to meet Namgung Myung again to ask questions, and perhaps… I wondered if Namgung Myung might have intended this situation.

If not for that reason…

“He wouldn’t have forced me to step in like this.”

Stepping forward, I twisted my waist and swung my toes quickly.

Kwagagak-!! My foot, wrapped in gang qi, collided with the blade of the saber, releasing shockwaves.

The wind pressure mixed with air pressure swept the snow on the ground.

“Kkuhk-!”

The Black Lion, who blocked my foot, let out a groan and slightly widened the distance.

Whoosh-! The heavy saber swung, pointing its tip at me.

“What is this you’re doing?”

The Black Lion glared at me with burning eyes.

Enduring his gaze, I slightly raised both hands to show him.

“Calm down, won’t you?”

“Calm down? Did you just say calm down?”

“Yes, you heard correctly. Please calm down.”

As I spoke, I reached out.

As my fist touched the air, sword qi surged towards that spot.

Kwoong-!! I shattered the sword qi with my fist.

The tips of my fingers tingled.

It seemed my body wasn’t in great shape either.

“I told you to calm down. Honestly…”

Despite my repeated words, the Black Lion exuded fighting spirit and killing intent as if he could never calm down.

The fighting spirit was directed at me,

and the killing intent was directed at the guy lying behind me.

In the Northern Sea, he was Bwiwegun.

To me, he was known as Woohyuk.

“Do you know what you are protecting right now?”

“I know very well.”

“And you tell me to calm down, knowing that?”

“Yes.”

Word had spread everywhere that Woohyuk was plotting a rebellion in the Northern Sea.

I also knew that this fellow was indeed involved to some extent.

Even if there were reasons I couldn’t comprehend, that fact didn’t change.

‘So, whether it was right or wrong, I intended to let it be to some extent.’

Getting beaten was one thing, but dying was a problem.

The Black Lion looked like he would kill Woohyuk right then and there.

No, he definitely would.

That killing intent was real.

That’s why I intervened.

“It would be problematic for me if he dies here. Please bear with it.”

I still had things to ask Namgung Myung.

For that reason alone, Woohyuk couldn’t die.

“Bear with it…?”

The problem was, whether it was my words or not, the Black Lion’s fighting spirit intensified.

“Are you saying that knowing what that scoundrel did–!”

A rough lion’s roar erupted.

It was louder because it carried emotions and internal energy.

“Several warriors died due to the rebellion, and the people of the Northern Sea who got caught up in it perished! And you tell me to calm down while looking at the main culprit who caused this?”

Sobbing was mixed into the shout.

I felt like I understood perfectly what emotions the Black Lion was harboring.

However.

“Well…”

“What…?”

“Do I need to know how many people died or how many were involved?”

His emotions couldn’t reach me.

I knew he had justification and his anger was righteous.

But.

“Shouldn’t you have done better in the first place? Isn’t the idiot who thought the regime would last forever under the sacrifice of the blood relatives the real problem?”

“You–!”

The Black Lion, unleashing his fighting spirit to the maximum, bulged the muscles in his body.

The strain in his eyes was so intense, his blood vessels seemed about to burst.

I remained unfazed even watching that.

I nudged the fallen Woohyuk with my foot and continued speaking to the Black Lion.

“I get that this idiot caused trouble, but the Northern Sea was a place that could have collapsed at any time anyway.”

Perhaps it was from the time I met Yuri and heard about the Duke.

And it was something I realized after walking around a few times upon arriving in the Northern Sea.

“The Duke’s forces were managed by someone other than the Duke himself. From what I saw, finances and everything else were handled elsewhere too?”

While it’s said that the Duke’s permission was needed to mobilize them,

regardless, the Duke wasn’t managing important matters overall; instead, internal personnel, specifically a particular family, was solely responsible, not through delegation.

I understand.

“They were competent, and perhaps the blood relatives had tasks assigned to them. But…”

I understand, but…

“That’s not how power should work.”

When things are like that, desire is bound to sprout among people.

“Most humans are like that. When you handle great things, greed naturally follows.”

How many years had they been in charge of the forces?

I heard they had been managing them for over a hundred years now, starting from something called the Blue Wolves.

A single family managing most of the Duke’s forces, not just their own internal ones?

And the Duke just let it slide?

‘You could consider that recognition and foster loyalty.’

But looking at how things unfolded, it clearly wasn’t the case.

“By letting it become such a mess, the problem erupted.”

Even if a rebellion occurred, what about those who participated?

Didn’t they join in immediately once they gained the confidence that they could do what they had held back due to the restraint of not being able to betray the Duke?

They had implicitly wished for it.

That must be why they gathered so quickly.

“Looking at this, the Duke also bears some responsibility…”

“How dare you-!”

Overcome with rage, the Black Lion gripped his saber and leaped into the air.

As the blade grazed the air, traces remained as if ripples were formed.

It was potent internal energy.

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue watching the flying Black Lion.

‘I wasn’t saying anything wrong, though.’

I was astonished when I learned that one family was responsible for most of the forces.

‘Under such circumstances, it wouldn’t be strange for a rebellion to occur at any time.’

Without the Ice Palace’s blood relatives, it was maintained because they couldn’t block the Northern Sea’s cold wave.

But once a means to replace it arose, didn’t things immediately turn out like this?

Hwiuiik–!!

I thought while dodging the saber.

Why did the rebellion succeed?

‘It’s because they didn’t lay the groundwork earlier.’

There were many reasons, but the most fundamental one was that the Duke lacked the capacity to manage it.

‘Because he was busy.’

He had to block the cold wave and manage the ice crystals.

He was called Duke, but likely just had the title.

To achieve that while also handling politics and public sentiment management?

He would have had to be called a superhuman, but…

‘Reality isn’t about ideals and romance.’

If you can’t do it, you’ll be torn apart.

That was reality.

That’s why it was strange.

‘How is it still maintained?’

In that situation, they could have taken harsh measures, like imprisoning the blood relatives and using them solely to block the cold wave, but…

it was somewhat surprising that the palace was still maintained.

‘Not that I would ever do that.’

People have conscience; how could one imprison them and just drain their life force?

That’s the kind of thing power-crazed lunatics would do.

‘Ah, maybe I’m not human anymore either?’

Anyway.

The Ice Palace was precarious to that extent.

In such cases, there were several means to secure one’s position firmly.

If there was one easiest method among them, the Heavenly Demon could be cited as an example.

She had no interest in power or politics.

Despite managing numerous followers and several legions, there were only demonized beings who died for her, let alone betraying her.

So, how was that possible? The reason was simple.

‘Because she was overwhelmingly strong.’

While demonic energy prevented the Heavenly Demon’s followers from betraying her, even without that, the Heavenly Demon was strong enough that they couldn’t dare defy her.

That was all.

Being strong enough that no one could betray you.

Otherwise, it’s an act one cannot bear.

There might be talk of benevolent rulers and such, but those are words I cannot comprehend.

Of course… even considering this and that.

‘The one who started the rebellion is at fault.’

No matter how poorly you secured your house, the one who ultimately stole is wrong.

This was a natural principle, but it couldn’t be brought up now.

Boom-!! Boom-!

As we continued the exchange while blocking attacks.

The Black Lion, channeling gang qi into his saber, spoke to me.

“If you intend to protect Bwiwegun, I will cut you down too.”

I saw killing intent mixing into the fighting spirit directed at me.

Seeing that, I widened my eyes.

‘It’s mixing in now.’

I was surprised it took this long.

The Black Lion hadn’t shown killing intent towards me until the end, uttering a warning before finally revealing it.

He truly is a rigid person.

‘Is that why he never betrayed them until the end?’

He’s one of the few righteous ones.

Though I thought that, I hid my thoughts and smirked at the Black Lion as I spoke.

“If you intend to do it, can you actually do it?”

“Even if I can’t, I cannot back down. Therefore, I will do it.”

“…Hmm.”

It seemed like a decent answer in many ways.

‘Passed.’

After hearing his answer, I nodded inwardly.

It was a satisfactory answer, so I could finalize my decision.

‘I shouldn’t kill him.’

Originally, I intended to kill him because he was being bothersome, but it seems better to leave someone of his caliber alone.

I lowered my stance slightly.

As I did, I raised my energy.

As my energy took form and became visible, caution dawned on the Black Lion’s body.

This was the moment.

“Huk-! Over there! There’s something!”

With an urgent expression, I lifted my upper body and pointed somewhere.

Seeing that, the Black Lion’s thick eyebrows furrowed.

“What are you doing now? Am I so easily fooled by such tricks…!”

As the situation unfolded, the Black Lion gasped.

It didn’t matter if it didn’t work anyway.

The important thing was to disrupt his concentration, even for a moment.

My body had already reached right in front of the Black Lion.

The Black Lion reacted belatedly to the unexpected speed.

Yes, it was too late.

By the time the Black Lion reacted to this…

Tuk-!

“Kkuhk!?”

My fist had already landed a blow on the Black Lion’s jaw.

Whether it was a direct hit, the Black Lion immediately lost consciousness.

Boom-! His large body collapsed onto the snowfield.

Seeing that, I let out a slight sigh.

“That was close.”

If I had been even slightly slower, the surprise attack would have failed.

It wasn’t just because my cultivation had improved; it was also thanks to the Black Lion, a martial artist of the Hwagyeong realm, being exhausted from fighting monsters.

While I took a moment to catch my breath and calm myself.

“Looks like it’s all over.”

Pae-jon and Seong-yul, who had been watching from a distance, approached me.

Seeing them, I had to wear a look of disbelief.

“Aren’t you showing up a bit too late? I knew you were watching. Why didn’t you help out a little?”

“Why interfere in someone else’s fight? There’s nothing more entertaining to watch.”

Pae-jon chuckled heartily.

“Besides. You wouldn’t have really wanted me to interfere, would you?”

“…Tsk.”

He was right.

It was something I could handle alone,

and since I believed it was something I had to do alone, I wouldn’t have been too pleased if Pae-jon had intervened.

Sabak.

I slowly walked past the Black Lion and moved forward.

It was where the Duke was.

“Are you planning to kill him?”

Seeing that, Pae-jon asked.

Hearing the question, I had to gasp.

“What terrifying words are those? Kill who?”

For one of the Three Venerables of the Orthodox faction to casually utter such words… It was truly chilling.

‘The funny part is that it’s hard to deny it amidst all this.’

To be honest, I originally intended to kill him.

More accurately, it was that I didn’t care whether he lived or died.

Since the Duke’s death would benefit me, I had simply leaned towards the former.

If the Duke died, it would be easier to escape the somewhat chaotic Northern Sea.

I could have just taken Woohyuk and fled in the meantime, but…

‘Things got a bit complicated.’

Because of what Namgung Myung said, I couldn’t do that anymore.

That’s also why I knocked out the Black Lion.

I didn’t have the time to explain everything bothersomely,

so it was easier just to knock him out.

Meanwhile, I felt gazes from behind.

It must be Pae-jon and Seong-yul.

Pae-jon said nothing further and watched me with interest.

He must be curious about what I’m about to do.

‘Honestly, I wish that guy wouldn’t watch, but…’

He’s not the type to stop watching just because I tell him to.

I figured it was about time I showed this much to Pae-jon.

I approached the Duke, lowered my stance, and reached out.

As my hand touched his chest, I felt his breath.

It was shallow.

His breaths were weak, as if they could stop at any moment.

If left like this, he would stop breathing before long.

Pasasok-! A strange sensation spread through my body.

It felt like something was freezing.

I wondered what it was, but soon realized.

‘…My internal energy is freezing.’

Perhaps because my weakened body was the issue, the Duke’s energy was freezing far too quickly.

How was I supposed to save him?

From a distance, I thought it might be possible, but…

Touching it directly, it was on a different level than Moyong Hi-ah’s cold.

Melt this with heat?

Could that possibly work?

‘My body isn’t in great shape right now either.’

My physical condition was also a problem.

Because of that, I hesitated for a moment, but recalling Namgung Myung’s words, I changed my mind.

‘Asking me to save him and then telling me to find him later in Xinjiang must mean I can do it now.’

If not, it must mean there’s a way I can do it regardless.

I nodded slightly and sent my heat towards the Duke.

Hwaaaaa….

The heat formed in my heart pulsed and flowed through my hands into the Duke’s body.

Up to this point, there were no major issues.

The heat calmly penetrated the Duke’s body, and thankfully, I could feel the cold melting somewhat.

The problem was.

‘It’s slow?’

The speed at which the heat spread was noticeably slow.

It was far too slow compared to the speed at which the cold froze the energy.

It was barely enough to prevent freezing.

Was it already too late to intervene?

Still, just in case, I tried to inject more heat, but…

Jjeojeojeok-!!

“…!”

For an instant, cold energy flowed in from the Duke’s body.

As the cold, chilling energy surged, I tried to pull my hand away, but…

Heueueu–!!

As soon as the cold energy rushed into my body, the Demonic Path Heaven Absorption technique activated, starting to devour the cold energy towards myself.

Ojeok-! Ojeok-!

The Demonic Path Heaven Absorption technique greedily consumed the energy, starting to fill its own belly.

Seeing this, I could realize.

‘This bastard was sucking it up.’

It wasn’t that the cold energy suddenly infiltrated my body; rather, the Demonic Path Heaven Absorption technique had arbitrarily activated to consume the cold energy.

Thanks to that, cold energy began to accumulate in a corner of my heart, and just like with the demonic energy, the Nine Flame Wheel Technique gradually started purifying the cold.

‘Hmm.’

Feeling the energy increase in my heart, I had to wear an awkward expression.

‘Should I call this a fortuitous encounter too?’

My internal energy capacity was already vast, but if I consumed all the energy I felt now, I could probably add about ten percent.

Ten percent might sound small, but it was an enormous amount.

By my standards, ten percent is equivalent to the internal energy capacity of an ordinary peak martial artist.

‘Fortunately, it seems I can handle the cold energy this way.’

I wasn’t sure if it would work, but since I could do it this way, perhaps it was a success.

Moreover, gaining internal energy while I was at it, wasn’t that quite a harvest? But…

Saaaaaaa–!

‘Hmm?’

Suddenly, I felt an anomaly.

Kuaaaaaa—-!!!

A strange sound echoed from the sky.

I couldn’t lift my head.

So, the moment I tried to focus on forcibly absorbing the cold energy…

Kuuuuuuung—-!!!

“…!!”

An immense energy poured down on me from the void.

“…Kkeuk…!”

Under the immense pressure, I couldn’t even scream, barely managing to regain my senses and cope.

‘What the hell is this?’

I couldn’t move.

It was a situation where I couldn’t even scream.

As energy was flowing in and out, if I made a mistake, I could suffer qi deviation.

In other words, I had to endure.

“Je–!”

“Young Master—nim!”

The shouts of Pae-jon and Seong-yul faintly reached me.

As I did, I recalled something about this.

What could this energy be?

Although it was difficult to think due to the sudden situation, for some reason, I instinctively knew.

This was the cold that had spread throughout the Northern Sea.

The intense cold that the ice crystals created and the blood relatives blocked.

It, finally released as the ice crystals shattered.

The moment it touched the Duke’s cold, it converged into a single point and poured down on me.