Through the window of the Ice Palace, Seol Chun-Sang glanced downward.
The Ice Palace, surrounded by sturdy walls, could be considered a naturally fortified stronghold. No enemy could easily conquer this place.
However, Seol Chun-Sang’s focus was not on that but instead on its isolation.
“Hmm.”
The people inside these walls, known as the North Sea, lived by praising the Ice Palace.
The spoils from the prisoners’ labor were showered upon them. Those who received such grace became supporters, and their power was bolstered.
The perfect kingdom.
The perfect one that Seol Chun-Sang had hoped for was being created. A new voice escaped Seol Chun-Sang’s lips.
“… hyung.”
Soon, he smiled.“You, who failed, couldn’t have imagined something like this.”
There were those who were born to be kings. His hyung didn’t know that.
Seol Chun-Sang planned to build a kingdom like this, with the Ice Palace at its center.
And to do that…
It was then that Seol Chun-Sang, lost in thought, suddenly turned back and contorted his face.
“… there is a limit to how arrogant one can be.”
A black figure emerged from the thick, dark shadows in the room. Its form was like an entity made of blackness.
Seol Chun-Sang spoke,
“This is the Ice Palace. How dare you enter the Palace Lord’s room? Do you want to die?”
“Die, huh…”
The one who appeared in the darkness stared at Seol Chun-Sang and said,
“If that’s a threat, it won’t work. We’re not afraid of death.”
“….”
Seol Chun-Sang’s eyes filled with anger.
Those comments were so irritating because he knew it wasn’t an empty threat. Those consumed by blind fanaticism could stare death in the face and still smile. And this man was deadly serious.
“Your report is late, palace lord.”
“We have foreigners nearby. You should’ve known.”
“That’s no excuse.”
“….”
This man.
Dark red blood colored their eyes, reflecting their fanaticism.
“The high priest is furious that the supply of ice crystals wasn’t handled smoothly.”
Seol Chun-Sang flinched at the mention of the high priest.
‘High priest….’
Whenever he thought of the high priest, it sent shivers down his spine.
Of course, the other members of the Demonic Sect made him feel the same way. But the high priest was on a whole different level.
“I’ve told you….”
Seol Chun-Sang spoke again.
“Ice crystals can’t simply be mined whenever you please. I can’t control their production.”
“So?”
“….”
He glared at them with anger-filled eyes, but the man didn’t seem to care.
“Don’t misunderstand, palace lord. That’s just your perspective. But our high priest wants the ice crystals.”
‘… damn it.’
Seol Chun-Sang bit his lip, suppressing his anger.
Engaging with the Demonic Sect was not his ideal choice. If he hadn’t chosen such a path, he would still be wandering around, living under the previous palace lord.
How could he bear a life where he could not stay at the top?
If there was something to be gained, there was something to lose. He knew he would have to give up something to join the Demonic Sect, and he was gaining more.
But the price he needed to pay felt too high.
“Do not forget, palace lord.”
The man’s eyes shone with madness.
“We gave you everything you wanted. The reason I supported you, a mere unbeliever to us, was because we had something to gain.”
The man licked his lips.
There was a snake with red qi there.
“If you cannot fulfill your part, then I will have to think differently.”
“… there is no such thing.”
“Then, good.”
The man stared at the palace lord and slowly stepped back into the shadow.
“Remember. The high priest is angry. If you want his wrath to come, you will face death.”
“…”
“If you don’t want to think your life isn’t worth anything, try struggling a little longer.”
The man disappeared into the darkness as if he didn’t exist. And Seol Chun-Sang, who looked at the place where the man once stood, clenched his fist.
Kwang!
The marble table shattered into pieces around him.
“… damn it…”
A heavy breath escaped his mouth.
The Demonic Sect.
Those who once attempted to destroy even the North Sea Ice Palace.
He accepted their aid, feeling like he was consuming poison. Despite his addiction, there was little to show for it.
However, the intensity of the poison was worse than anticipated, slowly destroying his body.
“… do not expect me to always act as you desire.”
Seol Chun-Sang’s eyes glowed with anger.
Bang Pyo, the elder in charge of the mines at the Ice Palace, examined the group standing before him, finding it absurd.
“So…”
He spoke with a forced smile.
“You asked how many ice crystals one can mine here to provide them with rest?”
“Yes.”
After staring at the Taoist from the Central Plains for a while, Bang Pyo looked at Song Won, who avoided his gaze as if there was nothing more to say.
“Young people are so selfless.”
It wasn’t necessary to explain how difficult it was to mine ice crystals in detail. There was nothing to say. If they were shown the places where people died while mining ice crystals, these youths would be terrified.
But Bang Pyo had no intention of telling them.
‘The Palace Lord told me to keep them here for as long as possible.’
Nevertheless, he contemplated what to do and came up with something interesting.
“Ten should suffice.”
“Only ten? That’s it?”
Chung Myung burst into laughter at his words.
“Look, young Taoist.”
“Yes.”
“Do you know how many ice crystals were mined here this year?”
“It’s obvious that I wouldn’t know.”
“…”
Bang Pyo’s eyes twitched at those confident words.
“The number of crystals we dug up from spring to winter was only 20. That’s less than one per full moon.”
“Oh, really?”
Bang Pyo continued to laugh and said,
“If you dig for ice crystals, I’ll let them rest for as long as you want. Of course, with food and drinks.”
Just as he said it, the air suddenly became tense.
“But instead…”
His voice echoed around.
“Everyone has to take responsibility for their words. If you want to make this bet with me, you have to agree to get five crystals out before taking a break.”
“Hmm….”
“How about it? Do you have the courage to do it?”
Many people would have backed away at this point. However, the person standing in front of him right now was not an average person.
“Why would that take courage?”
“….”
Upon hearing those words, Bang Pyo stared at him blankly.
“Is his brain not functioning?”
After explaining all of this, did this boy still not understand what it entailed?
“… you want to do it?”
“Yes.”
“For real?”
“Oh, stop nagging so much.”
Watching Bang Pyo’s face turn red, Yoon Jong whispered to Baek Cheon from behind.
“Shouldn’t we stop him?”
“Who? The elder?”
“… Chung Myung.”
“Hahaha. You’re saying something very interesting. Yoon Jong is making jokes now too.”
“Amitabha. I never thought disciple Yoon Jong could make jokes.”
“….”
Well.
If he could be stopped, he would no longer be Chung Myung. There must be something else behind the mask of Chung Myung.
Baek Cheon shook his head and glanced at Chung Myung’s back.
“You must have had a thought.”
“… Do you really think so?”
“I have to believe it. That’s when we’ll feel comfortable.”
“…”
Yoon Jong thought that Baek Cheon was no longer even trying to stop Chung Myung these days.
“Then just 10?”
“Yes.”
Chung Myung smiled.
“Don’t forget. You promised. All the ice crystals we get will be sold to us at half price.”
“If our lord said so, we’ll make sure to do it.”
Bang Pyo nodded.
However, the workers who listened to this had very sad eyes.
“… What are you going to do?”
“That, those young ones…”
For the prisoners struggling to survive, they couldn’t help but feel sorry for the children who entered this hell.
The children said they would dig up ice crystals for them to rest, but was it really that easy? If that was the case, no one here would be suffering.
“… Even the rest of the North Sea sees us as sinners, so why do those from the Central Plains…”
They couldn’t understand.
“Don’t forget the promise.”
“You’re the one who shouldn’t.”
Chung Myung, who trusted the man until the end, smiled and turned around. And he walked over to the group.
“… Chung Myung.”
“Huh?”
“What are you going to do?”
Chung Myung shrugged at Baek Cheon’s question.
“What can we do? Let’s dig up the crystals.”
Baek Cheon was about to say something, but then someone interrupted.
“Is just digging it fine?”
Everyone’s eyes turned to Yoon Jong, who had spoken.
“It is difficult to find more than one crystal in 10 days. Shouldn’t we just dig up a hundred? To be honest, this is a little funny to say, but digging, slicing, and running into things is Mount Hua’s specialty.”
Everyone was speechless and held their heads.
And was this someone else starting to move?
In the name of helping prisoners, unlike usual, it seemed like he was losing control.
Baek Cheon sighed heavily.
‘But I can understand.’
First… this place didn’t seem evil.
As much as they could guess why they were being treated as sinners, they could sympathize with Yoon Jong’s heart.
Besides, even while doing the labor, they sent them pitiful gazes.
Baek Cheon nodded his head.
“Right. Well, it will work out if we take action.”
Hae Yeon also had shining eyes as he said his piece.
“Amitabha. Now that things have come to this, I will have to use my strength properly.”
“I will help too!”
When Tang Soso clenched her fist with a determined face, Jo Gul added.
“Well, would it be harder than dragging the cart to the North Sea? If it’s tough, let’s just get it done.”
At the time when Mount Hua’s disciples were motivating one another, Chung Myung frowned.
“No, why are you being so ignorant?”
“…”
Uh?
Ignorant?
Everyone looked puzzled at him, and Chung Myung clicked his tongue in annoyance.
“If something happens, we should find a solution instead of blindly rushing in. Can it be solved by rushing? Tsk.”
Everyone went crazy at those words and yelled at him.
“Is that something for you to say? You!”
“That’s the last thing I want to hear from you, you bastard!”
“Because of whom do you think we ended up like this!”
Protests came flooding in, but Chung Myung ignored them.
“… What do you think?”
Yu Yiseol, who had been silent, asked Chung Myung, who shrugged in response.
“We just need to find out where they are and dig it.”
“There is too much noise around. It will be hard to find.”
“Usually it is.”
“… Then?”
Chung Myung confidently smiled and said,
“I’m not normal either.”
“….”
How irritating.
Yu Yi-seol, who felt irritated, calmed down and asked,
“Will you find it?”
“Hmm.”
Chung Myung nodded and thought for a moment. He pointed downwards.
“If we find it, we won’t have any trouble selling it, right?”
Baek Cheon smiled.
“Chung Myung.”
“Yeah?”
“We’re even going to take the mountains now.”
“….”
This, they at least believed.
Chung Myung nodded and walked ahead. He knelt down at one point and placed his hand on the ground.
What?
It was filled with Yin qi, so it would be impossible to sense where the ice crystals were, right?
‘That is what everyone thinks.’
Chung Myung’s damned qi.
There was nowhere else to use this, and it was somehow becoming useful now.
His internal qi was exceptionally pure, gathering only the purest in the world. Even with cultivation, the amount of qi that could be absorbed was less than a spoonful.
“It means that even the ice crystals have absorbed the Yin qi to its limits.”
People with similar qi were naturally drawn to each other. Others might not notice it, but he could.
No! He discovered it.
The qi emanating from the tips of Chung Myung’s fingers seeped into the ground. Gradually, ever so slowly, it started to spread through the valley.
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