Ep431 - I Became a Drunkard in a Martial Arts Novel.

He was momentarily taken aback by her firm refusal. Regaining his composure quickly, Baek Woojin asked for the reason. "May I ask why?" With a smile erased from her lips, she nodded in acknowledgment. "The Eternal Ice Palace is designated as a restricted area. The cold emanating from it is so intense that even a master of ice arts would struggle to endure it." "Is that so..." She wasn't finished speaking. "Of course, if that were the only reason, I might have considered it. Given your skills, Mr. Baek, you could easily withstand the cold of the Eternal Ice Palace." Baek Woojin's eyes reflected curiosity. "Are you saying there's another reason we can't approach the Eternal Ice Palace?" "Yes, that's correct." Her expression grew heavier and darker. "I'm sure you heard on your way here—the disaster that has befallen the Northern Sea Ice Palace." Indeed, he had heard. "I’ve heard it's been getting colder each year." "Yes, that's right. Colder winds strike the Northern Sea with increasing intensity each year. And the cause of that..." She continued with a bitter smile. "It lies directly with the Eternal Ice Palace." Hearing this, Baek Woojin and Geum Yeoul's eyes widened slightly. "Something must have gone wrong with the Eternal Ice Palace." "Yes." About eight years ago, the weather around the Northern Sea began to gradually get colder. "At first, we didn’t consider it a big deal." The weather can vary from day to day, and there are always years that are colder or warmer than others, so they initially thought it was just a particularly cold year. But this perception changed when the cold not only persisted but worsened with time. As was said, if there are cold years, there should be warm ones eventually. Yet, each year seemed to mock the previous with even harsher cold. Serious concern about the situation began four years ago. "Our previous master, my mother, set out to uncover the cause of this increasing cold by deploying our palace's martial artists to scour the surroundings." The number of villagers suffering from the cold had begun to rise. If this continued unchecked, people might freeze to death in their homes. Thus, her mother, the former master of the palace, dispatched all the martial artists of the Northern Sea Ice Palace to determine the cause of the worsening climate—but to no avail. "She couldn't find anything for a while." Despite searching every corner of the Northern Sea, the source of the cold remained elusive. As a result, more people suffered from the biting cold, and the resources of the Northern Sea Ice Palace began to dwindle as they used them to aid the affected populace. "Then one night, as she lay sleepless in search of answers, a single location came to her mind." They had searched every part of the Northern Sea. Yet, there was one place left untouched. "The place where the Eternal Ice Palace lies dormant." About 300 ri from the Northern Sea Ice Palace, there exists a large cave. A long, frigid cave harboring a chill like no other in the vicinity. At the end of the winding cave lies a frozen waterfall, immobilized in the midst of its cascade, and an icy lake so still one could see their reflection in it. A world frozen in time. In its center hovered a pearl emitting a fierce chill like breath from nostrils. That pearl was known as the Eternal Ice Pearl, the treasure or divine relic of the Northern Sea Ice Palace. "My mother rushed to examine the state of the Eternal Ice Pearl... and witnessed an astonishing sight." The former master gasped at the sight of the Eternal Ice Pearl, alone in the center of the frozen lake and waterfall. One corner of the pearl, usually as white as frost, was tainted with a dark energy. Simultaneously, rather than a gentle chill, the Eternal Ice Pearl was emitting a fierce cold, akin to a rampaging storm. "That was the cause of the worsening weather." Some may wonder how much power a mere pearl could wield. But that is only knowing half the story. The pearl was a rare treasure, formed from hundreds if not thousands of years of accumulated chill. Also suspected to be a Sacred Object of cultivation. 'If it's something like that, it's entirely possible.' Baek Woojin, who had experienced firsthand the power of tree spirits and the unfamiliar gestures of Seol Suyeon, acknowledged this. He asked, "Have you identified the dark energy tainting the Eternal Ice Pearl?" Yong Seollan shook her head with a troubled expression. "Regrettably, we haven’t." Her mother realized that the dark energy was the very culprit behind the troubles befalling the Eternal Ice Palace and the Northern Sea, and thus began an earnest search for a way to eliminate it. Several years passed this way. They couldn't determine the identity of the dark energy, but they did succeed in finding a way to dispel it. And that method is... "Using pure yin energy to expel the corrupting presence tainting the Eternal Ice Pearl." Cold energy, also referred to as yin energy. In essence, the Eternal Ice Pearl embodies extreme chill and also represents extreme yin. This is why women play a dominant role in the Northern Sea Ice Palace. Men are naturally born with more yang energy, while women are born with more yin energy. Of course, men born in the Northern Sea Ice Palace tend to carry more yin energy than other men, but the same applies to women. Women of the Northern Sea Ice Palace are born with even more yin energy compared to women from other regions. Baek Woojin finally realized something. "So, the reason you took the village maidens...?" "Yes. It's to purify the Eternal Ice Pearl using their yin energy." At her response, Baek Woojin's expression stiffened, and he asked in a lowered voice. "Surely... you didn't offer them as sacrifices...?" Noticing the grim tone, Yong Seollan quickly waved her hands in denial before he could finish speaking. "No, of course not!" Her expression, full of injustice, indicated truthfulness. "We're merely borrowing the yin energy from the maidens to help purify the Eternal Ice Pearl, all the while providing them with fair compensation and utmost care." Her hasty words carried a hint of sincerity. Feeling apologetic, Baek Woojin bowed his head. "I apologize. I've witnessed too much misfortune in my life..." "It's alright. I can understand why you might think that." Yong Seollan, her heart softened by his sincere demeanor and words, accepted his apology. "To return to the original story... With the help of the village maidens, we have barely begun the purification process. Allowing external influences in at this time would be challenging." "Hmm... I see." It was a difficult situation. If it were the former reason, he might have tried to insist, but with the latter, not so much. Though it was unlikely, she could be anxious about unforeseen consequences arising if he got closer to the Eternal Ice Pearl. While he pondered this with visible disappointment, she spoke up. "But that doesn’t mean there’s no way at all." Her words lifted Baek Woojin's spirits. "What if you, Mr. Baek, helped in work necessary for the purification of the Eternal Ice Pearl?" Tasks required for purification. In essence, her suggestion was to transition from being an outsider to becoming an insider. By helping with the purification process, he'd inevitably have an opportunity to confront the Eternal Ice Pearl. ‘It’s not a bad idea.’ It was quite a brilliant strategy. After all, wasn't he here to resolve this exact disaster? If he substantially contributed to purifying the Eternal Ice Pearl, he'd earn the trust of the Northern Sea Ice Palace. Therefore, it was only sensible to accept such a proposal. ‘Though something feels a bit off.’ Something felt strange. It was as if she had been setting the stage to involve him in this task from the beginning. However, acknowledging that there was no other solution... "What can I help with?" Baek Woojin accepted her proposal. * * * Yong Seollan returned to her quarters after her discussion with Baek Woojin and Geum Yeoul. The first thing she did was remove the numerous ornaments that adorned her body. "Ah, what a relief." The heavy ornaments made any movement cumbersome, and she had to be mindful with every step, as a slight jolt would cause them to jingle loudly. Why wear them if they’re so uncomfortable? Because one must endure discomfort to extract what is desired from others. "Isn’t that right?" She spoke to the air with a peculiar smile, prompting a woman to enter her room. "Indeed, that's correct." Her appearance was exceedingly plain. The kind of face you’d forget soon after passing by on the street, devoid of any memorable features. The woman, speaking politely, helped Yong Seollan remove her accessories. She was Seollan's personal maid and only confidant. The only person who understood her when she was thrust into the position of palace master without preparation, tossed about helplessly. "I followed your advice and brought Baek Woojin in." It was this woman who had identified Baek Woojin and suggested bringing him in. Nonetheless, it was merely a suggestion. "You should’ve seen how he fell for my eloquent persuasion." Deciding to involve him, and successfully recruiting him, was her own accomplishment. This filled her with pride, and the woman praised her further. "I believe you managed splendidly without needing to see. After all, there's nothing you can't do, though you haven't yet realized it.” "Hohoho! Naturally." Yong Seollan laughed triumphantly, and the woman softly inquired. "So, are you planning to ask Mr. Baek Woojin for that task?" "That's right. After meeting him, I understood. The rumors weren't exaggerated at all." "Oh... he must be an extraordinary person." "Yes, he truly was." With a dreamy expression, Yong Seollan recalled the recent encounter. He was remarkable in many ways. Not only was his unfathomable level of mastery beyond even her comprehension—a prodigy who astonished everyone at the Ice Palace by reaching such heights at a young age—but also... ‘And his appearance was unparalleled too…’ He had a face one could gaze upon endlessly without tiring, alongside a deep and resonant voice. A man created as if the gods had meticulously crafted him. Feeling her heart flutter, Yong Seollan spoke. "I wonder what his relationship is with Geum the leader of the Baekgeum Trading Company?" "Who knows... perhaps she's his fourth wife." "...I guess he does have a flaw." There it was. His one apparent flaw. Too many wives. And they weren’t just ordinary women either. Sa Cheondang Clan, Jegal Clan, Heuksan Island. Aren’t they all forces that could rival the Northern Sea Ice Palace in the martial world? With a hint of regret, Yong Seollan clicked her tongue. "It's unfortunate... but I should give up." She folded away the brief romantic notions she harbored with a chilly tone. "Just use him and discard him." A sweet honeymoon with such an impressive man. It was certainly something she once dreamed and wished for, but it was no different from a luxury for her current situation. Without resistance, she expelled the image of Baek Woojin from her heart. --- Author's Note I'll see you in the next chapter. Thank you always for reading. Have a restful night. (_ _)