Ep438 - I Became a Drunkard in a Martial Arts Novel.

The ice encasing Yong Seon-ah differed from that surrounding the other corpses in just one aspect. It was the direction in which the ice grew. Those who met their doom due to their reckless greed were enveloped in ice with sharp, thorn-like spikes sprouting from behind them, indicating that the cold from the Suhaeng Sinju (Pristine Spirit Pearl) had frozen them gradually from the front. So what about Yong Seon-ah's ice? 'It's the exact opposite.' The ice around her had icicles growing at the front, not the back. This meant— 'She wasn't harmed by the Suhaeng Sinju.' Yong Seon-ah was not a victim of the Suhaeng Sinju. Her contorted face and the way her body seemed to have collapsed forward supported this hypothesis. A sequence of events unfolded clearly in his mind. As she exhausted her energy purifying the contaminated ice essence, suddenly struck by a treacherous blow from behind just when her energy had depleted, she became ensnared within the ice without the strength to resist. 'One of her companions attacked her, not the Suhaeng Sinju.' The site where the ice essence rested was a strictly managed place by the Northern Sea Ice Palace. Moreover, to be behind Yong Seon-ah at a time when she was expending her energy, one would need to be someone she trusted implicitly. This implied someone she trusted had turned against her... Bae Woo-jin's gaze instinctively fell upon Yong Seol-ran. 'Yong Seon-ah’s daughter, Yong Seol-ran.' Could she not be the only one who could approach an unguarded Yong Seon-ah unwarily? ‘Could Lady Yeon's words be true?’ The story she tearfully shared last night weighed even more heavily in his mind. However, it was too early to draw conclusions. Yong Seon-ah was in a state of complete energy depletion upon the ice essence. As long as the circumstances supported it, there would be numerous ways for someone to approach and attack her from behind. So, was there really no way to discern truth from lie? No, that wasn’t the case. 'A method has emerged.' Bae Woo-jin placed his hand on the thick ice surrounding Yong Seon-ah. Ssst! The moment his hand touched the ice, a biting cold seeped into his palm. After suppressing the cold, which seemed intent on freezing his insides— Thump… A faint heartbeat transmitted through his palm to his entire body. It wasn’t his own heartbeat. This meant that the heart of Yong Seon-ah, trapped in the ice, was still beating. After keeping his hand on the ice for a considerable time, another thump flowed through his palm. Since feeling the first heartbeat, Bae Woo-jin calculated the interval until the second. 'Roughly once per hour.' A human heart couldn’t possibly beat so slowly. However, there was one method. There exists a technique that can slow the heartbeat to an extreme level and maintain life. 'Gui Sik Dae Beop (Turtle Breath Technique).' If it was that technique, which brings one into a self-imposed state of suspended animation, such a phenomenon is fully understandable. 'Could she have utilized the Gui Sik Dae Beop at the instant of being frozen, avoiding death?' There’s no need to question how she could survive encased in ice. She is the Northern Sea Ice Palace's supreme master, having mastered the art of ice to its peak. Her body, in essence, is practically made of ice. Withdrawing his hand from the ice, Bae Woo-jin turned away. He pondered as he walked back to the group. ‘Former Palace Lord Yong Seon-ah is alive.’ Uttering those words would indeed cause tremendous ripples. Pausing briefly, he looked up to see Yong Seol-ran and Yeon-hee among the group. One carried a burden of worries, while the other remained completely composed. Bae Woo-jin intended to use this newly discovered truth to decipher their genuine intentions. Upon revealing this fact to each of them separately— What expressions would they wear? Those expressions would be crucial in determining the outcome of this affair. * * * Darkness descended upon the white world. The steps that had advanced to the ice essence now found their way back to the encampment. Due to this, the ritual planned to purify the ice essence with accumulated yin energy was postponed by a day. This unanticipated change was solely due to Bae Woo-jin's strong insistence. Of course, the leader of their party was Yong Seol-ran, not him; if she wished, she could have disregarded Bae Woo-jin's opinion and proceeded with the ritual. Yet, she silently adhered to his advice. And now, she sought an explanation. "Could you tell me why you suggested postponing the purification ritual?" The two sat facing each other over a cup of steaming tea. Locking eyes with her calm gaze, Bae Woo-jin began to speak. "Before that, I have something I've been meaning to ask you, Lady Palace Lord." "What is it?" A response, slightly delayed, emerged. The weight of the question carried a seriousness that differed significantly from earlier, causing an involuntary tension. "Were you present at the scene during the former Palace Lord's final moments?" "What? No." Yong Seol-ran shook her head, bewilderment evident on her face. Bae Woo-jin pressed further. "Are you certain?" Despite the palpable pressure in his words, her answer remained unchanged. "I don't know why you're asking about that time, but... it's true." The memories of that day were still vivid. The day when her mother, the former Palace Lord Yong Seon-ah, left for the cave where the ice essence lay dormant. Even till her departure, Yong Seol-ran had insisted on accompanying her. Yet, her mother did not take her along. "Mother said that I needed to be prepared for any situation." Back then, Yong Seol-ran was the young heir set to succeed Yong Seon-ah as the leader of the Northern Sea Ice Palace. "Perhaps, somewhere in her heart, she already knew." Unlike her usual gentle self, her mother had been especially stern that day. She was stern enough to turn away her beloved daughter for the sake of protection and the future of the Ice Palace. "It might have been to mitigate the impact of her own demise..." Yong Seol-ran trailed off with a bitter smile, her eyes filled with deep longing. Bae Woo-jin, watching her, conveyed the prepared news. "Lady Palace Lord." "Yes, Gentleman." "Your mother, the former Palace Lord, is still alive." Her eyes widened with shock. * * * Under the dark cover of night. Bae Woo-jin left his assigned tent and met Yeon-hee a short distance away from the camp. "You've arrived." She greeted him with a polite bow. Bae Woo-jin recalled the moment when she came to him, tears in her eyes. "Lady Yeon." "Yes, Gentleman." "You asked me to save the Palace Lord." "That's correct." She nodded calmly, affirming her words. Her demeanor left no doubt that what she had voiced before was not an error. There was one thing left to clarify. "You knew, didn't you? That the Palace Lord is alive." "Yes." "That's why you asked me to save her." She nodded, her face etched with sadness. "That's correct. I believed you could discover the truth. Hence, I told you." From their first meeting to this point, everything she said was consistent. There was no room for doubt. "What was your plan to awaken the slumbering Palace Lord?" "My apologies, but... I intended to use the inner core you obtained." An inner core? Her statement made the planned method clear. "You intended to restore the Palace Lord's energy core to awaken her from the Turtle Breath Technique." "Precisely." Bae Woo-jin looked into her eyes and spoke slowly. "I'm afraid... your plan can no longer be realized." "What? What do you mean?" "The plan was sound." Using an inner core to replenish energy and awaken the former Palace Lord from her deep sleep under the Turtle Breath Technique. It was a plausible strategy. "However, such a plan hinges on the Palace Lord being alive." "What...?" The suddenly expressionless Yeon-hee's face twisted in shock. For a plan to work only if she were alive meant... "Could it be...?" Her hopes barely uttered, Bae Woo-jin nodded. "Regrettably, when I checked, the Palace Lord had already passed away. Despite being a master of ice arts, she couldn’t withstand her deep internal injuries and the biting cold." His words, though extended, didn’t reach the distraught Yeon-hee. As she hung her head, she scarcely heard Bae Woo-jin continue as he gently patted her shoulder. "Though reviving the Palace Lord is impossible, I will help you seek vengeance. We cannot leave the villain at the helm of the Palace." Yet these words too failed to reach her ears. Helplessly repeating, "There’s no way, it can't be true...", she vehemently rejected the reality. Suddenly, she shook off Bae Woo-jin's hand from her shoulder and leaped away, overwhelmed by her deep denial. She moved at a dazzling speed, so swift that it left a lingering afterimage in the air. As she left behind a faint trail, her destination was none other than the cave where the eternal ice essence lay dormant. --- **Author's Note** I apologize for taking a break yesterday. As I mentioned in the notice, I drifted off unexpectedly and couldn't post the notice on time. It's incredibly blissful to fall asleep comfortably lying down, yet there's always that inexplicable feeling when sitting in front of the computer that sleeping would be a waste of time. In an attempt to sleep less and wake up quickly, I find myself getting completely drained every now and then. I’ll manage my days more carefully to avoid disruptions in the schedule as much as possible. I'll make up for any shortcomings soon. Thank you always for reading. Have a peaceful night. (_ _)