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Chapter 606: The Curse of the Ice Spirit

As I initially suspected, this place was indeed a cave.

It seemed quite long and deep.

I had been walking for a few minutes following Baek Cheon-gyeom, yet the path still showed no signs of ending.

‘As expected, there’s no problem with walking.’

With a calm mind, I kept my steps measured and continued to observe my body.

There didn’t seem to be any major issues with my muscles or bones.

From my toes to the tips of my hair, I paid close attention to each detail while listening to the words of Baek Cheon-gyeom.

“Your companions are resting above. Until recently, a child from the Tang Clan was watching over you. You stirred just as I took over.”

Baek Cheon-gyeom was as talkative as ever.

“That kid must have been really worried about you. She was fidgeting, thinking, ‘What if they don’t wake up?’ just when you decided to open your eyes.”

It seemed Tang Soyeol was worried a lot.

‘I’ll have to apologize later.’

Now I had one more thing to add to my to-do list.

Ignoring the chit-chat from Baek Cheon-gyeom for a moment, I began to organize the information I had picked up along the way.

First, the route that had brought me here.

‘Right after I lost consciousness, a scouting squad appeared as I was trying to assess the situation.’

I heard that a soldier from Gungju’s side had discovered me.

Though, to be precise.

‘It was said that Paejon had picked up a soldier who was patrolling the area.’

Before the soldier could reach the destination, Paejon had intercepted them to confirm the facts.

Not deeming him an enemy, they had arrived here along with the princess.

At first, I was puzzled by how they could just waltz in like that. But seeing Baek Cheon-gyeom here, maybe it really was feasible.

Unless Baek Cheon-gyeom was an enemy combatant, of course.

‘So, what now?’

Things were getting a bit complicated.

She probably wouldn’t have thought it through, either.

By the way, the enemy soldier they captured had been thrown into the torture chamber.

“Oh, by the way. That Bi kid? Quite impressive, huh?”

“…Huh?”

Bi kid? Baek Cheon-gyeom’s sudden comment caught me off guard.

‘Ah,’

After a brief thought, I quickly realized.

Considering it, Paejon’s clan was indeed Bi.

But calling them a kid?

‘That’s an awkward title.’

Baek Cheon-gyeom probably didn’t know Paejon’s true identity, but as someone who did, I found it difficult to respond.

“Her energy, and the Two Dragons, right? I wasn’t familiar with it, but seeing it in person makes it clear. You really have some impressive kids around you.”

Did something happen while I was unconscious for those several days?

Baek Cheon-gyeom’s attitude toward Paejon felt quite strange.

“Uh… yeah…”

Impressive, indeed.

That person had even achieved Rejuvenation Technique to complete their martial arts.

Beyond mere skill, they were indeed a remarkable human being.

“…So, you’re saying this is the Gungju’s hideout?”

I interrupted, questioning the core of the matter since Baek Cheon-gyeom seemed like they would continue speaking.

“Correct.”

Nodding slightly at the answer, I managed to feign a neutral reaction, but inside I was anything but calm.

‘What a craptastic situation.’

Just from that statement, I could grasp how dire things really were.

The Gungju’s hideout.

What could that imply?

‘It means the Ice Lord has already been ousted from the palace.’

Originally, the Ice Palace was supposed to be a safe haven.

Being forced out of their own refuge into a cave like this implied that the enemy had taken over the main palace long ago.

‘If Baek Cheon-gyeom is right, heading straight for the Ice Palace would indeed lead to certain doom.’

Things were just as I feared.

The suspicion that the Ice Palace might not be safe was confirmed.

While meeting the Ice Lord here a bit sooner than expected was fortunate, it didn’t change the fact that the situation was dire.

‘This is far worse than I anticipated.’

I wanted to run away.

No, I should have bolted a long time ago.

But even knowing that, I couldn’t afford to do so, not with Nangong Bi-ah in the mix.

“Senior.”

“Yeah?”

“So, why are you here doing this?”

There were still many things I hadn’t heard yet.

“…”

Baek Cheon-gyeom, Master of Wudang, along with Nangong Bi-ah and even Woo Hyeok.

I had no clue how deep the connections ran but none of them had any reason to get involved in this mess.

If a Blood Calamity had occurred, they should have just distanced themselves from it.

What was the point of being here?

“…”

Once again, just like before, Baek Cheon-gyeom didn’t answer my question.

Frustration was building up.

Finally, I was about to blaze out my annoyance when—

“Senior….”

“I owe a debt.”

At that moment, Baek Cheon-gyeom finally spoke up.

A debt?

“It’s a debt from a long time ago. I still haven’t repaid it completely, so…”

“…”

A debt, huh? If it was something owed to the Gungju, I couldn’t really argue with that.

But still,

‘What does that have to do with Nangong Bi-ah?’

There was no reason for that girl to be involved in all of this.

I wanted to voice my frustrations toward Baek Cheon-gyeom but held back.

It might not even be their fault, and if Bi-ah got wrapped up in this, there was bound to be a reason.

So I refrained.

It was time to assess the situation.

Suppressing my tired body and emotions, I walked on.

Before I knew it, Baek Cheon-gyeom and I arrived at a massive door.

How on earth was there such a giant door deep inside this cave?

I gazed at it with curiosity when—

Swoosh.

An individual, standing by the door, turned to look at us.

“Aeryeong.”

“Hello.”

Baek Cheon-gyeom greeted the man.

‘Aeryeong?’

Was that what they called Baek Cheon-gyeom?

‘Why do all the names here sound so strange?’

White Fox this, Red Wolf that.

All the titles were bizarre.

It must be something unique to the North Sea.

While I was pondering, Baek Cheon-gyeom spoke to the man.

“Is the Gungju awake?”

“Indeed.”

Nodding at Baek Cheon-gyeom’s question, the man confirmed it.

As I looked at him, I had to suppress my astonishment.

‘He’s strong.’

Even if he didn’t have a realm, he was at the Transformation Realm level.

From what I could tell, this meant his realm was anything but trivial.

As I continued to stare, the man’s gaze turned toward me.

His sharp jawline and impressive demeanor caught my eye.

“Ah, I see.”

“Hmm?”

“Are you the famed Red Feather?”

It was an oddly familiar title that I hadn’t heard in ages.

“…”

“Quite different from the rumors, I must say.”

He even seemed slightly disappointed upon realizing it was me.

What the heck?

What kind of tales have been spread around for him to know that embarrassing name?

I was itching to ask why those rumors were going around, but—

“I, the Great General of the palace, Black Lion Mukcheong.”

The man abruptly grabbed the doorknob and spoke to me, making it impossible to interject.

“By the command of the Gungju, I hereby grant your entry.”

Creeeak—!

The heavy iron door began to creak open slowly.

Whoosh—!

“…!”

A tremendous chill poured out from the narrow crack of the door.

It was a cold that couldn’t even be compared to the chill I felt when I arrived at the North Sea.

‘What the heck?’

It was freezing.

It felt like just sensing the energy around me would cause me to freeze solid.

Whooo—!

The energy responded wildly.

The intense chill repelled the heat surrounding my body.

As I glanced inside the door, I thought.

‘The Gungju is in there?’

Who on earth is it that wants to freeze to death?

How could a person exist in such a place?

Just as I was inundated with questions without stepping inside—

[Come in.]

“…!”

The voice penetrated my mind.

That voice had come from right in front of the door.

Confirming there was someone inside, I stepped forward as if enchanted.

“Wait a second…!”

Baek Cheon-gyeom seemed to have something to say, but I was already inside the room.

I didn’t know why, but my feet felt compelled to move.

Whoosh—!

The chill swept past my cheeks.

Even as I defended against it with heat, it still felt freezing.

Just as I fully entered the room—

Bang—!

The door slammed shut behind me, sealing off my escape.

“Where am I?”

I surveyed my surroundings, eyes wide open.

The spacious cave interior was frozen solid.

The raging chill was sharper than a blade.

The mere sensation of it felt like it could slice right through me.

It was so extreme it could almost invite laughter.

‘Why is it so rough?’

Even though I had reached the Transformation Realm while practicing Fire Techniques, this level of chill was beyond bearable.

What on earth is this space?

As I pondered, the same voice spoke again.

[Greetings.]

That voice echoed once more.

Instinctively, I turned my head toward the source of the voice.

And then—

“…!”

I had to widen my eyes at the sight unfolding before me.

[You should have brought me your apologies first.]

It was no surprise.

[It seems I’ve had to meet you while being in such a disheveled state without welcoming you properly.]

In the center of the room, someone was sitting.

But how I hadn’t sensed their presence until now was—

‘…What on earth is that?’

The state of the person sitting there was eerily similar to the surroundings of the cave.

With pure white hair, and their body looked frozen, almost indistinguishable from ice.

Now it became clear.

The chilling air within this cave wasn’t due to the cave itself.

‘It’s all coming from…’

The ice cold emanated entirely from that individual.

An overwhelming chill was being released from them, filling the space around us.

Moreover—

‘Something feels off.’

The chill saturating the space and the peculiar presence emanating from that individual stirred something in me.

It didn’t take long for me to realize what that discomfort was.

It resembled the faint sense of unease I’d felt when I first arrived in the North Sea.

Something that made one feel irritable and weighed down even when standing still.

That very feeling was also emanating from this individual.

As I frowned at the strange sensation, they continued.

[In fact, I had planned to converse with you outside the door.]

The individual continued speaking to me.

[However, upon seeing you, my overwhelming curiosity took hold, leading me to behave so rudely.]

Whoosh—!

The sensation intensified.

The more I watched the individual, the more intense feelings of hostility boiled within me.

It was animosity.

I was feeling animosity toward that person.

Why was it suddenly like this?

Thump, thump—!

I placed my hand over my wildly beating heart, trying to calm myself.

[So, before we talk, I have one question.]

The individual slowly raised their head and locked eyes with me.

“Whoa.”

The moment our gazes met, I felt as if my body had rigidified.

[You are…]

The person had scales emerging on their cheeks, and shards of ice were gradually cascading down beneath their skin.

Moreover.

Their pupils were slitted like a reptile’s.

Just like that…

[What is your relationship with the supreme being of the Central Plains?]

The sight reminded me of when the King of Demons revealed his curse before me.

 

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