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Chapter 607: The Curse of the Ice Spirit

I was taken aback for a moment, tilting my head in confusion.

“What do you mean by ‘Sovereign’?”

For a moment, I forgot how cold it was.

That statement was utterly surprising.

Are they talking about the current Sovereign of the Central Plains?

“What does that mean?”

After hearing those words, I was left speechless for quite some time.

“Sovereign…?”

The Sovereign of the Central Plains.

No specific face came to mind upon hearing those words.

Sovereign typically refers to the greatest martial artist in the world.

“There isn’t anyone like that in the current Central Plains.”

At this moment, there wasn’t a martial artist occupying such a position.

The so-called “Three Eminent Beings” were merely three individuals at the very far reaches of the world, while the title-holder Wudang’s Sword Master occupied a lower status.

The Clan Leaders of the Four Great Clans…no, the Three Great Clans were merely in their physical prime as martial artists.

By no means could they be called the strongest.

So, who is the person referring to as Sovereign?

“Could it be the Sword Sovereign?”

Could they mean the previous Clan Leader who led the prime of the clan?

They might not be the greatest in the world, but they were certainly referred to as the mightiest sword of all time.

It wouldn’t be out of the question.

Since the Heavenly Demon hasn’t appeared, they were the most frequently mentioned figure when it comes to the title of the Greatest.

Furthermore…

“If that’s the case, they might have ties to the Sword Sovereign.”

Judging by the figure before me, there might indeed be a connection.

They could have met directly or heard about them.

I wasn’t sure.

Thus, I decided to just ask.

“Are you talking about the Sword Sovereign?”

[Hmm…?]

As I mentioned the Sword Sovereign, their gaze seemed to flicker.

Seeing that, my brows furrowed slightly.

Their piercing gaze was disturbing.

Even their breath, their gaze—everything about them was unsettling.

[…The Sword Sovereign, yes, there was such a person.]

From what I could tell, it didn’t seem like they were talking about the Sword Sovereign after all.

Then, who were they referring to?

“I have no idea. Right now, I can’t focus on that.”

Sovereign or whatever, what does it matter?

What’s important is…

“…Are you the Ice Spirit?”

The identity of the individual before me.

Honestly, I shouldn’t need to ponder on it for long.

I had already heard who had called for me.

From the sensation I felt from the individual before me, I could get a rough idea of who they were.

Shudder.

My fingertips trembled.

The chill was seeping through the heat and digging into my skin, and the aura emanating from this person was heavy, pressing down on my shoulders.

They were strong.

Far stronger than the person guarding the door, whether it was the Black or White Clan.

“So, this is the master of the North Sea.”

Beyond the Central Plains lay the New Outer Martial World.

The ruler of the harsh land where ice falls from the skies of the four seasons.

The Lord of the North Sea Ice Palace.

That was this man.

In response to my question, the individual answered directly.

[Although I look in quite a bad state right now, I’m still fulfilling that role.]

“It sounds like a past tense?”

[Heh heh….]

At my words, the Lord chuckled.

With each breath he released, the chill flowed from him.

[In this fallen state, how can I express that?]

“Hmm.”

Listening to the Lord’s words, I gradually took in his visage.

Ice formations sprouted from his right jawline, cascading over his shoulders and covering his upper body.

As I watched, my toes instinctively moved.

The ice that followed from him was not only filling the ground but also spreading to cover the surrounding walls.

“What is this?”

What on earth had happened?

Was this ice coming from the Lord?

Or was the ice from the walls binding him?

As I stared at the awe-inspiring sight, the Lord spoke again.

[Let me ask you again, do you really have no connection to the Sovereign?]

The Lord inquired.

It was the same question as before.

“What exactly is a Sovereign?”

The response I uttered was tinged with irritation.

I found this tiresome, and I felt it was a waste of time to answer such annoying questions.

Every time I looked at the Lord, the hostility I sensed became increasingly bothersome.

As I frowned and stared, he continued.

[Gu Clan’s Cheolun.]

Huh?

[That was indeed the Sovereign’s name.]

“…Huh…?”

Upon hearing that familiar name come from the Lord’s lips, I nearly lost my composure.

Why was my father’s name coming up here?

I had just woken from a dream featuring my father.

To suddenly hear his name from the Lord was unexpected.

Furthermore.

‘…Sovereign?’

What an ominous title to bring up again.

All the discomfort I had been feeling melted away, leaving only confusion in its place.

And then, as if the Lord noticed my reaction, he added on.

[Given how you reacted, it seems you have some sort of relationship. Perhaps….]

Did he just realize I was his son?

If he had at least heard the situation, there was no way he wouldn’t know—.

[Are you a direct descendant or an extended family member? You don’t seem to be a direct descendant….]

“I’m the son.”

[No wonder you resemble him so much.]

Don’t lie to me.

“I’m pretty sure you never thought of me as a son. You didn’t exactly think I looked like him, did you?”

[No. It was just….]

For a moment, the Lord fell silent, choosing his words carefully.

[I just thought it was a pity you resembled him so much….]

“Just don’t say that.”

[Hmm.]

For some reason, it only made my mood worse.

[Regardless.]

It seemed like the Lord wanted to move past this subject.

While it scratched an itch, I decided not to press further for now.

[You’re saying that you are indeed the son of the Sovereign.]

“Why do you keep calling him Sovereign?”

I asked with a head full of questions.

The term felt so cringeworthy.

With such a question, the Lord looked at me, puzzled.

[Isn’t a Sovereign called Sovereign? What else would you call them?]

“…”

No matter how many times I heard it, it didn’t sit right with me.

It sounded like an acclamation for someone esteemed, but to me, it felt strangely uncanny.

[How interesting.]

The Lord offered a small chuckle.

Heh heh.

[In all my life, I never thought I’d meet his son.]

“…What kind of relationship do you have with our Clan Leader?”

I asked, feeling somewhat tense.

If the relationship between them and my father wasn’t good, it could become quite troublesome.

Worrying about that, I posed the question.

[We were friends.]

The Lord answered curtly, causing my eyes to widen in surprise.

Friends? Friends….

I immediately asked, incredulous.

“Did my father have friends?”

After I said that, I froze.

I felt like I might have misstepped.

[Heh heh.]

Upon hearing my words, the Lord chuckled.

With a flap, something fell from my face at the sudden shaking.

Was it a scale? It felt like that.

[At least that’s how I see it. But I can’t speak for how he perceives it.]

“What does that mean….”

[If not friends, you could say benefactors as well.]

“Benefactors?”

The Lord of the Ice Palace referred to my father as a friend, and now as a benefactor.

As I listened, I couldn’t help but ponder.

‘What on earth has he been doing?’

What could father have done in his youth for everyone who knew him to react like this?

Some were filled with fear,

While others expressed admiration and debt.

It seemed he had a grand life back then.

But no one truly knew what my father had done.

No indeed, it would be better to say that when asked, no one would provide an answer.

At that moment.

[The one known as the Red Feather was indeed his son…. But I suppose you don’t resemble him much—]

“Excuse me?”

[No.]

Furrowing my brows at the Lord’s words, I sensed that there was more said behind it. When I glared, the Lord only smiled as before.

‘What’s with this guy?’

He felt really different from what I imagined, very much so.

[What a peculiar fate, isn’t it?]

Now he was completely spinning tales. He spun them quite uniquely, too. What a remarkable spin.

‘I heard from Yuri that he’s quite a fearsome person.’

A reserved type, and what else was it?

I’d heard many backhanded remarks but didn’t fully understand them.

Regardless, he seemed completely different from the person I just envisioned.

[My father received aid from your father, and now I am to receive aid from you.]

“…”

Hmm.

The Lord let out a laugh, seemingly carefree as he said that.

Yet.

‘Did I just hear something amazing?’

Just now, the Lord’s father—meaning perhaps the previous Lord—had received help from my father?

Now I was curious.

As I roamed around, causing trouble.

What on earth was my father up to during his youth?

‘No wonder he lets things slide when I get into trouble.’

Of course, back in my previous life, I had indeed been subjected to the shame of the Gu Clan. But that life was bygone.

Perhaps my father had also created that kind of chaos back then, just as I do now?

That thought came to me suddenly.

[Hehe.]

The Lord’s laughter grew even more robust.

The cave shook as the laughter intensified.

[Ah, I apologize. I was merely recalling distant memories after a long time.]

The cold thickened.

Was that the reason it felt even chillier?

‘Ha, chilly, huh.’

A bitter laugh escaped me.

What a long time since I’d felt this sensation.

This was a sensation I hadn’t experienced since the moment I first regressed.

As I brushed my arms lightly to take in the feeling, the Lord spoke up.

[Now that I’ve addressed my most pressing question, may I move on to the main topic? Would that be alright with you?]

Upon hearing the Lord’s statement, I straightened my posture.

“Sure.”

Finally, the real deal, huh.

[First, um…. What should I call you?]

“Call me whatever you like. It’s not that important—”

[Then I’ll call you by your original name, the Red Feather-.]

“My name is Gu Yangcheong, Lord.”

[In that case, I shall refer to you as Gu Gongja.]

“Sure.”

That damned Red Feather.

I needed to pluck them all off, no doubt about it. Who on earth spread this ridiculous title? I’d kill them if I find out.

As I inwardly grinded my teeth, the Lord suddenly spoke.

“Then, Gu Gongja.”

Upon hearing the Lord’s words, my body stiffened suddenly.

The atmosphere shifted dramatically.

The chill turned sharp, brushing against my throat.

That was the sensation.

[Can you truly lift this curse?]

The curse.

At the mention of that word, I looked more closely at the Lord.

His body was covered in ice.

His skin was scaly.

His pupils were slashed vertically.

He didn’t look human, and it was hard to call him a ‘human.’

Assessing that, I asked the Lord.

“Are you referring to your current state as a curse?”

[Exactly.]

The chill emanating from the Lord was intense.

And that was perplexing.

‘Is this what is considered a curse?’

Could this be akin to what Moyong Hi-ah had endured in my past life?

‘But her severity wasn’t anywhere close to this.’

Comparing her affliction to the one held by the Lord now revealed too drastic a difference.

She, too, had been unable to withstand the chill within, and she was slowly being frozen.

‘But right now….’

The Lord’s condition was such that he was producing chill to the point of forming ice blocks on his own.

Moreover, his body was indeed transforming.

Does that mean that Moyong Hi-ah also—

‘In the last life, did she die in that form?’

I didn’t want to think about it too much.

I didn’t know the details of her last moments.

Seolbong had simply disappeared one day.

How she died, what form she took when she died, none of that was known at all.

The Moyong Clan had merely proclaimed that she had perished.

Suffice it to say, the Lord’s words made me ponder deeply.

‘The Curse of the Ice Spirit.’

Why in the world is it called a “curse”? The words used were more than a little prickly.

‘The King of Demons said the same thing.’

The Curse of the Dragon Blood.

The King mentioned that it represented his body, saying only I, who have become a dragon, could lift this curse.

The Lord’s current state seemed analogous.

Was this sheer coincidence?

‘No.’

I believed it wasn’t.

‘The Curse of the Ice Spirit must have something to do with….’

‘Dragons,’ I thought, and it felt right. All circumstances tended to support that.

If that’s the case.

‘Then perhaps, my ability to cure Moyong Hi-ah’s illness might also be linked to the ‘dragon’ factor.’

Perhaps it was not merely a result of the intertwining of Demonic Absorption Technique and the Technique of the Flame Wheel.

It seemed more likely that this anomaly stemmed from simply ‘my existence.’

Perhaps it was the vital key that allowed me to heal Moyong Hi-ah’s ailment.

If that’s the case, it all pieced together.

All the strange events I’d felt until now were gradually fitting together.

But therein lay a problem.

‘Ultimately, this means that I am not a mere vessel of a human to begin with.’

At what point did the change begin?

The fact that I could cure Moyong Hi-ah’s ailment, which was impossible in my past life, can only mean that something anomalous had occurred in this life.

How could my existence be the anomaly?

‘…There were too many factors.’

There was an uncountable amount.

It was too numerous to point out one by one, but if I had to choose a single standout reason.

‘Rebirth.’

Rebirth, indeed.

Returning to this place after reversing time.

Could that have been the issue?

It was something that I couldn’t comprehend. It’s the most plausible of possibilities.

‘Currently, the part I can assert is….’

The curse the Lord speaks of regarding the Curse of the Ice Spirit likely relates to ‘dragons.’

If that truly is the case.

‘Would the Lord know about this ‘dragon’?’

Was that possibly the crux of the matter?

Returning to this place after reversing time.

I couldn’t know for sure. It was just the most probable guess.

If he knows, how deeply is the Ice Palace connected to ‘dragons’?

And if connected, do they see them as adversaries?

How do they truly feel about it? I needed to closely scrutinize this.

As the number of unknowns increased in my mind.

[You seem to be deep in thought.]

“…!”

The Lord just spoke to me.

[Take your time to ponder. I can wait.]

Indeed.

I had a question that needed answering.

‘What did I ask again?’

Was it whether I could lift the curse or not?

In response to that inquiry, I replied.

“I’m not sure.”

First, I needed to be vague.

[You’re unsure?]

The Lord looked puzzled at my words.

Then I quickly layered my explanation.

“I’ve treated someone who predicted they were afflicted by a ‘curse’ like the one you mentioned, but it’s possible that your ‘curse’ is different. Moreover…”

I paused to catch my breath.

“Even if they are the same, I can’t be certain I can heal your body.”

[Hmm.]

This was the best way I could communicate.

It was obvious that the severity of his condition overshot that of Moyong Hi-ah’s.

If I were to rashly claim that I could, and it turned out negatively, it would be solely to my detriment.

Thus, I decided to iterate my uncertainty.

[Is that so? I see.]

The Lord nodded, expressing understanding.

[So a confirmation is necessary.]

“Yup.”

Just looking at it didn’t clarify anything.

Could I truly treat such a state?

As that question floated through my mind, I asked.

“May I ask about the situation that led to this state?”

I had my own questions ready for the Lord.

[Go ahead.]

With the permission granted.

“Why did it turn out this way?”

[….]

Thus without pause, I blurted it out.

“Your state, and the current situation, it’s a complete mess, to say the least.”

I didn’t stop for validation.

The situation had shifted past mere concerns. This was not the time for hesitation.

[You must have heard from the lady about the situation. Are you asking for a more detailed clarification?]

“I certainly did. But….”

That wasn’t enough; I needed more than a quick overview.

“Observing the unfolding events, it seems far worse than what I’ve been told.”

The Lord’s health had deteriorated, and at this moment, the clan responsible for maintaining stability had rebelled against him.

So I was implored to heal him before it was too late. That’s what I was told.

“It doesn’t add up; that’s no ordinary rebellion.”

This wasn’t just an average uprising.

This was a bloodline revolt (亂).

Not merely a simple clan uprising, but a betrayal from within the bloodline aiming for the throne.

“Are you truly unaware of this?”

[….]

Upon my inquiry, the Lord went silent.

But from his expressive demeanor, I could tell.

He clearly had an inkling of what was happening. Anyone with a bit of sense would have caught on.

“After this moment, even if I step outside, I’ll still hear about it. I just need to gather intel on that front.”

I kept my gaze on the Lord, unwavering.

This was a betrayal led by the bloodline to assassinate the Lord; I knew it’d be harrowing.

But I needed to know.

I had to compile the information. Only then can I—

‘I will go after them.’

Hunt them down and bring them to justice.

What did it matter that my body was in this condition?

Even if my body crumbled, I would pursue them.

In that steadfast mindset, I continued to question.

[Indeed.]

The Lord nodded first.

[This is indeed a rebellion involving the bloodline.]

I didn’t flinch at the answer.

It was an obvious deduction after all.

The issue was—

[However, I do not know who initiated it.]

“Excuse me?”

His following statement astonished me.

It’s confirmed that a bloodline faction initiated a revolt, but even the Lord didn’t know who?

‘What in the world is going on?’

What a ridiculous statement.

Are you saying someone from within the bloodline is hiding their identity while orchestrating a rebellion?

I couldn’t quite comprehend and must have appeared bewildered, as the Lord continued speaking.

[From recent intel, the name associated with the rebellion is Blue Wolf. The child of that lord is Biwaegun, who rallied bloodlines to instigate this rebellion]

[I have yet to determine which bloodline provided legitimacy to this act.]

The Ice Palace, especially the clan in charge of the frontlines.

Yet it wasn’t the Clan Leader plotting the revolt.

‘You’re saying the Clan Leader’s child did it?’

That was a rather bizarre route.

Is the management of the clan truly this chaotic?

Considering a lesser clan member could take up arms against a faction in the Central Plains as they seem fit—

‘Wait a minute….’

This situation feels vaguely similar to mine?

While that random thought drifted through my mind.

I was busy trying to focus on the narrative when the Lord’s voice broke through.

[Thus, if there’s something regarding Biwaegun, I’d like to ask you in return.]

He spoke strangely.

“…Why would you want to ask me about that?”

The one who initiated the rebellion, Biwaegun.

Now this lord wanted to question me about him?

Then.

[Word has it….]

[Biwaegun was said to be friends with you.]

“…?”

The Lord gazed at me, declaring that.

It felt like someone dropped a load of nonsense onto me. Friends? How absurd.

“I don’t know that guy at all.”

[You truly don’t?]

“Yeah, how could I—”

[He is the youngest son of the Blue Wolf. In Central Plains, he is better known as…].

The Lord said, locking eyes with me.

[As the Sleeping Dragon, Woo Hyeok.]

And at that moment, my mind went blank.

 

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