Chapter 43 : Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Bukgung Seol-a

The northern tip of Shanxi Province.

There is a city called Yanggao, which faces the border with the country of the barbarians called Mongolia.

As its name suggests, the northernmost region where the warm sun shines is Yanggao.

Even Mongolia, which is north of Yanggao, is a cold and barren plain where the sun is scarce.

And I know that the Northern Sea, which is much further north, is a land full of biting cold where even the sunlight has lost its majesty.

Right now, I was spending my time in Yanggao.

The reason being, thanks to the intelligence I obtained from Ma Sok, I knew in advance that the Ice Palace delegation would enter the Central Plains through this Yanggao.

Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle.

Horok.

“Kyah-”

I sipped Jiannanchun in a high-class tavern.

Perhaps because it was a cold region, the alcohol was sweeter, so it was a delicacy in itself.

It would have been better if Chun-baek hyung were with me, but being alone also had its own charm.

“Young Master, would you mind if I joined you…….”

“I'm sorry. I already have company.”

“My lady, I have been watching you from a while ago, and you are alone…….”

“I have company.”

If only I could endure such annoyances.

The efficacy of the Vermilion Fruit and the side effect of the Vermilion Fruit.

Well, since it doesn't feel bad, it would be right to call it an efficacy.

The ways to spend the time of idle waiting would be training and drinking.

Since I might miss the Ice Palace delegation if I got too absorbed in training, choosing alcohol was inevitable.

It means that I am definitely not enjoying the gazes of many women or slacking off with a leisurely mind.

Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle.

Horok.

“Kyah-”

Isn't there an end to all waiting?

At the end of my gaze, while enjoying Jiannanchun alone, were figures in exotic clothes and appearances.

Skin as white as snow, delicate features, and hair color close to silver-gray.

It was the typical appearance of a person from the Northern Sea.

Since the time was right, it was a relief that I had not lied to the woman who had just asked to join me.

However, there was someone who blocked the people of the Northern Sea.

“Outsiders are not allowed.”

A servant of the tavern, not hiding his displeased expression, said firmly.

“We said we will pay a fair price. What is the problem?”

A middle-aged man from the Northern Sea, who seemed to be the representative, asked back.

“If I said no, then it's no. Why are you questioning it?”

It was a rude attitude that could not be expected from someone working in the hospitality industry.

But it is something that often happens in border areas.

It is a shameful thing, but discrimination that does not acknowledge differences is a long-standing tradition of the Jianghu Murim, isn't it?

“Are you discriminating against us now?”

The man from the Northern Sea, not hiding his anger in his polite tone, asked.

The fact that most martial artists who live in the Jianghu know is that a cold anger is much scarier than a hot anger.

It is because while a hot anger usually causes a fight, a cold anger usually causes a killing.

But the servant of the tavern, perhaps not knowing this, had a look of ridicule on his face.

“Is there a law that says you can't discriminate against outsiders?”

There is.

The laws of the imperial court are so.

Although I am a Murim person, I know that much.

I would say that the servant is just ignorant; he is a person who is lucky to have survived until now.

“Then I suppose there's no choice.”

I felt the ice crystal energy gathering in the right hand of the man from the Northern Sea.

Indeed, the ice arts of the Northern Sea lived up to their reputation; the temperature of the tavern instantly dropped.

Not enduring an insult is the foundation of all martial artists, so in another breath, the servant's breath would be cut off.

“We people of the Northern Sea do not tolerate insults.”

The moment the firm hand of the man from the Northern Sea was about to be unleashed, I quickly moved my feet.

It was because I judged that it was not a matter of having to clean up a corpse.

Swish.

My figure, which had ethereally unfolded the Stepping on Clouds Gait, was positioned in the middle of the path where the palm technique of the man from the Northern Sea would reach the servant of the tavern.

“……!”

The man from the Northern Sea, who had confirmed my presence, quickly withdrew his attack.

“Keuk.”

Although I had jumped in to block the man from the Northern Sea's move, the man from the Northern Sea, worried that I, a stranger, might be harmed, took a loss himself and completely withdrew his attack.

It was a display that proved the man from the Northern Sea's training was not lacking, and a display from which I could roughly infer his character.

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“Ah… yes.”

As I showed a clasped hands greeting in a polite manner, the middle-aged man from the Northern Sea inadvertently bowed his head as well.

I know his character.

The servant of the tavern who had made such a person unleash a killing move was the problem.

“Please wait a moment.”

“……?”

Saying so, I turned my body and faced the servant.

Even though I had completely shown my back to a stranger, I was not worried, partly because of my confidence in my martial arts, and partly because I had seen the trust in the man from the Northern Sea's behavior.

As I approached the servant of the tavern with a stern step, I saw him flinch.

I guess it was because he thought my status was not ordinary, as the money I had spent in this tavern during my waiting time was in the tens of gold.

Slap.

My unhesitatingly unleashed palm met the servant's cheek.

One might think it was an excessive measure, but it would be right to think of it as the price for saving his life.

“…….”

Whether he agreed with my thoughts or not, the servant did not try to argue with me even with his red and swollen cheek.

“Do you have any complaints?”

I asked the servant with the demeanor of a prestigious clan.

It meant I had put on a rude tone and expression.

My physique and my spending habits up until now gave weight to my current behavior.

“……No, I do not.”

The servant immediately submitted.

I am well aware of the fact that those who discriminate are often the most vulnerable to the discrimination they receive.

Having learned the attitude of the Beggar's Gang members who live a dignified life in the face of discrimination through practice, it was impossible for me not to know.

“My apologies. Please come in.”

Ignoring the servant, I greeted the delegation from the Ice Palace with a bright face.

“……Why are you helping us, elder brother?”

It was a question with a slight sense of caution.

The question of the man from the Northern Sea would be very reasonable.

It is because an unsolicited favor is very rare in the rugged Jianghu Murim.

“I am an emissary dispatched from the Murim Alliance to escort the Ice Palace delegation. I have come this far to be a guide.”

“Ah.”

I felt the wariness of the middle-aged man from the Northern Sea and his party lessen.

“I made you see such a sight because I was late. My apologies.”

I'm sorry, but this is a lie.

However, since I had excluded theft and robbery, I thought this much would be fine.

I don't have any intention of harming them, do I?

“My introduction is late. I am Myeong, the second son of the Dancheon Clan.”

Well.

Since the Dancheon Sword Clan is also part of the Murim Alliance, it might not be a complete lie.

* * *

“Please sit.”

I guided the Ice Palace delegation to the seat where I had been staying.

Since I had become a big spender at the tavern while waiting for the Ice Palace delegation and had occupied the best seat, all the representative figures were able to be seated.

“Thank you.”

As she took her seat, a woman with her face covered by a veil greeted me.

“Young Lady.”

“It’s alright, Baek-rim.”

As the middle-aged man from the Northern Sea was about to step forward, she shook her head slightly.

I stored the name Baek-rim in my head like a habit.

“We are indebted to you. Thank you.”

“It's alright. What's there to be indebted about?”

I could easily tell that she was the representative of the Ice Palace delegation.

It was partly because I was familiar with the information about the delegation, but also because the dignity exuded by her presence was of a different class from others.

The woman had a nobility that could not be hidden by something like a veil.

“I will introduce myself again. I am Dancheon Myeong, dispatched from the Murim Alliance to be a guide.”

“I am Han Baek-rim, leading the delegation.”

If he was from the Han clan, he was a vassal of the Bukgung clan, the direct lineage of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.

It meant that it was not difficult to guess the identity of the woman he called Young Lady.

Nevertheless, my gaze was directed towards the woman.

Isn't an introduction something one does for oneself?

A person who covers their face with something could be divided into two types.

Either they have special circumstances that require them to keep their existence a secret, or they have a particularly striking appearance.

For reference, the Branch Lord of the Rogues’ Guild, Yeo-wol, was a case that corresponded to both.

However, isn't it generally impolite in human society to wear a veil in front of a person one is meeting for the first time?

“Ah, I should remove this.”

Fortunately, the woman was a person full of common sense, so she removed her veil before introducing herself.

Swish.

In that moment, I knew.

It would be right to say that the woman's case was clearly the latter.

It would be correct to say that even her noble status paled in comparison to her appearance.

“Nice to meet you. I'm Bukgung Seol-a.”

As Bukgung Seol-a smiled slightly, a warm breeze instantly filled the face of the cold beauty, which had seemed a little cold.

It seemed I wasn't the only one who felt that way, as a quiet silence fell over the tavern, which had been rather bustling.

I could tell, without looking around, that everyone's gaze was directed towards Bukgung Seol-a's face.

“Ah…….”

Perhaps because she had noticed the sudden change in atmosphere, Bukgung Seol-a, scratching the hair behind her ear, quickly put on her veil again, but the silence of the audience was not easily broken.

I would say that her appearance was that shocking.

“……A pleasure to meet you. Welcome to the Central Plains.”

Fortunately, I became the vanguard and broke that silence, so I think I managed to save face.

I honestly admit.

The fact that my standards for looking at women are rather high due to Yang Su-rin, who was my fiancée in my past life and is now closer to a business partner.

Since Yang Su-rin's nickname is one of the Five Flowers of Anhui, it could be said to be a matter of course.

Isn't Yang Su-rin also an outstanding beauty praised as being among the top five fingers in the vast Anhui?

But seeing Bukgung Seol-a, I truly understand what ‘opening one’s eyes’ means.

I would say that the rumors of Ice-White Snow Flower, one of the Three Flowers Under Heaven, which I had thought to be a fabrication, were the truth without any exaggeration.

That's right.

The representative of this Ice Palace delegation would be the Young Palace Mistress Bukgung Seol-a, who could be called the treasure of the Ice Palace, and she is the target for whom I will bestow the grace of saving a life this time.

This, of course, does not mean that I will not kill you and save you once.

I, who have lived through the life of Myeong-gae and returned, know.

The fact that not a single one of the Ice Palace delegation here returns to the Northern Sea on their own two feet alive.

They will lose their lives in the Central Plains.

At least, in the past life, that was the case.

Since it did not cause a big stir due to various political and dynamic reasons, most Murim people probably don't even know the fact that the Ice Palace delegation had visited the Central Plains.

But it was something that could not escape the information network of Myeong-gae, who had lived with his ears pricked up to the state of affairs in the Jianghu.

The reason I deliberately pretended to be an emissary of the Murim Alliance and approached them is because of my desire to prepare my arrangements as sturdily as possible.

The arrangement to twist the stream of history and save them.

“I will guide you to the Murim Alliance.”

I plan to change their fate and take the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Snow Ginseng as my own.

“Just trust me.”

The lives of the Young Palace Mistress of the Ice Palace and the entire delegation, I think they would be worth exchanging for the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Snow Ginseng.

“Thank you.”

Hiding such inner thoughts, I just gave a slight nod to Han Baek-rim's answer.

Having met the people from the Ice Palace early, I could say that the first button was fastened very neatly.

However, the reason I can't let go of the tension yet is due to the identity of the powerful perpetrator who could annihilate the elite Ice Palace delegation.

As I put my hand in my bosom, I felt the cold energy of the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Snow Spirit Grass through the protective tool.

It's alright.

I have made sufficient arrangements, so if they work properly, there will be no major accidents.

I will make it so.

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