Chapter 43 : Letter
As Liaoning Province drew closer, Moyong Geum checked a portion of the Cold Iron he had brought this far.
Thanks to the Small Snow Squad's escort, he was able to bring a carriage worth of Cold Iron.
Once he arrived at Liaoning Province, the martial artists of the Moyong Clan would escort the carriage, so safety could be guaranteed just by entering Liaoning Province.
"Thank you so much, Hyung-nim."
"Haha, since my younger brother is returning to the Central Plains, naturally I should see you off."
The biggest harvest of this trip to the Ice Palace was the fact that he came to call Hyeokryeon Yeom his sworn brother.
Rather than making a solid profit with Cold Iron, building a friendship with someone he could continuously interact with like this was a more valuable asset as a merchant.
"I would like to treat you to a grand meal inside Liaoning Province, but as expected, that would be impossible, right?"
"Young Master."
I understood Moyong Geum's intent, but I shook my head.
"I am grateful for your sentiment, brother, but if we enter Liaoning Province, a problem will surely arise."
The Small Snow Squad was strictly the Ice Palace's armed force.
Furthermore, I was from the Demonic Cult.
If rumors spread that Moyong Geum led the entry of Outer Region Murim and a demonic practitioner of the Demonic Cult into the Central Plains, the Moyong Clan Merchant Guild itself could fall into trouble.
"Indeed... It seems I was too greedy."
Moyong Geum decided to promise for later.
After all, there was a high possibility that I would eventually venture into the Jianghu.
"Let us promise for next time."
The moment we arrived close to Liaoning Province like that,
I saw quite a few people rushing out from the distance.
"Did they already come from the Moyong Clan?"
"Yes? But I haven't told them when I will arrive yet?"
Moyong Geum looked at the group with a questionable gaze.
"Is this the escort goods of the Moyong Clan Merchant Guild?"
Men in black wearing masks rushed out in a swarm.
They were suspicious-looking fellows to anyone's eyes.
"It doesn't seem like the Moyong Clan, does it?"
"It seems so."
It was to the point that Seol Ye-rin, who hadn't said a single word until now, spoke up.
"Seeing as they are talking about escort goods."
"This... It looks like they are definitely here targeting us."
"Are they bandits?"
"Should we draw our swords?"
The Small Snow Squad members growled and glared at the enemies, and,
"...Who are you bastards?"
Moyong Geum asked the men in black with a heavily deep frown.
"......."
The men in black looked at Moyong Geum with an expression saying 'Would we tell you that'.
"...Strike."
Soon, the one appearing to be the captain of the men in black issued an order.
Then,
Flash!
Along with a flash of light, the bandits began to rush in.
***
-They are wanderers!
Seeing the bandits rushing in without a word, the Sword Venerable shouted.
Even if they disguised their appearance with masks and black clothes, they couldn't discard their martial arts.
They possessed various martial arts and different characteristics, but there was only one reason they could move in one place with the same goal.
-Their goal is the escort goods!
Saying they are targeting these escort goods means they know the identity of the goods is Cold Iron.
'That means...'
My gaze turned toward Moyong Geum.
The only ones who know the fact that these escort goods are Cold Iron are the Moyong Clan.
Moyong Geum is not the culprit since he would suffer immense loss if the Cold Iron is taken.
However, there must be those who dislike Moyong Geum monopolizing the Cold Iron.
'Stupid bastard.'
It seems they sent wanderers to steal the Cold Iron brought from the Ice Palace.
The Small Snow Squad didn't come out to escort for no reason.
Furthermore, on this side,
"To dare target the goods being traded with the North Sea."
Crackle-
The ground began to freeze.
The earth turned into the North Sea in an instant.
Slip-
"Aaaagh-"
The masked men who were running on the ground to ambush the carriage began to slide, and,
"They are enemies. Lethal force is authorized."
At my command,
Thwack- Slash-
Wi Ji-yeong and Tae Un-seo began to slaughter the enemies with fast hand movements.
"White Night, Tamya!"
-Grrr!
Baek Mu-yong unleashed White Night and Tamya, and,
"Spill where you came from and who you are."
In addition to that.
Eun Bin, who had captured one martial artist wearing a mask, began to torture the wanderer.
"S-Spare me..."
It seemed the masked men hadn't expected this either.
Moyong Geum and his escort, Jang Baek-rim.
I saw the masked men, who thought there were only two escorts protecting the goods, making devastated expressions.
"Steal the escort goods!"
-Waaaaah!
Just then, I felt the masked men reacting to a man's voice.
Whoosh-
Flames soared from my sword as I realized a command unit existed.
"Flame Butterfly-"
A fluttering butterfly landed on the one who had just given orders to the masked men.
At that moment,
Fwoosh!
"Aaaaaagh!"
The man's entire body burned up completely just like that.
Pause-
The masked men's movements stopped for an instant at that flashy death.
"Stop!"
Moyong Geum was not one to miss this opening.
"I am Moyong Geum of the Moyong Clan Merchant Guild. I do not know who sent you, but if you do not stop the attack immediately, I will have no choice but to kill everyone eventually."
Surrender if you don't want to die.
Moyong Geum shouted with such a warning.
"What are you listening for! Hurry up and seize the escort goods!"
The hesitating masked men began to rush toward the carriage.
"That is mine!"
"Die!"
They know what the escort goods are.
It means information has leaked.
"It seems like it's a figure within the clan."
"I can roughly guess who it is."
Moyong Geum drew his sword.
Come to think of it, Moyong Geum was also a martial artist.
If he learned the sword of the Moyong Clan, he would be able to do his part sufficiently.
Slash-
"Cough!"
My eyes shone at Moyong Geum's sword strike that cut down the guys rushing in an instant.
It was my first time experiencing the Moyong Clan's sword.
Because I had lost my life before I could even venture into the Jianghu.
"They are persistent."
If they were ordinary wanderers, they would have given up if they died off like this.
"......?"
"They must be coming from the Moyong Clan. The reason they are targeting the goods quickly is probably because of that."
It means time is on our side.
"That means it doesn't matter if I freeze them all, right?"
Seol Ye-rin began to emit cold energy.
"Could you block the carriage for a moment?"
Rumble.
At my request, Seol Ye-rin erected ice walls on all sides of the carriage.
"Now no one will be able to approach."
"Thanks."
I watched the front.
I saw the men in black wearing masks collapsing while scattering blood.
Eun Bin, Baek Mu-yong, Tae Un-seo, and Wi Ji-yeong were naturally stronger than the wanderers.
"What did they take us for..."
To send such weak wanderers.
"I apologize. When you have helped us up to here."
Most of the wanderers had collapsed.
"I am fine."
Looking only at the result, I don't know if this situation is fine.
Blood was splattered everywhere, and corpses were spread all around.
If someone were to see this scene...
"Moyong Geum!!!"
Just as the situation was being sorted out, someone's shout was heard from afar.
A quite large crowd rushed in and entered my view.
It was clearly the personnel of the Moyong Clan.
"Captain."
"Brother, it seems we must part ways here."
"Yes, Hyung-nim. I wish you a safe return."
"I'll leave the rest to you. Miss Seol."
"I'm ready."
Shatter!
The ice wall collapsed.
Seol Ye-rin and I lightly clasped hands to Moyong Geum and then turned toward the path we came from.
'Being with me, who is from the Demonic Cult, wouldn't be good for Moyong Geum. It's better to step back for now.'
"We return to the Ice Palace quickly."
***
"Are you alright?"
After the party left, the martial artists of the Moyong Clan reached Moyong Geum.
"As expected, it was the Young Master."
The Young Master of the Moyong Clan, Moyong Cheong, looked at Moyong Geum and smiled brightly.
"Were you hurt anywhere?"
"I wasn't hurt, but."
"What are you doing! Chase them!"
"Young Master."
Moyong Geum blocked Moyong Cheong's shout.
"What are you doing? They are our business partners and guests!"
"Whatever the case, they are bastards who spilled blood on our land. We cannot just let them go."
"From today, the Ice Palace is my business partner. I would prefer it if you didn't cause trouble with a business partner."
"That seems difficult, however."
Thud thud thud thud.
The martial artists of the Moyong Clan began to chase the Small Snow Squad.
"Do you intend not to make the next deal?"
"Do you care about that even when this mess has occurred?"
From the beginning, Moyong Cheong had no intention of listening to Moyong Geum's story.
"As a merchant, just take the carriage and go inside like a merchant. We will drive out the barbarians of the Ice Palace who committed murder."
Moyong Geum's expression hardened.
***
We began to be chased.
It was not the picture I had expected.
Because I thought we would return after safely selling the Cold Iron.
'It's troublesome if we cause friction with the Five Great Clans already here.'
Killing wanderers and killing martial artists of the Moyong Clan are completely different.
Rumors spread in an instant.
We only blocked the attack of the wanderers, but they could fabricate that the Ice Palace invaded the Central Plains.
"Captain, what shall we do?"
Even if those chasing from behind weren't masters.
'Friction is absolutely a no-go.'
The Ice Palace must not receive attention.
-These riffraff, just!
-Hoho, Master. Shall we give you some help with this level?
I turned my gaze at the murmurs of the Sword Venerable and the Demon Queen.
Whoosh!
The sliding Demon Queen entered my view.
The ground began to fill with icy roads.
Not wanting to lose,
Woosh!
The Sword Venerable swung his sword.
What would happen just because a spirit swung a sword, but.
A violent wind began to blow.
"T-The wind is too strong!"
"Why at a time like this!"
The martial artists of the Moyong Clan chasing from behind became unable to advance.
Thanks to that, we were able to escape easily.
"Is it alright to return like this?"
"I understand that the settlement has already been received. Since he knows there is quite a lot of Cold Iron, Mister Moyong will visit again."
There might be friction within the clan, but if he is the one to become the Merchant King, he should be able to handle it himself.
"I am worried that strange rumors might spread because of killing the wanderers."
I shook my head at Wi Ji-yeong's words.
"Rather, it is a good thing."
We can inform the Murim that the Ice Palace is going strong.
'I remember that the Ice Palace's might did not spread to the Murim when I was staying in the Demonic Cult.'
There must have been this and that reason.
But the status of the North Sea Ice Palace will change from now on.
'I will make it so.'
Only then can I survive from Hyeokryeon Geuk.
My second brother, Hyeokryeon Mu, will surely report my story to Hyeokryeon Geuk.
Since it is before he becomes the Young Cult Leader, I had to be fully prepared to face Hyeokryeon Geuk as much as possible.
The legacy of the Martial Gods, the funding of the Moyong Clan Merchant Guild, and in addition to this, a force like the Small Snow Squad that I can move freely.
I needed too many things.
***
The Ice Palace Head, Seol Baek-ho, summoned me after I returned to the Ice Palace like that.
"Did you call for me?"
"A letter has arrived for you."
A letter?
"Where is the place of origin?"
Hyeokryeon Mu had returned, and I was on my way back after sending Moyong Geum back to the Moyong Clan Merchant Guild.
There should be no more places related to me.
Who sent a letter to me?
"It is the Potala Palace."
"Yes?"
"It seems you will have to go to the Potala Palace for a bit."
This seems like something I've heard a lot somewhere.
"Are you saying... I should go to the Potala Palace personally?"
"Yes, go and bring the Young Palace Head."
"May I ask what the reason is?"
"They say the Young Palace Head of the Potala Palace possesses a constitution similar to yours. The problem is, unlike you, that side seems to have caught a heat fever, they said. They asked if I could send Ye-rin, so I told them to come personally."
"Then isn't there no need for me to go?"
"You never know, perhaps you might be able to cure the Potala Palace's Young Palace Head just like you overcame the Extreme Yang Body."
It is unknown if it is possible for an Extreme Yang Body to cure an Extreme Yang Body.
Anyway, it's all good.
But there was something more important than that.
"The Young Palace Head of the Potala Palace, is it a man or a woman?"
"It is a man."
"I will go."
If it's a man, Seol Ye-rin won't worry even if I go to the Potala Palace.