Chapter 46 : Potala Palace
Taoist Azure Cloud of the Kunlun Sect sighed at the Sect Leader’s order to go on patrol with the first-generation disciples.
It was understandable, for even though they were located in Qinghai Province, unless the Demonic Cult or the various factions of the Outer Regions were to start a war, they would not directly invade the Central Plains.
The current Central Plains was in an unprecedented era of peace.
Perhaps because of that, most martial artists, as if suffering from insensitivity to safety, considered the duties they should fundamentally take for granted as bothersome.
“There is no way the guys from the Outer Region Murim would enter all the way to Qinghai Province, right?”
“Still, aren’t there times when external patrols like this are good?”
The first-generation disciples began to giggle.
From their perspective, slacking off from training seemed enjoyable.
“Ahem, did I not tell you that this is also part of training.”
“Yes, Elder.”
At Taoist Azure Cloud’s words, the first-generation disciples shut their mouths.
Wanting to quickly report that there were no anomalies and rest, they were looking around leisurely, when,
“Hmm?”
“Elder, these are traces of someone passing by!”
At the words of a sharp-eyed first-generation disciple, Taoist Azure Cloud looked in that direction.
Swipe-
Through the leaves, traces of human presence came into view.
And the warmth felt from there.
It is evidence that someone was there until just a moment ago.
“Search the surroundings!”
Taoist Azure Cloud’s expression began to harden firmly.
There is no way there would be people in the remote areas of Qinghai Province.
‘Is it really the Ice Palace bastards?’
Not long ago, a carrier pigeon with an unknown source circulated toward the Nine Sects One Gang and the Five Great Clans.
A message stating that the Ice Palace might begin to maneuver again.
Martial artists of the Murim Alliance who saw that message recalled the events of a hundred years ago.
‘That a disaster like the North Sea Martial God might target Murim again.’
Pressure.
Rather than finding the owner of the message, due to anxiety over what might happen, the Murim Alliance issued instructions to each sect to go on patrol.
And so Kunlun was patrolling like this as well.
Then, the fact that traces of human presence remain here right now means there is a high possibility that forces of the Outer Region Murim, like the Ice Palace, have truly crossed over to Qinghai.
“No human presence is felt in the vicinity.”
“Warmth remained, they could not have gone far yet. Quickly-”
Swoosh!
Just then, men in black wielding swords soared out from the ground.
“Keuhuk!”
In an instant, one of the Kunlun Sect’s first-generation disciples died.
“Un-ah!”
As Taoist Azure Void drew his sword and moved, the man in black began to flee.
The appearance of fleeing while scattering ink-colored demonic qi.
It was not the Ice Palace mentioned in the carrier pigeon, but a member of the Demonic Cult who had been lying in ambush in Qinghai Province.
“It is clearly a Demonic Cult bastard! We must not lose him!!”
***
After the martial artists of Kunlun left.
Rustle.
From the trees, the bushes, and the underground tunnels, Hyeokryeon Yeom’s party, who had been watching the situation, revealed themselves one by one.
“… What is this situation?”
“Well.”
A man in black appeared, killed a martial artist of Kunlun and ran away.
“Is he a real Demonic Cult member?”
The gazes of the Small Snow Squad members turned to me.
-Strange.
-I agree.
I saw the Sword Venerable and the Demon Queen tilting their heads.
“No, the guy who ran away is not a Cult member.”
If it were a demonic practitioner, he would not run away scattering demonic qi so clumsily like that.
If a guy who entered Qinghai Province to perform a secret mission was discovered,
‘He would have killed them all.’
And very covertly at that.
So that could absolutely not be a Demonic Cult member.
‘Is this Hyeokryeon Geuk’s work?’
During the time I lived in the Demonic Cult in my previous life.
I mastered martial arts through the elders.
When I entered closed training and lived together with the elders, I could not pay attention to external affairs.
Even then, I remember Hyeokryeon Geuk moving very busily.
Back then, I thought I would easily win against Hyeokryeon Geuk since he was running around here and there without training, doing whatever he was doing.
‘Was he laying the groundwork?’
Qinghai is a bridgehead for invading the Central Plains.
If the Demonic Cult intends to invade the Central Plains, the first sect they must deal with is the Kunlun Sect belonging to the Nine Sects One Gang.
‘But for what purpose?’
If Hyeokryeon Geuk planned this kind of work, there must be a reason.
‘Even if he informs the Murim Alliance that demonic practitioners are crossing over to the Central Plains, nothing will change.’
There was a need to find out for what reason he was putting on such an act, but.
“What should we do?”
I really wanted to chase after him in my heart, but regrettably, there was too little time.
While I was agonizing over what would be good to do.
-Just go to the Potala Palace.
Flinch-
The Sword Venerable spoke to me.
-Since you aren’t going to quarrel with Kunlun anyway, if it’s just confirming what is happening, my disciple and I will do it, so you guys go ahead first.
‘Was movement possible in that way too?’
-Although there is a distance limit, as long as you don’t leave Qinghai Province, spying should be sufficiently possible.
The Sword Venerable and the Demon Queen are souls bound to the legacy.
If the distance from the Extreme Snow Sword and the Cold Snow Secret Realm becomes far, they will return again.
‘All right.’
“Ignore it and unfold movement arts to the Potala Palace.”
Leaving the information acquisition to the two people, I decided to run straight toward the Western Regions, the Potala Palace, with the Small Snow Squad members.
Dash-
Watching the running Small Snow Squad members, the Sword Venerable muttered.
-Keul keul, then shall we move too?
-Yes, Master. It reminds me of the old days.
Swoosh-
The Sword Venerable and the Demon Queen, who had to collect as much information as possible before Hyeokryeon Yeom got too far away, flew through the air and began to chase the Taoists of the Kunlun Sect.
***
“Stop right there!”
The Sword Venerable and the Demon Queen discovered the Ox-nosed Taoists of Kunlun not far away.
-It looks a bit like a lure, doesn’t it?
The man in black was scattering demonic qi and maintaining an appropriate distance so the Taoists could catch up.
As if.
-He engaged in a chase with a demonic practitioner and it seems he intends to show that the Demonic Cult is dangerous.
It was strange.
While the Sword Venerable and the Demon Queen were watching the situation with its unknowable intentions.
Stop-
The man in black stopped.
“Elder, that guy stopped!”
The man in black, who drew his sword, looked around for a moment,
Then grinned.
It was clearly witnessed that his eyes, not covered by the mask, curved slightly.
“You’re laughing?”
“Avenge Un-ie!”
The moment the first-generation disciples fell far back to unfold a sword formation,
-What the!
-No!
The Sword Venerable and the Demon Queen spat out sounds of astonishment.
What they thought would naturally pour out was not demonic qi.
It was a terrible chill.
It was Ice Art, not Demonic Art.
Crack crackle-
The surroundings began to freeze centering on the demonic practitioner.
“You bastard… What kind of guy are you! Were you really… the Ice Palace bastard mentioned in the carrier pigeon!”
“Kill him!”
“Open formation!”
The first-generation disciples of Kunlun unfolded a sword formation and pounced on the demonic practitioner.
However,
Rumble rumble!
The chill they encountered for the first time made their footsteps falter, and the demonic practitioner took advantage of that gap to begin ravaging the bodies of the Taoists with his sword.
“You bastaaard!”
Seeing that sight, Taoist Azure Cloud unfolded the Cloud Dragon Eight Forms and fell from the air.
However,
Bang!
He too had no choice but to bounce off from the rebounding energy pouring out from the demonic practitioner.
Strong.
And unfamiliar.
Kunlun was able to face the power of an Outer Region martial artist for the first time.
Soon.
Swoosh!
The man in black began to run away again.
The Ox-nosed Taoists of Kunlun could not think of chasing the man in black.
-I don’t know who it is, but he is wicked.
-It is a matter we cannot just pass over. If it is someone who uses Our Palace’s Ice Art while scattering demonic qi……. We must inform him immediately.
The Martial Gods, having watched all of this situation, returned to Hyeokryeon Yeom.
***
The next day, noon.
Outskirts of the Potala Palace.
-It is hot.
-I think this every time I come, but this place is truly an environment completely opposite to the North Sea.
At the Demon Queen’s words, I asked.
‘Have you ever visited the Potala Palace?’
-Briefly in the past. Because there was a guy I wanted to beat up.
‘Did you beat him up plenty?’
-Of course!
Looking at the Demon Queen’s reaction, it seemed the Potala Palace also would not like the Ice Palace people that much.
“Whew, we have arrived.”
Wi Ji-yeong wiped her sweat.
Is it because we moved while unfolding movement arts like crazy?
Everyone looked exhausted.
Baek Mu-yong was sighing heavily in the sweltering heat.
Tae Un-seo was frowning deeply.
“Is it hard?”
“I am hungry. I want to quickly make something cool and eat it.”
The fact that his focus was on ‘making and eating’ rather than eating gave me goosebumps.
More importantly.
‘Is it that hot?’
Is it because of the constitutional characteristics of the Extreme Yang Body?
Just as with the cold, I did not feel the heat that much either.
Seeing such an appearance of mine, the Small Snow Squad members were thinking that I had reached the state of Impervious to Cold and Heat.
The Small Snow Squad members including me stared ahead.
A gigantic palace soaring amidst the floating red clouds.
It was like a sanctuary.
The base of the castle was blindingly pure white walls, but the orange and vermilion jade towers piled on top of it spewed out golden mist every time they received the setting sun, touching the sky.
To enter that palace, it seems we have to climb dozens of stone steps.
‘I think I need to meet the Potala Palace’s Young Palace Head as soon as possible and confirm what the problem is.’
There is the matter of the engagement ceremony, and the contents delivered through the Sword Venerable and the Demon Queen also weighed on my mind.
-Guys wearing black clothes were using Ice Arts while spewing demonic qi. That is the problem.
-Yes, it means it is a perfect situation for you, an Ice Palace person from the Demonic Cult, to be suspected. Whether you actually use chill or not.
In other words, I don’t know who it is, but to spread rumors that I am a threatening figure, they deployed a demonic practitioner who learned Ice Arts to Kunlun.
However.
‘It seems they do not know I have an Extreme Yang Body.’
If they intended to perfectly imitate me, they would have used Fire Arts, not Ice Arts.
Anyway, in a situation like this, there was a need to closely examine the situation on the way back to the North Sea.
‘I have to hold the engagement ceremony too, there is a lot of work.’
The engagement ceremony that will be held when I return to the North Sea.
Since it is an engagement ceremony, contact will go to the Cult Leader as well.
By now, Hyeokryeon Mu must have arrived at the Demonic Cult and talked about me.
I wondered what kind of reaction Hyeokryeon Geuk and the Cult Leader would show if they knew the fact that I was doing well.
“Are you going to enter right away?”
The main gate of the Potala Palace.
I saw a monk guarding the front of the gate.
Currently, I was hiding my presence along with the Small Snow Squad members.
Because we knew that most Outer Region people do not view outsiders kindly.
Furthermore,
‘To think he said I just have to arrive at the Potala Palace and say I came to meet the Young Palace Head.’
Then it means I have to barge into the Potala Palace and declare, I came from the North Sea.
“What should we do?”
“Wouldn’t it be better to try talking to him first?”
“Who wants to try talking?”
“I will do it.”
Tae Un-seo stepped forward readily.
It seems he wants to move quickly because he is hungry.
“Will it be okay?”
“Still, among us, I think Tae Un-seo will look the least threatening.”
Baek Mu-yong is threatening because of his large build.
Thinking that the people of the Potala Palace would not be wary of a woman since they are former monks, I eventually decided to send Tae Un-seo to the monk.
“Tell him you came from the North Sea Ice Palace and ask how to meet the Young Palace Head.”
“Yes, understood.”
At my instruction, Tae Un-seo approached the monk at the Potala Palace main gate.
Soon. The two people began to talk.
Then Tae Un-seo suddenly pulled out a kitchen knife.
“Ah.”
The moment I realized something went wrong,
Scuttle.
Tae Un-seo unfolded movement arts and began to run toward where we were.
At the same time,
Rumble-
The monks of the Potala Palace began to pour out.