Chapter 006 : Ice Flower
Honestly speaking, this is the situation I,Hyeokryeon Yeom, wanted.
Baek Mu-yong was a man with dirty quick wits.
I do not know when he spread the rumors, but the martial artists of the North Sea were appearing one by one to see the duel between the Captain of the Young Palace Head's royal guard, the Small Snow Squad and her son-in-law, Hyeokryeon Yeom.
‘The stage is set.’
Now, all that remained was whether I, Hyeokryeon Yeom, could suppress Eun Bin here or not.
I started circulating the Extreme Yang Qi.
Hiss-
As the Yang Qi emitted from my whole body met the cold, severe winter weather, it turned into steam and began to pour out.
Shing.
“Draw your sword.”
Flare.
I merely took the sword out of the scabbard, but flames surged from the tip of the sword.
The moment I aimed the flaming sword at Eun Bin.
“We will proceed with the duel in a way where the winner grants the loser's wish, in accordance with the rules.”
“Young Master, cheer up!”
The notary is Baek Mu-yong of the Ice Wolf Squad.
Eun Bin also looked at me and drew his sword.
People flocked in, perhaps because the news that a duel was unfolding had already spread.
“They said the man who will become the Palace Head's son-in-law has an Extreme Yang Body, and it really is hot already.”
“But why is he fighting Eun Bin?”
“I heard they are fighting over the position of the Small Snow Squad Captain?”
The muttering voices from the surroundings could be heard all too well.
However, I had no time to care about other people's voices right now.
‘I am definitely at a disadvantage with the sword.’
In my past life, there were more days when I was looking at paper than days when I held a sword in my hand.
Because of that, I still needed time for the sword to become familiar to my hand again.
Therefore, this sword right now is a feint.
The real deal is here.
I began to strongly gather Yang Qi in my legs.
‘My team's base running coach used to say this.’
He who dominates the stolen base dominates the game.
“Then, begin the duel!”
Along with Baek Mu-yong's declaration,
“Since I have to treat the Young Palace Head, I will not kill you.”
Although he had not yet opened his slitted eyes, Eun-bin rushed at me with eyes full of killing intent.
Fast.
My eyes read Eun-bin's movements.
Excellent dynamic visual acuity is basic for a batter.
Whoosh!
Therefore,
“Slow.”
“Captain Eun's swift sword was dodged by the Young Master from the Demonic Cult!”
“That is amazing?!”
Eun-bin's sword strike was honest.
Enough that I could dodge it easily.
Furthermore, right now, my legs are in a state where explosive Yang Qi is gathered.
Anyway.
“What are you doing?”
I could feel that this sword strike right now was not Eun-bin's full power.
“This is a test. A test to check if you indeed possess the qualifications to become the Young Palace Head's spouse.”
“Crossing the line for a mere escort.”
Flare.
Flames rise from the surroundings.
The snow covering the North Sea began to melt rapidly.
“They said he was an Extreme Yang Body!”
“It is hot!”
“How long has it been since we felt this heat!”
Whether the spectators shouted or not, I began to move rapidly around Eun-bin.
While doing so, I also swung my sword slightly.
Yang Qi naturally embedded itself into the sword as well.
The sword wrapped in burning flames intercepts Eun-bin.
Boom! Boom!
The emotion felt along with the sound of the explosion.
‘Envy and jealousy? And love-hate?’
There is a saying that clashing swords between martial artists is sometimes better than a hundred words.
I did not agree with that saying.
Generally, close-quarters combat entails danger.
Especially in a fight between masters, a moment of carelessness could make one's head fly off.
I stared into Eun-bin's eyes.
Eun-bin was not looking at me.
‘The Young Palace Head's escort warrior, Eun-bin.’
The emotion that guy is harboring toward the Young Palace Head is an emotion an escort warrior should not harbor.
‘I did not expect to meet a love rival already.’
And I did not particularly like this situation where I had to receive acknowledgement from that love rival.
Therefore,
“Let's end this quickly.”
With this, I probably will not be able to receive Eun-bin's complete acknowledgment yet.
However,
‘He will judge that I am trustworthy only if I stand superior in a purely martial aspect.’
As I raised my sword high,
Flash-
Eun-bin, who had only been blocking the sword, reacted.
Clang-!
Eun-bin, who struck up with tremendous speed, bounced my sword into the sky.
“It is my victory.”
The moment he tried to aim his sword at my neck following that,
Boom-!
At the same time an explosive Yang Qi burst out.
In the blink of an eye, my position and Eun-bin's position were swapped.
“Position Shifting?!”
It is not Position Shifting.
Strictly speaking.
It was a stolen base executed at close range, not a short distance.
The sword I aimed glinted at Eun-bin's neck.
***
Blink blink.
The Ice Palace's Young Palace Head, Seol Ye-rin, maintained a state that was not painful at all for the first time in a long while.
All of this was entirely because of Hyeokryeon Yeom.
People get bored when they suddenly stop hurting after being in pain.
She became curious about the things happening outside the Young Palace Head's Pavilion.
Because in this state, she could walk around outside.
“Small Snow Squad Captain?”
“…….”
She could not feel the presence of Eun-bin, the Captain of her royal guard, the Small Snow Squad, who usually waited outside, at all.
“Is there anyone outside?”
“Yes, Young Palace Head. Did you call?”
It seemed a maid approached after hearing Seol Ye-rin's voice.
“Where did the Small Snow Squad Captain go?”
“The Young Palace Head sent him to the Small Snow Squad's quarters. Do you not remember?”
Flinch.
She remembered at the maid's answer.
She had disbanded the Small Snow Squad, the small eyes of the Ice Palace.
Now, the remaining member and Captain of the Small Snow Squad was only Eun-bin.
Eun-bin, who had been with her since childhood, was family rather than an escort.
“It is news that just came in. Young Palace Head. They say the Young Master from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and the Small Snow Squad Captain are in the middle of a duel.”
Clack.
“What did you say?”
The Young Palace Head, Seol Ye-rin's firmly closed door opened.
***
“It is your defeat.”
I retrieved my sword and slowly approached the fallen Eun-bin.
No matter if they say I am a half-baked martial artist who has not properly mastered swordsmanship, this duel was as good as won by me from the moment it started.
Because I knew that Eun-bin used a sword and Eun-bin did not know that I was an excellent batter in the past.
They said if you know the enemy and know yourself, you will not be in danger in a hundred battles.
None of the old sayings were wrong.
“The winner is… Young Master Hyeokryeon Yeom.”
There was nothing like cheers.
I approached Eun-bin, who was limp on the ground.
Eun-bin's slitted eyes opened quietly.
‘Slitted eyes?’
Upon seeing Eun-bin's eyes, I could only then perceive the situation.
Eun-bin's full power bursts out when he properly opens both eyes.
In other words, Eun-bin, who is still squinting his eyes, did not exert his full power.
‘Why?’
Eun-bin is a guy who could blow away the head of a martial artist of my level in a single strike if he put his mind to it.
‘He did not fight with the intention to kill from the start.’
Just a moment ago, Eun-bin received the news that Seol Ye-rin had recovered.
Eun-bin, who knows better than anyone else that Seol Ye-rin is suffering due to the curse of the Extreme Yin Body, seemed to have instinctively known that he must not injure me.
“Whether you used your full power or not, the duel is my victory.”
I knew that Eun-bin was an absolutely necessary existence to Seol Ye-rin.
Because rumors about her escort were heard even in the Demonic Cult.
I had to appease Eun-bin here somehow.
“From now on, I will become the Captain of the Small Snow Squad, you are the Vice Captain.”
“…Vice Captain?”
“Since I won the duel, I am the Captain, and you are the Vice Captain.”
I gave a quick conclusion.
“Since you lost, you will follow my opinion according to the rules, right?”
Eun-bin frowned.
The martial artists of the North Sea must submit to the results of a duel.
“I still have something I want to ask.”
“What is it?”
“Are you a lecher?”
Lecher?
It seemed to mean asking if I liked women.
Even if the past me was like that.
“What kind of absurd remark is that to the person who will become the Young Palace Head's husband? In my life from now on, there will be only the Young Palace Head.”
The moment I answered Eun-bin's question,
“Right now… what is this behavior?”
Seol Ye-rin barged in.
***
“It is the Young Palace Head!”
“Ugh, it is freezing!”
“Hiiik!”
“Run away!”
When Seol Ye-rin appeared in the arena, the people watching the duel began to flee hurriedly.
Regardless of the movements of such spectators, Eun-bin was staring at only one place.
“Ah…….”
The last appearance of Seol Ye-rin he saw was her covered in ice crystals.
Seol Ye-rin, who was born with the cursed constitution called the Extreme Yin Body, had sent people around her away like that.
That Seol Ye-rin was approaching Eun-bin in a healthy state.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I am fine.”
Seol Ye-rin, who checked Eun-bin's condition, went straight to me.
“I asked what kind of thing you were doing.”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“I was merely carrying out the Palace Head's order. I received an order to reorganize the Small Snow Squad, so I came to the Small Snow Squad and was having a conversation with the body with Vice Captain Eun for a moment.”
“The Small Snow Squad is my direct unit.”
“I know. But from now on, I plan to manage it. As I will become your partner, I plan to protect the Young Palace Head's safety from now on.”
Pause.
Hearing the word protect, Seol Ye-rin hardened her expression.
“…I am sufficiently safe, however.”
“You might be fine today. But the Extreme Yin Energy could rise again starting tomorrow. Then paralysis will come again. If you cannot move, you will not be able to sweep away the horse bandits you hate so much, right?”
“How… Do you know that?”
“There is a way to know everything.”
“While I could not move, what happened?”
Seol Ye-rin did not want to live this kind of life either.
Her father, the Palace Head, did not provide a single piece of information regarding the Ice Palace to Seol Ye-rin because he did not want to worry her.
‘To inform such an outsider about the Ice Palace's situation and order him to lead the Small Snow Squad.’
Even if they say he can melt her Extreme Yin Energy.
“There is nothing particular to explain. The information that horse bandits are eagerly eyeing the Ice Palace is a fact that everyone knows. I intend to sweep away the horse bandits even if just to look good to my father-in-law.”
At my words, Seol Ye-rin frowned.
It seemed she thought I intended to receive the acknowledgement of the North Sea people and stick around in the North Sea.
‘Although I cannot know for what reason…….’
For an outsider to receive the acknowledgment of the North Sea people, they must establish merit worthy of it.
If he sweeps away the horse bandits, it certainly seemed he would be acknowledged for the merit.
The bandit group of the Great Grasslands was one of the forces eyeing the Ice Palace.
The Murim is vast, and the Outer Regions are vaster than the Murim.
The Potala Palace of the West, the Poison Palace of the South, the Great Thunder Temple of India and the North Sea Ice Palace.
Usually, these four are regarded as the sects representing the Outer Region Murim.
And right below the North Sea.
The horse bandits of the Great Grasslands existing between the Central Plains and the North Sea exist.
As if they were very displeased with the fact that they were stuck between the Central Plains and the North Sea, they were eagerly eyeing the Central Plains and the North Sea.
“What is the reason you are going this far?”
Seol Ye-rin could not understand me at all.
It must not be that I came to the North Sea by my own will either.
On top of that, did they not say I was a lecher and a scoundrel?
Honestly, she thought I would plan to escape the Ice Palace as soon as I arrived.
Or try to covet women while maintaining a relationship in words only.
However,
‘That look in his eyes.’
I looked at Seol Ye-rin with a serious expression and spoke.
“I took a liking to you.”
Pause-
“If I say that, will you believe it?”
At my appearance of raising the corners of my mouth, Seol Ye-rin unleashed her Ice Arts without hesitation.
Thorns had sprouted thickly on the ice flower.