Chapter 8
Joo Seo-cheon's journey in the North Sea was classified as top secret..
This was because it would be difficult if it became known that Geomsin, the hero of the political faction and the greatest force of the political faction, had left the central region..
The morale of the Allied Forces will drop due to anxiety, and we don't know what tactics the Dark Heavens will use to exploit the opportunity..
Information was limited even to the upper class of the Murim League, the elders..
“From Seojang and South Manchuria, to Haenam Island and the North Sea……
There's no place I don't go. What trouble is this?.”
Joo Seocheon prepared for his journey, lamenting the hardships ahead..
The top priority was to prepare for any contingency that might arise while being away..
“Major, tell all branches of Ghost Valley to follow the orders of King Yi Uichai of the Golden Sangdan and Zhuge Succession of the Dragon King while I am away from Beihai..”
“number of people.”
I considered delegating it to Zhuge Sang, but decided against it..
The Murim League was almost divided due to a shabby organization like the Black Young Lady, but it was impossible to leave Ghost Song in charge..
In addition, since most of the ghosts are currently in charge of setting up institutions or transporting and escorting supplies for the Geumui Sangdan, the number that could be mobilized for the work of the Murim League was extremely limited..
‘In addition to that, since I am an elderly dancer, the owner of the dance will take care of it… … I should also tell Hao Wen-ju and Apostle Qian-ju that I cannot respond for the time being due to circumstances..’
As the matter was a serious matter, they called Ghost separately and delivered it to them, rather than Jeon Seo-gu or Jeon Seo-eung..
We separately asked Hao Wen-ju for help in controlling information to prevent information about the government-government alliance from being leaked to the outside world..
If you collaborate with Open, you will be able to hide the fact that you are leaving the midfield well..
‘Companionship... … Should I just take the major??’
I have no intention of staying in the North Sea for long..
The more people accompanying you, the more it becomes a hindrance..
Still, I had no intention of going alone..
I had to go with someone just in case I didn't have enough hands..
Although Major was an expert in Gyeongsingong, he did not lack internal skills, so it was nice to be able to follow his own footsteps..
‘Well, if you're someone who doesn't lack a little inner strength... … good.’
I remembered the group I left behind due to the sweep of Baekmachae..
‘It's a pity that I can't take the fire spear with me..’
It will be of great help if you take the Hwacheom Spear, a treasure that emits flames when you let out its true energy, to the North Sea..
However, it was a bit difficult to bring the ganyaja because it is used for smelting black iron armor..
The Hwacheomchang would be helpful, but it wasn't absolutely necessary, so I decided to leave it alone..
“The damn snow has barely begun to melt, and I have to go all the way to the North Sea to see it again... … It's my fault.”
Joo Seocheon sighed and grumbled..
“I heard there are a lot of elixirs buried in the snow in the North Sea... … I need to bring that at least..
Otherwise, it won't make sense..”
Beihai, Beiip Village.
It is a village located at the lower end of the North Sea Ice Palace in the center, and is also the northern region of the central plains..
It was the border dividing the North Sea and the Central Plains..
Although it was not the size of a city, it was a place where many people stayed as a resting point as it was the border between the North Sea and the Central Plains..
In addition, as one of the few exchange points between the North Sea and the Central Plains, we were able to see the harmonization of the cultures of the Central Plains and the Central Plains..
“Wow……”
When I open my mouth, white steam rises..
A bone-chilling chill flowed in and then disappeared..
“We've just entered the North Sea, and it's very cold..”
Nak So-wol, a peerless beauty who stands out for her pure beauty, spoke after neutralizing the chill that had penetrated inside her body through the use of internal energy..
“is it?”
Joo Seocheon tilted his head..
It was difficult to sympathize with Hanseo Bulchim because he does not feel heat or cold even without expending any internal energy..
“There's something shameful about being so comfortable with the death penalty..”
Naksowol grunted while blowing air into his cheeks..
“Yes, Major.?”
Nak So-wol asked the major standing behind Ju Seo-cheon..
“It can be seen that Gokju's Hanseo Bulchim is advantageous because it is not affected by the environment and can lie in ambush for a long period of time..”
It wasn't the narrow cloth that I usually wore. I wore a winter suit made of fur and leather as white as snow..
Joo Seo-cheon and Nak So-wol were also dressed in the same outfit..
“Ahaha……”
Nak So-wol smiled bitterly at the major’s answer that did not show any humanity..
“I… … execution.”
Nak So-wol looked at the major and called carefully..
“huh? why?”
“Well, I have a question about ghosts..”
Joo Seocheon looked troubled by Samae’s words..
“Honestly, it would be more accurate to ask the major than me.?”
Joo Seocheon is the head of the ghosts..
But I didn't know the details about ghosts..
Basically, ghosts that do not have autonomous thinking will not answer unless you ask them..
That's why I didn't know that Joo Seocheon had never asked..
It was natural since I was not from Ghost Valley..
“Depending on the question, you might be offended..”
Nak So-wol answered in the lowest voice possible..
“ah……”
Joo Seo-cheon felt a lot from Nak So-wol’s words..
“Yes, just like Samae said..”
A smile spread across Joo Seocheon’s lips..
‘I can't believe I haven't thought about that at all.……’
He had been feeling guilty about the inhumane act of using the ghosts, including the major, for his own purposes..
However, after hearing Luo So-wol's words just now, I thought that maybe that feeling of guilt was just a facade..
‘You may have unconsciously thought that since your mind is dead, there is no need to consider your emotions... … Let's reflect.’
I recalled Samae’s words in my heart..
For reference, the reason why Naksowol was chosen as a companion for the journey in the North Sea was not only because it was convenient, but also because he had the power to respond to various situations and was as strong as Ju Seocheon, so he could sufficiently withstand the cold of the North Sea..
“Yeah, I wonder what?”
“Hey, that……”
Luo Xiaoyue seemed a little embarrassed and wriggled her hands..
The slightly blushing cheeks were so cute that it made me dizzy..
“When you see the Major or other ghosts, they always wear… … I thought it was shameless……!”
Luo So-wol raised his eyes and looked up at Ju Seo-cheon..
“Is that your preference for death or death??”
“Cough, Cough!”
Joo Seocheon couldn't help but cough and feel embarrassed at the unexpected question..
“no, what do you mean?”
“But I can't help but be concerned.!
Not only is the waist and stomach exposed, but even the thighs are exposed.……!”
Nak So-wol seemed embarrassed to say what happened next, so she trembled with her face dyed red..
“I think Naksamae is misunderstanding something... … No, you were dressed like that when you first visited Naksamae and Ghost Valley.!”
“It certainly was, but… … Even after that, you're still dressed too much. Just in case you don't like the death penalty.……”
The innocent and cute sister opened her eyes and glared at the death penalty with suspicion..
“please don't turn me into a pervert.”
Joo Seocheon protested, waving his hands..
“The fact that the fabric has a small area and is small enough to stick to the body is because it is advantageous for assassination..”
“It's advantageous?”
“okay. While moving quickly and secretly, it would be difficult if the fabric flapped in the wind and gave even a hint..
And the lighter your body is, the more advantageous it is to perform ghost magic..”
You might be thinking how heavy that fabric must be, but you'd be wrong..
Just as a master's match is determined by a moment's mistake or deviation, success or failure in assassination is also determined by subtle factors..
It was not for nothing that Ghost Song was considered a figurehead and a legend only in the field of assassination..
In addition to the martial arts called Ghost Ball, he perfected all kinds of factors, including the method of killing the mind, equipment, and environment..
“indeed… … There was a reason for that..
I'm sorry for the strange misunderstanding, death penalty..”
Luo Sowol smiled brightly, put his hands together politely, bowed slightly, and apologized..
“Ah, then… … While you are asking, is it okay if I ask one more question??”
“However much.”
“Well, when they see ghosts, they cover their eyes with black cloth so they can't be seen... … Why??”
The ghost's costume had one more feature in addition to being very revealing: it was a cloth covering the eyes..
At first I thought it might be to cover up the scar, but it wasn't..
Sometimes I was puzzled because I went around naked..
“Ah, I was curious about that too, so I asked before..
They say it’s for the development of the senses..”
“Is this really training?.”
Nak So-wol understood at once..
“okay. If you block your sense of sight, you become dependent on hearing, smell, touch, and taste, and each sense develops..”
Joo Seocheon nodded and continued speaking..
“They say that they cover themselves up to improve their five senses, except when they are in disguise or when their eyesight is needed..”
“Thanks to you, my doubts have been resolved..”
“Even if it’s a misunderstanding?”
“……yes.”
Nak So-wol lowered his head as if he was embarrassed..
“In the first place, even old people and men wear the same clothes... … I didn't feel anything was strange.?”
“Yes, but……”
Luo Xiaoyue hesitated, wiggled her fingers, but eventually gathered the courage to speak out..
“Pageumbong… … Sojeo Dan Li-hwa said that all men are obsessed with and excited about something specific.……”
“……”
An image of Dan Lihua smiling slyly appeared in my mind..
“came.”
I was thinking about what to say when I met Dan Li-hua later..
The major's hand pointed in one direction..
“Wow, it’s a dog sled..”
Nak So-wol’s eyes sparkled as if in wonder..
What was reflected in Maehwageombong's eyes was a dog sled drawing lines on the pure white ground covered in snow..
It was different in appearance from the dogs that were common in the central plains..
The hair color was black from between the eyebrows to the top of the legs, and the face and legs were like pure white snow..
The size in particular stood out, and I could see that it was as big as a decent wolf..
The force was so strong that the sled that was being pulled was also large..
There was quite a lot of luggage in the back..
Five dog sleds, each with eight dogs as big as wolves, stopped in front of Juseocheon..
There were ten people, two each, sitting on the sleigh, and all of them were energetic warriors..
And strangely enough, all of them were women..
“and……”
Nak So-wol looked at the warriors and inadvertently let out an exclamation..
Although it wasn't the level of Gyeongguk's color, there were only beauties who would have made a name for themselves in each region..
“Excuse me.”
A woman got off the sledge at the head..
He was dressed in colorful clothes and stood out among the group leading the dog sled..
“Is it okay if I ask your name and affiliation??”
“I am Ju Seocheon of the volcanic wave..”
“hmm……”
A sigh flowed from the mouth of a gorgeously dressed woman..
The group of women in the back also had a similar reaction..
“Is there any problem?”
“Honestly, I can't believe it..”
I could feel disbelief in the woman’s eyes..
“I've heard that the men in the central region are strong in martial arts, but that's still true... … Who would have thought that the absolute warrior, who is as high as the top of the heavens, would be so young?.”
“I understand.”
If a young man in his twenties is said to be the absolute leader of martial arts, it is normal not to believe it..
Recently, his prestige has grown so much that no one thinks it's strange, but that was only in the midfield..
It is not that North Sea does not have any exchanges with the Central Plains, but it was difficult to realize Geomshin's power because the exchanges were very limited..
Even in the case of Haenam Island, I would not have believed it if Ju Seocheon had not initially shown overwhelming inaction against Namhae Yongmun..
“Please rest assured that I am the Sixth Chair of the Sangcheon and the Sword God..
Otherwise, how could you arrive at the appointed place on time??
And, as I sent in the letter, there are three of them..”
“Umm… … That's right.……”
Ju Seo-cheon drew his sword as if he had no choice in the woman's continued disbelief..
The women on the sledge trembled, but were soon relieved when they saw the purple sword on Joo Seo-cheon's sword..
“purple strength!”
“Self-made hero of the Volcanic Sect!”
“I never thought it would be true……”
There are few martial arts techniques as characteristic as Ja Ha Gong, not only in the Central Plains but also in Beihai..
In particular, the only one who could produce purple strength was Jashingong..
“You really are a swordsman!”
“Huh……”
“I can't believe it when I see it.”
Exclamations came from all over the place..
Most people reacted by saying they couldn't believe it even after seeing it..
It's not that I don't understand.
“If you wish, you can prove it by visa..”
“no. That's enough.”
The woman in the lead waved her hand with a wry smile..
As soon as I confirmed that it was Geomshin, my tone of voice changed to polite..
“We may be late in greeting you, but we are guides sent from the palace. Please forgive my rudeness..”
“It's completely understandable, so don't worry about it..
I forgive you.”
“I would like to thank you for your generosity..
Then please get on top of this..
I would like to say hello slowly, but the weather is not so good..
There will probably be a snow storm within a few hours..”
The female warrior of the Beihai Ice Palace pointed upward with her index finger..
I looked up and saw that 30% of the sky had turned into dark clouds..
“The story will be told on a sleigh..”
All of the party, including Ju Seo-cheon, Nak So-wol, and Major, sat on the prepared dog sled..
‘It was said that the North Sea Ice Palace was a female-only sect like the Ami faction, but it was true..’
There are not that many female players in the midfield..
But in the North Sea it was the opposite..
It was rare beyond the fact that there were only a few men..
“By any chance, did you bring any food??”
“of course.”
I asked for help because of the food shortage, but I couldn't have come empty-handed..
“What did you bring??”
“This is Byeokgokdan..”
“I recommend that you eat it sparingly if possible..
Even natural ships loaded with food will freeze before they reach the ice palace..
This is especially true for condensed ones like Byeokgokdan..
Even if you eat it, you won't see any benefit..”
‘I expected it when I saw that the prices in Bukip Village, especially food, were ridiculously high, but... … It looks very serious..’
It snowed heavily.
The snow soon turned into a storm that swirled so hard that you couldn't see an inch in front of you..
It got to the point where I wondered if the eight hells spoken of in Buddhism had unfolded in this world..
The cold wave also hit at an alarming speed..
As time passed, the temperature only decreased..
The sky was full of dark clouds and it was so dark that I couldn't tell if it was day or night..
“That's awesome.”
Nak So-wol was impressed as she put on her winter clothes..
It was so cold that if you wet your lips with saliva, your mouth will freeze..
If it weren't for the heat flowing from the lower abdomen below the navel, I would have frozen long ago..
“It will take about a week to reach the palace..”
The North Sea is far away.
It wasn't that Joo Seocheon felt burdened for no reason..
Even Heilongjiang, the northeastern end of the Central Plain, went through the process of stretching from Henan to the provinces of Hebei, Beijing, Liaoning, and Jilin..
Normally, it would have taken more than 15 days, but the three people from Jungwon were masters of kyungshingong and there was no pressure on them..
Since the expenses were sufficient, sometimes you could even ride a horse..
Thanks to this, I was able to achieve the feat of arriving at Heilongjiang in just a few days..
“As you can see, visibility is not very good due to the storm..
It may take some time to find your way, so please bear with us..”
I wanted to arrive as quickly as possible, but I had no choice because I didn't know the way and couldn't see ahead..
Even if you tried to improve your eyesight with eye techniques, it was useless because your eyes were blind..
It was frustrating, but there was no clear solution, so I decided to just follow along..
Instead, we set out to collect information..
“If you don't mind, could you please tell me about the North Sea and the Ice Palace??
I studied before leaving Jungwon, but I am worried that I may have misunderstood due to outdated or unclear information..”
“Of course.”
Hawar, the female warrior and guide at the North Sea Ice Palace, readily agreed..
“Long ago, the royal family of this palace led people to the inland sea of the North Sea, coming from a place where more than three hundred rivers flow in and out through one river..”
The reason why Hawar's name is Mongolian is because the ancestors of Binggung and North Sea were immigrants..
As I said in advance, the North Sea people did not have a deep relationship with Mongolia and today's Daldan, even though they share the same ancestral blood..
It was a long time ago that they immigrated, and over time, indigenous people from the North Sea and people from Central Plains mixed in..
“However, settling in the North Sea was not an easy problem..
This is because there was conflict with immigrants from other regions, including indigenous people..
At one time, friction spread into war, but after a successful investigation, peace was restored and a palace made of ice was built..”
There have been many immigrants in the North Sea since ancient times..
Immigrants came in even though the weather was cold and the land was barren because it was relatively peaceful with less foreign invasions due to poor living conditions..
It was perfect for people who were tired of the long wars that took place in the nearby Central Plains or Mongolia..
I was able to solve the problem of food since there is a lake that boasts the largest size and is called an inland sea anyway..
“The subsequent history is not much different from that of Jungwon Murim..
There have been conflicts with various powers in the North Sea over issues such as resources and territory..
If there were an exception, would it be the position between men and women?.”
“Ah, North Sea was a feminist society..”
Instead of Joo Seo-cheon, Nak So-wol chimed in as if she knew..
“Do you know about North Sea society??”
Hawar looked at Naksowol curiously..
“I don't know that much.”
The North Sea is a uniquely female-dominated society. This is because the area itself is inherently difficult for men to be born in and is not suitable for ice skills..
“I heard that Han Bing Gong, the main martial art of the North Sea, is classified as Yin Gong and is not suitable for the male body..
Because of that, conceiving a child... … There's a problem.”
Luo Sowol's cheeks blushed slightly, probably because he was embarrassed by the last part..
“That's right.”
Hawar bobbed his head up and down..
“The North Sea is cold.
There are times when cold weather that I can't survive comes periodically..
In order to survive, regardless of gender, you must learn ice fighting..”
“Huh, then all North Sea people are Murim people??”
Joo Seocheon asked in surprise..
“This is true in most cases, except in unfortunate cases such as disabilities..”
From Jungwon’s perspective, they should have considered it fortunate that North Koreans could not adapt to the weather in Jungwon..
Not just one or two, but most of the North Sea people are unmanned..
I got goosebumps thinking about all of them invading..
It was not for nothing that Woon-gwang or Zhuge-sang praised the North Sea people for being strong..
“However, as Maehwageombong said… … Although Han Bing-gong was able to withstand the cold, it had a fatal weakness..”
“It's an imbalance of yin and yang..”
Joo Seo-cheon heard Hawar's words and understood at once..
“Yin is coldness and womanhood..
Also, Yang is warmth and man..”
It is the basis of yin-yang energy..
“If a man learns Hanbinggong, which is biased towards yin, it causes various side effects..
Failure to achieve high achievements is fundamental, and problems arise with the seeds that will bring life..
More than 70% of the children who give birth are women, and if you are unlucky, you may not be able to conceive a child for the rest of your life..”
It was a place where the gender ratio was inevitably imbalanced..
This was also the reason why the population in the North Sea was small..
“So, I would like to tell you in advance that when you arrive at the main palace, there may be times when you feel embarrassed due to the opposite situation from the central palace, so please understand in advance..”
“All right.”
* * *
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