By Zephyria 
HF 2
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It took less than two days for Wi Ho-yeon’s departure for the Demon Sect to be decided.
The Palace Master sent Ho-yeon off with a generous amount of gold and silver ingots. It was a sum large enough to purchase vast tracts of land, allowing a family to live in wealth for generations. Along with the money was the snow lotus, a spirit medicine that grows in the eternal snow.
This was not so much out of pity for Ho-yeon, but because sending the child of a Palace Master away looking like a beggar would have invited unnecessary suspicion. In truth, Ho-yeon’s only personal possession was a blue oil-paper umbrella made of split bamboo.
“Please use this money to look after the children of Eumbyeol Hall until they are independent. Ensure they lack for nothing.”
That was the only condition Ho-yeon set before leaving. The Palace Master, who had received back the money Ho-yeon had negotiated for his own value, promised to do exactly that.
Ho-yeon’s party pushed through the eternal snow regions of the North Sea, navigated numerous narrow passes, and finally reached the grasslands occupied by ethnic minorities. Since the Demon Sect and the North Sea Ice Palace had agreed to cooperate to open the way, the minorities granted them passage. They had no reason to oppose two such powerful forces.
It was an arduous journey that lasted over a month. By the time they reached the vicinity of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, where the Demon Sect’s stronghold lay, fifty days had passed. Even the Snow Shadow Squad, the elite force of the Ice Palace, were equally exhausted.
“Lord Ho-yeon, we are scheduled to rendezvous with the Demon Sect in two days, so we shall camp here in the meantime.”
The leader of the 3rd squad of the Snow Shadow Squad spoke to Ho-yeon inside the carriage.
The Hundred Thousand Great Mountains were vast and rugged, riddled with deadly traps installed by the Demon Sect to stop intruders. Thus, it had been previously arranged that those sent by the Demon Sect would guide Ho-yeon. Ho-yeon gave his assent and curled himself up to lie down in the carriage.
The Palace Master was not a man to give empty words, so the children of Eumbyeol Hall would be safe. Still, one thing weighed on his mind: the fact that he had been chased out without even a proper farewell. His heart felt heavy thinking of the children, who were likely crying their eyes out searching for him right now.
“Nothing is going my way.”
Ho-yeon ran a hand through his hair, which had been dyed a dark color. Perhaps because his natural complexion was so pale, the black dye made from medicinal herbs had not fully permeated, leaving his hair a chestnut brown. Since it would be problematic if the procession stood out or their identities were revealed, the Snow Shadow Squad had also dyed their hair black and worn masks.
Swish—at that moment, Ho-yeon snapped his head up at a strange sound brushing past his ear. Unlike the wind he had heard until now, this sound of cutting through the air was artificial. At the same moment Ho-yeon hurriedly opened the carriage window—Thwack! An arrow flown from somewhere pierced the squad leader’s temple.
“Leader Wan!”
Ho-yeon called out to the leader, who was no longer of this world. The arrows did not stop at one or two; dozens poured down simultaneously. The Snow Shadow Squad, who were in the middle of preparing the camp, were exposed by the light and hit helplessly by the rain of arrows.
“Lord Ho-yeon! You must not come out!”
As arrows began to embed themselves in Ho-yeon’s carriage, the Snow Shadow Squad violently slammed shut the window Ho-yeon had opened.
At first, he thought they were mere bandits or mountain raiders. But the moment he saw the masked figures, he was certain. This was a planned ambush. As Ho-yeon tried to step outside, there was a loud crack, and his vision shook. An attack from somewhere had smashed the wheels, overturning the carriage.
Ho-yeon pushed the carriage door open with the handle of his umbrella and leaped out from the tilted seat. Before him unfolded a scene where the Snow Shadow Squad was being indiscriminately attacked by the masked men.
Even if the 3rd squad’s martial prowess was lower than that of the 1st and 2nd, they were not warriors who would be defeated so easily. Unfortunately, arrows were still raining down.
Since their position was completely exposed, they were at a further disadvantage. Just as Ho-yeon, gripping his umbrella, tried to rush toward the still-blazing campfire—
A sword with intense sharpness lunged toward Ho-yeon’s torso. Quickly twisting his body, Ho-yeon parried the opponent’s sword with his umbrella. Due to the violent recoil, the hair he had loosely tied with a silk ribbon instantly came undone. The mask that had half-covered his face also slipped down to the ground.
The attacker’s sword, filled with murderous intent, lunged at Ho-yeon again. Shouts of “Lord Ho-yeon!” rang out as several other swords became entangled in the fray. The swords meant to protect Ho-yeon were deflected by the attacker’s blade, and the clear killing intent remained fixed on Ho-yeon.
At this rate, they would be annihilated.
Just as a Snow Shadow member, who was trying to protect Ho-yeon even by sacrificing his own body, was about to be pierced by a sword, a loud sound of an umbrella snapping open erupted from Ho-yeon’s hand. An oil-paper umbrella made of mere bamboo ribs and paper blocked the sharp blade. However, an arrow flying from behind pierced the Snow Shadow member’s neck.
Soon, a bluish energy surged into Ho-yeon’s umbrella. As he pulled out the handle, a blade shorter than the attacker’s revealed itself. Ho-yeon did not hide the blue sword qi enveloping the blade.
“Peak level(1)! The target’s martial prowess is at the Peak level.”
One of the masked men shouted in a low voice. It was an instruction, as if correcting the information about Ho-yeon. The masked men showed agitation after seeing Ho-yeon’s sword qi, but they quickly regained their composure.
What followed was utter chaos. As the campfires were extinguished, the sounds of clashing blades and flying arrows in the darkness seemed to continue endlessly, though they gradually diminished. Ho-yeon felt the heavy weight of the Snow Shadow Squad’s defeat. Struggling to face multiple opponents alone, Ho-yeon was barely managing to block the incoming swords.
The attackers all emitted a peculiar energy; a stench of blood so foul it made the air feel acrid wafted from them. Finally, as an attacker’s sharp blade lunged toward Ho-yeon’s throat—it was too late to dodge, and he looked as though he would barely avoid a fatal wound. As Ho-yeon twisted his body, his silk robe traced a trajectory following the movement.
Clang! The sharp sound of sword meeting sword rang out. Someone else had blocked the attacker’s blade. Confirming that his neck was intact, Ho-yeon looked at the man who had saved him in surprise. Was there another Snow Shadow member still alive? His look of relief quickly turned into curiosity.
The man, who lowered his sword to the ground, was dressed in clothes so black they seemed to blend into the darkness. He was wearing a mask, and since there was no light, even his eyes were not clearly visible.
Suddenly, the man tilted his head and muttered indifferently.
“They said eternal snow.”
Thump. The neck of the attacker who had been attacking from behind was pierced by the man’s sword.
“He’s a complete phoenix head wild hair.”
A darkness deeper than the night draped over the man’s blade. Energy was condensing into the man’s sword as if it were absorbing all the remaining light in the vicinity.
Sword qi…!
Ho-yeon screamed internally. Judging by the form of the dense sword qi, this man was a master who surpassed him. He had thought the man was no ordinary person since he had blocked an attacker with martial prowess superior to the Snow Shadow Squad, but this was beyond that.
Ho-yeon swung his sword to help the mysterious man who was slaughtering the attackers. With the appearance of this single person, the tide of battle shifted completely in their favor. However, luck was not on their side. He had appeared only after the Snow Shadow Squad had all been killed and Ho-yeon was the sole survivor.
At that moment, the sharp sound of a flute echoed from somewhere. While arrows were still flying, the sound of the flute seemed to be a signal to retreat, and the attackers nimbly vanished.
Perhaps sensing the disadvantage, they scattered in all directions as they retreated, making it impossible to follow. Even if he did, there was no guarantee that following them would improve the situation. Having forcibly drawn out his internal energy, Ho-yeon’s physical strength was completely depleted.
Ho-yeon gave up on the idea of chasing them and steadied his ragged breathing. Around him, the corpses of the Snow Shadow members were scattered gruesomely. There had certainly been dead among the attackers as well, but not a single corpse remained, as if they had been recovered during the retreat.
Now, the only ones breathing in this place were himself and the mysterious masked man.
The man standing before Ho-yeon tilted his head slightly. For some reason, he seemed to be gauging something.
Ho-yeon couldn’t help but wonder if the man knew him. The masked man stared at him intently, appearing lost in thought.
Is he deciding whether to kill me or let me live? If so, why did he help me? No, first I should thank him.
However, what Ho-yeon actually muttered aloud was something entirely different.
“…Damn this paper body.”
A terrible pain surged through his body, unable to withstand the excessive use of internal energy. Ho-yeon’s consciousness faded away.
Footnote:
Peak: Refers to one who is proficient in martial arts to the extent of being called a first-class master.
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