By Zephyria 
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HF 1. Bound for the Demon Sect
Rumors that the leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult suffered from the Nine Yang Severed Meridian(1) spread throughout the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.
Because his yang energy was excessive, objects would often melt wherever he stood or sat, and those who touched him eventually burned to death.
“The only way to treat the Heavenly Demon is to obtain an Extreme Yin Constitution(2).”
At the words of Lee Chang-son, a divine physician known as Hua Tuo, the elders of the Demon Sect ordered that every Extreme Yin Constitution in existence be sought out.
To find an Extreme Yin Constitution, the cultists crossed the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains and invaded the Central Plains. In the process, countless people perished, including many cultists and warriors of the orthodox sects.
However, both the Nine Yang Severed Meridian and the Extreme Yin Constitution were constitutions that rarely appeared, even once in several hundred years. Furthermore, even those born with an Extreme Yin Constitution often died young because their meridians were already blocked.
That was not all. Even if such a person were alive, who would willingly offer themselves as a sacrifice to the cult leader? Anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear would have no choice but to hide their constitution and flee.
Thus, the Demon Sect’s search for an Extreme Yin Constitution eventually reached the North Sea Ice Palace, located in the distant outer regions of Murim.
“They say that if no Extreme Yin Constitution exists within our Ice Palace, we must offer the child who most strongly carries the Palace Master’s blood.”
“How could such a thing happen?” the Black Tortoise Hall Master spoke in a devastated voice. In his hand was a letter sent from the Demon Sect. As the one responsible for the Ice Palace’s diplomacy for his entire life, the Black Tortoise Hall Master had never seen such a humiliating letter.
“It has only been twelve years since the Great War of Righteous and Demonic ended in victory for the Murim Alliance! No matter how great the Demon Sect is, it is too early for them to have regained their former momentum. They cannot threaten our Ice Palace, which is so far away. Therefore, let us ignore them!”
“Can we truly say that fight was a complete victory for the Murim Alliance? Why do you think they are called the Demon Sect? If we do not grant their wishes, they will attack our Ice Palace even if it means cutting off their own arms.”
The elders of the Ice Palace each raised their voices. Various opinions poured out, but there was one point where they all agreed.
If it was for the sake of achieving their goal, there was no telling what the Demon Sect might do.
An Extreme Yin Constitution… Sighs of lament leaked from here and there.
The North Sea Ice Palace, situated in the outer regions far from the Central Plains, was surrounded by eternal snow. Consequently, they practiced ice art, a martial art with frost energy attributes. Because of this, people with an Extreme Yin Constitution were born more frequently there than elsewhere—roughly once every hundred years.
“Ahem.”
The master of the North Sea Ice Palace, Palace Master Wi Yeon-gang, who had been listening in silence, silenced the commotion with a dry cough.
“Bring that child in.”
“By ‘that child,’ do you mean…?”
When the Black Tortoise Hall Master asked for clarification, the Ice Frost Hall Master furrowed his brow deeply, as if telling him to read the room. The Palace Master, sitting in the center of the elders, covered his forehead with his hand as if he had a headache.
Only then did the Black Tortoise Hall Master understand and hurriedly shouted to a messenger.
“Quickly, go to Eumbyeol Hall and bring Ho-yeon!”
* * *
Because the Ice Palace inhabitants practiced ice art, their hair and eye colors were unique compared to those of the Central Plains. Wi Ho-yeon, upon arriving at the Palace Master’s hall, possessed an appearance that was even more exceptional.
Ho-yeon had skin and hair like eternal snow, and deep blue-grey eyes, a color rare even within the Ice Palace. It wasn’t just the colors that were striking.
With a face like a plum blossom blooming in the snow, the gentle downward curve of his eyes seemed to bewitch anyone who looked at him. Even the two beauty marks beneath his red lips, set against a backdrop of pure white, were particularly eye-catching.
Ho-yeon was the only one summoned, but there was another person by his side. A child, appearing to be four or five years old, was sucking their thumb and holding Ho-yeon’s hand.
“Couldn’t you leave the child behind?”
The long-bearded Palace Master gave an open reprimand.
“They wouldn’t let go.”
When Ho-yeon whispered something into the child’s ear, the child made a dissatisfied face but finally let go of Ho-yeon’s hand. The child was then practically dragged out of the Palace Master’s hall by another servant.
“But may I ask why I have been summoned…?”
Ho-yeon felt an uncomfortable sensation from the numerous eyes directed at him. Since he usually spent his time with the children in the secluded Eumbyeol Hall, it was extremely rare for him to visit the Palace Master’s hall.
“You must go to the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.”
The Palace Master removed his hand from his temple and spoke his concise purpose. Ho-yeon naturally doubted his own ears. There was only one place he knew as the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.
Named so because of the countless rugged mountains that stretched out, it was the stronghold of the Demon Sect—a place where it was said that once you entered, you could not leave even in death.
Ho-yeon looked around. Since everyone’s eyes were on him, it was certain the Palace Master was referring to him.
“Ho-yeon, listen without misunderstanding. How well have we treated you? Did we not accept you without suspicion, even though you had no proof of identity?”
“That’s not all. To anyone’s eyes, does it not seem that Ho-yeon has inherited the Palace Master’s blood most strongly? In fact, we don’t know what disaster might strike if we don’t send Ho-yeon.”
“At the very least, they won’t harm Ho-yeon. It would be difficult for them to completely turn against our Ice Palace.”
Some of the elders spoke to Ho-yeon, while others spoke to the Palace Master. Amidst the chaotic flood of words, Ho-yeon steadied his mind.
News that the Demon Sect was searching for an Extreme Yin Constitution had already reached Ho-yeon’s ears. Rumors had even surfaced that the Great War of Righteous and Demonic might break out again because of it.
However, it seemed that since they could not find an Extreme Yin Constitution no matter what they tried, the Demon Sect had put pressure on the Ice Palace to hand over at least a child of the Palace Master.
“There will be no danger. If the Demon Sect finds another Extreme Yin Constitution, they will return you safely. Furthermore, the Snow Shadow Squad will protect you in the meantime.”
The Snow Shadow Squad was one of the elite groups of the North Sea Ice Palace.
‘So, these people intend to sell me out.’
Ho-yeon summarized the situation simply.
Not all Ice Palace inhabitants had pure white hair like Wi Ho-yeon. Only those who reached the pinnacle of ice art took on a similar color; ordinary inhabitants who did not practice ice art looked no different from those of the Central Plains.
However, there were cases where people were born with light-colored hair despite lacking ice art—specifically, those of the North Sea Ice Palace Master’s bloodline.
“And if I say I don’t want to?”
“The Ice Palace would be devastated in an all-out war with the Demon Sect. In that case, I cannot guarantee the lives of the children in Eumbyeol Hall whom you cherish so much.”
Ho-yeon’s snow-white hair fluttered in the frost-like wind blowing into the hall. Even the Palace Master, who possessed supreme ice art, had hair close to silver. Only Ho-yeon possessed a pure white color.
“But I am neither the Palace Master’s child nor an Extreme Yin Constitution. Furthermore, I haven’t even learned ice art.”
“That is exactly why. That is why you must go.”
If Ho-yeon were truly his child or an Extreme Yin Constitution, the Palace Master would never have given him up. No matter how much the Demon Sect pressured them, he would have held out to protect the bloodline that would become the successor of the Ice Palace.
But it was a different story when asked to provide something that didn’t exist. One cannot fight a futile war over something that truly isn’t there.
Conversely, the Demon Sect did not trust the Ice Palace. They were more than likely thinking that the Ice Palace might be hiding an Extreme Yin Constitution. Therefore, to avoid the wrath of the Demon Sect, they had to hand over the person who would be least suspected of being a fake.
To the eye, the pure white Wi Ho-yeon looked closest to an Extreme Yin Constitution and appeared to have inherited the Palace Master’s bloodline more strongly than anyone.
Wi Ho-yeon was the only existence who could cheaply stop the bloodbath that would descend upon the Ice Palace.
“How much are you thinking of paying?”
However, he couldn’t go for free. At Ho-yeon’s question, the Palace Master coughed and stroked his beard.
“Make an offer.”
“The Palace Master should offer first,” Ho-yeon replied promptly. The only thing about him that remained gentle was the curve of his eyes.
Footnotes:
Nine Yang Severed Meridian: A condition where the meridians are blocked by extreme yang energy flowing in the body, leading to a short life.
Extreme Yin Constitution: A constitution born with extremely strong yin energy; the blood vessels are blocked by yin energy, leading to a short life.