By Zephyria 
HF 49
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Because he was wearing a mask, only his eyes were visible, making it impossible to gauge Jangun’s expression. However, Jangun did not stop him.
“If by any chance Mu-gyeong… the Cult Leader looks for me, please tell him I went to the Jade Pavilion and will be back. I’m going to return the seven-stringed zither. I can’t afford to be branded a thief.”
This was the excuse Ho-yeon had prepared in case Jangun asked where he was going. But since Jangun asked nothing at all, it became a truly pathetic excuse.
Despite this, Ho-yeon hesitated to leave the courtyard, glancing at him for a while before tentatively stepping away. He looked back once more, but Jangun remained standing in the same spot.
‘What… was I actually allowed to leave?’
Ho-yeon felt quite wronged. He thought of all the time he had spent confined in the Shadowless Pavilion, not knowing this. Then again, since he couldn’t possibly leave the demonic cult headquarters anyway, there was probably no need to keep him tied down in the Shadowless Pavilion.
“Abok, since we’re out, shall we buy some delicious snacks?”
“Since the Young Master likes white foods, I believe snow candy would be best.”
“Stop talking about me. Tell me what snack you want, Abok.”
Though Abok couldn’t see it, Ho-yeon gave a gentle smile. Since no one was stopping his outing, Ho-yeon’s steps gradually grew more confident. But just then, the sound of something charging fiercely came from a nearby forest path.
Even though Jangun hadn’t stopped him, his anxiety remained, leaving Ho-yeon frozen in place. He slowly turned his head toward the direction of the sound.
The one bursting out from the lush mountain brush was Tae-pyeong, his white eyes flashing. His saddle was crooked, and he looked bizarre, snorting loudly with the reins dangling.
Fearing they might be trampled, Ho-yeon grabbed Abok’s arm and stood still. Tae-pyeong approached with a series of snorts and trots. However, far from trampling them, he abruptly shoved his head toward Ho-yeon. Tae-pyeong’s head was tangled with all sorts of grass and twigs.
“You want me… to take these off?”
When Ho-yeon asked cautiously, Tae-pyeong eventually rubbed his long head against Ho-yeon’s chest. Come to think of it, despite his peculiar appearance, Tae-pyeong had never acted roughly toward him. Ho-yeon reached out and plucked the debris clinging to Tae-pyeong’s head. Because the horse behaved so docilely, Ho-yeon scratched his mane vigorously, to which the horse let out a strange, soft sound.
Abok remained by Ho-yeon’s side, unphased by the sudden appearance of the horse. Ho-yeon patted the horse’s thick neck and said,
“Tae-pyeong, go play over there. I’ll be back after I finish my business.”
He felt a bit ridiculous, making excuses even to Mu-gyeong’s horse. Since he was heading down anyway, Ho-yeon intended to stop by the demonic shadow martial house to meet Chief Han. He didn’t intend to confront him about being deceived, but rather because there was something he wanted to ask regarding the letter. Provided, of course, that the man would meet him.
However, Tae-pyeong continued to block Ho-yeon’s path. Moreover, surprisingly, the horse bent its four legs and sat down on the ground. He thought the horse was only good at standing on two legs, but it seemed he was proficient in all sorts of equine eccentricities.
Thinking it was truly a peculiar horse, Ho-yeon tried to pass him. Tae-pyeong leaped up, blocked Ho-yeon’s path again, and sat down once more.
“Don’t tell me… you want me to ride you?”
Though conversation with a beast was impossible, Tae-pyeong looked at Ho-yeon with eyes full of white. Ho-yeon looked at Tae-pyeong beneath him and then looked down the mountain path.
It seemed it would take quite a while to walk to the Jade Pavilion and back. Since this intelligent beast was offering a ride, wouldn’t it be fine to accept the favor? Besides, if he didn’t ride, it felt as though the horse would stubbornly keep blocking his way. Sure enough, when Ho-yeon tried to pass, Tae-pyeong repeated the same behavior.
“Abok, can you ride a horse?”
“Yes, Young Master, I can.”
“Then let’s ride down.”
Caw, caw! At that moment, Ho-yeon shivered. Two crows were fighting viciously above his head, beaks wide open. The beasts of the Ice Palace were generally static, but from the carp that fought a life-and-death struggle over prey to these crows, everything in the demon sect was fierce.
Feeling inexplicably anxious at the sound of the crows, Ho-yeon let out a small sigh and climbed onto Tae-pyeong.
“Abok, now get behind me… Whoa!”
As soon as Ho-yeon put his weight on the horse’s back and reached out to Abok, Tae-pyeong bolted upright on four legs. An urgent cry of “Young Master…!” erupted from behind. Tae-pyeong, carrying Ho-yeon, began descending the mountain path at a ferocious speed from the very start.
While ordinary horses go through a trot or canter before a full gallop, Tae-pyeong went straight into a full-out sprint. Gripping the reins, Ho-yeon squeezed his thighs tight and leaned his upper body back. Since it was a downhill slope, he would have been flung right off if he had leaned forward.
“Tae-pyeong! Slow down! No, stop!”
Because he was moving so fast, the sound of the wind was so loud that Ho-yeon’s voice was nearly drowned out. Ho-yeon didn’t even have the luxury to look back to see where Abok was. Tae-pyeong leaped and bounded, avoiding rocks and boulders like a horse possessed by the desire to descend the mountain.
Since Tae-pyeong was both intelligent and fast, he was certainly a fine steed. However, Ho-yeon had never ridden such a wild horse. He wondered how such a temperamental creature had ever pulled a carriage or a cart. Ho-yeon was horrified by the speed, which felt as if the wind were scratching his face.
“Tae-pyeong! Where are you going! Not there!”
Furthermore, the snorting Tae-pyeong was not heading toward the marketplace, but rather toward a place he must not go. It was the heavenly demon palace, which had been visible below the Shadowless Pavilion.
“No! Stop! Whoa, Tae-pyeong, be a good boy, okay?”
His bamboo hat was blown off, his tied-back hair came loose and fluttered—it was utter chaos. Whether he had his own shortcut or not, Tae-pyeong raced through paths only beasts would use, and soon pivoted sharply, digging his legs in to leap over a boulder. Before he knew it, the wide grand hall marking the entrance to the heavenly demon palace appeared.
Tae-pyeong, galloping madly through the hall that could hold thousands of cultists, raced through the connecting corridors without hesitation. The massive black iron pillars lined up everywhere provided an imposing atmosphere, but he was moving too fast to even properly feel it.
Ho-yeon considered jumping off Tae-pyeong right then and there, but he wondered if his life would be spared if he did. Jumping off at this speed would result in serious injury at best, assuming he was lucky.
But why were there no guards protecting the heavenly demon palace? The security was so lax that it was perfect for an assassin to sneak in.
Ho-yeon had no way of knowing that Tae-pyeong was avoiding the magic arrays and traps scattered throughout the heavenly demon palace. Moreover, the demonic shadow guard, the shadows of the Cult Leader who guarded the palace, had no intention of stopping the person with fluttering white hair heading toward the heavenly demon hall.
Soon, the towering heavenly demon hall came into view. Ho-yeon’s entire body already felt tingly from the demonic energy emanating from that place.
“Tae-pyeong, please, please let’s go back. Please?”
No matter how much Ho-yeon pleaded, Tae-pyeong, seemingly intoxicated and excited by the demonic energy, accelerated his gallop even further. As luck would have it, the massive doors of the heavenly demon hall were open, as if welcoming Tae-pyeong. Ho-yeon decided to jump, even if it meant breaking his arms or legs. As he approached the heavenly demon hall, the dense demonic energy made it difficult to even breathe.
Ho-yeon squeezed his eyes shut. As the demonic energy invaded his lungs as if it were alive, a pain like thorny vines scratching his insides set in. Every breath felt as if his chest were tearing apart, and the demonic energy sought to erode his blood paths. At this rate, his entire body would be contaminated by the demonic energy.
Driven by a strong survival instinct, Ho-yeon’s dantian opened, and he began to repel the demonic energy penetrating his body. The demonic energy that had tried to invade was violently expelled, and white breath leaked from Ho-yeon’s lips.
Crack. The black floor was freezing in all directions due to the blue frost energy Ho-yeon released. The demonic energy that had permeated the heavenly demon hall was suppressed by the frost energy, and even the moisture in the air froze, scattering frost like snowflakes.
Finally, Ho-yeon released the tension in his body and let go of the reins. It was the moment he raised both arms to protect his head as he was about to fall from the horse.
With the sound of a fluttering robe, his body, which should have slammed into the floor, was pulled strongly into someone’s embrace. A firm arm within the robe wrapped around him, and it seemed the impact was entirely absorbed by the other person.
Ho-yeon, whose heart was pounding as if it would burst, quickly opened his eyes. Haah, white breath still flowed from Ho-yeon’s lips.
“Since Wi Ho-yeon attempted to flee.”
White breath also scattered from Mu-gyeong, who held Ho-yeon in his arms. His red glint seemed hidden in the mist for a moment, but soon revealed itself clearly.
“Is it now my turn to crush the Ice Palace?”