Book 28 Chapter 10

Frozen Sword

― A Terrible Demon of Lust

Three swords were embedded in the middle of the road.

However, if those swords had been ordinary, even three hundred swords would not have stopped their footsteps. But these three swords were renowned swords rarely seen even in the martial arts world. Those who wield such swords are usually masters. Yet, all three renowned swords were broken in the middle. That was not the only strange thing.

"This is…"

As Jang Yiha stepped forward and looked at the broken swords, he was startled, making his nickname, 'Heart of Steel,' meaningless.

"Haha, what a strange occurrence…"

Jang Yiha looked up at the bright, sun-drenched sky, then lowered his gaze to survey the dense green forest. He then looked back at the three broken swords.

White frost was still firmly frozen on their blades, and their hilts were frozen with transparent ice. Even though the sun was shining warmly on the ground, the ice did not melt.

"Frozen swords on a day like this…"

It was truly a bizarre event.

In his daze, Binggeom's eyes sharpened, and he approached the broken swords. A cold, sharp light, like an ice shard, poured from his eyes as he looked down at the frozen swords.

"This is a trace of Ice Cold Realm martial arts."

Since he also practiced Ice Cold Realm martial arts, his gaze naturally fell upon the same extreme cold energy. Only a very limited number of martial arts could emit such cold energy that wouldn't easily melt even under the midday sun. Binggeom then began to examine the three swords carefully.

"It seems the owner of this sword was struck by palm strikes. And it was extreme yin palm strikes."

"Why do you say that?"

"You can tell by examining the blade of this sword. Among the recent scars, there are no wounds from sharp sword energy."

In other words, it was proof that he was struck by martial arts other than sword techniques.

"To break such renowned swords with just bare palms… they must be quite a master. What kind of palm technique is it?"

Furthermore, there was something that bothered him more than the name of the palm technique.

'What is this sinister evil energy hidden within this cold?'

A peculiar and strange energy emanated from the frost frozen on the blade.

'Such unpleasant yin energy… were there such sinister and strange palm techniques in the martial arts world?'

Binggeom's brow furrowed involuntarily from the chilling energy that made him feel uneasy just by being near it. He had never encountered such overtly unpleasant and ominous cold before.

"Perhaps…"

"Do you perhaps have an idea of the palm technique, Captain Biao?"

As Jang Yiha politely tried to ask Binggeom, Jang Hong quickly intervened, cutting off his words. There were many eyes watching, and it looked strange for a provincial governor to use polite language to a captain.

At that moment, a young man from the patrol team staggered over and spoke. It was Baek Mu-yeong, the wise one of Gu-jeong-hoe's wisdom pouch, Hyangsan Ilgi. His handsome and knowledgeable face was now hidden by his bamboo hat, making it hard to see. However, it was clear that he was trembling with emotion.

"May I see that sword for a moment?"

He, who was usually adept at self-control, seemed somewhat flustered now. After examining the sword, Baek Mu-yeong's voice trembled severely.

"As expected…!"

"…As expected? Do you know about this sword?"

Binggeom asked. Baek Mu-yeong nodded weakly and said in a voice so quiet that others could not hear it.

"Yes, of course. Because this sword belongs to our Hyangsan Sect."

The red tassel at the tip, the blue hilt, and the character 'Hyang (荊)' engraved in the middle of the scabbard. They were undoubtedly swords carried by disciples of the Hyangsan Sect.

"Judging by the three tassels, these must be swords of first-generation disciples, specifically from the Hyangsan Twelve Swords."

Baek Mu-yeong spoke using telepathy. Even though he was distressed, he used telepathy, considering the attention of those around him, showing he was indeed a clever person.

"Hyangsan Twelve Swords?! Is that true?"

Baek Mu-yeong nodded with a grave expression. Binggeom had heard of the Hyangsan Twelve Swords. It referred to the twelve most talented sword masters among the first-generation disciples of the Hyangsan Sect. Their main duty was the defense of the Hyangsan Sect, so they rarely left the mountain gate. For the swords of these first-generation disciples, who cherished their swords as much as their lives, to be found frozen and discarded here was an unusual matter.

'What kind of incident could have happened at such an obscure mountain pass?'

And where had the owners of these swords gone?

"Now that you've seen them, I believe it's our turn."

Binggeom inwardly cursed when he heard the voice of a young woman coming from just a short distance away. This woman was the third among the eight women who followed the women in black robes. His momentary hesitation, surprised by the traces of Ice Cold Realm martial arts, had led Binggeom and Yeomdo to encounter another truly important entity. They should have fled without looking back when their footsteps stopped. But it was already too late for regrets.

"May I take a look?"

The woman asked again in a calm voice. Seeing her up close, her deep eyes, which made her age unknowable, suggested she was a very intelligent and wise woman.

"Go ahead."

Stepping back, Binggeom realized another mistake. He had become too separated from his companions while examining the swords. The gazes of the women in black robes were all fixed on him, which was quite burdensome.

'Surely I haven't been discovered?'

Although his face was hidden by his bamboo hat and fur cloak, and his dark blue hair and body were concealed, his coping mechanisms were woefully insufficient to quell his anxiety. Binggeom and Yeomdo's physical characteristics were too unique; even a slight reveal would easily identify them to most people in the martial arts world.

He especially did not want to make eye contact with the woman holding the Dragon Head Spear at the front. This was the first time Binggeom, who had been practicing the Bingbaek Simgyeol since emerging into the martial arts world, had felt such tension. He even doubted whether he could make the right judgment now.

Given the situation, he could no longer rashly leave this place.

The woman who had stepped forward alone had finished examining all the swords and was now turning her gaze towards him. Her unwavering stare, as if trying to pierce through his disguise, was incredibly uncomfortable.

Her eyes were clear and full of wisdom, making it easy to infer that she was a quick-witted and brilliant individual. Moreover, unlike her youthful appearance, there was a certain seasoned quality about her. Most importantly, what caught Binggeom's attention was the dark blue color of her hair, which was tied up on one side and braided long. This indicated that she had mastered Ice Cold Realm martial arts to a superior level, though not to the same extent as the woman with the silver-blue hair standing there. Of course, it was still not at his level of achievement.

However, even Binggeom couldn't help but be surprised by the silver gloves, which looked like they were sprinkled with ice crystals, worn on her slender fingers.

'That is?!'

She was wearing white gloves, seemingly woven from silver thread. They were unusual gloves with exposed finger joints. The area around the gloves was hazy, as if fogged, which was undoubtedly caused by water vapor freezing upon contact with the gloves. It was enough to feel a chill just by looking at them. This meant that this pair of white gloves was a treasure with extreme yin properties.

'Binglun Gaep (Ice Wheel Armor)!'

It was undeniably Binglun Gaep, a supreme treasure that doubled the power and effectiveness of Ice Cold Realm martial arts simply by wearing it. It was a treasure beyond compare for those who practiced Ice Cold Realm martial arts. Being impervious to blades was a basic feature, and Binglun Gaep itself possessed extreme yin energy, meaning such a treasure could bridge a significant gap in skill. Of course, for ordinary people, it was a dangerous weapon that would cause frostbite on their hands just by wearing it, and eventually shatter them if they endured it for too long. It was an item that severely tested its owner, and one could never wear it unless their Hanbing Gong reached a certain level.

However, Binggeom quickly averted his gaze from the Binglun Gaep, pretending not to have seen it. This extraordinary woman was staring at him intently, as if searching him. Binggeom was suppressing his true aura using 'Jelseok (Breath Cutting),' a type of concealment technique, but a sharp awl would inevitably pierce through a pocket. Even if such a peak master could barely hide their aura, it was even more difficult to hide the atmosphere or impression one gave off when meeting directly. This was especially true in front of women with sensitive senses. Furthermore, Binggeom was not accustomed to hiding himself.

The woman with the dark blue hair looking at Binggeom was, in fact, Gal Hyo-hye, the third among the eight Immortals of the Demon God sect, a woman renowned for her intellect, known as the Female Zhuge of the Shinnaga or the Ten Wisdom Maidens.

"Perhaps… have we met somewhere before?"

Suddenly, the woman directly asked Binggeom.

"No."

Binggeom was slightly taken by surprise, but he calmly and composedly replied. That was the truth.

"Really no?"

The woman's counter-question had a subtle pressure that unnerved the listener. However, Binggeom was not someone who would be shaken by such pressure.

"Really."

Binggeom tried to answer nonchalantly, but several of the eight women frowned at his words. Although it was his usual demeanor, to first-time observers, his voice was excessively cold. Depending on how they interpreted it, they could feel that a mere captain of a newly established express company was looking down on them. For them, being surpassed or ignored by someone on the street was absolutely impossible. It was an act only for novices who dared to challenge the pride they had maintained for a hundred years in the Shinnaga.

"…"

Gal Hyo-hye's eyes also grew cold for a moment. However, rather than being displeased, she seemed to be contemplating something. She then smiled gently, as if she had never frowned before, and said,

"Oh dear, I must have mistaken. I apologize."

Considering her status, her tone was overly polite for a mere captain. Thus, not only Binggeom but also her sisters seemed somewhat puzzled. However, the three women at the front simply watched what she was doing.

"I felt a strong sense of familiarity when we first met. Perhaps it was because I was happy to meet someone who practiced the same Ice Cold energy."

"Perhaps so."

At that moment, a bright smile spread across Gal Hyo-hye's eyes as she gazed at him softly.

"As expected. I was hoping so."

Gal Hyo-hye smiled faintly as if it were a trivial matter.

"……!"

As soon as he saw Gal Hyo-hye's smile, Binggeom realized he had fallen into a clever psychological trap.

To emphasize the fact that they were strangers meeting for the first time today, he had confirmed that he practiced Ice Cold energy. However, she had wanted to confirm from the beginning whether he practiced Ice Cold energy, so she had deliberately created an escape route and led him in that direction.

But Gal Hyo-hye merely smiled slightly, saying nothing about the fact she had just confirmed. So, Binggeom could not even guess what she was thinking.

"Do you have any idea who might have broken those swords?"

"No. As you know, Miss, our express team and your group first met before reaching the middle of the mountain pass, didn't we? Our express team saw it just now, so we know nothing."

Then Gal Hyo-hye smiled.

"Indeed, your express team and we have been climbing together from below, so you must have been in a hurry. I asked a foolish question again."

"It's alright."

He just wanted to leave this uncomfortable situation as soon as possible. However, Gal Hyo-hye strangely did not seem to let him go. Although she had looked at Jang Yiha earlier, it was only for a fleeting moment.

In fact, she was observing whether he, the leader and chief of the express team, would intervene in the conversation between her and a mere captain at any moment. However, Jang Yiha simply waited quietly for the conversation to end. And there was no sign of displeasure from him anywhere. He acted as if it were natural for her to only speak with 'a mere captain.' In fact, he hadn't even introduced himself, let alone hurried them along. That point greatly intrigued her.

She smiled and said,

"Looking at your banner, it seems to be an express team from the Zhongyang Express Company, which is rapidly expanding its influence in the martial arts world these days, isn't it?"

She seemed to be very knowledgeable about the state of the martial arts world and recent power shifts.

"Yes."

"Are you from the headquarters in Sichuan?"

"No. I'm from the Hubei branch."

Then Gal Hyo-hye said with a feigned expression of surprise.

"That's truly astonishing. And I'm envious."

Binggeom could not help but ask in return.

"What exactly is astonishing, and what are you envious of?"

"To think that a mere branch office, not even the main branch, has so many excellent patrol officers flocking like clouds… How can I not be astonished?"

Binggeom inwardly broke out in a cold sweat at her words.

"To think that even a peak master like you remains only a captain… the Zhongyang Express Company is truly remarkable."

"A peak master? It's too much to bear. This humble person has only coincidentally learned a few martial arts. How could an ordinary person like me become a peak master?"

He deflected by calling himself a commoner.

'Could there be something wrong with the 'Breath Cutting' I'm using? Or is she just probing?' It was very difficult to read this woman's true intentions.

"After I return, I must tell the elders. Let's invest in this Zhongyang Express Company. Its potential is unpredictable, so we will surely reap great profits."

"I dare not accept such praise. But you certainly will not regret it."

Even if it was just in words, he had to pretend to promote the company, as he was disguised as a captain.

"However, you're wearing your bamboo hat pulled down so low… it's hard to see your face. If it's like this, how will I know who to look for when I visit the Hubei branch to discuss investment later?"

Gal Hyo-hye gazed at him with a subtle look, as if she could see through Binggeom's bamboo hat.

"I am merely a captain. For such important matters, it seems proper procedure to consult with Chief Jang, who is over there, Miss."

Gal Hyo-hye glanced at Jang Yiha, who was sitting on his horse, then turned her head back towards Binggeom with an indifferent expression.

"I want to consult with you. Because I am investing in that express company based on your potential and possibilities."

"So…"

Gal Hyo-hye interrupted Binggeom, who was looking perplexed, and said,

"Excuse me… but could you perhaps take off your bamboo hat for a moment for your future investor? You look very handsome… so I'll know who to look for when I visit later to invest. If my family's investment goes into the Zhongyang Express Company, it will be a great opportunity for you too. So, please…"

"This is truly…"

Binggeom was in a truly difficult situation. He had never imagined being pressured in such a way.

'I need to escape this situation somehow…'

Revealing his face here would be extremely foolish. If he did, only a cliff awaited them.

"This person…"

Just as Binggeom's mouth opened.

"Run! Run away!"

All eyes turned to one side. It was a side path leading off the main road to the right. A man ran out from that path, shouting frantically, and began to charge towards them at full speed.

The man seemed to be desperately fleeing from something, and sweat was beading on his forehead.

He held a sword with three red tassels in his hand, appearing to be in his late thirties. And that sword was not yet broken.

The man running towards them stamped his foot upon seeing the group of Bi Ruyeon and widened his eyes. Then he shouted again in a loud voice,

"I'm telling you all to run! Right now!"

But not a single person moved.