Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 196

196. The Ice Emperor’s Training Chamber

North Sea Ice Palace, the Ice Emperor’s residence.

The Ice Emperor, sitting on the bed, slightly furrowed his thick eyebrows.

“The training chamber of the past Ice Emperors? Are you talking about the place with the Eternal Ice Crystal [a sacred artifact believed to protect the North Sea]?”

“Yes.”

Yunhyun replied with a tense expression.

“Hmm.”

The Ice Emperor stroked his beard for a moment, then nodded.

“Do so.”

“Yes?”

Yunhyun was surprised by the answer.

It was because the answer came too easily to his impudent request to enter the training chamber of the past Ice Emperors.

He was so nervous that he felt drained.

“Is it really okay?”

“It’s okay.”

The Ice Emperor shrugged.

“Anyway, that place is just an empty space with the Ice Soul [another name for the Eternal Ice Crystal]. It’s a mysterious place, but it only has symbolic meaning. The place actually used as a training chamber is separate. Ah, Ice Soul is the name of that Eternal Ice Crystal.”

‘Ah, symbolic…….’

Yunhyun could finally understand.

Unlike what he expected, the Ice Emperor’s training chamber was not a place with strange elixirs or secret manuals.

If so, he could understand why the Ice Emperor readily allowed it.

‘Come to think of it, Ice Soul had such an origin.’

The young palace lord said that the Eternal Ice Crystal was a sacred object that had protected the North Sea, so perhaps that’s why the guards were called Ice Souls.

“The Ice Soul is a truly strange and awe-inspiring sacred object. I can’t forget the moment I first saw the Ice Soul, even now.”

The Ice Emperor let out a light laugh.

“But it won’t be of much help. Especially to someone like you.”

A strange and awe-inspiring sacred object that won’t be of help?

Yunhyun gave him a puzzled look.

The Ice Emperor smiled and said.

“Isn’t that how all sacred objects are? Transcendental mystery and amazing reverence—that’s enough.”

Yunhyun agreed with the Ice Emperor’s words.

How many dynasties rely on myths and legends to gain transcendental legitimacy [the right to rule]?

So, the importance of the Eternal Ice Crystal in the North Sea was understandable.

“So, don’t take entering that place lightly. If you weren’t the Blue Wolf [a title of respect and significance in the North Sea], it would be absolutely impossible. In a way, it’s more amazing than seeing the Ice Palace’s treasury.”

Yunhyun nodded.

“When will you go?”

“I’m ready to go now.”

There was no reason to hesitate or postpone.

He had already told Dokgo-rang that he would go alone.

“Is that so?”

The Ice Emperor smiled.

Then, he picked up a small bell on the table next to the bed and shook it lightly.

Clang.

With the clear sound of the bell, a court lady entered and bowed politely.

The Ice Emperor gave the maid some instructions in the language of the North Sea, and the maid bowed politely and withdrew.

“There will be a horse prepared outside. It’s not too far, but it’s a bit far to walk. Just follow that maid.”

The Ice Emperor’s training chamber seemed to be outside the Ice Palace.

“Thank you.”

When Yunhyun bowed, the Ice Emperor also bowed in return.

“Ah, right.”

The Ice Emperor said as if he had suddenly remembered something.

“When you go, the former elders [retired, highly respected members of the community] will be guarding it. They are eccentric old men who have dedicated their lives to preserving the traditions of the North Sea. If they say anything, show them the Falling Sun [Yunhyun’s sword]. They’ll probably be happy.”

The Ice Emperor said with a smile.

“The fact that the Blue Wolf is visiting that place means that you respect the traditions of the North Sea.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

Yunhyun replied with a serious expression.

The name Blue Wolf felt somehow heavier.

***

Yunhyun rode his horse, following the maid towards the Ice Emperor’s training chamber.

And before long, the maid and Yunhyun soon arrived near the training chamber.

Clatter.

The maid who was walking ahead stopped her horse.

Yunhyun also stopped his horse and got off.

Thud.

A little dust rose from under his feet.

‘This is it?’

Yunhyun was puzzled.

The surroundings were very desolate and bleak.

Contrary to his expectations of finding a plausible shrine, there were no trees or even grass.

All he could see were large and small stone mounds of unknown meaning.

“Is this the place?”

Yunhyun asked, but the maid only smiled quietly.

It was then.

“Who is it?”

A dry voice flowed out from between the stone mounds.

And three old men with white beards and full of white hair appeared.

The maid immediately bowed to the old men.

And began to say something in the language of the North Sea.

‘Are those the ones?’

Yunhyun carefully looked at the old men.

The sharp eyes and wrinkled faces, and the unusual aura, told him that they were the former elders.

Although there were no dignified clothes or antique decorations, they were the rough warriors who lived in the harsh North Sea.

Perhaps that was the traditional appearance of the North Sea.

Step.

Meanwhile, one of the three old men approached Yunhyun.

“Will you show us the Falling Sun?”

“Show us the Falling Sun,” the maid translated.

Yunhyun nodded and took out the Falling Sun he had brought.

Of course, he didn’t draw his sword.

If he drew it, he would be caught that the sword was missing.

“Hmm.”

The expression of the old man, the former elder, who was looking at the Falling Sun, was quite stiff.

“I will guide you. Follow me.”

The maid translated his words again, and Yunhyun bowed.

“Thank you.”

However, the former elder only nodded lightly.

Step, step.

The former elder turned around and walked away.

Yunhyun put away the Falling Sun and followed him.

‘They said they’d be happy.’

Yunhyun recalled the Ice Emperor’s words and was puzzled.

‘They don’t seem to be.’

Perhaps the old men were clumsy at expressing their emotions.

But no matter how he looked at it, their eyes were far from happy.

In any case, it was enough for Yunhyun to be allowed to enter the training chamber of the past Ice Emperors.

Yunhyun quietly followed the former elder.

Step, step.

As the two disappeared between the stone mounds, one of the two remaining old men said to the maid.

“You can go back now.”

The maid bowed politely and said.

“The Ice Emperor ordered me to wait…….”

“Have you.”

The old man said with a rather terrifying aura.

“Since when have you been disobeying my words?”

This old man was also a former elder.

His aura was too much for the maid to handle.

However, the maid bit her lip.

“I can’t leave because I received an order.”

It was by no means a normal situation for the former elder to pressure the Ice Emperor’s maid.

Even if the other party was an eccentric former elder.

“What? Are you really…….”

“Stop it.”

The other old man standing behind stepped forward.

He said to the maid.

“I will tell the Ice Emperor. So, you should go back now.”

When the two former elders said that, the maid could no longer disobey.

“……I understand.”

The maid bowed and got on her horse and left for the Ice Palace.

Clatter, clatter.

Watching the receding figure of the maid, the old man muttered.

“Now the Ice Emperor will know. That we do not recognize him.”

“Of course!”

The old man standing next to him burst out in anger.

“How can we dare to give the name of the Blue Wolf to such a young outsider?”

The old man who was listening gave a bitter smile.

“Still, he is the successor of the Sword Saint [a legendary figure]. The Sword Saint was about the same age when he came to the North Sea in the past.”

The old man muttered, looking at the stone mound where Yunhyun had disappeared.

“We were young and foolish back then. All of us.”

The old man who was listening frowned and said.

“Surely, you are not saying that you will recognize him as the Blue Wolf?”

“No.”

The old man said in a firm tone.

“The name of the Blue Wolf should never be given for political purposes. The Ice Emperor has clearly made a wrong decision in this matter. Therefore, the Tyrant Blade’s [a powerful warrior] challenge to him is a natural right and duty according to the traditions of the North Sea.”

“Well, of course.”

The other old man smiled contentedly.

“Then I will inform the Tyrant Blade right away.”

Tyrant Blade Bayantu had already revealed to them.

He said that he would personally test the one who received the name of the Blue Wolf.

“Wait.”

The other old man stopped him as he was about to leave.

“Cooperating with the Tyrant Blade ends here. I have no intention of getting involved in the power struggles of the young palace lords now.”

“Don’t worry. I feel the same way.”

Saying that, the old man soon flew away.

The messenger was already waiting nearby, so the Tyrant Blade would soon arrive here.

“Hoo.”

The remaining old man sighed softly.

He thought his choice was right, but somehow one corner of his heart was chilly.

Perhaps it was because he had unintentionally deceived Yunhyun, the successor of the Sword Saint and the one who received the name of the Blue Wolf.

Or perhaps it was because the fear of being mercilessly defeated by the Sword Saint in the past was still vividly alive in one side of his heart.

The old man looked at the stone mounds where Yunhyun had disappeared.

But the stone mounds were silent, and only the cool wind of the North Sea was blowing.

***

The place where Yunhyun arrived, following the former elder, was like an old stone tomb.

Made of rough stones, it looked more like an old stone tomb than a training chamber.

Moreover, with a large stone door standing there, it was far from being a training chamber no matter how he looked at it.

“Is this the place?”

Yunhyun asked.

However, the former elder silently bowed and turned around as it was.

“Oh, over there…….”

Before Yunhyun could express his gratitude, the former elder disappeared the way he came.

Yunhyun was the only one left.

Yunhyun, scratching his head, turned his head and looked at the stone door.

‘Is this really the training chamber of the past Ice Emperors?’

Also, the place where the Eternal Ice Crystal of the North Sea, the Ice Soul, is located.

‘Somehow…….’

The tomb, which was built by stacking large stones firmly, was quite large.

But no matter how he looked at it, it didn’t seem like there would be a large space inside.

Then there was only one possible situation.

The training chamber of the past Ice Emperors is underground.

‘Hoo.’

Yunhyun couldn’t hide his sullen expression.

Turning his head, the towering Ice Palace looked quite close.

It felt far away because he had returned along the coast of the North Sea, but the straight-line distance was much closer than that.

‘Anyway, how do I open this door?’

Yunhyun pondered for a moment, looking at the large stone door in front of him.

The stone door was covered with patterns he had never seen before.

It was worn out by the wind and rain and could not be properly identified, but it was certainly old.

‘Where.’

Yunhyun hesitated as he was about to touch it, thinking he would just touch it once.

The stone door was emitting a cold energy as if it were ice.

But it wasn’t to the point where he couldn’t touch it.

Swish.

Yunhyun lightly stroked the pattern.

‘But will this even open?’

Just looking at the size, it didn’t seem like it would move easily.

But Yunhyun decided to give it a try.

‘Um. First of all, this door.’

After choosing one of the left and right stone doors, he firmly grabbed a suitable piece.

And he gave it strength.

Grrrr.

‘Oh!’

Unexpectedly, the stone door opened easily.

With a low sound, the large stone door moved aside.

“Huh, this is amazing.”

Yunhyun looked at the opened stone door again.

And he glanced inside the door.

Whoo-oong.

The entrance to a deep cave was revealed.

As he had already guessed, a cold wind was blowing from the cave that was steeply pierced downwards.

The stone door was cold probably because of this wind.

‘It’s quite eerie.’