A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 129

129. Resolution with the Heavens (2)

Kwang!

“Kugh.”

Tulkher’s distorted face was wretched. It was evident that his complexion had turned blue in an instant. However, his right arm was in an even worse state.

Crack.

Holding the gently curved scimitar, his right arm was freezing from the inside out. This was the aftermath of the impact from the single clash between his scimitar, ‘Sea of Blood,’ and Sasu Yeon’s sword.

“Umm.”

Tulkher vigorously circulated his inner energy [internal energy or ‘qi’], attempting to counteract the encroaching cold. With all his might, his energy slowly began to push back the cold, and a faint aura like heat haze rose from the hand holding the scimitar.

Rustle.

Having finally succeeded in driving out the cold, Tulkher raised his head. Sasu Yeon was looking at him with a cold expression. Streams of cold, white mist flowed from her sword.

“What is that?”

“Mystic Ice Formation.”

Sasu Yeon said. Some of the warriors and generals felt a chill at her voice, sensing the coldness within it. Needless to say, Tulkher felt it even more.

“Mystic Ice Formation?”

Tulkher frowned. He had never heard of such a martial art. But Sasu Yeon’s energy felt strangely familiar. What could it be?

“Impressive. Even your father in the past was not this skilled.”

Tulkher spoke in a condescending tone. A smile appeared on Sasu Yeon’s face.

“Is that so?”

It was a sneer. Yet even that cold mockery was so beautiful that even Tulkher was momentarily shaken.

Sbak.

Sasu Yeon took a step forward. Her sword let out a low wail.

“Your blade is light, your techniques are crude, and your inner energy is shallow. How dare you evaluate my father’s level with such qualities?”

Tulkher was a master of the previous generation and the Great Elder of a large and influential tribe. Who in the Northern Sea would dare to call Tulkher crude and shallow?

Even if he had been indulging his desires by abusing his power and authority until now.

“A young girl with a foul mouth.”

Tulkher said, grinding his teeth. No matter what anyone said, he was Tulkher. He was confident that he had achieved his current position through his own strength.

Although he had been defeated miserably by Saja Hyuk, Sasu Yeon was not Saja Hyuk. And Tulkher was not the same Tulkher as before.

“This old man will teach you a lesson in place of your father!”

Shriek.

Tulkher’s scimitar, ‘Sea of Blood,’ danced wildly as it lunged toward Sasu Yeon. The eerie energy emanating from his scimitar showed that Tulkher was not an opponent to be taken lightly.

The warriors and generals watching Tulkher’s skills also hardened their expressions. But not Sasu Yeon.

Clang, clang, clang.

Explosions erupted in succession. Sasu Yeon was blocking Tulkher’s fierce attacks with light movements.

The contrast between Sasu Yeon’s calm expression and Tulkher’s clenched teeth was almost comical.

Kwang!

With a great explosion, Tulkher’s body was pushed back.

“Ugh.”

A stream of blood flowed from Tulkher’s mouth. His whole body was shaken by the impact of the sword and scimitar colliding.

Moreover, the cold energy emanating from Sasu Yeon’s sword had already penetrated deep into his bones, despite his efforts to raise his inner energy to defend against it.

Sbak, sbak.

Sasu Yeon walked towards Tulkher. It was a beautiful and even elegant movement, but to Tulkher, it felt like a great despair was approaching.

“W-wait a moment!”

Tulkher shouted. It was not the language of the Northern Sea, but the language of the South.

“I will give you the Northern Sea!”

Sasu Yeon stopped. Her beautiful eyebrows furrowed slightly.

“My tribe is large and strong! There are countless warriors and many allied tribes. If I wanted, I could mobilize even half of the Northern Sea right now!”

“So?”

As Sasu Yeon reacted, a spark of life returned to Tulkher’s eyes.

“There is only one condition.”

He said in a low voice, using his inner energy to make it difficult for anyone other than Sasu Yeon to hear. Some might still understand, but even if they did, it didn’t really matter.

“Choose your spouse from among the men of our tribe. He will become the Ice Emperor, and you will become the Ice Empress. In effect, you will hold the Northern Sea in your hands.”

That was not all. The interests and influence of Tulkher’s tribe would expand further, and Tulkher would become the hidden ruler of the Northern Sea.

This was not a bad offer for Sasu Yeon either. Moreover, she would be allowed to choose any man she wanted.

It was an offer sufficient to satisfy the fantasies of a naive young girl. Tulkher was convinced of it.

“You cannot seize the Northern Sea with martial prowess alone. You need a power base. I will give you the real power that can actually move the Northern Sea.”

“What about the duel?”

At Sasu Yeon’s question, Tulkher smiled.

“If it’s a duel, I will throw away my blade. For the sake of the throne of the Northern Sea, the outcome of such a duel doesn’t matter.”

Swish.

The hem of Sasu Yeon’s clothes fluttered in the wind. Sasu Yeon smiled quietly. It was a smile so captivating that even Tulkher and the onlookers were stunned.

“I refuse.”

Shriek.

Without any warning, Sasu Yeon’s sword fell towards Tulkher. Greatly dismayed, Tulkher hurriedly raised his inner energy and lifted his scimitar.

Forcing himself to suddenly raise his already shaken inner energy caused his blood and energy to become tangled. But now, his life was in danger.

Whoosh.

Thanks to disregarding everything else, Tulkher’s scimitar soon began to emit a blue aura.

‘Kugh.’

The collision between the scimitar clad in blade energy and the sword clad in sword energy. Tulkher sensed that he could not avoid the impact. But the impact he expected did not occur.

Clang.

A small, clear sound rang out. Tulkher trembled.

‘N-no way…….’

Tulkher could not believe what was happening before his eyes. His scimitar, ‘Sea of Blood,’ which had been emitting a blue aura, had been cut off so easily.

To cut through a scimitar infused with blade energy, it was something that could not happen without the legendary Sword Strength [a technique where the user’s sword is imbued with immense power].

Sasu Yeon’s sword stopped in front of Tulkher’s eyes as if it were a lie. The cold flowing from her sword caused the area around Tulkher’s eyes to turn white as if frosted.

Clang.

Tulkher’s severed scimitar rolled across the arena. Sasu Yeon’s eyes towards Tulkher were emitting a chilling blue light.

With that cold gaze, Sasu Yeon said.

“I do not trust those who lightly discard their own blade. And…….”

Swish, sheathe.

Sasu Yeon sheathed her sword. The sword, which had been shining white like frost, concealed its form inside the scabbard.

“The arena is not a place for making deals.”

With that, Sasu Yeon turned around and walked away as if nothing had happened.

Sbak, sbak.

“Cough.”

Tulkher began to cough up blood. The cold that had penetrated deep into his bones and the shock of his scimitar being cut off were too much for his shaken and tangled inner energy to handle.

His bronze face turned blue and then gradually black. Tulkher’s heavy body, which had been slowly tilting to one side, eventually collapsed powerlessly with a dull thud.

Thud.

“Great Elder!”

Several people from the same tribe jumped onto the arena and examined Tulkher. Their faces turned pale. Tulkher was still breathing, but he had already lost consciousness.

The commotion on the arena was brief, and the ensuing cheers drowned everything out.

“Waaaaaah!”

The old monster Tulkher had fallen. People cheered wildly at this unbelievable sight that had unfolded before their eyes.

Sbak, sbak.

Passing through that tremendous roar that seemed to shake the heavens and the earth, Sasu Yeon disappeared without looking back, as always.

*

*

*

“Hoo.”

Son Bin slowly calmed his breathing and withdrew his hand from Jang Gang Eoong’s body.

“You’ve done well.”

Namak No-gun said from behind. Son Bin shook his head.

“No. You’ve worked hard, Elder.”

“But we can’t rest assured yet.”

Dang Wol-ah said.

“The medicine I know is very lacking compared to Shin-ui [a highly skilled doctor]. I followed the method explained by the Moryong family, but Shin-ui needs to check directly to see if Eoong is okay.”

“Was it Geom-hui [a type of extremely cold energy]?”

No-gun asked. Son Bin nodded. He could tell. This terrible cold was from Geom-hui.

“We could hear a more detailed story when this guy wakes up, but we have a long way to go now.”

Looking down at Jang Gang Eoong, who had lost consciousness, No-gun’s expression showed his complicated feelings.

“Let’s leave a letter briefly explaining the situation and leave. We’ll hear the full story when we come back later.”

No-gun turned to Dang Wol-ah.

“We need to prepare a separate carriage and send him to Cheongwon as soon as he regains consciousness. You still have a lot of silver, right?”

Dang Wol-ah nodded.

“Well, the box has to be really big, right? A few people could just go in.”

No-gun grumbled. The box full of money at Dang Wol-ah’s house was much bigger than he thought. And it was all silver.

As soon as No-gun saw the box, he said, “Money is money when it circulates. So let’s use some,” and Dang Wol-ah nodded without a care.

“You can’t get in.”

Dang Wol-ah said.

“Taking out this much won’t even make a dent, so you’ll have to take out more to get in.”

No-gun looked disgusted. Anyway, after giving the doctor a suitable reward, No-gun asked the innkeeper to prepare a carriage to Cheongwon.

No-gun also wrote a letter himself to explain the situation to Eoong. The sizes were different and the letters were written haphazardly, but they were strangely harmonious, so at first glance, it looked like a painting.

“Wonderful.”

Son Bin was impressed and said so.

“Isn’t it cool? Should I write you one later?”

“Please do.”

No-gun, who was holding a brush, smiled proudly after a long time. And he looked at the letter he had written and nodded as if satisfied.

—It’s me. I’m busy now, so I’ll laugh at you later. Shin-ui will take care of you, so catch some Gyoryong [mythical scaled fish] for Bin-i in the meantime. You’ll have to catch a big one. No-gun.

“Gyoryong? Is it delicious?”

Seo-rin asked from the side. No-gun grinned.

“It’s good for the body. Especially for men. You’re still young, so you don’t know.”

Without paying attention to Seo-rin, who was tilting her head, No-gun roughly folded the letter before his ink dried and threw it on Eoong’s pillow. And he turned around without regret. He had to hurry to cross the Jang Gang [Yangtze River] today.

Swaaaaa.

No-gun was taking a leisurely break after a long time, feeling the wind of the Jang Gang. But Son Bin was standing alone on the deck, looking down at the majestic flow of the Jang Gang.

“I know how you feel, but don’t rush.”

At No-gun’s words, Son Bin smiled bitterly and looked back. He tried to appear calm, but he couldn’t fool No-gun’s eyes.

“Being resolute is different from being hasty. Resolute has conviction, but hasty has anxiety. Which one are you now?”

“I…… I’m afraid.”

Son Bin bit his lip.

“If something bad happens to Lady Sa because of my delay, I don’t think I can forgive myself. Even at this moment, maybe…….”

Sasu Yeon had not returned within the promised time. Son Bin could not help but have a bad feeling. Perhaps sensing Son Bin’s feelings?

“Keueung.”

Seo-rin stuck close to Son Bin and looked up at him with a pitiful expression. Son Bin stroked Seo-rin’s head. But the shadow on Son Bin’s face did not disappear.

“The time is determined by the heavens.”

No-gun said. His eyes were calm but warmer than ever.

“But resolution is something only people can do. Even if the heavens prepare a time of trial, it is the resolution to save that child no matter what.”

‘Ah.’

No-gun’s words were as clear as cutting something out of Son Bin’s heart. It felt like the turbid emotions calmed down and the dizzying sight cleared up.

The situation was still the same and nothing had changed, but Son Bin was no longer impatient or anxious.

“Of course.”

Son Bin said. His eyes were shining.

“No matter what the situation, I will save Lady Sa.”

“That’s good then.”

No-gun grinned.

“I’ll lend you my strength. You’re not alone.”

‘Not alone.’

Son Bin turned his gaze. Dang Wol-ah was looking at him. Although it was hidden by a veil, her gaze was full of unwavering trust towards Son Bin.

Seo-rin’s eyes, who was still looking up at him from the side, were full of warm affection. No-gun’s gaze was the same.

He was not alone.

“Thank you.”

Son Bin gathered his hands. And he politely bowed to No-gun. He knew that No-gun hated him being polite, but now this was the only way to express his feelings.

“I’m really grateful that you’re here, No-gun, and that you’re with me.”

“Hmph.”

No-gun turned his head, pretending to snort. His eyes were sparkling with moisture.

*

*

*

The newly designated Seventh Palace Main Hall was the Ice Palace’s training room. There were no furniture or decorations, it was excessively high and wide, and all sorts of murderous weapons were shining sharply on all sides.

Sar-nae and Nami, who came to the training room for the first time, changed their expressions. Sasu Yeon said it was okay, but they gathered the maids and started a major renovation of the training room, no, the Seventh Palace Main Hall.

The cold stone walls were covered with long, draped curtains, and simple decorations and furniture were put in place.

However, the sense of oppression from the originally high and large structure could not be helped, so the maids who came and went to the Seventh Palace Main Hall lowered their heads without realizing it.

Swaaaaa.

Sar-nae wanted to block the large window of the training room altogether, but Sasu Yeon did not allow it. In the end, they found a compromise by replacing the old window and adding thicker curtains.

That window and curtains were now wide open. The lights flickered wildly in the cold night wind of the Northern Sea, and the curtains fluttered with a sound.

“Who is it?”

Sasu Yeon, who was sitting alone, said. She, who had been closing her eyes as if lost in thought, slowly opened her eyes.

Srak.

A slender shadow appeared from behind the curtain. Her face was not visible because she had deeply pressed down the fur hat on her back, but she could not hide the glittering eyes underneath.

“Are you the daughter of Mu-je [a revered warrior]?”

What came out was a woman’s voice. Sasu Yeon said in a low voice.

“A person from Oesa [an organization or group]?”

Srak.

A white hand came up and took off the deeply pressed fur hat.

An elderly woman with graying hair revealed her appearance. She had a gentle appearance, but her eyes were shining like flames.

“I am Orhan. In Oesa, I use the title Seomoksu [a title or position within Oesa].”

‘Seomoksu Orhan.’

Sasu Yeon was hearing the name for the first time.

“I thought you would come to me because the daughter of Mu-je had returned to the Northern Sea. But you’re doing strange things.”

Seomoksu Orhan said with sharp eyes.

“A duel to find a spouse, aren’t you ashamed of the name of Mu-je’s daughter?”

“That’s none of your business.”

Sasu Yeon said. A blue aura was flowing from Sasu Yeon’s eyes as she looked at Seomoksu Orhan. Orhan let out a low laugh.

“Yes, it’s none of my business.”

A cold chill was also flowing in her voice.

“But there is one thing I must confirm.”

Orhan asked.

“I saw you burn away the Sangong poison of the Three Palace Lords at once, and cut off Tulkher’s scimitar clad in blade energy.”

Seomoksu Orhan’s eyes lit up.

“Is that Sword Strength?”

‘Sword Strength?’

Sasu Yeon frowned. She couldn’t understand what she was saying. But the answer Sasu Yeon had to give was set. No matter who the opponent was, she only had one thing to say.

“If you want to know, draw your sword.”

Sasu Yeon said with a faint smile. It was a fatal, arrogant, and very cold smile.