The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 237

Ma Young-gi couldn’t believe what was happening before his eyes.

Mo Gyu-gwang, the man he knew, wasn’t one to collapse so powerlessly.

One of the six strongest figures in the Demonic Sect, second only to the Celestial Demon [the Sect Leader], the absolute ruler.

He was the one who had survived the fierce hell of the Righteous-Demonic War [a large-scale conflict between martial arts factions].

Yet, he was dead after exchanging only one attack.

Ma Young-gi could only stand there, stunned.

Alone, Ma Young-gi turned to look at Han Seol-hwa.

Although she was standing on her own two feet, she was panting heavily, her head bowed.

‘Could this be the moment?’

Perhaps this was the last chance to end that monster’s life.

But he had already missed one golden opportunity.

Moreover, there was a possibility that even this appearance was a trap to lure him in.

The deliberation was fleeting, but the action was even faster.

Ma Young-gi’s figure disappeared from the spot as if extinguished.

It was then that Han Seol-hwa slowly raised her head.

“Hoo.”

Han Seol-hwa, letting out a soft sigh, cast a regretful gaze.

He was more perceptive than she had thought.

She wanted to chase after him and wring his neck, but she couldn’t.

Her allotted time was up.

Han Seol-hwa raised her hand and pressed her throbbing side.

It seemed like at least two ribs were broken.

Still, she had managed to take the life of one of the Six Demonic Lords.

It was a rather expensive price to pay, but it was still a worthwhile deal.

Han Seol-hwa quietly smiled.

It was the first smile she had shown since coming here.

‘I was lucky.’

Originally, her purpose in visiting this place was singular.

If she could obtain information about the Demonic Sect, it would be ideal, but she hadn’t expected it from the start.

Having targeted Dan Ak-seon’s life, she had no intention of forgiving the Ice Palace.

From the beginning, she had only intended to wash this place with blood and reduce the forces threatening Dan Ak-seon.

But unexpectedly, a core figure of the Demonic Sect, one of the Six Demonic Lords, had tagged along.

Not just one, but two of them.

If she took their lives, even the Demonic Sect would suffer a significant blow.

Although she had missed one, killing the Sword Demon alone was enough.

They were definitely masters.

If they hadn’t been careless and had used their full strength from the beginning, she couldn’t have guaranteed victory.

Han Seol-hwa looked around.

Crimson blood staining the thickly piled snow and the corpses lying on it.

In this hellish landscape reminiscent of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, only the Ice Crystal was radiating its eerie light as if nothing had changed.

Crunch.

Leaning into the sound of snow crunching under her feet, Han Seol-hwa approached the Ice Crystal and slowly reached out her hand.

Han Seol-hwa, grasping the Ice Crystal as if to embrace it with one hand, drew up her inner energy [qi or vital energy].

Woo-oong.

The Ice Crystal vibrated violently, as if resisting her will.

As if possessing its own spirituality, the Ice Crystal rejected Han Seol-hwa’s will.

Rather, it began to absorb the surrounding cold air.

Han Seol-hwa had already consumed a considerable amount of her inner energy in the fight against the two Demonic Lords.

The energy of the Ice Crystal, which was gradually strengthening, surpassed Han Seol-hwa’s inner energy at some point.

Han Seol-hwa frowned.

The pure white frost that started at her fingertips slowly crept up, reaching her wrist in no time.

Thwack.

Han Seol-hwa gripped the Ice Crystal tighter.

The sharp tips of the Ice Crystal jutted out in numerous directions.

Those sharp and keen edges pierced Han Seol-hwa’s skin.

Thud, thud.

The blood flowing down Han Seol-hwa’s hand fell onto the pure white snowfield.

Han Seol-hwa resolutely spoke to the fiercely resisting Ice Crystal.

“You shouldn’t be out in the world for too long.”

The only support sustaining her life.

Conversely, the curse of eternal torment that tormented her.

To her, the Ice Crystal was truly an object of love and hate.

In that sense, the Ice Palace was no different.

Once, she had loved this place too.

Although she had to hide that feeling deep in her heart because there were watchful eyes, she loved this place and its people more than anyone else.

So, she readily accepted the sweet talk that it was for the sake of the Ice Palace.

‘No…….’

Han Seol-hwa wore a bitter smile.

She knew it too.

However, she had simply turned a blind eye, afraid to face the truth.

She had to lose a lot in return.

By the time she realized that her existence was merely a tool of power, she had already stained her hands with too much blood.

A perfect weapon devoid of free will and emotion.

That was all they wanted.

Although she tried not to show it, the accumulated and congealed debts of her heart eventually led her to reject their orders.

And when they realized that she possessed a human heart, they tried to take back the Ice Crystal.

Now that they knew the method, they intended to use the Ice Crystal to create an even more perfect weapon.

Han Seol-hwa couldn’t pretend not to know.

So, she refused.

It wasn’t just because she was afraid of death.

One unhappy person was enough.

When she refused to hand over the Ice Crystal, they didn’t hesitate to use lethal force.

That day.

She killed people for the first time according to her own will.

It was to break the cycle of blood that had taken deep root in this beautiful place.

But perhaps that karma was not something she could handle from the start.

Even now, it was the same.

The corpses scattered everywhere were ultimately created by her.

‘Perhaps my existence itself is a disaster…….’

Overwhelmed by a sense of futility, Han Seol-hwa was seized by a strong temptation to give up everything now.

But soon, she regained her wavering heart.

‘Not yet.’

Although she had caught one of the Demonic Sect’s notorious hunting dogs, they still had many sharp-toothed hounds left.

She still needed to be there to protect Dan Ak-seon from them.

Above all, she didn’t want to see Dan Ak-seon grieving over her death.

“So…….”

Han Seol-hwa put strength into the hand gripping the Ice Crystal.

“You should come back now too.”

Clang!

With a sharp scream, the Ice Crystal shattered.

The transparent fragments, like glass, scattered in all directions, then slowly poured down, scattering a dazzling light.

Then, at some point, they dispersed like a hazy mist.

The energy of the Ice Crystal, which had been flickering in the form of a pure white mist, soon disappeared as if sucked into Han Seol-hwa’s pores.

Han Seol-hwa slowly opened her closed eyes.

The rapidly dispersing life force was returning to its place.

After standing there blankly for a moment, Han Seol-hwa began to move again.

Walking aimlessly, she had reached a huge palace before she knew it.

It was the palace where the Palace Lord resided.

Opening the door and entering, the pungent scent of alcohol greeted her.

A dark interior without a single candle.

In the middle of it, a man was leaning against a chair amidst a chaotic pile of liquor bottles.

A manly gaze and a strong jawline.

In addition, a solid physique stood out noticeably for a middle-aged man.

It wasn’t difficult to guess his identity.

Because she knew where his unique atmosphere and energy originated from.

“Are you the current Palace Lord?”

At Han Seol-hwa’s question, the middle-aged man chuckled.

“That’s right. I am Buk-gung Ryung.”

The middle-aged man, acknowledging that he was the Palace Lord of the Ice Palace, stared at Han Seol-hwa with hazy eyes.

Han Seol-hwa silently approached him.

It was then that twelve swords appeared from the darkness.

The Blue Steel Swords, bearing a chilling aura, instantly surrounded Han Seol-hwa.

Just before the gruesome blades were about to shred her entire body.

Han Seol-hwa abruptly thrust her hand into the chaotic sword shadows.

At the same time, she grabbed the hand that was clutching the air and pulled it.

The owners who were holding the swords were helplessly dragged along.

The sword energy that had filled the air disappeared as if it were a lie.

As she took in the faces of each and every one of them, all seized with astonishment, Han Seol-hwa opened her mouth.

“Is it worth risking your lives to protect someone like that?”

They were silent.

They merely replaced their answer by forcibly moving their swords, as heavy as their silence.

Poopoopook.

“……!”

An expression of astonishment appeared in the eyes of the men gripping the swords.

Ice blades, appearing from who knows where, pierced through their bodies and protruded out the other side.

But before long, the light of life faded from their eyes.

It was the valiant end of the Hundred Sword Guard, the last line of defense protecting the Palace Lord.

However, Buk-gung Ryung, facing their deaths, maintained a calm demeanor as if accepting a natural outcome.

Breaking the silence, Buk-gung Ryung opened his mouth.

“What happened to them?”

It wasn’t difficult to guess who he was referring to.

“The Sword Demon is dead, and the Flame Demon fled.”

“Kekeke.”

At Han Seol-hwa’s answer, Buk-gung Ryung chuckled as if he found it amusing.

Then, at some point.

He abruptly stopped laughing as if it were a lie.

“Still, you showed those bastards the power of this palace at the end.”

“It wasn’t you, it was me.”

“Do you intend to deny even your roots?”

“…….”

“From the beginning, the Ice Crystal was this palace’s sacred object. You can’t deny the fact that you stole it.”

“You don’t deserve to possess it.”

“Then what about you? Who bestows that qualification, and how?”

“Well.”

At Han Seol-hwa’s words, Buk-gung Ryung’s eyes wavered.

“It’s definitely not a qualification granted to those who succumb to the Demonic Sect.”

Buk-gung Ryung, who had been glaring at Han Seol-hwa, sighed.

“It couldn’t be helped. If this palace had maintained its former glory, there would have been no need to succumb to them.”

“So? Is that my fault?”

“They needed an example from the start. They proposed embracing three of the Five Borderline Families and washing the remaining two with blood. There was no need to volunteer as a sacrifice, was there?”

Buk-gung Ryung gave a dry laugh.

“Well, sooner or later, the result would have been the same.”

The warriors of the North Sea Ice Palace were all dead, and now only he remained.

“You shouldn’t have come back.”

“That’s right, I didn’t intend to come back.”

“…….”

“It’s your own fault.”

At Han Seol-hwa’s words, Buk-gung Ryung smiled weakly.

“So, I’m paying the price like this, aren’t I? It’s already painful and agonizing enough. So, let’s just end it here.”

“Alright. Let’s do that.”

Han Seol-hwa raised her hand and pointed at Buk-gung Ryung.

The time had come to put an end to the long and bitter relationship.

Even though it was just that, Buk-gung Ryung felt a pressure as if a huge iceberg was collapsing before his eyes in an instant.

A suffocating presence.

Above all, the icy gaze flying and piercing into his heart was ominous.

It was then that Buk-gung Ryung abruptly opened his mouth.

“It’s shameless, but I have a request.”

“You’re not in a position to make requests.”

“I’ll take it all upon myself. The past mistakes, and the grudges towards each other. So, please end it with just me.”

Although the warriors were all dead, there were still survivors left here.

Women and children.

“Of course, it’s not a free request. I’ll pay the price sufficiently.”

After staring silently at Buk-gung Ryung, Han Seol-hwa opened her mouth after a long time.

“I’m chasing the Demonic Sect.”

At those words, Buk-gung Ryung quietly smiled.

Fortunately, he could pay the price she wanted.

“There’s an inn called Gangmyung near Mount Giryeon.”

Buk-ryung continued his explanation.

“There’s a list there. A list of the Central Plains people who delivered the manuals [secret martial arts techniques]. If someone on that list visits the inn, a member of the Demonic Sect is supposed to make contact.”

“Who has the list?”

“The Dark Order Lord (黑暗令主). At least, that’s the identity I’ve identified him as.”

In the Demonic Sect’s hierarchy, it was a position right below the Demonic Sect Leader.

If the Six Demonic Lords, who have now become the Five Demonic Lords, were practically in charge of the Demonic Sect’s protection, the Dark Order Lord was in charge of information and oversaw the inspection and punishment of personnel within the sect according to the Demonic Sect Leader’s orders.

To put it bluntly, he held a position and authority similar to that of the Disciplinary Chief of the Shaolin Temple.

“What about the relationship with the Murim Alliance [a coalition of martial arts sects]?”

“I don’t know anything about that.”

Han Seol-hwa, who had been silently staring at Buk-gung Ryung, slowly turned around.

Buk-gung Ryung, who had been staring at her receding figure, suddenly vomited blood at that moment.

“Thank you… for granting my request.”

The deal was already done.

He wasn’t shameless enough to beg for his life now.

With that, Buk-gung Ryung chose to sever his own meridians [energy pathways] and commit suicide.