“......”

“That long-cherished wish is being fulfilled because of you. The Flame Pearls? They’re hardly a loss. And the ten thousand gold taels? If anything, I should’ve been the one to offer them.”

“But even if you did, I wouldn’t accept them.”

“Of course not. If you’re anything like the Palace Lord of Snow, you wouldn’t be the type to take back a gift once given.”

“You read me exactly right.”

“That’s why I intend to repay you in my own way.”

Unwi shook his head.

“You’ve already paid. As I said earlier—the price of an item is determined by the one who sells it.”

“True. The seller sets the price. And the one who owns the item assigns its worth.”

“......”

“As the rightful owner, I assessed it. And I admit, what I gave in return was far too little. So I’ll grant you one favor. No more, no less—just once. I’ll honor any request you make.”

Unwi nodded.

“Then I won’t hold back.”

“Direct and unreserved... not like that other one. I like it. Do you know how to contact the Soul-Slaying Sect?”

“Yes. I know a way that doesn’t require traveling all the way to the Great Desert.”

“...Didn’t expect that.”

“I know more than I appear to, you’ll find.”

“So it seems. You’ve got quite a depth to you.”

“You keep complimenting me, Senior. At this point, it’s getting a little overwhelming.”

“What can I say if it’s the truth?”

Eun Yunsaeng gave a faint smile.

He gazed at Unwi in silence, and Unwi returned the look without speaking.

After a long moment, Eun Yunsaeng’s physical form suddenly vanished from where he stood.

And then—the entire forest echoed with his voice.

—Remember this well. Only once. Whatever it is, I’ll move the full force of the Soul-Slaying Sect to fulfill your request.

***

“You were a little excessive, weren’t you?”

At Myorim’s words, Eun Yunsaeng stopped in his tracks and let out a soft chuckle.

“You didn’t notice?”

“Notice what?”

Eun Yunsaeng had brought five martial artists with him.

Excluding himself and Myorim, there were three others.

And those three mattered most—each of them elite warriors of the Soul-Slaying Sect, each one a master who had reached the Heaven-and-Earth Spirit Realm.

“That boy already sensed your presence.”

Myorim blinked. She couldn’t believe it—didn’t want to believe it.

“...You mean someone at the Flame-Screen Realm noticed us? Lord, forgive me, but that sounds like a poor joke.”

“A joke? Do I look like I’m joking?”

“...You’re serious?”

“I am. The moment he sensed me, he glanced directly at the tree you were hiding behind. Then at the three trees behind it. I don’t know how he did it—but he did.”

“...If that’s true... then he’s a monster.”

“Perhaps.”

Understanding the principle wasn’t difficult.

It was simple, really.

If one could recognize unnaturalness, distinguish the essence and source of a scene, then it didn’t matter how someone hid—one could still detect them.

It was the ability to perceive the slivers of truth hidden within the seemingly mundane.

What mattered was not what could be seen—but whether one had eyes that could see beyond what was shown.

Of course, it wasn’t as though one could discern the opponent’s exact cultivation or level. But simply noticing the presence of someone in hiding was already a powerful weapon.

Eun Yunsaeng wiped his face.

In the natural order, there were always patterns—the sway of leaves, the angle of shadows, the direction of wind.

Finding the slightest deviation within those patterns—this wasn’t something determined by cultivation level alone.

Eun Yunsaeng thought: the place he had spent decades reaching... perhaps that boy was already standing there.

“...I never knew that old man Seol Jungcheon had such a treasure hidden away.”

“...So that’s why you promised to lend the full power of the sect.”

“Best to back the right horse. The Great Desert is a hard enough place as it is.”

“That’s true. Then, how far do you think the youngest scion of that northern lineage can go?”

There was no need to hesitate.

“At the very least, one of the Ten Martial Lords of the world. At most—the Martial Overlord.”

Myorim looked visibly shaken.

She had estimated his potential as at most one of the Ten Martial Lords.

But at least?

“That much?”

“If it were only brilliance, he would be torn apart by the storms along the way. But his resolve—his spirit—is deep and unwavering.”

“......”

“He’s someone who knows how to turn the situation to his advantage. He has no hesitation in revealing his own worth, and even in front of martial artists far beyond his level, he shows no sign of intimidation.”

He possessed every single quality typical of martial artists who would one day make their names known across the martial world—and beyond that, there was something akin to innate dignity radiating from him.

Eun Yunsaeng furrowed his brow.

“Seol Jungcheon is truly blessed in his twilight years.”

He meant it.

“To think he would raise such a son so successfully... But.”

Trailing off, Eun Yunsaeng gave a faint, amused smile.

“How long are you planning to eavesdrop?”

As if he had been waiting for the cue, a man dropped down from the sky.

Cropped hair.

A sturdy frame.

Twin swords strapped to either side of his waist.

And the word “Baekryeongwi” etched in white upon his shoulder.

Eun Yunsaeng crossed his arms and said,

“It’s been a while. Heavenly Eye of Principle, Hyeonshim.”

“Likewise, Senior Eun.”

“You’re more polite than you used to be.”

“Well, I’ve aged. Some things are bound to change.”

Hyeonshim, known as the Heavenly Eye of Principle, was the head of the Baekryeong Guard—a man said to view the world from the heavens. It was said his gaze stretched far beyond a hundred li, reaching a thousand, and that he saw all from above, a silent observer of the world.

Rumors claimed he had a third eye on his forehead, but the truth was far more mysterious. His technique, Heavenly Observation Art, extended beyond mere sight—it allowed him to perceive that which could not be seen.

He hadn't risen to lead the Baekryeong Guard for no reason.

“So, what made you reveal yourself to the Soul-Slaying Sect’s Master?”

Hyeonshim hadn’t intended to step in, nor to show himself—but this time was different.

“The young man is someone I’ve marked as my disciple.”

“‘Someone,’ huh... I’d have understood if you meant the girl next to him, but I suppose that’s not the case?”

“No, it’s not.”

“Your luck is outrageous. But... do you think it’ll work?”

“I’m doubtful—but I don’t want him taken by someone else.”

Hyeonshim had already seen through everything.

Eun Yunsaeng was no fool. Even if Seol Unwi had given him the final lost art of the Soul-Slaying Sect, and even if that alone justified the favor—was that enough to promise the full power of the Soul-Slaying Sect to one individual?

There’s no such thing as kindness without motive.

Eun Yunsaeng looked back at Hyeonshim and said,

“I won’t deny that I wanted to take him as my disciple. But will he come to me? That’s the real question.”

“We don’t know. Which is why I hope you won’t attempt it.”

Eun Yunsaeng chuckled.

“There are other ways to form ties than taking him in as a disciple.”

“You haven’t changed at all.”

“Neither have you.”

For a moment, the two men simply looked at one another.

There was no reason to deny it.

The moment Hyeonshim laid eyes on Seol Unwi, he had made up his mind to take him in as a disciple. He was fit to become the next head of the Baekryeong Guard—no doubt in his mind.

Eun Yunsaeng had come to the same conclusion.

Whether Unwi became the Young Palace Lord or even ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ the Palace Lord himself didn’t matter—he would shake the martial world to its core.

His brilliance was blinding. A gem like that couldn’t simply be left alone.

Whether as a disciple—or even as a son-in-law—he would form some kind of tie.

“It’s time you returned to that vast desert of yours.”

“I was on my way. And you—go guard your house.”

Hyeonshim’s lips twitched faintly.

They said nothing more.

They may have shared a desire for Seol Unwi—but they also personally disliked one another.

Unwi might not have realized it yet, but his presence was already expanding.

In the martial world, it was rare for the youngest child of a great family to inherit its leadership.

And Everlasting Snow Palace wasn’t just any family.

It was akin to a state.

Even in a nation, for the youngest to succeed to the throne required rivers of blood.

Why had Hyeonshim and Eun Yunsaeng both sought to make Unwi their disciple?

Because they both knew: Seol Jungcheon wasn’t the sort of man to make a reckless gamble.

It was clear he had no intention of raising Unwi to be the Young Palace Lord—let alone Palace Lord. And if that were the case, Unwi’s mere existence was a threat to the Palace itself.

It was a troubling situation.

He possessed such overwhelming talent that it threatened to devour the light of others. And from the perspective of those whose light was at risk, they would do anything to extinguish his.

That, inevitably, would become the beginning of civil war.

They wanted to claim him.

Before that light was extinguished—they wanted to embrace it.

But whatever conclusion was reached, everything would ultimately depend on Seol Jungcheon’s decision.

Eun Yunsaeng turned and walked away.

So did Hyeonshim.

***

There was one man who recognized Seol Unwi’s worth even before Eun Yunsaeng or Hyeonshim did.

And Unwi intended to follow that man. To obey his every word.

If he were told to die, he would end his life on the spot without hesitation.

It wasn’t blind loyalty. It was regret.

At the end of his past life, what hurt most wasn’t the torn veins or the shattered body.

It was his soul.

Guilt, remorse, shame, grief, sorrow—and gratitude.

In this second life, the one who held the greatest place in Unwi’s heart was—

His father, Seol Jungcheon.

The ultimate boundary within Unwi’s heart—the beginning and end of his conscience, the standard he never questioned, the absolute trust that never wavered.

And that Seol Jungcheon had asked him:

“Do you have interest in the position of Young Palace Lord?”

There was something new inside Unseoljeon.

A large fishbowl.

And within it swam a bright red carp, exuding an unmistakable aura of power at first glance. That was the Ten-Thousand-Year Flame Pearl.

A fishbowl in the office of the Palace Lord of Snow—and talk of the Young Palace Lord seat?

Unwi gave a small smile.

“Does it trouble you?”

“Do I look troubled?”

“Yes.”

Seol Jungcheon smiled faintly and sat in the chair across from him.

Every action of his father had meaning. Unwi understood—he was being invited to speak.

So he did.

“Eun Yunsaeng and Hyeonshim are both trying to take me in as their disciple.”

“I won’t deny that.”

“It’s clear that Eun Yunsaeng holds me in extremely high regard. Even if he can’t take me as a disciple, he’ll try to form some sort of bond. For example...”

“A marriage proposal, no doubt.”

“Yes. The most certain and convenient route. Hyeonshim, however, is a bit different.”