Chapter 158. The Blade of the North Sea

Silence came back as the only answer.

Only with time would they hear a reply from these men.

The Four Seasons Hall Lord had finished his declaration.

Then, the Deputy Leader's voice rang out.

"Hall Lord..."

That voice trembled.

"What in Heaven's name is this?"

The Deputy Leader, face drained of color, stared at the Alliance members seated before him like corpses.

Even with his own eyes upon them, he could scarcely believe it.

The Hall Lord was not one to jest, so he had trusted him. Yet never had he imagined the power of the Five Minerals Powder would be this dreadful.

"It makes me wonder whether I myself am the one who's been brainwashed by the medicine you handed me."

"I can understand why you'd think so. I felt the same."

The Deputy Leader's gaze slid toward the Four Seasons Hall disciples who had assisted in the affair.

They worked quietly as instructed, but fear was plain even in the eyes of those hardened men.

His gaze shifted to the ashes.

With a bitter voice, he asked,

"... And yet, for something this formidable, surely it could have been of great use to the headquarters. Do you not regret burning it?"

"I burned it because I did feel regret. Otherwise, there would always be those who would try to make use of it."

At that cold reply, the Deputy Leader gave a dry cough.

"And now—what do you intend to do?"

"I've destroyed all records of the formula, but there may still be those who know it. For a time, I'll trace the trade routes of the five minerals to block their distribution."

"Is that even possible?"

"It will be difficult, but at the very least, we can cut off the flow into Hubei."

"And the research into the antidote pills—you mean to continue that?"

"Yes. The medicine the Young Lady of the Tang Clan created has only a short duration. It must be refined to extend its effect."

"... That hardly seems easy either. Yet, compared to eradicating the Five Minerals Powder itself, focusing on the antidote pills may be the more practical path."

The Deputy Leader gave a habitual nod, then asked the Hall Lord—

"But if you were going to brainwash the Alliance members anyway, wouldn't it have been better simply to tell them not to worry about Young Lady Tang leaving?"

Zhuge In-hwi gave no answer.

For now, Tang So-hwa had to be seen as a fugitive from the headquarters.

The Alliance needed to appear to be pursuing her—only then would the Blood Demon believe that the Alliance Leader had not betrayed him.

Tang So-hwa had said the Alliance Leader must have bargained with the Blood Demon for peace.

If it was truly peace the Alliance Leader sought, then they had to follow through.

Right and wrong aside, that was what the Central Plains needed most at this moment.

Zhuge In-hwi did not believe the Alliance Leader's dealings with the Blood Demon were for personal gain.

Even Tang So-hwa herself had said the Alliance Leader desired peace for the Murim.

The Four Seasons Hall Lord accepted both the Alliance  Leader's and Tang So-hwa's actions.

He supported them both, and in his own way, he meant to protect them both.

The Hall Lord spoke in a calm voice.

"If these people try to defend Young Lady Tang now that she's gone, those Alliance members who weren't here will grow suspicious. If they realize they were brainwashed, their resentment will turn on her. Premature help could become a grave misstep for Young Lady Tang, so forcing the matter is dangerous."

"... Troublesome indeed. But—shouldn't we at least report this to the Alliance Leader?"

Originally, the Alliance Leader was meant to attend this assembly.

Had Zhuge In-hwi not sought him out first and subjected him to the same treatment, the Alliance Leader would have been here as well.

"No. The Alliance Leader must appear to have suffered the same as we. If he is implicated, then when these men recover their memories in a month, they may demand that he take responsibility. If a faction rises that opposes the Alliance Leader, the Murim Alliance itself could collapse."

For the Leader of the Murim Alliance to be toppled amid such chaos would be perilous indeed.

At Zhuge In-hwi's cold reply, the Deputy Leader let out a long, heavy sigh.

"Haa... You view the Alliance members far too darkly."

The Hall Lord only answered with a quiet smile.

The Deputy Leader said no more, though he clicked his tongue inwardly.

By now, nearly a quarter-hour had passed—the minimum time required.

The Hall Lord shifted his stance.

Among those present were also men from Spring Pavilion who had already been exposed to brainwashing by the Alliance Leader.

Those ones would likely not recover their memories even in a month's time.

But he was not concerned.

Even without remembering, when the Murim Alliance was shaken a month hence, they would not turn their backs on the headquarters. Especially not the Tang Clan.

The Hall Lord repeated the most crucial words one last time.

"What I have said today, you will forget for a time. Only when the power of the Five Minerals Powder fades will you remember."

In a steady tone, he brought his address to an end.

"When that day comes, we shall meet again."

A chilling silence descended.

Only the Deputy Leader, the Hall Lord, and the five martial artists within the martial arts ground knew the truth, which vanished into the hush.

And so, as if nothing had happened, the long-awaited opening of the headquarters was declared.

Though a strange mound of ashes lay piled in the center of the ground, not a single soul asked about it as they filed out.

***

Tang So-hwa stepped into the Platinum Pavilion and turned her gaze toward the stairs.

"Do you need anything else?"

Min Doyu asked in a curt voice.

Instead of answering, So-hwa kept her eyes fixed on the staircase.

Sliding sideways to block that gaze, Min Doyu asked again.

"Once a week, I'll send the children over to the pavilion. If you need anything, tell them."

But while listening to Min Doyu, So-hwa asked something else.

"Where is your master?"

"Our master is busy. Isn't it obvious, running the greatest merchant guild on the continent—the Anguk Merchant Group?"

"Is his health well?"

She still asked something else.

Min Doyu, too, tried his best to feign ignorance.

"Our guild master is already quite old. He passed sixty long ago, so he's just living his days as usual. Still, he takes plenty of nourishing tonics, so I'd say he's fine."

Tang So-hwa's cold eyes swept toward Min Doyu.

Rather than shrinking under that gaze, he quickly rolled his eyes sideways—

as if to warn her to mind her words because Namgung Jin was nearby.

So-hwa couldn't care less whether Namgung Jin was present or not, but the other side still seemed to keep up meaningless formalities.

Could Namgung Jin really not know the true identity of the Anguk Merchant Group?

It had been several days since she had sent the letter, but there was still no word from Min Haerak.

He should have found some way to show he was alive, but the silence was unsettling.

Yet judging by how nonchalant Min Doyu was acting, the Main Blood Hall Lord's condition didn't seem too bad.

So-hwa turned her attention away and went into the hidden chamber, changing into the clothes Min Doyu had prepared for her.

The Four Seasons Hall Lord had helped her escape but warned her to hurry, as they could not hold down the Tang Clan Head's for long.

After changing into North Sea attire, So-hwa untied her hair and let it fall long.

When she stepped back out, Namgung Jin's voice reached her.

"What should we do now?"

He, too, was dressed in North Sea garb, with a pipungui cloak draped over him.

So-hwa drew out a small vial containing the Cold Iron and blood, showing it to Namgung Jin.

"It is said that there are two ways to open the passage. One is to pour one's internal energy into the formation, drawing the worldly force into the array. The other is to shed the sorcerer's blood and borrow the power of the heavens. It is these two methods."

When So-hwa was about to unseal the vial of blood, Namgung Jin gently pushed her hand aside.

"Save that for later. Let me see if I can manage it first."

Tang So-hwa nodded.

Namgung Jin placed the Cold Iron on his palm. Resting his hand on the inscribed tablet, he slowly gathered his internal energy. A fresh resinous scent spread for a moment before turning into a warm radiance.

The clear energy rising from his dantian flowed upward toward his baihui point as though to complete a full circuit. But when it descended again, it failed to return to his dantian and instead poured out through his hand.

As soon as his internal energy reached the Cold Iron, a gust of wind rose. It felt as though the very air around them was being drawn into the Cold Iron.

Fwah!

In an instant, light flared above the Cold Iron, and space itself split apart.

Accustomed, perhaps, to such brilliance, Namgung Jin did not even blink as he released his hand from the Cold Iron.

Min Doyu, staring at the passage, let his eyes drift toward the Cold Iron in Namgung Jin's grasp. Greed flashed in them, and So-hwa quickly retrieved the Cold Iron, tucking it into her sleeve.

Though he looked disappointed, she ignored him and spoke to Namgung Jin.

"They say the passage only lasts half a quarter-hour—we must hurry."

"Yes."

So-hwa slung the pack prepared at Platinum Pavilion over her shoulder and stepped through the passage.

Ssshhk.

A chill wind stirred her hair—gentle, as though a hand brushed it.

Setting foot in the North Sea, she lifted her gaze.

Heavy white snowflakes drifted down onto the vast snowfield.

The bitter cold enveloped her, yet her body did not shiver. The silver flakes falling from the sky even felt refreshing.

Slowly, she lowered her gaze.

To the left stretched a boundless expanse of sea, splitting the snowfield in half. A lake so vast it was called a sea—the North Sea.

Her eyes were fixed on a small island upon its dark waters. Towering cliffs encircled the isle.

The domain where the ruler of the North Sea once dwelt.

Though the North Sea Ice Palace had fallen, it was said that within still lived the Central Plains invaders who had seized it, along with the surviving nobles of the North Sea.

Suddenly, So-hwa felt her shoulder lighten. Turning, she saw Namgung Jin, who had crossed over without her noticing, naturally lifting her pack to carry it himself.

He too gazed at the massive rock rising from the black waters.

"... I never knew Hyun possessed such ability."

Namgung Jin's voice was heavy.

No wonder.

With such power, fleeing would have been the natural choice, rather than enduring humiliation.

And yet Namgung Hyun had remained within the Namgung Clan, bearing insult after insult.

It meant he had some goal.

So-hwa added no words to another family's matter and quietly walked across the snowfield.

At its end, a harbor came into view, touching the sea.

It was the southernmost port of the North Sea.

Most trade heading for the Ice Palace once passed through there, bringing immense wealth.

But now it lay barren.

Snow piled in silence, erasing everything.

Ssshhk.

Namgung Jin, lost in thought, caught up behind her.

His voice, too, held puzzlement.

"Contrary to the rumors, it looks rather sparse."

"Indeed."

"Shall we go down and see?"

So-hwa nodded.

Ssshhk.

Tang So-hwa's footprints marked the snow, with Namgung Jin's falling over them. They did not fear leaving traces as they advanced.

But fresh snow quickly covered the tracks.

It was why the Blood Sect struggled to hunt down the hidden fugitives.

Not only the snowfields but even the borders of sky and snowy peaks were veiled in falling flakes.

Searching the North Sea's mountains for one's target was impossible. The only mark that stood out was the abyssal black sea itself.

Gazing at the pure white shore and the dark waters together, So-hwa reaffirmed her resolve—

To return with the sharpest blade that would tear the Blood Sect to shreds.