Chapter 348: Night at the Foot of Gongdong Mountain
At the base of Gongdong Mountain, where the moss grew soft and thick, Tang Mujin and his companions sat in a circle, gazing at one another. Though it was night, the air was warm, hinting at the approach of summer. Yet, the conversation they were about to have was far from warm.
They had avoided delving into personal matters, and Seolhwa had postponed the discussion due to her lack of eloquence. But now, it was time to talk about Seolhwa, the Northern Ice Palace, and Baek Hyang-a.
Seolhwa began, “As you all know, I’m the eldest daughter of the Northern Ice Palace’s leader. Among my siblings, my martial arts skills and standing are quite significant.”
As soon as she started, Hyungong interjected, “Standing, huh? So there’s power struggle in the Northern Ice Palace too?”
“No, it’s not like that. The Northern Ice Palace isn’t a nation. Think of it more as a large sect or clan.”
Unlike the constant power struggles for succession in royal courts, martial arts sects rarely have disputes over leadership. First, because martial artists spend their lives with their sect brothers, knowing each other’s character and skills intimately. Second, because they value their martial achievements more than leadership positions.
Seolhwa cleared her throat and continued, “There’s a place in the Ice Palace called Daebyeokgak. It’s where the instructors who teach martial arts are based. There are instructors for lower-level martial artists and the Daebyeokgak Master who teaches the heirs of the Ice Palace. One day, while I was talking with the Daebyeokgak Master, the Deputy Master came to us.”
“What did he say?” Hyungong prompted naturally. Seolhwa smiled faintly.
“He said a woman from the Central Plains had appeared in a village. They couldn’t communicate with her, but she had an incredible talent for ice arts. As you might guess, it was Baek Hyang-a.”
“Hmm!”
Listening to the story in the dim mountain setting felt like hearing old tales from elders as a child. The group listened intently, intrigued by Seolhwa’s story.
“Honestly, I didn’t think much of it at first,” Seolhwa admitted.
“Why not?”
“Talent is important, but it can’t surpass hard work. The heirs of the Ice Palace dedicate themselves to training from a young age, practicing until they’re exhausted every day. Their lives revolve around martial arts. Until I was twenty, I never even tasted warm foods like chicken or chestnuts.”
Tang Mujin nodded, recalling how he had noticed Seolhwa’s peculiar eating habits shortly after they met. When she found food she liked, she ate with gusto, more than any man. Yet, there were days when she barely touched her food, eating like a bird pecking at grains.
Observing her, Tang Mujin realized the issue. Seolhwa avoided warm foods and ate cold-natured foods without hesitation, likely due to her upbringing. Fortunately, Tang Mujin discreetly accommodated her dietary needs, allowing her to maintain a comfortable diet even in the Central Plains.
Hyungong had a vague idea, but Namgung Myung and Hong Geolgae were unaware of this.
“Anyway, the Daebyeokgak Master took the Deputy Master’s words seriously and went to meet Baek Hyang-a. He returned, saying her talent was indeed extraordinary. I brought Baek Hyang-a to the Ice Palace to see for myself.”
Seolhwa’s expression turned dreamy as she recalled, “Her talent was astonishing. It was like she was nurturing a living elixir within her, with endless yin energy flowing. The frightening part was that it wasn’t even in its complete state. It was suppressed by yang energy, like a sprout held down by a stone.”
Unbeknownst to Seolhwa, it was Tang Mujin and Gwiui who had infused Baek Hyang-a with yang energy. They had fed her herbs and elixirs rich in yang energy, balancing her overwhelming yin energy and saving her life, granting her immense internal power.
However, unlike the ever-renewing yin energy, the yang energy they infused had its limits. To maintain balance, Baek Hyang-a needed a diet rich in warm-natured foods and yang-infused elixirs.
During the time when the leader of the Gongdong Sect was alive, Baek Hyang-a likely received proper care. But after the sect’s decline and the leader’s death, she couldn’t afford such luxuries. The imbalance of yin and yang was inevitable, and it wasn’t favorable for Baek Hyang-a.
Yet, life is full of unexpected turns. To the people of the Northern Ice Palace, Baek Hyang-a, with her uncontrollable yin energy, must have seemed like a prodigious talent.
“I was fascinated by Baek Hyang-a as soon as I saw her. My siblings felt the same. So we asked our father to adopt her as a foster daughter.”
Seolhwa spoke naturally, but Tang Mujin’s group looked puzzled.
“A foster daughter? Just like that?”
They could understand being impressed by Baek Hyang-a’s talent, but adopting a foreigner as a foster daughter seemed extreme.
“The Northern Ice Palace is different from the sects in the Central Plains. The dream of the Ice Palace’s martial artists is to leave their mark on the Ice Palace’s martial arts.”
“That’s true for martial artists in the Central Plains too.”
“No, it’s different.”
Baek Hyang-a’s voice was firm. “What I felt in the Central Plains is that martial artists here have great founders like Bodhidharma of Shaolin and Zhang Sanfeng of Wudang.”
Hyungong smiled proudly. It was clear he had spent time with Seolhwa, extolling the greatness of Zhang Sanfeng and the strength of Wudang.
But Hyungong’s words weren’t baseless. While some might dismiss Wudang, no martial artist would dare to underestimate Zhang Sanfeng.
A man who founded a sect with a single sword, became the greatest under heaven, and ultimately ascended to immortality. Who could belittle such a figure?
“In Wudang, there’s no one who has mastered all of Zhang Sanfeng’s teachings, and in Shaolin, no monk has fully embraced Bodhidharma’s teachings. The martial artists of the Central Plains are overwhelmed just trying to learn what’s been passed down. But the Northern Ice Palace is different. The martial arts there weren’t created by a single genius.”
“Then what?”
“The martial arts of the Northern Ice Palace originated from the collective effort to survive in a harsh, cold land.”
Seolhwa paused to think before continuing, “If I were to compare, the martial arts of the Central Plains are like a finely sculpted statue. An ordinary person can’t add to a perfect statue with their skills. It would be better not to touch it at all.”
She went on, “But the martial arts of the Northern Ice Palace are like a stone tower. Anyone can add a stone if they stand on tiptoe. The martial artists of the Ice Palace strive to leave their mark on its martial arts, and many achieve that dream.”
It was a fascinating story, but not one that easily resonated with the group.
“So how does that relate to Baek Hyang-a becoming a foster daughter of the Ice Palace’s leader?”
“The important thing isn’t who places the stone on the tower, but how big and impressive the stone is. To my siblings and me, Baek Hyang-a was the one who could place the largest stone on the tower.”
The group finally understood Seolhwa’s story. Baek Hyang-a, though an outsider, had an overwhelming talent for ice arts. Seolhwa and her siblings hoped she would advance the Ice Palace’s martial arts to the next level, leaving their mark through her.
Hong Geolgae, leaning against a tree, asked, “So, did Baek Hyang-a become a foster daughter?”
“Yes. There were quite a few cases of the Ice Palace adopting outsiders. Baek Hyang-a was the first from the Central Plains, though.”
“And you taught her the Ice Palace’s martial arts?”
“That’s right. My siblings and I gave her the best elixirs and the finest teachers. The Daebyeokgak Master taught her personally. As expected, she excelled. Her progress was swift, given her natural talent and affinity for ice arts. Everything was going well.”
Seolhwa’s story paused. The group didn’t press for more, as they had a sense of what happened next.
“But then Baek Hyang-a fled, taking secret manuals and elixirs with her. I don’t know how she convinced them, but even the leaders of Sosang and Daebyeokgak disappeared with her. At first, I couldn’t believe it. But days passed, and Baek Hyang-a never returned.”
Seolhwa let out a deep sigh. Hyungong, sensing the mood, subtly moved closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Seolhwa leaned into him naturally, the gesture feeling oddly fitting.
Even though Dang Mujin and Namgoong Myung, both married men, merely looked at Hyun Gong with a hint of disdain, Hong Geolgae felt an inexplicable mix of anger and sorrow.
Hyun Gong met their gazes head-on, wearing an expression brimming with superiority.
Half nestled in Hyun Gong’s arms, Seolhwa spoke up.
“That’s why I’m the one cleaning up the mess. Among my siblings, I’ve achieved the most, and I was the first to suggest taking Baek Hyang-a as an adopted daughter.”
“You’ve had a tough time in a foreign land.”
“But I’m still not sure. Baek Hyang-a wasn’t the type to run away, and she had no reason to.”
It made sense. After all, the elixirs were being given to Baek Hyang-a, and whether she could handle them or not, the Eternal Ice Crystal was likely to be hers. Why would she flee the Ice Palace with the secret manual and elixirs?
It was a mystery.
Seolhwa’s story ended there, and silence fell around them.
A large full moon hung in the sky, and stars twinkled as if refusing to be outshone. The sound of chirping insects filled the air.
Seolhwa remained in Hyun Gong’s embrace.
Hyun Gong wrapped an arm around Seolhwa’s shoulder and took a slow breath. A soft, pleasant scent lingered, and Seolhwa’s shoulder felt gentle under his touch, even through the fabric of her clothes.
Friends and Seolhwa. The bright moon and the sound of insects. The occasional cool breeze.
It was a perfect night. Each element was ordinary, but together, they created a night that would be rare in a lifetime. Unlike his usual self, Hyun Gong felt a bit sentimental.
The insect sounds faded, and as the surroundings grew quieter, Hyun Gong could clearly hear his own heartbeat.
Thump, thump, thump.
Through Seolhwa’s back, leaning against him, he faintly sensed her heartbeat aligning with his.
A person can’t control their heartbeat, yet theirs were slowly syncing.
Hyun Gong’s heart trembled. He felt he should say something.
There were things he wanted to say, but he couldn’t bring himself to voice them.
With a soft sigh, Hyun Gong asked Seolhwa another question.
“What are you thinking about, Seolhwa?”
“Do you think Baek Hyang-a took the Eternal Ice Crystal?”
“Who knows.”
“If she didn’t, she’d still be alive, right? Just taking the secret manual isn’t bad, but it would be better if she could take both the Eternal Ice Crystal and the manual back home…”
“Home, huh.”
The mention of returning home made Hyun Gong’s heart sink.
No matter how hard he tried not to, he couldn’t help but picture Seolhwa leaving with the secret manual, heading back home. Her retreating figure.
Unconsciously, Hyun Gong asked, “If you go back, will we never meet again?”
Seolhwa, still leaning against him, turned her head to look at him.
“Why do you think that?”
“The Ice Palace and Mount Wudang are so far apart.”
Once, he liked that Seolhwa was from the Ice Palace. But now, her status as the daughter of the Ice Palace’s lord felt like a shackle.
It was a strange feeling.
Hyun Gong used to rate people based on their abilities and background. A high score was always good, with no exceptions.
But now, there was an exception.
What did it matter if Seolhwa’s background scored high? Sometimes, having no background at all might be better.
He thought it might have been better if Seolhwa were just an ordinary girl from a regular family.
But Seolhwa said, “We can go together, can’t we?”
“I—”
Hyun Gong’s mind was in turmoil.
The Ice Palace and the Wudang Sect.
And Seolhwa and Elder Yeongbo.
Both Seolhwa and Elder Yeongbo were incredibly important to him.
If the time came to choose, which would he pick?
His rational mind screamed, “The Wudang Sect is certain, but there’s no guarantee the Ice Palace will be yours!”
Hyun Gong frowned, unable to clear his mind. He was too accustomed to thinking, unable to easily calculate and let go of regrets as he usually did.
Seolhwa spoke again, “At most, it’ll take a year to go and come back. You can handle that, right?”
”…Huh?”
“Let’s go and come back. You have to meet my father, don’t you?”
Hyun Gong gaped in surprise.
A woman introducing her father was no trivial matter. It was significant in the central plains, and likely no different in the distant north.
“Didn’t you plan on coming back? Living in the Ice Palace would be fine with me.”
Seolhwa’s words carried a significant premise: she intended to stay with him.
Stammering, Hyun Gong asked, “Th-that talk. With me…?”
Seolhwa turned around, lying across his lap, and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Was I the only one serious?”
Hyun Gong’s heart raced wildly.
He couldn’t tell if their hearts were still beating in sync, but he felt they probably were.
Hyun Gong always laughed when he was happy. Sometimes with a sly grin, sometimes with satisfaction.
But now, despite his joy, tears welled up. He spoke, voice trembling.
“No, no… Of course not…”
Seolhwa took a deep breath and exhaled with a soft sigh.
Then she hugged him tightly, gently patting his back.
Hyun Gong sobbed quietly in her embrace.
It was a perfect night. He had hoped for such a moment, but never truly believed it would come. And certainly not so suddenly.
Even the slightly disdainful looks from his friends added to the moment.
Hyun Gong thought to himself.
He would never forget this night on the communal mountain for the rest of his life.