A Flower Blooming in the Snow

Hyun-gong spread his arms wide in the air, embracing the snowflakes. For a fleeting moment, he thought he felt the touch of the Northern Ice Palace Lord’s fingertips on his waist.

He knew he had no choice but to accept the risk. Yet, he wasn’t about to surrender his waist so easily.

Twisting his body mid-air, Hyun-gong narrowly evaded the Northern Ice Palace Lord’s grasp, only for her hand to swiftly seize the back of his thigh.

Thud—

Hyun-gong tumbled to the ground, half-embracing Seol-hwa.

“Are you okay?” he asked her. Seol-hwa, nearly breathless from shock, called out his name.

“Hyun-gong, your leg!”

His right leg wouldn’t support him. Staggering, he managed to stand using only the strength of his left leg.

It didn’t feel like a bone injury, but there was definitely something wrong with the muscle. Whether it would leave a permanent disability was uncertain.

Oddly, the situation struck him as almost comical.

Like Namgung Jin-ya who lost an arm, or perhaps he might lose a leg like Yeongbo Jin-in. Was history repeating itself in the martial world?

Still, Hyun-gong considered himself better off than Namgung Myung. At least he wasn’t completely without a leg like Yeongbo Jin-in.

Yet something was off. The pain from the missing muscle and flesh in his leg was unusually intense. It felt as if the pain was creeping upward.

Hyun-gong realized this wasn’t an ordinary wound.

He quickly assessed the situation.

‘Would the Northern Ice Palace Lord kill Seol-hwa?’

No, she had shown signs of caring for her kin.

‘Then is it safe to relax?’

Not quite. The Palace Lord seemed like a kind father, but also someone who would do anything to cover this up.

If Seol-hwa didn’t cooperate, the Palace Lord would surely kill her.

Conflicting evidence and judgments merged into one conclusion.

‘I can’t be sure of Seol-hwa’s safety.’

Supporting himself against the wall with his left leg, Hyun-gong pointed his sword at the Northern Ice Palace Lord.

But the Palace Lord didn’t attack hastily. Instead, she seemed remarkably composed. Hyun-gong thought he knew why.

It must be related to the strange sensation in his leg, the chilling pain now creeping toward his waist.

Hyun-gong shouted to Seol-hwa, “Go!”

“Go where?”

“South, to Wudang Mountain in Hubei. Find Yeongbo Jin-in. Wudang is a forbidden place for women, but if you mention my name, they might let you in. If not, head to the Tang family in Sichuan or the Namgung family in Anhui. Yes, the Tang family would be best. You know the place, right?”

“It’s not me who’s the problem, it’s you!”

“I’ll follow slowly, don’t worry.”

Hyun-gong spoke with feigned confidence. But it was clear to anyone that he wouldn’t be able to follow Seol-hwa. He didn’t expect her to believe him either.

So he made a joke.

“Trust me. I’ve never died even once.”

But he shouldn’t have made that last joke. Seol-hwa sensed something off in his voice.

When he first started speaking, his voice was steady, but it trembled with that final joke. Seol-hwa, still seated, watched him intently.

The room was filled with cold, yet Hyun-gong was sweating. His eyes were bloodshot.

Seol-hwa thought.

‘Father took a gamble to create an opportunity. Would he be satisfied with just tearing away some flesh? No, he wouldn’t.’

‘Why isn’t Father attacking Hyun-gong now?’

‘Hyun-gong is in too much pain.’

Could it be?

A thought flashed through Seol-hwa’s mind.

She immediately tore open the hem of Hyun-gong’s right pant leg.

Hyun-gong shouted in surprise, “Go! Now!”

But Seol-hwa ignored him and examined his leg.

Despite the missing flesh, there wasn’t much blood flowing from the wound.

However, the skin above the wound was a deep red, and Hyun-gong was struggling to suppress his trembling body from the pain.

All signs pointed to one thing.

The Residual Soul Blood Poison.

In the cold northern regions, poisons are rare. But the Residual Soul Blood Poison, one of the few used there, is as deadly as any other.

The poison reacts to the yin energy flowing through a person’s body. It devours the yin, tearing through the meridians, racing directly toward the heart.

The poison spreads so quickly and viciously that once it enters the bloodstream, it’s practically a death sentence.

The Northern Ice Palace Lord didn’t press the attack because she believed the moment the poison entered Hyun-gong’s body, the battle was over.

But Seol-hwa knew a way to save him.

She bit into the thick flesh below her thumb, creating a deep wound.

Hyun-gong knew nothing about the Residual Soul Blood Poison. But he realized Seol-hwa was about to do something drastic. The Northern Ice Palace Lord also caught on to her intentions.

“Stop!”

The Palace Lord lunged at Hyun-gong and Seol-hwa. She hadn’t yet decided how to deal with Seol-hwa.

But even leaning against the wall, Hyun-gong skillfully wielded his sword to fend off the Palace Lord.

At the same time, he kicked Seol-hwa away with his injured leg. She fell to the ground without a sound.

Hyun-gong shouted again, “Go!”

But Seol-hwa lunged back, grabbing his leg.

Hyun-gong, hindered by his leg, couldn’t shake her off. Seol-hwa wrapped her bleeding hand around his wound.

The Residual Soul Blood Poison follows the yin energy in the blood and meridians.

This means that stronger yin energy can redirect the poison. And Seol-hwa’s yin energy was incomparable to Hyun-gong’s.

As she summoned her yin energy, the poison racing toward Hyun-gong’s heart changed course, heading for Seol-hwa’s palm.

The Northern Ice Palace Lord shouted, “Hyun-gong, stop her!”

Hyun-gong’s reaction was a moment too late.

First, because he didn’t know how to stop her, and second, because he met Seol-hwa’s gaze.

She was staring at him intently. For a moment, Hyun-gong forgot everything, lost in her eyes.

Those blue eyes. Eyes he had been too shy to look at directly.

He could still vividly recall the scene at the inn where he first saw those eyes. That day, he lost everything to them.

If he had known this would happen, could he have ignored Seol-hwa and walked away?

No, he couldn’t have. It was an irresistible force he had never experienced before. Even if it meant losing everything, he would have approached her.

And then he realized the alien pain creeping from his leg to his waist had vanished.

The pain from the missing flesh was still intense, but it was nothing compared to what he had just felt.

Hyun-gong finally came to his senses and shouted at Seol-hwa.

“Seol-hwa, you!”

“Now it’s my turn to show you my sincerity, isn’t it?”

Seol-hwa smiled faintly. A daughter’s smile, atoning for her father’s sins.

The blood flowing from her palm had unnaturally clotted. Her wrist and forearm were rapidly turning a dark crimson. The poison was tearing through her meridians, racing toward her heart.

She tried to use her inner energy to stop the poison from spreading, but it was futile.

Seol-hwa stood up and dashed out of the reception hall.

There was no time to hesitate, no time for farewells.

The time wasn’t long, but she could still move.

There was still time to chase a sliver of hope.

Seol-hwa left the reception hall and headed outside the Northern Ice Palace.

And miraculously, she saw a figure approaching the hall.

Tang Mu-jin, who had been searching for the Northern Ice Palace, found Seol-hwa.

Her appearance was alarming. Her golden hair was disheveled, and her expression was one of utmost urgency.

Without any explanation, Seol-hwa shouted, “The palace is this way! Go to the reception hall immediately!”

“What’s going on?”

“Hyun-gong is in danger!”

Tang Mu-jin was about to dash in the direction Seol-hwa pointed when he noticed her pale complexion.

“Wait. Are you sure you’re okay?”

A myriad of emotions flickered in Seol-hwa’s eyes. But her voice was steady.

“It’s just a cold. The problem isn’t me, it’s Hyun-gong!”

Tang Mu-jin nodded and ran in the direction she indicated, shouting back, “I’ll make you some herbal tea later, so rest somewhere warm!”

“Got it.”

Seol-hwa said, then sank to the ground.

She looked up at the endlessly falling snow.

The pain tearing through her meridians was already past her shoulder, nearing her heart.

Seol-hwa laughed aloud. But there was no one to hear her laughter.

Yet, strangely, she felt at peace.

As Tang Mu-jin entered the reception hall, the first thing he saw were six bodies sprawled in the corridor. The bodies of Northern Ice Palace members who hadn’t even learned martial arts.

‘Did the demon cultists invade?’

He was about to rush into the inner room of the hall when he realized someone was blocking the path from the room to the corridor. It was Hyun-gong.

Hyun-gong stood unsteadily, leaning on one leg, as he swung his sword to fend off the Northern Sea Ice Palace Lord. His stance was precarious, and it was clear he was struggling.

Tang Mujin was bewildered.

“Wasn’t it supposed to be a demonic cult intruder? Why are Hyun-gong and the Ice Palace Lord fighting each other?”

Just then, Hyun-gong spotted Tang Mujin and cried out desperately.

“Tang Mujin, Seolhwa! Check on Seolhwa!”

“Is she sick?”

“It’s not just an illness!”

But Tang Mujin couldn’t quite catch Hyun-gong’s words. The situation was too dire. Hyun-gong looked as if he could lose his head to the Ice Palace Lord’s sword at any moment.

As Tang Mujin drew his sword and approached, Hyun-gong shouted again, his voice raw with urgency.

“Please, Seolhwa!”

Hyun-gong was far from his usual calm demeanor. It was clear that something serious was happening, not just a simple illness.

Yet, Tang Mujin had no time to search for Seolhwa. He had to deal with the immediate threat.

The Ice Palace Lord was attacking Hyun-gong relentlessly, and Hyun-gong was pleading for Seolhwa’s life.

“Is the Ice Palace Lord trying to kill Seolhwa?” Tang Mujin wondered.

But there was no time to ponder. The priority was to subdue the Ice Palace Lord.

“We can’t afford to look for Seolhwa now. Let’s finish this first and then move.”

Hyun-gong’s judgment was usually impeccable, but the situation was too chaotic.

If things continued like this, the Ice Palace Lord would stop at nothing to silence Seolhwa.

The sooner they defeated the Ice Palace Lord, the better Seolhwa’s chances of survival.

The uncertainty of how much time Seolhwa had left gnawed at Tang Mujin’s nerves.

“Haah, haah…”

Hyun-gong steadied his breath with effort, raising his sword once more to face the Ice Palace Lord.

Tang Mujin stood by his side, looking for an opening in the Ice Palace Lord’s defense.

But neither Tang Mujin nor Hyun-gong could gain the upper hand.

The gap in skill between them and the Ice Palace Lord was too great. In truth, Tang Mujin’s swordsmanship was too lacking to turn the tide.

Moreover, just as Hyun-gong excelled in defense, so did the Ice Palace Lord. It was a stalemate, with both sides locked in a defensive stance.

Finally, Hyun-gong made a decision.

“Tang Mujin. My sword is too dull. With my injured leg, even if the Ice Palace Lord shows a weakness, I can’t exploit it. You must be the one to end this.”

“Me? I can’t even get close to the Ice Palace Lord.”

“I’ll create an opening somehow. I’ll block all of the Ice Palace Lord’s attacks. You just need to seize the opportunity and land a decisive blow. Can you do that?”

As Hyun-gong’s voice faded, the Ice Palace Lord’s sword lunged at Tang Mujin.

Hyun-gong leaped awkwardly on one leg, positioning himself to block the attack.

“Hurry!”

Hyun-gong’s voice was strained with exhaustion.

He was pushing himself to the limit, clashing swords with the Ice Palace Lord in his weakened state. He couldn’t hold out much longer.

As Hyun-gong’s situation grew more precarious, the Ice Palace Lord’s attacks became fiercer.

Yet, the Ice Palace Lord’s sword still couldn’t break through Hyun-gong’s defense. At least, not yet. Tang Mujin took a deep breath.

Hyun-gong was right. While Hyun-gong focused on defense, Tang Mujin had to find a way to turn the tables.

The unnatural division of attack and defense.

The immense pressure.

Yet, strangely, Tang Mujin felt a sense of calm.

“Why is that?”

It didn’t take long for Tang Mujin to realize why.

“What have I been doing all this time?”

In the past, Tang Mujin had set aside his sword, choosing instead to wield a wheel and poison.

But his mind was still trapped in the days when he wielded a sword.

He unconsciously tried to emulate his friends and other masters, following their methods.

Swinging a sword, mastering both offense and defense, being a versatile warrior.

That was Tang Mujin’s idea of a master.

But in his left hand was a wheel, and in his right flowed poison.

The wheel and poison shared one thing in common. Unlike swordsmanship, which could be used for both offense and defense, they were not meant for defense.

Being a versatile warrior was not the path Tang Mujin should follow.

With the wheel and poison in hand, there was only one way for Tang Mujin to subdue his opponent.

Do not hesitate. Strike before the opponent can raise their blade.

Faster and more intense than anyone else.

Tang Mujin took a deep breath.

As he grasped the thread of realization, an endless expanse unfolded before him.

A space he had touched once before. Filled only with darkness, with no path to follow.

A space where he had once despaired, unable to find a way forward.

Nothing had changed.

No path, no destination. Only a world filled with darkness.

But in hindsight, it was only natural.

Who in the world would seek to reach the pinnacle with poison and hidden weapons? Which warrior would disregard defense to advance to the next level?

With no one having gone before him, how could there be a path or footsteps to follow? Who would have set a destination before Tang Mujin?

Just as he had walked alone through the untouched snow to return to the Northern Sea Ice Palace, Tang Mujin took steps in the pathless darkness.

There was still no path. No destination.

In the past, that fact had been terrifying. But now, it was exhilarating.

Setting a destination for those who would follow. Leaving the first footprints.

That was the privilege of a true master.

Unlike his friends who found and followed paths, Tang Mujin moved freely.

Sharp thorns approached him. But Tang Mujin did not flinch. He revealed everything, slowly unraveling and walking forward.

The thorns, once sharp and unyielding, lost their color and could not ensnare him.

Following Tang Mujin’s steps, countless thorns withered. Many vines bowed to the king.

Finally, Tang Mujin stopped and looked back.

Footprints, too sparse to be called a path, shone brightly in the white expanse.

Someday, if enough people followed these footprints, they would form a path.

Tang Mujin paused, choosing not to rush forward.

And for those who would follow, he decided to leave a marker.

Drawing upon all his inner energy, Tang Mujin meticulously layered it.

Using his knowledge of medicine, he stacked dozens of poisons in a delicate balance.

Finally, he added the poison of the Inmyeonji Lord. Underneath it, all the poisons merged into a single drop of clear liquid.

The transparent droplet floated in the air, scattering radiant light.

In the future, someone would reach desperately for this light.

A desperate voice called out from somewhere.

”…Jin!”

”…Mujin!”

“Tang Mujin, what are you doing!”

It was Hyun-gong’s voice.

The scene of the Northern Sea Ice Palace’s reception hall unfolded before Tang Mujin once more.

Hyun-gong was still locked in combat with the Ice Palace Lord, and behind him, Baek Hyang-a was slumped against the wall, occasionally coughing.

And at Tang Mujin’s fingertips was a single drop of transparent liquid.

It looked like sweat, or perhaps tears, or even a trace of melted snow.

A faint mist rose from it.

Tang Mujin spoke.

“Hyun-gong.”

“Finally snapped out of it?”

“Step aside.”

“Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

“If you don’t want to die too, move.”

A cryptic statement. Yet, it didn’t feel like Tang Mujin was bluffing.

Hyun-gong swung his sword one last time, knocking the Ice Palace Lord back, then collapsed to the side. It was the best he could do.

Now, there was nothing between Tang Mujin and the Ice Palace Lord.

Tang Mujin didn’t even have a weapon to block the Ice Palace Lord’s sword. The sword he had wielded earlier lay on the ground.

If the Ice Palace Lord took just three steps forward and swung his sword, Tang Mujin would lose his life.

“Abandoning defense? Have you accepted defeat?”

The Ice Palace Lord spoke, lowering his stance.

His body leaned forward, weight shifting to the balls of his feet, and his leg muscles tensed.

“Not at all.”

Tang Mujin moved his right hand in a gentle arc.

The transparent droplet split into hundreds, thousands of tiny droplets, enveloping the Ice Palace Lord.

“This is my attack and defense.”

“Haha!”

The Ice Palace Lord laughed, charging at Tang Mujin.

One step.

At the same time, the Ice Palace Lord’s right arm, holding the sword, tensed.

The second step.

Without slowing, the Ice Palace Lord swung his sword. It rose from the lower left to the upper right. In a fraction of a second, Tang Mujin’s upper body would be cleaved in two.

“Endure this.”

And just as the Ice Palace Lord was about to take the third step, Tang Mujin clenched his outstretched right hand. As if controlling a wheel.

At that moment, the Ice Palace Lord collapsed to the ground.

The body of the Ice Palace Lord was pristine, without a single scratch. It was as if his soul had been forcibly extracted, captured by Tang Mujin’s hand.

Even Hyun Gong, and Baek Hyang-ah, who had been teetering on the brink of death, were wide-eyed with astonishment at the sight.

Poison arts, once scorned as cowardly tricks by many, were not even considered true martial arts by most warriors.

Yet here, in the hands of a grandmaster, the potential of these poison arts had blossomed into something spectacular.