Star Instructor, Master Baek-Chapter 348: The North Sea Ice Palace (2)

TL: FoodieMonster007

"Hahaha! Let's drink ourselves silly again today!"

Seol Mugeol reveled in drink, music, and dance with his lackeys as usual. Although his grandaunt Seol Suryeon had ordered him confined to his quarters, he dismissed her orders as mere nagging. He was the heir of the Seol Clan and the Prince of the North Sea Ice Palace. He was used to getting his way.

Although he was only twenty-five, he had secured the title of prince years ago due to his exceptional talent. As such, he was confident that no one his age could match his martial abilities.

"This North Sea is too confining for this genius. Someday, I must go to the Central Plains and make a name for myself," he sighed, gazing at the cold North Sea moon. All around him, men and women in the pavilion drowned in vice.

From a young age, he had been arrogant and brazen. He frequently picked fights, looked down on weaker martial artists, and overindulged in drink and women. Contrary to the hopes of his family elders, who hoped he would mellow with age, his tyrannical behavior worsened daily, bolstered even more by the Seol Clan's influence. Naturally, this led to a growing chorus of complaints.

Typically, one's disposition becomes more reserved as one's mastery of the White Ice Divine Art deepens. For some strange reason, though, even the Ice Palace's martial arts, honed over hundreds of years, had failed to alter Seol Mugeol's nature.

"I'm sure you'll become famous in the Central Plains too, Hyung-nim!"

"You'll take us with you when you go, won't you?"

Men and women constantly shadowed the Prince, eagerly flattering him in hopes of receiving some perks. Seol Mugeol, though perfectly aware of their motives, nevertheless enjoyed their company.

"Do you think those feeble Central Plains weaklings can even take one of my palm strikes?" he said with a smirk, casually raising his right hand.

A young man, who had been dragged to the drinking party against his will and was sitting in the corner with a sour expression, went flying into the pond.

"Cough! Cough!"

His lips were blue as he barely managed to crawl out of the pond. The frigid waters of the North Sea were harsh even for the Ice Palace's martial artists.

Seol Mugeol poured him a cup of wine and sneered, "What's with that face? Is the wine not to your liking?"

"N-No, Your Highness…" the man stammered.

Grinning slyly, Seol Mugeol scanned his surroundings. Many immediately averted their gazes in fear.

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Pathetic fools, every last one of them.

"Yaaawn… How dull… Hmm?"

Suddenly, Seol Mugeol spotted one of the guards from the main gate hurrying past.

"Hey! Where are you going? Did something happen outside?" he bellowed.

The guard froze, a look of despair crossing his face. "Y-Your Highness…"

Seol Mugeol furrowed his brow menacingly. "Are your ears clogged? Answer me!"

The guard hastily bowed. Although the Prince was a worthless scoundrel, crossing him usually resulted in a severe beating that took days to recover from. He reported, "A man claiming to be of the Seol Clan bloodline has appeared outside the fortress wall."

"What did you say?"

The guard relayed precisely what he had heard from the man named Seol Ryonghwi.

"So, the son of a coward who fled decades ago showed up?" Seol Mugeol's lips curled into a twisted smirk, and his eyes shone with the excitement of a ruffian who had just discovered a new toy. "This should be fun."

WHOOSH!

He rose from his seat and executed his movement arts, crossing the palace grounds in an instant.

Spotting the incoming prince, the Guard Captain quickly bowed. "Your Highness!"

"I heard that someone claiming to be a member of my family has appeared. Is that him? Hm!

Seol Mugeol's eyes widened. The newcomer had a cool demeanor and pale, thin lips. Most importantly, his white hair was a trait found only among the three noble families of the North Sea Ice Palace.

A single glance confirmed that he was of North Sea lineage.

"What a bastard. He looks annoyingly smug."

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The man was looking up at him impertinently. None of his peers had ever dared to regard him in such a manner.

It was refreshing.

"Hey! What did you say your name was?" he yelled.

"I believe I said I was Seol Ryonghwi. Who might you be, sir?"

"You're asking me that?"

Chuckling, Seol Mugeol leaped down from the fortress wall before anyone could intervene.

CRASH!

Seol Mugeol landed like a cannonball, sending snow flying in all directions. He had used the Thousand Pounds Drop technique deliberately, intending to whip up the snow and bury this cocky fellow in it and humiliating him in the process.

However…

He dodged? No…

It was as if the snowstorm itself had veered away from Seol Ryonghwi. Such a feat was impossible without exceptional footwork.

Seol Mugeol's smirk deepened. "Indeed, it appears you do have some measure of skill to back up your insolence in my presence."

"You still haven't told me who you are."

"I am Seol Mugeol, Prince of the North Sea Ice Palace," Seol Mugeol declared proudly, eager to see the shock on the man's face.

Contrary to expectation, though, Seol Ryonghwi merely nodded impassively, completely unfazed.

"Would it trouble you to tell me your father's name?" Seol Ryonghwi asked.

"His name is Seol Sincheol, but why do you ask?"

"Seol Sincheol… so he's Uncle's son, huh…" Seol Ryonghwi muttered under his breath, then asked again, "And how old are you this year?"

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"Twenty-five, but what's it to you?"

"I'm twenty-eight."

"So what? And what's with the sudden change of tone?"

Seol Ryonghwi rolled his eyes and stared at Seol Mugeol as if he was dumb. "Because I am your older cousin, and my father, Seol Sinwoo, is your father's elder brother."

"What… Puhahaha!" Seol Mugeol burst out laughing at the sight of the stranger who appeared out of nowhere and claimed to be his older cousin. Moments later, though, his expression turned serious. "I've heard some pretty crazy bullshit in my time, but this takes the cake."

Judging by his appearance and the nature of his martial arts, the man named Seol Ryonghwi was almost assuredly a descendant of the North Sea Ice Palace. But so what?

"You're my older cousin? Even if that's true, what of it? Seol Mugeol's eyes brimmed with killing intent. "There's a limit to arrogance. You're nothing but the son of a coward!"

WHOOOOSH!

A blizzard raged fiercely around Seol Mugeol, and a pure white current enveloped both his hands, proof that he had attained a considerable mastery of the White Ice Divine Art.

However, Seol Ryonghwi remained indifferent. Only his eyebrows, as fine as if drawn by a brush, twitched ever so slightly. "Did you just insult my father?" he said coldly.

"So what if I did, you bastard?"

"…Apologize."

A mere plaything wants me to apologize? Hah!

Seol Mugeol was so livid that he couldn't help but laugh. "Me? Apologize? If you want an apology, then try to beat me. If you do, I'll apologize as much as you want. I'll even call you Hyung-nim respectfully. How about that?"

It was an absurd proposition. As the Prince of the North Sea Ice Palace, Seol Mugeol was naturally the strongest among his peers. Furthermore, since becoming Prince, he had begun learning the complete White Ice Divine Art. Right now, his martial arts were already on par with the elders.

"Of all people, to pick a fight with the Prince…"

"This is going to escalate quickly."

"Hurry and inform the Empress Dowager! She's the only one who can stop the Prince!"

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The guards stationed on the fortress wall and the curious martial artists who had gathered nearby looked at Seol Ryonghwi with pity.

"Do you see them?" Seol Mugeol shouted, relishing the attention. Disciplining the new Seol Clan member in front of everyone seemed amusing.

In contrast, Seol Ryonghwi coolly circulated his internal energy, his expression impassive. "May I begin?"

"Hahaha! Of course! I'll grant you the first move, so whenever you're ready…!"

SMACK!

Seol Mugeol's face snapped to the side, and his eyes went wide with surprise.

When?

A clump of snow slid down his cheek. Seol Ryonghwi had kicked the snow at his feet, striking him in the face before he could even react.

If that had been a hidden weapon instead of a snowball…

The mere thought made his hair stand on end.

"You… cowardly bastard…" Seol Mugeol brushed the snow from his cheek and glared at Seol Ryonghwi. He had merely been careless for a moment. Besides, kicking snow was a dirty trick. He roared, "How dare you launch a surprise attack while I'm speaking!"

"How incompetent are you that you cannot even estimate your opponent's strength?" Seol Ryonghwi taunted, looking at the sputtering Seol Mugeol as if he were a pathetic worm. His thin lips curling up in a sneer colder than North Sea ice, he asked incredulously, "Are you really the Prince of the North Sea Ice Palace?"

"You son of a bitch…!" Seol Mugeol's face contorted hideously with rage. Unleashing his killing intent, he charged at Seol Ryonghwi, screaming, "You are courting death!"

CRACKLE!

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The surrounding air froze as Seol Mugeol glided over the snow and aimed a lethal palm strike at Seol Ryonghwi's heart.

BOOM!

The air exploded from the force of the attack…and nothing else. Seol Ryonghwi had disappeared.

"What? Where'd he go!" Seol Mugeol glanced around frantically, searching for his opponent.

Suddenly, Seol Ryonghwi's chilling voice rang out from behind him, "As your elder, I shall take it upon myself to teach you an important lesson."

"Shut… Ugh!"

WHACK!

Before Seol Mugeol could finish speaking, the sheathed Divine Azure Dragon Sword struck him in the side. Excruciating pain shot through him, and his eyes bulged so much that they looked like they were going to pop out.

Fuck, are my ribs fractured?

Blinded by rage, Seol Mugeol forcefully twisted his body around, ignoring the pain. The pure white current of the White Ice Divine Art exploded in all directions from his outstretched palms.

FWOOM! FWOOM! FWOOM!

Nevertheless, not a single blow so much as grazed Seol Ryonghwi. Like a phantom, he effortlessly evaded every strike, drawing gasps of admiration from the onlookers on the fortress wall.

Seol Ryonghwi muttered, "I'm not sure if such words are appropriate for the North Sea, but…"

"I'll kill you!"

"…You're just a flower raised in a greenhouse."

Seol Ryonghwi swung his sword. The frigid qi imbued in his sword was fainter than Seol Mugeol's, but far sharper. Piercing through Seol Mugeol's clumsy defenses, the tip of the sword struck him in the solar plexus.

"Cough!"

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Seol Mugeol immediately bent backward like a cooked shrimp, but Seol Ryonghwi wasn't quite done yet. He slammed a knee into his junior face.

CRACK!

Seol Mugeol staggered back, blood streaming from his nose. For the first time, fear flickered across his face. "Y-You motherfucker…!"

"I see you still haven't learned your lesson."

To Seol Mugeol, the indifferent voice sounded like the grim reaper's summons.

What followed was not a fair fight, but rather an merciless, one-sided beatdown. Seol Mugeol's body was soon covered in bruises, and his face was swollen. Several of his bones were broken.

"S-Stop…"

Eventually, pain overcame pride. In a voice as soft as an ant's, Seol Mugeol declared his surrender.

"Apologize and show me the respect you should show an elder," Seol Ryonghwi said in a low voice, pausing his attack for a moment.

He's looking at me like I'm a lesser species…!

"Kuuugh… This son of a bitch, really…!" Seol Mugeol's face contorted with humiliation. His eyes half-rolled back, and killing intent on a completely different level than before threatened to explode from his body.

"What is the meaning of this?!"

Suddenly, a thunderous roar erased Seol Mugeol's killing intent, and a woman wearing a flamboyant red gown descended between the two men.

ROAAAAR!

The woman's aura was so powerful that even the air felt heavier.

Seol Ryonghwi, or rather Baek Suryong, fixed his gaze on Seol Suryeon.

About time you showed up.

He knew she had been watching the fight for a while. He also had a good idea why she hadn't intervened, even when her grandnephew was being thrashed.

She wanted to observe me thoroughly, to see if I'm truly of the Seol Clan bloodline. I wonder if she's already reached a conclusion?

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Many thoughts ran through Baek Suryong's mind, but he made sure to keep an indifferent expression.

Seol Suryeon glared at her supposed grandnephew, her eyes narrowing frighteningly. "How dare you do this to the Prince of our Palace? You even released your killing intent…"

"I was merely teaching my junior some manners."

"…Your junior, you say?" Seol Suryeon tilted her head, as if confused.

As expected of a cunning old vixen.

Tying his sword back to his belt, Baek Suryong clasped his hands in greeting. "Greetings, Grandaunt. I am Seol Ryonghwi, son of Seol Sinwoo."

"You… are Sinwoo's son?"

"Yes."

Seol Suryeon inspected Seol Ryonghwi's face and hair color meticulously, her expression one of disbelief. She then scanned his body thoroughly with a blatant wave of internal qi.

[Don't worry. She won't be able to see through the sorcery,] the Divine Azure Dragon Sword reassured.

That's not what I'm worried about.

Seol Suryeon was strong. Baek Suryong could feel it just from the energy brushing against his skin. She was an exceptional master who would stand out even in the Central Plains.

However, he was confident that he could deceive her. He had absolute trust in Seol Sinwoo's information, the Divine Azure Dragon Sword's sorcery, and his own abilities.

As expected, Seol Suryeon was still unconvinced. "How did you recognize me immediately?" she asked suspiciously.

"…I heard much about you from my father. Besides, is there anyone else in the North Sea who possesses such a mighty aura?"

A faint, hardly noticeable smile crossed Seol Suryeon's lips.

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He's polite and good at flattery. He also strongly resembles that child Sinwoo in that he is eloquent, unlike most North Sea men.

Nothing was certain yet. However, there was no mistaking the Seol Clan's innate dignity, which was evident in their appearance, temperament, and even their bearing.

Although he has learned the White Ice Divine Art, he has only learned up to the middle stages at most… yet he completely overwhelmed Mugeol? Was he born with prodigious martial talent?

It was hard to believe even after seeing it. Seol Ryonghwi was a talent she would covet even if he were the child of another family.

If this child is truly a descendant of the Seol Clan, then…

Though her doubts weren't completely erased, Seol Suryeon's greed won out, and her heart leaned favorably toward Seol Ryonghwi.

"That child Sinwoo… did he speak of me often?" she asked.

"He regretted turning his back on his family until the day he died."

"So he's dead…" A conflicting mix of emotions crossed Seol Suryeon's face. Looking at the crowd of onlookers gathered on the fortress wall, she said, "For now, let's all go to the family estate together. There are many eyes watching."

As she walked, she turned her head and shot Seol Mugeol a cold glare as if he were an afterthought. "You follow, too."

"Yes, Grandaunt…" Seol Mugeol, his head bowed low, answered through gritted teeth.

Before the three could leave, however, a voice interrupted, "I hear that the son of the fugitive who fled our Palace has returned. Should he not go to the Hall of Justice first, as is proper?"

CREAK!

The closed fortress gate swung open, and Eun Hwiryong emerged with Han Songbaek.

Baek Suryong made eye contact with Eun Hwiryong. For an extremely brief moment, he felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

Huh? Is it just me, or does she look kind of familiar?

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Unfortunately, he couldn't dwell on it for long.

Seol Suryeon stepped in front of him defensively, exuding a terrifying aura. "How dare you call a son of the Seol Clan a fugitive and persecute him so carelessly!"

A violent wave of energy radiated from Seol Suryeon's body. Snow piled on the ground shot up into the air, creating a blizzard, and the temperature around her dropped sharply.

"…!!"

"…!!"

The martial artists on the fortress wall were all aghast at her display of power. Only Eun Hwiryong and Han Songbaek remained expressionless.

Eun Hwiryong said icily, "Empress Dowager, do you intend to ignore the laws of our Palace?"

"Since when has our Palace judged children for the sins of their parents? What gives you the right to call Ryonghwi a criminal?"

Eun Hwiryong argued, "Our first priority should be to confirm his bloodline. Such tasks are the responsibility of the Hall of Justice."

Seol Suryeon snorted. "The Seol Clan reserves the right to examine him before sending him to the Hall of Justice, so you needn't worry your pretty head. I can concede no further. Let's go."

"Wait a moment!" Grand Elder Han Songbaek called out, but Seol Suryeon ignored him and entered the palace.

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No one else spoke up. Once again, the Seol Clan demonstrated their immense authority, and everyone accepted it as a matter of course.

"So that's Seol Ryonghwi, huh…"

"We've witnessed something incredible."

"I have a feeling our Palace is going to be turned inside out…"

One thing was for sure. The name Seol Ryonghwi was now firmly imprinted in everyone's mind.

Translator's Note: The agent of chaos strikes again. Is anyone surprised? See you next week!