Chapter 430: Three Reasons for Giving a Gift

TL: FoodieMonster007

Geom Mugeuk followed behind the Ice Empress. He had naturally assumed the Ice Palace Vault would be located outside the Ice Palace itself.

He had imagined it hidden deep within the North Sea, or perhaps somewhere in a blizzard-swept snowy mountain, a place so cold it would freeze one's heart.

Instead, the Ice Empress led Geom Mugeuk deep inside the North Sea Ice Palace.

"This is the first time it's been revealed to an outsider."

"It is an honor, Empress."

"It is a reward for saving my palace."

After passing through a series of gates guarded by the Ice Palace's elite martial artists, they arrived at a frozen lake.

"From now on, follow exactly where I step."

Geom Mugeuk immediately understood. This seemingly ordinary lake was covered in formations. What made these formations terrifying was their unexpected nature.

He had never before encountered formations laid out on a frozen lake. While others might be distracted by the tension of the ice potentially cracking beneath them, the true danger would lie elsewhere, ready to ensnare him.

Geom Mugeuk followed closely behind the Ice Empress, stepping precisely where she did.

What would happen if one failed to find the correct path? Would the ice crack, plunging them into the frigid lake, or would they be doomed to wander this frozen surface forever?

As the Ice Empress continued walking in silence, she abruptly asked, "Is that child, Lee Ahn, a descendant of a demon?"

"No, she was entrusted to our Cult when she was very young."

The Ice Empress continued her silent trek, appearing as if she had something more to say.

"But why do you ask?"

While Lee Ahn was certainly no ordinary person, in both appearance and disposition, it seemed unlike the Ice Empress to show such interest.

"No, it just occurred to me to ask. Watch your step."

The Ice Empress once again diligently stepped carefully as she crossed the lake.

After passing through the formations, they entered a valley. It was a narrow path, barely wide enough for three or four adults to stand abreast.

WHOOSH.

A biting wind swept through from the entrance. It wasn't merely cold, it was truly frigid. This was the true path leading to the Ice Palace Vault.

"It's suddenly grown colder."

A strange smile touched the Ice Empress's lips at Geom Mugeuk's words. "The cold hasn't even begun yet."

A slight thrill ran through the Ice Empress at the thought of letting the Young Cult Leader experience the true cold. While he had indeed saved the Ice Palace, he had also insisted on going to a place inaccessible to anyone without the Extreme Cold Body Constitution. She intended to show him the North Sea's biting chill.

"Come, let us go."

This time, the Ice Empress did not lead, but walked alongside Geom Mugeuk. She needed to observe his condition as they walked. Regardless of his mastery, a single misstep could mean death.

Indeed, with every step they took, the cold intensified.

"Don't force yourself to endure too much."

"I can still bear it."

The phrase 'lungs freezing solid' truly applied. It wasn't merely a biting wind that brought the cold, it felt like approaching the very source of extreme cold.

Each step led to an even colder space, and the next step beyond that was colder still. The change was drastic.

HISS…

Though no wind blew, a strange sound echoed.

"Are you alright?"

From the halfway point onward, the Ice Empress checked Geom Mugeuk's condition with every step.

Geom Mugeuk, however, remained perfectly fine. Though he felt the cold, it neither affected his body nor caused him any pain.

The Ice Empress worried Geom Mugeuk might freeze solid where he stood, yet he walked on without issue. In fact, he strode more vigorously than she did.

HIIIIISS…

No wind blew, but the strange sound grew louder with every step.

The Ice Empress grew increasingly astonished with each passing moment. If Geom Mugeuk didn't possess the Extreme Cold Body Constitution, then he must know another demonic art capable of enduring this cold.

Could such a demonic art truly exist?

The cold intensified with every step. This was not merely the kind of cold that would instantly freeze water exposed to the air. It was a cold that defied common sense and transcended all limits.

Neither Geom Mugeuk, who had consumed the 10000 Year Snow Fruit, nor the Ice Empress, who endured with her unique inner arts, could converse. Such was the overwhelming cold of that place.

Eventually, the two reached the end of the path. There, a colossal block of ice stood.

No, it was a massive wall of ice, and no ordinary ice at that. Its frigidity defied description, as if it were the very source of all cold in the world.

In essence, they had walked toward the origin of all cold in this world.

Astonishingly, there was a door in that ice wall. It was astounding that someone had thought to carve out a space and create an entrance within it.

The Ice Empress opened the door and stepped inside. Geom Mugeuk followed her.

The moment the Ice Empress closed the door, silence descended. The strange sound that had echoed in their ears vanished completely, and simultaneously, the insane cold disappeared as if by magic.

Inside, the cold was far less severe. It felt like entering a house made of ice.

In fact, Geom Mugeuk had a premonition that the further they went toward the center, the more the cold would recede.

Though conversation was now possible, the Ice Empress stared at Geom Mugeuk in silence for a long time.

Eventually, she pressed him again, "Do you possess the Extreme Cold Body Constitution and merely deceived me?"

"As I said before, I do not possess the Extreme Cold Body Constitution."

"Then do you have a demonic art that allows you to endure the cold?"

"No. No demonic art from our Cult could withstand this cold."

The thought truly crossed her mind. Could the Young Cult Leader know a unique martial art passed down only to the Ice Palace's Empress?

"Is there not one way to endure any cold? The legend passed down in the North Sea, that is."

The Ice Empress, momentarily stunned, recalled a certain fact. "Could it be? You?"

Geom Mugeuk answered honestly, unwilling to leave any lingering doubt in her mind by equivocating. "Yes, I consumed the 10000 Year Snow Fruit."

Geom Mugeuk observed the Ice Empress's eyes widen to their absolute limit. The 10000 Year Snow Fruit was a miracle herb passed down through legend. It was the pinnacle of miracle herbs, granting immense resistance to cold and allowing one to comfortably absorb any energy of a frigid nature.

"Does the 10000 Year Snow Fruit truly exist?"

Even the Ice Empress had considered it a legendary miracle herb, a mystery that existed yet did not.

"I was fortunate enough to encounter it."

The Ice Empress shook her head resolutely. "The 10000 Year Snow Fruit cannot be obtained by luck alone."

If it could, that spiritual fruit wouldn't have become a legend. And the one who obtained it is the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult? Yet this Young Cult Leader saved the Ice Palace. Is this a coincidence? The masterminds had targeted the Ice Palace Vault, and now the Young Cult Leader, who eliminated them, is here with me? Is all of this merely chance? Or are we standing face to face like this within the inevitable flow of destiny?

"Let us enter."

They slowly walked down a corridor made of ice.

At its end lay a vast space, the Ice Palace Vault. Walls, ceiling, floor, and display cases were all crafted from ice.

This place differed from other treasuries. Astonishingly, all the treasures were encased in ice, frozen in blocks of varying sizes, as if packaged within icy bricks.

The ice was incredibly transparent. Thus, the weapons encased within the stacked ice appeared to float in mid-air.

Geom Mugeuk had never witnessed such a mystical sight.

"It's truly magnificent."

The Ice Empress smiled. "Even ordinary Yang energy wouldn't easily melt it."

Reaching this place was difficult enough, but even if one did, extracting the treasures from within the ice would be no easy feat. She wondered what Geom Mugeuk would desire from this place.

Geom Mugeuk pointed to a sword among the treasures encased in ice directly in front of them and asked, "Could that be the Frozen Heaven Divine Sword?"

"It is."

It was a legendary sword, said to double in power when wielded by someone proficient in ice arts.

"And next to it, that's the Smashing Blade."

"You truly have exceptional insight into weaponry."

Beyond these, many other divine weapons were stored, accumulated by the North Sea Ice Palace over long ages.

Despite this, the Ice Empress had a premonition.

He won't choose a sword.

Though he hadn't drawn the Black Demon Sword in front of her, she sensed that the sword Geom Mugeuk carried was superior to any here.

Indeed, Geom Mugeuk marveled at each weapon, but he did not choose any of them.

Next to them, jewels floated in mid-air. Encased within small shards of ice, the gems appeared even more mystical. Among the jewels were truly priceless ones, so magnificent that even the finest Antitoxin Bead and Night-Illuminating Pearl floating nearby seemed paltry in comparison.

Geom Mugeuk, however, passed them by. He did, of course, walk slowly, wondering if the Secret Box might react.

The two orbs the Secret Box had acquired so far had never been found among precious items. They were always discarded or hidden.

He had hoped for a twist, that perhaps one would proudly sit among these valuable jewels, but the Secret Box showed no reaction at all. How wonderful would it be if one were proudly displayed atop these treasures?

Next, they came to a section displaying miracle herbs. Truly, there was an abundance of miracle herbs that money alone couldn't easily acquire. Even the least potent among them were treasures martial artists would dream of consuming.

Geom Mugeuk passed through this area as well.

To avoid giving the impression he was searching for something specific, though, he meticulously examined various items.

"Is there nothing you desire?"

"I intend to choose something that draws my heart, but I haven't found it yet."

He had surveyed all the sections displaying weapons, miracle herbs, and various artifacts, but the Secret Box remained unresponsive.

Is there nothing in the North Sea Ice Palace for the Secret Box to absorb?

He considered that it might not be reacting because everything was encased in ice, but there was nothing he could do about that. Everything here was in ice, and he couldn't very well ask the Ice Empress to melt it all.

Just as he was about to give up, Geom Mugeuk's gaze fell upon a large mural painted on a distant wall. It depicted a massive white dragon ascending, visible even from afar.

Geom Mugeuk walked toward it. Upon reaching the mural, the Secret Box in his pocket reacted.

He was startled. He had never expected the Secret Box to react to a mural.

Upon closer inspection, he understood why. The mural wasn't merely a painting. A blue jade was embedded where the white dragon held its dragon's orb, and red jade formed its eyes. Furthermore, jades of various colors were embedded throughout its claws and body.

Among these various jades was a white jade. The Secret Box was reacting to it.

It's the White Orb!

Had he not come to see the mural, he would never have discovered it.

Who on earth would hide these like this, and why?

It was impossible to know now. Since fate had brought him to it, he could only hope that one day he'd understand.

Geom Mugeuk asked, "May I choose one of the jades embedded in that mural?"

Naturally, the Ice Empress was surprised. She had certainly not expected him to request a jade from the mural. "Do you wish for the dragon's orb?"

"No." Geom Mugeuk pointed to the white jade embedded in the tip of the tail. "Please give me that tail."

While white jade was precious, it was incomparable to the treasures they'd seen earlier.

"May I ask why you specifically desire that one?"

"In our Cult, they often used metaphors like 'dormant dragon' or 'ascending dragon' to describe me. However, I always wish to live as a tail. I desire that white jade so I may never forget that sentiment."

The Ice Empress still wore a bewildered expression. She swiftly launched herself, extracted the white jade from the wall, and descended. No matter how closely she examined it, it was merely a white jade.

"Are you truly satisfied with just this?"

"Yes, it is more than enough. And simply touring the Ice Palace Vault has been an invaluable experience for me."

Receiving the white jade, Geom Mugeuk carefully placed it into his pocket. Unaware of the white jade's true significance, the Ice Empress misinterpreted his intentions.

He doesn't wish to trouble me.

If that were the case, she couldn't simply send him away like this.

The Ice Empress uttered something unexpected. "I am not satisfied."

Geom Mugeuk wouldn't have come if he hadn't intended to, but having come this far and saved the Ice Palace, she couldn't possibly send him off with just a single white jade.

She went to the section with miracle herbs. Using telekinesis, she brought down a block of ice from the highest stack of miracle herbs.

"In any case, only you can consume this."

As the Ice Empress's qi was infused, the ice melted, revealing a small orb.

At first glance, it looked like ice frozen into the shape of an orb. This was the pinnacle of North Sea miracle herbs, the Glacial Ice Essence. It was the supreme miracle herb among those with cold attributes, yet it possessed such extreme energy that it was known only to be consumable by those who'd taken the 10000 Year Snow Fruit.

"May I accept such a precious item?"

"If you don't consume it, it'll remain frozen here forever."

Even now, Geom Mugeuk possessed more inner arts than anyone else in the murim, yet he still thirsted for more. The techniques of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art required a vast amount of inner qi, and he also needed to open the Heavenly Space Secret Art within the Spacetime Manipulation Technique to train.

For him, more inner qi meant more time, and more time meant the power to protect everyone.

"Take it quickly."

"Then I'll no longer decline and accept it with gratitude."

Geom Mugeuk immediately consumed the Glacial Ice Essence on the spot. It was an incredibly frigid energy.

Had his body not been made capable of enduring any cold by the effects of the 10000 Year Snow Fruit, he would've frozen solid and died the moment he swallowed it. No, he wouldn't even have been able to swallow it in the first place.

The immense energy of the Glacial Ice Essence surged through his meridians. It raged like a mad northern gale, but his body had already endured even such insane winds.

After carefully regulating his qi several times, the Glacial Ice Essence's energy gathered in his qi center, transforming into pure inner arts.

Until now, he'd vaguely wondered if his inner arts were the greatest in the murim, but now he was certain. He possessed the most inner qi, but just that wasn't what delighted him most.

He was delighted that he could advance the realms of the Heavenly Space Secret Art and the Nine Calamities Demonic Art even faster.

Today had been a continuous series of surprises for the Ice Empress. She hadn't expected him to dissolve the Glacial Ice Essence so quickly. Thus, her third favor was even easier to decide upon.

"Choose one more."

"This alone is more than enough."

"There are three reasons why I am giving you three gifts."

"What are those reasons?"

"First, it's in return for uncovering the truth behind the Brewmaster's death and eliminating those behind it."

Geom Mugeuk understood that much. He was the benefactor who'd saved the Ice Palace.

"Second, it's for making me look back."

Geom Mugeuk understood. It was for telling her that her daughter still stood behind her, for reconnecting her with a daughter she might've lost forever.

"Third, it's a gift given in advance."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll understand someday. What those words mean."

It was an investment for her daughter.

When Han Seol becomes the Ice Empress, Geom Mugeuk will likely be the Heavenly Demon.

The Ice Empress was making a request in advance, asking him to look after the North Sea Ice Palace and her daughter in the future. If such a request could be bought with a single treasure, it was a cheap price indeed.

Geom Mugeuk surmised her intentions. Thus, he accepted her gesture for her daughter.

"Then I shall choose one more."

He surveyed the area once more. Since this gift wasn't for himself, he chose with even greater care.

"I will choose this for the last gift," he said, pointing at a wine cup.