Chapter 1123: If A Friend Calls, Of Course You Should Come (Part 3)

Those draped in pristine white fur approached with steps so uniform they seemed like they were measured with a ruler.

If the Beast Palace disciples were like a dense jungle thriving under the scorching sun, the disciples of the North Sea Ice Palace carried the chilling winds of the north.

While the temperament of people may vary depending on where they grow up, at least for them, the cold winds of the North Sea seemed to be ingrained in them in a way that didn't seem odd at all.

'It's so different.'

Namgung Dowi couldn't help but feel something new.

Even though he wielded a sword himself, there was something distinctly different about the aura emanating from the North Sea Ice Palace's swordsmen. The term "sharp as a blade" seemed fitting, and he found himself marveling at it.

It was intriguing how their aura was completely opposite to that of the Beast Palace. While the Beast Palace exuded boundless freedom and seemed unbound, the disciples of the Ice Palace seemed to have crafted the very essence of restraint.

Perhaps that's why, unlike the Beast Palace, it felt difficult to approach them easily...

"Dojang-nim!"

...until now.

Suddenly, a man leaped out from among those exuding a sharp aura. He then charged fiercely towards Chung Myung.

"Huh?"

"Dojang-nim!"

The man, with an unmistakable expression of joy, seized Chung Myung's hands tightly with both of his. It was almost a catching motion.

"How many years has it been! I hope you've been well?"

"...Huh?"

"Dojang-nim, you haven't changed at all! I was relieved! Still, it feels a bit awkward seeing you after such a long time!"

"...Uh?"

"Still, it's worth coming all this way to see you again! Seriously, why is the Central Plains so hot! It feels even hotter than a North Sea midsummer!"

"Oh, no, wait a moment."

"Hmm?"

"I..."

Chung Myung looked at the man with a completely puzzled expression.

"Who are you?"

"...."

The man, or rather, the youth, looked momentarily dumbfounded. But after a while, he burst into laughter.

"Ahahaha! As expected, it's Dojang-nim. You've always played around like this."

"No, that's not what I mean..."

"I should learn to be as carefree as you as soon as possible. It's not as easy as it seems."

"No...."

"But still, if you steadily put in effort every day, someday..."

"Hey! Let me say something too! Who are you!"

Upon hearing that, the young man suddenly stiffened. Then, with a face genuinely shocked, he looked at Chung Myung.

"Um, Do... Dojang-nim. You really don't remember me?"

"No, it feels like I'm seeing you for the first time. Why do you keep pretending to know me?"

"I'm So Baek!"

"Huh?"

"Seol So Baek."

"Who? Seol So Baek? The Ice Palace Lord?"

"Yes! It's me!"

Now, Chung Myung looked at the young man with a bewildered gaze. A neat and white-skinned figure that easily exceeded five feet...

"The So Baek I know is about this tall?"

"Yes! That's me."

"...You?"

"Yes!"

The reaction to that statement wasn't just from Chung Myung.

"Eh?"

"The Ice Palace Lord?"

"Really?"

Behind Chung Myung, the Five Swords couldn't believe it and reacted intensely.

Chung Myung stared at the young man in front of him with a dumbfounded expression. Though it was hard to believe that this neat young man was Seol So Baek...

"Now that I think about it, there's a resemblance...."

"That's right."

"Well, if you look closely, the eyes and mouth are exactly the same."

"Where are you looking?"

"I didn't expect much from Jo Gol's eye appraisal, so I don't know."

"...No...."

Baek Cheon blinked his eyes. Listening and seeing, it really seemed like he was Seol So Baek...

"Hehehehe."

Chung Myung couldn't hide his astonishment and looked at the robust young man in front of him.

"Are you really So Baek?"

"Yes, Dojang-nim."

"Even your voice is completely different."

"I think it's the same, is it strange like that?"

"It's not that... Um, yeah. You've grown a lot."

No. If anything, it wasn't that he had grown a lot, but rather that he had changed almost to the point of becoming a different person. His height seemed to have almost doubled, and the chubby face that was full of baby fat had transformed into a quite slim and handsome young man's face. It wasn't the strong impression characteristic of the North Sea, but rather, how should one put it, a bit of a delicate beauty.

"Now that I think about it, the last time I saw you was, let me see... almost four years ago?"

"That's right. It's already been four years."

"...Then, it's natural that things would change."

He was at an age where a lot could change... Of course, the problem was the significant gap between thinking with the head and seeing with the eyes.

Chung Myung's gaze turned towards the young man... no, Seol So Baek's waist, where a long sword hung. With the white robe and the sword hanging down, he now felt distinctly like a martial artist.

"It's been a while, Seol Gungju." [Prince]

"It's truly an honor, Beast Palace Lord!"

Surprised, Chung Myung turned his head and asked Meng So.

"Do you recognize him?"

"Isn't it obvious? Why is there such a reaction even though he's obviously the same?"

"Again, the same?"

"Isn't it just that it grew a little taller?"

Well, Meng So was a person who could distinguish ten identical tiger cubs at a glance. There was no reason for someone who could recognize animals like that not to recognize people.

Seeing him talk like that, it seemed that Seol So Baek was indeed right.

Chung Myung pushed aside the subtly rising awkwardness and greeted him with a smiling face.

"Anyway, thanks for coming. It must have been a long journey."

"Not at all. Naturally, I had to come."

Seol So Baek smiled brightly and spoke with a slightly embarrassed tone.

"Actually, during that time, there were some concerns within the Ice Palace. There were opinions circulating that the Heavenly Comrade Alliance was only pretending to be close to the North Sea in order to bring goods from the North Sea at a low price and make money."

Stab.

Seol So Baek's words became a dagger, mercilessly piercing Chung Myung's chest.

"...I-is that so?"

"Hahaha. I apologize, Dojang-nim. I, who personally met and knew Dojang-nim, didn't entertain such thoughts, but it seems to have been less than impressive to those who don't know you. Ignorant people even dared to insult you, calling you a fake Taoist. Hahaha."

Stab!

"Oh, don't worry. I've sharply scolded such people. But, you know, humans are tricky. Even though I absolutely thought it couldn't be true, there were times when I doubted if you had completely forgotten about the North Sea, especially since you rarely visited. Hahaha!"

Stab! Stab!

"Surely that can't be true. How can I not know how much you value the North Sea? After all, why would Taoists living deep in the mountains come all the way to the distant North Sea just for money? Haha. It's really an absurd story."

"..."

"Still, even if by some chance, you had forgotten us, what could we have done? But now that you've come to find us like this, I feel ashamed. As someone who has received your favor, having such absurd thoughts is truly sinful. How could I feel so shameful?"

"Well, I was wrong."

"Huh? Dojang-nim, what did you just say...?"

"Oh, no. It's nothing. Forget it."

The back of Chung Myung's head was soaked with sweat.

Of course, they weren't entirely forgotten, but hadn't he conveniently pushed them to the back of his mind? 

If Seol So Back had blamed him, Chung Myung could have shamelessly moved forward. But by consistently showing such unwavering trust, Seol So Baek made him feel smaller and smaller.

"Oh, and!"

"Yeah?"

"Here! Bring it over here!"

When Seol So Baek shouted, the Ice Palace disciples brought something forward from the back. Something very familiar to the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect.

"A wagon?"

"It's enormous!"

"Hahaha. If that were made of iron, it would be just like what we use in Mount Hua...I-Is it made of iron?"

The Ice Palace disciples brought out one gigantic wagon without any apparent difficulty. The issue was that it wasn't just one wagon.

Kururung! Kururururung!

At least more than five wagons were being pulled out, raising a cloud of dust.

"W-what is this?"

"We wouldn't come to meet Dojang-nim after such a long time empty-handed, would we? These are gifts from the North Sea."

"Uh, a gift? We can receive items from the North Sea through the Eunha Guild...."

"That's for selling. This, however, is an incomparably precious gift. I'm giving it to you."

"....Huh?"

"Now, this is...."

Seol So Baek uncovered the cloth on the first cart.

"Huh? W-what is this?"

"Precious animal skins from the North Sea. We've prepared everything from seal and gray wolf skins to rare bear skins."

"...."

"These are items that are difficult to quantify in value. When I visited before, I thought the winter in Mount Hua might be quite cold, so I prepared these for the Taoists."

"....Was Mount Hua cold for you too?"

"I didn't particularly feel that way, but wouldn't the Taoists be cold? With these skins, you should be able to spend the winter warmly."

Chung Myung shed tears.

'I should just die, I.'

Had he ever received such treatment in his life? Good heavens, that guy from the freezing North Sea was worried about the cold on top of a mountain and sent over skins... He had left such kids behind...

- Chung Myung-ah. Honestly, even I think you were a bit much.

Ah, I know. I'm feeling extremely guilty right now!

"And what's contained in this cart are rare plants from the North Sea, and on this side, we've gathered some herbs. And this is...."

"....Why did you bring all of this? It's burdensome...."

"Oh, come on. Don't feel burdened. Considering what you have done for the North Sea, this is nothing."

"...."

"Of course, it's not brought for compensation. Just think of this as a small token of my sincerity."

Seol So Baek sighed as if regretful.

"If the distance wasn't so far, I would have brought more by ship."

"S-Stop...."

No matter how free it is, even Chung Myung, who would drink muddy water if it were free, would burst and die if he ate all this. Lately, Chung Myung has been repeatedly realizing that he actually has a conscience.

At that moment, Seol So Baek's complexion darkened a bit.

"However...."

"Huh?"

"I couldn't acquire many ice crystals as the Dojang mentioned. The output has decreased so much... I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry at all!"

Chung Myung quickly shook his head passionately and waved his hand.

That? He'd scratched up decades' worth of that stuff, and if he asked for more, he'd be a robber.

"I've somehow managed to fill the quantity, but the quality isn't that great. In the past, I would have been embarrassed to even mention these things as if they were ice crystals...."

"Oh, it's okay. Really okay."

It's not something I'm going to eat, whatever.

It was precisely at that moment, looking at Seol So Baek who had suddenly grown up, that Chung Myung keenly realized that the well-raised leader of the North Sea Ice Palace was worth more than ten Dong Ryongs. [tsk tsk...clearly one son has more filial piety...]

Somewhere, a sharp voice echoed.

"No, does that mean they caught and skinned animals for leather unnecessarily? These are people I can't accept!"

"Huh?"

The warriors of the Yunnan Beast Palace glared at Seol So Baek and the animal hides laid out in front of them with sinister eyes.

"Is there a problem?"

At the same time, Seol So Baek's face turned as cold as ice. As if proving the fact that he was the leader of the North Sea Ice Palace, a cold and oppressive aura began to emanate from him.