Chapter 195

The moment the Heavenly Demon was devising a plan to drench the Central Plains in blood, Jaseong was also drawing up his own plan to bring down the Demonic Cult.

"Rin."

As ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Jaseong called Lee Rin, he folded up the map he had been holding.

It ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was a document crammed with reports from Tianxia Association spies about the Demonic Cult's movements.

"What ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍is it, Great Hero?"

"It ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍looks like I'll need to accompany you to your hometown."

"Huh...? ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍You mean the North Sea?"

"Yes."

"But why the North Sea all of a sudden?"

"The number of Demonic Cultists is enormous. The Evil Path Association of the Central Plains simply isn't enough. We need to go visit the Ice Palace Mistress in person and borrow as many of the North Sea's swordmasters as we can."

Lee Rin grinned and lightly patted Jaseong's arm.

"Leave getting Mother's permission to me. If she hears that I've reached the Supreme Peak by working with you, I'm sure she'll be overjoyed."

At Lee Rin's words, Jaseong replied with a faint smile and nodded.

"Hyang-ah."

"Yes, Sect Leader."

"Only you, me, Gu Janghu, and the North Sea's guardians will go to the North Sea."

"Understood. I'll prepare seven horses and enough rations for the journey."

Following the proverb "Strike while the iron is hot,"

Jaseong immediately set out on the journey to the North Sea.

The road to the North Sea Ice Palace was long and arduous.

They left the Central Plains, traveled north and further north.

After crossing endless barren lands and steppes, at last the snowy expanse unfolded before them.

Here at the northernmost edge, the world was enveloped in white, and even though it was not midwinter, frost hung in their breaths, the cold biting to the bone.

"It's beautiful."

Jaseong muttered quietly as he gazed out over the snowy field. It was his first time in the North Sea.

The air was different from the Central Plains; every breath he took, icy energy stabbed deep into his lungs.

Of course, this visit was not for mere sightseeing.

A final showdown with the Demonic Cult.

The Evil Path Association of the Central Plains alone was not enough—the Demonic Cult's strength was beyond imagination, and to truly annihilate them, the power of extra-regional forces was necessary.

Foremost among those was the North Sea Ice Palace, the strongest of them all.

The true purpose of this trip was to meet Lee Seol-hwa, Lee Rin's mother and Mistress of the Ice Palace, and request reinforcements.

'The Ice Palace Mistress I met at the Murim Alliance years ago... I wonder what she'll say when she sees me now, having reached the Transformation Realm.'

Jaseong thought to himself.

Back then, the Ice Palace Mistress had not been fond of him; it was the wary gaze of a mother worried for her daughter's future.

"We should be almost at the palace by now."

Lee Rin, riding ahead, pointed forward as she spoke.

Having spent years in the Central Plains, her expression brightened considerably upon returning to her homeland.

Just then, Gu Janghu steered his horse over and approached.

"But Sect Leader, something about Secretary Hyang's report before we left bothers me. There was information that remnants of the Blood Cult were moving north... Why are they heading in this direction?"

At that question, Jaseong fell into deep thought as well.

Why had Chu Hyul-gwang, who'd been stopped from using the Blood Sacrifice Grand Art during the Tianxia Association campaign, suddenly gone north?

'Surely they're not targeting the North Sea.'

Normally, it would have been an excessive suspicion.

In this time of fierce power struggles in the Central Plains, for the Blood Cult to be after the North Sea Ice Palace made little sense.

But unfortunately, that ominous premonition missed the mark.

As Jaseong, Lee Rin, Gu Janghu, and the protectors of the North Sea pressed onward toward the Ice Palace—

Whoooooosh!

Suddenly, a massive pillar of smoke shot up from the snowy plain ahead.

It was smoke of a dark, blood-red hue.

Jaseong and Lee Rin's faces hardened at once.

"That's...!"

Lee Rin's eyes trembled with anger.

The blood-red smoke was rising from none other than the direction of the main palace of the North Sea Ice Palace.

They spurred their horses forward.

In less than one shikcheong, a dreadful sight spread out before the two who had raced across the snowy field.

The outer walls of the North Sea Ice Palace had collapsed.

The palace walls, which had withstood the winds and time of the snowfields for centuries, had been smashed in places, and between the debris, dark, sinister beings swarmed.

Jiangshi—corpses created through the Blood Sacrifice Grand Art.

Thousands of jiangshi encircled the palace walls of the Ice Palace.

From their bodies, a chilling deathly energy poured out, blanketing the snowy field in a dense fog.

"Mother...!"

Lee Rin's face went deathly pale.

Inside the walls, the swordmaidens of the North Sea Ice Palace were fighting desperately.

Rays of the palace's characteristic frosty energy flashed, freezing and smashing the jiangshi, but the difference in numbers was simply too great.

For every one they defeated, three more surged forward; for every ten slain, a hundred poured in.

"Great Hero...!"

"I know."

Jaseong dismounted and drew the sword from his belt.

At that moment, his eyes changed.

Samadhi Eyes awakened.

Now that he had attained the Transformation Realm, the world appeared even more different than before.

He could see at a glance the movements of the jiangshi, the flow of deathly energy, and its source.

His sight sharpened to the point he could see great distances as if they were right before his eyes.

'Someone is controlling the jiangshi. On that hill at the rear.'

Where the pillar of blood-red smoke was rising, Blood Cult sorcerers had set up a formation and activated the Blood Sacrifice Grand Art.

And standing at the very heart—

Blood Sky Old Demon, Chu Hyul-gwang.

The chief of the Blood Cult was there in person.

'... So that's it.'

Jaseong clenched his teeth.

Having been stopped from using the Blood Sacrifice Grand Art in the Central Plains, Chu Hyul-gwang had now chosen the North Sea Ice Palace as his new sacrifice.

The warriors of the Ice Palace possessed strong internal power.

A martial artist's vital force was said to make for stronger jiangshi, so to Chu Hyul-gwang, the Ice Palace was a perfect feast.

"Lee Rin."

"Yes."

"You go inside the palace walls. Lead the palace's warriors and hold the inner fortress."

"What about you, Great Hero?"

"I'm going for the head controlling all this."

Jaseong pointed with his chin toward the hill where the blood-red smoke rose.

Lee Rin hesitated a moment.

She knew Jaseong's body had not yet completely healed.

But Lee Rin swallowed her words.

She trusted in his martial arts.

He was, after all, now recognized as the World's Greatest in the Central Plains.

"Hurry."

At Jaseong's urging, Lee Rin nodded.

Then she leaped toward the palace walls.

Gu Janghu and the North Sea guardians followed behind Lee Rin.

Jaseong was left alone.

He took a slow, deep breath.

Then, in the next instant—

Swish!

He vanished as if teleporting at unbelievable speed.

Next, a violent snowstorm arose.

Wherever Jaseong passed, the snow on the snowy field exploded and flew apart.

* * *

The inner fortress of the North Sea Ice Palace.

Mistress Lee Seol-hwa was engaging in fierce battle with the endless waves of jiangshi.

"Mistress! The east wall has been breached!"

"There's another horde coming in from the west!"

The urgent reports of the protectors rang out.

Lee Seol-hwa's brilliant frosty energy flashed in midair, freezing and shattering dozens of jiangshi at once.

The Ice Palace Mistress's might had reached the very pinnacle of the Supreme Peak realm.

But the jiangshi made by the Blood Sacrifice Grand Art were different from ordinary jiangshi.

Some would not shatter even when frozen, and others, even when broken apart, would still crawl forward, their limbs moving independently.

"Mistress. There are too many of them. At this rate, the inner fortress won't hold for long."

A sense of grim determination colored the Chief Protector's voice.

Lee Seol-hwa gritted her teeth.

'... I never expected those Blood Cult bastards to attack all the way out here.'

While she was preoccupied with the War of Orthodox and Unorthodox in the Central Plains, the Blood Cult struck from the rear.

Leading an army of jiangshi created by the Blood Sacrifice Grand Art, they exploited a weakness in the North Sea Ice Palace.

'And that immense expert's energy in the far distance... Chu Hyul-gwang—the madman himself has come.'

Never since the palace's founding had the main palace of the North Sea Ice Palace been attacked.

The harsh cold of the snowy plains and the palace's barrier had always served as natural protection, but against a jiangshi army that felt no cold, it was useless.

Just then—

"Mother!"

Someone leaped up onto the palace walls.

Lee Seol-hwa turned her head.

"Rin-ah...?!"

It was Lee Rin.

"How are you here?!"

"I'll explain later!"

Drawing her treasured sword, Lee Rin unleashed her frost energy at the oncoming pack of jiangshi.

Fwoooosh!

The icy energy surging from Lee Rin instantly froze and shattered dozens of jiangshi at the front lines.

"... Rin-ah. Your frost energy is... beyond anything you had before...."

Lee Seol-hwa's eyes quivered minutely.

Her daughter's martial skill had grown incredibly.

It had only been a few years since she'd been sent to the Central Plains, and she'd reached this level?!

"I understand now what level the Supreme Peak is."

"Supreme Peak...? You?"

Lee Seol-hwa looked at her daughter, unable to believe it.

But the purity and strength of the frost energy pouring forth left no room for denial.

There was no time for amazement, however.

"Rin-ah, how on earth did you get here? Don't tell me you came alone?"

"I'm not alone. Great Hero Jaseong came with me."

"Great Hero Jaseong...? You mean that young man I saw at the Murim Alliance?"

"Yes."

Lee Seol-hwa's eyebrows twitched.

'I heard that young man Rin cherishes became the head of the Evil Path Association. And that he led the War of Orthodox and Unorthodox to victory with overwhelming martial might... But for that young man to have come to the North Sea with Rin... Did they come to ask my permission for marriage, perhaps?'

It was at that moment, lost in her wild supposition—

BOOOOM!!!

From outside the fortress, a cacophonous roar shook heaven and earth.

The source was the rear of the jiangshi army, from the hill where the Blood Cult's formation was.

Lee Seol-hwa quickly turned in that direction.

From atop the walls, she could see an unbelievable sight unfolding on the snowy field far beyond.

A single person was cutting through thousands of jiangshi and advancing.

Sssk! Swish! Sheeeek!

Each time the sword swung, ten, twenty, thirty jiangshi were swept away at once.

He wasn't merely slicing them.

His sword aura fanned out, completely annihilating the jiangshi in its path.

A display of overwhelming might, transcending human limits.

Swoooooooooosh!!

And the instant she recognized the nature of that sword aura, Lee Seol-hwa's eyes widened in shock.

The one producing such force was Jaseong.

Just a few years ago, he had seemed barely at the peak—but now, his martial arts overshadowed even the Mistress of the North Sea Ice Palace.

'Is that really the same young man I saw back then...?!'

At that moment, Lee Seol-hwa felt like she was dreaming.

While she was dumbstruck, Jaseong's advance did not stop.

Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash!!!!

The sword techniques, born from the Sword Immortal Lü Dongbin's manual, exploded across the snowy field.

With each strike, dozens of jiangshi were wiped out; with two strikes, an entire formation collapsed.

Jiangshi surged at Jaseong in a frenzy, but his footwork was a dimension faster than theirs.

Using the Shadowless Body Technique, he flitted through the jiangshi like a ghost; each time he swung his sword, waves of deathly energy exploded, but the purity of his sword energy cleansed and dispersed them.

Thanks to this overwhelming might, the scene on the snowy field was a one-sided massacre.

Chuak! Chuak! Chuak! Chuak! Chuak! Chuak! Chuak!

Where Jaseong passed, a river of black blood formed.

No matter how many ants gather, they cannot hunt a tiger;

no matter how many jiangshi there were,

now that Jaseong was an expert of the Transformation Realm, nothing could hold him.