Chapter 117 : Inner Thoughts
Kwaaaang—!
The Ice White Divine Art shooting out from Seol Ye-rin's hands instantly transford the ground into a silver-white ice path, and my purple Fla exploded on top of it, creating a steam storm.
"Stop them! It's the demon's fire!"
The 'Vajra Defense Squad', the elite warrior monk corps of the Disciplinary Hall guarding the front of the fortress gate, thrust out their brass Dharma Wheels in unison.
A barrier of qi created by hundreds of spinning Dharma Wheels blocked my path, but I only grinned.
"Fla Butterfly."
The fire butterflies I frequently used flew towards the warrior monks.
Kwaang—!
Every ti a butterfly collided with the Dharma Wheels, a trendous explosion burst out.
The Lama monks who were forming a defensive formation were pushed back by the overwhelming recoil and bounced off in all directions.
"T-This cannot be! The Diamond Dharma Wheel Formation in a single blow!"
Disciplinary Hall Master Ja Seong, who was watching this from atop the fortress wall, turned ashen.
According to the news sent from the Great Thunder Temple, I should have been covered in wounds by now.
"Lady Seol, now!"
"Understood. Glacial Barrier!"
As Seol Ye-rin stomped on the ground, massive ice spikes soared up from under the feet of the warrior monks who filled the front of the fortress gate.
As per my words to avoid killing, the ice spikes only pierced the monks' robes and sleeves, firmly fixing them to the ground.
Shooshooshoo-shook—!
Taking advantage of that gap, Baek Mu-yong and Eun Bin threw their bodies forward.
The Small Snow Squad mbers used the hilts and spines of their blades instead of the edges to accurately hit the acupoints of the warrior monks blocking the path and knock them down.
Wi Ji-yeong guarded Cheon Deung-jin's side and threw flying daggers as a check to block any approach.
"Will you not move aside right now!!"
Cheon Deung-jin shouted, mustering up courage.
The spirit of the warrior monks, flustered by Cheon Deung-jin's voice, was dampened.
However, Ja Seong atop the fortress wall shouted with madness-filled eyes.
"Do not be deceived! The Young Palace Head is a traitor!"
Piyung, Piyung—!
Arrows poured down like rain from atop the fortress wall.
'Traitor?'
I felt like I knew why the Lama monks of the Potala Palace were attacking them.
"Did they infiltrate the Potala Palace as well following the Great Thunder Temple?"
While I was visiting the Ice Palace?
Co to think of it, a lot of ti had passed.
Since I even went to the Southern Barbarians, it was a ti when it wouldn't be strange for problems to erupt at the Potala Palace.
My eyes were dyed red with purple.
I took out the Vajra from my bosom.
The Divine Item of the Buddhist Venerable obtained from the Great Thunder Temple resonated with my demonic qi and emitted a brilliant dark light.
"Diamond Immovable."
As I raised the Vajra into the air, a dark bell-shaped barrier covered the entire group.
The mont the arrows pouring down like rain touched the golden barrier, they evaporated without a trace with a sizzling sound, like snowflakes falling on a hot griddle.
"H-How can a Demonic Cult bastard use Buddhist martial arts......!"
Ja Seong stepped back in shock.
The sight of the Demonic Cult's Third Young Master wielding the essence of the Buddhist secret technique, the Diamond Immovable Wisdom King, was truly a scene that destroyed common sense.
"Well. Lady Seol. Please freeze it."
"I intended to do so even without you asking."
Seol Ye-rin held her ice sword vertically.
The freezing that started from beneath her feet soared vertically up the fortress wall.
Kwakwakwakwa—!
In an instant, the entire fortress wall turned into a massive ice wall, binding the feet of the archers.
I did not miss that gap and kicked off the ground.
My body beca a purple fla and dashed in a straight line up the fortress wall.
"D-Do not co closer!"
Ja Seong tried to resist by swinging his staff, but my hand had already snatched his nape.
The fla shooting out from my palm began to burn Ja Seong's neck.
Just then.
"That is enough!"
A massive Lion's Roar shaking the heavens rang throughout the Potala Palace.
The fog and steam that filled the front of the fortress gate scattered at once, and a man with a massive, lion-like physique landed on the edge of the fortress wall.
It was the Potala Palace Lord, Lion King Cheon Jeok-pa.
***
Cheon Jeok-pa narrowed his eyes, feeling the cool chill and hot heat transmitted to his feet simultaneously.
Watching through the golden basin and facing it in person were as different as heaven and earth.
Hyeokryeon Yeom, who was retrieving his purple fla and smiling slyly.
And the North Sea Ice Palace's Young Palace Head, Seol Ye-rin, standing beside him emitting an aura like an ice sculpture.
The presence of the two was overwhelming enough to suppress even the dignity of the thousand-year-old sanctuary, Potala Palace.
'It has been less than a year. But how did his energy change so monstrously?'
Cheon Jeok-pa's gaze lingered on the prayer beads wrapped around Hyeokryeon Yeom's wrist and the Vajra at his waist.
He could feel the energy of the Great Thunder Temple.
It seed he had visited the Great Thunder Temple, and it was clear that the guy from the Demonic Cult had obtained sothing there.
Cheon Jeok-pa glanced back at Cheon Deung-jin.
Although she was dressed as a man, she could not deceive the eyes of her father.
The child's complexion, which used to be pale from the pain of the Fire Spirit Body, had improved beyond recognition.
No, beyond simply becoming healthy, her eyes harbored vitality and solid trust that were not there before.
Checking who the end of that trust was directed at, Cheon Jeok-pa clicked his tongue inwardly.
'It seems that monster-like guy eventually stole even my daughter's heart.'
Cheon Jeok-pa suppressed his complex feelings with effort and looked at the burning Ja Seong.
The Disciplinary Hall Master, Ja Seong, was dying.
"Long ti no see, Palace Lord. The welco was too noisy, so I organized it a bit."
Hyeokryeon Yeom greeted him slyly while throwing Ja Seong to the ground.
Cheon Jeok-pa's eyes narrowed.
"He will suffer so burns, but he won't die. More importantly, seeing as the Palace Lord is hale and hearty, if they are attacking the Young Palace Head to this extent... is sothing happening at the Potala Palace as well?"
"We will talk about the details inside."
Cheon Jeok-pa looked back at Cheon Deung-jin.
"You seem to have beco healthy."
"Father......"
"You suffered much during that ti."
Cheon Deung-jin bit her lips.
"I have... returned safely."
"Right."
"Everyone, withdraw!"
Cheon Jeok-pa shouted towards the Lama monks of the Disciplinary Hall.
As Disciplinary Hall Master Ja Seong collapsed, they followed Cheon Jeok-pa's words with confused expressions.
Cheon Jeok-pa looked at Ja Seong with cold eyes, then moved his gaze to Hyeokryeon Yeom's party.
It seed a large group including the Divine Physician and the Moyong Clan rchant Guild had visited the Potala Palace.
"Excuse my rudeness."
"Not at all."
Moyong Geum exchanged greetings with the Palace Lord with a rchant's smile.
Wi Ji-yeong, who was watching that scene, spoke as if worried.
"Doesn't it feel like the cleanup isn't clean?"
"If the Captain is okay with it, then it is okay."
At Baek Mu-yong's answer standing next to her, Wi Ji-yeong nodded.
"The Young Palace Head isn't saying much either."
"Yes......"
As even Eun Bin scolded her, Wi Ji-yeong stood behind Hyeokryeon Yeom and Seol Ye-rin with Tae Un-seo, Yu So-dong, and Mu-myeong.
"Rest for now. I must catch up with the Young Palace Head whom I haven't seen in a long ti."
The Divine Physician and his daughter Seong Sang-ah, Han Seol-bi, and the Moyong Clan rchant Guild party.
After exchanging greetings with each one individually, Cheon Jeok-pa entered the Potala Palace with Cheon Deung-jin.
They were soon guided to the Guest Hall for External Guests.
***
The deepest and most private bedroom of the Potala Palace.
Cheon Jeok-pa dismissed all the surrounding servants, stood with his back to the firmly closed door, and looked at his daughter.
"......Sit."
At Cheon Jeok-pa's heavy voice, Cheon Deung-jin sat opposite him carefully.
Amidst the flowing silence, Cheon Jeok-pa stared at the smoke from the incense burner on the table and asked in a low voice.
"Can you tell what happened on the way back to the Potala Palace?"
"Yes, Father."
Cheon Deung-jin told Cheon Jeok-pa the story of visiting the Ice Palace, eting the Young Palace Head, stopping by the Southern Barbarians, and returning to the Western Regions.
"...You ended up touring the entire Outer Region unwittingly."
"Yes."
"Right, since your body seems to have recovered, there is sothing I want to ask."
"Yes?"
"Hyeokryeon Yeom, what kind of existence is he to you?"
At the unexpectedly direct question, Cheon Deung-jin's shoulders flinched.
Cheon Deung-jin lowered her gaze for a mont, then faced her father with determined eyes.
"He is the benefactor who saved my life, and the person I trust most in the world."
"Trust......"
Cheon Jeok-pa's eyebrows twitched.
Cheon Jeok-pa was the very person who had pushed Hyeokryeon Yeom into the underground Forbidden Area when he first ca to the Potala Palace.
The man he tried to kill just because he was of Demonic Cult blood had now returned after saving his daughter.
The problem was the fact that he brought a woman with him.
"Have you talked with the Young Palace Head?"
He ant if she had ever revealed her inner thoughts.
"I have... not."
Cheon Deung-jin lowered her head.
Cheon Jeok-pa did not miss his daughter's reaction and put on a stern expression.
"I heard that guy is already promised to be married to the Young Palace Head of the Ice Palace."
"Yes."
"Do you intend to give up?"
Blink, blink.
Cheon Deung-jin blinked her eyes as if asking what he ant.
"I am asking if you have ever revealed your inner thoughts to that guy even once."
"...I haven't."
"What is the reason you returned to the Potala Palace?"
"That is......"
Because she had no justification to stay by Hyeokryeon Yeom's side.
Cheon Deung-jin knew that fact too well.
"This father is ready to grant whatever you wish."
"I have sothing I am curious about too. Why did the Disciplinary Hall Master co to think of as a traitor?"
Cheon Jeok-pa told Cheon Deung-jin about the ssage received from the Great Thunder Temple.
"Such......"
It seed this wasn't the ti to talk about Cheon Deung-jin having feelings for Hyeokryeon Yeom.
"The Blood Cult was moving."
"It seed so. As soon as we were liberated from that guy Hyeokryeon Geuk's demonic hand, the hiding bastards started crawling out. In this situation, it seems we also need to strengthen our power through marriage."
"Pardon?"
"Jin-ah, before this father makes a move, how about you convey your inner thoughts without holding back at least once before that guy leaves?"
"But Mister is... with Lady Seol......"
Grin.
Cheon Jeok-pa smiled.
"Isn't it a good opportunity for the Outer Region Murim, including the North Sea Ice Palace, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, and the Potala Palace, to join forces?"
At Cheon Jeok-pa's words, Cheon Deung-jin's face began to turn red.
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