Survival Guide for the Reincarnated - Chapter 370

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 370
“What comes next is truly critical.”
“….”
“Do you understand?”
“…I understand perfectly.”
Seol Woon-hwi released his grip on Ha Baek-hyeon’s collar and moved forward with deliberate steps.
Seol Woon-hwi’s ability to perceive martial presence was unparalleled.
Even before reaching realms like the Three Mysteries, back when he was merely in the Flame Qi Four Stages, he could already sense the presence of Heaven-Human Realm martial artists. Now, standing at the pinnacle of the Four Stages of Heaven and Earth, he couldn’t identify a single spy?
This transcended mere impossibility—it had become something fundamentally abnormal.
Behind Seol Woon-hwi, Ha Baek-hyeon’s voice emerged.
“There is one more matter.”
Seol Woon-hwi turned his head.
“What became of that man who followed us into the Secret Realm?”
“He perished by his own incompetence.”
“….”
“He forgot his duty and exceeded his station. Thus, he died.”
“…I see.”
“I trust that suffices as an answer.”
Seol Woon-hwi had no further desire for conversation. He turned and departed, and Ha Baek-hyeon made no move to speak again.
Seol Woon-hwi pushed open the doors to the Palace Lord’s Hall.
The man seated before the Ice Heaven Go Board inside lifted his head.
The Palace Lord of Snow Palace.
My father.
Bing Cheon Ji-jon Seol Jung-cheon.
He smiled faintly.
“You’ve returned.”
I smiled as well.
“I’m back, Father.”
* * *
Father and son sat across from each other with the Ice Heaven Go Board between them.
There was no conversation between us.
As if bound by some unspoken pact made after our first exchange, we simply began a great match—and that was all.
Two entire time periods passed.
The two of us continued placing stones in silence, until unexpectedly, Seol Jung-cheon broke that quietude.
“You’ve worked hard.”
My hand, poised to place a stone, froze.
Then I smiled softly.
“I merely fulfilled my duty.”
“Your duty, you say….”
“Something I have to do…”
Seol Jung-cheon, who had been contemplating for a moment, nodded as if he understood.
From Seol Woon-hwi’s perspective, he had merely done what was necessary, but from Seol Jung-cheon’s standpoint, to be honest, it felt like walking a tightrope.
“I heard the story from Hyeon Sim. Why didn’t you ask for help?”
“As you know, if I had asked the Snow Palace for assistance, it would have made things easier, but it would have become an obstacle to the growth of the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance.”
“I understand, but I still can’t quite adjust to it.”
Without needing to say it aloud, Seol Jung-cheon’s face said everything.
What he felt toward his son was reverence.
“Did it take about half a year?”
“Roughly that long.”
“In half a year, you elevated the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance—which was crumbling—to one of the three great powers of the Central Plains… That’s remarkable.”
“I was simply fortunate.”
This was absolutely not modesty.
Seol Woon-hwi possessed memories from his previous life and could utilize many things based on them.
Even if unknown forces appeared, he could act upon them because he knew the outcomes years and decades hence.
“And, I’m not sure if you know, but the Cult Leader of the Original Blood Sect came.”
“I see.”
“Did you know?”
“I didn’t.”
“Yet you’re not surprised.”
Seol Woon-hwi spoke calmly.
“That’s simply the nature of Cheon Do-ja.”
“Do you know what was discussed between you?”
“That he would take me as his disciple, something along those lines.”
Seol Jung-cheon blinked.
“Father must have refused. And since Cheon Do-ja wouldn’t have expected much, he would have carefully observed Father’s response, and likely was satisfied with it.”
“Satisfied… Is that what you think?”
“Yes. The father I know is a man worthy of receiving the respect of all people. Unless Cheon Do-ja is a fool, he would have thought the same as I do… Yes. He likely played a great match here, in this very place.”
“Your words are correct.”
It truly was correct. Everything had unfolded exactly as Seol Woon-hwi had said.
But then.
“You seem to be having an interesting conversation outside.”
“You heard us?”
“I didn’t want to listen, but since you weren’t coming in, I became curious and opened my ears.”
….
“You said something interesting. Is Il-ryeong Ha Baek-hyeon a spy?”
“It’s ambiguous.”
“Ambiguous?”
“He could be a spy, or he might not be.”
“…Hmm…?”
“I wanted to settle the matter on my own if possible, but since Father knows, I’ll explain. Do you remember the Heaven Gate I mentioned before?”
“Indeed.”
“Heaven Gate is merely an abbreviated name. Their true designation is the Cheonwon Dobeop Suryeon Mun. They do not employ the ‘Martial Arts’ we know of, but rather ‘Mystical Techniques.'”
“Mystical Techniques?”
“Yes. Their techniques specialize in confronting multiple opponents simultaneously. I assure you, should war erupt with Heaven Gate, you must prepare for total annihilation.”
“…Total annihilation… They are that formidable?”
“Formidable, yes—and troublesome to contend with. Their mystical techniques are genuine. Spatial transposition, particularly the technique known as Fold Ground, can be wielded by all high-ranking sorcerers of Heaven Gate. Should they resolve to flee, even Father would face considerable difficulty.”
“When you say I would struggle, you mean there is no one in Snow Palace besides myself capable of capturing them—is that correct?”
“Yes.”
“How many possess the ability to use Fold Ground?”
“Three in total.”
“Three, you say…”
“Currently three, but their numbers will increase with time. From my memories of my previous life, there were six who could use Fold Ground.”
“Did you face them?”
“I did.”
“Did you kill them?”
“I slew them all.”
“It seems you possess a method to counter them.”
Seol Woon-hwi smiled faintly.
“I do. When they employ Fold Ground, they naturally fold the earth beneath them to move. If you predict which ground they intend to fold and deploy a technique there, you can obstruct their Fold Ground.”
“A technique…?”
“Even a simple sword wave suffices. That alone can block their Fold Ground.”
“What of their mystical techniques?”
“Those must be met with direct assault. However, precisely because they are techniques, the caster inevitably creates openings during their execution. No matter how skilled a sorcerer is, the disparity in realm cannot be ignored. Though Father, possessing Primordial Sole Existence, could engage Heaven Gate’s Gate Master in an evenly matched battle…”
“That sounds like defeat to me.”
“Rather than defeat, the probability of mutual destruction is high.”
After a moment of contemplation, Seol Jung-cheon asked Seol Woon-hwi:
“So, should I simply leave him be?”
“Yes. Ha Baek-hyeon is a rather special case.”
“Special, how?”
“Though he has left Heaven Gate, he remains connected to Heaven Gate’s Vice Sect Leader.”
“…Vice Sect Leader… Is he a disciple?”
“Yes.”
“…I see… So he could be considered a spy, yet perhaps not.”
“Correct. In my previous life, he became the Vice Alliance Leader of the Sichuan Sect.”
“Vice Alliance Leader?”
“Yes. You need not doubt his abilities.”
“When Snow Palace fell into Yang Seol-jin’s hands, did he lend his strength?”
“He did not.”
Seol Jung-cheon’s expression grew grave.
He had immediately grasped the implication of Seol Woon-hwi’s words.
“So you lack loyalty, is that it?”
“For now, I will stand with Snow Palace, but I could turn my back at the critical moment.”
“It seems wrong to me that such a person holds a position among the Twelve Cold Spirits, and yet you still say not to remove him?”
“Yes.”
“Because there could be friction with Heaven Gate?”
“Something like that.”
“…Hmm….”
“Father, or rather, Palace Lord.”
“Speak.”
“You need not worry.”
Seol Jung-cheon lifted his gaze to meet Seol Woon-hwi’s eyes.
“Nothing will occur that warrants your concern.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I will handle it within my capacity.”
Seol Jung-cheon spoke in a quiet voice, his gaze fixed upon Seol Woon-hwi.
“You’ve grown resolute.”
“Rather than resolute, I’ve simply become less foolish.”
“That too is growth.”
Seol Jung-cheon picked up another stone as he spoke.
“I am proud of you.”
“…Thank you.”
Seol Woon-hwi’s voice trembled slightly.
Words he had never heard in his previous life.
Words of pride.
They set his chest ablaze with warmth.
Seol Woon-hwi spoke to Seol Jung-cheon, who was smiling.
“I have one request.”
“Tell me.”
“Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace must watch over the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance.”
“…Watch over them?”
“Yes.”
“To what extent?”
“Not an explicit alliance, but when the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance faces crisis, Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace must step forward.”
Seol Jung-cheon paused in thought.
“Crisis… You mean the Martial Alliance?”
“Yes. More precisely, Gun Mu-gyeol. I made a deal with him.”
Seol Jung-cheon’s eyes sharpened.
“What kind of deal?”
“Gun Mu-gyeol was scheming to swallow the entire Heavenly Righteousness Alliance.”
Seol Woon-hwi spoke slowly.
“But I made the first move. I spoke with him and exploited the fact that he cannot advance beyond the Great Void Formless realm.”
“…You’ll raise him to Primordial Sole Existence?”
“Yes.”
Seol Jung-cheon’s brow furrowed.
“Woon-hwi, is that truly the right thing to do?”
“Gun Mu-gyeol will reach Primordial Sole Existence before this year ends anyway.”
“…What?”
“Based on my memories from my previous life, the first to reach Primordial Sole Existence is Kang Cheon-u, the Alliance Leader of the Sichuan Sect.”
Seol Woon-hwi continued.
“After Kang Cheon-u reaches Primordial Sole Existence, Gun Mu-gyeol will reach it two months later.”
“…Then.”
“I’m simply accelerating the timeline slightly.”
Seol Woon-hwi met Seol Jung-cheon’s gaze directly.
“And I’ve already taken measures regarding Kang Cheon-u as well.”
“…Kang Cheon-u too?”
“Yes.”
“What measures?”
“Through Seo Hyo, I obtained a supreme-grade messenger bird with a direct connection to Kang Cheon-u. I’ve already exchanged several conversations through it.”
“Conversations… I confess, I don’t understand the full picture you’re painting.”
“I’m not a perfect person, so I cannot predict everything with absolute certainty. However, I can tell you the outcome.”
“The outcome… Yes, that’s the most certain thing.”
“I wish for the Murim to achieve an Era of Great Peace.”
“…Hmm?”
“The Martial Alliance, the Sichuan Sect, and the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance—these three powers will restrain one another and bring stability to the Murim.”
“I see….”
“There will be schemes and intrigues behind the scenes. But since there are those capable of handling such matters, I will only establish the main framework.”
“A framework… It’s complex.”
“There’s no need to overthink it. You’ve likely heard the rumors, Father—that Kang Cheon-u of the Sichuan Sect is on the verge of reaching Primordial Sole Existence.”
“I’ve heard them.”
“Gun Mu-gyeol, who planted spies in the Sichuan Sect, learned of this news faster than anyone. And he knows that if Kang Cheon-u reaches Primordial Sole Existence before him, the Martial Alliance’s position will be shaken. That’s why he’s in such a hurry.”
“…So you exploited that.”
“Yes.”
Seol Jung-cheon expressed his admiration.
“Impressive. Dealing with two Alliance Leaders simultaneously.”
“Rather than dealing with them, I’ve simply balanced the scales.”
“Balance….”
Seol Jung-cheon nodded.
“That’s certainly your way.”
After a moment of thought, Seol Woon-hwi set down his piece and asked.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————