Survival Guide for the Reincarnated - Chapter 53

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 53

 

Without a hint of hesitation, Woon-hwi climbed the stairs.

 

The gatekeepers drew their swords, but his steps did not stop.

 

One step, one step.

 

Each time he passed by, the hands of those holding swords trembled.

 

And the master of Han Bing Gate watched all of this with apparent interest.

 

He was curious how far this would go.

 

So he waved his hand and said.

 

“Even if he looks like that, he’s still one of the Polar Descendants. Put away your swords…”

 

Woon-hwi’s gaze swept past him.

 

At that moment, Jin Yang-je’s voice was cut off.

 

It felt as if his heart had frozen solid.

 

What is this.

 

This is really… what is this.

 

His heart flinched, and his very existence seemed momentarily distant from the world.

 

The upper seat of the Great Hall.

 

From atop a chair that seemed carved from ice and snow, Jin Yang-je glared at Woon-hwi.

 

He too was a warrior. He hadn’t lived so pathetically as to ignore this incomprehensible feeling.

 

Woon-hwi stood before the chair.

 

Slowly, Woon-hwi’s left hand gripped the armrest.

 

Then his right hand as well.

 

Soon after, his upper body leaned forward.

 

The distance between him and Jin Yang-je became so close it was less than an inch.

 

Killing intent bloomed.

 

It was no longer a threat or warning.

 

It was cold and heavy like the chill of a thousand-year glacier.

 

The aura of one who had stood above the heavens in his previous life filled the Great Hall in an instant.

 

“Really…”

 

His voice was quiet.

 

“Do you wish to die?”

 

Quiet but powerful, at that resonance Jin Yang-je’s complexion instantly turned pale.

 

His pupils trembled greatly.

 

Only now did he see it.

 

The depth contained in the eyes of the one he had thought of as his nephew.

 

It was like the abyss of a thousand-year glacier.

 

This is… that Seol Woon-hwi?

 

That bastard son?

 

That sick bastard, this guy?

 

Woon-hwi opened his mouth again.

 

“If the one who killed my person moved under uncle’s orders.”

 

The Han Gi contained in his voice instantly filled the Great Hall, and not only Jin Yang-je but everyone around gulped.

 

“Han Bing Gate will be annihilated. All bloodlines except Seol Woon-hae will die.”

 

Annihilation.

 

It was when Jin Yang-je, provoked by that word, was about to move.

 

Woon-hwi’s right arm, which had been gripping the armrest, moved with lightning speed and grabbed Jin Yang-je by the collar.

 

“Uncle.”

 

“…You bastard…”

 

“This is not a warning. This is a notification. Do you understand?”

 

* * *

 

I released his collar and stepped back one step.

 

Naturally, I also reined in my killing intent.

 

For a while, Jin Yang-je looked at me silently, and I too did not avoid that gaze.

 

After a long silence, it was Jin Yang-je who spoke first.

 

“…Your arrogance reaches the very ends of heaven.”

 

“Are you referring to me?”

 

“How dare you speak of annihilation before me.”

 

How dare…

 

“Do you think I cannot do it?”

 

“You cannot.”

 

“Then you can just let it go in one ear and out the other. Uncle can bear the consequences.”

 

Jin Yang-je rose from his seat.

 

“Even one who relies on the name of Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace must choose his words carefully.”

 

“I am choosing my words carefully enough.”

 

“No, you absolutely are not. If you had chosen carefully, you would never have spouted such thoughtless words. I don’t know what weight the name of Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace gives you, but since the word annihilation came from your mouth, don’t think you can easily get past this matter.”

 

A strange smile bloomed at the corner of my mouth.

 

This is the second time.

 

“You’ve brought up the family name twice now, but do you think I’m doing this while relying on the name of Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace?”

 

“Are you not?”

 

“Yes. I am not.”

 

“You say you’re not… But that’s how it looks to my eyes.”

 

I didn’t say it, but not only Jin Yang-je, but also the people of Seol Ap, and the people of Yang-ryeong too.

 

All of them are mistaken.

 

It’s not just a mistake.

 

They’re making a really big mistake.

 

“It seems you’ve never seen what I look like when I actually rely on the name of Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace, so fine. I’ll show you now.”

 

Looking at him, I spoke clearly enough to be properly embedded in his mind.

 

“As one of the Polar Descendants, I ask the master of Han Bing Gate. Do you wish to be annihilated?”

 

It wasn’t the subdued voice from before.

 

I amplified it with my internal energy. A voice loud enough to properly pierce the minds of at least the dozens of people here.

 

Those who heard my words gulped in great confusion, and Jin Yang-je began emanating killing intent.

 

“…You’ve lost your mind. What did you eat wrong during the 6 years you lived in hiding!”

 

“I’ve been eating only healthy, good things for my body. More importantly, you haven’t answered my question. Do you wish to be annihilated?”

 

“You crazy bastard!”

 

Jin Yang-je reached out and grabbed me by the collar.

 

“…Annihilation…? Annihilation! What justification do you think you have for annihilation! And you of all people!”

 

“You’re making me say the same thing twice. I am one of the Polar Descendants. And I can create justification as needed.”

 

“Create? Is this something you’d say in your right mind…”

 

I struck away Jin Yang-je’s arm.

 

“Remove it. You can’t even tear it off anyway.”

 

“…”

 

“Listen carefully. I am a bloodline of Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace. Whether I want it or not, half the blood flowing in my body is that of my father who uses the characters Seol, Jung, and Cheon, and the blood of the supreme master of Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace.”

 

Jin Yang-je glared at me with cold eyes.

 

“Whether I’m a bastard son or legitimate son, such things don’t matter at all. What matters is that the blood flows. So whose words do you think they’ll listen to?”

 

“…What?”

 

“For example, if I establish the justification that Han Bing Gate was planning not just to assassinate me, but to threaten the authority of the Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace and assassinate all other Polar Descendants—I’m asking how you would respond to such a justification.”

 

“…Such ridiculous nonsense could be called justification? You look truly pathetic, floundering in delusion. False justifications have no power.”

 

“False… Do you really think so?”

 

“…”

 

“How the Four Major Sects of Yang-ryeong have exploited Seol-ap until now, why they came with soldiers to kill me, why Cho Se-hwi of Han Bing Gate was at the government office of Magistrate Jeong Mu-gi who helped kill me and wrote the petition document, and there are several holes in the ledger flow. Those holes indicate money that flowed to the Four Major Sects and the magistrate disappeared in between… I want to ask again. Do you really think it’s ‘false’?”

 

“You…!”

 

“If you mix one lie among ninety truths, it becomes truth. And I’m surprisingly skilled at turning ninety lies into ninety truths. I have the power to do so as well.”

 

“…What are you… trying to say.”

 

He asked quietly.

 

“Have you forgotten? This is Snow Mountain.”

 

“…”

 

“Snow Mountain is ruled by the Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace, and I am direct bloodline of that Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace. Do you think some mere maternal sect takes priority over that bloodline?”

 

I let out a bitter laugh.

 

“I’m telling you what happens when I use the Snow Palace’s backing as power, but denying that power from the start means you know it well yourself. That Polar Descendants possess power through their position alone.”

 

Jin Yang-je, who was about to say something, closed his mouth.

 

I repeat, this place is not the Central Plains.

 

It’s Snow Mountain.

 

And Snow Mountain has no ‘nation’. Even the closest Yang-je Kingdom cannot claim ownership here.

 

The residents of Snow Mountain are simply residents of Snow Mountain.

 

And what rules all of Snow Mountain is the Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace. Being direct bloodline of the Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace means being equivalent to royalty of other nations.

 

I have no intention of using that backing. I haven’t until now and won’t in the future.

 

The problem is this idiot in front of me can’t distinguish right from wrong.

 

“They say lies run short distances but truth runs long distances.”

 

“…That’s right. In the end, only truth will remain.”

 

I smiled.

 

“I won’t deny it. So I plan to cut the ankles of that thing called truth. So it can no longer walk.”

 

“…”

 

“In the end, what remains will be me. Therefore, what is truth and what is false will be determined by the words that come from my mouth.”

 

After a long silence, Jin Yang-je spoke in a suppressed voice.

 

“…Among the Polar Descendants… there was one with the qualities to become a demon lord.”

 

“Do I appear so?”

 

“…Distorting truth and crushing with backing? You won’t be an ordinary demon lord but a great demon lord who will plunge the world into chaos.”

 

“Thank you for the compliment.”

 

“No, it’s not a compliment.”

 

It didn’t matter. Whether it was a compliment or not.

 

I silently extended my index finger and placed it against Jin Yang-je’s heart.

 

“What I want to say is this. Whether my current level is Flame Qi Four Stages, Divine Three Realm, or even an ordinary person who hasn’t learned any martial arts—none of that matters at all. Nevertheless, if I want to kill you, Uncle, you will die. And furthermore.”

 

I paused briefly, then loosened my neck and continued.

 

“Do you know what must never be touched in the Snow Palace?”

 

“…Tell me.”

 

“Polar Descendants. No matter how illegitimate, touching a Polar Descendant is equivalent to threatening the Snow Palace’s authority. Simply put, it means they can be killed without consequence.”

 

“…”

 

“Therefore, you must definitely heed my earlier words. My person died. If Uncle ordered that, I will mobilize everything I can to erase Han Bing Gate from this world. Bloodline? Except for Woon-hae, I won’t leave a single one. And I’ll kill all beings who belonged to this Han Bing Gate. If they flee, I’ll hunt them down to the ends of the Central Plains to kill them, and I’ll find and kill everyone who had even a fingertip or toe touching them.”

 

I poked at his heart.

 

“The solid heart of a master who reached the Four Stages of Heaven and Earth becomes mere flesh made of fabric before me. At least within reach of the Snow Palace’s influence, the power of Polar Descendants is absolute. Do you understand what I mean?”

 

Jin Yang-je no longer responded to my words.

 

No, he couldn’t.

 

He must have finished grasping the situation.

 

“If you’ve been playing games for six years, you should know when to stop. There’s nothing more pathetic than being buried together while wiping behind some immature brat at that age. Do you understand?”

 

“…I… understand well.”

 

“Good. Finally we can communicate. Then I’ll do what I need to do now.”

 

“What you need to do?”

 

I spoke in a quiet voice.

 

“Han Mu-rin.”

 

As if he hadn’t expected to be called, his voice came from behind.

 

“Yes. Lord ‘Hyeon Seol-rin’.”

 

“Left side, second row, third person—make that bastard kneel.”

 

As soon as my words fell, Han Mu-rin rushed out without a moment’s hesitation, drawing the sword from his waist.

 

I turned around and descended the platform.

 

Going down step by step, I looked at each person around me one by one.

 

And my gaze stopped on one of them.

 

Then, the moment I saw the ‘sword’ sheathed at his side.

 

A smile formed on my lips.

 

“It’s you.”

 

Watching the man with impressive long hair flinch, I kicked off without a moment’s hesitation.

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