Surviving as the Terminally Ill Young Lady of the North Sea Ice Palace - Chapter 51

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 51
Hae Sa No Gu—yes, I remember that name.
Wasn’t that the one I’d clashed with a few days ago when Gu Won and I snuck out of the Academy, and we got into a fight over a miscommunication?
When I’d faced him, he was completely fine.
But after our fight, he collapsed spewing blood as if he’d been hit with Demonic Deviation.
The odds of him getting beaten to pieces by another warrior after that were extremely low.
‘…Am I… really me?’
Only a few days had passed—and the rumor already reached all the way to Luoyang?
Hae Sa No Gu might be more famous than I thought.
“…So this Hae Sa No Gu person—a demon woman—the Murim Alliance moved to subjugate her?”
While I was processing my confusion, Eun Hyun asked with a serious expression.
“Hmm? Why are you asking about Hae Sa No Gu? Ah, Black Spirit Sword is a Heterodox expert. Before he disappeared, he caused quite a bit of trouble.”
I realized what had happened.
The alias ‘Black Spirit Sword’ sounded much more respectable.
And ‘Hae Sa No Gu’ sounded unmistakably Heterodox to anyone’s ear.
Eun Hyun had misunderstood—thinking I was some dangerous Hae Sa No Gu who had harmed Black Spirit Sword, an Orthodox expert.
‘….’
Hae Sa No Gu.
If I broke it down, it meant something like ‘an old woman who commands crimson sand winds.’
The onlookers must have mistaken my Red Dust Turbid Yang Gong for a sandstorm.
The alias was rather fearsome and impressive, and to be honest, I didn’t entirely hate it.
“That ruffian used to evade the Murim Alliance and cause all sorts of mischief, but I don’t know what audacity brought him all the way to Luoyang’s doorstep this time. In any case, after getting thrashed like that, they say his mind’s been all scattered—which is a satisfying thought, really.”
“Ah… so it was the Knight-Errant who defeated him.”
“Well, not quite a Knight-Errant. For now, it seems more likely he’s a warrior standing at the Orthodox-Heterodox boundary. Since we still haven’t figured out who he truly is, be careful. Don’t go picking fights out of youthful bravado.”
The merchant, having apparently seen Academy Cadets pull such stunts before, offered us this warning.
“Heh, we’re not like that. We should just finish the errand and get back quickly.”
Neither Eun Hyun nor I were the type to pick fights with experts for fun.
Eun Hyun nodded in agreement with my words.
“Premium quality, this is. Ah, would you like to inspect it as well, young lady?”
“I wouldn’t know what to look for anyway.”
Soon the young merchant brought over the agarwood and handed it to Eun Hyun.
Eun Hyun turned it this way and that, examining it carefully, then seemed satisfied and accepted it.
Thanks to the merchants’ careful wrapping, we didn’t even have to touch it with bare hands.
“But why would such a hidden expert appear near Luoyang? Could he be a warrior with a grudge against the Academy Master?”
“Hardly.”
With ten sprigs of agarwood cradled in her arms, Eun Hyun continued the conversation about Hae Sa No Gu even as we left the Cheon Hae Trading Company.
She wasn’t usually a talkative person, but clearly an Orthodox-Heterodox boundary expert appearing out of nowhere had caught her interest.
“It would be nice if that were the case. Witnessing a martial contest between such skilled experts would be valuable training.”
“But even if Hae Sa No Gu held a grudge against the Academy Master, how would we manage to witness their fight?”
“Ah, anyone who stirs up trouble in Luoyang is considered a challenger to the Academy Master. Challengers are supposed to face the Academy Master or other martial instructors at the Martial Hall—the Training Grounds outside the Academy.”
“Ahem.”
I suddenly coughed.
I absolutely could not stir up any trouble.
“But no matter what strange techniques an expert might master, how on earth did they turn a sword into sand? Even our sect leader… I mean, even the Academy Master would have difficulty with something like that.”
“Well, if it’s red sand, wouldn’t they have mixed it with some kind of poison or toxin?”
“…Ah, that’s certainly plausible. As expected, you’re quite sharp-minded.”
I had to tense my facial muscles to suppress the laughter threatening to burst out.
It was just the fractured edge that crumbled slightly—I never actually turned the blade into sand in the first place.
How did such a rumor spread so far?
I even began to suspect that most of the aliases of skilled experts arose from exaggerated tales like this.
‘….’
Then, at some point.
Eun Hyun, who had been cheerfully talking, suddenly fell silent and fixed her gaze on something.
“What? Do you want to watch a performance?”
“Ah, no.”
In the direction of her stare stood a large inn.
Whether there was a performance today or not, a crowd of people packed the place.
“I’m curious too, but I think we should head back quickly today. Next time when there’s an official show…”
“Actually… I was looking at the tanghulu, not a performance.”
As if wanting to clarify that she wasn’t being reckless, Eun Hyun blushed slightly and pointed to a street vendor calling out their wares.
In his hand he carried a tanghulu, and from the long pole he dragged dangled red jewel-like skewers in abundance.
“Do you like sweets?”
“A little…….”
Oh, that’s unexpected.
Though Eun Hyun carries himself like an adult, he’s still quite young in years.
“I’ll buy you some.”
“No? That’s quite all right.”
Friends can buy each other small things without ceremony—why refuse?
Tanghulu isn’t the sort of food you sit down to eat for hours, and it’s easy enough to carry while walking.
Without hesitation, I produced a coin and ordered two skewers.
“……Thank you.”
When I offered the skewer, Eun Hyun eventually accepted the tanghulu.
It wasn’t an expensive gift by any measure, yet he gazed at me with an oddly grateful light in his eyes.
Likely he had no friends and had never eaten street food alongside anyone before.
“Enjoy it.”
We each took a skewer between our teeth and walked through the marketplace.
The hawthorn, coated thick with sugar, began to dissolve gently on my tongue.
Tart and sweet.
……Honestly, it wasn’t to my taste.
By my preference, fresh fruit without any coating or seasoning would have been far better.
“You’ve got some on your mouth.”
But in the time it took me to chew and swallow just one hawthorn fruit,
Eun Hyun had already finished every piece of fruit on his skewer.
He’d been in such a hurry that he’d even gotten sugar smudged around his lips.
It was only a light dusting, so I reached over to wipe it away for him.
“……!”
Eun Hyun flinched in surprise and stepped back three paces.
He turned his face sharply to the side.
“I—I suppose it’s been so many days since I’ve had proper food that I was rather too eager…….”
He covered his face with one hand, admitting to behavior unbefitting a Cultivator.
Ah, of course. Now I understand why he was eating so ravenously.
My companions had thrown themselves into hunting and gathering with vigor, eating blue mushroom hotpot and all,
and a few days ago I’d even snuck away from the Academy to try beef jerky,
but Eun Hyun had been doing nothing but chewing on Grain-Avoidance Pills until after initiation—this was genuinely the first proper meal he’d ever eaten.
“It’s all right. Here, eat mine too.”
Rather than tease him about it, I offered him the tanghulu from my own hand.
I’d been curious enough to buy it, but it wasn’t to my taste anyway, so I was about to set it aside.
“…….”
Yet Eun Hyun gazed at me with eyes like a fledgling bird watching its mother.
“……Thank you.”
Was this truly the same boy who, not long ago, found it difficult to say thank you?
Feeling oddly flustered to receive thanks for such a trifling kindness, I pointed elsewhere.
“Well, if you’re grateful, then buy me a veiled hat over there.”
A hat merchant had come into view just then,
and I’d spotted one that looked quite serviceable.
“Do you mean a bamboo hat with draped silk threads?”
“Yes, that one.”
Isn’t that what a veiled hat is called?
In any case, it seemed perfectly suited to hiding one’s face.
Today it was daylight and I’d slipped away boldly under the guise of an errand,
but if I had to go out again at night, I wouldn’t mind wearing this at all.
The bamboo hat alone wasn’t quite deep enough, and wearing it while keeping it in place had taken considerable effort.
“Please wait a moment.”
“What? You have to take the money!”
“It’s all right.”
No, if he bought that for me, it’d cost as much as two tanghlus anyway.
And he hardly had any money to spare!
My appearance was too conspicuous, and I’d only meant to ask him to purchase it on my behalf in case the merchant remembered and spread word,
but Eun Hyun refused the money, rushed over to the hat merchant, settled the purchase himself, and brought back what I’d asked for.
“Try it on.”
She adjusted the veiled hat and drew the gauze across her face.
Through the thin fabric, Eun Hyun’s delicate features were visible—her lips parted slightly.
“How does it look?”
She was curious whether he could see her face from that distance.
“You look like a young lady, miss.”
What an evasive answer that was.
I looked like a young lady even without the hat.
I was, after all, the daughter of the Buk Hae Ice Palace master.
“From that distance—you truly can’t make out my face, can you?”
“Ah… yes, that’s right.”
“Thank goodness. Ah, thank you. I’ll use it well.”
……
Since I’d already accepted the gift, I turned back to Eun Hyun with genuine warmth.
It took no more than the space of a few breaths.
From the moment we passed through the gates of Luoyang until we were clear of the city walls, I wore the veiled hat while Eun Hyun followed a step behind, keeping pace.
Walking like this—did it look like a young lady with her bodyguard?
“Gasp! Surely not……”
“Shh!”
I caught the occasional glances of martial artists as we passed.
But then again, people always stared at foreign persons, whether their faces were covered or not.
So I paid them no mind and walked confidently out of Luoyang.
Surviving as the Doomed Daughter of the Buk Hae Ice Palace (Serialized)
Author │ Musk Deer
Publisher │ Kim Joo Hyung
Published by │ J Plus Media Co., Ltd.
Marketing │ Han Jae Hyuk
Address │ 401, Ace Tech Tower 8, 33 Digital-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul (Guro-dong)
Email │ [email protected]
Website │ www.jayplemedia.com
ⓒ Musk Deer 2026
※This work is published by J Plus Media Co., Ltd. under contract with the copyright holder, and no part of its contents may be used in any form or by any means without permission from the company and author.
Violation of this restriction may result in criminal and civil legal liability.

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