Surviving as the Terminally Ill Young Lady of the North Sea Ice Palace - Chapter 73

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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 73
After crossing the bridge, we made our way over Nogoon Mountain without incident and climbed up to Taecheon Temple.
We’d taken a shortcut to make the round trip in a single day—the path was treacherous, and we even encountered bandits—but
once we merged onto the main northern pilgrimage route, the road was mercifully well-maintained.
The stone steps, laid with blue slate, were lined on both sides with lanterns and steles erected by devout pilgrims.
We passed through the temple gate and entered a courtyard filled with halls whose iron-tiled roofs gleamed in the sunlight.
Wow—how much money does this temple have?
When I’d first heard “Daoist temple,” I’d imagined something closer to the abandoned shrine I’d seen last night on the slopes of Bokwoo Mountain.
But this place was resplendent with buildings and thronging with people.
“It’s packed. Where would they keep the records?”
“We should ask, shouldn’t we?”
After wandering among the crowds and glancing around uncertainly for a moment, I quickly spotted those wearing Daoist robes and temple crowns on their heads.
“Pardon me, Master Daoist. Excuse the intrusion.”
“What may I help you with?”
I approached a young Daoist priest who looked approachable and explained that we’d come from Cheonmu Academy and were hoping to find records of a previous Daoist who had visited this temple.
He hesitated briefly, then led us to a certain hall.
Inside were several Daoist priests reviewing documents; the young priest approached one of them and bowed respectfully.
“Cheonmu Academy? What brings a young scholar from the Jianghu to our temple?”
Gu Won and I also bowed in greeting and explained our circumstances.
“Do you perhaps know anything of the Nine Levels of Yellow Springs beneath the Yongmun Stone Cave where Cheonmu Academy now stands?”
“The Yongmun Stone Cave—yes, I know of it.”
“A diary left by Wang Yak Ro, a disciple of the master Hee I, was discovered in that place. The record ends with a note that he was traveling to Taecheon Temple, and I’ve come hoping there might be further entries of his, or perhaps some documents you’ve read that still exist.”
I showed him the letter Yak Seon had written for me, along with a copy of Wang Yak Ro’s diary that I’d prepared in advance.
He was quite startled to hear that Yak Seon, one of the Three Greatest Physicians under Heaven, had been at the Academy.
But he shook his head regarding Wang Yak Ro’s diary or any documents.
“I’ve never heard the name Wang Yak Ro. He’s not recorded in any lineage, and if he was a physician who served the Imperial Court, he doesn’t seem to have been part of the orthodox succession.”
“I’m not well-versed in such matters…….”
“Hmm…… Finding records of an ordinary Daoist priest who passed through would be difficult. Had he left writings during his stay, we would have preserved them, but they’re likely buried somewhere in the Library of Sutras or the administrative office from centuries ago.”
I was about to ask if we might conduct our own search, since he didn’t need to find it for us, when
“……Who exactly are you searching for?”
“Ah, Elder. Do you perhaps know of Wang Yak Ro, a physician from the Song dynasty? He was supposedly a disciple of Master Hee I, though it seems he wasn’t an ordained Daoist priest.”
An elderly man with a beard that hung down to his chest interjected.
Not only the middle-aged Daoist we’d been speaking with, but many others in the hall rose from their seats—he was clearly a person of considerable standing.
“Are you speaking of Wang Yak Ro, who served a crown prince in a dynasty before Song?”
He was a figure from over five hundred years ago, and he hadn’t left much of a mark on the world.
I hadn’t dared hope that anyone would know of him.
Yet remarkably, the Elder did.
“Yes—do you know of him?”
“When was it…… Ah yes, that’s right. I have a memory of stumbling upon it by chance while selecting texts to seal in the stone chamber, reading this and that in the Library of Sutras. Because there was mention of concern for the crown prince’s wellbeing, I thought it must be an important correspondence exchanged with the Imperial Court and read it thoroughly—but it was from a previous dynasty that had barely lasted more than ten years.”
“That’s him!”
I’d only hoped to find some clue of where he’d gone after examining documents here, but now there was an entire diary still in existence!
If the diary contained his worries about the crown prince, then it seemed he’d remained at Taecheon Temple long enough to hear news of the fall of the Later Tang emperor and the change of dynasties.
Could there possibly be research findings about Manyeon Hwari in there as well?
“Surely you didn’t seal that diary in the stone chamber……?”
“Seal it? It’s not an important scripture, nor does it contain enlightened teachings—why would I seal it? I returned it to its original place.”
The Elder recited what he remembered, saying there was nothing particularly significant to it.
Records of him searching for news of the crown prince’s fate, then abandoning the search.
Then, within half a year, entries about his departure for Hwasan to rejoin his master.
Nothing but trivial details—conversations with various Daoist priests, receiving a visitor who’d come from Luoyang, and such.
“I believe that conversation with the visitor from Luoyang may contain exactly what I need!”
It’s possible that the person sent by the Imperial Court to investigate Manyeon Hwari in Kunlun had returned!
My eyes lit up as I expressed my desire to see it directly.
“Hmm…….”
The Elder’s expression became quite troubled at my request.
What’s the problem? Is he asking for a bribe?
But fortunately, before I, steeped in worldly ways, could commit the blunder of producing money from a misunderstanding,
the Elder revealed the true reason he couldn’t take me to the Library of Sutras.
“Normally I would accompany you, but at present, access to the inner temple is rather…… restricted.”
What do you mean?
I wondered if they were perhaps holding some ceremony or memorial rite at this time.
“To be precise, one can enter, but leaving is another matter.”
The young Taoist added a remark.
“An object was stolen from within, so the inner temple has been sealed. Fortunately, as soon as the Jade Seal went missing, we locked the gate leading to the outer temple, but supplies are running short and the thief hasn’t shown themselves yet—it’s quite the predicament.”
The moment the word “thief” left his lips, though—
Gu Won, who had been standing quietly behind me since the greeting,’s eyes gleamed.
“You suspect an outsider slipped in from beyond and is now hiding somewhere in the inner temple?”
“Precisely. While the gate guardian stepped away, someone from outside got in.”
The Elder explained that Taecheon Temple was divided into two sections: the outer temple, which was open to the public, and the inner temple, where the Taoists lived and where outsiders’ access was restricted.
Normally, he said, the gate guardian was posted at the entrance to the inner temple.
“What caused him to leave his post?”
“Well, he steps away briefly during shift changes or when he needs to use the privy. Truth is, it’s such a remote place that nobody thought a thief would dare venture here.”
Gracious, such lax security?
I was startled for a moment.
Then again, this temple had gold leaf inlaid even on its stelae.
A thief after wealth wouldn’t likely bother breaking into the inner sanctum.
In any case, about one hour after the gate guardian left his post, the Jade Seal vanished.
Several Taoists claim to have seen it in Samcheong Hall even after he’d stepped away.
And the gap between the last Taoist who saw the Jade Seal and the one who noticed it was gone when they entered Samcheong Hall was less than a quarter-hour.
Since no one had left during that time, the logic was that the culprit must still be inside.
“…So you sealed it off right away and searched the place thoroughly?”
Gu Won asked again.
The Elder nodded.
“We did. But martial masters who’ve studied the Hidden Concealment Art can obscure themselves, as you know.”
He acknowledged that while they had cultivated somewhat and accumulated a modest amount of Internal Energy through practice, they were inexperienced at apprehending such thieves.
He countered that we, belonging to the Jianghu, would surely know far more about the diverse martial disciplines involved.
‘Hmm…’
It was true that assassins possessed the Hidden Concealment Art to mask their presence.
But wasn’t this too convenient?
If something was stolen so quickly, an inside job seemed more likely.
“You’re exactly right. It’s our specialty, after all.”
Setting aside my doubts, I answered smoothly.
“Cheonmu Academy, at the forefront of orthodox martial education, offers coursework specifically designed to root out scheming thieves and assassins. Methods for locating concealed intruders and uncovering clues at the scene of a theft are both part of the curriculum.”
There actually was a similar elective among the course offerings, so I wasn’t lying entirely.
Though naturally, neither Gu Won nor I had attended that class.
Had I been with other cadets, I would have worried about the fabrication being exposed.
But sharp-witted Gu Won nodded earnestly, wearing an expression that suggested she believed every word.
“Is that so? Really?”
The Elder perked up.
“Yes, I’ll examine the scriptures at once and inspect the inner temple. If the one who disappeared truly employs the Hidden Concealment Art, they must be a martial artist from an evil sect—and as cadets of Cheonmu Academy, we cannot simply overlook such a matter.”
Gu Won even brazenly added a remark brimming with righteous indignation.
“If you two are willing to help, we have no reason to refuse.”
The Elder readily decided to grant us entry to the inner temple.
Surviving as a Young Lady of Buk Hae Bing Palace (Serialized)
Author │ Sa Hyang Noru
Published by │ Kim Ju Hyung
Publishing House │ J Plus Media Co., Ltd.
Marketing │ Han Jae Hyuk
Address │ 401, Ace Techno Tower 8th, 11 Digital-ro 33-gil, Guro-gu, Seoul (Guro-dong)
Email │ [email protected]
Website │ www.jayplemedia.com
© Sa Hyang Noru 2026
※This work is published by J Plus Media Co., Ltd. under contract with the copyright holder. The contents may not be used in any form or by any means without permission from the publisher and author.
Violation of this may result in civil and criminal 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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