Surviving as the Terminally Ill Young Lady of the North Sea Ice Palace - Chapter 77

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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 77
[He had them tie him up securely and seal his acupoints, assigning Wi Sa—a martial artist with cultivated skills—to watch him. But the man broke through the seals himself and fled. According to Wi Sa, who collapsed and later came to, a blood-red aura rippled when he severed the ropes, and the skin where it touched had turned black and necrotic.]
The letter claimed that several older martial artists among them seemed to practice Demonic Arts.
It noted that while the elder was going to verify this with the Murim Alliance, he would also inform me, who had been curious about the interrogation results.
God, this is insane.
He’d used Guisik Daebeop to hide for ten days, so he was no ordinary thief.
He actually used Demonic Arts?
‘So there really were remnants of the Demonic Cult? And this close to us?’
I was quite shaken.
Unlike the cadet who’d asked a question during the Great Martial Lecture, I always remained vigilant against evil sect martial artists in unsafe places.
But I’d given little thought to becoming entangled with the Demonic Cult, which supposedly had been completely annihilated during the Jungma Great War.
Even my father had told me, and I’d heard it again since coming to Jungwon, that the Jungma Great War ended in absolute victory.
The Demonic Cultists had all been killed, and the Demonic Scriptures burned to sever their lineage.
My only fear was the dark energy raging through my body via the Gu-um Jeolmaek.
The world I’d seen with my own eyes since birth had been very peaceful.
Honestly, there were almost no traces of war in Buk Hae.
Come to think of it, right around when I’d first become conscious of living in a martial arts world after my birth, the Jungma Great War had only recently ended.
Apart from my father’s activities in the war, the Buk Hae Bing Palace hadn’t sent many martial artists, and as a region that hadn’t come under direct attack from the Demonic Cult, it all seemed even less urgent.
Nakyang too—the Venerable Seon had built defensive lines quickly, so it wasn’t directly trampled, or so I’d heard.
Now that I think about it, in the martial arts novels I read in my previous life, there was a trend for a while of sects destroyed during the Jungma Great War being rebuilt.
Yet both the Nine Schools and One Faction and the Five Great Families remained in their places.
With the Murim Alliance Lord and the Academy Master—those who’d distinguished themselves in the war—upheld and maintaining order,
I too had let my guard down somewhat.
‘That’s right, when I was younger I once asked Father whether there were any Demonic Cult remnants.’
It was a cliché for fifty or a hundred years to pass after the First Jungma Great War before remnant forces would rise again and spark another war.
Before I knew about the Gu-um Jeolmaek, I’d even asked Father whether the Demonic Cultists might grow strong again.
Being young then, Father had said there was no chance of that, and
that even if an enemy did attack, Mother and Father would protect me.
“Wait, didn’t Master Gwak also ask me if I’d learned Demonic Arts?”
I paused, having been absently handling Excalibur.
Back then, I’d been so startled by the explanation that this sword was meant to test the Young Lord’s aptitude that I’d simply glossed over it.
But the very fact that he harbored such suspicions meant there were still Demonic Cult remnants somewhere and ways to learn Demonic Arts, didn’t it?
“Hmm…….”
Pondering alone in this place wouldn’t reveal anything.
Cheonmu Academy had many martial artists who’d participated in the Jungma Great War.
I decided to ask Gwak Do Cheon first.
* * *
The next day.
“Huff, huff……!”
“S-so much to learn! Thank you!”
When the Quick Sword Class ended and the cadets collapsed exhausted in the Training Grounds,
I caught up with Gwak Do Cheon and asked if it would be all right to go into Bungwang Hall and discuss what was on my mind.
“By all means. What troubles you?”
Gwak Do Cheon, naturally, was more than willing to hear me out.
“In truth, several days ago while on field practice, I apprehended a brigand, and I’ve since received word that he appears to be a remnant of the Demonic Cult. So I’ve brought the matter to you for counsel, Master.”
Since the Taeching Hall elder planned to report this to the Murim Alliance anyway,
I shared his letter with Gwak Do Cheon without reservation, and
asked whether the martial technique Wi Sa had witnessed was indeed Demonic Arts, and whether the Demonic Cult remnants were secretly active somewhere, contrary to public knowledge.
“…….”
Gwak Do Cheon’s eyes widened for a moment, but he didn’t seem particularly shocked.
Instead, he read through the letter calmly, then asked me in measured tones what the brigand had looked like and how he’d employed his techniques.
Unfortunately, since the man hadn’t properly engaged me and I’d only seen Guisik Daebeop besides that, I had little to answer with.
“It certainly appears to be Demonic Arts. And if merely touching the energy caused vitality to wither so severely, he’s accumulated quite pure dark essence.”
He paused briefly in thought, but nodded without denying it.
What—he admits so readily that Demonic Cult remnants exist?
“Are you handling this quietly without informing the public, working through the Murim Alliance? How large is their force?”
I was momentarily alarmed, but soon steadied myself.
Come to think of it, only twenty-some years have passed—it would actually be far stranger if there were no remnants at all.
Even if all visible Demonic Cultists were killed during the Jungma Great War clash,
not every orthodox martial artist participated in the Jungma Great War, after all.
Martial artists trained in Demonic Arts wouldn’t all have gathered in one place to attack together, so there must surely be some who fled.
“The Murim Alliance’s official stance is that they exterminated the Demonic Cult……. But I’m not entirely sure what the Alliance Leader himself believes.”
Yet precisely because they use such a strong word as ‘exterminated,’ it seems more like they’re trying to hide its existence.
“What do you think, Master?”
“I…….”
At least Gwak Do Cheon clearly didn’t agree with that official position.
“……I’ve come to think that those whom the Alliance killed during the Jungma Great War might be only a small fraction of the Demonic Cult.”
So I asked him to share his personal thoughts.
Gwak Do Cheon dropped an enormous bombshell.
“What? What are you saying? Didn’t we kill Cheonma, and then eliminate everyone who attacked using Demonic Arts right there on the spot?”
“That’s true enough, but……well. Even back then, there were many things we couldn’t explain. I’ve been looking into it personally, but the more I investigate, the more I sense there’s a deep swamp beneath it all.”
Yet his tone implied he hadn’t actually discovered anything concrete.
He’d been traveling through Jungwon whenever time permitted, watching and listening, but had struggled to find any real thread to pull.
This bandit who’d appeared at Taeching Hall had left quite a considerable trace, apparently.
“I’m telling you this because you own the Munma Sword and I trust you’ll keep silent about it. ……And if you ever receive any letter or message of unknown origin, bring it to me without fail.”
“Yes, I understand. I shall remember this.”
If he’d been unwilling to speak, he probably wouldn’t have told me any of this either.
Gwak Do Cheon really did seem not to know anything concrete.
Yet there had to be a reason why he’d sensed the presence of some hidden force behind it all.
One way or another, schemes were unfolding somewhere unseen.
‘Sigh. Usually doesn’t trouble strike fifty or a hundred years later, when everyone’s dropped their guard?’
It would be a lie to say I’m not worried at all.
But even if the Demonic Cult ran rampant right now, there’s not much I could do about it.
My past self was just a frail civil service exam candidate, not the strongest warrior in the world.
Even if war broke out, there are so many extraordinarily powerful martial artists—the Academy Leader, the Alliance Leader, and others—that there’d be no place for a Post-Qi Realm Student like me to step in.
If the Demonic Cult rises again decades or centuries from now…….
There’s even a chance I might still be alive then.
“That consultation took quite a while!”
“Oh, were you waiting for me?”
As I emerged from Bungwang Hall after my conversation with Gwak Do Cheon, So Un greeted me.
Hmm, now that I think about it, this girl’s martial skills improve day by day.
Is she actually one of those naturally gifted types?
Perhaps Gwak Do Cheon travels the world during breaks, searching for talented children and bringing them to the Academy to train them.
In that sense, maybe it’s his own way of preparing for the Demonic Cult.
* * *
Even if the earth were to be destroyed tomorrow, I’d still plant an apple tree today!
Come to think of it, there were always terrorists somewhere on earth in my past life too.
And for a student, the most pressing concern wasn’t Demonic Cult conspiracies—it was what was for lunch today.
“Wow, we can finally eat some decent food!”
Gu Won, So Un, and I gathered in front of the Central Gate to attend the Poison Appreciation and Food Culture Class.
I’d heard it was a kind of liberal arts lecture where we’d eat out with our instructor.
Since our instructor Dang So Yeo had brazenly cancelled the first session—which only met twice a month anyway—we were only just now having our first class.
“Tell me about it. I was so frustrated. If this were an inn, it’d be like making a new server work indoors for a whole month without letting them outside.”
Gu Won spoke without shame.
Considering he’d snuck out with me at least twice, and likely gone out alone far more often than that.
Yet he bounded alongside So Un with exaggerated excitement, like a student who’d been dutifully staying at the Academy.
“Is everyone here?”
Dang So Yeo arrived about an hour later than the appointed time.
But senior students had already explained that this was how she was, so the new students simply waited without complaint.
“Hup!”
“Yes!”
Dang So Yeo casually waved to the students.
“Well then, let’s head out to sample a variety of poisons.”
The Academy gates, which had been firmly shut, swung wide open.
Surviving as the Limited-Time Heir of Buk Hae Bing Palace (Serialized)
Author │ Sahyang Noru
Publisher │ Kim Ju Hyung
Publishing Company │ J Plus Media Co., Ltd.
Marketing │ Han Jae Hyuk
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ⓒ Sasangno Ru 2026
※This work is published by Jay Plus Media Co., Ltd. in accordance with a contract with the copyright holder, and its contents may not be used in any form or by any means without permission from the company and the author.
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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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