The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 175

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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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The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 175

Chapter 175. Traces of Snowwind Palace (2)

I nodded in response to his question.
“Yes, please ensure the children do not feel the absence of their father.”
I often found myself thinking about it.
If the Palace Master’s sword, the Silver Sword, had not vanished, perhaps Snowwind Palace would not have been destroyed.
Judging by the appearance of Yeom Great Warrior yesterday, he must be raising the other children as happily as he does Yeom.
Suppressing such complicated feelings, I continued speaking.
“When I return, I shall provide further support. I have considerable wealth, after all.”
I left his chamber after receiving his heartfelt gratitude.
Now it was time to depart.
When I returned to my room, Palgap had already completed the preparations for departure.
“Let’s go.”
We left the inn.
Stepping out from the warmth of the inn into the biting wind mixed with snow, I felt a sigh escape me.
Go, we must go. To complete Master’s commission.
I found myself impressed by the dedication of the Pyoguk agents, who traveled wherever they were commissioned.
“My lord, where should we head now?”
Jin Yu Warrior, who was familiar with the geography of the Northern Sea, asked, and I recalled Master’s words.
“He said to travel westward until we see a massive snow mountain, and when that mountain appears to be about the size of an adult, we should turn right.”
Since Master had likely only heard this from Black Flute Physician rather than seeing it himself, the directions were somewhat vague.
However, I felt confident that with a bit of searching, we could find it, and Master would not have sent me if he thought I couldn’t.
But why did Black Flute Physician come all the way here? Does he have some connection to this place as well?
Traveling with such questions in mind for about two hours, the snow mountain began to appear.
When the mountain appeared to be about the size of an adult man, we turned right.
As we continued, a sudden intuition struck me.
There is something ahead.
Yet it did not feel dangerous or ominous… how should I describe it? Something ahead was drawing me toward it?
Thus I could advance without hesitation.
Turning in that direction, we traveled for about two more hours.
Soon we reached our destination.
But there was nothing there, and I was considerably bewildered.
“Is this the right place?”
I nodded at Palgap’s question.
“Yes. This seems to be it? This is the place.”
The sensation drawing me forward was telling me that something existed here.
Meanwhile, Jin Yu Warrior began extracting a rod from the saddle and started assembling it.
He then began thrusting the long pole repeatedly into the snow.
“Why are you stabbing the snow?”
In response to Lee Pil Warrior’s question, Jin Yu Warrior answered.
“Here in the Northern Sea, the terrain constantly shifts due to the Snowstorm. That’s why this pole is useful when searching for things buried in snow. It’s the same when searching for people buried by avalanches.”
I had wondered why he brought such a thing, but now there was a reason.
Shortly after,
“There seems to be something here.”
Jin Yu Warrior pointed to a spot, and we began digging through the snow there.
Soon we were able to find the ‘traces of Seolpung Palace’ that my Master had spoken of.
“This seems to be it.”
“It’s an enormous rock.”
Everyone nodded at Palgap’s words. It was a boulder roughly the size of Palgap’s height.
In truth, I had felt somewhat puzzled.
Why couldn’t my Master find the traces of Seolpung Palace that even the Black Flute Physician had discovered?
It wasn’t even that far from the inn at the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
But now that mystery was solved.
Due to the Snowstorm, snow had swirled and the terrain had changed, burying it beneath the snow.
Then when the Black Flute Physician passed through here, it had happened to reveal itself by chance.
On the rock was inscribed a single passage.

[Heir of snow and wind, prove your worth]

Seeing that, I recalled my Master’s words.
If this was indeed a trace of Snowwind Palace, it would respond to Snowwind Palace’s martial arts.
“Wait, please step back.”
I said so and stood before the rocky terrain.
After taking a calm, deep breath, I drew the silver sword.
Shing.
“My lord, why the sword all of a sudden…?”
“You said I needed to prove my qualifications. I thought perhaps showing the sword technique I’ve learned would suffice.”
“That makes sense. Then you should display the sword technique you’ve mastered from beginning to end, my lord.”
At the Yeo Eung-am Warrior’s words, I hesitated for a moment.
The Jinseol Twelve-Form Sword Technique consisted of twelve forms, as its name suggested.
But I had only mastered up to the tenth form, Snowcollapse.
My Master, who knew this better than anyone, had sent me here because I possessed the qualifications to do so.
Then….
I changed my approach, drawing up my inner energy and placing my hand against the rock.
At that moment, the rock began to vibrate, and familiar incantations started to inscribe themselves upon it.
“…!”
The incantation of the eighth form of the Jinseol Twelve-Form Sword Technique—Single Point String Freeze.
And below it, a single hole that had appeared.
Understanding what it meant, I grinned widely.
Then, slowly drawing up my inner energy, I moved my sword in accordance with the Single Point String Freeze form.
And at the end, concentrating with the resolve of a killing blow, I thrust my sword into the hole.
Click.
At that moment, I heard the sound of some mechanism moving, and my vision changed.
“….”
Where am I?
Just moments ago, I had been standing before a great rock on the snow-covered plain, but now I was inside a vast cavern.
Palgap and the Guard Warriors were nowhere to be seen.
“Chirp?”
Geumryeong poked its face out from inside my sleeve.
“Ah, you came along with me?”
“Chirp! Chirp!”
“Do you happen to know where this place is?”
I asked without much expectation, but at my question, Geumryeong nodded repeatedly.
“What? You know where this is?”
“Chirp!”
Geumryeong hopped down to the ground, its tail wagging vigorously. Usually, Geumryeong’s tail swayed violently when it was in a good mood.
For example, when I gave it silver or gold coins?
Then could it be…?
I walked forward along the path visible ahead in the cavern.
The path stretched straight ahead, and I had walked for about a quarter hour.
Light gleamed in the distance.
“…!”
Mountains of gold and silver treasures piled high before me.
So there was indeed a reason Geumryeong had wagged his tail so frantically.
I approached cautiously, mindful of potential traps that might lurk ahead.
One might argue that traps were unlikely at this point, yet the world holds endless surprises.
As I drew closer to the treasure, my tension only deepened.
An envelope lay among the riches, inscribed with the words: [To one who lives a second life].
This letter was unmistakably meant for me.
While I could not claim to be the only soul living a second existence, what were the odds that another such person would be studying the martial arts of Snowwind Palace?
I swallowed hard and tore open the envelope.
With a soft rustle,
inside lay a pendant—a transparent crystal bead woven with silver thread.
It appeared to be an ornament for a sword.
Setting it aside for now, I withdrew and unfolded the letter enclosed within.

[One who lives a second life, my successor. I have waited for the day you would read these words.]

Upon reading this, the mysterious handsome man from my dream surfaced in my mind.
Had he been waiting here all this time to deliver this to me?

[Snowwind Palace showed me warmth when I had nowhere else to turn, while the Northern Sea Ice Palace is my mother’s sect. With the League Master’s aid, I created the Taiyin Ice-Sea Divine Art to protect the Northern Sea Ice Palace and establish the foundation of Snowwind Palace’s martial techniques.]

With these words, I became certain.
The author of this letter was the Ancestor revered by Snowwind Palace.
So the Ancestor’s mother had also been a disciple of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.

[One day, I witnessed the final destruction of Snowwind Palace. I wept tears of blood as I watched everything crumble. Yet I could not surrender to despair—I resolved to alter that fate.]

What? He had foreseen Snowwind Palace’s destruction?
And he altered fate itself?

[Thus, I offered my remaining lifespan as the price, granting a second life to one connected to me and Yeon—a man, like myself, who possessed the Hyun Ryong Body.]

“….”
I bit my lip.
This meant that the one who had granted me my second life was the Ancestor of Snowwind Palace.

[Successor, if the second life I have granted you holds meaning, I hope you will use these treasures to rebuild the Snowwind Palace.]

Does my second life hold meaning?
Of course it does.
Because of it, I can now dream of avenging myself against the Murim Alliance and the Baekcheon Trading Company.
But to ask me to rebuild the Snowwind Palace…
Operating a single sect is no trivial matter, but reconstructing a fallen one is exponentially more difficult.
Then my eyes fell upon the next passage.

[Though I have granted you a second life, I am well aware of how arduous the task of rebuilding the fallen Snowwind Palace truly is. Therefore, I leave you with three things, hoping they will serve you well.]

Three things…

[First is the sword ornament enclosed with this letter. Fashioned from ice jade, it shall aid your inner cultivation.]

I gazed upon the ornament in my hand. This was made from ice jade?

[The second is one-third of the treasures I have accumulated.]

I beheld the staggering quantity of gold and precious gems piled before me.
With this… what couldn’t I accomplish?
Truthfully, I myself struggle with the frustration of not being able to openly declare myself a disciple of the Snowwind Palace’s martial arts. I can scarcely imagine how much my Master must endure.
If I am this tormented, how much more must my Master suffer?
In any case, this is a proposal that brings me only gain.

[The final gift is the secret manual of the Jinseol Twelve-Form Sword Technique. The location of this manual is…]

As I was currently learning the tenth form of the Jinseol Twelve-Form Sword Technique, this stirred little emotion within me.

[Successor, the survival of the Snowwind Palace rests upon your shoulders. I earnestly beseech you not to refuse my request.]

And so the letter came to an end.
Even now, thinking back on it fills me with wonder.
The letter clearly stated “one who lives a second life”—which meant the Ancestor had known in advance that I would come to this place.
It was an arrangement so precise it sent shivers down my spine.
I owed the Ancestor my gratitude.
Regardless of his purpose, thanks to him I had been granted this second life.
In truth, I had long wondered how I had returned from death and come to live this second existence.
No matter how I pondered it, the whole thing defied reason.
But now that I understood the reason, my heart felt lighter. Of course, the Ancestor had placed a request upon my shoulders.
Now I needed to gather the treasures of this place.
I withdrew the inkstone made from stage stone from my pocket and opened the Secret Warehouse.
Then I began placing the treasures inside.
I had considered leaving them and informing my Master, but it seemed better to gather them and deliver them myself.
He would be busy, and I didn’t want to make him travel to this harsh place. Besides, they might disappear in the meantime.
“Squeak….”
At that moment, Geumryeong approached me and tapped my leg with his front paw.
His eyes sparkled as he gazed up at me.
“Squeak… squeak.”
I understood what Geumryeong was saying. He was coyly asking me for just one gold coin.
Well, why not.
Geumryeong had to eat and survive too.
I held out a gold coin to Geumryeong and said.
“Here, this is your share.”
“Squeak! Squeak!”
Geumryeong snatched the gold coin and swallowed it whole. His tail trembled adorably.
I swept up all the gold and treasures inside and placed them in the Secret Warehouse.
“Now I should make my way out.”
But no matter how carefully I examined my surroundings, I could find no exit.
What? He made such a request of me, yet there’s no exit?
I examined the area more carefully.
I retraced the path I had taken to enter, and scrutinized the walls meticulously.
I even drew upon my inner energy and touched the walls as I had when entering.
Yet no exit appeared.
How in the world am I supposed to get out?
I sighed and asked Geumryeong directly.
“Geumryeong, how exactly do I get out of here? Do you know, perhaps?”
At my question, Geumryeong nodded his head.
“You do?”
“Squeak! Squeak!”
Then he scurried into my sleeve and emerged with the secret manual I had placed inside.
That was the secret manual of the Jinseol Twelve-Form Sword Technique.
Since the Ancestor had gifted it to me, I naturally felt obligated to bring it along.
Geumryeong set it down on the ground and unfolded the secret manual.
Could it be?
The Ancestor, who had known I would come to this place, surely must have known that I had mastered the Jinseol Twelve-Form Sword Technique?
No, he must have known.
Perhaps he even knew that I had learned up to the tenth form.
If so, there must be a reason why the Ancestor gave me this secret manual of the Jinseol Twelve-Form Sword Technique.
I recalled that there was an Ongdal Spring where water dripped and pooled, and beside it lay the Byeokgok-dan.
Why else would such things exist in this place?
So that meant… I had to master all of it before I could leave.
I picked up the secret manual and let out a sigh.
How long would it take to master all of this?
I had vanished so suddenly that I wondered how much Palgap and the guards must be worrying.
My heart grew anxious, but I calmed myself with deliberate resolve.
Impatience is forbidden when cultivating martial arts.
One misstep could lead to demonic possession of the mind.
“Well then, let’s give it a try.”
It shouldn’t take too long anyway. I had already mastered up to the tenth form, or rather, all the forms.
But that was my mistake.

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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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