The middle-aged man in blue robes wanted to shout out:

‘Are you asking because you don’t know? Damn Chwima—both are dangerous, of course.’

But since he couldn’t, he spoke as politely as possible.

“I didn’t know the Demon Sect was involved in this matter. Had I known, I wouldn’t have helped.”

He was sincere. There was no good to be had entangled with the damned Demon Sect.

Chwima asked him,

“Who are you?”

The man glanced at the masked figure. Not as a subordinate, but watching his reaction. When the masked man showed no response, the middle-aged man revealed himself.

“My name is Hwang Su. I’m a scholar studying the human body.”

“Scholar? More like butcher. How many have died so far?”

Hwang Su had no excuse. Too many had died, and he didn’t even know the number.

“What kind of test have you done on them?”

Hwang Su hesitated to answer.

Then Yangil, lying on the bed, mustered courage and spoke.

“They said they were looking for a certain constitution. What was it called? Ah, yes—Extreme Cold Body. If I am an Extreme Cold Body, I can survive.”

Extreme Cold Body.

Among those born naturally resistant to cold is the Frozen Cold Body constitution. People with this constitution never catch a cold in their lives.

Among Frozen Cold Body types, the Extreme Cold Body is especially specialized for cold.

Someone born with Extreme Cold Body constitution won’t die of cold. Even if naked in icy water in midwinter, starvation might kill them, but not freezing.

“This bed became terrifyingly cold.”

Chwima examined the bed at Yangil’s words. It was no ordinary bed.

“So this is a bed to identify Extreme Cold Body.”

Chwima looked back at Hwang Su and asked,

“Why are you looking for Extreme Cold Body?”

Seeing Hwang Su’s silence, Chwima gave a mocking expression.

“I told you—I’m sensitive because I don’t drink.”

Hwang Su glanced again at the masked man beside him.

Chwima had suspected from the start that he was not a subordinate. His eyes were not those of a subordinate.

“You were sent to watch me.”

At last, the masked man stepped forward.

“If you think the Demon Sect will fear us, you are mistaken.”

The “we” did not include Hwang Su.

Two masked men entered the room.

Their presence was different from the martial artists Chwima had dealt with earlier. Their eyes were as fierce as the masked man speaking.

Initially, the three had taken turns watching over Hwang Su and assisting in this mission. They had equal skill and similar personalities.

Upon their arrival, Hwang Su’s expression brightened. The reason the other masked man stayed silent was because they were waiting for these three.

‘If these three are together!’

Just then—

Shuuuuuuuu—

The aura swirling around Chwima scattered in all directions. Instantly, thick mist covered the place.

Hwang Su could see nothing.

‘Please! Kill Chwima!’

In the brief silence, Hwang Su’s eyes caught a gleam of a sword blade. It was one of the masked men’s blades.

The next moment—

Crack.

The sound of breaking bones rang out. The sword that had been flicking in the air suddenly jerked and was sucked into the mist.

‘Got him!’

Silence returned.

Whoooosh—

Another masked man infused his sword with internal energy and swung it in the air, but the aura of mist twisted around the sword.

The attempt to clear the mist by pulling it away with internal energy failed because Chwima’s aura was no ordinary mist or smoke.

The aura briefly seemed to wrap around the sword but then scattered thickly again.

At that moment, Hwang Su saw a glimpse of Chwima moving through the mist.

Chwima stood leisurely with his hands behind his back and smiled at Hwang Su.

‘Be careful!’

Before the words even left Hwang Su’s mouth—

Crack.

The masked man trying to dispel «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» the aura had his neck bone broken by Chwima’s blade hand and collapsed.

Before he hit the ground, Chwima vanished into the mist.

The last sword Hwang Su saw was flying toward him.

‘Killing Destruction!’

The last masked man realized he couldn’t face Chwima alone and decided to kill Hwang Su first. Apparently, he had orders to kill himself if such a moment came.

The flying sword stopped right before Hwang Su’s heart.

Crunch.

Bones shattered with a sharp sound.

The thick mist cleared, revealing the masked man’s body. His neck was grotesquely twisted, and the life had already left his eyes.

As he collapsed, Chwima stood behind him—a clear demonstration of overwhelming skill. The poison weapon on his waist remained untouched.

‘Three of them together were worth a try? What a delusion.’

‘So this is the power of the Demon Lords I’d only heard about!’

Hwang Su’s heart pounded as if it would burst.

Chwima’s aura flickered like flames around him and then all vanished into his body.

“Why are you trying to find the Extreme Cold Body?”

Now Hwang Su no longer cared about being discreet.

“I don’t know either. I was just hired to find the Extreme Cold Body and get paid.”

“To whom?”

Hwang Su hesitated, and Chwima informed him of reality.

“You’re already dead.”

Looking at the body of the fallen masked man, Hwang Su decided to reveal who had hired him.

“The one who paid me was…”

At that moment—

Whoooosh.

Both sides of Hwang Su’s forehead instantly swelled.

Pop! Pop!

They burst open, spraying blood.

Hwang Su died instantly. Remarkably, a deadly taboo was placed to kill anyone who tried to speak of the mastermind.

Chwima looked seriously down at the corpse.

Having a deadly taboo triggered when trying to answer is a grave hint—there’s a powerful figure behind this.

Chwima spoke to the terrified Yangil, who was still sitting.

“Get dressed.”

Yangil, still naked until then, hurriedly put on his clothes.

‘So this wasn’t a dream after all.’

Fully dressed, Yangil followed Chwima out.

Yangil suddenly realized how reckless it was to have tried to ambush the martial artist who brought him and escape.

Turning the corridor corner, he saw about ten martial artists lying unconscious.

Outside the building, dozens more martial artists lay scattered.

Seeing so many martial artists guarding this place, Yangil realized this was no ordinary matter.

‘If I really was the Extreme Cold Body, what on earth were they planning?’

A short distance away, a carriage waited—belonging to the North Sea branch of the Demon Sect.

Those taking him cooperated with his hometown branch to protect their families, so he no longer needed to worry.

“Don’t worry about retaliation. Live well with your family.”

Even if not, by the time Yangil arrived home, this matter would likely be over.

Yangil couldn’t quite believe he survived.

“It still feels like a dream. That the Demon himself saved me!”

“I didn’t save you.”

“What do you mean?”

“If not for your wife’s desperate heart to save her husband, who would send anyone all the way to the North Sea? You’ll hear the details from your wife when you get home.”

The thought of going home filled Yangil with joy. To see his wife and children again!

While imprisoned, he had repeatedly resolved not to greedily seek happiness all at once. Instead of striving for money to buy happiness, he vowed to share every moment as his children grew.

“Thank you, I will live like that.”

He bowed deeply.

“I’m truly grateful you saved me.”

From now on, he planned to remember Chwima every year on this day with a drink.

“This bow will be passed on to the one who deserves it.”

Meanwhile, Chwima started walking off in the opposite direction of the departing carriage.

Crunch, crunch.

Leaving the first footprints in the white snow, Chwima’s steps quickened, and soon no footprints remained.

Geom Mugeuk and Ian rented a carriage and returned to Eunwol’s residence.

The three hostages, still subdued, were asleep.

They loaded them into the carriage.

“When Chwima returns, we’ll go to Binggung immediately.”

Ian knew well. Geom Mugeuk firmly believed Chwima would handle things well and come back. Though he treated Chwima like an easy-going older brother usually, at least now he regarded him as a Demon Lord.

Ian was not worried about Chwima. Rather, the one she worried about was the Little Palace Master they had met.

“But will Binggung accept the Master’s proposal?”

Even if Chwima rescued those held, if Binggung refused to accept it, it would be a problem.

“They will accept.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“You told the Master yourself, ‘He is a transcendent being, so trust him!’”

“Don’t joke around. Why?”

Geom Mugeuk explained.

“Our conditions were two: not to punish you and to investigate the death of the original lord at Binggung.”

“Right.”

“First, they can’t touch you anyway. You’re my subordinate, and you have justification for kidnapping their heir. Also, the North Blood Sect is trying to hide this matter, so punishing you would only make it bigger.”

“The second condition? Binggung might not accept us.”

“The Binggung Lord already knows your relationship with the original lord and Chwima. They have exchanged letters and wine for many years. If such a person is interested in this death, would they refuse? If so, Chwima will doubt that death more deeply and dig into it. Binggung might learn things it doesn’t want to reveal, so it can’t refuse lightly.”

Ian was impressed. She hadn’t thought of the reasons Geom Mugeuk mentioned.

“I’m going to retire. I don’t think I can survive in the martial world anymore. It’s amazing I’m alive. I’ll retire and live in the countryside selling noodles.”

“Do you think selling noodles is easy? After being harassed all day, you’ll think, ‘Ah, I preferred swinging swords by the Master’s side with no worries.’ You’ll want to run right back.”

Ian sighed.

“Speaking of which, want some noodles? There are ingredients in the kitchen.”

“You know how?”

“Noodles, I can make.”

“Let’s eat. I’m starving anyway.”

“I’ll cook some quickly.”

As Ian disappeared into the kitchen, Geom Mugeuk leapt onto the carriage roof silently. Even after landing, not a feather stirred.

Lying there, he looked up at the sky.

Suddenly, he missed his father.

Though he missed the Demon Lords, it was always his father he missed first.

His father must be sternly sitting in the Heavenly Demon Hall, attending to affairs.

‘Father, your son misses you like this. Are you thinking of me?’

As he thought of his father, Ian returned with noodles.

“Where do you want to eat?”

“Here.”

Ian floated up to the carriage roof carrying the noodles without spilling a drop. Her martial arts level was rising day by day.

“Eat.”

The noodles tasted surprisingly good for being freshly made.

“Delicious. With skills like this, I won’t starve even after retiring. I should invest in that noodle shop!”

Ian felt relieved, worried that Geom Mugeuk might say it was bad.

While they slurped noodles, Chwima appeared.

Geom Mugeuk and Ian looked at him. Chwima nodded once at them. Seeing that nod, Ian felt relieved—they had successfully rescued him.

There was, of course, some disappointing news.

“He was the only one saved.”

Ian felt sorry but knew it was unavoidable.

She wouldn’t blame herself for not doing better to save more. That anger would be added to the punishment for those who orchestrated this.

“Is there any noodles left?”

“I can make more quickly. But will noodles be enough? I’ll buy something delicious for you.”

After all, they had taken a step to help her cause.

“Noodles are fine.”

“Alright, I’ll boil some more right away.”

“Me too! One more bowl!”

“Yes!”

As Ian rushed back to the kitchen, Chwima lightly leapt onto the carriage roof.

“Good job, brother.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Why did they take those people?”

“They were looking for the Extreme Cold Body.”

“Extreme Cold Body?”

Among the various human constitutions, the Extreme Cold Body was truly rare.

“When he tried to answer who ordered this, his head exploded and he died. A very strong taboo.”

Hearing this, Geom Mugeuk recalled an organization he had known before reincarnation.

Blood Death Alliance (Hyeolsa Maeng).

Bound by blood, they feared death not at all. They sacrificed their lives without hesitation for the organization.

Everyone feared the Blood Death Alliance.

But it was later revealed that their loyalty was not sincere—they were under a strong taboo that exploded their bodies if they betrayed.

The leader of the Blood Death Alliance?

The Ninth King among the Twelve Zodiac Kings.

The Blood King.

Another of the Zodiac Kings had appeared.

Just because a king is below others doesn’t mean he is weaker.

The Blood King was powerful. He commanded countless subordinates who feared neither death nor betrayal and used self-destruction techniques without hesitation.

Thus, no one knew what kind of martial arts the Blood King himself used, or how strong he was. All his history was the history of his subordinates—the history of blood.

‘The Blood King is looking for the Extreme Cold Body? Why?’

Geom Mugeuk looked around the snow-covered surroundings.

‘How much blood must be spilled on this pristine snow?’

Ian, bringing noodles, saw Geom Mugeuk’s serious expression.

From that look, she knew the Binggung matter was no easy task. Her heart boiled with fighting spirit.

Their eyes met.

“I’ll just cook noodles diligently.”

Her teasing made Geom Mugeuk smile faintly.

Then Chwima suddenly said,

“Don’t worry.”

When Geom Mugeuk turned, Chwima was lying back, looking up at the sky as if drinking at Chwimongru.

Though relaxed, his eyes visible between strands of hair were deeper and fiercer than ever.

“I’ll take care of everything.”