In the martial world, there are countless sects that once flourished with great renown, only to vanish without a trace in an instant.
Behind a crumbling martial hall stood a rugged peak, surrounded by a small spring.
This place had once been home to a sword sect that dominated the Cheonmun region.
Now, worn away by time, it had become a desolate and eerie ruin, with only faint traces of its former glory remaining.
In this remote spot, untouched by human footsteps, two divided forces were secretly deployed. This was because young figures representing the righteous sects and the demonic path were holding a meeting.
They were none other than Bu Eunseol and Gongsun Dankyung.
“Thank you for kindly accepting my sudden request.”
Gongsun Dankyung spoke, her gaze fixed on the open, gaping roof of the martial hall.
This meeting had been arranged by her secretly inviting Bu Eunseol.
“I had to hastily find a location that no information network could detect… so we ended up meeting in such a shabby place.”
As Gongsun Dankyung smiled apologetically, Bu Eunseol calmly shook his head.
“Not at all.”
“You must be busy, so shall we get straight to the point?”
Bu Eunseol had predicted not only the annihilation of the Infinite Realm but also the emergence of the Ghost Children. He had also sought Gongsun Dankyung’s help in dealing with the Ghost Children.
She had accepted his request and the existence known as the Ghost Child, who cruelly slaughtered innocent civilians, was made known to the entire martial world.
At the same time, she thoroughly investigated everything Bu Eunseol had done up to that point.
As a result, she learned that the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest had been the Infinite Realm’s main base, and that Bu Eunseol possessed knowledge of the Three Realms as well as the martial forces that had yet to reveal themselves.
She herself was in a situation where she was searching for the hidden main base of the Jungson Family, which had been committing evil deeds while concealing its presence.
Realizing that Bu Eunseol’s information far surpassed her own, she intended this meeting both to offer thanks for his help and to discreetly inquire whether he knew the whereabouts of the Jungson Family.
“To be honest, the reason for today’s meeting is to ask the Command Lord a few questions.”
“As I expected.” Bu Eunseol smiled calmly. “Didn’t the Chief Inspector readily grant this Command Lord’s request the other day? Please speak freely without burden.”
‘He doesn’t weigh profit and loss.’
She had proposed to Bu Eunseol that her goal was the complete eradication of the Infinite Realm and suggested they maintain a cooperative relationship for that purpose.
Now Bu Eunseol had single-handedly located and dealt with the Infinite Realm’s main base—a place no one else had ever discovered—something he had desperately wanted to destroy.
That alone gave him more than enough justification to demand various favors from her.
Yet he spoke only of giving and receiving help, without calculating personal gain or loss.
“Thank you.”
Gongsun Dankyung smiled.
“The Command Lord accomplished the annihilation of the Infinite Realm, which this Chief Inspector had long considered her life’s mission. Yet you never once brought it up as leverage.”
“How could that have been my achievement alone?”
Bu Eunseol gave a faint smile.
“Because the Chief Inspector helped me all this time, I was able to gradually seize those bastards’ tails.”
Had it not been for Gongsun Dankyung, Bu Eunseol would not have been able to uproot Hyeok Ryeon-eung and his followers in Majeon.
Thus, he never boasted of his own accomplishments.
He always remembered the kindness others showed him and sought to repay their grace.
And such behavior was quietly touching even the heart of Gongsun Dankyung, who had grown cynical about human relationships.
‘If I hadn’t lived in the Martial Alliance since childhood… perhaps I would have confessed everything to him openly.’
In truth, Gongsun Dankyung harbored a deeper grudge against the Jungson Family, who had brutally murdered all the children including Chu So, than against the Infinite Realm.
However, according to Chu So, the ones who killed their parents and kidnapped her were from the Infinite Realm, so she had focused on uprooting them.
Yet she had never once encountered anyone from the Infinite Realm, nor did she know who exactly had killed her parents and abducted her.
Therefore, even with the Infinite Realm’s collapse, she felt no great catharsis.
But seeing Bu Eunseol’s earnest and trustworthy demeanor, she suddenly felt the urge to blurt out her grudge against the Jungson Family.
‘No. I must never trust others.’
For the sake of revenge, she had joined the Martial Alliance early on.
Having risen to the position of Chief Inspector while handling countless matters in this den of demons known as the Punishing Demons Hall, she had learned a bone-deep truth.
When cornered, people would commit any act without hesitation.
One must never trust others.
Figures like Chu So, who sacrificed everything for others, were exceedingly rare in this world.
“You flatter me.”
Suppressing the surge of thoughts, Gongsun Dankyung spoke.
“The Command Lord foresaw the rise of the Ghost Children faction. May I first hear about that process?”
Bu Eunseol’s expression turned subtly complicated for a moment. “You suspect the very process by which this Command Lord dealt with the Infinite Realm.”
“To some extent, yes.” Gongsun Dankyung answered frankly. “In the past, there was someone by my side like that. He always overcame every crisis, but in reality, all those crises were ones he had deliberately created.”
She wore an apologetic expression.
“I know the Command Lord is free of greed and has a straightforward personality. That’s why I’m speaking so openly.”
She added one more thing.
“Being a good person and seeing the greater picture are different matters, after all.”
“Very well. I’ll tell you.”
Bu Eunseol recounted everything without concealment.
When he destroyed the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest, he had killed the leader known as Heavenly Deity.
Afterward, a figure called the Supreme Emperor appeared, tested him, and delivered mysterious prophecies—everything up to that point.
“I see.”
Gongsun Dankyung showed a slightly surprised expression.
To think the Infinite Realm’s cruel deeds had been committed to prevent the existence known as Ghost Children?
For Gongsun Dankyung, who had regarded the Infinite Realm and Jungson Family as absolute evil, this was inevitably a shocking revelation.
“And to add one more thing…”
Bu Eunseol even explained the Clear River Realm and the Returning to One Realm to her.
As she listened, Gongsun Dankyung’s eyes grew wider.
Some of the information she already knew, but most of it was beyond anything she could have imagined.
“I never expected you to share this much…”
In the current martial world, where information warfare determined strength, the one who knew more became the stronger.
It was true that Gongsun Dankyung had reached out first to Bu Eunseol for their shared goal of dealing with the Infinite Realm but she had never anticipated that he would so righteously and generously share information with her.
“There’s no need to thank me.”
Bu Eunseol spoke honestly.
“I only told you because it will be easier to receive your help in the future if the Chief Inspector clearly understands the Three Realms’ objectives and the information about them.”
Going forward, he needed to grow the Martial Soul Society even larger.
For that, he would likely need her assistance many more times.
“But why?”
She continued with an expression of incomprehension.
“Why does the Command Lord, a figure of Majeon, care so much?”
“What do you mean?”
“Whether it’s the Ghost Children or anything else, if great chaos comes, it should be advantageous for Majeon’s position.”
Gongsun Dankyung looked straight into Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
“Why exactly is Majeon’s successor trying to stabilize the martial world?”
“…”
“Until now, the Command Lord’s actions have earned the support of the righteous martial world and the common people, but conversely, haven’t they gradually bred discontent within the demonic path?”
Bu Eunseol had never considered himself a true martial artist.
He had never acted out of grand ideals or a sense of justice.
If he had to put it into words, he simply disliked seeing innocent commoners die or get hurt in the fights among martial artists.
But Gongsun Dankyung, who had no way of knowing this, found all of his actions suspicious.
“It doesn’t matter.”
Bu Eunseol replied calmly.
“I’m not doing this to gain the support of either the righteous or demonic factions.”
“Then why? A sense of justice? Or perhaps for some other purpose?”
After a moment of thought, Bu Eunseol spoke evenly.
“I simply do what I believe is right.”
Gongsun Dankyung wore a blank expression.
She could feel that his words were sincere.
And she felt ashamed.
The Martial Alliance was said to be a coalition formed to uphold justice in the martial world yet in reality, almost no one truly possessed such a mindset.
But the successor of Majeon, the Martial Soul Command Lord, was naturally protecting the common people and safeguarding the martial world?
“Then you have no further questions?”
At Bu Eunseol’s inquiry, Gongsun Dankyung hesitated for a moment.
But soon she nodded.
“No.”
In truth, what she had wanted to ask about was the whereabouts of the Jungson Family.
But as long as Bu Eunseol possessed such a unique and righteous way of thinking—one that could hardly be called demonic—and as long as she did not clearly know his true purpose, she could not bring herself to ask about the Jungson Family.
If she did, her ultimate goal of targeting the Jungson Family might be exposed.
‘Let’s continue the cooperative relationship and observe him. To see what purpose he truly holds.’
Hiding her inner thoughts, she spoke with a polite expression.
“With this matter, I feel I’ve incurred a great debt to the Command Lord in my heart.”
She brought her hands together in a respectful salute.
“Let us continue our good cooperation in the future.”
“Let’s do that.”
“Then I’ll see you again next time.”
As Gongsun Dankyung turned to leave, Bu Eunseol spoke.
“Wait a moment.”
In fact, he had also accepted this invitation because there was something he wanted to ask her.
“May I ask you one thing?”
At Bu Eunseol’s question, Gongsun Dankyung nodded.
“Please speak.”
“The Alliance Leader. What kind of person is he?”
Gongsun Dankyung blinked her large eyes in surprise.
It was a completely unexpected question.
“You know full well that all information related to the Alliance Leader is classified.”
“After conversing with the Chief Inspector like this today… I suddenly grew curious, that’s all.” Bu Eunseol said, “The true embodiment of the foremost master of the righteous path, rivaling the Demon Emperor.”
It was a meaningful statement.
Gongsun Dankyung asked, “What do you think of him, Command Lord?”
“Though our paths differ, wouldn’t a grand master of martial arts like him naturally earn the reverence of all?”
“To be honest with you.”
Taking a deep breath, Gongsun Dankyung spoke with utmost seriousness.
“The current Alliance Leader is not someone worthy of anyone’s reverence.”
It was an unexpected answer.
“That’s difficult to understand.”
“Everyone has two sides to them, after all.”
Gongsun Dankyung suddenly smiled.
That smile was pure and refreshing and completely unexpected.
“Then I’ll take my leave first.”
As she withdrew her smile, she instantly reverted to the cold, merciless strategist of the Martial Alliance.
“Take care.”
Regaining his composure, Bu Eunseol returned the salute. Watching her departing back, he let out a deep sigh.
‘So the Martial Alliance is indeed the Martial Alliance.’
Contrary to what was known, the Martial Alliance was a den of demons where ceaseless atrocities occurred and all manner of schemes unfolded.
And Gongsun Dankyung, who had survived the Punishing Demons Hall, was no different from yet another seductive demon who hunted demons and subjugated them.
“She must have endured unspeakable hardship.”
Recalling the innocent smile she had shown at the very end, he felt pity instead.
That pure expression had not been an act; it had merely revealed what she kept hidden deep inside.
That meant she had lived a life far more tormented and harsh than what was known.
“Not someone worthy of reverence.”
Muttering Gongsun Dankyung’s words, a flash passed through Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
What exactly was the Martial Venerable’s purpose?
Was the Heavenly Emperor truly dead? Why had Gongsun Dankyung made such an evaluation?
To Seon Woojin, she had certainly described him as someone wholly devoted to protecting the righteous martial world in the Heavenly Emperor’s stead.
‘I’ll know soon enough.’
Bu Eunseol would soon rise to the position of Martial Heaven Division Commander and enter the core forces of the Martial Alliance.
Once that happened, he would be able to investigate the actions of the Seven Great Division Commanders one by one and learn the true nature of the Martial Alliance.
***
Step by step.
An elderly man dressed as a diviner walked through a deep forest.
It appeared like any ordinary forest landscape, but this place was in fact a separate space detached from the real world.
As proof, mysterious energy rose from the forest floor, and time flowed exceedingly slowly.
Beyond the forest stood a massive cave.
The diviner entered the cave without hesitation.
Inside the cave was an enormous library. Countless books, impossible to tally, were packed tightly on the shelves.
The diviner circled the library, gently touching several books.
With a low rumble, a wide space appeared between the shelves, revealing two doors.
Creak.
Standing before the left door, the diviner suddenly transformed into a tall old man covered from head to toe in scars sharp as blades.
He was the head of the Three Venerables, currently playing the role of the Martial Alliance Leader the Heavenly Emperor, and known as the foremost sage of the martial world.
The Martial Venerable, Dan Mok-gi.
Screeech.
Opening the left door revealed an endlessly dark space. As he stepped inside, countless stars began twinkling in the darkness.
It felt like gazing upon the vast cosmos.
“Truly a cruel and merciless fate.”
Deep light flowed from the Martial Venerable’s eyes as he gazed at the twinkling stars.
His gaze was fixed not on the brilliantly shining stars, but on one in the darkness that emitted no light at all.
And that star was very faintly producing two residual images.
“Soon, the chief of the One Hundred and Eight Stars, the Heavenly-Mandate Star, will appear.”
The Martial Venerable’s gaze shifted to another star above it, one that had yet to emit any light.
Hiss.
Suddenly, faint smoke rose from the Martial Venerable’s hand. At the same time, the space filled with brilliant stars began to distort.
“This won’t hold much longer either.”
The Martial Venerable opened his right hand.
There, a transparently glistening orb was slowly melting away, vanishing like dissolving ice.
Thud.
Closing the door and exiting the cave, a transparent shadow prostrated itself at his feet.
Was it concealment arts?
Enveloped in transparent currents, it resembled a human form made of air.
[Forces from the Returning to One Realm have appeared at Seoryeong Mountain.]
The transparent shadow conveyed its message to the Martial Venerable using a technique akin to telepathic transmission.
[They seem to have spread an Absolute Barrier across the entire forest… likely completing it while cooperating with them to buy time.]
“Good.”
The Martial Venerable spoke in an indifferent voice.
“Perhaps it’s time… to wield the blade of the Apostle.”
In his mind surfaced the face of one person.
The son of the divine figure Baekri Muha, the blade of the Demon Emperor—and the one who possessed what he himself desired even in his dreams.
“Apostle Mu Myeong. He will never know in his wildest dreams.”
The Martial Venerable smiled faintly.
“Who truly holds the real blade.”
