Crack.
Bu Eunseol clenched his fist tightly.
Right now, he was Seon Woojin.
He had merely dealt with an assassin who possessed remarkable martial arts.
He could neither grieve nor pity the wretched death of Yu Baek. The only thing he could do was forcibly swallow the surging anguish.
“Looks like I barely survived.” Muttering lowly, Bu Eunseol scanned the surroundings and detected no presence at all.
Even so, he deliberately raised his voice.
“I don’t know who sent the assassin, but I will definitely root them out!”
His shout echoed across the reed field.
But only empty wind answered; no one replied.
Whoosh.
At that moment, the sound of air being torn came from the distant sky, and more than a dozen high-level experts landed beside Bu Eunseol.
They were the Supreme Corps members.
Having received intelligence that their Lord was under attack, they had hurriedly tracked his whereabouts.
“My Lord. Are you all right?”
Jeong Jongdo jumped in shock the moment he saw Yu Baek’s gruesomely mangled corpse. “Was this the assassin who attacked the Lord?”
Bu Eunseol nodded.
“I have no idea who sent them.” He let out a deep sigh before continuing. “Well… considering how much we’ve stirred things up lately, an attack of this level was something we had to accept.”
“We will pursue them to the end and uncover the mastermind without fail.”
Bu Eunseol nodded and looked down at Yu Baek’s body with an impassive expression.
“Assassin or not, she was a martial artist of extraordinary skill. Bury her with proper respect.”
Seon Woojin was a righteous hero of the orthodox faction.
In accordance with that persona, he intended to bury the assassin who had tried to kill him.
“Understood.”
“Once you finish here, return to the Alliance immediately. This Lord has a few matters to attend to before coming back.”
“Please contact the branch and assign escorts. Wandering alone like this will only invite more incidents.”
“I’m fine.” Bu Eunseol answered shortly and waved his hand. “Now that something like this has happened, even this Lord will personally look into the mastermind behind the attack.”
After Jeong Jongdo and the members saluted, Bu Eunseol nodded once and vanished using his movement technique.
Once he was completely gone, Jeong Jongdo spoke.
“Search for any clues that might reveal the assassin’s identity.”
The members searched diligently but soon shook their heads.
Not only the face, but even the shoes gave no hint of their origin.
“This assassin gave our Lord serious trouble. They must belong to a major sect or to Majeon. Let’s start by shaking down the intelligence networks in this area.”
“The Lord ordered us to bury the assassin.”
When member Gye Muk spoke up, Jeong Jongdo reluctantly nodded.
“Fine. Bury her quickly and let’s go.”
Oooong Rumble rumble.
As the members channeled their inner energy, a large pit opened in the reed field.
Thud.
After placing Yu Baek’s corpse into the ground, the members immediately activated their movement techniques and left the reed field.
A considerable amount of time passed after they departed.
Swoosh.
Eventually, a single black shadow appeared among the reeds.
Swoosh.
Suddenly exerting inner energy, it unearthed Yu Baek’s body that had just been buried.
“Hm.”
The figure closely examined the traces of the Thirteen Guiding Energies left across the entire body and shook his head.
“Completely shattered.”
The skull was caved in, fractured bones protruded through the skin of the chest and abdomen.
Moreover, the tremendous shockwave had gravely damaged the liver, spleen, and lungs.
That was the nature of the Thirteen Guiding Energies—sharp yet accompanied by devastating shockwaves.
“No matter what I try, there’s nothing usable here.”
The black shadow hesitated for a long while, seemingly regretful.
After several heavy sighs, it tossed Yu Baek’s corpse back into the pit.
Then, like mist, it vanished without a trace.
***
Bu Eunseol switched identities with Seo Jinha once again and immediately returned to Majeon.
Through this battle with Yu Baek, he had realized two fatal weaknesses within himself.
The first was the Emotion-Severing Secret.
This heart method, worthy of being called the supreme art of the Demonic Path, was deeply rooted in both Bu Eunseol’s mind and body. It possessed terrifying power and boundless transformations, yet it relentlessly demanded entry into the Formless Demonic Path and ceaselessly tried to dominate his mind.
Paradoxically, it was hindering his progress.
Bu Eunseol had not entered the Demonic Path and had instead mastered a wide variety of secret arts within one body.
The only solutions were either to completely uproot the Emotion-Severing Secret that had taken root in his subconscious, or to refine it so that it could perfectly fuse with his other martial arts.
The second weakness was the indirect stimulation coming from the Demon Emperor.
What happened with Yu Baek might be only the beginning.
At any moment the Demon Emperor wished, he could shake Bu Eunseol’s mind.
He could introduce yet another figure, making his heart even colder… or weaker.
Moreover, through Yu Baek he had proven that the Emotion-Severing Secret was among the very strongest martial arts in the Demonic Path.
Thanks to the earlier incident with the Yin Binding Demonic Land, he had managed to force Blood Demon Jeok Bung back into the Elder Hall and block the absurd orders being issued to the Death Shadow Corps.
Yet he could not stop the Chief Instructor from assigning various missions under the pretext of “internal Majeon affairs.”
‘The real problem is that I still cannot fathom the Demon Emperor’s true intentions.’
The moment the Demon Emperor intervened in anything, every plan in motion and even his own mind fell into chaos. Even things he had believed to be true until now became uncertain.
Chaos.
The being called the Demon Emperor turns everything around him—including himself—into utter disorder.
To resolve this, he would either need powerful backing like Gongsun Dankyung or Bukgung Ryeong just as Seon Woojin of the Martial Alliance had, or he would need to create a mechanism that could block even the Demon Emperor’s indirect commands.
If neither was achieved beforehand? He would never escape the Demon Emperor’s grasp.
In the end, he would have to leave Majeon.
‘No more hesitation.’
In truth, Bu Eunseol had long been contemplating a solution, yet he had continually delayed putting it into action.
Because until now the Demon Emperor had not directly interfered with him.
Above all, he could not confirm whether the person he was about to approach was truly trustworthy.
But now there was no longer any room for choice.
Thud. Thud.
Walking toward the north gate of Majeon, Bu Eunseol finally stopped in front of a large hall.
Manbak Hall.
This was the place once led by Baek Jeoncheon, the brilliant scholar who had served as the Chief Administrator of Majeon and had been close friends with Hyeok Ryeon-eung.
The structure of Manbak Hall was extremely unusual.
Although it was where Majeon’s greatest minds gathered to discuss every aspect of the organization’s operations, the building itself was far smaller and shabbier than the others.
Because the hall was merely a shell.
All actual work took place in the vast underground complex beneath it.
In particular, since Manbak Hall stored critical documents concerning Majeon’s operations, a sunless underground archive had been built, and every office was constructed as a soundproof sealed chamber to prevent any leakage of information.
‘Baek Jeoncheon.’
He was the brain of Majeon, the Lord of Manbak Hall, and—according to what Bu Eunseol knew—the only person besides Elder Hall Lord Jeok Bung and Strategy Lord Dan Wolhon who casually addressed the Demon Emperor as “Lord.”
And now… he had to bring this man to his side.
‘Without fail.’
If he could not immediately overpower the Demon Emperor and seize control of Majeon, he needed the cooperation of someone who perfectly understood the Demon Emperor’s intentions and wielded immense power within Majeon.
Originally, Bu Eunseol had planned long ago to visit Manbak Hall and seek Baek Jeoncheon’s help but he had hesitated and ultimately refrained.
Because, just like the Demon Emperor, Baek Jeoncheon was a man whose thoughts and intentions were utterly impossible to read.
Yet now there was no room left for hesitation. After deep deliberation, Bu Eunseol had come here to join hands with Baek Jeoncheon.
“Welcome, Martial Soul Command Lord.”
Even before he could fully enter Manbak Hall, a man dressed like a scholar bowed and extended his hand.
“The Lord has been waiting.”
Bu Eunseol was not particularly surprised.
For a genius like Baek Jeoncheon to fail to predict his visit would have been the stranger thing.
Guided by the man, Bu Eunseol entered the passage leading underground.
When he finally emerged from the tunnel, countless buildings came into view.
The underground scale of Manbak Hall was even vaster than he had imagined and comparable to the legendary hidden cities of the Infinite Realm.
“You may wait here.”
The place the man led him to was a sealed chamber whose floor, walls, and ceiling were all painted pure white.
Some special mechanism seemed to absorb every sound and vibration produced inside.
Within the blinding white space, where sound was perfectly blocked, the silence was so absolute it almost induced dizziness.
Yet Bu Eunseol stood calmly, as though he were accustomed to a silence akin to death.
“Martial Soul Command Lord.”
Not long after, Baek Jeoncheon entered the chamber and gave a courteous salute.
“It has been a while.”
“Lord Baek.”
Returning the greeting, Bu Eunseol looked at him.
‘So calm.’
The expression of the man who had just entered was as serene as that of a fisherman who had spent the day idly by the river. As was typical of people with genius intellect, Baek Jeoncheon revealed no emotion on his face whatsoever.
‘Still impeccably courteous.’
Always wearing a refined smile, treating servants, maids, and even beggars with perfect politeness.
That was the public image of Majeon’s chief administrator, Baek Jeoncheon.
‘But all of it… is probably just a facade.’
Bu Eunseol knew Baek Jeoncheon’s true nature.
Or, more precisely, through the incident with Yu Baek, he had glimpsed the man’s real face.
Because the high-ranking figure from Majeon who had helped her in the Heartless Blood was none other than Baek Jeoncheon.
‘In the end, he too is a cold-hearted man who will do anything for profit.’
Brushing aside the rising thought, Bu Eunseol gave a polite bow.
“I apologize for visiting so suddenly.”
“No need for such words.” Baek Jeoncheon replied nonchalantly. “I expected you would come around this time.”
Pausing briefly, he stared straight at Bu Eunseol and asked,
“How was it?”
Understanding that he was referring to Yu Baek’s final moments, Bu Eunseol answered calmly.
“She was pure and cheerful. Unbecoming of an assassin…”
He trailed off.
Yu Baek’s death had not been officially announced, but Majeon’s upper echelons already knew she had been defeated by the Covert Affairs Division Leader and left as a cold corpse.
They had confirmed the body at Shadow Pavilion and disposed of it cleanly to prevent any fallout.
“I see.”
Baek Jeoncheon gazed vacantly into empty space.
“The young Hyeok Clan Lord was originally someone full of affection.”
His eyes, staring into nothingness, grew deeper.
“But after his wife was killed by orthodox assassins, his personality turned ferocious and he eventually joined the Three Realms.”
Bu Eunseol’s expression remained indifferent.
He had no interest in Hyeok Ryeon-eung’s circumstances.
“I heard you were quite close with Lord Hyeok.”
“That is correct.”
“I see.” Bu Eunseol lifted the corner of his mouth. “It seems you were satisfied with the treatment Yu Baek received in the Heartless Blood.”
Realizing the sharpness and sarcasm in his voice, Baek Jeoncheon gave a thin smile.
“If you had at least considered your friendship with Lord Hyeok… shouldn’t you have refrained from throwing his daughter into a dark den like the Heartless Blood…?”
Pausing, Baek Jeoncheon smiled.
“Is that what you want to say?”
When Bu Eunseol neither confirmed nor denied, Baek Jeoncheon continued.
“Or perhaps, you think that because she carries Lord Hyeok’s blood, she should have been brought here respectfully, raised in a good environment, and nurtured properly?”
With a deep sigh, Baek Jeoncheon shook his head.
“Martial Soul Command Lord. This is Majeon.”
Unlike the Martial Alliance, Majeon did not place importance on blood ties or master-disciple bonds.
It was a place where demonic cultivators gathered solely to pursue Demonic Supremacy, fighting for power and hegemony.
No one could blame Baek Jeoncheon for not rescuing Hyeok Ryeon-eung’s illegitimate child. Rather, considering that Hyeok Ryeon-eung had joined the demonic faction of the Three Realms, it was only natural that his bloodline would live a harsh life.
“For your information, I learned that the child had entered the Heartless Blood five years ago.” Baek Jeoncheon spoke with a calm expression. “From a young age, Yu Baek apparently proved her exceptional talent to the Heartless Blood Lord. Because of that, she was already receiving different treatment from the assassins who were discarded.”
He continued serenely. “However, due to the outdated and wretched education methods of the Heartless Blood, she had become little more than a wild beast. That was why I specially requested that she receive proper training.”
The Heartless Blood was Majeon’s secret organization so only the Demon Emperor could interfere in its operations.
In other words, Baek Jeoncheon had gone so far as to plead with the Demon Emperor to educate Yu Baek.
“Of course, it was not out of pity or loyalty.” Baek Jeoncheon continued. “Even though she was a girl, she had inherited Lord Hyeok’s talent. I thought she would have many uses.”
“…”
“So I simply taught her various things to help her survive in the Heartless Blood.”
In the end, he had paid attention to her only because she was an outstanding talent with great potential utility.
Just as Bu Eunseol had expected… he was indeed a ruthless man who would do anything without hesitation for profit.
“I see.”
Bu Eunseol changed the subject.
That was not why he had come anyway.
“You must already guess why I came here.”
“Of course. And I will give you my answer right away.”
Baek Jeoncheon spoke decisively.
“I must decline your proposal.”
Then, in a gentle voice, he added, “It would be best to make such an offer to Lord Dan. After all, he is the most powerful figure among the upper echelons of this hall.”
“Lord Dan will not do.”
“Why is that?”
“Because the Majeon Lord demands absolute obedience.”
If Dan Wolhon had not been utterly loyal to the Demon Emperor, he could never have become the Lord of the Strategy Hall, a position that controlled two-thirds of Majeon’s military force.
“Hahaha.” Baek Jeoncheon let out a low chuckle. “You truly understand the dispositions and temperaments of this hall’s upper echelons.”
“Exactly. That is why I came to you, Lord Baek.”
Bu Eunseol stared straight into Baek Jeoncheon’s eyes.
“I believe you will definitely take my hand.”
Baek Jeoncheon looked at him with mild surprise.
“Have I not always held your hand?”
“I want to hold your hand as a demonic cultivator.”
A scorching intensity flowed from Bu Eunseol’s eyes, hot enough to melt steel.
“As a complete demonic cultivator, free of impurities.”
Those words carried many layers of meaning.
Neither in Majeon nor in the Martial Alliance could one find a pure demonic cultivator or a pure orthodox cultivator.
To survive, to seize more power, they had all joined hands with external forces.
Yet here was Bu Eunseol telling Baek Jeoncheon:
I alone am the pure demonic cultivator.
“How curious.”
Baek Jeoncheon looked at him with a spark of interest.
“Then are you saying that even the Lord is not a pure demonic cultivator?”
“I believe you already know the answer better than anyone, Lord Baek.”
“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
“If you truly served the Demon Emperor with absolute loyalty… fundamentally, I would never have been able to step foot inside this Manbak Hall.”
If the Demon Emperor had been a pure demonic cultivator, walking the path of Demonic Supremacy without colluding with outside forces, then Baek Jeoncheon would have served him faithfully and blocked Bu Eunseol’s approach from the beginning.
But because he did not serve with complete devotion… because he left various possibilities open…
Bu Eunseol had been able to come here.
In other words, Baek Jeoncheon already knew that the Demon Emperor also had connections to external forces.
“Then let me ask you this.”
When Baek Jeoncheon spoke again, a mysterious light flickered deep in his eyes and pure white demonic energy flowed from his entire body.
“What path are you walking, Martial Soul Command Lord?”
Bu Eunseol was inwardly startled.
The man who had always been as calm as water and elegant as a scholar was now unleashing such powerful demonic energy.
“Answer me as a true demonic cultivator.”
Even the supreme of the Demonic Path, the Demon Emperor, was not walking a pure demonic path.
All the warriors of Nangyang Pavilion, including the Human Demon Ak Muryeong, were closer to martial lunatics obsessed with martial arts than true demonic cultivators.
The other Ten Demonic Sects were likewise not walking a pure demonic path; instead, they brought in outside forces to strengthen their own positions.
Only the scholar of Manbak Hall, Baek Jeoncheon, still proclaimed a pure demonic path.
“To be honest, I only said I was a pure demonic cultivator because I needed to negotiate with you, Lord Baek.”
Taking a deep breath, Bu Eunseol continued.
“In truth, I walk neither the demonic path nor the orthodox path.”
Then, with complete candor, he went on.
“However, I can create a demonic world as pure as white jade without blemish.”
A White Jade Without Blemish.
It signified a state of absolute purity and perfection.
Bu Eunseol was declaring that he could create a demonic world untainted by any impurity.
“Why are you so confident of that?” Baek Jeoncheon’s eyes gleamed sharply. “Even a true demonic cultivator would find such a thing difficult.”
“Because…”
Bu Eunseol spoke with utmost honesty.
“I was never a martial artist of the martial world to begin with.”
“What?”
“Isn’t it true that an outsider can view and manage the great game far more impartially?”
He continued gravely.
“Honestly, I have no interest in demonic or orthodox labels.”
For a moment Baek Jeoncheon’s pupils widened.
“Hahaha…”
After a long silence, something seemed to amuse him greatly.
“Hahahahaha!”
A tremendous burst of laughter erupted.
The mad laughter echoing in the perfectly sound-absorbing chamber sent chills down the spine just hearing it.
Click.
The laughter stopped abruptly. Baek Jeoncheon spoke coldly.
“Unfortunately, creating a pure demonic world is something your power alone cannot achieve.”
“…”
“The upper echelons of Majeon do not understand. Once you mix with other forces, what ultimately happens.”
His words meant that even if Bu Eunseol took control of the Demonic Path, the foolish demonic cultivators would prevent a true pure demonic world from ever being realized.
“They don’t need to understand.”
Bu Eunseol gave a faint smile.
“Simply skim off the turbid foam that rises to the top, and the water below will clear itself.”
Baek Jeoncheon froze for a moment, stunned.
The foam that rises to the top.
That was a metaphor for the Demon Emperor.
“So you are saying right now…”
“Correct.”
Bu Eunseol nodded.
“The Demon Emperor. I will remove him.”
Baek Jeoncheon’s eyes flashed.
Right now, Bu Eunseol was declaring that he would remove the supreme of the Demonic Path from Majeon and take that position for himself.
