“W-Where is this place?”
It was a space shrouded in such thick darkness that even holding a hand right in front of her eyes yielded nothing.
Gongsun Dankyung, having just regained consciousness, slowly rose to her feet while pressing a hand to her forehead.
“I actually lost consciousness?”
Though she had not mastered any particularly outstanding martial arts, she was well-versed in and had learned many of the martial world’s most profound and mysterious secret techniques. Among them was one said to be dozens of times superior to the cold-hearted mind techniques used by assassins—techniques that prevented loss of consciousness under any circumstances:
The Profound and Serene Golden Spirit of Absolute Tranquility.
Yet despite that, merely opening and reading a single letter had caused her to lose consciousness in an instant?
“What in the world happened?”
Regaining her composure, she scanned her surroundings.
Then something astonishing occurred.
Though it had been pitch-black darkness where not even an inch was visible, somehow she now found herself standing inside a wide-open pavilion with clear views in every direction.
“Was I dreaming?”
Gongsun Dankyung rubbed her eyes.
This pavilion was exactly the place she had been standing in before losing consciousness.
“Could there be more survivors from the Jungson family besides me and Yeon Hwa?”
Frowning as she dredged up memories, Gongsun Dankyung furrowed her brow.
A secret letter had been discreetly delivered to her at the Martial Alliance.
Its contents were simple: Didn’t she want to meet the survivors of the Jungson family?
―Who on earth…
Back when she escaped from the Jungson family, Gongsun Dankyung had personally confirmed the burial site where the children had been interred.
Even the one who had risked his life to save her—the benefactor to whom she owed her very existence—the greatest genius under heaven, the Heavenly Mechanism Star Chu So, had not escaped death.
Yet earlier she had learned that Yeon Hwa—who had been kidnapped together with her from the Jungson family—was now operating secretly in the martial world under the name Yangseol Ok as a member of the Yangseol family.
But this letter did not seem to have come from her.
Because it contained these exact words:
―If you wish to know, come to Cheonsim Valley.
However, if she informed anyone else of the letter’s contents or did not come alone… then nothing would be there.
Gongsun Dankyung’s eyes narrowed as she read it.
Merely from the wording, the probability that it was a trap was extremely high.
Yet even so, she could not possibly ignore it.
The only people who could possibly know such details were members of the Jungson family—or the children who had been kidnapped by them.
And the reason she continued her path of vengeance was to destroy the Jungson family, who had abducted and brutally murdered every child suspected of being a Heavenly Mechanism Star—including herself and Chu So.
What if one of those children was still alive? What if it was Chu So?
No matter how many hundreds or thousands of times she thought it over, she simply could not refuse to go.
In the end, she applied for personal leave, then arrived at Cheonsim Valley without bringing even a single escort.
Upon entering, she found a small pavilion inside the valley, and on it lay yet another letter, in the exact same envelope as the one secretly delivered to her at the Martial Alliance.
Gongsun Dankyung immediately opened it.
In that instant, heaven and earth spun wildly and a scorching heat surged from her chest.
She completely lost consciousness.
“I have to get out of here.”
Snapping out of her recollection, Gongsun Dankyung hurriedly stood and rushed outside the pavilion.
She had not ignored the warning in the letter and had told no one of its contents.
But she had secretly stationed her own covert special unit in the vicinity of Cheonsim Valley.
Piii.
She raised her energy and blew a loud whistle.
The sound should have spread dozens of li outward, yet strangely it only echoed around Gongsun Dankyung herself.
‘Something’s wrong.’
Gongsun Dankyung took out a small bamboo tube from her robes.
It was a signal flare meant to reveal her location.
Whoosh—!
But the flare did not rise into the sky.
It struck what seemed like a massive, transparent wall and simply fell back down.
“Formation array.”
Only then did Gongsun Dankyung realize that an uncountable number of formation arrays had been layered around this pavilion.
“Hmph.”
A scoff escaped her lips.
Her father was Gongsun Hwa-uk—the greatest formation master in the martial world and she herself had perfectly inherited the essence of the formation techniques her great master had spent his entire life perfecting.
In effect, she was one of the foremost formation authorities in the martial world, second only to Gongsun Hwa-uk.
Yet someone dared to trap her with formations? It was like trying to teach writing in front of Confucius himself.
Swish swish swish.
Picking up a single wooden stick, she began counting and analyzing each formation she sensed.
As she rapidly tallied them, Gongsun Dankyung’s expression suddenly stiffened.
Shockingly, the formations laid here were so complex and profound that even with her skill, she could not unravel them in one go.
“This is impossible.”
A gasp of disbelief escaped her.
As far as she knew, only one person in the entire world could deploy formations of this caliber: her father, the greatest formation master under heaven—Gongsun Hwa-uk—and herself.
Even he would need at least half a month of continuous effort to create something like this.
But there was no way her father, who remained in the Gongsun family, would come here and set up such formations.
Then who could possibly have installed formations this intricate?
‘Could it be…’
A single possibility flashed through her mind.
A being who possessed intelligence beyond imagination, who perfectly comprehended and analyzed all knowledge and information under heaven, and who could even predict the future—a divine being…
If it were the Heavenly Mechanism Star Chu So, then perhaps deploying such formations might be possible.
***
Having pushed Swift Beyond Shadow to its absolute limit, Bu Eunseol finally arrived at Cheonsim Valley—the place Un Hakbi had mentioned.
Yet he could not immediately enter.
At the mouth of the valley, formations of unimaginable complexity were layered one upon another.
“This is…”
Bu Eunseol bit his lip.
Even with his wisdom, this was not something he could solve in a short time.
‘Is this even possible?’
In general, formation arrays follow certain principles; given enough time and thought, one can grasp their logic.
But the formations covering the entrance to Cheonsim Valley were utterly devoid of order or logic, as though laid down by a madman.
Yet despite that, these countless arrays harmonized perfectly and maintained their function…
Either they had come into existence through an astronomically improbable coincidence, or else a transcendent genius had mobilized knowledge from every field to perfectly synchronize them.
‘Hm.’
As Bu Eunseol examined the formations, his eyes narrowed.
Even calculating at maximum speed, it would take at least four days or perhaps even longer.
For an ordinary person, these formations would be unsolvable in a lifetime.
After pondering the method for a long while, a flash passed through Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
At last he understood the intent of whoever had laid them.
‘They’re testing martial supremacy.’
The formations here could not possibly be unraveled according to ordinary principles.
Yet they had not been designed to completely block entry.
Though incomprehensibly complex, they were not sturdy enough to withstand the full power of a grandmaster’s martial arts.
If the tangled threads cannot be untangled, the only option is to cut them with a blade.
The clear intent was to force the intruder to shatter the formations with overwhelming martial force.
“But there’s no time.”
There were at least a hundred overlapping arrays. Even smashing them by brute force would take a full day and while he wasted time destroying them one by one, Gongsun Dankyung could fall into danger.
Rumble rumble rumble.
Bu Eunseol violently circulated every ounce of power within his body.
As the forces of righteous, demonic, and unorthodox energies surged together, his skin began to crack like dry pastry.
The sheer violence of so many conflicting powers coexisting was destroying his very flesh.
Ziiing.
When the limit became unbearable, a faint golden light shimmered within him.
The Prajna Great Power activated, perfectly aligning every discordant force inside his body.
Kukukukuku.
In that moment, the entire entrance to Cheonsim Valley trembled violently.
Just as he was about to unleash perfect harmony—
Ziiing.
Something bizarre happened.
Suddenly light flowed from near the entrance, and with a series of sharp snaps, the formations began to disperse one after another.
A narrow path opened up, allowing him to enter.
As though responding directly to the power of harmony.
“Terrifying.”
Retracting his power, Bu Eunseol shook his head.
Only now did he fully grasp the ultimate purpose of these formations.
“They were testing whether I could use the Infinite Reverse Power.”
In the past, he had discovered that the mysterious gateway created by the Martial Venerable in the Martial Alliance was a mechanism to verify Infinite Reverse Power, and that the power of harmony bore a similar texture to it.
And these formations too, like a device reacting to Infinite Reverse Power, had instantly dispersed the moment he manifested harmony.
In other words, these formations were ultimately a test to determine whether the intruder possessed power on par with the Infinite Realm.
‘Dangerous.’
Only now did he realize that the peril lurking in Cheonsim Valley far exceeded imagination.
But he could not turn back.
Gongsun Dankyung was in there.
Thud thud.
As he stepped onto the narrow path that had opened, Bu Eunseol’s eyes gleamed.
“That was close.”
He had realized one more hidden function of these formations.
“If I had used harmony, the Chief Inspector would have been in mortal danger.”
Now he saw that the formations were not limited to the entrance.
They spread like a spiderweb, covering the entire valley.
If he had unleashed harmony and swept them all away at once, the whole valley might have collapsed entirely.
“I could even alter the formations from here.”
With the formations dispersed, Bu Eunseol could now perceive the arrays covering all of Cheonsim Valley.
“Human capability truly knows no bounds.”
Looking at the formations installed along the narrow path, Bu Eunseol let out an admiring sigh.
Though his own knowledge of formations was not exceptional, thanks to Gongsun Dankyung he had grasped the essential principles.
The arrays beginning at the entrance extended perfectly into the depths of the valley, and, should he wish, he could even control or alter those formations from this very passage.
“An intellect beyond imagination.”
In the end, these formations had not been laid to block entry, but to identify those who had reached the Infinite Realm.
And this narrow passage at the entrance of Cheonsim Valley was a control point from which the formations covering the entire valley could be manipulated or transformed.
As far as he knew, only Gongsun Hwa-uk and Gongsun Dankyung possessed the skill to install such formations in the martial world.
Yet neither of them would ever set up something so bizarre here in Cheonsim Valley.
“I’ll think about that later.”
Emerging from the passage and stepping fully into the valley, he was met with an alien silence, as though the world had been severed entirely.
The rocks had not been weathered naturally over time but had been meticulously and artificially shaped.
Without hesitation, Bu Eunseol passed through an area covered in light mist.
Beyond it lay a dense forest reminiscent of primeval wilderness.
Deeper into the woods, he came upon what appeared to be an ancient temple, and beside it stood a somewhat out-of-place pavilion.
Next to that pavilion stood a figure in pale pink.
It was Gongsun Dankyung.
“Chief Inspector.”
Bu Eunseol immediately rushed toward her.
“Lord Seon.”
She too looked at him in surprise.
“How did you get here?”
“While wandering the martial world, I was suddenly attacked by an assassin I believe was from the Jungson family.”
Bu Eunseol gave a suitably vague explanation.
“After dealing with him, I learned that the Chief Inspector had been abducted and brought here. So…”
“I see.”
Gongsun Dankyung nodded, though she could not hide her astonishment.
“But there seem to be incredibly powerful formations all around this place. How did you enter?”
“Those formations weren’t meant to block entry. They were gateways meant to test the strength of anyone who came in.”
“Test strength?”
“Yes.”
Bu Eunseol explained about the mechanism at the entrance, though he altered the truth slightly, saying they tested martial skill rather than power comparable to Infinite Reverse Power.
“To test Lord Seon’s martial arts means…”
Gongsun Dankyung’s eyes widened.
“…this place is ultimately a trap after all.”
Only now did Gongsun Dankyung realize that Cheonsim Valley had been meticulously designed as a deadly trap.
“We should leave first.”
At Bu Eunseol’s words, Gongsun Dankyung weakly shook her head.
“No, we can’t.”
“What do you mean?”
“If this trap was set by him… we will never be able to escape.”
“What are you—”
Kuuung.
At that moment, a vibration as though the entire world were shaking reverberated through them.
The sky suddenly seemed to darken to a bloody crimson and an ominous air pressed in from all sides.
Bu Eunseol turned to look toward the exit.
The trembling ground stilled, and from within black mist, an enormous shadow slowly revealed itself.
It was a giant old man with eyes burning like blood-red flames.
Kuuung. Kuuung.
With every step he took, the earth seemed to crumble and thunder and lightning seemed to pour from the heavens.
‘Impossible.’
Sensing the old man’s aura, Bu Eunseol could not hide his shock.
A supreme powerhouse.
The old man radiated the presence of one who dominated the martial world, just like the Twin Demonic and Heavenly Emperors, or the Three Demons and Three Venerables.
“Hmph.”
The blazing eyes of the giant old man were fixed not on Bu Eunseol, but on Gongsun Dankyung.
“Not a Heavenly Mechanism Star, but another one of the Hundred and Eight Stars.”
The old man’s voice was ordinary.
“Moreover, you’ve blocked your aura with some strange great art so it cannot be precisely discerned.”
Yet the voice did not seem to come from his mouth.
It felt as though something beneath the earth was spreading the sound in every direction.
“Since you’re deliberately concealing your aura, I suppose you belong to the Thirty-Six Heavenly Spirits?”
Grip.
Bu Eunseol clenched his fist tightly.
Cold sweat ran down his back.
Despite reaching an immeasurable level of martial prowess, the old man’s aura remained utterly ordinary.
That suggested he was, like the Demon Emperor, deliberately projecting an ordinary appearance and aura while manipulating humans like chess pieces—a great demon.
“Are you Inbiin?”
At that moment, Bu Eunseol stepped forward.
If someone possessed such an aura yet remained nameless until now, he judged there must be a connection to Inbiin.
“Inbiin?”
The old man furrowed his brow for a moment, then tilted his head.
“Are you perhaps from the Ancient Sword Forest?”
It was a somewhat out-of-place response.
But Bu Eunseol felt a glimmer of hope.
‘He’s someone I can converse with.’
Since the old man answered without hesitation, Bu Eunseol spoke.
“I am from the Martial Alliance.”
“Martial Alliance?”
The old man let out a surprised exclamation.
“Hoho. Then you must be from the Three Realms faction.”
‘That assumption isn’t unreasonable.’
Ordinary martial artists didn’t even know the term Inbiin.
But since he had uttered it without hesitation, mistaking him for someone from the Three Realms was not unreasonable.
“I have no connection whatsoever to the Three Realms.”
“Not from the Three Realms?”
“Correct.”
The old man stroked his chin as though puzzled.
“Looking at your expression, you seem to know about the Ancient Sword Forest, yet you claim you’re not from the Three Realms?”
After staring into Bu Eunseol’s unwavering eyes, the old man nodded.
“Well, that doesn’t really matter.”
Then he looked at Gongsun Dankyung and licked his lips.
“Not a Heavenly Mechanism Star, but since things have come to this… you must die here.”
Gongsun Dankyung’s heart pounded.
Not because the old man said he would kill her, but because of the words “Not a Heavenly Mechanism Star.”
Which meant that from the beginning, this old man had come here to capture a Heavenly Mechanism Star.
In other words, the probability that Chu So was still alive was very high.
‘Did he really lure me into this trap?’
Gongsun Dankyung felt dizzy.
Was Chu So truly alive?
If so, why had he never sought her out?
Why had he drawn her into such a trap?
‘I pursued vengeance for your sake.’
Gongsun Dankyung could never forget her gratitude toward Chu So, who had died screaming in her place. That was why she had clung so desperately to revenge, why she had searched tirelessly for the Jungson family to destroy them…
If all of this had been part of Chu So’s plan, what exactly did he want?
“Farewell.”
As the old man began to raise his hand,
Swish.
Bu Eunseol flashed like lightning and stood protectively in front of Gongsun Dankyung.
He had instantly judged that the old man’s martial arts had reached a level where a mere flick of the wrist could sever Gongsun Dankyung’s head in an instant.
“What can a mere pup like you accomplish by stepping forward?”
Kuuung.
A massive vibration rang out, and Bu Eunseol was pushed back an entire jang from where he stood.
Considering his level of inner energy, this was utterly impossible.
‘To this degree?’
Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened.
Without lifting a single finger, the old man had forced him back ten steps.
It was not because he had used inner energy.
It was because the old man’s martial attainment had reached a realm where transcendent power could be wielded as naturally as breathing—beyond the principles of martial arts.
‘An opponent I cannot face.’
Merely from this one move—displaying transcendent power without any motion or visible energy… the old man’s martial prowess might even approach that of the Three Demons and Three Venerables.
‘How could such a master remain unknown to the world?’
“Hmm? You withstood it with your body intact?”
Looking at Bu Eunseol, the old man tilted his head in genuine puzzlement.
“You’re not even one of the Hundred and Eight Stars, yet you possess this level of martial skill… Could it be that an old monster is wearing the skin of a young man?”
As though unable to comprehend, after tilting his head for a long while, the old man nodded with interest.
“Then let me see your form.”
Boom!
In an instant, a colossal force like a mountain range poured down upon Bu Eunseol.
The old man’s martial art had reached a level where he could unleash techniques without any preparatory movement.
‘I’m going to die.’
With no time even to draw his sword, Bu Eunseol immediately threw a fist toward the oncoming force.
Since he was currently in Seon Woojin’s identity, he did not use the Seven Fist Demon Forms, but instead unleashed a righteous fist art modified from Seok Chi-haeng’s Azure Heaven Seven Forms.
Boom!
With a heaven-shaking vibration, Bu Eunseol was once again pushed straight back a full jang.
‘This is…’
The reason he had been pushed back again was not a difference in martial level or inner energy.
It was because the old man’s fist art had instantly embraced and absorbed Bu Eunseol’s Azure Heaven Seven Forms as though swallowing them whole.
“Hahahaha!”
Suddenly pointing at Bu Eunseol, the old man burst into wild laughter.
“So in the end, this Heaven’s fist has been passed down even into the martial world!”
