‘Heaven-Killer Star.’
An existence possessing absolute power comparable to a disaster sent by heaven itself—power that human strength could not possibly contend with.
Even those called overlords would have their heads severed before him.
It was said that if he drew his sword, the martial world would turn into a nightmare…
Excluding the transcendental beings known as the Heavenly-Mandate Star and the Heaven-Dark Star, he was effectively the leader of the Hundred and Eight Stars.
The Heaven-Killer Star, called an unstoppable disaster, had suddenly appeared.
Kwaaang!
The sharp light that was shot grazed past Bu Eunseol’s temple.
Thanks to raising Wind-Cloud Divine Qi instead of internal energy, a technique similar to the Wishful True Binding had unfolded on its own.
‘I must not face him head-on.’
The Heaven-Killer Star was firing off traces of energy at a speed that surpassed his senses.
If he responded clumsily with ordinary martial arts, a hole would instantly appear in his head.
Tung tung tung tung!
Bu Eunseol used all ten fingers to unleash Finger Flicking Energy as if playing a zither.
It was not to attack the Heaven-Killer Star, but to create a wall of wind to block the attacks flying at the speed of light.
Swish!
But it was useless.
The Heaven-Killer Star, who had closed the distance at ultra-high speed, pierced through the wind barrier.
At extreme close range, he released another trace of energy so fast and sharp that even a wild beast could not detect it. The moment when no evasion movement would be able to prevent his body from being pierced-
Shiiiiik!
Suddenly, something strange happened.
The instant the energy trace was fired, Bu Eunseol’s body rotated like light and retreated backward.
Flash!
The Heaven-Killer Star pursued Bu Eunseol to the end and continuously released sharp light.
Shuuuk, shuuuk.
Yet each time, Bu Eunseol floated in the air and was pushed back like a phantom or rotated his body.
It looked exactly like a leaf fluttering in a strong wind.
Tong.
Even when an invisible blade-like attack aimed to split his Indang acupoint, he would flop flat onto the ground and then spring back up like a roly-poly toy.
“Wishful True Binding?”
A strange light rose in the Heaven-Killer Star’s eyes.
He had sensed that the bizarre movements Bu Eunseol displayed were due to mastering the demonic path’s legendary movement art, the Wishful True Binding.
‘Who cares if it’s Wishful True Binding or whatever.’
Regardless of whether the Heaven-Killer Star was surprised or not, Bu Eunseol faced the madly pouring energy traces by relaxing all the strength in his body and continuously letting Wind-Cloud Divine Qi flow within him.
Tong. Whiririric. Tung.
His body was being tossed about in all directions by the wind created from the endlessly pouring attacks. It was as if he was perfectly imitating the secrets previously used by the Wind Human—the profound principles of Wind Scattering Cloud Annihilation and Whirling Mountain Moving Clouds.
Floating, floating.
Before long, Bu Eunseol’s body, which had risen about an inch above the ground, lightly avoided the Heaven-Killer Star’s invisible attacks as if they were illusions.
Moreover, this technique had one great additional advantage.
Since there was no need to take evasion movements, he could observe the enemy’s martial arts even more clearly.
‘The technique is extremely unique.’
The Heaven-Killer Star’s attacks, which seemed to scatter sharp blades at the speed of light, were like layering the profound principles of martial arts with supernatural power.
Thud.
When Bu Eunseol easily avoided the invisible slashing strikes, the Heaven-Killer Star suddenly stopped moving.
After glaring at Bu Eunseol for a long time,
Wooduduk.
A bizarre bone-cracking sound rang out, and the armor covering his entire body began to gather toward his legs.
Crack.
Cracks appeared in the ground he was stepping on.
Finally, when all the armor tangled together like the muscles of his legs and revealed a massive form,
Kwaaang!
With an explosion, the Heaven-Killer Star, now a single black line, pierced toward Bu Eunseol’s body.
Shuuuk!
However, due to the wind accompanying that tremendous speed, Bu Eunseol’s body also began retreating backward at ultra-high speed.
Kwaaaaaah!
As the Heaven-Killer Star increased his speed even further, Bu Eunseol’s body also retreated as fast as a ray of light.
Siiik.
The Heaven-Killer Star formed a strange smile.
Kwaaang!
He instantly circled behind the bouncing Bu Eunseol and stood tall.
Because he had been standing still, he had not created any wind.
Therefore, the profound principles of Wind Scattering Cloud Annihilation and Whirling Mountain Moving Clouds that Bu Eunseol was using also failed to activate.
Wooduduk.
The Heaven-Killer Star reached out toward Bu Eunseol, who was shooting toward him like an arrow.
Then part of the armor covering his body extended toward his hand, forming the tip of a long spear that appeared to be three zhang in length.
‘Kuh.’
Bu Eunseol tried to dodge, but it was already too late.
All that remained was for his body to be pierced by that sharp spear tip.
Ziiing.
At that moment, it felt as if time had stopped, and a bizarre sensation suddenly arose in his mind.
—Why did the Wind Human need Wind-Cloud Divine Qi?
The Wind Human had reached the pinnacle in handling wind and even possessed the ability to subdue the Wind God. Nevertheless, he had desperately desired the Wind God’s Wind-Cloud Divine Qi, saying that only by obtaining it could he regain perfect power.
—Soon, this Heavenly Lord will become a massive bullet that no attack can touch and no method can block…
The Wind Human, who had thought he could not defeat Bu Eunseol, had chosen to turn himself into ultra-high-speed wind as his final means. If he had obtained Wind-Cloud Divine Qi, what method would he have chosen?
‘He would not have made himself faster, but made the opponent slower.’
Sinking Wind Binding Step, Pressing Wind Sluggish Body.
Sinking wind can bind the feet, and pressing wind can make the body sluggish.
No matter how strong or fast the enemy is, with Wind-Cloud Divine Qi… he could spread thick wind and make both his own and the enemy’s movements endlessly slow.
Giiiing.
The moment he gained enlightenment, wind containing the profound principles of sinking, heaviness, and thickness spread from Bu Eunseol’s body.
It began to make his movements endlessly slow.
Pat!
As his speed instantly decreased, Bu Eunseol was able to easily avoid the outstretched spear tip.
At that moment, the Heaven-Killer Star’s expression changed strangely.
Time had not slowed down, nor had he moved quickly.
So how could he avoid this fatal attack?
“…….”
Kkuduk.
After scanning Bu Eunseol, who had moved to the left after avoiding the spear tip, the Heaven-Killer Star, with a bizarre sound, lifted the pitch-black armor pieces wrapped around his legs into the air.
The number of fragments was one hundred and six.
Slither.
They moved softly like living creatures and began to align into a certain formation toward Bu Eunseol.
Paaah!
When the Heaven-Killer Star stretched out both hands, the one hundred and six armor pieces turned into a single black line and flew toward Bu Eunseol.
It was a speed that a human body with flowing blood and flesh could never detect.
Pat pat!
However, Bu Eunseol unexpectedly avoided the armor fragments with ease.
Primarily through the profound principles of sinking, heaviness, and thickness, he had this time slowed down all the martial arts the Heaven-Killer Star was executing. Thanks to continuously enveloping himself in Wind-Cloud Divine Qi, his reflexes had reached a level that surpassed the limits of the human body.
‘This is what destroys the Wind God’s body.’
It was said that Wind-Cloud Divine Qi amplifies the five senses but causes excessive damage to the nervous system in return. However, Bu Eunseol had a body that could not be invaded by wind energy, so he could freely use his amplified reflexes.
‘Now it seems worth a try.’
Pung pung pung!
Bu Eunseol began to unfold the Turtle Delay Demonic Spirit Palm to smash all the pouring fragments.
‘Since the Great Monk told me not to use any exclusive martial arts.’
The Wood Buddha had strictly instructed him not to use any exclusive martial arts that could allow others to infer his identity.
Therefore, Bu Eunseol used an ingenious method that only he could employ.
Wind-Cloud Divine Qi was an extremely natural and upright energy, while the Turtle Delay Demonic Spirit Palm was a demonic palm art containing evil techniques and extreme killing intent.
By the principles of martial arts, techniques with completely different main and supporting energies could never be mixed. However, because multiple energies had always coexisted within Bu Eunseol’s body from the beginning, he could perform such a feat.
By mixing martial arts and powers that could absolutely never be combined, it became a bizarre and incomprehensible palm art whose origin even the Demon Emperor could not discern.
‘No matter how well-versed he is in martial arts, he will not be able to grasp the path of my martial arts.’
Just as he expected, the Heaven-Killer Star’s eyes shook.
Due to the influence of Wind-Cloud Divine Qi, his body had slowed down, and even the release speed of his martial arts had slowed several times over. He was now exchanging over a hundred moves with an opponent he should have subdued in an instant.
Thud thud.
In the meantime, the shattered armor pieces fell to the ground.
But they regrouped like mud and returned to their original form.
Huuuiing!
A sharp energy wave spread from the Heaven-Killer Star’s body, and the armor fragments disappeared before his eyes.
When Bu Eunseol used a strange power to slow his own body, the Heaven-Killer Star countered by increasing the release speed of the armor several times over.
Pat! Pat!
Gradually unable to keep up with the moving speed of the fragments, red scratches began to appear on Bu Eunseol’s body.
Yet his eyes sank with extreme coldness, and his mind spun as fast as light.
‘There is no need to fight according to the enemy’s strengths.’
If the Heaven-Killer Star’s weapon was speed, there was no need to fight by matching it.
Moreover, as time passed, the Wind-Cloud Divine Qi within his body grew stronger, and his reflexes continued to rise.
‘If I obtain all four divine energies and unite them, I will be able to wield Wind-Cloud Divine Qi like this at any time.’
Because all internal energy had currently disappeared and only the three divine energies remained, he was able to use the profound aspects of Wind-Cloud Divine Qi without reservation—something he had never dared to do before.
Papapat!
Bu Eunseol continuously unfolded the Turtle Delay Demonic Spirit Palm and continued exchanging blows with the Heaven-Killer Star.
Even though he had slowed the movements several times over, the Heaven-Killer Star’s actions were still like lightning.
The armor-shaped true energy enveloping his entire body could transform into various forms like the Wishful True Binding or break into fragments to be used like hidden weapons.
Kwarung!
Every time attacks poured down, Bu Eunseol spread sharp palm force like a spider web, using a tactic that completely blocked any counterattack.
Kwang kwang kwang!
Nevertheless, the Heaven-Killer Star continuously pierced through the palm force and landed attacks on Bu Eunseol.
Chiiiik.
After briefly stopping his movements, the Heaven-Killer Star coldly scanned Bu Eunseol’s body, which was covered in wounds, and his eyes flashed.
“Since I cannot discern your origin and you will not reveal where the Wood Buddha is…”
The Heaven-Killer Star spoke in a low voice.
“I suppose I should just end this.”
Flash!
At that moment, the armor attached to the Heaven-Killer Star’s entire body turned into pitch-black lightning and pierced through his own body.
It turned out that until now, he had been sealing his true speed in order to confirm who Bu Eunseol was.
But something astonishing happened.
As if he had predicted the first move, Bu Eunseol was already taking an evasion movement even before the lightning was released.
‘This is the true power of Wind-Cloud Divine Qi.’
The Wind-Cloud Divine Qi enveloping the Heaven-Killer Star’s body had already connected like threads to Bu Eunseol’s body.
Through this, he could predict in advance the moves the Heaven-Killer Star would make.
Kkuduk.
Slightly twisting his expression, the Heaven-Killer Star let out a bizarre bone sound from his neck.
He seemed unable to understand how Bu Eunseol was avoiding his attacks.
Flash!
When the Heaven-Killer Star resumed his attack, his movements became even faster.
But his attacks no longer reached Bu Eunseol.
Because Bu Eunseol already knew how he would attack and avoided it.
Thud.
After stopping his attack once again, the Heaven-Killer Star finally seemed to realize and nodded.
“You used the wind scattered on my body to predict my movement trajectory.”
Then he raised the corners of his mouth.
“You must be someone from the Wind God Palace or related to the Wind Human.”
Generally, the Hundred and Eight Stars were terrible when it came to the principles of martial arts. However, the Heaven-Killer Star seemed to have deeply trained in martial arts, as he instantly grasped the nature and method of Bu Eunseol’s technique.
Bu Eunseol remained silent, neither confirming nor denying.
Suddenly, he realized that one incomprehensible thing had happened.
The Heaven-Killer Star.
A legendary existence called a disaster, and effectively the leader of the Hundred and Eight Stars.
Yet he had shown neither the dignity befitting such a legendary being nor the overwhelming power appropriate for the position of leader of the Hundred and Eight Stars.
He was merely fighting while wearing a unique true energy armor?
That made no sense from the start.
‘There is no way the Heaven-Killer Star is not stronger than the other Hundred and Eight Stars.’
“It seems you have realized.”
As the Heaven-Killer Star raised the corners of his mouth,
Pat!
One piece of the true energy armor attached to his body disappeared along with a sparkling light.
He had deliberately destroyed one piece of armor that had rarely been destroyed before.
Kukukuku.
Then the ground within several zhang shook left and right before beginning to undulate up and down.
Pat!
Another piece of armor fell off.
The sky turned red-hot, and dozens of pure white lights resembling meteors waited in the air.
“This is…”
Only then could Bu Eunseol grasp the truth.
The true energy armor the Heaven-Killer Star was wearing was not for protecting his body.
It was to suppress the terrifying power of the Hundred and Eight Stars.
“Why bother?”
“It’s fun, isn’t it?”
The Heaven-Killer Star said calmly.
“Watching bugs struggle and struggle, filled with the hope that they can catch me.”
Papapat!
In the meantime, three more pieces of armor disappeared again.
At that moment, Bu Eunseol’s instincts rang out in alarm.
If all the Heaven-Killer Star’s armor fell off, he might not be able to protect the Wood Buddha.
[Concentrate all the power within your body and pour Wind-Cloud Divine Qi into the stone beneath his feet.]
At that moment, the Wood Buddha’s sound transmission suddenly rang out.
[Quickly.]
Bu Eunseol immediately examined the ground beneath the Heaven-Killer Star’s feet.
There, he saw one of the five-colored stones that the Wood Buddha had created earlier when stroking the ground.
“Haaap!”
Without even thinking, Bu Eunseol shouted and poured Wind-Cloud Divine Qi into the stone.
Flash!
Then, five-colored radiance that illuminated the entire world spread from the stone.
Kwaauuuu!
The radiance that dyed the entire world began to be absorbed into the Heaven-Killer Star’s body along with a vibration as if heaven and earth were opening.
Kkuduk, kkuduk.
The Heaven-Killer Star repeatedly shrank to the size of a three-chi child and returned to his original height, then—
Crack crack.
Unable to withstand the piercing light energy, spiderweb-like cracks appeared across his entire body.
“So you were there.”
Chijijik.
The forehead of the Heaven-Killer Star, surrounded by light, tore open.
With a gurgling sound, a fist-sized eyeball rolled around in the large eye socket.
Human Demon.
The Heaven-Killer Star, who was said to bring annihilation to the world, was not human but possessed a body like that of a monster.
Thud thud thud!
At that moment, the five-colored stones hidden on the ground instantly clung to the large eyeball.
Paaah!
The stones shattered once more and turned into hundreds of radiances.
“Kuuuuu… Kaaaa!”
The Heaven-Killer Star, who had been letting out a painful scream,
Pat!
Unfolded a movement technique like a streak of light and fled outside the array in an instant.
Watching this, Bu Eunseol took a deep breath.
‘The Great Monk knew the Heaven-Killer Star would appear.’
The fact that the Wood Buddha had unfolded another array inside the completed array meant he had known the Heaven-Killer Star would come here and had prepared to stop him.
‘It was a power like Harmony.’
The light that spread from the array the Wood Buddha had installed on the ground was very similar to the Harmony created by perfectly aligning all of Bu Eunseol’s power.
‘If he can unfold such power through an array, isn’t the Great Monk practically invincible?’
He could predict the future and, in a short time, produce power close to Harmony simply by unfolding an array. In that case, even if surrounded by hundreds or thousands of experts, no one would be able to defeat him.
“With only this old monk’s power, it is impossible to produce such strength.”
Slither.
At that moment, the Wood Buddha, who had once again revealed himself from the ancient tree, calmly explained.
“Just now as well, I only activated the Li Immortal Lightning Annihilation Array by borrowing your power.”
“The array just now was an immortal’s array?”
Li Immortal was an unparalleled extraordinary figure who had appeared six hundred years ago.
Along with the South Immortal Elder, he had left a great mark on the development of array studies in the martial world.
In particular, the name Li Immortal was not his real name but originated from rumors that he was the incarnation of an immortal.
To think he could unfold an array created by such an immortal-like figure in a short time?
“It is nothing special. This humble monk merely read it from a book and copied it.”
The Wood Buddha calmly changed the subject.
“Anyway, the Heaven-Killer Star absolutely had to be driven out. As long as he is here, this humble monk can never escape this island.”
Then he said, “The Heaven-Killer Star possesses the strongest power among the Hundred and Eight Stars. Aside from the legendary Heaven-Dark Star and Heavenly-Mandate Star, there is virtually no one who can contend with him.”
Bu Eunseol nodded.
The Heaven-Killer Star, who had the appearance of a young man, had fought him using only the profound principles of unique martial arts without employing even one of the Hundred and Eight Stars’ powers.
If he had properly used the power of the Heaven-Killer Star?
Even if Bu Eunseol used all the power he originally possessed, it would have been difficult to guarantee victory.
“But even such a person ultimately became the Heavenly Mechanism Star’s subordinate.”
To think that the Heavenly Mechanism Star was commanding the Heaven-Killer Star, who possessed the strongest power among the Hundred and Eight Stars.
Wasn’t that like giving wings to a tiger?
The Wood Buddha sighed and said, “From the beginning, the Heaven-Killer Star is closer to a demonic creature that only craves blood. Rather, I think it is fortunate that such a being is under someone’s command.”
“Well, to control an untamed wolf, only a person with superhuman intelligence would be capable.”
“What worries me is the future more than now.”
“Why do you say that?”
“In truth, the reason we were able to temporarily seal the Heaven-Killer Star’s power with the Li Immortal Lightning Annihilation Array was because he had not yet perfectly awakened the power of the Heaven-Killer Star.”
“I see.”
Bu Eunseol could understand.
The Heaven-Killer Star was described as a disaster that brings calamity to the world.
If he could be stopped with a single mysterious array… the name Heavenly Killing would never have been given to him in the first place.
“Stronger enemies, beyond what you can handle, will gradually appear…”
Although his tone was calm, his eyes were filled with concern and worry for Bu Eunseol.
‘The Great Monk truly deserves to be called a holy monk of Buddhism.’
The Buddha Venerable, who had been called a divine monk, had fallen into corruption and could no longer be seen as a monk based on compassion.
But the Wood Buddha carried a noble dignity in every word, and he possessed the compassion of not wanting to step on even a single blade of grass.
“Thank you for your concern.”
Shuuuk.
But then something unexpected happened.
Suddenly, someone entered the array and stood behind the Wood Buddha.
Chwaak!
At the same time, a golden net poured down onto the Wood Buddha’s body.
Before long, the net had turned into a large transparent sack, and the shadow instantly shouldered it.
Pat!
Then, unfolding a lightning-like movement technique, the figure tried to exit through the Life Gate once more.
But he could not leave.
Because the Heaven-Killer Star had already passed through the Life Gate once, the position of the Life Gate had changed and only Bu Eunseol knew the new location.
Tak.
The shadow who had been carrying the Wood Buddha and concealing his form ultimately stood before Bu Eunseol again.
Srrrk.
Before long, the transparent shadow had changed into the appearance of someone wearing a stealth suit that absorbed light.
Although a mask covered the face so it could not be seen, the curved figure and unusually large eyes clearly indicated that it was a woman.
Bu Eunseol clenched his fists tightly.
The masked woman before his eyes…
From her body flowed an extremely vicious energy.
The unique aura that could only be felt from those who possessed Sealed Demon Fragments.