A thick sea of clouds hung over Iron Staff Mountain. From afar, it looked as if a mysterious veil was gently embracing the mountain’s waist.
When the occasional wind blew and cleared the mist, sheer cliffs that seemed to pierce the sky and sharply cut peaks revealed themselves. Green trees, sprouting tenaciously through cracks in the rugged rocks, displayed their fierce vitality, while silver waterfalls gently carved away at the hard stone.
Buzzing voices.
As soon as he entered the foot of Iron Staff Mountain, Bu Eunseol saw long lines of people and buildings of various shapes and styles.
Since the Nangyang Pavilion had grown large enough to rival the Hwa Wu Sword Sect, now called the greatest gate of the demonic path, a small marketplace had formed at the base of the mountain as a result.
‘Since I’m not here for a good reason, I should quietly meet only the Vice Pavilion Lord and leave.’
Tszzt.
Bu Eunseol immediately unfolded the Swift Beyond Shadow technique, the pinnacle of his stealth arts, and tried to slip quietly into the Nangyang Pavilion.
However, the moment he reached the entrance, the sky suddenly darkened, and an unknown ominous energy blocked his path.
A unique formation had been installed across the entire Iron Staff Mountain area to prevent outsiders from secretly spying inside.
‘Has our pavilion already reached this point?’
In the current generation, all talented young prodigies of the demonic path longed to become disciples of the Nangyang Pavilion but precisely because of that, many factions had begun to keep the Nangyang Pavilion in check.
Moreover, unlike in the past when it had purely pursued the martial path, it had now become a colossal faction that exerted enormous influence over the martial world. As a result, various intelligence organizations frequently attempted to infiltrate in order to gather information.
‘In the past, they wouldn’t have cared whether outsiders came in or not.’
Originally, the Nangyang Pavilion had shown no interest whatsoever in the great and small affairs of the martial world, so they would not have paid any attention even if intelligence organizations entered or spied on them.
However, ever since Bu Eunseol had secretly stepped into the martial world for the sake of revenge, he had clashed with numerous abyssal forces. After commanding various factions and even operating alliances, he had become a once-in-a-generation master who exerted profound influence over the entire martial world.
Because of this, a formation to block outsiders had inevitably been installed at the entrance of the Nangyang Pavilion.
‘There’s no helping it.’
For some reason, he felt a faint sense of guilt.
In the past, the Nangyang Pavilion had truly been a den for fierce wolves who risked their lives to train in martial arts and sought to perfect the martial path through life-and-death battles.
Outsiders had not even dared to think of entering, and even if they did, there was nothing for them to gain.
But because of his own actions, the pavilion now possessed far too much, and it had transformed into something no different from any other major faction of the demonic path.
‘They applied the principles of the Soul Mourning Dark Devouring technique that I created into a formation. It’s designed so that no one who doesn’t understand the Nangyang Pavilion’s martial arts can pass through.’
The Soul Mourning Dark Devouring technique had been created based on Bu Eunseol’s own experience of gaining super-sensory perception while blindfolded and enduring thunder, as a secret method to quickly awaken the senses for Nangyang Pavilion warriors who became crippled while risking their lives to learn the Beast Way.
‘If they’ve laid something like this at the entrance, it means the number of disciples who have mastered the Beast Way has increased considerably.’
Bu Eunseol passed through the formation with a pleasant feeling and immediately headed toward the office with the red-and-blue painted eaves.
If the person who possessed his grandfather’s great sword was truly a disciple of the Nangyang Pavilion, they would undoubtedly have colluded with external forces. In that case, the Vice Pavilion Lord Dan Cheong would surely know about such a person.
He stopped.
The moment Bu Eunseol arrived in front of the Clear Breeze Pavilion where Dan Cheong stayed, he suddenly halted.
It was because of a thought that flashed through his mind.
‘If I find the culprit here, then this place can no longer… be a home for me.’
The reason Bu Eunseol had immediately thought of the Nangyang Pavilion as a new home the moment he entered was because he had realized that its disciples not only devoted their souls to the martial path but also regarded their martial siblings as family.
But according to the Martial God Heavenly Lord’s words, if there was someone who had colluded with external forces, then the Nangyang Pavilion could no longer be a home.
‘What should I do?’
Investigating and suspecting his own martial siblings ultimately meant not trusting his family.
Moreover, if someone like Master Iron, So Jeon, or Baek Yeon—people he trusted and relied on with absolute faith—turned out to be the culprit who had colluded with external forces and taken his grandfather’s great sword… could he calmly accept that shock and pain?
[What are you doing standing in front of the door?]
At that moment, a low but playful voice transmission reached his ears.
[Are you planning to hold a memorial service in front of this Vice Pavilion Lord’s residence?]
Dan Cheong had sensed Bu Eunseol’s arrival and sent the transmission.
‘Vice Pavilion Lord’s martial skills have improved once again.’
After obtaining the Wind-Cloud Divine Qi, his stealth techniques had reached a truly mysterious realm.
Yet Dan Cheong had noticed his arrival without even coming outside?
[Wasn’t it this body that brought you into the pavilion?]
As if reading Bu Eunseol’s surprised heart, Dan Cheong sent another transmission.
[Besides, with your mind in such a chaotic state while using stealth arts… there’s no way I wouldn’t notice.]
The foundation of stealth arts was an extremely calm and serene state of mind. An anxious or fluctuating mind would inevitably show through physical reactions.
Creak.
Without hesitation, Bu Eunseol entered the building and opened the door to Dan Cheong’s office.
“Vice Pavilion Lord.”
When Bu Eunseol respectfully greeted him,
“Yes.”
Dan Cheong nodded, sitting at the table and diligently writing something as he asked,
“Do you have some new worry again? Is that why you couldn’t suppress your gloomy mood and came all the way to the pavilion?”
Bu Eunseol took a deep breath.
He had no idea where to begin or how to explain the situation.
“The truth is…”
Having steeled his heart, Bu Eunseol calmly began to speak.
He told Dan Cheong how he had seen the Martial God Heavenly Lord on Ghost Island through the mysterious prophet named Wood Buddha. That the Martial God Heavenly Lord had been defeated by his grandfather and imprisoned there and that his grandfather’s beloved great sword had been hidden in the secret vault of Ghost Island.
However, he did not mention the dual personality. It sounded far too absurd, and he was not even certain of its existence.
“I see, so that’s how it is.”
Dan Cheong sighed and shook his head.
“Since the Eight Human Heavens have appeared, it is only natural that the Four Divine Heavens would appear as well.”
The fact that one of the Four Divine Heavens was crouching on Ghost Island was not particularly surprising.
What surprised Dan Cheong was only one thing.
“To think that even with your skill, you only managed to defeat the Martial God Heavenly Lord—who possessed merely one-tenth of his power—by a stroke of luck.”
He knew very well that Bu Eunseol’s martial prowess was in no way inferior to the great masters who dominated the martial world. Yet he had failed to defeat the Martial God Heavenly Lord, who had only one-tenth of his strength and was simply waiting for death?
That could only mean that the martial prowess of the Four Divine Heavens far surpassed the level of the current strongest experts in the martial world.
“Perhaps the masters listed in the Four Divine Heavens have reached the Heaven’s Will Realm, which martial world practitioners only ever imagined.”
“Heaven’s Will Realm?”
“Yes. They possessed such unfathomable power.”
Dan Cheong stroked his chin.
In truth, Bu Eunseol was not the type of person who paid much attention to stages of martial learning or tried to measure them.
Yet here he was, suggesting that the Martial God Heavenly Lord with only one-tenth of his power might have reached the Heaven’s Will Realm.
That meant the Martial God Heavenly Lord’s strength was not simply beyond imagination, but powerful enough to change Bu Eunseol’s own beliefs and thoughts.
“Well, anyway.” Dan Cheong shook his head and said, “It’s unlikely that meeting such a strong expert is what has you so downcast.”
Looking at Bu Eunseol’s drooping shoulders, he asked, “What exactly happened?”
“It was a disciple of our pavilion.”
“What do you mean?”
“According to the Martial God Heavenly Lord, the person who took my grandfather’s great sword used our pavilion’s Beast Way, or a similar sensory martial art.”
Dan Cheong stared blankly for a long time.
Only then did he realize why Bu Eunseol had been suffering so much.
“If it wasn’t that person’s scheme… then it means there is a disciple of our pavilion who has colluded with external forces.”
“Yes.”
Dan Cheong stood with his hands behind his back for a moment, gazing out the window, as if trying to figure out who in the Nangyang Pavilion could have done such a thing.
“Once a disciple of the Nangyang Pavilion, always a disciple.”
After a long silence, Dan Cheong spoke.
“That fact does not change.”
Bu Eunseol nodded.
No matter how many times he thought about it, the idea that someone had betrayed the Nangyang Pavilion and colluded with external forces was something that could never happen.
“However, our pavilion has always revered only the martial path. Because of that, there have occasionally been disciples who misunderstood our pavilion’s spirit and essence.”
Dan Cheong continued in a calm voice.
“Can you guess the reason?”
Bu Eunseol thought for a long time before answering.
“Isn’t it because our pavilion’s martial arts develop by using the opponent’s martial arts in real combat to advance one’s own?”
The core of Nangyang Pavilion martial arts was Seizing Essence to Transform the Origin and Enemy Techniques Return.
It meant stealing the essence of the opponent’s martial arts, making their techniques one’s own, and completing a unique martial art.
However, some disciples misunderstood the true essence of these principles and instead became obsessed with the subtleties of other schools, leading to their corruption or defection to those factions.
“Exactly.”
Dan Cheong nodded.
“There were disciples who became obsessed with perfecting martial arts and fell into the temptation of heretical paths.”
The martial arts of the Nangyang Pavilion were not fixed. Like flowing water, they accepted everything, but one had to complete their own Nangyang Pavilion martial arts through real combat.
Yet in that process, instead of perfecting Nangyang Pavilion arts by taking the strong points of other schools, some became obsessed with other martial arts.
“In the past,”
At Dan Cheong’s words, Bu Eunseol smiled faintly.
“Past… I see.”
He could be certain now.
There was no such person in the current Nangyang Pavilion.
Because the current head of the pavilion was the great master of all martial arts under heaven, the peerless demon who rivaled even the Demon Emperor, using psychological tactics beyond human understanding and capable of disturbing minds with just a glance.
It was because the Human Demon, Ak Muryeong, was the Pavilion Lord.
If a Nangyang Pavilion disciple had fallen into a heretical path, there was no way that person could still be breathing comfortably.
‘Then it must be someone from before the Pavilion Lord became head.’
Before Ak Muryeong became Pavilion Lord, there must have been people who were expelled for such reasons and luckily escaped with their lives.
And whether by luck or misfortune, Bu Eunseol knew exactly one person who fit those conditions perfectly.
“Thank you, Vice Pavilion Lord.”
Bu Eunseol bowed respectfully.
“Thanks to you, I was able to find the answer.”
“I’m glad.”
Dan Cheong nodded, his expression somewhat regretful.
“As I’ve always said, do not try to shoulder too much alone.”
Then he spoke firmly.
“You are a disciple of our pavilion.”
Among the Ten Demonic Sects, the Nangyang Pavilion taught its disciples with training methods so dangerous they could be called reckless.
Because of this, countless disciples had lost their lives or become crippled.
Nevertheless, the Nangyang Pavilion had stronger bonds than any other faction, stronger even than blood-related family.
There was only one reason for this.
It was because, in the extremely dangerous process of teaching and passing down the training, and in the process of enduring that training… they had learned to trust and rely on one another. The experience of crossing the threshold of death together created a bond far deeper than blood ties. Bu Eunseol too had respected and admired Blood Vajra, who had taught him inner energy, almost as much as his grandfather.
“I always rely on you.”
Bu Eunseol smiled brightly, which was unusual for him.
“Just like now.”
A faint smile appeared on Dan Cheong’s lips.
If there was one thing he had done well in his life, it was bringing Bu Eunseol into the Nangyang Pavilion.
“Then come visit again.”
“Yes.”
Bu Eunseol bowed respectfully and left.
Once outside Iron Staff Mountain, he stared at the distant sky with an extremely dark expression.
‘So it was him after all.’
In the past several decades, there had been only one person who had been a disciple of the Nangyang Pavilion and then expelled.
The person who had called himself the authority on fist arts of the Nangyang Pavilion and had given him the secret manual of the Seven Fist Demon Forms.
The Lord of Dongpyoseorang, Do Myeong.
There was no one else.
***
Dongpyoseorang.
The largest mercenary market in Guizhou, and also the place where Bu Eunseol had first formed a connection with Black Leopard.
In the past, Dongpyoseorang had been under the influence of Hell’s Blood Fortress and had been constantly suppressed, unable to spread its wings. However, after Hell’s Blood Fortress had repeatedly provoked Bu Eunseol, it had essentially been forced into seclusion.
Once Hell’s Blood Fortress stopped its activities in the martial world, Dongpyoseorang was able to expand its power greatly. It had now developed to a level comparable to the Red Sky Veil, the largest mercenary market in the Central Plains and the predecessor of the Martial Soul Society.
Buzzing voices.
Upon arriving at the entrance of Dongpyoseorang, where countless people came and went, Bu Eunseol did not enter immediately but instead observed his surroundings.
‘It has changed a lot.’
If the old Dongpyoseorang had been a typical bleak mercenary market, it had now transformed into a scene reminiscent of a bustling city.
The mercenary market was a neutral zone untouched by the influence of any faction, and it had also turned into shops trading rare medicinal herbs, secret manuals, weapons, and other goods that were difficult to obtain elsewhere.
Dongpyoseorang had maximized these characteristics and became the largest mercenary market in Guizhou as well as a grand marketplace for wanderers.
As Bu Eunseol entered inside, the shouts of merchants and the sounds of haggling never ceased.
Stalls displaying weapons, strange medicinal herbs, and old books containing secret manuals lined the streets, and occasionally information exchange offices hidden behind black tents could be seen.
‘Master Ok has shown his true ability.’
The Lord of Dongpyoseorang, Do Myeong, was an outstanding person, but he was not skilled in commerce or economics.
This was clearly the work of Ok Hobang, Black Leopard’s biological father, who was in charge of all the finances of Dongpyoseorang.
Swish.
Bu Eunseol unfolded the Swift Beyond Shadow technique and secretly entered the office where Do Myeong was staying.
He skipped all the troublesome procedures and went straight to see Do Myeong.
As he stealthily entered the office, he saw a middle-aged man quietly sitting at the table drinking tea.
With a face like fine jade and a simple, unpretentious atmosphere, he looked more like a scholar than a martial artist.
He was none other than the Lord of Dongpyoseorang and a former disciple of the Nangyang Pavilion, Do Myeong.
Clack.
Do Myeong suddenly set down the teacup he was holding.
In a low voice, he said, “Welcome.”
Bu Eunseol was greatly shocked at that moment.
Although Do Myeong’s martial arts were impressive, they should not have been at a level where he could detect Bu Eunseol’s stealth arts.
The stealth technique Bu Eunseol was currently using could not be easily detected even by the three demons and three venerables, who were considered the supreme experts of the martial world.
How could Do Myeong notice it so quickly?
“I see.”
Bu Eunseol wore an extremely bitter expression.
All this time, Do Myeong had not only hidden his true skill but had also concealed his real identity.
“The reason you frequently left Dongpyoseorang was not to train in martial arts… but because you were handling matters for another force, wasn’t it?”
Do Myeong had left the management to Ok Hobang and repeatedly gone into seclusion and returned.
That had not been for the purpose of advancing his martial arts, but because he had been carrying out various tasks while belonging to another force.
“Did you go to Ghost Island?”
“You already knew.”
Do Myeong shook his head.
“It was just a feeling. There is no other reason for you to visit me so suddenly except for matters concerning Ghost Island.”
He did not make any excuses or lies.
He was openly admitting that he himself was the one who had taken his grandfather’s great sword from Ghost Island.
“Was it because of the Seven Fist Demon Forms?”
Bu Eunseol already knew.
Because Do Myeong had said that the Seven Fist Demon Forms were the martial arts of the Nangyang Pavilion, and because Bu Eunseol was a disciple of the Nangyang Pavilion, he had said he would return it to the pavilion.
However, the Seven Fist Demon Forms were not the Nangyang Pavilion’s. They belonged to the Fist Man among the Eight Human Heavens.
In other words, he had most likely submitted to the authority of the True Demon.
“You must think that the Seven Fist Demon Forms are the Fist Man’s martial arts and that I am a subordinate of the True Demon.”
As if reading Bu Eunseol’s thoughts, Do Myeong shook his head and said,
“But the Seven Fist Demon Forms are undoubtedly our pavilion’s martial art. It is only that the identity of the person who created it has changed.”
“I don’t quite understand what you mean.”
“A disciple of the Nangyang Pavilion created the Seven Fist Demon Forms, but later became the Fist Man, one of the Eight Human Heavens.”
He calmly began to explain the events of the past.
***
Yong Mungyeok, the previous Pavilion Lord of the Nangyang Pavilion, was over one hundred and fifty years old. Due to old wounds, internal injuries from his youth, and the frailty of old age, he had been quietly waiting for death on the peak of Iron Staff Mountain.
And the orphan Do Myeong had, by pure coincidence, caught the eye of a Nangyang Pavilion member and entered Iron Staff Mountain.
“That child has a connection with me.”
The moment Yong Mungyeok saw Do Myeong, he began teaching him personally, transcending generational ranks.
His master and the previous Pavilion Lord, Yong Mungyeok, was a rare gentle and kind-hearted person in the demonic path, and he cherished Do Myeong like his own son.
The martial siblings of the Nangyang Pavilion were strict but all warm-hearted people.
Upon realizing this, Do Myeong took pride in becoming a disciple of the Nangyang Pavilion and trained even harder in martial arts.
In particular, he showed exceptional talent in fist techniques, and since his master Yong Mungyeok also specialized in fist arts, he naturally walked the path of a fist practitioner.
After focusing on fist techniques, by the time he reached his early twenties, he was strong enough to compete evenly with the numerous fist experts scattered throughout the martial world.
However, he was not satisfied. Instead, he felt a stifling sense that his martial arts were stagnating.
This was because, at that time, the Nangyang Pavilion had outstanding prodigies like So Jeon and Baek Yeon, as well as the terrifying expert Ak Muryeong, who had been designated as the next Pavilion Lord.
When compared to such peerless geniuses, Do Myeong could not help but blame himself for his slow progress.
“Why am I like this even though I received direct instruction from Master?”
Do Myeong wanted to become a disciple worthy of Yong Mungyeok, who had raised him like a grandfather and to repay that grace, he believed he had to spread the prestige of the Nangyang Pavilion’s martial arts widely across the martial world.
While traveling alone in the martial world, he luckily discovered a fist arts secret manual called the Seven Fist Demon Forms.
Moreover, astonishingly, it was written that this Seven Fist Demon Forms had been created by a disciple of the Nangyang Pavilion four hundred years ago.
“With this fist art… I can dominate the world.”
Do Myeong was overjoyed.
He believed this Seven Fist Demon Forms, which had reached the pinnacle of fist techniques, could become the greatest fist art of the Nangyang Pavilion.
He diligently trained in the Seven Fist Demon Forms, and when he returned to the martial world, he defeated strong enemies one after another with his fist techniques.
Before long, he earned the title of Tyrant Fist Shakes Heaven and gained great fame in the martial world.
At the height of his invincibility, he completed the Seven Fist Demon Forms in his own way and returned to the Nangyang Pavilion to present the fist art to Yong Mungyeok.
But he heard a shocking story he had never expected.
“This is an evil fist art that must disappear from our pavilion’s history.”
Yong Mungyeok told him that the Nangyang Pavilion disciple who had created the Seven Fist Demon Forms had eventually become the Lord of the Fist Man Heaven among the Eight Human Heavens.
“But isn’t that irrelevant? The essence of our pavilion’s martial arts is to learn the strengths of other schools and complete one’s own martial arts. Even if a disciple of our pavilion fell and became the leader of another faction, isn’t the fist art itself without fault?”
It was certainly a logical argument.
However, Yong Mungyeok could not hide his disappointment and shook his head.
“Do you truly not understand the evil nature of this fist art?”
“I don’t. What exactly is evil about this fist art?”
“If you don’t know, then so be it.”
Do Myeong tried to persuade Yong Mungyeok many times, but the only response he received was the cold answer that “It cannot become a martial art of the Nangyang Pavilion.”
“Since when has our pavilion cared about the origin of martial arts?”
The Nangyang Pavilion was a place that was not bound by any technique from the righteous path, demonic path, or Buddhist path, freely taking the strengths of other schools to create its own unique supreme arts.
What did it matter if it belonged to the subordinate of the True Demon? Why did he oppose it so strongly?
“It doesn’t matter if Master does not approve. I will make this fist art the highest martial art of our pavilion!”
Despite Yong Mungyeok’s opposition, Do Myeong paid no attention and trained deeper and deeper in the Seven Fist Demon Forms.
When he returned to the martial world once again, he defeated strong enemies one after another.
But during this time, Do Myeong’s title changed from Tyrant Fist Shakes Heaven to One Fist Blood River.
The deeper he mastered the Seven Fist Demon Forms, the more uncontrollable killing intent eroded his body, and demonic energy began to form within him.
It turned out that this fist art not only destroyed the enemy but also destroyed the practitioner’s own mind, inevitably turning the user into a subordinate of the True Demon. It was a demonic art.
