“Ye Qinglin.”
Mak Hwa-wol wore a dreamy expression.
‘How can even his name be so beautiful?’
It was a name that perfectly suited his heartbreakingly beautiful appearance.
“You don’t seem like an ordinary musician…”
At Mak Hwa-wol’s words, Bu Eunseol opened his mouth with a shy expression.
“When I was about ten years old, my father was killed by a band of horse bandits… My family was completely ruined, and I became a wandering musician.”
‘I see. No wonder he carried such elegance.’
Mak Hwa-wol nodded inwardly.
She did not know the name of the estate, but if he could speak of it so openly, he must have been the descendant of a prestigious family.
Then his household fell, he became an orphan, and began wandering?
It was exactly the typical backstory of the protagonists in those romance novels circulating in the markets.
‘His conditions are perfect.’
Suppressing her pounding heart, Mak Hwa-wol asked, “Very well. Young Master Ye. Believing in your character, I will tell you one secret.”
She spoke in a low voice.
“There exists a being in the martial world who possesses the ability to cure any illness.”
“A being?”
“Yes. No matter how serious the disease, he can definitely cure it.”
When Bu Eunseol showed a doubtful expression, Mak Hwa-wol put on a solemn face.
“It’s true. However, his lifespan may be greatly reduced, or he may even die.”
Bu Eunseol looked dumbfounded.
“Then even if the illness is cured, isn’t dying still the same outcome?”
“I will infuse you with our sect’s Yin-Yang Qi Rotation together with the primordial energy. In that case, you will not die, and if you are lucky, you may live quite a long time.”
“Even if such a miraculous person exists, would he be willing to treat me?”
Mak Hwa-wol said, “He always saves young people who are suffering from terminal illnesses. Actually, rather than saving them…” She shook her head slightly and continued in a low voice, “Anyway, if it is a terminal illness, he cannot stand by and will take action. Therefore, if you go to him, he will definitely cure your illness.”
Tap.
Mak Hwa-wol placed her hand on Ye Qinglin’s vital acupoint and began injecting Yin-Yang Qi Rotation.
It was the pure power containing all the energies of the Five Elements, refined through Jade Sky Sect’s heart method.
‘He really has not learned any martial arts.’
No matter how much one could alter their face through disguise, the position of muscles, blood vessels, and organs could not be changed. Having confirmed that the man had not trained in martial arts, Mak Hwa-wol relaxed and infused the Ban-Geuk Method as well, rapidly penetrating his acupoints in an instant.
Woooong.
Instantly, the man’s complexion improved and his eyes sparkled.
“Go to the front of Wind Moon Pavilion, a famous scenic spot in Shaanxi, by the Jade Heart Lake.”
After stopping the infusion of energy, she spoke with a confident expression.
“If you linger around that area, he will definitely appear.”
Bu Eunseol clenched his fist tightly.
He had finally found it.
The location where the Holy One, who had been causing all these incidents, was staying.
“Huu…”
Mak Hwa-wol let out a groan.
Because she had expended her energy, her complexion had become extremely dark, and the hair around her temples was turning white.
“Once you meet him and receive treatment for everything, come back to this residence and show this to the gatekeeper elder. Then you will be able to see me.”
She took out a thick purse along with a jade plaque embedded with jewels and handed it to him.
“Rent a carriage right away and go there immediately.”
“I…”
Bu Eunseol deliberately put on a dazed expression.
But Mak Hwa-wol gestured to him and said,
“Never tell anyone what I have told you.”
Bu Eunseol nodded as he was practically pushed outside.
“I understand. Thank you.”
“And you must return here and present that jade plaque to the manager.”
Mak Hwa-wol smiled brightly.
“We will meet again then.”
Then she pulled him into a tight embrace.
Bu Eunseol also hugged her tightly and said in a low voice,
“I will definitely heal my body and return.”
With that, he picked up his huqin and left the residence.
Step. Step.
Under the brightly lit night sky with the full moon, Bu Eunseol walked slowly along the road.
Then—
Tap tap tap. Whiiiish.
He activated his Qi Riding Wind technique, slowly rising into the air. Before long, he was flying through the night sky with his body held straight like an immortal.
Shuuuuk.
At the same time, his entire body shook once like rippling waves, and his original face—more gentle and beautiful than the disguised one—slowly revealed itself.
‘I was lucky.’
While investigating Jade Sky Sect, he had narrowed down the disciples who knew well about the Holy One’s information. Among them, he learned that Mak Hwa-wol, the Head of the Victory Hall in charge of various supplies and household affairs, would soon be coming to the city.
However, it was unlikely that someone holding such important information would be susceptible to soul-stealing techniques or unprepared against torture.
After much thought, Bu Eunseol investigated her even more carefully.
He discovered that every time Mak Hwa-wol came outside, she purchased large quantities of romance novels.
She liked handsome men.
And she was someone who had longed for affection for a long time, wishing to spend a hundred years of marital bliss with a handsome man.
―In that case, let’s take the easier route.
After grasping her movements, Bu Eunseol entered the city and bought a huqin.
Then, pretending to be a wandering musician, he played the huqin for several days near the taverns where people mainly drank tea.
If he appeared suddenly, he might arouse suspicion, and the tavern servants would surely ask about his background.
That was why he needed to plant the perception beforehand that “that man plays the huqin near the taverns.”
He also prepared his disguise with great care.
Knowing that the romance novels Mak Hwa-wol frequently bought mainly featured weak and delicate handsome men, he transformed into the appearance of a frail, peerlessly beautiful man with a gloomy, moonlit atmosphere.
In fact, it was close to simply emphasizing the dark and gentle aspects of Bu Eunseol’s original face, so it was not a particularly difficult disguise.
And heaven helped him.
Rain fell exactly when Mak Hwa-wol came to the tavern, further maximizing the gentle and mysterious atmosphere, allowing him to win her favor in a single stroke.
―I must make her willingly reveal the secret about the Holy One.
After deep deliberation, he created the situation of living with a limited lifespan.
To ensure there would be no repercussions later, he borrowed the identity of the real Ye Qinglin who existed in Ha-hyeon Province and orchestrated the entire scheme.
‘Normally, I would have felt self-loathing for winning a woman’s favor through such intentional means to achieve my goal.’
Until now, Bu Eunseol had never once used such a deliberate handsome-man tactic to accomplish his objectives. However, Jade Sky Sect was a sect that was expected to be connected to the True Demon. They were either helping the Holy One—who had been draining the life force of ordinary people—or were a sect subordinated to him.
Since they were the ones who had sacrificed innocent people all this time, he felt no guilt whatsoever about using such a tactic.
‘If finding the Holy One’s true identity had not been absolutely necessary, I would have wiped out Jade Sky Sect immediately.’
He did not know exactly what the True Demon was doing, but since he knew they were a sect colluding with the Holy One who continued his evil deeds, he would have to destroy Jade Sky Sect someday and find the main body connected to them, even if not now.
‘If I had not obtained this power, it would have been impossible.’
Thanks to the powers he absorbed, he could now change not only his appearance and skeletal structure, but even his internal organs, blood flow, and fine hairs… turning himself into a completely different person.
Because of this, even after receiving the energy infusion, he had been able to perfectly deceive Mak Hwa-wol.
Kwa-rung! Paaaaa!
Carrying Thunder Spirit Energy, Bu Eunseol ran for three full days and nights and finally reached Jade Heart Lake.
The lake, shrouded in mist, was secretly nestled deep within a secluded valley.
The mountains surrounding the lake rose toward the sky like massive walls, their peaks hidden by clouds, making it seem as if immortals lived beyond them.
Bu Eunseol stared intently at Jade Heart Lake.
The water of the lake was astonishingly clear and calm, reflecting the sky and surrounding scenery like a giant mirror.
As he approached the shore, flowers floating on the water, reflecting the sunlight, emitted a fragrant aroma.
“Is he not here?”
Jade Heart Lake was a famous scenic spot in the region. In spring, countless tourists visited.
It was by no means a place suitable for the Holy One—the one carrying out the most secretive and bizarre activities in the martial world—to hide.
“No, come to think of it, it has always been like this.”
Looking back, the secret strongholds of mysterious forces, including the Martial Lord’s secret vault, had always been located in places crowded with people.
That was because they possessed the absolute boundary technique that could perfectly divide space.
Whiiiing.
When he spread his Wind-Cloud Divine Qi to its full power, a transparent energy began to spread endlessly.
Soon after, he made a dumbfounded expression.
Even though he had detected it, the reality unfolding before his eyes was simply unbelievable.
“In the middle of the lake.”
The place where the absolute boundary that his Wind-Cloud Divine Qi could not penetrate was deployed… was none other than the center of the lake.
Floating gently.
When he used his movement technique to reach the center of the lake, an extremely alien absolute boundary was spread there.
Something extremely dark and endlessly silent was severing the space.
Jiiing.
Then something strange happened.
The moment his Wind-Cloud Divine Qi detected its true form, the endlessly dark absolute boundary slowly began to melt the transparent barrier, as if gladly inviting him inside.
‘Is it telling me to enter?’
Without hesitation, Bu Eunseol stepped inside.
Shuuk.
As he passed through the transparent space, bright light lingered everywhere, and soon he saw a tranquil lake filled with silence and a small island floating upon it.
It was already unrealistic for an island to be floating on a lake, but what was even more absurd was that a long, curved bamboo bridge had been built so one could enter the lake.
Bu Eunseol slowly walked forward across the bamboo bridge.
Even though he was crossing a thin, delicate bamboo bridge, there was no creaking sound, and a sensation like walking on clouds transmitted to the soles of his feet.
When he reached the island, a landscape as if all four seasons coexisted unfolded before him.
One side was snowing like the middle of winter, while the other side showed clear spring weather.
‘So he was a subordinate of the True Demon.’
In the past, even at the secret vault presumed to belong to the Baekri family, a new sun had risen and a forest filled with ancient mystery had been created.
Since Bu Eunseol had inwardly guessed that the Holy One was the True Demon or one of his powerful subordinates, he was not particularly surprised that similar mystical techniques to those at the Baekri family’s vault were deployed here.
Step. Step.
Bu Eunseol walked toward the center of the island as if entranced.
There stood a small thatched cottage that did not match the mysterious scenery, yet it looked extremely similar to the one Bu Eunseol had built when he fought the Inbiin Lord.
It seemed as if it had been intentionally made not for living in, but for some specific purpose.
Creak.
As Bu Eunseol approached the cottage, the door opened, and a tall shadow revealed itself.
The moment he saw the face of the approaching shadow, Bu Eunseol let out a soft “Ah.”
The face was clean as if emitting a soft glow, and the skin was as smooth as white marble.
The eyes were deep and warm, as if all pain would disappear upon meeting them.
However, the atmosphere was extremely bizarre.
Contrary to the sacred appearance, the aura was dark as if black smoke had seeped in, and it felt as though a monster with dry, cracking skin tinged with red light was coiled behind him.
“Are you the person called the Holy One?” Bu Eunseol asked with due courtesy.
Even if the prayer was not pure, there was something about him that resembled the Buddha Lord or an immortal who had attained eternal youth.
“The Holy One.”
The man let out a deep sigh and murmured while looking at the distant sky,
“I am merely a ghost who cannot die despite wishing for death.”
Those words were no different from admitting that he was the Holy One.
‘Thank goodness.’
Bu Eunseol let out a sigh of relief inwardly.
In truth, only about ten days remained.
To avoid the Demon Emperor’s punishment, he absolutely had to reveal the Holy One’s true identity.
If he was not the Holy One?
Bu Eunseol would have had no choice but to return to Majeon, prepared for his four limbs and meridians to be torn apart.
Fortunately, he had found the person called the Holy One.
“Why did you commit such evil deeds?”
Bu Eunseol secretly gathered his energy.
If words failed, he would immediately subdue him, or if subduing was impossible, he would at least confirm his martial arts level to reveal his identity.
“Why do you absorb people’s life force and kill them?”
“Absorb life force?”
The man—the Holy One—looked at Bu Eunseol’s stance and let out a deep sigh.
“I have longed for death for such a long time yet cannot die. Why would I absorb others’ life force?”
―Longed for death for a long time.
Hearing those words, Bu Eunseol asked with an extremely grave expression,
“So you really are the True Demon.”
The Holy One was the ‘truth’ that the Inbiin Lord had told him to confirm with his own eyes.
Then was he truly the True Demon?
Or was he the strongest subordinate bound to the True Demon, one of the Three Followers who carried his soul?
“True Demon?”
The Holy One bared his white teeth and burst into a pleasant laugh.
“That is the most absurd thing I have heard.”
“If you are not the True Demon, then you must be his subordinate or his proxy. Am I wrong?”
At Bu Eunseol’s question, the Holy One narrowed his eyes as if he had realized something.
“Now I understand how you were able to find me.”
He said something unexpected.
“The Inbiin Lord sent you. Isn’t that right?”
Surprisingly, the Holy One had already guessed that the Inbiin Lord had leaked his whereabouts.
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“It does.”
The Holy One smiled.
“He said he would definitely send someone who could kill me.”
At the utterly absurd statement, Bu Eunseol frowned.
He could not understand what the Holy One was talking about.
“Seeing that you are tracking the True Demon, you must want to know about him.”
He referred to the True Demon simply as ‘him.’
With that single phrase, the Holy One implied that he was not a subordinate of the True Demon.
“What exactly are you hiding?”
Instead of answering, the Holy One extended his hand.
“Why don’t you sit here for a moment? I will serve you some delicious tea.”
“I refuse.”
“What a pity. I truly meant it as a kind gesture.”
“If you wish to show kindness, then reveal your identity.”
“The order is wrong.”
The Holy One clicked his tongue at Bu Eunseol’s words and spoke in a low voice,
“You haven’t even drunk the tea yet. What conversation could we have?”
“Then we have nothing to talk about.”
When Bu Eunseol reached for his sword hilt, the Holy One chuckled.
“That’s fine too.”
Spreading both arms, the Holy One smiled brightly and said, “If you can kill me, I will tell you everything—the True Demon’s purpose that you are curious about, and my own identity.”
When Bu Eunseol gripped the Demon-Killer Sword tightly, the Holy One narrowed his eyes into crescent moons.
“But you will have to make a choice.”
“A choice?”
“If you kill me now, all the people I have saved so far will die as well.”
The Holy One wore a faint smile.
“It is merely a simple matter of choice, so it should not be difficult.”
Then, contrary to expectations, the Holy One had not absorbed the plague in order to absorb the life force, but had absorbed life force in order to absorb the plague?
“They are all connected to me.”
In the end, those words seemed to mean that the reason the people whose illnesses he had cured were still alive was because they remained connected to the Holy One in some way.
“Hmm.”
The Holy One looked at Bu Eunseol with an interested gaze.
“How about it? Can you kill me?”
If he killed the Holy One, he could learn the True Demon’s purpose and the Holy One’s own identity. He could also avoid the punishment from the Demon Emperor and take one complete step closer to the True Demon’s true nature.
However, all the young people the Holy One had saved so far would die.
Of course, they were complete strangers he had never met, and he would not have to watch them die before his eyes.
They would simply lose their lives as the price for Bu Eunseol achieving his goal.
“Whatever choice you make, it is your freedom.”
The Holy One seemed to be enjoying a game with his own life.
Yet a smile also spread across Bu Eunseol’s lips.
At the same time, he slowly drew the Demon-Killer Sword.
Was he going to kill the Holy One without hesitation to achieve his purpose?
“Unexpected.”
The Holy One’s eyes sparkled.
“I thought you pretended to care quite a bit about ordinary people, so I expected you to at least hesitate.”
“There is no need to hesitate.”
Bu Eunseol smiled coldly.
“Because I already took measures before coming here.”
He clicked his tongue and shook his head.
“Though that ended up wasting the most time.”
“I don’t understand what you are saying.”
“Sealed Demon Fragments were planted inside the bodies of all those who survived the plague.”
A flash of light gleamed in Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
Recalling the time he continued his investigation in Sang’an Village, he wore an extremely grave expression.
Until now, he had thought the Sealed Demon Fragments were merely bait to strengthen martial artists’ power, a tool for the True Demon to enforce his will.
But all those assumptions had been wrong.
“In the end, the True Demon’s original target was not martial artists, but young ordinary people.”
At Bu Eunseol’s words, the Holy One’s eyes widened greatly.
It was a thoroughly hidden truth that no one had been able to uncover.
How on earth had this man discovered it?
