“I simply cannot understand it.”
Bu Eunseol stared at Gongsun Dankyung with a bewildered expression. “You, Commander, have the power to mobilize the Alliance’s finest masters and formidable forces.”
“……”
“No matter how formidable the faction targeting you may be, was there truly a need to take such risks? Was there a need to test someone like me, a mere second-grade corps leader?”
Bu Eunseol continued, his face flushed with agitation.
“Moreover, I am not even a member of the Commander’s office.”
Why test me?
That was the question he was asking.
Her meticulous plan clearly included the purpose of testing Bu Eunseol. And if he were Seon Woojin, he absolutely had to raise that point.
“Captain Seon does not yet understand the inner workings of the Martial Alliance… or any organization, for that matter. You were born the heir to a merchant group, after all.” Gongsun Dankyung smiled faintly.
“When you’re at the bottom, an organization seems very simple.” Her eyes deepened as she continued. “But once you climb to the top, you see a completely different landscape from what you observed below.”
Gongsun Dankyung stared straight into Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
“What appeared simple is in fact intricately entangled, and the organization you looked up at from below… was merely the tip of the iceberg.”
Her words aligned perfectly with the feelings Bu Eunseol had experienced when he rose to the leadership of Majeon.
He had thought Majeon revolved around the Demon Emperor, the foremost of the demonic path, with absolute obedience from his subordinates. But once he ascended, he saw that each had their own hidden agendas and differing goals.
A massive monster driven by the desires each harbored—that was the true nature of Majeon.
And the Martial Alliance seemed no different.
“Above all, the higher the position, the more you need people you can trust.” Gongsun Dankyung stared intently at Bu Eunseol. “And someone with outstanding ability and loyalty is even harder to find.”
Bu Eunseol sympathized with that point.
The higher the position, the greater the scale and importance of the matters one must handle. Thus, one cannot trust or use just anyone… and even if you want loyal and capable subordinates, you cannot simply obtain them.
Bu Eunseol also refrained from expanding his followers not only for personal reasons like revenge, but because finding truly loyal and trustworthy individuals was so difficult.
“Are you considering bringing me into the Commander’s office?” At Bu Eunseol’s question, Gongsun Dankyung’s eyes sparkled as she wore an enigmatic smile.
“Well now. I haven’t thought that far yet.”
Even in this situation, she still concealed a fraction of her true intentions.
Majeon or the Martial Alliance… they’re the same.
Bu Eunseol sighed and shook his head.
“It’s all complicated. Even the Martial Alliance.”
“The Martial Alliance, you say.”
Realizing his slip, Bu Eunseol quickly composed himself and said calmly, “The circumstances in merchant groups are similar, that’s all.”
“Isn’t the merchant world a bit less so?” Gongsun Dankyung smiled. “At the very least, it’s not a matter of life and death like in the martial world, is it?”
“Far from it. The merchant world is where all manner of filthy schemes and conspiracies run rampant.” Bu Eunseol said with an exaggerated sigh. “If martial artists stake their lives on honor, merchants live and die for a few coins. That’s why there are so many dirty and complicated affairs.”
That was true.
During his days as a mortician, the people who most often died in inns were peddlers and moneylenders.
“Captain Seon seems well-acquainted with the lives of the lower classes. Most sons of wealthy families wouldn’t know such things.”
“In our merchant group, we start education from the bottom up. You have to know both top and bottom to properly command people.”
“Now that I think about it, in merchant groups…”
Just as Gongsun Dankyung was about to continue,
Rumble.
suddenly, a sound like something collapsing came from above. It was a vibration like a massive iron mass shaking up and down.
Someone was forcibly shattering the Reverse Cloud Chaos Formation with overwhelming power.
“The formation…” Seeing the formation being broken by brute force, it seemed the enemies had realized Gongsun Dankyung was underground.
“This is strange.” Gongsun Dankyung was flustered. “To think there’s a master capable of breaking the Reverse Cloud Chaos Formation with force in such a short time.”
Until now, her plan had proceeded without a single error.
Yet in less than two shichen, the formation was suddenly being broken?
That meant either a force far greater than she had anticipated had arrived, or an utterly unforeseen master had appeared.
Boom.
As the sound grew closer, Gongsun Dankyung’s complexion changed.
The gears of her perfectly meshing plan had come loose.
“That shouldn’t be possible.” For some reason, she had calculated that the probability of a master capable of breaking the formation arriving was zero.
That means she knows exactly who the enemy is.
Bu Eunseol had no leisure to be as shocked as Gongsun Dankyung. He had to block the forces trying to break the formation and descend underground.
Even if the Star Guard Division was coming, it would take at least half a shichen.
If the enemies stormed the underground warehouse in that time? Gongsun Dankyung would lose her life instantly.
“Commander. I’ll go out and buy time.” As if having made a resolution, Bu Eunseol pointed to the items in the warehouse. “While I do, please deploy another formation. With the items here, you should be able to hold out until the Star Guard Division arrives.”
Gongsun Dankyung nodded as if she had no choice. “Understood.”
She was the Martial Alliance’s Commander.
Even if it meant sacrificing dozens of second-grade corps leaders, she absolutely had to survive. Watching Bu Eunseol step forward with resolute determination, Gongsun Dankyung nodded.
“I will not forget your sacrifice.”
It was unavoidable.
With an enemy capable of shattering the formation in one blow and descending underground, at least one person had to survive.
Boom.
Opening the thick iron door and stepping outside, Bu Eunseol’s brow furrowed.
In truth, even if twice this many forces had stormed in, he himself would not die. The problem was that with Seon Woojin’s abilities, surviving this situation was absolutely impossible.
If he did survive?
He would likely be dragged to the Martial Alliance’s tribunal and subjected to thorough interrogation. No matter how exceptional a peak master with potential he was, surviving against a thousand troops would be impossible.
First, reduce my internal energy.
Having mastered the Elixir Refining Method to face the nameless elder, Bu Eunseol had perfectly learned the method of condensing and reducing internal energy.
And he intended to reduce his energy first, just in case.
More than half.
Continuously condensing his vast internal energy into his dantian formed a round inner core-like shape. Secretly moving it elsewhere, his true internal energy instantly dropped by half.
With this secret art, he could unconsciously suppress his energy, and even a master of the Limitless Realm checking his pulse would be unable to discern his true energy level.
Whoosh!
Having reduced his energy, Bu Eunseol ascended the passage upward.
The Reverse Cloud Chaos Formation was already nearly destroyed; the mist in all directions had vanished. The energy confusing the senses was also completely gone, suggesting enemies would soon swarm in.
Rumble!
As expected, the moment Bu Eunseol stepped out, dozens of assassins revealed themselves.
Holding out is the priority!
Whoosh whoosh!
He immediately flung hidden daggers, felling the surrounding assassins.
Swish.
The assassins widened their formation and began encircling Bu Eunseol at once.
Could it be.
The assassins’ black pupils were greatly dilated, and a chilling aura emanated from their entire bodies.
As expected, the Three Realms.
There was no need for deep thought; the only faction bold enough to target the Martial Alliance Commander was the Three Realms from the start.
But why?
For what reason were they trying to kill her?
No matter how cleanly they cut the tail, killing someone of the Commander’s status would make covering it up impossible.
That means…
As Bu Eunseol fell into deep thought,
Swish swish!
In that interval, the assassins unleashed bizarre sword techniques all at once. Though the movements were not sharp, the swordsmanship was profoundly subtle, instantly sealing all retreat paths.
“Hah!” Bu Eunseol deliberately let out a resonant shout and cut down the assassins.
He strictly used only the Boundless Master’s martial arts to face them.
Clang!
Restraining himself from throwing daggers as much as possible, he executed the Thirteen Iron Sword Forms while darting between the warehouse shelves. No matter how numerous the enemies, only a limited number could attack simultaneously.
Bu Eunseol exploited that, using terrain and objects to appropriately block the assassins’ assaults.
Whoosh! Clang clang clang!
Mixing the Thirteen Iron Sword Forms and dagger techniques to disrupt their ranks.
Clang!
For unavoidable hidden weapons or offensives, he deflected or returned them with Grafting Flowers onto Jade, tenaciously avoiding fatal wounds.
This tactic was remarkably effective.
Their ultimate target was Gongsun Dankyung. Yet Bu Eunseol scurried like a squirrel between shelves, stubbornly guarding the path underground and persistently launching annoying attacks.
They were repeatedly hindered and unable to advance.
Rumble!
As the fight dragged on, the assassins changed tactics.
They completely surrounded the warehouse perimeter to deal with Bu Eunseol first. Assassins clad in black filled the surroundings, making the world seem dyed in darkness.
“It’s already too late.” Bu Eunseol grinned.
The reason he had fought while moving around the warehouse perimeter wasn’t just to obstruct their advance. Using the scattered objects around the warehouse, he had redeployed the Reverse Cloud Chaos Formation he learned from Gongsun Dankyung.
Saaa!
The items were disordered and the directions were imprecise, making the formation that was deployed sloppily. Yet even the faint mist was enough to make the assassins falter once more.
Boom.
But then, a massive vibration echoed from inside the warehouse.
Boom!
Another great tremor rang out, and a powerful shockwave spread in all directions.
At the same time, the formation Bu Eunseol had deployed shattered in an instant.
Step step.
A black shadow strode out from among the assassins.
Wearing a mask with an eerie sheen, waves of internal energy rippled from his entire body. His presence alone was overwhelming, making the warehouse interior feel like a vacuum.
An Emissary.
It was none other than the Three Realms’ Emissary, the transmitter of their will and wielder of formidable martial arts.
Halt.
The Emissary stopped directly in front of Bu Eunseol.
Each time his gaze brushed Bu Eunseol’s skin, it felt like flesh was being flayed. Merely stopping his steps made the heavens rumble and the earth split.
Different.
Bu Eunseol’s pupils widened greatly.
The Emissary before him… exuded a completely different majesty from any Three Realms Emissary he had seen before.
“What is your identity?” Bu Eunseol asked with a tense expression, gripping his iron sword tightly. “What exactly do you want?”
With his true identity, he would have immediately clashed, subdued, and interrogated. But as Seon Woojin, subduing was out of the question; he might even have to risk his life.
Thus, he needed to extract as much information as possible first.
“……” The Emissary merely scanned the surroundings with gleaming eyes, paying no attention to Bu Eunseol.
He was likely spreading his senses widely to locate Gongsun Dankyung.
“Do you think you can make an enemy of the Alliance and still walk the martial world?” Even at Bu Eunseol’s shout, the Emissary’s eyes remained unchanged.
His expression was like hearing a passing dog bark.
Useless.
The Emissary was completely ignoring Bu Eunseol.
No matter how many questions he asked, no answer would come.
Clang!
Grasping the situation, Bu Eunseol instantly launched a swift dagger. From Seon Woojin’s perspective, the Emissary was a master not easily faced.
Thus, strike first to seize victory. The one who attacks first has the higher chance of winning.
The Emissary did not dodge the dagger.
Stab.
Yet the dagger embedded in the Emissary’s forehead vanished as if evaporated.
It wasn’t repelled by any force; it simply disappeared into an unknown space.
Swoosh.
The Emissary, having erased the dagger, approached Bu Eunseol. His eyes were like those of a dead fish, devoid of any emotion.
He was terrifying in appearance, yet Bu Eunseol did not retreat. No more daggers remained — now he had to clash head-on.
In truth, without abandoning Seon Woojin’s identity and unleashing his true martial arts, directly confronting the Emissary was impossible. Yet he fearlessly lowered his stance and assumed a defensive posture.
He still had one hidden trump card.
If everything was handled perfectly, he will definitely come here.
Clank.
Bu Eunseol’s eyes blazed with fighting spirit as he gripped his sword.
I’ll hold out until then.
Rumble.
Suddenly, a massive vortex of power erupted from the Emissary’s front,
Boom!
An invisible, colossal pressure slammed into Bu Eunseol’s body.
Sizzle.
In that instant, Bu Eunseol was pushed back five zhang, white smoke rising from his chest. As the fiercely rotating force pierced his body, he triggered Grafting Flowers onto Jade to deflect it.
Nevertheless, he sustained a light internal injury, and the fabric over his chest melted away as if dissolved.
This is…
Bu Eunseol could not hide his inner shock.
The technique the Emissary employed was utterly unique and bizarre, beyond the realm of ordinary martial arts.
Much like the martial arts of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars.
Swoosh.
But as Bu Eunseol regained his stance with unshaken eyes, a glint of surprise flashed in the Emissary’s.
Boom!
Another vibration erupted, and Bu Eunseol was forced back over ten zhang this time. Even with his energy halved, he possessed two hundred and fifty years of cultivation.
It was power sufficient to be called a generational master among the young, having reached the peak realm. Yet before the Emissary’s mysterious and overwhelming martial arts, it was like a mantis before a chariot.
Sizzle.
White smoke rose from Bu Eunseol’s entire body, yet he still stood firm.
[Hmm.]
The Emissary’s eyes changed slightly after Bu Eunseol withstood two attacks.
From complete indifference, he now seemed to regard him as an annoying fly.
Boom!
As the Emissary spread his hands, Bu Eunseol’s body should have flown backward.
Whirl.
But Bu Eunseol anticipated the technique, deflected the attack with Grafting Flowers onto Jade, and thrust his iron sword forward.
Stab.
The iron sword reached the Emissary’s throat.
But it advanced no further.
Hummm!
An invisible, formidable force emanated from the Emissary’s hand.
No matter how Bu Eunseol strained, the iron sword would not budge.
Sizzle!
Bu Eunseol drew a semicircle with the iron sword, attempting once more to dissipate the intangible force.
Crack.
But the pouring force only grew stronger, and spiderweb-like cracks began spreading across the blade forged from white lotus steel.
Boom!
At the same time, Bu Eunseol was flung back another five zhang.
Thud.
He tried to rise immediately but ended up on one knee. The impact was so powerful that his body refused to obey.
The gap in internal energy is too vast.
The Emissary was overpowering Bu Eunseol not with martial profundity but with superior internal energy.
Crack.
Bu Eunseol clenched his fists tightly.
His true internal energy was near the pinnacle of the current era. If he wished, he could crush that arrogant Emissary’s body.
He thought me so beneath him that internal energy alone would suffice.
But the moment the word “internal energy” crossed his mind, the solemn face of Blood Vajra suddenly appeared. And that face transformed into the profound palm techniques Blood Vajra had used to dispatch the Three Realms’ assassins.
Martial profundity can bridge the gap in internal energy.
Recalling the battle where he and Blood Vajra had eliminated the Three Realms’ assassins, a gleam flashed in Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
Blood Vajra had not greatly stirred his internal energy, yet the Great Heavenly Dragon Seal he unleashed displayed the might of Thunderbolt Equilibrium. That was not because Blood Vajra’s energy level was exceptional, but because he amplified power through profound technique variations.
Grafting Flowers onto Jade also requires appropriate force, doesn’t it?
Gaining sudden enlightenment in that brief moment, Bu Eunseol executed his swordsmanship once more.
Sizzle! Swish swish!
This time, instead of dissipating the Emissary’s force solely with Grafting Flowers onto Jade, he countered with swordsmanship as much as possible, then, the instant overwhelming intangible force surged in, he seized that moment to unleash the profundity of Grafting Flowers onto Jade.
One hand pushes, one hand pulls. If the opponent retreats, disrupt their center; if a fierce attack comes, use rotational force to return it.
The more Bu Eunseol imitated Blood Vajra’s Great Heavenly Dragon Seal, the more he grasped the subtle aspects of Grafting Flowers onto Jade. Conversely, the Emissary, unable to touch even a hair on Bu Eunseol despite pouring out fierce attacks, showed signs of slight bewilderment.
Halt.
In the end, the Emissary stepped back and ceased his assault.
He had not expected Bu Eunseol to refine Grafting Flowers onto Jade to this degree and render his attacks ineffective.
[Hmph.] The Emissary snorted and extended both hands.
Boom.
In that instant, Bu Eunseol felt as if he had fallen into a barrel filled with sticky glue, unable to move at all.
It was as if the gravity in the space where Bu Eunseol stood had increased dozens of times.
Urgh.
No matter how profound Grafting Flowers onto Jade was, dissipating pressure poured over the entire space was difficult. In the end, the Emissary, to break Bu Eunseol’s Grafting Flowers onto Jade profundity, used not superior internal energy but the subtle principles of martial arts.
Step step.
With Bu Eunseol unable to budge, the Emissary slowly approached and extended a finger.
He intended to crush Bu Eunseol’s skull in one blow.
As expected. Seon Woojin cannot do it.
Even as the Emissary prepared his final attack, Bu Eunseol wore a faint smile.
He was a strategist surpassing Gongsun Dankyung.
And whenever he began any task, he had never failed to account for what would follow. From the moment Gongsun Dankyung said she would secretly handle the Myriad Goods Store matter alone with him,
Bu Eunseol had already perceived that she had planned numerous things, and that he himself was included in those plans.
What if a crisis arises that even Seon Woojin’s abilities cannot block?
If targeting the Martial Alliance Commander, there was no guarantee a force like the Three Realms wouldn’t appear.
Thus, Bu Eunseol needed a safety mechanism as well.
One that would never arouse suspicion, and could drive away powerful enemies like the Three Realms without revealing his full strength.
A perfect safety mechanism.
He’s here.
As Bu Eunseol detected a faint sound in his ears and smiled,
Rumble!
Thunder roared from the distant sky.
At the same time, an eerie wail that seemed to tear eardrums resounded through heaven and earth outside the warehouse.
Shrieeeeek!
The sound grew closer, sharp enough to rend the soul, and even the impassive assassins clutched their ears in agony.
Boom!
Finally, with another earth-shaking vibration, a pure white light crashed down directly in front of Bu Eunseol.
Sizzle!
The light spread, gradually forming a shape.
“Heh heh heh.”
Amid mad laughter, the shadow that had taken perfect human form revealed a clear figure.
Thunder God.
One of the divine envoys wielding the pure and tyrannical energy of Thunder Divine Energy in the world.
Nae Bihon had arrived.
