'Come to think of it, they were all orphans.'
Seo Jinha suddenly remembered.
When Bu Eunseol organized the Supreme Corps, he chose only those who were orphans despite coming from second-rate sects.
'At first, I thought his plan was to recruit them as spies too.'
However, the reason Bu Eunseol chose the orphans was because he saw through their desperation.
Orphans who had lived since the moment of their birth possessing nothing, their very existence denied. Instead of promising them success in life, he told the corps members this:
—I will remember you.
He memorized their names, understood their habits and inclinations, and meticulously trained each and every one of them.
All of that was like a single spark of fire to them, who had been living in the darkness.
Because finally, they had met someone who would remember their existence.
And Seo Jinha was no exception.
Although he had lived receiving an abundance of love from his father, in the end, he too became a lonely orphan and wandered the martial world.
Even though he considered Bu Eunseol, the only one he gave his heart to, as family… before he knew it, a family called the Supreme Corps had been created for him as well.
"Captain, recover your body first!"
In the meantime, the corps members began to attack the bamboo hat man to protect Seo Jinha.
Although they could not block even a single move from the bamboo hat man, the corps members grit their teeth and endured. They were willing to unsparingly sacrifice their lives for Seo Jinha.
"I must do it."
Seo Jinha slowly stood up and once again, he raised his internal energy.
Whoosh.
A faint light rose from his body.
In truth, he had consumed numerous spiritual medicines.
To become Bu Eunseol's shadow, he had to increase his internal energy first.
Not to mention the spiritual medicines in Majeon, even while traveling the martial world, if any good spiritual medicines were discovered, they all went into Seo Jinha's mouth.
However, the energy of the spiritual medicines had accumulated in his body in an undisturbed state before it could be completely dissolved. Because of this, his energy was only at a level slightly exceeding four jia.
Yet now, his internal energy was exceeding six jia.
Thick veins like earthworms popped out across his entire body, and a mysterious brilliance lingered in his pupils.
A moment of life or death.
When he squeezed out all his strength to display his internal energy again, the energies of the spiritual medicines slowly dissolved and joined his original true qi.
"Do not touch my corps members!"
Seo Jinha became a streak of light and rushed toward the bamboo hat man.
With a metallic sound, the bamboo hat man, who was struck hard by the sword strike, was flung dozens of zhang away.
"Today, this place is our grave!"
Even if he fled, he would not be able to shake off the bamboo hat man.
Thus, he intended to fight to the death here along with his corps members.
"Let us meet in hell!"
—We accept your command!
With a roaring battle cry, the corps members also began to raise their original true qi.
There were no regrets.
Even though they could not see the master and could not see the achievement of the great cause…
They did their best.
There was not a single point of regret or lingering sorrow.
"Haaah!"
The corps members also used their full power to raise their internal energy.
Then, a brilliant brilliance began to soar to the end of the sky. Suddenly, a strange thing happened.
Wong.
Wasn’t a large, black sphere forming right before their eyes?
Since that sphere did not reflect light at all, looking at it from afar, it looked as if space had been cut out in a circle.
Soon, from the black sphere, a slender shadow slowly walked out.
It was a woman wearing a face veil and dressed in luxuriously decorated black clothes.
It was Nariya.
"Sword King Seon Woojin."
Nariya took turns looking at the Supreme Corps members who were raising their true qi and clicked her tongue.
"It seems it was not you."
And she opened her mouth with a pitiful expression.
"The one who took Manwol."
At that time, the man who was wrapping his body in purple brilliance easily disposed of the Inbiin unit, possessing a martial prowess that even the Twelve Guests could not easily handle.
However, seeing that he was miserably injured despite leading about twenty subordinates, she could be certain that Seon Woojin was not the one who took Manwol.
"Well, it does not matter."
Nariya looked at the bamboo hat man like an object for a moment, then nodded her head toward Seo Jinha.
"Anyway, you too are a person who interferes with my Brother's grand formation."
As she stretched out her hand quietly, Seo Jinha and the corps members made expressions as if they had been hit in the lower abdomen.
The internal cultivation they were trying to raise and all the internal energy within their bodies disappeared in an instant.
As if an invisible hand had blocked their acupoints, the circulation of true qi stopped completely.
"This is..."
Seo Jinha glared with his eyes wide open.
He was not afraid of death.
However, he could not fall meaninglessly having his strength stolen vainly like this.
"There is no need to feel wronged."
Nariya smiled coldly.
"Whether you have internal cultivation or not, you were fated to die anyway."
Although she had lost the power of the Star God, the ability to temporarily steal the power of others remained.
"Dispose of them."
At Nariya's command, the bamboo hat man slowly walked forward.
Seo Jinha could not help but stare blankly at that sight.
In the martial world, there are secrets to temporarily restrict internal energy, like the Imperial Palace Secret Arts. But to make all the strength inside the body disappear just by moving a single hand? What on earth was that woman's identity?
The bamboo hat man, who had approached before they knew it, slowly raised his hands which were like logs.
Wong wong.
Along with vibrations that shook the earth's axis, a terrifying power gathered into his large palms.
He intended to gather power and sweep away Seo Jinha and the Supreme Corps at once.
Crash.
But right then, the sound of thunder began to echo from the sky.
Goooooo, taaaaek!
Along with the sound of tearing through the air that seemed to pierce the eardrums, a black meteor was flying here from far away.
Boom!
Along with the booming sound, the black meteor fell between Seo Jinha and the bamboo hat man in an instant.
Crackle.
As the true waves of electricity spread out, a person wearing clothes made of thousand-refined silk slowly revealed his appearance.
It was Bu Eunseol.
'How...'
Seo Jinha widened his eyes.
All the liaison offices and information systems in this vicinity had collapsed, and even the branch was destroyed. In a situation where even the signal flare to send an emergency signal had become useless, how could Bu Eunseol, who was at the Martial Soul Society in Shaanxi, find him in Sichuan in a single leap?
* * *
Bu Eunseol, who had safely placed the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade Coffin where Manwol slept into his Absolute Domain, was handling a few remaining matters at the Martial Soul Society.
At the moment he was about to return to Majeon, a shadow suddenly blocked his path.
It was Jeong Yeong, Manwol's guard and messenger.
"Have you come to see Lady Manwol?"
When Bu Eunseol asked politely, Jeong Yeong shook her head without a word.
She looked pale, and her eyes were bloodshot red.
"Martial Soul Command Lord."
As if she had firmly resolved something, she approached with a solemn expression and opened her mouth.
"Can we talk for a moment?"
"Of course."
Bu Eunseol said, "I was just about to ask about the identity of the woman who attacked Lady Manwol at Gukjuk Ridge anyway."
"Let us move places."
When Bu Eunseol pointed toward the Martial Soul Society.
"No, it is fine."
Jeong Yeong, who shook her head, stretched out her hand.
Then, a mysterious yet profound energy spread out like a curtain. Suddenly, the surrounding noise and gazes were completely blocked, and the landscape where the two people were standing began to separate from space.
With a single gesture of her hand, she had created the Absolute Boundary of the Baekri family.
"The person who attacked junior sister at Gukjuk Ridge is Nariya, a twin star born in Cheonchuk who shares the same fate as junior sister."
"Twin star..."
Only then were all the questions resolved.
Manwol, who received a portion of the power of his mother, the former Holy Maiden, was the blood relative of the True Demon family’s Nariya.
"Every time junior sister catches a glimpse of the heavenly secrets..."
Jeong Yeong brought up a somewhat random topic.
"She has to experience a convulsion as if the bones of her entire body are twisting and her blood is burning."
The end of those who peeked at the secrets of heaven from generation to generation was miserable. The Holy Maiden Saha lost her life after her power was stolen, and Wood Buddha ended up in a state where his skin withered like tree bark, unable to die or live.
And Manwol too could not escape such a fate.
"Is that so."
Bu Eunseol made a regretful expression.
"I did not know at all."
Manwol, who always created an ethereal and mysterious atmosphere, had never once shown a trace of pain. To think she was experiencing such a terrible heavenly punishment...
"Junior sister never revealed her pain in front of others because she did not want others to suffer due to her own pain."
Jeong Yeong caught her breath for a moment and opened her mouth.
"Ever since she came out to the martial world, she was looking for a young hero who would always do the right thing and try to protect countless people." Her following voice trembled slightly.
"So that that person would never again experience the pain of losing a precious person."
Bu Eunseol could feel it.
That the 'hero' Jeong Yeong was talking about was none other than himself.
"The reason she failed to avoid Nariya's plundering malicious hand was also because she unreasonably read the heavenly secrets to protect that person."
Manwol falling into danger was not because Nariya obtained the Harmony of Sun and Moon. It was the result of the pain she willingly chose herself to prevent the sadness that Bu Eunseol would experience in the future.
"For me..."
During that long period of time that he did not know about, Manwol had been protecting him while enduring a pain akin to death all by herself.
"Please accept this."
What Jeong Yeong held out was a bead that seemed to harbor cool moonlight.
It was the clear heart jade bead, a treasure bead that Manwol inherited from her master.
"Just as Manwol did not die, Nariya also did not die."
Jeong Yeong said with eyes harbored with sadness.
"She will definitely return. To find the person suspected of helping junior sister, and to question junior sister's whereabouts."
"The person suspected..."
That single phrase pierced through Bu Eunseol's mind.
At that moment, the face of his close friend, who disguised himself to look exactly like him and moved silently in the darkness, came to mind.
"Seo Jinha."
His heart sank.
What if Manwol had not warned him of the danger through Jeong Yeong?
Surely Seo Jinha would have lost his life.
If that had happened, he would have collapsed just like that, submerged in irreversible sadness.
"Thank you."
Bu Eunseol expressed his courtesy politely and immediately unfolded his movement technique.
She knew everything.
Manwol, who sees the future, could not possibly fail to foresee Nariya's attack.
But even until the last moment, only worrying about him, and to prevent him from experiencing a painful event, she met a miserable disaster while reading down the heavenly secrets.
'Lady Manwol.'
Bu Eunseol made a painful expression.
Now all the pieces fit together.
Why he could feel her existence even from dozens of li away.
Why she silently helped him while walking such a perilous path, and yet did not ask for help.
Why she always watched him with sorrowful eyes.
While bearing the weight of the heavenly punishment, she was embracing all the pain and sadness that Bu Eunseol himself had to experience.
'That will no longer happen.'
Bu Eunseol swore firmly.
Three years later, when she wakes up from her long sleep, he would compensate her for her life where she had to bear all the pain alone.
That terrible and lonely fate… he would bear it all himself now.
* * *
Bu Eunseol, looking at the messy Seo Jinha and the Supreme Corps members, sent a sound transmission with a heavy expression.
[Everyone, consume the Potential Demon Divine Pellet.]
The Supreme Corps members obligatorily possessed one Potential Demon Divine Pellet each, which could be called a life-saving divine pill.
[How on earth did you come here, at a time when you should be returning to Majeon?]
[Consume the Potential Demon Divine Pellet first before talking.]
[No, it’s not that bad yet.]
[That was an order.]
At Bu Eunseol's solemn words, Seo Jinha had no choice but to swallow the Potential Demon Divine Pellet that he kept in his bosom.
[Members of the Supreme Corps. Return to the Azure Heaven Alliance immediately.]
Bu Eunseol quickly sent a sound transmission.
[I will clean up this place.]
[No, even you cannot do it.]
Seo Jinha urgently sent a sound transmission.
[Avoid it quickly. That woman uses a bizarre power.]
While sending the sound transmission, Seo Jinha opened his mouth with a clear voice.
"Martial Soul Command Lord."
He spoke in a loud voice so that Nariya could hear.
"What brings the successor of Majeon here?"
"Mind your own business."
[That woman did not come alone confidently for no reason.]
Seo Jinha sent a sound transmission with a concise expression.
[That bamboo hat man is an expert of the Limitless Realm, and his body is invincible and indestructible itself. In a state where all power has disappeared, you can absolutely never win—]
He could not finish the sound transmission and closed his mouth.
Because Bu Eunseol was smiling.
It was the smile he used to make when he was one of the Ten Demon Warriors, when true killing intent surged up inside him.
"Martial Soul Command Lord?"
At that time, looking at Bu Eunseol, Nariya's pupils sparkled.
"My, this is fascinating."
She took turns looking at Seo Jinha and Bu Eunseol and tilted her head sideways.
"To think that the leaders of the Demonic Path and the Orthodox Faction, who cannot coexist, were friends."
Even if she lost all her power, a portion of the Star God's power still remained inside her body.
Although Bu Eunseol and Seo Jinha conversed through sound transmission and pretended not to know each other, she noticed the friendship harboring in their gazes at once.
"If such a fact becomes known, I wonder what kind of expression that Demon Emperor will make."
Despite Nariya's words full of certainty, Bu Eunseol was completely calm.
No matter what she said, he had absolutely no intention of leaving her—the woman who tried to kill Manwol and Seo Jinha—alive.
"Martial Soul Command Lord, I will defeat that person, so just go on your way."
"Go on your way?"
Nariya smiled coldly and raised her hand up toward the sky.
"By whose permission?"
Veeeing.
Suddenly, the sky around eighty zhang began to be dyed in purple, and transparent walls were created in all directions.
Like the Life-and-Death Battle Array, she unfolded a binding array art where one cannot go outside a certain space.
"Your confidence is excessive."
Seo Jinha looked up at the unfolding array method and made an absurd expression.
"Unfolding a binding array method trusting only that single bamboo hat man? Are you wishing for this corps leader to join forces with the Martial Soul Command Lord right now?"
Nariya smiled coldly.
"If you can do so."
The bamboo hat man was not a strong person nurtured simply by a grand method. His master had been researching martial artists and their techniques for years before creating him—the perfect martial artist.
Among the Twelve Guests, Mujingaek, whom she brought this time, was not only well-versed in all martial arts scattered under heaven, but could also instantly analyze and counterattack the enemy's martial arts.
"Martial Soul Command Lord."
Seo Jinha, who realized that Bu Eunseol would absolutely not avoid the place, said with a distinct voice.
"Since that bizarre person uses the martial arts of Nangyang Pavilion, I thought he was related to you, but is that not the case?"
In an instant, a light of realization flashed in Bu Eunseol's pupils.
Nangyang Pavilion's martial arts are not simple principles, but can be said to be the survival method and values of Nangyang Pavilion's disciples.
Real-combat martial arts.
In order to realize the enemy's martial arts during combat and accept the essence, one must completely accept the way of life that has been trained in Nangyang Pavilion and passed down through generations.
Because real-combat martial arts are a process of realizing a kind of value, transcending the limitation called technique.
But to think that the black hat man, who looks like a puppet, is using the essence of Nangyang Pavilion's real-combat martial arts?
"It is the Heavenly Mechanism Star."
Carefully observing the bamboo hat man's posture, Bu Eunseol nodded his head.
Although it is said that there are as many great figures and experts as grains of sand, the only one who can steal Nangyang Pavilion's martial arts and nurture a martial person is Chu So.
"You must certainly be Chu So's person."
"Chu So's person?"
Bu Eunseol felt a strangeness.
He clearly spoke with the meaning of contempt.
Why did that witch-like woman show a hint of joy?
"Well, I am not a subordinate, but I am closely related to him."
Nariya, who let out a nasal sound, commanded Mujingaek.
"Sweep them all away."
Boom!
Even before the words ended, a strike as sharp as lightning exploded from Bu Eunseol.
He intended to first defeat Nariya, who controls the bamboo hat man, Mujingaek.
Veeeing.
The moment the finger moved toward her, a transparent wall flashed and surged up in the empty air.
An invisible true qi barrier was already surrounding her.
Bang!
Bu Eunseol unleashed his internal cultivation power and the Endless Heavenly Light Art simultaneously.
"Hmph, a useless act."
Nariya, who let out a nasal sound, stretched out her hand.
"Shall we watch the end of struggling like an insect?"
Veeeing.
A faint light spread from Bu Eunseol's body, and all his power drained out.
No, it should have drained out.
However, wasn’t the energy that should have disappeared spreading out even more fiercely instead?
"How on earth..."
Nariya, who flashed her two eyes, only then discovered a single sparkling small bead attached to Bu Eunseol's wrist.
Was that not the treasure bead that Manwol always wears?
"Clear heart jade bead?"
Manwol foresaw the entire situation and passed the clear heart jade bead to Bu Eunseol through Jeong Yeong.
She had saved him from a crisis once again.
"Martial Soul Command Lord!"
Suddenly, Nariya cackled and pointed at Bu Eunseol.
"You were that bastard lover of Manwol who appeared at Gukjuk Ridge!"
She showed a malicious smile.
"It does not matter even if you did not lose your power. You will not be able to match Mujingaek anyway."
Nariya raised the corners of her mouth with a face full of confidence.
"I will leisurely watch the lover whom Manwol loved so anxiously die miserably like an insect."
Veeeing.
Before anyone knew it, a black sphere formed behind her back and swallowed her body in an instant.
"Was that a technique?"
Bu Eunseol frowned his brow while looking at the disappeared Nariya.
Not only did she disappear in the blink of an eye, but her presence also completely vanished.
That black sphere was probably a technique capable of separating space, like the small barrier Jeong Yeong had unfolded.
Before anyone knew it, Mujingaek was standing right in front of Bu Eunseol, as if he had been in that spot from the very beginning.
As he stood facing him, the air sank heavily like the deep sea, and time slowed down its flow.
Comments