Iwha Manor stood empty.
Having decisively defeated the Beggar Corps, the Death Shadow Corps, under Bu Eunseol’s orders, had fully withdrawn to Majeon.
There were two reasons for this.
First, by risking their lives to crush the Beggar Corps, they had shattered the Beggar Sect’s prestige in a single stroke. If the Death Shadow Corps remained at Iwha Manor, it could provoke the Beggar Sect into launching a full-scale assault.
But the true, more critical reason was the second: Bu Eunseol needed to stay alone for Geul Wang to approach him with confidence.
Whoosh.
A desolate wind swept through the empty manor.
With the Death Shadow Corps gone, the manor seemed to revert to its eerie, abandoned state.
Creak.
At that moment, an inner door opened, and a young man carrying a tray with a teapot and cups walked toward the garden pavilion. It was Black Leopard.
Near the pavilion, a man sat upright in meditation—Bu Eunseol.
‘He could at least take some cool tea.’ Bu Eunseol had neither eaten nor drunk water for three days, meditating like an ascetic monk enduring hardship.
Unable to bear watching, Black Leopard had prepared cold fragrant tea and placed it nearby.
Rustle.
Bu Eunseol slowly opened his eyes.
Despite three days without water, his eyes were full of vitality, and his skin radiated life.
“S-sorry,” Black Leopard stammered, scratching his head as Bu Eunseol awoke. “I thought if I quietly placed some cool tea nearby… you’d want something refreshing first thing…”
He faltered, worried he’d disturbed Bu Eunseol’s meditation.
“You didn’t wake me,” Bu Eunseol said, shaking his head calmly. “I was just feeling thirsty.”
“Oh, good then,” Black Leopard said with a smile, carefully pouring the cold tea.
Sipping slowly, Bu Eunseol gazed at the distant sky, his eyes sharpening as if sensing something.
“The Beggar Sect’s intelligence network is impressive,” Black Leopard said, looking worriedly at the horizon. “If they know you’re here alone, won’t they send another unit?”
“They’ve already been humiliated once using such tactics,” Bu Eunseol replied, shaking his head. “The orthodox sects value face and prestige highly. They won’t resort to such cowardly, shameful methods twice.”
Murmuring as he stared at the sky, he added, “By now, their intelligence network has likely uncovered my identity and purpose.”
“Then…” Black Leopard began.
Bu Eunseol nodded, taking a deep breath. “Geul Wang will surely come for me. Alone.”
Step, step.
As if proving his words, faint footsteps echoed from somewhere.
Deep inner energy steadies steps, and superior qinggong makes them nearly silent. From footsteps alone, martial artists can gauge weight, stride, and even the depth of martial prowess.
‘A formidable master.’ Bu Eunseol’s expression showed slight surprise at the sound.
When body and mind are perfectly unified, the speed and stride of steps become consistent. These footsteps were precise, like a finely tuned machine, a testament to a martial master’s complete mastery.
Halt.
The footsteps stopped beyond Iwha Manor’s gate. Bu Eunseol felt a powerful wave of energy, strong enough to alter the air’s flow.
Had Geul Wang finally arrived?
‘Strange.’ But Bu Eunseol shook his head. The energy was immense but lacked the domineering aura he associated with Geul Wang.
Sensing something amiss, he fixed his gaze on the gate.
Creak.
The gate opened, revealing a figure. Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened. It was a young monk in Buddhist robes.
“…” Their gazes locked, and both their pupils dilated, instantly recognizing each other’s identity.
“Are you Benefactor Bu, the Ten Demon Warrior of Nangyang?” the monk asked.
Bu Eunseol nodded, and the monk clasped his hands in a bow. “This humble monk is Kwang Yeon, a disciple of Shaolin.”
Revealing his Dharma name, Kwang Yeon gave Bu Eunseol a faint smile. “And also a master selected by the Martial Alliance.”
‘A minor monk but Shaolin’s greatest prodigy.’ These were the words Song Ak, a Wudang master who had fought Bu Eunseol, used to describe Kwang Yeon.
Meeting him, Bu Eunseol realized two things: Kwang Yeon’s skills surpassed Song Ak’s, and the Beggar Sect did not want him to face Geul Wang.
“I didn’t know Shaolin moved at the Beggar Sect’s behest,” Bu Eunseol said.
“Amitabha,” Kwang Yeon said, clasping his hands again. “Benefactor Bu’s actions have demanded the blood of many, have they not?” He spoke as if reproaching Bu Eunseol’s pursuit of Geul Wang. “This monk merely seeks to prevent that.”
“Everyone has their reasons,” Bu Eunseol said, waving a hand and raising his energy as he stepped forward. “No need for long talk. Come at me.”
As top prodigies of the demonic and orthodox paths, they might have exchanged courtesies under normal circumstances, even with hostility.
But sensing Kwang Yeon’s words dragging on, Bu Eunseol cut to the chase.
“Very well,” Kwang Yeon said, his body radiating visible energy with a faint smile. “Let me clarify: this is not a contest of skill.”
His expression grew serious. “I intend to fully disable your martial arts. So, please, fight with all your strength.” Lowering his arms, Kwang Yeon assumed a relaxed stance, full of openings for a martial artist preparing for battle.
Yet, to Bu Eunseol, this casual posture felt more threatening than any aggressive stance.
“Black Leopard,” Bu Eunseol called.
“Yes.”
“Leave Kaifeng immediately.”
“I’ll stay by your side, Young Master.”
Bu Eunseol shook his head. “If you do, he won’t accept defeat, even in death.” Pointing at Kwang Yeon, he continued, “Your presence splits his focus. And there’s no guarantee you won’t intervene at a critical moment, further dividing his concentration.”
“Indeed, Benefactor Bu is a true martial master,” Kwang Yeon said, impressed, staring at Black Leopard. “But if you leave with a worried or gloomy expression, it will drain Benefactor Bu’s focus as well.”
Smiling gently, he added, “Expressing trust before leaving would greatly aid Young Hero Bu.” Kwang Yeon seemed as adept at understanding human psychology as Bu Eunseol.
Acknowledging the wisdom, Black Leopard forced a bright smile. “Do well and return. I’ll be waiting, Young Master.” He swiftly used his movement technique to leave Iwha Manor.
“Impressive skill,” Kwang Yeon said, marveling at Black Leopard’s vanishing trajectory. “At that level, he’ll be among the top qinggong masters before he’s thirty.”
Feeling Bu Eunseol’s cold gaze, he smiled and extended a hand. “I’ve spoken too long. Strike first.”
“You came to me,” Bu Eunseol replied.
“Very well,” Kwang Yeon said, casually throwing a punch.
Whoosh!
The sound was barely audible, but a terrifying force capable of piercing steel surged toward Bu Eunseol’s chest.
It was Shaolin’s Hundred Steps Divine Fist.
Bu Eunseol stood firm, unleashing Fist Demon Seven Forms to counter the incoming force.
Boom!
An explosion rang out, energy waves spreading as both stepped back.
“Well,” Kwang Yeon said, eyes wide with surprise. “Your inner energy is astonishing.”
Raised in Shaolin since infancy and born with a divine yin-blocked pulse, Kwang Yeon would have died without learning the Muscle-changing Sutra. Shaolin’s abbot personally performed a hair-washing ritual and taught him the classic, making his inner energy unmatched in Shaolin, save for a few masters.
Yet Bu Eunseol, barely older, matched his inner energy?
‘As expected of Shaolin.’ Bu Eunseol wasn’t overly surprised. Shaolin’s inner energy techniques were the best in the orthodox sects. Kwang Yeon, training since childhood, naturally had formidable energy.
“Be careful!” Kwang Yeon said, clasping his hands and extending them.
Flash!
Eight hand shadows enveloped Bu Eunseol’s body.
It was Thousand Hands Tathagata Palm, one of Shaolin’s seventy-two supreme arts.
“Hmph,” Bu Eunseol snorted, using Fist Demon Seven Forms to dispel the palm shadows.
But the Thousand Hands Tathagata Palm spread faster than his fists.
Swish!
Soon, Kwang Yeon’s hand shadows multiplied to thirty-two.
Normally, complex techniques disperse inner energy, but each of Kwang Yeon’s shadows carried thick power.
Crackle.
As the palm’s complexity grew, Bu Eunseol stopped countering, using Swift Beyond Shadow to escape its range, intending to observe Shaolin’s art while evading.
Whoosh!
But the hand shadows, now seventy-two, had already blocked his retreat.
‘Good!’ Unable to fully evade, Bu Eunseol’s pupils dilated, light glowing from his fists.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
His fists moved like iron filings to a magnet, tracking Kwang Yeon’s palm technique. Unable to shake off the endless shadows, he used Fist Demon Seven Forms again to counter.
Whoosh! Crack!
They exchanged blows at close range.
Bu Eunseol’s strikes quickened, while Kwang Yeon’s slowed. Though Fist Demon Seven Forms was formidable, Kwang Yeon’s mastery of Shaolin’s seventy-two arts outlasted it.
‘Each move contains dozens of variations.’ Even in combat, Bu Eunseol could analyze the principles of his opponent’s techniques. Shaolin’s arts, however, held intricate principles and variations in every move, beyond even his ability to fully grasp quickly.
Shing.
Realizing he couldn’t break Kwang Yeon’s palm technique instantly, Bu Eunseol drew his black sword.
Flash!
Unleashing sword techniques, radiant light erased the hand shadows, and a sharp blade aimed for Kwang Yeon’s throat.
“Ugh.” Startled, Kwang Yeon stepped back, his form blurring as he shifted to Bu Eunseol’s side using Buddha Shadow Divine Step, Shaolin’s supreme movement art.
Swish!
But Bu Eunseol’s sword light cascaded, blocking Kwang Yeon’s retreat. Now, the situation reversed.
“Good!” Kwang Yeon, unable to evade, bent his middle finger, channeling immense inner energy and flicking repeatedly.
Thwong!
A sound like bending bamboo rang out as sharp finger winds erased Bu Eunseol’s sword shadows.
It was Finger Flick Divine Skill, a signature Shaolin art.
Flash!
Bu Eunseol’s sword sliced the air again, unleashing heavy, swift strikes and thick cross-shaped sword energies like storm clouds. He chained Meteor Chasing the Moon and Waning Moon, Dawn Star.
“Hmph.” Judging Finger Flick couldn’t counter, Kwang Yeon’s body radiated majestic Buddhist light. “Be careful!” he roared, extending his right hand in a strange gesture, neither fist nor palm.
Boom!
A sharp palm force, like a beast’s claw, tore through the sword strikes and aimed for Bu Eunseol’s sides.
Lion Muni Seal.
A supreme Shaolin art requiring three jiazi of inner energy.
‘Similar to Fist Demon Seven Forms.’ Kwang Yeon freely manipulated his palm force to block and counter, using a principle akin to borrowing force with energy, controlling power at will.
Slash!
As Bu Eunseol struck the Lion Muni Seal, a purple lightning bolt flashed, striking the ground.
It was the Unmatched Thunderbolt, an ultra-fast killing technique.
Swish!
Bu Eunseol maximized his movement, closing the distance with Kwang Yeon, his blade condensing to strike his crown and dantian simultaneously.
Whoosh!
Instead of dodging, Kwang Yeon clasped his hands, faint light emanating.
Flash!
Spreading his hands like a fan, a grinding sound pushed Bu Eunseol three paces back.
It was Great Strength Vajra Palm, Shaolin’s most forceful palm technique.
Tap!
Bu Eunseol closed the distance again, unleashing more sword strikes.
They spun like tops, Bu Eunseol’s sword techniques repeatedly blocked by Kwang Yeon’s palms and fists. Shaolin’s arts were sticky like glue and deep like the sea, gently deflecting any attack.
‘Shaolin’s arts are the antithesis of demonic arts.’
If demonic arts were sharp blades, Shaolin’s were thick cloth, softly enveloping them. No matter the technique, Shaolin’s arts could counter without killing intent, backed by vast inner energy.
Bu Eunseol’s demonic sword arts, focused on killing moves, were repeatedly thwarted.
‘This won’t do.’ His usual techniques couldn’t defeat Kwang Yeon.
Continuing would lead to frustration and helplessness as his moves were blocked.
Hum!
His sword strikes softened with a low hum, the radiant points fading, and his sword wobbled like empty rubber.
Rustle.
Kwang Yeon’s loose robes puffed up tightly. The night before a storm is calmest. He anticipated Bu Eunseol would unleash a devastating technique.
Boom!
Bu Eunseol’s energy surged like a raging whirlwind, faint light radiating from his body.
He was about to use Supreme Heavenly Flow’s eighth form, Lament of the River, honed to defeat Geul Wang.
