—When it was created or who its true leader is, no one knows. But for generations, the martial world…
The book was not a martial arts manual but a detailed account of the shadowy forces that plagued the martial world four hundred years ago. As Bu Eunseol read through the text, his eyes narrowed.
A coincidence?
According to the record, four hundred years ago, mysterious figures—whose identities and affiliations were unknown—had wreaked havoc in the martial world.
‘Even the Martial Emperor couldn’t defeat them?’ Bu Eunseol shook his head.
The Martial Emperor, Seop Muhun, was one of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars who dominated that era. Few could have matched him. Yet, the book claimed there were numerous mysterious figures with martial prowess equal to his.
—I, the Emperor, tried to inform the Martial Alliance and various righteous sects to eradicate these forces.
But their power transcended both righteous and demonic factions, controlling the martial world itself. Instead, I was driven into a corner.
‘So that’s why he vanished without a trace.’
Despite his immense martial prowess, the Martial Emperor, who roamed the martial world alone like a divine dragon without allies or a faction, was slandered by these vast forces he couldn’t face alone.
In the end, unable to clear his name, he disappeared.
‘To think there were forces capable of challenging Seop Muhun, who could instantly transcribe any martial art he saw…’
Having finished reading the Martial Emperor’s Secret Record, Bu Eunseol shook his head.
What kind of people were these shadowy forces that controlled the martial world four hundred years ago without ever revealing themselves?
“Anything impressive written in there?” Bukgung Ryeong asked, curiosity piqued, as he picked up the Martial Emperor’s Secret Record Bu Eunseol had been reading.
“Hmm… It’s just like the state of the martial world today,” Bukgung Ryeong muttered with a long sigh after finishing the book. “It’s like the story of those masked weirdos.”
“Masked…” Bu Eunseol echoed.
At those words, he recalled the mysterious masked figures he had encountered.
They all possessed exceptional martial skills and an intelligence network sophisticated enough to evade pursuit from Myeonhon or the Peongan Corps.
Hadn’t they even unleashed overwhelming power to kill the Mad Soul Physician, surpassing his own?
“You’ve seen them…” Bukgung Ryeong’s eyes glinted as he noticed Bu Eunseol’s expression. “Haven’t you?”
“Yes,” Bu Eunseol confirmed.
Bukgung Ryeong took a deep breath. “Do you know why I worked so closely with Gu Hongcheong, that ambition-filled old man?”
“…” Bu Eunseol remained silent.
“Because we discovered a force scheming in the shadows and tried to track them down,” Bukgung Ryeong explained.
Bu Eunseol found this puzzling.
For someone like Bukgung Ryeong, who roamed the martial world alone, connections with major intelligence networks were essential. But wasn’t Gu Hongcheong merely an advisory elder of the Beggars’ Sect, not its leader?
“They planted spies in both righteous and demonic factions, just like the situation described here from four hundred years ago,” Bukgung Ryeong said, pointing to the book.
“Are you saying the Beggars’ Sect leader is one of their spies?” Bu Eunseol asked.
“I don’t know for sure. But the claim that Nobong, the sect leader, has been bedridden with a strange illness… it’s a lie,” Bukgung Ryeong replied.
Nobong, the Beggars’ Sect leader, was said to have been confined to his sickbed for years.
To think that was a lie?
“Then Gu Hongcheong could be a spy too,” Bu Eunseol suggested.
“No way. He was the first to notice the existence of those manipulating the martial world from the shadows,” Bukgung Ryeong countered.
As the elder of the Beggars’ Sect, a key figure in the righteous intelligence network, Gu Hongcheong had access to high-level information. Bukgung Ryeong had chosen to ally with the reliable elder rather than the dubious sect leader.
“That’s why he always wanted a stronger Beggars’ Sect,” Bukgung Ryeong said, his expression somber. “Of course, I can’t say he was free of personal ambition.”
To dispel the dark clouds looming over the martial world, overwhelming strength was necessary. Gu Hongcheong had hoped to make the Beggars’ Sect the cornerstone of the righteous factions to drive out those controlling forces.
“If you knew about these shadowy forces manipulating the martial world, why not inform the sects?” Bu Eunseol asked.
“You think we didn’t try?” Bukgung Ryeong sighed deeply, pointing to the Martial Emperor’s Secret Record.
Even a supreme master like the Martial Emperor, with vast connections among sect leaders and martial artists, met such a tragic end. In other words, Bukgung Ryeong and Gu Hongcheong alone couldn’t even grasp the tail of these forces.
“Provoking them carelessly would invite retaliation. We had to bide our time until we had solid evidence and knew their full scope,” Bukgung Ryeong explained.
“I see,” Bu Eunseol said.
“But how did you learn about these mysterious masked figures? Their actions are so secretive that few even know they exist,” Bukgung Ryeong asked.
“I just ran into them by chance,” Bu Eunseol replied calmly.
“By chance?” Bukgung Ryeong echoed.
“Every time something happened, masked figures appeared. I tried to fight them properly, but they always fled,” Bu Eunseol explained.
“You tried to fight them, and they ran?” Bukgung Ryeong asked.
“Yes,” Bu Eunseol confirmed.
“Haha,” Bukgung Ryeong laughed, looking at Bu Eunseol with newfound surprise. ‘This guy doesn’t know fear. No wonder he didn’t flinch even against me.’
A faint smile crept onto his lips.
Reflecting on it, Bu Eunseol was strikingly similar to his younger self.
Handsome, exceptionally skilled, fearless of heaven or earth, and never backing down from a fight, no matter the opponent.
‘The martial world rarely sees such spirited young warriors these days.’ A profound emotion welled up in Bukgung Ryeong’s chest.
The young prodigies he had met so far either flattered him or sought to gain favor for their own benefit.
But Bu Eunseol was different.
He cared for nothing but forging his own path.
‘To think such an outstanding figure emerged from the demonic path.’
Bukgung Ryeong felt a pang of regret. To feel such kinship with a prodigy of the demonic path, of all things.
“I’ve roamed the martial world alone, trying to uphold its justice,” Bukgung Ryeong said, unable to stop himself from sharing his deepest thoughts with Bu Eunseol. “But all I’m left with is distrust of people.”
The martial world seemed peaceful on the surface, but its current state was unimaginably perilous.
Spies lurked in both righteous and demonic factions, and unknown figures stirred chaos. To roam the martial world alone and pursue them was already a remarkable feat.
“If I take one wrong step, I might end my life quietly like the Martial Emperor,” Bukgung Ryeong said.
Bu Eunseol nodded unconsciously.
If the Martial Emperor’s Secret Record was true, those masked forces had deep roots in the martial world.
Their branches extended to unknown lengths.
A careless move could not only provoke their wrath but lead to irreversible consequences.
“I’ve said too much,” Bukgung Ryeong said, shaking his head as he surveyed the surroundings. “Well, let’s part ways here.”
“You’re leaving just like that?” Bu Eunseol asked, surprised.
Hadn’t Bukgung Ryeong been raging with killing intent, blaming him for Gu Hongcheong’s death? To walk away with his friend’s killer standing before him?
“Heh,” Bukgung Ryeong gave a weary, bittersweet smile. “You haven’t left the vault yet.”
Though conveyed through their eyes, Bukgung Ryeong had promised not to attack until they overcame all the traps.
Now, with the traps cleared, he could kill Bu Eunseol if he chose to.
Yet, he was quietly leaving, sparing him.
“If fate allows, we’ll meet again,” Bukgung Ryeong said with a deep sigh, turning to leave.
He paused briefly. “One thing I’m curious about.”
“Speak,” Bu Eunseol said.
“Did he… regret it?” Bukgung Ryeong asked.
He knew Gu Hongcheong was consumed by ambition. That relentless ambition had left a flaw in his spirit, leading to his defeat by Bu Eunseol.
Did he, in his final moments, regret clinging to that thirst for power?
“He didn’t regret it,” Bu Eunseol said, exhaling softly. “On the contrary, he was satisfied, knowing his death would prevent Vice-Sect Leader Haepung from becoming sect leader and that countless warriors would come for me.”
“Haha. He went out cursing like a true King of Beggars,” Bukgung Ryeong said, a relieved smile spreading across his face.
Gu Hongcheong, the Beggar King, had met a bold and unregretful death, befitting the King of Beggars.
“You won’t regret it?” Bu Eunseol asked clearly. “This is a golden opportunity you won’t get again.”
Understanding his meaning, Bukgung Ryeong was silent for a long moment before speaking slowly. “Gu Hongcheong, that old man, fought to his heart’s content against a prodigy with a blazing martial spirit and lost without regrets.”
A dry smile crossed his lips. “What regrets could I have?”
It was his honest sentiment.
Bu Eunseol, too, fell silent before saying calmly, “Most righteous folk don’t act their age, but… there are exceptions.”
“Hahaha,” Bukgung Ryeong burst into laughter.
He realized this wooden young man’s words were his way of apologizing.
“The martial world seems peaceful, but it’s a perilous place. It’s likely the same for the demonic path,” Bukgung Ryeong said, a flicker of emotion passing through his usually stoic eyes.
If their paths weren’t so different, if their age gap weren’t so vast…
Bukgung Ryeong felt an inexplicable sense of regret.
“You’ll eventually clash with them,” he said.
“That won’t happen,” Bu Eunseol replied, shaking his head calmly. “I have no interest in the martial world’s affairs.”
“Heh. You still don’t understand the ways of the martial world,” Bukgung Ryeong chuckled. “The moment you killed Gu Hongcheong, you became a figure who sways the martial world’s tides.”
By defeating one of the Seven Kings of Death, Bu Eunseol’s name alone now wielded immense influence.
And the forces manipulating the martial world… they would never leave him alone.
“We’ve lingered too long,” Bukgung Ryeong muttered, gazing into the empty air. “It seems I was fated not to attend the Thousand Swords Society.”
The Thousand Swords Society.
The place that had taught Bu Eunseol the Radiant Sword Control and asked him to slay the demon who had killed the Assembly Master and all ten of its leaders.
A strange thought flashed through Bu Eunseol’s mind.
Could the “demon” they spoke of be connected to the masked figures?
Boom.
With a smile, Bukgung Ryeong opened the door opposite the library and vanished. Watching his departing figure, Bu Eunseol instinctively knew.
His connection with Bukgung Ryeong was not over.
“No choice, then,” Bu Eunseol said, shaking his head.
In the martial world, no one could escape the web of grudges and ties. As long as he lived, he would keep clashing with others, forging ahead.
“Too much time has been wasted,” Bu Eunseol said, turning with a light expression.
The Martial Emperor’s Hidden Vault had turned a fearsome enemy like the Bullet King into a not-so-bad connection.
That was a stroke of fortune for him.
“Well read,” Bu Eunseol said, preparing to return the Martial Emperor’s Secret Record to the shelf.
Zing.
At that moment, a strange sensation struck him.
When he tilted the closed book slightly, the center of gravity felt subtly different.
It was a weight lighter than an ant, but Bu Eunseol, with his superhuman sense of balance, immediately noticed the anomaly.
‘Tilting the book changes its center of gravity…’
Examining the Martial Emperor’s Secret Record closely, he carefully felt each page.
He soon sensed that the final page was ever so slightly thicker than the others.
Hum!
Channeling the Subtle True Technique, Bu Eunseol created a blade finer than a hair at his fingertip.
Slice!
The blade cut the thin page vertically into two pieces.
Thud.
Inside the split page was a sheet so thin it appeared transparent.
“This is…”
The transparent sheet was densely inscribed with tiny characters, barely visible even with heightened vision.
—The process of reaching the pinnacle of divine martial arts is like rowing a boat through a raging sea where you can’t see an inch ahead.
Bu Eunseol’s eyes narrowed as he read the opening line.
—In the end, you can only navigate by using the tangled threads of emotions as a compass.
As he read the inscribed words, his eyes narrowed further.
The Martial Emperor’s Tranquil Awakening.
In the final page of the Martial Emperor’s Secret Record, the Martial Emperor had recorded the ultimate insights he gained in his later years.
