“How dare you challenge this old man?”
As the Five Heroes of Shandong glared at him with murderous intent, Bukgung Ryeong let out a scornful chuckle.
“Looks like getting your hands on a fine weapon has made you bold.”
“The Ten Cosmic Weapons are no ordinary blades,” Ku Yeonghwa replied, gazing at Bukgung Ryeong with a cold smile. “And now, we’ll show you their power.”
At that, the other four heroes smirked wickedly, gripping the weapons in their hands.
Ordinarily, they wouldn’t have dared to even talk back to Bukgung Ryeong, let alone oppose him. But now, they wielded the Ten Cosmic Weapons, revered as the greatest divine artifacts in the martial world. Having tested their power, they were confident that even the mighty Bullet King could be defeated with ease.
“Attack!” Ku Yeonghwa’s shout rang out, and as if on cue, the five surrounded Bukgung Ryeong.
The first to strike was the third hero, Geum Seo. He swiftly brandished his vibrating whisk, and—
Whiiiiing!
A razor-sharp gust, capable of tearing through steel, enveloped Bukgung Ryeong’s body. This was the Heaven and Earth Whisk, a weapon that could unleash lethal sharpness with a single swing.
“Hmph.” Standing firm, Bukgung Ryeong flicked his finger.
Kwauuu!
A powerful surge of energy blasted forth, instantly dispersing the cutting wind.
Twung!
At that moment, the fourth hero, Cha Wooryang, fired his short bow. A barrage of piercing energy rained down on Bukgung Ryeong’s head like hail. Though only one arrow was shot, it cast dozens of shadows—a hallmark of the Silver Sky Bow, one of the Ten Cosmic Weapons.
Kwarrung! Kwarrung!
Bukgung Ryeong unleashed his Inner Bullet Technique, deflecting the arrows in an instant.
‘Hmm.’
He couldn’t hide his surprise. Even though he had casually unleashed his Inner Bullet Technique with the power of the Three Stars, it was strong enough to pierce trees and shatter rocks. Yet, it was blocked so easily by the mere energy emanating from their weapons?
Shiiik!
Suddenly, a red light surged toward Bukgung Ryeong’s face. It was the blade energy unleashed by the second hero, Jeong Jungwon, wielding the Mighty Tyrant Blade.
“Hmph.”
As the energy from four weapons poured toward him, Bukgung Ryeong summoned his true power, compressing immense energy into his fingers. Realizing the weapons’ strength was greater than expected, he prepared to unleash an Inner Bullet Technique at the level of the Six Stars.
―Biii!
A sharp flute sound pierced Bukgung Ryeong’s ears. It was Ku Yeonghwa playing the Heavenly Golden Flute.
“Ugh.” The sound made Bukgung Ryeong wince, his eardrums throbbing as the energy he had gathered in his fingers dissipated instantly.
This was the power of the Heavenly Golden Flute, a supreme weapon capable of targeting specific individuals with its sound and disrupting their energy.
Kwauung! Paang!
Explosive sounds rang out in succession. The combined might of the five Ten Cosmic Weapons was staggering.
The Heavenly Golden Flute, which could direct sound attacks and scatter energy; the Mighty Tyrant Blade, which could unleash blade energy from inescapable angles; the Heaven and Earth Whisk, which could summon deadly gusts to block retreat; the Silver Sky Bow, dominating the air with its relentless arrows; and the Golden Iron Axe, which countered Bukgung Ryeong’s Inner Bullet Technique.
Having massacred the martial artists on Ghost Island, the Five Heroes of Shandong had already mastered the use of the Ten Cosmic Weapons. Moreover, their long years of fighting together allowed them to execute a refined joint attack technique, as if they had trained as a single unit for decades.
With the five weapons forming a perfect balance of offense and defense, Bukgung Ryeong’s Inner Bullet Technique couldn’t unleash its full potential. Thus, the Five Heroes, who normally wouldn’t last ten moves against him, were able to fight on near-equal footing.
‘Must I kill them?’
Bukgung Ryeong’s eyes wavered. Even if the Five Heroes wielded the Ten Cosmic Weapons or any other divine artifact, they were no match for him. He had come to Ghost Island to rescue the righteous martial artists trapped by Jangbodo’s scheme. But upon arriving, he found them already slaughtered, leaving only the greed-consumed Five Heroes.
‘If I meant to kill them, why did I even come to this Ghost Island?’ Bukgung Ryeong’s heart was in turmoil. The righteous heroes he knew were supposed to act with justice, free from selfish desires. He had always considered himself a righteous hero and took pride in it.
‘Is this the true face of the righteous heroes I’ve been so proud of?’
Was it merely the instinct of martial artists to risk their lives for secret manuals and divine weapons? Or was it the natural greed born from being blocked by the wall of the Supreme Realm, unable to advance further? If the Five Heroes hadn’t obtained these weapons, and someone else had, would this slaughter have been avoided?
Bukgung Ryeong’s heart spiraled into chaos, much like Bu Eunseol’s own struggles at the crossroads of the righteous and demonic paths.
A clash of beliefs.
For the first time, Bukgung Ryeong faced such a trial.
Kwauung!
As cracks formed in his spirit, the power of his Inner Bullet Technique visibly weakened. Seizing the opportunity, the Five Heroes unleashed the full might of their weapons, targeting Bukgung Ryeong’s vulnerabilities.
Bang!
The five weapons clashed head-on with Bukgung Ryeong’s Inner Bullet Technique, producing a deafening explosion. Both Bukgung Ryeong and the Five Heroes staggered back five steps.
“Heh heh heh. So this is all the famed Bullet King amounts to,” Ku Yeonghwa sneered wickedly.
Bukgung Ryeong’s eyes blazed with killing intent. “Is that so?”
As he summoned his inner energy again, a faint light emanated from his body, and a shimmering golden orb rose into the air. This was the Violet Lightning Golden Orb, the unique weapon that earned him the title of Bullet King.
A single stone thrown by him could topple a pavilion. If he used the Violet Lightning Golden Orb, he could bring down Mount Tai itself.
Wooong!
A brilliant light radiated from the floating orb. Yet, hesitation flickered in Bukgung Ryeong’s eyes once more.
‘Ugh.’
He had spent his life hating evildoers and showing them no mercy. If these were notorious villains with a history of evil, he would have slain them without hesitation. But these men, unable to advance their martial arts, had fallen into despair. Seduced by the Ten Cosmic Weapons, they had become monsters consumed by cruel, selfish greed.
Belief.
Those who reached the pinnacle of martial arts all had their own convictions. Bukgung Ryeong had only ever killed evildoers, taking pride in that principle. But now, the vile actions of the Five Heroes were shattering that belief.
‘Did I risk my life to come to Ghost Island just to save scum like these?’ His eyes trembled endlessly. ‘How could such people ever earn the title of righteous heroes?’
Even the so-called righteous heroes, renowned for their noble reputations, were they not just like the Five Heroes in truth?
Doubt and regret surged within him.
‘No. If I waver now, what then?’ Shaking his head, Bukgung Ryeong steeled his resolve. If he killed them in anger, everything he had done, everything that sustained his beliefs, would crumble.
“Put down your weapons,” he said, taking a deep breath and recalling the Violet Lightning Golden Orb back into his robes. “If you repent now…”
But his words were cut short. The Five Heroes, spotting a flaw in his stance, unleashed their accumulated energy in a lightning-fast strike.
Kwauung!
An explosion roared, and a massive crater formed where Bukgung Ryeong stood.
Timing is critical in executing techniques. When Bukgung Ryeong first prepared to unleash the Violet Lightning Golden Orb, his body and spirit were in perfect harmony, his focus absolute. But as he retracted his technique, his body and spirit briefly fell into a vulnerable state.
Seizing that fleeting moment, the Five Heroes struck with the Ten Cosmic Weapons, catching Bukgung Ryeong off guard.
Zzzzt.
Sparks flew as immense shockwaves spread, and dust billowed dozens of yards into the air.
Whiiiing.
As the wind cleared the dust, a figure stood before Bukgung Ryeong in the crater—Bu Eunseol, manifesting a spherical barrier of energy with his Wishful True Binding.
Zzzzt.
Bu Eunseol’s form, enveloped in a circular wall of energy, resembled the legendary protective aura of myth. The Five Heroes flinched and stepped back, startled by the intensity in his glowing red eyes. Not only had he single-handedly blocked their attack, but the aura radiating from him was extraordinary.
“Losing focus in the middle of a fight? Are you out of your mind?” Bu Eunseol snapped, having intervened to save Bukgung Ryeong’s life.
“You bastards…” Bukgung Ryeong’s eyes brimmed with murderous intent as he crouched. He had held back, even stopping his Violet Lightning Golden Orb to persuade them, yet these vile men had seized the chance to try to kill him.
“Step aside.” The killing intent in Bukgung Ryeong’s eyes now burned like dark flames, mirroring the state Bu Eunseol had once entered when consumed by rage and unleashing the Wishful True Binding.
‘He’s fallen into a heart demon.’
It was unthinkable that Bukgung Ryeong, a master of orthodox martial arts, would practice a demonic technique like the Emotion-Severing Secret. His beliefs, which had long sustained him, had crumbled, plunging him into rage and a heart demon.
“Snap out of it!” Bu Eunseol shouted.
Kwarrung!
Instead of responding, Bukgung Ryeong unleashed a Inner Bullet Technique toward Bu Eunseol.
Kwauung!
Bu Eunseol dodged lightly, and a massive tree behind him turned to dust in an instant.
‘His power has grown, but his speed is gone.’
Bu Eunseol had once fallen into a heart demon himself when facing the King of Hell, his humanity erased. Yet, his immense power came from the Emotion-Severing Secret, a demonic technique that obliterated emotions, aligning perfectly with his desire to become stronger in life-or-death moments.
But Bukgung Ryeong was a grandmaster of orthodox martial arts, relying on energy-based techniques. Falling into a heart demon weakened his Inner Bullet Technique, as his physical reactions and spiritual stability shattered.
“You dare dodge my Inner Bullet Technique?”
Enslaved by his heart demon, Bukgung Ryeong began attacking Bu Eunseol instead of the Five Heroes.
“The Bullet King’s fallen into a heart demon! Take him down first!” the Five Heroes shouted. They had hesitated, knowing Bu Eunseol’s martial prowess. If he and Bukgung Ryeong joined forces, they’d be dead in an instant. But now, with Bukgung Ryeong attacking Bu Eunseol, they seized the opportunity to launch a combined assault.
Bang! Kwaaang!
Bu Eunseol could barely keep up with the attacks from both sides. Though slower and less powerful, Bukgung Ryeong’s Inner Bullet Technique was still devastating, tearing his clothes and skin with the slightest graze.
―Biii!
The piercing sound of the Heavenly Golden Flute disrupted Bu Eunseol’s energy, reducing his internal power by a third with each note.
If that were all, he could have endured. But the Heaven and Earth Whisk summoned deadly gusts that tore at his body, the Mighty Tyrant Blade slashed from invisible angles, and the Golden Iron Axe followed any dodge. The Silver Sky Bow’s arrows rained down like a steel ring, blocking his escape.
‘There’s no way out.’
Bukgung Ryeong’s Inner Bullet Technique came from the front, while the Five Heroes’ Ten Cosmic Weapons attacked from behind.
Wooong!
As their combined assault enveloped him, dark energy surged from Bu Eunseol’s body. With no way to escape, he unleashed the Wishful True Binding.
‘I can’t take the Inner Bullet Technique head-on.’
Above all, he knew he couldn’t withstand Bukgung Ryeong’s Inner Bullet Technique directly. Adjusting his Wishful True Binding, he deflected the Inner Bullet Technique at an angle.
Kwauung!
A massive explosion erupted as the Inner Bullet Technique and the Ten Cosmic Weapons’ combined attack struck Bu Eunseol’s energy barrier.
“Pfft.” Bu Eunseol staggered back five steps, spitting out a pebble-sized clot of blood. Even with his full-powered Wishful True Binding, he couldn’t fully deflect Bukgung Ryeong’s attack.
Hwaaak!
But the blood was momentary. Closing the distance to Bukgung Ryeong in an instant, Bu Eunseol unleashed a flurry of fist techniques. Having experienced a heart demon himself, he knew the most effective way to break it was to deliver a powerful physical shock.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
As he unleashed his fist techniques at close range, Bukgung Ryeong countered with both hands. The Five Heroes seized the moment, attacking from behind, but Bu Eunseol blocked them with his Wishful True Binding.
“Get lost!” A red glow burst from Bu Eunseol’s fist as he repelled the Five Heroes’ attack with his Wishful True Binding.
With a deafening roar, he unleashed the Thousand Hands Destruction Technique, sending the Five Heroes flying dozens of yards.
‘This is my last chance.’
This was his final opportunity to free Bukgung Ryeong from his heart demon. Closing the distance in an instant, Bu Eunseol unleashed his Seven Demon Fists with full force.
Bukgung Ryeong, a master of long-range Inner Bullet Technique techniques, struggled as Bu Eunseol fought at point-blank range with his close-combat techniques. Even in his heart demon state, Bukgung Ryeong instinctively unleashed the Breaking Manifest Chain Fist. But Bu Eunseol’s Seven Demon Fists, though incomplete, incorporated the essence of all supreme fist techniques, far surpassing the orthodox grandeur of Bukgung Ryeong’s style.
Bang! Bang!
Overwhelmed by Bu Eunseol’s relentless speed and technique, Bukgung Ryeong was pushed back six steps.
‘Now!’
Ziiiing!
Spotting an opening, Bu Eunseol’s left hand unleashed a devastating sound, like metal being struck, as his Mighty Horse Shattering Technique roared forth like a storm, sending Bukgung Ryeong crashing into a stone wall dozens of yards away.
Kuweung!
Unable to fully deflect the attack, Bukgung Ryeong slammed into the wall and bounced back. Bu Eunseol had layered the Demon Flash Technique onto the Mighty Horse Shattering Technique, pushing and pulling Bukgung Ryeong’s body with immense force.
“You…” Bukgung Ryeong’s blackened eyes slowly regained their natural color, his gaze clearing.
“Are you back?” Bu Eunseol’s lips were stained with blood.
Dodging the terrifying Inner Bullet Technique and repeatedly using the limited Wishful True Binding to block the Ten Cosmic Weapons had left him with external wounds and deep internal injuries.
“Why did you…” Bukgung Ryeong’s voice trembled.
Though consumed by a heart demon, he hadn’t lost his sense of self. He had clearly seen Bu Eunseol risk his life, unleashing fist techniques to break his heart demon and protect him from the Ten Cosmic Weapons.
“The righteous heroes I believed in for a lifetime betrayed me, yet you, a disciple of the demonic path, protected this old man…” His body trembled faintly. Falling into a heart demon with a shattered belief could irreparably damage body and soul. Knowing this, Bu Eunseol had risked everything to shake him back to clarity.
“Thanks to you, I’ve learned something too,” Bu Eunseol said calmly.
“What do you mean?”
“By pulling you back, I found a way to mend my own fractured spirit.”
Rustle.
At that moment, the Five Heroes reappeared behind them. Though pushed back by the Thousand Hands Destruction Technique, they had watched Bu Eunseol and Bukgung Ryeong’s desperate close-combat struggle, hoping they would destroy each other. But seeing Bu Eunseol overpower Bukgung Ryeong, they quickly moved to attack him again.
“You vile bastards!” Bukgung Ryeong glared at them with furious eyes. “I’ll handle this. Step back.”
The Five Heroes’ faces darkened. They realized that Bukgung Ryeong, despite being struck down, had instantly broken free of his heart demon.
‘If those two join forces, we’re dead.’ As the Five Heroes, sweating coldly, began to retreat, Bu Eunseol stepped forward.
“I’ll take care of them,” he said. “I need to test what I’ve realized.”
His body was battered, but his eyes were as clear as a lake. Bukgung Ryeong flinched slightly. Bu Eunseol’s gaze had changed profoundly.
‘This guy…’
Bukgung Ryeong couldn’t comprehend the situation. In just a brief exchange of close combat, Bu Eunseol had not only mended his fractured spirit but had also elevated his martial prowess to a new level.
