‘It’s working.’
Bu Eunseol immediately activated the Cheonui Heart Secret.
He deliberately clashed with their sword strikes again.
Clang! Clang!
After about twenty-four clashes, he discerned the energy flow of the disciples wielding sword techniques within the formation.
‘So that’s it.’ By clashing sword energy, he understood the Silent Void Annihilation Formation’s secret. ‘They weren’t waiting to unleash sword energy—they spread faint sword energy into my body, predicting my movements and striking accordingly.’
Bu Eunseol began synchronizing with the sixty disciples’ energy flow.
His inner energy surged in and out, swirling.
There was a moment when the energy entering his body struck the Baihui acupoint and ascended through the Du meridian.
‘With sixty people’s power combined, a fleeting flaw appears.’ As they pooled their power, a subtle break occurred when energy moved from the Ren to the Du meridian.
In that instant, they were utterly defenseless, unable to counterattack.
‘Wait. Then…’ While trading blows in the formation, another realization struck him.
Neither living nor dying.
Could it mean losing one’s self by synchronizing with the enemy’s energy?
Humm.
Finally grasping the intricate secrets of the Half-Life, Half-Death Form, a dark light flowed from his black sword.
Rumble.
With a light infusion of energy, a thunderous sword cry echoed from the blade.
Swish!
Sensing danger, the pavilion disciples, hidden in the transparent veil, unleashed sharp sword techniques.
Pop!
As they grazed his forearm, the energy flow of the disciples in the round veil paused momentarily.
At that moment—
Pop!
A massive sword aura passed through the transparent energy wall.
The Seven Blood Tear Forms’ Third Form, Half-Life, Half-Death, was finally unleashed.
Swish!
The massive sword aura shattered into hundreds of light points.
Crash!
The unbreakable round sword energy wall collapsed, revealing the sixty disciples.
Boom!
All sixty disciples bled from torn hands.
Bu Eunseol had destroyed their weapons in a single strike.
‘Impossible.’ The pavilion disciples were stunned.
Destroying sixty weapons held by skilled swordsmen in one strike?
‘A single sword aura split into hundreds of sword pellets?’ If Bu Eunseol had chosen otherwise, he could have severed all sixty necks in one blow.
“Hoo.” Bu Eunseol’s body was drenched in sweat.
After infusing energy into A-Yeon without recovering, he faced the Silent Void Annihilation Formation. Having poured all his mental and physical energy into the Half-Life, Half-Death Form, he could barely stand.
“Impossible.” Elder Nengyin couldn’t close her mouth.
It wasn’t just the technique’s intricacy of turning a sword aura into pellets.
She saw clearly.
As the disciples’ energy was stored in their dantian, ready to unleash new power, Bu Eunseol’s strike sliced through time and space.
That perfectly timed strike far exceeded the limits of swordsmanship.
“Do you concede?” At Bu Eunseol’s words—
“I…” Elder Nengyin couldn’t continue.
She had made a promise before hundreds of disciples. Breaking it would strip her of her elder status.
Step, step.
Resigned, Elder Nengyin walked powerlessly and stood before Bu Eunseol.
“I…” Taking a deep breath, she stepped closer. “…I’ll never let a demonic spawn who’d ruin the pavilion live!”
With a desperate cry, brilliant sword light erupted from her hand.
The Graceful Dream Sword, Sevenfold Path Form.
One of the pavilion’s supreme techniques was used in a vile ambush.
Humm!
Hundreds of sword pellets rose from Bu Eunseol’s feet.
He had anticipated her ambush.
And he aimed to clear the Seven-Finger Demon Blade’s name, falsely accused of killing the Nine Great Elders, before the pavilion’s disciples.
“You wretch!” With a demonic expression, Elder Nengyin charged through the sword pellets.
The pavilion’s swordsmanship required a calm heart, executed like a spiritual practice. But filled with resentment and killing intent, her movements dulled, and her swordsmanship lost its power.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Unable to pierce the hundreds of sword pellets, she retreated, covered in wounds.
Bu Eunseol, who didn’t fully execute the Life Lodges, Death Returns Blade and stood firm, was also bloodied, like a figure drenched in blood.
“…” Ok Yuha, whose acupoints had been released, watched with tears.
She saw Bu Zhanyang, standing resolute amidst flesh-tearing blade pellets without defending.
“Ugh.” Elder Nengyin let out a pained groan.
Not from her wounds, but from the disciples’ contemptuous gazes.
“I!” She shouted but couldn’t continue.
After a long silence, she spoke with a sorrowful expression. “As the pavilion’s elder, I did what I had to.”
She closed her eyes forlornly.
Her only path now was a cave of penance to atone for her sins. She had committed acts forbidden as an elder. Forcing Ok Yuha to take the Bright Silver Divine Pill to maintain coldness, attempting to kill the one who saved A-Yeon, and launching a despicable ambush unbefitting an orthodox figure.
If this demonic man revealed these to the martial world?
She could no longer maintain her authority as Supreme Elder, and the pavilion’s honor would plummet.
Spurt!
Her chest split, blood gushing like a fountain.
To avoid eternal disgrace, she severed her heart meridian, committing suicide.
Thud.
She collapsed like a log.
“Elder.” The disciples, unprepared for this, rushed to her body with anguished expressions.
Stagger.
Watching, Bu Eunseol knelt on one knee.
Exhausted of energy, stamina, and mental strength, he could no longer endure.
“You can rest now.” A gentle, tearful voice reached his ears. “No one here will harm you anymore.”
At the soft voice, Bu Eunseol’s eyes closed unconsciously.
***
When he opened his eyes again, Bu Eunseol realized he was lying on a luxurious bed.
Martial masters risk regression of their energy when unconscious. But he felt his inner energy brimming.
‘It turned calamity into fortune.’
He realized it was due to the Cheonui Heart Secret, unconsciously mastered. It not only synchronized with an enemy’s energy flow but also continuously circulated energy unconsciously, like So Okrim’s Celestial Emperor Technique.
“You’re awake.”
Bu Eunseol noticed a white-robed woman staring at him from beside the bed.
It was A-Yeon.
“What happened?” His question carried many meanings. But primarily, he was asking about the pavilion’s situation.
“Thank you for your concern.” A-Yeon bowed politely. “Thanks to you, the pavilion resolved the situation without splitting. The elder’s remains were respectfully laid to rest.”
Her expression was somber. Despite her sins, Elder Nengyin was the pillar who steadfastly led the pavilion.
Her suicide pained A-Yeon and all the disciples.
“That’s good.”
A-Yeon’s eyes wavered like ripples.
She had done nothing for Bu Eunseol, a demonic figure. Yet he risked his life to prevent the pavilion’s division. As the Seven-Finger Demon Blade’s successor, he fought to uphold his pride and honor Ok Yuha’s intent without destroying the pavilion.
But to A-Yeon, he was a noble figure who risked his life for her and the pavilion.
“Truly amazing. The pavilion’s formation was never broken before.” Her eyes shone with pride, as if gazing at her heroic husband.
Bu Eunseol subtly averted his gaze and said, “Probably because it never faced a true master.”
“Perhaps.”
A brief silence followed.
But Bu Eunseol felt something odd, a sense of unease. A chill on his neck, as if something in the darkness was watching him.
It didn’t take long to realize it was A-Yeon’s fervent gaze, relentlessly pursuing him even when he looked away.
“You look better in your true form.” He touched his face. Unconsciousness had undone his disguise technique.
A-Yeon, staring at his face, playfully remarked,
“I didn’t like your previous face—it was too artificial.”
A strange thought struck him. She was a disciple of the Sword Pavilion, with dignified bearing. Yet she teased about his appearance?
“This incident made me realize I can’t take the pavilion’s heir position.” A-Yeon smiled wistfully, as if reading his thoughts. “The heir responsible for the pavilion must be deep and upright in every action and thought. But I fell into a demonic affliction, endangering many.”
“Pursuing martial arts passionately can lead to that. I’ve been there myself.”
“Do you think my demonic affliction came from sparring at Majeon?”
Bu Eunseol knew it wasn’t but spoke indirectly to avoid the truth.
“Hoo.” A-Yeon sighed deeply, shaking her head. “My demonic affliction wasn’t from martial arts but from harboring delusions forbidden to certain disciple.”
She bit her rosy lips slightly.
As if resolving something, she took a deep breath and spoke firmly.
“Since returning from Majeon, I’ve been thinking of you constantly.”
Bu Eunseol was slightly surprised.
It was a fervent gaze he’d never seen before. A-Yeon was openly confessing her feelings.
“Thinking of someone is common, isn’t it?” Flustered, Bu Eunseol brushed off her feelings casually.
But A-Yeon boldly opened what he tried to close.
“No. I thought of you as a man.”
“…”
“The young palace master of the Divine Maiden Palace provoked me, saying even if you knelt and proposed, I wouldn’t accept you.” She gave a bittersweet smile.
“Since that day, when I close my eyes, I see you proposing to me.”
She shook her head faintly. “Don’t worry. They say at my age, the fever of first love strikes at least once.”
Her eyes held fervent interest and affection.
Emotions too intense to suppress with mysterious arts. With her Yang Radiance Constitution, she was naturally more emotional and honest.
“And even as a Sword Pavilion disciple, I can’t escape it.” She openly poured out the feelings she’d kept deep inside. “I’ve decided to relinquish the heir position and return to being an ordinary disciple.”
“Give up being the heir?”
“Yes. And if I overcome this trial of affection… I can stand tall as someone worthy to lead the pavilion.”
Bu Eunseol nodded.
She had expressed her feelings honestly. What of it? Hiding them could lead to a sickness of the heart, like Ok Yuha.
“I have a request.” A-Yeon said cautiously.
“I want to spar with you.”
Understanding her intent, Bu Eunseol nodded. She had more to say, and she wanted to express it through her sword, not words.
Atop a sheer cliff on Great Sword Mountain’s peak.
Snow fell gently.
They drew their swords silently and began to spar.
Clang! Clang!
Each clash of swords brought their gazes together.
A-Yeon expressed her heart through her sword and eyes instead of words.
Bu Eunseol, from Nangyang Pavilion, knew that straightforward swordsmanship without variation made its intricacies easy to discern. For herself and the pavilion, she unreservedly showed Bu Eunseol, who risked his life, the Graceful Dream Sword’s subtleties.
Knowing her heart, he silently accepted her sword techniques.
It was the best he could do.
Clang.
A-Yeon’s sword soared into the air, struck by Bu Eunseol’s black sword.
It plunged upright into the ground.
The match was decided.
A-Yeon gave him a radiant smile.
“As a Sword Pavilion disciple, I’ll overcome this trial.”
She respectfully clasped her hands in salute.
“Thank you.”
“Farewell, then.” Bu Eunseol returned the gesture.
He turned and descended the peak.
A-Yeon gazed at his disappearing figure with eyes mixed with countless emotions.
“May we meet again, even by chance.”
Her soft whisper melted like a snowflake on her palm, vanishing.
***
Returning to Majeon, Bu Eunseol convened a council of leaders.
He briefly recounted his experiences, omitting the pavilion’s personal matters.
He ordered Yoo Unryong and others to track the Black-and-White Witch, who was surely affiliated with some group. And to gather information on the Eight Emperors and Three Stars, the Seven-Finger Demon Blade, and the Divine Mountain Sage.
After the meeting, Bu Eunseol entered seclusion.
He had mastered the Third Form of the Seven Blood Tear Forms and gained the Cheonui Heart Secret, a profound martial secret.
He needed to internalize these, engraving them into his body.
Sitting cross-legged, he closed his eyes.
Ordinary martial artists would study texts or practice physically.
But he could engrave countless techniques in his mind by sitting with closed eyes. Through his meditation, he could practice techniques, embedding them in his body without sweating.
Four days passed.
Swish.
Emerging from seclusion, Bu Eunseol slowly opened his eyes.
Standing, he surveyed the training chamber.
Staring into the lightless darkness, a strange thought struck him.
The Seven-Finger Demon Blade.
Whether he liked it or not, his martial world travels led him to the Seven-Finger Demon Blade’s traces.
This time, he learned of hidden actions tied to the pavilion’s former heir. The more he followed these traces, the stranger it felt.
The world knew him as a brutal demonic killer. But the traces Bu Eunseol found resembled the chivalry of orthodox figures.
His image was entirely different from what the martial world knew.
‘Did the Demon Emperor truly know nothing of this?’
The places where Bu Eunseol learned of the Seven-Finger Demon Blade’s hidden actions were strictly orthodox factions.
Did the Demon Emperor know nothing of this?
Bu Eunseol thought it unlikely.
‘The Demon Emperor watched my actions like the back of his hand, even before I was an heir candidate.’
Before becoming the heir, the Demon Emperor, through the Shadow Pavilion, scrutinized his actions and predicted his path. It was improbable he knew nothing of the Seven-Finger Demon Blade’s actions.
‘Moreover, these actions differ from Grandfather’s character, don’t they?’
Grandfather Bu Zhanyang was wise, warm, and insightful. But the Seven-Finger Demon Blade at the Sword Pavilion was passionate, capable of deep affection.
‘Even a hot-blooded person’s temperament changes with age, but…’ Bu Eunseol shook his head.
He couldn’t imagine his grandfather, a former Shaolin disciple, wandering the martial world spreading affection like a romantic.
‘The strangest thing is the name.’
If Grandfather Bu Zhanyang wanted to hide being the Seven-Finger Demon Blade, he wouldn’t have used the name Bu Zhanyang openly, even registering it with the authorities.
No matter how careless, such a mistake was unthinkable.
‘From now on, I must consider all possibilities.’
Initially, Bu Eunseol was certain the Seven-Finger Demon Blade was his grandfather. But over time, he wondered if they might be namesakes.
‘The only conclusion I can draw now…’ Walking to the training chamber’s door, he opened it forcefully.
Boom.
As light filtered in, he said softly,
“I must now verify the Seven-Finger Demon Blade’s actions from the demonic path’s perspective.”
He had confirmed some of the Seven-Finger Demon Blade’s actions through orthodox leaders.
Now, he needed to thoroughly investigate who the Seven-Finger Demon Blade was from the demonic path’s viewpoint. Walking down the long corridor to the hall’s exit, brilliant sunlight stung his eyes.
As he appeared, passing warriors and attendants bowed. Normally, he’d exchange light greetings and take a stroll. But with a grave resolve, he left the Suppressed Demon Pavilion and headed toward the eastern gate.
His destination was the martial world’s premier intelligence organization.
Its leader was a mysterious figure whose identity was unknown.
The master of the Shadow Pavilion, Hwa Jung-cheon.
Bu Eunseol intended to meet the head of Majeon’s top intelligence organization again.
