As an unexpected name came up, Bu Eunseol furrowed his brow.
“The Divine Mountain Sage, you say?”
“Is that not correct?” Namgung Un scratched his head. “That’s strange. I’m certain the Divine Mountain Sage said he only gave the information to our palace.”
Bu Eunseol raised an eyebrow. “Only to Southern Palace?”
“Well, about that…”
Namgung Un calmly explained.
According to him, the Divine Mountain Sage had suddenly sent a letter to the Southern Palace, revealing that there was a group in the martial world artificially creating energy cores. He promised that if they could track down these forces, he would grant them a single Boeun Coin.
Naturally, the Southern Palace had no greed for the Boeun Coin. However, they couldn’t simply stand by after learning about those disrupting the martial world.
They immediately dispatched warriors to investigate, and the information proved true. The Palace Master then spoke to all his children, including Namgung Un:
“Whoever catches the root of this and resolves the matter will receive generous points.”
The Southern Palace had a unique method for selecting its leader. Before the selection, members accumulated merits through various achievements, earning points based on their contributions. The one who amassed the most points would ultimately become the Palace Master—a distinctive yet fair system. As Namgung Un had now become a candidate for leadership, he ventured into the martial world to build his merits and earn points.
“I see,” Bu Eunseol said, his eyes narrowing after hearing the full story.
‘I need to revise my information on the Divine Mountain Sage.’
He had thought the Divine Mountain Sage was merely a wandering sage of the martial world. But it turned out he was someone capable of directly delivering covert information to the Southern Palace, one of the Eight Great Families, and a leading one at that. This suggested the Divine Mountain Sage had significant connections with the righteous faction’s leadership and was likely a figure who had walked the path of the righteous in the past.
‘Or perhaps he’s not just a simple righteous figure.’
However, what troubled Bu Eunseol most was the possibility that the Divine Mountain Sage might be a descendant of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars.
‘The issue of artificial energy cores was something only I, who destroyed the Sahyang Clan and rescued the children, discovered by chance.’
No matter how skilled the Divine Mountain Sage was at reading the heavens, it was absurd for him to know about artificial energy cores before Bu Eunseol. Moreover, artificial energy cores weren’t something created overnight.
The Divine Mountain Sage was either connected to that faction or possibly a traitor who had once been part of it.
‘The Divine Mountain Sage…’ Bu Eunseol bit his lip, realizing he had made a critical miscalculation. ‘Even if I meet him, what he tells me might not be the truth.’
The Demon Emperor had always taught him that truth must be seized with one’s own hands. Even if Bu Eunseol found the Divine Mountain Sage and he revealed everything, there was no guarantee it would be true. For now, the Divine Mountain Sage’s identity couldn’t even be clearly verified. If he was tied to some hidden faction, he might secretly manipulate Bu Eunseol instead.
“They don’t seem like anyone I know,” Namgung Un said, closely examining the face and weapon of the subdued black-clad figure.
“Must be a novice killer star.”
It was a face he had never seen before, and crucially, the weapon wasn’t even properly maintained. This suggested the figure was likely someone who had never made a name in the martial world.
Bu Eunseol snapped out of his thoughts at Namgung Un’s words.
“They probably experimented with artificial energy cores on warriors who hadn’t even made a name for themselves. It’s the easiest way to keep things secret.”
As Bu Eunseol nodded in agreement and began inspecting the black-clad figure’s clothing and shoes, a sharp sound pierced the air.
Whooosh.
From the sky, the sound of air being sliced echoed relentlessly, and about fifty warriors descended from above. All wore masks and wielded oddly shaped blades that glinted dully. Each exuded an extraordinary aura, and they swiftly surrounded Bu Eunseol and Namgung Un.
Clang!
Without a word, they unleashed a barrage of killing moves.
“What the—?” Namgung Un drew his sword and countered immediately.
“Reveal yourselves!”
Clank.
Instead of answering, the masked figures synchronized their movements, aiming their strange blades. A tremendous force poured over Namgung Un, crushing him with immense pressure. The masked figures were using a peculiar formation to unleash their combined power simultaneously.
“This is ridiculous. Who dares to use heavy sword techniques against me?” Namgung Un unleashed the first three forms of the Emperor Sword Style, pushing back the overwhelming pressure.
Swish!
Meanwhile, attacks came for Bu Eunseol as well. As the masked figures thrust their swords, a force rivaling the Emperor Sword Style pressed down on him.
‘The power is considerable, but the formation is sloppy?’
Bu Eunseol effortlessly evaded the attack range with Swift Beyond Shadow Step and raised an eyebrow. The masked figures possessed immense power, but their techniques were monotonous, and their movements slightly clumsy. In other words, they were warriors with little combat experience who had learned a formation.
‘Strange.’ Judging by their immediate attack, it was clear these masked figures were sent by the faction creating the energy cores.
For a group capable of annihilating or rebuilding a martial sect overnight to send such poorly skilled assassins?
Shing.
His thoughts were long, but his actions were swift. As Bu Eunseol drew his Black Blade, a chilling aura spread in all directions.
Clang! Clang!
As he swung his sword chaotically, the immense pressure aimed at him redirected toward the masked figures attacking Namgung Un. Using the supreme technique of the Ten Thousand Forms Single Technique, learned while fighting the Heavenly Sword, he transformed the incoming force into a solid object and redirected it towards the masked figures attacking Namgung Un.
Whoosh!
Startled, the masked figures hurriedly used their movement techniques to dodge. As they scattered, Bu Eunseol seized the opportunity, unleashing the Meteor Chasing the Moon Form to strike their vital points.
Thud. Thud.
Each time the Black Blade carved a sharp arc in the air, the masked figures fell like logs. Ordinary martial artists would have retreated upon witnessing Bu Eunseol’s prowess, but the masked figures instead broke their formation and charged at him with full force.
Clang! Clang!
As dozens of strange blades clashed with his sword, a clear metallic ring echoed. Their weapons, unscathed save for scratches despite clashing with the Black Blade, were clearly treasured blades.
‘The righteous faction?’ Observing their techniques, a flash sparked in Bu Eunseol’s eyes. At first glance, their blade techniques appeared domineering and bizarre, resembling the Qinghai Blade. But Bu Eunseol, trained in the Thirteen Guiding Energies, wasn’t fooled. They were using a modified version of righteous faction martial arts.
‘I’ll find out exactly which sect they’re from.’ In the past, identifying the origin of these assassins would have been difficult. But now, didn’t he possess a secret technique embedded in his body to discern such things?
Zing.
As he activated the Cheonui Heart Secret, a faint glow enveloped Bu Eunseol’s body. When the Black Blade clashed with a strange blade in this state, the masked figure’s energy flow momentarily synchronized with Bu Eunseol’s.
‘This is…’ As Bu Eunseol realized something, Namgung Un let out a groan.
“Ugh.” The Southern Palace’s heavy sword techniques were unparalleled, but Namgung Un had only mastered the first three forms of the Emperor Sword Style.
Because he hadn’t fully honed the heavy sword techniques, he struggled to respond adeptly as the masked figures unleashed relentless attacks with similar techniques.
‘So Namgung Un was their target from the start.’
The masked figures’ tactics seemed tailored to counter Namgung Un. The Southern Palace’s heavy sword required greater force to overcome external pressure, but with only the first three forms mastered, Namgung Un couldn’t fully unleash its subtleties. As the masked figures poured out even stronger power, Namgung Un faltered, unable to display his true skill.
‘Shall I give him a chance to learn?’
Seeing Namgung Un struggle, Bu Eunseol gathered his energy. A white frost began to descend over his entire body. To face multiple enemies, the most effective martial art was the Heavenly Glacial Secret of the Great Glacier Emperor.
Crack.
As white frost settled on Bu Eunseol’s hair, a swirling white energy surged from his left hand.
Whoosh!
As he extended his left hand, a white and blue chill instantly enveloped the masked figures’ bodies. Ice formed on them, momentarily halting their movements.
Crack.
But their inner power was considerable, and they broke through the ice in an instant. However, their attack movements were delayed by a beat.
“Take this!” Seizing the moment, Namgung Un’s sharp Golden Needle Sword drew a large circle in the air, unleashing a tremendous pressure akin to hurling Mount Tai.
Whoosh.
The startled masked figures quickly escaped the sword’s range, but those who couldn’t dodge in time screamed and collapsed, blood pouring from their seven orifices.
The Emperor Sword Style, the supreme sword art that elevated the Southern Palace to the top of the Eight Great Families, finally began to reveal its true power.
‘Now he’s wielding it properly.’
Until now, Namgung Un had been forced to use the first three forms of the Emperor Sword Style awkwardly due to the masked figures’ interference. But with Bu Eunseol creating an opportunity, he had taken down five or six enemies with a single strike. Even with just the first three forms, Bu Eunseol could gauge the profound depth of the Southern Palace’s heavy sword techniques.
Swish!
Bu Eunseol continued to use the Heavenly Glacial Secret against the masked figures. If he unleashed his full power, he could have frozen them solid instantly. But he deliberately spread the icy energy widely to merely halt their movements, allowing Namgung Un, whose Emperor Sword Style wasn’t fully refined, to practice against them.
“Retreat!”
As Namgung Un’s swordplay grew uncontrollably fierce due to Bu Eunseol’s aid, the masked figures retreated in unison. But that was merely their wishful thinking. The Heavenly Glacial Secret from Bu Eunseol’s left hand firmly restricted their movements.
Crack. Clang!
Each time their bodies froze, the masked figures barely escaped by drawing on their inner power. But by then, Namgung Un’s Golden Needle Sword was already piercing their vital points.
Thud.
In the end, all fifty masked figures fell under Namgung Un’s sword.
“Huff, huff.”
Having defeated them all, Namgung Un panted heavily. He had faced countless dangers while traveling the martial world alone, but never a situation as precarious as this. If Bu Eunseol hadn’t been there, he would have been overwhelmed by the masked figures, who had anticipated the weaknesses of his unrefined Emperor Sword Style.
“I don’t understand why Qinghai masters suddenly attacked,” Namgung Un said, believing the masked figures’ techniques and power were from the Qinghai Demon Blade.
But Bu Eunseol shook his head. “They’re not Qinghai masters. They’re all from the Beggars’ Sect.”
“The Beggars’ Sect?” Namgung Un shook his head in disbelief. “Their techniques were clearly from the Qinghai Demon Blade.”
“It’s a disguise,” Bu Eunseol said calmly. “You can mimic techniques, but not inner energy methods.”
“Inner energy methods…?”
“The only method that chaotically circulates energy while steadily storing it in the dantian is the Beggars’ Sect’s Lesser Flea Mind Method.”
Namgung Un’s eyes widened in shock. Could Bu Eunseol have discerned the enemy’s inner energy method during combat?
“Are you certain?”
A flash passed through Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
‘As expected… the Demon Emperor’s martial arts aren’t widely known.’
The Southern Palace was renowned for its deep study of righteous faction martial arts. Namgung Un, raised with such education from childhood, would surely know if the Demon Emperor’s techniques were widely recognized in the martial world.
“Brother Bu?” Namgung Un blinked as Bu Eunseol sank into deep thought. “How did you know they were using the Lesser Flea Mind Method?”
Snapping back, Bu Eunseol gave a vague answer. “In the past, to defeat the Beggar King, I meticulously studied the Beggars’ Sect’s Lesser Flea Mind Method and analyzed its energy flow during our battle.”
“I see,” Namgung Un nodded without much thought. After all, who didn’t know Bu Eunseol had defeated the Beggar King?
“But the Beggars’ Sect? I can’t believe it,” Namgung Un said weakly, lowering his head. “The Beggars’ Sect upholds the code of chivalry so strictly they even established rules for it.”
His eyes lost focus. As a scion of the Southern Palace, he had been taught the principles of chivalry and righteousness from childhood. The Beggars’ Sect, with nearly a hundred thousand members and a vast intelligence network while maintaining integrity, was always a topic when discussing such virtues.
“Besides, if it’s the Beggars’ Sect… there’s no reason for them to attack me.”
“They were likely trying to recover the energy core,” Bu Eunseol said.
The artificial energy core had remained intact for a long time within Jeong Hyeon’s body, suggesting it required significant time to dissolve. Thus, retrieving the core from the bodies of the dead would be more efficient.
“Haa, haa.” At that moment, the subdued black-clad figure’s eyes grew dim. Caught in the battle with the Beggars’ Sect masters and exposed to Namgung Un’s Emperor Sword Style, he was dying, his insides ruptured.
‘I should check for the energy core first.’
Approaching the black-clad figure, Bu Eunseol activated the Cheonui Heart Secret to examine his body. Strangely, despite synchronizing their energy flows, he sensed only malevolent energy—no trace of an energy core.
‘Odd. I definitely felt the malevolent energy emanating from an artificial energy core.’
“Take… the Demon Seed…” the black-clad figure muttered weakly.
‘Demon Seed?’
As Bu Eunseol’s expression turned puzzled, the figure’s labored breathing stopped with a faint thud. He had died.
Zing.
As Bu Eunseol, still using the Cheonui Heart Secret, examined the body, he felt a change. A powerful energy stirred near the Taiyang acupoint.
‘The energy core’s energy is felt only after death?’
Hum!
Bu Eunseol immediately activated the Wishful True Binding, forming a sharp blade with his energy to inspect the Taiyang acupoint. There, he found a single red, glowing bead.
‘The Demon Seed… I see.’
Demon Seed—a term meaning the seed of a demon had been implanted in the body. Only now did Bu Eunseol understand their true purpose.
“This was their real goal,” he said gravely.
“What do you mean?” Namgung Un asked.
“The method of creating energy cores,” Bu Eunseol replied. “They’re completing the energy cores through death.”
