—The Death Spirit Corps discovered Yeong Munho’s whereabouts. And they say he’s going to meet Yeong Munho.
At the time Bu Eunseol was staying at Nangrim Mountain to meet Yeong Munho, Myo Cheonwoo was also tracking his movements, relaying information obtained from the Death Spirit Corps to the Death Wraith.
And soon, he received a shocking order.
—Leak Yeong Munho’s whereabouts to the Heavenly Sword. Make the Heavenly Sword and Bu Eunseol fight for their lives.
The Heavenly Sword, a disciple of the Sword Venerable, was not only exceptionally skilled in martial arts but also a new-generation master endowed with innate divine strength. At the time, he was a formidable opponent even Bu Eunseol couldn’t guarantee an easy victory against.
But Myo Cheonwoo’s concern wasn’t solely for Bu Eunseol’s safety.
—They say Yeong Munho has lost his martial arts. You must not use him as bait.
The Heavenly Sword harbored an intense hatred for figures of the demonic path, particularly the Ten Demon Warriors who had killed great masters. If he discovered Yeong Munho, he would never let him live.
—Bait is just bait. He won’t die. Because Bu Eunseol will protect him.
In the end, the Death Wraith concluded that Bu Eunseol and the Heavenly Sword needed to fight.
Myo Cheonwoo hesitated for a moment.
But ultimately, he was swayed by the Death Wraith’s persuasion. After all, their words had proven true so far, consistently helping Bu Eunseol grow stronger.
This incident, too, would surely be a catalyst for Bu Eunseol’s great development.
Myo Cheonwoo didn’t doubt it and ultimately leaked Yeong Munho’s location to the Heavenly Sword.
Of course, only after confirming that Bu Eunseol was with Yeong Munho.
As long as Bu Eunseol was there, Yeong Munho would surely be unharmed.
But that was a grave mistake.
Something entirely unexpected happened.
While Bu Eunseol briefly left for the village to run errands, the Heavenly Sword stormed in and killed Yeong Munho.
—What are we to do!
Upon learning of Yeong Munho’s death, Myo Cheonwoo protested furiously, but all he received were irresponsible responses.
—Who could’ve known the Heavenly Sword would barge in and kill Yeong Munho while he was away in the village?
—Is that supposed to be an excuse!
—In the end, didn’t it turn out well?
The Death Wraith replied nonchalantly.
—Just like before, this trial will make him stronger.
Only then did Myo Cheonwoo realize he had made the wrong choice.
They were simply lunatics.
To them, humans with flesh and blood, including Bu Eunseol, were mere tools or weapons. They gave no thought to his condition or emotions.
—I was wrong.
He should never have become their spy. He should have firmly refused their orders and told Bu Eunseol everything.
But… it was too late now.
After that day, Myo Cheonwoo was consumed by overwhelming guilt and could do nothing.
He tried several times to confess the truth to Bu Eunseol.
But he couldn’t.
If Bu Eunseol learned that Yeong Munho died because of him?
Bu Eunseol would never forgive him. It was an act that could never be forgiven.
Even he couldn’t forgive himself.
In the end, Myo Cheonwoo became a puppet, unable to defy the Death Wraith’s demands.
—I can’t endure this any longer.
Finally, after reporting Bu Eunseol’s movements to save his master, Blood Vajra, Myo Cheonwoo demanded a firm assurance from the Death Wraith.
—I’ll report his movements as promised, but don’t put him in danger anymore. If you do, my identity will be exposed soon. This is my final warning.
The Death Wraith agreed to Myo Cheonwoo’s proposal.
But it was a promise destined to be broken.
Only then did Myo Cheonwoo realize.
The Death Wraith wasn’t particularly afraid of his identity being exposed.
They would never let him go free, even at the cost of his life.
***
“There’s no escaping it.”
Snapping out of his reverie, Myo Cheonwoo set down his teacup and stood.
“It’s all my fault.”
[It seems you’ve made a decision.]
The voice chuckled lowly, as if peering into Myo Cheonwoo’s thoughts.
[Revealing everything isn’t a bad choice. But…]
The eerie voice carried a hint of mockery.
[He must be deeply despondent, struggling after failing to protect the master he so desperately wanted to save. Another great shock might break him.]
Grit.
Myo Cheonwoo clenched his teeth tightly.
Bu Eunseol may seem cold, but in truth, he is deeply compassionate and caring.
If he learned of Myo Cheonwoo’s betrayal? If he knew Yeong Munho died because of the Heavenly Sword because of him?
His already wounded spirit might collapse uncontrollably.
“You’re right.” But Myo Cheonwoo smiled, as if recalling something.
Bu Eunseol. He is someone who overcomes any trial.
Though he may suffer now, he will use that pain as nourishment to stand taller.
With determination, Myo Cheonwoo nodded firmly and said, “But he will surely rise again.”
With that, he opened the door without hesitation and stepped outside.
Leaving the teahouse, Myo Cheonwoo immediately returned to Majeon.
He headed straight to Bu Eunseol’s office.
As always, with a bright demeanor, like the loyal friend and subordinate he was.
“Busy?”
Seeing Bu Eunseol, head bowed, calmly writing a letter, Myo Cheonwoo felt tears welling up. But contrary to his inner turmoil, he spoke with a playful expression.
“How’s your mood?”
Bu Eunseol, eyes fixed on the letter, replied calmly, “Nothing special.”
“Good to hear.” Myo Cheonwoo took a deep breath and pulled a small envelope from his robe, placing it on the desk.
It was a leave request.
“I need to rest for about a month.”
Bu Eunseol never asked for reasons for leave. Though he was too busy to rest himself, he always wanted his subordinates to rest comfortably.
“Something about practicing palm techniques and inner energy…”
“I’ll inform Unryong. Don’t worry and take your rest. Things aren’t too busy lately.” As expected, the leave request was approved without issue.
“Take care.” Myo Cheonwoo smiled, looking at Bu Eunseol, engrossed in writing. “Stay healthy.”
Engraving Bu Eunseol’s usual indifferent reply and voice deep in his heart, Myo Cheonwoo said with a smile, “Alright. I’ll be back.”
He left the office and immediately exited Majeon.
Using qinggong, he left Chengdu and headed to a cave in a remote valley he had scouted long ago.
A waterfall flowed nearby, and it was untouched by human presence, making it ideal for quietly practicing martial arts.
“It reminds me of Hell Island.”
Looking at the cave, Myo Cheonwoo’s eyes clouded.
There, he had shown exceptional talent in palm techniques and made many comrades.
But they betrayed him out of fear and panic, and the true friends he made were the exceptional talents who survived until the end.
“Was it all meaningless?”
Myo Cheonwoo’s affable nature made it easy to bond with others.
But such actions were meaningless. To make true friends, he had to be an exceptional and virtuous person himself.
“Pointless sentimentality.”
Stepping out of the cave, Myo Cheonwoo gazed at the distant sky.
Until now, he had practiced the Annihilation Palm Technique but had broken free from its framework to create and master a new palm technique.
This had pushed him beyond the stable realm of Transcendent Mastery toward its peak, though he hadn’t broken through that barrier.
“The problem was always me.”
If he, who reported Bu Eunseol’s movements, simply disappeared?
No problems would arise.
Now, with the Death Spirit Corps perfectly concealing and protecting his movements, even the Three Realms couldn’t track Bu Eunseol.
If they couldn’t track him, they couldn’t manipulate him at will.
“Bu Eunseol didn’t even need to clash with that Death Wraith.”
On the surface, the Death Wraith’s goal wasn’t Bu Eunseol’s destruction but his growth. Yet their unscrupulous methods and the inherent risk of betrayal were always present.
“And now isn’t the time to confront them.”
Bu Eunseol, a peerless talent and powerful heir of Majeon.
They aimed to nurture him under their watch?
That meant the Death Wraith, or whoever backed him, possessed power great enough to dismiss Bu Eunseol’s martial prowess and influence.
Even if a confrontation were inevitable in the future, now was not the time.
“So… this is the best way.” Taking a deep breath, he began his training.
From the basics of inner energy to his newly created palm techniques and his hidden trump card, he trained diligently, over and over.
Twenty days passed.
Myo Cheonwoo, now sporting a scruffy beard, resembled a wild hunter living in the mountains.
“This should be enough.”
He hadn’t trained to gain something specific. In fact, while training with his comrades in the South Sea long ago, he had discovered the martial legacy of a renowned master.
It was the martial art of the Fighting Emperor, one of the Eight Emperors and Three Saints.
He had found the secret manual of the Fighting Emperor’s Killing Aura.
—To think the Fighting Emperor’s martial art was hidden here!
Myo Cheonwoo couldn’t hide his ecstatic expression.
According to Bu Eunseol, the martial arts of the Eight Emperors and Three Saints were fundamentally different from modern martial arts, possessing mystical power that transcended the limits of martial realms.
To think one such martial art had fallen into his hands!
—With this, I can defeat any enemy!
Overjoyed, Myo Cheonwoo secretly secured the Fighting Emperor’s legacy.
Whenever he had time, he quietly studied it bit by bit. And in this training session, he intended to master the Fighting Emperor’s martial art, which he had never used in real combat, to wield it perfectly in a critical moment.
“Phew.” Having completed everything, Myo Cheonwoo gazed at the distant sky. “You must have thought of me as an amusing puppet.”
The Death Wraith who saved him.
He was likely a figure from the Three Realms, affiliated with a powerful sect.
And they were confident their identity would never be exposed, never showing a hint of vulnerability.
But the Death Wraith had made a mistake.
—His greatest rival, the heir of the Hwa Wu Sword Sect, Weiji Hyesang, will withdraw from the Majeon heir candidacy.
No matter how powerful the Three Realms were, they couldn’t force the heir of the Hwa Wu Sword Sect, the foremost demonic sect, to withdraw from the Majeon candidacy.
Thus, the Death Wraith had to be someone from the Hwa Wu Sword Sect.
“Whatever the case, you messed with the wrong person.”
Life and death were concerns he had long transcended.
He only wanted to spend time with Bu Eunseol, Yoo Unryong, and the like-minded captains of Death Shadow Pavilion.
And he wanted to support Bu Eunseol, who bore everything alone, as much as possible.
But now, he could no longer do so, nor was he worthy.
If so, his task now was to resolve what he had caused. Having been saved, he would repay that debt with his life.
And if possible, he wouldn’t go alone.
Whoosh.
Myo Cheonwoo used qinggong to leave the remote valley.
He headed endlessly eastward.
Reaching a stone gate at the Jinryeong Mountains, he stopped his qinggong and walked slowly.
After a long walk, a massive fortress-like building came into view.
It was none other than the Hwa Wu Sword Sect.
“What’s your business?” a guard of the Hwa Wu Sword Sect asked, eyeing the scruffy, wild-looking Myo Cheonwoo curiously.
“Deliver this letter to the sect leader.”
The guard frowned at Myo Cheonwoo’s arrogant demeanor.
What kind of beggar dared to send a letter to the leader of the Hwa Wu Sword Sect, the most prestigious demonic sect, without even stating his name?
“State your name and affiliation.”
“Tell them it’s from a spy ordered by the Hwa Wu Sword Sect to monitor the Martial Soul Command Lord.”
“What did you just say?”
As the guard’s eyes widened, Myo Cheonwoo sneered.
“No need for a mere guard to interfere. Deliver the letter to the sect leader immediately if you don’t want rumors spreading that you’ve tarnished the Hwa Wu Sword Sect’s honor.”
Even to the guard, Myo Cheonwoo’s presence and appearance were extraordinary.
He didn’t seem like a madman spouting nonsense.
“Wait here.” Realizing something serious was afoot, the guard entered with a grave expression and reported to his superior.
The guard commander, opening the envelope, widened his eyes.
Inside was a letter accompanied by a badge symbolizing a second-class captain of Majeon.
“This needs to be reported.”
“To the Sword Demon Pavilion?”
“No, I’ll handle it.” The guard commander turned and headed to the Youma Pavilion, where Weiji Hyesang resided.
A warrior guarding the Youma Pavilion asked, “What’s the matter?”
“Someone claiming to be a spy monitoring the Martial Soul Command Lord sent this letter.”
“What?” The guard read the letter, then shook his head. “Isn’t he just crazy? Chase him off.”
“But this badge was included.” Showing the Majeon badge, the guard commander made the warrior’s eyebrow twitch.
“A Majeon figure?”
“Yes. My subordinate says his presence is extraordinary. He doesn’t seem mad.”
Creak.
At that moment, the door to the Youma Pavilion opened, and a delicate figure emerged.
It was Weiji Hyesang, the next leader of the Hwa Wu Sword Sect.
“Let me see.” As if he had heard everything from inside, he calmly approached and extended his hand.
“Hmm.” Reading the letter, Weiji Hyesang gave a peculiar smile and nodded. “Tell him to wait at the pavilion by Yunmong Lake, near the sect’s main gate.”
Yunmong Lake was a small lake about twenty li from the Hwa Wu Sword Sect.
“Politely. Ensure no rudeness.”
“Understood.”
At Yunmong Lake, a pleasant breeze blew, and a small pavilion stood by the shore for enjoying the scenery. Informed by the guard, Myo Cheonwoo turned and headed to the lakeside near the Hwa Wu Sword Sect.
Upon arriving, a slender, youthful figure stood in the pavilion, facing the breeze.
It was Weiji Hyesang.
Remarkably, despite relaying the message from within the sect, he had arrived first.
“Oh?” Turning as Myo Cheonwoo arrived, Weiji Hyesang opened his mouth in surprise. “What’s with that look, Captain Myo? You look like a wild beast come down from the mountains for food.”
He continued with a joking smile.
“You didn’t come to me because you ran out of food, did you?”
Myo Cheonwoo stood silently, unmoving. Seeing his grim and solemn expression, Weiji Hyesang sighed.
“What are you thinking? You’re not a three-year-old, but a seasoned Majeon captain. To pull such a stunt?”
The letter Myo Cheonwoo had sent.
It was none other than a challenge to the current sect leader, Weiji Mu-a.
