‘Fine.’
Seeing the mystical power of the 108 Arhat Formation, Bu Eunseol’s competitive spirit ignited.
‘Let’s see if you can block this.’ When facing the Blade Emperor’s descendant, Bu Eunseol realized he had overlooked one fact.
The Thirteen Guiding Energies.
A supreme master from 400 years ago, close to being the greatest in the righteous faction and one of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars. He had mastered a martial art with mystical powers that transcended the limits of martial prowess.
Swish! Swish!
As he unleashed the Thirteen Guiding Energies, seven streams of energy swirled around his body.
With his growing internal energy and deepening martial mastery, he could now generate seven streams.
Swish!
As Bu Eunseol unleashed the Thirteen Guiding Energies in one stroke,
Whoosh!
The giant monk’s illusion vanished instantly, revealing the true form of the 108 Arhat Formation.
“How can this be?” Gonggong, watching from afar, widened his eyes.
The continuously improved 108 Arhat Formation had reached a level where it perfectly unified the monks’ strength. Yet this young masked man shattered its essence in a single move?
“A martial art with mystical power.”
The refined 108 Arhat Formation was more intricate and robust than any formation, impossible to break even for great masters. Yet, with just a few streams of energy, he nullified its power?
‘No?’ Gonggong’s awe turned to disbelief.
The masked man who broke the formation’s essence was effortlessly countering the attacks of the 108 Shaolin disciples. Yet it wasn’t proper martial arts but seemed improvised, lacking any structure or discipline.
‘He must not be allowed to leave!’
It was astonishing enough to break the refined 108 Arhat Formation in one move. But to block the monks’ attacks so easily without proper techniques?
“Kneel!” Finally, Gonggong entered the 108 Arhat Formation to lead it himself.
Shaolin’s high monks rarely ventured into the martial world unless necessary. Their prowess was gauged by their status within Shaolin.
The high monks leading halls or courts were on par with the martial world’s top masters.
Clap. Pop, pop, pop!
As Gonggong directed the formation, the monks’ attacks became more refined, and their power surged.
‘Impressive.’ Bu Eunseol inwardly marveled.
Gonggong hadn’t attacked directly but merely reorganized the collapsing formation. Yet, the formation became robust again, its intricacy and power multiplying.
‘Just this move shows Shaolin’s strength.’
But awe was just awe.
It wasn’t an attack threatening enough to endanger Bu Eunseol. If he chose, he could break the 108 Arhat Formation and escape the passage instantly.
Yet he lingered, enduring within the formation.
For one reason.
He felt a cold gaze from the darkened passage.
Blood Shaolin.
In this underground Scripture Pavilion, not only Gonggong and the 108 monks but also Blood Shaolin monks were lurking in the shadows, observing.
‘Shaolin imprisoning great demons is a secret unknown to the martial world. It must be connected to Blood Shaolin, which operates in utmost secrecy.’
Finishing his thoughts, Bu Eunseol moved his hands chaotically.
Swish! Swish!
“Ugh!”
“Argh!”
He began unleashing the Thirteen Guiding Energies with full force.
“Ugh.”
“Argh.”
As the sharp gusts of the Thirteen Guiding Energies swept through, monks fell with screams.
“Maintain the formation!” Gonggong shouted, but with over a third of the monks down, the 108 Arhat Formation completely collapsed.
‘This man.’ Only then did Gonggong realize this masked man’s prowess was immense, beyond the 108 monks’ ability to suppress.
‘Must I use that method?’ Gonggong’s eyes gleamed as he shouted.
“Form the True Path Formation!”
At his words, the chaotic formation of the Shaolin monks transformed completely.
Instead of encircling to exhaust the enemy, it formed a giant spearhead, forcing Bu Eunseol to retreat continuously. Moreover, as the formation changed, Bu Eunseol’s sharp senses dulled momentarily.
A misty haze seemed to rise, creating an illusion.
‘They’re finally making their move.’
Shaolin, imprisoning great demons who threaten the world by their existence.
This meant they had a method to capture such masters. And a space to hold them without ever revealing it.
‘It’s likely connected to this secret passage.’
The only hidden mechanisms in Shaolin’s grounds were the Scripture Pavilion and Blood Shaolin.
Both spaces were abnormally large for merely storing secret manuals.
This meant the Repentance Cave, where great demons were held, was nearby, managed by Blood Shaolin.
‘Changing the formation is a signal to summon Blood Shaolin’s members.’
Hiss.
The spearhead-like formation pressed Bu Eunseol.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
As immense pressure and sharp attacks forced Bu Eunseol back,
Rustle.
A silent, invisible palm force struck his back as the misty illusion cleared. It was a palm strike from a Blood Shaolin master hidden in the darkness, responding to Gonggong’s signal.
As Bu Eunseol expected, changing to the True Path Formation was a signal to request suppression from Blood Shaolin.
‘Good.’ As the Blood Shaolin monks unleashed their palm force, Bu Eunseol channeled his immense internal energy into his hidden blood vessels and veins.
His internal energy level instantly dropped to half.
Boom!
Struck by the palm force, Bu Eunseol flew like a broken kite.
Spurt!
Biting his lip to spill a few drops of blood, Bu Eunseol staggered.
Swish!
Seizing the opportunity, Gonggong unleashed a series of Hundred Steps Divine Fists. Knowing the man’s prowess, he showed no mercy.
Boom!
As Bu Eunseol’s body was pushed back by the explosions,
Thud!
Another powerful palm force struck his back with a low vibration.
A Blood Shaolin monk hidden in the darkness had struck again.
Pop.
Hit by Shaolin’s supreme techniques from both sides, Bu Eunseol soared into the air and crashed to the ground.
‘So that’s how it works.’
The True Path Formation, a variation of the 108 Arhat Formation, concealed the Blood Shaolin monks completely.
It was designed to suppress strong enemies with invisible strikes.
Shaolin had likely dealt with intruders or world-disrupting demons using this tactic.
“Ugh.” Bu Eunseol groaned.
The palm force from the Blood Shaolin master carried the Heaven-Collapsing Earth Force, capable of shattering the heavens and earth.
With his energy halved, he couldn’t withstand it.
“Urgh.” Groaning, Bu Eunseol forced himself to stand.
To appear as a demonic master, he deliberately activated the Emotion-Severing Secret of the Wishful True Binding loudly.
Buzz!
With an eerie wail, a powerful demonic aura swirled from his body.
Boom!
But another invisible palm force struck his back.
Thud.
Bu Eunseol staggered and fell again.
“So, you’re indeed a demonic figure.” Gonggong’s eyes turned cold.
“Who are you?”
“…” As Bu Eunseol remained silent, Gonggong removed his mask.
It revealed the ordinary face of Seolso.
“If you don’t answer, I’ll seal your martial arts.” Gonggong asked sternly again. “Who are you? How did you find this secret passage?”
“I was searching for Shaolin’s Scripture Pavilion and stumbled upon it by chance.” Bu Eunseol spoke with a feigned fearful expression, and Gonggong’s eyes narrowed.
Shaolin’s supreme techniques were the foundation of righteous martial arts, capable of dominating the martial world with just one. Thus, countless sought to steal the Scripture Pavilion’s manuals.
‘His words can’t be trusted.’ But Gonggong didn’t believe him.
Given the terrifying demonic aura and exceptional martial arts, he judged there was another motive.
‘The abbot is too merciful. If we only subdue him, his sect will be notified, and he’ll be released soon.’
With Shaolin in chaos from an external attack and the abbot downed by an assassination attempt, subduing and interrogating an unknown demonic disciple and notifying his sect was too cumbersome.
‘I’ll find out who he is later.’ Resolved, Gonggong immediately unleashed a fierce Finger Flick Divine Skill.
Pop!
A gust capable of piercing rock shot out, sealing Bu Eunseol’s dantian.
Given Gonggong’s energy and Finger Flick Divine Skill, unless a master with over 400 years of internal energy assisted, the sealed dantian couldn’t be unsealed.
“Imprison him in the Repentance Cave. Once the temple’s chaos is resolved, the abbot will interrogate him personally.”
‘It worked.’ Bu Eunseol inwardly cheered.
Though planned, to enter the Repentance Cave so easily?
Swish.
At Gonggong’s command, the Blood Shaolin monks silently carried Bu Eunseol. They disappeared slowly into the dark passage of Blood Shaolin.
‘Hmm.’ Gonggong sighed.
He wasn’t fond of Blood Shaolin’s existence. Under the pretext of protecting Shaolin, they dabbled in unorthodox martial arts and committed killing without hesitation. To the formal disciples, they were merely murderers in monk robes.
“So, Blood Shaolin has gained a reason to act openly.” Gonggong sighed deeply.
Due to this assassination incident, Blood Shaolin was moving openly. Shaolin’s rules allowed them to act without the abbot’s orders in times of danger.
“Amitabha.” Feeling dark clouds over Shaolin’s future, a Buddhist chant escaped his lips.
Shaolin had overcome all crises and survived.
Surely, this time, they would resolve everything.
***
Step, step.
The Blood Shaolin monks carrying Bu Eunseol walked endlessly through the deep, dark passage.
Finally, reaching a point, they stopped.
It was a vast space without a speck of light, with a square hole about five feet wide on one side.
Swish.
Without hesitation, the Blood Shaolin monks threw Bu Eunseol into the square hole.
Whoosh.
His body fell endlessly downward.
Flash!
While rapidly descending, Bu Eunseol finally opened his eyes. The bottom was shrouded in endless darkness. Falling like this would shatter his body in no time.
‘I need to recover my energy quickly.’
Hummm!
Bu Eunseol drew up the energy hidden in his blood vessels and veins.
The sealed gihae acupoint slowly opened, and his energy began to return.
But the ground was already visible.
Boom!
Bu Eunseol crashed into the ground.
Crackle.
Black energy sparks began to rise from his fallen body.
With no other option, he curled up at the moment of impact, forming a large shield-shaped energy around his shoulders using the Wishful True Binding.
“Ugh.” Bu Eunseol groaned.
Forcing the Wishful True Binding without fully recovered energy, the shield couldn’t fully absorb the impact.
“Trying everything, are we?” Since he was already down, Bu Eunseol groaned and lay flat on his back.
He planned to circulate his energy to recover before moving.
Step, step, step
Yet, from the darkness, numerous shadows began to emerge, one by one, approaching Bu Eunseol. Their eyes gleamed menacingly in the dark, radiating a sinister aura.
Each had disheveled hair, ferocious gazes, and eerie glints in their eyes.
“Heh heh heh.” The demons’ eyes sparkled with killing intent, and white saliva dripped from their mouths. “It’s been a while.”
They surrounded Bu Eunseol in a circle, swallowing hard and muttering.
“When was the last time we ate such fresh meat?”
“You’re right. They usually die from the fall, all broken.”
“We can finally eat living meat.”
These were the great demons imprisoned in the Repentance Cave. And they were treating Bu Eunseol as nothing more than fresh meat.
‘The great demons that would harm the martial world if released.’ Bu Eunseol furrowed his brow.
Even the most heinous villains were said to reform somewhat in old age. Yet these demons, stripped of their internal energy and aged to white hair, showed no sign of softened malice.
“No need to drag this out. Let’s carve him up.”
“Exactly. When was the last time we got such fresh meat? Was it that Mad Blood Demon?”
“No, that one’s limbs shattered on impact and died.”
“But this one’s so young. Why’s his face so youthful?”
As they chattered, a demon with pockmarked scars pointed at Bu Eunseol. “This one must’ve eaten some rejuvenation elixir.”
“No, it’s not an elixir. He’s genuinely young. Look at that skin’s elasticity.”
They continued treating Bu Eunseol like a slab of meat, chattering incessantly. Then, a demon pulled out a stone-carved knife, baring yellowed teeth.
“It’s not an elixir. That old hag over there, she ate that kind of stuff too, so her face is plump, but her eyes are cloudy.”
“Anyway, we need to deal with those guys over there to bring that old hag here quickly.”
Instantly, a bloodlust flared in Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
He had never spared evildoers.
The pockmarked demon twirled the stone knife and asked Bu Eunseol.
“Hey, one last question.” Smacking his lips, he continued. “A young guy like you, why’d you end up here?”
“…”
“You must be someone notable to end up here at your age. What did you do? Did you kill the Shaolin abbot or something?”
Instead of answering, Bu Eunseol slowly stood.
“Shaolin may have spared demons like you out of mercy.” Coldly scanning the surrounding demons, he spoke solemnly. “But this Martial Soul Command Lord has no intention of letting vermin like you live.”
“Hahaha!” Not just the pockmarked demon but all the surrounding demons burst into laughter.
“This guy’s a riot!”
“With our internal energy sealed, do you think we’re just powerless old men?”
Stab.
The pockmarked demon stabbed the wall with his left finger.
It pierced the wall like tofu.
“The old men here were shaking the martial world before your parents were born…” The pockmarked demon tilted his head mid-sentence.
His voice wasn’t coming out, and his neck felt ticklish.
“Huh?”
Looking down, he wore a strange expression.
He felt his head slowly separating from his body.
Slash!
As his head detached, crimson blood sprayed up the cave walls.
Simultaneously, Bu Eunseol slowly rose.
Crack.
As he gradually recovered his sunken energy, his body emitted cracking sounds.
Hummm!
A massive wave of energy surged, as if to pierce the cave walls.
Black energy waves spread in all directions from his back. In one stroke, he unleashed the Wishful True Binding, severing the necks of the surrounding demons.
Slash! Slash!
The cave was instantly drenched in blood, with dozens of headless bodies rolling on the ground.
Wriggle, wriggle.
More shadows crawled out from the darkness. These were demons who had been starving due to their lack of strength.
The scent of blood drew them, salivating, as they slowly emerged.
“This is hell.” Bu Eunseol took a deep breath, looking up at where he’d fallen.
Under the guise of mercy, Shaolin had imprisoned these great demons in this abyss, giving them no proper food.
“Urgh.” The demons, fearful yet drawn to the bodies, approached cautiously, drooling.
They trembled lightly at the thought of eating fresh meat. Looking at them, Bu Eunseol sighed deeply and said.
“May you be reborn as virtuous people in the next life.”
Slash!
The sharp blade of the Wishful True Binding swept through the cave again. The demons approaching for the blood scent had their heads roll in all directions.
Step, step.
Surveying the blood-soaked surroundings, Bu Eunseol walked expressionlessly into the darkness.
The cave’s interior was vast.
Realizing the visible space wasn’t all, he intended to explore further.
Whoosh.
As he continued walking, he heard the sound of flowing water. If there was flowing water in the cave, there must be an exit for it.
“Hmm.” Walking further, he saw a new cave.
Passing through several branching tunnels, he noticed a faint light. In contrast to before, there were elderly men in tattered but clean clothes living here.
‘So that’s how it is.’
The demons at the entrance of the Repentance Cave were those who hadn’t shed their ferocity, preying on newcomers. But this area housed demons who, having lost their energy and vigor, lived peacefully like ordinary old men.
“Who are you?” A simple-looking elderly man tilted his head at Bu Eunseol. “How did you get here? The entrance is full of crazed cannibals.”
Bu Eunseol replied calmly.
“I walked.”
“You walked?”
“Didn’t you ask how I got here?”
The elderly man questioning Bu Eunseol was once a great demon who never spared irritants. But now, his personality had softened, and he didn’t mind Bu Eunseol’s curt reply.
‘It seems there are some sane old men here.’
The elderly man looked at Bu Eunseol’s relaxed expression, narrowing his eyes faintly. “You’re no ordinary man. But then, you wouldn’t have fallen into the Repentance Cave at your age.”
“Is that a question to yourself?”
“Heh heh heh. Perhaps it is?” Intrigued by Bu Eunseol, the elderly man smiled.
“I am Tak Ilhon.”
“Tak Ilhon.” Bu Eunseol’s eyes narrowed.
There was only one Tak Ilhon in the martial world.
“The Flying Demon Tak Ilhon?”
The Flying Demon Tak Ilhon.
He was a master of movement techniques, creator of one of the Eight Great Movement Arts, the Ghostly Moonlit Stride.
And a notorious thief who stole martial arts manuals with fervor.
