Do Songbaek stared straight into the Emissary’s eyes.
Having pierced the intent hidden in that pair of pupils, he sighed and shook his head. “So it won’t work after all.”
The Emissary’s eyes were brimming with lies.
“Why?” Even if he committed suicide, the Emissary had no intention of sparing the people of the Valley of Lost Souls.
[As expected of the Special Divine Rank who steals thoughts, the Absolute Thought Reverend.]
The Emissary answered with admiration for Do Songbaek’s perceptiveness.
[In that time, you could raise another disciple, could you not?]
“Would this old man repeat such a mistake?”
[I want to believe those words, but the world rarely flows as one thinks.]
“This old man destroyed his own cultivation to atone for past wrongs. Only the Mind-Seizing Secret Arts had no way to be undone.” Do Songbaek heaved a deep sigh. “That is why I merely wished to use Mind-Seizing Secret Arts to grant peace to the hearts of those in pain.”
[Reverend Do, your power lies not in cultivation but right here, does it not?] The Emissary pointed to his temple. [If you set your mind to it, you could endlessly cultivate masters of the Mind-Seizing Art capable of opposing our realm.]
All along, the Three Realms had feared Do Songbaek’s ability. Thus they relentlessly pursued the vanished man, yet for a long time could not find his trace.
By chance, however, the Wild Beast Palace Lord’s youngest son heading to the Valley of Lost Souls was caught in their intelligence network. Beast Palace Lord Dae Gon had activated the network to monitor Dae Guhwi’s first journey into the martial world.
The Infinite Realm sensed something amiss.
Tales of the Valley of Lost Souls circulated, and weary martial artists occasionally visited. But for the young heir of Beast Palace to enter the forgotten the Valley of Lost Souls? That made no sense.
They reinvestigated the Valley of Lost Souls with focus.
In the end, they discovered Do Songbaek was hiding there and dispatched a large force.
No matter how brilliant Bu Eunseol’s wisdom, he could never have predicted Dae Gon would act thus, nor that the Three Realms would seize that information and cause this incident.
[It seems I must waste a bit more time.] The Emissary raised his hand again.
At that, the assassins drew their swords once more and prepared to attack.
Hummm.
Yet in that interval, Do Songbaek’s eyes had already turned crimson.
The Emissary began twitching his hands and legs, as if unable to move his body.
Swish.
At the same time, light swirled in the eyes of the surrounding assassins before they suddenly began encircling the Emissary.
Do Songbaek had unleashed Mind-Seizing Art to paralyze the Emissary’s body and control the assassins.
[See there.] Despite being surrounded, the Emissary tsked with a leisurely expression.
[As long as you possess such ability, you can never find peace.]
“Leave.” Do Songbaek said coldly. “Otherwise, dozens of swords will pierce your body.”
“Valley Lord! Be careful!” At that moment, Dae Guhwi, who had been collapsed, shouted loudly.
He had sensed that the Emissary’s body was not frozen at all.
But it was already too late.
Stab!
Blood poured from Do Songbaek’s lower abdomen as he unleashed Mind-Seizing Art.
The Emissary, who had been surrounded by assassins, instantly moved to Do Songbaek’s nose and thrust a sharp hand blade into his lower abdomen.
[To have lived this long after escaping our realm’s grasp is quite enduring.]
The Emissary pulled out the hand blade embedded in the belly with a sinister smile.
Spurt.
Crimson blood flowed like a river.
The sharp hand blade had severed the abdominal aorta near the navel.
[How is it? That pain.]
To have one’s insides torn bare-handed—the agony would transcend imagination.
Yet Do Songbaek wore a faint smile.
“Is not the essence of life suffering?” He murmured lowly with a forlorn expression. “Humans all begin with life and walk toward death. And that journey inevitably mingles joy and sorrow……”
[Is that your last will?]
Just as the Emissary smirked—
Rumble.
A thunderous boom echoed from the distant sky—
Flash!
Suddenly, lightning poured from above and split the Emissary’s skull.
Whirl.
The Emissary swiftly retreated one step.
Slash!
A sharp energy force cleaved the ground where he had stood into two.
Thud.
At the same time, a gray shadow descended from the air.
It was Bu Eunseol.
‘Am I too late?’
Bu Eunseol’s eyes dimmed upon seeing Do Songbaek bleeding and dying.
[Who are you?] The Emissary’s eyes flashed, but Bu Eunseol did not answer.
He immediately approached the fallen Do Songbaek and infused true energy.
It was to hear his final words.
“It has been far too long.” Do Songbaek accepted the end calmly. “I originally intended to end this tenacious life at once but ultimately could not and opened the Valley of Lost Souls. For those suffering the same pain as I …”
Bu Eunseol could intuit it.
Do Songbaek had no attachment to life from the start.
When the Three Realms found him in the Valley of Lost Souls, he had intended to cast his life away without regret.
“Why on earth.”
“The secret method that allows the Three Realms to control lost souls… in truth, this old man completed it.”
Only then did Bu Eunseol finally understand Do Songbaek’s torment.
He had sought to reach the pinnacle of Mind-Seizing Secret Arts with Hyeok Ryeon-eung… but freely manipulating and subjugating human souls was impossible.
In the end, they turned to human flowers and created a method to enforce absolute obedience only on those addicted to them.
“You must save the people of this valley from their hands.”
Even as he died, Do Songbaek worried only for the Valley of Lost Souls’s people.
“You can do it, can you not?”
Bu Eunseol nodded. “Do not worry.”
“Thank you.” Do Songbaek smiled faintly.
And immediately breathed his last.
He who had lived unable to end his own life, helping martial artists suffering the same pain.
The death of Heaven-Seizing Sect Master Do Songbaek appeared endlessly peaceful.
“Why are the Three Realms so narrow-minded?” Bu Eunseol glared at the Emissary. “They already hold most of the martial world. Was it necessary to hunt down Valley Lord Do, who merely sought repose?”
[So you know of our realm.]
Bu Eunseol bore Seolso’s appearance, so the Emissary did not recognize him at all.
“You have no right to live.” Without another word, Bu Eunseol unleashed the Thirteen Guiding Energies.
Sizzle!
Two strands of energy force scraped the ground and dug into the Emissary’s flanks.
“Hmph.”
Papak.
The Emissary lightly raised his power to deflect the energy forces.
But it was a feint.
Parararak!
The true strikes were four strands of energy force that arced widely around the Emissary’s back.
Whirl!
Greatly startled, the Emissary spun like a top.
But already one strand had pierced his side.
[Kuh.]
The Emissary crouched and let out a short scream. The sharp energy force sent pain like his entire skeleton contracting.
[You bastard.]
Greatly flustered by Bu Eunseol’s martial prowess, the Emissary retreated—
Hwaak!
He suddenly spread both arms and raised his power.
Transparent powder began scattering in all directions.
[Collapse!] At the same time, a yellowish light flowed from the Emissary’s right eye.
It was a powerful Mind-Seizing Secret Art comparable to the Soul-Seizing Spirit Words: Evil Spirit Demon Eye.
“One-Eyed Devil, Dong Cheongi. So you were an Emissary of the Three Realms?”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes flashed.
One-Eyed Devil Dong Cheongi. He mainly used yin poisons and basic Mind-Seizing Art.
He was the Sect Leader of the black path sect Ghost Fire Sect, living off assassinations.
He rarely showed himself in the martial world, having his disciples accept contracts to fill only his own belly.
An extremely prideful man, he had even coined the grandiose nickname One-Eyed Devil himself.
Yet Dong Cheongi not only held the identity of an Infinite Realm Emissary, but also used the Evil Spirit Demon Eye, a Mind-Seizing Secret Art rivaling the Soul-Seizing Spirit Words?
[The Evil Spirit Demon Eye does not work?]
The Emissary, Dong Cheongi, seemed flustered and retreated step by step.
He was a master of Light-Splitting Finger Force and Mind-Seizing Art, easily felling enemies with the Evil Spirit Demon Eye learned in the Infinite Realm.
Yet it failed, and the opponent’s martial arts were even stronger?
“Then being an Emissary of the Infinite Realm is not a separate status but designated as needed… or they hold other identities.” A flash passed through Bu Eunseol’s eyes. “You must have wandered the martial world with assassins disguised as Ghost Fire Sect disciples under the pretext of contracts, handling Infinite Realm missions. And you received Mind-Seizing Art from them.”
[Silence!] Dong Cheongi raised his left hand.
Cheok!
At that, the assassins each pressed swords to the throats of the Valley of Lost Souls’ people.
[Do not move. Even a twitch of your finger, and they die.]
Until now, the Three Realms’ Emissaries not only possessed outstanding martial prowess but used unique arts beyond martial boundaries. Yet the Emissary before him, Dong Cheongi, had conspicuously weaker martial arts than the Emissaries seen so far.
Likely because he had always been assigned missions using Mind-Seizing Art rather than martial arts.
[Even you cannot save all these people.]
The subdued numbered roughly a hundred.
To save all the Valley of Lost Souls’ people, he would need to sever the assassins’ throats at once. That left only the Wishful True Binding, but the problem was that the Wishful True Binding’s activation speed was not particularly fast.
‘No choice.’
Normally, he would have killed the assassins in an instant and subdued the Emissary, regardless of their deaths.
But with Do Songbaek’s request—who had gladly given the Profound Hunt Stone and shown kindness—he could not sacrifice the Valley of Lost Souls’s people.
“Snap out of it.” Bu Eunseol spoke to the Valley of Lost Souls’ people trembling in a daze before the collapsed flower garden and trees.
“If you wish to die, offer your necks to their blades; if you wish to live, fight.”
Sharp light flashed in Bu Eunseol’s eyes as he regarded them.
“The Valley Lord is dead. There is no more peace for you.” His low shout rang in the minds of the Valley of Lost Souls’ people.
―The Valley Lord is dead. There is no more peace for you.
Light began flowing from the eyes of those standing blankly with unfocused gazes.
The Valley of Lost Souls was crumbling, and the Valley Lord was dead. There was no longer a beautiful landscape to forget painful memories.
The Valley of Lost Souls cut off from the world was gone.
“Oooooh!” A middle-aged man among them unleashed tremendous palm force.
It was Dan Jungak, the Golden Blade Jade Man, who had despaired after losing his beloved wife and found peace in the Valley of Lost Souls.
“Uwaaaa!”
Then those standing in a daze began attacking the assassins with martial arts they had forgotten.
There was no longer a paradise. Thus, they had no choice but to return to the world, to the martial world.
Papak! Hwarrrk!
As the Valley of Lost Souls’ people used martial arts, the assassins’ ranks crumbled helplessly.
They were individuals with talent outstanding enough to grow weary of worldly affairs.
Releasing suppressed emotions and drawing forth martial arts, they transformed into formidable masters in an instant.
Swish!
Meanwhile, Bu Eunseol’s Thirteen Guiding Energies dug into Dong Cheongi’s throat.
[No chance.]
Though slightly weaker than the Emissaries encountered so far, Dong Cheongi’s prowess was by no means laughable. Yet Bu Eunseol’s martial arts did not yield even against superpowers sweeping the martial world.
[Wait!] Dong Cheongi shouted in panic. [Do you not wish to know about our realm?]
Bu Eunseol snorted. “What could a wretch like you know? Your head will burst before you speak the truth.”
Bu Eunseol already knew well from Illusion King Sa Okcheong and the blue-eyed man from the Martial Alliance that the Three Realms had imposed powerful prohibitions.
Speaking of them meant instant death.
Tremble.
Realizing there was no escape, Dong Cheongi shook before glaring and shouting,
[Then now… we all die together!]
He stretched both hands skyward.
Boom!
An explosion rang out, and his blood and bone fragments scattered everywhere.
Like the Powerful Dragon Pulse-Destroying Soul, he self-detonated to take the enemy with him.
Jiiing!
But Bu Eunseol had already anticipated it, forming a round barrier with the Wishful True Binding to block it.
Kurrrrng!
Yet something unexpected occurred.
As Dong Cheongi self-detonated, the Valley of Lost Souls suddenly began collapsing entirely.
Before entering, he had ordered assassins to plant massive explosives.
If the mission failed, he intended to bury everyone here alive.
“To Yeonwol Cave!” At that moment, Nae Bihon shouted from a corner. “There is a passage there to escape safely!”
While staying in the Valley of Lost Souls, he had thoroughly grasped its structure. Thus he knew of the secret passage in Yeonwol Cave connecting to the outside.
Tatatak.
Following Nae Bihon’s shout, countless people entered the area of Yeonwol Cave. Reaching the end of the cave, they found a massive iron door.
Passing through quickly led directly below the mountain slope.
Urrrr.
Meanwhile, the mountain shook, and the place where the Valley of Lost Souls had been completely collapsed.
The Valley of Lost Souls’ people gazed at it with lost expressions.
There was no longer a Valley of Lost Souls to forget all worldly worries.
They had to go out and live again.
They all wore expressions as if awakening from sleep, then soon bowed deeply toward the Valley of Lost Souls.
It was gratitude to Do Songbaek, who had soothed and cared for their hearts until now.
***
The Divine Water Palace was the most unique and mysterious among the Seven Great Secret Palaces of the martial world.
It maintains its lineage aloofly, interacting with no other sects or martial figures, keeping only its own gates pure.
It also fused the mysterious power called Divine Water Energy with martial arts.
It used water—this most common thing—as the world’s most fearsome weapon.
And within the mysterious Divine Water Palace lay another secret land unknown to the martial world.
That is the Pool of Demon Blades.
Dark clouds always gather around the Pool of Demon Blades, and the atmosphere is unstable.
Due to strong winds, terrain, and hot, humid climate… lightning strikes occurred frequently.
Having obtained the Field of Divine Spirits and Profound Hunt Stone, if Bu Eunseol awakened the Thunder Divine Energy using the lightning falling at the Pool of Demon Blades… Nae Bihon would regain all his power.
Bu Eunseol and company hurried toward Eunha Ridge where the Divine Water Palace stood. Finally arriving near Eunha Ridge, they set up camp in a secluded spot as night deepened and lit a fire.
“Let us recover our stamina here before heading to Divine Water Palace.” At Bu Eunseol’s words, Dae Guhwi diligently tended the fire, and Nae Bihon prepared bedding.
Once preparations for camping were roughly complete, Nae Bihon began meditating.
Though memories did not return, as time passed, Thunder Spirit Sect’s martial techniques surfaced one by one. Through meditation, he memorized the techniques that arose in his mind and transmitted them to Dae Guhwi.
During the journey from the Valley of Lost Souls to Eunha Ridge where Divine Water Palace lay, Nae Bihon had transmitted a considerable number of the Thunder Spirit Sect martial arts to Dae Guhwi.
The Thunder Spirit Sect and Wild Beast Palace martial arts both emphasized ferocity, so their harmony and compatibility were excellent.
“Hm, this seems useful.” As another martial formula surfaced, Nae Bihon explained it in detail to Dae Guhwi. “Guhwi, you likely think your beastly power does not activate properly due to your gentle nature and tendency to be bound by past memories. But I think differently. It is precisely because you are too rational.”
“Is being rational bad?”
“Not at all. Judging coldly and rationally before battle is the best choice. But you must not think of the enemy’s movements with your head or keep victory and defeat in mind.” Nae Bihon explained calmly. “The Wild Beast Palace martial arts prioritize instinct and senses, so mastering this First Thunder Spirit Form will likely help draw out sharp senses.”
He recited the First Thunder Spirit Form formula.
Dae Guhwi memorized it earnestly with a serious expression.
‘He probably wanted to live like that.’ Bu Eunseol smiled, watching them.
Nae Bihon must have cherished his son deeply. And while the child grew, he likely wanted to raise him by teaching martial arts one by one like this.
Dae Guhwi was gentle and followed Nae Bihon well.
To an outsider, they would mistake them for father and son.
‘There will be nothing for me to do on this journey.’
Originally, Bu Eunseol had planned to transmit various martial techniques to explode Dae Guhwi’s beastly power. But due to the Valley of Lost Souls incident, Dae Guhwi had succeeded in erupting his beastly power.
And the remaining deficiencies were being filled little by little by Nae Bihon.
By the time the Divine Water Palace matters were settled, Dae Guhwi would likely draw forth beastly power smoothly.
Nod, nod.
As night deepened, Dae Guhwi fell into deep sleep, weary.
Bu Eunseol gazed at the distant sky, lost in thought.
At that moment, Nae Bihon approached Bu Eunseol.
“You have suffered much because of me.”
“Not at all.” Bu Eunseol shook his head. “Brother Thunder may not remember, but in truth, all this is this younger brother’s fault.”
“What do you mean?”
“Brother Thunder suddenly fought someone because of this younger brother. And was defeated by them, injured.”
“How is that your fault? It was my lack of skill.” Nae Bihon smiled. “You truly have suffered. Because of me.”
Bu Eunseol smiled.
Though the bond formed in an incomplete state, he felt a deep brotherhood with Nae Bihon.
The journey did not even feel like hardship.
‘But.’
This was a short dream.
Once he regained Thunder Divine Energy, he would lose all memories until now.
He need only think of it as dreaming a pleasant dream for now.
“Let us speak of such things after everything is done. It is uncertain whether the Divine Water Palace Lord will even lend the Pool of Demon Blades.”
“True, that is so.” Nae Bihon said calmly. “But even if I cannot regain my power, I feel no regret. So do not push yourself too hard, younger brother.”
Bu Eunseol smiled instead of answering.
He was determined to restore Nae Bihon no matter what. But he did not expect something entirely unforeseen to occur.
The next day.
Bu Eunseol and company arrived early before Divine Water Palace and conveyed to the guard their desire to visit the Pool of Demon Blades.
“Deliver this letter to the Vice Palace Master.”
The Divine Water Palace Lord was in seclusion, and all affairs were handled by Vice Palace Master Sa Cheongha. Thus, the request to enter the Pool of Demon Blades was conveyed to Vice Palace Master Sa Cheongha.
Then a rather absurd reply returned.
“I would like to behead you immediately, but I will show mercy… The moment you hear this, retreat thirty ri (12 km) from Eunha Ridge.”
“What nonsense is this?”
“She said to convey only that. Farewell.”
Thud.
The Divine Water Palace’s gate shut firmly again.
Bu Eunseol, standing before the gate, could not hide his bewilderment.
This was completely unexpected. Even if Divine Water Palace rejected outsiders, to detest to this extent?
Then there must clearly be some incident between the Vice Palace Master and Nae Bihon.
“Brother Thunder. Does nothing come to mind?”
“Nothing.” Nae Bihon shook his head calmly.
Due to lost memories, even if there were ill fate with Sa Cheongha, he could not know.
“We cannot come this far and stop.”
Bu Eunseol bit his lip.
How much hardship to obtain Field of Divine Spirits and Profound Hunt Stone?
If the Divine Water Palace refused entry to the Pool of Demon Blades, not only would all efforts until now be for naught.
They could not find the Blade Emperor’s descendant either.
“Master Seol.”
At that moment, Dae Guhwi stepped forward.
“Let me try.” He thumped his chest and declared boldly. “No matter what, I am the Wild Beast Palace’s successor. Even the Divine Water Palace cannot easily ignore our palace’s prestige.”
He was ignored.
Vice Palace Master Sa Cheongha held the Wild Beast Palace’s face in no regard.
She had no intention whatsoever of upholding the prestige of the youngest son whose name was scarcely known.
Dae Guhwi returned with unfocused eyes, thoroughly snubbed, and Bu Eunseol’s eyes flashed.
‘No choice.’
Bu Eunseol bit his lip.
In the end, to enter the Divine Water Palace that refused to even open the gate, shamelessly—there was only one way.
The successor of Majeon, the identity of Martial Soul Command Lord.
