Swish.
As soon as the Heavenly Deity’s words ended, the two Special Divine Ranks encircled Bu Eunseol and assumed bizarre stances.
[From this moment on, we will extract everything you know… and then ask about the whereabouts of the Dharma Demon Reverend.]
With those final words, the Heavenly Deity vanished.
No—only his form disappeared. His presence still lingered somewhere on this vast plain.
Ssssk.
At the same instant, the remaining two Special Divine Ranks stepped forward toward Bu Eunseol.
The moment they lowered their stances, the sky darkened to pitch black, and the air across the plain turned heavy as lead.
Under normal circumstances, Bu Eunseol would have waited, observing the martial arts of the Special Divine Ranks, letting them make the first move.
But this was no normal situation. He instinctively knew that if they struck first, he would instantly lose the initiative and be forced onto the defensive.
The very instant he prepared to attack—
‘……!’ Bu Eunseol felt a subtle sensation.
It was as if something enormous was hurtling toward him from thousands of li away. The feeling lasted only a fraction of a second, yet it was enough to disturb his mental focus.
PAAAH!
Seizing that opening without hesitation, the Special Divine Ranks unleashed tremendous pressure from their palms.
At the same moment, Bu Eunseol’s body bent forward.
Pressure that could force a man with five hundred years of cultivated inner energy to buckle with a single move?
Shik! Shik! Shik!
Using the profound principles of Shifting Heaven’s Force, Bu Eunseol instantly slipped free of the pressure and unleashed three consecutive sword strikes.
Those three seemingly ordinary strikes were the essence of the Nangyang Pavilion swordsmanship—an ultimate technique that instantly exploited openings and severed the opponent’s breath.
The two Special Divine Ranks had no choice but to abandon their stances and retreat several steps in rapid succession.
Shuuu!
Yet they were no ordinary masters. Even while retreating, they continuously fired palm force toward Bu Eunseol’s vital points. They had sealed every escape route—left, right, and rear—with thick layers of palm force, making evasion absolutely impossible.
‘So this is the martial learning of the Three Realms.’
Even while defending, even while shifting to the defensive, they poured out killing blows and blocked all paths of retreat with perfect ultimate techniques. Their profound subtlety transcended mere power; it rendered every sword technique Bu Eunseol unleashed utterly ineffective.
‘They intend to decide the fight through the profundity of martial learning alone?’
He had assumed that the Special Divine Ranks, personally brought by the Heavenly Deity, would wield heaven-shattering, earth-splitting arts akin to the unprecedented Heaven-Revolving art.
Instead, they attacked with subtle martial arts that carried almost no inner energy at all.
Pang! Shushuk! Hwi-rik!
For a time, ultimate techniques clashed back and forth, kicking up clouds of dust and shards of stone in all directions.
KWAAANG!
In that instant, thirteen palm shadows wrapped around Bu Eunseol’s body.
Tang-tang-tang!
Bu Eunseol used the Ban-Geuk Method’s principle of reflecting force with half-strength, manifesting their palm force into tangible form and repelling it.
Hwirik!
Yet the moment he deflected their palm force, the Special Divine Ranks executed ghost-like footwork and momentarily withdrew.
Neither side had taken any real damage.
Even so, Bu Eunseol felt pushed back in the exchange of ultimate techniques.
‘They never fully unfold their techniques…’
Only now did he realize: the Special Divine Ranks were not completing their techniques.
The problem was that even when stopped midway, their power remained tremendous, and they perfectly blocked every one of Bu Eunseol’s attacks.
‘Why does the Heavenly Deity not step in himself?’
Bu Eunseol caught his breath and scanned the surroundings.
The martial arts of these Special Divine Ranks were extraordinary; if the Heavenly Deity joined them, Bu Eunseol would be utterly helpless.
Yet the man remained hidden, merely watching.
‘When he said he would extract everything from me… did he mean he wanted to observe my martial arts?’
It was certainly possible.
But why did it feel less like the Heavenly Deity was choosing not to act, and more like he was unable to act?
‘I have no obligation to play along with his rhythm.’
Hwi-iiing—crackle-crackle.
Half of Bu Eunseol’s body turned icy cold, the other half blazing red.
Until now, he had restrained himself as much as possible from using true-energy-based martial arts that relied on raw power. Though they could crush opponents easily, they offered no benefit to the advancement of his martial path.
But since the Special Divine Ranks were using the profundity of martial learning as their advantage, he would overwhelm that profundity with superior inner power.
[Their power cannot withstand yours.]
At that moment, the Heavenly Deity’s voice suddenly rang out, carried on the wind.
[Unfold the Domain of Nine Wounds Purgatory.]
He had only concealed his form.
He had been watching this battle from the very beginning.
PAAAH!
Yet Bu Eunseol was already alternating bursts of extreme yin and extreme yang energy.
The Heavenly Glacial Secret and the Yeolha Great True Energy, fused with five hundred years of cultivated inner power, were nothing less than the fury of nature itself.
No amount of subtle martial learning could block such overwhelming might.
Jiiing.
Then something strange happened.
In an instant, the area for dozens of zhang around them plunged into darkness and absolute silence.
Unknown smoke began rising from the ground in thin curls.
At the same time, an unpleasant light and nine translucent shadows seemed to cling tightly to Bu Eunseol’s body.
Shuuuu.
The extreme yin and extreme yang energy gathered in his hands vanished in the blink of an eye.
‘A formation? No.’
If they had shown any sign of deploying a formation, Bu Eunseol would have seized the opening and severed their throats instantly.
—Unfold the Domain of Nine Wounds Purgatory.
‘Domain?’
As Bu Eunseol frowned, recalling the Heavenly Deity’s words—
Hwirik!
A fierce killing intent slashed at his back.
He spun like a top, yet a blade-like energy still grazed his shoulder.
Chak.
Unnoticed, the Special Divine Ranks had once again taken positions encircling him from left and right.
Shik! Shik!
With Bu Eunseol in the center, they passed axe-sharp energy back and forth like a ball.
‘A new martial art.’
Bu Eunseol had assumed from the start that the Special Divine Ranks would all use the martial arts of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars. Yet the techniques they employed were completely different from any martial art in the martial world.
Even Bu Eunseol, who was thoroughly experienced in instantly grasping the subtleties of martial arts and devising counters, could not easily overcome their methods.
Wuuuung!
Bu Eunseol attempted to unfold the Wishful True Binding.
But his true energy would not manifest.
The same was true for the Thirteen Guiding Energies; even the sword energy gathered on the Silent Tiger Soul Sword had vanished.
‘They have created a new secret art capable of suppressing true-energy martial arts.’
Bu Eunseol could not hide his astonishment.
This “domain” they had unfolded ultimately created a space where inner energy and true energy could not be used. Which meant that within this space, victory could only be decided by the exquisite subtlety of pure martial technique and ultimate moves.
‘Why?’
Something was off.
Whether it was Mu Gyeol, disciple of the Heavenly Emperor, or these Special Divine Ranks of the Infinite Realm—both used battle formations and secret arts designed to seal the martial arts of masters possessing tremendous inner power.
‘Why on earth?’
Hwirik!
There was no time for deep thought.
Unlike Bu Eunseol, they continuously poured out powerful palm force and energy, pressing him relentlessly.
‘Is the advantage of inner power truly this great?’
Bu Eunseol’s greatest strength lay in his unparalleled inner power and the true-energy martial arts built upon it. Now that it was sealed, he was continually pushed back by the subtle attacks of the Special Divine Ranks.
Saaak!
A sharp palm force grazed his shoulder, sending Bu Eunseol sliding far backward.
‘Simple yet concise, profound yet powerful.’
The martial arts they displayed could neither be seen nor fully sensed, and they stopped midway. Thus he could not predict their techniques in advance, yet their power surpassed that of any absolute art.
—Aside from the martial arts of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars, are there no martial arts that depart from or differ entirely from the framework of ordinary martial learning?
A memory from the past suddenly resurfaced.
When he had visited Nangyang Pavilion, he had asked Dan Cheong about the martial arts of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars. Their martial arts transcended the principles of ordinary martial learning, and even Bu Eunseol could not instantly absorb their subtleties.
That was why he had discussed the topic with Dan Cheong, who was profoundly knowledgeable about every martial art scattered throughout the martial world.
—Of course there are.
Dan Cheong had told him something astonishing at the time.
—The imperial palace martial arts, especially those preserved in the Imperial Palace Vault, are on the same level as the martial arts of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars; they do not follow the same path as martial world martial arts.
Imperial palace martial arts are divided into two categories.
The battlefield-oriented martial arts practiced mainly by the military, which drastically restrict the use of inner energy and excel in combat among large numbers.
And the Imperial Palace Secret Arts stored in the Imperial Palace Vault, specifically designed to subdue martial world practitioners.
—In particular, the Imperial Palace Secret Arts consist mostly of techniques that extremely suppress inner energy and true energy. For those who cultivate inner energy even in their sleep, it is an inevitable choice if the palace wishes to hold the advantage.
Could the arts these Special Divine Ranks were using be those very Imperial Palace Secret Arts?
‘It is possible.’
In the past, the Infinite Realm had employed experts from Dongchang in the underground city beneath Sichuan. Therefore, it would not be strange for the Infinite Realm to command experts from the imperial palace.
If so, the martial art that created this “domain” most likely originated from the Imperial Palace Vault.
KWA-RUNG!
In that interval, two strands of tremendous palm force wrapped around Bu Eunseol’s body. Even though the technique was not fully executed, Bu Eunseol felt his limbs grow limp and heavy.
A subtle power had begun burrowing into his meridians as though to damage them.
‘I think too much.’
To triumph over powerful enemies, one must gather the mind into one point and fight with total commitment. Yet even in the midst of battle, Bu Eunseol thought far too much.
He had to uncover the origins and identity of the enemy’s martial arts while simultaneously trying to advance his own. Because of his extraordinary insight and intellect, he repeatedly suffered from divided concentration at critical moments.
‘I will forget the Heavenly Deity and the Three Realms.’ Bu Eunseol steeled his resolve.
Forgetting the Three Realms, forgetting the Heavenly Deity—forgetting everything.
He returned to being the disciple of Nangyang Pavilion who sought to learn, master, and win at any cost.
Hwirik!
Once again the Special Divine Ranks attacked.
Even without completing their techniques, arrowhead-sharp palm force poured forth, perfectly predicting Bu Eunseol’s evasive movements. Since his true-energy martial arts were sealed, he had no choice but to respond with equally profound pure martial technique.
‘When it comes to the profundity of martial learning, this pavilion reigns supreme!’
Instead of dodging the incoming energy, Bu Eunseol spun his sword in ceaseless circles.
It was a technique of Nangyang Pavilion swordsmanship—similar to Grafting Flowers onto Jade, letting the enemy’s attack flow past harmlessly.
Pat!
Closing the distance in an instant, Bu Eunseol lowered his stance slightly and thrust the Silent Tiger Soul Sword toward the Special Divine Rank on his right.
At the same time, his left hand formed a Tiger Claw and raked toward the man’s groin.
Hwirik!
Seizing the opening, the Special Divine Rank on the left struck Bu Eunseol’s back with full force.
But that was exactly what Bu Eunseol had intended.
PEONG!
When the palm struck his back, a thunderous explosion rang out—and instead, the Special Divine Rank’s body was hurled three zhang away.
“Kuuh.” The gravely injured Special Divine Rank groaned and staggered back.
Because of the domain they had unfolded, Bu Eunseol could not use true-energy martial arts. Yet that did not mean the inner power within his body had disappeared.
While attacking both opponents, he had deliberately exposed the Yeongdae acupoint on his back.
The Special Divine Rank had instantly seized the chance and struck it with palm force—only to be repelled by the sharp rebound of five hundred years’ worth of Ban-Geuk Method energy that Bu Eunseol had gathered there, suffering fatal internal injuries in the process.
[Use the Twin Light Seal.] The Heavenly Deity’s voice rang out once more.
The remaining Special Divine Rank rapidly extended both palms.
FLASH!
Blinding light poured forth in rapid succession, enveloping Bu Eunseol’s body. It was an unforeseen attack, and it was as fast as Nae Bihon’s Thunder Spirit Annihilation.
Several strands of light pierced into his body.
Chiiiii.
A fierce power that seemed capable of incinerating everything bored into his meridians.
‘So it was the power of Thunder Spirit Energy.’
That was why the Special Divine Ranks could freely unleash energy within the domain. From the very beginning, they had not been using ordinary inner power, but a unique energy similar to the Four Divine Energies.
FLASH!
Normally, Bu Eunseol would have suffered severe injury, but within his body resided the Thunder Spirit Divine Energy—the very source of thunder energy.
Thus their attack inflicted no damage whatsoever and like stones thrown into the sea, it vanished in an instant.
—The reason our realm began mass-producing artificial inner cores… was to artificially generate the Four Divine Energies.
He suddenly recalled what Pang Yeok had said long ago in the underground chamber beneath the Pang family’s ancestral hall.
If so, their research must have succeeded to some degree since they had clearly managed to create something resembling Thunder Divine Energy inside the bodies of experts like the Special Divine Ranks.
‘I must hide it!’
“Kuuh.” Bu Eunseol deliberately groaned.
He realized instinctively that he must never let them discover he possessed the Divine Energy of the Four Gods.
‘Then there is a way.’
The domain and arts they had devised ultimately suppressed only true-energy martial arts. They could never suppress a power like the Four Divine Energies.
In other words, the power of the Four Divine Energies was the key that could effortlessly shatter every domain and technique they used.
Jijijik.
Meanwhile, the Special Divine Rank continued pouring Thunder Spirit Energy to overwhelm him.
“Arghhh!” Bu Eunseol cried out in pain and dropped to one knee.
‘Perfect.’
Having completed his plan to cut down both Special Divine Ranks in a single strike, Bu Eunseol—
Clack.
sheathed the Silent Tiger Soul Sword and shouted loudly.
“If I die, we die together!”
Then he charged at the Special Divine Rank with all his strength. In this place where he could not unleash sword energy, the only choice was to wield the physical blade himself.
Pat! Jijijijik!
As Bu Eunseol closed the distance, the Special Rank unleashed Thunder Spirit Energy at full power, as if he had been waiting.
“Ughhh!” Seeing Bu Eunseol’s face contorted in agony, the Special Rank slowly narrowed the gap and poured out even stronger Thunder Spirit Energy.
Finally, when only one zhang remained, something bizarre happened.
Bu Eunseol, whose body should have been paralyzed by the thunder energy, suddenly moved like lightning and closed the distance completely.
Sleeng!
At the same moment, the Silent Tiger Soul Sword was drawn from its sheath.
Time seemed to freeze; a crimson glow blossomed from the tip of the Silent Tiger Soul Sword.
Ssk.
Crimson lines appeared across the throats of both Special Divine Ranks.
He had deliberately allowed them to believe they had perfectly suppressed him with their thunder discharge, luring them into pouring out their full power. Then he pierced straight through that thunder energy and executed the Meteor Chasing the Moon footwork.
“You bastard…”
One of the Special Divine Ranks clutched his throat and spoke in a trembling voice.
“How… are you unharmed after being struck by Thunder Spirit Energy?”
“Heh heh.” Bu Eunseol deliberately gave a sinister laugh. “I devised counters to all your techniques with the help of Hyeok Ryeon-eung.”
“What did you say?”
“If you doubt me, go ask your Dharma Demon Reverend yourselves. He will confess everything.”
It was a lie.
But they would never be able to verify it.
Hyeok Ryeon-eung had been completely erased by Bu Eunseol’s own hand.
Chwaaak!
Finally, fountains of blood sprayed from the throats of the two Special Divine Ranks.
Tuk.
As their heads rolled to the ground, the sky cleared, and the Domain of Nine Wounds Purgatory slowly dissipated. Then the Heavenly Deity, who had been invisible all this time, reappeared in the form of a pitch-black shadow.
[Interesting.] Despite losing both his subordinates, his voice remained leisurely. [It was worth coming out to the martial world after so long.]
“You never could come out, could you?” Bu Eunseol answered with a cold smile. “No matter how much you wanted to.”
He did not know the exact reason, but Bu Eunseol had guessed that the Heavenly Deity was in a situation where he could not freely act in the martial world—that even if he wished to emerge, he could not.
“That is why you appear only as a ghostly silhouette.”
[It seems I have no choice.] Though the Heavenly Deity’s voice grew gentler, a sharp, piercing killing intent glinted within it. [Even if it means I cannot emerge for some time, I will have to kill you myself.]
“Do it if you can.”
Bu Eunseol answered with relaxed confidence, yet inwardly he was gathering every ounce of his power.
The chance of victory in this fight—no, the chance of even surviving—was infinitesimally small.
‘It does not matter.’
Bu Eunseol had never rested a single day; he had trained and refined himself without pause.
He would pour out everything he had, with no regrets.
KWANG!
At that moment, with a thunderous explosion, Bu Eunseol’s body was hurled dozens of zhang away. There had been no time to dodge, and he did not even know what had struck him.
“Tph.” Bu Eunseol spat out a pebble-sized clot of blood.
Given the level of his martial arts, vomiting blood after being hit by an attack he could neither evade nor even sense was unthinkable. The Heavenly Deity was either a master of the Limitless Realm, or he possessed some power that surpassed martial arts altogether.
“No… it was merely a grab.” Wiping the blood from his lips, Bu Eunseol realized something and gave a wry smile. “You manipulated the domain or whatever it is to remove the restriction of distance.”
Though he had not fought for his life, he had once crossed hands with absolute masters of the Limitless Realm such as the Chief Instructor and the Sword Venerable.
Even if he could not dodge the attacks of such supreme grandmasters, it was impossible that he could not even sense them.
Bu Eunseol had seen through it: the Heavenly Deity had used something similar to the domain the Special Divine Ranks had created and struck him directly, ignoring distance.
[So you understand.]
From the black shadow of the Heavenly Deity, triangular, slit-like pupils suddenly formed.
[What changes?]
KUOONG.
In that instant, Bu Eunseol’s vision went completely dark.
An inescapable domain of death enveloped his body.
Defeat.
It felt as though some overwhelming force had seized him and was dragging him into an irreversible realm.
Death.
With a single move from the Heavenly Deity, Bu Eunseol was crossing the threshold of death.
‘So this is the power of the Heavenly Deity.’
Bu Eunseol was being pulled into endless darkness.
His vision was filled with black despair, and only a whooshing sound rang in his ears.
At the end of that destination lay the completion of death.
‘Shall I simply die?’
Five-colored radiance began rising from Bu Eunseol’s body.
Yet even that radiance was swallowed by the darkness.
—A fitting end for a fool who does not even know who he is… or what power he truly possesses.
At that moment, a strange voice echoed once more inside Bu Eunseol’s mind.
Instantly, from Bu Eunseol’s body flowed a light blacker than the darkness poured out by the Heavenly Deity.
—Everything…
Just as his body had turned pitch black, an abyss deeper than the deepest abyss flooded into his soul. His consciousness sank endlessly into deep water, and pitch-black darkness greedily filled the void he left behind.
—Obliterate…
FLASH!
Suddenly his vision brightened, and a gentle light appeared.
That light gradually took the form of Buddha and began to shine brilliantly.
“Amitabha.”
Along with the low chant, an aged voice resounded in all directions.
Bu Eunseol’s ears pricked up.
‘The Buddha Venerable?’
It was unmistakably the voice of the Buddha Venerable he had heard long ago when he infiltrated the Martial Alliance.
