“Number One. Do you know why this very sect which was once the pinnacle of the Demonic Ten Sects for hundreds of years, fell from glory and slipped to the lowest rank?” Sa Woo asked with a sharp gaze.
Bu Eunseol had already heard the full story from Bu Zhanyang. But he simply pressed his lips together and shook his head.
“The ultimate state of this sect’s martial arts lies in the realization of ‘enlightenment’,” Sa Woo said with a sigh. “Unlike other advancement-based martial arts, ours varies drastically in power and level depending on the insight of its inheritor.”
“To be honest, even laying the foundation of this sect’s martial arts is incredibly difficult.”
“……”
“No matter what advancement-type martial arts one learns, the difficulty increases as one progresses. But this sect’s martial arts? The starting point is harder than reaching mastery in others.” He shook his head as he gazed off into the distant sky. “Even if a world-class talent were to learn our martial arts, there’s no guarantee they’d reach mastery. And there was never any rule that such geniuses would even choose our path… That’s where the decline began.”
Sa Woo glanced at Bu Eunseol’s delicate, slender body and shook his head again.
“To be blunt, with a body and physique like yours, you’ll either die within three days or run away. It’s basically a waste of time.”
Bu Eunseol smiled.
“I hear that sort of thing often.” A memory of Bu Zhanyang from the past surfaced in Bu Eunseol’s mind.
“—You brat! You think just anyone can handle a corpse? You’ll run away before even four days pass!” When Bu Eunseol offered to help with the body preparation, Bu Zhanyang had jumped up in protest. “Touching the body of the deceased doesn’t just take guts. You have to know the human body well. One wrong move and something irreversible could happen. Shouldn’t the last moments of those who died horribly be preserved properly? It’s not just about sewing them up nicely or decorating them.”
Bu Zhanyang always made the embalmed corpses look as good as they did when they were alive. This was possible because of his deep understanding of the human body—he could adjust the muscles naturally to closely resemble the living form.
But a month later, Bu Zhanyang had no choice but to stick out his tongue in awe.
“You… You’re a born mortician!” Because Bu Eunseol had reached the same level of preparation as Bu Zhanyang himself.
But it wasn’t because Bu Eunseol was a naturally gifted mortician, nor because he had some innate talent in corpse handling. It was purely the result of Bu Eunseol’s grueling hard work. He stayed up all night reading and rereading the books kept in the house, and never left Bu Zhanyang’s side when he was preparing a body.
Persistent determination and sharp observation. Those were Bu Eunseol’s weapons.
“Well, looks like you’ll have to waste your time like that again from now on.” Sa Woo said, looking at him.
“I’m sorry.”
“Like I said, there’s no need to be sorry or thankful. This sect is only teaching you because of the agreement made with Majeon.” But in truth, Sa Woo was growing quite fond of Bu Eunseol.
Especially those burning eyes, filled with a determination as hot as the sun, even while caring about nothing else. If he hadn’t been moved by that, he wouldn’t have bothered to bring up the past of Nangyang.
“I’ll ask one last time. In learning this sect’s martial arts, nine out of ten die. Will you still proceed?”
“I will.”
“Hmm.” Looking down the narrow path that led to the hut, Sa Woo nodded slowly.
“Seems like no other disciples will be coming to learn our martial arts. Then from now on, I shall pass on the foundation of this sect’s techniques.”
Pah-pah!
With lightning-fast precision, Sa Woo struck the Seung-eup point just below Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
“Ah—!” A searing pain flared in Bu Eunseol’s eyes, as if they were burning.
“Ugh.” As Bu Eunseol quickly rubbed his eyes, the whole world went dark.
In an instant, he had gone blind.
“Don’t worry. I’ve only temporarily sealed your vision using this sect’s secret technique.”
“Why my sight…?”
“It’s necessary for learning this sect’s foundational martial art: The Way of the Beast.”
“The Way of the Beast…”
“Yes. This technique not only heightens all of your bodily senses, but also grants you the reflexes of a wild beast. As the name suggests, you will gain the perception of a true animal.” Sa Woo smacked his lips and added, “Most people die just trying to master this basic art.”
Letting out a sigh, he continued: “Give it about half a sijin (roughly one hour). You’ll start to adjust to being blind by then. Come back when you’re ready.”
Bu Eunseol stood blankly. He could see nothing. He could feel… almost nothing. Sa Woo’s strike hadn’t just taken his sight—it felt as though it had stripped away something deeper, another sense entirely.
‘Was sight always this important?’ He had only lost his vision, yet it felt as if all his senses had gone numb. One might expect that losing sight would sharpen hearing and touch—but in reality, every other sense had dulled as well.
“I have to adapt.” Sa Woo had said the average person would adjust within half a sijin (roughly one hour).
But Bu Eunseol could not afford to be average. He needed to adapt faster.
“I can’t just sit still for half a sijin.” Remaining still would only slow down adaptation. Even small movements might speed it up.
“The others are all busy learning martial arts. No one’s going to ambush me… yet.” For now, Hell Island remained peaceful.
No one would likely attack just because he was blind. Even if they did, it wouldn’t make a difference at this point. So Bu Eunseol wandered like a madman, crawling, touching the ground, even tasting the dirt.
—What if I get ambushed in this state?
That thought led him to begin experimenting. How would he detect an enemy’s approach? How should he move in complete darkness? His only actual fight experience was with Neung Ungang. But thanks to closely analyzing Neung Ungang’s swordplay at the training hall, he could recall each of his opponent’s movements in detail.
Sway—
But his body did not match his mind. He thought he had dodged with a light movement—but his balance collapsed.
“It was balance.” That was it.
The first sense to regain after losing sight was balance. With that realization, Bu Eunseol began to move like a mad dog. He scrambled, crawled, stumbled—anything to reclaim his sense of equilibrium. Sa Woo, eyes now closed in meditation, resumed his mana control.
“Definitely a madman.” Hidden back in the earth with his submersion technique, Sa Woo watched Bu Eunseol’s erratic movements and wore an expression of disbelief.
Most people, upon losing their vision, would sit still or lie down and calmly wait for their other senses to adjust. But Bu Eunseol wasn’t waiting—he was moving, fighting imaginary enemies, testing his balance through chaos.
“Well… that’s a pass, for now.”
Had Bu Eunseol just sat there blankly, waiting for his senses to return, Sa Woo would’ve taught him just enough of the Beast Way to get by.
But now?
“Let’s see if he’s just any madman, or one worthy of Nangyang’s madness.”
***
“Dodge this.” After an hour had passed, Sa Woo suddenly launched an attack—striking at Bu Eunseol with his sheathed sword.
Though he refrained from using a live blade to avoid severing limbs, each blow with the scabbard carried crushing force. Bu Eunseol’s bones groaned under pressure, and his internal organs shook violently. A jab to his lower abdomen sent him collapsing, coughing up blood. The strike had been swift, precise, impossible to dodge—even with sight. But for a blind man, fending off a strike from a martial master of the Ten Demon Sects?
Impossible.
‘Truly… one of a kind.’
Sa Woo found himself struck by a curious thought. By now, most disciples learning martial arts would have asked how to dodge or what method to use. But Bu Eunseol?
He simply kept taking the blows—without a single question.
Eventually, Sa Woo couldn’t contain his curiosity any longer and asked first.
“Why aren’t you asking anything?”
“Asking… what, sir?”
“You just keep taking the hits. Aren’t you curious how to dodge them? Or what techniques to use?” Bu Eunseol spat out a mouthful of blood and used his iron sword as a cane to stand.
“Didn’t you say that all of Nangyang’s essence is contained in the the act of realization?”
“Huh?”
“I figured there must be a reason you’re hitting me in silence. I assumed even your strikes were part of the lesson.”
“…Well, I mean, that’s true, but…” Their roles had flipped.
The master was the one full of questions, while the disciple harbored none.
‘I’m losing all face here.’ Clicking his tongue, Sa Woo once again raised his sheathed sword.
“Let me tell you something.” He held the scabbard at mid-stance and spoke plainly.
“A human’s senses are originally as sharp as those of wild animals. But we lose that sensitivity due to two reasons. Can you guess what they are?”
“Sight, I suppose.”
“Correct.” But Bu Eunseol wasn’t convinced.
“There are many animals with sharper vision than humans. Sight isn’t unique to mankind—so why would it dull our other senses?”
“Because human intelligence is too advanced,” Sa Woo replied. “Rather than rely on uncertain senses, humans became accustomed to gathering and analyzing information through what they see.”
Bu Eunseol nodded in understanding, prompting Sa Woo to ask again:
“Then, do you know the second reason?” No matter how hard he thought, Bu Eunseol couldn’t guess.
Shaking his head, he waited, and Sa Woo answered:
“Wild animals never know when or where they’ll be attacked. They’re always alert—senses sharpened at all times.”
Bu Eunseol now understood. Unlike beasts, humans don’t live in a constant state of vigilance. Even martial artists, despite their trained senses, don’t have the raw, primal alertness of wild animals.
“Now that you understand it with your head… it’s time for your body to accept it.” Sa Woo lifted his sword again, this time gripping the whole thing. “Here I come again!”
Before he knew it, it was already the third day.
Bu Eunseol hadn’t eaten a single grain of rice, nor drunk a drop of water. His sight still gone, he continued to endure Sa Woo’s relentless attacks. Time had lost meaning. The only thing he could feel was the intricate sword strikes flying at him from the darkness.
“Realize… he says.” Collapsed on the ground, Bu Eunseol clenched his fist tightly.
“Is this really all I’m capable of?” Lying flat, he grabbed a handful of sand.
How could he possibly avenge his grandfather at this level?
Swooooosh…
Just then, a gust of wind swept through the sky. And with it came a cold downpour of rain.
“Number One. Are you just lying there enjoying yourself?” At that moment, Sa Woo’s cold voice was heard.
“If you want to lie down, I could let you lie down for the rest of your life.”
Thud.
Bu Eunseol silently got up. He gripped the iron sword with his left hand. His right hand, which had been hit by Sa Woo’s sheathed sword, was completely torn apart, and his fingers were swollen.
Rumble! Crash!
At that moment, with the sound of thunder, Bu Eunseol felt something sharp shoot toward his forehead.
“Kugh.”
Instinctively, he leaned back and twisted his body, feeling something slice through the air past his face. It was Sa Woo’s strike.
“Hooh.” Hearing Sa Woo exhale, Bu Eunseol sensed something.
‘When I heard the thunder, I saw the sword’s path.’
Sa Woo’s sword techniques barely made any sound and were incredibly subtle. But when the thunder sounded, the falling sword’s path could be felt on his skin. It was as if the sword’s path was wrapped in the thunder’s sound.
‘This is my true bodily sense.’
It was the first time he had heard the thunder shaking the heavens and earth while blind. For the first time, he felt the intense sound waves and vibrations not with his sight or hearing, but with his sense.
Whoosh.
Then Bu Eunseol felt a strange sensation behind his back. He felt the sword’s path twisting freely through the air like a whip.
‘I can’t dodge it.’
The sword’s path came at an angle impossible to avoid. If he were to be hit by that, he would no longer have the strength to stand up. Without a moment’s hesitation, Bu Eunseol used the iron sword he was holding to shield his back.
Chahng!
With a clear sound, the iron sword and the iron scabbard clashed loudly.
At last, he had blocked Sa Woo’s strike.
