However, Bing Hanpung had come here fully aware of that.
There was only one reason.
—This Palace Lord will be your close friend in any situation, sharing your hardships and difficulties!
It was because he had made this promise to Bu Eunseol, who had helped the North Sea Ice Palace.
To keep that promise, Bing Hanpung had immediately passed the Palace Lord position to his son and willingly led his own Glacial Vanguard here.
The same was true for Dae Guhwi.
Because he trusted Bu Eunseol and wanted to help him, without hesitation, he had relinquished his position as the next Palace Lord of the Wild Beast Palace and came to the Central Plains.
“Do not worry.” Bu Eunseol explained calmly. “I have already made all the arrangements for that.”
“Using those new Ghost Children?”
At Nae Bihon’s question, Bu Eunseol nodded.
“Yes. The reason the Infinite Realm cultivated Human Flowers and created puppets was precisely to deal with those Ghost Children.”
“But I hear the Martial Alliance is currently pouring their heart into the investigation as well.” Nae Bihon stroked his chin. “From what I’ve heard, it was the Martial Alliance side that blew this matter up in the first place… If they resolve everything, won’t it just end there?”
“The Martial Alliance is only conducting a formal investigation.” Bu Eunseol explained calmly. “There are scarcely any figures in the Martial Alliance who truly wish to protect the martial world and help the weak. Most only pursue their own interests.”
He wore a subtle smile.
“In fact, the reason the Martial Alliance even began investigating this massacre was because I requested it of their leadership.”
Nae Bihon and Bing Hanpung were greatly surprised.
For Bu Eunseol, the successor of Majeon, to be able to make intimate requests of the Martial Alliance leadership?
“You have connections?”
“Yes.”
Bing Hanpung stroked his chin.
“Even if we sweep away those Ghost Children, the Central Plains martial world will never yield a place to us.”
The level at which martial artists guard against outer forces exceeded imagination but no matter how much they gathered to do good deeds, they would never be acknowledged to stay in the Central Plains.
“That is nothing to worry about.” Bu Eunseol nodded and said. “In the process of resolving this matter, they will have no choice but to recognize this association.”
“This association?”
“I have named it the Martial Soul Society.”
Then Dae Guhwi clapped his hands and said.
“Ah. So you’re going to form new vanguards under the Command Lord and place them in Majeon?”
“No. This association has no relation whatsoever to either Majeon or the Martial Alliance. It is an alliance between orthodox and unorthodox.”
“An alliance between orthodox and unorthodox?”
Bu Eunseol’s plan had only been known in advance to Bing Hanpung, who received the details via letter, and to Dam Yuyeon, who had become the strategist.
Thus, the rest of those present looked at each other with blank expressions.
They had assumed that since it was called the Martial Soul Society, it would naturally be a new demonic vanguard under Bu Eunseol.
But an orthodox-unorthodox alliance that was neither demonic nor orthodox?
“Is such a thing possible?”
Nae Bihon blinked and said, “If you create an orthodox-unorthodox alliance, wouldn’t that be considered treason?”
“I am not the association leader.”
He pointed to Dae Guhwi.
“The first leader will be Guhwi.”
Then he pointed again to Nae Bihon.
“In the future, when it has fully taken root, the Thunder Spirit Sect will join this association, and big brother Nae will take the position.”
Those present could not hide their incredulous expressions.
The term “Martial Soul” had truly become a word referring to Bu Eunseol.
Yet he named it the Martial Soul Society and intended to seat Dae Guhwi as leader?
“Still, it won’t work.”
Do Cheonlin, who had been listening silently, shook his head.
“All the outer vanguards that came here did so at your invitation. Moreover, with the name Martial Soul Society… no matter how much you insist there’s no connection, Majeon won’t believe it.”
Everyone nodded.
If Bu Eunseol was trying to grasp such a large army in his hands?
Even if the Demon Emperor might overlook it with amusement, the Chief Instructor would immediately try to take Bu Eunseol’s head.
“I have resolved all such issues.”
“How?”
“No matter the inner details, I am officially a person with no connection to the Martial Soul Society. It does not violate Majeon’s rules, so even the Chief Instructor cannot touch me.”
Bu Eunseol had already discerned, during his previous private meeting with the Chief Instructor, that he was walking a different path from the Demon Emperor but those present felt something beyond incredulity—almost eeriness.
Naming it the Martial Soul Society, seating the successor of the Wild Beast Palace Lord as leader and creating an orthodox-unorthodox alliance that would not face opposition from the Central Plains martial world?
This was simply too implausible.
“But with just that…”
“Of course, there is a separate real reason.”
Bu Eunseol smiled.
“Though it is called an orthodox-unorthodox alliance, until the Martial Soul Society grows into a powerful force… it will constantly clash with the Martial Alliance.”
“With the Martial Alliance side?”
“Yes. Majeon will sit back and reap enormous benefits. Therefore, they will never touch this association.” Bu Eunseol spoke with a voice full of conviction. “By the time Majeon senses something amiss and tries to impose sanctions, this association will already have grown into a force capable of threatening Majeon.”
Only then did Nae Bihon, grasping the situation, nod.
“You mean to divide the world into three.”
At Nae Bihon’s words, Bu Eunseol nodded.
“That is the goal, though it will not be easy. In the end, when Majeon bares its fangs, we will have to grow while balancing the standoff between the orthodox and unorthodox sides.”
Those listening felt their chests swell with emotion.
If Bu Eunseol’s grand plan succeeded?
Another powerful alliance would be born in the martial world.
“Then what about you, little brother? Vice leader?”
“No. As I said, I am officially a person with no relation to the Martial Soul Society.”
Those present wore faint smiles.
Bu Eunseol has no connection to the Martial Soul Society but with a different identity? He could come here anytime.
“Setting that aside.” Nae Bihon stroked his chin and asked. “Then the vice leader would be Brother Bing?”
“Lord Bing is the vanguard leader of this association’s Glacial Vanguard. Do Cheonlin is the leader of the Mercenary vanguard.”
“Then what can I help with? You’re not going to make me vice leader, are you?”
Bu Eunseol smiled.
“Isn’t big brother Nae the Sect Leader of the Thunder Spirit Sect, which walks the orthodox path? I cannot yet assign you a position.”
Nae Bihon was, after all, the Sect Leader of the Thunder Spirit Sect and a grand master of the Central Plains.
The Martial Soul Society was an alliance spanning orthodox and unorthodox. For now, he should not belong here.
Currently, the Martial Soul Society is merely a temporary force of outer sects.
“When the Martial Soul Society rises to a position where it can absorb orthodox forces… big brother Nae, please take the leader position.”
“So you’re setting up Guhwi as the outward leader while secretly operating it yourself.”
“Yes.”
Nae Bihon asked, “Then what about this place? What happens to the Red Sky Veil?”
“This place will also be reorganized.”
“Hmm.”
Bu Eunseol looked at Dam Yuyeon.
“The strategist will explain the rest.”
Dam Yuyeon then rose from her seat.
She, who had long led mercenaries, was on par with Bu Eunseol in strategy and troop deployment.
When the Black Flag Society had swarmed, without her ghostly troop maneuvers, they would have been overrun in an instant.
“According to our investigation, there are four places suspected of future Ghost Children appearances.”
She spread out a large map and continued.
“This force called Inbiin cannot be eliminated at once. Their main base is unknown, and they intermittently send subordinates with bizarre powers into the martial world.”
She sighed.
“That is why even the massive Infinite Realm could not uproot them.”
Those present swallowed hard.
Having toppled one axis of the Three Realms, they were now in a situation where they had to take over what it had handled.
“These Ghost Children that have appeared this time also possess power incomparable to ordinary martial artists. They are innately strong beings.”
Those present listened with tense expressions.
Indeed, if the Infinite Realm cultivated Human Flowers to strengthen them and created puppets to oppose them, they would never be easy opponents.
It might even require risking their lives.
“We must prepare ourselves.”
At Bing Hanpung’s words, Dam Yuyeon shook her head.
“No. There is no need for that.”
“Hm?”
“From the beginning, the Command Lord’s plan is not for this association to stop them, but to make other alliance forces deal with them.”
Dam Yuyeon’s eyes sparkled.
“Until this association becomes strong enough to eradicate them root and branch.”
Those present nodded.
The things that the forces dominating the martial world until now could not handle.
With the current strength of the Martial Soul Society, they could not finish it.
“Then in the early stages, we can only dip our toes in, catching some of those Ghost Children.”
At Nae Bihon’s words, Dam Yuyeon nodded.
“Yes. But even afterward, our forces will not need to risk their lives doing such things. Because…”
As Bu Eunseol’s plan flowed from her mouth, Nae Bihon and Bing Hanpung’s eyes gradually widened.
Deep schemes and far-reaching foresight.
Bu Eunseol was truly thinking infinitely deep and foreseeing a distant future.
“It seems best for us to just follow without overthinking.”
As Dae Guhwi scratched his head and muttered, everyone smiled faintly.
From an ordinary person’s perspective, his schemes were impossible to even guess. In that case, simply following was easier on the mind.
“Then, we should start moving soon.”
At Bu Eunseol’s words, everyone took a deep breath.
For the Martial Soul Society to safely take root as a force in the martial world, first, it must be recognized by the existing alliance forces as a legitimate martial alliance.
—From now on, we will track down the culprits who killed innocent commoners.
The Glacial Vanguard led by Bing Hanpung and Dae Guhwi headed to Namung Province, while Do Cheonlin’s Mercenary Vanguard and Bu Eunseol’s Death Shadow Corps Vanguard headed to Gyeongwon Province.
Though the great outer armies moved without restraint, no sect dared block them.
Until now, Bu Eunseol had uprooted countless forces, and none who stood in his way had avoided ruin.
Moreover, since they were resolving the martial world’s troublesome massacre incident, there was no particular reason to oppose them.
—The culprits have been found!
With the intelligence of the Death Spirit Corps and Supreme Corps and thousands of troops from the outer regions immediately surrounding the area to track down the culprits, they were quickly able to capture those who had roamed villages committing brutal massacres.
As reported, those who killed commoners and vagrants were all boys around ten years old. Boys who should just be developing self-awareness and growing up receiving love from their parents.
They had wandered here and there, indiscriminately slaughtering vagrants, the sick, and the disabled.
—These are not ordinary boys.
Investigation revealed they possessed very unique physiques.
Their muscles were extremely thin but dense, exerting superhuman strength more than ten times that of normal humans.
Moreover, their intelligence was very high.
They were fast and strong like seasoned martial artists, cunning like wolves, and possessed endurance like camels, adept at shaking off pursuit.
To capture just a few Ghost Children, a full three thousand troops each from the North Sea Ice Palace and Wild Beast Palace had to move.
“Truly a difficult task.”
“Indeed.”
After the chase, Bing Hanpung and Dae Guhwi, who had captured the boys sent by the Inbiin, sighed.
To capture these boys who had not even learned martial arts, one needed to have reached at least the very pinnacle of the Supreme Heavenly realm in martial attainment.
In other words, only experts who had mastered their martial techniques to perfection and broken through physical limits could deal with them. An ordinary martial artist with average talent could train martial arts their entire life and still never match these boys.
“Boys barely ten years old rivaling martial artists at the pinnacle of the Supreme Heavenly Realm.” Bing Hanpung could not help but feel chills. “Why on earth did they only target pitiful weaklings to kill?”
At Bing Hanpung’s question, the bloodied boy answered calmly.
“Because they’re weak.”
“What?”
“So they can be reborn as strong humans.”
The boy’s eyes were pure.
“That’s our mission.”
He felt not even guilt, but rather believed he was doing something noble.
“They truly speak like Demon Cult members.”
As Bing Hanpung shook his head, the boy said.
“There are some there too.”
The boy looked at the warriors lined up behind Bing Hanpung and accurately pointed out several people.
They were those with chronic illnesses or injuries.
Though not exactly weaklings, from the boy’s perspective, they were merely targets whose lives needed to be ended quickly.
‘These are not human.’
Bing Hanpung’s eyes sharpened.
If boys barely ten were like this, what if they reached adulthood? How strong would they become?
By then, no one in the martial world would be able to easily stop them.
—I now understand why the Infinite Realm did what it did.
Bing Hanpung and Dae Guhwi looked into each other’s eyes and sighed.
They had thought the Infinite Realm was merely a group of madmen creating Human Flowers and repeating cruel experiments, but they had simply devised their own methods to deal with such powerful beings.
“I will handle it.”
At Dae Guhwi’s words, Bing Hanpung shook his head.
“No, this old man will do it.”
Whoooosh.
Bing Hanpung raised the Heavenly Glacial Secret.
Already at the ultimate realm, no blue light or white chill emanated from him.
“Even the weak have their uses and roles. If only the strong like us remain, the world cannot function.”
Despite Bing Hanpung’s solemn words, the boy remained defiant.
“You’re wrong.”
“Wrong?”
“In truth, dividing into strong and weak is meaningless. We must change this world.”
“This world…”
“Yes. Completely, all of it.”
Bing Hanpung sighed.
These children were neither crazed with killing nor stained by any malice.
They were simply brainwashed by Demon Cult doctrine and believed they were doing the right thing.
“If filled only with the strong, the world will no longer be imperfect.”
Terrifying killing intent flowed from the boy’s eyes.
If given the chance, they would once again unleash indiscriminate slaughter toward powerless commoners and innocent vagrants.
‘No choice.’
Bing Hanpung extended his hand.
Such beings were a great threat.
If left alone, countless weaklings would suffer the consequences.
‘Does this mean this Palace Lord is no different from the Three Realms?’
Bing Hanpung bit his lip and closing both eyes, he prepared to pour out the Heavenly Glacial Secret.
“No.”
Bing Hanpung shook his head.
“There must be a way to undo their brainwashing.”
In the end, he made a different choice.
“Secure these boys firmly and bring them to the association.”
It was the same for Bu Eunseol and Do Cheonlin in Gyeongwon Province.
He too had found the boys sent by the Inbiin and confirmed them indiscriminately massacring the weak and impaired.
“It seems there is no choice.”
Wi Cheongyeong, looking at the captured boy, shook his head.
He was covered in blood.
The boys’ movements were like streaks of meteors, and their cruelty like starving beasts.
Fortunately, the experts of the Death Shadow Corps had surrounded them.
Even the elite vanguard of an ordinary sect could never have captured them alive.
Bu Eunseol silently gazed down at the boy, lost in thought.
“Command Lord, if we leave these children, no powerless commoners or vagrants will remain.” Do Cheonlin beside him also nodded. “If there were a way to rehabilitate them, the Infinite Realm would surely have tried it.”
The Infinite Realm developed Human Flowers and enhanced martial arts through body modification.
If there had been a way to rehabilitate the Inbiin, they would not have repeated such experiments.
‘But why did the Infinite Realm handle the Inbiin?’
A strange thought occurred to Bu Eunseol.
Why had the Infinite Realm handled the Inbiin? Then what about the Clear River Realm and the Returning to One Realm?
Like the Infinite Realm, had they obsessively created powerful forces through bizarre experiments and great methods?
The question arose.
‘Could it be that each was responsible for something different?’
The Infinite Realm manufactured Human Flowers and puppets merely to suppress those with powerful strength.
Then the Clear River Realm? Perhaps to defend against beings with mysterious mind-control arts through dual personalities?
If so, the Returning to One Realm… was responsible for those that only super-experts of the previous generation could handle?
“Command Lord.”
At that moment, Wi Cheongyeong cautiously asked.
“What shall we do?”
Only then did Bu Eunseol, snapping out of his reverie, take a deep breath.
“As Leader Do said. The Infinite Realm probably researched for a long time and concluded rehabilitation is impossible.”
They could not leave the boys be just because they were young. That would lead to killing countless more commoners.
Whoooosh.
In the end, Bu Eunseol raised his internal energy.
Thump!
As he flicked his middle finger, a golden radiance burst forth.
The boy’s eyes, filled with venom, grew dim, and soon his body slumped.
Prajna Great Power.
With the gentle power of Buddhism, he firmly subdued the boy who possessed a body transcending human limits.
“But let’s try first. We cannot indiscriminately kill them without even attempting.”
“It won’t last long.”
Do Cheonlin shook his head.
With Bu Eunseol’s original skill, he could seal acupoints in a fierce way that would not unravel even after decades but these boys possessed bodies like ferocious beasts.
Surely, in less than a few years, they would break the seals placed by the Prajna Great Power.
“Yes, at most three years.”
Bu Eunseol took a deep breath.
“I will find a solution within that time.”
It was something even the Infinite Realm, which had dominated the martial world for hundreds of years, could not do.
Yet Bu Eunseol was declaring he would accomplish it in this short time.
“It wouldn’t be bad to try once.”
Do Cheonlin, and the corps captains including Wi Cheongyeong, nodded with expressions full of trust.
Until now, Bu Eunseol had handled everything deemed impossible and never avoided the trials poured upon him.
Now too, though an easy path lay before him, he was choosing the thorny one.
To save these boys. To avoid killing innocent lives.
—Our Lord is a divine being. He will succeed.
No matter what anyone said, Bu Eunseol was walking the righteous path.
If heaven existed, it would surely support his thoughts and grant a method.
All the corps captains nodded, wearing smiles.
They firmly believed that Bu Eunseol would resolve this matter as well.
