Gongsun Dankyung summoned Seon Woojin, who was currently out in the martial world.
Upon receiving the news, Bu Eunseol immediately swapped identities with Seo Jinha and headed to the Martial Alliance.
Martial Alliance, Silver Moon Pavilion. Secret chamber within the office.
Gongsun Dankyung was continuing a private audience with Bu Eunseol, who was disguised as Seon Woojin.
“An unexpected order has come down.”
Hearing that it was a mission from the Martial Venerable, Bu Eunseol could not help but feel somewhat bewildered.
“He still intends to assign me secret missions?”
Contrary to his promise, the Martial Venerable had not put Seon Woojin forward as a candidate for Martial Heaven Division Commander. Of course, he had conveyed an apology, claiming it was due to sudden circumstances, along with the message that if Gongsun Dankyung exerted her influence, she could still make him a candidate.
In reality, it meant their relationship of trust had been broken.
If the Fist King Seok Chi-haeng had not conveniently turned into a slaughter demon at that exact moment, Bu Eunseol would never have become a candidate for Martial Heaven Division Commander.
“In the end, you did become a candidate.”
Gongsun Dankyung spoke with an indifferent expression.
“That’s how most events in the Alliance turn out, after all.”
She accepted this unreasonable situation as if it were nothing.
That was simply the nature of the Martial Alliance.
To rise to the top, one needed the right connections—no one dared defy orders from above.
‘No choice in the matter.’
Even setting aside the fact that the Martial Alliance was an anti-demon battlefield incomparable to the Majeon, as long as one remained in the Martial Alliance, the hilt of the sword was firmly grasped by the Martial Venerable, who currently played the role of Alliance Leader.
“The one certain thing is that he does not seem intent on completely excluding Hall Leader Seon. If he were, he would not have acknowledged him as a candidate at all.”
“Understood.”
Bu Eunseol took a deep breath and asked, “What kind of mission is it?”
Gongsun Dankyung handed over an envelope with a calm expression.
“Unidentified groups have appeared in Seoryeong Mountain and seem to be plotting something. They are suspicious, so the order is to investigate them thoroughly.”
“Is it simply an investigation mission?”
“Yes. He believes it is likely related to the recent disturbances in the martial world caused by the demonic beings.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes narrowed.
Since the Martial Venerable had personally ordered the investigation, the forces that had come to Seoryeong Mountain were certainly no ordinary people.
‘Hmm.’
For some reason, an oddly unsettling feeling lingered.
The Martial Venerable knew his true identity.
Because of that, the missions previously assigned to him had been near-impossible tasks where even outstanding agents had lost their lives.
Yet now he was being given a mere scouting mission?
“I understand your unease.”
Seeing Bu Eunseol lost in deep thought, Gongsun Dankyung mistook it for swallowed resentment toward the Martial Venerable.
“But I will not betray you. I will definitely raise Hall Leader Seon to the position of Martial Heaven Division Commander.”
It was a rather touching promise, yet it did not resonate much with Bu Eunseol.
She, too, was a senior figure in the Martial Alliance.
She would swallow what was sweet and spit out what was bitter.
Moreover, since the Martial Venerable knew his true identity, the position of Martial Heaven Division Commander was nothing more than a temporary post that could be revoked at any time.
‘I’ll see this through to the end.’
From the moment he had entered the Martial Alliance, he had already calculated that the Divine Mountain Sage might betray him.
Since both sides knew each other’s true identities, the Martial Venerable would also be unable to act rashly.
For now, there was no choice but to follow it through to the end.
“Understood.”
Bu Eunseol immediately set off for Seoryeong Mountain.
If it had truly been a mission to detect some force, peak-level agents would have been mobilised for a wide-scale investigation.
Yet the Martial Venerable had specifically assigned the task to Bu Eunseol.
That meant it was not something requiring large numbers of personnel, but rather an extremely covert and dangerous matter.
That was why he had come alone.
“Phew.”
Having arrived at Seoryeong Mountain in just two days, Bu Eunseol took a deep breath.
With Seon Woojin’s original abilities, he should never have arrived this quickly but the current Seon Woojin had inherited the Martial Emperor’s progress and now sat among the aides of the Four Gods and Seven Kings.
In short, he had become one of the foremost figures among the orthodox faction’s new generation.
Aside from prohibiting demonic martial arts and limiting his internal energy to around three hundred and fifty years’ worth, there was no need to greatly reduce his martial prowess.
Bzzzz.
Raising his Mind’s Eye, Bu Eunseol began meticulously scanning the surroundings of Seoryeong Mountain.
Soon, traces of a large group entering the forest became visible.
Following those traces, Bu Eunseol also stepped into the forest.
Yet the deeper he went, the thicker the mist became, and even the sky began to darken.
‘It is a formation, but…’
The formation spread through the forest was a Confusion Logic Array that disrupted senses and direction.
It was a common formation, yet somehow it carried a profound and religious aura.
‘Strange.’
Heightening his senses, Bu Eunseol slowly advanced deeper.
Judging from the direction the grass had been bent and the traces left behind, they had employed extraordinary qinggong; the group numbered roughly forty.
That level of force could rival the elite of most sects.
From now on, Bu Eunseol had to thoroughly investigate why such experts had come to Seoryeong Mountain and which sect they belonged to.
Step.
Walking deep into the forest, he suddenly halted.
He was clearly moving inward, yet in reality he realised he was merely circling the forest.
A mere Confusion Logic Array daring to throw the senses of a master like him into disarray?
‘Not a formation, but sorcery.’
Taking a deep breath, Bu Eunseol scattered Crystal Divine Energy throughout the forest.
Transparent energy spread in all directions, and once again thick mist filled the forest.
‘The power laid in the forest is resisting?’
It was astonishing.
Until now, whenever he used Divine Energy, he could easily break any sorcery or formation yet the power spread across this mountain was resisting his Divine Energy as if it were a living creature.
‘This is no ordinary sorcery.’
Taking another deep breath, Bu Eunseol scattered Crystal Divine Energy once more.
The mist pouring from all sides grew even denser.
It felt as though a solid wall had been erected, defending against the very intrusion of Crystal Divine Energy.
No matter how much he pushed with Crystal Divine Energy, he could not break through that wall.
‘It’s similar to what happened in Ancient Sword Forest.’
Bu Eunseol stopped spreading Crystal Divine Energy and immediately raised Thunder Spirit Energy.
Crackle.
Purple lightning swirled and enveloped his entire body.
If he could not break the enormous power spread through the forest, he would turn his own body into a sharp spear of thunder and pierce through the solidly blocked force.
Crackle.
With each step forward, something intense pushed against his body.
But Thunder Spirit Energy relentlessly scattered purple flames into the air, as if intending to destroy even that force.
Crackle. Boom!
The Thunder Spirit Energy flowing from Bu Eunseol grew denser.
Soon, his entire body transformed into a mass of purple lightning.
‘This much?’
The Thunder Spirit Energy Bu Eunseol was now exerting emitted ultra-high heat capable of melting an iron house.
How could mere sorcery block such power?
Bzzz.
At that moment, one part of the force pushing against him collapsed, giving the sensation of transparent space tearing open.
Unable to withstand Thunder Spirit Energy any longer, the sorcery finally crumbled.
‘This is…’
Entering deeper, Bu Eunseol could not hide his astonishment.
The scenery that unfolded inside the forest felt like an entirely different world.
The sky was dyed crimson, and the air seemed to have turned into thin liquid.
With every breath, an unpleasant energy stabbed into his nose and pierced his lungs.
Bzzz. Bzzz.
Moreover, as Bu Eunseol entered, bright specks of light clung to him like fireflies.
‘Oh no.’
Realising the specks clinging to his body had recognised him as an intruder, Bu Eunseol prepared to leap away.
But it was already too late.
Hiss.
Suddenly, black mist began rising around him.
The black mist soon transformed into dozens of martial artists.
Their eerie appearance—only their eyes visible—resembled jiangshi, but fortunately they were all living humans.
However, the strange heat haze emanating from their bodies made them look like visualised embodiments of danger and ill omen.
Slash!
Without a single word, they immediately drew their swords and attacked Bu Eunseol.
Their movements were ghostly and their swordplay profound, yet to Bu Eunseol they posed no threat at all.
Swish, swish, swish!
Bu Eunseol unleashed the Thirteen Iron Sword Forms, returning the pouring sword strikes while simultaneously aiming for their vital points.
‘Hm.’
But something was wrong.
Suddenly his internal energy felt reduced to less than a tenth, and his movements slowed as if underwater.
Whoosh.
In that gap, the black shadows scattered like mist, evading his sword momentum before it could fully descend.
‘A common technique.’
It was nothing surprising.
Until now, whether in the Three Realms or the Imperial Palace, any force that was not an ordinary martial sect had always employed methods to restrict martial prowess.
Yet even as he dodged their attacks, the question “why?” endlessly circled in his mind.
Why did they create techniques to restrict the martial arts of martial artists instead of developing their own martial arts?
Why were those who were not from martial sects so obsessed with such methods?
‘Asking won’t make them reveal their identity.’
Watching the martial artists swing their swords with murderous intent, Bu Eunseol began spinning the Silent Tiger Soul Sword in circles.
Having faced enemies who restricted internal energy many times before, he had visited Nangyang Pavilion earlier. There he had sought guidance from Dan Cheong and So Jeon regarding this issue.
Even if internal energy was reduced…
Even if movement was restricted…
Was there a technique that allowed him to face enemies as he normally would?
When the three greatest masters of the era put their heads together, they finally devised one method.
—What if we use the principle of “Evening”?
The principle of Evening allows one to defend against an enemy’s swift strikes even when one’s own moves are slow.
Simply put, if the enemy’s ultimate strike aims for the throat, there is no need to break the strike itself—one need only defend the throat.
However, this principle is rarely used in real combat and is only occasionally employed against clearly inferior opponents.
If one fails to perfectly read the potential mid-stroke changes of the enemy, one might deploy a clumsy defence and lose one’s life instead.
Yet Bu Eunseol unhesitatingly employed the principle of Evening.
His martial learning stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the grand masters of the current era, and those who used such techniques had always been beneath him.
Swish. Swish.
With movements slow enough to induce yawns, Bu Eunseol lightly blocked the sword strikes pouring from over thirty martial artists.
He wielded the Silent Tiger Soul Sword like a short dagger, moving it only around his body.
Hummm.
Moreover, his internal energy exceeded five hundred years. Even if reduced to a tenth, what remained approached nearly a full cycle.
Thus, as long as it did not turn into a contest of internal energy or the creation of sword qi, there was no hindrance to executing sword techniques.
Swish. Swish.
The black-clothed figures grew frustrated and unleashed even faster strikes, but Bu Eunseol blocked them effortlessly with tortoise-like movements.
Whoosh, whoosh!
Soon, Bu Eunseol’s slow swordplay not only parried their attacks but began inflicting deep wounds on their limbs.
The martial arts of the black-clothed figures were impressive, yet they could not compare to Bu Eunseol, who had inherited Nangyang Pavilion’s techniques and mastered the methods of practically every sect under heaven while travelling the martial world.
It was like hard stone colliding with eggs.
The moment Bu Eunseol executed his swordplay, the strikes of the black-clothed figures instantly became empty shells.
Whoosh! Thud.
Each time Bu Eunseol’s sword grazed their bodies, the black-clothed figures collapsed like logs.
It appeared as if the sword had merely brushed past, but in reality he had struck vital points with ferocious precision.
Thud, thud.
Before long, all thirty-odd martial artists lay sprawled on the ground.
Clink.
Sheathing the Silent Tiger Soul Sword, Bu Eunseol closely observed the black-clothed figures.
It was obvious they would not answer questions, so he intended to discover their identity himself.
‘This won’t be easy.’
Neither their clothing, shoes, weapons, nor martial arts revealed any characteristics of a sect or region.
“Who are you people?”
Finally opening his mouth to interrogate them,
Pfft.
They immediately spat blood from their mouths and breathed their last.
“Ruthless method.”
It seemed that the moment their blood points were sealed, a prohibition had been placed to instantly sever their heart meridians.
“I always thought only the Three Realms did such things…”
Until now, the Three Realms had completely concealed their identities by disfiguring subordinates’ appearances or specially crafting weapons, clothing, and shoes yet these people were clearly not from the Three Realms, and still they employed the same practices.
“Forces other than the Three Realms to do such things…”
Bu Eunseol’s gaze darkened.
If there existed powers and organisations on the same level as the Three Realms yet remained hidden…
They could only be abyss forces lurking beneath the surface or hidden beings.
“Then the Martial Venerable has peered into the abyss of the martial world and deliberately sent me here.”
In the martial world, there remained forces yet to reveal themselves—like the Three Hidden Families, the Ancient Sword Forest, or the Inbiin who inherited the true lineage of the Demon Cult.
Could these be an entirely new force never seen before? Or one of those abyssal forces?
“I’ll know once I go deeper.”
As Bu Eunseol prepared to venture further into the forest, he suddenly stopped.
He possessed senses honed over long years of vigilance.
He realised that the unique energy of death emanating from corpses was absent from these masked bodies.
Swish.
Bu Eunseol began examining the supposedly dead corpses more closely.
‘They seem to have been dead for about a month.’
Though the masked figures had clearly severed their heart meridians and committed suicide, their bodies showed no signs of decay—as if preserved in a cold place for around a month.
Bu Eunseol recalled the face of the boy who had appeared to be a high-ranking member of the Returning to One Realm, encountered on Cold Moon Island when summoning the owners of demonic swords.
That boy had possessed a shell-like body from which no blood flowed even when cut.
He now realised these masked corpses, though they had bled, differed little from that boy’s physique.
‘So it was the Returning to One Realm.’
The Returning to One Realm used a great method to create super-experts from the corpses of previous-generation masters.
Then using near-dead bodies as weapons would hardly be difficult.
Bzzz.
At that moment, pure white light flowed from Bu Eunseol’s pupils as he gazed at the corpses.
For an unknown reason, he felt some indefinable energy enveloping them.
‘Then…’
Bu Eunseol began spreading Crystal Divine Energy like mist.
Thin transparent threads, finer than hairs, became visible—passing through the joints of the corpses and binding them.
‘They were manipulating already-dead corpses.’
The transparent threads touching Crystal Divine Energy gleamed with light and carried a mystical aura.
Using threads imbued with this unique power, they had infused life into the dead bodies and controlled them as if alive.
‘A disciple of the Funeral Mourning Sect?’
It was said the Funeral Mourning Sect could use funeral arts to make corpses move like people or even control jiangshi resembling the living.
Hummm.
As Bu Eunseol raised his internal energy,
Flash!
Accompanied by violet radiance, the Silent Soul Sword instantly flew toward a great tree thirty chang away. Having located where the transparent threads connected, he immediately unleashed a sword control technique infused with Thunder Spirit Energy.
Crash!
The returning Silent Tiger Soul Sword settled back into Bu Eunseol’s hand.
Trickle.
As if water were flowing, a transparent shadow suddenly revealed itself before him.
Drip, drip.
The transparent shadow soon transformed into a black-clothed man with a grotesque face.
Every part of his face except his eyes was covered in hideous scars, and the stench of corpse decay assaulted Bu Eunseol’s nose.
“Impressive. There should never have been any trace of my presence.”
At the man’s words, Bu Eunseol frowned.
“With the stench of rotting corpses vibrating dozens of chang away, what use is hiding your presence?”
“Who are you?”
“I am Seon Woojin.”
“Seon Woojin?”
The black-clothed man paused for a moment, then nodded as if finally understanding.
“So you’re the very one who killed the Fist King.”
All trace of contempt vanished from the man’s eyes.
A position among the Four Gods and Seven Kings could never be obtained through mere luck.
“How did you enter this place?”
“Rather, this hall leader has a question for you.”
Bu Eunseol stared fixedly at the man.
“Are you from the Funeral Mourning Sect? Why did you attack me by controlling corpses?”
“Hm.”
The man closed his eyes, checked the surroundings for presence, then gave an unexpected reply.
“You came alone.”
The black-clothed man seemed to possess super-sensory perception or a secret method capable of detecting the entire inner forest.
“Yet there is no trace of having learned defensive arts or sorcery. That means… you possess power that transcends the principles of martial arts.”
A strange thought occurred to Bu Eunseol.
The man was absolutely certain that no pure martial art could break the sorcery spread here and indeed, Bu Eunseol had entered using Divine Energy.
‘Then he is not a disciple of the Funeral Mourning Sect.’
The Funeral Mourning Sect, which manipulated mere corpses, could never deploy such sorcery.
What exactly was this black-clothed man’s identity that he could cast sorcery unbreakable by martial arts?
‘If not the Returning to One Realm either…’
Something brushed Bu Eunseol’s mind.
“Could it be you are from the Yangseol Family?”
“For a hall leader of the Martial Alliance to know of the Yangseol Family…”
The man’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Ah, I see.”
As if suddenly remembering, the black-clothed man nodded.
“Supreme Hall Leader Seon Woojin. You killed the Earth-Killer Star together with the Golden True Dragon, didn’t you?”
Light flashed in Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
No matter where this black-clothed man had crawled out from, he possessed information known only to a very small number of senior figures in the Martial Alliance.
“I asked whether you came from the Yangseol Family.”
“To think the lowly Yangseol Family would dare…”
As the man sneered, a glint passed through Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
The Yangseol Family was one of the legendary Three Hidden Families passed down through generations in the martial world. To call it “lowly” meant…
“Surely not from the Jungson Family?”
The man’s sharp eyes widened.
“Why do you think that?”
His tone and attitude were tantamount to admitting he was from the Jungson Family.
‘So it was true.’
Bu Eunseol swallowed his astonishment.
The Jungson Family.
One of the mythical families passed down in legend, it had never once revealed itself in the martial world until now.
Finally, a member of the Jungson Family had appeared.
