Chapter 160
Chapter 160
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 160
Chapter Title: An Unwanted Shadow
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A-yeon watched Bu Eun-seol with cold eyes.
“I didn't come here to fight. I came to give you a warning.”
“A warning?”
“Swear that you will not harm the Masters of the Great Cause. If you do, I will not raise my hand against you.”
“Hahaha.”
A disbelieving laugh escaped Bu Eun-seol.
“A warning. I see now that the disciples of the Sword Pavilion are quite merciful.”
It was a jab at the arrogance of the Sword Pavilion, yet she simply pressed her palms together.
“Even a butcher can become a Buddha if he lays down his knife.”
The veiled woman seemed to genuinely believe she could make Bu Eun-seol change his ways.
‘But something is strange.’
The heir from the Sword Pavilion, A-yeon. Her gaze was as cold as ice, yet it held no hostility.
Something about that gaze felt unsettling.
“If I don’t kill the Masters of the Great Cause, can I, too, become a Buddha?”
A-yeon replied coldly to Bu Eun-seol's question.
“Do you think I am playing with words?”
Her voice and gaze, which had been devoid of emotion, turned sharp.
But Bu Eun-seol continued speaking calmly.
“I said it because the Sword Pavilion’s attitude is laughable.”
“You find the Pavilion’s stance laughable?”
“It wasn't some cowardly sneak attack; it was an honorable duel. In a sense, I have won a mere three times, yet the Sword Pavilion intervenes for such a matter…”
The corners of Bu Eun-seol's lips lifted.
“How could it not be laughable?”
The chill in A-yeon’s eyes grew even colder.
“You say it was only three times, but from the Pavilion's perspective, we have lost three pillars who would have one day supported the Righteous Faction.”
“The Masters of the Great Cause are pillars of the Righteous Faction?”
“Are they pillars of the Demonic Path, then?”
In that moment, Bu Eun-seol realized one thing.
‘She has no idea about the situation between the Ten Demonic Successors and the Masters of the Great Cause.’
The Ten Demonic Successors and the Masters of the Great Cause were nothing more than pawns, meant to test and keep each other's factions—the Demonic Path and the Righteous Faction—in check.
But it was clear the Sword Pavilion believed the Ten Demonic Successors were assassinating the Masters of the Great Cause for no reason at all.
‘It must be one of three things.’
Though part of the Righteous Faction, the Sword Pavilion interacted with no one, person or clan, except for the Murim Alliance Lord.
Therefore, they were either ignorant of the various clans’ circumstances…
‘Or the Murim Alliance Lord deliberately concealed this fact.’
The Murim Alliance, which had sought to lay the foundation of the Righteous Faction by creating the shared successors known as the Masters of the Great Cause.
That ambitious plan, once set in motion, had instead become a spark igniting discord among the clans.
The Murim Alliance Lord might have chosen not to relay these circumstances to the Sword Pavilion, which was merely preserving its legacy on a remote island in the South Sea.
‘But the highest probability is that she alone is unaware of this.’
The Sword Pavilion was a clan that had been rooted in the martial world for generations.
No matter how remote their island, their intelligence network couldn't be dismissed.
In that case, it was most likely that they had intentionally withheld this information from the heir standing before him, A-yeon.
‘But even so, it’s still strange.’
She was the orthodox heir of the Sword Pavilion, not one of the Masters of the Great Cause.
Was there really a need to hide such facts while entrusting her with dealing with Bu Eun-seol?
‘What’s certain is that she knows nothing.’
Releasing the questions weighing on his chest with a sigh, Bu Eun-seol spoke.
“Go straight to the Murim Alliance Lord and ask him why the Ten Demonic Successors have no choice but to fight the Masters of the Great Cause.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Or ask your Pavilion Master again. I have nothing more to say to you.”
“The Pavilion Master is in seclusion. I cannot ask her even if I wanted to.”
“That is no concern of mine.”
As Bu Eun-seol spoke firmly, a chill swept through A-yeon’s eyes.
“Do you mean to commit another slaughter?”
“It is not slaughter, but destiny. Though you would not understand.”
She blinked for a moment.
She simply couldn't comprehend the situation.
“In that case, I have no choice.”
Taking a deep breath, an icy chill poured from her eyes.
“I, A-yeon, a disciple of the Sword Pavilion, challenge you.”
“I refuse.”
“What did you say?”
The unexpected answer made A-yeon’s eyes flash.
“What did you just say?”
“I said, I refuse.”
And with that, Bu Eun-seol immediately walked out of the inn.
A-yeon was so dumbfounded that she stood frozen like a statue for a long moment.
*Fwoosh.*
Coming to her senses, she shot out of the inn and blocked Bu Eun-seol’s path as he was leaving the village.
*Chlang!*
Drawing the white treasured sword from her waist, she spoke to him coldly.
“Draw your sword.”
“No.”
Bu Eun-seol walked past her as if she were a bothersome fly.
“How dare you!”
Enraged, she immediately swung her treasured sword, aiming for his shoulder.
But Bu Eun-seol, despite seeing it clearly, simply kept walking.
*Thwack.*
The sword, meant to slice through his shoulder, stopped a hair's breadth from his clothes.
“Are you saying you wish to give up on life?”
Instead of answering, Bu Eun-seol stared intently at A-yeon’s eyes, visible above her veil.
“Does the Sword Pavilion meddle in the affairs of the martial world as it pleases, rather than protecting the Righteous Faction?”
Turning his body again, Bu Eun-seol spoke coldly.
“If you mean to strike me down, then do it. The heir of the Sword Pavilion will gain the splendid honor of having butchered one of the Ten Demonic Successors who didn't even resist.”
Behind the veil, a white frost seemed to seep from A-yeon’s eyes.
Since birth, she had dedicated herself solely to the way of the sword.
Having lived a solemn life like a monk cultivating the Dao, she found it difficult to respond immediately to Bu Eun-seol’s unpredictable actions.
“Hoo.”
But she was the next Sword Queen, destined to lead the future of the Sword Pavilion.
Feeling a crack in her composure, she took a deep breath and immediately circulated her profound energy to calm her mind.
Instantly, her scattered thoughts regained their tranquility, and her mind began to race.
“Did you say the Pavilion knows nothing?”
A-yeon stared directly at Bu Eun-seol and spoke coldly.
“Then I will watch. I will see what it is you are trying to say.”
Bu Eun-seol felt no need to continue the conversation.
*Tap.*
Stepping out of the inn, he unleashed his movement technique and quickly left the village behind.
*Kwa-woooo!*
With a sonic boom that tore through the air, A-yeon was suddenly right behind Bu Eun-seol.
“That's quite an impressive movement technique. But you won't be able to shake me.”
*Tzzt-tzzt-tzzt.*
Doubling his internal energy once more, Bu Eun-seol instantly crossed a valley and passed through a forest.
But A-yeon, too, swiftly executed her lightness skill, relentlessly pursuing him.
‘Impressive.’
Bu Eun-seol’s movement technique had already reached the highest level, allowing him to evade even Geol-wang while injured.
Of course, that had been with the sacrifice of the Pung-un Squad members… but it was thanks to the ultimate movement art that none could match, Geuk-sok-mu-yeong.
*Kwa-woooo.*
Yet, A-yeon managed to keep up with him.
Although he wasn't using his full power, her lightness skill was clearly on par with the best in the martial world.
*Fwoosh. Tap.*
As they entered a deep forest, Bu Eun-seol stopped.
A-yeon also came to a sharp halt beside him.
“Have you given up on running?”
“Running?”
A cold smile touched Bu Eun-seol’s lips.
“Running blindly in a place like this makes one an easy target for an ambush.”
He then looked up at the distant sky and closed his eyes.
*Swaaaaaa.*
Suddenly, thick raindrops began to fall from the darkening sky.
*Shhhhiiiik!*
In that instant, hundreds of sharp objects began to pour down through the raindrops.
*Papapapapak!*
Each time the points of light hit the ground, they left small, sharp holes.
*Tzzt-tzzt-tzzt.*
Unleashing Geuk-sok-mu-yeong again, Bu Eun-seol dodged the descending points of light and took cover among the tree trunks.
*Chwaaaak!*
Then, hundreds of long shapes pierced through the trees, aiming for Bu Eun-seol’s body.
‘The White Horse Whip?’
Bu Eun-seol’s pupils dilated.
The objects that pierced the trees and covered the forest like a spiderweb were none other than whips gleaming with a white light.
It was the White Horse Whip of the White Horse Temple.
*Papapapak!*
The White Horse Whips, which tore through the sturdy trees as if they were tofu, relentlessly targeted Bu Eun-seol’s body like living snakes.
*Whiriririk.*
Bu Eun-seol spun through the air like a flood dragon to evade the attacks, and the shadows of the whips vanished as if washed away.
*Tap.*
In that moment, A-yeon landed beside Bu Eun-seol and asked.
“Why is the White Horse Temple attacking you?”
“Leave.”
A red glint had already appeared in Bu Eun-seol’s eyes.
“From here on, the path will be stained with blood.”
Leaving those brief words behind, he once again used his movement technique and dashed toward the center of where the White Horse Whips had rained down.
*Tzzt-tzzt-tzzt.*
The moment Bu Eun-seol, moving stealthily, finally reached the part of the forest where the men who had shattered the trees were hiding,
*Ssk. Ssk.*
Dark figures emerged one by one from between the dense trees surrounding him.
They were all dressed in dark gray martial arts uniforms, with gleaming whips tied at their waists.
“You’re from the White Horse Temple.”
At Bu Eun-seol’s words, a middle-aged man with a mustache stepped forward.
“I am Eum-wi, Master of the Hyeon-ok Hall.”
One of Bu Eun-seol’s eyebrows rose.
Hyeon-ok Hall.
One of the martial brigades of the White Horse Temple, which was composed of Six Palaces and Eight Halls, it was a place made up of ruthless assassins.
Why was an assassination squad, tasked with eliminating the greatest enemies of the White Horse Temple, blocking his path?
“On your way to the Demonic Palace?”
“That’s right.”
“Unfortunate, but you won’t be able to go to the Demonic Palace.”
Eum-wi spoke with the expression of someone who had already reeled in his catch.
“Because you will die here.”
“Since you can no longer hold me accountable for Kang Mu-ryun's death… you intend to deal with me now.”
Eum-wi did not answer that question and said something else.
“The Heavenly Demon Emperor himself will not object if we kill you on your way to the Demonic Palace.”
The road to the Demonic Palace.
It almost felt like a test given by the Heavenly Demon Emperor himself.
After all, countless enemies were pouring out as if they had been waiting.
“Quite a lot of you have gathered.”
Bu Eun-seol surveyed the surrounding forest and frowned.
Only a few dozen men were visible, but the entire forest was shrouded in a sharp killing intent.
“Did you bring all the members of Hyeon-ok Hall?”
“Hehehe. Your senses are quite sharp.”
Eum-wi smiled, revealing his white teeth.
“You are the first whelp for whom our temple has mobilized this many people just to kill.”
“You don't seem much different from the mongrels I saw back in Guizhou.”
“Hahaha. Are you talking about the Blood Demon Hall of the Hell Blood Fortress? Don't compare those poison-addled fools to the masters of our temple.”
Smiling coldly, Eum-wi gripped his White Horse Whip.
“I know you possess considerable skill. But you were born in the wrong era.”
*Tatatak.*
The members of Hyeon-ok Hall, who had been arrayed behind Eum-wi, formed a circle around Bu Eun-seol.
The rainy forest was instantly filled with a sharp killing intent.
Just as the decisive, all-or-nothing battle between Bu Eun-seol and the masters of the White Horse Temple's Hyeon-ok Hall was about to begin,
“Who the hell are you!”
Suddenly, a shout from the members of Hyeon-ok Hall was heard from the rear.
*Piiing! Sreung!*
This time, the sound of a whip and a sword clashing rang out.
It seemed a battle had broken out between A-yeon and the members of Hyeon-ok Hall at the rear.
‘So it comes to this.’
Bu Eun-seol clicked his tongue as he thought of A-yeon.
She, who had followed him all this way, had ended up being caught in the White Horse Temple’s ambush.
“Did you have a companion?”
Eum-wi frowned.
They had been tracking Bu Eun-seol’s movements, but had not detected any allies providing support.
“It doesn’t matter.”
Eum-wi’s eyes narrowed.
“All I need to do is take care of you.”
*Flash!*
In that instant, two brilliant streaks of light shot out from Bu Eun-seol’s sleeves.
He flung his daggers using a technique learned from the Secret Dagger Manual.