Chapter 162
Chapter 162
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: The One You So Desperately Seek
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Bu Eun-seol, looking at Jin Ja-myeong, unleashed the Mu-sang-cheon-ryu without hesitation.
Clang! Shiiing!
The Muk-geom's momentum expanded ceaselessly, cutting down the Hyeol-mang-gwi.
But the Hyeol-mang-gwi were harder than steel, so much so that even the Muk-geom could not slice through them in a single blow.
Kwoooosh!
Amidst the downpour of poison, Bu Eun-seol deployed the Eo-gi-jip-dok, cutting and cutting again.
Drenched in blood as he cut down the Hyeol-mang-gwi, Bu Eun-seol looked as magnificent as a celestial general eradicating demons.
At the sight of this desperate and fierce struggle, not only Jin Ja-myeong but also A-yeon, who was watching from atop the main hall, was left agape.
‘That man…’
Bu Eun-seol's intense and powerful movements were seared into her mind like a brand.
‘Did such a sword art even exist in the Murim?’
The Geom-gak aimed to cultivate the spirit through the sword and to accumulate virtue and perform good deeds.
But seeing Bu Eun-seol's swordsmanship, didn't the sword intent of the Geom-gak she had followed until now feel like a petty ambition that failed to face reality?
“So this is the Sip-ma-jeon-in of Nang-ya-gak!”
Just then, Jin Ja-myeong, who had been observing the chaotic battle, thrust a palm toward Bu Eun-seol.
Krakoom!
A jet-black lightning-like energy, a Muk-gang, poured through the air, dyeing the space around Bu Eun-seol black.
It was the Heuk-cheon-hyeol-ha-gong, the ultimate poison art of the Ji-ok-hyeol-seong.
“You won't be able to block this!”
The Heuk-cheon-hyeol-ha-gong, which instantly seized control of the enemy's space and spread poison.
It was an attack that could not be avoided, even by holding one's breath or digging into the ground to hide.
Flash!
At that moment, a fierce, blood-red light flared in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
Simultaneously, a mist-like sword energy began to pour ceaselessly from the Muk-geom in his right hand.
But something was strange.
The sword energy that filled the area like a mist wasn't directed at Jin Ja-myeong; instead, it was pouring back into Bu Eun-seol's own body.
Shhhhhh!
The sword energy that had poured around Bu Eun-seol gathered in layers, suddenly creating a massive, formless barrier.
The ultimate technique of the Mu-sang-cheon-ryu's sixth form, Su-sang-bul-hyeon, had finally been unleashed.
“What is that?”
Jin Ja-myeong's eyes widened.
Wasn't the Heuk-cheon-hyeol-ha-gong that had dominated the space around Bu Eun-seol being blocked by the massive barrier of sword energy and slowly dissipating?
“He's neutralizing a poison art with sword energy?”
Poison arts were like the formless wind; they wouldn't dissipate until their inherent energy was spent.
Yet, whenever the cascading Heuk-cheon-hyeol-ha-gong touched the sword energy, it vanished with a puff of white smoke.
“That bastard! He infused his sword energy with intense Yeol-hwa-jin-gi!”
The natural enemy of poison is fire.
Bu Eun-seol, who had always known the dangers of poison arts, had created a defensive sword technique capable of countering even the most wicked poisons when he first developed the Mu-sang-cheon-ryu.
However, to wield an extremely potent power of scorching yang like Yeol-hwa-jin-gi, one needed to have mastered an internal art of the extreme yang attribute, or possess more than three gapja of internal energy.
He had finally unleashed the technique of Su-sang-bul-hyeon, which he had been unable to use before due to his insufficient internal energy.
Fwoosh!
As the Heuk-cheon-hyeol-ha-gong was rendered useless by the Yeol-hwa-jin-gi, Jin Ja-myeong, who had been casting the poison art at close range, was left wide open.
Flash!
In that instant, the Yu-seong-chu-wol was unleashed, but…
Thud-thud-thud!
…the Hyeol-mang-gwi near Jin Ja-myeong blocked it with their bodies.
“You bastard!”
Enraged, Jin Ja-myeong drew upon his full twelve-star power and unleashed the Heuk-cheon-hyeol-ha-gong once more.
Tsssss! Shk-shk-shk!
But Bu Eun-seol held his ground, deploying Su-sang-bul-hyeon again to block the poison art.
While maintaining the defense, he used his fist techniques to strike down the Hyeol-mang-gwi or threw his daggers.
When that wasn't enough, he took the attacks with his own body and relentlessly aimed for Jin Ja-myeong's neck.
Thump, thump.
Watching him, A-yeon's heart grew hot.
She had trained relentlessly with the sword to reach the pinnacle of her art, but she had never witnessed such a desperate battle.
He would seem on the verge of collapse, only to rise again like a roly-poly toy.
He would swing his sword, then slam his fist into a Hyeol-mang-gwi. When struck by poison, he would cut the wound open and spray blood using Eo-gi-jip-dok.
The desperate fight was the very incarnation of an asura.
‘This is swordsmanship. This is the Murim.’
Bu Eun-seol's fight, his unyielding spirit and the look in his eyes… they ignited her own martial soul.
This is the Jianghu!
This is a fight!
Bu Eun-seol seemed to be declaring this with his entire being.
And it shook the heart of A-yeon, who had quietly honed her sword in the Geom-gak, to its very core.
Shing.
Suddenly, a white brilliance embroidered the air.
Spurred on by Bu Eun-seol's martial soul, A-yeon descended from the main hall and unleashed her sword art upon the Hyeol-mang-gwi.
Swish. Whoosh!
The sword art she displayed was the opposite of Bu Eun-seol's—a profound and orthodox swordsmanship, weighty yet with suppressed killing intent.
Each time she swung her sword, the surrounding Hyeol-mang-gwi had their tendons and muscles severed, halting their movements.
Watching her cleanly sever tendons and muscles without even eliciting a scream, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
‘As expected of the next Sword Queen.’
When she unleashed her sword art with all her might, its power seemed capable of splitting the earth and cleaving the heavens.
Chik-chik! Ssshk!
“Kuaargh!”
“Keuk!”
With A-yeon joining the battle, the ranks of the Hyeol-mang-gwi collapsed in an instant.
While Bu Eun-seol slaughtered the remaining Hyeol-mang-gwi, Jin Ja-myeong had no choice but to make a bitter retreat.
“Retreat!”
The Hyeol-mang-gwi's retreat was swift.
They vanished from the forest in an instant, like a receding tide, leaving nothing behind but blood-soaked corpses.
***
Chirp, chirp. Crackle.
The tranquil chirping of insects and the crackling of firewood broke the silence of the still forest.
Bu Eun-seol and A-yeon sat blankly, a single campfire between them.
After using one's martial arts with all their strength, a sense of emptiness follows, more so than fatigue.
Having cut down over fifty Hyeol-mang-gwi, harder than steel, the two of them sat down to rest as if by unspoken agreement.
“Hoo.”
Just then, A-yeon let out a deep breath and touched the veil she was wearing.
Having worn it during the battle, it was not just spattered but dripping with blood.
Swish.
In the end, she removed the blood-soaked veil.
In that instant, it was as if the area around the campfire had brightened.
A-yeon's face, revealed from under the veil, was so beautiful that if placed on a scale with Yeon So-ha, the Young Palace Mistress of the Shin-nyeo-gung, the balance would not tip an inch.
‘Is he pretending to be indifferent?’
She had grown up in the Geom-gak, but from children to adults, she had never seen anyone not react with surprise at her appearance.
But Bu Eun-seol had merely glanced at her once, as if looking at a passing puppy.
As the long silence continued, A-yeon was the one to finally speak.
“Aren't you going to say thank you?”
When Bu Eun-seol furrowed his brow, she spoke confidently.
“You would have been in quite a predicament if I hadn't stepped in.”
First the Hyeon-ok-gwan, then the Dok-ro-jeon… a hundred masters had attacked Bu Eun-seol in succession.
If she hadn't joined in, it was a battle he could never have won so completely.
“I never asked for your help.”
At his cold reply, A-yeon almost burst out laughing.
‘He really would have fought without backing down, whether I helped him or not.’
In the current Murim, the powers of the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions were stable, and disciples of each sect could easily learn advanced martial arts.
Because of this, it was rare to find someone like Bu Eun-seol, who would risk his life and set his martial soul ablaze.
Hadn't he even studied the flaws in martial arts by examining corpses?
‘No matter how I look at him, he doesn't seem to have a bad character.’
Bu Eun-seol, the Sip-ma-jeon-in of Nang-ya-gak, rumored to be a great demon who mercilessly slaughtered the Dae-ui-go-su one after another.
In reality, he was closer to a passionate warrior, burning with a fiery spirit.
“Your swordsmanship was incredible.”
Wanting to talk with Bu Eun-seol a little more, she changed the subject.
“I heard that besides the Ya-su-do, there are no established martial arts in Nang-ya-gak…”
“…”
“So, the sword art you just used… did you learn it at Nang-ya-gak? Or did you create it yourself?”
She asked several times, but no answer came.
“Fine. Then let me ask just one thing.”
A-yeon looked straight at Bu Eun-seol and said.
“I heard you killed the grandson of the Baek-ma-sa-ju. Then why are the masters from the Ji-ok-hyeol-seong chasing you?”
She continued confidently.
“Since we fought side by side, I believe I've earned the right to an answer.”
Bu Eun-seol merely stared at the campfire with an empty gaze.
Then, A-yeon's eyes twinkled, and she spoke in a low voice.
“By the way, I noticed earlier that there's a critical flaw in your sword art.”
“A flaw?”
At that, a light flashed in the eyes of Bu Eun-seol, who had been sitting as still as a statue.
“What flaw is there in my sword art?”
“So you finally answer.”
“You didn't answer my question.”
A-yeon gave a faint smile and narrowed her eyes.
“You didn't answer my questions either.”
Only then did Bu Eun-seol realize she had tricked him, and his expression turned grim.
But whether it was because he had nothing to say or because he didn't want to get involved with her… this time, he simply closed his eyes.
Seeing this, A-yeon was certain.
This man was not evil.
Although his expression and tone were as cold as ice…
…she knew well that people with such a personality could never truly be evil.
“Why do you walk the path of an asura?”
A-yeon wore a look of incomprehension.
“Someone like you… you could have made a different choice.”
“You speak strangely.”
Finally, Bu Eun-seol opened his eyes, his brows furrowed.
“Then why did you enter the Geom-gak?”
“As an orphan, what choice did I have? The Geom-gak was simply where my master led me by the hand.”
Bu Eun-seol replied nonchalantly.
“That is the way of the world.”
Turning his gaze to the campfire, he continued in a low voice.
“People think they have many choices… but in reality, everything is shrouded in fate and inevitability. There are very few things a person can actually choose.”
“Is the battle between the Dae-ui-go-su and the Sip-ma-jeon-in also like that?”
For the first time, Bu Eun-seol looked directly at A-yeon and answered.
“Yes.”
Only then did A-yeon begin to faintly understand.
That there was something between the Dae-ui-go-su and the Sip-ma-jeon-in that she did not know.
And that Bu Eun-seol had no choice.
“I see.”
Bu Eun-seol was neither an evil man nor a great demon who enjoyed slaughtering the Dae-ui-go-su.
If that was the case, there was no need to make him swear an oath.
‘First, I should return to the Geom-gak.’
Just as she made up her mind and began to stand,
Thud, thud.
The sound of light footsteps approached from a distance.
After a short while, a Taoist priest carrying a large bundle on his back appeared before the mountain gate.
He had a stately build, and his eyes were full of vigor. Though not exceptionally handsome, his features were well-proportioned, giving him a pleasant face.
“Are you Bu Eun-seol, the Sip-ma-jeon-in who defeated three Dae-ui-go-su in a row in Jeongju?”
Instead of answering, Bu Eun-seol stared intently at the man's waist.
Hanging there was a Taiji Sword, used by the Taoists of the Wudang Sect.
“Who are you?”
“Song Ak, a disciple of Wudang.”
The Taoist priest grinned at Bu Eun-seol, revealing his pearly white teeth.
“And I am also the Dae-ui-go-su you so desperately seek.”