Chapter 245
Chapter 245
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 245
Chapter Title: The Blacksmith's Test
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‘He’s serious.’
Bu Eun-seol could feel it.
That with this attack, Yeop Hyo-cheon was genuinely trying to kill him.
And that if he insisted on only defending, he would eventually be cornered and meet his end.
‘I have to strike first.’
For a novice to defeat a master, they had to seize the initiative no matter what. And once they had momentum, they must never retreat.
‘In this situation, I can't enhance my martial arts with a heart technique.’
The fusion of the two secrets just now was merely a stroke of luck born from a moment's hesitation.
To hope for such a fluke again in a life-or-death situation would mean losing his head in an instant.
‘Then, the Thirteenth Night Arts are my only option.’
Yeop Hyo-cheon already had a grasp of the methods of the True Art of Wishful Thinking.
To withstand Yeop Hyo-cheon's killing moves, which were on a completely different level—like heaven and earth—he needed an unpredictable, spontaneous martial art.
He had to unleash the Thirteenth Night Arts.
*Swish!*
In that instant, Yeop Hyo-cheon's figure vanished, and a torrent of sharp, invisible killing moves poured down.
*Tsssts!*
Bu Eun-seol, using his full power to execute Geuk-sok-mu-yeong, found his hands and feet beginning to sway as if they were made of rubber.
Just like Yeop Hyo-cheon, he began to execute fist techniques, kicking techniques, and movement techniques as if with separate bodies.
*Papat!*
But the result was unexpected.
He had clearly unleashed different martial arts as a single entity, but the power was not great.
Moreover, even the sharp internal energy unique to the Thirteenth Night Arts was only faintly released.
*Pat!*
Blood spurted from Bu Eun-seol's neck where one of Yeop Hyo-cheon's killing moves had grazed him.
The searing pain on his skin paradoxically sharpened his mind.
‘Does it mean that without the Emperor of War's True Meditation, it can't display its true power?’
When he'd mastered the Thirteenth Night Arts in the library, simply performing the martial arts simultaneously had produced a sharp energy.
But now, wasn't its power diminished several dozen times over?
‘At that time, I had been practicing the principles of the Emperor of War's True Meditation for a long time, so it manifested naturally.’
In short, without the Emperor of War's True Meditation, the Thirteenth Night Arts were nothing but an empty shell of a martial art.
Realizing everything, Bu Eun-seol's eyes gleamed.
*Zzzzing!*
As he focused his mind, a current of true energy spread throughout his body.
The Emperor of War's True Meditation, which normally required calm meditation to access because it didn't suit his temperament.
But now, perhaps because his life was on the line, his spirit instantly grew tranquil, and a wave of emotion swelled in his chest.
He had reached the state of *Hou-jeong-shim-jeong* in a single breath.
"Hahp!"
Overwhelmed by the explosive emotion, Bu Eun-seol let out a kiai he had never before uttered.
Simultaneously, he performed the Cloud-Purifying Steps with his legs and the True Fist of the Southern Peak with his left hand.
*Swish!*
At that, a sharp internal energy erupted from his waist and poured into his fist.
The Thirteenth Night Arts, the true ultimate art of the Emperor of War, which combined orthodox martial arts into one entity to unleash unpredictable internal energy.
Finally, leaping across four hundred years of time, it was unfolding in Bu Eun-seol's hands.
*Pat! Pat!*
But Yeop Hyo-cheon's movements were so fast that he shifted to the left before the sharp energy could even manifest.
But Bu Eun-seol still had his right hand.
*Whoosh! Chichichik!*
As he also deployed the Immortal-Capturing Hand with his right hand, two more blade-like strands of energy were added, striking at Yeop Hyo-cheon's flanks and cutting off his escape route.
"Ho."
Yeop Hyo-cheon, letting out a sound of admiration, moved swiftly to evade the torrent of energy.
‘There!’
*Tak!*
Instantly pinpointing Yeop Hyo-cheon's location, Bu Eun-seol executed a movement technique and once again deployed the Thirteenth Night Arts.
*Whiriririk! Chichichichik!*
As he unleashed the Thirteenth Night Arts in succession, three strands of energy swirled around his body as if guarding him.
Then they would pour out in unpredictable directions, or swerve back to circle his body once more.
*Tuk.*
Yeop Hyo-cheon, who had been lightly dodging the three sharp strands of energy, had a few strands of his hair minutely severed.
"Good."
Yeop Hyo-cheon, impressed, changed his tactics.
He intended to block the energy Bu Eun-seol was unleashing by engaging in extreme close-quarters combat.
*Pat! Papat!*
Just as they seemed to clash, they would separate; just as one seemed to leap into the air, they would drop to the ground.
The two became a single streak of light, repeatedly clashing and separating as they cut through the air.
*Paaang!*
With a massive explosion, the shadow of light created by Bu Eun-seol and Yeop Hyo-cheon collided head-on.
*Chiiik.*
Simultaneously, the two points of light retreated to the left and right, and Yeop Hyo-cheon and Bu Eun-seol revealed themselves at the same time.
"Hm."
Letting out a long sigh, Yeop Hyo-cheon's gaze fell upon his own sleeve.
Although he wasn't injured, his sleeve had been cleanly sliced off.
"Hahaha."
As he laughed, the killing intent that had been billowing from his entire body began to slowly dissipate.
"No matter how outstanding a talent, there is a limit to enlightenment."
He narrowed his eyes and muttered.
"There's no way you could have grasped all of this Grandmaster's techniques in such a short time..."
His voice was a mixture of admiration and disbelief.
*Clack.*
Sheathing his sword, Bu Eun-seol replied respectfully.
"I merely grasped that your hands and feet were moving according to different martial principles."
"Such a sharp secret art of projecting energy couldn't be a skill from Nang-ya-gak... Did you create the martial art you just used on the spot?"
Unable to bring himself to say he had entered the Emperor of War's Secret Archives, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"I simply applied the insights I gained during the journey to Jeok-cheon-mak-ji."
Yeop Hyo-cheon stared intently into his eyes, as if trying to discern the truth.
Bu Eun-seol's eyes held nothing but confidence.
Because the Thirteenth Night Arts truly were an insight gained from the journey to Jeok-cheon-mak-ji.
As long as he didn't mention discovering the Emperor of War's Secret Archives, Bu Eun-seol could always be forthright.
"I see."
Yeop Hyo-cheon nodded.
From his perspective, it sounded as though the Phantom Demon, Hyeok Gong-baek, had passed down his insights.
"You've grown even more in that time."
Only after uttering those words did Yeop Hyo-cheon's gaze and expression return to normal.
Watching him, Bu Eun-seol felt a chill inwardly.
‘So the Demonic Hall is still the Demonic Hall.’
The Demonic Hall always had a solemn atmosphere, and neither the Demonic Heavenly Emperor nor Yeop Hyo-cheon had ever particularly revealed their demonic energy.
If anything, it was Ak Mu-ryeong, the Lord of Nang-ya-gak, who displayed the image of a typical great demon.
But now he realized.
All the demons of the Demonic Hall possessed immense demonic energy; they simply didn't show it normally.
The Demonic Hall was the Demonic Hall.
This was the sacred ground of all demons under heaven, the cradle of the great demons who ruled over a million followers of the demonic path.
"This should be fine."
Yeop Hyo-cheon, with a faint smile, said something unexpected.
"Even if you undertake a solo mission, you won't tarnish the dignity of this Hall."
"A solo mission... you say?"
Bu Eun-seol looked puzzled.
He had always carried out solo missions, but only in relation to the matter of the successor.
Yeop Hyo-cheon smiled.
"From here, lead the Sa-yeong-dae out into the Murim and assist the Commander of the Cheon-sal-dae."
It was a completely unexpected order.
As Bu Eun-seol blinked, Yeop Hyo-cheon spoke in a low voice.
"I've relayed the details to the Manbak Hall Master, so go and see him."
Then, as if his business was concluded, he slowly turned away. A silent dismissal.
"Then."
Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands.
And just as he was about to turn, Yeop Hyo-cheon's voice was heard again.
"You've become a sharper blade than this Grandmaster anticipated."
*Halt.*
Bu Eun-seol stopped in his tracks.
He finally understood the meaning of today's spar.
‘So that's what it was...’
Yeop Hyo-cheon was a blacksmith.
He had hammered and quenched the steel countless times to forge a single blade. And now, he was finally testing the finished product.
If he hadn't been satisfied with the blade, if he had deemed it a failure...
He would have shattered it in an instant.
‘The Demonic Hall is the Demonic Hall... I see.’
Bu Eun-seol clenched his fists.
And slowly, he left the small training ground.
***
That afternoon.
After washing himself, Bu Eun-seol lay down in his quarters to rest for the first time.
His muscles ached as if they would tear, and he didn't even have the strength to lift a finger.
A test disguised as a spar.
In it, Yeop Hyo-cheon had drawn out every last bit of Bu Eun-seol's hidden martial prowess.
‘I thought he was trying to help me advance my martial arts a step further through the spar.’
Looking only at the result, that wasn't wrong.
Thanks to the spar with Yeop Hyo-cheon, he had been able to apply the Emperor of War's True Meditation and the Thirteenth Night Arts in actual combat in a short amount of time.
However, one thing was certain...
Yeop Hyo-cheon had genuinely intended to kill him but had changed his mind midway.
‘Is the Grandmaster plotting something as well?’
Grandmaster Yeop Hyo-cheon.
Until now, he had acted as if he cared a great deal for Bu Eun-seol.
But this spar had made him realize it was a delusion.
A tool.
Bu Eun-seol was merely a tool.
A sharp blade that had surpassed expectations.
Perhaps that fact wasn't entirely welcome.
Because a blade that is too sharp can, by mistake, harm its wielder.
‘I suppose I'll find the answer someday.’
Holding on to questions without immediate answers would only drain his mental energy.
Once his energy had recovered somewhat, Bu Eun-seol rose to meet the Manbak Hall Master, Baek Jeon-cheon.
But there was no need.
Because just as Bu Eun-seol was about to leave, the Manbak Hall Master, Baek Jeon-cheon, came to find him.
"It's been a while, Brigade Commander Bu."
The Manbak Hall Master, Baek Jeon-cheon, always wore a good-natured smile.
But Bu Eun-seol, who had just experienced the true nature of Yeop Hyo-cheon and the Demonic Hall.
Now, that smile felt a little different than it had in the past.
"Hall Master."
As Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands and bowed, Baek Jeon-cheon took a small wooden box from his robes.
"What is this?"
When Bu Eun-seol opened the box, he saw a token engraved with two dragons fighting over a pearl, shimmering with multicolored light.
It was the token symbolizing a first-class brigade commander of the Demonic Hall.
"Brigade Commander Bu, you have just received the rank of a first-class brigade commander of this Hall."
Baek Jeon-cheon continued speaking calmly.
"However, as this is a temporary rank for the purpose of a secret mission, the formal appointment ceremony has been omitted."
‘Was this planned from the start?’
Upon his return to the Demonic Hall, the Sa-yeong-dae had been moved to first-class quarters.
He hadn't understood it at the time, but now he knew for certain.
This had all been a planned sequence of events from the beginning.
"A secret mission, you say..."
Bu Eun-seol asked, hiding his complex thoughts.
"Gong-gong Shin-tu."
Baek Jeon-cheon said with a deep sigh.
"In the end, word of Gong-gong Shin-tu's activities has reached the ears of the Murim Alliance."
Bu Eun-seol's eyebrows shot up.
Tracking Gong-gong Shin-tu was a mission for the successor candidate chosen by Wiji Hye-sang. But word of his activities had reached the Murim Alliance?
"The situation has become too much to handle as a mission for a successor of the Hwau Sword Clan, so this Hall has inevitably intervened."
Baek Jeon-cheon explained the situation to Bu Eun-seol in a low voice.
Gong-gong Shin-tu was known to have detailed information not only on the demonic path but also on the spies of the orthodox faction.
So when intelligence revealed that the Hwau Sword Clan was on Gong-gong Shin-tu's tail, the Murim Alliance also dispatched armed units.
"The Murim Alliance has sent five first-class sword brigades, including the Iron Sword Brigade, and ten third-class sword brigades under their command to Hainan."
Baek Jeon-cheon narrowed his eyes.
"Their intention is to prevent a full-scale armed conflict."
If the Murim Alliance had deployed a battle group with the military power of a clan, a war between the orthodox and demonic factions would have broken out immediately.
But with first-class sword brigades, each commander carries out their mission independently, and they bear full responsibility for all their subordinates.
In other words, if an armed conflict were to occur, they could use the excuse that it was the unilateral decision of the commanders.
"But that's just a smokescreen, isn't it?"
Whether they send one battle group or a dozen first-class brigades, their affiliation doesn't change.
The fact that it is a fight between the Demonic Hall and the Murim Alliance remains unchanged.
"In a conflict between factions, the most important thing is the justification."
Baek Jeon-cheon sighed.
"A battle between battle groups representing both sides is difficult to resolve. But a clash of this scale can be dismissed as the deviation of a single brigade."
Shaking his head, he continued.
"In any case, with the Murim Alliance's forces now involved, this Hall can no longer stand by and watch."
In the end, the matter of Gong-gong Shin-tu had slipped from the Hwau Sword Clan's hands and become the business of the Demonic Hall.
For a moment, a question arose in Bu Eun-seol's mind.
In that case, should Wiji Hye-sang's mission be considered a success? Or a failure?
Or should it be recognized as a minor contribution?
"Given the circumstances, the successor's mission will have to be put on hold for now. This matter is that important."
Baek Jeon-cheon said, having seen through Bu Eun-seol's thoughts.
"In the area around Mount Oji, where Gong-gong Shin-tu is said to be hiding, our Hall's brigades and the Murim Alliance's brigades have clashed several times."
After a deep sigh, he shook his head.
"Because of that, fifteen days ago, this Hall dispatched the Cheon-sal-dae to Mount Oji."
This time, even Bu Eun-seol couldn't hide his surprise.
The Cheon-sal-dae was one of the Demonic Hall's three great brigades.
Their deployment was equivalent to sending a force with the power of an entire clan.
If things went wrong?
A small-scale version of the great war between the orthodox and demonic factions could break out on Mount Oji.
"Then why is my brigade being sent in so late?"
"While establishing a cordon around Mount Oji, the Commander of the Cheon-sal-dae requested one additional first-class brigade."
Baek Jeon-cheon continued his explanation.
"However, this Hall is in a position where we cannot dispatch any more first-class brigades. Therefore, the Grandmaster proposed that the Sa-yeong-dae be temporarily promoted to a first-class brigade. After all, in terms of military strength, you are already above a second-class brigade."
With Bu Eun-seol alone, the Sa-yeong-dae already surpassed the strength of a second-class brigade.
On top of that, the Sa-yeong-dae included supreme masters like Myo Cheon-u and Yu Un-ryong, and the members themselves possessed skills incomparable to their past selves...
They were, in effect, no different from a first-class brigade.
"As soon as the sun rises, lead the Sa-yeong-dae to Mount Oji immediately."
Baek Jeon-cheon gazed at the silent Bu Eun-seol with a grave expression.
"There, you will carry out your mission under the command of the Cheon-sal-dae's commander."
It was an unwelcome mission.
But after hearing the full explanation, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"Understood."
Now that he held the rank of a brigade commander in the Demonic Hall, receiving such missions was unavoidable. No, it was something he had prepared for the moment he decided to become a commander.
‘But I will not simply follow orders blindly.’
Bu Eun-seol's expression was calm, but a fire like the sun blazed in his eyes.
In front of the training grounds at the Sa-yeong-dae's quarters.
Bu Eun-seol gathered all the members and relayed the news about the upcoming expedition.
From the Sa-yeong-dae receiving the rank of a first-class brigade...
...to how the Murim Alliance's sword brigades and the Demonic Hall's brigades were in a standoff at Mount Oji because of Gong-gong Shin-tu...
...and that the Sa-yeong-dae must also depart for that place and join the Cheon-sal-dae.
—Then we will prepare immediately.
After hearing the full situation, the squad leaders dispersed with nonchalant expressions.
They had trained relentlessly in their daily lives to be able to survive any mission.
Besides, with Bu Eun-seol, they wouldn't fear a mission that led them to hell itself.
Before long, dusk fell, and the sky was stained crimson.
In Bu Eun-seol's office stood a man with a cold expression, his arms crossed.
It was Yu Un-ryong, who was in charge of the Sa-yeong-dae's Fifth Squad.
"Why did you call me?"
Yu Un-ryong had become a squad leader in the Sa-yeong-dae, but it seemed he still found it difficult to accept Bu Eun-seol as his direct superior.
But Bu Eun-seol didn't particularly mind.
It didn't matter whether Yu Un-ryong thought of him as a superior or not. As long as he wasn't rigid and could properly display his outstanding abilities, that was all that mattered.
"I didn't realize you were the young master of a family of government officials who have held office for generations."
"What are you talking about?"
A faint smile, one he had never shown before, touched Bu Eun-seol's lips.
"I'm talking about your family."