Chapter 258
Chapter 258
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 258
Chapter Title: The Eastern Depot
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Sayeonggak, Bu Eun-seol’s office.
Bu Eun-seol watched as Yu Hwa-ryeong was escorted in by Mo Gwang, a guard of the main gate.
It seemed his time in the martial world had been eventful, as his presence had grown remarkably.
However, his complexion was pale, and his eyes were filled with worry.
“Welcome.”
Bu Eun-seol was the first to greet him.
“Have you been well?”
His voice was friendlier than ever before.
Yu Hwa-ryeong was the one who had approached him so freely after the Martial Arts Tournament and led him to the Cheon-geom-hoe.
And thanks to him, he had been able to learn the Neung-hyeong-eo-geom style, which had been a ray of light in every crisis…
For that alone, Yu Hwa-ryeong deserved a warm greeting from Bu Eun-seol.
“My word.”
Yu Hwa-ryeong’s eyes widened, unable to hide his astonishment at the sight of Bu Eun-seol.
“Are you truly… the same person who traveled with me through Sichuan?”
After exclaiming several times, he shook his head, swallowing his surprise.
“Through our organization’s information network, I’ve been hearing rumors of you shaking the martial world… but I never imagined you would advance this much.”
Bu Eun-seol’s appearance hadn’t changed at all from when he’d seen him in Sichuan.
But the aura flowing through his entire body was on a level that couldn’t even be compared to back then.
‘There are supposed to be limits to human ability…’
Yu Hwa-ryeong took a deep breath.
The speed of Bu Eun-seol’s martial progress was truly unprecedented.
“And now you’ve become the Shadow Lord of the Demonic Hall…”
As Yu Hwa-ryeong continued speaking while looking at Bu Eun-seol in his formal lord attire, he let out a small gasp.
“Forgive me. Forgive me. I have committed a great discourtesy.”
Only then did he realize his mistake, and he clasped his hands together.
“I got lost in old memories like a fool… and acted rudely.”
A First-Rank Lord of the Demonic Hall could converse with the leaders of any sect on equal terms, transcending seniority and status.
As the flustered Yu Hwa-ryeong bowed his head, Bu Eun-seol smiled warmly.
“It’s alright. Please, speak as you feel comfortable.”
“How could I dare?”
“I have not yet fulfilled my promise to the Cheon-geom-hoe.”
Bu Eun-seol looked at Yu Hwa-ryeong with clear, upright eyes.
“Until then, in the eyes of the Cheon-geom-hoe, I am merely Bu Eun-seol, a disciple of Nang-ya-gak.”
—*Until I fulfill my promise to the Cheon-geom-hoe, I am but a disciple, regardless of my station.*
That was what Bu Eun-seol was saying.
“I see. You haven’t changed at all.”
Yu Hwa-ryeong’s body trembled slightly, as if he were deeply moved.
“Just like when we traveled through Sichuan together.”
He was genuinely touched.
In exchange for teaching Bu Eun-seol the Neung-hyeong-eo-geom style, the Cheon-geom-hoe had secured his promise to kill one person.
But now, Bu Eun-seol’s status was that of the rightful successor to Nang-ya-gak and a First-Rank Lord of the Demonic Hall.
Even for the Cheon-geom-hoe, whose wealth and influence were said to rival the Nine Factions and One Union, he had become someone they could not trifle with.
Yet, Bu Eun-seol had not forgotten his promise and was showing his determination to faithfully carry it out.
“My late master used to say the same.”
Taking a deep breath, Yu Hwa-ryeong spoke in a calm voice.
“He said you were a man who would keep his promise even if the heavens fell. That is why he passed on our organization’s secret arts to you without reservation.”
“Late master?”
Bu Eun-seol looked puzzled.
“Are you saying the Seventh Seat has passed away?”
“He has.”
Yu Hwa-ryeong bit his lip and spoke as if coughing up blood.
“At the hands of the one who destroyed our organization.”
Bu Eun-seol stared blankly for a moment.
The man who had murdered all of the Ten Seats of the Cheon-geom-hoe and fled, even after they had bestowed upon him the grace of teaching him the essence of all their sword arts.
The peerless Sword Demon whom Seok Song and U Hak had described as a ‘devil,’ and the sworn enemy of the Cheon-geom-hoe.
Had they finally found him?
“You found him?”
“We did.”
A look of agonizing pain filled Yu Hwa-ryeong’s eyes.
Only then did Bu Eun-seol understand why Yu Hwa-ryeong had looked so unwell the entire time.
“I see.”
“Can you kill him for us?”
Bu Eun-seol couldn’t answer right away.
Of course, he had no intention of breaking his promise to the Cheon-geom-hoe.
However, in a month’s time, he had a mission to annihilate the Black Lotus under the command of the Blood Mist Corps.
And more importantly, hadn’t he just resolved to pursue the forces that had set fire to the Seongga Ironworks and manipulated Seok U-haeng from the shadows?
‘Is this also fate?’
On the other hand, Bu Eun-seol had a month, and he could always track down the forces that manipulated Seok U-haeng later.
And Yu Hwa-ryeong’s arrival felt like destiny.
—*In the end, it seems you were not fated to go to the Cheon-geom-hoe.*
The words of Tan-wang, Buk-gung Ryeong, whom he had met in the Martial Emperor’s Treasury, flashed through his mind.
“Is this matter perhaps related to Tan-wang?”
Yu Hwa-ryeong looked surprised.
“How do you know about that? Ah, don’t tell me…”
He recalled the false rumor from long ago that Bu Eun-seol, the successor of the Demonic Hall, had clashed with Tan-wang and died.
“Did you hear it from him directly?”
Recalling the memory, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
“Not exactly. I only heard that he had business with the Cheon-geom-hoe, but he missed his chance and was unable to go.”
“I see.”
Yu Hwa-ryeong spoke with a regretful expression.
“He was quite close with the Second Seat. He said he would help with this matter, but in the end, he never appeared.”
Bu Eun-seol could finally piece the situation together.
Buk-gung Ryeong had failed to keep his promise to Seok Song because he had been trapped in the Martial Emperor’s Treasury while chasing him.
‘It truly seems like fate.’
Nodding, Bu Eun-seol asked calmly.
“Which sect does he belong to?”
The only reason the other prodigies at the time had refused to learn the Neung-hyeong-eo-geom, despite being able to, was because they didn’t know who their enemy was.
What if that person turned out to be a family member, a close friend, or a senior from their own sect?
They couldn’t keep a promise they had rashly sworn.
“Is he from the Demonic Path?”
At Bu Eun-seol’s question, Yu Hwa-ryeong shook his head.
“No.”
“Then, he must be from the Righteous Faction.”
As Bu Eun-seol let out a light sigh, Yu Hwa-ryeong once again shook his head.
“He belongs to no sect in the martial world.”
“What do you mean by that?”
When Bu Eun-seol pressed him, Yu Hwa-ryeong replied with a meaningful expression.
“He is an official of the government.”
Bu Eun-seol couldn’t hide his surprise.
The terrifying master who had single-handedly slaughtered the Ten Seats of the Cheon-geom-hoe was not a martial artist, but a government official?
‘In that case.’
A strange intuition flashed through Bu Eun-seol’s mind.
Perhaps the Cheon-geom-hoe’s enemy was connected to the one who used the government to burn down the Seongga Ironworks.
“Very well.”
Bu Eun-seol nodded without another word.
“Let us depart at once.”
A speeding carriage left the Demonic Hall and raced along the main road.
Inside were Bu Eun-seol and Yu Hwa-ryeong.
Their destination was a small village in Noju, Sichuan. The man who had brutally murdered the Ten Seats, including the head of the Cheon-geom-hoe, was said to be there.
‘Cheonchuk Yoga Art…’
Deep in thought, Bu Eun-seol’s gaze was fixed on the scenery outside the window.
It was a foreign esoteric art that was extremely difficult to learn unless one was a natural martial prodigy, and one that could not be mastered unless practiced from a young age.
According to Seok Song and U Hak, the man had learned the Cheonchuk Yoga Art, allowing him to execute his sword techniques freely without any restriction of movement.
For this reason, almost no one in the martial world practiced the Cheonchuk Yoga Art.
Few would waste their childhood on a yoga art they might never master when there were so many other superior martial arts to learn.
“By the way, how did you find out he was in that village?”
“My master said that wherever that man appeared, a plague would always follow.”
Yu Hwa-ryeong’s eyes deepened as if recalling the past.
“Because of that, our organization was always searching for villages where plagues had broken out. Then, by chance, we found a village where a plague had started, and my late master went there with Martial Uncle Seok.”
“The Second Seat went with him?”
“Yes. And I accompanied them on that journey as well.”
His expression gradually contorted as he continued.
“But they must have thought it was too dangerous, for while I was asleep at the inn, the two of them slipped out to investigate the village. And that’s when they encountered him.”
A blue flame seemed to burn in Yu Hwa-ryeong’s eyes as he took a long breath.
“But they were no match for that devil. In the end, Martial Uncle sacrificed his life to hold him off, and my late master barely managed to return to the inn where I was staying.”
Clenching his fists, he lowered his head and said.
“But my master was also fatally wounded… He gave me his last words and then passed away.”
His eyes wide, he spoke as if spitting blood.
“He said the man is a government official, and that he would soon appear in another village afflicted by a plague.”
“That’s not much of a clue.”
Bu Eun-seol, who had been listening silently, frowned.
“A government official and a plague-ridden village. With just those two clues, it would be difficult to identify a specific person, don’t you think?”
“Don’t worry. Martial Uncle Seok left a trace.”
“A trace?”
“Indeed.”
Yu Hwa-ryeong spoke with a pained expression.
“My master said that Martial Uncle Seok, knowing he was going to die, left a mark of the Neung-hyeong-eo-geom style on the man’s scabbard.”
To ensure they would never lose track of the man, Seok Song had secretly left a mark of the Neung-hyeong-eo-geom style on his scabbard.
It was a defensive sword style manifested in a way completely different from ordinary sword arts, so Bu Eun-seol would surely be able to recognize it.
“If only the two of them had possessed an innate killing aura like you…”
Yu Hwa-ryeong clenched his fists tightly.
“They would never have died at his hands.”
Bu Eun-seol nodded in agreement.
The profound and unfathomable Neung-hyeong-eo-geom style, which reacted to killing intent. Hadn’t that mysterious sword art perfectly blocked even Geol-wang’s ultimate technique at point-blank range?
“You’ve left out the most important part.”
A sharp glint flashed in Bu Eun-seol’s eyes.
“If the Seventh Seat said he was a government official, he surely would have mentioned which agency he belonged to. Am I wrong?”
In an instant, Yu Hwa-ryeong’s face turned ashen.
It was now clear that he had known the official’s affiliation all along but had not told Bu Eun-seol.
“He is…”
After a long silence, the answer trickled from Yu Hwa-ryeong’s lips.
“He said he belongs to the Eastern Depot Guard.”
“The Eastern Depot…”
A peculiar light flickered in Bu Eun-seol’s eyes.
Wasn’t the Eastern Depot the most powerful of the imperial court’s special agencies?
They held the extralegal authority to arrest, judge, and execute, and their targets included high-ranking officials, imperial family members, and even the founding contributors of the dynasty…
No one could escape their grasp.
“I’m sorry for not telling you sooner.”
In truth, it was understandable.
Killing a member of the Eastern Depot was tantamount to making an enemy of the entire government.
Yu Hwa-ryeong bowed his head and said.
“To be honest, I’ve been agonizing over this ever since I learned you were a candidate to be the successor of the Demonic Hall.”
With his head lowered, he muttered softly.
“But I thought if I told you about the Eastern Depot beforehand, you would never agree to help…”
“That’s fine. However, there is one thing I don’t understand.”
Bu Eun-seol crossed his arms and frowned as he spoke.
“The Cheon-geom-hoe is not lacking in wealth or power. Whether it’s the Eastern Depot or anyone else… wouldn’t you want to take revenge with your own hands?”
At Bu Eun-seol’s question, Yu Hwa-ryeong’s head drooped so low it seemed it would pierce the floor.
“When the two men who were the pillars and elders of our organization passed away, the atmosphere within changed drastically.”
He bit his lip and said.
“The majority of the disciples wish to maintain the organization’s immense wealth and power. If we make an enemy of an Eastern Depot official… our organization would not survive unscathed.”
Only then did Bu Eun-seol roughly understand the situation.
Seok Song and U Hak had made it their life’s goal to avenge the one who killed the head and the Ten Seats of the Cheon-geom-hoe.
But their disciples thought differently.
They wished to maintain the solid financial foundation of the Cheon-geom-hoe, which allowed them to wield a powerful information network even without appearing in the martial world.
Even if it meant giving up on avenging their masters’ killer.
“All my martial brothers wish for our organization to step back into the light. But if we kill an official of the Eastern Depot, our organization will be shattered.”
Yu Hwa-ryeong couldn’t lift his head out of shame.
In the end, the disciples of the Cheon-geom-hoe had chosen self-preservation over their masters’ revenge.
Realizing that Bu Eun-seol was now the only way to get revenge, Yu Hwa-ryeong had come to the Demonic Hall alone.
Desperately hoping he would keep his oath.
“I’m sorry.”
“There’s no need to be sorry.”
Bu Eun-seol said calmly.
“I am simply repaying a debt.”
*Drip, drip.*
Yu Hwa-ryeong finally shed tears of emotion.
From his perspective, Bu Eun-seol was a man who would soon ascend to the position of the Demonic Hall’s successor.
He was in a position where he had no need, and in fact absolutely should not, undertake the risk of killing an Eastern Depot official just to keep a promise.
But Bu Eun-seol had kept his promise without hesitation.
It was because he valued faith and honor more than fame or power.
‘He may be a man of the Demonic Path, but he also has the spirit of a renowned hero.’
“Thank you.”
Wiping away his tears, Yu Hwa-ryeong spoke in a voice filled with bitter resentment.
“You must kill him.”
Once they left the Changsa region, they dismounted from the carriage and immediately used their movement techniques.
After running for three days and nights, they left Hunan and arrived at the marketplace in front of a small village in Sichuan.
The marketplace, which should have been bustling with people and vibrant with energy, was swept by a desolate wind.
Due to its proximity to the plague-stricken village, people had stopped coming, and only a grim and bleak atmosphere remained.
“Wear this.”
As they passed the marketplace and reached the entrance to the village, Yu Hwa-ryeong took out a cloth to cover their noses and mouths and handed it to him.
Bu Eun-seol took the cloth and wrapped it around his face.
Then, concealing his presence, he climbed onto the roof of a large estate that overlooked the village.
Healthy-looking people seemed to be staying indoors and were nowhere to be seen.
The sick were lying in a quarantine tent set up in the center of the village.
“Just hold on a little longer.”
“Excuse me, if the herbal medicine is ready, please stir it.”
In the quarantine tent, a woman with her face covered by a cloth was constantly checking on the patients’ conditions and brewing medicinal tonics.
‘She’s skilled.’
Watching from a distance, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
The woman appeared quite young, but her handling of the patients was swift and precise.
Judging by the sharp energy emanating from her, she was not only a highly skilled physician but also a martial artist.
「I don’t see any officials who look like they’re from the Eastern Depot.」
As Bu Eun-seol sent a telepathic message, Yu Hwa-ryeong’s eyes hardened as he replied.
「Even if not now, he will surely come.」
His gaze was filled with conviction.
But contrary to their expectations, as dusk fell, not a single ordinary constable appeared, let alone anyone from the Eastern Depot.
However, Bu Eun-seol and Yu Hwa-ryeong waited patiently.
When night fell, dark shadows began to arrive one by one near the village.
They were pulling large carts, and they carefully loaded the bodies of those who had died from the plague onto them.
Judging by their attire, they were likely villagers who had come to dispose of the corpses.
Watching this, Bu Eun-seol’s eyes flashed.
「This is strange.」
「What is?」
「The villagers are taking the bodies themselves, aren’t they?」
「What’s strange about that? Since they are villagers, it’s only natural for them to collect the bodies in their village.」
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
「Normally, the disposal of plague victims is the job of coroners dispatched by the local authorities.」
Then, with an utterly serious expression, he sent another message.
「Villagers are absolutely not allowed to take and dispose of the bodies on their own.」
「Is that so?」
In the meantime, the people had left the village, pulling the carts laden with corpses.
「I suspect they’re the ones we should be wary of.」
As Bu Eun-seol secretly followed them, Yu Hwa-ryeong had no choice but to trail behind him.
But something was strange.
Instead of burning the bodies at a distance from the village, they were pulling the carts deep into the mountains.