Chapter 283
Chapter 283
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 283
Chapter Title: The Secret Ledger
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Hong Hyeon.
As the senior uncle of the previous Shaolin Abbot, he was the most senior figure in the Orthodox Murim, known as the Living Buddha.
Moreover, having mastered the Muscle-Tendon Change Classic to a divine level, he was said to maintain the vigorous appearance of an immortal despite being over two hundred years old.
The Three Demons and Three Sages.
One of the Three Demons and Three Sages, a living legend said to have reached the pinnacle of martial arts, second only to the Orthodox-Demonic Twin Celestial Emperors.
He was the Buddha Jeon, Great Master Hong Hyeon.
“Is something wrong?”
“It’s nothing.”
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
But the old monk’s words from the other day seemed to ring loudly in his ears.
—When a crisis comes, be an unshakable pillar. Wherever you may stand.
His request wasn't to protect the Orthodox Murim.
It was a request to become a pillar from wherever Bu Eun-seol stood when a crisis befell the martial world.
‘Could he have seen through my identity?’
From Bu Eun-seol’s perspective, keeping his promise to Great Master Hong Hyeon was not a particularly difficult task.
‘Wherever you may stand…’
It was as if the monk had considered Bu Eun-seol’s position. The promise was advantageous to him, with no burden at all.
Bu Eun-seol was the heir to the Demonic Cult.
If the martial world truly fell into crisis?
He could simply become its pillar as the heir of the Demonic Cult.
Just then, Jongjeong Yak spoke again.
“Young Master Seol. It looks like we’ll be late again today because of paperwork.”
Jongjeong Yak and Neung Jo-un, with the Ten Orthodox Factions Meeting looming, were organizing the evidence of Danri Muk’s corruption they had gathered so far.
Having failed to find conclusive proof, they had to make the Hall Masters suspect his misdeeds as much as possible.
“The Ten Orthodox Factions Meeting will be held soon. Please be patient, even if it’s frustrating.”
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
“Don’t worry about it. Take care of your business.”
Night fell once more.
Slipping out of his quarters, Bu Eun-seol used his lightness technique and headed toward the outskirts of the North Gate.
He intended to investigate the abandoned warehouse he had failed to enter before.
*Swish, swish, swish.*
This time, he used his lightness technique to get inside quickly.
Bypassing the guards patrolling the area, he moved stealthily between the buildings and finally arrived inside the abandoned warehouse again.
‘They’ve been here, as expected.’
Using his perceptive arts to examine the stone slate, he saw fresh footprints clearly imprinted on it.
It seemed they had grown complacent and re-entered, seeing no further signs of intrusion.
*Creeaak.*
Bu Eun-seol cautiously entered, his brow deeply furrowed.
He had expected to find elixirs, poisons, or perhaps hidden weapons of the Sa-hyang.
But all he found were valuable goods like Night Pearls and promissory notes placed on the shelves.
‘I don’t understand.’
If one were to embezzle money for personal gain, they would store it in their own residence or a secret location.
So why would Danri Muk keep so many treasures here?
And in an abandoned warehouse that even low-level martial artists could easily access, no less.
‘In that case…’
Just as Bu Eun-seol’s mind began to race,
*Creeaak.*
The sound of the door opening was heard, and five shadows entered.
They all wore masks, but just by their silhouettes, Bu Eun-seol could tell they were the martial artists from the Law Enforcement Hall who had picked a fight with him not long ago.
“Damn, this is such a pain every time.”
Each of them held a cloth bundle.
Looking around, they examined an empty shelf and placed their bundles upon it.
Judging by the clatter, the bundles they brought also clearly contained expensive jewels and valuables.
“Alright, let’s go.”
“My body’s all stiff. I think I need a drink before I can sleep.”
They muttered quietly, making small talk, and left the secret warehouse.
Bu Eun-seol, observing them from the darkness, gave a faint nod.
He finally understood the situation.
‘So they’ve been using this secret warehouse like an armed escort agency.’
The abandoned warehouse was a place any martial artist of the Murim Alliance could enter without restriction.
In other words, because anyone could enter, anyone could easily take or leave things.
‘I should be able to catch their tail.’
Since they had deposited the money, someone would surely come to retrieve it soon.
Bu Eun-seol hid his presence in the darkness and waited patiently.
How much time had passed?
*Creeaak.*
The mechanism moved again, and the secret warehouse door opened.
The ones who entered were two men in the uniforms of the Murim Alliance.
‘They’re not Murim Alliance martial artists.’
Bu Eun-seol could tell intuitively.
Though they wore the uniforms, they were by no means members of the Murim Alliance.
Because while they were dressed as low-level warriors, their gait and aura were nearing the Transcendent Realm.
“Hmph.”
The two men examined the bundles left by the Law Enforcement Hall members and then tucked them into their robes.
Then, as if nothing had happened, they exited the secret warehouse.
‘I have to follow them.’
Bu Eun-seol stealthily tailed the two men.
Once outside, they walked for a while before stopping in front of a building near the North Gate.
It was a common lodging for merchants and outsiders who had come to the Murim Alliance.
Upon entering the lodging, they changed their clothes with practiced ease.
Now dressed as merchants, they passed through the lodging and left the Murim Alliance through the guarded North Gate.
‘So natural. This isn’t their first time.’
As he followed them out, the guard at the North Gate asked Bu Eun-seol.
“Where are you headed?”
“Just out for a drink nearby.”
“I see. Please write your name here before you leave.”
Bu Eun-seol immediately took the brush and wrote his name.
In that time, the two men who had left the Murim Alliance immediately used their lightness techniques.
Bu Eun-seol also began to secretly pursue them.
*Swoosh. Thud.*
The two men quickly passed through the village.
Judging by the speed and direction of their movement, it was clear they were not heading to a rendezvous point but were traveling to another city.
‘Is there no other way?’
Bu Eun-seol had to return to the Murim Alliance before the night was over.
He couldn't just chase them indefinitely to see where they were headed.
Having made his decision, he doubled his speed, quickly overtook them, and blocked their path.
“Stop.”
The two men, who had been flying through the air, landed with surprised expressions.
“…”
After studying Bu Eun-seol’s appearance for a moment, they exchanged glances and nodded.
Without delay, they split to the left and right and suddenly thrust out their palms.
*Woong!*
Their martial art was highly unusual.
The man on the left had his palms extended toward Bu Eun-seol, while the one on the right was in a defensive stance, as if receiving the palm force.
*Boom!*
Simultaneously, an unknown, powerful force crashed into Bu Eun-seol’s body.
It was as if he had been struck by an invisible hammer.
*Patter.*
As dust rose from all sides, the two men wore triumphant smiles.
“This isn’t a martial art of the Central Plains.”
*Tap, tap.*
As the dust settled and Bu Eun-seol nonchalantly brushed off his clothes, their eyes widened.
“For such a bizarre stance, its power is quite formidable.”
Bu Eun-seol looked down at the torn fabric on his chest and nodded.
“Any ordinary master would have had their chest crushed by that one move.”
*Fwoosh!*
Startled, the two men once again spread their palms to attack Bu Eun-seol.
But their movements froze.
*Whoosh!*
Bu Eun-seol had vanished from their sight.
*Pow! Pow!*
With an explosive sound, both men fell forward in an unsightly manner.
Bu Eun-seol had instantly moved behind them and landed a single punch on each.
“Ugh.”
They immediately felt a gut-wrenching pain and vomited black blood.
It had seemed like a light punch, yet it felt as if they had been struck by an iron block the size of a house.
Moreover, the internal energy contained in the fist was so powerful that it shattered their protective qi in an instant, inflicting considerable internal injuries.
“Who are you?”
Hearing their voices, Bu Eun-seol’s brow furrowed slightly.
At first glance, they spoke fluent Chinese, but it was mixed with a peculiar accent.
“I’m the one asking the questions.”
Bu Eun-seol said in a low voice, gathering his energy.
“Where are you from?”
A vicious light gleamed in their eyes as they stared at Bu Eun-seol.
*Shh!*
Simultaneously, they vanished from sight.
But Bu Eun-seol’s hyper-senses had already located them, floating in mid-air.
“Die!”
The two men then thrust their palms forward at the same time.
The ground where Bu Eun-seol stood cracked, and a storm of palm energy rained down like an exploding mountain.
‘The Thousand Hands Tathagata Palm.’
The palm technique they executed was reminiscent of the one used by the Buddha Jeon, Hong Hyeon.
In that moment, Bu Eun-seol instinctively channeled the Martial Emperor’s True Enlightenment and unleashed the Thirteen Nights.
Originally, he had intended to use Yogyeong Ilgwon with his left hand and Chusan Seonbo with his feet.
But the insight he had received from the Buddha Jeon flashed through his mind.
‘With one martial art, create another, new martial art…’
All things are impermanent.
All of creation is in constant flux, never remaining in a single form.
Like the laws of nature, where things are constantly created and destroyed, was there truly a need for martial techniques to be fixed in one form?
*Flash!*
Having gained enlightenment, Bu Eun-seol’s eyes glinted as he threw a punch.
It seemed like a simple punch, but in reality, it contained the transformations of both Yogyeong Ilgwon and Chusan Seonbo in a single move.
*Swish!*
A massive, crescent-shaped wave of energy erupted from his left shoulder.
*Fwoooosh!*
It completely erased the palm energy raining down from the sky.
Then, it drew a red line across the necks of the two men in mid-air before flying off into the night sky.
*Thud. Pshshsh!*
As they landed, blood gushed from their necks like fountains.
“A Martial God… indeed.”
With a short gasp, they collapsed with a thud.
Despite unleashing a tremendous amount of palm energy, they had died, unable to block a single strand of energy from Bu Eun-seol.
“Hmph.”
Bu Eun-seol, on the other hand, looked bewildered by the unexpected power.
He had merely intended to lightly push back their palm energy… so why had such a colossal force been unleashed?
‘The Thirteen Nights has this kind of power.’
Only then did Bu Eun-seol understand how the Martial Emperor had been able to conquer the world with a simple, bare-handed martial art.
Unlike Yeop Hyo-cheon, who used different body parts for different techniques,
he had layered thirteen martial arts into a single strike.
‘The Martial Emperor, like the Buddha Jeon, must have reached a state where he could alter the very principles of martial arts.’
Bu Eun-seol could finally grasp the martial essence left behind by the Martial Emperor in the Thirteen Nights.
A martial art capable of unleashing a powerful force surpassing the sharpness of a divine weapon, one so perfectly balanced in offense and defense that there was no need to even prepare for an enemy’s counterattack.
That was the Martial Emperor’s unique art, the Thirteen Nights.
‘If I had only mastered Orthodox martial arts, I would have likely considered the Martial Emperor’s art to be the greatest.’
But within Bu Eun-seol’s spirit, the martial principles created by the greatest masters of both the Orthodox and Demonic paths coexisted.
Therefore, he was not fixated on the highest levels of either Demonic or Orthodox arts.
His goal was to unify both schools of martial arts and reach a new realm.
‘One day, I will surely achieve it.’
However, now was not the time to delve deep into the study of martial techniques.
Taking a deep breath, Bu Eun-seol began to thoroughly search the two men’s bodies.
“So they were masters from beyond the borders.”
The internal energy arts from beyond the borders primarily used the upper dantian, so they didn't accumulate immense true qi in the lower dantian.
Thinking back, they had shown almost none of the usual signs of using internal energy.
There was no pupil dilation or acceleration of blood flow.
“They used drugs like Inhwa to boost their power.”
Their martial skill had not reached the Transcendent Realm. They had simply used a special drug to greatly enhance their power.
“They don’t seem to be Han people. Where did they suddenly come from?”
No matter how much he searched, there were no clues on their martial arts, clothing, or anything else.
Hadn't they used a bizarre palm technique that even Bu Eun-seol had never seen before?
“I suppose there’s no helping it.”
Bu Eun-seol smacked his lips and stood up.
Even if he couldn't get any clues from them, he still had another card to play.
The Ten Orthodox Factions Meeting would be held soon.
If Danri Muk’s identity was fully revealed, he would be able to uncover their identities as well.
“It’s all part of a set course of events, anyway.”
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath.
Although Jongjeong Yak was a brilliant martial artist, given the circumstances, she would not be able to find evidence to completely ensnare Danri Muk.
From the beginning, he had intended to find the evidence of Danri Muk’s misdeeds himself.
Because this investigation in the Murim Alliance had another purpose, besides finding the connection to the Sa-hyang.
A few days later.
Bu Eun-seol accompanied Jongjeong Yak to a place with a plaque that read ‘Inspection Hall.’
The Ten Orthodox Factions Meeting was finally being held.
Inside, seven people were seated at a table.
They were the Inspection Hall Master, the Hwamilwonju, and five other Hall Masters summoned for the meeting.
And standing before them was a middle-aged man in a white uniform.
He had a lush beard and a very fine physique.
However, his eyes were too long and narrow, giving him a slightly sinister impression.
It was the Vice-Master of the Law Enforcement Hall, Danri Muk.
“Everyone is here.”
The Inspection Hall Master, Jeong Ji-ryong, who was seated in the middle, nodded and said.
“Then let us begin the Ten Orthodox Factions Meeting.”
He then looked down at a paper on the table and asked Jongjeong Yak.
“Is everything written here true?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Do you have evidence to prove it?”
Jongjeong Yak then pointed to Bu Eun-seol and said.
“This is Young Master Seol, a wanderer from Jeokcheonmakji, who will testify regarding this matter.”
Bu Eun-seol then stepped forward and cupped his hands.
“I am Seol So, a wanderer from Jeokcheonmakji.”
“Hmph.”
Jeong Ji-ryong, who seemed to have been briefed on Bu Eun-seol, spoke in a low voice.
“Tell us everything you saw.”
Bu Eun-seol nodded and explained in detail everything that had happened, from the Ugang Armed Escort Agency through Milmil City to the events at the Song Family Manor.
Jeong Ji-ryong then turned to Danri Muk.
“If you have anything to say, say it now.”
“Young Master Seol. You are a wanderer, so you must have been paid to come here.”
“That’s correct.”
“How much were you paid?”
“My contract forbids me from disclosing that to others.”
Danri Muk smiled faintly.
“You’re said to be a top-class wanderer, so you must have received at least ten thousand nyang. Am I wrong?”
“You are not.”
“Then how can we trust the testimony of a mere wanderer who sells his services for money?”
Danri Muk’s cold eyes swept over Bu Eun-seol as he continued.
“If I had offered you more, you might have given different testimony. Isn’t that right?”
“That is correct.”
“Good of you to admit it so honestly.”
Danri Muk then turned to Jeong Ji-ryong and said.
“I, the Vice-Master, have served the Murim Alliance for twenty years.”
He then sighed, looking at Jongjeong Yak.
“And I supported the Law Enforcement Minor Commander’s policy of selecting talented young people and allowing them to display their abilities. But this is all I get in return.”
As expected of the Vice-Master of the Law Enforcement Hall.
Not only was his voice filled with strong conviction, but his words were logical and not forced.
‘Damn it, this is bad.’
Neung Jo-un, watching from a distance, swallowed nervously.
If the meeting ended like this, not only would Danri Muk not be investigated, but Jongjeong Yak might have to step down from her position as Law Enforcement Minor Commander.
“Is there any other evidence?”
Jeong Ji-ryong turned his head and asked Jongjeong Yak.
She confidently approached and presented a book.
“Of course, there is.”
She hadn't just been waiting for the meeting to be held since arriving at the Murim Alliance.
She had deliberately spread rumors about the meeting and even brought a witness to induce Danri Muk to destroy evidence.
Then, with the help of the Hwamilwonju, she had caught proof that the Law Enforcement Hall members had embezzled money under Danri Muk’s orders.
“This is evidence that the Vice-Master has been embezzling the Alliance’s assets.”
Jeong Ji-ryong took the book Jongjeong Yak offered.
Danri Muk, who was watching, let out a smirk.
“Minor Commander. Is there any proof in that book that I did it?”
“What do you mean?”
“What’s written there is likely evidence that the Law Enforcement Hall members embezzled money, is it not?”
Surprisingly, Danri Muk seemed to know exactly what kind of evidence Jongjeong Yak had submitted.
“Was it not carried out under your orders, Vice-Master?”
“Not at all.”
Danri Muk’s eyes were filled with confidence as he looked at Jongjeong Yak.
“That was their own deviation. If I had intended to embezzle, why would I have my subordinates do it instead of receiving it directly?”
Bu Eun-seol, watching the scene, gave a faint nod.
He finally understood why Danri Muk hadn't stored the money in his personal quarters or warehouse but had created a secret mechanism in an abandoned one.
It was not only to facilitate transactions but also to make it easy to deny involvement if such matters were ever discovered.
“I do admit that I failed to manage my subordinates properly.”
Danri Muk looked at Jeong Ji-ryong with an aggrieved expression.
“But to say that is proof of my involvement…”
“The proof is right here.”
Just then, Bu Eun-seol took out several letters from his robe.
“Contained here are the orders from the Vice-Master of the Law Enforcement Hall himself.”
“What? What nonsense is this?”
Ignoring Danri Muk’s outburst, Bu Eun-seol handed the letters to Jongjeong Yak.
“These are the documents you asked me for before, Minor Commander. I happened to find them in the abandoned warehouse.”
Jongjeong Yak blinked.
She couldn’t comprehend what Bu Eun-seol was talking about.
“What is this…”
*“Take it. Helping you was part of the additional contract.”*
Hearing Bu Eun-seol’s sound transmission, Jongjeong Yak’s mind was in a whirl.
But she soon looked over the documents Bu Eun-seol had handed her, her expression turning to one of shock.
She immediately passed them to the Inspection Hall Master, Jeong Ji-ryong.
*Murmur, murmur.*
The expressions of Jeong Ji-ryong and the other Hall Masters hardened as they looked at the book.
Inside was clear evidence of Vice-Master Danri Muk’s embezzlement.
And proof that he had ordered his subordinates to hoard money in the abandoned warehouse was clearly written, in his own handwriting, no less.
‘That bastard…’
As Danri Muk glared with bloodshot eyes,
*Grin.*
Bu Eun-seol revealed his white teeth in a faint smile.
Though he was in disguise, his smile held a certain trace of elegance.
But in Danri Muk’s eyes, it looked like the smile of a water ghost dragging someone down to hell.
“It’s a lie!”
Danri Muk shouted.
“Where is the proof that I wrote those letters!”