Chapter 311
Chapter 311
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 311
Chapter Title: A Calculated Provocation
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Yeop Hyo-cheon, having grasped Cheon-geom’s true intentions, smiled faintly.
‘He’s worried I might actually accept the peace treaty.’
He could see right through Cheon-geom’s mind.
He knew that Cheon-geom had come not for peace, but to provoke Bu Eun-seol.
“Unfortunately, I am not one of the Sip-ma-jeon-in.”
“……”
“It would be best for the parties involved to decide such matters themselves.”
Rising from his seat, Yeop Hyo-cheon extended a hand.
“You must know that the leader of the Sip-ma-jeon-in is the successor to our Hall… Go and meet the Lord of the Martial Soul.”
“Very well.”
“Then I shall summon him.”
“There is no need. I will go to the Jam-ma-gak myself.”
Yeop Hyo-cheon stared at the man’s beaming face for a moment before nodding.
“As you wish.”
* * *
Inside a guest hall in the Jam-ma-gak.
Two teacups, steaming in the cool air, sat on a table.
Seated across from each other were Bu Eun-seol and Cheon-geom.
Surrounding the hall were five figures emanating killing intent: Myo Cheon-u, Yu Un-ryong, Wi Cheon-gyeong, Won Se-mun, and Jo Nam-cheon.
Yu Un-ryong had already told them everything; they knew Cheon-geom was the fiend who had murdered Bu Eun-seol’s dear friend.
And yet he had walked into the lion’s den alone, with a smile on his face? They felt an overwhelming urge to draw their weapons and strike his head from his shoulders.
“It’s been a while.”
Cheon-geom smiled as he greeted Bu Eun-seol.
He looked as if he were delighted to meet a cherished friend.
But with killing intent and madness swirling in his eyes, he appeared more menacing than if he were holding a sword.
“……”
Bu Eun-seol paid him no mind, simply watching him with cold eyes.
“You’re an envoy of the Murim Alliance, of all things. Is there any need to be so on edge?”
Bu Eun-seol, who had been silent, finally spoke.
“Were you afraid? That you’d be slaughtered if you tried to survive without the Murim Alliance backing you.”
“Hahaha. Of course not. It’s just…”
A stark white madness glinted in Cheon-geom’s smiling eyes.
“I wanted to see the look on your face when you’re angry. Hahahaha!”
Cheon-geom suddenly burst into hearty laughter.
“I’ve grown tired of killing villains weaker than myself. But the sight of your rage that day was just so thrilling.”
Even after speaking, he seemed excited, breathing heavily.
“You want to tear me to shreds right this instant, don’t you? But you can’t, because you wouldn’t be able to maintain your position as the successor of the Ma-jeon if you did, right?”
Cheon-geom’s expression was like that of a malicious child feeling a thrill while breaking a toy.
—*Isn’t this man completely insane?*
The Grand Captains standing in the hall all wore expressions of disbelief.
A man who was supposedly a Sword Captain of the Murim Alliance was panting while provoking the Lord of the Martial Soul?
“My lord. Are you just going to let this madman be?”
Unable to watch any longer, Won Se-mun glared, his hands gripping the twin swords on his back.
“I’ll just kill him and bury him. If the Murim Alliance demands someone take responsibility, I’ll offer my own head, won’t I?”
A hothead he might be, but Won Se-mun was no fool.
As Bu Eun-seol’s subordinate, he was deftly countering the edge of Cheon-geom, who was only feigning madness.
“That sounds good too.”
But Cheon-geom’s spirit was not the least bit dampened. Instead, with a strange heat in his voice, he provoked Bu Eun-seol once more.
“Go on, do it without hesitation. Just give the order, and hundreds of warriors will tear me apart.”
Bu Eun-seol nodded calmly.
“That doesn’t sound so bad.”
“Hehehe. I knew it the moment I saw you. You and I are the same.”
Cheon-geom’s large eyes sparkled as he spoke.
“Right now, you’re wearing clothes that don’t fit and sitting in a position you don’t even want. That’s why you can’t act as you please.”
“Quite a creative insult. Did you practice on your way here?”
“Hahaha. You can deny it, but I know that’s not what you’re truly thinking.”
Cheon-geom, who had been grinning, spoke in a whisper.
“Tear off those clothes this instant. And swing your sword at me like a madman.”
His eyes bloodshot, Cheon-geom panted as he spoke.
“That look suits you much better.”
Bu Eun-seol yawned as he watched the chattering Cheon-geom.
“Did you come all this way just to spout such nonsense?”
“You’ve heard the whole story, haven’t you?”
“You mean that trivial tale.”
Bu Eun-seol stared into Cheon-geom’s eyes with a look of contempt.
“If you have nothing more to say, get out. I may not be able to kill you right now, but I can certainly kick you out like a dog.”
“Heeheehee. Hahahaha!”
As Bu Eun-seol showed his emotions, Cheon-geom spoke with an expression of pure joy.
“I like the look on your face best when you reveal your killing intent. Good, very good.”
Cheon-geom rose briskly from his seat.
“Well, I suppose the peace talks between the Dae-ui-go-su and the Sip-ma-jeon-in are off.”
Then, he moved to stand right in front of the seated Bu Eun-seol.
*Clang!*
At that, all the Grand Captains waiting in the hall drew their weapons.
But Cheon-geom paid them no mind, approaching Bu Eun-seol and speaking in a low voice.
“But you know, I’m now a First-Class Sword Captain of the Murim Alliance. How do you plan to kill me? In your position as the successor of the Ma-jeon, you can never strike me, can you?”
Cheon-geom leaned in close to Bu Eun-seol and whispered.
“I’ll make you a proposal.”
“……”
“Throw away that successor title right now. Then I, too, will immediately cast off my status as a Sword Captain and fight you.”
The reason Cheon-geom had come to the Ma-jeon as a Sword Captain…
It was to make Bu Eun-seol abandon his position as successor and fight him.
“Think about it carefully.”
Cheon-geom said with a smirk.
“Such a stuffy position doesn’t suit madmen like us.”
Then, without hesitation, he turned and strode out of the Jam-ma-gak.
“That man is genuinely insane, isn’t he?”
Myo Cheon-u cursed as he watched Cheon-geom’s retreating back.
“He wants you to step down as successor just so he can kill you? What nonsense!”
Just then, Yu Un-ryong stepped forward with a serious expression.
“You’re not really going to do it, are you?”
Bu Eun-seol had no desire for power or fame and was not attached to the position of successor.
Yu Un-ryong was worried that he would not hesitate to step down for the sake of revenge.
“There’s no need to fall for his provocation. That man is simply afraid of you. That’s why he’s making such an absurd demand.”
“Hahaha.”
At that moment, Bu Eun-seol stood up and let out a low laugh.
“Hahahaha!”
His smile was as bright as a child’s, but his eyes held a profound light, along with a flash of madness that seemed capable of tearing the heavens asunder.
In truth, when it came to madness, Bu Eun-seol was second to none.
Wasn’t there a reason why, when the Seven Kings of the Four Gods had yet to be named, the world had come up with the name Gwang-geom, the Mad Sword, for him?
“Don’t worry.”
Wiping the smile from his face, Bu Eun-seol’s lips curled upwards.
“I won’t do something so foolish.”
At that, the Grand Captains let out a collective sigh of relief.
They, too, were no longer concerned with rank or status.
But what if Bu Eun-seol returned to being a commoner? They feared he would cast them aside and leave, unburdened.
“Yu Un-ryong.”
Bu Eun-seol said with a calm expression.
“There is no longer any need to track his movements.”
“Hm?”
Yu Un-ryong looked slightly surprised.
Could it be that Bu Eun-seol was giving up on avenging Yeong Mun-ho for their sake?
“Instead, consult with the Grand Captain of the Nine Kills Squad and have his every move observed and recorded. From one to ten.”
“Observe? That madman?”
“Yes. Slowly, over time, and in great detail.”
Bu Eun-seol continued.
“So that his future actions can be predicted. Also his personality and habits. And his methods of solving problems… gather all the information you can find.”
“What on earth are you thinking?”
When Yu Un-ryong asked, a cold smile graced Bu Eun-seol’s lips.
“Since he has become someone I cannot touch… I have no choice but to make him someone I can kill again.”
“In that case…”
A blood-red glint appeared in Bu Eun-seol’s eyes.
“I will obliterate him. Along with the honor and status he possesses.”
Then, in a majestic and heavy voice, he said,
“And I will expose that madman’s true face to the world, so that everyone will despise him.”
In that instant, everyone in the room, including Yu Un-ryong, swallowed hard as if on cue.
His cold demeanor returning, Bu Eun-seol spoke with a smile.
“If I kill him after that, there will be no repercussions.”
Bu Eun-seol had just declared that he would first obliterate the reputation of Cheon-geom—a First-Class Sword Captain of the Murim Alliance and a disciple of the Sword Sovereign—before bringing him down.
—*That madman picked the wrong person to mess with.*
A single thought simultaneously crossed the minds of the Grand Captains.
If Cheon-geom was a madman consumed by insanity…
Then Bu Eun-seol was a smart madman, consumed by insanity but also possessing a sharp mind.
“There’s no need to rush. Gather the information very slowly and meticulously.”
Glancing around at the assembled Grand Captains, Bu Eun-seol slowly turned and said,
“That is the only way we will be able to crush him.”
And with that, he slowly exited the guest hall.
Killing a person is easy. You just have to stick a knife in them.
But destroying a person’s honor is not. It requires a meticulous scheme, one that cannot be escaped with manpower or money.
Slowly. But perfectly.
Bu Eun-seol had begun his plan to kill Cheon-geom.
* * *
A few days later.
Bu Eun-seol quietly left the Ma-jeon.
His plan to kill Cheon-geom was perfectly laid out.
Now, he needed to research a martial art that could perfectly crush him.
Bu Eun-seol sought a state of emptiness where he would completely forget the two great arts, intending to transcend them and reach a new realm.
But there was one problem.
The foundation of Bu Eun-seol’s skills was the martial arts of Nang-ya-gak.
In other words, he had primarily learned to develop his martial arts in the midst of extreme, real combat.
There was a limit to how much he could develop a new realm through mental research alone.
‘In the end, there’s only one way.’
Bu Eun-seol had always improved his martial arts by fighting against opponents who were a cut above him.
Once again, he intended to transcend his limits and mend the fractures in his spirit through a life-or-death battle with a powerful foe.
‘I must fight an opponent who surpasses me.’
Originally, Bu Eun-seol’s destination was Nang-ya-gak.
Even if he couldn't face the Vice Pavilion Lord Dan-cheong, he could have a good match with Grand Captain So-jeon of the Chang-sin-dae.
But by the time he reached the vicinity of Geom-mi-san, he realized it was a flawed judgment.
—*I cannot break through my limits by fighting the masters of my own pavilion.*
The masters of Nang-ya-gak used the same fighting style and techniques as Bu Eun-seol, and more importantly, they cared for him far too much.
No matter how much they simulated a real fight, he could never engage in a true life-or-death, extreme battle with the warriors of Nang-ya-gak.
‘Is there no other way?’
There were many masters in the martial world, but not many who could match Bu Eun-seol.
Furthermore, given his status, he couldn't just go around challenging masters. Especially if he were to challenge figures from the orthodox factions, it could lead to complicated problems.
Just as Bu Eun-seol, having halted his ascent of Geom-mi-san, hesitated for a moment,
*Rumble! Whoosh.*
Dark clouds suddenly gathered, and rain began to fall.
Bu Eun-seol had no choice but to take temporary shelter under a large tree.
*Crack!*
At that moment, a bolt of lightning struck the tree, instantly splitting it in two.
Seeing the lightning bolt cleave the massive tree in an instant, a person came to Bu Eun-seol’s mind.
Someone who was on a higher path than him, who could shatter a great mountain with a single blow as powerful as a thunderbolt.
The face of a master capable of wielding terrifying power.
‘He would be able to do it.’
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
He had finally found a master who was on a higher path, whom he could challenge immediately to the extreme battle he needed without any issue.
Tan-wang, Bukgung Ryeong.
He had only revealed his skills when he had mistaken Bu Eun-seol for a lecher, and a few instances of Nae-ga-tan-gi he had used while navigating the Mu-hwang-bi-go.
But Bu Eun-seol knew well just how formidable Bukgung Ryeong’s true skills were, and how diversely the technique known as Nae-ga-tan-gi could be unleashed.
‘I’ve imitated his Nae-ga-tan-gi techniques several times.’
Bu Eun-seol had imitated his Nae-ga-tan-gi techniques on several occasions.
The more he did so, the more he realized how outstanding Bukgung Ryeong’s martial arts were, and how immensely powerful his Nae-ga-tan-gi was.
‘He wouldn’t avoid a duel.’
They were almost mortal enemies, but thanks to the events at the Mu-hwang-bi-go, they had parted on not-so-bad terms.
Bukgung Ryeong would not avoid a duel with him, nor would he show any mercy.
*Rustle.*
Returning to Seongdo at once, Bu Eun-seol sought out a branch of the Gu-sal-dae.
Tan-wang was wandering the martial world alone, chasing a mysterious force.
Therefore, his whereabouts were the most difficult to track among the Seven Kings of the Four Gods, and no one could predict his movements.
‘I can use the Beggars’ Sect’s information network.’
Bu Eun-seol was well aware that Bukgung Ryeong, instead of building his own force or having an intelligence organization under his command, used the Beggars’ Sect’s network to erase his tracks.
‘I’ll have to issue a Grade A directive.’
A Grade A directive from the Gu-sal-dae.
It was a mission that could only be given to the best Gu-sal-dae members spread throughout the Central Plains, with an enormous reward for success.
Was it not said that money could make even ghosts do one’s bidding?
The Gu-sal-dae’s Grade A directives had solved many tasks previously deemed impossible.
‘It’s not a very difficult task, so this should be enough.’
Bu Eun-seol immediately issued a Grade A directive through the Gu-sal-dae branch.
The reward for success was a staggering one hundred fifty thousand nyang.
In truth, since it wasn't a difficult task if one traced the Beggars’ Sect’s network, a reward of fifty thousand nyang would have been sufficient.
But Bu Eun-seol had tripled the reward to find Tan-wang as quickly as possible.
The power of a Grade A directive and money was formidable.
In less than half a month, Bu Eun-seol received a reply from the Hwado branch of the Gu-sal-dae.
Tan-wang was near Jang-deok-san in Hwado.
Bu Eun-seol immediately left the Ma-jeon and headed for Hwado.
As soon as he entered Seongdo, he sought out a teahouse in the bustling downtown area.
“Hello.”
Usually, the secret branches of the Gu-sal-dae used shops slightly away from the bustling areas or manors on the outskirts.
But the Hwado branch had cleverly set up its nest in a teahouse that no one in the bustling area ever visited.
“Welcome.”
Upon entering the teahouse, a servant with a cloth tucked into his belt guided him to a seat by the window with a fine view.
The interior of the teahouse was very clean and tidy, but there wasn't a single customer.
This was because there were many small inns in the Hwado area that sold good liquor, so very few people sought out a teahouse.
“A cup of Dragon Well tea, please.”
When he ordered the most expensive tea, the clerk bowed his head as if in a deep bow.
“I’ll bring your tea right away.”
As the servant had said, the tea arrived quickly.
After gazing out the window for a while and sipping his tea, Bu Eun-seol soon left the teahouse.
「I am Ho-yeon, the Hwado branch manager.」
A low voice reached his ears as he walked through the marketplace.
It was a voice transmission from a middle-aged man in gray clothes walking ahead of him.
「I apologize for making you come so far. Tan-wang has been constantly concealing his tracks, so our agents had no choice but to track him in real time.」
「It’s fine. Lead the way.」
The middle-aged man in gray, Hwado Branch Manager Ho-yeon, immediately and quickly left Seongdo, unleashing his movement technique toward the vicinity of Jang-deok-san.
*Swoosh.*
Ho-yeon, who was shooting forward rapidly, would stop intermittently to check markings or secret codes written on trees.
The marks looked fresh. It seemed the agents were still tracking Tan-wang on-site.
*Clang! Chaang!*
After running for about an hour,
As he finally entered a deep part of the forest, the faint sound of clashing weapons reached his ears.
*Crash!*
And despite the clear sky, the sound of thunder and lightning occasionally echoed.
Bu Eun-seol instantly sensed that the thunder was the sound of Tan-wang unleashing his Nae-ga-tan-gi.
「That’s Tan-wang. You don’t need to follow any further.」
「Understood. Take care, my lord.」
Upon receiving Bu Eun-seol’s voice transmission, Ho-yeon hurriedly changed direction and returned to the branch.
He knew all too well that having ten lives wouldn't be enough if he stayed near a master like Tan-wang.
*Tssss.*
Unleashing Geuk-sok-mu-yeong, Bu Eun-seol shot into the forest where the sounds were coming from.
There, in a wide clearing, he saw an elderly man surrounded by about twenty masked figures.
His body was slightly thin but well-built, and his eyes were full of vigor. His features were also handsome, giving him the appearance of an immortal.
It was none other than Tan-wang, Bukgung Ryeong.
*Shiiik!*
Every time Bukgung Ryeong inhaled, the stones on the ground floated into the air.
The stones, levitating in the air, rotated in a circular pattern before being shot out one by one.
*Kwaaang!*
Each time a small stone cut through the air, an explosive sound, as if the sky were tearing and the earth collapsing, spread out.
It clearly showed just how much powerful force was imbued in those small stones.
But the movements of the masked figures were not only very agile but also peculiar.
Even before the stones shot by Tan-wang could reach their bodies, they were evading the attacks as if being pushed away by the rushing wind.
‘Bu-yeong-su-hyeong?’
A flash of light crossed the eyes of Bu Eun-seol, who was watching the fight from a large tree ten zhang away.
The masked figures were capable of levitating or moving their bodies with just the slightest breeze.
They were using the supreme movement technique of the demonic path, Bu-yeong-su-hyeong.