Chapter 313
Chapter 313
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 313
Chapter Title: Ghost Island
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Suppressing a surge of emotion, Bukgung-ryeong shouted loudly.
“Hmph, you think I would accept help from the likes of you?”
He rejected the offer coldly, but his voice trembled slightly.
“I’m not offering help. This is a matter of mutual benefit.”
Bu Eun-seol said dismissively with a smirk.
“As long as I don’t return to the Demonic Palace, the attacks against me will continue. If we join forces, won’t my journey through the martial world be a bit easier?”
In truth, that was just an excuse.
If he wasn't going to spar with Bukgung-ryeong, he could simply return to the Demonic Palace.
“Join forces…”
The corner of Bukgung-ryeong’s eye twitched.
If he, a master of the Demonic Path, joined forces with this outstanding junior? They would become a truly unstoppable duo.
“Hmph, far from being easy, it will be a journey where we risk our necks.”
Bukgung-ryeong scoffed, reining in his rising emotions.
“They will stop at nothing to prevent me from finding the Ten Legendary Weapons.”
“Isn’t that what a journey through the martial world is all about?”
“Fine.”
Bukgung-ryeong nodded, as if having made a decision.
“Once this is resolved, I will grant you a match. A proper one, enough to banish any hesitation from your spirit in a single stroke.”
“Excellent.”
A smile blossomed on Bu Eun-seol’s lips.
And so, the two men, transcending age and faction, became temporary comrades.
“Where are these Ten Legendary Weapons?”
At Bu Eun-seol’s question, Bukgung-ryeong gazed at the hazy sky and spoke in a grim voice.
“Ghost Island.”
***
On an uninhabited island not far from Dengzhou, a sect called Shin-eum-mun once stood.
The members of Shin-eum-mun were all masters of mechanisms, formations, and the esoteric arts of concealment. It was said they could hide themselves with nothing more than a small pebble.
They had installed mechanisms and formations all over the island where they resided, making the entire island appear empty to outsiders.
That was how the island where Shin-eum-mun was located came to be known as Ghost Island.
However, Shin-eum-mun, which had made its name with its mysterious mechanisms and formations, suddenly vanished from the martial world forty years ago.
They had been annihilated by the great Demonic Path slayer, the Seven-Fingered Demonic Sword, Bu Jan-yang.
The reason was that they had collaborated with an assassins’ guild that had repeatedly tried to assassinate the Seven-Fingered Demonic Sword.
In fact, most of the traps laid by the assassins’ guild to kill Bu Jan-yang had been crafted by Shin-eum-mun.
Upon discovering this, the Seven-Fingered Demonic Sword had come to Ghost Island alone and wiped out the entire sect.
*Fwoosh.*
A massive sail, taut and swollen, embraced the wind.
A ship, riding a favorable wind, cut through the waves, heading for Ghost Island.
On the deck stood an old man in white robes and a man in dark gray martial arts attire.
It was Bukgung-ryeong and Bu Eun-seol.
“I don’t know when I last had such a grueling fight.”
Bukgung-ryeong looked down at his own hands and shook his head.
The journey to Ghost Island by boat had been a bloody path.
Every step of the way had been stained with red.
Assassins came at them endlessly. If they went to an inn, the food would be poisoned. If they found lodging, it would be filled with hidden weapons and traps.
A merchant with a stall in the market would attack them, or a woman holding a child would throw a firebomb.
Due to the relentless assassins, the two were eventually forced to avoid cities and travel only on secluded roads, sleeping outdoors and finding their own food.
“If not for your help, I still wouldn’t have made it onto this boat.”
For the first time, Bukgung-ryeong offered a sincere compliment.
“You’re young, yet you seem to have more experience in the martial world than I do.”
What if he hadn’t had Bu Eun-seol’s help?
No matter how outstanding his skills were, he would still be struggling to deal with the flood of assassins.
“The same goes for you.”
Bu Eun-seol said calmly.
“If not for you, I would have given up on this journey and returned long ago.”
Without Bukgung-ryeong's help, Bu Eun-seol’s journey to improve his martial arts would have been impossible.
He would have ended up returning to the Demonic Palace after dealing with the ceaseless stream of assassins.
“Take this.”
As a faint island came into view in the distance, Bu Eun-seol took a mask from his robes and handed it to Bukgung-ryeong.
“We don’t know what will happen from here on out. It would be best to wear a mask.”
“There’s no need. The people there are all renowned heroes of the Orthodox Faction.”
“Renowned heroes.”
Bu Eun-seol looked at the distant sky and shook his head.
“If they were truly men worthy of being called renowned heroes, they wouldn’t have come to a place like this.”
Bukgung-ryeong fell silent.
If they possessed the righteous values and transcendent mindset befitting a renowned hero…
They would not have come all the way to Ghost Island seeking the Ten Legendary Weapons.
“That may be so.”
Bukgung-ryeong let out a deep sigh.
He was an old master of the martial world with deep insight, yet in front of Bu Eun-seol, he felt like a child.
“I’ve said it before, but you feel like an old man who has lived longer than I have.”
He shook his head with a bitter expression.
“Besides, a mask would be useless. My martial arts are recognizable even to the blind.”
The Tan-wang’s internal energy technique produced a sound like a clap of thunder.
Because of this, any martial artist would be able to recognize him from a hundred paces away the moment he used his skills.
“But will it be alright?”
“What do you mean?”
“We’ve already been delayed for quite some time dealing with those masked assassins.”
“It doesn’t matter, even if we were ten days later.”
Bukgung-ryeong said confidently.
“A battle for treasure only ends when a powerful warrior with overwhelming might, or a coalition of forces like the Murim Alliance or the Demonic Palace, appears.”
His eyes narrowed as he continued.
“The only thing that can subdue those blinded by greed is power so immense they wouldn’t dare to challenge it.”
“That might be true if we were in the heart of the Central Plains. But this is an isolated island, far from the mainland.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
Bu Eun-seol gazed at the distant sky with a meaningful look.
“They each came here with a treasure map, but they would have eventually realized there were many others on the island. By now, they would have already formed groups.”
“Groups?”
“Indeed.”
When an unspecified number of people are gathered in a situation where only a few can survive…
People instinctively band together with like-minded individuals and eliminate the rest.
That was why, during his time in the Hellish Grotto, the more exceptional individuals, excluding Bu Eun-seol and a few others, had formed factions early on.
“If they’ve formed factions, the scramble would have ended quickly. Perhaps the victors have already claimed the weapons… or even left for the Central Plains.”
“If you knew that, why are you only telling me now?”
Bukgung-ryeong looked dumbfounded.
If what he said was true, hadn’t they come to Ghost Island on a fool’s errand?
Bu Eun-seol gazed at the distant sky and spoke with a serene expression.
“First, because the timing is uncertain. I can only predict that it ended quickly.”
He continued calmly.
“Second, even if the scramble is over, we need to find clues about how the fight concluded and which weapons appeared… in order to pursue them.”
Turning his head, Bu Eun-seol looked at Bukgung-ryeong.
“Finally, if it’s a deserted island with no one around, we can have a proper match without any interruptions, can’t we? That’s why I came here.”
Bukgung-ryeong stared blankly.
Looking at Bu Eun-seol, he couldn't help but wonder if he had wasted his own life.
‘Even if this fellow started his journey through the martial world as a newborn, he couldn’t possibly have more experience than me.’
It was because Bu Eun-seol had learned deep insight and the ways of the world through Bu Jan-yang’s teachings…
But Bukgung-ryeong, who had no idea, felt a wave of needless self-pity wash over him.
“I have a question.”
Bu Eun-seol spoke up as if something had occurred to him.
“The people who came here are already blinded by their desire for divine weapons.”
He continued with a puzzled expression.
“How exactly were you planning to stop them?”
Not even an immortal could stop a man whose eyes were clouded by martial arts manuals and divine weapons.
Thinking back, Bukgung-ryeong had come to Ghost Island under the pretense of saving them, all too naturally.
“Don’t tell me you need those weapons as well?”
At Bu Eun-seol’s question, Bukgung-ryeong let out a laugh.
“Do I look like I need a divine weapon?”
Bu Eun-seol faintly shook his head.
The Tan-wang’s internal energy technique was truly unparalleled in the martial world. It possessed a power and might greater than any divine weapon.
“I have roamed the martial world for a long time and met many renowned heroes of the Orthodox Faction.”
Taking a deep breath, he spoke again.
“And in the hearts of those called renowned heroes, there was an unwavering righteousness. If I told them that this treasure map was a trap designed to make them kill each other, they would never engage in a meaningless conflict.”
Bukgung-ryeong believed in the righteousness of the Orthodox Faction members.
And that belief was likely the driving force behind his desire to protect the martial world.
His attempt to save the renowned heroes tempted by the treasure map stemmed from his belief that they would one day become the pillars who would clear the dark clouds over the martial world.
But from Bu Eun-seol’s perspective, it was nothing more than a fairytale filled with dreams and hopes.
‘There’s no need to pour cold water on it.’
Bu Eun-seol didn't want to shatter Bukgung-ryeong’s hopes and beliefs.
All humans live with hope and rely on their own convictions.
No one has the right to destroy another’s beliefs.
“If you have something to say, say it.”
Bukgung-ryeong said, as if sensing Bu Eun-seol’s thoughts.
“Your tongue may be sharp, but I know well that you don’t speak nonsense.”
Bu Eun-seol spoke as if he had no choice.
“If this were the heart of the Central Plains, your plan might have worked. Whether they liked it or not, they would have reputations to uphold.”
“Hmph.”
“As I said before, this is an isolated island, far from the Central Plains.”
Bu Eun-seol did not believe that humans were inherently good.
Moreover, having already experienced a similar situation, he couldn’t believe it even if he wanted to.
“Are you saying they ended up in a slaughter?”
“Yes. They would have started without the slightest hesitation.”
A moment of silence followed.
Bukgung-ryeong looked at Ghost Island in the distance and spoke with conviction.
“They might form groups, I’ll grant you that. But they are men with vast experience in the martial world… They would never make the wrong choice.”
Bu Eun-seol said nothing.
Every person has their own beliefs.
He just hoped that Bukgung-ryeong would not have to experience the same confusion or chaos that he had.
*Splaaash.*
At last, the boat reached Ghost Island and began to dock.
After disembarking, the two men immediately used their movement techniques to survey the island.
In the center of the island, covered with strangely shaped rocks and cliffs, lay a high mountain and a deep forest.
To the west, a wide plain stretched out, with lush green plants blooming.
It was a peaceful landscape that belied the name Ghost Island.
But the atmosphere was silent and eerie, and a faint smell of blood seemed to hang in the air.
Bukgung-ryeong, alongside the masked Bu Eun-seol, used his movement technique to venture deep into the island.
They were searching for the hidden cave marked on the treasure map.
However, as they neared the cave, Bukgung-ryeong’s expression darkened.
Bu Eun-seol’s prediction had been correct.
A battle had already taken place, and countless bodies were strewn everywhere.
If it had been a mere scramble for treasure, Bukgung-ryeong’s expression would not have been so dark.
A merciless slaughter. A one-sided attack.
The wounds on the bodies showed that various factions had brutally massacred the weaker groups.
‘Hmph.’
Bu Eun-seol inwardly grimaced.
The empty titles of Orthodox Faction and renowned hero were useless on an isolated island, miles away from the mainland.
The masks of gentility they wore must have not just slipped, but been torn off in an instant.
Solely to kill their competitors. To increase their chances of obtaining the Ten Legendary Weapons, they had snuffed out the lives of others without a moment’s hesitation.
“How could this happen?”
As Bukgung-ryeong stared at the corpses, his eyes filled with rage.
He had experienced all sorts of things while roaming the martial world. This wasn't the first or second time he had seen a treasure map appear.
But this was different.
Martial artists who had discovered treasure on an isolated island no one ever visited.
Once they arrived in a place beyond the sight of others, they had cast off their masks as renowned heroes and freely unleashed their cruel natures.
*Clang! Paang!*
Just then, the faint sound of clashing weapons reached them.
“...!”
“...!”
Bu Eun-seol and Bukgung-ryeong exchanged a look, then shot up into the sky like great birds.
*Rustle!*
They swiftly crossed the forest and arrived at a sheer cliff near the coast.
There, five martial artists, each wielding a unique weapon, were attacking a group of about thirty others.
No, it was a one-sided massacre.
With every swing of their weapons, sharp energy shot out in all directions, tearing through flesh and bone.
They even relentlessly hunted down those who couldn’t fight back and were running or hiding, stabbing them in the back and severing their heads.
“Stop!”
Unable to watch any longer, Bukgung-ryeong let out a thunderous roar and landed in front of the group carrying out the slaughter.
“Five Heroes! You have the weapons! Why are you slaughtering these people?!”
The five men committing the slaughter were well-known heroes who were mainly active in Shandong.
After becoming sworn brothers, they had traveled together and done many good deeds, earning them the moniker, the Five Heroes of Shandong.
But to commit such a cruel massacre after obtaining the Ten Legendary Weapons?
“You are…”
Jeong Jung-won, the second of the Five Heroes of Shandong, recognized Bukgung-ryeong at once and flinched, stepping back.
“The Tan-wang?”
One of the Four Gods and Seven Kings, a man said to be able to shatter a house-sized boulder with a flick of a finger.
Why had a master of the Heaven-Shattering Art appeared here?
“Tan-wang, did you also come here coveting the Ten Legendary Weapons?”
Jeong Jung-won shouted with an arrogant expression, and Bukgung-ryeong’s eyes flashed.
“What nonsense are you spouting?!”
He pointed to the piles of corpses around them.
“If you have the weapons, you should have just left! Why are you butchering these people?!”
At his furious roar, the Five Heroes fell silent like scolded children.
The Five Heroes of Shandong were among the most skilled martial artists who had come to Ghost Island, and they had not needed to form a faction.
Before the scramble for treasure even began, they had eliminated their competitors one by one… and eventually acquired the Ten Legendary Weapons left in the hidden cave.
Then, fearing their evil deeds would be exposed, they had relentlessly hunted down and slaughtered the remaining groups on the island.
—We have to kill him.
The eyes of the Five Heroes of Shandong glinted as if by agreement.
If these atrocities became known to the martial world…
Even if they had obtained the Ten Legendary Weapons, they would never be able to walk freely through the martial world again.
“Has greed paralyzed your reason as well?”
Bukgung-ryeong said with a devastated look as he watched them.
“Come to your senses now. You can’t throw away the reputation you’ve built your entire lives for some mere weapons.”
Despite his sorrowful plea, Jeong Jung-won shook his head.
“Tan-wang. You were hailed as a grandmaster since your youth, so you wouldn’t have such regrets.”
He looked down at the Xiong-ba-do in his left hand and sighed deeply.
“But we were able to overcome a wall we could never break through our entire lives, thanks to this weapon. Do you understand what I mean?”
The Five Heroes of Shandong were also martial artists who had dedicated their lives to the Way of the Sword.
But the wall of the Transcendent Realm was not something that could be broken through sheer effort alone.
Yet, just by holding the Ten Legendary Weapons, they were able to wield a power that could instantly leap over the wall of the Transcendent Realm.
It was as if they had entered the Apex Realm in a single breath.
How could they let go of such a dream-like opportunity?
“I see.”
Bukgung-ryeong nodded.
He could fully understand the torment the Five Heroes of Shandong were experiencing.
He too had been frustrated by the wall of the Transcendent Realm in his youth and had broken through it only after countless near-death experiences and moments of enlightenment.
But that did not justify their greed.
“There’s no need for long words.”
At that moment, the first brother, Gu Yeong-hwa, who held a blue-glowing flute, the Cang-tian-jin-di, stepped forward.
“Normally, we would never dare to defy you, Senior Bukgung. But not now.”
A murderous intent flowed in Gu Yeong-hwa’s eyes.
They had killed numerous renowned heroes of the Orthodox Faction using cowardly methods to obtain the weapons.
And now, they intended to kill even Bukgung-ryeong to silence him for good.