Chapter 315
Chapter 315
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 315
Chapter Title: The Essence of Martial Arts
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When Bukgung Ryeong gave him a look of incomprehension, Bu Eun-seol spoke calmly, as if he had already guessed his thoughts.
“You will understand if you watch.”
“...Very well.”
With a deep sigh, Bukgung Ryeong nodded and stepped back.
Bu Eun-seol calmly stepped forward.
In truth, he had just had a great epiphany after seeing Bukgung Ryeong fall prey to his heart demon.
Bukgung Ryeong’s Naega-tangi was an orthodox martial art of the Righteous Faction that maximized and explosively released one's energy.
And energy (氣) originated from the mind (心).
He had perceived that even for a man called the grandmaster of the Righteous Faction, the moment his mind was disturbed, the energy circulating within his body immediately thinned.
‘The difference between the Demonic Path and the Righteous Path is ultimately meaningless.’
When the mind is disturbed, the energy scatters. When one’s energy is not full, the mind also wavers.
The Demonic Path and the Righteous Path.
The two separate roads were ultimately one and the same at their end.
It was merely a matter of what was primary and what was secondary—a difference in the order of things.
‘Until now, I have been too obsessed with the power of my martial arts.’
Looking back, it all stemmed from what happened when he destroyed the Musk Deer.
With his mind fused with the Sak-jeong-bi-gyeol due to his rage, he had fully stepped onto the Demonic Path…
Bu Eun-seol had displayed a martial prowess that was truly invincible.
However, that was a martial art that could only be unleashed by a great demon whose humanity and emotions had been obliterated by the maximized power of the Sak-jeong-bi-gyeol.
Although he had fortunately returned to a neutral state of mind, since that day, he had become obsessed with the potent power of the Yeo-ui-jin-gyeol.
A fierce and destructive power, incomparable to when it was unleashed from a neutral mind.
He had fallen into a state of constant craving, wanting to reclaim that power.
‘But the true power of martial arts comes from its refinement.’
To awaken Bukgung Ryeong from his heart demon, Bu Eun-seol had used the Seven Forms of the Demonic Fist with all his might.
With every form he executed, he focused his mind. To subdue Bukgung Ryeong, he had performed the fist techniques at extremely close range, the antithesis of the Naega-tangi.
He had made the profundity of the martial art his focus and coolly analyzed his opponent’s techniques.
And in doing so, he had been able to beat down the King of Projectiles, a master under heaven, with his bare fists, even if he was in the throes of a heart demon.
‘The path of demons or the path of righteousness no longer matters.’
Unlike ordinary people, Bu Eun-seol’s mind contained a mixture of the Demonic and Righteous Paths.
Furthermore, they could mix or even be reversed at any time.
There was no need to choose one yet. No, it was not the time to choose.
There was no need to force them into one, nor was there a need to choose neither.
Because Bu Eun-seol had yet to master the profundities of both the Righteous and Demonic martial arts.
*Thud, thud.*
Bu Eun-seol turned and walked straight toward the Shandong Five Swords.
“Do you truly intend to fight us alone?”
“Are you afraid?”
“Hmph.”
Gu Yeong-hwa scoffed as he looked at Bu Eun-seol, whose entire body was covered in wounds.
“If you wish to die, then so be it.”
*Woooong!*
Bu Eun-seol immediately drew upon his Mu-hwang-jeong-gak.
The black true energy flowing from his body instantly transformed into a wave of golden light.
*Shhhk! Shhhk!*
At the same time, a single, sharp strand of vital energy began to circle his body.
He lightly executed a righteous martial art without forcibly increasing the strands of energy to five.
What was important was not power, but using the profundity of the Sip-sam-ya-gi to execute the right techniques at the right time to defeat the enemy.
“He’s using a strange martial art. Strike him down at once!”
—*Ppiii!*
Beginning with the sound of the Chang-cheon-geum-jeok’s flute, a powerful force poured out from the four weapons.
It was as if Bukgung Ryeong had fired four strands of his Naega-tangi with all his might.
*Whoosh!*
Watching their onslaught, Bu Eun-seol unleashed the Namyeong Sect’s hand technique, the Yeol-su-do-seon, with his left hand.
Simultaneously, a sharp strand of vital energy shot up from his wrist.
*Sshhhhaaa!*
“What is that?”
The Shandong Five Swords were greatly surprised and retreated backward.
A crescent-shaped wave of vital energy was pouring toward them as if to slice their bodies apart.
*Clang!*
They combined the power of the Ten Weapons Under Heaven to block the massive wave of energy. But then something strange happened.
*Shhhk!*
The vital energy that struck their weapons split into five strands and instantly dug into their wrists.
*Slice.*
As red lines were drawn across their wrists,
*Pssh!*
The right hands of all five members of the Shandong Five Swords, which had been gripping their weapons, fell to the ground in unison as blood began to gush out.
“Ack!”
Each letting out a short scream, they quickly pressed the acupoints on their right wrists.
Even so, they swiftly retrieved their weapons with their left hands.
“Ugh.”
Holding their weapons in their left hands, the Shandong Five Swords stared at Bu Eun-seol with faces mixed with terror.
‘This is the subtlety of martial arts.’
Before, he would have unleashed five strands of the Sip-sam-ya-gi from the start.
But Bu Eun-seol had deliberately used a single strand of energy to make them let their guard down.
As they tried to parry the attack casually, he seized the opportunity and instantly unleashed five strands of the Sip-sam-ya-gi, cutting off their wrists in a single blow.
“Ugh.”
The Shandong Five Swords took a step back with fearful expressions.
To cut off their wrists in a single move after they had exchanged over forty blows with Bukgung Ryeong?
Had he reached the Limitless Realm at such a young age?
“How absurd.”
Bu Eun-seol spoke with a pathetic look on his face.
“Do you truly believe you fought on equal terms with that old man?”
He then sent them a look of contempt.
“Even after seeing him fall to his heart demon while agonizing over how to spare your lives?”
The Shandong Five Swords lowered their heads at the irrefutable and stinging accusation.
Just then, Bukgung Ryeong, who was behind them, stepped forward.
“Drop your weapons.”
The Shandong Five Swords shook their heads, their faces filled with fear.
Though they trembled in fright, they all clutched their weapons.
“We cannot.”
Gu Yeong-hwa mustered the courage to speak.
“With these weapons, we can walk the martial world with our heads held high.”
He spoke with an expression as if he were vomiting blood.
“How can we just throw away the weapons we gave up everything to obtain?”
“How pathetic.”
Bukgung Ryeong said in a low voice.
“You couldn’t even defeat this young man with those weapons, yet you speak of walking the martial world?”
“How many in the martial world possess the same level of prowess as that young man?”
“Hahaha.”
Bukgung Ryeong let out a hollow laugh, as if in disbelief.
He now realized that all of them possessed such despicable characters that they were beyond redemption.
“After slaughtering members of the Righteous Faction here with such vicious methods... you intend to walk the martial world? Avoiding the strong, at that?”
“...”
“I see now why you people are incapable of advancing your martial arts.”
Bukgung Ryeong said with a face full of anger.
“Because you are husks, lacking even the minimum conviction of a martial artist.”
*Woooong!*
As Bukgung Ryeong spread his five fingers, an intense light burst forth, and the weapons they held floated into the air.
*Whooossh!*
An unprecedentedly powerful storm of energy raged around Bukgung Ryeong’s entire body.
*Clang! Thud, thud.*
As a blue glint flashed in his eyes, the five weapons hovering in the air shattered into pieces and fell to the ground.
He had smashed the five weapons by making them collide with his powerful Naega-tangi.
*Thud.*
Staring with empty eyes at the broken Ten Weapons Under Heaven, the Shandong Five Swords all dropped to their knees at once.
They had finally realized the true skill of the King of Projectiles, Bukgung Ryeong.
“We have no weapons, and our arms are crippled...”
Gu Yeong-hwa said to Bukgung Ryeong.
“Kill us. Make it clean.”
Just as Bukgung Ryeong scoffed and extended a finger,
“Can you not perform swordsmanship without an arm?”
Bu Eun-seol stepped forward and said.
“If I had no right arm, I would have trained the sword with my left. If I had no left arm either, I would have trained kicking techniques with my legs.”
Among the masters of the Nang-ya-gak, there were actually many who were disabled.
They had suffered fatal injuries while trying to advance their martial arts in real combat.
But they did not despair and, with their disabled bodies, delved deeper into their martial arts to become outstanding masters.
If one overcomes despair and gives up, and trains with all their heart, they can become stronger.
That is the greatness of human beings.
If one just sets their mind to it, if they have an iron will... they can overcome any obstacle, be it physical or mental.
“Those are words that only heavenly masters like you can say...”
*Paaat!*
Blood suddenly burst from the mouth of Gu Yeong-hwa, who had been muttering under his breath.
He was already crippled, and if this incident became known, he wouldn't be able to show his face in the martial world.
Having lost all hope for life, he had taken his own.
Then, blood burst from the mouths of the other four members of the Shandong Five Swords as well.
*Thud.*
The eyes of the Shandong Five Swords, now cold corpses, were all wide open.
Bukgung Ryeong looked at the scene with a cold gaze before shaking his head.
“Yes, one does not become a cripple just by losing an arm.”
He too would have continued to train his Naega-tangi with his left arm if he had lost his right.
Even if he had no arms, he would have found another way to fire his Naega-tangi.
“But these men give up on life just for losing one arm.”
Numerous emotions crossed Bukgung Ryeong’s face as he muttered in vain.
“The reason I have long protected the Righteous Faction of the martial world is because I believed in their righteousness.”
“There is no need to be so disheartened.”
Bu Eun-seol said calmly.
“How many people in this world can claim to be as righteous as you, old man?”
Bukgung Ryeong shook his head.
“The righteousness I speak of was merely the basic decency a human being should have.”
He then muttered in a pained voice.
“Not to kill or harm people recklessly for one's own benefit, like those of the Demonic Path…”
Bukgung Ryeong, who had been silent for a moment, slowly lost the light in his eyes.
“But now I don’t know anymore. What is righteous, and what is demonic.”
Then Bu Eun-seol slowly opened his mouth.
“It is a world where the victor becomes king and the loser, a traitor. The one who gains power is righteous, and the one who loses power is wicked.”
“...”
“If a member of the Righteous Faction kills someone, it is called upholding justice. If a member of the Demonic Path kills someone, they are pointed at and called savage.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“That is the way of the world.”
Bu Eun-seol said with a sigh.
“Martial artists are a tribe who can kill others without hesitation simply because their paths are different.”
Bukgung Ryeong, who had been carefully pondering Bu Eun-seol’s words, suddenly burst into laughter.
“Huhuhu. Hahaha.”
Though he burst out laughing, Bukgung Ryeong’s eyes held a sense of sorrow.
“I am ashamed.”
Bukgung Ryeong realized that Bu Eun-seol had not only mended the rupture in his mind but had also entered a higher state of being.
Yet he himself was still obsessed with the demonic and righteous paths, feeling confused.
But Bu Eun-seol’s words had instantly quelled the turmoil that had been etched into his mind.
“To think I, at my age, would fall prey to a heart demon.”
“It was a situation where that could easily happen. I myself experienced something similar long ago.”
Bu Eun-seol said calmly.
“Falling to a heart demon is an opportunity to develop one's mind to a higher level. From now on, if you fall to a heart demon, use it as an opportunity to seek enlightenment.”
“Huhu. Thank you.”
Bukgung Ryeong said wistfully, looking at the distant sky.
“I realized it long ago. That even at my age, I have not been able to break down the barrier in my heart.”
What is the Righteous Path, and what is the Evil Path?
Perhaps they are just convenient notions that humans created to restrain themselves, or others.
Numerous realizations pierced through Bukgung Ryeong’s mind.
Through this incident, he too had raised his mind to a higher state and regained his shaken beliefs.
“Huuup.”
Having organized his thoughts, Bukgung Ryeong took a long breath.
Dozens of golden rings then appeared in the air around his body.
They were the King of Projectiles, Bukgung Ryeong’s unique weapon, the Ja-jeon-geum-hwan.
*Kwang!*
As Bukgung Ryeong extended a finger, the golden rings that had stopped in mid-air embedded themselves deep in front of the cave entrance.
彈 (Tan).
He had deeply carved the character for ‘projectile’ on the cave entrance with his Ja-jeon-geum-hwan.
*Woosh.*
The golden rings, deeply embedded in the cave rock, were pulled back into the air.
Simultaneously, they scattered in all directions and began to rain down.
*Papapak!*
The Ja-jeon-geum-hwan, falling like rain, were severely mutilating all the corpses scattered around, including those of the Shandong Five Swords.
The King of Projectiles, Bukgung Ryeong.
This great grandmaster of the Righteous Faction was trying to take the blame for all the atrocities that had occurred in this hellscape.
“Is there really a need for this?”
At Bu Eun-seol’s words, Bukgung Ryeong showed a dry smile.
“If it becomes known in the martial world that these men slaughtered each other out of greed for weapons... the foundation of the Righteous Faction will be shaken uncontrollably.”
“I will handle everything.”
Bu Eun-seol said with a calm expression.
“I am a demon lord of the Demonic Path to begin with, so even if I were to have annihilated the members of the Righteous Faction, it would have no impact on me.”
“That cannot be.”
“Why not?”
With a faint smile, Bukgung Ryeong looked at the distant sky and muttered.
“Because you may one day become the only hope to save the martial world when it falls into despair.”
Those were not words that Bukgung Ryeong, who until now had prided himself on the Righteous Path being the only correct one, could have said.
He had finally realized.
The one who could save the martial world would not be chosen from the crossroads of the Righteous and Demonic Factions... but would be a person with a righteous mind and strong mental fortitude.
“Old man.”
“I will be leaving the martial world for a while.”
“Did you not promise to spar with me?”
“Huhuhu.”
Turning his body, Bukgung Ryeong said in a low voice.
“Have your mind and martial arts not already ascended to a higher level? Therefore, let us postpone our duel until next time.”
Turning his head for a moment, Bukgung Ryeong muttered in a low voice.
‘Thank you.’
But those words were so quiet that they were only heard in Bukgung Ryeong’s own mind.
*Whoosh!*
Executing his movement technique, he disappeared into the sky in an instant.
There were many boats docked at the coast, so he intended to leave alone.
“Hmm.”
Bu Eun-seol muttered under his breath as he watched Bukgung Ryeong’s departing figure.
“There is no need to be ashamed of such things before me.”
He thought that Bukgung Ryeong had left in a hurry because of the wretched true face of the Righteous Faction.
However, there was something Bu Eun-seol also couldn't understand.
Bukgung Ryeong. What kind of debt did he owe the Righteous Faction of the martial world to sacrifice so much?
Why on earth was he trying to protect the members of the Righteous Faction by dedicating his entire life to it?
*Thud, thud.*
But then, he felt something strange.
A strange light was flowing out from between the stones that had been shattered by the Ja-jeon-geum-hwan shot by the King of Projectiles.
*Ssk.*
Bu Eun-seol unknowingly reached out his hand to where the light was shining.
*Jiiing.*
Then, with a low mechanical sound, a passage leading underground was created.
Just by the shape of it leading deep inside, he could guess that it was a treasury where valuable items were stored.
“It seems things like this tend to happen whenever that old man uses his Naega-tangi.”
Recalling how he had discovered the Martial Emperor’s secret vault, Bu Eun-seol entered the passage with a smile.
At the end of the passage, an empty stone chamber came into view.
Closing his eyes for a moment, Bu Eun-seol activated his Gong-sim-tong-ryeong and began to meticulously inspect the interior.
“Is this an underground treasury built by the Sin-eum-mun, who had their base on Ghost Island?”
Opening his eyes again, Bu Eun-seol shot a sharp finger wind at the wall.
*Clank! Clank!*
The wall then began to open in the shape of drawers.
Surprisingly, the Sin-eum-mun had cut the wall smoothly and created a secret storage inside it.
“It seems even the forces that spread the treasure maps didn't know about this mechanism.”
Judging by the thick layer of dust, it was clear that it had been closed decades ago and never opened.
The Sin-eum-mun’s treasury was hidden by such an ingenious mechanism that even the forces that had spread the treasure maps had failed to find it.
“It’s all just weapons.”
Hidden in the drawers were divine weapons comparable to the Ten Weapons Under Heaven.
Bu Eun-seol had no desire for weapons at all.
However, seeing the sharp daggers, armor, and thread-thin chains, he was only reminded of Myo Cheon-u, Yu Un-ryong, and Heuk-pyo.
‘They have weapons that suit their hands.’
After looking around the interior, Bu Eun-seol soon lost interest and turned to leave the passage.
“...!”
But the sensation beneath his feet was strange.
*Thump!*
Activating his Gong-pa-sim-an, he struck the floor and felt the intricate devices installed within.
There was some other mechanism inside this floor.
*Kuuung.*
As Bu Eun-seol used his Cheon-geun-chu, a light flowed from the opposite side of the floor, and a large chest slowly began to rise.
*Click.*
When he opened the chest, inside was a single sword, dyed black.
It was very small, slightly larger than a dagger, closer to a small blade.
Also, the hilt was so large that it did not match the shape of the small blade at all.
“This is?”
As Bu Eun-seol touched the hilt of the small blade, a look of doubt appeared in his eyes.
He could feel a complex mechanism built inside the hilt he was holding.
“What is this?”
When Bu Eun-seol twisted the hilt while gripping it tightly,
*Clack!*
A hard piece of metal popped out from the spine of the small blade.
Judging by its round, indented shape, it seemed to be a device that could be combined with some kind of metal.
“I see.”
Bu Eun-seol finally understood why the hilt of the small blade was so large.
This small blade was originally a device that could be combined with the body of a large broadsword.
It was probably used by combining it with the hollow body of a large broadsword in the shape of a small blade.
“What is this now?”
When Bu Eun-seol touched a pointed object protruding from below the combination device,
*Clack!*
With another mechanical sound, a thin needle suddenly shot out from the hilt.
“Kuh.”
The needle was so sharp that blood instantly flowed from Bu Eun-seol’s hand.
*Clang.*
Bu Eun-seol dropped the small blade, and his hand swelled up, turning blue. The needle had been coated with a deadly poison.
*Woooong!*
As Bu Eun-seol immediately drew upon his internal energy to push out the poison,
*Tssss.*
A dark blue poisonous liquid dripped from the puncture wound onto the floor, emitting a pungent smell.
Surprisingly, the poison on this needle was the deadly Bu-yuk-pae-hyeol poison.
“Bu-yuk-pae-hyeol…”
Bu Eun-seol stared intently at the hilt of the small blade he had dropped.
But something was strange.
The needles protruding from the hilt maintained a peculiar shape.
The long needles were sticking out in a shape that could only be held with two fingers.
‘Could it be?’
Bu Eun-seol immediately took out the glove he had obtained from the Musk Deer’s mechanism from his clothes and put it on.
He then carefully picked up the small blade that had fallen to the floor again.
*Woooong.*
The small blade then emitted a low vibration, as if it had found its long-lost master.
“This sword…”
Bu Eun-seol’s eyes wavered greatly.
Could this strange small blade be the cherished sword of the Seven-Fingered Demonic Sword, Bu Jan-yang?
“That can’t be.”
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
How could his sword be stored in the Sin-eum-mun, which the Seven-Fingered Demonic Sword was said to have annihilated?
“But…”
A sword that could be held with two fingers.
In the martial world, there was no other such sword but that of the Seven-Fingered Demonic Sword, Bu Jan-yang.