Chapter 326
Chapter 326
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 326
Chapter Title: The Sea of Clouds Jade Spirit Palace
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After returning to the Demonic Sanctum, Bu Eun-seol began preparing to enter seclusion once more.
However, he entrusted the primary task of tracking the Seven-Fingered Demonic Dao to the Gu-sal Squad and Yu Un-ryong.
Over thirty years had passed since his disappearance, and even the Bi-yeong-gak, the Demonic Path's top intelligence organization, couldn't confirm if he was alive or dead.
Furthermore, those who had crossed paths with the Seven-Fingered Demonic Dao were, of all people, from the Orthodox Faction—and figures who had reached the pinnacle of their power at that.
No matter how brilliant Bu Eun-seol's strategies were...
...it was impossible for him to uncover the whereabouts and secrets of the Seven-Fingered Demonic Dao in a short time, something that even the combined might of the entire Demonic Path had failed to do.
‘Obsessing over a problem that can't be solved immediately is just a waste of time.’
Bu Eun-seol decided to tackle the problems he was currently facing, one by one.
The first thing he did was to codify the principles of the Two Heavens' Counterforce, which he had mastered during his duel with the Heavenly Sword, into a formal technique.
To ensure he could use the martial principles he had learned through combat at any time, it was essential to transcribe them into a structured form.
There was a limit to what he could achieve by relying solely on instinct and sensation without a theoretical foundation.
He also continued his research on the Seven Forms of Blood Tears.
The Seven Forms of Blood Tears was originally a saber art.
To perform it as a sword art was, in effect, an act that diminished its original power.
But it would also be strange for him to suddenly wield a great saber when he had achieved Sword-Hand Unity with the Ink Sword.
Besides, without knowing the true identity of the Seven-Fingered Demonic Dao, he couldn't openly use his unique saber techniques...
So Bu Eun-seol was continuing his research to adapt it into a sword art.
‘Moreover, the Ice Soul Sword...’
Just from clashing with the sword art the Sword Sovereign had performed with a tree branch, a crack had appeared on the blade of the Ice Soul Sword.
But Bu Eun-seol had no intention of discarding the sword. For some reason, it felt perfectly familiar in his hand.
‘It should be fine if I send it to Master Cheol.’
Wang Geol's title was Master Cheol.
His metallurgical skills were among the best in the Murim, and he could handle any metal with complete freedom.
Shortly after he sent the sword to Mount Geom-mi, a reply came from Wang Geol.
—To repair this sword, I'll need to acquire Northern Sea Mystic Iron, so the repairs will take well over a year.
Also, it is a sword that emits the energy of Mystic Yin. Unless you plan to learn a martial art of the cold yin type, it would be best not to carry it on your person.
As Bu Eun-seol read the letter, he couldn't hide his surprise.
An unexpected statement was written at the end.
—This sword might not be a demonic sword, but one forged by the Baek-ri Clan three hundred years ago.
They sometimes mixed Northern Sea Mystic Iron with metals like Kunwu and Black Gold to create weapons with mysterious abilities.
The Baek-ri Clan.
A mysterious family that had been rooted in the Murim for generations.
They were all said to possess the ability to read the secrets of the heavens and held wondrous knowledge. Based on this knowledge, they personally forged and used weapons with unique abilities.
But three hundred years ago, they suddenly vanished as if they had evaporated—completely, along with the estate they lived in, their belongings, and even the furniture they used.
The truth behind this bizarre incident was never uncovered. Now, their name only came up when grandfathers told their grandchildren interesting stories about the Murim.
And yet, the Ice Soul Sword wasn't a demonic sword.
It might be a sword forged by the Baek-ri Clan, who had disappeared with everything from their family members down to a single pair of chopsticks?
Master Cheol was the Murim's foremost weapons expert and one of the greatest blacksmiths of his time, capable of authenticating and appraising not only the divine weapons scattered throughout the Murim but also ancient artifacts.
Since he was the one who said it, his words could not be simply dismissed.
‘Baek-ri Mu-ha.’
The name he had heard from Baek Jeon-cheon, the master of Man-bak Hall, suddenly surfaced in Bu Eun-seol's mind.
The mysterious figure known as the Murim's Greatest Secret thirty years ago. Could he also have been a member of the Baek-ri Clan?
‘Not everyone with the surname Baek-ri can be a descendant of the Baek-ri Clan.’
Shaking his head, Bu Eun-seol put the letter down.
Useless thoughts could wait. He had too much to do right now.
Having finished all his miscellaneous tasks, Bu Eun-seol was about to officially enter seclusion to focus on his martial arts training.
But his plan was ultimately interrupted.
*Creeak.*
Just as he was about to close the door to his training chamber, a man in a civil official's attire hurried over from a distance.
It was Yu Un-ryong.
“Bu Eun-seol.”
His eyes were sharp, but the pupils within them were calm and filled with the light of wisdom.
‘He's almost unrecognizable.’
In the past, he had the classic features of a rebel, and his personality was simple and impatient.
But once given a position that suited his talents, his inherent disposition as a strategist emerged.
As a result, not only had his personality become calm and wise, but even his appearance seemed to have changed.
“I finally found it.”
For a moment, Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
Had he managed to find all the information on the Seven-Fingered Demonic Dao's whereabouts in such a short time?
But Yu Un-ryong, with a bright expression, spoke again.
“I'm talking about the Unhae-byeok-ryeong-gung.”
Bu Eun-seol had been searching for a clan with a heart technique that could completely restore the body of Seo Jin-ha, whose dantian had been destroyed.
That place was the Unhae-byeok-ryeong-gung in Tibet, said to possess the most outstanding internal energy manual.
—Many sects beyond the Central Plains open their upper dantian to cultivate internal energy, but the secret to fundamentally reaching the state of Three Origins Three Harmonies and the Primordial Spirit Leaving the Body is the Myriad Transformations Dharma Wheel of the Unhae-byeok-ryeong-gung.
Back on Cheol-jang Peak, while learning the Counter-Polarity Heart Law, the Blood Diamond had told Bu Eun-seol about the characteristics of the various internal energy secrets of the world's sects.
He had also mentioned that the secret to perfectly opening the upper dantian was the Myriad Transformations Dharma Wheel of the Unhae-byeok-ryeong-gung in Tibet.
—The amazing thing about the Myriad Transformations Dharma Wheel is that, unlike other heart techniques, it never fails when opening the upper dantian.
Because Seo Jin-ha had practiced poison arts, his internal energy couldn't be fully restored with ordinary methods.
So Bu Eun-seol had ordered Yu Un-ryong to use his intelligence network to relentlessly search for the location of the Unhae-byeok-ryeong-gung.
“We were really lucky.”
Yu Un-ryong said, taking a deep breath.
“Finding a clan that doesn't reveal itself to the world is a truly difficult task.”
Bu Eun-seol gave a bitter smile.
He was likely alluding to Sa-hyang, whom he had pursued for so long.
“I've written down the details here.”
Yu Un-ryong took out an envelope and a small bundle from his robes.
“I figured you'd be in a hurry.”
Restoring Seo Jin-ha's internal energy was something Bu Eun-seol had long desired.
He had sensed that if Bu Eun-seol heard this news, he would drop everything else to handle this matter first.
“Well done.”
As Bu Eun-seol took the envelope and bundle and immediately turned to leave, Yu Un-ryong spoke with a worried expression.
“Are you two going alone?”
When Bu Eun-seol nodded, Yu Un-ryong said firmly.
“Absolutely not.”
Until now, Bu Eun-seol had roamed the Murim alone, facing countless dangers he shouldn't have had to.
And hadn't the Sword Sovereign himself appeared recently, seeking revenge for the Heavenly Sword?
Bu Eun-seol was now the heir to the Demonic Sanctum and a commander responsible for many subordinates. He absolutely could not travel without an escort.
“Hmm.”
Bu Eun-seol wore an expression of resignation.
Yu Un-ryong and Myo Cheon-u were his adjutants.
If those who served him most closely objected, he had to respect their opinion.
And it was because of this approach that not only Yu Un-ryong but all his subordinates were fiercely loyal to him.
“If you really refuse, I'll at least assign members of the Gu-sal Squad.”
The members of the Gu-sal Squad rarely showed themselves, making them the most suitable for escorting Bu Eun-seol.
“Un-ryong. Let the two of them go.”
Just then, a man in navy blue martial arts robes strode up from behind. It was Myo Cheon-u.
“It's better if they go alone for this one.”
Myo Cheon-u said with a grin.
“I'd like to go with them myself, but well, I guess I'll have to yield this time.”
“Myo Cheon-u. This is not something to be taken lightly.”
Yu Un-ryong glared at Myo Cheon-u's playful tone.
“This is a very important matter, not just for Seo Jin-ha, but for him as well.”
“I know. And I also know that's why you hurried.”
“What do you know?”
When Yu Un-ryong spoke bluntly, Myo Cheon-u replied with utmost seriousness.
「You were trying to give him a break, weren't you?」
At Myo Cheon-u's telepathic message, Yu Un-ryong fell silent.
Too much had happened to Bu Eun-seol recently. Yeong Mun-ho, whom he had found after so much difficulty, had died, and he had fought a life-or-death battle with the Heavenly Sword.
Even for a martial artist who lives with a sword to his neck, his path had been stained with blood.
Not only that, but a mountain of problems still awaited him.
Yu Un-ryong had wanted to give Bu Eun-seol even a brief respite from that complicated situation.
「And knowing that, you're suggesting we send him alone with just Seo Jin-ha?」
When Yu Un-ryong sent a telepathic message, Myo Cheon-u nodded.
「If they follow him on that long journey, that guy will worry about the squad members' safety too. That'll just tire him out more.」
Yu Un-ryong fell silent.
Thinking it over, he realized Myo Cheon-u was right.
Even if an escort followed them secretly, they wouldn't be able to escape Bu Eun-seol's senses.
If he had to worry about the escort members as well, his mind and body would only grow more exhausted.
‘Will he be alright?’
In truth, Bu Eun-seol's martial prowess was not something to worry about.
He would be able to escape any danger on his own.
What Yu Un-ryong was actually worried about was Seo Jin-ha.
If a dangerous situation arose for him, who had lost most of his internal energy, Bu Eun-seol would also be in a difficult position.
“Hmm.”
Yu Un-ryong hummed thoughtfully and looked into Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
Eyes that were always still.
They not only viewed the world with cynicism but, like an enlightened monk, seemed to disregard everything.
Even his own life.
‘So that's what it was.’
Yu Un-ryong finally understood Myo Cheon-u's intention.
Bu Eun-seol didn't care about his own safety, but while feigning indifference, he carefully looked after those around him.
If they truly wanted to give him a break, they had to let him go alone with Seo Jin-ha, even if it meant accepting a little risk.
「Seo Jin-ha is an expressive guy, so he'll be a source of rest for Bu Eun-seol.」
Myo Cheon-u looked at Yu Un-ryong and grinned.
If Bu Eun-seol traveled with Seo Jin-ha and saw many things... he might come to feel that the Murim wasn't such a bleak and lonely place after all.
If so, that time would by no means be wasted.
“Alright.”
Yu Un-ryong took a deep breath and nodded.
“I'll just ask the Gu-sal Squad to erase your tracks.”
Even as he said that, he still seemed uneasy, frowning as he spoke.
“At least use a disguise. That alone should help you avoid unnecessary conflicts.”
“You sound like a nagging mother-in-law.”
Myo Cheon-u chided, pushing Bu Eun-seol's shoulder.
“Go on, quickly. And say hello to Seo Jin-ha for me.”
“I will.”
Uncharacteristically, Bu Eun-seol showed a faint smile as he left the residence.
He had sensed they were using telepathy, but he didn't know what they had said.
However, he could feel just how much the two of them thought of and worried about him... just by the look in their eyes.
* * *
Two men were riding fine steeds across the plains.
On the left was a pale man with his long hair hanging in two strands, and on the right, a man in dark gray martial arts robes.
They were Seo Jin-ha and Bu Eun-seol.
‘His body has almost fully recovered.’
Bu Eun-seol glanced at Seo Jin-ha riding beside him and nodded.
Having trained at the Nang-ya-gak, Seo Jin-ha's body was completely healed.
The Nang-ya-gak developed their martial arts through real combat where lives were on the line.
Because of this, they were more knowledgeable about the human body than any other sect in the Demonic Path and possessed various secret methods for treating injuries.
His once-stiffened tendons now moved smoothly, and his body overflowed with vitality.
His complexion was slightly pale, however, not because he was unwell, but because he had received the basics of the Beastly Saber Art in a dark cave.
‘Master Cheol accepted my suggestion.’
Bu Eun-seol had proposed a new method for the Nang-ya-gak disciples to learn the Beastly Saber Art.
Instead of striking the Seung-eup acupoint to blind themselves and heighten their physical senses, they would train the basics of the Beastly Saber Art in a pitch-black room where no light could enter.
—The Beastly Saber Art is difficult to learn because it suddenly robs a person of sight, their most dominant sense.
Instead of taking away their sight, Bu Eun-seol had researched a method of training the Beastly Saber Art in a dark room and relayed it to the Nang-ya-gak.
And during his recovery, Seo Jin-ha had also learned this training method.
*Pant. Pant.*
Just then, their horses began to breathe heavily, seemingly exhausted.
“Whoa.”
Bu Eun-seol and Seo Jin-ha stopped their horses near a large tree to rest for a while.
“But do I really need to learn an internal energy secret from beyond the Central Plains?”
When Bu Eun-seol had come to the Nang-ya-gak and asked him to go to Tibet, Seo Jin-ha hadn't been very surprised.
He knew Bu Eun-seol would keep his promise and restore his internal energy.
However, as they neared Tibet, a question arose in his mind.
He had learned martial arts from various masters at the Nang-ya-gak.
Thanks to them, he learned that there were far more diverse heart techniques in the Murim than he had imagined.
In particular, the master of the Nang-ya-gak, Ak Mu-ryeong, possessed a mysterious power. He had even heard the legendary tale of how he had restored the internal energy of the Blood Diamond, an eminent monk from Cheon-ryong Temple whose dantian had been completely destroyed in the past.
“If my dantian can be restored, I'd rather not learn a heart technique from beyond the Central Plains.”
In response to Seo Jin-ha's question, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
“We're not restoring your dantian.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“You're not learning an internal energy heart technique from beyond the Central Plains; you're going to open your upper dantian.”
Bu Eun-seol explained calmly.
“Even if your dantian were restored, it would take at least ten years of arduous training to rebuild your original internal energy.”
“Well, that's true.”
“However, internal energy heart techniques that use the upper dantian don't accumulate energy in the dantian. Instead, they generate true qi in the body instantly.”
Bu Eun-seol recalled the blue-eyed, masked man he had met with Yu Hwa-ryeong in the underground holy city.
Although his internal energy had been augmented by Human Incineration, he had opened his upper dantian at a young age and wielded immense power.
“If someone who once possessed immense power through their lower dantian opens their upper dantian, they can recover all their previous energy in an instant. Not only that, they can build even greater internal power.”
“Then why don't martial artists in the Murim open their upper dantian?”
“How many martial artists would be willing to destroy the internal energy they've spent a lifetime accumulating?”
Bu Eun-seol explained nonchalantly.
“If they destroy all their energy and then fail to open their upper dantian, everything turns to nothing.”
Bu Eun-seol said with a serious expression.
“That's why we're going beyond the Central Plains. Because there, they have a method for opening the upper dantian that never fails.”
After their rest, the two men rode off again.
They constantly switched horses or carriages, and when that wasn't possible, they used their lightness arts.
Seo Jin-ha had rebuilt and trained his body at the Nang-ya-gak, so with a little help from Bu Eun-seol, he could perform lightness arts to some extent.
Before long, the two men arrived in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet.
“So, are you going to stay in disguise?”
Upon entering the capital, Bu Eun-seol used the Illusory Face Bone-Altering Art to change his face to that of the wanderer, Seol So.
But for some reason, Seo Jin-ha didn't like it.
The face as open and clear as a river was gone, replaced by a plain, ordinary-looking man with his hair in a topknot.
“Call me Seol So. I'm in disguise.”
“Umm, alright.”
Shrugging, Seo Jin-ha licked his lips.
“Anyway, this is nice. I've always wanted to see this place someday.”
Seo Jin-ha smiled brightly as he looked at the open landscape.
“We're going to the Potala Palace, right?”
“No.”
“Huh?”
Seo Jin-ha said in surprise.
“Didn't we come here to learn the internal energy secret of the Potala Palace?”
The Potala Palace was famous not only for its Esoteric Great Hand Seals but also for its internal energy heart technique that used the upper dantian.
When Bu Eun-seol said they were going to Tibet to open his upper dantian, Seo Jin-ha had naturally assumed they were going to the Potala Palace.
That was why he hadn't asked any questions until now.
“Then why did we come to this barren place?”
“The Unhae-byeok-ryeong-gung.”
Bu Eun-seol said nonchalantly.
“We need to obtain their secret heart manual.”
“What? The Unhae-byeok-ryeong-gung?”
Seo Jin-ha couldn't hide his bewilderment.
The Unhae-byeok-ryeong-gung was a mysterious Tibetan sect that did not reveal itself to the world, and no one had ever confirmed its true location.
Nevertheless, it was famous because of the tales of their outstanding martial arts.
They would sometimes send very young boys and girls out into the world of martial artists to find disciples.
Despite their youth, the martial arts of these boys and girls were said to be at a level that could overwhelm seasoned masters.
If they were to master the essence of martial arts as adults, their level would be truly unimaginable.
“How on earth did you find it?”
“The term 'unhae' (sea of clouds) can also refer to the sea of clouds that stretches out below when looking down from a mountaintop.”
Bu Eun-seol wore a subtle smile.
“So I told Yu Un-ryong to investigate every mountain in Tibet from which one could see a sea of clouds.”
“What?”
Seo Jin-ha couldn't hide his dumbfounded expression.
Tibet has countless high mountains from which one can look down on the clouds. And he tried to find the Unhae-byeok-ryeong-gung with only that clue?
“There was no other way.”
To restore Seo Jin-ha's internal energy, Bu Eun-seol had spared no expense, using immense manpower and resources.
“So the Unhae-byeok-ryeong-gung is here?”
“The Unhae-byeok-ryeong-gung is near Nam-mok-rim.”
“Huh? Then why did we come here?”
“To enter that place, we need to bring the Great Vow Mirror from Gwang-yang Temple, which is not far from the Potala Palace. We need it to pass through that sea of clouds.”
The Great Vow Mirror was a treasure of Gwang-yang Temple, a mirror that was said to pour out light imbued with evil-dispelling energy when internal power was infused into it.
Seo Jin-ha's jaw dropped once again.
“You're going to take a treasure from Gwang-yang Temple? How?”
“I have a plan.”
Bu Eun-seol was not only a brilliant strategist but also someone who planned by considering all possible scenarios.
So far, not a single one of his plans had ever failed.
“But...”
Seo Jin-ha realized there was a critical flaw in this plan.
“Even setting aside the Great Vow Mirror, what kind of sect would teach its internal energy secret to an outsider?”
It was no exaggeration to say that a sect's internal energy heart technique was the sect itself.
Therefore, a sect's ultimate internal energy heart technique was only passed down to disciples who were not only exceptionally talented but also fiercely loyal.
And now an unrelated outsider was going to receive it?
“They will teach me.”
But once again, Bu Eun-seol spoke with confidence.
“Absolutely.”
“Hmm.”
Seo Jin-ha didn't press the matter further.
Having come this far, he had no choice but to trust him.
The two soon entered the center of the marketplace. Just then, they saw a very large, crowded inn.
Inside, merchants in unique attire and a wide variety of other people were gathered.
As they entered the inn, everyone's eyes were fixed on Seo Jin-ha.
Unlike Bu Eun-seol, who was disguised with an ordinary appearance, he displayed his outstanding looks, and a noble aura emanated from his entire body.
However, Bu Eun-seol had reached the state of Returning to Simplicity, and Seo Jin-ha had almost no actual internal energy...
...so to any observer, the two of them looked like young masters from a prestigious family who knew no martial arts.
“Young masters. This way.”
Fortunately, there was one empty table, and the two were able to sit down.
“Do you have any good liquor?”
At Seo Jin-ha's question, the attendant bowed his head.
“Our establishment sells our own homemade Cheong-gwa-ju.”
Hearing that, Bu Eun-seol was reminded of the Cheong-gwa-ju that Gu Yang-cheong-jeong had given him at the Wind and Sand Sword Sect.
‘That was a pretty decent drink.’
Just as Bu Eun-seol was about to order, Seo Jin-ha spoke first.
“Then five bottles of Cheong-gwa-ju. Three of your best dishes. Oh, and a bowl of somyeon.”
“I'm sorry, sir, but for meals, we only have meat noodles, somyeon, and barley bread...”
“Then one meat noodles and one somyeon.”
“The liquor is enough for me.”
At Bu Eun-seol's words, Seo Jin-ha smiled brightly.
“I'm eating both. The somyeon you were eating back then looked delicious.”
For a moment, Bu Eun-seol let out an involuntary chuckle.
Back then, the first thing he ate after surviving the Island of Hell was somyeon.
And the first person he spoke with was Seo Jin-ha.
He remembered that time and was now trying to eat somyeon, just like Bu Eun-seol had.
‘It's been a while since I've seen him smile.’
Seo Jin-ha also felt it.
Bu Eun-seol was living in a desolate and lonely world of his own making.
But the world was worth living in, and coming out like this from time to time to eat delicious food could lift one's spirits.
Seo Jin-ha also hoped that Bu Eun-seol would feel a little bit of simple happiness.
And that he would come to see the world a little differently.
*Thud.*
Just then, the attendant quickly set down the liquor pitcher.
Feeling a sense of nostalgia, Bu Eun-seol quickly downed the Cheong-gwa-ju in one go.
“Hm?”
“What's wrong?”
“No, it's nothing.”
Bu Eun-seol put down his cup with a bitter smile.
Only after drinking the Cheong-gwa-ju here did he realize that what Gu Yang-cheong-jeong had given him was no ordinary Cheong-gwa-ju.
‘I was too naive.’
The Cheong-gwa-ju he had just drunk tasted like fermented vinegar, forcing him to grimace with every sip.
Just as Bu Eun-seol shook his head and was about to refill his cup,
“Please, don't do this.”
“Hehehe. You're even cuter when you struggle.”
Just then, a woman's voice and a sinister laugh mingled and echoed from a corner of the inn.
Looking closely, a middle-aged man who had been sitting near the entrance had suddenly approached a woman sitting by the window and was harassing her.
He wore a large, circular, saw-toothed moon wheel on his back, and his temples were bulging.
‘The Twin Silk Blood Wheel?’
Bu Eun-seol's and Seo Jin-ha's eyes flashed at the same time.
They recognized the middle-aged man at a glance as a master of unorthodox weapons who held a terrifying reputation in the Great Desert.
And a lecher who was on the Murim's public enemy list for raping and murdering countless women, as well as brutally killing the many martial artists who pursued him.
He was the Twin Silk Blood Wheel, Maeng Muk-geuk.
The other people in the inn also seemed to recognize Maeng Muk-geuk, as they all fell silent, not daring to say a word.
His martial arts were so powerful that even the elders of most sects would be no match for him.
But why was a man who operated in the Great Desert causing trouble all the way out here?