Chapter 350
Chapter 350
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 350
Chapter Title: The Former Sword Empress, Ok Yu-ha
-----------------------------------------------------------------
—The Black and White Witch has been killed!
The Black and White Witch, who would occasionally appear in the Murim to drink human blood.
Having recently appeared in Pyeongdo and drained the blood of countless individuals, she was finally tracked down by Baek Un-saeng, the chief of the Murim Alliance's Shandong branch.
At last, the martial artists of the Murim Alliance surrounded her. But the outcome was unexpected.
Over a hundred martial artists were, in fact, annihilated by the Black and White Witch.
This was because her true identity was none other than the master of the Soul-Capturing Grand Art, a technique said to ensnare a person's very soul with just one's voice.
She was the Phantom King, Sa Ok-cheong.
The Murim was thrown into shock.
The Black and White Witch, who had never revealed her true identity, let alone her martial prowess, was the Phantom King?
—He was an intersex person. That was why he consumed the blood of those with the energy of True Yin and True Yang, seeking to choose a single gender.
It turned out the Black and White Witch was intersex and had been feeding on those who possessed the energies of True Yang and True Yin, which would allow him to choose one gender for himself.
Indeed, Sa Ok-cheong's body, discovered in the forest, was said to have been almost completely masculinized.
—If the masculinization had progressed this far, he must have been consuming blood for at least twenty years. So why had no trace of such activities ever surfaced in the Murim?
The leaders of the Murim Alliance who examined the Phantom King's body were plunged into confusion.
Sa Ok-cheong had clearly been feeding on individuals with the blood of True Yang for a long time.
So why bother disguising himself as the Black and White Witch to appear intermittently in the Murim?
—They say the Phantom King was receiving a stable supply of blood from some faction, but that arrangement must have fallen through.
Afterward, another rumor began to circulate: that the Phantom King had been under the command of a secret organization.
He had been receiving a steady supply of blood through this faction, but something went wrong, forcing him to hunt for blood himself.
However, the martial artists of the Murim had little interest in the backstory of the now-dead Phantom King.
—Who in the world could have killed the Phantom King?
The truly important question was who had killed him.
There were few in the Murim who could kill the Phantom King single-handedly.
He was not only a master of the soul-capturing arts but also an expert who had mastered terrifying finger and hand techniques comparable to the Blood Shadow Phantom Hand.
Yet, there were no traces of any martial arts on the Phantom King's corpse.
This strongly suggested that a single individual had killed the Phantom King and then erased any signs of the fatal wound.
But no matter how much they investigated, they could not identify the person who had slain him.
In the end, why the Phantom King became the Black and White Witch and who killed him remained unanswered...
As time passed, public interest in the Phantom King's killer gradually faded.
Great Sword Mountain.
A mountain in the northern part of Guangyuan, on the border between Shaanxi and Gansu.
With towering peaks that seemed to pierce the heavens, forming a colossal mountain range, this place looked like a celestial realm completely separate from the mortal world.
*Whoosh.*
A man was cutting through the clouds and mist, heading for the summit of Great Sword Mountain.
He had an ordinary face, one you could see anywhere, but a profound light emanated from his long, sharp eyes.
It was Bu Eun-seol, disguised as Seol So.
He was carrying a large wooden coffin on his shoulder.
Yet, he ascended the mountain like the wind, seemingly unburdened by its weight.
After climbing so high that his ears popped, a grand temple appeared, one that seemed to overwhelm the magnificent mountain scenery.
Though it was a temple, there were no monks, only immortal-like women who practiced asceticism without shaving their heads.
This was the Sword Pavilion, a mysterious sect that had produced outstanding female swordmasters for generations.
“Mmm.”
A low moan escaped from the coffin on his shoulder.
Bu Eun-seol hurriedly set the coffin down and opened its lid.
“Are you awake?”
Inside the coffin, a beautiful woman in white lay asleep, her eyes tightly closed.
It was Ah-yeon, the successor to the Sword Pavilion.
Even though Bu Eun-seol had dealt with the Phantom King, nullifying the effects of the Empty Spirit Soul-Summoning Secret Art, she had yet to regain consciousness.
Not only that, but an unknown heat was scorching her entire body, to the point where her meridians were on the verge of melting.
Fortunately, Bu Eun-seol had mastered the Glacial Heavenly Flow Art, a legendary ice technique, allowing him to suppress the heat and maintain her condition.
But this was not a fundamental cure. Ultimately, she needed treatment from someone who could examine the flow of her true energy in detail.
Thus, Bu Eun-seol had to get her to the Sword Pavilion as quickly as possible.
However, he couldn't travel thousands of li carrying a grown woman on his back. He had no choice but to build a coffin and transport her lying comfortably inside.
“...”
Bu Eun-seol spoke to her, but she remained unconscious.
The moan from moments ago seemed to have been an involuntary sound made in her unconscious state.
“Just hold on a little longer.”
Ah-yeon lay in a deep slumber, her long eyelashes lowered.
Enveloped in a white frost, she looked like a spirit born from ice.
Bu Eun-seol sighed deeply and spoke again.
“We're almost there.”
*Thud.*
Closing the coffin once more, he unleashed a movement technique as swift as a gale and dashed toward the front of the colossal temple.
*Thump.*
As he arrived before the main gate, he could feel an indescribably sharp aura from beyond it.
‘So this is the Sword Pavilion.’
Although the Sword Pavilion is a Xuanmen sect, they wield sharp swords as their weapons.
And it is said that the disciples of the Sword Pavilion master a profound art as esoteric as the Shaolin's Muscle-Tendon Change Classic.
In other words, beyond the gate, within the Sword Pavilion, countless peak-level swordmasters were gathered.
This was why a sharp, formless energy was pouring out, even beyond the temple halls.
“Halt your steps.”
As he tried to enter the main gate, two women standing on either side blocked his path.
“This is a place of training for the disciples of Xuanmen. Outsiders are not permitted.”
“A disciple of your sect is gravely injured.”
“Injured?”
Instead of answering, Bu Eun-seol showed them the coffin.
Inside, they could see the face of Ah-yeon, asleep and covered in a thin layer of ice.
“Young Pavilion Master!”
The two women, greatly alarmed, shouted at Bu Eun-seol.
“Is she dead?”
“Not dead, just unconscious.”
The woman swallowed her disbelief and asked.
“Then why is she in a coffin?”
“Time was of the essence, so this was the only way to bring her.”
Bu Eun-seol looked at Ah-yeon sleeping in the coffin and said.
“Please inform your Pavilion Master quickly so she can be treated.”
Then, Bu Eun-seol turned to leave.
Originally, he had planned to enter the Sword Pavilion to assess the internal situation and gather information.
But Ah-yeon's injuries were more severe than expected, and since she still hadn't regained consciousness, he had given up on that idea.
“Wait.”
One of the women said urgently.
“Please wait a moment.”
Just as she was about to hurry inside,
*Creeak.*
The main gate swung wide open, and an old woman with hair as white as snow emerged.
Her face was so full of wrinkles that her age was impossible to guess, but her gaze was as sharp as a blade, and her back was ramrod straight.
She was the highest elder of the Sword Pavilion, Neung-in Sa-tae.
“Why is it so noisy outside the gate?”
At Neung-in Sa-tae's question, the woman bowed her head.
“That man brought the injured Young Pavilion Master.”
“What? Ah-yeon?”
Only then did Neung-in notice Ah-yeon lying in the coffin.
“Ah-yeon!”
Neung-in Sa-tae rushed over and placed a hand on Ah-yeon.
An icy chill, as cold as a block of ice, spread from her fingertips. If she kept her hand there, even her fingers felt like they would freeze.
“What happened here?”
Bu Eun-seol answered Neung-in Sa-tae's question.
“She was injured while fighting the Black and White Witch and hasn't woken up.”
“Then does that mean you were the one who dealt with the Black and White Witch?”
‘It definitely worked.’
Bu Eun-seol had frozen the Phantom King's body with the Glacial Heavenly Flow Art.
And the ones who would inspect the body of the Phantom King, who was the Black and White Witch, would surely be the leaders of the Murim Alliance.
He had constantly worried that, even though he had used the Glacial Heavenly Flow Art, those brilliant grandmasters of the generation might still find traces of the Blood Tear Seven Forms.
Moreover, he had immediately built the coffin and headed for Great Sword Mountain, so he hadn't had a chance to hear any rumors from the Murim.
But from what he was hearing now, it was clear the Murim Alliance had found no traces at all.
“There were a few others, but... yes.”
Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands together.
“I pray for her recovery.”
“Wait.”
Neung-in Sa-tae urgently reached out to stop Bu Eun-seol.
“Did the Black and White Witch use an ice art?”
“No, I was the one who infused her with frigid true energy.”
Bu Eun-seol explained calmly.
“After being struck by a soul-capturing art, she experienced strange symptoms, as if her entire body was on fire.”
“Her entire body?”
“Yes. It seems she may have mishandled her internal energy. You'll know once you check her pulse.”
“You two, take Ah-yeon to the Medicine Courtyard immediately.”
At Neung-in Sa-tae's command, the women carefully lifted the coffin and carried it inside.
“Young hero.”
She then approached Bu Eun-seol.
“Could you not tell me the story in detail?”
She then said politely.
“To heal Ah-yeon, understanding the detailed circumstances is our first priority.”
Bu Eun-seol had traveled a thousand li, carrying a coffin, to reach Great Sword Mountain and save Ah-yeon.
Compared to the hardships he had endured so far, briefly explaining the situation was not a difficult task.
He readily nodded.
“I will do so.”
Guided by one of the women, Bu Eun-seol entered a hall with a plaque that read 'Un-yeon-gak'.
The interior was spartan, furnished with only a worn-out table and a brazier for boiling water.
It seemed to be a place for the Sword Pavilion's disciples to meditate, not for receiving guests.
*Swish, swish.*
Just then, the sound of light footsteps was heard, and the door opened.
A figure appeared, walking with six disciples in front of her.
She was a beauty with a cold aura, as if carved from ice, and her looks were stunning enough to rival Ah-yeon's.
‘Her internal energy must be unimaginably profound.’
However, Bu Eun-seol was not admiring her appearance but the level of her internal energy.
At a glance, she appeared to be in her thirties, but her actual age was likely much higher.
This was because the hair at her temples was stark white.
When one's internal energy reaches a high realm, it can slow the aging process.
Seeing her youthful appearance despite her white hair, Bu Eun-seol assumed she had cultivated her profound art to a high level.
As Bu Eun-seol stared intently at her, a disciple by his side quickly spoke.
“This is the Head of our Tranquil Heart Courtyard.”
“Head of the Tranquil Heart Courtyard?”
Bu Eun-seol was unfamiliar with the Sword Pavilion's hierarchy.
But hearing the title 'Courtyard Head,' he assumed she was equivalent to a hall master in other sects and clasped his hands.
“The rogue warrior Seol So greets the Head of the Tranquil Heart Courtyard.”
“I am Ok Yu-ha, Head of the Tranquil Heart Courtyard.”
‘Ok Yu-ha? You mean the Sword Empress, Ok Yu-ha?’
For a moment, Bu Eun-seol wore a puzzled expression.
The beauty before him was none other than the former Sword Empress, Ok Yu-ha.
She had originally used the Dharma name Jeong-hae, but during her activities in the Murim, she suddenly began using her secular name.
This led to rumors that she had returned to secular life. However, after finishing her activities in the Jianghu, Ok Yu-ha returned to the Sword Pavilion and went into seclusion.
There had been no news of her since, but people naturally assumed she would have become the Pavilion Master.
But she was the Head of the Tranquil Heart Courtyard, not the Pavilion Master?
‘Besides, isn't she over fifty?’
No matter how profound her internal energy was, even if she had achieved age reversal, a woman nearing sixty could not look this young.
‘I don't understand.’
Just then, Ok Yu-ha, who had been watching Bu Eun-seol, let out a soft sound.
“Hmm.”
Unlike her beautiful appearance, her voice was slightly low and raspy.
Only then did Bu Eun-seol understand why Ok Yu-ha's appearance was unnaturally youthful.
‘It wasn't that her internal energy had reached the peak realm and she'd achieved age reversal.’
Even if one's skin becomes taut, the vocal cords cannot be rejuvenated.
‘Then did she eat a Youthful Face Fruit?’
Could it be that Ok Yu-ha had consumed the legendary elixir, said to grant eternal youth with just a single fruit... the one as rare in the mortal world as the Golden Spirit Immortal Fruit.
Had she eaten a Youthful Face Fruit?
If not, how could her appearance be young while her vocal cords were old?
Just then, Ok Yu-ha, who had been lost in deep thought, spoke.
“Were you a disciple of the North Sea Ice Palace?”
“No.”
“You infused Ah-yeon with frigid true energy. Where did you learn such an ice art?”
“There are various circumstances involved.”
As Bu Eun-seol gave a vague answer, Ok Yu-ha's eyebrows shot up.
“Then which sect are you a disciple of?”
“I cannot reveal it due to my sect's orders.”
“Judging by your mastery of unorthodox martial arts, you can't be a disciple of an orthodox sect...”
Ok Yu-ha said with a solemn expression.
“There shouldn't be any rogue warrior who has cultivated an ice art to this level. Reveal your identity.”
Bu Eun-seol was about to say that it was difficult.
But seeing Ok Yu-ha's cold expression and attitude, Bu Eun-seol responded just as coldly.
“Why must I report every little thing to you?”
“Hmm?”
“I have no connection to the Sword Pavilion, and I am a complete stranger to that young lady. Yet, I traveled thousands of li with the sole intention of saving her life.”
Bu Eun-seol said in a voice laced with ice.
“I don't expect lavish treatment, but to make someone wait in a cramped room like this and interrogate them? Is this all the so-called sacred ground of the Murim, the Sword Pavilion, amounts to?”
“Lavish treatment?”
Ok Yu-ha spoke in an even angrier tone.
“Her blood vessels have frozen because of your frigid true energy, and now her recovery is impossible. And you speak of lavish treatment?”
Hearing these unexpected words, Bu Eun-seol's brow furrowed.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Ah-yeon. That child, though a girl, was born with True Yang energy. She has a Yang Radiance Body.”
Ok Yu-ha shouted with a furious expression.
“You infused frigid true energy into her while she was unconscious and unable to circulate her own energy... How could her body possibly withstand that?”
Bu Eun-seol could not hide his surprise.
Ah-yeon had a Yang Radiance Body, possessing extreme yang energy within her?
“I didn't know. I only...”
Bu Eun-seol explained calmly.
“At the time, an unknown heat was flowing through her body, as if melting her meridians. I only used the frigid true energy to suppress it.”
“That is just an excuse.”
In truth, it was Ok Yu-ha who was being unreasonable.
As an outsider, Bu Eun-seol had no way of discerning the flow of Ah-yeon's true energy, nor could he possibly know of her innate constitution.
On the contrary, if Bu Eun-seol hadn't infused her with the frigid true energy, Ah-yeon would have already died before ever reaching this place.
Despite this, Ok Yu-ha was placing all the blame on Bu Eun-seol.
*Swish, swish.*
Just then, with the sound of footsteps, an old woman with snow-white hair neatly tied up entered.
It was the highest elder of the Sword Pavilion, Neung-in Sa-tae.
“From what I hear, this young man infused her with his energy out of goodwill, did he not?”
Neung-in Sa-tae looked at Ok Yu-ha and said calmly.
“So how can it be right to blame him?”
At this, Ok Yu-ha said with a displeased expression.
“The men of the Murim, under the guise of goodwill, are always touching others' bodies as they please.”
Her gaze was fixed on Bu Eun-seol.
“Such reckless actions by men often kill more people than the blades of warriors.”
Listening quietly, Bu Eun-seol was so dumbfounded he was on the verge of laughing out loud.
To think that the former Sword Empress, a swordswoman who once held unparalleled fame, could be such an unreasonable person?
“I have done my part, so I will be leaving.”
As Bu Eun-seol stood up, Ok Yu-ha spoke coldly.
“You're just going to leave after putting our sect's successor in that state?”
Bu Eun-seol replied icily.
“This is like saving someone from drowning only to have them demand your belongings.”
“What did you say?”
Bu Eun-seol looked down at Ok Yu-ha and said.
“If I'd known it would be like this, I would have just left her to collapse and die on the ground.”
And without a backward glance, he turned away.
Then, Ok Yu-ha said coldly.
“A man who doesn't know his place.”
“Courtyard Head, you have a truly strange way of speaking.”
Bu Eun-seol said with a low sigh.
“You have 'man' on the tip of your tongue at the end of every sentence. Were you swindled by some man?”
Bu Eun-seol was simply pointing out her unreasonable way of speaking.
But he had no idea his words would trigger such an outburst.
“You run your mouth recklessly.”
A pure white energy began to rise from Ok Yu-ha's eyes.
“Did you think you could mock me and walk away unscathed?”
‘Me?’
Bu Eun-seol tilted his head in confusion.
Ok Yu-ha's sudden reaction was bizarre, not to mention her tone sounded like that of an immature twenty-year-old woman.
“When did I mock you?”
“Silence!”
*Swoosh!*
Ok Yu-ha extended her index and middle fingers toward Bu Eun-seol.
She had merely pointed her fingers, but they unleashed an aura sharper than any treasured sword.
‘How can someone who was the former Sword Empress be so rash?’
The grandmasters of the orthodox sects he had met so far, while each having strong personalities, all possessed upright characters.
But to think that she, the former Sword Empress of the Sword Pavilion—a place called the sacred ground of the orthodox sects—was such a flippant person?
*Tsssss.*
His thoughts were long, but his movements were swift.
Bu Eun-seol unleashed his Extreme Speed Formless Step to instantly evade Ok Yu-ha's attack.
However, her fingers remained locked onto Bu Eun-seol's Danzhong acupoint.
She had only extended her fingers, yet all the major acupoints on his chest—Danzhong, Lingxu, Youmen—were exposed at once.
‘Unlike her flippant nature, her martial arts are powerful.’
The move Ok Yu-ha had unleashed was so profound that no matter which way he moved, he could not evade the finger sword.
“Kneel.”
Ok Yu-ha said coldly.
“If you don't want to be turned into a beehive.”
Normally, unable to break through the initial move in such a short time, Bu Eun-seol should have raised his hands and surrendered.
If he resisted, he would be fighting a high-ranking member of the Sword Pavilion inside their own headquarters.
That would open him up to attack from every disciple in the Sword Pavilion.
*Kra-koom!*
In that instant, a sound like thunder erupted from Bu Eun-seol's left fist.
He was a man who knew no fear and could not be intimidated. He wouldn't care if this were the palace of King Yama in hell, let alone the Sword Pavilion.
*Kwoooosh!*
An immense fist energy swirled and poured out.
Ignoring Ok Yu-ha's threat, Bu Eun-seol had unhesitatingly unleashed his fist.