Chapter 364
Chapter 364
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 364
Chapter Title: The Demon Embryo
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An unexpected name made Bu Eun-seol furrow his brow.
"The Divine Calculator."
"Am I wrong?"
Namgung Un scratched his head.
"That's strange. I was sure the Divine Calculator only gave information to the main family."
Bu Eun-seol raised an eyebrow.
"Only to the Namgung Clan?"
"Ah, well, you see."
Namgung Un calmly explained.
According to him, the Divine Calculator had suddenly sent a letter to the Namgung Clan, informing them of a group in the martial world that was artificially creating inner cores.
He also promised them a Token of Gratitude if they could track down this faction.
Of course, the Namgung Clan had no desire for the Token of Gratitude.
However, they couldn't stand idly by after learning of those who would disrupt the martial world.
They immediately sent out their warriors to investigate, and the information proved to be true. The clan head then told all his children, including Namgung Un.
"I will award significant points to the one who gets to the root of this and resolves the matter."
The Namgung Clan had a unique way of choosing its head.
Before the selection, potential candidates would build a record of various achievements, which were then scored based on their merit.
The one who accumulated the most points would ultimately become the clan head. It was a very unique yet fair method of selection.
Now that Namgung Un was a candidate for the position, he had ventured into the world to build his own achievements and earn points.
"I see."
After hearing the whole story, Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed.
*I need to revise my information on the Divine Calculator.*
He had thought the Divine Calculator was merely a sage wandering the martial world.
But it turned out he was a figure who could directly and secretly pass information to one of the Eight Great Clans—and a leading one at that, the Namgung Clan.
That meant he likely had significant connections with the leadership of the Orthodox Faction and had probably walked their path in the past.
*He might not be just a simple member of the Orthodox Faction, either.*
But the part that Bu Eun-seol considered most serious was the possibility that the Divine Calculator was also a descendant of the Eight Desolations' Three Sages.
*The matter of the artificial inner cores was something only I, who annihilated the Musk Deer Clan and rescued the children, discovered by chance.*
No matter how skilled the Divine Calculator was at reading the heavens, it was absurd that he would know about the artificial cores before Bu Eun-seol did.
Besides, the artificial inner cores couldn't have been created overnight.
The Divine Calculator must either be connected to that faction or a traitor who was once part of it.
*The Divine Calculator...*
Bu Eun-seol bit his lip.
Only then did he realize he had made a mistake.
*Even if I meet him, what he tells me might not be the truth.*
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor always said to obtain the truth with one's own hands.
Even if he found the Divine Calculator and the man told him everything he wanted to know, there was no guarantee it would be the truth.
Worse, there was currently no way to clearly verify the Divine Calculator's identity. What if he was connected to some secret faction?
He could even be secretly manipulating Bu Eun-seol.
"I don't recognize him at all."
At that moment, Namgung Un carefully examined the face and weapon of the subdued man in black.
"He must be a novice assassin."
Not only was the face completely unfamiliar, but crucially, his weapon wasn't even properly maintained.
That meant he was likely someone who had never made a name for himself in the martial world.
Namgung Un's words snapped Bu Eun-seol out of his thoughts.
"They must have experimented with the artificial inner cores on warriors who couldn't even make a name for themselves. It would be the easiest way to maintain secrecy."
As Bu Eun-seol nodded in agreement and began to examine the fabric of the man's clothes and his shoes,
*Fwoosh.*
A continuous sound of tearing air echoed from the sky as about fifty warriors descended from above.
All were wearing masks and wielding strangely shaped blades that held a dull glint.
They all possessed extraordinary auras and instantly surrounded Bu Eun-seol and Namgung Un.
*Shhhk!*
Without a word, they began unleashing killing techniques.
"What?"
Namgung Un immediately drew his sword and countered.
"Reveal yourselves!"
*Clang.*
Instead of answering, the masked men coordinated their movements, aiming their strange blades.
A tremendous force washed over his entire body, and an immense pressure crushed down on him.
The masked men were using a strange formation to pour out their collective energy at once.
"This is ridiculous. Do you have any idea who you're using heavy sword techniques against?"
Namgung Un immediately executed the first three forms of the Emperor's Sword to push back the crushing pressure.
*Shwiik!*
In the meantime, an attack came for Bu Eun-seol as well.
As they extended their blades, an immense pressure comparable to the Emperor's Sword bore down on Bu Eun-seol's body.
*Their energy is considerable, but their formation is clumsy?*
Bu Eun-seol, who had easily escaped the attack range using the Extreme Speed Shadowless Step, raised an eyebrow.
The masked men's energy was immense, but their techniques were simplistic and their movements slightly clumsy.
In other words, these were men with little combat experience who had learned a formation.
*Strange.*
Judging by their immediate, wordless attack, the masked men were clearly sent by the faction that created the inner cores.
A group powerful enough to annihilate or rebuild martial sects in an instant sent assassins with such clumsy skills?
*Shing.*
His thoughts were long, but his actions were swift.
As Bu Eun-seol drew his Ink Sword, a chilling air spread in all directions.
*Chik chik!*
He swung his sword in a dizzying motion, and the immense pressure that had been directed at him was redirected toward the masked men fighting Namgung Un.
Reversal of Heaven and Earth, Diverting a Thousand Pounds with a Flick.
Using the ultimate principle of the Myriad Forms, One Style, which he had mastered while fighting the Heavenly Sword, he changed the properties of the incoming pressure to that of a solid object.
Then, he instantly redirected it, sending it flying toward the masked men attacking Namgung Un.
*Fwoosh!*
When Bu Eun-seol deflected the formless energy as if it were a physical object, the masked men hastily used their movement techniques to evade.
*Chik chik!*
As the masked men scattered, Bu Eun-seol seized the opportunity, instantly executing the Meteor Chasing the Moon Style to strike their vital points.
*Thud. Thud.*
Each time the Ink Sword carved a sharp glint of light in the air, a masked man would fall like a log without fail.
Ordinary martial artists would have chosen to retreat after witnessing Bu Eun-seol's prowess.
But the masked men instead broke their formation and charged at Bu Eun-seol with all their might.
*Chiiing! Chaang!*
The clear clash of metal rang out as his sword met dozens of their strange blades in succession.
Given that they only sustained scratches instead of being cut apart upon clashing with the Ink Sword, their weapons were clearly precious swords as well.
*The Orthodox Faction?*
But as Bu Eun-seol observed the techniques they were unleashing, a glint flashed in his eyes.
At first glance, the blade techniques they used seemed tyrannical and bizarre, like the blade arts of the Qinghai Demonic Sect.
However, they couldn't fool the eyes of Bu Eun-seol, who had mastered the Thirteen Nights. They were using blade arts that were modified versions of Orthodox martial arts.
*Let's find out exactly which faction they're from.*
In the past, it would have been difficult to be certain which sect these assassins came from.
But now, didn't he have a secret art embedded in his body that could discern such things?
*Jiiiing.*
As he circulated the Art of Heavenly Will, a faint light enveloped Bu Eun-seol's entire body.
*Clang!*
With the Art of Heavenly Will active, the moment the Ink Sword clashed with a strange blade, the flow of true energy occurring in the masked man's body was instantly replicated within Bu Eun-seol's own.
*This is...*
Just as Bu Eun-seol realized something,
"Kuh."
Namgung Un let out a groan.
The Namgung Clan's heavy sword technique was unparalleled under the heavens, but Namgung Un had only learned the first three forms of the Emperor's Sword.
However, since he had not yet fully mastered the heavy sword technique, he was unable to cope skillfully when the masked men unleashed a fierce assault using the same kind of technique.
*Was Namgung Un the target from the beginning?*
The masked men's tactics seemed to have been planned in advance to counter Namgung Un.
The Namgung Clan's heavy sword was meant to generate even greater power to counter any external force.
But having learned only the first three forms, Namgung Un couldn't display its full subtlety.
On top of that, the masked men were unleashing an even stronger force, causing Namgung Un to panic and fail to perform at his usual level.
*Since this is a rare opportunity, shall I enlighten him?*
Seeing Namgung Un struggling, Bu Eun-seol raised his energy.
*Shaaaa.*
At the same time, a white frost began to form all over his body.
It was the most effective martial art for dealing with multiple enemies: the Glacial Heavenly Flow Art of the Glacial Emperor.
*Crack.*
Just as white frost seemed to settle on Bu Eun-seol's hair, a white current of air began to swirl like a vortex in his left hand.
*Fwhoooosh!*
As Bu Eun-seol extended his left hand, a white and blue cold energy instantly enveloped the masked men's bodies.
*Crackle.*
A thin layer of ice formed on the masked men, and for a moment, their movements ceased.
*Craack.*
However, their internal energy seemed considerable, as they broke through the ice in an instant.
But their attack was delayed by a beat.
"Take this!"
Seizing the opportunity, Namgung Un's sharp Golden Needle Sword drew a large circle in the air.
Simultaneously, an immense pressure, as if Mount Tai itself were being thrown, crashed down on them.
*Fwoosh.*
Greatly startled, the masked men quickly moved out of the sword's range.
"Keuk."
But those who failed to dodge in time screamed as blood flowed from their seven orifices before they collapsed.
The Emperor's Sword.
The peerless sword art that had elevated the Namgung Clan to the top of the Eight Great Clans had finally begun to reveal its true power.
*Now he's using it properly.*
Until now, due to the masked men's interference, Namgung Un had been forcing the first three forms of the Emperor's Sword somewhat unnaturally.
But when Bu Eun-seol created a proper opportunity for him, he ruptured the internal organs of five or six men with a single strike.
From the power of just the first three forms, Bu Eun-seol could guess how profound a state the Namgung Clan's heavy sword technique had reached.
*Shuuuuu!*
Bu Eun-seol repeatedly used the Glacial Heavenly Flow Art on the masked men.
In truth, if he had used his full power, he could have frozen the masked men solid in an instant.
But he deliberately spread the frost energy wide, only enough to stop their movements.
He had noticed that Namgung Un was not yet accustomed to the Emperor's Sword and was considerate enough to let him practice his swordsmanship on the masked men.
"Retreat!"
When Namgung Un's swordsmanship became uncontrollably powerful thanks to Bu Eun-seol, the masked men retreated in perfect unison.
But that was merely wishful thinking on their part.
The Glacial Heavenly Flow Art extending from Bu Eun-seol's left hand had firmly sealed their movements.
*Crrrack. Chaeng!*
Every time their bodies froze, the masked men would circulate their energy to barely escape.
But by then, Namgung Un's Golden Needle Sword was already piercing their vital points.
*Thud.*
In the end, all fifty-odd masked men fell under Namgung Un's sword.
"Hoo, hoo."
After felling all the masked men, Namgung Un gasped for breath.
He had traveled the martial world alone and faced countless crises, but none had been as perilous as this.
What if Bu Eun-seol hadn't come?
He would have become a lonely ghost, killed by the masked men who had come prepared for the weaknesses of his unrefined Emperor's Sword.
"I don't understand why masters from Qinghai suddenly appeared and attacked."
Namgung Un believed the blade arts and energy used by the masked men were all techniques of the Qinghai Demonic Sect.
But Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"They are not masters from Qinghai. They are all from the Beggars' Union."
"The Beggars' Union?"
Namgung Un shook his head, unable to understand.
"But the techniques they used were all from the Qinghai Demonic Sect."
"It was a disguise."
Bu Eun-seol said calmly.
"Techniques can be imitated, but the heart art cannot."
"The heart art... you mean?"
"Only the Beggars' Union's Lesser Flea Heart Art allows one to circulate true energy so chaotically while steadily storing internal energy in the dantian."
Namgung Un's eyes widened in disbelief.
Did Bu Eun-seol really manage to identify the enemy's internal energy art in the middle of a fight?
"Are you certain?"
For a moment, a glint flashed in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
*As I thought... not everyone knows about the martial arts of the Just Heavenly Emperor.*
The Namgung Clan was famous for its deep study of Orthodox martial arts.
Namgung Un must have been raised with such an education since childhood.
If the Just Heavenly Emperor's martial arts were widely known in the martial world, there was no way Namgung Un wouldn't know of them.
"Brother Bu?"
Namgung Un blinked as Bu Eun-seol was lost in deep thought.
"How on earth did you know they had learned the Lesser Flea Heart Art?"
Coming to his senses, Bu Eun-seol gave a vague excuse.
"In the past, to defeat King Geol, I meticulously studied the Beggars' Union's Lesser Flea Heart Art. And during my battle with him, I thoroughly grasped its method of circulating true energy."
"Ah, I see."
Namgung Un accepted it without much thought. After all, there was no one who didn't know that Bu Eun-seol had defeated King Geol.
"But the Beggars' Union... I can hardly believe it."
Namgung Un said listlessly, his head hung low.
"Isn't the Beggars' Union a place that even created its own rules to uphold the path of righteousness and justice?"
Namgung Un's eyes were unfocused.
As a direct descendant of the Namgung Clan, he had been taught about chivalry and justice since childhood.
And one place that was always mentioned when discussing righteousness...
...was the Beggars' Union, which maintained its integrity despite commanding nearly a hundred thousand members and a vast information network.
"Besides, if it is the Beggars' Union... there's no reason for them to attack me."
"They probably intended to retrieve the inner core."
This artificial inner core had maintained its form for a long time despite being implanted in the previous man's body.
It would likely take a long time for it to dissolve.
In that case, it would be more economical to retrieve the inner cores from the bodies of the dead and reuse them.
"Hah... hah..."
Just then, the eyes of the man in black, whose pressure points had been sealed, began to glaze over.
He had been caught up in the fight with the masters from the Beggars' Union, and exposure to the force of Namgung Un's Emperor's Sword had ruptured his internal organs. He was dying.
*First, I should take out the inner core.*
Bu Eun-seol approached the man in black and circulated the Art of Heavenly Will to examine his body.
But it was strange. No matter how he synchronized their true energy flows, the body was filled with nothing but demonic energy.
There was no trace of an inner core to be felt.
*Strange. There was definitely demonic energy flowing from the artificial inner core.*
"Take out... the Demon Embryo..."
The man in black suddenly said something strange.
*Demon Embryo?*
Just as Bu Eun-seol wore a puzzled expression,
*Thump.*
The man in black, who had been breathing raggedly, finally took his last breath.
*Jiiiing.*
Then, Bu Eun-seol, who was still examining the man with the Art of Heavenly Will, felt a change in the corpse's body.
He felt a powerful energy stirring near the man's temple.
*The energy of the inner core can only be felt after the person dies?*
*Woooong!*
Bu Eun-seol immediately circulated the As-You-Will True Art.
He formed a pair of pincers with a sharp blade of energy and immediately probed the temple. A small, red, glittering bead emerged from it.
*The Demon Embryo... so that's what it was.*
Demon Embryo. It meant to conceive (胎) a demon (魔)... it was correct to interpret it as carrying the seed of a demon within the body.
Only then did Bu Eun-seol finally understand their purpose.
"So this was the real purpose."
"What do you mean by that?"
"The method of creating the inner core."
Bu Eun-seol said with a grave expression.
"They are completing the inner core through death."