Chapter 410
Chapter 410
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 410
Chapter Title: The Elder's Self-Immolation
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“A mere elder, using the Scorching Sun Palace's ultimate secret art…”
Bu Eun-seol couldn't hide his surprise.
Not only had the elder’s internal energy surged the moment he consumed the core, but he had also created the Scorching Sun Lightning Sword—the ultimate martial art of the Scorching Sun Palace, long thought to be lost.
“So he wasn't just some runaway who stole the Fire Wheel Crystal?”
“Die!”
With a sharp cry, Gwang-yang-ja moved his palms in a flurry, and the Scorching Sun Lightning Swords floating in the air rained down on Bu Eun-seol.
‘I must not let them touch me.’
It resembled a simple sword control technique, but the Scorching Sun Lightning Sword could melt any object it touched like taffy.
Not only that, but if struck, it possessed enough explosive power to devastate the entire area.
A reckless counterattack would engulf Bu Eun-seol's body in an explosion, and he would be incinerated in an instant.
‘I’ll face it with the Glacier Stream Art.’
*Crack, crackle.*
As he drew upon the Glacier Stream Art with all his might, his hair frosted over white, and a blue light flashed in his eyes.
*Saaaaaa!*
A chill cold enough to freeze the sky poured from Bu Eun-seol’s left palm.
*Chiiiiii!*
White steam spread in all directions as the fiercely descending Scorching Sun Lightning Swords evaporated in an instant.
“Heeeuup!”
At that moment, Gwang-yang-ja let out a scream-like shout and once again created small flames in his palms.
*Woooong!*
A low vibration echoed as two streaks of light shot up. This time, two Scorching Sun Lightning Swords formed above his palms.
“Die!”
*Swish!*
With a sharp sound of tearing air, the two Scorching Sun Lightning Swords shot forward.
*Clang, clang, clang!*
In that instant, transparent ice crystals formed around Bu Eun-seol’s body and were immediately scattered toward the Scorching Sun Lightning Swords.
*Shushushushuk!*
As the ice crystals poured out endlessly, the Scorching Sun Lightning Swords—said to melt everything and explode at the slightest impact—slowly began to freeze.
*Thud.*
Finally, the two swords, now turned into blocks of ice, fell to the ground.
“The Glacier Emperor… the Glacier Stream Art?”
Gwang-yang-ja’s eyes widened.
Only then did he realize that the ice art Bu Eun-seol was using was the Glacier Stream Art of the Glacier Emperor, known as the essence of the ultimate yin arts.
“How can you use a martial art that not even the Lord of the Northern Sea Ice Palace has mastered?”
“You don’t need to know.”
Bu Eun-seol glanced at the cold energy swirling in his hand and spoke.
“Surrender peacefully.”
“Surrender?”
It was as if black flames were pouring from Gwang-yang-ja’s eyes.
*Rustle.*
This time, he reached into his robes and tossed a handful of cores into his mouth.
He chewed and swallowed a handful of the artificial cores, each said to be capable of pushing a martial artist beyond the wall of the Transcendent Realm.
*Kwooooosh!*
A heat intense enough to melt iron erupted from his body, spreading in all directions.
*Ziiiing!*
As Gwang-yang-ja spread his palms, about twenty Scorching Sun Lightning Swords materialized around him.
‘This is dangerous.’
A cold glint shone in Bu Eun-seol’s eyes.
To create twenty Scorching Sun Lightning Swords with a human body?
‘Can I block it?’
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say such a technique surpassed the limits of internal energy.
If he couldn't block them, how was he supposed to destroy the freely moving Scorching Sun Lightning Swords?
*Swish!*
In that moment, the twenty Scorching Sun Lightning Swords shot toward Bu Eun-seol’s body.
*Swoosh!*
Bu Eun-seol instantly executed a leaping technique, soaring into the sky with all his might.
His speed was so immense that it was as if a white meteor had been launched from the ground into the heavens.
“Not a chance!”
Gwang-yang-ja then stirred his internal energy again, making the Scorching Sun Lightning Swords shoot up into the sky.
*Crack.*
Having leaped into the air, Bu Eun-seol’s entire body was enveloped in a white aura.
By converting all his internal energy into the Glacier Stream Art, his body became encased in hard ice, as if he had performed the technique of the Great Frozen Man.
‘Left hand, the Glacier Stream Art. Right hand, the Thousand Hands Void-Breaking Style, imbued with the principle of redirecting immense force!’
In that brief instant, a plan to block the twenty Scorching Sun Lightning Swords formed in Bu Eun-seol’s mind.
He would raise the Glacier Stream Art to its maximum with his left hand and the Thousand Hands Void-Breaking Style with his right, then descend rapidly…
Using the pressure of his descent, he would divert the path of the Scorching Sun Lightning Swords with the Thousand Hands Void-Breaking Style, imbued with the principle of redirecting immense force.
Then, he would immediately unleash the full power of the Glacier Stream Art with his left hand to instantly freeze Gwang-yang-ja.
‘If I fail, it means death.’
If he missed even one of the twenty Scorching Sun Lightning Swords following him…
Bu Eun-seol would be struck and fall to the ground.
*Swish!*
Just as the Scorching Sun Lightning Swords finally reached his feet…
*Fwoosh!*
A red energy spread in all directions, creating the image of a fire dragon in the sky crashing to the earth.
The surging Scorching Sun Lightning Swords did not explode but spread out left and right, creating a large open space.
By imbuing the Thousand Hands Void-Breaking Style with the full principle of redirecting immense force, the trajectory of the Scorching Sun Lightning Swords was instantly altered.
*Fwoosh!*
The diverted swords scattered in all directions, creating a spectacular display of flames. In that moment…
‘Now!’
Bu Eun-seol, looking down, was about to use the Thousand-Pound Drop to land quickly and unleash the Glacier Stream Art with all his might.
“…”
Spotting something, Bu Eun-seol stopped himself from using the art and simply descended to the ground.
*Fwoooosh!*
Gwang-yang-ja’s body was already engulfed in flames, his palms outstretched as his entire being burned fiercely.
He had gained immense power by instantly consuming the ultimate yang cores, but in the end, he couldn't handle the energy and his whole body had become a fireball.
“Uuuuugh.”
Within the flames, maintaining only the shape of a human, the burning Gwang-yang-ja roared.
“I could have saved our palace!”
He glared at Bu Eun-seol, who stood before him, and let out a resentful cry.
“Because of you, I couldn’t create the Scorching Sun Thousand Sword Brigade…!”
*Fwoooosh!*
Gwang-yang-ja’s cry soon faded.
Unable to control the heat pouring from his body, he melted in an instant.
*Drip.*
As if even his bones had dissolved, his body became a thick, oily mass and began to burn.
*Fwoooosh.*
Just then, a sparkling sphere became visible amidst the roaring flames.
Despite the intense heat capable of melting even human bones, it remained perfectly intact.
*Tssss.*
Using the Glacier Stream Art to control the spreading heat, Bu Eun-seol used his telekinetic ability to bring the burning sphere before his eyes.
“This is…”
Floating in the air was a transparent sphere the size of a newborn’s fist.
Inside, points of light glittered with an orange hue, making it look like a universe lit by tens of thousands of suns.
“The Fire Wheel Crystal.”
It was the greatest treasure of the Scorching Sun Palace, the Fire Wheel Crystal.
“Beautiful.”
Bu Eun-seol, recognizing the Scorching Sun Palace's greatest treasure at a glance, nodded.
The Fire Wheel Crystal was the Scorching Sun Palace’s most precious treasure, its value beyond measure.
And its form emitted a beautiful radiance, as if it could draw in a person’s very soul.
*Drip.*
Just then, a blood-red liquid flowed from the flames and seeped into the ground.
It seemed that the artificial cores created by Gwang-yang-ja were also among the oily mass that was burning.
“He made quite a lot.”
The blood-red liquid spreading in all directions looked like a small, crimson-stained pond.
—Because of you, I couldn’t create the Scorching Sun Thousand Sword Brigade…!
‘The Thousand Sword Brigade?’
Bu Eun-seol’s eyes glinted as he watched the endlessly melting red liquid.
‘Did he need the strength to swallow the Scorching Sun Palace whole?’
It seemed Gwang-yang-ja had intended to use the demonic wombs and the Fire Wheel Crystal to create artificial cores imbued with ultimate yang energy to raise a powerful army.
‘That must be why he was recruited by the Three Realms.’
The Three Realms operated from the shadows, exploiting the desires and ambitions of certain factions or individuals to control them.
Gwang-yang-ja must have fallen for their scheme, stolen the Fire Wheel Crystal, and received a supply of demonic wombs to serve as ingredients for the artificial cores.
‘A thousand soldiers who have obtained the ultimate yang cores would be more than enough.’
The Scorching Sun Palace was a faction that possessed powerful and diverse arts of the ultimate yang, rivaling those of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
What if a thousand talented individuals were to consume the ultimate yang cores and master the ultimate yang martial arts to their limits?
Overthrowing the Scorching Sun Palace would not be a difficult task.
“However.”
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
Gwang-yang-ja was an elder of the Scorching Sun Palace, a man over seventy years old.
Why would he become a traitor at his age and try to take over the Scorching Sun Palace?
—I could have saved our palace!
Though a plausible reason and circumstances had formed, Gwang-yang-ja’s final cry was unsettling.
Hadn’t he shouted as if he were the one who would save the Scorching Sun Palace from a crisis?
Though his end was anything but good.
“He reaped what he sowed.”
Gwang-yang-ja failed to achieve his goal and died burning alive, the same way he had killed the vagrants.
Heaven's net is wide, but it misses nothing. The net of heaven is vast and coarse, yet it lets nothing through.
“It’s a bit of a shame, too.”
Right now, Bu Eun-seol was using the identity of Seon-u Jin.
If not, he would have relentlessly investigated how the Three Realms had recruited Gwang-yang-ja to create the fire-attribute cores, and what the situation was at the Scorching Sun Palace.
But now he had to return to the Martial Alliance, so that would have to wait.
“Is it a good thing the cores burned up?”
If the ultimate yang cores had remained intact, he would have had no choice but to bring them to the Martial Alliance.
But since they had been cleanly incinerated, there was no need to worry about them.
*Tssss.*
After cooling the heated Fire Wheel Crystal with the Glacier Stream Art, Bu Eun-seol slowly placed it inside his robes.
—I could have saved our palace.
Gwang-yang-ja’s cry once again echoed in his mind.
Looking back, his eyes had been filled with madness, but not necessarily with evil.
If his words were true…
Then Gwang-yang-ja had resorted to using fire spirit stones and demonic wombs to create artificial cores without hesitation, all to save the Scorching Sun Palace and create something called the Scorching Sun Thousand Sword Brigade.
“Are they gradually showing their tail?”
The Three Realms, which had always plotted in secret, had now extended their reach not only to the Northern Sea Ice Palace but also to the Scorching Sun Palace.
If they continued to reveal their true colors like this, one by one…
It wouldn’t be long before their true identity was exposed.
“Right now, my own affairs are more important.”
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
His top priority was to find the culprit who had harmed his grandfather.
Their manipulation of the factions beyond the Central Plains was a problem for later. For now, he had to steadily build his merits and attain a high position in the Martial Alliance.
As he climbed the ranks, he would be able to uncover the true nature of the Three Realms that had infiltrated the Martial Alliance, and which of the Seven Great Hall Masters had killed his grandfather.
“For the sake of building merit, I should return this.”
Bu Eun-seol patted his chest where the Fire Wheel Crystal was hidden and looked up at the distant sky.
Then, he launched himself into the air in a single bound.
***
The Martial Alliance was soon abuzz with stories about the Apex Unit Commander, Seon-u Jin.
—I hear the newly formed Apex Unit has achieved a great feat.
—They say they recovered the greatest treasure of the Scorching Sun Palace, which rivals the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
The fire spirit stone theft case.
Everyone had thought it was the work of a petty thief who had snuck into the armory of a Martial Alliance branch.
But the real culprit was an elder of the Scorching Sun Palace, Gwang-yang-ja, who had been on the run after stealing their greatest treasure, the Fire Wheel Crystal.
And it was Gwang-yang-ja who had been using the stolen fire spirit stones to burn vagrants.
All these truths were uncovered by the Apex Unit Commander, who had gone out into the world to solve the fire spirit stone theft. And he had even recovered the Scorching Sun Palace’s treasure, the Fire Wheel Crystal.
The officials of the Martial Alliance couldn't hide their amazement.
How on earth had he identified the culprit in such a short time and pursued him?
—They say he transformed the Apex Unit into an intelligence unit, to handle matters of the martial world more quickly.
—I heard he had the members repeatedly train to refine information from the Hall of Myriad Mirrors.
The Martial Alliance had an excellent intelligence organization called the Hall of Myriad Mirrors, and the information one could obtain varied by rank.
Therefore, the Apex Unit had been repeatedly training to refine the common information flowing into the Hall of Myriad Mirrors to extract what they needed.
—Indeed. He has essentially created a new type of unit that this Alliance has never seen before!
Contrary to the initial plan, the support from the Council of Elders had been cut off, making the Apex Unit practically useless.
At this rate, they would have been left with no missions, like a forgotten scarecrow.
But under Bu Eun-seol’s command, the Apex Unit had taken on the characteristics of an intelligence unit capable of quickly handling the various affairs of the martial world.
With the Beggars' Union sealing its doors, an information vacuum had been created, and the Martial Alliance had belatedly begun to build its own intelligence organization.
But an intelligence unit was not something that could be easily trained, and it was expensive.
Yet, the Apex Unit had managed to develop the characteristics of an intelligence unit on its own…
This way, not only could they handle the affairs of the martial world, but they had become a multi-purpose unit that could also take on the work of an intelligence unit.
—But how could a third-rank commander capture Gwang-yang-ja?
However, there was still a question.
The martial arts of the Scorching Sun Palace were based on the power of the ultimate yang, making it impossible for most martial arts to even stand against them.
So how could someone who had just become a third-rank commander face an elder of the Scorching Sun Palace?
—The Apex Unit Commander is said to be the successor of Mu-ae-ja, who was called the legend of the Great Desert three hundred years ago.
—They say he even won a duel against the Heavenly Fire Person, known for his outstanding skills even among the great masters of justice.
Only after Seon-u Jin's personal history spread did the people of the Martial Alliance begin to understand.
And for a while, the Martial Alliance buzzed with talk about the man named Seon-u Jin.
But that wasn't the end of it.
Emissaries from the Scorching Sun Palace, who had not shown themselves in the Central Plains, suddenly visited the Martial Alliance.
It was to express their gratitude for the unconditional return of their greatest treasure, the Fire Wheel Crystal.
They brought with them a thousand stalks of the Hot Yang Heavenly Jade Grass, an herb that couldn't be bought even with money.
—To return our palace’s greatest treasure without any conditions. We are simply overwhelmed with gratitude.
As the Scorching Sun Palace sent emissaries in an unprecedented move, the Martial Alliance welcomed them with great hospitality.
Currently, the Northern Sea Ice Palace was incorporated into the Demonic Cult.
From the Martial Alliance's perspective, this was an excellent opportunity to open the door to friendly relations with the Scorching Sun Palace.
The Martial Alliance, Hall of Ascending Martial Arts, Yuk Jang-cheon's office.
“You’ve done well.”
A broad smile was on Yuk Jang-cheon’s lips as he looked at Bu Eun-seol.
He had sent him to solve a simple theft case.
But not only had he uncovered a crime committed by an elder of the Scorching Sun Palace in an instant, but he had also recovered the greatest treasure the elder had stolen.
“Thanks to you, our Alliance has obtained a treasure that can create outstanding elixirs. And we have also created an opportunity for exchange with the Scorching Sun Palace.”
It wasn't yet at the stage where they could propose an alliance, but just creating an opportunity for exchange with the Martial Alliance was a great achievement.
“Thank you.”
As Bu Eun-seol spoke calmly, Yuk Jang-cheon stroked his chin.
“But I can’t understand it. Why would a man of his stature, an elder of the Scorching Sun Palace, make such a foolish choice?”
Swallowing, he spoke again.
“While being pursued by the experts of the Scorching Sun Palace after stealing the Fire Wheel Crystal, he still went out of his way to steal fire spirit stones from our Alliance and burn vagrants.”
A subtle light flickered in Yuk Jang-cheon’s eyes as he looked at Bu Eun-seol.
“There must have been a reason for him to act that way. Don’t you think?”
Of course, Bu Eun-seol knew the reason.
Gwang-yang-ja’s goal was a large quantity of ultimate yang cores to create a brigade of a thousand men.
No matter how much money one had, it was extremely difficult and complicated for an individual to purchase a large quantity of fire spirit stones.
Therefore, he had no choice but to raid the Martial Alliance’s branch.
“I’m not sure. I think he was plotting something to master a formidable martial art.”
Bu Eun-seol said with a nonchalant expression.
“Perhaps he had a secret method of enhancing his internal energy using the Fire Wheel Crystal and fire spirit stones. When I confronted him, he self-destructed due to misusing his internal energy.”
“So you said.”
Yuk Jang-cheon nodded, looking at the booklet on the table.
On it lay the report submitted by Bu Eun-seol and the report from the investigation team dispatched by the Martial Alliance, side by side.
“The investigation team's findings also align with your thoughts. Would you like to read it?”
Bu Eun-seol nodded and read the booklet Yuk Jang-cheon handed him.
It contained detailed information gathered by the Martial Alliance’s investigation team dispatched to Mount Uiryeong.
There were also sections meticulously comparing whether the details reported by Bu Eun-seol matched the situation at the scene.
‘As expected of the Martial Alliance.’
Bu Eun-seol felt a chill run down his spine.
The Demonic Cult would praise a great achievement, but they wouldn't scrutinize the process or nitpick the details.
But the Martial Alliance, despite his great achievement, was meticulously examining his every move.
They were checking for any omitted or unreported facts.
“It was a truly perilous affair. Wasn’t it?”
Sensing the hidden meaning in Yuk Jang-cheon’s words, Bu Eun-seol calmly bowed his head.
“Everything was just a stroke of luck.”
He then continued with a composed expression.
“Because the Demonic Cult's Taean branch suddenly started training on Mount Uiryeong, our Alliance's branch also surrounded the mountain. Thanks to that, I was able to find Gwang-yang-ja easily.”
Yuk Jang-cheon stared intently at Bu Eun-seol.
Then he nodded and smiled.
“Yes, so it was.”
“And the fact that he was an elder of the Scorching Sun Palace was also completely unexpected.”
Bu Eun-seol opened his mouth, his expression calm.
“If Gwang-yang-ja hadn’t self-destructed, let alone the Fire Wheel Crystal, I would have been buried on Mount Uiryeong.”
Yuk Jang-cheon smiled faintly.
“You’re being modest. Aren’t you the successor of Mu-ae-ja? If the situation had been dangerous, you would have found a way to escape.”
Bu Eun-seol smiled silently.
In truth, Gwang-yang-ja’s skill after consuming the ultimate yang cores and creating twenty-some Scorching Sun Lightning Swords was at a level that Bu Eun-seol would have had to use his full power to defeat.
It was a situation where even if Mu-ae-ja himself had returned from the dead, victory would not have been certain.
If such circumstances had been discovered, Bu Eun-seol would not have been able to avoid suspicion.
*Knock, knock.*
Just then, a knock on the door was followed by the low voice of a servant from outside.
“Hall Master. The hall lords have gathered in the conference room.”
Yuk Jang-cheon smiled and rose from his seat.
“It’s about time I get going.”
“Yes.”
“After such a brilliant completion of your mission, the hall lords’ opinions will surely change.”
Yuk Jang-cheon smiled and extended a hand toward Bu Eun-seol.
“Let’s go in together.”
Bu Eun-seol walked shoulder to shoulder with Yuk Jang-cheon into the conference room of the Hall of Ascending Martial Arts.
The hall lords pretended not to see them entering together.
Setting other things aside, the value of the Hot Yang Heavenly Jade Grass sent by the Scorching Sun Palace was comparable to the Martial Alliance’s annual budget.
“This meeting is about a request sent to our Alliance by the Sichuan Tang Clan.”
As they took their seats, Yuk Jang-cheon spoke in a low voice.
“The Training Hall Lord will explain the details.”
At that, Yuk Cheong-a stood up and nodded.
“The Sichuan Tang Clan has requested troops from our Alliance.”
Bu Eun-seol looked slightly surprised.
It was a completely unexpected agenda for the meeting.
The Sichuan Tang Clan was suddenly requesting troops from the Martial Alliance? Could it be that they were at war with another clan?