Chapter 431
Chapter 431
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 431
Chapter Title: Invitation from the Sacred Palace
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Seo Jin-ha was moving swiftly, using his lightness technique.
He had been disguised as Seon U-jin, continuously leaving his mark on the martial world as the Apex Unit Leader.
In the midst of it all, he heard the sudden news of Bu Eun-seol's disappearance.
However, unlike Yu Un-ryong, who was tormented by guilt, he wasn't particularly worried.
Bu Eun-seol is a god-like figure.
And a man like him would never die in vain. Because the burdens he carried on his shoulders were far too great.
For that reason.
he wasn't very surprised when Bu Eun-seol returned safely, destroyed the Great Cloud Forest and Hellblood Castle, and summoned him to the secret safe house in Henan.
*Creeak.*
As he finally entered the safe house, he saw a man with deep-set eyes that seemed to draw in one's very soul.
Perhaps because he always wore drab gray robes, he exuded an aura of loneliness and distance.
It was Bu Eun-seol.
“You're back.”
Seo Jin-ha smiled and opened his arms.
He thought he hadn't been worried, but his body seemed to disagree.
He suddenly pulled his friend into a tight embrace.
“You've been through a lot.”
“Me? You're the one who suffered.”
Savoring the joy of their reunion, Seo Jin-ha asked with a serious expression.
“I heard it was Clan Head Hyuk-ryeon. That he's a key figure in the Three Realms.”
Seo Jin-ha had heard that it was Hyuk-ryeon Eung who had attacked Bu Eun-seol through the Soul-Shattering Unit.
He knew everything, including how Bu Eun-seol had lost his memory and lived as a beggar as a result.
“That's what happened.”
“I don't know what this martial world is coming to. To think that even the leaders of the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions are spies for the Three Realms.”
Seo Jin-ha sighed and shook his head.
“Wouldn't it be better to just announce everything and hunt those bastards down with the Heavenly Demon?”
The forces of the Three Realms had yet to be fully revealed.
He thought it would be better to borrow the power of the Demonic Cult rather than have Bu Eun-seol face them alone.
“I've considered that... but besides Hyuk-ryeon Eung, none of the core forces or figures of the Three Realms have been identified.”
Bu Eun-seol shook his head, recalling the deep, dark gaze of the Grand Commander, Yeop Hyo-cheon.
“If we go around claiming that the leaders of the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions are spies without any concrete information... it will only add to the chaos.”
“Hmm.”
Seo Jin-ha hummed in thought and nodded.
The Three Realms manipulated various individuals and factions, but they had never once shown themselves openly. It wasn't even clear what they wanted.
Mobilizing the Demonic Cult in this situation would likely achieve nothing.
*'Perhaps chaos is what they want.'*
As Seo Jin-ha shook his head, Bu Eun-seol asked.
“You said an order came from the Martial Alliance?”
“Ah.”
As if just remembering, Seo Jin-ha nodded.
“Ah, right. That's why I sent a carrier pigeon to Yu Un-ryong.”
Only Yu Un-ryong knew of the existence of Seo Jin-ha, the shadow.
“The Martial Alliance issued an order to return.”
The reason Seo Jin-ha had summoned Bu Eun-seol.
The Martial Alliance had suddenly ordered Seon U-jin—who was roaming the martial world gathering information on the Three Poisons Sect—to return to the Alliance headquarters.
“According to the information sent by the Apex Unit, it's about the Yeolha Sacred Palace.”
“The Yeolha Sacred Palace?”
Bu Eun-seol stroked his chin.
While investigating the theft of the Hwajeong Stone, his first mission as the Apex Unit Leader, he had uncovered the misdeeds of Gwangyangja, an elder of the Yeolha Sacred Palace.
And he had returned the Hwaryun Crystal that Gwangyangja left behind upon his death to the Yeolha Sacred Palace.
The Yeolha Sacred Palace, in turn, had expressed its gratitude to the Martial Alliance and Bu Eun-seol, providing ample compensation.
So why was the Yeolha Sacred Palace being brought up again?
“I don't know what it is, but in a situation like this, it seems right for you to go instead of me.”
“Good thinking.”
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
Unless it was an urgent situation, it was best for him to take on the role of Seon U-jin whenever possible.
The Martial Alliance was a dragon's pool and a tiger's den, a place where even Bu Eun-seol couldn't let his guard down.
“Here.”
Seo Jin-ha took an envelope from his robes.
“These are the tracks I've created and the information passed on by the Apex Unit. You should read it before you enter the Martial Alliance.”
Bu Eun-seol read the letter carefully, then summoned the Samadhi True Flame to burn it.
“You've worked hard.”
“It was nothing.”
“Let's switch identities now.”
*Crack.*
Seo Jin-ha used the Art of Face and Bone Alteration to change his face back to Bu Eun-seol's.
As he too was handsome enough to be called a man of peerless beauty, there was no awkwardness in him disguising himself as Bu Eun-seol.
Moreover, he perfectly mimicked the signature lonely gaze, to the point that if he just changed clothes, even the leaders of the Four Shadows Unit wouldn't be able to tell them apart.
“Unless something special comes up, don't return to the Demonic Cult if possible. Lead the Four Shadows Unit or travel the martial world. The details are written here.”
Bu Eun-seol also handed him an envelope.
Inside were detailed instructions on what Seo Jin-ha should do in the martial world as the Martial Soul Lord.
“You don't necessarily have to take care of everything on this list. The important thing is to leave a trail as the Martial Soul Lord.”
“By the way, what's that?”
Seo Jin-ha pointed to a large chest that had been sitting on the table.
“Ah.”
Bu Eun-seol opened the chest as if just remembering it.
*Click.*
When he opened the chest, a plain iron sword lay inside.
“What's with the sword?”
“It's the Ice Soul Sword.”
Bu Eun-seol offered the iron sword to Seo Jin-ha.
“It was a sword bestowed by the Heavenly Demon in the past, but it developed a crack and I sent it for repairs.”
When Bu Eun-seol entrusted the repair of the Ice Soul Sword to Blacksmith Wang Geol, he had said this.
—Make its appearance ordinary, and please get rid of its unique white glow.
In response, a bewildered Wang Geol had sent a reply.
—You might as well find a new sword.
But Bu Eun-seol insisted on the repairs. Not because it was a gift from the Heavenly Demon, but because the Ice Soul Sword suited his hand quite well.
There were many swords in the martial world, but finding one that fit one's hand was difficult.
“The blacksmith mixed black gold and Kunlun jade to remove the glow. However.”
*Zhiiing.*
When he infused his internal energy into the sword, a pure white glow emanated from the dark blade of the Ice Soul Sword.
“He said he couldn't do anything about this.”
Seo Jin-ha nodded.
“So from now on, the Martial Soul Lord's favored sword will be this Ice Soul Sword.”
“How is your Ice-White Divine Art?”
“I've mastered about the third stage.”
Bu Eun-seol had taught Seo Jin-ha the ice art to make him a perfect double.
However, since the Glacial Flow Art was the ultimate martial art of the North Sea Ice Palace and couldn't be learned by Seo Jin-ha, he had taught him the Ice-White Divine Art instead.
Although he couldn't use the energy of yin and yang like Bu Eun-seol, he could use both his lower and upper dantian simultaneously.
Thus, learning one more ultimate yin art was not a difficult task.
“Then you should be able to wear it.”
Bu Eun-seol said, looking at the Ice Soul Sword.
“The Ice Soul Sword constantly emits an extreme yin energy, so if someone who hasn't learned an ice art wears it for a long time, their body will be harmed.”
Bu Eun-seol had mastered the Glacial Flow Art, the essence of extreme yin arts.
Therefore, he could wear the Ice Soul Sword for extended periods without harm, and could even use the emitted extreme yin energy to perform more powerful sword techniques.
“Ah, then you should use this sword.”
Seo Jin-ha offered the iron sword from his waist to Bu Eun-seol.
“It's an iron sword I bought from a blacksmith. I figured the persona of Seon U-jin would need a sword.”
“Well done.”
Seon U-jin was the leader of the Apex Unit, who secretly handled various matters in the martial world.
As he had to hide his identity as much as possible, Seo Jin-ha had also purchased a non-descript iron sword.
“Another farewell for a while, I suppose.”
A look of weariness and apology hung on Bu Eun-seol's lips.
Until everything was resolved and he could put an end to his double life... the two of them would have almost no time to spend together.
“What do you mean, farewell?”
Seo Jin-ha said with a deliberately bright expression.
“You are me, and I am you.”
He extended a hand.
“So, we're always together.”
Bu Eun-seol gave a dry smile and firmly grasped Seo Jin-ha's hand.
An enemy with no end in sight, the Three Realms.
And the reason Bu Eun-seol could continue his fight, endlessly searching for the yet-unrevealed mastermind...
was because he had a friend like Seo Jin-ha, who dedicated his entire life to helping him.
***
Martial Alliance, Deungmu Hall. Yuk Jang-cheon's office.
A letter lay on the table, where Bu Eun-seol, disguised as Seon U-jin, sat facing Yuk Jang-cheon.
“The martial world has been in an uproar for a while now. All because of that successor to the Demonic Cult.”
Yuk Jang-cheon took a sip of tea, smacked his lips, and shook his head.
“Thanks to him, the atmosphere within the Alliance is in shambles.”
“Can't the Alliance control that madman's frenzy?”
The mad successor of the Demonic Cult himself then shamelessly continued.
“If he continues to stir up the martial world as he pleases, the various factions under our Alliance will eventually lose their momentum and cower.”
At Bu Eun-seol's indignant attitude, Yuk Jang-cheon looked pleased yet troubled.
“After a thorough investigation by the Alliance, we found that the Jangbaek Merchant Guild not only funded the Great Cloud Forest, which produces the Soul-Lost, but also played a leading role in cutting off the funding for the Muhasuyu Pavilion.”
“Hmm.”
“And the Lord of Swordscale Valley, who earned everyone's respect by converting from the demonic path to the orthodox path... must have gone senile in his old age. He personally led the Soul-Lost to attack the Heaven-Severing Demonic Sect.”
Yuk Jang-cheon shook his head and said.
“And of all places, it was one of the Ten Demonic Sects. He launched a brutal preemptive strike without any declaration of war... Even if they retaliated as they did, the Alliance has no grounds to object.”
“Still, it seems there must be someone behind it.”
“That's what I think. But no matter how much we investigate, no backer comes to light...”
Bu Eun-seol narrowed his eyes.
Judging by his reaction, Yuk Jang-cheon was clearly a man with no connection to the Three Realms.
And that was both disappointing and, in a way, a relief.
If he were an agent of the Three Realms who had infiltrated the Martial Alliance, it would mean they had caught his tail early... but it would also mean they'd have to revise all their plans.
“We've gotten sidetracked.”
Yuk Jang-cheon shook his head, then placed a letter on the table.
“You've likely heard the gist of it, but have a look.”
“Did the Lord of the Yeolha Sacred Palace really invite me?”
Bu Eun-seol wore an expression of disbelief.
The letter on the table.
It stated that Hwa Jeong, the Lord of the Yeolha Sacred Palace, was inviting Seon U-jin, the benefactor who had found the Hwaryun Crystal, to the palace.
“They have already rewarded the Alliance handsomely. I don't understand why they would specifically invite me.”
In terms of being reclusive, the Yeolha Sacred Palace was far more extreme than the North Sea Ice Palace could ever compare to.
Located on a remote island in the Southern Plains, the Yeolha Sacred Palace strictly forbade entry to outsiders, even if one had a personal connection with the Palace Lord.
They adhered to a bizarre rule that no one could enter the palace unless the internal elders and hall masters all agreed.
Yet they had suddenly invited a Third-Rank Unit Leader of the Martial Alliance to the Yeolha Sacred Palace?
This meant that not only the Palace Lord but all the elders and hall masters wanted Bu Eun-seol to come.
“The letter states it's because they wish to establish friendly relations with our Alliance, but...”
Yuk Jang-cheon stroked his chin as he looked at the letter on the table.
“It certainly seems like there's another motive. If they genuinely wanted an alliance, they wouldn't have invited a Third-Rank... Unit Leader from the Martial Alliance.”
Yuk Jang-cheon's meaning was clear.
If the Yeolha Sacred Palace truly wanted an alliance, they would have requested someone who could represent the Martial Alliance and had the authority to negotiate with the Palace Lord.
They would never have summoned a mere Third-Rank Unit Leader.
“If the letter hadn't mentioned at the end that they wanted to hear the details of how the Hwaryun Crystal was recovered... I would have been suspicious of the invitation itself.”
The Hwaryun Crystal.
A treasure of the Yeolha Sacred Palace, said to contain primordial heat.
Bu Eun-seol had returned the Hwaryun Crystal he recovered from Gwangyangja exactly as it was.
Had some problem arisen?
“I only recovered the Hwaryun Crystal that Gwangyangja had and delivered it.”
“Well, it doesn't seem like the Yeolha Sacred Palace is taking issue with that point. They just want to ask about the process in detail... which is why the Alliance has ordered you to accept the invitation.”
Bu Eun-seol looked puzzled.
If the Alliance had already ordered him to accept, there was no need for this trivial chatter.
Why go to the trouble of a private meeting to lay all this out?
“This could be a very good opportunity for you.”
As if sensing Bu Eun-seol's question, Yuk Jang-cheon smiled and got to the point.
“Among the great outlying factions that had always remained neutral, the North Sea Ice Palace has finally aligned with the Demonic Cult. Because of that, our Alliance has been quietly hoping for an alliance with the Yeolha Sacred Palace.”
The North Sea Ice Palace and the Yeolha Sacred Palace were the two largest single outlying sects and shared the common trait of being neutral.
But now that the North Sea Ice Palace had allied with the Demonic Cult... the Martial Alliance was hoping for an alliance with the Yeolha Sacred Palace.
“If you make a good impression there this time, you could open the door for an alliance between the Yeolha Sacred Palace and our Alliance.”
Whatever their intentions, the Yeolha Sacred Palace, which had never allowed outsiders in.
Was now opening its gates wide and inviting a man named Seon U-jin.
From the Martial Alliance's perspective, this was an opportunity they absolutely could not miss.
“Do you understand what I'm saying?”
A strange desire was laced in Yuk Jang-cheon's suggestive tone.
“If you handle this well and achieve a good result with the Yeolha Sacred Palace... you could seize the chance to immediately become a Second-Rank Unit Leader.”
Yuk Jang-cheon's eyes burned with intensity.
“If that happens, the Apex Unit can officially become part of my hall.”
*'He's trying hard to get me under his command.'*
Having seen through Yuk Jang-cheon's intentions, Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed.
If this affair opened the way for an alliance between the Martial Alliance and the Yeolha Sacred Palace?
Bu Eun-seol could immediately rise to the position of Second-Rank Unit Leader.
Then he could belong to the Deungmu Hall or become a formal brigade of the Constellation Guard.
In essence, Yuk Jang-cheon was giving him a mission while simultaneously laying the groundwork to bring the soon-to-be-promoted Bu Eun-seol under his command.
*'He has every reason to be eager.'*
Spear King Yuk Jang-cheon.
Having risen to the rank of one of the Four Gods and Seven Kings, he was a latecomer to the Martial Alliance.
And his reason for joining the Martial Alliance was singular.
He wanted to become the next Alliance Lord and rule the world.
Fortunately, unlike the Demonic Cult, the Martial Alliance did not choose young successors.
They had to lead the entire Orthodox Faction, which valued seniority and honor, while also upholding justice.
The goal was to select a proven individual who was shown not to covet fame or fortune.
That was why even the Seven Grand Marshals, despite their outstanding skills, only rose to their positions in their prime and became candidates for the next Alliance Lord.
And just in time, Heavenly King Jo had stepped down from his position, leaving a vacancy among the candidates.
Yuk Jang-cheon absolutely could not miss this opportunity.
—I must accumulate more achievements!
The Martial Alliance valued accomplishments within the Alliance more than martial skill or reputation in the martial world.
And those accomplishments meant having outstanding individuals under one's command to handle various tasks.
Because the achievements of a direct subordinate became one's own.
Yuk Jang-cheon wanted to obtain the vacant position of Marshal of the Mucheon Corps, compete with the Seven Grand Marshals, and ascend to the throne of the number one figure in the Orthodox Faction.
“It's a bit much for me to say it myself, but wasn't it my hall that shared life and death with the adrift Apex Unit?”
“Of course.”
Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands and bowed his head.
“How could I ever forget that?”
“Hahaha. Hearing you say that makes all my troubles worthwhile.”
Yuk Jang-cheon laughed heartily and nodded.
“I'll be expecting good news.”
“Understood. Then.”
Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands and left Deungmu Hall.
*'This will be interesting.'*
Bu Eun-seol gazed at the distant sky and smiled faintly.
*'If I can get him into the vacant Mucheon Corps and make him compete with the Seven Grand Marshals...'*
The Seven Grand Marshals were each accumulating achievements to become the next Alliance Lord.
What if he could make Yuk Jang-cheon the Marshal of the Mucheon Corps? Make him a strong candidate for Alliance Lord?
Bu Eun-seol would get closer to the core of the Martial Alliance much faster, and he would be able to unmask the Seven Grand Marshals.
“Then I will depart immediately.”
“Do so.”
“Then.”
Clasping his hands, Bu Eun-seol left Deungmu Hall.
He looked at the distant sky and took a deep breath. He would immediately accept the invitation of the Yeolha Sacred Palace and leave for the Southern Plains.
***
The countless stars embroidering the vast night sky flow like a long river.
The fierce wind blows, its sharp fangs scratching the earth.
The sound of a bird from somewhere is as gloomy and eerie as the voice of a grim reaper guiding the dead to the underworld.
On the slope of a deep mountain.
Beautiful, luminous flowers were in bloom, and before them stood a shrine of a very peculiar shape.
On an altar inside the shrine, there was a hemispherical metal plate where a dark liquid moved ceaselessly.
The pillars inside the room glittered with golden light, their surfaces chaotically engraved with oracle bone script and the Four Symbols.
And below the altar, a masked man was prostrated on the floor, his head bowed.
He remained motionless, his face pressed deep into the floor as if he would die if he lifted his head.
[So the Martial Soul Lord has returned safely and even destroyed the Great Cloud Forest.]
A low, androgynous voice echoed through the shrine.
[From our faction's perspective, we can no longer stand by and watch.]
Then another voice was heard.
[But the Cheongha Faction is resisting. Perhaps they've chosen him... as a backup plan.]
The same voice continued to echo through the shrine.
[It seems the Mugung Faction has tried to deal with him several times for his interference. But the Cheongha Faction appears to have thwarted them each time.]
Silence fell in the shrine for a while.
[What of the matter with the Yeolha Sacred Palace?]
This time, the prostrated masked man spoke respectfully, his head still bowed.
“It is almost complete. Soon, we will be able to create a perfect artificial inner core with no side effects.”
[Proceed without delay. Once that is complete, we can clean up everything else. Including... Bu Eun-seol.]
The conversation continued endlessly within the shrine.
These were the masterminds of the martial world, the ones who ruled the realm from the shadows.
Yet there was something even they did not know... that Bu Eun-seol was none other than the Apex Unit Leader, Seon U-jin.