Chapter 461
Chapter 461
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 461
Chapter Title: The Striking King's Resolve
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Yuk Cheong-a led the warriors of the Refinement Hall and departed for the Zhongli family estate, where the Needle King, Zhongli Sa-hyeon, resided.
And Bu Eun-seol followed alone behind them.
The elite unit members were still treating their injuries from the bloody battle with the Ghost Howl Hall. Besides, persuading the Striking King, Bukgung Ryeong, was not a task that required a large retinue in the first place.
Upon entering Chengdu, where the Zhongli family was located, Yuk Cheong-a called Bu Eun-seol to ride in the carriage with her.
The rest of the unit followed behind, using their lightness techniques.
*A little unsettling.*
Bu Eun-seol’s expression was slightly dark as he gazed out the window.
And for good reason. In his search for the Seven-Branched Demonic Path, he had deceived the Needle King, Zhongli Sa-hyeon, and his granddaughter, Zhongli Sa-yu, about his identity.
As none other than Baek Mu-seong, the disciple of the Buddha Sovereign, who was said to wander the martial world mysteriously without revealing his tracks.
*—In the end, the young lady of the Zhongli family went all the way to the Martial Alliance to protest. And she finally realized… that she had been deceived.*
Suddenly, he recalled the words Cheon Hwa-in had spoken during the past Martial Alliance Grand Tournament.
Unable to wait for him any longer, Zhongli Sa-yu had eventually sought out the Martial Alliance after much searching and demanded to know Baek Mu-seong’s whereabouts.
And upon hearing about Baek Mu-seong, she realized she had been completely fooled.
Now, heading to the Zhongli family again under the identity of Seonwu Jin, he felt a prickling of conscience.
“Whoa, whoa.”
The carriage stopped with the coachman’s cry.
Lost in deep thought, he hadn't realized they had arrived at the Zhongli estate.
“Commander Seonwu.”
Just then, before disembarking, Yuk Cheong-a spoke to Bu Eun-seol.
“You don’t need to worry so much. Some things just aren’t meant to be.”
She seemed to think his serious expression was due to the pressure of their current mission.
“I understand. Thank you.”
“Good. Shall we go?”
Stepping out of the carriage, Yuk Cheong-a cupped her hands toward the Zhongli family guards.
“I am Yuk Cheong-a, Hall Master of the Refinement Hall, from the Martial Alliance.”
“This way, please.”
Having sent a formal letter in advance, the guards quickly let her in.
As they entered the reception hall, an old man with the air of an immortal sage stood with his hands clasped behind his back.
He was over six feet tall, with long, phoenix-like eyes and a dignified bearing.
It was the Needle King, Zhongli Sa-hyeon.
“This junior martial artist, Yuk Cheong-a, greets the Family Head.”
Yuk Cheong-a deliberately used the title "Family Head" instead of his moniker, "Needle King."
The Needle King had been endlessly pestered by young martial artists begging him to perform the Golden Needle Art of Primordial Origin, which could rapidly increase one's internal energy.
Thus, she was making it clear that she was addressing him as the Head of the Zhongli family, not as the Needle King.
“Brother Yuk certainly raised his child well.”
Zhongli Sa-hyeon, observing the vibrant and spirited Yuk Cheong-a, let out a sigh and offered a rather unexpected greeting.
“I, on the other hand, failed at raising my own and suffer for it every day.”
Shaking his head, he pointed to the Refinement Hall warrior standing behind Yuk Cheong-a, laden with gifts.
“Take those gifts back. That old man isn’t here.”
“What do you mean?”
“He said he was sorry, but that Martial Alliance members kept visiting while he stayed at the main house, so he left for Mount Geumwang.”
With another deep sigh, Zhongli Sa-hyeon turned and said.
“Try going up near Songgwang Peak. He’s built a hut there and is living in the area. Though, I suspect he’ll be leaving soon enough…”
Bukgung Ryeong, who had been living quietly, seemed to feel bothered by the constant visits from Martial Alliance members and was planning to leave the area altogether.
“I understand. Thank you.”
Grasping the situation, Yuk Cheong-a quickly bowed and left the Zhongli estate immediately.
*I can’t go back without even trying.*
If she couldn’t even meet the Striking King, their entire journey would have been for nothing.
She, along with Bu Eun-seol, led her subordinates and hurried toward Mount Geumwang.
They searched every conceivable place the Striking King might be staying, including the area around Songgwang Peak, as if combing for lice.
But no matter how hard they looked, they couldn’t find a single trace of him, not even an ant.
As the sun began to set without any sign of him, Yuk Cheong-a shook her head.
“So, it’s come to this after all.”
Gazing at the fading sunset, Yuk Cheong-a sighed and shook her head.
“Then again, if someone like him were trying to hide, it’s only natural that we wouldn’t be able to find him.”
It was strange.
Despite coming all this way from the Martial Alliance only to find not even a shadow of Bukgung Ryeong.
Her face showed no sign of disappointment.
“By the way, Commander Seonwu, you made a rather unexpected decision.”
Yuk Cheong-a glanced at Bu Eun-seol’s profile and brought up an old topic.
“I heard you refused the offer to join the Sanctity Corps and chose our hall instead.”
“It wasn’t so much a refusal. I originally received my missions and oversight from the Martial Ascension Hall.”
Bu Eun-seol spoke calmly.
“And all this time, the Hall Master has consistently given my unit and me opportunities to achieve merit. How could I go elsewhere?”
“Hahaha. You’re better at flattery than I thought.”
“What do you mean?”
Yuk Cheong-a stared intently at Bu Eun-seol and said.
“No matter how outstanding your achievements, Commander Seonwu, if you went to the Sanctity Corps, you would remain a first-class squad commander. There are many there who have built up merit over several years.”
She was pointing out that Bu Eun-seol had come to the Martial Ascension Hall for the sake of his ambition.
To climb to a higher position.
“It could also be the opposite.”
Bu Eun-seol said calmly.
“If the Hall Master doesn’t rise higher, wouldn’t I just become one of the insignificant commanders in the Martial Ascension Hall?”
Mulling over Bu Eun-seol’s words, Yuk Cheong-a broke into a faint smile.
“It seems I didn’t misjudge you after all.”
Bu Eun-seol had taken a gamble on extremely slim odds.
And it was likely because he believed in his own abilities.
On the surface, he showed no trace of ambition… but in reality, he possessed a passion as fiery as the sun.
He was a person of the same kind as her.
*Step, step.*
Just then, a gray figure could be seen ascending to where Bu Eun-seol and Yuk Cheong-a stood.
Though dressed in shabby clothes, his eyes were sharp, and a noble aura emanated from his entire being.
It was none other than the Striking King, Bukgung Ryeong.
Seeing Bukgung Ryeong, Yuk Cheong-a ran over with a surprised expression.
“Elder.”
And she bowed with the utmost respect in her tone and expression.
“This junior martial artist, Yuk Cheong-a, greets you, Elder.”
Bu Eun-seol, who followed, also bowed.
“Seonwu Jin greets the Striking King.”
Bukgung Ryeong looked back and forth between the two, his brow furrowing deeply.
“I was wondering who was wandering around this desolate place. So, it’s the Martial Alliance again.”
As the visits from Martial Alliance members to his dwelling near Songgwang Peak continued unabated.
He had moved and settled in another location, far from Songgwang Peak, so that people could not find him.
But when Bu Eun-seol and Yuk Cheong-a wandered all over Mount Geumwang, he immediately sensed their presence.
Bukgung Ryeong, who had been observing them secretly, decided to reveal himself when it seemed they wouldn't give up easily.
If he didn't make his intentions clear this time, the Martial Alliance would just send someone else.
“I will be leaving Mount Geumwang in three days.”
Bukgung Ryeong began to speak, looking between Yuk Cheong-a and Bu Eun-seol.
“I stayed here because the scenery and strange cliffs of Mount Geumwang helped cleanse my troubled mind. But now, it has become an exceedingly bustling place.”
He continued with a solemn expression.
“Relay this clearly to the Martial Alliance. I will now leave the martial world for good, so do not seek me out anymore.”
Yuk Cheong-a couldn't hide her surprised expression.
Bukgung Ryeong maintained immense internal energy and martial prowess; he was a man still in his prime.
For such an outstanding master to suddenly leave the martial world?
Moreover, the false accusation from Ghost Island had already been cleared, and the Martial Alliance knew the truth, didn't they?
Yet he was trying to cast everything aside and leave. It made no sense.
“Elder. Do you perhaps remember me?”
Yuk Cheong-a said urgently.
“Four years ago, in Saan Prefecture, we dealt with the Snake Fang Clan together…”
“I remember. At the time, you were investigating the murder of Jin Won-gyeom, the Swift Eagle Rope.”
“You remember.”
Yuk Cheong-a said cautiously.
“Back then, when I discovered the Snake Fang Clan’s hideout, which you were also searching for, you praised me quite a bit. And you told me to let you know if I ever needed help.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“I have come to invite you to serve as an Honored Guardian for the Alliance.”
Bukgung Ryeong frowned.
“Such a childish notion. How would that be of any help to you?”
“The Martial Ascension Hall, to which I belong, has recently fallen into a difficult situation.”
“And?”
“If I succeed in recruiting you, Elder, we can easily overcome those difficulties.”
“Hmph.”
At Yuk Cheong-a’s blunt honesty, Bukgung Ryeong shook his head and spoke in a low voice.
“That will not happen, so return.”
Despite his cold attitude, Yuk Cheong-a’s eyes sparkled.
“I will see to it that your honor is completely restored.”
She continued in an exceptionally calm tone.
“Even if the people of the martial world know you were falsely accused, your spirit must have been greatly diminished by the affair.”
“…”
“Rumors in the martial world are fierce, but they quickly fade. A monument, however, is different.”
“What are you trying to say?”
Yuk Cheong-a’s eyes glittered as she spoke.
“I will arrange for a Hero’s Stele to be erected in your honor.”
A Hero’s Stele.
A monument erected to commemorate a renowned hero who has achieved outstanding feats and performed many great deeds as a martial artist.
To date, the Martial Alliance had only erected eight such steles.
All of them were outstanding heroes whose names would be remembered for generations.
Thus, it was said that the highest honor a member of the Orthodox Faction could achieve was to have their name engraved on a Hero’s Stele.
“How absurd. Are you telling me to die now?”
As Bukgung Ryeong scoffed, Yuk Cheong-a said.
“You have spent your entire life roaming the martial world alone, doing good deeds. And on Ghost Island, you sacrificed all the honor you had built to protect the dignity of countless Orthodox heroes.”
She spoke again, her gaze powerful.
“That alone makes you worthy of having your name on a Hero’s Stele.”
Listening, Bu Eun-seol gave a faint nod.
He had wondered why a clever person like Yuk Cheong-a had readily taken on a task that all the leaders of the Martial Alliance had failed at… so this was her plan.
A Hero’s Stele.
It was the greatest honor an Orthodox martial artist could achieve.
An offer so tempting that even Bukgung Ryeong, who was detached from fame and fortune, would find it hard to refuse.
“Do you take me for someone who covets fame?”
But Bukgung Ryeong simply smirked.
“Do you think a mere block of stone could change my mind?”
Surprisingly, he was as detached from fame and fortune as a high Buddhist monk.
“Elder.”
“It’s useless. Nothing you say will change my mind.”
With that one statement, Bukgung Ryeong turned his body.
And using a phantom-like movement technique, he vanished without a trace.
Yuk Cheong-a stared blankly at the spot where Bukgung Ryeong had disappeared, her expression dazed.
To refuse the erection of a Hero’s Stele, the greatest glory for an Orthodox martial artist?
This was a completely unexpected result.
“A failure, then.”
As Yuk Cheong-a muttered, Bu Eun-seol calmly advised.
“There are still three days left, aren’t there? If we can find a way to persuade him again during that time, there might still be a chance.”
“I suppose we must.”
Though she answered so, her expression showed little confidence.
One of the strongest martial masters, who had consistently maintained his prime, had decided to leave the martial world.
He had even refused the Hero’s Stele, called the greatest glory an Orthodox member could achieve.
This meant that no matter what tempting conditions were offered… he would never change his mind.
That night.
Bu Eun-seol, who had been sleeping quietly in the inn, slipped out secretly.
*Soyo. I need you to cover my tracks.*
Although he was with the Refinement Hall, there might be Martial Alliance spies somewhere.
After asking Soyo to cover his tracks, Bu Eun-seol secretly left Chengdu.
The place he arrived at was a distillery a short distance from the city.
“Give me this one.”
After purchasing a cask of the most expensive yellow wine there, he immediately used his lightness technique and headed for the vicinity of Songgwang Peak.
*Crack.*
While performing his lightness technique, Bu Eun-seol used the Face-Altering Bone-Changing Art to restore his original appearance.
And with a light twist of his body, the outer and inner fabrics of his clothes reversed, becoming a completely different outfit.
Bu Eun-seol had gone through many hardships with Bukgung Ryeong in the past.
Though never spoken aloud, through that process, they had formed a bond as strong as sworn brothers who forgot age.
And Bu Eun-seol did not want Bukgung Ryeong, a man who could leave a great mark on the martial world, to leave just like this.
That was why he intended to meet him using his true identity.
*Fwoosh.*
Finally reaching Songgwang Peak, Bu Eun-seol activated his All-Seeing Mind.
The surrounding scenery seemed to flash through his mind at a glance, and soon, he sensed a faint presence at the edge of the opposite cliff.
*Swish, swish, swish.*
Unleashing his Extreme Speed Shadowless Step, he secretly headed for the opposite gorge.
After a few leaps and glides, a small hut came into view on a cliff brightly illuminated by the moonlight.
And there, an elderly man in his later years could be seen staring blankly at the night sky. It was Bukgung Ryeong.
*His internal energy has declined.*
Normally, he should have sensed Bu Eun-seol’s presence from the moment he started using his lightness technique.
But he only sensed it as Bu Eun-seol was about to arrive.
“Why have you come again?”
“…”
“Did you tap into the Martial Alliance’s intelligence network?”
As Bukgung Ryeong turned his head with an angry expression, Bu Eun-seol chuckled and set down the cask of wine.
“I’m not interested. In the Martial Alliance, that is.”
He plopped down in a spot with a good view of the moon and opened the wine cask.
A mouthwatering, fragrant aroma of wine spread in all directions.
“Hmph.”
Gazing at the clear wine, Bu Eun-seol took a gourd dipper from his robes.
*Gulp, gulp.*
And without hesitation, he drank the wine as if he were an ox drinking water.
Bukgung Ryeong stared intently at Bu Eun-seol, wondering what was going on.
But Bu Eun-seol paid him no mind, occasionally glancing at the moon as he drank heartily.
“Indeed, the view is nice. Being here makes the wine taste even better.”
*This bastard?*
Bukgung Ryeong, who had been watching silently, became furious.
Consumed by his troubles, he had been meditating ceaselessly, abstaining from food like an ascetic monk.
Yet here was Bu Eun-seol, drinking such fragrant, mouthwatering wine all by himself right in front of him.
“Did you come here to mock me?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Then why are you guzzling wine here?”
Bu Eun-seol said shamelessly.
“I was looking for a place to drink alone, and the view here was so nice I decided to stay.”
“Go drink somewhere else.”
“Ha, are you really claiming that all of Mount Geumwang belongs to you, old man?”
“Hmph.”
With a cold snort, Bukgung Ryeong rose to his feet.
And then he stormed off somewhere.
At that, Bu Eun-seol muttered as if relieved.
“What a relief. I almost had to share the hundred-year-old yellow wine I worked so hard to get.”
“You wicked bastard!”
Just then, the vanished Bukgung Ryeong reappeared.
Fuming, he approached and snatched the dipper from Bu Eun-seol’s hand.
And like a man dying of thirst, he began to frantically drink the wine from the cask.
“Hoo.”
After downing three consecutive dippers, Bukgung Ryeong set it down and exclaimed in annoyance.
“This bastard has ruined years of my training!”
Downing another dipper of wine, he said with a bewildered look.
“You heartless bastard! Were you really going to drink all this fine wine by yourself?”
Bukgung Ryeong was a man who loved wine as much as Bu Eun-seol did.
He had only abstained from all sustenance to resolve his inner turmoil.
But seeing Bu Eun-seol coolly downing hundred-year-old yellow wine, he simply couldn’t resist.
“Why? Did you come to drag me into the Demonic Cult now? Because my reputation is already as tarnished as it can be?”
“That’s a rather dull joke.”
Bu Eun-seol said calmly.
“Who would ever invite someone with a temper as foul as yours, old man?”
“What, what?”
“Besides, you’ve already cleared your name from the Ghost Island incident, haven’t you?”
He then snatched the dipper from Bukgung Ryeong’s hand and took another long drink.
Letting out a satisfied sound, Bu Eun-seol smacked his lips and asked.
“Training or whatever. Why have you come to the back mountain of someone else’s family estate to mope around?”
“Hmph, I was wandering the martial world quietly when that old needle-pusher told me there was a place where I could resolve my turmoil.”
“Turmoil?”
“Over there.”
Bukgung Ryeong pointed to a cave behind his hut.
On its walls, faint traces of a saber art, executed with a sharp blade, remained.
This was the very place where Bu Jan-yang of the Seven-Branched Demonic Path and the Needle King, Zhongli Sa-hyeon, had first met.
Bu Eun-seol glanced nonchalantly at the stone wall and asked.
“So. Did you gain anything?”
“Gain anything? My ass. It only worsened my turmoil.”
“Why is that?”
Bukgung Ryeong’s eyes darkened as he gazed at the sharp marks carved into the cave.
“There’s a reason for it.”
“I see.”
An ordinary person would have pried for details.
But Bu Eun-seol asked nothing.
They just passed the dipper back and forth, finishing the cask of wine.
After some time passed, Bukgung Ryeong, who had been staring blankly at the moonlight, let out a sigh.
“Why don’t you ask anything?”
“What do you mean?”
“Still, since you came all this way, shouldn’t you be making a good offer, or telling me to follow you, or something like that?”
He cleared his throat and continued.
“Didn’t you also come here because you heard the rumors that I’m leaving the martial world?”
“What nonsense. Whether you leave the martial world or not, what does that have to do with me?”
Bu Eun-seol looked up at the moonlight and said.
“Besides… haven’t you always walked the martial world alone? So what’s the point of making a big deal about leaving it now?”
“Huh?”
“The martial world is a place that those entangled in grudges can never leave. I myself remain here for that very reason.”
Gazing at the distant sky with a lonely expression, Bu Eun-seol spoke in a low voice.
“But you, old man, you can leave the martial world whenever you wish, can’t you?”
*This bastard.*
Bukgung Ryeong felt a strange emotion.
To think that Bu Eun-seol, a young master of the Demonic Path, had seen right through the feelings he had hidden his entire life.
The reason Bukgung Ryeong had walked the martial world alone, doing good deeds.
It was so that he would not form grudges with anyone and could leave the martial world freely at any time.
Leaving behind only the pride of having upheld justice in the martial world.
“You seem to have a talent for crawling into people’s minds.”
Taking a deep breath, Bukgung Ryeong sighed with an expression that suggested he had made a decision.
And for the first time in his life, the thoughts he had kept locked away in his heart…
He began to reveal them not to someone within the Orthodox Faction he had always trusted and relied on, but to a young grandmaster of the Demonic Path.