Chapter 462
Chapter 462
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 462
Chapter Title: The Wanderer's Burden
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“Throughout my time in the martial world, I sought to avoid making enemies. I dealt with villains without mercy and always acted on what I believed to be right.”
Bukgung Ryeong lifted his head and gazed at the distant sky.
“Then, I began to uncover the powers that controlled the martial world from the shadows. These three factions manipulated clans and individuals as they pleased… they even conducted human experiments, something no person should ever do.”
His gaze was fixed on the bright moon.
“From that day on, I lived with the goal of exposing and destroying those factions, the Three Realms. But even at my age, I have accomplished nothing. In the end, I was falsely accused and had to leave the martial world.”
Bukgung Ryeong looked at Bu Eun-seol again.
“But then, a young man appeared, one who is tearing them down faster than I ever could in my entire life.”
“…”
“I felt that he could surely achieve what I could not.”
He looked directly into Bu Eun-seol’s eyes.
“That is why I could leave the martial world with a light heart.”
Someone had appeared in the martial world to carry on Bukgung Ryeong’s will.
It was none other than Bu Eun-seol, the successor of the Demonic Cult, who had destroyed the Daeyun Forest where the Soulless were being manufactured, along with the associated Mount Changbai Sect and Sword Scale Valley.
He had openly declared the destruction of the Three Realms to the world.
“I understand what you mean, but…”
Bu Eun-seol frowned and asked.
“For that reason, you've been moping around and wandering the martial world in such a pathetic state?”
“This brat… The things you say.”
Bukgung Ryeong bared his gums and gritted his teeth, speaking with irritation.
“It’s not that. As I quietly left the martial world and reflected… I began to wonder if I myself wasn’t just another, smaller version of the Three Realms!”
Lowering his head for a moment, Bukgung Ryeong shook it with a miserable expression.
“I struck down those I deemed wicked and extended a hand to those I considered righteous heroes of the Orthodox Factions. But as time passed… I began to think that what I had done might not have been right after all.”
On Ghost Island, Bukgung Ryeong had fallen into a demonic trance due to the conflict between the Orthodox and Unorthodox, and it was Bu Eun-seol who had awakened him.
But since that day, his thoughts and perspectives had completely changed.
And as he looked back on his life, he felt a great sense of emptiness.
—What have I been doing all this time?
Could it be that the people I killed, thinking they were evil, were not actually evil?
Did I ever, in my pursuit of what I thought was right, cause things to head in a more unrighteous direction?
If the so-called righteous heroes of the Orthodox Factions, whom I trusted my whole life, are in such a state… I must have made a mistake somewhere.
Such agonizing thoughts rose up endlessly.
“Haa.”
After hearing the whole story, Bu Eun-seol let out a sigh.
He then clicked his tongue at Bukgung Ryeong.
“Old man, are you a god?”
“What did you say?”
“If not, why are you worrying about the lives of others when you can’t even take care of yourself?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Humans are inherently imperfect beings. That is why we can strive and grow.”
“I know that. Humans are imperfect, so mistakes are inevitable.”
Bukgung Ryeong voiced the deep frustration in his heart.
“But a person’s life is not something you can just dismiss as a mistake, is it?”
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
Bukgung Ryeong might seem stubborn and arrogant, but in reality, he valued life more than anyone.
That was why Bu Eun-seol held him in high regard.
“Your words remind me of someone.”
After a moment of silence, Bu Eun-seol brought up a rather unexpected story.
“He was a servant who had worked at an inn for over a decade. Thanks to his constant diligence, he was about to be promoted to manager. But then, looking back on his past, various regrets began to surface.”
“…”
“Did I not do my best for past guests? Was there anything that made them uncomfortable? Have I been doing things wrong all this time, and am I only becoming manager by sheer luck? So he said.”
Bu Eun-seol looked at Bukgung Ryeong and spoke.
“In the end, he gave up the position of manager. But he couldn’t continue his work as a servant either. Because his mind was constantly filled with regrets of the past.”
—Have I been living my life wrong all this time?
—Am I doing well right now?
—Back then, was that really the right choice?
These are worries that not only Bukgung Ryeong, but all humans have.
The difference was that Bukgung Ryeong had lived his life with unwavering conviction, but the events on Ghost Island had shattered it all at once.
Although he had escaped the demonic trance thanks to Bu Eun-seol, he had yet to restore his firm beliefs.
“So. What are you telling me to do?”
As Bukgung Ryeong muttered in distress, Bu Eun-seol snorted.
“What is there to do? It’s your body and your mind, so you should do as you please.”
Then he said calmly.
“Don’t delude yourself just because you’ve gained a sliver of fame. Not everyone in the world looks up to you.”
“What… what did you say?”
“From where I stand, you're no different from the old drunks in the neighborhood. You both think the whole world is paying attention to you.”
Bukgung Ryeong wore a dazed expression.
Ever since he earned the name ‘Projectile King,’ he had always been in the spotlight of the martial world.
And he had done things that naturally drew attention. Because he always did what was right and punished the wicked.
That was Bukgung Ryeong’s conviction.
But at some point, as he constantly received public attention, he began to think not about upholding his convictions, but about how he was perceived by others.
And a compulsion grew within him that, as an elder of the Orthodox Factions, he must be a model for many martial artists.
“Are you saying I’m worrying for nothing?”
As Bukgung Ryeong looked dejected, Bu Eun-seol said.
“It’s not so much that your worries are for nothing, but that you’ve been alone for too long.”
“Alone?”
“That’s right. Because those who walk alone are always forced to… reflect on their own actions.”
Stunned for a moment, Bukgung Ryeong burst into a hollow laugh, as if he had a great realization.
“Hahaha.”
No man can live alone.
Therefore, one listens to others and corrects their faults.
Or, one observes the mistakes of others and corrects their own.
But Bukgung Ryeong had not gone through that process.
Because he had always walked a solitary, peerless path.
He had lived his life using only the ideal image he had of himself as a mirror… which is why this had happened.
“Yes, that’s right. I need to associate with people more.”
Bukgung Ryeong’s face relaxed, as if he had finally understood everything.
“I’m done pretending to live a lofty, solitary life.”
Then, as if realizing something, he shook his head and said.
“But I don't want to join the Martial Alliance. It’s full of stuffy old men, and they’re too insidious.”
“Do as you please.”
Bu Eun-seol stood up with a relieved expression.
Now that Bukgung Ryeong was free not only from his demonic trance but also from his inner turmoil, he had done his part.
“Wait.”
Shaking his head, Bukgung Ryeong took a deep breath.
He looked at the sharp scars carved into the cave wall and said.
“Actually, my despondency wasn’t just about the issue between the Orthodox and Unorthodox.”
“What do you mean?”
“There was a man who made even the martial prowess I’ve built up until now feel futile.”
Bukgung Ryeong let out a deep sigh and said.
“He might be five or six years older than you. Anyway, I was defeated by him. That’s why my turmoil deepened.”
Bu Eun-seol couldn’t hide his surprise.
Bukgung Ryeong’s true skill was such that even Bu Eun-seol, at his full strength, couldn’t guarantee an easy victory.
Yet a young man of similar age had defeated him?
“Moreover, he wielded a formidable saber art. It was as if he intended to take me down with him. A terrifying saber art of death.”
“Saber art of death?”
Bu Eun-seol’s eyes glinted.
Bukgung Ryeong’s description of the saber art sounded similar to the Seven Forms of the Blood Demon.
“Tell me in detail.”
“Well…”
After a moment’s hesitation, Bukgung Ryeong slowly began to unravel his story.
***
“Everything feels so tedious.”
As Bukgung Ryeong wandered the martial world, everything felt empty.
Nothing sparked his interest, and the days he had lived so far felt like a mere dream.
Meanwhile, the martial world was in chaos.
Recently, unidentified Soulless had appeared everywhere. As a result, not only martial artists but also common people began to suffer.
In response, the Martial Alliance made a groundbreaking offer.
—For every Soulless you dispose of in the martial world, we will give you ten nyang per head!
—Ten nyang?
For renowned masters of the martial world, it was an amount to be scoffed at.
But for second-rate martial artists with mediocre skills, it was a large sum of money.
—Let’s go!
As the rumor spread, martial artists armed with weapons began to roam the land, hunting the Soulless.
—Nine Bends Mountain is a gold mine!
Then, a rumor circulated that there were quite a few Soulless on Nine Bends Mountain, where the Mount Mao Sect was once located.
As a result, many martial artists flocked to the vicinity of Nine Bends Mountain.
However, the mountain terrain there was extremely rugged, and there were many places where strange formations or spells set up by the former Mount Mao Sect remained.
Because of this, many martial artists who had come for the bounty ended up suffering great losses instead.
“This is just what I needed to clear my head.”
Quietly wandering the martial world, Bukgung Ryeong heard the rumor and immediately headed for Nine Bends Mountain.
He immediately scouted the area, but strangely, he couldn’t find any Soulless.
‘Was it a false rumor?’
Puzzled, Bukgung Ryeong climbed up to Daemo Ridge, where the Mount Mao Sect was said to have been.
There, he discovered a very bizarre individual.
He found a man with chains wrapped around his arms, his entire body seemingly wreathed in black flames.
Was he in his thirties?
His aura was bleak, and his eyes were like looking into a deep, dark well.
At a glance, it was clear he was not a disciple of the Orthodox Factions but a practitioner of demonic martial arts.
“Judging by your aura, you don’t seem like a bounty hunter.”
“…”
“Are you perhaps practicing your martial arts here?”
The man gave no reply to Bukgung Ryeong’s question.
Bukgung Ryeong’s eyebrow twitched.
In the past, he would have immediately taught this arrogant spawn of the Demonic Path a lesson, showing him just how high the heavens were.
He would have given him a bitter lesson.
But now, most of his animosity toward the Demonic Path had faded, and considerable patience had grown in his heart.
These were changes that had occurred after meeting Bu Eun-seol.
“Why are all the skilled young men of the Demonic Path so arrogant?”
Bukgung Ryeong shook his head and turned away.
Swoosh!
But at that moment, a very faint breeze blew past.
Thwack, thwack, thwack.
Simultaneously, Bukgung Ryeong’s right cheek was slightly grazed.
The man had suddenly swung his saber, unleashing a sharp blade wind.
“You’ve got a lot of nerve.”
A white killing intent flared in Bukgung Ryeong’s eyes.
No matter how despondent he was, he wasn’t generous enough to overlook such insolence.
“When you swing your blade at someone’s face, you must be prepared for the consequences, right?”
At Bukgung Ryeong’s words, the man with dark eyes revealed his white teeth.
“Insolent brat.”
Thwump!
In that instant, a pebble at Bukgung Ryeong’s feet shot toward the man’s lower abdomen.
Clang!
The man swung his great saber like lightning to block the pebble, but he was pushed back a step with a loud bang.
“Only one step back?”
Bukgung Ryeong, realizing the man’s internal energy exceeded sixty years’ worth, let out a sigh.
“Do you demonic bastards eat spirit herbs for every meal?”
“…”
The man fixed his dark eyes on Bukgung Ryeong and beckoned with his finger.
“Insolent brat.”
Thwump! Thwump!
This time, two pebbles shot toward the man’s brow and lower abdomen.
Why was the Projectile King called the Projectile King?
Projectile (彈). Not only could he launch anything with immense power, but he also used such cunning techniques that what he launched was impossible to block.
Boom! Boom!
With an explosive sound, the man was struck by the pebbles and thrown several dozen feet away.
“With your level of energy, you won’t die. From now on, learn some humility.”
Bukgung Ryeong scoffed and turned away.
But then, something strange happened.
Swoooosh.
Suddenly, dark rings of saber energy began to rise around him.
When he turned around, the man had already gotten to his feet and was extending his great saber.
‘Dangerous.’
Bukgung Ryeong could feel it instinctively.
The saber rings the man created were not only concentrated with immense power but also contained a sinister aura, as if they held death itself.
Whirrrrr!
In that moment, dozens of orbs swirled from Bukgung Ryeong’s body.
He was using his unique weapon, the Purple Lightning Golden Orbs, to destroy the saber rings.
Ruuuumble!
When the saber rings and golden orbs collided, a thunderous roar erupted as if heaven and earth were being torn asunder.
The saber rings of death unleashed by the man from a distance.
The Projectile King’s Purple Lightning Golden Orbs, concentrated with his internal energy projectile arts.
As the two immense forces clashed, the sky lost its light, and the ground shook as if from an earthquake.
Rumble! Rumble!
And finally, the outcome was decided.
As Bukgung Ryeong was blocking the endless torrent of saber rings, the man with the great saber was suddenly standing before him.
‘This bastard!’
Bukgung Ryeong used his ultimate technique, the Internal Energy Projectile Arts, to block the man’s strike.
Clang!
But when the golden orb and the saber clashed, Bukgung Ryeong was sent flying like a broken string.
The aura of death contained in the saber had shattered his protective energy and reached his body.
“Keugh.”
Bukgung Ryeong barely managed to get up.
His spirit was not whole at the moment. Because of that, a flaw had appeared in his projectile arts, and he had failed to properly block the power of the saber rings.
“Alright, let’s go again.”
As Bukgung Ryeong got back up and looked around, the man had already vanished without a trace.
“…”
He was at a loss for words.
Even if his spirit was not whole, he had been absurdly defeated by a young master of the Demonic Path.
***
“And that’s what happened.”
Hearing Bukgung Ryeong’s story, Bu Eun-seol knew instantly.
‘The Seven Forms of the Blood Demon.’
The saber art of the man who defeated Bukgung Ryeong.
It was Life's Sojourn, Death's Return from the Seven Forms of the Blood Demon, the unique saber art of the Seven-Fingered Demonic Saber, Bu Jan-yang.
‘Is this even possible?’
Bukgung Ryeong wouldn’t lie.
If so, did that mean the missing Bu Jan-yang was actually alive and had trained a young disciple?
‘No, it’s also possible he learned it from a saber manual left behind, just like I did.’
In any case, what was certain was that the one who defeated Bukgung Ryeong was far more proficient in the Seven Forms of the Blood Demon than Bu Eun-seol himself.
Otherwise, no matter how despondent and weakened Bukgung Ryeong was, it would be impossible to defeat him with a single strike.
‘I’ll find out if I go to Nine Bends Mountain.’
Nine Bends Mountain was where the Mount Mao Sect, which used various arts originating from Taoism, was located.
However, those arts had long since died out, and only traces of the Mount Mao Sect remained on Nine Bends Mountain.
Yet a man who used the saber arts of the Seven-Fingered Demonic Saber was there?
“You seem interested.”
Noticing the fervent look in Bu Eun-seol’s eyes, Bukgung Ryeong said in a low voice.
“That man is probably honing his saber arts there. If you’re lucky, you might find him.”
“I see.”
Bu Eun-seol made his decision.
He would immediately go to Nine Bends Mountain and find the young man who wielded the saber arts of the Seven-Fingered Demonic Saber.
“I’ve heard you out.”
As Bu Eun-seol rose from his seat, Bukgung Ryeong spoke.
“Are you returning to the Demonic Cult?”
“What, are you really going to come to the Demonic Cult?”
“What did you say?”
Bu Eun-seol said flatly.
“If you truly dislike the Martial Alliance, I can introduce you to the Heaven-Shattering Earth-Annihilating Sect. There are plenty of old men there to talk to.”
“Huhuhu… Hahaha!”
Bukgung Ryeong guffawed at Bu Eun-seol’s joke.
He couldn't remember the last time he had laughed so heartily.
“You want me to go to the Heaven-Shattering Earth-Annihilating Sect? You crazy bastard. Hahahahat!”
Bukgung Ryeong laughed heartily for a while, then took a deep breath.
“Come to think of it, this was all because of you.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re the successor of the Demonic Cult, yet you treat the Demonic Path like dirt, don’t you? Of course I’d be confused.”
“The Demonic Path, the Orthodox Path… none of that means anything to me.”
“Yes. I suppose it wouldn’t to you.”
Bukgung Ryeong took a deep breath, his eyes becoming incredibly deep.
“But how many people like you are there in the martial world?”
The martial world was divided into Orthodox and Unorthodox.
And people inevitably had to choose one and walk that path.
An individual like Bu Eun-seol, who paid no mind to such divisions, was unheard of in the history of the martial world.
And Bukgung Ryeong envied Bu Eun-seol’s choice and also liked him for it.
Therefore, he left him with this final piece of advice.
“Even if you want to go, go to the Demonic Cult later.”
“What do you mean?”
“I heard the Needle King’s family is about to march on the Demonic Cult.”
For a moment, Bu Eun-seol looked as if he had been struck on the back of the head.
What was this absurd story now?
“Why would the Needle King’s family march on my headquarters?”
“Didn’t you go to the Zhongli family and deceive them?”
Bu Eun-seol’s body flinched for a moment.
It was an honest reaction, born from having always thought of Bukgung Ryeong as a friend.
“I thought it couldn’t be, but was it true?”
“It wasn’t so much deceiving them as… it just ended up that way while I was hiding my identity.”
Bukgung Ryeong sighed.
“I know you’re not the type to harass women. But why of all things did you use the name of the Buddha’s disciple?”
“There was something I had to ask the Needle King. But as you can see… I couldn’t ask in this capacity.”
“I see.”
Understanding the whole situation, Bukgung Ryeong nodded.
The Needle King’s granddaughter, Zhongli Sa-yu, must have been smitten by Bu Eun-seol’s appearance and gotten ahead of herself.
He knew her boisterous personality well.
“And that old man’s granddaughter must have fallen for your face.”
He wasn’t sure if Bu Eun-seol was the most handsome man under heaven, but he certainly had the most captivating aura.
It was an aura that could make even an eighty-year-old man’s heart flutter.
An aura that no woman could resist falling for.
“So you used the granddaughter to get close to Zhongli Sa-hyeon and obtain the information you wanted.”
“Something like that.”
As Bu Eun-seol readily admitted, Bukgung Ryeong spoke.
“In any case, the two of them are preparing to go to the Demonic Cult to protest your deception. If that happens, you’ll be in a difficult position too.”
For a moment, Bu Eun-seol recalled Zhongli Sa-hyeon’s dark expression when he first visited the Zhongli family as Seonwu Jin.
He had simply thought the man had something on his mind.
But it turned out his expression was foul because he was preparing to go with Zhongli Sa-yu to confront the Demonic Cult.
‘I must stop them.’
Although it was to hide his identity, he had used the name of the Buddha’s disciple.
What if this fact became known to the martial world?
It would be an unparalleled disgrace, and Bu Eun-seol’s prestige would plummet.
“Thank you for telling me.”
As Bu Eun-seol hurriedly turned to leave, Bukgung Ryeong asked.
“Are you planning to stop them?”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
“The people of the Zhongli family are not only stubborn but also hot-tempered. If you just go there, you’ll be adding fuel to the fire.”
“Do you have a clever plan?”
Bukgung Ryeong said with a serious expression.
“I do, but I don’t know if you can pull it off.”
“What is there that I can’t do?”
“Alright. I’ll tell you since I owe you. A way to overcome this crisis.”
“Tell me.”
After a moment of silence, Bukgung Ryeong said in a firm voice.
“A thick skin, spirit herbs, and an extra dose of patience.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Bukgung Ryeong cleared his throat and said.
“Listen carefully. You see, the Zhongli family is…”