Chapter 470
Chapter 470
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 470
Chapter Title: The Heavenly Mountains
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Jeongcheon did not hesitate.
Drinking something like this was nothing.
If he could become stronger.
If he could perfectly master this mighty blade art, he would have gladly offered his very soul to a demon.
From that day on, Jeongcheon gradually began to master two forms of the Blood Tears Seven Forms.
But he still couldn't perfectly master the blade formulas and techniques.
It was, paradoxically,
because of his vastly increased internal energy, his tireless, steel-like stamina, and the drug's effect that made even death feel trivial.
He was supposed to face death without fear and savor its meaning.
Instead, his enhanced power, stamina, and spirit prevented him from mastering the blade art completely.
'I can perform the blade art somehow, but it becomes a different art from the original formula.'
He had mastered it in his own way, but it felt significantly lacking compared to what the man in black had demonstrated.
If so, he wouldn't be able to achieve a decisive victory against the man he considered his rival, the successor to the Demonic War Hall whose name shook the world.
'I just need to try harder. Harder.'
Jeongcheon increased his dosage of the drug and consumed the artificial inner cores and various other concoctions they provided.
The power of his blade art grew, but as it did, his body broke down, and his spirit went beyond fortitude into numbness.
"Hehehe! Hahahaha!"
Finally, Jeongcheon completed his own version of the Blood Tears Seven Forms.
Leaving Mount Gugok, he slaughtered not only the Soul-Lost Ones but also the martial artists who came here.
And not long ago, he had been able to fell an old man who seemed to be a master of ejection techniques in a single move.
"Can I devour you now?"
But then, a masked old man appeared.
He had appeared as if by magic, knowing that the blade art had been completed.
*Clang!*
But Jeongcheon could not defeat the old man.
In just over ten moves, he suffered a fatal wound and collapsed to the ground.
"So it's a failure after all."
The masked old man muttered, looking down at Jeongcheon, who was curled up in a pool of blood.
"As I thought, the Blood Tears Seven Forms is a blade art that can only be learned by someone whose spirit is in harmony with the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade, not just by martial talent alone."
Then, he clicked his tongue in disappointment.
"Tsk, I've wasted my time."
The masked old man looked at Jeongcheon, who was huddled like an insect, and spoke coldly.
"Since you're no longer useful, you'll serve as a test subject."
Afterward, Jeongcheon was dragged away by them and bound in chains.
He was then injected with all sorts of drugs and subjected to human experimentation.
That was the last memory Jeongcheon could recall.
***
Finishing his recollection, Jeongcheon smiled bitterly.
"And that's what happened."
A blood-red light flared in Bu Eun-seol's eyes after hearing the whole story.
The Three Realms. It was the Three Realms again.
They had exploited the desire to become stronger, casting a brilliant talent like Jeongcheon into an irreversible abyss.
And in the end, they had even committed the unforgivable atrocity of cruel experimentation.
Then, when the underground sanctuary collapsed because of Bu Eun-seol and Gongson Dan-a... they abandoned the now Soul-Lost Jeongcheon and fled.
"There's no one to blame. I was the one who made the wrong choice in the end."
"Brother Jeong."
"I was never someone who could surpass you in the first place."
*Drip.*
Black blood was now trickling from the corner of his mouth.
"I tried to learn the Blood Tears Seven Forms to surpass you, but ironically, the true original was with you all along."
Jeongcheon said with a sigh.
"So you were the true successor of the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade."
Bu Eun-seol nodded with a heavy expression.
"I came upon his legacy by chance."
"I see. So that's how it was."
A deep, dark light swirled in Jeongcheon's eyes.
The man he had so desperately wanted to surpass ultimately possessed the complete, true version of the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade.
Even if he had perfectly mastered the two forms, the victory he envisioned would have been impossible.
"Brother Jeong. Where did the man in black who taught you the blade art go?"
Bu Eun-seol had to find that man in black.
Only by finding him could he uncover the truth about the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade, Bu Jan-yang.
"He never told me his exact destination. But."
Jeongcheon smiled faintly.
"I could tell. He returned to the Heavenly Mountains."
"The Heavenly Mountains."
"That's right. I was training near the Heavenly Mountains at the time... and his clothes were thick, made of animal hide."
If he was being pursued by the massive organization known as the Three Realms? If he had nowhere else to run...
the endlessly vast Heavenly Mountains, covered in perpetual snow, would be an excellent hiding place.
"Brother Jeong. Hold on. Let's get down quickly and get you treated."
Bu Eun-seol placed his hand on his Gate of Life acupoint and infused him with true energy.
But Jeongcheon shook his head and smiled.
"It's all right. I'm a lost cause, so don't waste your precious true energy."
"Brother Jeong."
"Still, to be able to request a duel with the next number one of the Demonic Path at the very end... I'm truly fortunate."
He grasped Bu Eun-seol's hand with a trembling one.
"Yu-yeon. That child will be alone now. I raised her on my back since she was little."
He was surely speaking of Dam Yu-yeon, the Mistress of the Water Mirror Hall of the Red Heaven's Veil and his junior martial sister.
"Brother Jeong!"
"Please... look after that child."
*Thud.*
Still holding Bu Eun-seol's hand, Jeongcheon passed away with a peaceful smile on his face.
He had been a man of outstanding martial talent and an optimistic character.
But after dueling with Bu Eun-seol, a man with a fiery warrior's spirit, his life changed completely.
He too pursued the path of martial arts and wished to achieve a prowess that would be second to none.
But in the end, he fell for the temptations of the Three Realms and became their test subject.
However, as if protected by the heavens, his final destination was at the blade of Bu Eun-seol—the young grandmaster of the Demonic War Hall and the man he had so desperately wanted to surpass...
It could be said that his end was not a wretched one.
"Brother Jeong."
Bu Eun-seol carefully lifted his body.
Dam Yu-yeon, the Mistress of the Water Mirror Hall of the Red Heaven's Veil, had been in love with Jeongcheon.
Therefore, it was only right to deliver his remains to her for his final farewell.
*Rumble.*
When he opened the door and stepped outside, a clear sky came into view.
He had finally escaped the wretched underground facility of Mount Mo.
"My Lord."
Gongson Dan-a spoke then.
"Are you the successor to the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade?"
Normally, this was something that should never be revealed.
But Bu Eun-seol had a gut feeling that he could trust Gongson Dan-a.
He just couldn't find a reason for it.
"I obtained his legacy, so I suppose you could say that."
"Is he well?"
It was a strange question.
Bu Eun-seol shook his head with a peculiar expression.
"Didn't he disappear over thirty years ago?"
"Then it seems another Seven Fingers Demonic Blade is active."
"Another Seven Fingers Demonic Blade? What do you mean?"
Gongson Dan-a said with an embarrassed expression.
"It's something I overheard, but I heard that our Palace Mistress has quite a deep connection with the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes flashed.
The man in black who taught Jeongcheon the Blood Tears Seven Forms was not the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade himself.
That meant there was someone else who had passed the blade art on to the man in black.
Could it be that the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade was not only still alive but also had a connection with the Mistress of the Divine Beast Palace?
"You mean he's alive?"
"I don't know. The Palace Mistress spoke of it as if it were a story from long ago."
"Do you know where he is?"
"I don't know that either. I just happened to overhear the Palace Mistress talking with the Azure Party Lord."
Bu Eun-seol gazed at the distant sky.
It seemed he would have to visit the Divine Beast Palace after all.
"Will you be returning to the Divine Beast Palace?"
"Yes."
"Would it be possible for someone from the Demonic Path to visit there?"
At Bu Eun-seol's words, Gongson Dan-a nodded with a delighted expression.
"Of course. Our Palace Mistress doesn't care for the politics of the Orthodox and Unorthodox Paths and appreciates exceptional individuals. Besides, she would be very pleased to know you are the successor of the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade."
"Why would she be pleased?"
"It doesn't matter. The Palace Mistress said that the real Seven Fingers Demonic Blade was a rather righteous person."
"The real Seven Fingers Demonic Blade?"
Gongson Dan-a said nonchalantly.
"According to the Palace Mistress, there were several people active as the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade back then."
"Several?"
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
Didn't it seem like the Mistress of the Divine Beast Palace knew quite a lot about the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade?
"Yes. She said she used to operate secretly in the martial world in the past."
This was new information.
The Mistress of the Divine Beast Palace, known for never showing herself in the martial world.
Had secretly traveled the martial world and encountered several Seven Fingers Demonic Blades? Why wasn't this fact known to the world?
'The martial world is more complicated than I thought.'
I thought the leaders of factions only cared about and managed their own internal affairs.
But in reality, they were secretly plotting various things or creating other identities...
to exert influence, great and small, upon the martial world.
"And she said she encountered people who identified themselves as the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade several times. Well, it's common for people in the martial world to use the names of famous figures."
Gongson Dan-a said it as if it were no big deal.
"I'm sure there are plenty of people out there using the name of the Martial Soul Lord, too."
Bu Eun-seol scratched his cheek and nodded.
After all, he himself had used the hallowed name of the Golden Summit Divine Dragon.
"Then I will be sure to visit the Divine Beast Palace later."
What he needed to find right now was not the Palace Mistress, but the man in black who taught Jeongcheon the blade art.
But there was something Bu Eun-seol couldn't have known even in his dreams... that he would soon visit the Divine Beast Palace to restore someone.
"Take care until then, young lady."
Bu Eun-seol, uncharacteristically, offered a faint smile and bowed respectfully.
In return, Gongson Dan-a also smiled and clasped her hands.
"I shall await your visit, my lord."
Both possessed peerless beauty, and they shared a common trait of being indifferent to looks.
Because of this, they could treat each other comfortably, and having gone through hardships great and small together... a small friendship was beginning to blossom.
***
Beneath a crisp blue autumn sky, a vast mountain range covered in snow could be seen.
The Heavenly Mountains.
In the past, a mysterious sect called the Heavenly Mountain Sect had existed here, and throughout the endless mountain range grew a mystical herb that was said to restore youth.
The White Purity Flower Essence Herb.
It was also covered in perpetual snow that never melted, and its many strange and wondrous caves attracted not only the Heavenly Mountain Sect but also other ascetics who came to cultivate their path.
But as if its spiritual energy had been depleted, the spiritual herbs that once bloomed in the mountains vanished, and many of the caves collapsed.
It was no longer a place fit for human habitation.
Thus, nowadays, one could hardly find anyone climbing these peaks, save for martial artists or herb gatherers seeking the legend of the White Purity Flower Essence Herb.
*Crunch, crunch, crunch.*
Just then, two figures were swiftly ascending the frozen Heavenly Mountains.
A young man in thin martial arts robes despite the bone-chilling cold, and a woman clad in white fur.
They were Bu Eun-seol and So-yo.
The Three Realms possessed an intelligence organization and network superior to those of the Orthodox and Unorthodox Paths.
If Bu Eun-seol were to move a large force, his whereabouts and destination would be instantly exposed.
He had no choice but to summon So-yo, whom he had left with Seo Jin-ha, and ascend the Heavenly Mountains with her alone.
Of course, before that, he had stopped by the Red Heaven's Veil and respectfully delivered Jeongcheon's remains.
Dam Yu-yeon could not accept Jeongcheon's death. And she mistakenly believed Bu Eun-seol was responsible for it.
This was because the wounds on his body were from the sword arts of the Demonic Path.
But Bu Eun-seol offered no excuses.
Once Dam Yu-yeon regained her composure, she would surely investigate what had happened. She would easily discover that Bu Eun-seol was not the culprit.
And while she was in such agony... having someone to blame would be a little easier on her heart.
'If he knows the Blood Tears Seven Forms despite not being the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade, it means he's a disciple.'
Snapping out of his reminiscence, Bu Eun-seol began to focus again on the task at hand.
Looking back, it was strange.
The Blood Tears Seven Forms was a supreme blade art that no ordinary person could learn, its power arguably the greatest of the age.
And a martial artist's ultimate technique is like their very life.
So why did the man in black give a manual containing such a technique to Jeongcheon?
What could he have possibly wanted?
'And besides, the fact that there are multiple Seven Fingers Demonic Blades...'
Did the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade, Bu Jan-yang, create a shadow who shared everything with him, like Seo Jin-ha and me?
Or did the Mistress of the Divine Beast Palace simply meet martial artists who were imitating his fame?
What was certain was that if he found the man in black,
he could uncover the whereabouts or secrets of the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade.
"There's probably no better place than this."
So-yo, who was running alongside him, spoke up.
"If you were being chased by a large force."
Bu Eun-seol turned his head to look at So-yo.
Wearing black martial arts robes on a snow-covered mountain like this would make one stand out.
That was why he had specially acquired and put on white fur clothes suitable for the snowy mountains.
So-yo, who was already small, slender, and fair-skinned, was now dressed from head to toe in white.
She looked like a fairy born from a snowflake.
'I hope So-yo hasn't gone through something like that.'
After meeting Gongson Dan-a, Bu Eun-seol had learned something.
That one could be subjected to the envy, jealousy, and discrimination of others simply for being beautiful.
"What?"
Sensing Bu Eun-seol's blatant stare, So-yo blinked.
"Is there something on my face?"
"No, I meant I agree."
Bu Eun-seol quickly averted his gaze and changed the subject.
"A place like this, one could hold out for a long time even if tens of thousands of troops were deployed."
The Heavenly Mountains were so vast they were divided into Southern, Northern, and Central ranges, and the terrain was so barren and rugged that no one but highly skilled martial arts masters could survive for long.
Even if the Three Realms held the entire martial world in their grasp, they couldn't deploy enough forces to scour these vast mountains.
Even with tens of thousands of troops, finding someone hiding in an unknown location would be impossible.
"But if it's an excellent place for long-term hiding,"
So-yo said calmly, gazing at the white-dyed mountains.
"that means it's a disadvantageous situation for us, too."
"That's true."
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
For just the two of them to find a person hiding alone in these vast Heavenly Mountains was an impossible task from the start.
Moreover, the man in black who taught Jeongcheon had not only deeply mastered the Blood Tears Seven Forms—which even Bu Eun-seol had yet to perfect—
but his martial arts and cunning were also formidable enough to evade the pursuit of the Three Realms. Such a person would not carelessly leave traces behind.
"Let's rest for a bit."
Spotting a cave in the distance, Bu Eun-seol headed towards it.
"So how exactly are you planning to find him?"
So-yo asked, and Bu Eun-seol replied.
"He said he has been constantly pursued for a long time. That means he must have chosen a place here where he can survive long-term and observe anyone approaching in advance."
"Hmm."
"No matter how vast the Heavenly Mountains are, there can't be many places that meet all those conditions. First, we'll quickly scout such locations."
"The pursuers would have obviously tried that already."
"Of course. But I have a rather special tracking skill. I can find every trace left behind, no matter how old."
Bu Eun-seol said confidently.
"If I carefully distinguish and examine those traces, I should be able to find him."
But So-yo's expression was strange.
Weren't sympathy and pity emanating from her gaze for some reason?
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"It just seems tough."
"What does?"
So-yo spoke with a look full of compassion.
"You've never had an easy day, have you? Pondering everything, predicting every possibility... you've always lived like that."
"Isn't that obvious?"
Bu Eun-seol asked back, as if he found her question odd.
"Every martial artist lives that way. The martial world is a place where those who predict and consider one more thing are the ones who survive."
Instead of answering, So-yo looked at him with an expression that seemed to say he was admirable.
Her gaze was like an invisible hand patting Bu Eun-seol's head.
Perhaps because she was older, she always seemed to think she had to protect Bu Eun-seol.
*Jingle. Jingle.*
But just then, the faint sound of a bell echoed from somewhere.
Bu Eun-seol and So-yo exchanged glances and concealed their presence.
They sensed that the sound of the bell was gradually getting closer, heading directly toward them.
*Jingle.*
Finally, as the bell sound became clear, they could see figures appearing over the mountain ridge.
Their eyes were dyed black, and they staggered as if drunk.
From a distance, it looked as if a horde of boneless people were walking toward them.
They were the Soul-Lost Ones created by the Three Realms.
"They've come up with an interesting method."
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
The Soul-Lost Ones feel neither cold nor heat, and their stamina is several times greater than that of ordinary people.
In these vast Heavenly Mountains, what if they unleashed a horde of Soul-Lost Ones who crave only blood?
The calculation was that they could easily find anyone in hiding.
"And they even devised a way to quickly notice any abnormalities."
Bells that jingled with every movement were tied to the waists of the Soul-Lost Ones.
Before they found an enemy, they would walk slowly, so the bells would ring at a steady rhythm.
But once they spotted an enemy, they would move quickly, and the bells would ring erratically.
They had created a method to easily flush out anyone in hiding by releasing a large number of Soul-Lost Ones.
"I'll handle it."
So-yo stepped forward, and Bu Eun-seol nodded.
She was traveling the martial world openly for the first time in a while. It was only right to give her a chance to warm up.
*Twang!*
Drawing her shortbow, So-yo unleashed a volley of arrows at the Soul-Lost Ones.
*Swish!*
As the arrows flew toward them, the Soul-Lost Ones quickly tried to swing the greatswords they were holding.
*Shuk.*
But the arrows had already vanished.
At the same time,
*Thwack!*
arrows were suddenly embedded in the backs of their heads. It looked like a single shot, but it was actually the Revolving Kill Technique, firing two arrows at once.
*Jingle. Jingle.*
The Soul-Lost Ones with arrows in their heads collapsed. But the ones who weren't hit showed little reaction.
*Jingle-jangle-jangle!*
Then, as if they had finally spotted So-yo, they suddenly began to charge at an incredible speed.
—Uwaah!
Closing the distance in an instant, the Soul-Lost Ones swung their large greatswords at So-yo.
The blade art used by the Soul-Lost Ones was very simple and didn't seem to pose much of a threat, but the problem was their sheer numbers.
*Fwoosh!*
As the Soul-Lost Ones rushed in to close the gap, So-yo leaped into the air and fired arrows in succession.
*Thump! Thump!*
The arrows that rained down in sequence didn't strike the bodies of the Soul-Lost Ones, but the ground around where they stood.
The Soul-Lost Ones let out foul, sinister smiles, raising their greatswords as they waited for So-yo to fall.
But something unexpected happened.
*Whir! Whir-r-r!*
Sharp steel wires shot out from the arrows embedded in the ground, instantly severing the legs of the Soul-Lost Ones.
The moment the monsters, their ankles severed, lost their balance and teetered,
*Slice.*
So-yo, having landed on the ground, drew a dagger and slit the throats of the Soul-Lost Ones like lightning.
"A unique tactic."
Bu Eun-seol let out a sound of admiration.
The Hundred Bursts Assassins was a guild of killers renowned for creating a variety of unique arrows.
So-yo, who had been a top assassin there, inherited the techniques of the Hundred Bursts Assassins.
And during her training as the vice-commander of the Four Souls Unit, she developed arrows with various functions.
And now, she was using those unique arrows whenever needed.
*Jingle. Jingle. Jingle.*
But just then, the clamorous sound of bells rang out from the surroundings again.
So-yo had dealt with the Soul-Lost Ones quickly, but because she had made the bells ring,
she had summoned other Soul-Lost Ones from nearby.
*Jingle-jangle-jangle!*
In that time, more Soul-Lost Ones had rushed in and were charging at So-yo again.
*Kwarreung!*
But before So-yo could fire her shortbow again, a red whirlwind swept past her.
It sent the charging Soul-Lost Ones flying dozens of feet away.
Bu Eun-seol had used the Form of the Selfless Chain.
"So-yo. There's no need to deal with them one by one. It seems they've released quite a lot of them."
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Bu Eun-seol continuously used the Seven Forms of the Demonic Fist to send the charging monsters flying into the cave visible in the distance.
He was trying to erase the traces of battle so that the members of the Three Realms controlling the Soul-Lost Ones couldn't find their tracks.
He needed to avoid their notice as much as possible to smoothly pursue the man in black.
"Let's get moving again."
"Okay."
Just as Bu Eun-seol and So-yo were about to move,
"Hey!"
an irritated shout suddenly echoed from inside the cave.
*Kwaaang!*
Weren't the monsters that had entered the cave being flung right back out?
And in shattered pieces, no less.