Chapter 1003
Bu Eun-seol relayed the secrets of Immortal Valley to Hye-ga through the Death Soul Squad.
There hadn't even been time to meet him directly—the situation was that urgent.
They needed to investigate the movements of the Return-to-One Realm Lord, who had appeared in Immortal Valley, as quickly as possible.
Tracking the appearance time and location of a high-ranking figure like him, one of the Three Realms' most formidable elites, was no ordinary feat.
It was the kind of information that no amount of wealth or time could easily buy—truly invaluable.
"Thank you. I will repay this kindness you've shown me without fail in the future."
After sending a brief message of gratitude to Bu Eun-seol through the Death Soul Squad, Hye-ga returned to Mount Baekdu.
Meanwhile, Bu Eun-seol, having returned to the Demon Hall, mobilized the Death Soul Squad's intelligence network to its fullest extent.
And finally, Yu Un-ryong, who had managed to track the Return-to-One Realm Lord's movements in Immortal Valley, brought back an unexpected result.
"This is... a little strange."
Yu Un-ryong scratched his head, his brow furrowing.
"Finding his trail wasn't difficult at all."
Tilting his head repeatedly, he pointed to a section of the sprawling map laid out before them and continued his explanation.
"Right here. The figure presumed to be the Return-to-One Realm Lord moved from Immortal Valley directly to this location."
Licking his dry lips, Yu Un-ryong went on.
"It's almost... as if he anticipated we'd track him and deliberately left traces for us to follow."
As Bu Eun-seol stared at the map, the image of the Return-to-One Realm Lord suddenly flashed through his mind.
Clad in an iron mask, draped in endless darkness—his presence was like that of a Demon King, one who sought to drown the world in shadow.
Even the elites of the Three Realms described the Return-to-One Realm Lord as a demon who would bring ruin to the world.
'But is that really the case?'
Bu Eun-seol had been uncovering the Return-to-One Realm's hidden schemes and dismantling their strongholds all along.
Yet, far from killing him, the Return-to-One Realm Lord had instead protected him.
Even in Immortal Valley... if he had truly wanted to, he could have easily killed Bu Eun-seol. But in the end, he never struck.
And then there was his face.
It bore an uncanny resemblance to Bu Jan-yang in his youth.
Bu Eun-seol pressed a hand to his forehead, his thoughts in turmoil.
"So that's how it is."
"What are you talking about?"
Snapping out of his thoughts, Bu Eun-seol spoke.
"He's calling for me."
Then, taking a deep breath, his eyes flashed.
"He wants me to go to that place."
He could sense it.
The Return-to-One Realm Lord had deliberately left traces of his movements—he was luring Bu Eun-seol there.
"But why?"
Yu Un-ryong sounded unconvinced.
"Someone like the Return-to-One Realm Lord wouldn't need to reveal his whereabouts just to draw you in."
Bu Eun-seol bit his lip.
Then, he recounted everything that had happened in Immortal Valley.
"What?"
Yu Un-ryong, who had been listening in silence with a grave expression, brightened considerably when he heard that the Return-to-One Realm Lord had been aiding Bu Eun-seol all along.
"Isn't that encouraging?"
His face lit up.
If the Return-to-One Realm Lord was truly Bu Jan-yang's kin?
If the leader of that terrifying faction had been favorably disposed toward Bu Eun-seol and had been helping him all this time?
That would be like gaining an invincible army overnight.
Even the seemingly impossible tasks—finding the culprit behind the murders and uncovering the secrets of Saha-jang—could be resolved in no time.
"It can't be pure goodwill."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"I've thought about it carefully. If he really were my grandfather's kin, if he truly intended to help me in secret... how would he have acted?"
"The Return-to-One Realm Lord is eccentric—maybe he had no intention of cooperating or joining forces with you."
"Exactly. If that were the case, he wouldn't have needed to help me at all, especially after I'd been secretly dismantling the Return-to-One Realm."
Yu Un-ryong let out an ah of realization.
"Then the fact that he's been discreetly covering your tracks and hasn't killed you all this time means...."
"That's right."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes gleamed.
"Just like the powerful figures who look down on the Martial World, the Return-to-One Realm Lord is also... using me for his own ends."
"I see."
Yu Un-ryong smacked his forehead.
In the martial world, there was a saying: Those who possess treasures are guilty.
Martial artists were greedy by nature—stealing from others or exploiting them was seen as perfectly normal.
And Bu Eun-seol, by his very existence...
Not only held many secrets but was also, in the eyes of superlative martial experts, an infinitely valuable treasure.
If the Return-to-One Realm Lord had truly been acting out of pure vengeance, he would have had countless opportunities to make his intentions known to Bu Eun-seol.
In the end... he was just another person trying to use Bu Eun-seol for his own purposes.
"Well, I guess it was too much to hope for."
Yu Un-ryong's expression soured as he shook his head.
"Of all people... the Return-to-One Realm Lord."
The Three Realms had been conducting brutal experiments for years.
And among them, the Return-to-One Realm was the most vicious, the most depraved in its atrocities.
The leader of such a faction...
Couldn't possibly be a benevolent figure.
Even if it were true that he had helped Bu Eun-seol, there was undoubtedly some ulterior motive at play—that much was obvious.
"Even so, you can't not go, can you?"
"No."
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"But someone of the Return-to-One Realm Lord's stature wouldn't resort to petty, obvious traps. If that were his intention, he could've just killed me in Immortal Valley and been done with it."
"You're right, that makes sense."
Yu Un-ryong's eyes narrowed.
The lords of the Three Realms had always remained veiled in secrecy.
Yet now, none other than the Return-to-One Realm Lord had appeared and was reaching out to Bu Eun-seol...
Perhaps this meant they were gradually nearing their goal.
"Be careful."
That was all Yu Un-ryong could say.
Whether this was a trap or not,
there was simply no choice but to go. And through this, they would be able to discern the Return-to-One Realm Lord's true intentions.
The place Bu Eun-seol arrived at was the Golden Summit Platform on Mount Cheon-yu.
The open vista revealed two massive boulders.
One, called the Divine Jade Stone, was smooth and round—just as its name suggested, it looked as if a god had deliberately carved it,
resembling a giant Go stone.
Some said it was a celestial chess piece dropped by a heavenly immortal while playing, hence its other name, the Immortal Chess Jade.
Others called it the Spirit Cloud Heavenly Stone, claiming it was a divine Go piece fallen from the clouds.
Countless travelers would visit Mount Cheon-yu just to see this Divine Jade Stone.
But now, in the depths of winter, with the path to the Golden Summit Platform too treacherous,
no trace of visitors remained.
"Definitely deliberate."
Upon arriving, Bu Eun-seol became even more certain.
Though currently deserted, this was a famous scenic spot frequented by travelers—
hardly a place where the elusive Return-to-One Realm Lord, who moved like a hidden dragon, would casually appear.
Meaning, he had deliberately left traces here to summon Bu Eun-seol.
"Yet, if this is a place travelers visit in certain seasons, there's only one purpose."
The answer came without deep thought.
Having traveled the martial world,
he knew all too well that such locations were the optimal sites for maintaining an Absolute Boundary.
Bu Eun-seol immediately began spreading Wind & Cloud Divine Qi across the entire Golden Summit Platform.
Sssss—
The energy stretched endlessly, yet no trace of an Absolute Boundary could be felt.
"If not an Absolute Boundary, then why summon me here?"
After pondering for a long while, Bu Eun-seol closed his eyes.
He began examining every energy he could sense in this place.
But nothing stood out.
"A figure like the Return-to-One Realm Lord wouldn't leak such information on a whim."
He thought deeper.
"The Return-to-One Realm Lord... the Return-to-One Realm..."
The Return-to-One Realm—
obsessed with the One Hundred and Eight Stars,
those who sought to inherit the martial arts of past masters by using their corpses.
"The One Hundred and Eight Stars... and corpses."
Words inseparable from the Return-to-One Realm.
They had always sought those bearing the One Hundred and Eight Stars, attempting to pass down the martial prowess and power of past masters through their corpses.
No, "pass down" was too kind—
in truth, they repeated cruel experiments and Great Arts, birthing monsters stripped of humanity.
Hadn't those who tried inheriting the energy of the One Hundred and Eight Stars through demonic swords ultimately lost their humanity?
If a Great Art of the Return-to-One Realm was unfolding here,
it undoubtedly had to be related to the One Hundred and Eight Stars or corpses.
"The One Hundred and Eight Stars are constellations."
And constellations,
since ancient times, were believed to be where death—or souls—were inscribed.
"Corpses, too, are tied to the concept of death."
Death.
Broadly interpreted, the words "One Hundred and Eight Stars" and "corpses" ultimately symbolized death.
And the Return-to-One Realm did not see death as an end, but rather as a passage connecting generations.
With this realization, the two massive boulders now resembled enormous tombs.
"And what connects that passage... is blood."
The Return-to-One Realm always used blood.
When they resurrected the deceased Blood Emperor in a new body, it was filled with blood.
When they lured martial artists born under the One Hundred and Eight Stars through demonic swords, they used the blood of the strong.
"If the Return-to-One Realm Lord summoned me here..."
Bu Eun-seol stepped between the two boulders.
"He must want my blood."
Splat!
Drawing blood with his Ink Soul Sword, he let it drip onto the massive boulder.
These stones were surely tombstones symbolizing this world and the next, and his blood would be the key to opening their gate.
The moment the blood touched the cold stone surface—
Grrrroooowl...
A low tremor spread, like ancient earth drawing breath.
Simultaneously, faint patterns began etching themselves onto the boulder's surface, then slowly emitted light from within the darkness.
Before long, formless patterns of gold and blue intertwined like living serpents, writhing wildly.
They connected, forming constellations in the sky.
Crrrrrack— KWAHAAAA!
Soon, an eerie sound erupted from the two boulders, now bleached white like pebbles.
Shhhhhlrrrr—
The massive stones shifted as if grinding against each other, releasing a majestic sound like the awakening of the primordial world.
'This is...'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
Thick mist now rose between the two boulders, and within it, faint silhouettes of souls flickered.
They stood like silent Death Gods guarding the entrance, radiating overwhelming killing intent—didn't they?
'I can't just walk in.'
After a moment of contemplation, Bu Eun-seol drew another drop of blood and flicked it into the mist.
Sssss—
As if a seal had been broken, the mist gradually dissipated.
The floating souls, as though bound by an ancient oath, parted to either side, clearing a path.
Once they stepped aside—
Beyond the entrance, in the darkness, an unfathomable, mystical space unfolded.
'I'm going in.'
Without hesitation, Bu Eun-seol stepped forward.
The moment he crossed the threshold, a light like melted starlight flowed from the ceiling, and along the walls, a corridor shimmered with constellations unlike those of the real world.
'This isn't a man-made passage.'
With every step down the seemingly endless corridor, visions flooded his mind—
A sacred place where death and ancient rituals intertwined.
This was a forbidden realm where profound truths slumbered, a sanctuary akin to a temple enshrining the divine.
'Why am I seeing these illusions?'
Pushing aside his doubts, Bu Eun-seol walked silently until, in the distance, he spotted what appeared to be an exit.
But then—
The souls that had lined the entrance now stood in formation before the exit as well.
Thud. Thud.
As Bu Eun-seol neared the exit—
Hssss—
The corners of the souls' lips twisted into sinister smiles.
As if they had been waiting for him to fall into a trap.
BOOOOM—
Suddenly, crimson light erupted from the ground beneath his feet, and the exit—once so close—receded into the distance.
Creak... creak...
As the exit grew infinitely farther, time and space twisted violently, tearing at his nerves—
And an endless tide of ominous whispers flooded his ears.
The gathered souls—
Now swarmed around him, murmuring incomprehensible words against his skin.
Sssss—
Chilling whispers, laced with frost, poured into him without end.
They carried—
Forgotten oaths of the long-dead, their final desperate words before death, regrets and resentments from lives long past.
Thud.
Hearing them, Bu Eun-seol found himself unable to take another step.
Words have the power to shake the human heart.
Negative words breed negative thoughts, seizing control of the spirit and mind.
The words these souls spilled forth—
Were curses steeped in centuries of unresolved grief and bitter remorse.
As those words, laden with such power, pierced straight into his mind—
The sturdy walls of his spirit were completely collapsing.
'I can't let this happen.'
Bu Eun-seol tried desperately to ignore them.
But the harder he resisted—
The more memories and emotions clashed within him, resurrecting countless past versions of himself, each standing at a crossroads of choices.
Choice is a condition for moving forward.
But human choices inevitably leave regrets.
Recalling those past selves—
Only dredged up the flaws and weaknesses of his spirit.
—Admit it. You walked the wrong path.
—Don't deny the fear inside you.
If he stopped now—
His mind would shatter instantly, and his soul would be trapped here forever.
'I must keep going.'
Humans are not gods.
Looking back, life is inevitably marked by regret—no matter what choices are made, there will always be lingering dissatisfaction.
Sometimes, the best choice—
Becomes the worst with the passage of time.
'I was no different.'
If he had followed his grandfather's advice—
If he had just used the Bone-Melting Powder—
At the very least, his corpse wouldn't have been used by vile men, denied eternal rest.
—Regret can also be the catalyst that hardens the heart. So never deny the past, nor the mistakes made then.
His grandfather had spoken often of regret.
Looking back, it was likely because he himself had carried so much of it.
—Just as dawn always follows the darkest night...
Even if now is shrouded in darkness, the moment of light will surely come.
His grandfather's calm smile had once illuminated their tiny room.
Perhaps, long ago, his grandfather had found that light—
Through his work as an undertaker.
And through the happiness of their shared daily life...
'I must move forward.'
Back then—
His grandfather had been the one who created light in Bu Eun-seol's world, the entirety of his existence.
Even if he could return to the past, that choice would never change.
A hundred times, a thousand times—he would never, ever, have used the Bone-Melting Powder.
'In the end, nothing would be different.'
At last, Bu Eun-seol understood.
There may be regret, but the choices themselves would remain unchanged.
People lament their past decisions, wishing they had chosen differently—
But it is precisely because of those choices that the present self exists.
'Otherwise, the past would be nothing but regret.'
Because of those moments of choice—
Because they led to who he was now—Bu Eun-seol took another step.
And another.
Breaking through the veil of mist, he suddenly found the ground beneath him gone.
Endless darkness sprawled below, and above it, a path of faint light stretched forward.
The moment he stepped onto that path—
"You must not enter this place!"
This time, it wasn't the lament of souls—but the voice of a living person.
Yu Un-ryong's voice.
Turning his head, Bu Eun-seol saw Yu Un-ryong sprinting toward him from the entrance, drenched in sweat.
Yu Un-ryong shouted as he ran.
"This is a trap! If you go any further, you'll die!"
His face was slick with exertion.
He had pushed his Lightness Art to its limits, racing from the Demon Hall to reach him in time.