Chapter 1021
The young man swept his gaze over Bu Eun-seol and Yu Un-ryong in turn before—
Whoosh.
—bringing his hands together in a gesture that was courteous yet carried an indescribable arrogance.
"The Palace Master had unavoidable circumstances arise, so I, as the Cloud Liaison Officer of the Extinction Palace, have come in his stead."
Unaware that Bu Eun-seol had already discerned his true identity, he boldly introduced himself as Eung-bi, the Cloud Liaison Officer of the Extinction Palace.
Of course, that wasn't entirely false either.
The position of Cloud Liaison Officer—responsible for investigating and resolving disputes between sects—often recruited outsiders for the role.
"Hmm."
Bu Eun-seol nodded with an unhurried expression.
Under normal circumstances, this would have been nothing short of an insult, but knowing the young man's true identity allowed him to remain composed.
"That's strange."
Just then, Yu Un-ryong spoke up flatly.
"Our hall has already compiled records on all the key figures of the Extinction Palace, yet this is the first time I've seen such a young Cloud Liaison Officer."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Might I inquire about your esteemed name? This commander's eyesight isn't what it used to be, so I can't quite recognize who you are."
"Eung-bi," the young man replied leisurely.
"A nameless wanderer of the Martial World, and my appointment was less than a year ago... So it's only natural you wouldn't know me."
"A hawk that soars the heavens."
A fitting name for the sharp-featured youth who bore the Heaven-Slaying Star.
"I am Yu Un-ryong, Sanghak Unit Commander of the Death Shadow War Unit."
Yu Un-ryong stepped forward, offering a perfunctory bow as he spoke.
"The reason the Lord has visited is to confirm once more whether the Extinction Palace truly intends to withdraw from our hall."
This should have been a matter for the Extinction Palace Master himself to address.
Yet here stood Eung-bi, a young man claiming the obscure title of Cloud Liaison Officer.
In that case, rather than Bu Eun-seol engaging directly, it was only proper for Yu Un-ryong to handle the negotiations at an equivalent level.
"You must have already verified the Palace Master's seal."
"A seal is something anyone could forge, isn't it?"
Eung-bi replied nonchalantly.
"Let me reiterate—the Extinction Palace's stance remains unchanged."
"Is the position of Cloud Liaison Officer within the Extinction Palace truly of sufficient rank to finalize negotiations of this magnitude?"
At Yu Un-ryong's question, Eung-bi's lips curled slightly.
"When a Second-grade Commander of the Demon Hall comes to negotiate with our palace, there's no reason a Cloud Liaison Officer can't do the same."
"Then may I take that to mean you, Cloud Liaison Officer Eung, possess full authority over these negotiations?"
With Bu Eun-seol present, Yu Un-ryong could be said to have fully inherited the authority to negotiate.
But this Eung-bi had recklessly come alone...
Yu Un-ryong was questioning whether the young man truly held complete authority over the matter.
'If it were Chu-so, he would've prepared a countermeasure for this.'
Yu Un-ryong had already received a Voice Transmission from Bu Eun-seol and knew Eung-bi was the Heaven-Slaying Star, a subordinate of Chu-so.
"Authority or not, this too is the Palace Master's will."
"So what you're saying is that you're merely a messenger relaying the Extinction Palace Master's words, with no actual authority in these negotiations. Is that not correct?"
As Yu Un-ryong pressed relentlessly, Eung-bi snorted.
"Draw your own conclusions. I have no obligation to answer such questions."
"An obligation will arise."
Yu Un-ryong's lips curved.
"Before I am a Second-grade Commander of the Demon Hall, I am the Deputy Lord of the Martial Soul Order—and I intend to begin an investigation into the Extinction Palace's rebellion."
Eung-bi's eyebrows shot up in an instant.
Because Bu Eun-seol so rarely wielded his power, the title of Martial Soul Lord had become more like an epithet.
People often forgot the sheer authority it carried.
Martial Soul Lord.
At the end of the day, he was—
The Lord of the Martial Soul Order, granted by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor himself the authority to audit all organizations under the Demon Hall's banner.
"Have you not received a letter stating that our palace does not belong to the Demon Hall?"
Eung-bi raised his brows as he spoke.
"That is merely the Extinction Palace Master's opinion. The Demonic Heavenly Emperor has yet to grant permission."
Yu Un-ryong replied leisurely.
"And the reason for your withdrawal could very well be the first step toward rebellion."
Even if the Extinction Palace Master declared his intent to leave, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had yet to make his stance known.
Moreover, what if the Palace Master's withdrawal was for the sake of rebellion—or to orchestrate some scheme against the Demon Hall?
Far from accepting the withdrawal, there was more than enough reason for the Demon Hall to conduct an audit before that happened.
"Truly, you live up to the Death Shadow War Unit's reputation as strategists."
Despite the unexpected turn, Eung-bi's gaze remained utterly unshaken.
Eung-bi was a subordinate of the Heavenly Mechanism Star.
Naturally, he would have prepared countermeasures for this very scenario.
"Very well."
"Are you saying you'll submit to an investigation?"
"Far from it."
Eung-bi turned his gaze toward the door and muttered,
"I'm just suggesting we skip the tedious formalities."
Thud. Thud.
Then, the sound of low, deliberate footsteps echoed once more, and a towering, gaunt middle-aged man stepped into view.
His height, as if piercing the heavens, was grotesque—like a withered bamboo stalk mimicking human form. His emaciated frame bore almost no trace of flesh, every joint starkly protruding. The wrists and ankles peeking out from beneath his gray robes looked so brittle they might snap at any moment.
Yet within that frailty lurked a terrifying resilience, as if forged from molten steel.
Sindo Jang-cheong—the foremost master of the demonic path's palm arts, wielder of the two most feared hands in the world, and the long-awaited lord of the Extinction Palace—had finally revealed himself.
Sindo Jang-cheong studied Bu Eun-seol for a moment before nodding indifferently.
"Martial Soul Lord."
His face was so gaunt that his cheekbones jutted sharply, his eyes sunken deep into their sockets. But within those shadowed hollows, his gleaming black pupils resembled an unfathomable abyss.
Yet his gaze did not belong to the living—it felt more like the specter of an ancient tree that had endured countless eons in solitude.
'His martial arts have truly ascended.'
Sindo Jang-cheong had rarely shown himself, even during the Demonic Governance Council meetings, often citing seclusion as his reason.
But Bu Eun-seol had once estimated the Extinction Palace Lord's martial prowess through his battle with Sindo Un-hwi.
Father and son inevitably resemble each other, and a disciple's internal power reflects their master's.
Yet even with prior intelligence about his martial progression, Sindo Jang-cheong's current strength far exceeded expectations.
'I anticipated an increase in his internal power, but not to this extent.'
Bu Eun-seol had already predicted that Sindo Jang-cheong's martial prowess had advanced.
But the man standing before him now surpassed even those estimations by an immeasurable margin.
"I believe this is our first private audience at such close quarters."
Sindo Jang-cheong sat without hesitation on a shabby, worn-out chair.
Then, something miraculous occurred.
The moment he settled into the dilapidated guest hall, it was as if a flickering candle flame had suddenly steadied—an aura of restraint and grandeur unfurled.
The rough wooden pillars now seemed like ancient columns steeped in history, and even the cracks in the walls felt like deliberate patterns woven through time.
The space where he sat transformed into a divine bodhisattva's throne, and the wind seeping through the twisted window frames turned reverently silent.
Divine Majesty Manifested, Sacred Presence Embodied.
Where he sat, dignity radiated; where he stood, holiness followed.
This was the exalted realm of a grandmaster who had stepped into the Martial Extreme Realm—displayed in full clarity.
"Palace Lord."
Bu Eun-seol bowed in respect.
"It is an honor to receive your august presence."
These exceedingly courteous words implied both recognition of Sindo Jang-cheong's ascension to the Martial Extreme Realm and congratulations for it.
Yet Sindo Jang-cheong showed no trace of emotion and replied flatly,
"Your bearing has grown more imposing, Lord. At this rate, Hall Master Sado may soon have to step aside."
"You flatter me."
"However—"
After offering high praise, Sindo Jang-cheong bared his fangs.
"—regrettably, you will not ascend to the position of Demon Hall's master."
The corners of his parched lips curled upward.
"Truly a pity, isn't it?"
In the end, his words reaffirmed his unwavering resolve to secede from the Demon Hall.
"That may well be."
Still, Bu Eun-seol responded with undisturbed composure.
"However, I fear the Extinction Palace's withdrawal from the Demon Hall will prove difficult."
"And what makes you say that?"
"I mean that I will not permit it."
The resolute reply plunged the pavilion into a silence as heavy as death.
Sindo Jang-cheong, who had remained expressionless like a block of wood, now wore a bizarre expression.
"'Will not permit'... you say?"
He stared directly at Bu Eun-seol, his voice icy.
"Not even Hall Master Sado could make such a declaration."
"Correct."
Bu Eun-seol answered calmly.
"Had the Demonic Heavenly Emperor been here, this conversation would not have happened. He would have severed your head without hesitation."
"So then, Martial Soul Lord—are you now..."
Sindo Jang-cheong's lips curled into a sneer.
"...trying to cow me with Hall Master Sado's authority?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
Bu Eun-seol replied with an utterly composed expression.
"The Demonic Path Ten Gates are the Sky of the Demonic Path and the pillars of the Demon Hall. If even one of them falls away, it can no longer be called the Demon Hall."
Then, his sharp gaze locked onto Sindo Jang-cheong.
"If the Palace Master does not reconsider his stance, it will be an act of rebellion—against this hall... and against the Demonic Heavenly Emperor."
"Hahahaha!"
Suddenly, Sindo Jang-cheong erupted into wild laughter.
After cackling for a long while, his face returned to complete impassivity.
This flawless, emotionless mask—devoid of even a hair's breadth of feeling—
was precisely what sent chills down the spines of the martial world's most formidable figures.
"Martial Soul Lord. Ever since you took command of the Martial Soul Division, the prestige of the Demonic Path Ten Gates has plummeted day by day."
Sindo Jang-cheong spoke in a low voice.
"At first, I thought it was just retribution—that the Demonic Path Ten Gates had provoked you, and thus deserved what followed. Even the demonic factions understood that much."
"......"
"But now, anyone with eyes can see the truth. You do not act for the sake of the Demonic Path. You wield your authority and command your forces for personal vengeance."
Bu Eun-seol tilted his head slightly, as if puzzled.
"I fail to see the difference between walking the path of Demonic Hegemony for personal ambition... and walking it for personal revenge."
Then, his voice turned decisive once more.
"If the Palace Master does not retract his stance, the Extinction Palace will cease to exist in the martial world."
"Hohoho."
Sindo Jang-cheong chuckled softly before nodding.
"Now that you've said it outright, I feel much lighter."
His tone then turned solemn.
"As of this moment, the Demonic Path Ten Gates no longer exist. And you, Martial Soul Lord, are now this palace's greatest enemy."
"Very well."
The negotiations had cleanly collapsed.
From this moment onward, a full-scale war between the Death Shadow War Unit and the Extinction Palace would unfold.
"Then I shall take my leave."
As Bu Eun-seol rose from his seat, Sindo Jang-cheong remarked,
"Your numbers don't even seem to reach four hundred. The warriors of the Death Shadow War Unit."
"......"
"If that handful can withstand the forces of this palace, it would truly be a wonder of the martial world."
As Sindo Jang-cheong stood, an overwhelming aura surged forth like rolling clouds.
"So you intend to strike immediately?"
"Did you not already foresee this?"
Sindo Jang-cheong snorted.
"With your famed intellect, surely you didn't come here without calculating every possible move?"
"Naturally, I anticipated it."
Bu Eun-seol turned away with a detached expression.
"I expected you to strike from behind in silence—not so brazenly in broad daylight."
Then, he smirked.
"Though I did wonder if you'd really burn down your own house just to catch one lord."
By blaming Bu Eun-seol for their secession, the Extinction Palace had crafted a justification—
a reason he could not help but visit in person.
And in doing so, they had also secured a pretext to kill him.
"Then this means the Death Shadow War Unit has every right to annihilate the Extinction Palace."
If they attacked him without warning during negotiations—
it would no longer be a mere withdrawal from the Demon Hall, but an outright assassination plot against its lord.
And with that, the Demon Hall's full forces would be justified in crushing the Extinction Palace.
"Perhaps, if you return alive. But once I quietly dispose of you here, I'll have more than enough reasons to spin the tale."
"Do you truly think keeping me here will be so easy?"
No matter that this was the heart of the Extinction Palace.
No matter that thousands of warriors surrounded them.
If Bu Eun-seol wished to escape—
it was far from impossible.
"Yet I've heard you never abandon your subordinates."
"I must preserve this life if I am to avenge them, no?"
"Hohoho, indeed. That's precisely why I lured you here."
Thud.
Zzzzzzz—
At that moment, Eung-bi lightly stamped his foot on the floor.
Then—
The sky darkened.
The surroundings began drowning in shadow.
Like a massive beast opening its maw to swallow the entire pavilion—
the darkness poured forth like viscous black liquid, thick and suffocating.
In this absolute blackness, where opening one's eyes made no difference, even the sense of direction vanished instantly.
"So this entire pavilion was the trap."
As Bu Eun-seol murmured—
Screeeech—
A ghastly friction echoed.
The very space twisted, sealing shut with an alien sensation that coiled around his body.
Every possible path of escape he had envisioned—vanished without a trace.
THUD.
Simultaneously, the heavy sound of an unseen, colossal lock clicking into place reverberated through the darkness.
"I put some thought into it."
Sindo Jang-cheong spoke with his hands clasped behind his back.
"Creating a space even the Martial Soul Lord of the world cannot escape is no easy feat, you see."
"A fascinating battle formation."
At that moment, Yu Un-ryong let out an exclamation of admiration.
"To surpass the principles of formation studies scattered throughout Murim and completely seal off both the Life Gate and the Death Gate—remarkable."
Eung-bi, who had been standing silently, nodded with a face full of pride.
"This formation can only be undone by offering the enemy's blood as a sacrifice."
Then, with a smirk, he added:
"Until the hearts of the two who entered this formation stop beating, this Prison of Absolute Darkness will never end."
Judging by how confidently he declared it—
There was no doubt this was an ancient formation taught to them by the Heavenly Mechanism Star.
"So that's why only two could enter."
Yu Un-ryong nodded in understanding.
"Ancient formations like this, which completely eliminate the Life Gate, generally require perfect harmony between Yin and Yang."
If Bu Eun-seol had truly resolved to escape, even mobilizing all the disciples of the Extinction Palace wouldn't have been enough to stop him.
The Heavenly Mechanism Star had designed a formation from which there was absolutely no way out.
However, the conditions for achieving perfect Yin-Yang harmonization were so stringent that even with his abilities, the number of people who could enter was limited to just four.
That was why they had lured only Bu Eun-seol and his single subordinate here—
And deployed the strongest combatants who could guarantee his elimination: Sindo Jang-cheong and the Heaven-Slaying Star.
"Even if the Demonic Heavenly Emperor himself were to come, he wouldn't be able to undo this formation until the two inside are dead."
'So Pa-myeong isn't making an appearance.'
Bu Eun-seol's gaze turned icy as he listened to Sindo Jang-cheong's declaration.
Based solely on Jong Baek's earlier words—
He couldn't be sure what kind of cooperative relationship existed between Pa-myeong, one of the Three Attendants, and the Heavenly Mechanism Star.
'Which means they were confident this level of force would be enough to kill me.'
If he hadn't known about Eung-bi—
He might have scoffed, wondering how a mere two people could possibly pose a threat.
But Eung-bi was the Heaven-Slaying Star.
Having clashed with him before when rescuing Wooden Buddha—
Bu Eun-seol knew full well just how terrifying his supernatural power was, just how immense his potential truly was.
Unlike the ordinary members of the One Hundred and Eight Stars, he was not bound by the limitations of a domain.
He was a man capable of unleashing transcendent speed and wielding multiple supernatural abilities.
And now, with the Extinction Palace Lord joining him—
This was no longer a battle where victory could be taken for granted.
"Shall we begin?"
This time, it wasn't the Extinction Palace Lord but the Heaven-Slaying Star who stepped forward to face Bu Eun-seol.
What remained now was a fight to the death—
Trapped inside an ancient killing formation with no exit, against the Heaven-Slaying Star, who would inevitably deliver death and despair to his enemies—
And the Extinction Palace Lord, whose mere touch could shatter a heart into pieces.
"Un-ryong."
The Extinction Palace Lord stood at a level rivaling the Martial Extreme Realm, while the Heaven-Slaying Star's limits were unfathomable.
Once the battle began, Yu Un-ryong could lose his life in an instant.
[With this Mind's Eye Mirror...]
Yu Un-ryong swiftly sent a voice transmission.
[Even if this Extinction Palace Lord is a master of the Martial Extreme Realm, I can hold out for a quarter-hour...]
Then, he revealed a single gleaming bracelet on his wrist.
It was an Immortal Artifact taken from the Divine Maiden Palace.
In the past, Yu Un-ryong had endured a quarter-hour against the Spear Master, a Martial Extreme Realm expert, using only the early-stage Mind's Eye Mirror.
Now, with an improved Mind's Eye Mirror and the Divine Maiden Palace's Immortal Artifact—
He might not win, but he could hold his own against the Extinction Palace Lord for a quarter-hour.
"Hmm."
Eung-bi's eyes sharpened as he let out a low hum.
Bu Eun-seol and Yu Un-ryong were displaying an eerily calm and composed physiological response.
"Curious. How can you face this situation so indifferently?"
Truthfully, the idea that the Extinction Palace had sent a secession notice to the Demon Hall just to trap and kill Bu Eun-seol—
Was an utterly nonsensical plan.
If their goal was simply to kill him, there were countless other methods.
There was no need to provoke the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's wrath, no need to incite unrest among the Million Demon Blades—
No need to orchestrate such an elaborate scheme.
"Did you think I wouldn't know?"
Bu Eun-seol smirked as he stared at Eung-bi, whose brow was furrowed.
"The full extent of this plan."
"You knew?"
"Of course."
His gaze, fixed on Eung-bi, radiated a glacial coldness like the depths of an eternal ice cave.
"Only this method would allow you to publicly bring me into the Extinction Palace under the watchful eyes of all Murim—"
"......"
"And only by trapping and killing me inside an unbreakable formation could you deceive the world and create a fake Martial Soul Lord."
For an instant, Eung-bi's pupils trembled like rippling water.
The Heavenly Mechanism Star's plan was flawless. No one could see through it. Failure was impossible.
And yet, this man had not only seen through everything—
He had willingly walked into this pit of death, fully aware that everything he was would be stolen by an imposter.