Chapter 1034
"How dare you!"
To think this so-called Heir of the Demon Hall was a madman who dared to deny the authority of the Seven Great Demon Ancestors?
KWAANG!
Nahu, clad in white, erupted with the pristine energy coiled throughout his entire body.
Had he been incapable of detecting the Beast Path's petty tricks, he wouldn't have even set foot in the Demon Hall in the first place.
But then—
"Are you trying to destroy this hall's archives?"
Giiing.
The energy flowing from Nahu's body vanished in an instant.
Just as the force he unleashed grew so overwhelming it threatened to obliterate the entire archive, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor severed it with a mere thought.
"Hall Master Sado!"
As Nahu seethed with fury, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor replied indifferently,
"The ancient texts here are priceless—no amount of gold could buy them."
His expression was so serene it seemed as though a drifting cloud might appear behind him at any moment.
Then, Bu Eun-seol spoke coldly.
"Did you expect me to grovel in worship just because you're a lackey of the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor?"
"Wh-what?!"
"The so-called Seven Great Demon Ancestors are nothing more than legends passed down in the martial world."
Truthfully, merely presenting the severed heads of the White Horse Monastery's elite was no different from displaying the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor's might.
Yet Bu Eun-seol was outright denying their authority.
"You bastard—step outside the Demon Hall!"
"I am in the middle of a conversation with the Hall Master. You are the one who barged in late."
Nahu's rage burned white-hot, his pupils nearly rolling back from fury.
But that infuriating brat was clinging right beside the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—what could he do?
Budul-budul.
Swallowing his molten anger, Nahu turned his gaze to the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
But something was strange.
Within the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's icy pupils, wasn't there a clear, seething contempt?
"Hmph."
Finally grasping the situation, Nahu snorted and said,
"Hall Master Sado. I had wondered why a man like you would choose such a lunatic as your successor."
A white mist began to swirl vividly in his eyes.
"But now I see—you intended to manipulate everything through that unruly brat."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor said nothing, merely smiling faintly.
"Do you truly mean to deny the authority of the Seven Great Demon Ancestors?"
"......"
"The Great Demon Ancestor will soon return to the martial world to reclaim his full power. And when chaos erupts, the Demon Hall will bear the responsibility."
Nahu's face twisted with malice as he spat,
"Hall Master Sado. In the end, you will be the one to strike down that insolent heir yourself!"
With a shriek-like curse, he vanished like dissipating fog.
A heavy silence filled the archives.
'How curious.'
Given the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's temperament, whether the Seven Great Demon Ancestors appeared or not, he would have immediately severed that arrogant Nahu's head.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor, who prized dignity above all, had simply stood by and allowed such an insult?
"Is there... a non-aggression pact in place?"
Bu Eun-seol couldn't help but ask.
Had it not been for the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's presence—
Even he would have wanted to cut off at least one of Nahu's arms for insulting their sect.
"Do you believe..."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor curled the corner of his lips slightly, a thread-like smile forming.
"...that agreements or oaths hold any meaning to me?"
As his lips lifted, chaos bloomed from the deepest recesses of his spirit and mind.
A pitch-black demonic energy, voracious enough to devour all things, wrenched open the fractures in his psyche, threatening collapse.
Kukukuku.
Simultaneously, a sinister aura of destruction and slaughter—capable of shaking the very roots of all living things—began corroding the surrounding air.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor was the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
A being unbound by the norms, formalities, or etiquette passed down through generations.
A man who disregarded even the conventions of martial arts, forging his own path through sheer will.
A Great Demon who rejected all existing frameworks.
Even if a pact with the Seven Great Demon Ancestors existed—why would he ever be constrained by it?
"And yet..."
Bu Eun-seol met the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's gaze squarely as he spoke.
"There must be a reason you refrained from acting."
In the past, he wouldn't have dared to question the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's words.
But this was a place where even the Demonic Path's traditions had shattered.
If he couldn't speak freely with the Demonic Heavenly Emperor here, if he still had to tread carefully—
Then what was the point of this private audience? Why waste such precious time?
"Do you want the Demonic Path to fracture?"
Bu Eun-seol posed the question with unflinching directness.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor nodded.
"Yes."
Though he had anticipated it, the answer was still difficult to comprehend.
The emergence of the Seven Great Demon Ancestors wasn't merely a division of the Demonic Path—it was an outright invasion of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's domain, where he had reigned unchallenged.
So why would he desire such a thing?
"However, the arrow will be aimed not at me—but at you. Not only have you diminished the Demonic Path's standing, but you've also provoked even the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor's underlings."
Only then did Bu Eun-seol realize.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor intended to use him as bait to draw out the Seven Great Demon Ancestors.
From the moment he had discerned their shadowy influence behind the Seven Demonic Sects, he had prepared for this clash.
No—he had wanted them to reveal their true colors.
So he could tear them out by the roots.
"That doesn't concern me."
Bu Eun-seol replied indifferently.
"If those so-called Demon Ancestors emerge, won't the Righteous Faction take care of it themselves?"
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor smiled meaningfully.
"Perhaps."
"Then why do you let those Demon Ancestors live?"
The question was an outright provocation.
It implied doubt in the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's power.
Even if the Supreme Cult Commander Yeop Hyo-cheon had asked such a thing, it would not have been overlooked.
But he'll let it slide.
Because, for now, Bu Eun-seol was still a valuable pawn—one that couldn't be discarded.
He had provoked the Demonic Heavenly Emperor precisely to confirm that fact once more.
"Hohoho."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor actually chuckled.
"To think the day would come when my power is questioned."
In that instant, Bu Eun-seol's hair stood on end, and he nearly unleashed his Internal Power reflexively.
The energy seeping from the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's darkened pupils had triggered an instinctive defensive reaction in his body.
"Commendable."
That single word made Bu Eun-seol realize—
Had he failed to suppress the surging power, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor would have severed his head without hesitation.
But Bu Eun-seol had restrained the reflexive outburst, and in doing so, earned the Emperor's acknowledgment once more.
Proof that he was still an extremely useful asset.
At any rate, even the Demonic Heavenly Emperor has reasons to avoid direct confrontation.
Though he spoke as if it were nothing—
Ultimately, there was some hidden reason why the Demonic Heavenly Emperor couldn't directly oppose the Seven Great Demon Ancestors.
"Let me tell you one more thing."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor smiled.
"Soon, you will learn the truth—both about my intentions and the Seven Great Demon Ancestors."
After a brief silence, Bu Eun-seol spoke again.
"May I ask one more thing?"
"Speak."
"If the Seven Great Demon Ancestors die... will the True Demon truly grow stronger?"
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor met Bu Eun-seol's gaze directly.
"Strength is relative, but—"
The corners of his lips curled slightly.
"Superficially, yes."
Superficially.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor enjoyed layering multiple meanings into a single phrase.
So, it's not as simple as the True Demon growing stronger if the Seven Great Demon Ancestors die.
If something splits into two and then reunites, shouldn't it naturally become stronger by the laws of nature?
But the Demonic Heavenly Emperor was implying that the Seven Great Demon Ancestors were not so straightforward.
"Thank you."
"Go now."
Bu Eun-seol bowed.
Until now, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had never revealed his true intentions or disclosed anything of substance.
Though the exchange hadn't been entirely satisfying, it was still valuable enough.
—I will bring down the Demonic Path.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor had clearly declared as much.
"Preparing for chaos and scraping away the rot is an excellent idea."
As Bu Eun-seol turned to leave, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor wore a faint smile.
It was the smile of an ordinary old man—but to Bu Eun-seol's eyes, it resembled the demonic grin of a fiend capable of annihilating the world.
"When that happens, everything will emerge in its complete form—and you will grow even stronger."
An eerie statement.
But there was no room left to question further.
"Then."
Bu Eun-seol turned once more and bowed.
His eyes, as he stepped out of the Holy Demon Pavilion, were endlessly calm.
I am part of his plans.
Truthfully, he had known for a long time.
That the Demonic Heavenly Emperor was using him for something.
But now, things will be different.
Bu Eun-seol, too, was using the Demonic Heavenly Emperor for his own schemes.
Even the fact that the Emperor and the Seven Great Demon Ancestors were at odds... he had suspected from the beginning.
Otherwise, he would never have been able to touch the Fire Rain Sword Sect—let alone the Extinction Palace.
The only thing that bothers me is that phrase—'complete form.'
Why would everything emerge in its complete form if the martial world is thrown into chaos?
One thing is certain—the Demonic Heavenly Emperor knows what that 'complete form' is.
A heavy breath escaped him involuntarily.
At the very least, there was some comfort in knowing that the secrets of the Seven Great Demon Ancestors would soon be uncovered.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor always fulfilled his words.
If Bu Eun-seol failed to uncover them himself, the Emperor would reveal them personally.
"Now, chaos will come."
With the emergence of the Seven Great Demon Ancestors, opposing forces would rise.
The martial world's balance—packaged as the two diverging paths of Orthodox and Unorthodox—would crumble like fragile glass.
And the forces lurking in the Abyss would emerge like bamboo shoots after rain.
"Summon Dharma Protector Tak."
Entering the Hidden Demon Pavilion, Bu Eun-seol called for Tak Il-hon—who had been training the unit members—for reasons unknown.
Having left the Demon Hall, Bu Eun-seol walked through a quiet, open field on the outskirts.
Nahu, the Heavenly Scripture.
A subordinate of the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor—one of the Seven Great Demon Ancestors, considered the origin of the Demonic Path.
The Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor had not only established its own faction but also carved out a unique Domain through a special power.
Thus, Nahu, who could freely move through the martial world, must be the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor's right-hand man.
And yet—such a man had been humiliated by a mere youth, even insulted as a "lowly servant"...
No matter if his opponent was the Heir of the Demon Hall, there was no way he would endure such disgrace and retreat quietly.
How long had he been walking?
Kwawooo—
Suddenly, a fierce gale began to sweep across the field, and—
Ziiing—
A white shadow gradually materialized before his eyes.
It was the Heavenly Scripture Nahu.
"As expected of the Heir of the Demon Hall, you've got nerve."
Upon seeing Bu Eun-seol walking alone through the outskirts beyond the Demon Hall, Nahu had immediately discerned that he was luring him out.
Yet, he hadn't revealed himself right away. Instead, he meticulously scouted the surrounding area for dozens of li, confirming that there were no ambushes—that Bu Eun-seol truly was alone—before finally making his appearance.
"You thought I wouldn't kill you because of Hall Master Sado? ...But you miscalculated."
Nahu's lips twisted into a smirk.
"Did you really believe that just because you're the Heir of the Demon Hall, I wouldn't dare kill you?"
His cruel smile deepened as he observed Bu Eun-seol's indifferent expression.
"Even if I can't kill the Hall Master... taking one of the heir's arms is hardly an issue."
"Where is the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor?"
"That's none of your business."
"Then I'll ask just one thing."
Bu Eun-seol's voice remained calm.
"Why does the Hall Master intend to eradicate the Seven Great Demon Ancestors?"
Nahu had originally planned to sever Bu Eun-seol's arm immediately, regardless of what he said.
But hearing such words, he couldn't simply let it slide.
"You're saying Hall Master Sado is plotting that?"
"You didn't know?"
"Ridiculous nonsense."
"Do you think I'd waste my time wandering this field just to spout lies while waiting for you?"
Though the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had revealed much in their private meeting, he had withheld the most crucial information—details about the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor, who would soon make their appearance.
Of course, Bu Eun-seol could have mobilized the Death Soul Squad to investigate, but that would take too much time.
So instead, knowing Nahu bore a grudge against him, he deliberately lured him out to extract the information himself.
"Seems it's true."
Nahu scoffed after studying Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
"Sado Mu-myeong... That man has always sought to destroy the Demonic Path first."
He was already leaking unexpected, vital intel from the very start.
"Ever since he prevented us from touching the Sacred Realm, something was off."
Bu Eun-seol's pupils flickered slightly at the unexpected revelation.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor had protected the Sacred Realm?
"Well, it doesn't matter now. With the Demon Ancestor's emergence, the martial world will slowly crumble. Your Demon Hall won't be spared either."
"You intend to attack the main hall?"
"Attack? Heh-heh. You really know nothing."
Nahu's lips curled higher.
"The entire martial world will soon plunge into chaos, and the Demon Hall will bear the blame."
"Why would the main hall take responsibility?"
"You'll see for yourself."
Sssk—
Before he could react, a blinding white radiance coiled around Bu Eun-seol's right arm.
Was this the power of a Supernatural Ability?
Even with his Extrasensory Perception, he hadn't sensed it—
A bizarre technique had been unleashed, wrapping a silk whip around his forearm in an instant.
"You think the Beast Path is the only one that can deceive the senses?"
Nahu gritted his teeth.
He believed Bu Eun-seol had tricked his senses when he struck his cheek from behind the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—
And now, he intended to repay the humiliation in kind.
"Today, I'll just take one of your arms."
Whooosh—
Without giving him a chance to speak, the white whip began spinning at blinding speed.
The silk whip sharpened like a saw, rotating with enough force to sever even a Vajra Indestructible Body in a single stroke.
Krrrk—
White sparks erupted from Bu Eun-seol's forearm.
Nahu's confident expression gradually stiffened.
Even though he had unleashed the White Demon Severing Shadow, a technique capable of slicing through diamond in an instant—
All it did was produce sparks. His arm remained unharmed.
"How...?"
Nahu's mouth fell open.
For the first time, he realized Bu Eun-seol had reached a realm beyond his imagination.
"How could the Heir of the Demon Hall attain such a level?"
In the past, Bu Eun-seol had described the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's power as Endless and Unnameable.
Now, Nahu was experiencing the same sensation while looking at Bu Eun-seol.
A boundless realm, stretching endlessly beyond any name.
"As expected of a lackey, your techniques are just as crude."
Bu Eun-seol had originally intended to cloak himself in Harmonization.
Since the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor was said to be the absolute origin of the Demonic Path, unseen in the martial world until now, he had assumed they would possess formidable abilities.
But upon seeing Nahu's impatient temperament, he deduced his martial prowess wasn't particularly impressive.
The moment Nahu swung his whip, Bu Eun-seol had already discerned his target—his right arm—
And simply channeled the immense internal energy circulating within him directly into his forearm.
"Your skills are only good for beating up small fry."
As Bu Eun-seol slowly advanced, Nahu's body trembled faintly without his realizing.
"Is this the Heavenly Dipper Body?"
The White Demon Severing Shadow could even cleanly slice through Divine Swords and Treasured Sabers.
He had no idea Bu Eun-seol had concentrated internal energy surpassing ten sixty-year measure into his forearm.
He had mistakenly believed that the boy had reached the legendary Heavenly Dipper Body.
"What in the world is this?!"
He shouted in disbelief.
Even the elite monks of the White Horse Monastery had failed to block a single one of his strikes and had their heads severed.
So how could this mere brat possess such martial prowess?
'He's not connected to the Abyssal Forces.'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed as he observed Nahu.
Though the circumstances of the other Seven Great Demon Ancestors remained unknown, it was clear that the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor had failed to properly assess the current state of the martial world.
Otherwise, they would have surely recognized his martial prowess—enough to contend with a Martial Extreme Realm master.
"Heavenly Dipper Body? Don't make me laugh."
Bu Eun-seol scoffed.
Swoosh.
Before anyone realized, his right hand now gripped the Ink Soul Sword, its blade wreathed in a dark, mist-like aura.
"How about a tour of hell instead?"
Screeeech!
A piercing shriek tore through the heavens as the inky sword energy began engulfing the world.
In that instant, Nahu's eyes widened.
Bloody Tears Seven Forms.
The moment the legendary sword technique of the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade unfolded before him, he instinctively knew—
The scythe of the Death God had already settled around his neck, impossible to evade.
Splat!
In that very moment, a spray of blood erupted as an arm thudded to the ground.
Realizing he couldn't dodge the Bloody Tears Seven Forms at such close range, Nahu had made a split-second decision—
Sacrificing one arm to ensure his escape.
"Fast."
Bu Eun-seol watched the direction in which Nahu had vanished.
His movement technique was unparalleled in the world.
Tracking down a master of Nahu's caliber wouldn't have been difficult.
But he had deliberately let him go.
Because—
"Elder Tak. Can you pursue him?"
At Bu Eun-seol's words, a low voice resonated from the empty air.
[This old servant will stake his life on it.]
BOOM!
Simultaneously, a black meteor streaked across the distant sky.
When he had first stepped outside the Demon Hall,
he had summoned Tak Il-hon and ordered him to conceal himself nearby.
He had anticipated Nahu's attack.
And now, he would use him to trace the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor's trail.
"If it's Protector Tak, he'll undoubtedly seize their tail."
Tak Il-hon's lightness skill was second only to the legendary Xiao Yao.
With the seasoned experience and insight of a battle-hardened veteran, his tracking ability was unmatched.
When it came to pursuing someone like Nahu—a mere messenger of the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor, strong in martial arts but nothing more—
There was no one more suited for the task.
"Soon, we'll be able to put an end to the chaos in the martial world."
His breathing steady, his gaze was as unyielding as steel.
"Every shadow-dwelling force will be forced into the light."
The die had already been cast.
Though the dark entities lurking beneath the surface would emerge, plunging the martial world into unprecedented turmoil—
This was all groundwork for excising the festering tumor.
Bu Eun-seol intended to drag every power corrupted by darkness into the open, restore order to the martial world,
and in the process, uncover the mastermind behind his grandfather's assassination.
—A secret vault filled with spirit medicines and martial arts manuals has appeared!
When this rumor first spread, the martial world's reaction had been lukewarm.
Tales of treasure discoveries often circulated in the martial world, but most turned out to be false.
Besides, rumors surrounding secret vaults were always exaggerated.
Even if one were real, by the time word spread, its contents would have long been plundered.
But then, another bizarre piece of news shook the martial world once more.
—The vault is alive and moves on its own!
It was an absurd claim.
A vault, by nature, was an immobile structure—how could it possibly move?
—The moving vault has been confirmed to exist.
The mysterious vault, said to move of its own accord, truly began appearing across the martial world, and those who encountered it gained rare opportunities.
Song Bang, a second-rate swordsman from Tianshan,
publicly admitted that he had obtained spirit medicine and the Snow Eagle Sword Manual from the moving vault, elevating him to the ranks of peak masters.
—I, too, am proof.
Wang Jeong, once renowned as a master of hidden weapons and movement techniques,
had his legs paralyzed after being struck by the Shadowless Sword of Ha Un-bi (Wang Jeong was the Lone Soaring Falcon).
Yet, after acquiring spirit medicine from the moving vault, his legs recovered, allowing him to wield the Great Gale Whirlwind Kick and resume his life as a wandering hero.
—The moving vault only appears within the Demonic Path's territory.
The moving vault—
Some called it the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship, likening it to a vessel that sailed vast distances.
Others referred to it as the Fortune's Cargo, believing it carried rare treasures by means of living energy.
—It only appears... within the Demonic Path's domain.
Martial artists who studied the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship soon uncovered a peculiar pattern.
Strangely enough,
it only manifested within territories controlled by the Demonic Path.
—Let's go! We must find the treasure!
From the martial artists' perspective,
it didn't matter whether the vault appeared in Demonic Path territory or some uninhabited island.
Only one thing mattered—the fact that the moving vault truly existed.
And so, they roamed the martial world relentlessly, consumed by greed in their search for the vault.
Among them were not just nameless martial artists, but also orthodox factions like the Martial Alliance and the Azure Heaven Alliance,
the Nine Great Sects and One Gang, the Eight Great Families, and even the Wandering Souls Society—a coalition of vagabonds who crossed the boundaries between orthodox and unorthodox factions.
Truly, the entire martial world
had transformed into a massive arena of greed, all chasing after the moving vault—the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship.