Chapter 1035
Demon Hall, Hidden Demon Pavilion. Grand Conference Chamber.
All members present, including Bu Eun-seol, wore grave expressions as the meeting progressed.
The moving treasure vault—the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship.
They now knew without a doubt that it was the work of the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor.
"It truly is moving."
These were Tak Il-hon's first words upon returning after an entire month of pursuing the Heavenly Scripture holder, Nahu.
"The Secret Vault, my lord."
The place where Nahu—who had fled Changsha Prefecture like a madman, his arm severed, unleashing his movement technique—had arrived was...
A deep forested mountain in Shaanxi.
Tracking him covertly and reaching the mountain, Tak Il-hon soon witnessed an unbelievable sight.
Though it had appeared to be an ordinary forest at first glance...
Upon entering, a towering mountain with a massive gate had materialized before him.
—Then this is no mountain, but the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor's headquarters?
As soon as the thought crossed Tak Il-hon's mind...
The towering mountain abruptly took on the appearance of an artificial construct, with a separate entrance deliberately fashioned for entry.
Though he sensed something amiss, he boldly stepped inside to investigate.
"The moment I entered, traces of spiritual herbs and spirit beasts were clearly visible from the very entrance. The winding passages, tangled like a labyrinth, were lined with enormous grand halls and stone chambers."
Tak Il-hon's gaze deepened, as if reliving the memory.
"And within those chambers lay chests—some containing martial arts manuals, others holding spirit beasts or spiritual herbs."
He continued his explanation.
The interior of the colossal structure was a single Secret Vault, housing countless spirit medicines and martial arts manuals.
"However, the stone chambers and grand halls storing the spirit beasts or martial manuals were rigged with traps and vile Great Arts."
Tak Il-hon shook his head.
"Meanwhile, martial artists were slaughtering each other like rabid dogs in a feeding frenzy over the treasures."
After taking a deep breath, he resumed.
"Sensing something was deeply wrong, I tried to avoid the martial artists and investigate deeper within..."
Deep furrows formed between Tak Il-hon's brows.
"But the further I ventured, the more an overwhelming, ominous energy spread. I realized the labyrinth stretched endlessly, far beyond what my aged mind could unravel."
In the end, he attempted to abandon his investigation and escape the vault.
"Yet, perhaps because I had gone too deep, the maze had already grown impossibly convoluted. The battle formations were layered so densely that my waning intellect could no longer navigate them."
After much struggle, he barely managed to escape—only to find that an entire month had passed by the time he returned.
"Even more astonishing was that when I emerged, I wasn't in Shaanxi, but in a small village in Shanxi."
Tak Il-hon's voice trembled as if reliving the shock of that moment.
"On my way back, I overheard martial artists whispering about the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship. That was when I learned the mountain I had wandered through had somehow transformed into a massive ship."
The assembled leaders wore solemn expressions.
Originally, the moving vault had no name.
But once martial artists began calling it the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship, it truly took on the form of a colossal vessel.
"Mindscape manifestation."
Yu Un-ryong stared at Bu Eun-seol with a grave expression.
"On the same level as the Mindscape wielded by the bloodline of the True Demon who once dominated the Fire Rain Sword Sect."
Wi Ji-hon—the True Demon's descendant who had once seized Wi Ji-hye-sang's body—had unleashed a Mindscape of the Sixth Level of Phase Integers, capable of influencing reality through concentrated willpower.
"When martial artists named the vault... their collective will and beliefs assigned it concrete concepts and attributes, ultimately materializing it into a massive ship."
Had Bu Eun-seol not experienced such things firsthand, he might have scoffed at the absurdity of the tale.
Yet the Grand Lords who heard the account all nodded with gleaming eyes at Yu Un-ryong's explanation.
Every time the Abyssal Forces' powerhouses appeared, they wielded transcendental abilities that seemed beyond this world.
But peel back the bizarre phenomena layer by layer, and their foundation still adhered to the principles of martial arts.
"Your Excellency managed to escape such a place—remarkable."
Jo Nam-cheon chuckled as he spoke.
"Anyone would be tempted by the manuals and spirit medicines there."
"In the past, I would never have been able to resist."
Tak Il-hon turned his gaze toward Bu Eun-seol.
"But now, with the Lord personally bestowing his teachings upon us..."
Then, addressing the Grand Lords in a solemn voice, he declared:
"Each time, my martial arts progress by leaps and bounds, and my entire body burns as if... I've gained decades of Internal Power in an instant."
A heat intense enough to melt iron radiated from Tak Il-hon's eyes.
"Moreover, each time I behold the Lord's divine countenance, my energy surges and strength overflows... How could mere temptations of manuals or spirit medicines ever compare?"
The Grand Lords all nodded in admiration.
'......'
As Bu Eun-seol watched them, the focus in his eyes gradually faded.
Tak Il-hon, once a composed and dignified elder, had been the only one among the Death Shadow War Unit warriors untouched by their fanaticism.
Yet now, even he had been swept up in this preposterous atmosphere.
Then Yu Un-ryong spoke.
"After hearing Protector Tak's account, I think I understand why that Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor underling said we would have to clean up their mess."
He continued while looking at Tak Il-hon.
"Because of that Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship, not only our faction's martial artists but also orthodox and unorthodox factions—even those unrelated to the martial world—have formed groups and are combing through the Demonic Path's territories like sweeping a net."
During the month Tak Il-hon had spent tracking Nahu,
the martial world had plunged into uncontrollable chaos as people scrambled to locate the Secret Vault.
Yu Un-ryong stroked his chin with a grave expression.
"Not only warriors from our hall but also those from the Martial Alliance and the Azure Heaven Alliance are deserting their posts to search for the vault. The Black Path Alliance has outright organized battle groups with the sole purpose of seizing it."
Tak Il-hon nodded.
"That situation is hardly unreasonable. There truly are Spirit Beasts and martial arts manuals there, after all."
Spirit medicines and martial arts manuals.
A moving vault—the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship—that could appear anywhere, anytime.
With such a thing roaming the martial world, no martial artist could resist the frenzy.
Then, Wi Cheon-gyeong spoke up.
"Other factions may turn a blind eye, but the Martial Alliance likely won't stand idly by."
After all, the Martial Alliance's banner stood for maintaining peace and order in the martial world.
With a Secret Vault causing widespread chaos, it was certain they would mobilize to control it.
"They've already acted."
At that moment, No Trace of the Death Soul Squad spoke.
"The Vice Alliance Chief and the leaders of the Seven Great Battle Groups are each on the move, pursuing the vault with all their might."
He shook his head and added,
"But the moment they intervene, the vault that had been clearly present vanishes in an instant. In the end, it must mean those vaults move according to the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor's will."
The mere fact that the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship could evade pursuit by the Martial Alliance's battle group leaders, including the Vice Alliance Chief,
proved it wasn't appearing randomly—it was undeniably being controlled by the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor's will.
"So they're preventing powerful masters from even entering the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship in the first place."
Just as Myo Cheon-u's mutter echoed through the conference room—
Tap, tap, tap.
The sound of rapid footsteps approached, followed by a low voice outside the grand conference hall.
"This is Mu-gwang."
None other than the Vice Chief of the Sanghak Unit and Yu Un-ryong's adjutant, Mu-gwang.
"Lord."
After bowing to Bu Eun-seol, he spoke swiftly.
"The Martial Alliance Chief has publicly announced the activation of the Twin-Winged Phoenix Command."
Instantly, the expressions of Bu Eun-seol and the unit chiefs shifted.
The Twin-Winged Phoenix Command.
From its inception, the Martial Alliance had adopted two phoenixes as its emblem.
Because, fundamentally, the Martial Alliance was divided into its overt and covert factions.
And the Twin-Winged Phoenix Command—
was an order from the Alliance Chief, declaring that when a catastrophe or large-scale chaos beyond the overt faction's control erupted,
the forces of both overt and covert factions would be forcibly unified under a single command.
"So the Martial Venerable intends to relinquish his position as Alliance Chief."
At Wi Cheon-gyeong's words, the unit chiefs nodded.
Once the Twin-Winged Phoenix Command was activated,
the Alliance Chief would have to step down and seek re-confirmation after achieving its purpose.
But the Martial Venerable, who currently acted as Alliance Chief, had repeatedly secluded himself, delegating most duties to the Vice Alliance Chief.
As a result, his support base had gradually withered, and dissatisfaction among the Alliance's senior members had reached a boiling point.
If he were to face re-confirmation?
He would undoubtedly be forced to step down.
"That won't happen."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head and stared into empty space.
"He's using the activation of the Twin-Winged Phoenix Command under the pretext of quelling this chaos, only to immediately push for the election of the next Alliance Chief once things settle."
Then he added,
"There's no way he's unaware of the Seven Great Demon Ancestors' emergence. He's clearly using this incident as an opportunity to thoroughly map out the Martial Alliance's covert factions."
Activating the Twin-Winged Phoenix Command was merely an excuse.
After all, he wasn't the type to care whether the Seven Great Demon Ancestors threw the martial world into disorder or not.
Once the command was issued, he could temporarily bring the covert factions under his control.
Most likely, he intended to exploit the Seven Great Demon Ancestors' appearance to scrutinize the Martial Alliance's covert forces—
then, once things calmed, he would step down without hesitation and appoint a successor.
Selecting a successor was the exclusive right of the Martial Alliance Chief.
"Perhaps he plans to install a successor to his liking and rule as a regent—or dominate the Martial Alliance through some other means."
At Yu Un-ryong's words, the everyone present all nodded in agreement.
"Then how do you intend to handle the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor's affairs?"
At Wi Cheon-gyeong's question, Bu Eun-seol replied indifferently,
"The Demonic Heavenly Emperor expects me to resolve this matter. He has no intention of coexisting with the Seven Great Demon Ancestors."
After all, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor was hostile toward the Seven Great Demon Ancestors and had chosen Bu Eun-seol as his instrument to eliminate them.
He would never tolerate the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor—or any of the Seven Great Demon Ancestors—running rampant through the martial world.
"Then he must be waiting for the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor's actions to escalate into a full-blown upheaval before having you intervene."
The Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor's appearance was only the beginning.
It was glaringly obvious that all Seven Great Demon Ancestors would emerge in the wake of this incident.
"Correct. And initially, I intended to do just that."
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath and said,
"But now, I have no intention of moving according to his will."
If the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor's affairs were left unchecked, the martial world would descend into uncontrollable chaos.
From the start, Bu Eun-seol, too, had wanted all covert factions to be exposed.
But with martial artists already consumed by frenzy, allowing everything to surface in this manner was unacceptable.
"However, the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor's creation of the Secret Vault is tantamount to admitting they cannot contend with the current era's superlative martial experts."
No Trace spoke.
"After all, their subordinate couldn't even block the Lord's single-strike technique and fled with his right arm severed."
The chiefs all nodded in agreement.
When the underlings of the Seven Great Demon Ancestors had boldly appeared at the Holy Demon Pavilion, one might have assumed they possessed extraordinary abilities.
Yet they proved utterly incapable of stopping even a single strike from Bu Eun-seol.
Of course, Bu Eun-seol stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the world's mightiest warriors—but compared to the reputation of the Seven Great Demon Ancestors, their actual strength was pitifully lacking.
"That may also be why they created the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship."
Originally, whips evolved as tools for herding livestock or as instruments of punishment for criminals.
But whip techniques in Demonic Path martial arts had a different history.
They originated from Dharma Instruments—woven from the hair of the dead—used to perform grotesque and sinister esoteric rituals.
In other words, the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor was a master of whip techniques and a grandmaster of esoteric arts.
"Before this chaos escalates, I will take care of it."
"Take care of it?"
"I will destroy the moving Secret Vault."
Bu Eun-seol let slip a cold smile.
"So thoroughly that the martial world won't even realize this upheaval was the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor's doing."
The current turmoil, gradually exposing the Abyssal Forces within the martial world, was not a scheme devised by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—but one orchestrated by Bu Eun-seol himself.
He intended to swiftly suppress the chaos caused by the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor, restore order to the martial world, and preemptively act before the Demonic Heavenly Emperor could weave another plot.
South of Suzhou, where the river meandered lazily, lay Stone Bridge Village.
True to its name, the village was dotted with sturdy stone bridges arching over narrow streams, bearing the weight of silent centuries.
Along the gently curving waterways, ancient trees—likely hundreds of years old—let their branches droop low.
The earthen walls of weathered houses were blanketed in moss, a testament to the relentless passage of wind and rain.
A scene so tranquil and peaceful, it seemed even time itself held its breath.
A serene village, perfect for forgetting worldly worries and finding solace in one's heart.
As deep night descended, the village's lanterns faded one by one into the darkness.
Just as everything was about to be swallowed by silence, a faint shadow quietly emerged at the village outskirts—an old man in tattered robes.
He strolled leisurely, as if enjoying a nighttime walk, before soundlessly slipping into a small house at the village's edge.
Inside, a man and a boy lay deep in slumber.
"Tsk."
The old man clicked his tongue and shook his head at the sight of the father and son, lost in sleep.
"No wonder you've remained hidden until now."
At the sound of the old man's sigh, the middle-aged man's eyes snapped open.
"Who are you?"
"Let's skip the amateur theatrics—my time is too precious."
A mysterious light flickered in the old man's eyes.
"A single moment of mine is worth a thousand pieces of gold."
There was only one person in the world with the most ordinary face, yet who referred to himself as "this venerable one."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor—Sado Mu-myeong.
The absolute sovereign of the Demonic Path, who should have been in the Demon Hall, had inexplicably appeared in this remote rural village.
"......"
After a long silence, the middle-aged man spoke again.
"What do you want?"
"The whelp should stay out of this."
Crack.
The middle-aged man's neck twisted unnaturally.
With a single exertion of internal energy, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had snapped his spine.
Thud.
The middle-aged man collapsed, now a lifeless corpse.
Unconcerned, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's gaze remained fixed on the boy who had been sleeping soundly.
"To pass from this world peacefully, without suffering—that is a great blessing."
"Sado Mu-myeong."
Finally, the sleeping boy slowly opened his eyes.
Where the whites should have been was instead filled with a gray hue, and his pupils were slit vertically—like those of a cat with gray eyes.
"Why are you doing this?"
The boy spoke as if he couldn't comprehend it.
"The Seven Great Demon Ancestors have emerged—isn't this what you wanted?"
"Far from it."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor smiled leisurely.
"If the Seven Great Demon Ancestors appear, then naturally, the Ten Great Immortals must emerge as well."
The boy's eyes widened.
"You've been hunting us down to break the Restrictive Seal?"
"If not for that, why else would I bother chasing after pests like you?"
"You're insane."
The boy shook his head.
"Do you truly not know what will happen if that comes to pass?"
"No need for such hysterics."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor slowly extended his left hand.
"I'm merely shattering the board I set up myself."
With just that motion—
The boy's eyes bulged, his tongue lolling out as if he were being strangled.
"Im...possible."
Whoosh!
From behind the boy, a blinding white light and black mist simultaneously erupted.
"Sado Mu-myeong! Did you truly think I wouldn't know you've not only transcended the Martial Extreme Realm—but also mastered the Phase?!"
Crash!
With the sound of something shattering, the surrounding scenery began to peel away.
The interior of the house—
Suddenly transformed into a vast, open Peach Blossom Paradise, a small valley bathed in an ethereal glow.
The boy, who had been writhing as if strangled, now stood tall, radiating a mysterious light.
"No attack you unleash will be of any use. Even if you mix the Limitless Power with Phases, I have already reached the Sixth Level of Phase Integers."
"That tediousness remains unchanged as ever."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor raised a single finger with an utterly bored expression.
"You still remain trapped in that childish game of numbers."
Then he pressed that finger against the boy's face.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
The boy's face began to twist grotesquely.
Only now did he realize what kind of ability the Demonic Heavenly Emperor possessed—his true nature.
"Don't tell me you're—"
CRACK. WHOOSH.
But those words never finished.
The boy's neck snapped completely, his head separating from his body.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
At the same time, the scenery of the Peach Blossom Paradise shifted once more.
An ordinary house with an ordinary interior.
This had truly been nothing more than an unremarkable little home in Stone Bridge Village.
"It has been a long time."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor, now outside, gazed at the distant sky.
Soon, the moment the veil of time lifted, all the tangled threads of hidden karma would begin to unravel.
"When the Abyss of Chaos grows still, the fragments of truth that had sunk to its depths will rise to the surface."
When all boundaries crumble.
Only then will one be able to discern what is real and what is false.
Only then will the cycle's links interlock.
And in that fleeting instant, the scattered fragments and all the hidden facets will be laid bare.
Along with those fragments, the very essence of the martial world will be exposed without reserve.
"Now, the winds of inevitability will soon blow, erasing all illusions drawn upon the sands of time..."
When time runs its course.
The shards containing light and darkness will shatter, and the truth within will spill forth.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor's low murmur faded away along with the figure dissolving into the darkness.
The estate was not particularly large.
Yet the blue waves of West Lake lapped at its doorstep,
and in the distance, mist-shrouded peaks encircled it like a folding screen.
Not far from the estate, a river flowed like silk, and nearby tea fields carried their rich fragrance on the breeze through every season.
Scritch. Scritch.
At a moonlit desk by the window, a beautiful woman brushed ink onto paper.
Once, she had been called the Flower Among Demons, the foremost beauty of the demonic path.
But now, having abandoned all status,
she led an ascetic and tranquil life in this small estate by West Lake.
She was Jin Seol, the Upper Blossom.
Who am I, truly?
Whenever her mind grew restless or she felt the weight of solitude, she would write or paint like this.
Ever since she had learned that her memories had been tampered with—that it was the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's doing—
everything had felt hollow and meaningless.
I tried so hard to forget everything.
At first, whether her memories had been altered or not, whether she was truly herself or not, she had wanted to cast it all away.
Because, deep down, she had still trusted the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
Even if the world pointed fingers and called him the Great Demon, a man without blood or tears,
to her, he had always shown a human side.
No matter how much they called him a cold-blooded monster, he had shown her kindness.
If I've secluded myself for this long... I thought he would come to see me at least once.
But months passed, then the year turned over... and the Demonic Heavenly Emperor never came.
When curiosity drove her to tap into the Demon Hall's intelligence network, she was met with shocking news instead.
The Fire Rain Sword Sect and the Extinction Palace had been Sealed.
And in the martial world, the Seven Great Demon Ancestors had appeared.
In response, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had met privately with the Martial Soul Lord before entering seclusion once more.
Hearing this, Jin Seol could sense it clearly.
That her usefulness had run its course.
That she was no longer needed by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
The reason he treated me well... was surely because I served some purpose.
But for some reason, that purpose had gone awry, and in the end, she had been discarded.
A being with no meaning, no use.
"It never mattered anyway."
Jin Seol set down her brush and spoke flatly as she gazed out the window.
"I am only myself."
The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.
Having learned that truth through Bu Eun-seol... she no longer held any expectations at all.
Whoosh.
But then, a faint Sound of Breaking Air came from beyond the window.
Not only had she been personally taught the demonic arts by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, but her innate talent for martial arts was extraordinary.
However, as the Upper Blossom, she had devoted herself solely to the Demon Hall's affairs, never investing much effort in martial training.
Had she truly cultivated her skills? She might have become a renowned female master.
Yet, secluded here, she had immersed herself in meditation and Qi Circulation, and as a result, her Internal Power had grown remarkably.
She had even gained an Extrasensory Perception she had never possessed before.
An extraordinary master. To slip past their eyes and enter this place...
In truth, around this West Lake estate,
the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had secretly stationed masters for her protection.
And yet, someone had infiltrated—
meaning this intruder was skilled enough to evade even those terrifying experts.
But then why would such a figure reveal their presence so blatantly with that Sound of Breaking Air?
Thud.
The sound grew closer, and soon, a dull impact echoed near the flower garden.
Hearing it, Jin Seol immediately grasped the clue.
They're injured.
The intruder had lost balance upon landing—a sign of severe injury, instantly recognizable.
Hmm.
After a brief hesitation, she stepped outside.
As she walked toward the garden where the sound had come from,
she spotted someone gasping for breath by the small pavilion in front of the pond.
The shadowy figure was an elderly Lama Monk whose face bore so many deep wrinkles that his age was impossible to guess.