Chapter 1043
Bu Eun-seol raced straight to Sichuan.
Under the guise of Seon-u Jin, he infiltrated the Azure Heaven Alliance and held a secret meeting with Alliance Leader Bukgung Ryeong and Chief Strategist Gongson Dan-gyeong.
"I can't say I'm all that surprised."
Bukgung Ryeong listened silently to Bu Eun-seol's account before shaking his head.
"Sado Mu-myeong is no ordinary demonic practitioner."
The fact that a peerless demon lord like the Demonic Heavenly Emperor aimed to unify the Martial World under his rule—that he harbored plans to annihilate not just the Abyssal Forces but the entire Orthodox and Unorthodox Martial World—was hardly shocking.
What unsettled them was the very existence of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor himself.
His true nature was as unfathomable as the Abyss, and every matter he intervened in inevitably spiraled toward destruction.
"And now he claims he'll eliminate the Baekri Clan and the True Demon."
Had anyone else made such a declaration, they would have dismissed it as sheer arrogance.
"Could he have truly stepped into the Heavenly Will Realm?"
The prevailing consensus was that while the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's power had surpassed the Martial Extreme Realm, it still fell short of the Heavenly Will Realm.
After all, no clear boundary distinguished the Heavenly Will Realm from the Martial Extreme Realm.
Moreover, if he had indeed reached the Heavenly Will Realm—
Wouldn't he have clashed directly with the Abyssal Forces instead of meticulously crafting such elaborate schemes?
"One thing is certain—he has transcended the limits of the Martial Extreme Realm."
Though martial realms were conventionally divided from their inception to their pinnacle, the Martial Extreme Realm was different.
Its scope was vast, and its boundaries unknowable.
For those like the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, who seemed to have reached the very limits of the Martial Extreme Realm, it was described as "transcending its boundaries."
"We cannot take the Demonic Heavenly Emperor at his word."
Gongson Dan-gyeong spoke up then.
"Even his claim that our paths are aligned is nothing but bait."
Her gaze fixed intently on Bu Eun-seol.
"Yet you joined hands with him... to buy time to save everyone, isn't that right?"
She understood Bu Eun-seol's nature perfectly.
The fact that he had challenged the Demonic Heavenly Emperor meant he was confident he could at least achieve Mutual Destruction with him.
Yet he had accepted the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's proposal because—
Even if he perished alongside the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—
The forces threatening those around him would still remain.
The Three Realms and the Three Clans were just the beginning; the Seven Great Demon Ancestors, including the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor, not only had their sights set on the Demon Hall but were also figures that sowed chaos throughout the Martial World, regardless of orthodoxy or unorthodoxy.
Bu Eun-seol sought to ensure the survival of those he loved—not just from the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, but from all these forces.
To create a safe haven capable of withstanding the combined assault of the entire Martial World or the threats of the Abyssal Forces—
This was the ultimate goal of the Martial Soul Society, and he was buying time to achieve it.
"You..."
Gongson Dan-gyeong's expression twisted with sorrow.
"Is there no room in your heart to live for yourself?"
Bu Eun-seol never raised his sword for his own sake.
Only to protect those around him.
He devised strategies, calculated every possibility, and sometimes staked his very life on his actions.
Even this reckless challenge against the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—
Was nothing more than a desperate struggle to ensure Jin Seol's death would not be in vain and to save the lives of his Death Shadow War Unit subordinates, who were like family to him.
As Bu Eun-seol remained silent, his lips pressed firmly together, Bukgung Ryeong murmured softly,
"At this point, it would be impossible for him to live only for himself."
Then, shaking his head at Gongson Dan-gyeong, he added,
"A man who has spent his entire life racing toward a single destination cannot simply turn back now."
He had entered the Martial World seeking vengeance.
But along the way, he had found precious people.
To protect them, he trained relentlessly, crafted meticulous plans, and overcame countless crises.
In the end, the very act of safeguarding those bonds had become a grueling trial—a process of perfecting himself.
Though phrased indirectly—
Bukgung Ryeong was affirming that Bu Eun-seol was on the right path.
Friends transcending age and status.
Bu Eun-seol and Bukgung Ryeong were such companions—their bond unburdened by the differences in their years or backgrounds.
"I see."
Gongson Dan-gyeong was a wise woman.
Understanding everything in Bukgung Ryeong's words, she replied in a calm voice,
"My apologies for speaking out of turn. Please pay it no mind."
"Not at all."
In the past, Bu Eun-seol might have left it at that.
But knowing the depth of Gongson Dan-gyeong's concern, he added,
"I know everything you said was for my sake. Thank you."
The unexpected warmth in his words hung in the air.
As the gazes and auras between the two grew strangely charged, Bukgung Ryeong cleared his throat loudly.
"At any rate, declaring the destruction of the Abyssal Forces may seem like good news for now, but it's tantamount to announcing the Final Extinction."
Bukgung Ryeong steered the conversation back with a grave expression.
"Sado Mu-myeong... He will never leave our alliance untouched."
"Correct. In the end, both the Martial Soul Society and the Azure Heaven Alliance will fall."
Bu Eun-seol nodded his head.
"Especially with the affair of the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship, the martial world has already been thrown into chaos. The investigation clearly points to the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor as the culprit."
"Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor."
At the mention of that name, Bukgung Ryeong clutched his forehead as if suffering from a headache.
Before they knew it, even the martial artists of the Azure Heaven Alliance—
Countless members had set out in search of the moving Secret Vault, the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship.
In the end, Bukgung Ryeong, too, just like the Martial Alliance—
Had urgently dispatched a large-scale force to uncover the truth about the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship.
But with no results whatsoever, he had been racking his brains over it.
"Don't worry. I'll handle the matter of the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship and the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor,"
Bu Eun-seol said.
"But there's no telling how long it will take. So in the meantime, the Martial Soul Society and the Azure Heaven Alliance must prevent their martial artists from deserting and grow stronger."
Bu Eun-seol held out a booklet.
Inside was a detailed strategy for the Martial Soul Society and the Azure Heaven Alliance to continuously discover fake Secret Vaults and engage in fierce competition over them.
"So you're saying we'll create fake Secret Vaults and use the struggle over them to prevent desertions among the Martial Soul Society and our alliance's martial artists."
Currently, the Azure Heaven Alliance and the Martial Soul Society were losing many martial artists due to the moving Secret Vault.
The only thing that could quell that desire was intense battle.
But martial artists obsessed with the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship wouldn't actively seek out combat.
Thus, the Martial Soul Society and the Azure Heaven Alliance would create a fictional Secret Vault and stage a competition over it—
To prevent desertions and conduct training that would resemble real combat.
"Is it feasible?"
"'Is it feasible,' you ask?"
Bukgung Ryeong smirked, then glanced at Gongson Dan-gyeong and nodded.
"Chief Strategist."
At that, Gongson Dan-gyeong smiled and pulled out a thin booklet of her own.
Inside were meticulously written plans nearly identical to those Bu Eun-seol had devised.
"I see."
Bu Eun-seol smiled.
The two Grandmasters who moved the world had, for each other's sake, conceived the exact same plan.
"But there's no need for Shaanxi."
However, Gongson Dan-gyeong's plan had changed the location of the battles from Sichuan to Shaanxi.
When mobilizing a large force, the longer the distance, the greater the cost.
She had designated Shaanxi, the Martial Soul Society's stronghold, as the battleground—
So that the Martial Soul Society wouldn't be overburdened.
"I didn't do it for your sake."
Just then, Gongson Dan-gyeong deliberately put on a haughty expression.
"Our alliance has never mobilized such a large force before."
Bukgung Ryeong nodded in agreement.
"True. It wouldn't be bad to gain some experience by conducting an expedition this time, so we proceeded as the Chief Strategist suggested."
Despite the decades of age difference between them—
The two Grandmasters who governed the world had not only become friends who supported each other through thick and thin—
But had also cultivated the same selfless hearts, always prioritizing others over themselves.
"But are you sure this is alright?"
Just then, Bukgung Ryeong asked.
"Our alliance's martial artists have undergone rigorous training all this time. If they fight under the guise of a Secret Vault competition, the battles are bound to escalate."
He scratched his cheek and added,
"I'm just worried we might end up needlessly crushing the Martial Soul Society's morale."
"Haven't you heard the news?"
Bu Eun-seol snorted.
"That our society's wanderers repelled even the True Demon's invasion?"
"Hmph, they were just his minions."
"If they had come to the Azure Heaven Alliance, it wouldn't have been so easy. Starting with the Alliance Leader, your martial arts are rather lackluster."
"Ha, seems like you've forgotten my temper over the years."
Bukgung Ryeong rose from his seat and rolled up his sleeves.
"Haven't you heard through the grapevine? That this Alliance Leader long ago experienced the Limitless Equal Enlightenment?"
"I have heard that you kicked it aside, following my example."
"What? Following you?"
Bukgung Ryeong's face flushed red.
In truth, he too had lost the distinction between Orthodox and Unorthodox Paths under Bu Eun-seol's influence, and even his martial path had begun to resemble his.
Just then, Gongson Dan-gyeong spoke up.
"We'll forbid Killing Moves but give commanders the discretion to engage in battle as they see fit. That way, we can assess the results of their training so far, and the martial artists' morale will rise even higher."
Truthfully, the Azure Heaven Alliance and the Martial Soul Society weren't on bad terms.
But since this was a competition over a Secret Vault, pride would inevitably be at stake.
If slaughter was forbidden but combat was allowed to run rampant—?
Not only could they verify the results of their training thus far and accumulate battlefield experience—
But they would also break free from the stifling monotony of their daily lives, greatly boosting morale.
"The Chief Strategist will be even busier now."
At Bu Eun-seol's words, Gongson Dan-gyeong gave a weary smile.
"It's time for our alliance to finally stretch its limbs."
Now that the Demonic Heavenly Emperor planned to annihilate the entire Orthodox and Unorthodox Martial World—
Neither the Martial Soul Society nor the Azure Heaven Alliance could escape this cycle.
From now on, the martial world would be embroiled in chaos and destruction.
Henceforth, they needed to accumulate strength—not only to prepare against the Abyssal Forces but also to withstand the invasion of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
They had to cultivate power capable of opposing even the Superlative Martial Experts.
—Why can't I board the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship?!
The martial world had been thrown into utter turmoil.
Though the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship appeared in various locations, only a select few were permitted to enter.
Countless martial artists, unable to board, fell into despair.
And so, they began wandering in search of something new to quench their burning thirst—
A greed bordering on madness.
Like a pack of starving wolves, they craved anything that could sate their twisted desires, if only for a moment.
Forbidden demonic arts. Ancient divine artifacts.
Even the Internal Power of others.
They hesitated at no atrocity, so long as it could fill the void of their endless hunger.
They ran ceaselessly, frantically, toward ruin—yet still, they hungered. And hungered.
The appearance of the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship had flung open the gates to a living hell in the martial world.
Yet, both the Martial Soul Society and the Azure Heaven Alliance had predicted the same location for the ship's next appearance.
The two factions engaged in a prolonged standoff to claim it.
Because of this, the two allied forces temporarily suppressed the reckless flames of madness spreading through the martial world.
Moreover, the warriors of the Death Shadow War Unit were—
Bound by their peculiar conviction: "The greatest treasure in this world is our Lord!"
—And thus, they didn't even spare a glance at the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship.
In the end, only the Azure Heaven Alliance, Martial Soul Society, and the Death Shadow War Unit remained—
Untouched by the fever of greed and the chaos of desire, walking their own paths unshaken amidst the martial world's descent into madness.
As the turmoil continued, Bu Eun-seol mobilized the Death Soul Squad to track the movements of both the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship and the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor.
'So this is the chaos wrought by one of the Seven Great Demon Ancestors.'
It was natural for the martial world to plunge into disorder whenever a treasure map surfaced, sparking fierce competition.
But the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship was different.
It never remained in one place, constantly shifting locations—and wherever it appeared, hordes of martial artists would swarm in, clashing violently.
There was no single battleground. The entire martial world had become a stage for this struggle.
Martial artists staked their lives on mere rumors, even attempting to occupy areas where the ship had yet to appear.
As a result, pursuits, espionage, betrayals, and ambushes unfolded daily.
The greatest problem was this:
The Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship had never before appeared in the martial world—its origins and purpose remained shrouded in mystery.
Thus, endless speculation ran wild—
Legends spoke of secret martial arts manuals, peerless divine weapons, or the martial world's greatest secrets hidden within.
And that very enigma...
Continued to stoke the flames of human greed, driving martial artists further into madness.
Demon Hall, Hidden Demon Pavilion - Grand Conference Chamber
The atmosphere within the Demon Hall upon Bu Eun-seol's return was deceptively tranquil.
Seated in the deepest part of the Hidden Demon Pavilion's grand conference chamber, he presided over a meeting with the Death Shadow War Unit's unit chiefs.
The earth-shattering incident of his challenge against the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had not leaked outside.
Though vague rumors circulated that he had forcibly entered the Holy Demon Pavilion—
Seeing him return unharmed, most dismissed it as baseless gossip.
What was truly surprising, however, was the reaction of the unit chiefs.
Even after hearing the full account from Yu Un-ryong, not a flicker of disturbance crossed their faces.
They served Bu Eun-seol as their sovereign, pledging their lives in unwavering loyalty.
Having witnessed his mythic abilities firsthand over many years, their faith in him was absolute.
Even if Bu Eun-seol were to manifest as the Buddha himself, radiating the Primordial Spirit Light of compassion from his forehead—
They would not so much as blink.
The Death Shadow War Unit's unit chiefs continued their relentless discussion regarding the pressing matters before Bu Eun-seol—
The movements of the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship and the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor.
"The Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship appears unpredictably—sometimes atop a remote mountain peak, other times materializing overnight in the middle reaches of the Yellow River," Yu Un-ryong continued with a grave expression.
"The very fact that this is happening defies reason... Worse, it actively evades those powerful enough to destroy it upon sight."
The moment leaders of the Martial Alliance's vanguard units or powerful fighters dispatched by the Black Path Alliance arrived—
The ship would vanish without a trace.
This proved it was not appearing at random—it moved according to the will of the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor.
"We are conducting the investigation with all available resources, but—"
As Yu Un-ryong's words trailed off, No Trace, the Death Soul Squad's unit chief, spoke to Bu Eun-seol with equal solemnity.
"It seems we will need a little more time."
The Death Soul Squad's intelligence network rivaled even that of the Secret Shadow Pavilion, with branches established across the land and informants embedded in every stratum of society to gather whispers from all corners.
But just what kind of organization did the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor possess? How many subordinates did they command, and what was their caliber?
They still couldn't grasp it.
"I thought they were aiming to swallow White Horse Monastery, but to think they'd stir chaos in the martial world like this..."
Myo Cheon-u shook his head.
The Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor was a grandmaster of whip techniques, known to be the root of White Horse Monastery. Naturally, one would assume they sought to devour White Horse Monastery, command them, and flaunt their power—
Yet they were throwing the martial world into disarray in a completely unexpected way.
"We don't need perfect intelligence on the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor or the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship."
Bu Eun-seol, who had been silently listening, finally spoke.
"If they're avoiding masters... then let's categorize them ourselves."
"Categorize...?"
"If they avoid the strong, that means they can selectively target those they want."
A sharp glint flashed in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
"Excluding the martial world's superlative experts—rising talents from various sects, third-rate martial artists to transcendent peak masters, wandering warriors. Even the leaders of wicked unorthodox factions or thugs from the Black Gangs."
"......"
"Mobilize every identifiable martial figure to track down the Secret Vault."
No Trace finally nodded with an impressed expression.
This method—
They could uncover the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor's purpose in creating the Secret Vault.
Or the criteria they used to select who could enter.
After tirelessly operating their intelligence network,
the Death Soul Squad gradually uncovered the outline of the "categories" permitted to board the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship.
"As the Lord predicted, those who can enter the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship fall into clear classifications."
Another Lord's Meeting was convened.
No Trace, leader of the Death Soul Squad, reported the intelligence they had gathered to Bu Eun-seol.
"First, rising talents of the younger generation or promising prodigies from various sects. Second, greedy or covetous leaders of unorthodox factions."
He tilted his head as if unable to comprehend.
"Third, so-called 'geniuses' who have mastered exceptional skills in a single field—medicine, poison arts, or formation study."
"Then."
Myo Cheon-u, who had been listening quietly, stroked his chin.
"It seems they're gathering these three types of people aboard the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship for some scheme."
Then he added,
"If we can predict where the Treasure Ship will appear next, the problem will be solved."
The expressions of the unit leaders darkened instantly.
Despite the Death Soul Squad's efforts—
And despite the meticulous investigations by the martial world's foremost intelligence organizations, including the Secret Shadow Pavilion of the Demon Hall—
They had failed to predict its locations.
"The Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship doesn't appear randomly. It manifests according to the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor's will."
Bu Eun-seol spoke then.
"Meaning, if we discern the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor's intentions, we can predict where the Treasure Ship will appear next."
His gaze turned to No Trace.
"Even the most trivial information related to the Treasure Ship will suffice."
After a brief pause, Bu Eun-seol issued a quiet command.
"Strange weather phenomena, abnormal animal behavior in specific regions, testimonies from peasants or herb gatherers who claim to have glimpsed the Secret Vault from afar—collect every piece of intelligence again."
His pupils flashed with a sharp light.
He intended to synthesize the data and predict its next appearance.
Days later, Wi Cheon-gyeong submitted a meticulously compiled report to Bu Eun-seol, containing all the gathered and refined intelligence.
Bu Eun-seol organically connected the fragmented pieces of information, cross-referencing and verifying them against acquired data—
Until only the most reliable intelligence remained.
"Have all unit leaders and members reanalyze the compiled information."
The materials Bu Eun-seol selected were immediately distributed to every leader and warrior of the Death Soul Squad, the Pinnacle Unit, and the Death Shadow War Unit.
Each added their own insights and judgments.
When Bu Eun-seol's stratagem—rivaling even the Heavenly Mechanism Star's—combined with the wisdom of his advisors,
The secret of the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship's movements finally began to take shape.
"It was an ancient formation study."
After reviewing all the reports, Bu Eun-seol reached his conclusion.
"Similar to what Han Sang used."
In the past, Han Sang had combined ancient secret arts, formation study, and geomancy to link battle formations across hundreds of li—all to meet privately with the Oathbound.
The Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship, too, was not an actual massive vessel moving physically.
Instead, it manifested the illusion of movement through interconnected secret arts and formations.
"So that's what it was."
After a long moment of contemplation, Bu Eun-seol walked to the large map in his office.
After relentless investigation and research—
He had finally grasped the Treasure Ship's secret in full.
"It doesn't appear randomly..."
As Bu Eun-seol studied the map of the Central Plains, a brilliant light exploded in his eyes.
"The Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship manifests before those who fit the desired categories."
Until now, even the most brilliant minds—
Had failed to understand why the Treasure Ship appeared, or how it revealed itself. Its purpose and method remained a mystery.
But Bu Eun-seol had uncovered it all.
—Using ancient formation study to lure specific types of individuals.
The Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor intentionally summoned the Treasure Ship where their desired targets were, drawing them in.