Chapter 1044
As the secrets surrounding the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship were finally unveiled, the Death Soul Squad's investigation began to accelerate at a rapid pace.
The next generation of elite talents.
Greedy and ambitious leaders of the unorthodox factions.
Geniuses who had achieved mastery in a specialized field.
The Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor had been luring them in through ancient formation studies.
And the reason they had been able to uncover this was simple:
Because Bu Eun-seol, who had foreseen that the murim would soon enter an era of information warfare, had invested heavily in intelligence networks for a long time.
"Even if we were to handpick individuals who fit those three categories ourselves, we still wouldn't be able to destroy the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship."
But here lay another problem.
The Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship was likely the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor's main stronghold.
Even if they managed to infiltrate a large number of people who fit the three categories, they still wouldn't be able to overpower the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor—one of the most formidable forces in the martial world.
In fact, the chances were high that they would only end up losing their finest elite warriors instead.
"Not only that, but inside the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship—or perhaps the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor itself—there seems to be an ability to discern a person's innate qi and unique traits."
No matter how much effort was put into disguises or transformations, it had been confirmed that unless one was precisely the kind of person the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship sought, entry would ultimately be impossible.
"Don't worry about that problem."
Though he hadn't yet informed the Death Shadow War Unit's grand lords, he possessed the Darkness Secret Arts.
With the power of this Sacred Realm—
Even the eyes of the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor could be deceived. Infiltrating the Secret Vault would be nothing.
Hengdang Mountain was a treacherous peak in western Sichuan, known for its bizarre terrain and home to many ethnic minorities.
A lone shadow was swiftly ascending its steep cliffs.
It was Bu Eun-seol, who had completely altered his appearance, aura, even the fine hairs on his body and the flow of his qi and blood using the Darkness Secret Arts.
'This must be the place.'
The identity he had assumed was that of Jwa Ryeok, the Ten Thousand Gold Bloody Hands—a notorious leader of the unorthodox factions who had long been branded an Enemy of the Murim and hunted down.
Jwa Ryeok had quietly met his end years ago in a nameless Secluded Valley.
Back when Bu Eun-seol had been the Eighteen of the Kill-Seeking Unit, he had discreetly orchestrated his elimination.
It hadn't been a mission assigned by the Kill-Seeking Unit.
He had personally executed Jwa Ryeok for tormenting innocent civilians and committing atrocities—and aside from Bu Eun-seol himself, no one knew of his death.
"If it's Jwa Ryeok, the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship will undoubtedly appear before him."
Unlike most greedy leaders of the unorthodox factions, Jwa Ryeok was a genius well-versed in medicine and pharmacology, as well as feng shui and calligraphy.
He was also a recluse who only emerged when he needed money—
A perfect candidate who met two of the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship's requirements.
'I even used his methods to stir up a few incidents.'
Since Bu Eun-seol had personally killed Jwa Ryeok and secretly disposed of his corpse—
He could flawlessly mimic Jwa Ryeok's demeanor, physical traits, and even his signature martial art, the Soul-Stealing Bloodless Claws.
He had deliberately left traces of himself wandering the murim and secretly committing misdeeds.
If his assumptions were correct—
The Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship would have no choice but to manifest before him in some form.
'Even if it's the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor, they wouldn't be monitoring the entire Central Plains.'
No matter how transcendent a demonic sect's abilities were, could they really scour the Central Plains and handpick their desired individuals?
That would be inefficient—practically impossible.
'Then it must be some kind of resonance.'
Perhaps the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship existed like a lighthouse in a dark sea, emitting a specific signal—or reacting to one—
Luring its targets within its detection range.
In the end, his predictions proved accurate.
He had sensed a strange resonance from Hengdang Mountain and was now climbing toward it.
'The only thing that bothers me is their unclear abilities.'
The Seven Great Demon Ancestors were the founders of the Demonic Path, said to possess transcendent abilities.
If those legends were true, they could have easily wiped out countless sects in an instant without needing to bide their time.
So why go through such elaborate measures?
'Then perhaps the purpose of creating the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship was to conceal their own abilities while causing maximum chaos and destruction with minimal risk.'
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
A method that drew the attention of all factions—orthodox, unorthodox, and demonic alike—would only invite scrutiny from superlative martial experts, bringing even greater danger.
Moreover, if destruction and chaos were truly their goals—
There would be no need to selectively lure specific individuals.
'One thing is certain—their warnings were real.'
From Jeok Bung to Wi Ji-mua—
They had warned that provoking the Demonic Path Ten Gates would lead to something catastrophic.
And that had come to pass.
The Seven Great Demon Ancestors had emerged, and the murim had plunged into unprecedented turmoil.
'The Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor's goal is definitely not mere chaos.'
If chaos was all they sought—
They wouldn't have gone to such lengths to lure only those three types of people.
Whoosh—
Hengdang Mountain bordered the Tibetan Plateau, where mystical mists perpetually swirled.
'There it is.'
Bu Eun-seol halted his movement technique and clenched his fist.
Over the mountainside, a shadowy silhouette abruptly overlapped—taking the form of a massive ship.
The Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship.
The legendary Secret Vault, said to appear randomly within the demonic factions' territories, had finally—
Revealed itself before Bu Eun-seol.
Thud. Thud.
He slowly walked toward where the ship hovered.
Strangely, the bow emitted a faint, flickering glow.
It was a distant, dreamlike light—as if it could steal away a person's very soul.
'The Mind Seizing Secret Art.'
Bu Eun-seol instinctively knew.
'I am Jwa Ryeok.'
He was already the foremost practitioner of the Mind Seizing Secret Art in the martial world.
Having been exposed to Phantom Restoration multiple times, he had even grasped its ultimate principles.
Sensing that the light flowing from the prow possessed the power to penetrate his spirit and mind,
he deliberately concentrated on the desires Jwa Ryeok would have yearned for.
Oooong.
Then, above the prow, the image of a secret vault filled with treasures enough to squander for a lifetime materialized in the air.
The moment he held his breath at that mesmerizing sight—
Zzziiing.
A transparent gate opened before his eyes.
Likely the entrance to the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship—though in truth, it was the gateway to a battle formation.
As if entranced, Bu Eun-seol stepped inside.
Ruuuumble.
With a tremor as though the earth itself were collapsing, an illusion of the entire world shaking unfolded before him.
Directly ahead, the massive form of a mountain that had been invisible until now appeared in overlapping layers.
It looked as though it had been carved by the Giant Spirit God Pangu wielding a colossal axe.
The mountain soared skyward, its waist girdled by clouds as if ready to pierce the heavens.
Its entire surface was not of earth or stone, but covered in smooth, cold obsidian or basalt-like material.
Some facets, struck by sunlight, emitted a faint iridescent sheen, while others reflected the surrounding scenery like mirrors, subtly beguiling the viewer.
'This must be the mountain that Protector Tak spoke of.'
Far too sharp and artificial to be the work of nature.
Blade-straight ridges and grotesque boulders like crouching behemoths.
The summit stretched toward the sky like a sword offered to the gods.
"This mountain alone would be worth a fortune."
Deliberately licking his lips, he spoke in a tone dripping with greed.
Then, with quickened steps, he passed through the forest.
After walking for some time and venturing deep within, he arrived at a clearing devoid of any trace of life.
No trees, not a single blade of grass—only blackened rock and an eerie, lingering energy.
The silence was so absolute it seemed to reject all living things, sending a chill down the spine.
Squelch.
Yet the ground grew increasingly muddy.
Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have cared.
But now, as Jwa Ryeok, he lightly channeled his internal energy to pass through the mire without dirtying himself.
At last, a massive entrance came into view.
The gate was made of cold, unyielding metal.
Creeeak.
As he stepped inside, the door swung open on its own, revealing a broad path overgrown with plants.
Though not particularly remarkable, among them were a few usable spiritual herbs.
"Hmm."
They were mere Fairyland Grass, effective only for those with twenty or thirty years of internal energy cultivation.
Normally, he wouldn't have spared them a glance.
But his current identity was Jwa Ryeok—a miser who'd sell his own parents for coin.
Deliberately swallowing exaggerated gulps of greed, he plucked each herb as he advanced.
Scattered throughout the passage were stone and iron doors that required brute strength to open.
They were immensely heavy—only those with at least sixty years of internal energy could budge them.
Stepping through the entrance of the grand hall,
a forest landscape, almost alive, sprawled before him.
Underfoot, moss as transparent as crystal pulsed with rhythmic light, while towering trees with metallic sheens stretched toward the sky.
"......"
But then, right before him—
a corpse with a dagger embedded deep in its back came into view, its hilt inlaid with diamonds.
Bu Eun-seol casually pulled the dagger free and tucked it away, then began rifling through the corpse's belongings.
A bloodstained fan and a glass vial containing a spirit pill were revealed.
He tossed aside the worthless-looking fan but pocketed the pill.
Grrrrind.
At that moment, another distant gate creaked open.
'A test, then.'
The corpse had been a trial—one last verification of whether he was truly a greedy man.
'Thorough.'
The interior scenery resembled the sacred temples he'd seen in India.
Gigantic stone pillars moved as if alive, their surfaces engraved with indecipherable ancient script.
Clang! Clash!
Inside, about a hundred individuals were locked in bloody combat.
Within the grand hall lay treasure chests—some containing spirit beasts or internal cores capable of granting sixty years of internal energy,
others holding martial arts manuals that could bring fame if unleashed upon the martial world.
'The size...?'
Strangely, the chests containing spirit beasts and medicines varied wildly in shape and scale.
Some stretched longer than a man's height horizontally, others vertically.
A few were lightweight wooden cases, but most were asymmetrical in dimension.
And the fighters here weren't just youths—men in their thirties and forties, middle-aged warriors,
even elderly figures occasionally mixed among them.
'Three distinct groups, all intermingled.'
They must be the next generation's rising stars, power-hungry leaders, and geniuses.
'They were filtered from the entrance.'
The treasures and medicines at the entrance had been devices to sift out the greedy.
The muddy ground, thick enough to leave footprints, must have been a means to gauge internal energy levels.
Those with strong internal power could tread lightly, avoiding the filth.
'Even if someone walked through normally, there were the stone gates.'
The stone and iron doors he'd pushed through were immensely heavy—another test of internal energy.
Even if one didn't enter via Void Step, forcing open those gates would have measured their strength.
This secret vault classified people through remarkably simple mechanisms.
'If they're using checkpoints to judge people, it means there are no overseers here.'
Had they truly intended to thoroughly screen those entering, they wouldn't have created such obvious checkpoints.
'Not that it matters.'
But the Darkness Secret Arts Bu Eun-seol possessed didn't merely disguise—they transformed him into the very person itself.
Moreover, he wielded the greatest internal energy in the world and was the only one in the murim who could perfectly conceal and suppress his energy using an Internal Core.
Even if the Demonic Heavenly Emperor himself came, he wouldn't be able to uncover Bu Eun-seol's true identity.
Swish!
Yet suddenly, dozens of sword energies poured toward him.
The Four Heavenly Crippled Ghosts, having spotted Bu Eun-seol, descended from the air and launched a surprise attack in an instant.
Tsk.
Bu Eun-seol clicked his tongue and unleashed the Soul-Stealing Bloodless Claws, deflecting each of their sword energies one by one.
Ghk.
Though he had merely deflected the sword energies—
Crash!
The Four Heavenly Crippled Ghosts, who had been floating midair, dropped to the ground as if paralyzed in an instant.
Ugh...
They writhed in agony, rolling across the dirt like people who had never learned martial arts.
Though it resembled the Soul-Stealing Bloodless Claws, in truth, he had adapted the Heaven-Severing, Earth-Destroying master's Demon Sword Forms—
shattering their dantians in a flash and severing their meridians.
'These bastards don't even deserve a quick death.'
The Four Heavenly Crippled Ghosts had committed endless atrocities, including the rape and murder of countless women.
Swish!
Suddenly, a sharp longsword pierced toward Bu Eun-seol's lower abdomen.
A woman hidden in the trees had launched a Sword-Flight Art at him.
'The Emei Sect would never employ such vicious methods.'
Though disguised, she couldn't deceive Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
'It's the Smiling Killer, No Gyeong.'
The Witch of the Unorthodox Faction, known for killing with a smile, had murdered an Emei Sect woman and taken her sword.
Letting out a sigh, he flicked his finger lightly.
In that instant, the longsword vanished without a trace, and the woman hidden in the trees disappeared.
He had reduced the sword to dust in an instant and buried the woman's body deep into the earth.
"We must join forces here!"
Just then, a man in embroidered robes stepped into the center of the battlefield.
"In this state, none of us will be able to claim the treasures!"
He was Eon Jung-gwang, a descendant of the Jinju Eon Family, once renowned for their Fist Technique and Side-Learning Sorcery.
Fwip!
But the moment he took his place at the center of the battlefield, hundreds of hidden weapons rained down upon him.
In the end, dozens of concealed blades and projectiles pierced him, leaving his body resembling a porcupine's.
To step unguarded into the frenzied battle of martial artists fighting over treasures and spirit medicines—
was no different from begging for death.
Eon Jung-gwang, in particular, had always been under the wary eyes of other martial artists due to his exceptional Fist Technique and martial prowess.
So when he stood in the middle of the crowd, raising his hands and shouting, the Unorthodox Faction members immediately attacked him.
"You vile bastards!"
Seeing this, the Rising Talents of the Righteous Faction flew into a rage and charged at them.
But their fury stemmed less from righteousness and more from the shock and loss of a powerful ally.
Thus, whether Eon Jung-gwang lived or died, they paid no mind—merely continuing their relentless assault.
'Not worth interfering.'
Watching this unfold, Bu Eun-seol activated an elusive movement technique, concealing himself within the swirling dust.
Though there were no overseers here, he used only the Unorthodox Faction's Body-Locomotion Martial Art, just in case.
Rumble...
Then, the eight closed doors swung open.
In an instant, the martial artists holding spirit medicine chests or martial arts manuals rushed toward them.
However, the height and width of each exit varied deliberately—
forcing those carrying chests to escape through the passage that matched their loot.
"......."
The Grand Hall was now steeped in silence.
Hidden in the shadows, Bu Eun-seol narrowed his eyes.
'This isn't a prelude to a massacre meant to cull the Rising Talents.'
At first, he had assumed luring the Rising Talents here was meant to engineer their self-destruction.
But the structure of this place was systematically filtering people.
Otherwise, there'd be no reason to deliberately adjust the height and width of the exits based on the treasure chests.
Shhh...
Just then, someone concealed within the Grand Hall's pillars revealed themselves.
Clad in embroidered robes with a veil of Heavenly Silkworm Silk covering his face—yet Bu Eun-seol recognized him at a glance.
'Tang Gon?'
It was none other than Tang Gon, Family Head of the Sichuan Tang Clan and his old friend.
"Come out."
Tang Gon turned his head and spoke calmly.
Had he truly grown skilled enough to detect Bu Eun-seol's concealment?
Fwoosh.
Then, a mysterious light flowed from the ground, revealing a man in blue robes holding a fan.
It was none other than the Young Clan Head of the Jegal Family—Jegal Seo-un.
"How did you know?"
Jegal Seo-un sounded astonished that Tang Gon had instantly discerned his location.
"Once I activate our family's Hidden Shadow Stalking Steps, no one should be able to detect my presence."
"I didn't."
Tang Gon replied indifferently.
"But the plum blossom scent clinging to you, Brother Jegal, was far too strong."
The Jegal Family estate was filled with plum trees.
And the women of the Jegal Family distilled the clear, pristine blossoms of early spring into perfume.
Thus, Jegal Seo-un, having lived among them, naturally carried a faint plum blossom fragrance.
Much like how the women of the Medical Sect naturally carried the scent of turmeric.
"They say the Tang Clan's foundation lies in hidden weapons and Fragrance Poison—it seems even the Family Head's nose cannot be deceived."
Jegal Seo-un smiled without hesitation.
Originally, the Sichuan Tang Clan and the Jegal Family had never been on particularly good terms.
The Jegal Family disapproved of the Tang Clan—despite being part of the orthodox faction—for their ruthless methods, primarily relying on poisons and concealed weapons.
Meanwhile, the Tang Clan scorned the Jegal Family for abandoning martial pride and expanding their influence through political maneuvering, likening them to petty bureaucrats.
However, after meeting Bu Eun-seol, both men had grown unshackled by the constraints of sect affiliations or the divide between orthodox and unorthodox factions.
They had become men who paid no heed to old grudges or power struggles left behind by their predecessors.
"Naturally, how could I compare to the Jegal Family's Mystic Calculation Strategy?"
Tang Gon also smiled.
The moment they realized that both were far more magnanimous and open-minded than rumors suggested, they felt an instant mutual goodwill.
"The Young Clan Head of the Jegal Family would hardly be satisfied with the meager treasures of this Secret Vault... What brings you here?"
When Tang Gon flattered him while cautiously probing for answers, Jegal Seo-un laughed sheepishly.
"My fingers itch unbearably whenever I see an intriguing battle formation."
"A battle formation?"
"Indeed. But when a massive Secret Vault appears, shifting locations, how could I resist investigating?"
Upon hearing rumors of a moving Secret Vault in the martial world, Jegal Seo-un had deduced it was created using ancient Formation Study techniques.
—It wasn't that the real vault was moving. Rather, someone must have deployed the Secret Art of Chain Formations or Secret Art of Illusion Formations to link multiple formations together.
Ancient Formation Study included secret techniques that utilized feng shui and celestial energy to maintain the effects of formations across vast distances.
No matter how bizarre the world became,
a Secret Vault that could evade the grasp of powerful experts and traverse hundreds of li in an instant was impossible.
—If I don't step forward for this, the heroes of the world will mock my family as washed-up.
If the Gongson Clan were masters of formation-breaking and formation-dismantling,
then the Jegal Family were the foremost experts in formation-transformation and formation-combination.
Jegal Seo-un immediately pinpointed the location where the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship had appeared.
—As expected, traces of formations remain.
Delighted, he began subtly altering the hidden formations there in various ways.
He couldn't dismantle them in a short time, but transformation was still within his grasp.
While combing through the area where the Treasure Ship had reportedly appeared, a strange resonance led him to climb a distant mountain.
At its peak, the silhouette of a magnificent ship came into view.
Unraveling the formations had, unknowingly, summoned the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship before his very eyes.
"So that's how it was."
After listening to Jegal Seo-un's explanation, Tang Gon stroked his chin.
"I, too, realized that the moving Secret Vault was created through ancient formation arts," Tang Gon said.
Tang Gon, too, had discerned that the moving vault was an ancient formation technique
meant to throw countless people into confusion.
"So your Family Head has also been researching Formation Study?"
At Jegal Seo-un's words, Tang Gon smiled bitterly.
"Truthfully... I came to find my missing younger sister."
Despite the uproar caused by the appearance of the Secret Vault,
the Tang Clan's warriors remained unshaken, holding their positions steadfastly.
But the incident erupted from an unexpected place.
A secret message came from Jang Wi, deputy leader of the Azure Heaven Alliance's Poison and Toxin Hall.
—Tang Cheong, the Hall Master, has gone missing.
Tang Gon was stunned upon receiving the news.
How could she, who he thought was safe, have disappeared?
—The Hall Master went to search for the Secret Vault.
Hearing rumors of the moving vault, Tang Cheong had secretly ventured into the martial world to find it—
only to vanish shortly after.
—Why in the world would that girl enter the vault?
Tang Gon couldn't comprehend it.
As a direct descendant of the Tang Clan, Tang Cheong could obtain any Spirit Medicine or exceptional martial arts manual she desired.
So why would she seek out that vault?
—The Hall Master learned that the vault contained the Youthful-Complexion Fruit, which preserves one's appearance eternally in its prime... Specifically, the rarest of them all, the Heavenly Yin Immortal Fruit. She went in search of it.
Tang Gon was speechless.
Though Tang Cheong had a somewhat unruly personality, her beauty was peerless—enough to earn her the title of Sichuan's Greatest Beauty.
So why would she suddenly seek the Heavenly Yin Immortal Fruit, which maintained youthful looks?
—Ah.
But soon, Tang Gon understood why she had made such a decision.
Her only close friend—and the world's most extraordinary man—Bu Eun-seol.
He was already betrothed to Yeon So-ha, known as A Glance Worth a Thousand Gold,
and to Dan So-ok, hailed as the Silver Scale Jade Leaf.
Moreover, he had ties with Jongri Sa-yu, granddaughter of the Needle King.
And that wasn't all.
Tang Gon knew well that Bu Eun-seol's alternate identity was Seon-u Jin.
Thus, he was also linked to Gongson Dan-a, the Flower of Eloquence—one of the Three Beauties of the World like Yeon So-ha—
and to Gongson Dan-gyeong, the Star of Great Wisdom, whose beauty was said to rival hers.
Had it ended there, it might have been fine.
But beyond them—the young sect master of the Snow Flower Gate, the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace's lord, the successor of the Sword Pavilion...
Countless peerless beauties, each a nation-toppling stunner, awaited him with undying longing.
Frankly speaking, Tang Cheong was at a slight disadvantage compared to them.
So, in the end, she had sought the Heavenly Yin Immortal Fruit—something that could enhance her beauty—
ventured after the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship, and ultimately disappeared.
—No, that's not it.
But soon, Tang Gon realized the truth.
Tang Cheong was a woman of profound wisdom—one who had once manipulated even him to dominate the Tang Clan.
—The Demonic Path's support.
After sealing away the Fire Rain Sword Sect,
Bu Eun-seol had become an outcast among the Demonic Path.
Coinciding with this, the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship appeared exclusively within the Demonic Path's sphere of influence, throwing the martial world into chaos.
—For that friend's sake.
Tang Cheong's specialty, alongside Fragrance Poison, was an intuition so sharp it could uncover any hidden mechanism.
She had wielded that extraordinary ability to unearth the secret of the Ten Thousand Li Treasure Ship—something no one else had ever managed to expose.
And she had tried to pass that knowledge on to Bu Eun-seol.