Chapter 1053
Step. Step.
At that moment, the white-clad woman with large eyes stared fixedly at Bu Eun-seol through the veil, her shimmering gaze unwavering.
"This valley does not involve itself in worldly affairs."
Her voice was calm.
"Turn around and leave at once."
It was a somewhat awkward command.
Moreover, the woman's eyes flickered with shifting colors moment by moment.
Bu Eun-seol met her gaze squarely before speaking again.
"Then convey my words to the Immortal."
Startled.
Upon hearing his composed reply, the woman's expression transformed into one of profound shock.
It was as if she had encountered some incomprehensible creature from the unknown.
'Why is she so startled?'
Just as Bu Eun-seol found this reaction peculiar—
"Leave."
The white-clad woman's eyes hardened, and the hues within her irises began shifting even more rapidly.
"This valley does not involve itself in worldly affairs."
Though the eyes gleaming behind the veil were piercingly cold, Bu Eun-seol bowed politely once more.
"I must insist."
"Leave."
Her gaze now brimmed with hostility.
It was clear she would resort to force if he took even one step closer.
'This isn't good.'
From his experience in the Martial World thus far,
those who severed ties with secular life invariably had temperaments that were difficult and eccentric.
Moreover, this Phoenix Valley was a forbidden zone for men—a place where hospitality was never to be expected from the outset.
Had it not been a matter of grave importance, Bu Eun-seol would have relented and quietly turned away.
"I have not come for personal reasons."
He spoke earnestly once more.
"Countless lives hang in the balance—"
"We have made ourselves clear."
The white-clad woman cut him off firmly.
"This valley does not admit outsiders under any circumstances."
"Understood."
Bu Eun-seol exhaled a heavy breath.
"My apologies."
'If they won't let me in, I'll have to infiltrate secretly.'
Given the circumstances—
Whether they were a secluded women's sect or a reclusive Buddhist order detached from worldly affairs... this was no time to be picky about methods.
"He's planning to sneak in!"
Then, something astonishing happened.
Among the gathered women, a young maiden in red pointed at Bu Eun-seol and shouted.
"That man just thought that if we won't let him in, he'll find a way to slip inside!"
For a moment, Bu Eun-seol was so shocked his eyes nearly bulged out.
Not even Wooden Buddha, who could perceive the flow of fate, could instantly read another's thoughts.
Yet this young woman had discerned his intentions as if peering directly into his mind?
"Why do you seek to intrude upon our valley?"
The white-clad woman's sharp demand startled him, but—
"I've no idea what strange notions you're speaking of."
He feigned ignorance for now.
"Why would I do such a thing?"
"To dare contemplate trespassing into our valley!"
But the women refused to believe him, erupting in anger.
"Such audacity will not be tolerated!"
"Look here. I haven't even set foot in Phoenix Valley yet."
Bu Eun-seol frowned.
"Why accuse me of something I haven't done?"
Yet the women remained resolute.
"You wouldn't speak so if you knew Little Phoenix's ability!"
"Little Phoenix?"
At this, Bu Eun-seol fixed his gaze on the maiden in red.
With her large, elongated eyes and vibrant ornaments adorning her attire, she did indeed resemble a small phoenix, true to her name.
'She really does look like a tiny phoenix.'
"An unforgivable scoundrel."
Then, the red-clad maiden—Little Phoenix—spoke coldly.
"He's making fun of my name in his thoughts."
Instantly, Bu Eun-seol realized something and wore an awkward expression.
"You can read minds?"
At that moment, the white-clad woman shouted at him.
"Intruding into our valley is absolutely unacceptable! I don't know how you found this place, but leave at once!"
Then she declared firmly,
"Otherwise, we will have no choice but to resort to force."
"I must meet the Immortal."
"Why do you persist?"
'If she can already read my thoughts, there's no point in hiding it.'
Bu Eun-seol looked at Little Phoenix and said,
"I was sent by the Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor."
"The Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor?"
The women's eyes widened in shock.
To boldly utter the name of a Great Demon who wielded the foundational power of the Demonic Path—here, in a valley where one of the Ten Great Immortals resided?
"A wicked villain has come to defile our valley!"
As the white-clad woman shouted, Bu Eun-seol's expression turned incredulous.
"If you can read thoughts, shouldn't you already know the full story?"
Whoosh.
The white-clad woman raised her hand, and the surrounding women swiftly encircled Bu Eun-seol.
Only then, as he stared back at Little Phoenix—who was scrutinizing him intently—did he finally grasp the situation.
'She can only hear the words I repeat in my mind.'
In other words, Little Phoenix couldn't peer directly into his thoughts.
She could only instantly "hear" the words he internally vocalized.
"Kneel, villain!"
A strange energy pulsed from the white-clad women's bodies.
It was a mystical force that no ordinary martial artist could withstand—a power capable of disrupting one's internal energy.
From Bu Eun-seol's perspective, this was nothing more than a supernatural power on par with what he had consistently faced from the One Hundred and Eight Stars.
"Had this been in the past, I might have struggled quite a bit."
Drawing up the Heavenly Light Endless Art, Bu Eun-seol muttered indifferently.
"But now, such things are no longer a threatening force to me."
Then, as he extended both palms—
Sssshhk!
The white-clad women surrounding him were all forced back twenty paces in an instant.
"As expected, you do possess the skill to enter this valley alone."
"I have no wish to resort to violence."
Bu Eun-seol sighed and shook his head.
"I merely wish to ask the Immortal a few words. Please, simply relay my message."
"Out of the question!"
As the white-clad woman prepared to unleash her power again—
'Words won't work, it seems.'
Taking a deep breath, Bu Eun-seol summoned the Heavenly Light Endless Art at full strength.
KWAANG!
With an earth-shaking roar,
the shockwave radiating from his back tore through the floating clouds, surging all the way to the edge of the sky.
At that terrifying and majestic sight, the dozen or so women froze stiff.
—This was no mere release of aura.
Internal energy pushed to its extreme became a physical pressure weighing down the atmosphere, while a will tempered like steel turned into an intangible blade that shattered the enemy's resolve.
Add to that unfathomably high martial prowess, battlefield experience that transcended life and death,
and an overwhelming will to dominate—all of it swirling together within the Heavenly Light Endless Art—
Shudder.
The women lost all fighting spirit, their thoughts grinding to a complete halt.
Step. Step.
Bu Eun-seol gazed at Little Phoenix, who stood trembling alone, and spoke.
"What do you see now?"
Little Phoenix dared not meet his eyes, bowing her head instead.
"Can you still peer into my mind?"
Bu Eun-seol's mental fortress was something even the Demonic Heavenly Emperor could not breach.
Though it was merely simple muttering, the fact that this small woman had glimpsed his inner thoughts
sparked a competitive spirit in him, prompting him to erect an even more formidable mental barrier.
Shudder.
Little Phoenix raised her head to look at Bu Eun-seol.
But no sound reached her from within his mind, and his body seemed to radiate a scorching brilliance, like the sun burning away everything.
"Demonic Heavenly Emperor..."
Then, Little Phoenix uttered a shocking word.
"This man... is the Demonic Heavenly Emperor."
Thud.
With those final words, she collapsed unconscious in an instant.
'Damn.'
Bu Eun-seol couldn't hide his bewilderment.
All he had wanted was to test whether she could still read his thoughts.
Yet she had fainted after declaring him the Demonic Heavenly Emperor?
Throughout his travels in the martial world, he had been falsely accused and insulted in every way imaginable—but being mistaken for the Demonic Heavenly Emperor was a first.
"So he truly is the one who came to kill the Immortal!"
'Truly?'
Ssshhhk.
Finally, the dozen women suppressed their spreading fear and drew their swords.
And judging by the woman rushing away in the back, she likely intended to sound an alarm—perhaps Bell Striking.
'No choice, then.'
Under normal circumstances, he would have quietly turned away, but this time, he couldn't.
He had to meet the Scarlet Flame Immortal and hear the truth about the Seven Great Demon Ancestors and the Ten Great Immortals.
'But I can't harm them.'
If he injured her disciples, the Scarlet Flame Immortal would never speak to him.
Having made up his mind, Bu Eun-seol slowly stepped forward.
In response, the women let out battle cries and brandished their swords, launching a peculiar assault.
'So this is the origin of orthodox martial arts.'
As they unleashed their sword techniques, the Reverse Polarity True Qi nurtured by demonic heart methods dwindled in chunks,
and a strange resonance spread like ripples, making it nearly impossible to employ Demonic Path Martial Arts.
'It resembles the Emei Sect's Golden Summit Divine Art.'
The Emei Sect's Golden Summit Divine Art carried an energy of evil-dispelling and was fundamentally incompatible with Demonic Path Martial Arts.
In the era when the Emei Sect flourished,
it was said that demonic masters feared Emei practitioners the most.
And now, the masters of Phoenix Valley were using the very martial arts that served as its origin...
No matter how formidable Bu Eun-seol was, employing Demonic Path Martial Arts here would be extremely difficult.
'No matter.'
Bu Eun-seol had mastered Supreme-grade Absolute Arts from both the Orthodox and Unorthodox Paths.
Unable to use demonic techniques, he immediately resorted to the Martial Emperor's secret art—Thirteenfold Qi Induction.
Sssshhk! Sssshhk!
A fierce surge of energy whirled violently—
CLANG!
—and sent all their weapons flying dozens of feet away.
"Do not block my path any further."
"Impossible!"
Just as the women prepared to intercept him barehanded—
Whoosh.
The distant sky suddenly began to stain crimson.
Fwoooosh.
The reddened heavens gradually twisted into swirling scarlet clouds before—
BOOM.
—abruptly descending upon the cliff overlooking Phoenix Valley.
Flare.
The descending crimson clouds suddenly took on a soft, butterfly-like form,
and just before touching the ground, they vanished—revealing a mystical and beautiful bird landing in their place.
At once, the disciples adjusted their attire and bowed in reverence.
"Immortal."
"Stop this fight."
Surprisingly, the bird spoke with the voice of a mysterious and beautiful middle-aged woman.
"That man is not the Demonic Heavenly Emperor."
'Is she controlling the bird?'
With a single glance, Bu Eun-seol realized that the Scarlet Flame Immortal—
Just as the Black Divine Heavenly Lord had once used crows, she was transmitting her power and voice through that mystical bird.
"And you—follow me."
After leaving those words while gazing at Bu Eun-seol, the bird—
Whoosh.
Transformed back into crimson clouds and shot into the distant sky.
It vanished before his eyes in the blink of an eye.
'If it's movement techniques, I'm confident.'
Feeling a competitive urge, Bu Eun-seol unleashed his movement technique.
KWA-RUNG!
With a thunderous roar that seemed to split the heavens—
His figure instantly began chasing after the crimson clouds disappearing into the distant sky.
'Fascinating.'
The speed of the crimson clouds was fast, yes—but what was truly impossible for any human movement technique was—
The abrupt, sharp turns it kept making.
'This isn't a test of movement technique skill—it's a test of perception.'
The crimson clouds streaking ahead were, in fact, a form of the profound Mind-Seizing Secret Art.
If one fixed their gaze on the racing crimson clouds and poured all their energy into chasing them—?
Before they knew it, only a single crimson dot would remain in their vision, and they would be forced to stare at nothing else.
And as that dot continuously swerved and changed direction, compelling the pursuer to follow its erratic path—
At some point, just like falling under the Mind-Seizing Art, their mind would be stolen away in an instant.
'An ingenious spell.'
Had he not been repeatedly exposed to Ak Mu-ryeong's Phantom Restoration, had he not already experienced and surpassed the limits of the Mind-Seizing Secret Art—
Had he not, after resisting the Little Phoenix's astonishing power, reinforced the barriers of his Spirit and Mind once more—
He would surely have chased those clouds only to fall victim to the Scarlet Flame Immortal's Mind-Seizing Art and suffered greatly.
KWA-UUU!
The bird, now crimson clouds, could not shake off Bu Eun-seol's pursuit and was eventually caught.
Perhaps realizing that she could not penetrate Bu Eun-seol's mind by any means—
The Scarlet Flame Immortal sharply changed direction and headed toward Phoenix Valley.
Finally arriving at a sheer cliff within the valley, the clouds gradually descended to the ground.
At that moment, the air rippled subtly—and the form began shifting into that of a human.
Hwaak.
The clouds vanished, and in their place, a mysterious and beautiful woman gracefully landed.
Her robes were extravagantly ornate, yet her natural and benevolent features made her radiate elegance instead of ostentation.
Her sleeves and hair, seemingly imbued with a crimson aura, released an otherworldly fragrance with every sway in the wind.
The master of Phoenix Valley—one of the ten primordial origins of orthodox martial arts—a being of profound mystery.
The Scarlet Flame Immortal.
Her near-perfect features exuded warmth yet carried an untouchable dignity.
Her translucent skin emitted a soft glow.
"Your movement technique is impressive, but..."
Though she possessed the beauty of an elegant noblewoman, her allure was of a different dimension than the freshness of youth.
No trace of time could be seen upon her, yet what lay beneath was not mere youthful vitality.
Rather, it was depth, nobility—a transcendent grace that surpassed the ages.
"...your Spirit and Mind's barriers are even more remarkable."
The Scarlet Flame Immortal nodded with an expression of admiration.
"No one in this world could ever dominate your Spirit and Mind."
'So she is also the origin of the Mind-Seizing Secret Art.'
He had assumed the women of Phoenix Valley used techniques similar to the Golden Spirit Art, making them an origin of orthodox martial arts—
But her eyes held not only wisdom and serenity that seemed to pierce through all things—
But also a mesmerizing pull, as if drawing everything into them.
'Art of Coaxing.'
Bu Eun-seol realized the source of that pull—
The Art of Coaxing, the origin of all Mind-Seizing Secret Arts.
"So the root of the Mind-Seizing Art lies with the Righteous Faction?"
Bu Eun-seol, now aware that the Scarlet Flame Immortal was not only noble but also immensely ancient—
Politely adjusted his speech.
"I had always believed it originated from the Demonic Path."
"If we must trace it, it began not with the Righteous Faction—but with courtesans of the pleasure houses."
Courtesans, in other words—
Were professionals skilled in listening, empathizing, and providing emotional solace to lonely patrons.
"When patrons, loosened by wine, poured out their hidden thoughts—it was the courtesan's role to keenly discern them, stoke their spirits, or offer comfort."
The Art of Coaxing, the origin of the Mind-Seizing Art—
Began with courtesans identifying their patrons' past wounds, hidden desires, anxieties, and fixations—
Then stimulating or soothing them to manipulate their emotions.
"Can you guess how courtesans used the Art of Coaxing to control people's minds?"
At her question, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"A skilled courtesan could establish trust with a patron in a short time."
Her eyes gleamed with approval at his answer, which seemed to contain all truths.
"Correct. In that state, every soft word, gaze, and subtle gesture from the courtesan could act as powerful suggestions. And from such techniques, the Mind-Seizing Art was born."
The courtesans' Scarlet Persuasion Art gradually merged with martial arts.
It evolved into the Mind-Intrusion Art, capable of not only reaching deep into another's innermost self but also subtly manipulating the flow of their emotions.
"But I still don't understand why that woman, Little Phoenix, called me the Demonic Heavenly Emperor."
"Because in this world, the only one who remains unaffected by my Scarlet Persuasion Art—whose heart cannot be laid bare—is the Demonic Heavenly Emperor alone. That is what we were taught."
A startling revelation.
If so, did that mean the Scarlet Flame Immortal had not only met the Demonic Heavenly Emperor in person but also clashed with him?
"Not in martial combat. He once came to me in the past."
"Hall Master Sado?"
"This Lady exchanged a few words with him before he left."
Bu Eun-seol wanted to hear the details, but the Scarlet Flame Immortal's expression darkened considerably.
Reluctantly, he shifted the topic.
"So that's why the eyes of the women guarding the entrance shimmered in ever-changing colors."
When he first arrived, the White-clad Woman's gaze had flickered with those same shifting hues.
And how startled she had been upon seeing him.
It was because she had attempted to use the Scarlet Persuasion Art on him—only for it to fail completely.
"In truth, the foundation of the Scarlet Persuasion Art lies in conversation. The shifting gaze is merely a device to focus the mind on the exchange."
The Scarlet Flame Immortal smiled faintly, without malice.
"What makes Hall Master Sado fearsome is not his Limitless Power, but the fact that he refined the Scarlet Persuasion Art—the art of seizing control over another's spirit and mind—to the realm of Entering Divinity."
With but a single word, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor could shake an enemy's spirit or expose their fatal weakness.
Yet who would have guessed that such psychological warfare originated from the Art of Coaxing—the orthodox school's own discipline?
"They say one masters the Scarlet Persuasion Art only after listening to three thousand stories and conversing with thirty thousand souls."
The Scarlet Flame Immortal spoke calmly.
"No doubt Hall Master Sado, too, observed countless people and engaged in just as many conversations."
Then she added something unexpected.
"He carries nothing that would signify his authority as the Number One of the Demonic Path."
True to her words, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had always enjoyed conversation.
He also insisted on wearing plain attire, never adorning himself with symbols of authority or divine weapons.
But who would have thought it was all to make his enemies forget his status as the Number One of the Demonic Path—to facilitate smoother dialogue?
"I see."
Bu Eun-seol had met him since his days as the Ten Demonic Heir, and their exchanges had often been abrupt.
Back then, he had simply assumed the man employed some mysterious rhetoric.
But in truth, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had been observing and analyzing him all along.
"Yet despite your youth, you have mastered the Scarlet Persuasion Art. Incredibly so."
"Me?"
"The foundation of the Scarlet Persuasion Art lies in insight. And that insight is born from countless encounters and conversations."
From childhood until now, Bu Eun-seol had neither met many people nor engaged in lengthy conversations.
And yet, his insight and wisdom ran so deep...
'Grandfather.'
Bu Jan-yang had not only taught him how to appreciate the beauty of nature—
He had always told him stories.
Among them were the experiences and wisdom he had gathered over a lifetime.
Tales he had heard from others, knowledge and insights passed down to him.
Even if it meant skipping meals—
If there was a good book, he would always bring it back for Bu Eun-seol.
Those moments were like wandering the world itself,
Granting him wisdom and insight as though he had met countless souls.
"You flatter me."
A deep longing for his grandfather rose within him, and Bu Eun-seol changed the subject.
"The Golden Vajra Demon Ancestor said that if I found you, I would learn the secrets of the Seven Great Demon Ancestors and the Ten Great Immortals."
"Did they?"
"Can you, by any chance, read the will of heaven or foresee the future?"
Bu Eun-seol had already met two seers with supernatural abilities—the Wooden Buddha and Man-wol.
And the Scarlet Flame Immortal carried a similar air about her.
"This Lady possesses no such power."
She shook her head softly.
"But I can read the energy of others. That is how I discerned your true nature at once."
Her crimson lips parted.
"That you are the Primordial Vessel—the only being capable of erasing the Seven Great Demon Ancestors and the Ten Great Immortals."
Bu Eun-seol's brow furrowed deeply.
Ever since the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had refrained from dealing with the Seven Great Demon Ancestors and the Ten Great Immortals himself, instead pushing Bu Eun-seol forward—
He had vaguely suspected there was some deeper reason.
But a Primordial Vessel?
It was a term he had never even imagined.
"I don't understand."
"You are the only vessel capable of containing and blending all the forces of this world within yourself."
The Scarlet Flame Immortal spoke as if delivering a proclamation.
"That is why you alone can sever the roots of the two great currents—the Demonic Path and the Orthodox Faction."
As the meaning of her words sank in, a strange premonition struck Bu Eun-seol.
"Are you saying... unless I kill them, beings like the Seven Great Demon Ancestors and the Ten Great Immortals will never truly vanish from this world?"
"Yes."
Not a trace of hesitation colored her voice.
"Once that happens, all origins of the Orthodox and the Evil will cease to exist... and with them, every law of this world born from their influence will collapse."
She continued, her expression unreadable, as though discussing something mundane—
Yet her words shook the very foundations of the world.
"Battle formations, internal energy, supernatural powers, the Art of Spells, martial studies... every power rooted in the forces of Orthodoxy and Evil will disappear."