Chapter 1059
Finally, as they entered the bamboo forest, a large pavilion came into view.
It was the Peak Pavilion where Bu Eun-seol had once served as the Peak Leader.
The structure was in disrepair, with animal droppings and other filth staining its exterior.
Yu Un-ryong frowned as he took in the sight.
'This was done deliberately.'
Seon-u Jin had been a young grandmaster who walked the orthodox path.
Even if he had left the Martial Alliance to join the Azure Heaven Alliance, there was no need to abandon a perfectly good pavilion in such a state.
"Lord."
Jin Woo-ryang spoke to Bu Eun-seol inside the carriage.
"Shall we proceed to the Peak Pavilion?"
He chose his words carefully.
"The Deputy Alliance Leader is waiting for you."
Bu Eun-seol's brow furrowed.
There was no such position as "Deputy Alliance Leader" in the Martial Alliance.
Even if Baek Mu-seong had formally ascended to the position of successor and taken on some of the Alliance Leader's duties—
His official rank should still be that of the Martial Heaven Unit Leader.
Who would have thought they'd invent something as absurd as "Deputy Alliance Leader"?
Just then, Jin Woo-ryang turned to Yu Un-ryong.
"Commander Sanghak, please wait with me at the Hospitality Pavilion for the time being."
"Understood."
As Yu Un-ryong departed with Jin Woo-ryang,
Creak.
The carriage door opened, and Bu Eun-seol slowly emerged.
"......"
His eyes narrowed as he gazed up at the Peak Pavilion.
This was a familiar gate he had passed through countless times during his days as Seon-u Jin.
Here, as the Peak Leader, he had accomplished numerous feats and gained subordinates more precious to him than life itself.
The weathered door, bearing the marks of countless hands, seemed to hold within it all the trials of those fleeting years—stirring a peculiar nostalgia within him.
"Staring won't open it."
A low voice sounded from inside.
"Come in."
It was a voice he had dearly missed.
Baek Mu-seong, the Golden Upright Divine Dragon.
That name belonged to an era—
When his voice had been clearest, brightest, and brimming with hope.
Bu Eun-seol pushed the door open and stepped inside. The interior was filthy, with only a worn table and scattered furnishings in sight.
And by the dimly lit window—
A rugged man stood tall with his hands clasped behind his back, dressed in the Martial Heaven Unit Leader's uniform of white and blue.
Baek Mu-seong.
Once the leader of the Martial Heaven Unit, now the Martial Alliance's successor—a grandmaster of the new generation.
'You don't remember, do you?'
Seeing Baek Mu-seong's impassive expression filled him with an indescribable desolation.
The Blood Calamity he had unleashed in Phoenix Valley mere days ago, the beating that had nearly shattered his soul—
His eyes and expression showed no recollection of any of it.
'I mustn't provoke him.'
Part of him wanted to knock him out if necessary, drag him away from this place, and restore his memories.
But now was not the time.
There was no known method to revive his memories.
Above all, he still had no idea what Baek Mu-seong was truly doing—or who, besides Chu-so, might be pulling the strings behind him.
He couldn't afford to act recklessly.
"Martial Soul Lord."
As Baek Mu-seong bowed in greeting, Bu Eun-seol steadied himself and returned the courtesy with equal formality.
"My congratulations, Deputy Alliance Leader."
"Heh. That's just a title my subordinates made up to flatter this Unit Leader."
Baek Mu-seong waved a hand dismissively.
"There's no such position as Deputy Alliance Leader in our alliance."
Bu Eun-seol frowned.
Subordinates wouldn't dare invent such a title on their own.
But rather than pressing the matter, he glanced around and spoke.
"Why forsake a proper meeting place and summon this Lord to a crumbling ruin?"
Baek Mu-seong's lips curled into a bright smile.
"To the Lord's eyes, this may seem like a decaying ruin... but to this Unit Leader, it's a very special place."
His eyes curved like crescent moons.
"Because this is where my most cherished—and most troublesome—rival once resided."
"Rival, you say."
"Do you know of Commander Seon-u?"
"You mean Seon-u Jin, the Sword King who served as chief of the Martial Alliance's Secret Intelligence Bureau before leaving to become the Azure Heaven Alliance's Peak Leader?"
"Correct. You're well-informed."
Baek Mu-seong nodded approvingly.
"Despite being from the Upper Realm, he lacked nothing—whether in martial arts, strategy, insight, or organizational skill."
His tone remained matter-of-fact as he continued.
"To be frank, had he remained in the Martial Alliance, the position of successor would have gone to him."
Pausing, Baek Mu-seong fixed Bu Eun-seol with a piercing stare.
Bu Eun-seol met his gaze impassively.
"What matters is the present, is it not?"
"If we speak of the present—"
"I've heard that after joining the Azure Heaven Alliance, he's lived quietly, operating an intelligence network without any notable activity."
With an indifferent expression, he surveyed their surroundings before adding.
"But Unit Leader Baek has risen to become the next leader of the Martial Alliance, which divides the world in two."
Then, as an afterthought:
"Now, Unit Leader Baek stands on a plane beyond comparison with him. Is there any need to hold such a figure in high regard?"
"Heh."
Baek Mu-seong chuckled softly.
"They say the Martial Soul Lord is not only stern but also sparing with words... yet here you are, quite the silver tongue, saying all the right things."
The remark was deeply insulting—hardly the kind of thing one says to a congratulatory envoy.
"Did you call me knowing this?"
But Bu Eun-seol parried the question with practiced ease.
"I heard that Lord Baek personally requested this envoy to be sent."
"I don't follow your meaning."
Bu Eun-seol lifted the corner of his mouth.
"Are you saying you called me because you knew this Lord knows how to choose pleasing words for people who like flattery and appearances—that I only know how to pick the sweetest things to say?"
Baek Mu-seong's expression went blank.
He had given a blow, only to receive one in return.
The insult he had thrown to provoke discomfort had come back twofold.
"Hahaha! Your tongue is truly formidable."
Baek Mu-seong laughed heartily and raised a thumb.
"Since entering the martial world, this is the first time I've been so thoroughly insulted by someone."
"If you're satisfied, then I'm glad."
As Bu Eun-seol offered a faint smile, Baek Mu-seong nodded.
"Good. Then I won't mince words and will speak plainly."
His expression turned grave.
"Martial Soul Lord. Though your name resounds across the martial world, I hear you're not particularly welcomed among the core figures of the Demon Hall."
"......"
"Moreover, you've been clashing with numerous hidden factions in the martial world, facing considerable difficulties, no?"
As Bu Eun-seol's gaze turned icy, Baek Mu-seong bared his white teeth in a refreshing smile.
"Don't misunderstand. I mean to say I'm no different."
His expression grew meaningful.
"I, too, am fighting against forces that lurk unseen in the martial world."
Then he delivered a shocking statement.
"I pretend to cooperate with them while actually siphoning their information and power."
Bu Eun-seol's expression flickered with surprise.
He had only just become the next leader of the Martial Alliance. In a few years, he would be the Alliance Lord, ruling over its ideals.
Why was he saying this to him—someone who was practically the leader of an opposing faction?
"You must already know this well. The martial world is no longer divided between the orthodox and unorthodox paths."
He pointed to his own chin.
"And even if this body becomes the Alliance Lord, it will only be as a puppet."
Bu Eun-seol couldn't hide his astonishment.
Baek Mu-seong had always been affiliated with the Azure River Realm, and it had been revealed that he had cooperated with Chu-so through the affairs of Phoenix Valley.
Yet here he was, speaking so candidly.
"I don't understand why you're saying this, but..."
Bu Eun-seol feigned ignorance, probing Baek Mu-seong's intentions.
"I have nothing to discuss with someone who calls himself a puppet."
"Hohoho.
They say you're a master of negotiation. Truly, you are deft indeed."
Baek Mu-seong smiled.
"It's just a manner of speaking. I merely pretend to be subdued by them."
"Anyone can say that, can't they?"
Bu Eun-seol continued to provoke him relentlessly.
"So you called this Lord to these ruins for that? To beg for help while locked in the prison of the Martial Alliance, evading the eyes of your watchers?"
At that moment, time seemed to freeze in silence.
All sound around them abruptly vanished. And at the center of that stillness stood Baek Mu-seong.
He did nothing.
He merely closed his eyes.
That single motion alone erased all noise from the surroundings.
Then, slowly, Baek Mu-seong opened his eyes again.
His left eye was an abyss of utter darkness.
And his right eye shimmered with starlight, cradling the dawn.
One eye held the wisdom to encompass all life, while the other harbored the ruthless cruelty of a demon transcending countless calamities.
As Baek Mu-seong's aura shifted,
even the silence within the hall took on meaning.
He had unified two disparate existences, proving his own being.
Light and darkness, instead of devouring each other, had formed a perfect ring—
becoming an absolute being capable of defeating anyone, a living phenomenon standing alone beneath the heavens.
'Transcendent Unity.'
Bu Eun-seol was deeply shaken.
Transcendent Unity.
Baek Mu-seong had undoubtedly merged his two split personalities into one, transforming into a transcendent powerhouse.
Perhaps this was
the true form of the Baekri Clan's heir, said to have been born with dual personalities.
"Shall we continue our discussion now?"
At Baek Mu-seong's question, Bu Eun-seol nodded without hesitation.
"I acknowledge that you have the qualifications to negotiate."
The state of Unity Baek Mu-seong had just displayed
was so overwhelming that even he, who had faced countless formidable opponents, felt a tremor of awe.
That presence was akin to the Return-to-One Realm Lord or the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—beings so far beyond reach that confrontation was unthinkable.
It was undeniable proof that he had stepped into a transcendent realm.
Whoosh.
The terrifying energy radiating from Baek Mu-seong receded, and he returned to his original state.
Instantly, Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed.
'It's not yet perfect.'
Though he feigned calm, his fingertips trembled faintly.
Transcendent Unity was still incomplete, and it was clear that the toll it took on the body was excruciatingly severe.
"So, Lord Baek, you're saying that while pretending to be exploited by a certain faction, you're actually absorbing everything from them?"
Bu Eun-seol asked in a low voice.
"Just who is this force capable of subduing Commander Baek? What do they want from you?"
That had been the question lingering in his mind all along—the crucial key that might also be the lifeline to save him.
If only the mastermind behind Baek Mu-seong could be uncovered, a path to drag him out of the quagmire of demonic influence would surely open.
"What does that matter?"
But Baek Mu-seong dodged the question and shifted the topic.
"The only thing that matters is whether you and I can join hands."
"Don't I need to know something before I can shake on it?"
"This Commander has already laid all his cards on the table for you, openly and without reservation."
Baek Mu-seong spoke calmly.
"If you continue to twist your words or fish for information just to see how much more I'm hiding, then this conversation ends here."
"Fine."
Bu Eun-seol gave a slow nod.
"Then let's hear Commander Baek's proposal."
"Cooperate with me. And together, we'll crush our enemies."
Such a proposal was absolutely not something that should ever come from the mouth of the Martial Alliance's next leader.
If it were revealed that the heir of the Demon Hall and the next leader of the Martial Alliance were in a secret alliance—what then?
There would be no place left for him to set foot in the Central Plains' martial world.
'This could be a trap.'
Even if word simply got out that Bu Eun-seol had agreed to such a proposal from Baek Mu-seong, he would not only lose his position as the Martial Soul Lord—
He could become an enemy of the entire Demonic Path Murim.
"And just how do you propose we join hands?"
Yet Bu Eun-seol asked the question leisurely.
Baek Mu-seong's unified state had reached a level where he could challenge even the strongest warriors in a life-or-death duel.
There was no need for him to resort to such a petty trap to ensnare Bu Eun-seol.
"First, be honest about your identity."
"My identity?"
The response was utterly unexpected.
Baek Mu-seong, who had been staring intently at Bu Eun-seol, asked with the gravest expression.
"Are you Seon-u Jin?"
In that instant, countless pieces of information and premonitions flashed through Bu Eun-seol's mind.
But he forcibly suppressed them and shook his head.
"This Lord, Seon-u Jin? What nonsense."
"Choose your answer carefully."
Baek Mu-seong's voice was deadly serious.
"Everything will change depending on your response."
"Speak plainly."
"I've heard that you are Seon-u Jin."
Baek Mu-seong's lion-like gaze bore into Bu Eun-seol as he spoke.
"If you are Seon-u Jin, then I can trust you."
From his days as a Second-grade Commander, Baek Mu-seong had been on extremely good terms with Seon-u Jin—the two were rivals who understood each other deeply.
Though he had never achieved a complete victory over Seon-u Jin, Baek Mu-seong had always trusted him implicitly.
"This Lord is not Seon-u Jin."
Baek Mu-seong's voice turned stern.
"This Commander has already warned you. Everything hinges on this answer."
Then, in a low voice, he continued.
"Will you join me in devouring the factions that divide the martial world, or will we return to being irreconcilable enemies? Your answer will decide our path."
'He's basing his entire decision on whether I say I'm Seon-u Jin...'
Negotiations were, by nature, a process of concealing one's true intentions while gradually exchanging opinions to reach a compromise.
A man of Baek Mu-seong's caliber couldn't possibly be ignorant of that principle—yet here he was, concluding his proposal with such an ultimatum.
"I don't understand."
In the end, Bu Eun-seol feigned ignorance once more.
"If this Lord were the Sword King, Seon-u Jin... that would be a tale so bizarre it'd go down in martial history."
"A shame."
Baek Mu-seong also shook his head.
"Martial Soul Lord. As of today, you have become this Commander's primary target for elimination."
Just because he denied being Seon-u Jin, the negotiation partner was now his top assassination target?
'Was this all just bait?'
Bu Eun-seol inwardly let out a deep sigh.
'He still sees Seon-u Jin as a romantic rival—someone standing in the way of claiming Gongson Dan-gyeong.'
Baek Mu-seong must have already been in contact with the Martial Venerable.
Perhaps the Martial Venerable had revealed that the Martial Soul Lord's true identity was Seon-u Jin, then invited him as an envoy to weave some petty scheme.
And Baek Mu-seong's ultimate goal... was still Gongson Dan-gyeong.
If he didn't desire her—
Then even if Seon-u Jin had been a spy for the Martial Alliance, there would have been no need to dig into the identity of a man who now quietly led an intelligence network under the Azure Heaven Alliance.
'So I was being used all along.'
With Baek Mu-seong's wisdom and insight, he could have easily preserved himself in any situation.
Yet he had allowed himself to be manipulated, carrying out tasks for them—
All to break through the impassable barrier of unrequited love.
"I don't know why you asked that question, but..."
Bu Eun-seol's voice turned resolute.
"It's deeply unpleasant."
Had Baek Mu-seong sought to steer the grand scheme of things—
Or to take revenge on those who had turned him into a puppet—
Bu Eun-seol would have risked everything to cooperate with him.
But Baek Mu-seong's true desire was neither the position of Martial Alliance Chief nor vengeance against those who had played him.
All he wanted was to possess Gongson Dan-gyeong—nothing more.
In the end, Baek Mu-seong could never stand beside him as a true partner to shape the future.
"Are you serious?"
As Baek Mu-seong's voice turned icy,
"I simply cannot comprehend this."
Bu Eun-seol let out a derisive snort.
"If you had no intention of believing anything I said from the start, why did you summon this Lord in the first place?"
Baek Mu-seong, who had been silently glaring at Bu Eun-seol for a long while, turned his back coldly.
"There is nothing more to discuss. You may leave."
Watching his retreating figure, Bu Eun-seol sighed quietly.
Baek Mu-seong was undoubtedly an intelligent and broad-minded man.
Yet the moment he realized he could not obtain Gongson Dan-gyeong, he had become an entirely different person.
Even though he had unified his fractured psyche and gained the power to seize the world, his mind was now consumed by nothing but Gongson Dan-gyeong.
"Regardless, congratulations."
As an envoy of the Demon Hall, Bu Eun-seol offered a perfunctory bow.
"I hope you achieve what you desire."
Then he slowly turned away.
"Martial Soul Lord."
Baek Mu-seong's voice was icy as he watched Bu Eun-seol depart.
"You will never become the true master of the Demon Hall."
"I hear that often."
Bu Eun-seol turned his head slightly and smiled.
"This Lord happens to agree with that sentiment."
Clang.
Bu Eun-seol stepped out immediately.
Outside the window, a thick black mist began to swirl in Baek Mu-seong's eyes.
"Even the biological reactions are flawless."
His voice dropped into an inhuman rasp, his face reverting to the same expression he had worn when annihilating Phoenix Valley.
"To the point where no one could possibly doubt it."
Unnoticed, even the shape of his eyes and the hue of his skin had subtly shifted.
"And yet, the probability that the Martial Soul Lord is Seon-u Jin exceeds eighty percent."
The transformed Baek Mu-seong spoke coldly.
"Once the Azure Heaven Alliance collapses, he will crawl out of hiding eventually."
He turned away, murmuring in a low voice.
"Until then, you must remain inside."
With those words, Baek Mu-seong's expression smoothed back into tranquility.
Not only had he forcibly split and then unified his psyche—
Through the exchange between his fractured selves, he had attained superhuman martial prowess and insight.
"The Sanghak Unit Commander is currently sharing tea and conversation with the Chief Strategist."
As Bu Eun-seol exited the Pratyekabuddha Hall, Jin Woo-ryang, the Hospitality Pavilion leader who had been waiting, bowed respectfully.
"And the Forest Pavilion Chief has requested an audience with the Lord."
Daoist Mok?
How curious.
The Martial Venerable knew his true identity.
Given that he had come to the Martial Alliance under the guise of the Martial Soul Lord, Bu Eun-seol had expected some form of provocation or elaborate scheme.
Yet the Martial Venerable had not shown himself at all.
Instead, unexpected figures—
As if they had been waiting for his visit—kept summoning him.
"The Pratyekabuddha Hall?"
"He has invited you to the Forest Pavilion."
The Pratyekabuddha Hall, filled with countless martial manuals and rare texts, was a place even high-ranking members of the Martial Alliance could not enter without permission.
Thus, Daoist Mok had summoned Bu Eun-seol to his own residence in the Forest Pavilion.
"Very well. Lead the way."
Following Jin Woo-ryang's guidance, Bu Eun-seol entered the office deep within the Forest Pavilion.
"The Martial Soul Lord has arrived."
At Jin Woo-ryang's words, the office door swung open on its own.
"Then."
The martial artist bowed and disappeared.
When Bu Eun-seol stepped through the open door, he was met with an expanse of utter, infinite darkness.
Something he had never seen before—
An Absolute Boundary, compressed to an extreme degree, had been deployed inside the office.
"Greetings."
From within the darkness, Daoist Mok gradually materialized.
"It has been a while."
They had never met while Bu Eun-seol was acting as the Martial Soul Lord.
Yet Mok spoke as if reuniting with an old acquaintance.
"I see."
Bu Eun-seol stared intently into Daoist Mok's translucent eyes before sighing deeply.
"You are from the Sacred Realm?"
"Oh?"
Daoist Mok let out an intrigued exclamation.
"Martial Soul Lord. You never fail to astonish people."
His expression was one of burning curiosity as he asked:
"How, exactly, did you discern this old man's origins?"
In truth, it had been simple.
The Sacred Realm possessed the Darkness Secret Arts—a forbidden technique of physical transformation so flawless that no master, no matter how skilled, could detect it.
And right now, Daoist Mok—
Was looking at Bu Eun-seol with the same gaze he had once fixed upon Seon-u Jin.
If the Sacred Realm had a technique that could deceive even the most perceptive masters?
Then of course, they would also possess methods to effortlessly see through the disguises of the martial world.
He had always known Bu Eun-seol's true identity—yet concealed that knowledge. Which meant...
He could only be from the Sacred Realm.
"You don't seem particularly intent on hiding it."
Bu Eun-seol still didn't know who Daoist Mok truly was.
Concealing his own knowledge of the Darkness Secret Arts, he continued:
"From the start, you've been looking at me with those knowing eyes."
Bu Eun-seol pressed on.
"Those who recognize every one of my identities yet stand by indifferently, never interfering—such people exist only in the Sacred Realm."
"Hohoho."
Daoist Mok chuckled, nodding in amusement.
"You've always been sharp. Never needing things explained twice."
He calmly acknowledged his origins.
And in that moment—
Bu Eun-seol realized something he had never considered before.
"Then someone from the Sacred Realm must have been in the Demon Hall all along."
"......"
"A man of the Sacred Realm."
It was an obvious conclusion.
If Daoist Mok, who had spent years entrenched in the Martial Alliance, was from the Sacred Realm—
Then surely, the Demon Hall must also have its own counterpart. That much was beyond doubt.