Chapter 1069
Fwoooosh!
A golden radiance, as if purging all the darkness in the world, surged outward like a colossal wave—
—and the Black Divine warriors turned to fistfuls of ash within that dazzling light before vanishing entirely.
Crackle-crack-crack.
The Black Divine Heavenly Lord poured forth his Soul-Demon Magic Energy with all his might to resist that brilliance.
But it was futile.
The human body instinctively recognizes what is beneficial.
If something is helpful, it is accepted without resistance, naturally and effortlessly.
And that law held true—even for the Black Divine Heavenly Lord.
"......!"
The Black Divine Heavenly Lord could not suppress his inner bewilderment.
Even if the Manifestation Art Energy of the Baekri Clan were unleashed, his Soul-Demon Magic Energy should have been more than capable of blocking it.
Yet before the power Bu Eun-seol was unleashing, it was helpless—diminishing without any capacity to resist.
Crrrk.
The more that mysterious energy seeped into his body, the more his connection to the Black Divine warriors was severed, one by one—
—until he reached a point where he could no longer restore his flesh.
Flash!
The Black Divine Heavenly Lord's pupils flared with an inky black glow as he sensed the nature of the endlessly permeating energy.
"Natural Qi?"
What Bu Eun-seol was releasing was pure Natural Qi—akin to the intrinsic life force of humanity itself.
Zzzzt.
Once his connection to the Black Divine was completely severed, the strange shockwave that had enveloped his body dissipated like mist—
—revealing a grotesque monstrosity standing in its place.
His entire body was covered in wounds like blackened scars, rendering his features unrecognizable.
His sunken eyes were filled with darkness black as pitch.
From the nape of his neck down his spine, black feathers were densely embedded, adding to the eerie sight.
'There's potential.'
Bu Eun-seol, observing this, gave a slight nod inwardly.
By manifesting the energy of nature through the Three Divine Powers and the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment, he had severed the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's domination over the Black Divine warriors.
If just the Three Divine Powers could achieve this much, what if he gathered all Four Divine Powers?
It wouldn't be impossible to eradicate the mysterious powers and supernatural abilities possessed by the superlative martial experts.
Crrrunch.
The Black Divine Heavenly Lord, seething with rage, snapped the black spear in his hand in two.
The Four Divine Heavenly Lords wielded the authority of domination, mastering all martial arts scattered throughout the martial world.
Even without the power of supernatural abilities, he was a superlative martial expert who had reached the pinnacle of martial prowess.
Swish-swish-swish!
As if to prove it, the Black Divine Heavenly Lord swung his broken spear relentlessly, unleashing supremely profound techniques.
Whoosh-whoosh!
When Bu Eun-seol evaded effortlessly, the spear's afterimages instantly cut off his escape routes—
—and a razor-sharp force threatened to tear through his flesh.
'Not bad.'
As the Black Divine Heavenly Lord displayed his exquisite martial arts, Bu Eun-seol only grew more exhilarated.
Wheeeek!
A piercing sound, sharp enough to split eardrums, reverberated from all directions.
The spear techniques grew increasingly fierce—
—completely sealing off the surrounding space, trapping Bu Eun-seol within a circular cage of spear afterimages as relentless, razor-edged strikes rained down.
Zzzzing.
But the more this happened, the deeper Bu Eun-seol's gaze sank, a brilliant light flashing within.
Regaining composure in the midst of extreme combat, piercing through the flow of battle and the enemy's techniques—
Wasn't that the very essence of Langya Pavilion's practical martial arts?
'The movements of crows.'
Every time the black spear scattered its afterimages—
—an illusion of dozens of crows blotting out the sky bloomed before his eyes.
The Black Divine Heavenly Lord's spear techniques were as swift and cruel as a raptor snatching its prey, displaying bizarre movements whose trajectories were impossible to predict.
'Sight is meaningless.'
Closing his eyes, Bu Eun-seol heightened the senses of the Beast Path to their limit—
—and the minute tremors in the air, the trajectory and speed of the spear's tip, all became vividly clear.
A terrifying spear technique that couldn't be broken through orthodox means.
Then he would have to give flesh to take bone.
Flick!
The moment he revealed the slightest opening, the sharp spearhead pierced straight through the center of his body.
Crunch.
Bu Eun-seol twisted his body like lightning—
—letting the spear slide beneath his armpit while clamping his arm down, firmly gripping the shaft.
Drip-drip-drip.
The flesh at his side tore away like ragged cloth, blood streaming out.
But Bu Eun-seol paid it no mind, driving the Heavenly Light Seven Forms into the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's solar plexus acupoint with crushing force.
BOOM!
The Black Divine Heavenly Lord was sent flying hundreds of feet away.
Despite being clad in formidable Body Protection True Qi—
—the fabric over his chest was reduced to dust, scattering in the wind, and a mouthful of bright red blood gushed out violently.
"Hah... hah..."
As he saw Bu Eun-seol's crimson eyes burning with fighting spirit, utterly disregarding his tattered wounds—
—the Black Divine Heavenly Lord was abruptly reminded of the one who had once handed him defeat in the past.
A madman consumed by martial obsession, a Great Demon who had shaken the world.
The Human Demon, Ak Mu-ryeong.
"Though they call you a master between the orthodox and unorthodox paths, your actions lean far closer to the Demonic Path."
"You may flee now if you regret this."
Bu Eun-seol wore a leisurely expression.
"I swear I won't pursue you."
In truth, he absolutely needed to extract the clue to the Land of the Ultimate Void from the Black Divine Heavenly Lord.
But if the Black Divine Heavenly Lord truly resolved to escape, tracking him would be no easy feat.
To eliminate that possibility, Bu Eun-seol deliberately provoked his pride.
"Hmph!"
Enraged, the Black Divine Heavenly Lord shot into the air like a great roc.
Flap!
The sound of wings beating echoed, and suddenly, Bu Eun-seol's extrasensory perception vanished in an instant.
Swish!
The moment he instinctively tilted his head back, a chilling spear blade grazed past his chin.
Though his connection to the Black Divine had been severed,
the technique of controlling ravens still remained, allowing him to cut off Bu Eun-seol's extrasensory perception.
"Try dodging this too!"
Hiss—!
A torrent of light erupted from the spear's tip, transforming into a flood dragon that split the heavens before—
BOOM!
—exploding like fireworks.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh—!
Countless arrows of light rained down upon Bu Eun-seol, blanketing the world.
Flap!
At the same time, the sound of wings beating resounded again, and his extrasensory perception vanished once more.
Losing extrasensory perception mid-battle was more dangerous than suffering a fatal wound—
Smirk.
Yet, the corners of Bu Eun-seol's lips curled into a smile.
Not supernatural powers, nor sorcery—just the pure clash of martial arts.
A desperate struggle on the razor's edge between life and death.
For him, who had honed his martial arts through life-or-death battles, this situation was nothing short of exhilarating play.
Bam bam bam—!
With all extrasensory perception sealed,
Bu Eun-seol unleashed the Heavenly Light Seven Forms—Cycle of the Heavenly Dao.
Like the celestial principles in motion, the vortex of fist force enveloping his body deflected every unseen, unfelt attack without fail.
BOOM! CRASH! KABOOM—!
The explosive collisions of fist force and spear energy shook the heavens.
"Raaah!"
Enraged that all his attacks were being blocked by mere fist techniques, the Black Divine Heavenly Lord roared furiously and moved like lightning.
Swish swish swish—!
In an instant, his body split into two.
One was his true body, the other an illusion woven from blinding speed and a swarm of ravens.
Hundreds of black feathers seemed to scatter before Bu Eun-seol's eyes as a lethal assault relentlessly targeted his openings.
'Though it appears like a storm of attacks, he's aiming for a single vital point.'
KWAH—!
Bu Eun-seol's fist unleashed the Endless Radiance Form, piercing through the chaotic spear illusions before—
—instantly driving into the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's lower abdomen, hidden within the spear's shadow.
Caw! Caw—!
But as ominous raven cries erupted, his decisive strike melted away as if it had never been.
Splat!
At the same time, blood sprayed from Bu Eun-seol's shoulder.
Despite unleashing a decisive strike, it was the Black Divine Heavenly Lord who had drawn first blood.
"I see your death now."
As blood finally burst from Bu Eun-seol's body, the Black Divine Heavenly Lord erupted into maniacal laughter.
"Hahaha!"
But he could never have dreamed—
that the very martial techniques he was unleashing
were instead becoming the catalyst for Bu Eun-seol's awakening.
Within the mind of one who had already reached the realm of the Fist Demon,
a new fist technique capable of shattering the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's martial arts was already taking shape.
Rumble.
Bu Eun-seol lightly extended a single fist.
A rapid strike, devoid of internal energy.
Swish—!
In the blink of an eye,
it pierced through the spear's protective barrier and grazed the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's cheek.
Drip.
As blood trickled down his cheek,
Ooze...
a black mist seeped from the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's widened eyes.
Click.
Splitting his spear into two, he gripped one in each hand and—
Slash slash slash—!
—like a raven tearing into prey with its massive beak, unleashed a furious storm of spear strikes.
Hiss.
Bu Eun-seol, standing firm, traced a wide circle with his foot before slowly extending a fist—
as if unfolding the Grasp the Sparrow's Tail of Taiji Fist.
Bam bam! CRACK—!
One side moved like a madman, raining down relentless attacks,
while the other stood unmoving, pouring all his focus into defense.
By the principles of martial arts, the outcome was already decided.
As if to prove it,
the momentum of the Black Divine Spear Technique gradually dulled,
while Bu Eun-seol's fist force began dominating the battlefield.
Swish!
Sensing imminent defeat, the Black Divine Heavenly Lord mustered every ounce of his Internal Power.
Thud.
Suddenly, Bu Eun-seol's body swayed slightly, his fist unfolding half a beat slower than before.
Heavenly Reversal Heart-Push—a Palm Art of the Unorthodox Faction that reversed the enemy's heartbeat, creating an opening.
Swish!
In that instant, the razor-sharp tip of the spear pierced through the Heavenly Light Seven Forms and dug an inch into Bu Eun-seol's chest.
But it was a trap.
Boom!
The Black Divine Heavenly Lord took the full brunt of the counterstrike, hurtling backward into the cliff face.
Thanks to over ten sixty-year cycles of accumulated internal power, techniques like Heavenly Reversal Heart-Push had no effect—but Bu Eun-seol had deliberately left himself open.
Step. Step.
Ignoring the wound on his chest, Bu Eun-seol slowly advanced toward the Black Divine Heavenly Lord.
Having attained another epiphany mid-battle, his Heavenly Light Seven Forms now completely overwhelmed the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's spear techniques.
"You...."
The Black Divine Heavenly Lord reflexively opened his mouth—a habit only possible when facing an inferior opponent.
But in a life-or-death struggle against a formidable foe, such an act was no different from exposing a fatal weakness.
Now.
Had Bu Eun-seol unleashed his actual martial arts, he could have severed the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's head within ten or so moves.
The way he commanded the black spirits resembled the Ten Thousand Bone Blood King's Frozen Bone Blood Art, and his spear techniques bore an eerie resemblance to the Illusory Dream Spear.
Yet Bu Eun-seol had prolonged the battle for one reason:
To seize the fleeting moment where he could purify the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's body, corrupted by Soul-Demon Magic Energy, through the Heavenly Light Endless Art.
Only then could he extract the information he needed.
Flash!
Bu Eun-seol's figure vanished—
Crash!
—and his fist, shimmering with five-colored light, slammed into the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's body.
It was not a strike of destruction.
Instead, it was a Life Fist—imbued with the Martial Emperor's Quiet Awakening and the pure Natural Qi of the Heavenly Light Endless Art—capable of restoring a warped body to its original state.
"Guh—ack!"
A massive clot of blood erupted from the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's mouth.
It was less a clot and more like a crimson egg—writhing veins, yellowish fluid, and half-formed raven feathers tangled within.
Just as I thought.
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed.
The Black Divine Heavenly Lord wasn't connected to the black spirits through Soul-Demon Magic Energy.
Instead, like some esoteric Art of Spells from India, he had been harboring a Gu—a vessel of condensed raven resentment.
Crackle.
The Black Divine Heavenly Lord's body began to change.
His form, once covered in black scars, gradually reshaped into that of a proper human.
And the face that emerged was startlingly familiar.
"Yi Neung-so?"
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
The true identity of the Black Divine Heavenly Lord was none other than a renowned Master famed for his spear techniques—
The Spear Saint, Yi Neung-so.
So this is why Jong Baek knelt before the Servants of the True Demon...
He had assumed that figures like the Four Divine Heavenly Lords and the Eight Heavenly Servants were born as the True Demon's subordinates, ascending to their heights through extraordinary martial arts or mystical techniques.
But the truth was different.
The Servants of the True Demon selected outstanding Masters who wandered the Murim, then bestowed upon them Soul-Demon Magic Energy or Supernatural Powers through Great Arts, elevating them to their positions.
"In the end, the Servants of the True Demon are nothing more than specters chasing power."
Just as Jong Baek, once a disciple of Langya Pavilion, had knelt before the True Demon—
Supernatural Power, too, had forsaken the name of Mother Star and bowed to the source of that power.
"Did you not know?"
The Black Divine Heavenly Lord—no, Supernatural Power—twisted his lips into a grotesque smile.
"That you wield the secret of Baekri Mu-ha?"
"What?"
"That Natural Qi you manipulate—isn't it the Primordial Origin Energy of Heaven's Six Gates, the very technique Baekri Mu-ha once used?"
A shocking revelation.
Bu Eun-seol had assumed his father, as a descendant of the Baekri Clan, naturally wielded their power.
But instead, he had practiced the Primordial Origin Energy of Heaven's Six Gates, a discipline that pursued a Natural Qi eerily similar to the Divine Weapon's energy.
Then Father, too, must have blended various powers during his travels.
In his memories, his father had mastered perfect Natural Qi—yet he had deliberately used Primordial Origin Energy. There had to be a reason.
Squelch. Squelch.
All energy drained from Supernatural Power's body, his gaze now unnervingly clear.
But in exchange, his flesh began to crumble—
Just like Jong Baek before him.
Realizing at last that the power Bu Eun-seol wielded was that of the Four Divine Powers, Supernatural Power nodded faintly.
"I see. That makes sense."
Yi Neung-so let out a sigh as if he had realized something.
"Martial Soul Society Leader. So you're the Martial Soul Lord who claims to be Bu Jan-yang's grandson."
"What are you talking about?"
"No need to feign ignorance. In any case, this old man will soon be dead."
Yi Neung-so smiled faintly.
"Speaking not as a Servant of the True Demon, but as Yi Neung-so of the Mother Star."
"Are you saying that becoming a Servant of the True Demon means losing one's self?"
"You become incapable of defying His will. You cannot act against the interests of the Venerable Lord, nor can you disobey His intentions."
Now, the secrets of the True Demon's Servants were being unraveled one by one.
The Servants of the True Demon were not nurtured—instead, the True Demon's will was forcibly imposed upon existing martial elites.
Naturally, even their Spirit and Mind would be suppressed.
They could never take any action that would harm the True Demon.
"Do you know Baekri Mu-ha?"
This statement was still a denial that the person before him was truly Bu Eun-seol.
After all, even this conversation could be relayed to the True Demon or other Servants through the crows.
"Baekri Mu-ha's time in the Martial World was exceedingly brief. Yet, the Servants had no choice but to pursue him relentlessly."
Yi Neung-so spoke astonishing words.
"Because he tried to kill Bu Jan-yang."
'Father... tried to kill Grandfather?'
Bu Eun-seol's expression twisted in disbelief.
"Why would he do that?"
"Because Bu Jan-yang possessed the Chain of Reincarnation."
Thud.
A splitting pain tore through the back of Bu Eun-seol's skull.
As he staggered backward, Yi Neung-so smiled faintly.
"Did you truly believe the Absolute Demon Saber Project—the plan to birth the Number One of the Demonic Path from the Orthodox Path—could be realized just because a few Righteous Faction leaders conspired together?"
He dropped yet another shocking revelation.
"From the beginning, the Absolute Demon Saber Project was research into whether a human could contain the Chain of Reincarnation—a transcendent power said to be only bearable by gods."
"Nonsense."
"You should know better, shouldn't you?"
Yi Neung-so spoke calmly.
"If their goal had merely been to produce the Number One of the Demonic Path—"
He locked eyes with Bu Eun-seol and continued.
"—would they have needed to select individuals with the greatest talent and physique... to birth a martial artist capable of surpassing human limits?"
Bu Eun-seol's vision darkened.
"Are you saying the True Demon orchestrated everything?"
"The opposite."
Yi Neung-so shook his head.
"The Venerable Lord never had the slightest interest in the affairs of the Martial World to begin with."
"Then—"
"Just as there are those who follow the Venerable Lord, there are Servants and bloodline descendants who seek to surpass Him."
Yi Neung-so let out a deep sigh.
"And just as there are those who fear the Martial World's progress... there are also those who wonder just how far it can advance."
Bu Eun-seol's expression turned grim.
"So you're saying the former Martial Alliance Leader Cheol Mu-heun and the Buddhist Venerable were nothing more than puppets manipulated by the True Demon's Servants?"
"Rather than puppets, it would be more accurate to say their ambitions aligned."
Yi Neung-so shook his head again.
"They were all men of great ambition."
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
Even if Cheol Mu-heun had been unaware, someone as ancient and cunning as the Buddhist Venerable could never have failed to notice the Absolute Demon Saber Project.
"So in the end, it's not the True Demon who's stirring chaos in the Martial World... but the Three Attendants or His bloodline descendants?"
"Nothing can be certain."
Yi Neung-so replied.
"The Three Attendants cannot directly interfere in the affairs of the Martial World."
Just as Bu Eun-seol opened his mouth to speak, Yi Neung-so cut him off.
"However, they can certainly assist the twisted ambitions of martial artists."
—To directly produce the Number One of the Demonic Path and dominate the Demonic Path itself.
That had long been the burning ambition of the Orthodox Faction.
The Demonic Path's forces had already grown to rival the Orthodox Faction's, and for centuries, every single exceptional talent had emerged exclusively from the Demonic Path.
They knew all too well what would become of the Orthodox Faction if the Demonic Path Murim ever gained supremacy.
In the end, figures like Cheol Mu-heun and the Buddhist Venerable, unable to shake off that fear, had sought to control the Demonic Path.
And they had ultimately failed to resist that secret temptation.
"The Seven Fingers Demonic Blade is dead."
Bu Eun-seol stated.
"Then the Chain of Reincarnation must have been taken by his killer?"
The Chain of Reincarnation was akin to divine authority—something no human should be able to touch.
Since it couldn't have been destroyed just because his grandfather died, the most likely scenario was that the murderer had taken it.
"I don't know. However—"
Yi Neung-so took a deep breath.
"If you wish to know what happened next, go to Stone Gate Town in Mount Zhong."
"Stone Gate Town."
"Indeed."
An incomparably solemn light flickered in his eyes.
"That is where the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade and Baekri Mu-ha clashed."
Drip.
His fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms.
In some remote village he had never even heard of in life—
His grandfather and father had fought a battle as inevitable as fate itself.
"Why?"
He had merely expelled the Soul-Demon Magic Energy.
So why was Yi Neung-so suddenly revealing such crucial information?
Trickle.
Black blood seeped from the corner of Yi Neung-so's mouth as he smiled.
"I... was Number Thirty-Six."