Chapter 1072
Finally unleashing the Sword Form—
Paaah!
A radiant flash brimming with life energy spread outward, and in an instant, the heavens and earth fell into a silence so profound it seemed to hold its breath.
And in that moment...
Following the trajectory the Ink Soul Sword carved through the air—
The withered plants and trees trembled all at once before miraculously reviving, their parched forms now brimming with fresh, verdant vitality.
With just a single Sword Stroke, the forest began to breathe again.
The earth, the wind, the trees... everything overflowed with life force.
This was no mere Sword Studies.
It was a mystical power transcending the very principles of martial arts.
"To think a mere sword technique could... influence the mountains, rivers, and vegetation."
Bu Eun-seol exhaled in awe as he surveyed the surroundings.
The landscape where the sword technique had been unleashed now pulsed with even greater vitality, the flowers and blades of grass rejuvenated into lush, thriving forms.
The energy of life.
The very essence imbued within the sword technique had restored even the plants to their pristine, vibrant state.
Drip.
Then, a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his lips.
"Hng."
Thud.
With a short groan, he dropped to one knee.
Guhk.
And coughed up a fist-sized clot of blood.
"Still not enough..."
This sword technique sought harmony with the natural order.
Though he had achieved the unification of the Three Divine Powers through the Heavenly Light Endless Art, it was still not the pure energy of nature itself.
And so, the remaining deficit had been filled by his own life force.
"But why create such a sword technique...?"
Bu Eun-seol's expression twisted in incomprehension.
"Even if perfected, this technique cannot harm a single soul."
Despite its mystical power, it was a sword technique incapable of harming anyone.
Why had his father devised something like this?
"Perhaps Father knew he could never obtain the Four Divine Powers and resorted to using Primordial Origin Energy instead."
The Primordial Origin Energy of Heaven's Six Gates possessed properties most similar to Natural Qi, aside from the Four Divine Powers themselves.
But since they had already been annihilated... the only way to complete the Sword Form now was through the Heaven and Earth Divine Artifact.
"Regardless, this is the sword technique Father left behind. I will perfect it."
Bu Eun-seol lowered his gaze to the Ink Soul Sword.
"Since I grasped it through the Ink Soul Sword... shall I call it the Ink Soul First Form?"
Ink Soul First Form.
He had given this name to the sword technique left behind by his father, Baekri Mu-ha.
"In a way, both Grandfather and Father taught it to me."
The ripples left in the pond alone had not been enough to fully master this technique.
Fortunately, it had been his grandfather who fought his father, allowing him to deduce the method through the foundational stances of the Bloody Tears Seven Forms.
And through the patterns on the Ink Soul Sword, he had been able to complete the Sword Stroke.
Bubble, bubble.
But something was strange.
Now that the Ink Soul First Form had been unleashed, the once-tranquil pond began to seethe violently.
"The balance has been disrupted."
His grandfather's Bloody Tears Seven Forms and his father's Ink Soul First Form had once existed in perfect equilibrium.
The opposing ripples of their clash had remained imprinted upon the pond.
But when Bu Eun-seol unleashed the Ink Soul First Form once more, that balance shattered.
And now, the energy of the Ink Soul First Form began erasing all traces of the Bloody Tears Seven Forms.
Hiss—
In an instant, the pond evaporated, revealing its barren bed.
"Both of them had already transcended the limits of martial arts."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head as he stared at the exposed pond bed.
"For a single Sword Stroke to influence nature for decades..."
Hiiiiisss—
By the time the last of the pond's water had completely evaporated, its energy billowing upward into the sky like rolling clouds—
Boom.
A strange tremor reverberated from the distant heavens.
As if heralding the arrival of something ominous—something that should never have appeared.
Gooo—
Simultaneously, an unsettling Sound of Breaking Air reached his ears.
Someone was approaching at blinding speed, using an extraordinary Movement Technique.
Bu Eun-seol's expression darkened as he tightened his grip on the Ink Soul Sword.
He could sense it—a formidable enemy was drawing near.
'Were they waiting for this?'
Stone Gate Village was not a place that drew the attention of the martial world. With few children or women left, only middle-aged herb gatherers remained scattered about.
Which meant someone must have been watching this area, detecting the disturbance in energy and rushing here immediately.
Goooooo— Thud.
As the sound drew near, six shadows descended upon the ground.
The moment Bu Eun-seol saw their faces, his expression twisted.
'Villagers?'
The ones who had arrived were none other than herb gatherers from Stone Hyun Village, closely tied to Stone Gate Village.
Crack.
Suddenly, the sound of twisting bones erupted from their bodies as they stared at Bu Eun-seol.
Their eyes grew utterly cold and indifferent, their features shifting unnaturally.
As if ordinary peasants had been transformed into Soulless Ones—beings stripped of their very souls.
"The Saint."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed to slits.
'So my prediction was correct.'
During the previous Death Shadow War Unit meeting,
they had discussed how the Three Realms had managed to conceal themselves so perfectly until now.
The conclusion they reached was singular:
It was likely due to some Great Art of the Azure River Realm, one that only awakened under specific conditions.
And now, witnessing these villagers transforming into Saints, Bu Eun-seol instinctively knew his conjecture had hit the mark.
"Of course it would be this way."
If a Saint possessing both Manifestation Art Energy and Soul-Demon Magic Energy had been wandering the martial world,
their existence would have been exposed one way or another.
Yet the reason they had remained utterly concealed until now was simple—
they had cast a Great Art that allowed ordinary people to live normal lives until a certain force triggered their hidden personas to surface.
"If the Servants of the True Demon employ such methods... then naturally, the Three Realms would use similar tactics."
Rustle, rustle.
Without uttering a word, the Saints began encircling Bu Eun-seol.
Unlike the Saint he had encountered before—who had briefly regained clarity of mind thanks to his father's influence—
these ones had vacant, unfocused gazes and moved with mechanical precision.
'Something's different.'
The Saint who had pretended to heal people while secretly implanting Demon-Sealing Fragments
had exuded no aggressive aura whatsoever.
But the Saints before him now radiated an extremely sharp and sinister energy.
'Which means... even if they're all Saints, their purposes differ.'
Whoosh.
Suddenly, the Saints stretched their hands toward Bu Eun-seol.
Crunch.
An unbearable pressure, one no human body could withstand, came crashing down.
BOOM!
Bu Eun-seol instantly evaded the attack's range and unleashed the Waning Moon Morning Star.
Flash! KWAANG!
As a massive cross-shaped sword energy erupted, a thunderous explosion sent dust billowing into the air.
Whoooosh—Crackle.
When the dust settled, the Saints' bodies were enveloped in spherical barriers of energy.
'This—'
The Saint he had met before had been lucid and hadn't counterattacked,
so he hadn't been able to gauge the true extent of their power.
But now, witnessing the strength of these other Saints, he could guess why the True Demon had birthed them.
'They truly possess the combined power of both great families.'
The energy shielding them was like ink dissolving in water—
within its transparency, a dark energy ceaselessly writhed.
Undoubtedly, it was a fusion of Manifestation Art Energy and Soul-Demon Magic Energy, constantly protecting their bodies.
'Ordinary attacks won't work.'
Drip.
A trickle of blood ran down Bu Eun-seol's cheek.
Ziiing.
In their hands, they had conjured swords of True Qi—blades that seemed like the convergence of light and darkness.
When he had launched Waning Moon Morning Star, they had simultaneously struck back with their own sword energy.
'My Spirit and Mind is growing faint...'
The sword energy unleashed by the Saints didn't just harm the body—it also eroded the Spirit and Mind.
A direct hit could reduce one to a mindless husk.
Step. Step.
Clad in indestructible barriers and wielding swords capable of annihilating both body and soul,
the Saints advanced slowly, pressing toward Bu Eun-seol like flawless, peerless warriors.
Ordinary martial artists wouldn't stand a chance—only the Limitless Power of a Master at the Martial Extreme Realm might have a sliver of hope.
But there were six of them.
Even if he unleashed Limitless Power, victory wasn't assured.
Screeeech.
A bizarre sound echoed as a sinister light flickered in their pupils.
With each step they took, the Manifestation Art Energy and Soul-Demon Magic Energy within them twisted violently, fusing into one.
And as the faint outlines of their forms wavered, they began shedding their human appearances, morphing into grotesque entities.
'This is the power of a Saint.'
Outwardly, their appearances hadn't changed at all.
But to Bu Eun-seol's eyes—capable of perceiving both Manifestation Art Energy and Soul-Demon Magic Energy—
the intense undulations of the two energies coiling around their bodies made them look like monsters in the midst of transformation.
Kiiiiii!
As he raised the Ink Soul Sword, a mournful wail reverberated in all directions.
Just as he had once dealt with a Saint before,
he prepared to merge the Bloody Tears Seven Forms with the Heavenly Light Endless Art and cut them down.
Flash!
But when he unleashed the Bloody Tears Seven Forms, it wasn't sharp sword energy that descended—
instead, a rain of black-light luminous points poured down, compressing all existence into singularities before annihilating them.
The Heavenly Light Endless Art, now stably fused with the Bloody Tears Seven Forms, was manifesting an unexpected, devastating power.
FWOOOOOSH!
Like lightning striking a clear sky, dozens of black-light luminous points detonated.
The Saints' bodies crumpled, and even the surrounding trees and boulders were sucked into the points, reduced to dust.
Crrrrrumble.
The aftershocks of destruction continued to ravage the surroundings, accompanied by thunderous roars.
Whoooosh.
As the dust settled—
Grrrroan.
The shattered bodies of the Saints began to reform, oozing a vile demonic energy as they coalesced into a single entity.
But it was no longer human.
Instead, it had transformed into a grotesque, flesh-bound monstrosity—a fusion of countless martial artists' vengeful spirits and corpses.
'They absorbed the blade energy of Bloody Tears Seven Forms using Soul-Demon Magic Energy.'
In truth, the Saints had only torn their robes, having absorbed the sword's force into their bodies.
But to Bu Eun-seol, whose senses could perceive Soul-Demon Magic Energy, they appeared as monstrous figures draped in fragments of corpses.
Huff... huff...
They advanced again, slowly.
With such power, they could have unleashed an overwhelming assault to crush Bu Eun-seol instantly.
Yet they deliberately took their time.
'To absorb martial arts.'
Just as the Saint had once absorbed both illness and life force from people,
these beings could now devour the torrent of martial techniques being unleashed upon them.
'They must have anticipated that either Grandfather or Father's successor would come here.'
That was why they had stationed powerful Saints disguised as villagers in this remote area—
waiting for the day when the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade or Baekri Mu-ha's descendant would arrive to uncover the traces left behind.
Sssshhk! Sssshhk!
A sharp surge of energy erupted from Bu Eun-seol's body.
He had unleashed the Martial Emperor's Thirteenfold Qi Induction.
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
Nine razor-sharp streams of force pierced through their bodies—
Squelch.
This time, they transformed flawlessly—into the pristine, saintly forms they had once been.
Huff...
The Saints, having altered their shapes once more, tilted their heads slightly before slowly raising their index fingers.
Tzzzt!
A crimson flash shot from their fingertips like arrows.
Swish!
Bu Eun-seol narrowly dodged.
The streak of light that grazed past him split trees and boulders dozens of jang away as if they were blocks of tofu.
Tzzzt! Tzzzt!
As Bu Eun-seol weaved through the attacks like lightning,
the ground where the red flashes struck caved in, leaving behind hemispherical craters large enough to swallow a man whole.
Seeing Bu Eun-seol evade so effortlessly,
Sssssssk!
The Saints moved as if unbound by spatial constraints, relentlessly firing crimson beams.
And as the number of flashes increased—
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
Bu Eun-seol spun through the air like a top, unleashing the Formless Heavenly Flow in a single, concentrated burst.
Zzzzt... zzzzt...
Yet even as his sword strikes cleaved through their bodies, the Saints flickered ceaselessly,
absorbing his martial arts and morphing yet again.
'They're strong.'
Cloaked in both Manifestation Art Energy and Soul-Demon Magic Energy,
they absorbed every technique he unleashed, adapting their flesh to match the force being hurled at them.
'The only thing left... is Harmonization.'
Shiiing!
As he drew upon Harmonization, a radiant light spread across the Ink Soul Sword.
—It was thanks to Baekri Mu-ha that I regained my senses.
Then, suddenly,
he recalled the words of a Saint he had once encountered—that they had briefly regained their memories due to his father's influence.
'Then...'
Could it be that the Ink Soul First Form, a technique no one could harm,
had been created specifically to counter these formidable Saints?
'I'll try it.'
Zzzzt.
A soft glow erupted from Bu Eun-seol's body as he summoned the Heavenly Light Endless Art.
Huff...
Gripping the Ink Soul Sword in a reverse grip, he lowered his stance, a brilliant light spilling from his form.
His posture was so violently poised it felt like the tension before an explosion—yet it also carried the solemnity of a sacred ritual.
An aura of majesty and dignity radiated from his entire being.
Zzzzt.
Mystical patterns formed along the blade's edge before
a cluster of luminous motes—azure, violet, and pale green—bloomed from its tip, intertwining like life itself.
"HAAAP!"
A resonant shout burst from Bu Eun-seol's lips.
It was not a cry to unleash power, but a natural exclamation—an attempt to restrain the energy threatening to explode outward.
Fwoooosh!
When the Ink Soul Sword finally carved through the air, it did not leave a sharp trajectory.
Instead, it rippled like a wave, sending forth a massive surge crashing toward the Saints, who were enveloped in energy that seemed to mix light and darkness.
"......"
The Saints stood motionless. The fierce energy enveloping them remained unchanged.
'Did it fail?'
A lock of hair at Bu Eun-seol's temple had turned white.
Even with his tremendous internal energy and the Three Divine Powers, he could not execute the Ink Soul First Form in full and had to consume part of his life force.
Halt.
Then, abruptly, the Saints froze.
Slowly, they extended their hands toward the luminous motes scattered by the Ink Soul First Form.
It was as if weary warriors were finally returning home.
Their expressions were gentle and warm, like a weary warrior taking the hand of a mother who had long awaited their return.
Upon being exposed to the Ink Soul First Form, the madness and hatred that had dominated their minds scattered like mist.
An unfamiliar tide of emotions surged within the hollow silence.
Whoooosh.
The Soul-Demon Magic Energy that had been corroding their bodies dissipated like fog.
Plop.
As all their power was washed away,
they had already transformed into the appearance of martial artists with utterly ordinary features.
However... those who had contained Soul-Demon Magic Energy within mere mortal flesh could not escape their wretched fate.
Drip.
Blood trickled from the corners of the Saints' mouths, and the shape of their fingers gradually faded away.
Just like the Yi Neung-so, their entire bodies were slowly turning to dust.
"How fascinating."
Yet the Saint standing at the forefront remained motionless, not crumbling away.
A pure white light flowed from his body, holding his disintegrating flesh together.
It seemed that before becoming a Saint, he must have been a descendant of the Baekri Clan, possessing formidable Manifestation Art Energy.
"Huh."
He turned his gaze toward Bu Eun-seol, whose eyes flickered with a blue radiance from the right, then made a face as if he couldn't comprehend something.
"Eyes capable of distinguishing the True Demon... So you are the current master of the Ancient Sword Forest."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened at the unexpected remark.
He had believed the power he gained from the Ancient Sword Forest was merely the ability to analyze the nature of an enemy's energy.
But if those words were true, did that mean the power of the Ancient Sword Forest was actually the ability to perceive the True Demon's true form?
Realizing the Saint had regained his clarity, Bu Eun-seol asked respectfully,
"Have you regained your senses?"
After all, the Saints were all descendants of the Baekri Clan—essentially elders of his own lineage.
"Thanks to you."
The Saint looked down at his slowly vanishing left hand and replied,
"But the time I have left won't even amount to half a quarter-hour."
He lowered his head and muttered,
"All because of my own greed."
"Greed?"
"For generations, our clan has sought to unravel the secrets of the Chain of Reincarnation. But such research only deepened our craving for that power."
The Saints had fallen to the True Demon's temptation because they yearned for power.
And that "power" was none other than the True Demon's Chain of Reincarnation.
Bu Eun-seol exhaled deeply.
Was it inevitable?
It made no sense for the descendants of the Baekri Clan, who could resist the True Demon's Soul-Demon Magic Energy, to covet the True Demon's power.
But the Chain of Reincarnation was different.
It was akin to attaining eternal life—or gaining infinite knowledge.
The Baekri Clan had researched the Chain of Reincarnation, only to crave its power.
And in doing so, they had succumbed to the True Demon's deception.
"There is something I wish to ask."
Aware that the Saint had little time left, Bu Eun-seol quickly posed his question.
"I came here searching for traces of my grandfather and father."
"Your grandfather and father?"
"Yes."
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath.
"My grandfather is the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade Bu Jan-yang, and my father is Baekri Mu-ha, the First Beauty of the Martial World."
"Of course I know of the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade. But I have no idea who this 'First Beauty of the Martial World' is."
Baekri Mu-ha was a member of the Baekri Clan and had lived in the same era as the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade.
So why did the Saint only acknowledge the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade?
Perhaps his memories are incomplete after being eroded by Soul-Demon Magic Energy for so long.
Bu Eun-seol calmly pressed on.
"I found traces of a battle between the two of them here. I want to know the truth behind it."
"These people believe themselves to be herb gatherers... but Seokmunjin is a village where all but the chief have had their memories erased and received the True Demon's Demon Seed implants."
Bu Eun-seol had wondered how an outsider from the military could become the chief of an herb-gathering village.
But the village itself was a massive laboratory created by the Servants of the True Demon.
"New Bloodline."
The research on the New Bloodline, perfected in India, had been continuously pursued in the Central Plains as well.
"Indeed."
The Saint gazed at the distant sky with dimming eyes.
"The Seven Fingers Demonic Blade realized this and came to slaughter all the women bearing the New Bloodline and the children who were to become its vessels."
At last, Bu Eun-seol understood the full picture.
His grandfather, aware of the village's secret, had come to kill all the women implanted with the Demon Seed and the children meant to serve as its vessels.
And his father, capable of saving them, had stood in his grandfather's way.
After all, the Ink Soul First Form was a Sword Form capable of annihilating Soul-Demon Magic Energy—something even Manifestation Art Energy could not suppress.
"He had long been relentless in hunting down the Servants of the True Demon and those corrupted by Soul-Demon Magic Energy, slaughtering them without end."
Bu Eun-seol furrowed his brow.
It had been said that his grandfather possessed the Chain of Reincarnation.
Then why had he sought out and killed the Servants of the True Demon and those tainted by Soul-Demon Magic Energy?
"Why would Grandfather...?"
As Bu Eun-seol voiced his question, the Saint murmured with fading eyes,
"Because he bore the Chain of Reincarnation."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
Did that mean the Chain of Reincarnation wasn't just a power—but the inheritance of the True Demon's karma?
Then the Saint's expression turned solemn.
"Jeongcheonje."
And he uttered a truth so shocking, so utterly unexpected, that it stole the breath from Bu Eun-seol's lungs.
"To pass the Chain of Reincarnation to him."