Chapter 1073
The Saint continued his explanation.
"As long as the Servants of the True Demon exist, and as long as the evil Soul-Demon Magic Energy persists, the karma imprinted upon the Chain of Reincarnation will be inherited."
Bu Eun-seol instantly understood the implication.
According to Lee Neung-so, who had once been the Black Divine Heavenly Lord, the Servants of the True Demon received their power and authority from a higher existence.
Meaning, while the True Demon now wandered without its memories—
If all its Servants were eliminated? The untainted Chain of Reincarnation could be passed on.
'So that's it.'
Right now, the Death Emperor is insane, wielding the Four Emperors' Martial Arts.
Then ultimately, because he failed to eliminate all the Servants of the True Demon before inheriting the Chain of Reincarnation—
He became a madman, and the Baekri Clan is now destroying the Secret Vault?
"Why did Grandfather pass it to the Death Emperor?"
"Find Pa-myeong's vessel."
The Saint murmured faintly, his eyes dim.
"He stole one of the True Demon's Secret Arts. He resisted the True Demon, was defeated, and went into hiding while wounded."
Sssssss—
At that moment, the Saint's left hand began gradually crumbling to dust.
"He is seeking a vessel for himself, sowing chaos."
Huuuuuum.
The light seeping from the Saint's body grew uncontrollably intense.
"Among those whose abilities have inexplicably surged or who have achieved transcendent growth—look for those who have committed mass slaughter."
The Saint's faint gaze fixed intently on Bu Eun-seol.
"Those who become Pa-myeong's vessel experience transcendent growth but also fall into Demonic Nature... If you find such a person, you may uncover the reason."
Sssssssss—!
In an instant, the Saint's body dissolved into a blinding radiance before scattering into dust.
Though he had possessed the purest Manifestation Art Energy among the Saints, enduring even after being struck by the Ink Soul First Form—his life had only been briefly prolonged.
Once the source of all his power vanished, his existence fading away was inevitable.
"Pa-myeong."
Bu Eun-seol was bewildered.
Was all the chaos in Murim not caused by the True Demon—but by Pa-myeong?
Moreover, Grandfather... Even while possessing the Chain of Reincarnation, he killed the Servants of the True Demon and those cloaked in Soul-Demon Magic Energy.
"Grandfather always lived with regret."
The reason he worked as an undertaker was to atone for a past stained with grief and remorse.
"Then perhaps..."
Bu Eun-seol's mind spun like lightning.
"Could it be that Grandfather, too, was once eroded by the True Demon's will?"
That Grandfather, having inherited the True Demon's karma, committed atrocities—
But with Father's help, or for some other reason, regained his clarity—
And resolved to pass the Chain of Reincarnation to the Death Emperor, then known as the most righteous figure—
Before leaving Murim after eliminating those tied to the True Demon?
"Though this is just my speculation."
From what Bu Eun-seol knew, Grandfather had been the most just and compassionate person imaginable.
Yet he spent his life in regret and suffering, walking a path of repentance as an undertaker.
If that was because he bore the Chain of Reincarnation—because he had been eroded by the True Demon's will...
It would explain why he endured such agony for so long.
"At first, through the Absolute Demon Saber Project, he slaughtered Demonic Path members as a spy for the Righteous Faction."
Bu Eun-seol exhaled deeply.
"And later, possessed by the True Demon, he committed atrocities against his will."
If that were true—
Grandfather's life would have been an endless torment, a relentless cycle of regret and remorse.
Had it been Bu Eun-seol in his place?
He might have lost his sanity—or ended his own life.
"Whatever the truth, this too is my burden to bear."
If Grandfather bore guilt, then it was only right that I should bear it.
Fortunately, Father had left behind the Ink Soul First Form—a method to expel Soul-Demon Magic Energy.
Undoing What One Tied.
Since all this originated from Grandfather and Father, it was only fitting that he should be the one to bring it to an end.
"Grandfather knew the Death Emperor."
The Heavenly Robe Mind Art.
Grandfather had mastered the Death Emperor's secret techniques—meaning the two must have known each other well.
"He mentioned Pa-myeong's vessel."
Pa-myeong had suffered a crushing defeat against the True Demon and was now seeking a vessel to wreak havoc in Murim.
If he could find that person—
Not only could he rescue them from Pa-myeong's grasp—
But he might also uncover the long-hidden traces of the Three Attendants.
Leaving the shocking revelations behind—
Bu Eun-seol returned to the Demon Hall and relentlessly mobilized his intelligence network.
The one who became Pa-myeong's vessel.
Such a person would suddenly grow stronger, display transcendent progress, and—having fallen into Demonic Nature—commit mass slaughter.
If he tracked down someone in Murim matching this description?
He might uncover clues about Grandfather or the Death Emperor that had been shrouded in secrecy.
—Investigate thoroughly to see if such a person exists.
The moment Bu Eun-seol issued the order, the Death Soul Squad sprang into action.
And before long—
No Trace, the leader of the Death Soul Squad, personally came to the Hidden Demon Pavilion to report.
"There is indeed someone who fits the description."
The Death Soul Squad's intelligence capabilities had grown incomparably stronger.
Now, as long as the criteria were clear—unless the target was under the protection of an intelligence organization—
They could easily trace the movements of ordinary individuals.
"A person who carried out mass slaughter like the Killing Ghost... and whose martial arts advanced explosively, surpassing even the bounds of serendipitous encounters."
No Trace paused for a moment, his expression turning graver than ever.
"Within the last decade, there has been only one person with such a record..."
And then he delivered the shocking revelation.
"The secret hall master of Langya Pavilion, Sa-u. Only Hall Master Sa fits the description."
Bu Eun-seol couldn't hide his astonishment.
The person matching the conditions the Saint had revealed—
was none other than Sa-u, the man who had first taught him martial arts on Hell Island?
"In the past, Hall Master Sa's martial prowess advanced so rapidly that he was even considered for the position of successor."
"Then why didn't he ascend to become the next Pavilion Lord?"
The moment the question left his lips, Bu Eun-seol wore an awkward expression.
Even though he was effectively the next Pavilion Lord acknowledged by Ak Mu-ryeong, he still didn't know much about Langya Pavilion's inner workings.
Of course, he had an excuse.
Apart from Jong Baek's incident, Langya Pavilion had always kept its distance from the martial world's schemes.
So he'd never felt the need to dig into its hidden history.
"Even we couldn't determine that with certainty."
No Trace shook his head.
"However, Hall Master Sa abruptly left the martial world and didn't return to Langya Pavilion for a long time... only coming back briefly when the Ten Demonic Heirs Tournament was held."
For a moment, Bu Eun-seol recalled Sa-u's face—the man with unkempt stubble and a languid expression who had guarded Hell Island's martial halls.
'Considering Hall Master Sa's martial prowess at the time...'
With his skills back then, he could have easily taken the position of successor.
So why had he wandered the martial world instead of returning to Langya Pavilion?
Why had he come back only for the Ten Demonic Heirs Tournament?
'There must have been some incident.'
"Then, after the Demon Hall summoned the leaders of the Demonic Path Ten Gates to hold the tournament..."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"The Pavilion Lord had Hall Master Sa participate as an instructor for the tournament."
"Correct."
No Trace continued his explanation.
"But after the tournament ended, Hall Master Sa vanished once more."
—Why hasn't Hall Master Sa been seen in Langya Pavilion?
In fact, when Bu Eun-seol had first entered Langya Pavilion, he had asked Dan Cheong about Sa-u's whereabouts.
—He is the secret hall master, dedicated to advancing our pavilion's martial arts. It's only natural for him to wander the martial world in pursuit of that.
That had been Dan Cheong's answer.
Indeed, Langya Pavilion was divided between those who remained on Sword Tail Mountain and those who frequently ventured into the martial world to refine their skills.
Bu Eun-seol had wanted to see Sa-u again, but fearing he might disrupt his martial research, he hadn't pressed further.
"Of course, we could have investigated more deeply, but..."
No Trace's expression was cautious as he delivered the information.
"Given that he is your martial senior, we refrained from digging any further."
"You did well."
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
There was no need for the Death Soul Squad to investigate this matter.
After all, he could simply go to Langya Pavilion himself and ask.
"I'll handle the rest by visiting the pavilion in person. You've worked hard."
Whoosh.
For the first time, Bu Eun-seol left the Demon Hall quietly, without even informing Yu Un-ryong.
He had sensed that this matter involved another hidden chapter of Langya Pavilion's history.
However, since Sa-u had long avoided staying at Langya Pavilion and had concealed his movements, tracking him down wouldn't be easy, even if he went there.
Nevertheless, Bu Eun-seol set off for Langya Pavilion without hesitation.
Because there was someone there who would surely know his whereabouts.
'The Unit Chief So would definitely know.'
Bu Eun-seol hadn't just asked Dan Cheong about Sa-u's location.
When he had first entered Langya Pavilion, he had also asked Baek Yeon, who had given him much advice.
And at the time, Baek Yeon had replied:
—I don't know. He's probably wandering aimlessly somewhere again.
—Then does that mean I'll never see Hall Master Sa again?
—Well, if anyone knows his whereabouts, it'd be So-jeon.
Baek Yeon had laughed faintly.
—He and Sa-u are as close as brothers bound by blood.
So-jeon, leader of the Innovation Unit.
Having entered Langya Pavilion alongside Sa-u, he shared a bond thicker than anyone else's.
—But don't go looking for him.
With those final words, Baek Yeon had turned away, his expression dark.
Bu Eun-seol had wanted to ask, Why not?
But Baek Yeon's face had been so grim at the time that he couldn't bring himself to press for details.
Moreover, back then, he had been consumed by a desperate thirst for vengeance, his reason clouded.
So he hadn't been particularly curious about the private affairs between Langya Pavilion's senior disciples.
—The Unit Chief So left Sword Tail Mountain three days ago, leading the Innovation Unit to raid a Blood Cave in Lanzhou.
But just before departing for Langya Pavilion, Bu Eun-seol received unexpected news.
The Blood Cult had once again established—
a secret Blood Cave in Lanzhou, operating as a heretical organization.
'They never tire, do they?'
If the Blood Cult were allowed to establish covert branches in the Central Plains, the damage would be endless.
With their immense wealth and manpower, they would inevitably manipulate sects from the shadows—
or orchestrate conflicts and chaos among factions.
And when the Wind Cloud Brigade obtained this intelligence—
—What a perfect opportunity!
So-jeon had reportedly been thrilled.
Currently, the Innovation Unit was divided between the old guard and a new generation of young disciples.
But with the martial world so eerily quiet, and Langya Pavilion effectively replacing the Fire Rain Sword Sect as the foremost demonic faction—
Life-or-death battles had become increasingly rare.
But just as the Blood Cult's hidden branch was discovered,
So-jeon immediately led the newly formed young Innovation Unit to strike it down.
'Half of this was done for my sake.'
Though the Blood Cult had promised Bu Eun-seol they would not invade the Central Plains,
they had still been covertly and relentlessly targeting the region.
What if the Blood Cult wasn't properly stopped, or they inflicted even the slightest harm upon the Central Plains?
The blame would inevitably fall on Bu Eun-seol.
That was why, the moment So-jeon obtained this information, he had seized the opportunity to destroy the Blood Cave.
'But this is far too reckless.'
No matter how thoroughly they had trained, the young Innovation Unit numbered only fifty.
Yet the Blood Cave's fanatics had a force of nearly two thousand.
And considering that the Blood Cult was a heretical organization specializing in sinister Great Arts,
a complete victory for the Innovation Unit seemed unlikely.
'Does he truly intend to stake his life on this?'
So-jeon was the most fearless and valiant warrior in Langya Pavilion,
a fervent martial artist who believed that only in extreme combat could one truly advance their martial arts.
Even if it meant heavy casualties, he had taken only the young Innovation Unit members to face the Blood Cave.
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Snapping out of his recollection, Bu Eun-seol found himself already entering the outskirts of Lanzhou.
Deep within a secluded valley untouched by human footsteps lay the Blood Cave—a hidden branch of the Blood Cult and a newly established heretical sect.
The valley's interior was filled with bloodstained walls and grotesque statues,
while strange objects emitting a foul, writhing energy were displayed throughout.
Sssssk.
Into this eerie space, fifty shadows stealthily infiltrated.
Though their clothes were covered in dust, their gazes were unwavering, sharp as blades,
and the aura radiating from their bodies was so fierce it could overwhelm even an army of thousands.
They were the Innovation Unit—a combat squad composed of masters of Practical Combat Martial Arts, assembled to utterly crush any threat to Langya Pavilion.
Their objective was singular:
The complete annihilation of the Blood Cave, the Blood Cult's sinister branch secretly rooted in the Central Plains.
Rumble...
But an unexpected situation unfolded.
The moment the Innovation Unit infiltrated the Blood Cave,
as if lying in wait, their retreat was cut off, and nearly two thousand fanatics instantly surrounded them.
The eyes of the Blood Cave's followers, clad in crimson robes adorned with eerie symbols, gleamed with madness.
"The intel was leaked."
So-jeon, observing the surrounded Innovation Unit near the Blood Cave's entrance, bared his fangs in a grin.
"Perfect. This is exactly the extreme situation that has arisen."
Despite being outnumbered forty to one, he showed no concern, instead crossing his arms with a confident smirk.
"The Wind Cloud Brigade wouldn't let that happen. It must've leaked from Bu Eun-seol's intelligence network."
The Wind Cloud Brigade, led by Baek Yeon, was an elite intelligence unit like the Azure Heaven Alliance's peak operatives.
But the Death Soul Squad had grown so vast—maintaining a separate intelligence network and establishing branches across the Central Plains like the Beggars' Sect once did—that leaks were inevitable, no matter how careful they were.
Mutter, mutter...
At that moment, the cultists surrounding the Innovation Unit began chanting eerie incantations in unison.
Their skin flushed crimson, and even their breath emitted a bloody mist.
"Gang Un. You take command. I'll be stepping out for a bit."
With those words, So-jeon vanished in an instant.
Whoosh.
Gang Un, the deputy leader of the new Innovation Unit, stepped forward.
Once a boy rescued by Bu Eun-seol from Wicked Incense's well, he now stood as one of Langya Pavilion's most outstanding young talents.
"All units, prepare the Langya Azure Wall Formation!"
Shwaaak!
The fifty members swiftly gathered in a circle, bringing the blades they held together in one place.
A mystical light surged forth, and a blue qi membrane enveloped them.
So-jeon had applied the secret principles of the Mind's Eye Mirror—provided by Bu Eun-seol—to not only synchronize the members' minds
but also merge their internal energy into a single defensive barrier surrounding the entire formation.
Thus, the Langya Azure Wall Formation was born.
Rumble...
Without hesitation, the Blood Cave fanatics charged before the formation could fully stabilize.
Flash! Flash!
With every flicker of the Innovation Unit's blades, the heads of the charging cultists tumbled.
Despite being vastly outnumbered, under Gang Un's command, the Innovation Unit moved as one colossal, organic entity.
"Hold the line!"
Maintaining their circular formation, they cleaved through the fanatics swarming from all directions.
Fountains of blood erupted, and screams of agony endlessly echoed through the Blood Cave.
"As expected, true worth is proven only in battle."
So-jeon, watching from afar, licked his lips in satisfaction.
"And this is just a slight adaptation of that 'Mind's Eye Mirror.' To think it could unleash such power."
The Mind's Eye Mirror—discovered by Yu Un-ryong and perfected by Bu Eun-seol and Han Sang-ja—
had advanced the martial world's Formation Study by leaps and bounds in an instant.
Had this breakthrough not existed?
So-jeon would never have dared to assault the Blood Cave with only the Innovation Unit.
"But since they must act as one, there's a limit to how much individuality each member can display."
To join the Innovation Unit, each member must possess their own unique specialty.
They must have individuality that clearly distinguishes them from others.
However, the Langya Azure Wall Formation is a battle formation that requires pooling hearts and strength as a group, inevitably obscuring all those individual traits and specialties.
—Deploy the Great Art!
The Blood Cave devotees were no mere fanatics either.
The moment they realized the martial prowess of the Innovation Unit members was extraordinary, they immediately unleashed the bizarre Great Art bestowed upon them by the Blood Cult.
Sssss—
A bloody mist erupted from the corpses of fallen devotees scattered across the battlefield.
Whish—Fwoosh!
At the same time, fragments of bone and flesh began raining down upon the Innovation Unit members like hidden weapons.
Thud, thud, thud!
But that wasn't all.
Among the Blood Cave forces, some wielded eerie instruments that induced hallucinations, while others spewed poisonous fog.
They had organized specialized squads in advance, each with distinct skills, to counter the swarming enemies.
—Suppress them!
The Innovation Unit members clashed without fear.
Deflecting the flying bone fragments with their swords, they instead surged straight into the heart of the devotees' formation.
Flash!Splat!
Wherever their blade light reached, fountains of blood erupted.
"They're more tenacious than expected."
So-jeon, silently observing the battle, furrowed his brow.
"I'll have to reassess my evaluation of the Blood Cult."
The Blood Cave's forces were stronger than anticipated—which meant the Great Arts and martial studies of the Blood Cult, long lurking beyond the frontier, had also advanced significantly.
The Blood Cult, which would one day invade the Central Plains, would undoubtedly become a major variable in future plans.
"Seems there's no choice."
Rumble—
So-jeon, watching from afar, drew upon his internal power.
He had wanted the Innovation Unit members to experience an extreme battle—not to see them pointlessly lose their lives.
BOOM!Whoosh!
Soaring like a great roc, So-jeon arrived in the blood-soaked battlefield in an instant.
Hummm!
Leading the charge, he unfolded his blade stance.
As he unleashed his Great Art, devotees of the Blood Cave—whose bodies were harder than steel—were torn apart like paper in the blink of an eye.
Splatter!Crash!
He wasn't employing the overwhelmingly destructive blade stance of his past. Instead, he executed his techniques with a slow, deliberate grace, as if performing a solo martial dance.
It was strikingly similar to how Bu Eun-seol had honed the Fire Rain Thirteen Forms in the Land of the Ultimate Void.
Ultimate Transcendence.
So-jeon, too, had reached a level where he could flawlessly execute martial techniques to perfection.
There was no need to forcefully expend his energy or rapidly chain his strikes.
He could freely manifest the highest subtleties and power inherent in martial arts.
Sssshhk—
Every time the tip of his blade pointed toward the devotees, their bodies split like paper, blood gushing forth.
Thud, thud, thud—
Though So-jeon had only taken the lead for a brief moment, over a hundred Blood Cave devotees had already fallen like bundles of straw.
—Send in the Black Flame Men!
The Blood Cave had evidently prepared for the emergence of a Superlative Martial Expert.
Devotees emitting a faint glow from their bodies appeared, fearlessly charging at So-jeon.
"Pointless."
Just as So-jeon was about to cut down the oncoming Black Flame Men—
BOOM!
A tremendous explosion suddenly erupted.
Their bodies detonated before his blade could strike, scattering bone fragments and viscera in all directions.
"Self-destruction tactics?"
So-jeon snorted.
"Hmph."
He expanded his Blade Stance further, cutting them down before they could trigger their suicidal techniques.
Thud, thud, thud—
But their numbers were endless.
"They planned ahead."
So-jeon gritted his teeth.
Continuously expanding his Blade Stance like this would not only drain his stamina and internal power uncontrollably—it would inevitably expose openings.
"Damn these bastards!"
Yet he couldn't stop expanding his stance.
If gaps appeared in his technique, the Innovation Unit members would be wounded by the Blood Cave devotees' relentless suicide explosions.
CRACK!
Drawing upon his full internal power, So-jeon expanded his Blade Stance even further.
'Retreat or advance?'
In the past, he would have pushed forward without hesitation, even at the cost of injuries.
But the Innovation Unit members he had brought this time were all young warriors who would shoulder the future of Langya Pavilion.
There was no need to suffer heavy losses just to annihilate the Blood Cave.
'But these kids must also fight life-and-death battles.'
The enemies they would face in the future would be incomparably stronger than these remnants of the Blood Cult.
Even if they took heavy casualties now, they had to engage in relentless, mortal combat—achieving Breakthrough after Breakthrough.
'No choice.'
Just as So-jeon was about to roar the order for an all-out assault—
CRACK-THOOM!
A violet lightning bolt flashed across the distant sky, and—
Whoosh!
A black shadow landed instantaneously amidst the Blood Cave forces, their Astral Energy Barrier and battle formation still intact.
The next moment—
BOOOOM!
A deafening explosion erupted, followed by a massive Shockwave spreading outward in concentric rings.
RUMBLE!CRASH!
Though the Blood Cave had deployed a formidable battle formation, they couldn't withstand the force of that shockwave.
Over a hundred Black Flame Men were sent flying hundreds of feet away.
"Who dares interfere?!"
So-jeon bellowed in fury.
This battlefield of blood and bone was meant to be dominated solely by the Innovation Unit.
How dare an uninvited intruder appear in this sacred and solemn battleground?
Crackle—
Amidst the swirling dust, violet flames flickered as a man clad in black robes slowly revealed himself.
It was Bu Eun-seol.