Chapter 1074

"Bu Eun-seol."

So-jeon slowly opened his mouth as he watched Bu Eun-seol approach.

"How did you—"

Bu Eun-seol, who had been quickly surveying the battlefield, spoke in a low voice.

"Great Unit Leader. May I lend a hand?"

As the future Pavilion Lord acknowledged by Ak Mu-ryeong, Bu Eun-seol had the authority to issue commands to the unit leaders.

Yet, out of respect for So-jeon's position, he first sought his opinion.

"Hmm."

So-jeon hesitated.

Bu Eun-seol's mere presence ensured that none of the unit members would suffer even a scratch before securing victory.

But for the Innovation Unit members, this would mean losing an invaluable experience—a life-or-death struggle.

Then, at that moment—

"It's alright!"

Gang Un, leading the Innovation Unit members, shouted.

"We can handle this ourselves!"

Though exhausted and pushed to their limits, the sight of Bu Eun-seol—like a divine dragon—had reinvigorated them, filling them with soaring morale.

The rest of the unit members also raised their voices.

"That's right! We can do this on our own!"

"Just stand back and watch!"

So-jeon, looking proudly at the young warriors brimming with fighting spirit, chuckled.

"Seems like today won't be your time to shine."

"But—"

"It's fine. These kids have trained with you as their goal."

So-jeon shrugged.

"They're like wolves—fighters who've risked their lives to seize victory in every crisis. Trust them and leave it to them."

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Bu Eun-seol averted his gaze and muttered.

"I should stock up on more Spirit Medicine at Langya Pavilion."

—Let's go!

The Innovation Unit members, their morale at its peak, dissolved their battle formation.

Kiiing.

As the transparent barrier of qi vanished, they each began showcasing their martial prowess.

The young members, all uniformly carrying swords in reverence for Bu Eun-seol, did not cling to fixed techniques.

Instead, they wielded instinctive, sensory-driven strikes, utilizing the Beast Path.

Unbound by rigid martial doctrines or orthodox concepts.

Just like Bu Eun-seol, they pinpointed and exploited their enemies' weaknesses.

"That's not the Innovation Unit's combat style."

Bu Eun-seol scratched the back of his head, inexplicably flustered.

"That's downright unoriginal."

So-jeon snorted.

"You think I taught them that? They trained like that because they idolize you."

Bu Eun-seol's fighting methods carried the constant risk of life-or-death struggles even in minor skirmishes.

In large-scale battles like this, there was no need to adhere to such a dangerous approach.

Yet, as if by some unspoken pact—

They meticulously analyzed the Blood Cave cultists' attack patterns and techniques before delivering decisive blows, repeating this ruthless cycle of combat.

—Haa, huu.

Having fought with everything they had, the unit members had already taken down over two-thirds of the Blood Cave forces.

But nearly five hundred cultists still remained.

Even in this desperate situation, they continued fighting without fear.

"Can't be helped."

So-jeon drew his great blade.

"Not like these brats can complain if the Great Unit Leader steps in."

Fwaa!

The moment he rejoined the battlefield and swung his blade, ten heads soared into the air in an instant.

So-jeon, too, had broken through his limits time and again through brutal training and life-and-death battles.

Though his fame hadn't spread widely—

He had long since become one of the martial world's strongest.

Thud, thud.

With So-jeon's participation, the remaining Blood Cave cultists were swiftly dealt with.

Despite their inevitable defeat, they neither fled nor surrendered—only choosing to self-destruct.

Swiish. Fwaa!

Finally, after beheading the Blood Cave leader, So-jeon sheathed his great blade.

"Soon, we'll have to uproot the Blood Cult entirely."

Surveying the blood-soaked surroundings, So-jeon shook his head.

"How do these vile Blood Cult bastards brainwash people so thoroughly that they throw their lives away without hesitation?"

He was someone who enjoyed battle.

But this fight against the Blood Cave cultists was different.

This wasn't a battle—it was closer to a desperate struggle against fanatics who hurled themselves into suicidal explosions.

And it forced him to realize anew—

Just how depraved the Blood Cult was, how little they valued life.

"Soon enough..."

Bu Eun-seol spoke.

"We will wipe out the Blood Cult entirely."

Among the plans he had been steadily advancing—

Was the complete eradication of the Blood Cult, an organization that not only threatened the martial world's stability but also callously stole the lives of innocent civilians.

"By the way, what brings you here?"

So-jeon glanced at Bu Eun-seol, who stood motionless, and cracked a joke.

"Oh, mighty future Pavilion Lord, so busy with affairs of state."

News had spread through Langya Pavilion—

Bu Eun-seol had discovered the Wolf Token during his travels, and Pavilion Lord Ak Mu-ryeong had instructed him to keep it.

In other words, though the inauguration ceremony had yet to take place—

Bu Eun-seol was already recognized as the de facto Pavilion Lord.

"I'm looking for Chief Sa."

"Deputy Leader Sa?"

So-jeon's expression instantly turned icy.

"You mean Sa-u?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

So-jeon's voice, uncharacteristically, carried a slight tremor.

"Do you have an absolute reason for needing to find him?"

So-jeon's expression darkened.

It was as if he had opened a box that should never be unsealed and glimpsed something forbidden inside.

"I have a story I must hear from Chief Sa."

"Must...?"

So-jeon let out a deep sigh as he studied Bu Eun-seol's resolute expression.

Bu Eun-seol always kept his word.

If he was speaking with such finality, then not even the heavens collapsing could stop him.

"...Fine."

So-jeon's gaze grew infinitely deeper.

After a moment of hesitation, he took a deep breath and retrieved something from his robes—a small gourd bottle, split in half.

"What is this?"

"You'll know."

So-jeon's voice was heavy with melancholy.

"You already possess the greatest intelligence network in the Demonic Path."

At that moment, a foreboding premonition struck Bu Eun-seol.

Hadn't the Saint at Seokmunjin said that if one became Pa-myeong's vessel, their martial prowess would surge rapidly, and they would also commit mass slaughter?

"Remember this."

So-jeon spoke again, his tone grave.

"If you see him, show him the gourd fragment first."

His expression was unbearably desolate as he gazed up at the sky.

"Otherwise, he'll either leave immediately... or you won't get a single answer from him."

"Understood."

"And deliver a message for me."

So-jeon's voice was thick with sorrow.

"Tell him—once a disciple of the Main Pavilion, always a disciple of the Main Pavilion."

Bu Eun-seol wanted to ask what deep history lay behind those words, but when he saw the faint redness rimming So-jeon's eyes, he couldn't bring himself to pry.

"I understand. I'll make sure he hears it."

Then, deliberately shifting the subject, he added,

"Also, it might be beneficial to pass this down to the Unit Members."

He gestured to the countless lines he had drawn beneath his feet.

From the moment So-jeon began cutting down the Blood Cave cultists, Bu Eun-seol had been using Finger Wind to etch something densely into the ground.

"It's good that the Unit Members are refining the essence of practical martial arts, but they're forcing themselves to mimic my methods, stifling their individuality."

He spoke with slight embarrassment.

"Though the Unit Leader will naturally guide them, it might be worthwhile to have them train in this sword technique as well."

What was drawn on the ground was—

A simplified diagram of the Formless Heavenly Flow's fourth move, allowing sword qi poured into the void to move freely.

An unraveled, easily digestible rendition of the fourth form, Caged Bird Longing for Clouds, designed for swift comprehension.

"...Right. I see."

Since the Formless Heavenly Flow was a culmination of Langya Pavilion's Sword Studies, So-jeon grasped its principles instantly from the simple diagram.

"Very well. I'll have them train in this Sword Form too."

In the past, he might have dismissed this as presumptuous.

But Bu Eun-seol was now a grandmaster who had surpassed even him—soon to ascend as Pavilion Lord.

So he accepted the advice without offense, nodding readily.

"I'll visit Sword Tail Mountain later."

As Bu Eun-seol bowed, So-jeon waved his hand dismissively.

"Don't. If you come, the young disciples will just fixate on absurd training again."

As if to prove his point, the distant members of the Innovation Unit stood frozen, not daring to approach—only staring at Bu Eun-seol with sparkling eyes.

"Understood."

Bu Eun-seol met each of their gazes before saying,

"Keep striving."

At his encouragement, the Innovation Unit's faces brightened instantly.

—Yes, sir!

Their thunderous reply echoed through the air.

Nodding, Bu Eun-seol bowed respectfully to So-jeon and then vanished into the distant sky with a burst of Movement Technique.

—It was Mokga Village, in Seokchwi Mountain.

Using the gourd fragment given by So-jeon, the Death Soul Squad swiftly traced Sa-u's whereabouts.

According to their intelligence, Mokga Village—nestled deep in the valleys of Seokchwi Mountain—was known for its high-quality timber, specializing in charcoal production.

Seokchwi Mountain, true to its name, had soil rich in jade-green minerals, producing gourds with unusually tough rinds that grew nowhere else.

The villagers harvested these gourds and hung them above charcoal kilns, exposing them to the low-temperature smoke for dozens of days.

This slow drying process hardened the rinds further while preserving the insides from rot.

In other words, the gourd fragment So-jeon had handed over was unmistakably crafted in Mokga Village.

—And a massacre occurred there in the past.

Pinpointing the village's location through his intelligence network, Bu Eun-seol traveled nonstop for two nights before arriving at Seokchwi Mountain.

'So it happened again.'

Previously, Seokmunjin had been hidden in the Deep Mountain Secluded Valley, untouched by outsiders.

Now, Mokga Village was similarly isolated in the treacherous Seokchwi Mountain, inaccessible to ordinary people.

'This is no coincidence.'

These patterns weren't accidental—there had to be a deliberate reason.

Chirp, chirp, chirp.

Under the fading sunset, the tranquil village came into view, the sound of birdsong echoing from somewhere unseen.

Shhh.

Concealed by stealth techniques, Bu Eun-seol carefully navigated the village, observing its interior.

An outsider wandering into such a remote place would only rouse suspicion.

'Strange.'

As he surveyed the village in secret, Bu Eun-seol's brow furrowed.

How peculiar.

Unlike Seokmunjin, Mokga Village had almost no elderly residents—most were young people.

And even those few who remained had likely gone out to make charcoal, leaving the village eerily empty.

'The Sa Clan Leader is here.'

But why would Sa-u settle in such a remote mountain village, where even food was scarce?

'Understanding the situation can come later.'

Bu Eun-seol combed through the village, searching for any place where Sa-u might be staying.

Yet no matter how hard he looked, there was nowhere that seemed fit for Sa-u to reside.

After wandering for a long while, he finally spotted a small study hall slightly removed from the village.

Inside, a group of young children were diligently studying.

Bu Eun-seol naturally assumed Sa-u wouldn't be there and was about to turn away.

'There's no way the Clan Leader would be teaching children.'

Sa-u's appearance, though handsome, was that of a towering, muscular giant with piercing eyes—so sharp that even a newborn would burst into tears at a single glance.

The idea of him sitting in a tiny study hall, patiently teaching children, was unimaginable.

'Still, I should check.'

Just as he was about to leave, Bu Eun-seol hesitated and slowly walked toward the study hall.

And there, seated neatly inside, was a man.

Though dressed in loose robes, the contours of his solid muscles were still visible, and his gaze was unfathomably deep.

'Clan Leader Sa?'

The massive man, earnestly teaching the children their letters—

It was none other than Sa-u, the Secret Hall Master of Langya Pavilion, the very man who had first taught Bu Eun-seol the Beast Path on Hell Island.

Swish, swish.

But something was strange.

Sa-u was acting as if he were mute—

Teaching and conversing entirely through hand signs and written words.

Suddenly, Sa-u, who had been diligently instructing the children, looked up at the distant sky and let out a deep sigh.

Then, with gestures, he conveyed his meaning:

—Let's stop here for today.

Understanding his signal, the children—

Scramble, scramble.

Haphazardly packed their books and rushed outside, their faces bright with excitement.

In a remote mountain village like this, a teacher was a rare treasure.

But to the children, playing was still far more appealing than studying.

Swish.

Once the children had left, Sa-u slowly rose to his feet.

Clasping his hands behind his back, he stepped outside—then turned his gaze directly toward where Bu Eun-seol was hiding.

"Come out."

His voice made it clear—he wasn't actually mute. He had merely been pretending.

'He's grown tremendously.'

Bu Eun-seol inwardly marveled.

Even if he hadn't been using his concealment technique, detecting his presence so effortlessly was something only a true master could do.

Sa-u's martial prowess had deepened even further.

"Clan Leader."

Quickly revealing himself, Bu Eun-seol bowed respectfully, greeting him with warmth and courtesy.

"I hope you've been well all this time?"

"How did you know to find me here?"

The moment Sa-u furrowed his brows and spoke in a low voice, the atmosphere shifted instantly.

Just that slight frown—

Transformed him from the benevolent teacher back into the resolute martial artist he truly was.

His Cock-Crowing and Dog-Stealing Art had reached the Transformation Realm, allowing him to alter the very air around him with a mere expression.

"I came because there's something I need to ask you."

"I have nothing to say."

Sa-u immediately turned away, gazing at the distant sky.

"It seems it's time for me to leave this place."

And just like that, he prepared to unleash his movement technique.

Startled, Bu Eun-seol swiftly blocked his path.

"Master, it was because of your teachings that I survived Hell Island—and because of them, I've been able to do what's right in this ruthless Martial World."

His expression turned earnest.

"But now, alongside my vengeance, I've been left with unanswered questions—and you're the only one who can answer them."

"Only me? Why?"

Meeting Sa-u's sharp gaze, Bu Eun-seol momentarily faltered.

—I heard that ten years ago, not only did your martial arts suddenly advance at an alarming rate, but you also carried out mass slaughter, just like the Killing Ghost.

Could it be that you became a vessel for Pa-myeong, one of the Three Attendants, and committed those atrocities?

But he couldn't bring himself to ask.

"That is... Clan Leader, you—"

Seeing Bu Eun-seol stammer, Sa-u's eyes flickered for the first time.

Because he realized—

Even in Hell Island, even at the brink of death, Bu Eun-seol had never wavered like this.

So why now?

"...I see."

Sa-u's expression twisted as if a sharp blade had pierced his chest.

"You already know everything, yet you still came to ask?"

Then, uncharacteristically, he lowered his head.

"Are you here to demand I pay for the sins I committed in this village? Even now?"

Sa-u—who had once massacred Mokga Village—had been living here as a teacher.

"Then cut off my head right now. I won't resist."

As he closed his eyes, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.

"No. I truly only came to ask you—"

But Sa-u remained still, neck bared, eyes shut.

A silent declaration—

If Bu Eun-seol wouldn't kill him, then he wouldn't speak another word.

—If you see that man, show him the gourd fragment I gave you first.

Bu Eun-seol's hands scrambled through his robes.

So-jeon's words had just resurfaced in his mind.

"Otherwise, the moment he sees you, he'll either avoid you or refuse to answer anything at all."

"Please accept this."

Carefully, he extended the broken gourd fragment he had kept tucked inside his robes.

"This is..."

Sa-woo's eyes grew infinitely deeper as they fell upon the gourd shard. Inside, the word "friend" was deeply engraved.

So-jeon and Sa-woo had both been orphans, relying on each other while living among the same beggar gang.

But then, by chance—

A master who commanded the martial world appeared in the village where their beggar gang resided.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Neung Gak.

The leader of Langya Pavilion, who had assisted Bu Eun-seol during the White Horse Monastery's five moves trial held by Demon Hall.

After Bu Eun-seol became the successor,

Neung Gak had stepped down as Hyeonhyeon Hall Master, where he had been restoring lost demonic martial arts, and secluded himself in Langya Pavilion.

In his youth, while wandering the martial world, he had come to this village searching for traces of demonic martial arts.

—"You have usable talent."

Upon stumbling upon So-jeon and Sa-woo,

Neung Gak's eyes lingered on So-jeon's sturdy frame and strong bones before nodding in approval.

—"Will you not follow me?"

—"Where to?"

—"Langya Pavilion."

—"Then take my friend with me."

At So-jeon's words, Neung Gak studied Sa-woo before his eyes widened.

—"This one..."

Then, with a regretful expression, he shook his head.

—"His body is too damaged. A pity, but if his constitution is weak, he cannot endure the martial arts of the Main Pavilion."

Though sharp-witted and intelligent, Sa-woo's body had never properly developed after suffering from lung disease in childhood.

When Sa-woo was rejected, So-jeon also shook his head.

—"Then I won't go either."

At that, Sa-woo rushed forward, grabbing So-jeon's shoulders and shaking him.

—"Are you insane? Do you even realize what you're throwing away?"

The Demonic Path Ten Gates.

The Sky of the Demonic Path, one of the ten pillars upholding Demon Hall—the greatest sect of the demonic path.

To refuse entry there, to choose instead to remain in a beggar gang, beaten half to death while ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pleading for scraps?

Was this not kicking away a fortune that might never come again in a lifetime?

—"We promised. To stay together forever."

So-jeon refused firmly.

The truth was, Sa-woo had contracted his lung disease

while saving So-jeon from drowning in the icy waters of a bitterly cold winter.

At the time, So-jeon had been crouched on a bridge, begging laboriously, when he caught the eye of a passing carriage driver.

—"Disgusting wretch!"

With a sneer, the driver lashed out with his long whip—not out of necessity, but for amusement.

Crack!

Struck by the whip, So-jeon didn't even have time to scream before tumbling off the bridge.

Splash!

The freezing river swallowed him instantly. Unable to swim, So-jeon thrashed in terror, drowning in death's grip.

Then, from a distance, Sa-woo—without a moment's hesitation—leapt into the water.

Ignoring the bone-chilling cold, he desperately dragged So-jeon to shore.

For So-jeon, whose constitution was strong,

the frigid water was merely a shock that briefly knocked him unconscious. But for Sa-woo, it was fatal.

In the end, he was left bedridden with a vicious lung disease.

So-jeon stayed by Sa-woo's side like a shadow,

nursing him day and night with meticulous care, treating him as if he were his own body.

Yet despite his devotion, Sa-woo's condition only worsened, stunting his growth permanently.

—"Sir."

Then, Sa-woo spoke.

—"Please ignore this fool's nonsense and take him with you."

—"I won't go. I'd rather stay here than leave you behind."

—"Hahahaha!"

Neung Gak burst into laughter.

Even among martial artists, who prided themselves on honor and chivalry,

most would turn away the moment personal loss was at stake.

Yet here were two teenage boys, living in the harsh life of beggars, bound by a friendship as rare as Golden Orchid Friendship.

Such a temperament was precisely what made them ideal disciples ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for Langya Pavilion, where sworn brothers were treated as family.

—"Truly, a friendship deeper than gold."

Deeply moved, Neung Gak nodded.

—"Lung disease is troublesome, but not incurable."

He split a gourd he had obtained during a visit to Mokga Village in Stone Pluck Mountain in half,

then carved the word "friend" into each piece before handing them over.

—"Before you are disciples of Langya Pavilion..."

—"Never forget that you are friends who share a bond deeper than life itself."

In the end, Neung Gak took both of them to Langya Pavilion.

"That brat So-jeon was more meticulous than he looked."

Finishing his reminiscence, Sa-woo exhaled deeply while staring at the gourd fragment.

"He laid a trap for me in advance."

"My apologies."

Bu Eun-seol bowed his head.

So-jeon had given him the gourd shard not as a betrayal of their friendship,

but solely to help him. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Nothing to apologize for."

Sa-woo spoke calmly.

"As a disciple of the Main Pavilion, it was a fitting opening move."

"Then... may I hear your answer?"

Bu Eun-seol's expression was cautious.

If Sa-woo refused to speak—

where else could he possibly obtain information about Pa-myeong?

"In the past,"

Sa-woo paused briefly,

"My health was poor. So, in Langya Pavilion, I was the only one who studied martial manuals with my mind, barely managing to learn the Beast Path."

He recounted his past with utter detachment.

"Later, while searching for medicine to heal my body, I wandered the martial world after learning some martial arts... and then—"

With hollow eyes, Sa-woo uttered something shocking.

"I saw a god."