Chapter 1104
"You!"
Bu Bok-un stumbled forward in a rush.
"Why didn't you send word ahead?"
Then, with all his strength, he pulled Bu Eun-seol into a tight embrace.
"How long has it been?"
Bu Eun-seol returned the hug just as firmly.
Throughout his time wandering the martial world, he had received goodwill from countless people.
But there had only been two who had extended a hand to him when he had nothing.
His grandfather, Bu Jan-yang.
And Bu Bok-un, the beggar from Byeokgye Village.
"Have you been well?"
At Bu Eun-seol's question, Bu Bok-un's eyes reddened.
How much he had missed this sight.
That gaze, quiet as moonlight, and that lonely voice that resonated deep in his chest.
This was the face of his friend—the one he had longed for in his dreams, the one he had desperately searched for even in sleep.
"Of course!"
Bu Bok-un wiped away his brimming tears and beamed.
"I've been doing so well I nearly forgot how you live!"
Though there were mountains of words left unsaid, their mutual well-being was confirmed in that brief exchange.
Bu Bok-un had been offering sincere prayers daily for Bu Eun-seol's safety.
And Bu Eun-seol, in turn, had ensured that the elite soldiers of the Death Soul Squad periodically monitored the surroundings of Golden Orchid Manor to prevent any unforeseen incidents.
"Just how big do you plan to make this place?"
Bu Eun-seol glanced around the manor grounds as he spoke.
"I thought a palace had been built in Jinan."
"It just sort of... happened that way."
"And why throw such a grand banquet?"
The scale of the current feast was beyond what even the wealthiest magnates could imitate.
Judging by the food alone, it rivaled the banquets hosted by the Imperial Palace.
"This time, it wasn't my doing."
Bu Bok-un sniffed before continuing.
"It was prepared by a great patron who has long supported this manor."
"A patron?"
"Indeed. Actually—"
"Wait."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes flashed as he detected a presence and muttered under his breath.
"Someone's coming."
He had secretly cast a transparent Astral Energy Barrier around them to prevent sound from escaping.
Yet, the footsteps were unmistakably heading straight toward Bu Bok-un.
Rustle.
After quickly reactivating his Disguise and dispelling the barrier—
Thud, thud.
The footsteps echoed for a while before a tall, imposing figure finally arrived at the East Gate where Bu Bok-un stood.
Under the moonlight, the figure revealed himself—a middle-aged man dressed in fine robes, with a well-groomed, luxurious beard.
The silver threads of an intricately embroidered crane-in-clouds pattern on his deep blue robes shimmered faintly whenever the moonlight caught them.
'The Ten Thousand Gold Merchant Group?'
The crane-and-cloud embroidery was none other than the emblem of the Ten Thousand Gold Merchant Group—ranked among the very top of the Ten Great Merchant Guilds of the Central Plains.
'Wi Cheong-un.'
The middle-aged man was none other than the chief director of the Ten Thousand Gold Merchant Group—Wi Cheong-un himself.
"Director Wi!"
Startled, Bu Bok-un bowed his head, and Wi Cheong-un smiled warmly.
"Manor Lord Bu, so this is where you were."
"I stepped out for some air—the wine was getting to me."
"I see."
When Wi Cheong-un's gaze shifted to Bu Eun-seol, Bu Bok-un quickly interjected.
"This is my friend. Uh—"
"Seo Jin-bo."
Bu Eun-seol offered an awkward greeting.
"I run a silk shop in Yeonju. Manor Lord Bu and I have been close since he started Golden Orchid Manor."
"Ah, I see."
"But you seem to hold a high position in the Ten Thousand Gold Merchant Group..."
Bu Eun-seol subtly gestured toward the crane-and-cloud pattern as he spoke.
Wi Cheong-un, surprisingly humble for the chief director of such a massive merchant group, clasped his hands together politely.
"I am Wi Cheong-un."
At this, Bu Bok-un whispered to Bu Eun-seol in a low voice.
"Director Wi—the chief director of the Ten Thousand Gold Merchant Group."
"Ch-Chief Director?!"
Bu Eun-seol feigned shock and bowed deeply.
"My apologies for the disrespect. I am Seo Jin-bo, owner of the Auspicious Silk Emporium."
When would a small silk merchant ever get the chance to meet the chief director of one of the Ten Great Merchant Guilds?
Bu Eun-seol played the part of a nervous shopkeeper, beads of sweat naturally forming on his brow.
"Not at all."
Wi Cheong-un waved his hand dismissively.
"You seem to be catching up after a long time—please, continue your conversation comfortably."
"Thank you."
"Then."
Wi Cheong-un nodded politely to both of them before turning away.
"Phew."
Once Wi Cheong-un had left, Bu Bok-un let out a sigh of relief.
"That was startling. I had no idea the director practiced martial arts."
Thanks to Bu Eun-seol's help in Opening the Fine Meridians, Bu Bok-un's hearing was now on par with martial artists.
Yet, he hadn't even detected the footsteps until Bu Eun-seol pointed them out...
Only now did he realize that Wi Cheong-un had mastered exceptional martial skills.
"Could it be that the benefactor hosting this banquet is Merchant Wi?"
"That's correct."
Bu Bok-un spoke with a look of reverence.
"He has been supporting our manor for some time now. Today, he even spared no expense to hold this grand feast."
Bu Eun-seol felt an ominous premonition.
The chief manager of the Ten Thousand Gold Merchant Group—far too busy with his own affairs—had not only invested a massive fortune into Golden Orchid Manor but also personally attended the banquet?
Unless Bu Bok-un was secretly a figure of imperial standing, there was no reason for such excessive generosity.
"I see."
Yet Bu Eun-seol concealed his thoughts and shifted the topic.
"I heard you've had a child. Congratulations."
"Ah, yes."
Bu Bok-un smiled.
"Since you're here today, you must see my wife and the child before you leave."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"A bloodstained martial artist like me shouldn't get too close to a child. It's ill-omened."
"Why must you say such disheartening things?"
Bu Bok-un grasped Bu Eun-seol's shoulder firmly.
"Don't ever speak like that again."
With an apologetic expression, Bu Eun-seol retrieved two booklets and two porcelain bottles from his sleeve.
"What's this?"
"A gift."
Bu Eun-seol spoke calmly.
"I'm sure your wife, being called the Saint Physician, will manage things well... but still, this is my sincerity. Please accept it."
"What is it?"
"A Spirit Pill for the child's health and longevity, and the Life Nourishing Secret."
Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly.
He could have passed down a martial arts manual instead.
But he wished for Bu Bok-un's children to live peaceful, ordinary lives—free from illness—so he chose to impart only the health cultivation method.
"Thank you."
Bu Bok-un carefully tucked away the pill and the manual.
"And when will you settle down and start a family?"
He spoke earnestly.
"I've heard there are many strong and remarkable women around you. Even without your protection, they're capable heroines who could build good homes."
At Bu Bok-un's concerned gaze, Bu Eun-seol offered a dry smile.
"Of course. If there's ever good news, you'll be the first to know."
"Good, good. That's the right attitude."
Bu Bok-un laughed.
"What greater joy is there in this world? Happiness lies in these small, ordinary things—building a home, raising a child."
Bu Bok-un knew.
He knew that Bu Eun-seol believed he had no right to happiness.
That he lived only for vengeance, steeped in the bloody path of a martial artist.
But if he were to start a family, have a child... his heart might change.
Bu Bok-un believed it.
Because he had been the same.
He once thought his life was worthless, something that could end at any moment.
But after finding love and having a child, he realized just how precious and joyful each day could be.
"I should take my leave now."
Bu Eun-seol smiled.
"Take care."
"You too."
Though he wished they could stay together longer, Bu Bok-un saw him off with a smile.
"Live well."
Unable to suppress his reluctance, Bu Bok-un pulled him into one last tight embrace.
Bu Eun-seol had greater duties to fulfill.
He couldn't burden a man who lived every moment counting the seconds.
Bu Eun-seol stepped out of the manor.
His expression, as he walked, had hardened into something utterly cold.
How long had he been walking?
Whoosh.
Once he left the village and reached the quiet outskirts, a chilly wind swept past.
With no one around, he could have used Lightness Art to hasten his return—yet he kept his pace slow, his disguise still intact.
Swish.
But then, from behind a towering tree, a shadow emerged.
It was Wi Cheong-un.
"Leaving so soon?"
Wi Cheong-un smiled benevolently at Bu Eun-seol.
"There's still so much food left. After traveling such a long way, shouldn't you eat and drink a little more?"
How strange.
Why would the chief manager of a great merchant group care about whether a mere silk merchant had his fill?
When Bu Eun-seol remained silent, Wi Cheong-un spoke again.
"There aren't many silk shops in Yeonju Prefecture. And there was originally a proprietor named Seo Jin-bo... Your identity was flawless."
Wi Cheong-un shook his head.
"But you didn't consider that someone might immediately send word to Yeonju to verify whether a silk merchant named Seo Jin-bo truly exists, did you?"
A shocking statement.
Wi Cheong-un had just conversed with Bu Eun-seol moments ago.
And the distance between Golden Orchid Manor and Yeonju Prefecture's silk shops was over three hundred li.
Yet in this short time, he had already sent someone to confirm the whereabouts of a silk merchant named Seo Jin-bo?
"I've been investigating the identities and backgrounds of every distinguished guest who entered Golden Orchid Manor. To ensure they were truly who they claimed to be."
It was an astonishing revelation.
Wi Cheong-un was no mere merchant chief—he commanded an intelligence network rivaling even the Death Soul Squad.
Did this mean he could instantly verify the true identities of every guest who had ever stepped into Golden Orchid Manor?
Moreover, Bu Eun-seol's disguise had been perfected through the Darkness Secret Arts, making it impossible for anyone to recognize him.
His identity was already solidly established, so there should have been no need for such measures.
And yet, Wi Cheong-un had gone out of his way—
to scour every shop in Yeonju Prefecture, hundreds of li away, and immediately confirm the whereabouts of a silk merchant named Seo Jin-bo.
"Ah, I see. So it was the Darkness Secret Arts."
Wi Cheong-un stared intently at Bu Eun-seol before continuing with another astonishing remark.
"A disguise that leaves not even a trace—there is only one such technique in all the world. The Art of Spells from the Sacred Realm."
He stroked his chin as he spoke.
"Since you've mastered such a secret art... it's no wonder I couldn't track your movements properly until now."
Bu Eun-seol, who had been silently listening all this time, finally opened his mouth.
"You mean to say you posed as a benefactor just to find me?"
"Naturally."
Wi Cheong-un laughed.
"A beggar from Byeokgye Village suddenly becomes wealthy, while a strange beggar named Mumu disappears..."
His gaze bore into Bu Eun-seol.
"And coincidentally, the timing perfectly overlaps with when someone else went missing... How could I not investigate?"
It was a staggering revelation.
This meant that during the very period when Hyeokryeon Eung—the spy of the Three Realms—and Bu Eun-seol had clashed...
Wi Cheong-un had already been meticulously tracking Bu Eun-seol's movements.
"Truth be told, today isn't the only banquet I've held."
Wi Cheong-un spoke leisurely.
"I've hosted many feasts at Golden Orchid Manor before this, and each time, I thoroughly verified the identities of every guest."
"......"
"But today, a silk merchant with somewhat unclear origins was secretly meeting with Manor Lord Bu."
Finishing his words, Wi Cheong-un flashed a peculiar smile.
"So naturally, wouldn't anyone want to confirm his true identity?"
All this time, he had been relentlessly investigating the mysterious movements of the Martial Soul Lord.
And at last, he had uncovered the connection between Bu Bok-un of Golden Orchid Manor and the timing of past disappearances.
He had deliberately and repeatedly extended support to Golden Orchid Manor—just to verify the truth.
"Why?"
"Because I couldn't find you."
Wi Cheong-un shrugged.
"Your intelligence network has grown so vast in recent times that even I, the Honored Lord, couldn't trace your movements."
"Honored Lord."
The term Honored Lord was commonly used by the Servants of the True Demon when referring to their master.
But Wi Cheong-un was not the True Demon.
Yet the only one who would dare refer to himself as such... was the only one in the world.
"The Three Attendants."
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath.
"Pa-myeong."
Among the three loyal attendants who served the True Demon, he was the sole traitor—the one who had rebelled, stolen forbidden arts, and fled.
The appearance of Pa-myeong, who stood closest to the True Demon himself, was now undeniable.
"Indeed."
Though his reply was amiable, the sky seemed to darken, and an eerie, bone-chilling scream echoed as if from nowhere.
The Three Attendants.
One of the three attendants who had served the transcendent being known as the True Demon across generations, never revealing themselves to the Martial World...
Now stood before Bu Eun-seol, wearing the guise of Wi Cheong-un.
"Even so, you must have some dignity to uphold."
Bu Eun-seol scoffed.
"Shouldn't you be parading around with heralds and blaring trumpets to announce your arrival?"
"A lion reveals its majesty simply by existing."
Wi Cheong-un curled his lips.
"Only weaklings like you flaunt their power by dragging along insignificant underlings."
"That can't be it."
Bu Eun-seol replied calmly.
"As the only one among the Three Attendants who betrayed his master, you can't even walk openly, but have to hide in the shadows and plot conspiracies, can you?"
It was an outright insult.
Yet Wi Cheong-un only laughed hoarsely.
"True. You really do have a way with words."
"You're already treating me as a dead man?"
"You catch on quick."
Wi Cheong-un snorted.
"In the eyes of this Honored Lord, you are nothing more than a corpse lying in a coffin."
The reason he remained unfazed by such scathing mockery...
Was not due to magnanimity—but because he already considered Bu Eun-seol a dead man.
There was no need to waste anger on the dead.
"I see."
A cold glint flashed in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
Pa-myeong—the sole rebel among the Three Attendants, the one who had stolen Sa-u's body and committed atrocities in the past.
For him to seek Bu Eun-seol out alone and deliver a warning of death...
"Chu-so."
Bu Eun-seol's gaze turned icy.
"You're acting on his orders, aren't you?"
After the incident with the Jungson Clan, Chu-so must be seething with hatred toward him.
His appearance here could not be unrelated.
'More ordinary than I expected.'
Given that he was one of the Three Attendants—those closest to the True Demon—Bu Eun-seol had anticipated an overwhelming, terrifying presence.
But Wi Cheong-un possessed a qi aura even more ordinary than that of the average martial artist.
"Langya Pavilion has produced quite a few decent masters over the generations. That Sa-u fellow from before was somewhat useful too."
Pa-myeong.
In the past, he had manipulated the body of the former hall master, Sa-u, like a puppet.
And now, he had seized the body of Wi Cheong-un, head of the Ten Thousand Gold Merchant Group, to operate within the martial world.
"To see you stealing another's body again... I take it you still haven't fully recovered?"
"You know quite a lot."
Originally, if one were to meet one of the Three Attendants, there would be many riddles to ask and unravel.
But facing Pa-myeong now, Bu Eun-seol realized such thoughts were meaningless.
He will never give me any answers.
No information regarding the True Demon could ever be extracted from the mouths of the Three Attendants.
The only thing left now was to fight to the death.
"You've got quite the nerve."
At that, Wi Cheong-un let out an intrigued hum.
"To know my true identity and yet show no fear."
"You committed an act you should never have dared."
A bloody light flickered in Bu Eun-seol's pupils.
"You should never have gone to Golden Orchid Manor."
Wi Cheong-un tilted his head slightly, then, understanding the implication, burst into a hoarse laugh.
"Hahahaha."
His laughter was bright, almost mocking, as he shook his head in disbelief.
"It seems you've taken this venerable one far too lightly."
A black mist seeped from Wi Cheong-un's eyes.
"Do you truly believe this venerable one investigated Golden Orchid Manor just to threaten a mere insect like you?"
As he unleashed his aura, an indescribable ripple surged through Bu Eun-seol's chest.
This was not the usual feeling of "strength" or "greatness" one sensed in the presence of a superlative martial expert.
It was despair—as if the entire world had evaporated, and all existence, including himself, had been cast into endless darkness.
Any ordinary martial artist would have been paralyzed by terror at such overwhelming power.
But Bu Eun-seol's own aura only intensified.
For him, boundless darkness was a familiar world.
His inner self had always been a precarious coexistence of light and shadow.
"Long ago, this venerable one meticulously investigated the movements of those who wielded significant influence in the martial world."
Wi Cheong-un smiled coldly.
"But there were those whose true activities remained hidden—and you were one of them."
"So you disguised yourself as a merchant and infiltrated a manor full of civilians?"
"Hehehe. Was that what angered you?"
Wi Cheong-un snorted, tilting his head as he recognized the terrifying source of the fury radiating from Bu Eun-seol.
"Rest assured. This venerable one does not touch civilians who know no martial arts."
"......"
"Only fools like Neither-Human-Nor-Beast or that brat Chu-so would waste their time on useless commoners."
Surprisingly, he drew a clear line between himself and Chu-so.
But his words could not be taken at face value.
The True Demon and his servants were beings who would commit any atrocity without hesitation if it served their purpose.
Especially this Pa-myeong—he had stolen Sa-u's body and committed unspeakable acts.
Even if he claimed to have principles or convictions, he was not one to uphold them perfectly or thoroughly.
"Let this venerable one tell you something important."
Wi Cheong-un delivered a shocking statement.
"If you fail to properly settle things with this venerable one, it will be no different than breaking the Covenant."
"What?"
"This venerable one's power is to twist fate itself."
He shrugged as he spoke.
"I may not touch civilians, but every martial artist around you will die in unfortunate accidents."
—Twisting fate to kill.
It was a declaration akin to a vengeful ghost's curse.
"So fleeing is pointless. Unless you wish to watch all your subordinates die one by one."
"We'll change locations."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes burned with a scarlet glow.
The members of Death Shadow War Unit had all trained in the Mind's Eye Mirror and had endured relentless discipline.
Even if Covenant enforcers came, they could hold their ground to some extent.
But Bu Bok-un and his family had never properly learned martial arts.
Though this place was dozens of li away from Golden Orchid Manor, the situation was far from safe.
With an entity like Pa-myeong present, all of Jinan could be wiped out in an instant.
"I'll give you a proper fight."
Bu Eun-seol was beyond furious.
He could endure attacks against himself.
But harming those he cherished was unforgivable.
No matter the reason, Pa-myeong should never have gone to Golden Orchid Manor—should never have met Bu Bok-un.
Before Wi Cheong-un could even respond—
KWA—AAANG!
The very space within a radius of dozens of li centered on Bu Eun-seol screamed under the weight of an immense, invisible pressure.
The wind ceased. Leaves drifting in the air froze midair. An absolute silence descended, as if time itself had stopped.
"Right. Now."
Bu Eun-seol's pupils no longer burned red.
They had darkened into a hue of annihilation—as if all that crimson had been condensed into a single point.