Chapter 111
Whoosh!
Each time Bu Eun-seol unleashed the Displacement Technique, the Heavenly General statues began sliding backward with a metallic screech.
The sheer force of his Internal Energy—powerful enough to topple a mountain—was pushing back the statues anchored to the ground.
Whoosh!
Then, the statues lined up behind him swung their greatswords, aiming for his back.
Sssssss.
At that moment, Bu Eun-seol's entire body blurred like mist rising, his form growing indistinct.
He had begun using the legendary Body-Locomotion Martial Art, Swift Shadowless—a technique that allowed him to shift his stance without moving from his spot.
Ssss—Whoooosh!
Using Swift Shadowless to pivot in place, he repelled the statues with the Displacement Technique.
Bu Eun-seol was breaking through the Twenty-Four Heavenly Generals Formation with a strategy both brutally simple and devastatingly effective.
"Astounding Internal Energy," murmured Namgung Se-a, watching in disbelief.
"For someone his age to continuously unleash the Displacement Technique—a pinnacle of pure force—without pause... Just which sect's Master is he?"
Her gaze fixed on Heuk-pyo, who stood silently nearby.
Unable to ignore her piercing stare, Heuk-pyo stammered out an excuse.
"T-The Young Master has... wandered the martial world without a fixed path, learning techniques here and there..."
"You mean he picked up martial arts randomly?"
"Y-Yes. Drifting through the martial world, he's encountered many... Eccentric Masters."
Namgung Se-a nearly burst out laughing at the absurdity.
The sheer magnitude of Bu Eun-seol's Internal Energy—enough to push back statues forged from ten thousand geun of iron with pure force—was something even the direct disciples of Shaolin's abbot would struggle to achieve.
And yet, he supposedly learned it by "sleeping in one house and eating in another"?
"It seems there's a complicated story here," she mused, ready to dismiss the matter with a laugh.
But then, the Young Palace Lord, who had been silently observing, spoke in a hushed voice.
"I think we should stop the formation."
Her gaze remained fixed on Bu Eun-seol, her expression grave.
"No matter how exceptional his Internal Energy is, expending it like this will eventually drain him dry—he'll fall into Qi Deviation."
"He still seems fine for now," Namgung Se-a countered.
The Young Palace Lord shook her head.
"The Twenty-Four Heavenly Generals Formation grows stronger the further one progresses. He might endure now, but by the midpoint, he'll struggle."
Her prediction was precise.
By the time Bu Eun-seol reached the two-thirds mark, his Internal Energy had bottomed out. His footwork slowed, and the statues no longer budged.
"Huff... Huff..."
He came to a stop, his face drenched in sweat.
Namgung Se-a frowned as she watched.
"Shall we halt it?"
"...We should."
As the Young Palace Lord agreed, Namgung Se-a moved to embed the Young Palace Lord's Token into the wall—but Heuk-pyo swiftly blocked her.
"You mustn't stop it yet."
At his protest, Namgung Se-a's brow furrowed.
"If we don't stop it now, your master will exhaust his Internal Energy and suffer irreversible internal injuries."
"No. Look closely."
"At what?"
"His expression. This isn't the face of someone about to collapse from exhaustion."
At Heuk-pyo's words, the Young Palace Lord and Namgung Se-a scrutinized Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
His drenched hair clung to his face, obscuring much of it—but his gaze burned bright, and a faint smile played at the corner of his lips.
"Even so, we can't allow this," Namgung Se-a clicked her tongue.
"Expressions can be faked with sheer will. A martial artist is judged by action and skill—"
Her words cut off abruptly.
Because Bu Eun-seol, in that fleeting moment, had unleashed another devastating strike—pushing the statues back once more with overwhelming force.
"Did he... recover in that short time?"
Namgung Se-a's eyes widened in disbelief, the token still poised in her hand.
This man...
Bu Eun-seol's eyes, once cold and still, now blazed with fiery intensity—as though he was enjoying this ordeal.
He's a born martial artist.
A true martial artist revels in crisis and hardship.
To them, such trials are not obstacles—but stepping stones to break through yet another limit.
"Fine."
Lowering the token, Namgung Se-a spoke in a quiet voice.
"We'll watch a little longer."
"Thank you."
Meanwhile, Bu Eun-seol had forced his way through the statues, reaching the far end of the stone chamber in what felt like an instant.
The exit was now a single step away.
But his Internal Power was completely drained—he could no longer muster the Displacement Technique.
...Was relying purely on Internal Energy too reckless?
Gasping for breath, he hesitated briefly. Only a single sip of True Qi remained—
Enough for one final technique.
The statues have no Killing Intent, so the Fluorescent Sword Control won't work. Then—the Formless Heavenly Flow it is.
Using the Ink Sword, which could slice through iron as if it were tofu, to unleash the Formless Heavenly Flow would allow him to topple the Heavenly Generals in a single stroke.
But drawing his sword would immediately expose Bu Eun-seol's true identity.
'There's no choice.'
Having resolved himself, Bu Eun-seol gathered every last drop of his internal energy with all his might.
PAAANG!
An explosive sound erupted as a whirlwind surged around his body, and faint points of light began to rise across his skin.
KRRRUMBLE. CLANK.
As if determined to stop his final step, the Heavenly Generals let out a metallic groan and began encircling him in a wide ring.
'I stake everything on this single fist!'
At this life-or-death moment, Bu Eun-seol prepared not the Formless Heavenly Flow—but the Fist Demon's Fist Art.
If it was the supreme fist technique of Langya Pavilion, it would surely possess power no less than his sword art.
'Fist Demon Seven Forms... Second Form!'
As Bu Eun-seol's hands swept in a wide arc, a fierce blue light erupted from his eyes.
'Extreme Lightning Confusion!'
The violent gale unleashed from his fist instantly split into five spiraling whirlwinds, slicing past the surrounding Heavenly Generals.
"..."
For a moment, silence filled the stone chamber.
Bu Eun-seol, who had been gasping for breath, stepped forward as if nothing had happened.
WHOOSH—!
Then, the Heavenly Generals surrounding him simultaneously swung their greatswords down toward his head.
"Young Master!"
Heuk-pyo shouted in alarm, but Bu Eun-seol continued walking indifferently, as if he hadn't heard.
PASSSS...
Yet the moment the greatswords should have split his skull, they crumbled into dust, scattering into the air.
The force of Extreme Lightning Confusion had reduced the Heavenly Generals' blades to powder.
"That...!"
Not only Heuk-pyo, but even Namgung Se-a and the Young Palace Lord were left speechless at the sight.
Though the martial world held countless fist techniques, none had ever heard of one capable of pulverizing tempered steel into dust.
"He was a true master of an extraordinary fist art."
As Namgung Se-a murmured under her breath—
THUD. THUD.
—Bu Eun-seol stepped through the chamber's exit.
GRRRRUMBLE.
With the sound of mechanisms shifting, the stone floor flipped over, and the towering Heavenly Generals began descending into it.
The Twenty-Four Heavenly Generals Formation—unbroken since its creation—had finally been breached.
"Young Master!"
Heuk-pyo sprinted toward Bu Eun-seol, who had emerged from the chamber, and shouted excitedly.
"Congratulations, Young Master!"
Watching Heuk-pyo bounce around like an overjoyed puppy, Bu Eun-seol replied in his usual low, wintry voice:
"You were right."
"Huh?"
"Martial arts can be refined not just through battle, but through countless other methods."
While traversing the formation, Bu Eun-seol had poured out his internal energy at full strength for the first time.
And in doing so, he had executed the Fist Demon Seven Forms' Second Form—previously only learned from a manual—in actual combat without hesitation.
An ordinary martial artist would never have dared such a thing.
Who would risk their life using a technique they had only studied from a manual, never once tested in real battle?
But Bu Eun-seol had turned crisis into opportunity.
At the brink of life and death, his focus had reached its absolute peak—allowing him to perform the form flawlessly.
"I'm glad my words were of help."
Heuk-pyo beamed with genuine joy.
Though Bu Eun-seol seemed cold and unyielding, he was actually someone who took others' advice seriously.
If even a mere attendant's words reached him, then surely no counsel would ever be wasted.
"Now we can obtain the Life-Preserving Divine Pearl, right?"
As Heuk-pyo grinned brightly, Namgung Se-a shook her head.
"I only promised you the chance to take the test. I never said I would hand over the pearl."
"What kind of nonsense is that?!"
Heuk-pyo's eyes widened, and she continued:
"This formation was personally set by the Palace Lord. It exists to test whether the Young Palace Lord is worthy of receiving the Life-Preserving Divine Pearl."
At that, Bu Eun-seol, who had been listening quietly, suddenly brightened.
"So whether the pearl is given or not... depends on the Young Palace Lord's judgment?"
"Indeed."
Then, something strange happened.
CRACK.
With a bone-shifting sound, the skin of Bu Eun-seol's face began writhing like a living serpent.
'The energy drain was too severe.'
The drawback of the Face-Changing Bone-Shifting Art—which allowed one to alter their appearance with ease—was its constant drain on the user's internal energy.
Having exhausted every last drop of his Reverse Polarity True Qi while pushing his limits inside the formation, the secret technique had begun unraveling.
"That face...!"
Sensing Namgung Se-a's piercing gaze, Bu Eun-seol swiftly covered his face with his sleeve.
GRIT. CRACK.
Straining to summon the dregs of his depleted energy, he forcibly reactivated the Face-Changing Bone-Shifting Art.
But there was no hiding from Namgung Se-a's keen Enhanced Vision.
'I never imagined he'd be this handsome.'
Namgung Se-a's pupils trembled like rippling waves as she stared at Bu Eun-seol.
The brief glimpse of his true face had been nothing short of a masterpiece—a peerless visage befitting a Beautiful Nobleman.
"Have you been disguising yourself all this time?"
"What do you mean?"
"Earlier, it seemed like you were hiding your true appearance."
"You must have been mistaken."
No matter how hard she scrutinized him, she couldn't find any trace of transformation on Bu Eun-seol's face. Narrowing her eyes, Namgung Se-a exhaled sharply.
'Well, I'll uncover the truth eventually.'
Meanwhile, Bu Eun-seol, having fully restored his Face-Changing and Bone-Shifting Art, approached the veiled Young Palace Lord and asked:
"Have you made your decision?"
"Huh?"
"About the Life-Preserving Divine Pearl."
"I..."
The Young Palace Lord stared at him intently through her veil before lowering her gaze.
"Do you... truly desire it that much?"
"Yes."
At his resolute answer, she bowed her head and spoke in a small voice.
"But I don't even know who you are... or your name."
'Right. The Divine Maiden Palace can't just hand over their treasure to a nameless stranger.'
Though he found the situation slightly odd, Bu Eun-seol answered plainly.
"Seol-so."
"Young Hero Seol... Forgive my rudeness, but which sect...?"
"A wanderer under Red Sky Curtain Branch."
"A wanderer... I see."
"Will you give me the Life-Preserving Divine Pearl?"
At his blunt question, the Young Palace Lord floundered, lowering her head in hesitation.
Then, Namgung Se-a stepped closer and whispered urgently in her ear.
"Young Palace Lord. Give it to him."
"Huh?"
"Give him the Life-Preserving Divine Pearl. Quickly."
"But..."
As hesitation flickered in the Young Palace Lord's veiled eyes, Namgung Se-a spoke with firm conviction.
"Trust me. You won't regret it."
"I... won't regret it?"
"That's right."
Namgung Se-a's eyes burned like an active volcano, hotter than ever before.
"Young Palace Lord, have I ever spoken nonsense to you?"
Her gaze was that of a predator coiled to strike.
"Just trust me this once. You won't regret it."
For reasons unknown, her voice brimmed with absolute certainty and inexplicable anticipation.
After a moment of stunned silence, the Young Palace Lord nodded faintly.
"...Alright."
Lowering her head once more, she looked at Bu Eun-seol and spoke softly.
"Since you risked your life to pass through the Boundary Formation..."
Then, she retrieved a small wooden box from her robes. Opening it carefully, a faintly shimmering red orb came into view.
The Life-Preserving Divine Pearl.
"Here it is."
As she extended the box, Bu Eun-seol reached out and took it without ceremony.
"Thank you."
The moment he tucked the pearl into his robes, Namgung Se-a clasped her hands together, beaming.
"Congratulations! Congratulations, Young Palace Lord!"
Flustered, the Young Palace Lord turned away.
"I'll... return ahead. Please escort Young Hero Seol... to the detached residence with the utmost courtesy."
"Understood. I'll inform the Palace Lord of this news shortly."
'The Palace Lord?'
A foreboding chill crept up the back of his neck.
For the first time since entering the Martial World, an icy dread settled over him. And that intuition was slowly becoming reality.
"Then, I'll take my leave."
As Bu Eun-seol turned to go, Namgung Se-a grinned brightly.
"Why the hurry?"
"I must return to Silent Sky Lonely Earth."
"Stay a little longer. You're practically family now."
"What do you mean by that?"
At his question, Namgung Se-a flashed a white-toothed smile, her eyes crinkling.
"Rest in the detached residence for a while. I'll send word to the Palace Lord and return shortly."
This was the same Namgung Se-a who had maintained nothing but cold, composed expressions until now.
Yet at this moment, she was looking at him with even more warmth than she ever had toward her own nephew, Namgung Un.
"I thought the Palace Lord was just being unreasonably stubborn... but to think a young hero like you was hidden away all along!"
Thumbs-up in hand, she spun on her heel and vanished before he could even respond.
Sensing something amiss, Bu Eun-seol glanced at Heuk-pyo.
Understanding his silent question, Heuk-pyo immediately intercepted a passing attendant.
"Excuse me, may I ask something?"
As the attendant turned, Heuk-pyo asked with utmost seriousness:
"Why did Lady Namgung just refer to our Young Master as... 'family'?"
The attendant blinked in confusion before lowering her head.
"I'm not sure what you mean."
"No, I mean—didn't she just say, 'You're practically family now' to our Young Master?"
"Well... Since Young Master Seol is to become the Young Palace Lord's husband... I suppose it's not incorrect."
"WHAT?!"
Heuk-pyo jumped as if he'd seen a ghost.
"Husband?! What are you talking about?! Why would our Young Master—?!"
"The Life-Preserving Divine Pearl is a betrothal gift for the Young Palace Lord's future spouse."
"The Life-Preserving Divine Pearl is... a betrothal gift?!"