Chapter 1124
Rumble—
Finally, the sound of troops pouring in from all directions began to echo.
The warriors of the Flawless Squad did not shout battle cries or roar with exertion.
Moving in perfect unison from their assigned positions, they operated in deathly silence.
The Golden Bell Escort Agency's massive gates were firmly shut, and archers were stealthily positioned along the walls.
With the interior and exterior now completely sealed off—
"Your Highness."
Han Seong re-entered the secret chamber and addressed Princess Hui-jeong.
"Please evacuate. This humble one will escort you."
"That won't be necessary."
She shook her head.
"Lord Han, you must command the Flawless Squad. We will find our own way out."
"But—"
"Wouldn't the Flawless Squad only unleash their full strength under your command?"
At the princess's words, Han Seong bowed his head.
"Understood. This humble one will hold them off with everything I have—please, preserve your royal person."
Nod.
As Princess Hui-jeong nodded, Han Seong rushed outside with a resolute expression.
Watching him go, she turned her gaze to Bu Eun-seol.
"I have no choice but to concede to your words."
She took a deep breath before continuing.
"With the forces I've gathered, it's impossible to break the Empress Dowager's organization."
Princess Hui-jeong bit her lip.
The Empress Dowager, who had long acted as the de facto ruler—
Her influence stretched across the entire Central Plains, leaving no corner untouched by her gaze.
With the troops the princess had prepared, there was simply no way to oppose her.
"Very well. I shall return to the Imperial Palace."
At last, she acknowledged the failure of her plan and resolved to retreat to the palace.
"Good."
Bu Eun-seol exited the secret chamber alongside Princess Hui-jeong.
—Gahk!
—Ugh!
The battle had already begun, with an overwhelming tide of soldiers flooding the surroundings of the escort agency.
The martial arts of the Thousand Kill Forbidden Cavalry represented the Grand Perfection of all Imperial Court Martial Arts. No matter how exceptional the Flawless Squad's techniques were—
They couldn't withstand even one move before their heads were sent flying.
Clank.
Bu Eun-seol and Princess Hui-jeong sprinted through the hidden passage connected to the secret chamber.
After running for some time, they emerged onto the mountainside, far from the Golden Bell Escort Agency.
"Argh!"
"Keugh!"
From their lofty vantage point, the agency was engulfed in flames, and the desperate screams of the escorts rang out as they fell one by one.
Watching the Flawless Squad members perish, Princess Hui-jeong muttered under her breath.
"I will repay this humiliation tenfold."
'She views her subordinates as expendable.'
Her anguish wasn't over the deaths of her followers—only the shame of being defeated by the Empress Dowager.
'In the end, they're no different.'
Princess Hui-jeong, too, saw people as mere pawns.
To his eyes, there was little distinction between the Empress Dowager and the princess.
Whoosh.
Bu Eun-seol lifted her into the air and immediately executed the Qi-Piercing Ascent.
Shaaang!
Yet, even the skies above the surrounding mountains were layered with an eerie battle formation.
Unfazed, Bu Eun-seol tore through it in a single breath.
Just as he was about to ascend endlessly into the heavens—
Screech.
Something strange happened.
Suddenly, Bu Eun-seol's body began descending.
"The Heavenly Circle Shadow Lock Formation?"
Princess Hui-jeong muttered with a frustrated expression.
"No—they've deployed the Heavenly Circle Shadow Lock Formation, the Imperial Palace's foremost forbidden formation."
The formation laid around the escort agency hadn't been meant to stop the Flawless Squad.
Instead, it distorted the pressure and flow of qi in anyone who passed through it, disrupting their energy abnormally—
A formation designed to seal away the Land-Flying Technique itself.
"The Heavenly Circle Shadow Lock Formation? What is that?"
No matter how well-versed Bu Eun-seol was in martial arts, he knew little of the Imperial Palace Secret Repository's esoteric techniques.
"It's a formation to prevent martial masters from flying away to escape."
Princess Hui-jeong spoke with grave seriousness.
"In the past, martial masters who infiltrated the palace eventually broke through encirclements and fled using the Land-Flying Technique."
She continued.
"After such incidents, the Imperial Palace researched methods to suppress martial artists' aerial movement."
After much deliberation, the palace's masters devised—
A formation that created a barrier seemingly meant to block the outer layers of the formation.
They ensured martial masters would assume such a barrier could be shattered with brute force.
But the moment they attempted to break through, their internal energy would be disrupted—
Like a drop of ink in clear water, an adverse qi would seep in, interfering with their energy circulation.
Thus, the Heavenly Circle Shadow Lock Formation was born.
"Indeed, the Land-Flying Technique requires precise True Qi distribution. A formation study like this would be effective."
Even as Bu Eun-seol replied, his body continued descending slowly toward the ground.
As if the enemy had meticulously prepared for this outcome—
Six figures clad in crimson robes, the Blood-Cloth People, awaited them at the landing point.
Their eyes gleamed so fiercely that their pupils flickered like distant lanterns even from dozens of yards away.
Bu Eun-seol tried to adjust his descent to evade them—
But the Blood-Cloth People anticipated his movements, clinging to him like vengeful spirits.
'No choice.'
Sssss—
As Bu Eun-seol extended his hand, the ground beneath them began to darken.
With his internal energy suppressed, using the Three Divine Powers would reveal his identity.
Instead, he would employ the unknown power of the Saint Among Poisons to eliminate them in one stroke.
Sssss—
White smoke rose from the six Blood-Cloth People's bodies.
With internal energy refined to the Extreme Realm, they incinerated the poison he unleashed in an instant.
'Not bad.'
The poison Bu Eun-seol had spread was potent enough that no amount of internal energy could incinerate it in a single breath.
Yet these men had merely exerted their energy and burned it away?
"We shouldn't descend."
Princess Hui-jeong, who had finally spotted the six crimson shadows, widened her eyes.
"Those are the Dark Evil Blood Soul Men."
"What's that?"
"Assassins forged through forbidden Great Arts and spirit medicines, banned even by the Imperial Palace Secret Arts. They're practically living fiends."
Her expression darkened with fear.
"If the Thousand Kill Forbidden Cavalry was created to shatter all imperial forces, then the Dark Evil Blood Soul Men were made to kill even the Supreme Martial Lord."
"Impressive."
Bu Eun-seol replied flatly.
"Not only do they break all Imperial Palace Secret Arts, but they also counter all martial world techniques? Such soldiers exist?"
"It's true."
Princess Hui-jeong spoke urgently.
"No attack works against Dark Evil Blood Soul Men. And once you enter the space they create, escape is impossible."
Her expression grew graver still.
"I know your martial arts are extraordinary. But you must not engage them. There's no way to win."
"There's no such thing as 'no way.'"
Bu Eun-seol's voice remained indifferent.
"At this point, avoiding battle isn't an option anyway."
The moment they landed, the pursuing Dark Evil Blood Soul Men instantly encircled Bu Eun-seol.
Sssssk—
Though they seemed poised to attack, the crimson-robed figures unexpectedly widened their distance—
Zzzzzzt—
—and began unleashing a bizarre force.
'This is—'
Recognizing the nature of that energy, Bu Eun-seol's eyes sharpened.
The strange power they wielded—
Wasn't this the very principle he had once devised in the Land of the Ultimate Void?
A force that maximized the collision of energies to find equilibrium—wasn't this fundamentally aligned with the Counterflow Fusion Art?
'So even among the Imperial Palace's Philosophers, there was someone who thought like me.'
Looking back, it made sense.
The imperial court had always been wary of the martial world's techniques, seeking ways to suppress martial artists.
In the end, they had poured all the refinement of the Imperial Palace Secret Arts into creating the Dark Evil Blood Soul Men—
Living weapons bred to instantly subdue any martial artist who dared harbor treacherous intentions.
"Ugh..."
Just then, Princess Hui-jeong let out a pained groan.
Though she practiced Imperial Court Martial Arts and utilized her Upper Dantian, her body was still one that relied on internal energy, spirit medicines, and the Crown-Opening Great Method.
Under the assault of the Dark Evil Blood Soul Men—
The very energy inside her was now tearing her body apart.
'This is a situation even I didn't anticipate.'
That the imperial court could forge living weapons capable of completely nullifying martial artists' techniques—
He had never once considered such a possibility.
"Kkhh..."
By now, thick veins bulged across the princess's skin.
As her internal energy neared total collapse, her body was breaking down, teetering into the Collapse State.
'Even if my body is ruined, I have no choice.'
After a moment of hesitation, Bu Eun-seol finally channeled the Counterflow Fusion Art into Princess Hui-jeong.
Like a river flowing into the sea—
The energy pouring from the Dark Evil Blood Soul Men began accumulating layer by layer within him.
KWAANG!
An explosion, like gunpowder detonating, rocked Bu Eun-seol's body as it trembled violently.
The forces inside him clashed violently under the influence of the Dark Evil Blood Soul Men's power.
Under normal circumstances, his body would have been torn apart or exploded outright—
But the remnants of the Counterflow Fusion Art somehow forced those collisions into a precarious balance.
Drip—
A trail of fresh blood spilled from Bu Eun-seol's lips.
His internal energy alone surpassed ten sixty-year measure cycles—a level beyond conventional martial measurement.
And with the power of three of the Four Divine Techniques, comparable to his internal energy, residing within him—
If equilibrium wasn't maintained? The mere aftermath of these collisions could shatter his bones and rupture his organs.
"Ugh..."
Yet Bu Eun-seol didn't stop. He continued pouring the Counterflow Fusion Art into Princess Hui-jeong without pause.
The energy from the Dark Evil Blood Soul Men had reached its peak. If he stopped now, the backlash would obliterate the princess's body.
Crackle—
Finally, as Bu Eun-seol absorbed all the colliding forces, the Dark Evil Blood Soul Men's skin began thinning unnaturally.
Secret Arts like the Counterflow Fusion Art—
Were meant to clash with an enemy's power, neutralizing the resulting counterforce.
But because Bu Eun-seol was absorbing it outright, the Dark Evil Blood Soul Men couldn't withstand the recoil—
And their bodies were now crumbling instead.
BOOM! BOOM!
Collisions raged endlessly within Bu Eun-seol's body—
Crackle—
While the Dark Evil Blood Soul Men, unable to dissipate the counterforce, collapsed under their own power.
Who would fall first?
Seven and a half minutes later, the answer became clear.
Pssshhh—
All six Dark Evil Blood Soul Men collapsed, blood gushing from their bodies.
Unable to endure the recoil of their own unleashed energy, every bone in their bodies had been pulverized.
"Astounding."
Princess Hui-jeong, who had been watching the entire time, exhaled in awe as she approached Bu Eun-seol.
"It's said no martial artist, no matter how refined, can defeat the Dark Evil Blood Soul Men."
A forbidden method designed to kill even the Absolute Masters of the martial world—
Masters who could threaten the imperial court in an emergency.
As she had said, even the world's strongest would inevitably fall to them.
Had Bu Eun-seol not mastered the Counterflow Fusion Art—the art of deliberately inducing collisions to achieve balance—
He, too, would have been reduced to a bloody pulp.
"......"
For some reason, Bu Eun-seol remained silent.
He stood motionless, lost in deep thought without uttering a word.
"A large force will soon descend upon us."
Princess Hui-jeong extended her hand.
"Let us return to the Imperial Palace in one swift move."
Bu Eun-seol remained silent, his gaze fixed on empty space.
Sensing something amiss, the princess asked,
"What is wrong?"
"Indeed."
With an expression graver than ever, he suddenly retrieved a piece of cloth from his sleeve and wrapped it around his face.
"All my strength has been sealed."
To save the princess, Bu Eun-seol had continuously channeled the Counterflow Fusion Art into her.
In turn, he had absorbed every last surge of energy unleashed by the Dark Evil Blood Soul Men.
In other words, Bu Eun-seol had been left defenseless—
forcing his own body to endlessly collide with the destructive power within him.
Though he had ultimately caused the Dark Evil Blood Soul Men to self-destruct,
he too had suffered severe internal injuries, and all his strength had been cut off.
'At least the Darkness Secret Arts remain intact.'
If his face were revealed now, this journey would be over.
Until the day the Empress Dowager died, he and all his subordinates would be relentlessly hunted.
But the Sacred Realm's secret technique had nothing to do with the body's "strength," so his disguise remained unbroken.
"Then quickly undo that restriction."
"It will take at least a month—perhaps half that if I'm lucky."
The princess's complexion changed.
"From what I can see, you hold a rather high status in the martial world."
"......"
"Call your friends or subordinates from the martial world."
"If I had intended to do so, I wouldn't have come alone."
Bu Eun-seol refused firmly.
"At best, summoning my subordinates would reveal my identity—but worse, the Empress Dowager would torment them until her dying breath."
The Emperor held legitimacy, but his supporting factions were somewhat weak.
In contrast, the Empress Dowager, through decades of accumulated connections, controlled key court officials and military commanders.
If the Emperor recklessly raised a rebellion against her? He could be overthrown instead.
The very fact that he had secretly entrusted an outsider—
Bu Eun-seol—with the covert mission of protecting the princess was proof of his relative powerlessness compared to the Empress Dowager.
"I—no, His Majesty will petition to prevent such a thing."
"Do I look like a fool to you?"
Bu Eun-seol's gaze sharpened.
"If that happens, it will only give the Empress Dowager more ammunition to exploit."
"......"
"What if she spreads rumors that the princess has colluded with an outsider like me, disrupting imperial discipline? Or frames you for conspiring with disloyal factions of the martial world to plot treason?"
Bu Eun-seol, seeing through every possible scenario, spoke coldly.
"If His Majesty were to publicly declare that the sects I belong to or my subordinates should not be touched... it would only lend credence to the Empress Dowager's accusations."
If the Emperor or the princess openly aided or empowered Bu Eun-seol?
The Empress Dowager could seize the opportunity to attack: 'His Majesty has personally brought in martial world ruffians to threaten the imperial court!'
"Then you intend to just die?"
Princess Hui-jeong pressed him.
"You said your strength is gone."
"The same way Your Highness chose not to summon imperial troops for your return."
If she wished, she could call upon countless soldiers across the Central Plains.
But clashing with the Empress Dowager in such a manner would only lead to ruin.
That was why she had relied solely on the Golden Dragon Guards, the Flawless Squad, and the Heavenly Might Golden Unit.
"I see."
Finally understanding everything, Bu Eun-seol shook his head and sighed deeply.
"In the end... this entire affair was part of a scheme to drag me into the imperial power struggle."
"What did you say?"
"Do you truly believe His Majesty, locked in a covert battle with the Empress Dowager, was unaware of the Thousand Kill Forbidden Cavalry and the Dark Evil Blood Soul Men?"
A chilling light flickered in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
"How could someone so incompetent possibly wage a prolonged fight against that cunning Empress Dowager?"
His words were cunning—seeming to praise the Emperor while making it impossible to deny the underlying accusation.
"Indeed, as expected of one renowned for both martial prowess and wisdom."
Realizing she could not evade the truth, Princess Hui-jeong spoke frankly.
"Martial Soul Lord Bu Eun-seol."
As expected, she had already known his true identity.
"In the end, I cannot deceive your eyes."
And she admitted it openly.
"You are correct. This was all to draw you in."
The Empress Dowager had long allied with formidable factions of the martial world.
In response, Princess Hui-jeong had been closely observing the Martial Soul Lord, whose power rivaled that of the era's superlative martial experts.
She had learned that Yu Un-ryong, son of the grand secretary, served as an advisor to Bu Eun-seol, the Heir of the Demon Hall—
and that Yu Jeong-pung had once aided him greatly. Persuading the Emperor, she had orchestrated this scheme.
"Then let me hear your answer."
"I refuse."
"Then what do you intend to do? In this situation?"
Princess Hui-jeong smiled confidently.
Struck by the Dark Evil Blood Soul Men's power and now bereft of strength, his only options were to summon his subordinates—
or call upon the forces he had secretly built.
"Do not worry."
But Bu Eun-seol replied calmly.
"I will escort you safely."
"By what means?"
The princess scoffed.
"Even if we ride Snow-Cluster Horses or Sweat-Blood Horses, it would take over a month to reach the Imperial Palace."
She added,
"The Empress Dowager controls everything—even if we mobilize imperial troops, it would be futile. And the Thousand Kill Forbidden Cavalry will pursue us."
"If we are outnumbered, there is no need to clash head-on."
Bu Eun-seol spoke composedly.
"We need only break through weak points and evade."
The princess looked at him incredulously.
"Do you truly believe that is feasible?"
"I've always done so."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"I've never relied on feasible methods."
"You truly intend to proceed like this?"
Princess Hui-jeong gritted her teeth.
"Do you mean to die alongside this princess?!"
"You won't die."
Bu Eun-seol flashed a confident smile.
"Let's give it a try."
For a moment, she was left speechless.
Breaking through the Empress Dowager's encirclement alone and returning to the Imperial Palace—just the two of them?
So this was the kind of madman the Martial Soul Lord truly was?