Chapter 1142
Bu Eun-seol was dreaming.
Beneath an endless horizon stretched a barren plain where only parched earth and withered winds blew.
No matter where he turned his gaze, there was nothing to obstruct his view, and the boundless silence made it impossible to perceive the passage of time.
And at the center of that plain stood Baekri Geom-ha, wreathed in black True Qi.
His eyes, which had never been seen before, carried a trace of desolation and loneliness.
Did he always know how to make such an expression?
Though he clearly bore the appearance of Eun-seol's childhood self, his face always seemed unfamiliar.
But now, as loneliness and solitude radiated from him, he felt exactly the same.
KRRRUMBLE!
Suddenly, the sky collapsed, and white dragons emerged.
Lightning crackled around their pale scales, and roars that tore through the clouds shook the plain.
Baekri Geom-ha began to fight the white dragons.
As the dragons coiled down and raked the earth, the ground overturned, sending boulders flying.
Baekri Geom-ha cleaved through the white dragons with his black True Qi, but the severed spaces were immediately mended by fresh white scales.
When the black True Qi clashed with the Dragon Fang, a metallic sound that split the ears reverberated, and the surrounding air was tainted with the stench of blood and scorching heat.
Baekri Geom-ha stubbornly continued the battle, detonating his True Qi.
Yet as time passed, his wounds multiplied, and his clothes began to soak with blood.
He fought fiercely, refusing to yield—
Thud.
But in the end, his limbs torn apart, he fell to his knees.
Bu Eun-seol's eyes met those of the blood-drenched Baekri Geom-ha.
[.......]
Baekri Geom-ha's lips moved faintly.
For a moment, a voice so faint it might have been imagined lingered at the edge of his hearing.
Bu Eun-seol jolted awake.
Only then did he realize he had been deeply unconscious, lost in slumber.
As he sat up, the modest interior of a small hut came into view.
His vision still hazy, he glanced around and saw a woman boiling tea.
Her cheeks, slightly flushed from the rising steam, glowed with vitality like peach blossom petals drenched in morning dew.
Her tranquil, lake-like eyes blinked slowly, her lush lashes fluttering like the wings of a butterfly.
"Where is this—?"
As Bu Eun-seol pressed a hand to his forehead and rose from the bed, the woman who had been preparing tea slowly approached him.
Her rough hemp clothing and hair barely held in place by a single wooden hairpin gave her a simple, unadorned appearance.
Yet she shone brighter than if she had been clad in luxurious silk and adorned with jewels.
She was a beauty whose serenity could make one forget all the world's sorrows—none other than Dal-ri.
"You—"
Bu Eun-seol was astonished.
Had she, who had vanished without a trace, truly sought him out again?
"Lady Dal-ri."
Bu Eun-seol's face lit up with unmistakable joy as he tried to step toward her.
Stagger.
But he barely managed a few steps before his body swayed unsteadily.
His body was in complete ruin.
After being exposed to the explosion of power unleashed by the Heavenly Emperor of Order, and with even Baekri Geom-ha of the Abyss gone—
He had been reduced to a powerless invalid.
"Have you been well all this time?"
Yet Bu Eun-seol showed no sign of distress and instead offered a bright smile.
Clink.
Instead of answering, Dal-ri extended a bowl filled with a dark liquid.
She hadn't been boiling tea—she had been preparing medicinal broth.
The concoction in the bowl didn't smell particularly pleasant, and unknown impurities floated lazily within it.
But Bu Eun-seol accepted the bowl without hesitation and drank.
Even knowing she was Pa Sun, the Breaker of Order, he swallowed it without a single grain of doubt.
For a moment, Dal-ri's gaze wavered.
That pure and unshakable heart of his—
It endlessly disturbed the tranquil lake of her Spirit and Mind.
Swish.
She quietly rose and took away the empty bowl.
Noticing the deep sorrow in Dal-ri's expression, Bu Eun-seol asked with concern:
"Has something troubling happened?"
Dal-ri silently shook her head.
Creak.
Then she opened the window.
As the wooden frame groaned and parted, fresh air poured in.
Beyond the window lay the serene landscape of the Secluded Valley, untouched by human hands.
A jade-like stream trickled like beads between the cliffs, striking the rocks with a gentle murmur.
The mist, catching the sunlight, shimmered gold, seeming to seep even into the hut's front yard.
Beneath the towering cliffs that stretched toward the sky, crimson maple leaves and deep-green pine trees stood shoulder to shoulder.
Wildflowers bloomed along the small stone fence in front of the cottage.
It was a scene straight out of a painting—a tranquil, peaceful paradise, as if inhabited by immortals.
Bu Eun-seol, as if entranced, pushed open the cottage door and stepped outside.
Crunch.
With the sound of dry leaves crumbling beneath his feet, his body swayed unsteadily.
His flesh was too broken to walk properly.
Yet he paid it no mind and slowly moved forward.
Beyond the cottage, the autumn mountains blazed in hues of red and gold.
The crisp, clear air filled his lungs, and the shattered sunlight scattered like golden dust over the lake.
He stood there, lost in the scenery—
as though trying to imprint the world's beauty into his eyes in his final moments.
Cough, cough.
A dry cough wracked his body.
Once it started, it shook his hollow frame relentlessly.
His shoulders trembled as if he might collapse at any moment.
Even the pleasant autumn breeze felt like sharp blades against his skin.
Dal-ri approached without a word and draped a coat over him.
The lingering warmth from her body made it feel—
as if she were embracing him.
"......."
Silently, she stood beside him, gazing at the same view.
By the time the sky bled into crimson twilight—
Dal-ri returned inside, lit the firewood, and clumsily began preparing dinner.
Her hands were rough and unpracticed.
Her knife work was awkward, and soon the scent of scorched rice and burnt meat mingled in the air.
The wild greens she had absentmindedly tasted were so bitter his face twisted involuntarily.
Dal-ri lowered her gaze, looking apologetic.
But Bu Eun-seol paid it no mind. He picked up his chopsticks, scooped a generous bite of the blackened rice, and chewed the bitter greens.
"Truly delicious!"
He let out an exaggerated exclamation.
"The ancient sages once said that food, like life, must have a hint of bitterness to be truly satisfying."
He shoveled another mouthful of burnt rice and continued.
"How fortunate I am to taste a dish that faithfully embodies their wisdom."
At his jest, Dal-ri gave a mute, wry smile.
And she, too, ate the charred meal with relish.
Once dinner ended, Dal-ri carefully brewed tea.
As the steaming cup was placed in Bu Eun-seol's cold hands, he closed his eyes, savoring the warmth.
The fragrant aroma of tea filled the quiet space between them.
When night deepened and stars dotted the sky, Dal-ri retrieved a small gourd bottle from her robes and stepped outside.
With practiced ease, she lit a campfire and handed the bottle to Bu Eun-seol.
It was the same rare liquor he had once praised so highly.
The crackling flames cast a cozy glow over their faces.
Just like the night they first met—
they sat side by side, drinking in silence.
Questions piled like mountains, yet no words passed between them.
Like a couple who had lived together for decades, they spoke only through their eyes.
As the night grew late, Dal-ri gently rested her head against Bu Eun-seol's shoulder.
The scent and warmth from her—
in that moment, nothing in the world could compare.
They gazed endlessly at the stars flowing across the vast night sky.
And so, their own precious, eternal day quietly passed.
Eventually, dawn approached.
"It was a day like a dream."
Bu Eun-seol murmured softly.
"A single day like this... worth more than a thousand years of life."
For a moment, Dal-ri's eyes wavered.
She remembered the words he had once left her—
"The rise and fall of the mortal world is not my concern,
Even if heaven and earth crumble, how could it be my fault?
If only I could take your hand and leave this world behind...
A single day of joy would be worth more than a thousand years."
Bu Eun-seol slowly rose to his feet.
Then, in a calm voice, he spoke.
"Now, let us act."
He had known all along.
That Dal-ri had brought him here.
That it was all so she could spend one day with him—so he would have no regrets even in death.
When Dal-ri seemed to hesitate, Bu Eun-seol slowly turned his body.
He turned his back to her, so she could act without reservation.
"At any rate, I have no strength left. I can't resist even if I wanted to."
Bu Eun-seol spoke in a gentle voice.
"Better to die by your hand than by anyone else's."
In that instant, a murderous glint flashed in Dal-ri's eyes.
BOOM!
With a deafening blast, a transparent surge of energy erupted from Bu Eun-seol's upright back, spreading outward in all directions.
She had struck his Life Gate Acupoint with a burst of Palm Energy.
Drip, drip.
Bu Eun-seol, still standing tall, coughed up blood from the corner of his mouth.
Thud.
And then, at last, he collapsed.
"......."
Dal-ri looked down at Bu Eun-seol with an agonized expression.
For a man like him, willingly surrendering his life should have been impossible.
Because he bore so much.
Because he had vengeance to fulfill and subordinates to protect.
Yet he had given up his life without hesitation.
Just to prove that his feelings until now had been genuine.
Gnash.
Dal-ri bit her lip until it bled.
What if Bu Eun-seol had shown even a flicker of resistance? Or if he had tried to scheme his way out of death?
Even if it meant shedding tears of blood, she would have mercilessly ended his life.
But he had not doubted her for even a moment—had surrendered his life without hesitation.
How could she kill a man with such boundless sincerity?
How could she possibly accept this depth of love?
With a pained expression, she gazed at Bu Eun-seol one last time before turning and re-entering the cottage.
There, she left behind a single letter.
"Let us meet again in the next life."
With those final words, she vanished into the distant sky.
How much time had passed?
Twitch.
Bu Eun-seol's body moved slightly.
At the same time, a faint glow emanated from around his Life Gate Acupoint, spreading throughout his entire body.
She had not struck him to destroy him.
Instead, she had poured all her strength into unblocking his acupoints, releasing the energy that had been gnawing at his body.
Crackle, creak.
The energy she had infused through her strike was not only profoundly mysterious but also incredibly pure.
Like a Metamorphosis and Bone Renewal, Bu Eun-seol's muscles and nerves were subtly realigning.
Hiss, hum.
Before long, a faint radiance began to spread from his body.
Thanks to the energy Dal-ri had infused, the malignant forces within him were being expelled, and his vitality was being restored.
Vibrating hum.
Bu Eun-seol floated into the air while still lying down.
His pallid complexion quickly regained color, and a golden glow began to intensify.
As his life force revived from the brink of death, the most profound of Shaolin's Secret Arts—
The Prajna Great Power, infused with the life-saving might of the Great Salvation Technique, manifested.
Pop, crackle.
As the Prajna Great Power activated, his tangled qi and blood gradually began to realign.
Thud.
Yet when Bu Eun-seol descended from the air, his complexion was unexpectedly still poor.
Though his internal injuries had healed, his strength had not fully returned.
Bu Eun-seol assessed his condition.
Aside from the Internal Energy needed to perform the Light Body Art,
All that remained were the Darkness Secret Arts—unaffected by his weakened state—and the power of the Saint Among Poisons.
"It wasn't the explosion that drained my strength."
Bu Eun-seol's expression turned hollow.
Once Dal-ri's energy had healed his internal injuries, he finally understood the true state of his body.
"Manifestation Art Energy and Jeongcheonje's energy were absorbed into my body."
Jeongcheonje's method had likely been an explosion of his own power.
The white-robed people must have countered by unleashing their Manifestation Art Energy.
In the end, both forces had been absorbed into his body—and now, they still clashed violently within him.
"Has she left?"
A deep loneliness settled in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
All that remained was a solitary cottage, standing alone.
Dal-ri had vanished without a trace.
"Dal-ri."
Bu Eun-seol felt anguish.
It seemed she still hadn't recovered even the memories of when they first met in the True Demon Palace.
And yet, she had spared no effort in healing him.
Even though she knew full well he was a Great Adversary—an enemy standing against the True Demon.
Creak.
Bu Eun-seol pushed open the door and stepped back into the cottage.
The faint scent of Dal-ri still lingered inside.
"This—"
But on the table, a single envelope lay waiting.
Unfolding it, a letter written in elegant handwriting was revealed.
It was a message Dal-ri had left behind.
―The Three Attendants were originally bound by Heaven's ordained fate (Three Servants were fated by destiny),
Yet Pa Hon alone rejected it, refusing to obey Heaven's will (Only the Soul-Breaker defied the heavens).
He hides in Jiaozhi, concealing himself, blending into the world (Lurking in Jiaozhi, veiled among men),
Only by finding him can you reclaim all the power you have lost (Seek him, and your strength shall return again).
"Jiaozhi."
The northern region of Đại Việt.
A land where all manner of displaced peoples gathered, home to a massive Wanderers' Market.
It was also a haven for criminals and fugitives.
―In heart, he bears the wisdom of sages; in form, the grace of a recluse (Mind of sages, bearing of the wise),
Foolhardy courage alone will not earn his audience (Brute force alone will not suffice).
You must prove your path amidst the masses (Amidst the multitudes, your way must be shown),
Only by journeying with wandering knights can you find him (Thus, with roving blades, seek him together).
In short, the man called Pa Hon—
Had rejected the fate of the Three Attendants and hidden himself in Jiaozhi.
'A recluse possessing the wisdom of sages... who will never meet those who come seeking him through force.'
Summarizing the letter's contents—
To meet Pa Hon, one must go to Jiaozhi.
And only by moving among the wandering warriors could he be found.
"Trying to escape the True Demon's chains..."
The mysterious power Dal-ri had infused into him—
A force both pure and capable of annihilating all things in existence.
It was none other than Soul-Demon Magic Energy.
"Giving me everything..."
Bu Eun-seol's face twisted in anguish.
Pa Sun, among the Three Attendants, was said to govern all natural order in the world.
And the reason she could do so was likely due to her possession of an extremely refined Soul-Demon Magic Energy.
To infuse that into another was no different from transferring one's own life force.
Did this mean she intended to cast aside her position as one of the Three?
'Impossible.'
Bu Eun-seol bit his lip.
The True Demon—his followers—would never let Dal-ri go so easily.
The path she walked would ultimately be one strewn only with despair, sorrow, and death.
―Seek, and you shall find; what was lost shall one day return (Seek and gain, the lost shall be restored).
And at the end of the letter, these words were written.
"'What was lost shall return...'"
Bu Eun-seol mulled over the words for a long moment.
They meant that by finding Pa Hon, not only could he regain his strength—but he could also reclaim something lost.
"There are only two things I seek."
The enemy of his grandfather and parents.
If not that, then—
"Could it be referring to the Heaven and Earth Divine Artifact?"
Pa-myeong had claimed to have trained in the Land of the Ultimate Void.
If so, then they must know the location where the Land of the Ultimate Void manifested.
Dal-ri had taken Bu Eun-seol's pulse—she would have known that what he needed most was the Heaven and Earth Divine Artifact.
Perhaps this was what she meant.
"Is she trying to abandon everything... for my sake?"
The fact that she had revealed the name and location of one who defied the Three Attendants' fate—
Was no different from relinquishing her own position as Pa Sun.
Perhaps she had already resolved herself to die, seeking to cast off the shackles of being one of the Three.
"There's no need for that..."
Bu Eun-seol swallowed his grief.
"You knew I wouldn't kill you... that I would heal you."
Though Bu Eun-seol possessed a pure and upright nature—
That did not mean he was the type to abandon vengeance or turn his back on those he had sworn to protect.
Had she truly intended to kill him?
He guessed she wouldn't have gone through such trouble if so—she had simply bared her heart openly.
Perhaps it was precisely because she, too, was capable of such fierce and untainted love...
That she had been able to steal Bu Eun-seol's heart.
"Seek, and you shall find; what was lost shall one day return."
Repeating the final line she had left, Bu Eun-seol's face twisted in pain.
Perhaps these words—
Referred to the memories and bond between them, linked through the Soul-Erasure Art in the Demon Palace.
"What more must I sacrifice...?"
Bu Eun-seol raised his head toward the sky, his expression wretched and tormented.
"Will you finally be satisfied then?"
A foreboding premonition tightened around his chest.
Though he had barely regained his lost memories, it felt as though something even more precious was about to be torn away this time.
Heaven never gave anything freely.
Did it not always demand a price—forcing one to surrender something else whenever they sought to grasp something in return?
The purest of hearts that Dal-ri had shown him—
Felt like nothing more than the precursor to an impending tragedy... one he could hardly bear.
"First, I must regain my strength."
Steeling himself, Bu Eun-seol drew upon his Internal Power.
Fortunately, he still retained enough to employ the Lightness Art.
He had to reach Jiaozhi as soon as possible—
And meet Pa Hon, the Soul-Breaker.