Chapter 1171
"Understood."
Finally, Mu-gyeol nodded as if resolved.
"I shall follow your lead."
His eyes held a mixture of tender affection for his master and anguish over the future of the Martial World.
Perceiving his concern, Bu Eun-seol responded,
"This is my plan."
He withdrew a scroll from his robes and handed it to Mu-gyeol.
After reading it for a while, Mu-gyeol's eyes widened.
"The Martial Alliance's inauguration ceremony is only days away. To pull this off, you'd need to practice at least hundreds of times. Moreover..."
"It's fine."
Bu Eun-seol nodded calmly.
"Even without hundreds of rehearsals, I have people who can execute it flawlessly."
Martial Soul Lord, Bu Eun-seol.
Though his name was ceaselessly whispered across the Martial World, he rarely appeared in official gatherings.
Yet in truth, he moved in secrecy—
Constantly traversing the Martial World, forging bonds with countless heroes.
Talented individuals gathered around him like clouds.
At first, Mu-gyeol had thought Bu Eun-seol was merely fortunate.
But now he knew.
It was possible because Bu Eun-seol always walked the righteous path and put others first.
"An airtight plan, to be sure, but it won't be easy. There are too many variables."
"I will ensure its success."
Bu Eun-seol's voice was calm but resolute.
"Even if it costs me my life."
Mu-gyeol nodded, his eyes brimming with anticipation.
If he could see his master's benevolent gaze once more... he would laugh even as his body burned to ashes.
Emerging from his recollection, Bu Eun-seol—
Amidst the throngs of people crowding around Pratyekabuddha Hall—locked eyes with a middle-aged man clad in the attire of the Hainan Sword Sect.
It was Mu-gyeol.
Originally a hall master in the Martial Alliance, he still had many loyal followers within the organization. He had also planted trusted agents to monitor the Martial Venerable's movements.
To overthrow the Martial Venerable, he had infiltrated the Martial Alliance in secret and burned the Spring and Autumn Annals hidden in his robes.
Meanwhile, the loyalists under Mu-gyeol and the Gongson Clan members—who had already infiltrated the Martial Alliance by covertly swapping identities—
Deactivated the Chaotic Heaven Forbidden Gate Sky Chain Formation the moment Jeong Cheon-je arrived.
"Grrrr..."
At that moment, Jeong Cheon-je scanned his surroundings with a pained expression.
Unable to endure the agony as if his soul were burning, he had traced its source to this place.
Flash!
In an instant, a glint of light flickered, and Jeong Cheon-je's pupils gleamed eerily.
Finally, amidst the sea of people—
He had found the one carrying the object inflicting hellish torment upon him.
The location of Mu-gyeol, who had been secretly burning the Spring and Autumn Annals in his robes with Extreme Yang True Qi.
"Gah!"
Moving at the speed of light, Jeong Cheon-je immediately thrust his hand toward Mu-gyeol's throat.
The sequence was so swift that—
Even Mu-gyeol, who had stepped into the Extreme Heaven Realm, could only widen his eyes in shock, unable to react in time.
BOOM!
Suddenly, a deafening explosion erupted as a barrier of black True Qi materialized before Jeong Cheon-je.
Bu Eun-seol, who had dashed forth like lightning, had unleashed the Willful True Binding.
[That's enough, Brother Mu.]
Bu Eun-seol swiftly transmitted his voice.
[Let us meet there as planned.]
Mu-gyeol gave a faint nod before vanishing into the crowd in an instant.
"Raaah!"
Jeong Cheon-je, seemingly enraged, unleashed a thunderous strike aimed at Bu Eun-seol's head.
When an Absolute Master like him executed such a technique at close range—
The only options were to retreat or evade.
But Bu Eun-seol did neither.
Instead, he stood firm, blocking Jeong Cheon-je's strike with both hands.
CRASH!
A terrifying shockwave erupted, spreading in all directions with a deafening roar.
Drip... drip...
Fresh blood trickled steadily from Bu Eun-seol's lips as he intercepted the blow with his bare hands.
Unable to disperse the overwhelming force behind the strike, he had suffered internal injuries.
Yet Jeong Cheon-je, too, could not follow up with another attack.
Zzzzzziiing—
A transparent shockwave suddenly expanded in the space between the two.
An internal energy clash.
The reason Bu Eun-seol recklessly intercepted Jeong Cheon-je's close-range strike was to force this very confrontation.
Huuuuum...
Their bodies trembled violently as concentric waves of energy rippled outward.
Jeong Cheon-je's internal energy had reached the human limit of ten sixty-year cultivation cycles, unleashing boundless power.
But his opponent was Bu Eun-seol.
Huuuuuum...
Bu Eun-seol's internal energy had surpassed the ten sixty-year cycle, reaching an immeasurable level.
Moreover, he had cultivated an Internal Core separately, concentrating his energy within it.
Even Jeong Cheon-je had no choice but to be overwhelmed in this clash of internal energy.
[Unleash the True Void Secret Art, Shindo Alliance Leader.]
Whoooosh—
A blinding white light surged from Bu Eun-seol's pupils as crushing pressure—like the heavens collapsing—descended upon Jeong Cheon-je.
He had begun channeling even the energy concentrated within his Internal Core.
Crunch.
The moment Jeong Cheon-je's skin split and his meridians threatened to tear under the overwhelming force of Bu Eun-seol's Internal Energy—
Crackle.
A majestic golden ripple suddenly erupted from Jeong Cheon-je's body, pushing back against Bu Eun-seol's power.
—......
The martial artists and warriors of the Martial Alliance, who had been watching the battle, were left speechless.
Golden Cicada True Qi.
The unfathomable depth of Internal Power displayed by this monstrous figure—
Wasn't that the legendary Golden Cicada True Qi, a technique said to have been mastered by none other than Jeong Cheon-je himself?
—Could he really be Jeong Cheon-je?
The gathered warriors began to stir.
Though his refined, jade-like appearance from the past was nowhere to be seen—though he now resembled a demon clawing its way out of hell—
The martial artists could faintly sense it.
That this monstrous figure... was the real Jeong Cheon-je.
***
"Seize that impostor!"
A man who had been observing the scene suddenly shouted.
"That man is a fake Alliance Chief!"
He was one of Mu-gyeol's planted agents.
At his cry, the stunned forces of Gwak Mu-su and Cheoljeonggak snapped out of their daze and began surrounding the Martial Venerable.
"You dare call me a fake?"
The Martial Venerable's expression darkened as he faced them, his Internal Energy surging.
Crackle.
A brilliant golden radiance erupted from his body as well.
He, too, had unleashed the Golden Cicada True Qi.
"Do you truly believe that Golden Cicada True Qi alone proves one's identity?"
The man smirked coldly at the Martial Venerable's display.
"Then I suppose we'll just have to prove it another way."
"Oh? And how do you intend to do that?"
"If a fake has unleashed Golden Cicada True Qi, the real Jeong Cheon-je wouldn't just stand idly by, would he?"
"What—?"
The moment the Martial Venerable's eyes widened—
Whoosh.
Jeong Cheon-je, who had been locked in an Internal Power struggle with Bu Eun-seol just moments ago, was now staring straight at him.
His wild, tangled hair barely concealed the maddened gleam in his eyes.
'Has he regained his senses already?'
But his gaze was far too clouded for that.
'This is—'
Frowning, the Martial Venerable suddenly sensed something amiss beneath his feet.
Spring and Autumn Annals.
A single page of the Spring and Autumn Annals, the very one Mu-gyeol had possessed, now lay at his feet.
"......!"
In that instant, the Martial Venerable's sharp eyes caught sight of a small-framed man slipping through the crowd in the distance.
[Hehe.]
The man turned his head and flashed a toothy grin—as if he knew he'd been spotted.
It was none other than the Thousand-Face Divine Thief, Yu Cheong-rim.
Only then did the Martial Venerable realize—
The reason Bu Eun-seol had endured severe internal injuries to engage Jeong Cheon-je in an Internal Power struggle...
Was to create the perfect opening for the Spring and Autumn Annals to be placed beneath his feet.
The Martial Venerable's Extrasensory Perception was second to none.
But the psychological shock of Jeong Cheon-je's sudden appearance—
And the overwhelming pressure of the Golden Cicada True Qi clashing between Bu Eun-seol and Jeong Cheon-je—had completely consumed his focus.
Yu Cheong-rim, one of the Four Great Divine Thieves of Murim, had seized that fleeting moment.
And accomplished the impossible.
Fwoosh.
Not only that, but through some trick—
The page of the Spring and Autumn Annals beneath the Martial Venerable's feet burst into flames.
'Just one page?'
The Martial Venerable's eyes flashed.
The page at his feet was but a single fragment.
Which meant the rest of the Spring and Autumn Annals was still out there—ripe for another scheme.
"Grrr... KAAH!"
Then, in an instant, Jeong Cheon-je lunged at the Martial Venerable like a beast.
'He ended the Internal Power struggle that quickly?!'
The Martial Venerable was stunned once more.
Jeong Cheon-je had been locked in a fierce battle of Internal Power with Bu Eun-seol—yet now he was attacking him without hesitation?
Did that mean Bu Eun-seol's Internal Power had far surpassed Jeong Cheon-je's?
But there was no time to dwell on it.
BOOM!
The Martial Venerable unleashed the Demon-Subduing Coiling Dragon Palm against Jeong Cheon-je, who had closed the distance in a flash.
KWAANG!
Fist and palm collided, sending a shockwave of True Qi spreading hundreds of feet outward.
"Kehehehe."
Jeong Cheon-je bared his elongated fangs in a twisted grin.
Though his madness had been partially subdued moments earlier—
The agony of his soul burning from the Spring and Autumn Annals' flames had sent him spiraling back into violent insanity.
'I had suspected he was still alive...'
The Martial Venerable wasn't particularly shocked to see Jeong Cheon-je in this state.
After all, he knew Jeong Cheon-je's capabilities better than anyone.
He had trusted in the strength of the forces backing him... and even if the maddened Jeong Cheon-je returned alive, he had prepared flawless excuses—and, in the worst case, a way to disappear without a trace. That was why he had not been particularly worried.
But he had never expected to be forced into a fight to the death when he could neither reason with him nor retreat.
'Still... the odds are in my favor.'
The Martial Venerable's sharp gaze swept over Jeong Cheon-je's body.
'In this state, he won't be able to wield the profound principles of martial arts.'
The reason Jeong Cheon-je, the Peerless Shin Do-mu-bi, had been unrivaled was his ability to instantly create martial techniques unlike anything else in the world.
But now—
That brilliance was gone.
Even the Martial Venerable, who was said to have mastered all martial arts under heaven, could only select and combine techniques that already existed...
But Jeong Cheon-je had truly reached an unfathomable realm.
'Victory is all that matters in battle!'
After all, the winner takes everything.
If he could defeat his maddened younger brother?
This commotion would be resolved, and he could proceed with his plan—detaining the Martial Soul Lord and igniting the Great Orthodox-Unorthodox War.
"Hyaaap!"
With a fierce, explosive shout,
the Martial Venerable soared high into the sky, spun sharply in midair, and unleashed his palm energy.
This was no mere defensive move—it could both deflect Jeong Cheon-je's attacks and counterattack instantly.
A flawless fusion of offense and defense: the Nine Severing Hand Techniques.
KOO-RUNG!
In response, Jeong Cheon-je began forming and firing black spheres from both hands.
Having discerned that the Martial Venerable's martial arts were stable and flawless, he now wielded the Four Emperors' Martial Arts.
—How could such a thing be called Jeong Cheon-je's martial arts?
The gathered warriors gasped at the sight.
Jeong Cheon-je—once hailed as the Heaven of the Righteous Faction—was now unleashing the Four Emperors' Martial Arts, steeped in the vilest Evil Qi?
'Perfect!'
The Martial Venerable inwardly rejoiced.
Now that Jeong Cheon-je had revealed the Four Emperors' Martial Arts, it would be impossible for him to claim he was the true leader.
And if the Martial Venerable suppressed him using only orthodox martial arts? He could definitively brand him as an impostor.
SHWIIK!
The Martial Venerable's rigid hand softened like a whip as he gently pushed forward with both palms.
The black spheres scattered, and in an instant, thirty of Jeong Cheon-je's major pressure points were exposed beneath his hands.
The Third Stroke of the Nine Severing Hand Techniques—Shadowless Soul-Stealing Strike.
Jeong Cheon-je, unable to react swiftly and only firing black spheres, left an opening—one the Martial Venerable seized, spreading his five fingers wide.
PA-PA-PA-PA!
Five razor-sharp Finger Winds pierced viciously into Jeong Cheon-je's vital points.
This was the Five-Fingered Spiral Bullet, the very technique that had once allowed the Six Yang Sect to dominate the martial world three hundred years ago with just the Finger Flick Art.
CHIII-IK!
Struck by the Finger Winds, Jeong Cheon-je staggered back, white smoke billowing from his body.
Sssik.
The Martial Venerable allowed himself a faint smile.
Had Jeong Cheon-je been in his right mind? He would have evaded the Finger Winds with Golden Carp Overturning a Thousand Waves, closing the distance in the same motion.
Then, he would have retaliated instantly with Heavenly Starfall Shattering Strike, infused with Golden Cicada True Qi.
But the maddened Jeong Cheon-je could no longer respond to such profound martial techniques.
"Heh-heh-heh."
Yet there was something the Martial Venerable had failed to consider.
Though consumed by madness and unable to wield intricate martial arts,
Jeong Cheon-je had reached a level of power incomparable to his past self.
Not only had his martial prowess grown immensely—he now wielded a mysterious force within his body.
PAT-PAT-PAT!
The Martial Venerable's attacks landed relentlessly, yet none dealt a fatal blow to Jeong Cheon-je.
It was as if a child from a local dojo were flailing against an unfathomably profound martial master.
'This isn't working.'
Even after launching a fierce assault, Jeong Cheon-je remained unfazed. Realizing that a direct confrontation would yield no advantage, the Martial Venerable—
PAAAT!
—widened the distance, now employing only attacks infused with Golden Cicada True Qi, occasionally weaving in techniques unmistakably unique to Jeong Cheon-je.
'At this rate, time is on my side.'
The Martial Venerable smirked in satisfaction.
Jeong Cheon-je had used Golden Cicada True Qi only once—instead, he continuously wielded the Four Emperors' Martial Arts.
Soon, branding him an impostor would be inevitable.
[Forgive me, little brother.]
Clicking his tongue inwardly, the Martial Venerable sent a Voice Transmission.
[Now, vanish quietly.]
But then, his expression twisted strangely.
Jeong Cheon-je, who had been charging at him like a beast, suddenly froze.
"Have you given up?"
The Martial Venerable smiled faintly, glancing around.
"What are you all doing? Seize this impostor—"
But his words died in his throat.
The bright sun had been blotted out—now, a black sphere loomed in the sky, casting the entire world into darkness.
The same annihilating technique that had once shattered the Baekri Clan Secret Vault in an instant.
The very move that had dealt Bu Eun-seol a near-fatal injury.
"That is—"
Just as the Martial Venerable's eyes widened—
KOO-OONG!
—the black sphere descended, crushing down upon his head.
"HYAAAP!"
With no choice, he raised both hands to block it.
ZZZ-ZZCRACK!
Thick veins bulged across his body in an instant, and the ground beneath him sank an inch.
CHIII-IK.
The skin on his hands began melting away as he held back the sphere.
'Damn it.'
This was his mistake.
The sphere Jeong Cheon-je had fired was no mere martial technique—it was a condensed mass of transcendent power, merely taking the form of a sphere.
And he had tried to block it with mere flesh and blood, thinking it an ordinary attack... There was no way to endure this.
Kuuuuuu...
The Martial Venerable's legs were buried deep into the ground, and bright red blood spilled from his mouth.
At this rate, his flesh would vanish without a trace.
'No... chance.'
A dark radiance flickered in the Martial Venerable's eyes.
After enduring all this time—
He couldn't die meaninglessly in a place like this.
KWAUUUUUUNG!
With a sudden, ominous roar that shook the heavens, a pitch-black radiance erupted from the Martial Venerable's body and surged into the sky.
KURURURUNG!
At the same time, two massive arms materialized behind his back and began blocking the black sphere.
—What the hell is that?
The martial artists watching the scene wore expressions of terror.
Before they knew it, a colossal Demon God Statue had formed in the sky, and the sphere was now being held back by the two arms extending from it.
—Isn't that Demonic Energy?!**
The gathered warriors all gaped in shock.
They had assumed it was easy to distinguish the genuine from the impostor, since the madman who had appeared out of nowhere was wielding the Death Emperor's martial arts steeped in Evil Qi.
But now, the real Jeong Cheon-je, who had been using orthodox martial arts, had conjured a Demon God Statue infused with terrifying Demonic Energy?!
BOOM!
With an explosive sound, the Jeong Cheon-je fighting the Martial Venerable was sent flying into the sky.
The massive hand of the Demon God Statue had struck both the floating black sphere and Jeong Cheon-je at the same time.
"Iron Fist Hall Master!"
From a distance, Deputy Leader Bukri Seung of the Martial Alliance shouted at the Iron Fist Hall Master.
"Protect the Alliance Leader from that vile bastard!"
From the very beginning, both men had been using Golden Cicada True Qi, but—
The purity and depth of their energies—
Even a layman could tell the difference at a glance.
They had been momentarily confused due to the Death Emperor's Martial Arts, but when the Martial Venerable manifested the Demon God Statue, they could be certain—he was the fake.
"That man is the fake Alliance Leader!"
RUMBLE—
As the martial artists of the Iron Fist Hall rushed toward the Martial Venerable and formed a Battle Formation,
"Who dares call me a fake?!"
The Martial Venerable stretched out his hand.
Immediately, the Iron Fist Hall warriors collapsed like leaves swept away by the wind.
CRASH!
At the same time, a Palm Energy capable of shattering mountains and splitting rivers slammed into the Martial Venerable's back.
Jeong Cheon-je had already recovered and unleashed a terrifying strike.
If a normal human body took such a blow head-on, their limbs would be torn apart—utterly dismembered.
But the Martial Venerable didn't even scream.
Far from being torn apart, a crimson mist rose from his body, swallowing Jeong Cheon-je's Palm Energy whole.
"That is—!"
Someone who witnessed the crimson mist erupting from the Martial Venerable's body shouted.
"Soul-Demon Magic Energy!"
Finally, as the Martial Venerable revealed that vile power before the world—
"That man is a Servant of the True Demon!"
The one who shouted was none other than the real Seon-u Jin, who had once been exploited under the guise of being the Martial Venerable's disciple and now operated within the Azure Heaven Alliance.
"You—!"
The Martial Venerable instantly recognized him as the real Seon-u Jin and roared with blazing fury.
"How dare you flap your tongue so recklessly?!"
In the past, Seon-u Jin's betrayal had ruined all of the Martial Venerable's schemes to ensnare Bu Eun-seol.
Because of him, the Martial Alliance's prestige had declined day by day, ultimately leading to the formation of the Azure Heaven Alliance, a coalition of orthodox factions.
From the Martial Venerable's perspective—
The one he wanted to tear apart even more than Bu Eun-seol was none other than this real Seon-u Jin.
"You die first!"
Enraged, the Martial Venerable thrust out his hand, unleashing a surge of Palm Energy.
A force imbued with Demonic Energy as dark as ink writhed like a living serpent, hurtling straight for Seon-u Jin's heart.
HISS—
In response, Seon-u Jin conjured dozens of shadows, effortlessly deflecting the attack.
"You—?"
"Did you think I was just playing around all this time?"
Seon-u Jin had been biding his time—
Continuously refining the martial arts of "Sword King" Seon-u Jin, taught to him by Bu Eun-seol.
With his exceptional talent and the guidance of Bukgung Ryeong, leader of the Azure Heaven Alliance—
He had already elevated his martial prowess to the point where he could operate in the Martial World as the true Sword King.
"Danmok Gi! Your time is over. Prepare to die here!"
The Martial Venerable's expression twisted when Seon-u Jin called him by his real name.
Moreover, not just the Iron Fist Hall warriors—but the forces of the Six Great Halls, including the elite Guardian Unit, were rapidly converging on him.
'Was I wrong...?'
The Martial Venerable realized—
If he stubbornly held his ground here, everything he had built would crumble.
"Uuuuuugh..."
The past years flashed before his eyes like a revolving lantern.
After enduring all this time—
After sacrificing everything to attain the position of Martial Alliance Leader—
How could he leave the Martial Alliance in such a wretched state?
"Uuuuuuuuu—!"
The Martial Venerable's pupils rolled back, turning white.
But the tide of battle could not be reversed.
Without a moment's hesitation, he twisted his body and shot into the sky.
SHWIIIIING!
At that moment, a chilling sound split the air as a Palm Energy the size of a house hurtled toward the Martial Venerable's back.
Bukri Seung, realizing he was fleeing, had gathered all his strength to unleash the Ocean God's Palm.