Chapter 1192
Koooooooh!
As the Five-Colored Dragon swallowed all the cascading energy in one gulp and soared into mid-air in an instant, the Demon God Statue seemed to sense the threat—its three heads twisted simultaneously and let out a deafening roar.
Kwaaaaak!
At that moment, the Five-Colored Dragon moved like lightning and tore off one of the Demon God Statue's heads in a single bite.
Paaaaah!
Jet-black blood and a dark light exploded outward, scattering in all directions.
Koooooh!
The remaining two heads, contorted in agony, spewed forth another wave of immense darkness.
In response, the Five-Colored Dragon retreated slightly and unfurled its massive wings just once.
That single motion alone altered the color of the sky, and a dazzling radiance spread forth, splitting the darkness apart.
Kururururu.
As its attack proved futile, the Demon God Statue began writhing violently, its entire body convulsing. The black sun floating in the sky trembled and shook violently in response.
As if sensing that the statue intended to detonate everything, the Five-Colored Dragon hurled itself directly at the Demon God Statue.
Kwaaang!
The moment they collided—as though being sucked toward each other—the core of the black sun shattered like glass, unleashing an intense light.
There was no explosion.
Instead, it was as if all sound had been swallowed in an instant, leaving only absolute silence in its wake.
For a long while, half the sky was distorted by light, the other half by darkness.
The surrounding trees, rocks, even the desert sand—everything had vanished.
Finally, when the sky regained its original hue,
only the black-clad monstrosity remained standing tall.
Black veins streaked across its entire body, and crimson blood streamed from its mouth and eyes.
Crack.
The monstrosity tried to summon power into its right hand to recover, but no more of the overwhelming Soul-Demon Magic Energy flowed forth.
"Uoooh!"
Its enraged roar shook the heavens,
Zzziiing—
and then, from its right hand—now blackened and glistening—a faint light seeped out.
That light illuminated the luminous thread stretching far across the sky, formed by the Manifestation Art Energy emanating from Bu Eun-seol's body and the power of the Heavenly Might Star.
"Heh heh heh."
The monstrosity let out a low chuckle before leaping into mid-air.
And then, it began following that transparent energy tearing through the sky.
"Damn it all."
So Ok-rim, supported by Bu Eun-seol as they swiftly fled the desert, grimaced.
"Where the hell do these monsters even come from?"
Having recently completed her secluded training, So Ok-rim had been somewhat confident in her martial prowess.
Having mastered and purified all the martial arts of the Seven Absolutes Secret Cave, she believed she could hold her own against even the greatest Masters of the era without faltering.
But the monstrosity that had appeared out of nowhere—
was wielding an absurd power, capable of annihilating an entire village with a single finger.
And what of Bu Eun-seol?
Against the Demon God Statue, which could have completely obliterated the entire region, he had manifested the form of a colossal dragon and destroyed it.
Though they had retreated due to his injury, had they stayed, the outcome of the battle would have been impossible to predict.
"Let's rest for a moment."
At that moment, Bu Eun-seol, who had been spreading his Extrasensory Perception, spoke calmly.
"I can no longer sense that thing's presence."
Due to the sudden activation of the Heavenly Might Star's power while already injured,
his internal wounds had deepened, plunging him into a sudden Collapse State.
Moreover, sensing that even So Ok-rim had suffered severe internal injuries,
he had seized the fleeting moment when the Five-Colored Dragon and the Demon God Statue clashed, scooped her up, and swiftly escaped.
After all, confronting the monstrosity was not worth more than So Ok-rim's life.
Thud.
The two landed on a secluded cliff in the wilderness.
"How's your condition?"
"I'm fine. And you?"
"I'm fine too."
By now, his once-pale complexion had regained its color, and a sharp glint flickered in his eyes.
While executing his Movement Technique, he had employed the Prajna Great Power to heal his internal injuries.
"That's a relief... Ugh."
The one truly in need of concern was So Ok-rim.
Though she had unleashed a tremendous wave of energy comparable to the Buddhist Venerable's Limitless Power, she had ultimately been overwhelmed by the monstrosity's strike and was bleeding.
She had pretended to be fine at the time, but the internal injuries ran deep.
"Because of me, you couldn't finish the fight, could you?"
So Ok-rim wore an apologetic expression.
After all, the Five-Colored Dragon Bu Eun-seol had manifested had been overwhelming the Demon God Statue.
"It was because of my injuries that you withdrew, wasn't it?"
"No."
But an unexpected answer came back.
"Even if I had fought with everything I had, it would have been a difficult battle. To face such a formidable opponent with only sword techniques..."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head with a bitter expression.
"...I ended up injured."
Even though he had sensed that the freak's martial prowess and strength were abnormally high, he had still tried to defeat the opponent using only sword techniques.
This was a natural phenomenon, born from the fact that the path of martial arts Bu Eun-seol was soon to reach had already been predetermined.
Yet, he blamed himself for not giving his all.
"The dragon I created wasn't my own power."
The fact that the Heavenly Might Star's power had manifested in that critical moment was proof that the power Baekri Geom-ha possessed had also been passed down to him.
But Bu Eun-seol, unaware of this truth—
Mistakenly believed that Baekri Geom-ha, who had vanished into the unfathomable depths of the spirit and mind, had temporarily lent him his strength.
"Then whose power was it?"
"It's... a somewhat complicated story."
"I like hearing complicated stories."
"It's not the kind of story one tells others."
"Others? Are we 'others'?"
At So Ok-rim's persistent questioning, Bu Eun-seol shook his head firmly.
"I just don't want to talk about it."
If he carelessly brought up Baekri Geom-ha's affairs, So Ok-rim, true to her nature, would pester him about it all night.
"Honestly, you've got so many secrets."
So Ok-rim narrowed her eyes and spoke in a disgruntled tone.
"If you've got that many things you can't talk about, who'd ever want to marry you...?"
Drip.
At that moment, So Ok-rim coughed up blood again. Her internal injuries were far from minor.
"I have good medicine."
As Bu Eun-seol rummaged through his robes, So Ok-rim stretched out her hand.
"Do I look so weak that I need to rely on medicine?"
With a confident smile, she began circulating her qi while still standing.
Whoosh.
In less than seven and a half minutes, not only had her complexion fully recovered, but even her depleted internal energy had been completely restored.
"Remarkable."
Bu Eun-seol let out an exclamation of admiration.
Though the Central Plains had all sorts of bizarre techniques, secret arts that could rapidly heal both internal and external injuries were exceedingly rare—and even those were mostly unorthodox faction's internal energy.
"Well, we are a Tibetan sect, after all."
So Ok-rim gave a self-deprecating smile, understanding the implication of Bu Eun-seol's words.
"There are plenty of things the Central Plains martial world would call 'sorcery.'"
Unlike the Central Plains, which emphasized internal energy, Tibet placed greater importance on external arts, leading to their significant development.
So much so that before the emergence of the Primordial Chaos Subtle Qi—considered the pinnacle of Tibetan Esoteric Buddhism—
The Great Hand Seal of the Minor Thunder Sound Temple had been regarded as Tibet's representative martial art.
"But who the hell was that pitch-black bastard? He seemed completely deranged."
"I'm not certain. But given that he wielded Soul-Demon Magic Energy and transformed innocent civilians into monsters... I suspect he may be one of the Servants of the True Demon, skilled in Side-Learning Sorcery."
"He turned civilians into monsters?"
So Ok-rim's eyes widened, and Bu Eun-seol calmly recounted everything that had happened.
From the eerie rumors drifting out of the desert to the Great Art that seemed to transform people into monsters.
"Damn it."
So Ok-rim, who had been listening silently, clenched her fist and cursed.
"If I had fully mastered the Sacred Flower Secret Manual, I could've crushed not just the True Demon's lackeys—but even the True Demon himself—in an instant."
"Sacred Flower Secret Manual?"
Bu Eun-seol tilted his head in confusion.
Though he was well-versed in all manner of martial arts, this was the first time he had heard such a name.
"Yeah, it's our sect's supreme martial art."
So Ok-rim spoke proudly.
"The reason my grandfather told me to enter the Seven Absolutes Secret Cave was also to lay the foundation for mastering this Sacred Flower Secret Manual."
It was a shocking revelation.
The martial arts repository her grandfather had urged her to enter even on his deathbed—was it merely to establish the foundations of this martial art?
"But it's a technique I can't execute alone until I reach the perfected Martial Extreme Realm."
"So it's a martial art akin to Limitless Power, then."
"Exactly."
So Ok-rim's expression darkened.
"Even the palm technique I used earlier was just a forced imitation of the Sacred Flower Secret Manual's principles to amplify my strength."
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
That unfamiliar martial art—where So Ok-rim had condensed a force the size of a red bean in both palms, reminiscent of the Buddha Venerable's Vajra Annihilation Wave—had been an incomplete version of the Sacred Flower Secret Manual.
"But since I trained it alone as well... it's incomplete. Imperfect."
"What do you mean by that?"
Bu Eun-seol tilted his head in confusion.
Most advanced martial arts included mind-cultivation techniques as part of their core principles, making solitary training the norm. Even among fellow disciples, joint cultivation was exceedingly rare.
Yet she claimed that practicing alone prevented one from reaching its full potential?
"This martial art requires meeting one's destined partner to cultivate together."
So Ok-rim grinned as she spoke.
"Otherwise, it becomes a poison that harms the practitioner instead."
"So it's a Dual Cultivation Secret Art."
Only then did Bu Eun-seol nod in realization.
"That's why you were talking about finding your destined partner when we first met."
Back when he and Seo Jin-ha had first encountered So Ok-rim, she had been spouting strange things about searching for her fated counterpart.
As it turned out, the supreme secret art of the Three Pure Realms was—
A paired cultivation method that could only be perfected when practiced by two people.
And she had been searching for someone who could master it alongside her.
"Now that we're on the subject..."
So Ok-rim's expression turned solemn.
"For a long time now, I've wondered if you might be the destined partner meant to cultivate the Sacred Flower Secret Manual with me."
"Me?"
"Yes."
"Is there a specific condition to recognize such a partner?"
"Of course."
So Ok-rim answered without hesitation.
"My destined partner... must possess an aura as if a divine dragon had descended in human form—a peerlessly handsome man of unrivaled grace."
Bu Eun-seol's mouth fell open in disbelief.
So in the end, this so-called condition... just meant a good-looking man?
"Is that a requirement passed down through generations in the Sacred Flower Hidden Residence?"
"No? A fortune-teller told me."
Bu Eun-seol's jaw dropped again.
"You were relying on a fortune-teller to find your martial arts counterpart?"
"He wasn't just any fortune-teller. He already knew I was searching for my destined partner."
So Ok-rim gazed at the distant sky with an admiring expression.
"They called him the greatest Copyist in Zhejiang, a master of celestial divination. His reputation for accuracy was widespread."
Bu Eun-seol massaged his temples.
The reason young women sought out fortune-tellers was, nine times out of ten, to ask about their future partners.
And if they asked what their destined lover would be like?
Unless the fortune-teller was determined to refuse payment, of course they'd describe them as magnificent and dashing.
"Anyway, the time has come to master the Sacred Flower Secret Manual."
So Ok-rim steered the conversation back with a grave expression.
"With our current martial arts, we can no longer handle the endless waves of formidable enemies."
Bu Eun-seol partly agreed.
Just moments ago, they had faced an unidentified monstrosity—one he couldn't guarantee defeating decisively.
"Come with me. To our Hidden Estate."
So Ok-rim extended her hand with utmost sincerity.
"There's no more room for choice."
In the end, all her grandiose talk of destined partners and fate—
Had been groundwork to bring Bu Eun-seol to the Sacred Flower Hidden Residence.
"I must decline."
Bu Eun-seol waved his hand dismissively.
"How could I dare covet another sect's secret arts?"
"Since when do we stand on such formalities?"
So Ok-rim placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke in a low voice.
"Haven't we shared life and death, hardship and joy, for a long time now?"
It wasn't entirely untrue.
From the days of the Black-White Witch, they had faced countless trials and overcome powerful foes together.
Beyond matters of romance, she was undoubtedly a reliable comrade he could trust at his back.
'But—'
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
He hadn't even fully mastered the martial arts he'd acquired thus far. The thought of learning yet another held no appeal.
"Even if I take you to the Hidden Estate, there's no guarantee you'll be able to learn it."
Then, So Ok-rim said something utterly unexpected.
"The Three Realms have sent countless pursuers to steal our martial arts. Yet not one has ever succeeded."
Her voice dropped to a murmur.
"Even if you find the place, you can't enter without the Hidden Estate's permission."
"So the estate chooses its candidates."
"Exactly."
So Ok-rim's eyes gleamed with challenge.
"Only those selected by the Hidden Estate can master the Sacred Flower Secret Manual."
That single remark was enough to ignite Bu Eun-seol's curiosity.
'The supreme martial art of the Three Realms, untainted by evil...'
As Bu Eun-seol stroked his chin with sudden gravity, So Ok-rim closed the distance between them and whispered low—
"I won't force you."
So Ok-rim knew Bu Eun-seol's temperament all too well.
Gazing into his glittering eyes, she approached like a cat and murmured in a coaxing voice:
"You could just check whether you're someone the Hidden Estate would choose. Or simply take a peek at the profound principles of its martial arts."
It was an irresistible temptation—like the whisper of a demon.
In the end, unable to refuse her proposal, Bu Eun-seol nodded without realizing it.
"Very well."
"Let's go and see."
Bu Eun-seol arrived with So Ok-rim at the Snowmelt Plateau of Tibet.
The high-altitude plateau was so elevated that even their breaths fell heavily. Across its expanse, the melted waters of perpetual snow wove together like threads of silver.
Following those streams, the two headed toward Red Lotus Canyon, dyed in crimson soil.
The canyon's entrance was perpetually veiled in mist, and clouds draped the mountainsides like a shroud, sealing the place in silence so profound not even a whisper of wind could breach it.
Pushing through the fog, they ventured deeper.
Before long, at the canyon's far end, their vision abruptly cleared.
A lake—so still it seemed time itself had frozen—lay before them, its surface mirror-clear and transparent.
"That's it."
So Ok-rim pointed to the sacred lake of the plateau, untouched even by wind: the Spirit-Bright Ice Lake.
"That lake is the Hidden Estate?"
"Mm."
So Ok-rim licked her lips.
"I thought mastering martial arts in the Seven Absolutes Secret Cave was the end, but it turns out all of it was just preparation to come here."
Muttering softly, she steadied her breathing, then slowly brought her rounded hands together before her dantian.
Splash.
A clear stream of qi gradually rose from her fingertips, and the lake began to tremble faintly.
Rumble.
Before long, that stream transformed into a mysterious light, and the lake's waters were sucked inward, deep into its center.
As if something beneath the surface was awakening in response to her power.
Whoosh.
Suddenly, the water parted as smoothly as silk, splitting left and right to reveal a descending staircase.
Within the lake lay the entrance to the Sacred Flower Hidden Residence.
'As expected, a creation of the Baekri Clan.'
From the beginning, the Three Realms had been established by the Baekri Clan, built upon martial arts derived from their power.
As if proving that the Three Pure Realms had inherited that lineage intact—
The energy So Ok-rim had emitted to activate the lake's mechanism bore an uncanny resemblance to Manifestation Art Energy.
"Fascinating."
Bu Eun-seol let out an admiring sigh.
"To build a Hidden Estate beneath a lake like this..."
True to the legacy of the Baekri Clan, whose power was legendary in the martial world.
The location of the Hidden Estate and the method of entering it... it all defied imagination.
"Follow me."
So Ok-rim took the lead, descending beneath the lake.
At the foot of the stairs, a space unfolded like a sky filled with stars, and within it, thousands of slender silver threads crisscrossed like spiderwebs.
Upon closer inspection, they weren't threads at all—they were condensed, solidified streams of pure qi.
Passing through the long corridor, an even more mystical sight awaited.
The ground beneath their feet was smooth as jade, yet when they looked up—
Instead of blue sky, they saw a deep, abyssal expanse where a river of stars flowed like the Milky Way.
In the distance, enormous trees grew upside down, their roots embedded in the void, their branches blooming with flowers that held starlight.
As they walked further, the scenery shifted again.
A winter snowfield stretched before them, snow piled thickly—
But after a few more steps, they found themselves beneath warm sunlight in a lush summer forest.
'This place—'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
When he had entered the Divine Maiden Palace's Hidden Estate before, there had been a similar passageway.
Not only did it lead to a Mindscape, but time flowed there at a completely different pace from the outside world.
A brief stay inside had meant days passing outside.
And now, here—with every step, the seasons flickered past—
Could this be a similar kind of space?
'If so, we can't enter.'
"So, Instructor. Does time here flow differently from the outside?"
Bu Eun-seol grew uneasy.
If time here moved differently, like in the Divine Maiden Palace's Hidden Estate—
Then they absolutely must not enter now.