Chapter 1195
So Ok-rim bared her white teeth and stuck out her thumb.
"If we stuck together every day, no one in the world could stand against us, don't you think?"
"Every day...."
Between a man and a woman, the only thing that would have them together daily was marriage.
As Bu Eun-seol flinched in surprise,
"Hahaha, just kidding, just kidding."
she laughed and waved it off.
"Keep practicing the cultivation method I just passed on to you. Once you reach the Twelfth Star realm, you'll be able to deploy it on your own."
So Ok-rim might seem stubborn and unreasonable at first glance, but in truth, she adhered to the righteous path.
Of course, toward evildoers... she showed not an ounce of mercy.
"I appreciate the sentiment, but how could I recklessly practice and use another sect's secret arts?"
"It's fine."
So Ok-rim replied with a sullen expression.
"If the elders were still here, they would've accepted you as a disciple of our sect without hesitation."
Though it was by chance, they had cultivated the highest secret arts of the Three Pure Realms together.
Moreover, since Bu Eun-seol was of the Baekri Clan's bloodline, he couldn't exactly be considered an outsider to the Three Pure Realms.
"Rather than that, why not rebuild the sect?"
"How? Rebuilding a sect isn't like opening a teahouse in the marketplace."
As So Ok-rim grumbled, Bu Eun-seol replied in a calm yet resolute voice.
"I can do it."
He had already revived the Mount Heng Sect for the young Myeong-un.
Not to mention, he had climbed from the very bottom to the top leadership of both the Demon Hall and the Martial Alliance—the two greatest factions in the world.
When it came to managing and operating a sect, no one could match his level.
"No. I'll definitely do it for you."
Seeing the determination in Bu Eun-seol's eyes, So Ok-rim could feel that he truly meant to rebuild the sect.
"Why?"
"Since I've learned the martial arts of the Three Pure Realms, I can't exactly be called an outsider, can I?"
At his kind reply, So Ok-rim broke into a wide grin.
"Then can I call us martial siblings?"
"No, there's no need to go that far...."
Her eyes curved into crescents as she sidled up to him, putting on a coy act.
"Then should I call you 'martial brother'? Martial brother, Ok-rim is hungry."
Bu Eun-seol shut his mouth.
No matter how much her appearance had changed, her current silly behavior wasn't exactly endearing.
"Then after we punish the one who killed the elders...."
At that moment, So Ok-rim's expression shifted, and she spoke in a low voice.
"I don't want to rebuild it as a secretive organization like before... I want to make a sect that can care for children in need."
"A noble thought."
Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly and spoke firmly.
"I'll definitely make it happen for you."
So Ok-rim flashed her teeth in a radiant smile.
"Thank you."
It was the kind of pure, childlike smile that was impossible to hate, no matter how hard one tried.
"Have you found any leads yet on the culprit who destroyed the Three Pure Realms?"
"No."
So Ok-rim's face darkened.
"I haven't found a single clue."
The Three Pure Realms had vanished without a trace, leaving behind no evidence whatsoever.
Even now, So Ok-rim still had no idea who the culprit was or what martial arts they had used.
"Is there nothing more I can do to help?"
So Ok-rim shook her head.
"Just letting me use the Death Soul Squad's intelligence network is more than enough."
After the Blood Calamity of the Three Pure Realms,
Bu Eun-seol had arranged for So Ok-rim to gather information through the Death Soul Squad.
"I'll come back if I need more help."
Bu Eun-seol had much to do himself.
Now that she had obtained the Sacred Flower Secret Manual through the Dual Cultivation Secret Art,
she had to cultivate it while searching for the one who had destroyed the Three Pure Realms.
"Come anytime."
"Mm."
With a bright smile, So Ok-rim activated her movement technique and slowly rose into the sky.
In an instant, she vanished like a white meteor.
"She's going to have a rough time from now on."
So Ok-rim's beauty had transformed so dramatically that the famed Three Beauties Under Heaven would now have to be called the Four Beauties.
Her appearance now perfectly matched the elegant alias she had chosen for herself—the Silver River Goddess.
With such enchanting looks, countless men would surely court her.
But her temperament remained exactly the same as the Heaven-Crushing Hand... Who knew how many men would end up battered and bruised because of it?
"Another fortuitous encounter, I suppose."
Whoosh.
Bu Eun-seol channeled his internal power and slowly ascended into the air.
"Through the Sacred Flower Secret Manual, I've discovered a flaw in my martial arts."
After learning the cultivation method from So Ok-rim—one that minimized energy loss to unleash power at its peak—
he had, somewhat abruptly,
realized why his Bloody Tears Seven Forms had failed against stronger opponents.
"The martial path pursued by the Three Pure Realms isn't my own, so I'll be content with just obtaining the method."
What if he mastered the Sacred Flower Secret Manual to the Great Origin realm?
He could completely eliminate energy loss.
He would be able to wield power at least six, no, dozens of times stronger than now.
But what Bu Eun-seol sought was humanity and naturalness... So he resolved not to cultivate this energy.
Just as he was about to activate his movement technique after taking in the beautiful scenery of the Secluded Valley—
Whoosh—!
With the sound of breaking air, So Ok-rim came rushing back.
Her eyes were wide with panic as she hurriedly clung to Bu Eun-seol's back.
"What's wrong?"
"That lunatic chased me all the way here."
So Ok-rim pointed a finger toward the opposite sky.
There, a bizarre shadow stood drenched in blood, its clothes torn to shreds.
It was the very same fiend who had turned villagers into monsters and attacked Bu Eun-seol and So Ok-rim using Soul-Demon Magic Energy.
"How did he get here?"
Bu Eun-seol's eyes flashed.
How could someone from the Ancient Wall Desert track them all the way to the depths of Tibet's Secluded Valley with such precision?
"Do something about that bastard."
What was even stranger was So Ok-rim.
She was fearless, reckless to the point of not knowing the vastness of heaven and earth.
No matter how formidable the opponent, she had always been the type to throw a punch first—so could she feel fear now that she had a frail body?
Ah.
Bu Eun-seol soon realized why So Ok-rim had hidden behind him.
The lower half of the grotesque man's robes were nearly torn to shreds, exposing his hideous form.
And judging by the blood soaking his entire body, it seemed he had slaughtered another group of pursuers—likely informants from some organization.
So that's it.
The grotesque man wasn't fixated on So Ok-rim—but on Bu Eun-seol.
No, more precisely, on the Shockwave emanating from his body.
He was tracking me.
Having grasped the situation in an instant, he reassured So Ok-rim.
"Rest easy. He's here for me."
Then, slowly descending to the ground, he addressed the grotesque man.
"Let us settle our unfinished business."
Srrrring—
As Bu Eun-seol drew Ink Soul Sword, a powerful surge of True Qi rippled through his entire body.
Last time, he had stubbornly relied solely on sword techniques, preventing a proper conclusion to their fight.
This time, he intended to unleash the full might of the True Void Absolute Art.
"Come."
Naturally, Bu Eun-seol expected the grotesque man to flick his fingers and unleash a terrifying long-range attack imbued with Soul-Demon Magic Energy.
But unexpectedly—
Shwaak!
The man unsheathed a dagger-like claw from his right hand and took a stance as if preparing for close-quarters combat.
What kind of trick is this now?
Frowning, Bu Eun-seol sensed something else—
The pure Soul-Demon Magic Energy that had been flowing from the grotesque man's body had vanished.
Blocked by the power of the Heavenly Might Star.
Intuiting that the Soul-Demon Magic Energy had been sealed due to the previous attack from the Five-Colored Dragon, he raised Ink Soul Sword to a middle guard.
"Then let us settle this with martial arts alone."
Kiiiiii—!
A piercing screech tore through the air—the prelude to the Bloody Tears Seven Forms.
But then, something unforeseen happened.
Shwiik!
The grotesque man closed the distance in an instant, yanking Ink Soul Sword with his elongated claw and forcing a clash.
CLANG!
With the shockwave, Bu Eun-seol's blade technique was instantly interrupted.
No—it should have been interrupted.
Kyaaaa—!
Yet an even more agonizing screech resounded as a crescent-shaped Blade Essence shot from behind Bu Eun-seol—straight toward the grotesque man's throat.
Tzzeeeng!
Blocking it with his claw, the man was sent flying dozens of feet back, barely managing to right himself.
The same being who had overwhelmed Bu Eun-seol with a mere flick of his fingers had now been repelled by a single stroke of the blade.
As I thought.
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed.
It was a matter of Spirit and Mind and Blade Essence.
Until now, he had severely restrained himself from using the Bloody Tears Seven Forms.
After his battles with the Return to Unity Realm Lord and the Same Heart Society, he had realized—
His mastery of the Bloody Tears Seven Forms had regressed compared to the past.
Part of the reason was the sheer variety of martial arts he had learned.
But the primary cause was his interaction with Baekri Geom-ha, his alternate personality.
As they interacted whenever needed, the loneliness and solitude that had once filled his Spirit and Mind gradually faded.
And with that, the Blade Essence of the Bloody Tears Seven Forms no longer aligned with his Spirit and Mind.
But after Baekri Geom-ha willingly submerged himself into the Abyss, Bu Eun-seol's Spirit and Mind was once again filled with desolation and solitude—
And the power of the Bloody Tears Seven Forms had returned.
"Life in this world is but temporary."
Closing his eyes, Bu Eun-seol activated his blade technique.
"Death is merely a return to the origin."
Bloody Tears Seven Forms, First Form: Life is a Sojourn, Death is a Return.
Originally, this was a suicidal technique—spreading Blade Rings around both the enemy and himself before striking a fatal Death Point while risking his life.
But as his martial arts grew stronger, Bu Eun-seol no longer employed such self-destructive methods.
Instead, he naturally sought techniques that maximized damage to the enemy while preserving his own body.
Every time he executed this form, he aimed for victory—minimizing wounds while securing triumph.
"Grandfather did not create this technique because his martial arts were weak."
Only after reaching a state of boundless silence and solitude in his Spirit and Mind did he understand.
His grandfather had never intended to survive battle.
He had truly yearned for death.
And yet—because he had reached such an unfathomable height—he could not even die by another's hand.
Paaat!
Before he knew it, the grotesque man had seized control of the space, evading all blade energy, and swung his razor-sharp claw down toward Bu Eun-seol's head.
In the past, he would have dodged the fatal strike and countered.
—"You have not reached the realm of death."
Both the Return to Unity Realm Lord and the Same Heart Society had always said something similar upon witnessing his Bloody Tears Seven Forms.
And he had assumed their words meant—
That his martial prowess was infinitely inferior to his grandfather's.
But now he knew.
His grandfather had always longed for death.
And those who wielded the sword to survive—could never step into the realm of death.
Splaaat!
Blood sprayed from Bu Eun-seol's forehead.
Without dodging the descending ghoul's claws, Bu Eun-seol drove his sword straight into its throat instead.
"Gahk!"
The ghoul staggered back with a startled cry, clearly caught off guard.
Had it swung its claws unimpeded, it could have flayed the flesh from Bu Eun-seol's skull—but it, too, would have died instantly with the Ink Soul Sword piercing its throat.
Swish!
Bu Eun-seol traced a swift arc with the Ink Soul Sword.
Pah-pah-pah-pah!
In response, hundreds—no, thousands—of razor-sharp blades rained down like a storm.
And not just upon the ghoul. The same blades poured down upon Bu Eun-seol himself.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
The ghoul deflected the blades in a single sweep with claws harder than any treasured sword, then closed the distance once more.
'So it has the upper hand in close combat.'
No matter how refined his swordsmanship, facing an opponent who wielded claws as weapons in extreme close quarters was inherently disadvantageous.
Ping! Zing-zing-zing!
Bu Eun-seol deftly deflected the falling blades, redirecting them toward the ghoul.
Now, the ghoul had to fend off not only the blades raining from above but also those Bu Eun-seol was rebounding toward it.
Worse still, each deflected blade carried the profound artistry of the Bloody Tears Seven Forms, tracing unpredictable trajectories.
The ghoul couldn't defend flawlessly.
Sssss—
Pale smoke rose from the ghoul's skin where the blades had sliced through.
Oooong!
Had the blades of the Bloody Tears Seven Forms only provoked its wrath?
The ghoul, which had been employing ordinary techniques until now, suddenly began emitting a bizarre energy from its right hand.
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!
A spherical void, dark as an abyss, formed and swallowed the storm of blades whole.
Zzzziiing!
At that moment, a blue light surged from Bu Eun-seol's pupils.
The ghoul had unleashed Soul-Demon Magic Energy, triggering the power of the Ancient Sword Forest instinctively.
'Why?'
The power of the Ancient Sword Forest typically activated only when he couldn't discern the nature or function of an enemy's energy.
He already knew the ghoul was wielding Soul-Demon Magic Energy—so why had it manifested now?
'The wrist...?'
But as the Ancient Sword Forest's power awakened, he perceived something entirely unexpected.
The torrent of Soul-Demon Magic Energy, violent as a natural disaster, was surging from none other than the ghoul's right wrist.
'If it's not a Black Divine Artifact, how can a wrist be the source of such power?'
Sensing something amiss, Bu Eun-seol focused his attacks on the ghoul's wrist.
Kiiiiii—!
As the form of the Bloody Tears Seven Forms, Death Without Remaining Regret, unfolded—
Countless ink-black blade-lights, alive like living things, erupted chaotically across the ground and sky within a ten-zhang radius.
Though severing the ghoul's head or inflicting a fatal wound while it dominated space was difficult—
Targeting its wrist was another matter entirely.
Thud-thud-thud!
After scattering hundreds of blade-lights throughout the space, Bu Eun-seol relentlessly pursued the ghoul's wrist.
Oooong!
The ghoul conjured a void to absorb the blades, but it wasn't enough to intercept every trajectory.
In the end, its wrist was struck repeatedly, forcing it to stagger back.
'It won't break.'
Astonishingly, the wrist—made of flesh and blood—neither cracked nor split under the assault of the Bloody Tears Seven Forms' blades.
Kyaaaaah—!
Bu Eun-seol even fused the Heavenly Light Endless Art into his blade-light release.
Yet the ghoul's wrist remained as if it were an indestructible, immortal entity—
Not a single scratch marred its surface.
'A treasure of the mortal world...'
A strange thought flashed through Bu Eun-seol's mind.
According to Baek Jeon-cheon, leader of the Myriad Learning Society—
Treasures bestowed by heaven could never be shattered by human strength.
Could it be that this creature's wrist was a dharma treasure or Sacred Artifact impervious to human force?
"So Ok-rim."
Having reached this conclusion, Bu Eun-seol called out to So Ok-rim, who had been observing the battle from a distance.
"Can you use the Sacred Flower Secret Manual once?"
"Huh?"
"We need to destroy that thing's wrist, but conventional attacks won't work."
"Using the Sacred Flower Secret Manual mid-battle requires the Linked Energy Shared Body technique, you know?"
In combat, the body moved too violently to maintain stable physical contact.
Emotions, too, were more likely to manifest as fierce fighting spirit rather than tender affection.
Thus, to execute the Dual Cultivation Skill of the Sacred Flower Secret Manual in battle—
Not only did they need to stoke deep affection, but they also had to merge their bodies seamlessly through the secret art of Linked Energy Shared Body.
"I'll do it."
"Good. Then come closer."
Bu Eun-seol retreated briefly before closing the distance until his shoulder nearly touched So Ok-rim's.
The moment they activated the Linked Energy Shared Body technique—
Shhhhk.
Their shoulders snapped together as if magnetized.
Zzzziiing.
The instant their skin made contact, scorching heat erupted from Bu Eun-seol's body.
Channeling that power, he unleashed the Formless Heavenly Flow this time.
Zzzzzok!
Though only their shoulders were touching, the sword technique's might amplified drastically—
Creating faint cracks on the wrist that even the Bloody Tears Seven Forms' blades couldn't breach.
"We need a little more power."
"Then let's hold hands."
So Ok-rim, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with him, extended her slender arm.
The moment Bu Eun-seol clasped her hand—
Gzzzziiing.
A low hum resonated as So Ok-rim's energy transformed into searing heat, flooding his meridians.
ZZZZZRRRAAAK!
With a deafening roar of destruction—
A sword-light spanning over twenty zhang erupted from Bu Eun-seol's Ink Soul Sword.
BANG!
The explosive sound erupted, yet the situation remained unchanged.
If anything, the tremendous Counterforce of the attack sent both Bu Eun-seol and So Ok-rim—standing shoulder-to-shoulder as they channeled the Sacred Flower Secret Manual—staggering backward.
"What the hell is this?"
So Ok-rim's mouth fell open in disbelief.
"Why isn't the wrist breaking?"
"It's not that it's too hard to destroy—it seems to be protected by some kind of force."
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath.
"Let's try forcing it open with even greater power."
"Fine."
So Ok-rim's eyes flashed.
"Alright, this time, I'll do it. Put down your sword and relax your body."
"Understood."
As Bu Eun-seol set down Ink Soul Sword and loosened his stance—
Whoosh.
So Ok-rim raised one hand high and lowered the other, taking a deep breath.
Then, waves of pure white True Qi began gathering before her eyes.
The ultimate technique of the Star Emperor, a devastating martial art so powerful it was said to have once severed the Silver River—
She was preparing to unleash Galaxy Severance, amplified by the Sacred Flower Secret Manual.
Groooowl—
As the immense energy finally coalesced—
Crackle-crackle.
Her slender frame began swelling once more.
Her arms thickened like logs, her back broadened like a bear's, and veins bulged across her muscles.
Since she had yet to reach Great Completion in the Sacred Flower Secret Manual, pushing her martial arts to the limit triggered the Thousand Ursine Star's power—temporarily reverting her to her former monstrous form.
"Ughhh—!"
By now, So Ok-rim's entire body had turned deathly pale, and an energy wave capable of tearing the heavens apart surged skyward.
"HAAAP!"
With a battle cry that split the world, a blinding radiance cleaved the heavens and earth.
CRACK.
A dull, grotesque splitting sound echoed.
Crackle.
Simultaneously, the aberration's wrist turned transparent like crystal, fissures slowly spreading across it.
That wrist wasn't made of flesh and blood—it was composed of some alien material.
"Ptuh!"
Having unleashed power even her Thousand Ursine Star body couldn't fully withstand, So Ok-rim coughed up a mouthful of blood, suffering internal injuries.
Snap.
Yet despite the cracks, the wrist remained unbroken.
"KAAAAH!"
The aberration let out a furious, shrieking roar—
Gloom-gloom.
—and began spewing thick black mist from its wrist.
At the same time, a thunderous boom resounded as a colossal Demon God Statue slowly took shape in the sky.
Sensing danger, the sealed Soul-Demon Magic Energy had returned.
And now, it seemed intent on annihilating both Bu Eun-seol and So Ok-rim in one fell swoop.
"I'll cut it down."
Swoosh!
Bu Eun-seol slashed at the aberration—
But the spreading black mist formed an impenetrable barrier, absorbing every attack.
Rumble-rumble.
Meanwhile, the Demon God Statue looming in the sky gradually solidified, radiating a crimson glow that threatened to obliterate the world.
If they failed to stop the aberration now—
Not only Bu Eun-seol and So Ok-rim, but the entire surrounding area would be wiped from existence.
"We need to draw out the Sacred Flower Secret Manual's power to its absolute limit."
Then, So Ok-rim shouted at Bu Eun-seol:
"Kiss me."
The stronger the physical contact and the deeper the affection between man and woman, the greater the Sacred Flower Secret Manual's power became.
"I'd rather just fight—"
"Gah! The Sacred Flower Secret Manual's power is fading!"
So Ok-rim's eyes widened in terror.
"If we stop the Dual Cultivation Skill midway, my Internal Power will collapse, my mind will shatter—!"
As she spoke, a flickering white light flashed in her pupils.
Seeing that madness in her eyes, Bu Eun-seol swallowed dryly.
He couldn't tell if she truly wanted to fight—
Or if she was just seizing the opportunity to push things further.
As Bu Eun-seol hesitated—
"What kind of man hesitates more than a beggar nun at a funeral?!"
So Ok-rim grabbed his face and planted a kiss on his cheek.
KWA-BOOM!
Instantly, radiant light erupted from her body.
"HAAAP!"
Reinvigorated, So Ok-rim unleashed Galaxy Severance once more.
KWAANG!
The brilliant slash took the form of a silver tiger, tearing through the aberration's black barrier and soaring into the sky.
Hiss—
But the Demon God Statue only emitted faint smoke, utterly unfazed, and the aberration itself remained unharmed.
"Guh—!"
Having pushed her body beyond its limits multiple times, So Ok-rim vomited blood again, her injuries severe.
Whoosh.
Her Internal Power—and even the Thousand Ursine Star's strength—flickered out, her body reverting to its original form.
'No choice.'
Bu Eun-seol looked at So Ok-rim.
A stimulation intense enough to shake one's soul—
Only that could draw out the Sacred Flower Secret Manual's ultimate power.
"Instructor So."
Having made up his mind, Bu Eun-seol fixed his gaze on her.
"Forgive me."
He now understood what he had to do.
"Wh-What? Why?"
Unable to endure the heat in his stare, So Ok-rim tilted her head away.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Her cheeks burned.
No matter how brazen she acted, So Ok-rim was still a maiden who knew nothing of true intimacy between men and women.
And now, as she deeply inhaled Bu Eun-seol's sweat-soaked scent and his breath brushed her ear—
Fear overwhelmed even the pounding of her heart.
"A-A kiss?"
"That won't be enough."
Bu Eun-seol's heated gaze drifted lower.
"Wh-Where are you looking?! Are you insane?!"
"There's no other way."
"Here?! Absolutely not!"
Clutching her collar, So Ok-rim shook her head violently.
"Besides, what exactly do you intend to do in such an urgent situation?"
"It's fine."
Bu Eun-seol extended his hand without hesitation.
"I'll finish it quickly."
"Finish what?"
"Trust me."
And then he began pressing his body against hers.