Chapter 1208
Na Baek-hu approached Bu Eun-seol and bowed respectfully.
"Thousand-household Commander Na Baek-hu of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, at your service, Commander Bu."
The corners of his eyes curved into gentle arcs, giving him the appearance of someone who was always smiling—
Yet his pupils gleamed with the cold, calculating sharpness of a serpent.
'Undoubtedly, the emperor's trusted subordinate.'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed.
It hadn't even been half a day since the emperor had bestowed upon him the position of Commander of the Dragon Scale Guard.
Yet Na Baek-hu addressed him as "Commander" as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
He was either a direct subordinate of the emperor himself—
Or perhaps, even before the emperor had granted Bu Eun-seol the title, Na Baek-hu had already been informed of the decision.
'Which means he holds the emperor's deep trust.'
"Commander, are you unharmed?"
Though Na Baek-hu's tone was laced with concern, his eyes subtly scanned their surroundings.
In that brief moment, he was swiftly analyzing the remnants of the battlefield for any useful information.
"Of course."
As he observed Na Baek-hu, Bu Eun-seol could sense it.
The reason the emperor had sent this man was not—
To extend a helping hand, but to verify.
To confirm whether Bu Eun-seol truly stood on the emperor's side—whether he was worthy of becoming the emperor's blade.
And now—
Having perfectly eliminated the assassins sent by the Empress Dowager, Bu Eun-seol had presented undeniable proof of his allegiance.
All that remained was the reward for his service.
'Unavoidable, then.'
From now on, the emperor would continue testing him.
Endless suspicion and verification.
That was the key to surviving the imperial court's shadow wars.
Wiping away his thoughts, Bu Eun-seol asked Na Baek-hu:
"You were sent by His Majesty?"
"Indeed."
Na Baek-hu clasped his hands and answered courteously.
"His Majesty commanded that if there was any way I could assist Commander Bu, I was to provide everything within my power."
The moment he mentioned the emperor, the sly smile vanished from his face, replaced by solemn gravity.
'Everything, you say.'
Bu Eun-seol drew a deep breath.
'Impressive.'
As expected, the emperor had seen through it all.
Not only had he anticipated that Bu Eun-seol would uncover the Empress Dowager's true identity through this battle—
But he had also discerned that Bu Eun-seol would need the imperial court's eyes and ears, and was now temporarily lending him its intelligence network.
'No wonder he could stand against the Empress Dowager.'
"Do you have any orders, Commander?"
At Na Baek-hu's question, Bu Eun-seol hesitated briefly.
'Sending a Thousand-household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard couldn't possibly mean he wants me to gather information on the Baekri Clan or the True Demon Palace—forces of the Abyss.'
This was a struggle within the imperial court.
Even if the Empress Dowager was affiliated with the True Demon Palace—
She wouldn't desire a destructive war against them like the Baekri Clan, who had opposed them for ages.
Lending the intelligence network wasn't—
A mere reward, but a clear signal to prepare the groundwork for toppling the Empress Dowager.
'In that case—'
An image surfaced in Bu Eun-seol's mind.
A being coveted by countless rulers who sought to move the world—one capable of perfectly deciphering the flow of Heaven itself.
A sage who bore the Heavenly Punishment—a fate as cruel as Death.
"Do you have any information on the Wooden Buddha?"
In the past, Bu Eun-seol had ventured to a mysterious island to save the Wooden Buddha—
Where he had clashed with the imperial court's masters... or more precisely, the masters under the Empress Dowager's command.
Because the Wooden Buddha possessed the transcendent ability to perfectly read the Mandate of Heaven—
It was certain that not only the Empress Dowager but the entire imperial court was monitoring his movements.
"As of now, the Wooden Buddha's whereabouts remain unknown. However—"
Na Baek-hu paused briefly.
Then, as though checking their surroundings, he shifted his gaze before stepping closer and lowering his voice.
"The Empress Dowager's faction, which had been scouring the world for him with bloodshot eyes, abruptly ceased all pursuit of the Wooden Buddha some time ago."
"Ceased?"
"Yes."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes flashed.
"Are you saying the Great Sage has perished?"
For the Empress Dowager to halt her pursuit of someone like the Wooden Buddha—
It could only mean one of two things:
Either the Wooden Buddha had died—
Or he had exhausted his power to the point of becoming utterly useless.
"I cannot say for certain."
Na Baek-hu added in a whisper.
"But it's clear something has happened to him. Otherwise... there's no way the Empress Dowager would so easily abandon a man who could hand her the key to ruling the world."
"Abandon."
A strange realization slithered up Bu Eun-seol's spine.
'Could it be?'
The Wooden Buddha must already be in the Empress Dowager's grasp.
Otherwise, she would never relinquish—
A being who was practically the embodiment of power itself.
"The Empress Dowager never relinquishes what she desires—she would never abandon Wooden Buddha."
And Na Baek-hu—no, the Emperor—knew this all too well, which was why his heart was gripped by unease.
"Do you happen to know of any secret residences or hideouts belonging to the Empress Dowager?"
Na Baek-hu's expression shifted in surprise as he grasped Bu Eun-seol's implication.
"You believe Her Majesty has captured Wooden Buddha?"
"Indeed."
"If she had him in her grasp, all her schemes would have already succeeded. There would be no need for this power struggle with His Majesty."
"That's not necessarily true."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"Capturing Wooden Buddha does not mean everything is over."
These people did not truly understand Wooden Buddha.
Even if he were captured—
There was no one in this world who could force his lips to part.
"Even if he is in the Empress Dowager's clutches, unless the Great Master chooses to speak, she will learn nothing."
"Is that so?"
"Do you know of any hidden residences connected to the Empress Dowager?"
When Bu Eun-seol pressed again, Na Baek-hu's gaze darkened as if sifting through memories.
"We've pursued her for years, but nothing definitive has been uncovered. Recently, we discovered one likely location... but it was useless."
"Why is that?"
At Bu Eun-seol's sharp question, Na Baek-hu's looked embarrassed.
"We couldn't even enter. Even our most elite Unit Members lost all sense of direction and wandered back in confusion."
He added,
"Step inside, and you'd either lose your way in the mist, encounter walls that couldn't be seen or destroyed... or suddenly find yourself plummeting off a cliff. Strange occurrences, all."
"Walls."
A single word flashed through Bu Eun-seol's mind like lightning.
Absolute Boundary.
The Empress Dowager was undoubtedly connected to the True Demon Palace—of course she could wield the Absolute Boundary.
She must have used it to create an impenetrable fortress, one that even the greatest Masters could not breach.
"Where is this place?"
"Jade Dragon Pool."
The Forbidden Zone of the Eighteen Yangtze Waterway Alliance—Jade Dragon Pool.
One of the treasuries held by the Yangtze Waterway Alliance, a Forbidden Zone managed by Iron Fan Dragon King Gwak Chung.
Yet Jade Dragon Pool was only a name whispered in rumors.
A place unmarked on any map, its location known only to the Alliance's innermost circle.
And even if one knew—entering was impossible.
To invade the Forbidden Zone of the Yangtze Alliance, where a single command could summon thousands of ships to blockade the waterways and tens of thousands of armed men?
There would be no place left in the world to stand.
"Jade Dragon Pool."
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath.
If that was the Empress Dowager's secret stronghold—
Even if Wooden Buddha wasn't there, he would surely uncover the secrets and information she sought to hide.
Deep within the Three Gorges, the most treacherous stretch of the Yangtze, lay a ravine known as Ghost Gate Valley.
Sheer cliffs rose hundreds of zhang high on either side, as if cleaved by a blade.
Thick mist clung to the gorge year-round, making it difficult to even glimpse the sun in the sky.
And within it swirled the Ghost Gate Maelstrom—a whirlpool tinged with an eerie blue-black glow.
Sailors passing through these waters would offer sacrifices and detour far around it.
Through relentless pursuit and investigation, the Death Soul Squad had uncovered one truth:
That very maelstrom was the only entrance to Jade Dragon Pool.
On the night of the full moon, during the Hour of Zi, when moonlight struck the water's surface directly—for that single double-hour—
Blowing a specially crafted flute would calm the roaring whirlpool as if by magic, revealing a dark, gaping maw at its center—an underwater cavern.
"We must avoid conflict with the Waterway Alliance."
Bu Eun-seol, hovering midair as he observed the Ghost Gate Maelstrom, murmured under his breath.
The Yangtze Waterway Alliance collected protection fees from every merchant vessel or directly transported goods, amassing staggering wealth.
Through the countless people and goods traveling the river, all manner of intelligence flowed into their hands.
They had connections with powerful figures across all circles and possessed military might that even prominent Righteous or Unorthodox Factions dared not provoke.
Which was why he, too, sought to avoid clashing with them if possible.
Shhhk.
With the Darkness Secret Arts altering his face, Bu Eun-seol retrieved the flute from his robes.
This black jade flute was the very one carried by Iron Fan Dragon King Gwak Chung himself.
To avoid conflict with the Waterway Alliance—
He had stolen it in secret while the man slept, replacing it with a counterfeit.
"Since they inspect Jade Dragon Pool every full moon anyway, there should be no issue."
As he entered the underwater cave through the Black Jade Flute, an aquatic formation based on Zhuge Wuhou's Eight Formation Diagram came into view.
"This isn't the kind of formation the Yangtze Waterway Alliance could have created."
The currents inside the cave flowed in bizarre, intricate patterns—seemingly straightforward, yet before he knew it, they looped him back to where he started.
Paths that appeared to stretch ahead would, upon approach, reveal themselves as illusions blocked by towering cliffs.
"A mindscape akin to the Mind's Eye Mirror, overlaid with an exceptionally high-level formation technique..."
The illusions here were built upon a mindscape foundation, layered with the pinnacle of formation arts.
Not only did they immediately affect reality,
but without knowledge of the Formation-Breaking Art, one would be trapped until exhaustion claimed their life.
"It's been a while since I studied formations."
Among the eight branching paths—the Eight Gates—only one was the Life Gate.
The remaining gates—Rest, Injury, Obstruction, Scenery, Death, Shock, and Opening—each held their own deadly traps.
Some paths unleashed razor-sharp underwater blades, while others shot forth inescapable steel nets.
When he stepped into the most vicious of them all, the Death Gate, crushing water pressure surged from all sides, threatening to shatter every bone in his body.
But Bu Eun-seol had long since mastered the Formation-Breaking Art.
And above all, at his current level of martial prowess, these traps couldn't so much as scratch him.
Shattering the formation as effortlessly as snapping a pair of chopsticks, he passed through—only to be met with an unbelievable sight.
A vast, water-filled chamber stretched before him.
It felt as though he had stepped into the depths of the ocean itself.
Whoosh.
Then, from the opposite side, a hundred martial artists clad in blue approached soundlessly, parting the currents like fish.
"So these must be the Water Ghosts the Yangtze Waterway Alliance boasts of."
The Alliance selected elites skilled in underwater combat,
then trained them with special medicines and techniques to become Water Ghosts—warriors capable of holding their breath and moving freely underwater for over half a double-hour.
Armed with harpoons, their sudden emergence from the dark waters truly lived up to their name: ghosts of the water.
Swish!
As the Water Ghosts swung their harpoons, a blade-like surge of martial energy shot toward Bu Eun-seol's brow.
With his reflexes, evading would have been trivial—but the problem was that they were underwater.
Screech.
Instead of dodging, Bu Eun-seol conjured Protective Astral Energy to deflect the attack.
Snap.
But something astonishing happened.
The Water Ghosts' martial energy passed cleanly through his defenses, grazing past his forehead.
"This entire place is one massive formation."
The water filling the chamber itself
possessed properties akin to Imperial Court Martial Arts—suppressing martial power to an extreme degree.
"This is definitely connected to the Empress Dowager."
Even the Yangtze Waterway Alliance couldn't deploy an underwater formation based on Imperial Court techniques.
There was no doubt—the Imperial Palace, no, the Empress Dowager herself must have supported this.
Sssshhh—
In an instant, violent whirlpools churned around Bu Eun-seol's hands.
The essence of Water Essence Divine Qi was the power of water.
Even without water, it could manifest the authority of the Water God.
So what of a space completely submerged like this? It was the perfect environment to become the Water God incarnate.
KWA—AAAAA!
As he unleashed the Water Essence Divine Qi at full force,
translucent dragon shapes endlessly materialized around him.
Their numbers matched the Water Ghosts charging at him exactly.
KWA—OOOH!
The dragon forms shot forth like streaks of light,
CRACK! SHRED!
and began tearing into the Water Ghosts.
In less than eight minutes, the water filling the chamber turned crimson with blood.
The hundred Water Ghosts—prided as the Yangtze Waterway Alliance's invincible underwater force—
had been annihilated in a single stroke.
'If I could obtain the Heaven and Earth Divine Artifact...'
As it stood, the power of his Three Divine Powers varied drastically depending on the environment or special conditions.
In situations where he held an elemental advantage, like this one, his strength was absolute—but otherwise, he couldn't wield his full might.
But what if he obtained the Heaven and Earth Divine Artifact?
He would break free from the Three Divine Powers' limitations and wield the complete authority of nature itself.
No matter the situation, he would hold the advantage—commanding absolute elemental power.
'Father walked that path.'
His father, Baekri Mu-ha, had manifested absolute power in any circumstance through the Harmony of Nature.
In other words, if he obtained the Four Divine Powers...
He could wield flawless, pure strength—just like his father.
Bu Eun-seol approached the massive iron gate looming in the distance.
Clank.
Twisting the gate open, he finally arrived at the Secret Vault located at the heart of Jade Dragon Pool.
Glowstones emitting an azure light were densely embedded in the walls, resembling a galaxy unfurling across the night sky.
'They've stationed their forces tightly.'
At the center of the cavern stood a colossal white jade altar wreathed in frigid energy.
Eight Masters, clad in formidable armor, sat cross-legged with their eyes closed, guarding it.
'Are these warriors trained by the Empress Dowager?'
Each seated warrior possessed martial prowess sufficient to overturn an entire faction.
Creak, creak.
Even more astonishingly, they were deeply absorbing the unique energy flowing from the altar—the very essence of Jade Dragon Pool.
They weren't just guarding the Secret Vault.
They were harnessing the energy from the ley lines beneath Jade Dragon Pool to amplify their Internal Power.
"The Yellow-Robed Agents must have strengthened their martial arts the same way."
The Empress Dowager was brilliant.
By stationing elite warriors in a place where they could enhance their Internal Power, she achieved two goals at once—allowing them to cultivate while simultaneously guarding the Secret Vault.
Thud.
The eight warriors rose from their positions as if they had been waiting for Bu Eun-seol.
Their bodies brimmed with the malignant Evil Qi unique to Jade Dragon Pool.
"The Empress Dowager doesn't seek to merely dominate the Imperial Palace..."
Only now, upon sensing their auras, could Bu Eun-seol truly grasp it.
If she had merely sought control over the Imperial Palace's Authority, she wouldn't have nurtured such forces in various places.
"She intends to unify the world under her rule, just like the Demonic Heavenly Emperor."
Hiss—
Before he knew it, they had encircled him.
Even just standing in formation, they exuded pressure so intense it felt as though flesh would burn and bones would splinter.
The reason they had been absorbing the energy of Jade Dragon Pool—
It wasn't just to strengthen their Internal Power.
They were converting the very ley lines into their own strength.
"Transforming the power of the ley lines into martial force to crush their enemies... Is that it?"
The Empress Dowager wasn't just enhancing her subordinates' martial prowess.
She was refining an esoteric art—one that allowed her to absorb and manipulate the energy of specific locations, warping even the surrounding ley lines and qi fields.
Crack—
The moment they unleashed the power of the ley lines,
Bu Eun-seol was swept away by the force before he could even defend himself, his body violently jolted.
In simpler terms, they were borrowing the energy of Jade Dragon Pool—
Using the earth's own power to alter the ambient qi, then directing that force straight at him.
'Strictly speaking, even the Extreme Void Realm would struggle to block this.'
Because the power of the ley lines was the power of nature itself,
Even the Annihilation of All Purity, a force capable of reverting all things to their primal state, would have little effect on it.
Zzzt—
Purple lightning crackled across Bu Eun-seol's body.
As they wielded the ley lines' power, his Thunder Essence Divine Qi instinctively surged forth to counter it.
'An ordinary martial artist would've died helplessly.'
Had he been a typical warrior, no matter how refined his martial arts, he would've been crushed without recourse.
Fortunately, Bu Eun-seol possessed Thunder Essence Divine Qi, capable of resisting the power of the ley lines flowing from Jade Dragon Pool.
Thus, he could effortlessly deflect their assault.
"Let's finish this quickly."
BOOM.
While resisting their force, Bu Eun-seol condensed his Thunder Essence Divine Qi into a massive iron hammer and smashed it down around the altar with full strength.
Squelch.
Instantly, the flesh of the eight warriors began to burn.
The reason they had been able to display such an astonishing ability—manipulating the ley lines—
Was because they had pledged not just their Internal Power, but their very lifeforce as collateral.
"As expected, it was an extreme method—self-destruction if they failed to defeat the enemy."
Whoosh—
The eight warriors began melting into viscous liquid.
With their connection to the ley lines severed and their power to wield it gone,
They couldn't withstand the force of Thunder Essence Divine Qi, perishing as easily as if it were nothing.
"Sustaining this power for long would only destroy their bodies."
No matter how many prodigious talents flocked to the Empress Dowager's banner like clouds,
Using Masters capable of absorbing ley lines as disposable tools was... strange.
"There must be a reason she forced them to refine such a technique."
Bu Eun-seol stepped toward the altar they had guarded.
After a long moment of scrutiny, his pupils flashed—his movements freezing.
Upon the altar, inside a golden vessel, lay a scroll.
From it, an illusion surged violently—the overwhelming aura of an absolute ruler who had once placed the world beneath his feet.
Rustle.
The moment he unfurled the scroll, Bu Eun-seol's eyes trembled.
'This is—'
The man who had annihilated the Six Kingdoms, unified the Central Plains for the first time, and declared himself Emperor.
The one who sought to reach the heavens—who, in the end, even sought to defy Death itself.
It was a map—one that revealed the location of the First Emperor's hidden treasury.