Chapter 1220
Near the Western Gate of the Soulless Society.
The tranquil path, imbued with the faint scent of grass, was punctuated by birdsong breaking the silence.
Bu Eun-seol and Do Cheon-rin walked shoulder to shoulder along the narrow trail.
After some time, the view opened up, revealing a pavilion as picturesque as a painting.
The exquisitely carved railings, the beautiful floral-patterned windows, and the delicate murals beneath the eaves—
It looked less like a gathering place for martial artists and more like an academy where scholars would convene.
The harmony of time-worn traces and sublime beauty was such that anyone would pause in admiration.
Do Cheon-rin halted his steps, gazing up at the sunlight shattering across the pavilion's roof, and spoke.
"How about naming it the 'Palace of Beauties'?"
A mischievous grin filled his face.
"After all, it's a place where beauties will reside together."
"Beauties?"
"The women you've brought with you."
Do Cheon-rin chuckled slyly.
"And it's not just one or two, is it?"
Yu Baek, the illegitimate child of Hyeokryeon Eung, now in charge of the Soulless Society's finances.
Seong-a, the first of the New Bloodline born in the True Demon Palace.
Cheong-a, once a clay puppet of the True Demon Family.
And within the Absolute Domain of the Soulless Society, the Saintess of the True Demon Family, Man-wol, lay in slumber.
"I even heard you've prepared a bridal chamber at Langya Pavilion?"
As if he had heard about Baekri Ja-ha, Do Cheon-rin clapped Bu Eun-seol's shoulder and said,
"No need to be shy—just bring them all into the main society. Aren't flowers more beautiful when gathered together?"
Every time Bu Eun-seol ventured into the martial world, he returned with beautiful women in tow.
Do Cheon-rin was now suggesting that the newly constructed pavilion be designated as their residence.
"I never dreamed you'd even bring back the successor of the Sword Pavilion."
"......"
"I don't know how badly she hit her head to act like a ten-year-old girl... but she really behaves like an innocent child."
Do Cheon-rin covered his mouth, his eyes crinkling into crescents as he laughed.
"As a fellow human being, at the very least, you should wait until she recovers all her memories—no, at least until after the wedding—"
"Cheon-rin."
Bu Eun-seol's expression turned deathly serious.
"That's not it."
"What isn't?"
"She..."
He calmly explained A-yeon's circumstances to Do Cheon-rin.
After listening in silence for a while, Do Cheon-rin's face flushed crimson.
"I—I'm sorry."
He bowed deeply, his expression utterly sincere.
"I had no idea of her circumstances and spoke out of turn."
Do Cheon-rin knew.
That Bu Eun-seol hadn't brought women back to satisfy selfish desires—
But to create the safest haven in the world for them.
Seeing the growing number of residents within the Soulless Society and the newly constructed pavilions,
He had only meant to tease Bu Eun-seol with a harmless joke.
Who could have predicted this outcome?
"I'll speak to Yeon-mae and ensure Lady A-yeon lives comfortably, with special care."
"Good."
Bu Eun-seol offered a somewhat lonely smile.
"Please take good care of Lady A-yeon."
Never before had he uttered such words—
A request to take care of those he had brought to the Soulless Society.
But this time was different.
Because he believed all of this was his fault.
"Originally, Lady A-yeon was extremely calm, quiet, and struggled to mingle with others."
Bu Eun-seol spoke in a low voice.
"Though she is now like a child, there's no telling when her innate solitude might resurface."
After enduring deep love—
After living in a hell of her own making—
If only during this time, while her memories were lost and she was like a child, she could live comfortably and happily.
He had come to entrust her peace to them.
Only Do Cheon-rin and his lover, Dam Yu-yeon, could do this for her.
"I see."
Finally, Do Cheon-rin understood.
Why Bu Eun-seol had sought him out first, despite his busy schedule.
"Of course."
Knowing Bu Eun-seol's kindness all too well, he thumped his chest with utmost sincerity.
"While she remains in the Soulless Society, I'll ensure Lady A-yeon never feels discomfort—that she can always rest joyfully."
"Good. Thank you."
A brief silence passed.
Do Cheon-rin studied Bu Eun-seol's profile and asked gravely,
"But what about the Covenant?"
Bu Eun-seol's intent to eliminate the Poisonous Hand Demon Sword—
Was to free everyone bound by the Covenant, including Bukgung Ryeong and Noe Bi-hon.
"I'll handle it now."
"With barely six days left?"
"It's enough."
Bu Eun-seol smiled.
"To shatter the Covenant."
Though he had tracked down and dealt with the Poisonous Hand Demon Sword, only about six days remained.
Now, Bu Eun-seol had to resolve the Covenant's affairs without clashing with the Sacred Realm.
The Emperor kept his promise.
He greatly praised Bu Eun-seol for eliminating the Poisonous Hand Demon Sword and immediately granted him access to the Imperial Palace Secret Repository.
This matter wasn't merely about removing an assassin under the Empress Dowager's command.
It was tantamount to declaring that, from now on, Bu Eun-seol would serve as the Emperor's blade—
And stand directly against the Empress Dowager.
The Emperor had now acquired Bu Eun-seol, a sharp sword.
And since he would wield it well in the future... it was only fitting to grant him a reward worthy of it.
The exact location of the Imperial Palace Secret Repository was unknown. But—
It was said that the entrance lay within the Hall of Literary Profundity, the massive imperial library housing the royal collection of texts.
But in reality, it was different.
The entrance was located in a dimly lit corridor between the Hall of Supreme Harmony and the Qianqing Palace, deep within the heart of the Purple Forbidden City—a space that existed on neither maps nor records.
Moreover, only the Emperor knew of this entrance in secret.
A jade panel, hidden within a concealed chamber, required the precise insertion of both the imperial jade seal and the divine token to open.
Thus, even if someone knew the location of the Imperial Palace Secret Repository, without the Emperor's permission, entry was impossible.
Clink—
Amidst a metallic resonance, the pitch-black darkness of the corridor where Bu Eun-seol stood rippled, and a spiraling stone staircase slowly unfurled its maw below.
Whoosh—
The scent of centuries-old paper, silk, and cold iron rose in a mingled wave from the depths.
'Fascinating.'
In a single glance, Bu Eun-seol counted the steps—one hundred and eight in total—and discerned that each one was embedded with mechanisms designed to repel intruders.
Meaning, an outsider attempting passage would have to overcome every single one of these hundred and eight barriers.
No wonder countless legendary thieves of the Martial World had tried and failed to breach this place.
Thud. Thud.
Descending the stairs, he was met with a massive gate.
Its surface was clad in a mysterious metal he had never seen before, its twelve indentations forming an intricate pattern.
Clank.
As Bu Eun-seol approached—
Creak—
The gate groaned like a living thing before splitting open in two.
Flash—
A blinding radiance and a soft, luminous glow that seemed to cradle the world in its embrace surged forth in alternating waves.
Hundreds of colossal Night Shining Pearls embedded in the ceiling pulsed with their own light.
Drawing a breath, the air that filled his lungs was cool yet fragrant—likely infused with the energy of the spirit medicines and treasures stored within.
Beyond the first gate—
Diamonds the size of human heads, rubies glowing like miniature suns, and gemstones containing the deep blue of the ocean's abyss lay before him.
One wall shimmered like golden waves, enhancing the mystical brilliance of the jewels.
"It's vast."
And this was only one chamber.
Multiple branching paths stretched inward, each lined with countless doors leading to other secret vaults.
Rumble—
When Bu Eun-seol opened the next gate, he was met with transparent crystal cases containing armor and swords so exquisitely crafted they seemed imbued with the Divine Craftsman's very soul.
Further in, weapons of war from distant foreign lands rested in silent slumber.
"Impressive."
If even one of these were to surface in the Martial World,
a blood-soaked war of possession would erupt.
Closing the gate, he walked for a while longer.
Upon opening another door among the many branching paths,
he found spirit medicines like the Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King and Jade Oil Immortal Fruit,
as well as spirit pills such as the legendary Azure Jade Sacred Pills, all stored within pristine white jade vessels emitting a chilling aura.
Entering yet another chamber,
he discovered prophetic texts like the Tui Bei Tu, compiled by the astronomer Yi Chunfeng and the diviner Yuan Tiangang under Emperor Taizong's decree,
alongside other esoteric manuals for deciphering the flow of celestial fate and divining fortune.
"Just how many are there?"
Bu Eun-seol exhaled a low sigh.
Though it was said the Imperial Palace Secret Repository consisted of ninety-nine chambers, the reality seemed far greater.
With its expanse spanning tens of thousands of pyeong, merely touring its depths would take days.
"It's intriguing to explore, but I don't have the luxury of time."
Drawing upon the Empty Mind Spirit Communion,
Bu Eun-seol meticulously scanned the surfaces of the countless doors sprawled before him.
Then, among the endless branching paths, he found it—
a vault door concealed with extreme secrecy,
adorned with an engraving of nine dragons coiling around one another as they ascended to the heavens.
Swish—
He approached, but the door did not open.
'Naturally.'
A faint smile touched his lips.
Though the Emperor had permitted him to enter the Imperial Palace Secret Repository and retrieve one treasure,
he had not granted access to all its vaults.
Some were reserved solely for those of royal blood.
Swish—
Bu Eun-seol pressed the Dragon-Phoenix Ring—a royal heirloom and Princess Hui-jeong's personal token—against the door.
Groan... Groooan...
Eight of the nine ascending dragons gradually faded into the door.
But one remained.
"Even with a royal artifact, I cannot enter..."
His lips curled slightly.
"Of course."
Unless one was born with the Dragon Qi of the imperial bloodline, this vault was inaccessible.
Precisely the one he sought.
Swish—
Opening a wooden case from his robes, he retrieved a small, square piece of metal.
A key to the vault, forged from the True Demon's Knowledge by the Baekri Clan.
Click.
As he pressed the metal against the remaining dragon engraving,
Clank. Creak—
It began filling the grooves of the dragon's carved form completely.
Creak... Grind...
Once the engraving was perfectly filled, Bu Eun-seol channeled his internal energy and forcefully twisted it once.
CRASH—
With a deafening metallic groan, the door slowly began to open.
This metal, crafted from the True Demon's Knowledge—
It was practically a master key capable of unlocking anything sealed away.
"Kgh."
Eun-seol let out an involuntary groan the moment he stepped inside.
A single step was all it took—beyond the threshold, an overwhelming energy surged forth, defying all imagination. If he ventured any deeper, his body might explode in an instant.
Dragon Qi.
The innate energy possessed only by the imperial bloodline was pouring out in terrifying quantities.
Though it shared the name "dragon," it was fundamentally different from the Dragon Transformation Manifestation, the secret art passed down through generations of the Baekri Clan.
The imperial Dragon Qi was an energy embodying the principles of heaven and earth.
The Baekri Clan's Dragon Transformation Manifestation, on the other hand, was the ultimate secret technique—one that absorbed the True Demon Knowledge by manifesting the Primordial Dragon's power within the flesh.
In essence, Dragon Qi was the Law of Heaven, while the Dragon Transformation Manifestation was a secret art that materialized the Primordial Dragon's strength in the body.
'I must not resist or oppose the Dragon Qi.'
Clang!
A radiant, multicolored light erupted from Eun-seol's entire body.
Even for someone like him, facing such an overwhelming deluge of Dragon Qi meant his flesh could collapse or melt away entirely.
That was why he had wrapped himself in Harmonization, shielding his body like armor.
'I have to find it quickly.'
The chaotic energies radiating from the scattered treasures blurred his vision, sending searing pain through his eyes. His senses were scrambled, making it impossible to distinguish up from down.
'I need the most powerful one.'
Eun-seol sought only one thing—the treasure containing the strongest Dragon Qi in this place.
Tremble, tremble.
Staggering through the haze, he spotted something glimmering in the distance.
There, as if it were the master of this Secret Vault, lay a treasure wreathed in the most savage and overwhelming Dragon Qi.
But his vision was too blurred, his senses too shattered—he couldn't even make out its shape clearly.
Crunch, squelch.
With every step, the ground cracked beneath him, and the flesh of his body tore apart.
Even wrapped in Harmonization, the Dragon Qi was corroding him—his skin was already turning purple.
One step. Another.
With each movement, the flesh of his soles burst open, leaving bloody footprints seared into the floor.
It was agony as if his body were melting away.
Yet Eun-seol straightened his back even further.
No pain, no trial, could bend him.
When he finally reached the treasure—
Boom!
The treasure rejected his touch, unleashing an even fiercer wave of Dragon Qi.
Whoosh!
The energy erupted into towering flames, setting his flesh ablaze.
The heat surpassed all imagination—the moisture in his eyes evaporated instantly, leaving him unable to even open them.
Still, Eun-seol did not retreat. He reached out.
"I must have it."
The moment his fingertips touched the treasure, his nails melted away, and his blood vessels burst into vapor.
His forearm muscles dripped like candle wax—an excruciating pain seared through his skull.
Yet he paid it no mind. He lifted the treasure.
"Such overwhelming Dragon Qi—"
Thud.
Eun-seol clutched it tightly against his chest.
Boom!
The treasure trembled violently, as if trying to shatter his ribcage to escape.
When that failed, it began radiating scorching heat instead.
Sssss—
Flesh melted. Bones softened. His very soul felt like it was dissolving.
Even as indescribable agony spread through him, Eun-seol's arms remained unshaken, holding it firmly.
Had it been subdued by his malice?
Or had the energy within his body finally neutralized the treasure's savage Dragon Qi?
Huuuu—
As the pain receded, his vision and senses gradually returned.
Ssss—
When the white mist dissipated, Eun-seol could finally see the treasure in his arms clearly.
A massive censer, engraved with nine dragons.
Though its interior was empty, it burned as if filled with glowing embers, still searing red-hot.
When Eun-seol reached inside—
Shimmer—
A mystical light began to flow out.
Crack, clang!
Simultaneously, fissures spread across the censer before it shattered into fragments.
The nine dragons carved upon it peeled away, one by one, falling to the ground.
Click, whoosh—
Writhing as if alive, they coiled into circles before—
Clink!
—splitting into eighteen tiny Command Plaques, each bearing the image of a dragon.
The shattered censer had transformed into eighteen mystical Dragon Tokens.
"Is this truly fate?"
Eun-seol's gaze darkened as he stared at them.
The Covenant would soon begin—or had already begun—with nine participants.
And he had anticipated that nine would be the ones to break it in the future.
Yet here, the numbers matched exactly.
"Or is this heaven's design?"
Taking a deep breath, he murmured lowly,
"This is the Emperor's treasure."
Rustle.
Eun-seol gathered all eighteen Dragon Tokens, tucking them into his robes.
This censer, containing the most potent Dragon Qi in the Imperial Palace Secret Repository, was a treasure meant solely for the Emperor.
"Dragon Qi overpowers all energies..."
Thanks to it, the Emperor was inherently immune to Manifestation Art Energy and Soul-Demon Magic Energy.
Had such forces worked on him, the Empress Dowager would have already turned him into a puppet.
"Since I have already escaped the Mandate of Heaven, I won't disrupt its order..."
By wielding a treasure imbued with the Dragon Qi that only the Emperor should possess, Eun-seol could—
—break the Covenant without distorting the Mandate of Heaven,
—and place those he desired within the flow of his own heavenly design.
"Now."
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath and fixed his gaze on the empty air.
Now, he would meet the Old Man of the Sacred Realm—and play the final move in this grand scheme.