Chapter 1224
Princess Hui-jeong's gaze sank endlessly low at the Empress Dowager's unexpected words.
To demand she sever ties with Bu Eun-seol—who had given her the Dragon-Phoenix Ring—so abruptly at this point?
"It's fine."
"There's no need to refuse."
The Empress Dowager took a sip of tea before continuing slowly.
"I'm merely suggesting you meet him. That shouldn't be too difficult, should it?"
Though a smile lingered on her lips, her eyes were frozen cold as ice.
"Or do you believe the person this old woman recommends is inferior to some mere martial artist from the Martial World?"
Princess Hui-jeong bit her lip.
If she refused outright, the Empress Dowager would seize the opportunity—
Spreading rumors that the princess, having mingled with martial artists, had abandoned not only imperial decorum but even the consideration due to her elders.
That would hand the Empress Dowager a sharp pretext to accuse the Emperor of filial impiety.
"Of course not."
The princess shook her head with a stiff expression.
"Who is this person?"
"The descendant of the former Commander-in-Chief of Jizhou, who once commanded the northern border. A distinguished family that rendered great service to the imperial court by repelling barbarians in past generations."
The Empress Dowager continued,
"However, he has no interest in official positions, devoting himself solely to scholarship and the refined arts of poetry and literature—a man of noble elegance."
Princess Hui-jeong found it absurd.
In short, though his family had once enjoyed great glory—
Now, he was nothing more than a gilded husk, devoid of any real power or influence.
"I see."
As the princess suppressed her emotions and nodded,
"You'll grow fond of him once you meet."
The Empress Dowager rose slowly from her seat.
"Meet him in the Imperial Flower Garden three days from now. It's just sharing a cup of tea—no need to feel burdened."
Without waiting for a reply, she left.
The princess narrowed her eyes as she watched her retreating figure.
'What scheme is she plotting now?'
From what she knew,
No one was more deeply cunning or ruthlessly calculating than the Empress Dowager.
Nothing she did was ever straightforward—her schemes were always layered two or three deep.
For her to bring this up now meant
An unfathomably intricate conspiracy had just begun.
***
Three days later, the Imperial Flower Garden.
Renowned as the most beautiful garden within the palace,
In spring, it bloomed with countless flowers, evoking the splendor of an Immortal Realm in the mortal world.
A picturesque pond, winding paths between blossoms, exquisitely crafted pavilions...
Princess Hui-jeong arrived with only two court ladies in tow.
'I just need to pass the time.'
Steeling herself, she walked forward—until a shadow appeared in one of the pavilions.
As she approached, the man slowly turned.
The moment she saw him, the princess froze.
No—she couldn't move.
Her breath caught.
'How could such a person exist?'
Features so perfect they seemed sculpted by the heavens. Skin as pure as fresh snow.
Jet-black hair, neatly tied under a white scholar's cap.
Clad in a long white robe like a scholar, his bearing resembled an ink-wash painting come to life.
His posture was upright yet carried an undercurrent of gentle grace.
But most astonishing was his face.
Soft brows, clear and deep eyes, a straight nose, and thin lips—
All in perfect harmony, as if a deity had descended to the mortal world.
'Beautiful.'
Handsome wasn't enough.
The word beautiful suited him far better.
The princess suddenly recalled Bu Eun-seol, the Martial Soul Lord of the Demon Hall.
He, too, was a peerless beauty.
But his was a cold, lonely beauty tinged with sorrow—
An aura that kept women at a distance.
This man was different.
If Bu Eun-seol was a sorrow that gripped the heart,
This man was a joy that made it burst.
Not only did he possess a beauty that captivated at a glance,
But he also carried a warmth that could open anyone's heart—
A presence so approachable.
"Your Highness."
The man bowed gracefully and spoke.
"Having heard of Your Highness's noble title, it is my family's honor to behold your jade-like countenance."
His voice was like clear spring water—soothing just to hear.
"This humble one is called Cheong-yeon."
Cheong-yeon.
"Deep Blue Pond"—a name that perfectly matched his appearance and aura.
'Hmm.'
Princess Hui-jeong struggled to regain her composure.
But it wasn't easy. The moment Cheong-yeon's eyes met hers, something in her heart trembled.
'What is this feeling?'
She was flustered.
Since childhood, she had grown weary of seeing countless handsome men.
Among the imperial guards, the royal family's banquets—there had been no shortage of striking faces.
Even when she saw Bu Eun-seol, hailed as the most beautiful man in the world, she hadn't been this shaken.
But this emotion was new.
Just one glance—
And her heart raced, her breath quickened, her face burned?
"Your Highness, are you unwell?"
Cheong-yeon took a concerned step forward.
"I'm fine."
The princess hastily retreated a step.
If he came any closer, she feared she might lose control of herself.
"Let us sit first."
Waving her hand distractedly,
She entered the pavilion with a dazed expression, as if dreaming.
Cheong-yeon gracefully poured tea for her himself.
"Your Highness must already know,"
He spoke with slight embarrassment.
"My family has declined, leaving me with no support. Moreover, I prefer scholarship over martial arts, having spent my days in the company of poetry and literature."
His voice was calm, yet carried an undercurrent of loneliness.
"Though I was summoned by Her Majesty the Empress Dowager due to my ancestors' connections, this humble one is but a lowly..."
"That is not true."
The princess opened her mouth with solemn dignity.
"What does status or rank matter?"
For a moment, Cheong-yeon looked at the princess with startled eyes.
His expression seemed to simultaneously hold both joy and sorrow.
"Your Highness."
"This palace... does not mind. So please refrain from such words."
In truth, Princess Hui-jeong didn't even know what she was saying.
She simply didn't want to let this man go. She wanted to gaze at his eyes a little longer, hear his voice more, see his smile.
In that moment, she realized.
At first sight, after just one meeting.
She had fallen deeply for this man.
Outside the pavilion, a black shadow observing this scene from afar bared white teeth in a smile within the darkness.
The Empress Dowager's words had been precise.
What no demonic arts could conquer in the past...
Now that the gates of affection had been opened by this man called Bu Eun-seol...
The Heart-Blossoming Secret Art, developed from the True Demon Palace's Heart-Shattering Soul-Shaking teachings, was finally taking effect.
Demon Hall, Hidden Demon Pavilion.
The midday sunlight filtered softly through the paper windows.
The office was silent.
On the desk, reports and letters from various regions were piled like mountains.
Bu Eun-seol held a brush, meticulously examining each document one by one.
Only the occasional sound of brush tips scratching against paper broke the stillness.
Deep wrinkles formed between his brows.
The position of supreme commander standing above ten thousand was never comfortable.
Dozens of matters required daily resolution, and each decision determined the fates of unit members and martial artists.
Thus, he had to concentrate his mind, thinking and rethinking to ensure not a single mistake was made.
Just then.
Creak.
The door opened as Yu Un-ryong stumbled in breathlessly.
"We have a problem."
He spoke urgently, skipping both knocking and greetings.
"There seems to be an emergency."
"Explain."
Yu Un-ryong panted heavily as he spoke in a low voice.
"Word is Princess Hui-jeong is openly courting some nobody."
Bu Eun-seol's hand paused.
He looked at Yu Un-ryong, wondering what nonsense this was.
"Explain properly."
"Our plans keep getting thwarted, so it seems the frustrated Empress Dowager made her move. To steal the position of Royal Son-in-law."
"You're saying the princess is meeting someone introduced by the Empress Dowager?"
"Exactly."
Instantly, countless possibilities flashed through Bu Eun-seol's mind.
If it was the Empress Dowager's introduction?
Surely this wasn't merely a marriage matter—there must be some scheme at play.
"I suspect the Empress Dowager may have used the Mind Seizing Secret Art or Soul-Demon Magic Energy."
At Yu Un-ryong's words, Bu Eun-seol shook his head firmly.
"All members of the imperial family possess Dragon Qi."
He spoke in a low voice.
"If the Empress Dowager had power to eliminate Dragon Qi, she would have seized the Imperial Palace long ago. There'd be no need for such roundabout methods."
"Of course that's true, but..."
Yu Un-ryong looked out the window and shook his head.
"Something feels off. It doesn't sit right."
"Hmm."
Bu Eun-seol swallowed a sigh.
While he had been wandering the martial world,
Yu Un-ryong had managed the Death Shadow War Unit's affairs, overcoming countless plots and crises.
His intuition was particularly sharp—not something to ignore.
"How about meeting the princess yourself? Seeing her in person might reveal something."
"Is that truly necessary?"
"Aren't we already caught between the Emperor and Empress Dowager's conflict anyway?"
Yu Un-ryong spoke with a grave expression.
"We need to detect what schemes they're plotting in advance."
Bu Eun-seol fell silent briefly.
'Well, we have been handling imperial matters nonstop lately.'
Lost in thought, he tapped the desk with his finger before slowly nodding.
"Very well."
Blinding sunlight poured beneath the palace eaves.
The garden was in full bloom with peonies and herbaceous peonies exuding fragrance, while brocade carp swam leisurely in the pond.
Following a court lady's guidance, Bu Eun-seol entered the garden.
A faint scent of white sandalwood brushed his nose.
'So they're using it in the Imperial Palace now.'
The Four Stars Trading Company's white sandalwood had captured not only the hearts of Indian nobility but now even the Central Plains' imperial court.
"Commander Bu."
A clear voice called out.
When Bu Eun-seol looked up,
A stunning beauty entered, wearing a pale pink palace dress with an elaborate headpiece combining pearls and jade.
It was Princess Hui-jeong.
'Hmm.'
He carefully observed whether she showed any signs of being affected by the Mind-Seizing Art or potions—dimmed eyes or a vacant, soul-less expression.
'She's fine.'
But the princess's eyes were as clear and intelligent as ever.
In fact, her pupils held a faint tremble of excitement and happiness.
The expression and gaze natural for a woman in love.
'Has she truly given her heart to another man?'
There were no signs of being controlled by external forces.
Having organized his thoughts, Bu Eun-seol bowed.
"This humble Bu Eun-seol greets Your Highness."
"What brings you here so suddenly?"
"Rumors of a peculiar nature have reached my ears recently."
At his direct words, the princess's cheeks flushed slightly.
"Rumors are always distorted in transmission."
Instantly, Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed infinitely.
Princess Hui-jeong's gaze was unmistakably that of someone in love.
And that gaze was directed not at him, but somewhere else entirely.
"You came all this way because of that?"
"I had other business as well. As commander of the Dragon Scale Guard, there were matters requiring my attention."
Bu Eun-seol bowed politely once more.
"My apologies."
There was nothing more to ask.
The princess's gaze and voice were brimming with genuine affection.
She was deeply infatuated with someone right now.
"The Dragon-Phoenix Ring—"
At that moment, the princess continued with a somewhat apologetic expression.
"I may have to tell Father and reclaim it."
A pause.
Bu Eun-seol stopped in his tracks without realizing it.
Though her tone was calm,
the implication was no different from declaring the annulment of their betrothal.
"I heard he is a descendant of the Border Commander."
Bu Eun-seol cut straight to the point again.
"Do you truly care for him?"
Meeting his gaze,
Princess Hui-jeong pressed a hand to her forehead and shook her head.
"Truthfully... I don't know. But this princess—"
She seemed about to say something but ultimately closed her mouth.
"I will contact you again through a messenger later."
"Understood."
Bu Eun-seol bowed once more.
"I shall take my leave now."
His eyes narrowed as he returned to the Demon Hall.
The princess was clearly in her right mind.
She wasn't being manipulated by external forces—she genuinely harbored interest and affection for that man.
Which made this an even graver issue.
The Empress Dowager possessed a method—
one capable of instantly ensnaring the heart of a princess who was as unshakable as an iron wall.
Method.
Bu Eun-seol referred to the princess's change of heart as a method.
Though her personality was somewhat impulsive,
Princess Hui-jeong had cultivated the bearing of a royal princess, lacking in nothing.
If that man's qualifications had simply been
far superior to his own, and she had chosen him strategically—
he wouldn't have doubted it for even a hair's breadth.
"A descendant of the Border Commander?"
If he were the bloodline of the general currently guarding the Great Wall, perhaps.
But falling head over heels for a man from a so-called prestigious family that had long since fallen into ruin?
Given Princess Hui-jeong's temperament, it made no sense.
"That bold princess, who had schemed since childhood to stand against the Empress Dowager in the Emperor's stead, prioritizing the grand scheme of things—she wouldn't suddenly fall in love."
He could say with certainty—
The Empress Dowager had ensnared the princess's heart through some unknown, insidious method.
If he turned a blind eye to this situation?
Not only would it strain his ties with the Emperor, but it would also place him at a severe disadvantage in future conflicts.
"If it's a field of knowledge I'm unfamiliar with... I need Han Sang-ja."
Han Sang-ja.
Not only did he possess wisdom rivaling that of the Heavenly Secret Star Chu-so, but he was also deeply versed in ancient knowledge and texts.
Especially well-read in all manner of Esoteric Ritual Arts and Great Arts—he would surely be able to discern what had been done.
Two days later, Bu Eun-seol and Yu Un-ryong were walking through a deep mountain bamboo grove.
After some time, a small estate came into view.
Though modest in scale, it exuded the aura of a recluse who had turned his back on the secular world.
As Bu Eun-seol and Yu Un-ryong stood side by side before the gate,
Flutter—
A bird flew in from somewhere, disappearing into the estate.
Creak.
At the same time, the gate opened, revealing a clear-eyed youth dressed in blue robes.
Though clad in simple hemp garments, his gaze alone was deep and sharp—
the eyes of one who had mastered worldly affairs, as if he could see through everything.
It was Han Sang-ja.
Using mysterious ancient Arts of Spells, he had foreseen their arrival.
"Lord, Chief."
He greeted them with a welcoming smile.
"What brings you here so suddenly?"
"Well—"
Just as Bu Eun-seol was about to speak, Han Sang-ja took his arm and guided him inside.
"Let us discuss this indoors first."
The room was filled to the brim with books.
Shelves lined the walls, packed with volumes, while stacks of ancient texts littered the floor. The scent of dust and aged paper hung thick in the air.
"Speak your mind."
"Ahem."
Clearing his throat, Bu Eun-seol recounted
his recent encounter with the princess, as well as the details of the master he had fought in his father's Secret Vault.
All of this was surely part of the Empress Dowager's schemes.
"So the princess suddenly lost her heart to a man and even declared she would reclaim the Dragon-Phoenix Ring she bestowed upon you?"
Han Sang-ja briefly wore a puzzled expression.
"That is strange."
He closed his eyes, lost in thought.
Silence filled the room, broken only by the sound of bamboo leaves rustling outside the window.
"If my conjecture is correct—"
His gaze was utterly solemn.
"The man the princess met is likely affiliated with the same faction as the master of the True Demon Palace you encountered in the Secret Vault... and the Secret Arts used to captivate her are also highly likely to be derived from True Demon Knowledge."
"True Demon Knowledge."
Yu Un-ryong looked surprised, prompting Han Sang-ja to nod.
"That is my assumption."
"Would the True Demon have left behind such knowledge?"
At Yu Un-ryong's question, Han Sang-ja placed a hand on the table and replied,
"Do you know what kind of ancient secrets are most consistently passed down through the ages?"
When Yu Un-ryong shook his head, Han Sang-ja smiled meaningfully.
"Methods for stealing a woman's heart."
Yu Un-ryong's mouth fell open as if he had realized something.
"So that man must have received specialized training or knowledge within the True Demon Palace on how to ensnare a woman's affections."
"Precisely."
Resting his chin on two thumbs, Han Sang-ja adopted a grave expression.
"The True Demon, through countless cycles of reincarnation, must have encountered innumerable women."
He spoke decisively.
"Without a doubt, within the True Demon Palace... the True Demon's accumulated experiences with countless women have been compiled and systematized into a body of knowledge passed down through generations."
Bu Eun-seol furrowed his brow at words he had never considered before.
"But it makes sense."
If the Baekri Clan had preserved True Demon Knowledge, then surely the True Demon Palace would have inherited similar teachings.
"Then there's no way to counter it."
True Demon Knowledge surpassed the standards of all contemporary fields—it was, in every sense, a transcendent domain.
"If he seduced Princess Hui-jeong using such secrets, then there would be absolutely no way to break it."
At that moment, Yu Un-ryong's eyes gleamed.
"No—I think there might be."
"What do you mean?"
Yu Un-ryong's expression hardened with resolve.
His gaze fixed intently on Bu Eun-seol's face—beautiful as moonlight yet unyielding as the sun.
"A way to counter it."