Chapter 1225
Yu Un-ryong, who had been staring intently at Bu Eun-seol, turned his head and asked Han Sang-ja:
"Lord Han, but do you truly believe the True Demon authored such a book?"
His expression was grave as he spoke.
"It's hard to imagine a being known as transcendent would dabble in such... fields."
"Of course he did."
Han Sang-ja pulled an old book from the shelf and opened it.
Inside were somewhat blush-inducing chunhwa—erotic illustrations.
"Just as the arts of the bedchamber have been passed down since antiquity, techniques for exploring human psychology and the opposite sex have also been inherited through the ages. No matter how eras and civilizations change, humanity's desire to study relationships and desire itself has never been severed."
He continued:
"The world may transform endlessly, but human nature and the cravings born from it never vanish. Though not widely known, the study of the Heart's Blossoming is a venerable discipline, secretly transmitted from ancient times to the present."
"So, naturally, the True Demon would have meddled in such studies as well."
"Precisely."
Yu Un-ryong nodded inwardly.
Indeed, Han Sang-ja was not only wise and knowledgeable but also deeply versed in scholarly domains beyond conventional understanding.
"This is troublesome."
Bu Eun-seol spoke in a heavy voice.
"Then there exists no method in this world to surpass that knowledge in a short time."
Han Sang-ja also nodded.
Given that it was the True Demon's knowledge...
Even if it were a method for seducing women, it would be extraordinarily profound. Surpassing it in a short time would border on impossibility.
"There's no need to be so pessimistic."
Yet Yu Un-ryong alone wore a hopeful expression, his eyes gleaming.
"Because there is someone with the power to oppose it."
When Han Sang-ja looked at him quizzically, Yu Un-ryong pointed at Bu Eun-seol and declared:
"The Lord."
"The Lord?"
"Correct."
Yu Un-ryong's voice brimmed with conviction.
"No matter how formidable the True Demon's knowledge may be..."
He nodded firmly at Bu Eun-seol.
"If the Lord were to fully unleash his charm, no woman could possibly resist him."
Bu Eun-seol's mouth fell open in disbelief.
"I appreciate the high praise, but—"
"No, this is an objective assessment."
Yu Un-ryong was resolute.
"Just consider how many women's hearts you've captured so far."
"......"
"The Young Palace Lord of the Divine Maiden Palace, the Young Mistress of the Snow Flower Gate, the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace's ruler, Jin Sanghwa and Lord Dan, the Wind God Palace Lord, Gongson Chief Strategist and her younger sister, not to mention the beauties of the Unbreakable Society... Frankly, aside from Danri Seo-heun—one of the Three Beauties of the World, renowned for her beauty that moves hearts—aren't all the world's peerless women already in the palm of your hand?"
As he ranted passionately, Han Sang-ja stroked his chin and nodded.
"Indeed, there is merit in your words."
"Brother Han."
"It's true—the Lord possesses an innate charm unlike anyone else's."
Han Sang-ja's eyes sparkled as he spoke.
"If we combine that with the ancient arts of the Heart's Blossoming and the Heart-Plucking Technique passed down through generations... As Lord Yu said, we might just be able to shatter the True Demon Palace's secret arts."
"That's exactly what I mean."
Yu Un-ryong clapped his hands together.
"Natural talent plus acquired learning—then he'd truly become an invincible existence."
"Truly, this must also be fate."
Han Sang-ja rose from his seat and spoke.
He walked to the bookshelves, flipped a few hidden books within—
And with a clunk, the shelves shifted, revealing a secret chamber.
"What is this?"
At Yu Un-ryong's question, Han Sang-ja smiled and gestured inside.
"A secret archive."
When Yu Un-ryong stepped in, his eyes nearly bulged out of his head.
Chronicles of Romance and Moonlight, Records of Spring Blossoms, Secret Scriptures of Jade Wrists, Strange Tales of the Laughing Moon, Secret Transmissions of Harmony and Pleasure...
It was filled to the brim with Secret Manuals of the Heart's Blossoming—works detailing the arts of seduction, romance, technique, psychology, and more between men and women!
Han Sang-ja shrugged.
"The reason I established secret safehouses throughout the Central Plains wasn't just for safety... I needed places to store the secret manuals I'd collected."
Bu Eun-seol and Yu Un-ryong nodded in understanding.
They had thought the number of hideouts excessive, even accounting for secrecy—
But it was all to safeguard the countless secret manuals he had gathered.
"Coincidentally, I was just organizing the Secret Manuals of the Heart's Blossoming here when this situation arose."
Only then did the two grasp the meaning behind Han Sang-ja's earlier words:
"This, too, may be fate."
"If the Lord masters the techniques within these manuals, he will undoubtedly surpass that man and become an even greater existence of demonic allure."
"You want me to study the Secret Manuals of the Heart's Blossoming?"
Bu Eun-seol stared at them as if they'd lost their minds.
Were they seriously telling him to master the art of seducing women?
"This isn't just about seducing women."
Yu Un-ryong's voice carried deep persuasion.
"Princess Hui-jeong's matter concerns not only the imperial court's future but also our Grand Design. Will you abandon the Dragon-Phoenix Ring?"
Han Sang-ja added:
"My Lord, giving up on the princess now would be no different than kneeling before the Empress Dowager."
Bu Eun-seol let out a sigh, avoiding the two men's fervent gazes.
'Let's consider it a form of study.'
There is no end to learning.
Though it might seem somewhat absurd, one could call it research into the hearts of women.
It might even serve as an opportunity to delve deeper into secret arts like the Mind-Seizing Secret Art, akin to Phantom Restoration.
"Fine."
Bu Eun-seol gave a slight nod.
"I'll give it a try."
With Han Sang-ja's assistance, Bu Eun-seol began studying the Secret Manual of the Heart's Blossoming in the bamboo grove's grand pavilion, absorbing the secret techniques to captivate a woman's heart.
"Widen your stride slightly, straighten your shoulders, and let your gaze linger farther away. As for the position of your fan—let just a hint of your pupils show... but make your gaze a touch more profound."
Han Sang-ja primarily focused on correcting Bu Eun-seol's posture and bearing.
"When conversing, don't end your sentences so abruptly. What women desire is absolute empathy. First, express agreement to draw out their interest, then..."
Day and night, they pored over the Secret Manual of the Heart's Blossoming, extracting and imparting key principles that could be applied to Bu Eun-seol.
Of course, the process was far from smooth.
The fortunate part was that his naturally refined and beautiful features made even his clumsiest attempts appear somewhat convincing.
On the other hand, his inherently blunt temperament made every word and gesture come across as either frosty or awkward.
"Wouldn't it have been better to just focus on mastering Phantom Restoration?"
Bu Eun-seol remarked to Yu Un-ryong as he practiced the elegant gait of a crane while reading a book in one hand.
"After all, if I can read women's hearts, that should suffice."
"Do you really think that's enough?"
Yu Un-ryong let out a deep sigh.
"The essence of the Mind-Seizing Secret Art lies in understanding a woman's heart, not merely peering into it."
"Is that so?"
"Obviously."
"Hmm."
Swallowing a sigh, Bu Eun-seol returned to his book, shuffling his feet in an unsteady walk.
Yu Un-ryong watched him and exhaled heavily.
'Did I underestimate this?'
Truthfully, Bu Eun-seol's charm stemmed from his indifference and the untamed, river-like aura he carried.
But now, with this artificial veneer of beauty layered atop it, it felt as though his natural allure was being whittled away.
Regardless, Bu Eun-seol diligently read through the manuals in the study Han Sang-ja had prepared, making progress in his own way.
"Un-ryong."
"Hm?"
"Since I'll have to keep switching books anyway, I'll practice my walking in the study."
"Fine."
Still holding a book in one hand, Bu Eun-seol shuffled unsteadily toward the study.
Yu Un-ryong watched him blankly.
Bu Eun-seol always gave his all.
Then he, too, ought to study the Secret Manual of the Heart's Blossoming more diligently to support him.
Rustle.
Entering Han Sang-ja's secret study, Bu Eun-seol pulled out the Harmonious Heart Scripture and began reading.
After a long while of poring over the text with a grave expression, he suddenly stopped.
In the chapter titled Secret Writings of Love's Leap, which spoke of love transcending all barriers, he sensed something amiss.
'The overlapping pages are slightly raised.'
It was an imperceptibly subtle sensation—one only someone who had reached the pinnacle of the Beast Path, capable of detecting even a grain of sand on an ant's leg, could perceive.
Tap.
Gently peeling apart the layered pages, a thin sheet of paper slipped out, inscribed with the words Treatise on Love Without Extremes.
"So he hid a separate secret here."
What lay written upon it was an astonishing technique.
A unique method, unheard of in the current martial world, that allowed one to forcibly enter another's Spirit and Mind—but only with mutual consent.
"To peer into a lover's heart with mutual agreement... huh."
However, to use this technique to glimpse into a lover's heart...
It required absolute trust, to the point where their hearts became as one.
But if they already trusted each other completely? Then there'd be no need to peek into their heart in the first place.
In essence, it was a technique utterly devoid of practical use.
"Self-defeating."
Bu Eun-seol snorted as he analyzed the method.
This technique was closer to a trap that invited ruin.
What if their hearts weren't aligned, or if they harbored doubts while performing this art?
Their Spirit and Mind would shatter to pieces, leaving them as nothing more than empty husks.
"This is Brother Han's book, so I shouldn't damage it."
Sliding the Love Without Extremes Technique back between the pages, he murmured under his breath,
"In the end, is the Secret Art of the Heart's Blossoming any different from the Mind-Seizing Secret Art or the Soul-Seizing Art?"
From Bu Eun-seol's perspective—
Whether one forcibly seized another's heart through secret arts...
Or gently stole it by evoking curiosity, admiration, or interest...
The act of imposing something artificial, deviating from one's natural self—there was little difference.
"Whether a rake hides his true nature to beguile women under the guise of a refined scholar, or wields the Mind-Seizing Art to forcibly grasp their hearts... In the end, both involve deceiving others."
Perhaps this Love Without Extremes Technique was also...
A creation of some philosopher who realized—
That the origins of the Secret Art of the Heart's Blossoming and the Soul-Controlling Secret Art were, in truth, strikingly similar.
"In that case..."
Lost in thought, Bu Eun-seol pulled out the Love Without Extremes Technique once more and resumed reading.
Several more days passed.
"Hmm..."
Han Sang-ja and Yu Un-ryong exchanged glances and let out simultaneous sighs.
"In the end, half success and..."
"...half failure."
Astonishingly, despite Bu Eun-seol's extraordinary talent in martial arts,
his mastery of the techniques from the Secret Manual of the Heart's Blossoming remained awkward at best.
The half that could be called a success was merely this:
Unlike before, he could now roughly gauge what words might please a woman.
"No, it might be a complete failure."
Yu Un-ryong's expression darkened as he recalled Bu Eun-seol's attempts at executing the manual's techniques.
"It's worse than not trying at all."
The half-failure lay in this:
Whenever Bu Eun-seol attempted the gestures or walking styles described in the manual to win a woman's heart,
they only appeared bizarre or laughably absurd.
In the end, Yu Un-ryong had tried to dissuade him from further practice,
—No. Even that could become a method of its own.
But Han Sang-ja, whose wisdom rivaled even the Heavenly Mechanism Star, had deemed it acceptable, so they left him to it.
"On the contrary, it's a success."
At that moment, Bu Eun-seol spoke with a face full of pride.
"Thanks to this, I've gained deeper insight into Phantom Restoration."
In truth, Bu Eun-seol had never formally learned Phantom Restoration from Ak Mu-ryeong.
He had only received fragments of its core principles.
And unexpectedly, gauging a woman's heart shared an underlying thread with the secrets of manipulating Spirit and Mind.
Thus, it had become an unforeseen boon—
allowing him to grasp the profundity of Phantom Restoration,
the pinnacle of Mind Seizing Secret Arts in the current martial world.
"You view everything through the lens of martial arts, don't you?"
Just as Yu Un-ryong sighed in resignation,
Screeeech—!
A messenger falcon descended from the distant sky, circling overhead.
It was one dispatched by the Death Soul Squad.
Spotting it, Yu Un-ryong whistled sharply, and with a flutter of wings, the falcon alighted on his shoulder.
"This isn't good."
His expression hardened as he unfurled the letter tied to the falcon's leg and read its contents.
"The Empress Dowager seems to be deliberately provoking you."
The message contained unexpected news:
Even Yeon So-ha—the first woman publicly known to be connected to Bu Eun-seol—was reportedly meeting someone.
"What's happened?"
At that moment, Han Sang-ja approached Yu Un-ryong,
who handed him the letter so he and Bu Eun-seol could read it together.
"So their intention is to claim every woman connected to the Lord."
Han Sang-ja sighed as he scanned the letter alongside Bu Eun-seol.
"Those so-called 'chance encounters'—where that Young Master Dam coincidentally crossed paths with Young Palace Master Yeon or rescued a bird in her presence—were all meticulously staged."
Yu Un-ryong nodded grimly and turned to Bu Eun-seol.
"Undoubtedly, someone acting on the Empress Dowager's orders is systematically seducing every woman tied to you."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed to slits.
This was nothing short of a declaration of war from the Empress Dowager.
The women waiting for him weren't mere romantic interests.
They were vital connections—bridges between him and their respective factions.
If they were all turned against him?
The tightly knit alliances he'd built would weaken.
The Empress Dowager had unveiled an unforeseen stratagem to weaken his influence.
"The time to act has come."
At Han Sang-ja's words, Bu Eun-seol drew a deep breath.
Now, he would have to reclaim their hearts—using everything he'd honed thus far.
Before long, Bu Eun-seol arrived at Wushan.
His expression was shadowed as he climbed the stone steps leading to the Divine Maiden Palace.
The path remained as serene and beautiful as ever, but the person awaiting him had changed.
If this were the work of another's vile sorcery, it would demand destruction.
But if her heart had simply shifted... did he truly have the right to reverse it?
'Young Palace Lord.'
Apart from the fleeting glimpse he'd caught while submerged in Baekri Geom-ha's persona,
she hadn't contacted him even once all this time.
—I wouldn't want to hinder your path.
Somewhere along the way, Yeon So-ha had realized:
Bu Eun-seol had grown into a hero protecting countless lives, shouldering immense burdens.
So she suppressed her own feelings and waited silently.
But as the women around him multiplied...
her heart must have burned in unspoken agony.
'I've been too indifferent to her.'
Each step up the white stone stairs grew heavier.
Despite rigorously practicing the Secret Manual of the Heart's Blossoming's methods,
none of them came to mind when he pictured Yeon So-ha's face.
Upon reaching the palace gates, two guards—Divine Maiden Palace sentinels—came into view.
"Greetings."
Recognizing them, he offered a cordial salute.
"......"
But the guards stared blankly into the distance, their faces frosty, as if he were invisible.
Clearly, they'd been ordered to treat him as nonexistent.
'All the better.'
Bu Eun-seol nodded resolutely at their icy demeanor.
'This is the perfect chance to test the secret art of winning the hearts of frosty women.'
Swish.
He drew the folding fan from his waist and raised it to obscure his face.
He tilted his body slightly and cast a glance toward the women.
Then, the gatekeepers who had been treating Bu Eun-seol as if he didn't exist found themselves staring at him without realizing it.
'It's working.'
Not missing the moment their gazes locked onto him, Bu Eun-seol immediately unfolded the Divine Dragon Steps.
When this footwork was executed, it was said to resemble a divine dragon walking through clouds, revealing the very image of a peerlessly handsome man glimpsed in a dream.
But his movements were far from smooth.
Nod, nod.
Bu Eun-seol bobbed his head back and forth, mimicking the motion of a dragon's head obscured by clouds.
Wriggle, wriggle.
His legs attempted to emulate the floating gait of a divine dragon, but they were sluggish and absurdly comical.
In short... he looked like a sick chicken, bobbing his head while walking in a bizarre, lurching manner.
"Ghk."
A strange sound escaped the gatekeepers' lips.
They were desperately trying to suppress their laughter, but in the end, they failed.
"So you can see me."
Bu Eun-seol approached them with an uncharacteristically playful remark.
"For a moment, I thought I'd suddenly turned into an invisible man."
Wriggle, wriggle.
Even as he spoke, his grotesque gait persisted, and the two women's faces flushed bright red.
They could no longer hold back the laughter bubbling up inside them.
"Hff-hff-hff..."
"Kh-hff-hff..."
Tears and snot streamed down their faces as they clamped their hands over their mouths.
It was the loudest laughter they had ever let out since becoming disciples of the Divine Maiden Palace.
"Who dared to laugh?!"
The gatekeepers' leader—the Guardian of the Gate, Sang Eun-ryeong—heard the commotion and flung the doors open with a furious shout.
"I said, who was laughing?!"
"G-Guardian!"
"You, the sacred gatekeepers of this palace, dare to giggle like fools?!"
"N-No, it's not like that..."
"You will spend seven days in the Valley of Fallen Souls in face-the-wall punishment!"
Instantly, the gatekeepers' faces turned deathly pale.
Being subjected to solitary confinement in the Valley of Fallen Souls in this bitter cold was an unbearably harsh punishment.
"Guardian Sang. It's been a while."
At that moment, Bu Eun-seol recognized Sang Eun-ryeong and greeted her warmly.
"I've come to see the Young Palace Lord."
When their eyes met, Sang Eun-ryeong responded with an air of resignation.
"Outsiders are not permitted entry."
There wasn't a single disciple in the Divine Maiden Palace who didn't know that Bu Eun-seol was the acknowledged lover of Yeon So-ha—a fact even the Palace Lord herself had acknowledged.
Yet despite clearly recognizing Bu Eun-seol's face, Sang Eun-ryeong deliberately referred to him as an outsider, treating him with icy disdain.
"Inform the Young Palace Lord that I've come."
"She has refused to meet you."
"You haven't even delivered my message yet."
"She gave prior instructions."
Sang Eun-ryeong stated flatly.
"The Young Palace Lord commanded that if the Martial Soul Lord ever comes, he is to be turned away without exception."
Bu Eun-seol was at a loss for words.
'Has Yeon So-ha's heart already been so thoroughly conquered that there's no turning back?'
"Guardian, please forgive us!"
The gatekeepers suddenly dropped to their knees, pressing their hands together in desperation.
"We didn't laugh because we wanted to!"
"What kind of madness is this in front of an outsider?! Get up at once!"
But the gatekeepers remained bowed, refusing to rise. They'd rather endure a scolding here than face seven days of solitary confinement.
"It's the truth! The Martial Soul Lord deliberately provoked us!"
"Provoked you?"
Sang Eun-ryeong's eyes widened as she turned to Bu Eun-seol.
"Lord. Did you just toy with our disciples?"
"Toy with them? How could I possibly do such a thing?"
Seeing Bu Eun-seol's solemn expression, Sang Eun-ryeong nodded slowly.
It was common knowledge that the Martial Soul Lord was cold-natured and never engaged in frivolous behavior with women.
Hadn't she herself witnessed multiple times how indifferently he treated even the beautiful Young Palace Lord?
"You dare to tarnish this palace's reputation in front of an outsider?! Did you think seven days of confinement was a joke?!"
"We swear we really didn't!"
The gatekeepers pointed urgently at Bu Eun-seol.
"Ask the Lord to demonstrate the movements he just showed us! Then you'll understand!"
"Movements?"
Sang Eun-ryeong frowned.
"Lord, what exactly did you do to our disciples?"
"I did nothing. I merely..."
"Merely?"
Unable to bring himself to mention the Secret Manual of the Heart's Blossoming, Bu Eun-seol cleared his throat and spoke in an artificially resonant voice.
"I simply found the air here so pure and refreshing that I indulged in a few spirited steps."
"Steps...?"
Under her suspicious gaze, Bu Eun-seol had no choice but to—
Snap.
—cover his face with his fan and execute the Divine Dragon Steps once more.
Wriggle, wriggle.
As Bu Eun-seol earnestly advanced forward, Sang Eun-ryeong's face instantly turned beet red.
No matter how hard she tried to suppress it, the boiling laughter threatened to spill out like water bubbling over the edge of a pot.
In all her years, she had never seen such a ridiculous and preposterous gait.
Tremble, tremble.
Sang Eun-ryeong summoned every ounce of her internal energy to hold herself together.
If she slipped up now, her dignity as the Guardian of the Gate would plummet into the abyss.
"Guardian Sang, are you unwell?"
But when Bu Eun-seol—still bobbing his head like a chicken—spoke to her with utmost sincerity...
"Hff-hff-hff..."
Sang Eun-ryeong finally broke, tears and laughter bursting forth simultaneously.
"What in the world is this absurdity?"
Creak.
At that moment, the doors opened once more, and a middle-aged woman in blue robes stepped out unhurriedly.
It was Yak-ran, the Water Purity Hall Master—one of the three division leaders who upheld the Divine Maiden Palace, alongside the Shamanic Spirit and Purple Mansion Halls.