Chapter 1279
Thanks to Yu Un-ryong's intervention, Won Se-mun safely returned to the Hidden Demon Pavilion.
"I apologize, Lord. Unit Commander."
He knelt before Bu Eun-seol and Yu Un-ryong, bowing his head deeply.
Having heard not only that his reckless words had subjected Bu Eun-seol to grave humiliation but also that Yu Un-ryong had nearly been disciplined under the Venerable Spirit Lord's authority, he now knelt to atone for his sins.
"Though this won't erase my crimes."
Drawing a blade from his waist, he stuck out his tongue.
"To ensure this never happens again, I'll cut out my tongue."
"Enough."
Bu Eun-seol waved his hand dismissively.
"From now on, mind your words and obey the Sanghak Unit Commander's orders as if your life depends on it."
"But—"
"I said it's fine."
"Unit Commander Yu."
When Won Se-mun turned to Yu Un-ryong, the man sighed and nodded.
"Had you truly been beyond redemption, the Lord would have dealt with you himself long ago."
Won Se-mun's loyalty was among the most steadfast even within the warriors of the Death Shadow War Unit.
He was the type to reproach himself deeply without needing repeated admonishment.
"But you've always strived to correct your mistakes. That's why this ends here."
Everyone errs.
One might repeat the same mistake twice, even thrice, without realizing it.
But for those who recognize their faults and reflect upon themselves, there will come a day when they inevitably correct those errors—
And even advance to greater heights.
"I'm sorry. Truly, I'm sorry."
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Won Se-mun pressed his forehead to the ground.
"I'll never wag my tongue carelessly again."
Rising to his feet, he retrieved a letter from his robes.
"A missive from the Venerable Spirit Lord to you, Lord."
Had this been the usual Won Se-mun,
Instead of "Venerable Spirit Lord," he would have said, that damned Deung-gwang bastard.
But to ensure he never misspoke again in any situation, he deliberately altered his tone even here.
Rustle.
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed as he unfolded the envelope.
The letter bore an exceedingly simple message:
―I believe we have unfinished business between us.
At moonrise, let us share a drink on the Black Moon Plain.
"Indeed. This man isn't just mad—he knows how to use his head."
Yu Un-ryong, too, let out an impressed sigh after reading the letter.
"Who knows where or how he obtained the information, but he's grasped your character perfectly."
To minimize the damage from Bu Eun-seol's impending counterattack, Deung-gwang had proposed a one-on-one duel.
Even if it were a trap or some vile scheme—
He knew Bu Eun-seol was the type who would never refuse single combat.
"True enough."
Bu Eun-seol nodded in agreement.
Understanding a person's nature is an immensely difficult task.
Despite neither having lived long in the Demon Hall nor observed Bu Eun-seol closely for an extended period—
Deung-gwang had accurately discerned the essence of the man named Bu Eun-seol.
"Or perhaps it simply means he's that confident in his martial prowess."
Bu Eun-seol rose to his feet and fastened the Ink Soul Sword hanging on the wall to his belt.
Having laid hands on those as precious to him as life itself, Deung-gwang would now repay that debt—with his life.
Night deepened over the Black Moon Plain.
Mist rising from the Xiang River wrapped the plains in a dreamlike haze,
While above the darkness, the full moon swelled unnaturally large, spilling a cold, silvery light.
The endless fields of silvergrass swayed in the night wind, rustling softly—
Not even the chirping of insects disturbed the suffocating silence.
Whoosh.
Bu Eun-seol arrived at the Black Moon Plain via his Movement Technique and briefly took in the scenery.
Here, where the boundary between sky and earth blurred,
The world's clamor faded behind the mist, leaving only the moon in solitary existence.
"The darker the night, the paler the moon shines."
Then, a man approached Bu Eun-seol, floating a large wine jar through Void Object Retrieval as he walked leisurely forward.
His gaze was so clear it was unsettling—hinting at a lurking madness.
Deung-gwang.
"For drinking to the view, there's no place more desolate and beautiful than this."
Bu Eun-seol looked up at the distant sky.
"Indeed. A fitting place to swallow solitude alone."
Deung-gwang's eyes flashed.
By saying "alone," Bu Eun-seol meant that only one person would leave this place alive to savor that solitude.
"Must we fight without even sharing a drink?"
"This Lord—"
From Bu Eun-seol's shadowed pupils, a crimson light bloomed.
"Does not drink with those who lay hands on my people."
Whoosh—
Simultaneously, stifling Killing Intent flooded the entire Black Moon Plain.
He had no intention of letting Deung-gwang—who had dared touch Won Se-mun and Yu Un-ryong—live.
Thud.
Deung-gwang set the floating wine jar down and shook his head.
"Well, I too prefer swift resolutions."
He shrugged his shoulders as he spoke.
"But there's something I must say first, so I've no choice."
"......"
"I was never part of Hall Master Sado's secret organization. All that talk of achieving merit as its leader was a lie."
Normally, when such words are spoken, one should reveal where they originally belonged.
But Deung-gwang spouted something entirely unexpected.
"Hall Master Sado only values two types of people. Those with exceptional potential and ability... and those who have a use in the plans he is weaving."
He gazed at Bu Eun-seol with a self-deprecating smile.
"Unfortunately, I was the former... and then became the latter."
In that instant, Bu Eun-seol recalled the stone statue of Deung-gwang that had stood in the Secret Vault of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
Like his own, it had been unfinished—only half of a face, neither fully male nor female, had been carved.
"I was spared because I was deemed exceptional... but when it became clear I wasn't, I was meant to die."
Bu Eun-seol tilted his head slightly.
"Then, was it discovered that you were suitable for some new scheme, allowing you to keep your life?"
"Correct. You're as sharp as they say—no need for me to spell things out twice."
Deung-gwang raised a thumb.
"No wonder the Hall Master favors you so much."
"Be brief."
Bu Eun-seol coldly cut him off.
"Stick to the point."
"You don't want to exchange words at length with someone who laid hands on your cherished subordinate? Fine."
Deung-gwang smiled faintly as he continued.
"The relationship between Hall Master Sado and Neither-Human-Nor-Beast is... quite special."
"......"
"Special enough that, with a single word, he could make me into a useful person."
Neither-Human-Nor-Beast.
A being among the Servants of the True Demon, the leader of the Eight Heavenly Servants, and one who wielded abilities even more mysterious than the Three Attendants.
That he shared a special bond with the Demonic Heavenly Emperor and had made Deung-gwang useful?
"Is that all you have to say?"
Bu Eun-seol spoke as if there was no need to hear more.
"Anyone can spill shallow information."
"You won't listen further?"
"Twenty questions is a waste of time."
"Hohoho. I see. You must have suffered through such things often."
Deung-gwang's lips curled.
"But today will be different. I'll give you information you couldn't uncover in ten years."
Then he extended a hand.
"Now that our conversation has reached this point..."
Deung-gwang spoke with an easygoing expression.
"...let's fight. That's the only condition I want."
"Did you think saying that would make me hesitate to kill you?"
"My, did it sound like I was begging for my life?"
Deung-gwang continued with the same relaxed tone.
"Let me be precise. Kill me. Just leave me enough breath to say a few last words."
His voice was confident.
"Enough to pass on the information before I die."
Bu Eun-seol furrowed his brow.
He could tell Deung-gwang meant every word.
'So he truly seeks destruction.'
He already knew Deung-gwang was like the Return to Unity Realm Lord—a man walking toward ruin.
But why? Why did he not even care for his own life?
"The longer the night, the longer the dreams."
Deung-gwang extended a long, slender finger.
"Don't overthink it. Just kill me with everything you have."
Was it because he had cultivated supreme martial arts, filling him with confidence?
Facing a fight to the death, Deung-gwang's demeanor was so at ease that it felt eerie.
Swish.
Without another word, Bu Eun-seol drew the Ink Soul Sword.
As the pitch-black blade revealed itself,
the calm atmosphere turned frigid, and his pupils burned crimson.
Just as the tension swelled to bursting over the Black Moon Plain—
Whoosh!
A sudden, violent wind howled.
Flash!
In that instant, a cold streak of light flickered—
and a razor-sharp sword aura pierced toward Deung-gwang's throat.
Flick!
Deung-gwang evaded with the Great Demon's Stride of Grand Perfection,
but—
Swish!
Another sword aura, like a cold star, grazed past his neck.
Bu Eun-seol had deliberately unleashed his unique Myriad Swords technique, crafting follow-up strikes meant to narrowly miss.
"How courteous of you."
Deung-gwang smiled.
Bu Eun-seol hadn't attacked first—he had given Deung-gwang the opening to unleash a Killing Move at any moment.
"Then I won't hold back."
Flash!
A piercing force, faster than extrasensory perception could track, shot toward Bu Eun-seol's brow.
The secret technique of the previous Hall Master, Deung Ryeol—Annihilating Flash—had been unleashed.
Tzzt-tzt-tzt!
Bu Eun-seol, instantly reading its trajectory, activated Swift Shadowless—
Hiss!
But the razor-sharp force clung like a shadow, coiling around his neck.
Thud!
A dull sound rang out as the Annihilating Flash rebounded into the air.
Bu Eun-seol had angled the Ink Soul Sword, deflecting the force that sought to strangle him.
"Hahp!"
In that moment, Deung-gwang roared, splaying all ten fingers wide.
Like a madman, he slashed through the air—
and invisible bursts of Annihilating Flash radiated outward like waves.
Dozens of scattered lights merged into one, transforming into pure, formless brilliance.
Thud-thud-thud!
Bu Eun-seol, manifesting the Annihilating Flash's light through the Neither Above Nor Below and Move Heaven Exchange Force,
Bu Eun-seol gently deflected the Annihilating Flash's force—capable of piercing even diamond like tofu—with effortless grace.
Whoooosh!
Before anyone realized, the Annihilating Flash had split into hundreds of streaks of light, pouring down—yet it was futile.
No matter how swift or cunning the attacks became, none could break through Bu Eun-seol's Swift Shadowless.
"Haaahp!"
As his strikes repeatedly missed their mark, Deung-gwang let out a Great Roar and slammed both hands into the ground.
Whoooosh—!
Dozens of transparent strands of Internal Power spread like branches, coiling around Bu Eun-seol's body.
Deung-gwang had discerned that Swift Shadowless relied on rapid directional shifts—so he sealed off every possible escape, wrapping the Annihilating Flash's energy around Bu Eun-seol's legs to prevent any further changes in direction.
BOOM! Zzzzt—!
A deafening thunderclap erupted as violet lightning crackled in all directions.
Bu Eun-seol had summoned Thunder Essence Divine Qi, instantly obliterating the Annihilating Flash surging from the ground.
Hiiiiisss...
Pale smoke continuously rose from the earth around where the two stood.
They remained in the exact same positions as when they had first faced each other.
"Transcendence Realm?"
Bu Eun-seol couldn't hide his disbelief.
"Are you telling me the only martial art you've mastered is the Annihilating Flash?"
Given how easily Deung-gwang had beheaded the Hall Masters, he had assumed the man had at least reached the threshold of the Martial Extreme Realm or the pinnacle of the Extreme Heaven Realm.
But his martial prowess...
Was only at the level of the Transcendence Realm—around the time Bu Eun-seol had first ventured into the martial world.
And the only martial art he had truly mastered was the Annihilating Flash.
"Ridiculous, isn't it?"
Deung-gwang laughed.
"At the very least, deploying the Annihilating Flash requires three hundred and sixty years of Internal Power... and to fight a master like you, one would need to reach the Extreme Heaven Realm just to split seconds into usable moments."
He shrugged.
"Don't make that face. You're the anomaly here."
"......"
"The rest of the world isn't as strong as you."
It wasn't a lie.
Even the Twin Heavenly Emperors of Righteous and Demonic, the strongest in the current martial world, had only reached the Extreme Heaven Realm by Bu Eun-seol's age.
Excluding prodigies like Yu Un-ryong, Seo Jin-ha, Myo Cheon-u, and Seok U-haeng—all inheritors of the Ten Demons—
Only a handful, like Tang Gon of the Sichuan Tang Clan, the Wandering King Heuk-pyo, and Namgung Un, had ascended to the Extreme Heaven Realm in their youth.
"Within the confines of martial arts, you'd be the fastest to grow strong in martial history."
But the current martial world was ruled by forces beyond martial arts—Great Arts, Supernatural Powers, and other extraordinary abilities.
No matter how much one trained in martial techniques, overcoming them was nearly impossible.
Only Bu Eun-seol, who had reached the Martial Extreme Realm, could face them with pure martial arts.
"I was what you'd call a 'mediocre talent.' No matter how much I trained, I couldn't even break through the wall of the Transcendence Realm..."
As Bu Eun-seol stood silently, Deung-gwang grinned and spoke.
"You seem intrigued. I suppose you're ready to hear my story now."
"What do you want?"
"There are those in this world with twisted desires."
Deung-gwang gazed at the distant sky.
"People who yearn only for death and ruin."
"......"
"You were like that too, weren't you?"
His words were unexpected.
"When you first set out into the martial world, all you sought was vengeance and destruction. Probably because everything holding your heart together had already crumbled."
Deung-gwang knew much about Bu Eun-seol.
Which meant he also knew exactly what Bu Eun-seol desired.
Lowering his gaze from the sky, Deung-gwang spoke in a quiet voice.
"I'm thirsty. Shall we talk over a drink?"
Whoosh—!
Before the words even finished, a massive wine jar plummeted from the sky, landing right in front of him.
From the moment he arrived, he had already suspended another jar in the air—all while exchanging blows with Bu Eun-seol.
"Impressive, isn't it? That even with the martial prowess of the Transcendence Realm, one can pull off such tricks."
Deung-gwang hadn't used any Supernatural Power or extraordinary ability.
Despite being confined to the Transcendence Realm, he was performing such feats purely through skill.
"Gulp, gulp—"
In the meantime, Deung-gwang lifted the wine jar—large enough to fit an adult's torso—and drained it in one go.
Using his Internal Power, he controlled the flow, letting the wine trickle down his throat without spilling a single drop.
Watching this, Bu Eun-seol let out an involuntary snort.
He had been restraining himself—
But he, too, was fond of alcohol, and once he started drinking, he had a habit of indulging quite heartily.
'He's investigated me thoroughly.'
From the way he had targeted Won Se-mun and Yu Un-ryong, it was clear Deung-gwang had been observing Bu Eun-seol for a long time.
'Maybe even this display of drinking is meant to catch my interest.'
But one thing was certain—
He was no puppet of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
The reason Deung-gwang's statue in Hwangju Prefecture's Secret Vault had been left unfinished, just like Bu Eun-seol's, was likely because of that.
"If you go to Neither-Human-Nor-Beast, all your questions will be answered."
"Neither-Human-Nor-Beast?"
"—The relationship between Hall Master Sado and Neither-Human-Nor-Beast is quite special. Enough that a single word from them could make even someone like me... useful."
Recalling Deung Ryun's earlier words, Bu Eun-seol asked:
"Are you saying Hall Master Sado commissioned him to turn you into Neither-Human-Nor-Beast?"
To this question, Deung Ryun gave an absurd reply.
"Neither-Human-Nor-Beast refers to those who can survive even the True Demon's return."
After a brief pause, he exhaled a deep sigh.
"And Neither-Human-Nor-Beast is forcibly creating such beings."
"You mean the New Bloodline?"
"Similar, but different. Neither-Human-Nor-Beast is precisely that—neither human nor beast. It's because they're not human that they can survive."
"I despise riddles."
As Bu Eun-seol furrowed his brow, Deung Ryun spoke.
"True. Seeing for yourself would be better than a hundred explanations."
"You're offering the location?"
"If you drink."
Deung Ryun pointed to the liquor jar.
"I traveled nine hundred li round trip to serve you this precious Fen Wine."
His expression grew meaningful.
"I don't open my heart to those who refuse a drink."
Drinking a cup in exchange for information wasn't difficult.
But Bu Eun-seol had no intention of indulging any of Deung Ryun's demands.
Crash!
He flicked his Finger Wind, shattering the jar filled with Fen Wine.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Deung Ryun leapt up with a shout.
"If you want to kill me, then kill me! What crime did the wine commit?"
Then he crouched and began lapping at the spilled liquor with his tongue.
Though Bu Eun-seol still couldn't discern Deung Ryun's true nature, one thing was certain—he possessed a peculiar temperament laced with madness.
"I don't drink with those who've laid hands on my people."
"Haah."
Deung Ryun, who had been frantically licking the spilled wine, sighed and rose at those words.
"You truly lack flexibility."
"One more pointless word, and I swear—"
"Amara Fortress. In India."
His voice dropped low.
"Go there, and you'll find Neither-Human-Nor-Beast."
A self-deprecating smile curled his lips.
"He created the Fake Body, a masterpiece for the ages, and made connections with countless factions."
From Wi Ji-hon of the Fire Rain Sword Sect to the boy of the Gui-il Realm.
Bu Eun-seol had encountered those who possessed Fake Bodies.
He had always assumed they were products of the Three Realms—yet they were Neither-Human-Nor-Beast's creations?
"And Neither-Human-Nor-Beast... knows of a secret place the Baekri Clan has desperately concealed."
"The Baekri Clan's secret."
A flash crossed Bu Eun-seol's eyes. He could guess what secret Deung Ryun meant.
"What do you truly want?"
He couldn't help but ask.
"Do you desire something from me?"
"Desire?"
Deung Ryun took a deep breath and gazed at the distant sky.
"Once, I think there was... but not anymore."
In that moment, Bu Eun-seol understood.
What Deung Ryun desired was nothing but glorious ruin.
Even his schemes to ensnare Bu Eun-seol through Won Se-mun and Yu Un-ryong were ultimately part of a plan to bring everything crashing down.
"Because I've already seen the destruction."
Deung Ryun stepped closer, his smile sinister.
"You are the beginning of all ruin, Martial Soul Lord."
His voice was eerily calm, but his actions were anything but.
Without warning, a chilling aura erupted. He had drawn a gleaming dagger.
Thunk!
Without blinking, he drove the blade deep into his own abdomen—then wrenched it sideways.
Drip.
A gush of crimson blood surged from the split flesh, and something writhing, reeking of iron, began spilling out.
"Haa, haa."
Even through the agony of his spilling entrails, Deung Ryun grinned up at Bu Eun-seol.
Maddened ecstasy flickered across his paling lips.
"Thanks to you, I'll get there much faster than expected."
As if clinging to his fading consciousness, he gripped the bloodied dagger again.
This time, his chest.
Crunch.
The blade plunged into his heart with a sickening crack of shattered ribs. Still unsatisfied, he gripped the hilt with both hands and twisted it viciously.
His body convulsed grotesquely at the final torment of his heart's destruction.
"No need for that look."
Even as bloody foam spilled from his lips, Deung Ryun laughed.
"When you see Neither-Human-Nor-Beast in Amara Fortress... and unravel all the secrets, you'll understand why I did this."
His eyes narrowed into crescents, like a victor's.
"You'd best hurry. Time is short."
The madness in Deung Ryun's gaze slowly dimmed.
"How enviable, that radiance of yours."
Even as his vision blurred.
Bu Eun-seol shone like the sun.
"I wish I had something like that."
As if dreaming, he gazed at Bu Eun-seol with infinite depth—then,
Thud.
With his final words, he collapsed in a pool of blood. Dead.
A heavy silence fell.
Bu Eun-seol stared down at Deung Ryun's now-lifeless corpse, then turned his gaze to the distant sky.
"You called me the beginning of ruin."
Bu Eun-seol looked to the horizon.
Deung Ryun hadn't seemed to be lying.
"He said time was short."
Taking a deep breath, Bu Eun-seol activated his Movement Technique and vanished into the sky.
Neither-Human-Nor-Beast was in Amara Fortress, and knew of a secret place the Baekri Clan had hidden.
The Demon Hall's chaos had been somewhat quelled... Now, he would head straight for India to meet Neither-Human-Nor-Beast.