Chapter 1288
Having slipped out of the Imperial Palace, Bu Eun-seol did not immediately return to the Demon Hall.
Instead, he raced ceaselessly through the void, following the direction indicated by the bead the Gatekeeper Elder had given him.
The brand carved into his arm—
The scar that marked him as an exile from the Baekri Clan—would only last for seven days and nights.
Which meant he had to reach his destination as quickly as possible.
"Deung-gwang has relinquished his position as Venerable Spirit Lord and has been reassigned to the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's secret organization."
This was the news relayed by the Death Soul Squad on his way back.
After his defeat at Bu Eun-seol's hands, Deung-gwang had torn open his own body and taken his own life.
Since he had been a figure personally summoned and elevated by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, Bu Eun-seol left the aftermath to others and departed without further involvement.
There was no way the Demonic Heavenly Emperor was unaware that Deung-gwang had deliberately set a trap for him, using his subordinates in the Death Shadow War Unit to launch an attack.
Yet the official announcement was the complete opposite.
Deung-gwang's death was never mentioned.
Instead, it was framed as though he had left the Demon Hall alive, returning to the secret organization.
'Could he still be alive?'
Given that he was a creation of Neither-Human-Nor-Beast,
it wouldn't be surprising if there existed some arcane technique that allowed him to fake his death flawlessly.
But even if he were alive,
Deung-gwang would never show himself again—not unless the world itself faced annihilation.
After all, he had seemed truly without regrets.
There had been no lingering attachment to life whatsoever.
—Bu Eun-seol.
Suddenly, a sweet whisper seeped into his ears, as if resurfacing from memory.
—Don't make me say it twice.
Princess Hui-jeong, who had sought him out in the guard chamber, had not only shielded him from the Emperor's suspicions but had also laid bare her uncontainable sincerity.
The soft touch of her hands cupping his cheeks.
The gaze and breath that trembled with fear yet refused to retreat.
In the end, he hadn't avoided her kiss—no, he hadn't tried to avoid it.
He had accepted her burning, untainted heart.
—Keep the Dragon-Phoenix Ring close at all times. Then nothing will happen to you.
Her words carried not only the meaning of do not forsake your promise to me
but also a subtle implication—that the Dragon-Phoenix Ring held an unknown, formidable authority.
'Unless the Emperor raises his sword against me first, as the Dragon Scale Guard, I will protect the imperial household to the very end.'
Bu Eun-seol murmured lowly.
'For you, Princess.'
Hiss—
At that moment, smoke began to rise from where the scar had been carved.
The Manifestation Art Energy circulating through his body felt like needles piercing every bloodline, surging through his veins.
Though it was only a temporary engraving,
because Manifestation Art Energy lay dormant within him to some degree, he was experiencing the same agony as those truly exiled from the Baekri Clan.
'The Baekri Clan.'
Bu Eun-seol clenched his fist.
When he thought about it, both the Baekri Clan and the True Demon Palace had never revealed themselves openly in the Martial World.
Instead, they waged proxy wars through entities like the Baekri Side Family and the White Annihilation Warriors.
At first, he had assumed it was simply due to the Restrictive Seal preventing them from stepping forward.
But looking back now—
Both of these great forces
had amassed the True Demon's knowledge, far surpassing the current era's standards in every field—be it martial arts, the Art of Spells, or weapon forging.
If they so desired, they could overturn the world's balance in an instant.
And yet, even the Sacred Domain—with all its immense power—existed merely to maintain the equilibrium of their conflict.
Just who had placed the Restrictive Seal upon these two forces?
'Is it truly only the Creation-Era Martial Artists—those called the Primordial Dragons—or the True Demon himself?'
Perhaps a little more time was needed to bring an end to this ancient, drawn-out struggle.
And so, under the name of the Restrictive Seal,
it was possible that either the Creation-Era Martial Artists or the True Demon were deliberately prolonging the conflict.
'But one thing is certain.'
He could sense it.
That this battle would reach its conclusion in the present era.
That the final end was approaching.
The resolution of this struggle, which had stretched endlessly since antiquity, was now imminent.
Zzzing—
The light from the bead finally faded.
The place he arrived at was a small village outside Chengdu.
As Bu Eun-seol scanned the village, his expression momentarily blanked.
'This is the Baekri Side Family?'
Impossible.
The villagers here had not even learned martial arts, let alone Manifestation Art Energy.
So how could this place possibly be the Baekri Side Family?
Zzzing—
But then, a strange sensation crept over him.
The scar on his hand began to throb, flickering intermittently.
At the same time, faintly overlapping scenes began to appear among the villagers.
'An Absolute Boundary.'
This was indeed an ordinary village where commoners lived.
But due to the Absolute Boundary, the people of the Baekri Clan existed here in a superimposed state, inhabiting the same space.
'Had I not had the scar, I would never have noticed.'
In this village, even Bu Eun-seol—who had shattered countless Absolute Boundaries until now—
was faced with one he could neither detect nor break... an Absolute Boundary unlike any he had ever encountered.
'So this is why the Baekri Clan is said to be impossible to enter.'
If even a mere Side Family was protected by such an Absolute Boundary, then the main family must be guarded by techniques as astonishing as the Primordial Gate itself.
No matter how formidable one's martial prowess or strength might be, one couldn't set foot here without their permission.
Jing-jing-jing.
At that moment, the light emanating from the scar gradually intensified.
Simultaneously, the tranquil scenery of the village began to ripple like waves.
Swoosh.
As Bu Eun-seol took a step forward, the undulating scenery slowly spread outward to both sides.
The light flowing from the scar had created a gap in the Absolute Boundary—just wide enough for a single person to pass through.
'First, I should conceal the Ink Soul Sword.'
Thud.
Bu Eun-seol buried the Ink Soul Sword deep into the ground near the village.
Shhh.
Then, he activated the Darkness Secret Arts, disguising himself with a different face.
Chiii.
As he stepped inside—
The light from the scar etched into his palm flickered before the searing pain gradually began to fade.
The unique ley lines flowing through this land were neutralizing the poison-like power radiating from the scar, slowly restoring his body to normal.
'I truly had no choice but to stake my life to reach the Baekri Side Family.'
Just as the Gatekeeper Elder had said—
Those branded with a scar and exiled from the Baekri Clan had no choice but to enter the Side Family as quickly as possible.
Whoooosh.
But then, something strange happened.
The moment he pushed his body inside, the faintly lingering Manifestation Art Energy vanished entirely.
It seemed the Side Family had placed restrictions preventing the use of such energy within its boundaries.
Shhh.
Once inside the Absolute Boundary, Bu Eun-seol couldn't help but feel bewildered.
He had expected the hidden Baekri Side Family within the village to be a grand, majestic, and mysterious place—
Yet what lay before him was a shabby, impoverished slum, the kind that would make anyone frown in disgust.
'This... is the Baekri Side Family?'
The Side Family of the most noble and secretive clan in the world—
A lineage that had severed all ties with the outside world through a mystical and unique Absolute Boundary—
Was living in a squalid slum where the stench of filth and rotting waste permeated the streets?
As he entered the marketplace, he saw a man yoked like a beast, pulling a cart in place of a mule.
Inside a dilapidated tavern, a servant wiped down tables with a tattered rag.
'This can't be right.'
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
Surely, there was something extraordinary hidden beneath this ordinary facade.
"You're the new one, aren't you?"
Just then, a white-robed man slowly approached from a distance.
Surprisingly, he was the only one within the Side Family who still bore the unmistakable symbols of the Baekri Clan—
Silver hair and skin so pale it was almost translucent.
"I'm busy right now, so stay put under that bridge. Don't go wandering around uselessly."
The white-robed man swept his cold gaze over Bu Eun-seol's disguised form before speaking dismissively.
"If you cause trouble, I'll have you expelled."
Because of the power embedded in this scar—
His words carried the weight of a threat, as though disobedience would result in being let you escape from the Prison.
Whoosh.
Without waiting for a response, the white-robed man turned and vanished.
Shhh.
The fact that he left through the Absolute Boundary suggested—
He didn't actually live in this slum.
Instead, he likely resided in the real village outside—or perhaps in Chengdu, the nearby city.
'So the Main Family and the Side Family have no interaction whatsoever?'
No matter how much the Manifestation Art Energy and the scar served as proof of identity—
For the Baekri Clan, a family of such standing—
At the very least, the Main Family should verify lineage, appearance, and affiliation.
He had expected their system to be even more meticulous and strict than that of the Demon Hall or the Martial Alliance.
Yet it was being managed more carelessly than a gathering of Black Gang thugs?
'For now, I'll observe.'
Following orders, Bu Eun-seol silently stood near the bridge.
Over time, numerous laborers passed by him—
But they paid him no attention, not even sparing him a glance as they went about their tasks.
Perhaps it was only natural.
They were stripped not only of their Manifestation Art Energy but of all physical strength, forced into grueling labor.
But Bu Eun-seol had no such worries—
Only the power of the scar, which the old man had infused into him, was gradually fading.
His original strength remained intact.
Before long, night fell.
One by one, the exhausted laborers left for their homes.
As the quiet of night settled in—
Creak, creak.
A man struggling to push a cart—in place of a mule—began passing near the bridge.
Bound with leather straps like livestock, he pulled the cart with great effort.
Burdened with too many tasks, he had been working tirelessly late into the night.
Swoooosh.
Then, the scenery rippled like waves once more—
And a dark shadow slowly materialized before the laborer pushing the cart.
It was the same white-robed man who had confronted Bu Eun-seol earlier.
Thud, thud.
With the solemn bearing of a judge delivering a verdict, the white-robed man approached and spoke.
"I shall assign you a mission."
As the White-Robed Man extended his finger—
Sssssk—
The thick leather straps binding the laborer slithered loose, pooling on the ground like shed skin.
"......"
The mere release of those constricting bonds transformed the laborer's expression—as if he had been restored from beast to man, his face trembling with emotion.
Zzzziiing—
When the man stretched out his hand again,
this time, a web-like surge of energy unfurled, creeping forward before gradually seeping into the laborer's forearm.
KRRRUMBLE—
With a thunderous roar, a blade-sharp Manifestation Art Energy erupted from the laborer's back, surging skyward.
GRRRRROWL—
The energy suspended in the distant heavens
took the form of millions of needle-like spikes, woven into the shape of a human silhouette.
'So Manifestation Art Energy, like Soul-Demon Magic Energy, has distinct characteristics depending on the individual.'
The masters of the True Demon Palace summoned Demon God Statues or conjured grotesque giants and skeletal monstrosities.
It seemed Manifestation Art Energy, too,
varied in form and function based on the wielder's inherent traits and individuality.
KWAOOOOO—!
As the Manifestation Art Energy fully awakened, the laborer's appearance transformed—his skin and hair bleaching into a ghostly white.
"It wasn't merely suppressed—it was actively leaking away."
Despite regaining his strength, the laborer's expression darkened.
The Manifestation Art Energy he now wielded was less than half of what he originally possessed.
"Hmph."
The White-Robed Man ignored his words, retrieving a shimmering orb from his robes and tossing it to him.
"Your deadline is fifteen days."
"......"
"If you fail to resolve it by then, take your own life."
The man's voice was solemn, devoid of mercy.
"I do not tolerate uselessness—especially not from unforgivable felons like you."
It was a command as ruthless as it was indifferent.
The laborer caught the orb without a word, immediately turning to leave the village.
'So this is the Side Family?'
From beneath the bridge, Bu Eun-seol watched everything with a frown of disbelief.
Even if they were criminals,
they were still of the Baekri bloodline—masters wielding Manifestation Art Energy.
Yet they were treated like mere drudges, assigned menial tasks without explanation,
then ordered to kill themselves if they failed?
Even the Black Path or the Unorthodox Faction's Killing Sect, who committed atrocities as casually as eating meals, didn't drive their subordinates to such extremes.
'Not all Side Families are the same, it seems.'
Jeong-yeong, the master of the Baekri Side Family who had once guarded Man-wol, carried herself with dignity,
and elite soldiers followed her at all times.
Back then, Bu Eun-seol had assumed the Side Families were solemn, large-scale alliances bound by strict discipline.
But now, it seemed the Baekri Side Family operated like a back-alley gang, treating people as disposable tools.
'Felons... he said.'
Then, depending on the severity of their crimes, they were assigned to different Side Families.
'The Gatekeeper Elder must have believed I needed to infiltrate the Side Family reserved for the worst offenders... to find my lead.'
Each Side Family likely had a distinct purpose, and the Gatekeeper Elder had deliberately sent him here.
'Then Baekri Ja-ha... she must have been placed in one of the worst Side Families.'
Baekri Ja-ha had used her own body as a shield, becoming an assassin who eliminated the White Annihilation Warriors of the True Demon Palace.
She moved with the resolve to die spectacularly in the Martial World, never hesitating to throw her life away.
Perhaps the reason she held no attachment to living
was because she belonged to a Side Family burdened with such a wretched fate.
'Now that I think about it, the first Baekri Side Family man I met also desperately sought to distinguish himself.'
He recalled the man who had once relentlessly tried to kill him.
Only now did he understand why that man had resorted to such underhanded tactics.
He, too, must have been a felon, trapped in a Baekri Side Family where even livestock were treated better.
No matter how dishonorable his methods, he would have done anything to complete his mission.
Step. Step.
But then, the White-Robed Man slowly approached Bu Eun-seol, still crouched beneath the bridge.
"You suit the underside of a bridge quite well."
Like a jailer interrogating a prisoner, the man delivered a crushing remark before coldly commanding:
"Hold out your hand."
Without a word, Bu Eun-seol extended his hand.
Once again, light pulsed from the Scar, flickering intermittently.
"You stole and read the scriptures on your own. Not bad for a brain... 'Former Scribe of the Third Hall,' was it?"
'He said the Scar alone would be enough—no issues.'
A chill ran down Bu Eun-seol's spine at the man's words.
'The Gatekeeper Elder deceived me.'
The Scar wasn't just a mark of the Baekri Clan's exiled criminals.
Through Manifestation Art Energy, it could also imprint information—affiliations, histories, and more.
'This is why the Side Families have operated in the Martial World without their true base ever being exposed.'
"If the Scar contains the Manifestation Art Energy that only the bloodline of the Baekri Clan can possess..."
"And if it holds various pieces of information that only they can decipher..."
"Then it would serve as a far more perfect proof of identity than any ordinary plaque ever could."
That was how they had maintained flawless secrecy all this time.
"Yet your innate power is far too weak. Have you become so obsessed with knowledge because of it?"
The Manifestation Art Energy within the Scar—
Only an extremely minute portion, carefully concealed within the Hidden Acupoint, had been drawn out by the Gatekeeper Elder.
Because of this, the man judged Bu Eun-seol to be pathetically frail, his innate energy weak beyond measure.
"You're not even fit to be sent on missions. At best, you'll serve as an accessory."
Muttering something incomprehensible, the man spoke again.
"Until further orders, you will live as a beggar in this village, scraping by on scraps."
Was this the first step in breaking the pride of one who bore the Baekri bloodline?
Or was being a beggar merely another form of servitude?
'A beggar...'
Bu Eun-seol bit his lip.
'Is the word "beggar" carved into my fate?'
Thud.
Without hesitation, he bent his back in a humiliating bow.
The angle was neither too deep nor too shallow—just enough to make the other feel a subtle superiority without arousing suspicion.
His weight was shifted forward, ready to drop into a full kowtow at any moment, while his gaze remained fixed at a midpoint between straight ahead and the ground—just enough to catch anything that might fall into his begging bowl.
'Even begging is a strategy.'
Before he knew it, Bu Eun-seol had melted into the scenery as naturally as a pebble on the ground.
The moment dawn broke, Bu Eun-seol began wandering the village, begging for scraps.
Those who did the lowest labor in the village were all exiled criminals of the Baekri Clan, their Manifestation Art Energy sealed away.
Those who lived comfortably, like the white-robed man, acted as overseers, managing the village.
And they treated the laborers as less than human—mocking them with a mere glance, or worse, resorting to fists in severe cases.
Yet the laborers endured it all in silence, as if accustomed to such treatment.
Having lived as a street urchin in his youth and endured endless scorn as an undertaker, Bu Eun-seol had no trouble playing the role of a beggar in this harsh village.
'No matter how much I search, I can't find any link to the Baekri Clan.'
No matter how hard he observed and deduced, he couldn't find a way to reach the main family.
'Is it not in the village, but somewhere nearby?'
Perhaps this place existed solely to break the pride of those who had of the main family who had committed crimes—
To turn them into obedient puppets, willing to undertake deadly missions without question.
The real hidden space might be elsewhere.
'If the Death Soul Squad had investigated... even after decades, they wouldn't have found the Baekri Side Family.'
Members of the most revered clan in the martial world—
Not only did they live hidden beneath layers of Absolute Boundaries within an ordinary village, but they also endured lives as wretched as those in the slums of the Hao Clan or the outcast districts.
Had the Gatekeeper Elder not shown him this place, even a hundred years of searching wouldn't have led him here.
'Then without a Scar, even the other branch families would be impossible to find on one's own.'
One needed to possess Manifestation Art Energy—
And a Scar engraved with both their affiliation and crimes—to pierce through that special Absolute Boundary.
That was why no faction had ever managed to locate or even confirm the existence of the Baekri Side Family.
'I may never get another chance like this.'
The armed figure, likely from the Sacred Domain, had warned him—
This time, he would let it slide, but if Bu Eun-seol ever entered the Primordial Gate again, he would report everything to the Emperor without mercy.
Getting another Scar from the Gatekeeper at the Imperial Palace was no longer an option.
He had to find a way to the Baekri Clan this time.
Days passed like this.
Bu Eun-seol continued begging at the village outskirts, and to the outside eye, the village remained perfectly peaceful.
'Found it.'
At last, he had uncovered a clue.
'The Manifestation Art Energy is gradually depleting.'
Despite doing nothing but begging, most of the Manifestation Art Energy the Gatekeeper Elder had infused into him was draining away.
'At first, I thought it was being suppressed by the energy flow of the Side Family...'
But it wasn't being blocked—it was being siphoned away.
A laborer's words from earlier flashed through his mind.
He, too, had belatedly realized that most of his Manifestation Art Energy had vanished.
'The Gatekeeper Elder said the energy in the Scar would gradually dissipate over seven days and nights.'
Yet ever since entering the Side Family's domain—
It was vanishing at an alarming rate, as if being sucked away somewhere.
'It's being absorbed.'
After tracing the flow of energy all day, he made a bizarre discovery.
The drained Manifestation Art Energy seeped into the ground, flowing in one direction before abruptly vanishing at a certain point—as if cut off.
'I'll follow that path.'
A sharp glint flashed in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
If there was a place absorbing it, there had to be an endpoint where it gathered.
Without a doubt, the truth the Baekri Side Family had hidden all this time was coiled up there, waiting.