Chapter 1296
Beneath a dazzling golden sun.
Mount Tai soared imposingly as if piercing through heaven and earth, overwhelming the world like a colossal stele carved from deep indigo ink and pale granite.
The foremost sacred mountain, revered as the "Sole Majesty Among the Five Great Peaks."
Along its slopes, ancient pines that had endured a thousand years twisted their bark like dragon scales, their roots gripping the crevices of jagged rocks.
Below, sheer cliffs split through seas of clouds, guarding primordial mysteries untouched by the dust of the mortal world.
Tsk tsk tsk.
A translucent shadow darted swiftly up the steep stone staircase known as the "Eighteen Bends," which stretched endlessly like a ladder to the heavens.
It was Bu Eun-seol.
After hearing from Yeo Gong that the spirit vein within the Ancient Sword Forest of Mount Tai was dangerously unstable—and that the True Heavenly Emperor might descend—he had rushed here without delay.
As he neared the Jade Emperor Summit, the outlines of numerous pavilions came into view.
This was the stronghold of the Mount Tai Sect.
The sect's structures appeared not ornate but robust, as if they were natural extensions of the mountain itself.
Their black roofs, weathered by centuries of wind and rain, overlapped in layers resembling the mountain's ridges, while thick pillars supported the buildings like the very bones of Mount Tai.
The training grounds, suffused with the pure energy of Taoism, had been worn smooth by generations of disciples' footsteps, polished to a mirror-like sheen.
As the resonant toll of an evening prayer bell echoed faintly through the mist—
Whoosh.
Rows of Taoist priests in fluttering robes revealed themselves upon the training grounds.
The swords they held were thick and weighty, unlike the light, sharp blades of other sects.
Zzziiing.
But something was wrong.
As he attempted to enter, the surroundings rippled unnaturally, as though the scenery itself were trembling.
'An illusion.'
Having been exposed to countless manifestations of Manifestation Art Energy and Soul-Demon Magic Energy—
And having shattered Absolute Boundaries time and again—this was an intuition only Bu Eun-seol could perceive.
'They've layered the True Demon Palace's Absolute Boundary with illusions.'
The boundary here closely resembled the gray-hued ones deployed by the True Demon Palace's masters.
'Which means everything I'm seeing now is false.'
Zzziiing.
A haze of white and blue began to flicker alternately in his pupils.
The moment he sensed dissonance in the Mount Tai Sect's scenery, the power of the Ancient Sword Forest activated instinctively.
'All of this was artificially constructed.'
Bu Eun-seol, who had been observing the sect from below the Jade Emperor Summit, was dumbfounded.
The Mount Tai Sect, arranged as if breathing in harmony with the rocks, defying no natural law—
Utterly devoid of extravagance—
Its dignified, weighty presence revealed only through austere lines, its colors faded by time to near earthen tones—
All of it was a meticulously fabricated illusion, conjured through an Absolute Boundary.
'Soul-Demon Magic Energy.'
The disciples of the Mount Tai Sect, appearing as calm as if they were part of the mountain itself—
Their expressions blank, exuding the solemn aura of those who had long cultivated the Tao—
But to Bu Eun-seol's eyes—
They were figures shaped like Demon God Statues, exhaling ominous mirages.
White Annihilation Warriors.
The elite forces created by the True Demon Palace to counter the Baekri Clan—now in complete control of the Mount Tai Sect.
'How could the disciples of the Mount Tai Sect have become White Annihilation Warriors?'
Their faces devoid of expression—
The Mount Tai disciples, with black Demon God Statues looming behind them, were a sight straight out of a nightmare.
'Then does this mean the Mount Tai Sect fell into ruin long ago?'
Once, the Mount Tai Sect had rivaled Shaolin in its golden age, yet now it had dwindled to a pitiable state, no longer even counted among the Nine Great Sects.
And the reason for this was none other than the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade, Bu Jan-yang.
Back then, the sect leader, the Celestial Radiance Taoist—
Had challenged Bu Jan-yang to purge him from the martial world, only to return as a decapitated corpse.
As the enraged elders and disciples of Mount Tai swore vengeance against Bu Jan-yang—
The belated truth about the Celestial Radiance Taoist came to light.
—The Celestial Radiance Taoist had challenged Bu Jan-yang under internal coercion.
The reason for his challenge—
The elders and commanders of Mount Tai, resentful of their leader's open camaraderie with Demonic Path figures—
Had united to force him into a confrontation with the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade, leaving him no choice but to fight.
—The Mount Tai Sect has gone mad.
—For Taoists to be blinded by authority... Their downfall is near.
Not only had they harbored twisted ambitions unbefitting a Taoist sect—
But the ugly truth that their own leadership had driven their sect leader into mortal danger spread throughout the martial world, drowning Mount Tai's disciples in unstoppable scorn and condemnation.
Had the matter ended there, the Mount Tai Sect might still have had a chance to withdraw in silence, regroup, and plan a resurgence.
But the schism over the succession struggle remained unresolved, and the covert strife and internal conflicts among factions continued unabated.
Thus, in the end, Mount Tai Sect collapsed and self-destructed—not from an external enemy, but from the fractures they themselves had created.
Having barely clung to survival, the sect, by the current generation, was gradually regaining its former prominence—thanks to the Martial Alliance's full support and the aid of various other sects.
Yet in reality, the True Demon Palace had seized control of Mount Tai Sect, and all its disciples had been replaced by White Annihilation Warriors?
'Just as the Baekri Clan moves the Martial World through their branch families, the True Demon Palace extends its demonic grasp through the White Annihilations.'
In the end, it was as expected.
The Baekri Clan and the True Demon Palace—both believed to have vanished from the Martial World—were, in truth, ceaselessly spreading their influence and continuing their shadow war.
'Then why did the Baekri Clan create the Three Realms?'
If this was their plan to dominate the Martial World, their branch families alone would have sufficed.
So why go to the trouble of establishing the Three Realms as their proxy?
'Unless... the Star Blades were createdafterthe Three Realms?'
For now, it remained a mystery.
Looking back, aside from the contract with the Primordial Dragon, there were still countless unresolved secrets scattered about.
Bu Eun-seol suppressed his breath and observed the interior of Mount Tai Sect once more.
'The Spirit Vein's energy is still too stable—I can't enter the Ancient Sword Forest yet.'
The Spirit Vein beneath Mount Tai had not fractured, and the Absolute Boundary sealing the Ancient Sword Forest remained unshaken.
Because of this, the White Annihilations disguised as Mount Tai disciples seemed to be waiting here—biding their time until the Spirit Vein destabilized and cracks formed in the forest's barrier.
'Just as the Forest Lord said.'
With the Ancient Sword Forest's power now manifesting, Bu Eun-seol's vision revealed the Spirit Vein embedded deep within Mount Tai—trembling with such instability that it seemed on the verge of rupturing at any moment.
'I'll have to wait until the Spirit Vein bursts.'
After all, his mission was to fully dissolve the Key within the Ancient Sword Forest and seal the Spirit Vein leading to the Primordial Gate.
If he recklessly attacked the White Annihilations now, the True Demon Palace's masters might swarm in.
Better to wait calmly for the moment the Spirit Vein shattered.
Krrrr—
But then, an eerie sensation prickled his senses.
The entire mountain trembled, and from the distant sky, a transparent energy began spreading outward.
'The Heavenly Prohibition?'
Closing his eyes to focus on the energy, Bu Eun-seol soon shook his head.
'No... an army.'
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Taking a deep breath, he melded completely with nature, concealing his presence.
Sssshhh—
The transparent energy dyeing the sky had, in the blink of an eye, transformed into a violet haze—
KWA-RUNG!
—before coalescing into a massive meteor, crashing down toward Mount Tai Sect.
KWA-UUUU!
An invisible, formidable Absolute Barrier had been erected over the sect, yet the violet meteor relentlessly tore through it.
Zzzzt— zzzzzt—
The sharpening radiance finally pierced the barrier and, in an instant, breached the sect's defenses.
KWAAAH!
The violet light cascaded like a waterfall, solidifying into over a thousand martial artists—each clad in flowing violet robes and veiled masks.
'Those people—'
Their attire bore a striking resemblance to the garb worn by the Messengers of the Three Realms.
'But I've never seen them dyed in violet before.'
Until now, the envoys of the Infinite Realm, Azure River Realm, and Ghost Unity Realm had all worn identical uniforms, with no distinguishing features.
'Then... are these envoys of a previously unseen faction within the Three Realms?'
The Messengers of the Three Realms held considerable status, typically operating alone or in pairs at most.
But this force numbered at least a thousand—
And their martial prowess and qi presence far surpassed that of any envoys he had encountered before.
Srrring—
The sound of drawn blades echoed as the violet-robed envoys scattered.
They formed no battle formations—
Instead, like wild boars struck by lightning, they charged headlong into the ranks of Mount Tai Sect's disciples—no, into the White Annihilations shrouded in the Demon God Statue's aura.
KWAANG!
With the first clash, sword light exploded, and battle erupted.
The violet-clad envoys left afterimages with every movement.
Where one struck, two or three shadows overlapped in succession.
Their trajectories shifted before their motions even finished, and before their blades fully swung, they had already vanished to the next position.
Their Movement Technique was so swift it bordered on illusionary—like a form of shadow duplication.
The White Annihilations disguised as Mount Tai disciples responded with flawless coordination, yet their flanks and rear ranks were already being torn apart.
KWA-WOONG! Zzzzt!
Every time the envoys' blades flashed, violet light condensed at their tips before detonating outward—
FLASH!
And with each burst of sword radiance—
Tiny cracks spiderwebbed across the Demon God Statues looming behind the White Annihilations—statues bound by the Soul-Demon Magic Energy.
CRASH!
But the White Annihilation Warriors did not simply stand by and take it.
They unleashed the power amplified by their Soul-Demon Magic Energy, tearing through the sword beams as they hurled themselves forward like wild beasts. Even when their flesh was sliced open and bones exposed, they did not stop. If an arm was severed, they grabbed with the remaining one, biting and tearing with their teeth.
"Ghk—!"
Even from the mouths of the envoys, short screams burst forth.
Blood scattered through the air, and atop the fallen corpses, more bodies collapsed.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The envoys, quickly assessing the situation, maintained distance, engaging the White Annihilation Warriors from afar as they recklessly charged.
BOOM! CRACK!
Each time a violet sword light exploded, cleaving through the White Annihilation Warriors, the demonic statue floating behind them shattered further.
Yet, like rabid beasts, they slashed with their claws, relentlessly attempting to close the gap.
CRUNCH! SNAP!
They broke limbs, sometimes even hurling them like hidden weapons to block attacks.
Over the fallen, more fell.
As the corpses piled, the battlefield shrank, and the number of those still capable of fighting dwindled.
Crack, crackle.
As the battle dragged on, the demonic statue conjured by the White Annihilation Warriors began to fracture.
Strangely, the violet sword beams unleashed by the envoys were gradually severing the flow of Soul-Demon Magic Energy.
Thud, thud, thud.
The movements of the White Annihilation Warriors noticeably slowed, and their remaining forces were now barely half.
SWOOSH! SLASH!
Yet, undaunted, they charged forward, using their fallen comrades as shields.
Even as they were cut, torn, and shattered, they clung to their enemies, dragging them down.
To bring down one, two had to fall with them.
As time passed, the battlefield—
No longer a clash of martial arts and supernatural powers—became a frenzied struggle of madmen tearing off and eating their enemies' limbs.
After a meal's time.
"......."
At last, the battle ceased, revealing a scene of mutual annihilation.
Though all four hundred White Annihilation Warriors had perished... the cost of this so-called victory was far too great.
Of the thousand envoys, barely a tenth remained standing.
Only a hundred, drenched in blood and gasping for breath, leaned on their swords like canes, barely keeping themselves upright.
["How precarious."]
Then, a strange voice echoed through the air as a man holding an ornate folding fan descended slowly.
His long, flowing hair and crimson lips gave him the appearance of a yōkai disguised as a human.
["Still only at this level?"]
Clicking his tongue, he surveyed the mountain of corpses.
["Burn them."]
The remaining warriors bowed their heads, retrieving fire powder from their robes to set the bodies ablaze.
Crunch, crunch.
Meanwhile, the man ventured deep into Mount Tai Sect, arriving at Sun-Gazing Peak, where they practiced meditation.
RUMBLE—
Suddenly, the entire mountain trembled violently, and a transparent energy began spreading from the peak.
The spirit vein, sealed by the key, had begun to erupt.
GRRRRUMBLE—
With each tremor, the translucent scenery of Sun-Gazing Peak rippled like disturbed water.
SNAP.
The man unfurled his fan and, matching the vibrations, began swaying it gently.
CRACK, CRACK.
Though it was merely the fan moving—
Strangely, the entire mountain shook in sync with its motion.
Not because the man poured forth immense spellcraft or power—
But because he used the fan as a medium, manipulating the energy of the spirit vein flowing from the Ancient Sword Forest's Absolute Boundary to shake the earth.
Crackle.
Before long, a transparent space revealed itself, widening with a zzzzzt into an oval shape.
The slowly parting void resembled the gradual opening of a giant's eye.
SHWOOP.
The man stepped through in an instant, and the hundred warriors, having finished burning the corpses, followed.
'Hmm.'
Bu Eun-seol, who had been observing, stealthily slipped in behind them, entering the depths of the Ancient Sword Forest.
'So this is Mount Tai's Ancient Sword Forest.'
His eyes widened as he took in the sight.
Unlike the majestic landscapes he had seen before—
This place resembled the merging of heaven and earth, as if the world's end had come.
The distortions of the spirit vein warped the interior, revealing the unfiltered, raw form of the Ancient Sword Forest.
Moreover, the ruins inside were fused together as if melted, tangled with the remains of Forbidden Evil Gods.
["So, they died here after all."]
The man with the fan clicked his tongue as he observed the pale smoke rising from the ruins.
["No wonder the spirit vein wouldn't open. They threw their lives away to protect it from within."]
The reason for the scorched wreckage strewn throughout the interior.
It was because the people of the Ancient Sword Forest, including the Forest Lord,
had staked their lives to prevent the Absolute Boundary from shattering, even as the Spirit Vein crumbled.
Krrrrumble.
Then, the ground began to tremble violently, as if an earthquake had struck.
At the same time, the Key—shaped like a towering pagoda—that had been suppressing the Spirit Vein started swaying precariously.
As the Spirit Vein destabilized, the Key that had been restraining it was finally on the verge of being torn free.
[Begin.]
The man pointed toward the towering structure.
In response, the envoys drew dark metallic objects from their robes.
They bore an uncanny resemblance to the living metal Bu Eun-seol carried.
Tak.
One by one, they began scaling the rising pagoda.
Since the Key within Mount Tai Sect was narrow and small, half its outer surface was soon covered by the warriors' bodies.
The sight resembled a swarm of bees densely packed within a hive.
Chiii.
As time passed, the warriors clinging to the Key began melting like liquid, still clutching the metal.
Drip, drip.
Their bodies seeped into the Key itself.
As their forms dissolved into a viscous sludge,
Zzzing, zzzing.
a faint light pulsed intermittently from the Key, and a crimson aura began oozing from its once-dark surface.
'What in the world are they doing?'
Bu Eun-seol, who had been silently observing everything from hiding, felt a creeping unease.
Since they had repelled the White Annihilation Warriors while dressed as envoys of the Three Realms, he had assumed they were Masters affiliated with the Three Realms.
Especially after witnessing the Infinite Realm's actions before—
They had maintained close ties with the Ancient Sword Forest and had fought to protect it from the White Annihilation Warriors.
'At the very least, shouldn't they be stabilizing the situation inside the Ancient Sword Forest first?'
Logically, they should have been restoring order to the chaos within the Ancient Sword Forest before reinforcing defenses against the inevitable return of the True Demon Palace's forces.
Yet they paid no heed to the fallen members of the Ancient Sword Forest.
Instead, they were solely focused on melting their own subordinates into the Key.
Drip, drip.
Finally, as all hundred warriors dissolved into the metal,
Giiing, giiing.
the light emanating from the Key intensified, its hue deepening into a vivid crimson.
'That energy...'
A strange sensation prickled at Bu Eun-seol.
The aura radiating from the crimson glow felt both terrifyingly dangerous and eerily familiar.
'Dragon Qi?'
The red energy pouring from the Key was none other than the supreme Dragon Qi—a power exclusive to the imperial bloodline.
Tssssss.
At that moment, a faint mist began seeping from Bu Eun-seol's entire body, despite his concealment.
Dragon Qi overpowers all forces under heaven.
As the blazing crimson Key unleashed Dragon Qi far more potent than even that stored within the Imperial Palace Martial Repository,
his stealth technique shattered in an instant.
[Hoh.]
The man detected Bu Eun-seol's presence and turned toward him, murmuring softly.
[A little rat has appeared.]
Then, with a flick of his whisk,
Fwoosh!
a violet radiance dyed dozens of zhang in an instant, unleashing a massive shockwave.
Tak.
Bu Eun-seol shot into the air deliberately, landing before the man without bothering to hide his true appearance.
If he wanted to uncover the identities of these individuals—likely affiliated with the Three Realms—
revealing himself outright was the simplest and most certain method.
[Oh? Who do we have here?]
Bu Eun-seol's assumption proved correct.
The man grinned openly, declaring his allegiance without hesitation.
[Isn't this our benefactor?]
"Benefactor?"
[Playing ignorant, are we?]
Swish.
Like a seductive woman coyly hiding her face, the man draped his whisk over his features and whispered:
[Thanks to you, our realm was freed from the Restrictive Seal, was it not?]
He continued with words Bu Eun-seol had never anticipated.
[Thanks to you, the Empress Dowager was deposed, and our realm could stretch its limbs once more.]
A flash of lightning crossed Bu Eun-seol's pupils.
He could roughly guess what the man was implying.
'The Azure River Realm.'
—The term "Azure River" didn't signify clear waters but was likely derived from "Clear Rivers and Calm Seas."
Bu Eun-seol recalled his first encounter with an envoy of the Azure River Realm.
—"Clear Rivers and Calm Seas." A phrase meaning the Yellow River's waters run pure and the seas grow tranquil... a metaphor for the arrival of a sage ruler and an era of peace.
When he first heard the name "Azure River Realm,"
Bu Eun-seol had not only guessed they were aligned with the Imperial Palace
but also assumed they might be striving to create a peaceful world, unlike the Infinite Realm.
After all, it was the Infinite Realm that had consistently collaborated with the Eastern Depot and the Empress Dowager.
The Azure River Realm, aside from creating split personalities, had never made overt moves in the martial world.
'Turns out, it was the opposite.'
Because the Empress Dowager—originally of the True Demon Palace—had seized control of the Imperial Palace and maintained close ties with the Infinite Realm...
the Azure River Realm, based in the Imperial Palace, had been forced into dormancy, powerless to act.