Chapter 1298
Whether it was sword energy or palm force, the moment martial arts were unleashed, a path would form as the power to cleave or split was released.
The martial arts of the Righteous Faction subtly twisted the direction of force, redirecting its flow.
The martial arts of the Demonic Path severed the middle of the formed trajectory, cutting off the path itself.
But the Imperial Step—
It neither opposed, twisted, nor severed. Instead, it rendered all external forces wuwei—effortless action.
When wind meets a mountain, it turns aside. When water meets a cliff, it cascades down. When mist finds a gap, it seeps through.
Yet the mountain has never pushed the wind away. The cliff has never split the water apart.
It is simply because all things strive to preserve their own forms intact.
Flowing water turns when it meets a rock, just as the wind brushes past tree branches.
Neither redirecting nor cutting—it merely allows the force to go its own way, leaving it as it is.
Crraack!
The power of Gong-Ap Chae-Myeol (Pressure-Shattering Annihilation) bore down on Bu Eun-seol's body as if it would tear him apart—
Thud.
Yet when he took half a step forward, the force passed by him as naturally as a breeze.
Swiish.
In that same instant, the tip of a razor-sharp sword flew toward Jeokmyeong Star Lord's nose.
He hadn't even deployed a sword technique—merely raised his blade from a distance—
Yet the sword's edge felt as though it was already slicing through skin.
Flick!
Jeokmyeong Star Lord tried to evade, but Bu Eun-seol had already withdrawn his sword.
[.......]
He couldn't comprehend this situation at all.
Heaven-Shattering Void Domain was a martial art that created a fixed boundary, trapping enemies within an area of overwhelming pressure.
Those caught inside were crushed from all sides—unable to dodge attacks or redirect force.
So how could this man step forward so effortlessly and let Pressure-Shattering Annihilation pass him by?
Thud.
Then, Bu Eun-seol took another half-step forward.
The distance between them was still about two jang (roughly 6 meters).
Yet with every step, it felt as though Bu Eun-seol's nose would pierce his face, and his heart lurched as if sinking.
With each half-step closer—
An inexplicable dread surged over him, as though some unknown creature was opening its maw behind him.
Thud.
In that moment, Bu Eun-seol took yet another half-step.
Watching that slow, deliberate stride—
It was unbearably stifling, his chest so oppressed he felt like vomiting blood.
[What is this?!]
Jeokmyeong Star Lord's shout shattered the silence.
He couldn't endure it otherwise.
[Just what the hell is this?!]
Instantly, Heaven-Shattering Void Domain began to tremble.
The Imperial Step was a natural footwork technique that could be deployed even within the Domain of World and Realm Annihilation—
But the Heaven-Shattering Void Domain Jeokmyeong Star Lord had created—
Was merely an escape method, using the power of dual personalities to flee from the Domain of World and Realm Annihilation.
Crrk—
Then, something even stranger happened.
Each time Bu Eun-seol drew closer—
Jeokmyeong Star Lord's facial bones began to twist unnaturally.
The profound energy radiating from Bu Eun-seol's sword, that mist-like force—
Was shaking the Great Art of the Azure River Realm.
The new personality that should have fully taken over—his very body—was now reverting to its original state.
The pale mist that had been rising all along—
Was the Ninth Form of the Formless Heavenly Flow, restoring all things to their natural forms.
It was the simultaneous deployment of Misty Waves of Rivers and Lakes.
Pop. Pop.
As his facial bones began to twist—
Sschk!
Jeokmyeong Star Lord finally covered his face with his folding fan (Sleeve Scarf) and frantically shook it.
Huumm...
Then, a strange energy emanating from the folding fan began reversing the power of Misty Waves of Rivers and Lakes.
'A Black Divine Artifact.'
A flash of light flickered in Bu Eun-seol's eyes as he watched.
'The folding fan was a Black Divine Artifact.'
He had never even considered it.
The reason Jeokmyeong Star Lord could resist the Domain of World and Realm Annihilation—
And instantly complete the Great Art of swapping personalities and bodies—
Was precisely because he had harnessed the power of a fully realized Black Divine Artifact.
'A kind of living Black Divine Artifact.'
If it could accept the power of a Black Divine Artifact and transform the body, then calling it a living Black Divine Artifact wouldn't be an exaggeration.
Absurdly, the Azure River Realm had accomplished the very research the Ancient Sword Forest had so desperately sought.
"Let's end this now."
Flick! Crack-crack-crack!
Bu Eun-seol halted his steps and deployed the Fire Rain Thirteen Forms.
Because the Imperial Step was not yet perfected—
Unless it was a static sword technique like Misty Waves of Rivers and Lakes, he couldn't maintain the footwork while executing another Sword Form.
Clang!
Jeokmyeong Star Lord raised his folding fan to block the sword stroke.
But that was exactly what Bu Eun-seol wanted.
Though he couldn't cut down Jeokmyeong Star Lord immediately, severing the Black Divine Artifact he wielded wouldn't be difficult at all.
—Grrr... Grrrrr...
Every time the sword energy of Ink Soul Sword (Ink Soul Sword) touched it, the folding fan split apart, as though emitting eerie screams.
One of this world's primordial treasures, the heaven-sent Creation Sun and Moon.
A Black Divine Artifact forged from such a thing
would naturally possess spiritual sentience—hence the anguished wails that erupted each time it was damaged.
Crunch—crrk—
As the folding fan split apart, the sound of cracking bones reverberated endlessly from Jeokmyeong Star Lord's body, his form gradually reverting to its original, sinister appearance.
[This Star Lord's Demon Thorn Fan...!]
He trembled with fury, tears dripping down his face as though the shattered fan were more precious than his own life.
"I will never forgive you!"
Now restored to his true form,
Jeokmyeong Star Lord fell under the influence of World and Realm Annihilation, and in that instant, his voice shifted back to the Sixth Level.
Hiss—!
Abruptly, he flicked his wrist, sending a flying dagger streaking through the air.
Simultaneously, he drew a razor-sharp dagger from his robes and lunged forward in a furious assault.
The flying dagger split its trajectory midair, pressing down on Bu Eun-seol's field of vision,
while the dagger deflected the Fire Rain Thirteen Forms' sword net and drove straight for his throat.
On the surface, it seemed like a simple strike.
But in reality, it was an extraordinary technique—severing the Fire Rain Thirteen Forms in a single move and instantly shifting from defense to offense.
Its ferocity and precision were such that it wouldn't be out of place among the ranks of the Three Demons and Three Venerables.
Unfortunately, his opponent was Bu Eun-seol.
Fwip—!
At the inevitable moment when both the flying dagger and the dagger struck from an inescapable angle,
Bu Eun-seol showed no sign of hurry—merely taking half a step back.
Crash—!
In that instant, Jeokmyeong Star Lord's body twisted violently before losing balance entirely, tumbling to the ground like a martial novice.
Bu Eun-seol had perfectly deflected the strike Jeokmyeong Star Lord had poured his entire being into—
while simultaneously redirecting its force outward with flawless precision.
As a result, Jeokmyeong Star Lord was sent reeling forward, propelled not only by his own strength but also by the force Bu Eun-seol had added—
leaving him flailing on the ground like a wild boar that had lost its footing.
Click.
Bu Eun-seol swiftly sheathed Ink Soul Sword.
Against a formidable foe, hesitation was unacceptable.
Masters who had reached a certain realm made no mistakes, even after thousands of movements.
But if they missed even a single moment? There would be no second chance.
Screeeech—!
As the blazing-red Ink Soul Sword split the air, a dazzling rainbow radiance and a furious storm of sword energy erupted.
"Not a chance!"
Realizing that Bu Eun-seol had unleashed the Quick Sword Form at the precise, unavoidable instant—
Jeokmyeong Star Lord lunged into the light-point, intercepting the sword's trajectory.
Clang-clang-clang-clang—!
When Ink Soul Sword and the dagger clashed, sparks flew, and Jeokmyeong Star Lord's body shuddered violently.
Yet a triumphant smile spread across his lips.
He had perfectly blocked Bu Eun-seol's Quick Sword Form.
No—he thought he had blocked it.
Screeee—!
But as the crimson sword strokes continued to rain down, Jeokmyeong Star Lord's eyes widened in shock.
He had clearly deflected the sword stroke—so why was the same stroke now flying toward his throat?
'A feint.'
Like a third-rate martial artist, he had fallen for an absurdly obvious deception—a feint disguised as the Quick Sword Form.
Fwoooosh—!
As blinding radiance flooded his vision, his lips parted unconsciously.
Death.
Never in his life had he encountered something so transcendent—so indescribably beautiful.
He had never imagined this was the true face of death.
Pffft—!
At first, it was a soft sound, like air escaping.
Schlick.
Simultaneously, something split apart with a crisp sound—and the light in Jeokmyeong Star Lord's eyes dimmed.
"I... don't understand."
His gaze drifted past Bu Eun-seol, staring blankly into the void as he muttered.
"You, too, should be bound by an extremely limited body and strength. Even if your sword strokes were several times faster than mine... the fight shouldn't have ended this easily."
Jeokmyeong Star Lord had definitely charged into the light-point of Bu Eun-seol's technique and shattered its opening.
Yet Bu Eun-seol had boldly unleashed a feint in that moment—and the result was his defeat.
"You unfolded martial arts."
Bu Eun-seol spoke calmly.
"I unfolded the Martial Way."
"What?"
"That feint was imbued with the Pavilion Lord's Phantom Restoration—and all the Internal Power I've cultivated in this lifetime."
Both Jeokmyeong Star Lord and Bu Eun-seol stood at the pinnacle of martial skill.
But at that pinnacle, Bu Eun-seol had taken one step further.
At the life-or-death moment, he had staked his life on a feint—one that, if seen through, would have cost him his head.
To achieve this, Bu Eun-seol had locked eyes with Jeokmyeong Star Lord until the instant their blades clashed—
and, with his body on the verge of collapse, he had layered the Formless Heavenly Flow technique repeatedly, weaving an illusion-like feint.
"Martial arts are techniques, but the Martial Way is principle."
No matter how swift or precise the sword stroke, it could never overcome one who had already walked the path ahead.
"Was this... the Martial Way?"
The Jeokmyeong Star Lord shook his head.
"You're truly a madman obsessed with martial arts."
Letting out a low laugh, he stretched his hand with great effort toward the Key.
"But you too will die."
Fwoosh!
In that instant, a crimson energy began to pour from the Key, flooding the Ancient Sword Forest.
Dragon Qi.
The spiritual energy condensed in the land had transformed into Dragon Qi vast enough to engulf the entire world.
And the Jeokmyeong Star Lord was unleashing it in a final attempt to drag Bu Eun-seol into mutual destruction.
Rumble—
The Dragon Qi surging from the Key...
Was dozens of times greater than the amount once contained released by a treasure said to be usable only by the Emperor himself, when they entered the Imperial Palace Secret Repository.
Sssss—
The flesh near the Key began to melt off the Jeokmyeong Star Lord's body.
Engulfed in Dragon Qi, unable to even move, his bones softened as his body melted until his bones softened.
Sssss—
A thin, white smoke also rose from Bu Eun-seol's body.
The Dragon Qi, spreading in all directions, had begun seeping into his flesh as well.
It was neither a violently crushing force nor a gently enveloping energy.
An indescribable, subtle yet irresistible pressure crept from his nape, down his spine, and into his waist and legs.
Soon, that energy spread unsparingly through every meridian in his body.
Like a scorching flame that should have burned flesh and bone to ash, it surged from within as if igniting.
But that was all.
Bu Eun-seol's body remained utterly unshaken by the overwhelming Dragon Qi.
Rather than burning away, his flesh parted the force like water cleaving around a massive boulder, letting it flow past naturally.
The invading energy neither lingered nor rebounded—it simply passed through his meridians as if nothing had happened.
"You...!"
The Jeokmyeong Star Lord, watching through his agony, widened his eyes in disbelief.
Unlike himself, Bu Eun-seol stood firm, calmly enduring the Dragon Qi.
"Are you... of the imperial bloodline?"
"Nonsense."
Bu Eun-seol replied flatly.
"How could I possibly be part of the imperial family?"
Yet he knew—he had adapted to the Emperor's exclusive Dragon Qi within the Imperial Palace Secret Repository.
And more importantly, with the Dragon Tokens in his possession, he could withstand its influence.
"Hall Master Sado was the same..."
The Jeokmyeong Star Lord uttered incomprehensible words.
"What?"
Bu Eun-seol felt a flicker of dizziness.
If the Star Lord's words held truth, it meant the Demonic Heavenly Emperor was of imperial descent.
Stay composed.
Countless enemies had tried to sow confusion with false words in their dying moments.
Deliberately, Bu Eun-seol maintained a relaxed expression as he answered.
"I merely possessed an artifact capable of resisting Dragon Qi."
"Lies. Unless you are of imperial blood, no one who has cultivated the Internal Energy Method can endure the Dragon Qi within the Key."
An absurd claim.
How could mastering the Internal Energy Method make one unable to withstand Dragon Qi?
"Heh... hahaha—!"
The Jeokmyeong Star Lord burst into deranged laughter, as if the situation were beyond ridiculous.
"So all this time...!"
Whoosh—
But then, flames erupted from his mouth.
His organs, corroded by the Dragon Qi, had begun burning like oil in a lamp.
"Ugh... Aaaagh—!"
He screamed, clutching his throat as fire spewed forth.
Normally, the Azure River Realm's masters were immune to Dragon Qi due to their dual personalities.
But with his second personality swallowed by the Abyss and his neck already severed...
He no longer had the strength to resist the overwhelming energy.
"Ghhhk—!"
Exposure to Dragon Qi was worse than death.
Since it did not grant a swift end, the victim suffered ceaseless torment akin to hell itself.
"You think I'll die alone like this?!"
As the Jeokmyeong Star Lord, now fully ablaze, gathered his Internal Energy, a violet radiance began spreading outward.
He was priming the Self-Destruction Divine Art—a final mutual annihilation.
Squelch.
But before his body could detonate, a blade severed his neck in one swift motion.
Thud.
His head rolled across the ground in a gruesome state.
"The Demonic Heavenly Emperor..."
If the man hadn't been lying, then the Demonic Heavenly Emperor harbored another hidden secret.
"Whatever you're concealing... I'll uncover it all."
In the past, even if he had mobilized the Death Soul Squad for a hundred years, he would have deemed it impossible to trace the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's footsteps.
But now was different.
The deeper he ventured into the hidden factions...
The further he gazed into the Abyss...
The more of his secrets inevitably surfaced, one by one.
"Huuu..."
Bu Eun-seol staggered as he gasped for breath.
Though fortunate to have used the Imperial Step to revert the Jeokmyeong Star Lord's dual personalities and shattered the Great Art,
he had sustained far too many wounds during the battle.
Moreover, the dragon energy emanating from the Key had grown even stronger, making it difficult to even breathe comfortably now.
"This is—"
Kuuuu...
The dragon energy flowing from the Spirit Vein continued to spread endlessly.
Though the Spirit Vein connected to the Primordial Gate had been sealed with the Key's power,
how could the energy within the Spirit Vein be converting into dragon energy and ceaselessly spreading?
"Once you've mastered the Internal Energy Method, even if the Emperor himself protected you, you still couldn't withstand the dragon energy contained within the Key."
According to the Jeokmyeong Star Lord's words,
those in the martial world who have learned the Internal Energy Method can never resist dragon energy.
For generations, the imperial court had distrusted martial artists and sought to suppress their influence...
So it wasn't entirely surprising that dragon energy was the Grand Perfection—the absolute counter—to their power.
"So that's how it was."
At last, Bu Eun-seol realized what the Azure River Realm desired... and why they had affixed that bizarre metal to the Key.
"They intended to use the Primordial Spirit Vein to transform all the ley lines of the Central Plains into dragon energy."
If they used the embedded Key to convert all the energy within the Spirit Vein into dragon energy—
then they could spread it across the entire eighteen thousand leagues of the Central Plains...
"To create a world of their own."
If they succeeded in converting the rampaging energy of the Spirit Vein entirely into dragon energy—
if every ley line woven like spiderwebs across the Central Plains became saturated with it—
then the power of martial artists and those with Supernatural Powers would vanish entirely.
Only the Azure River Realm's masters, unaffected by dragon energy, would dominate the world.
Kukukuku...
Meanwhile, the Key continued to be drawn out, spewing dragon energy without end.
Tak!
Gripping the Ink Soul Sword, Bu Eun-seol let out a battle cry as he soared atop the tower.
Whoosh—
As he invoked the Ink Soul First Form, mysterious patterns began etching themselves across the surface of the Ink Soul Sword and the Key.
Thud. Drip-drip-drip...
Just as he had done in the Ancient Sword Forest of the volcano—
when he drove the blade into the patterns with the Ink Soul First Form, the massive Key crumbled like a collapsing stone tower before—
Drip...
melting away into molten metal.
Kurururu...
The liquefied metal seeped into the ley lines, solidifying and sealing the hollow where the Key had once been.
The Spirit Vein connected to the Primordial Gate in Mount Tai was now perfectly sealed.
"In the end... the Righteous Heavenly Emperor never came."
Gazing at the remnants of the melted Key, he sighed deeply.
The Righteous Heavenly Emperor had not appeared, and the secrets surrounding him remained unresolved.
But now, at least, the true nature of the Azure River Realm and their ambitions had been revealed—
and with one of Mount Tai's Keys sealed... this journey had not been in vain.
A secret chamber dominated by pitch-black darkness.
Though not a single candle burned within, eerie blue phosphorescence spilled from the luminous stones embedded in the walls, casting grotesque shadows.
The only sound was the rhythmic dripping of water from the ceiling,
while the air stung the nostrils—a mix of subterranean chill, the scent of mold, and the lingering traces of strange incense.
Unknown symbols were carved into the stone walls,
and under the glow of the luminous stones, they writhed as though alive.
Druuu...
Footsteps echoed in the dark.
A masked man clad in resplendent robes emerged.
The hem of his crimson overcoat, embroidered with golden thread, rippled like waves with each step, while the jade pendants at his waist clinked softly.
His silver mask bore intricate cloud patterns,
and the eyes visible through its slits gleamed with an uncanny light.
His gaze fell upon the center of the chamber,
where a man in an iron mask stood motionless.
The leader of the Same Heart Society.
The iron mask concealed his expression, but the rigid line of his mouth beneath it was cold and unyielding.
His hands remained hidden within his sleeves, his stance so still he might have been a statue.
Step. Step.
The masked man approached him slowly, leisurely.
"After yearning for freedom so desperately..."
His voice was low and smooth, yet laced with unmistakable mockery.
"You've finally found your place, it seems."
After a brief pause, he continued in that same subdued tone.
"Baekri Mu-jo... the Sacred Sword."
At that moment, the muscles along the iron-masked man's jawline tensed visibly.
"Do you take pleasure in playing the imperial lapdog?"
Baekri Mu-jo's voice was frigid as ice.
"Or should I call you..."
A sneer curled at Baekri Mu-jo's lips.
"...the disciple of Sado Mu-myeong, from whom you obtained the Heaven and Earth Divine Artifact?"
Kururururu—!
In an instant, the ground beneath the masked man trembled, and the entire chamber was bathed in golden light.
At the same time, a tempestuous energy—one capable of shaking the very world—swirled violently from the fluttering sleeves of his robe.
The Heaven and Earth Divine Energy.
The last remnant of the Four Divine Artifacts, lost from the Central Plains for over five centuries...
now raged beneath the masked man's feet.