Chapter 1300
"Gah!"
Whether Bu Eun-seol was startled or not, Gongson Hwa-uk's eyes rolled back as he unleashed his assault. However, unlike before, he now deployed a series of intricate techniques in rapid succession.
'He's blending martial arts with formation study.'
Though it appeared as if he were merely swinging his hands in simple attacks, every movement subtly incorporated the principles of Formation Study, naturally dominating the surrounding space.
A harmony of strength amplified dozens of times and battle formations—these were conditions that could allow one to display an invincible might even within the Domain of World and Realm Annihilation.
Yet Bu Eun-seol remained unflustered, calmly countering Gongson Hwa-uk.
'Is he drawing power from that blue stone?'
Gongson Hwa-uk was moving in tandem with that glowing stone, unconsciously obstructing any approach.
'He doesn't seem corrupted by killing intent or malevolence, though.'
As he blocked the attacks, Bu Eun-seol coolly analyzed the situation—
Thud!
Instead of evading Gongson Hwa-uk's charge, he closed the distance abruptly and unleashed Finger Wind.
Snap-snap-snap!
Though he precisely struck the acupoints, Gongson Hwa-uk's body had hardened like steel, rendering the technique ineffective.
Thud.
Now at point-blank range, Bu Eun-seol attempted to seize Gongson Hwa-uk's left hand, which was radiating sharp sword-like energy.
In that instant, Gongson Hwa-uk deployed a yin-soft Palm Energy to shake him off—
But Bu Eun-seol, adapting the techniques of the Eighteen Garment-Pinning Strikes, clung to him like fabric wrapped around a sleeve.
Then, shifting into Eagle Claw Hand, he gripped Gongson Hwa-uk's left arm tightly.
Crackle-crackle-crackle!
Simultaneously, purple lightning erupted incessantly around Gongson Hwa-uk, sparks scattering in all directions.
Within the Domain of World and Realm Annihilation, Bu Eun-seol had unleashed a powerful Thunder Essence Divine Qi to knock him unconscious.
Thump.
Gongson Hwa-uk didn't even manage a groan before collapsing, his eyes rolling back.
"This... I should restrain myself."
Faced with the unexpected outcome, Bu Eun-seol wore an awkward expression.
Using Thunder Essence Divine Qi within the Domain of World and Realm Annihilation had amplified its power several times over—
Not only had it shattered the Body Protection True Qi encasing Gongson Hwa-uk's iron-hard body, but it had also left his once-glossy beard and hair completely singed and frizzled.
"Family Head."
When Bu Eun-seol infused Reverse Polarity True Qi into his Life Gate Acupoint—
"Ugh—!"
Gongson Hwa-uk, who had been unconscious, abruptly sat up.
"You—?"
His eyes were now clear, his awareness fully restored.
Likely, the intense shock of the Thunder Essence Divine Qi had jolted his mind back to clarity.
"What brings you here?"
Gongson Hwa-uk blinked rapidly, as if all memory of recent events had been wiped away.
"Why was I lying here?"
"You don't remember?"
"Not at all."
He pressed a hand to his forehead and shook his head.
"I was only studying that stone—the one with amplifying properties—when..."
"The stone enhances power?"
"Yes."
"Where did you obtain it?"
"Do you recall? The elderly Lama Monk from Sera Utse Mountain—the one who saved me—once said he created Heaven-Round Earth to seek one who wielded the Primordial Chaos Subtle Qi."
"Of course."
As if recalling the past, Gongson Hwa-uk stroked his chin and continued.
"And Heaven-Round Earth was connected to the Heavenly Star Retreat. After you entered, I sealed it off... but suddenly, a light appeared."
He pointed at the distant, shimmering stone.
"Following that light, I discovered a hidden Secret Cave. And inside... that was there."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed.
The Gongson Clan, with its four-hundred-year history of migrating from the north to the Central Plains—
A Secret Cave suddenly appearing now?
Moreover, Gongson Hwa-uk was a master of Formation Study.
Had there been a hidden Secret Cave, he should have discovered it long ago.
"Suddenly, you say?"
"I found it strange, but at the time... I was so fascinated by the glowing stone that I lost myself in examining it."
"Family Head."
Having grasped the situation, Bu Eun-seol immediately stepped in front of him.
"Do not approach that stone any further."
"Hm?"
"I believe the reason you were unconscious until now was precisely because of that stone."
He recounted everything that had transpired in the Gongson Clan, including Gongson Hwa-uk's actions.
"I see."
After listening, Gongson Hwa-uk nodded in understanding.
"That stone certainly has the power to do so."
"What exactly is it?"
"Literally, a stone of amplification."
Gongson Hwa-uk sighed.
"It enhances a person's inherent traits by dozens of times."
He had discovered the stone hidden within the Heavenly Star Retreat and began researching it to determine its nature.
At first, it was mere curiosity—a light investigation. But before he knew it, he had abandoned all else, devoting himself entirely to its study.
In truth, the reason he had become the foremost master of battle formations in the martial world was also due to his relentless, insatiable curiosity.
The deeper he researched, the more his stamina and concentration doubled. Above all else... he found himself seized by an intense craving unlike anything he had ever felt before.
Gongson Hwa-uk was a man possessed of a more fervent curiosity than anyone else.
It was precisely because of that tenacity that he had risen to the position of the foremost authority in formation study—a height others could scarcely reach even after dedicating their entire lives.
And the moment he laid hands on that stone, his curiosity transformed from mere interest into outright obsession.
The more he studied it, the deeper his fixation grew.
He threw himself into his research like a madman, desperate to uncover the principles behind the stone's creation.
"Through my research, I discovered that if an ordinary commoner were to touch this stone, they would perish instantly."
"Meaning only those with a certain level of constitution, martial skill, or internal energy can withstand the power emanating from it."
"Precisely."
"Then..."
Bu Eun-seol's gaze flickered toward the faintly glowing stone as he spoke.
"If that stone were to leave this place, countless lives would be lost, and chaos would spread."
"Indeed."
If word spread that a stone existed which could amplify a martial artist's innate traits and multiply their strength dozens of times over—
Not only would countless factions storm the Gongson Clan to seize it, but the entire martial world would plunge into turmoil.
"I will attempt to destroy it."
At Bu Eun-seol's words, Gongson Hwa-uk shook his head.
"Impossible. I tried every method imaginable, yet couldn't so much as leave a scratch on it."
His eyes narrowed as he stared into empty space, then he spoke in a firm voice.
"I suspect it is a treasure born of nature—something beyond the reach of human power."
A treasure bestowed by the heavens.
Bu Eun-seol lowered his gaze to the Ink Soul Sword in his hand.
This sword, forged by his mother and wielded by his father, could destroy even Keys and Black Divine Artifacts made from remnants of the Creation Sun and Moon.
Perhaps it could destroy this stone as well.
Srrk—
Bu Eun-seol drew the Ink Soul Sword.
If this sword could break even the Black Divine Artifact and the key that sealed spirit veins—
Then perhaps it could also destroy that grotesque stone.
"I will make the attempt."
Reading the resolve in Bu Eun-seol's eyes, Gongson Hwa-uk let out a sigh.
"Then do so from a distance. The stone's energy may harm you."
In his eyes,
Bu Eun-seol was not the grandmaster of the Demonic Path—but merely a prospective son-in-law, steadfast in character and conviction.
"Thank you."
Sensing Gongson Hwa-uk's concern, Bu Eun-seol allowed a faint smile to touch his lips.
Though Gongson Dan-gyeong was not their blood daughter, Gongson Hwa-uk and his wife had raised her with the same devotion as their own.
Unlike the ruthless martial artists of the world, they were noble in character, unbound by petty grudges.
Perhaps that was why—
Even after being exposed to a stone that amplified human traits, Gongson Hwa-uk had only succumbed to an obsession with research.
This must never fall into the hands of evil.
This stone might very well be part of a sinister plot to overthrow the Gongson Clan.
And yet, the Gongson Clan lacked the strength to protect it...
"Because they are not a martial clan, they were deemed insignificant."
He had assumed that since they were the main family of the strategists, the Azure Heaven Alliance would protect them well enough.
But seeing the situation now, the Gongson Clan was a place that required far more vigilance than anywhere else.
If it cannot be removed or altered... then destruction is the only option.
Sssshhh—
Hundreds of luminous points bloomed beneath Bu Eun-seol's feet.
A sword form of intense vitality—one capable of destroying a treasure beyond human reach.
He prepared to unleash the Ink Soul First Form and shatter the stone in a single strike.
Zzziiing—
Mysterious patterns etched themselves across the darkened blade. But just as he was about to unleash his full power—
Wait.
A strange thought flickered through his mind, and his hand stilled.
Those targeting the Gongson Clan—
Were a faction with formidable intelligence networks and power, capable of manipulating countless vagrants to wreak havoc without leaving a trace.
There was no way they could have been unaware of this stone hidden deep within the estate.
This is a trap.
Moreover, Gongson Hwa-uk was a master of formation study.
He would have known the ley lines running through the estate and their flows like the back of his hand.
For such a precious treasure to suddenly appear in the Heavenly Star Retreat—a place sealed not long ago—was utterly impossible.
Zzziiing— Zzziiing—
But then, the unexpected happened.
As the Ink Soul First Form activated and the Ink Soul Sword's patterns glowed, releasing waves of life energy—
The faintly glowing blue stone suddenly began emitting a thick black mist.
Drip, drip—
As if it had been waiting for the Ink Soul Sword to release its life energy—
The black mist surged greedily, swiftly enveloping Bu Eun-seol's body.
"This is..."
Bu Eun-seol felt an uncanny sensation.
Had that stone been waiting all along for the energy of the Ink Soul Sword as it unleashed the Ink Soul First Form?
An ominous premonition arose—that perhaps only through the Ink Soul First Form and the Ink Soul Sword could the True Body be revealed.
Grrrrrl.
The interior trembled violently as the black mist began flowing into Bu Eun-seol's seven apertures.
'I'll return it to you.'
Channeling his Internal Power, Bu Eun-seol instantly employed the principle of Reversal, forcing the absorbed energy back outward.
No—he had to return it.
Whooosh.
The black mist that had entered his body began seeping in as naturally as if it had always belonged there.
Drip. Drip.
In an instant, his skin darkened, and his heart began pounding like a mad thing.
His entire body burned as though his blood were evaporating.
A tidal wave of desire surged through him—to tear the entire world apart with his bare hands.
The wretched instinct he had sealed deep within his heart.
The temperament of the Greatest Demon Under Heaven was resurfacing.
"Ugh..."
Bu Eun-seol had been born with the traits of a Great Demon capable of overturning the world, but until now, he had suppressed them.
Even while learning the undertaker's craft from his grandfather.
Even while mastering the art of calming his mind by appreciating nature's beauty.
He had sunk that demonic nature into the depths of the Abyss.
But once, the Empress Dowager had awakened it, and since then, he had restrained it through superhuman self-control.
Yet now, exposed to the stone's energy, uncontrollable Demonic Energy began pouring out.
Drip. Drip.
Before he knew it, his skin darkened as if painted with ink, while the embedded stone gradually turned translucent.
Thin, vein-like lines began splitting across its surface.
'So this was the goal.'
The amplifying energy flowing from the stone had vanished without a trace, and now, as if forming a new Key—
It began rapidly draining the energy of the Spirit Veins deep beneath the Gongson Clan's lands.
"Ghhh—"
Like darkness spreading beneath pale skin, black veins spiderwebbed outward, corroding his flesh.
His eyes transformed into a pair of white orbs—devoid of emotion, warmth, or humanity.
"You there! Are you all right?"
Gongson Hwa-uk, startled by his transformation, rushed forward—
Ssskkt.
Bu Eun-seol instinctively reached out before jerking his hand back.
He had nearly crushed Gongson Hwa-uk's skull, unable to restrain the murderous intent surging through him.
'I must stop this.'
If this Great Demon's nature erupted while he had lost his reason?
He could wipe out an entire province in an instant.
"Family Head... stay back."
"What's happening?"
"It seems this stone was a trap meant to draw me out."
Clutching desperately at the threads of his rationality, Bu Eun-seol began wrenching the embedded stone free.
Cccrrrk.
As the massive stone came loose, the rest crumbled to dust in an instant—
Leaving only a small, blackened orb that clattered to the ground.
Likely the condensed Core of the stone's power.
Using Void Object Retrieval, he caught the falling orb and tucked it into his robes—
VOOOM.
A tremendous shockwave erupted from Bu Eun-seol's body, followed by crackling black flames.
Pop. Pop. Pop.
His skin split like fraying cloth, black fire spewing from the fissures.
He struggled to endure the rising Demonic Energy, but the more he resisted, the whiter his pupils became, his skin darkening further.
As if he were transforming into a demon clawing its way up from the depths of hell.
"Kah—haa."
His lips slowly cracked apart. Even the breath escaping between them was black smoke.
A ferocious killing intent and Demonic Energy—too overwhelming for even his self-control—spread through his body.
"Snap out of it!"
Pak! Pak! Pak!
Assessing the situation, Gongson Hwa-uk immediately sealed Bu Eun-seol's thirty-six pressure points—
Then moved behind him, injecting robust True Qi into his Life Gate Acupoint.
BOOM!
But the immense energy surging through Bu Eun-seol's body sent him hurtling back into the stone wall.
"Ghk—!"
Crashing against it, he collapsed to the ground, blood trickling from his lips.
Though the Gongson Clan was not a Martial Clan—
Gongson Hwa-uk had trained in martial arts since youth, and his Internal Power was on par with the era's greatest Masters.
Yet even he had failed to withstand the tempest within Bu Eun-seol, sustaining internal injuries.
Ssskkt.
Bu Eun-seol stared at the fallen Gongson Hwa-uk—then slowly extended a single finger.
Gooooh.
Black Demonic Energy swirled at his fingertip.
Unable to contain the erupting killing intent, he was about to murder Gongson Hwa-uk once more.
At the very moment his finger was about to flick outward—
Oooooom.
A strange heat radiated from the area near his Brain Gate Acupoint, and a faint crimson glow began emanating from his body.
Primordial Chaos Subtle Qi.
The supreme power of Tibet's Nothingness Sect had begun to manifest.
"Ugh..."
As the surging Demonic Energy momentarily subsided, Bu Eun-seol regained his senses with a pained groan.
'I have to get as far away as possible.'
The world appeared in stark black-and-white lines, and it felt as though millions of white threads were unraveling from his body.
If this continued, not only Gongson Hwa-uk but the entire Gongson Clan would be annihilated.
BOOM!
Biting his lip until it bled, he burst through the underground ceiling and shot into the sky.
KWAOOOOO—!
The moment he began channeling his Internal Power, the Primordial Chaos Subtle Qi weakened, and the Demonic Energy surged outward once more.
'Somewhere with no people.'
He absolutely could not head toward crowded areas or Chengdu.
Bu Eun-seol ran with everything he had, sprinting endlessly.
But something was strange.
Ziiing, ziiing.
Whenever he moved in a certain direction, the skull-splitting agony gradually lessened.
Even the explosive Demonic Energy seemed to stabilize, if only slightly.
'West.'
Miraculously, the farther he ran westward, the more the Demonic Energy became controllable.
'Faster.'
The energy currents enveloping his body twisted into black radiance, and his figure shot forward like an arrow splitting the void.
KWAOOOONG!
The earth tore away beneath him in an instant, and the air split apart with a scream-like howl.
Before long, mountain ranges became mere shadows in the rapidly blurring landscape, and rivers and forests melted into single streaks of lines.
"Ghhh..."
Though the pain threatening to tear him apart faded the farther he flew west, the Demonic Energy pouring from his body remained.
If he didn't release the overflowing energy, his body would explode.
GOOOOOOO—!
By the time he could no longer gauge how much time had passed, the wind slapping his cheeks carried a briny, metallic scent.
As the land ended, an endless expanse of dense sea fog swallowed his vision—
And beyond it stretched the vast, boundless ocean.
In the middle of that fathomless sea, a massive island floated as if severed from the world.
The forest covering the island bore colors unseen in the Central Plains,
and strange, luminous fruits hung in clusters from every tree, emitting an eerie glow.
Bu Eun-seol plunged toward a wide clearing at the island's center.
Though he descended like a black comet, he spun midair at the last moment to soften the impact.
KWAANG!
The moment his pitch-black, gleaming feet touched the ground, the surrounding dust exploded outward in a circular shockwave, leaving a crater-like imprint.
Sweat poured from his darkened skin like rain, and his eyes flashed with a beast-like sharpness.
'It's hard to stay rational.'
The Demonic Energy had stabilized somewhat,
but his killing intent only grew more explosive, threatening to shatter his consciousness.
Ooooom.
Then, a peculiar vibration pulsed from deeper within the island.
It was the same energy that had allowed him to barely control the Demonic Energy earlier.
As he moved toward the forest, towering ancient trees rose as if piercing the heavens.
Their bark was smooth as silk yet gleamed with a pearly luster,
and the fruits hanging from their branches—each the size of a palm—glowed with a translucent blue-jade hue.
The Spiritual Energy radiating from them was so dense that merely breathing made his Internal Power circulate on its own.
'This was deliberately cultivated.'
Fruits brimming with Spiritual Energy couldn't possibly grow naturally in the middle of this desolate ocean.
Crunch, crunch.
As he walked deeper, bizarre rock formations came into view, and between their crevices grew faintly glowing Spiritual Herbs.
The air itself tasted unnaturally sweet, and though he hadn't drunk anything, a refreshing coolness lingered in his mouth.
Swish—
But then, the forest trembled, and countless shadows began emerging one by one.
Five elders with white hair and deep wrinkles.
There wasn't a single ordinary thing about them—their eyes were as still as ancient ponds, but their appearances and attire were bizarre.
One had his hair split into twin braids, another had nose hairs long enough to reach his lips.
A pair of twins shared identical faces but were so drastically different in height that it looked grotesque.
The only one who seemed remotely normal was the completely bald elder.
"Would you look at this brat?"
The elders' gazes were filled not with surprise but sheer disbelief.
"That young whelp actually crawled his way onto our Path?"
"Right? He's far too young!"
"Could he be like that Seven Fingers Demonic Blade?"
Even in his haze, hearing his grandfather's epithet jolted him awake.
'Grandfather...'
"Tch, he's so pitch-black even his parents wouldn't recognize him."
Then, the twin-braided elder stepped forward and thrust a finger at Bu Eun-seol.
"Who the hell are you?"
"I am—"
But the moment he strained his voice to answer, the suppressed Demonic Energy erupted again.
"Block that brat's Demonic Energy first, you old monk!"
The old man with protruding nose hair roared and, without hesitation, unleashed a Killing Move straight at Bu Eun-seol.