Chapter 151
Baek Yeon continued with a grave expression.
"The fundamental reason why the battle between the Great Righteous Experts and the Ten Demonic Heir has begun."
"I'm afraid I don't quite understand what you mean."
Baek Yeon, who had paused briefly, fixed his gaze on the distant sky.
"The Ten Demonic Heir and the Great Righteous Experts. On the surface, it may seem like nothing more than a clash between young masters... but in reality, it's another power struggle between the Righteous and Demonic Paths."
"A power struggle... you say."
Bu Eun-seol, who had been silently lost in thought, shook his head.
He could never agree with that notion.
"If this battle were truly a contest of strength between the Demonic Path and the Righteous Faction, the Demon Hall would have given us ample time to deal with the Great Righteous Experts."
Bu Eun-seol bit his lip as he recalled those who had perished in the bloodbath on Hell Island.
"Yet they forcibly sent us out the moment our fights interfered with the Successor battles. The Ten Demonic Heirs were nothing more than disposable pawns from the start."
"Disposable pawns. You're not wrong."
Baek Yeon's eyes darkened.
"That's precisely what makes this power struggle possible."
His phoenix-like eyes narrowed to slits.
"As you said, the successors of the Demonic Path Ten Gates all remain intact. That's why the Demon Hall is using the Ten Demonic Heirs to eliminate the Great Righteous Experts..."
After a brief pause, he spoke again with heavy gravity.
"The same goes for the Righteous Faction."
In that moment, Bu Eun-seol realized a terrifying truth.
The reason Seong-ryun had been so determined to kill him—wasn't it exactly the same situation as the Ten Demonic Heirs?
"Does that mean the Great Righteous Experts are in the same position?"
"Correct."
Baek Yeon gave a faint nod.
"Selecting talented individuals regardless of sect affiliation, imparting martial arts without reservation, and molding them into pillars of the Righteous Faction—that was the plan for the Great Righteous Experts."
He paused briefly before letting out a sigh.
"And for a while, it seemed to be working. But an unforeseen problem emerged."
Bu Eun-seol immediately responded.
"Just like with the Ten Demonic Heirs, the successors of the orthodox sects felt threatened."
"Precisely."
Baek Yeon wore a bitter smile.
"Every sect, including the Nine Great Sects and One Gang, already had their own successors. But when these outstanding individuals called the Great Righteous Experts appeared, they only caused division."
The larger the sect, the more impossible it became for someone to become successor based solely on exceptional martial talent.
Without the support of the factions upholding each sect, it was meaningless.
Tang Gon had been such a case, and Seong-ryun was no different.
"But aren't the Zhongnan and Gongdong sects desperately searching for the Ten Demonic Heir who killed their members?"
"True. They are searching for the Ten Demonic Heir. Only the Ten Demonic Heir."
Baek Yeon smiled coldly.
"If they truly sought revenge? They would have first identified the sect behind the Inheritor and demanded retribution. That would have been far quicker."
"I see."
Only now did Bu Eun-seol fully grasp the reality.
The Ten Demonic Heirs and the Great Righteous Experts.
These individuals, who had mastered the highest martial purity of the Demonic and Righteous Paths, were nothing more than chess pieces on a board—proxies for the struggle between the two paths.
'That's why the Great Righteous Experts never remained with their respective sects either.'
Once, the Great Righteous Experts had shone brilliantly with their fame.
But now they no longer ventured into the martial world, uniformly remaining in seclusion.
They had no choice but to quietly leave their sects to avoid disrupting the power dynamics of each faction's successors.
"But you are different."
Baek Yeon stared directly into Bu Eun-seol's eyes as he lost himself in thought.
"You are the successor of Langya Pavilion. You always have been, and that remains true now."
Taking a deep breath, Baek Yeon spoke firmly.
"If you wish, I can free you from the shackles of the Ten Demonic Heir—even now, right at this moment."
Bu Eun-seol's gaze remained fixed not on Baek Yeon, but on empty air.
What he desired was not the title of Inheritor of Langya Pavilion, nor the position of Heir to the Demon Hall.
Only to grow endlessly stronger.
To keep growing stronger, find the culprit who changed his fate, and exact his revenge.
'One must never avoid trials.'
To grow stronger, one must never shy away from trials.
If you begin avoiding danger and hardship, you will eventually grow accustomed to evasion. And that is no path to becoming a supreme master who overlooks the martial world.
"I..."
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath and spoke resolutely.
"I will continue to face the Great Righteous Experts."
At this unwavering answer, Baek Yeon nodded.
"I expected you would say that."
With a dry smile, Baek Yeon retrieved an envelope from his robes.
"Read this. Since I cannot stay here long, I've compiled all the information you need inside."
As Bu Eun-seol pulled out and read the letters within, his eyes widened.
"These are..."
"The decision is yours to make. Whatever choice you take, I... and all of Langya Pavilion will believe in you."
"Vice-Head."
Baek Yeon, smiling warmly, gave Bu Eun-seol's shoulder another firm pat.
"Take care of yourself."
With one last affectionate glance, Baek Yeon slowly turned and melted into the mist like a fading shadow.
Bu Eun-seol watched the direction in which he had disappeared, then clasped his hands together and bowed deeply.
"More..."
His whisper was barely audible as he bit down hard on his lip.
"I will grow stronger."
Crackle.
The thick paper inside the bonfire burned steadily, consumed by flames.
It was the envelope Baek Yeon had given him.
Bu Eun-seol's hollow gaze remained fixed on the white smoke curling from the burning paper.
His expression could have been mistaken for deep contemplation—or perhaps no thought at all.
"I must choose."
The envelope had contained two pieces of information.
First, the movements of the Ten Demonic Heirs who had emerged into the martial world.
Seok U-haeng, the Ten Demonic Heir from the Ultimate Assassin Pavilion, had eliminated another Great Righteous Expert.
Meanwhile, Myo Cheon-u of the Extinction Palace had escaped pursuit after belatedly killing a Great Righteous Expert.
'So Myo Cheon-u survived too, just like Yu Un-ryong.'
In short, of the seven Ten Demonic Heirs who had entered the martial world, four still lived.
The second piece of information was that the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, who had been in closed-door training, would break his seclusion within a month and return to the Demon Hall.
Meaning that in just a month, the situation surrounding the Ten Demonic Heirs could shift once more.
Even Baek Yeon had expected the conflict between the Ten Demonic Heirs and the Great Righteous Experts to cease.
"A candidate to succeed the Demon Hall..."
Bu Eun-seol had never intended to slaughter Great Righteous Experts just to become a successor candidate.
But after the incident with the Beggar King, one resolution had solidified in his mind.
He would prove himself by casting off the shackles binding the Ten Demonic Heirs—by his own hand.
"If I can't even do this much, then I have no right to be the successor of the Main Pavilion."
If only for the sake of the Wind and Cloud Corps members who had sacrificed themselves for him, Bu Eun-seol had to grow stronger.
"At any rate, I have a little over a month left."
To achieve that, he would have to surpass Seok U-haeng—which meant eliminating two Great Righteous Experts within that time.
Longsword Mountain Manor
Nestled deep within the treacherous terrain of Biryong Mountain, the manor stood as a time-honored sword sect of the Righteous Path.
Though it couldn't compare to the Nine Great Sects and One Gang or the Eight Great Clans, it had long been renowned throughout the Zhengzhou region.
Eight years ago, when Han Seong, the young master of Longsword Mountain Manor, was chosen as a Great Righteous Expert, the manor's fame had spread beyond Zhengzhou, resonating throughout Henan.
Jing-jing-jing!
Inside the manor, lively music filled the air as guests gathered like clouds.
Today was the day Han Yeong-baek, the lord of Longsword Mountain Manor, would perform the Gold Basin Washing ceremony.
Gold Basin Washing.
A ritual where one washed their hands in a golden basin, symbolizing the washing away of all grudges and retirement from the martial world.
And it was a ceremony reserved only for the renowned chivalrous heroes of the Righteous Path.
Blood debts are repaid in blood.
In truth, no matter how many times one performed the Gold Basin Washing, those who bore grudges would never cease seeking vengeance.
Thus, only those who had performed great deeds—or were celebrated heroes of the Righteous Path—could hold such a ceremony.
Murmur, murmur.
A massive crowd had gathered at Longsword Mountain Manor to celebrate Han Yeong-baek's retirement.
Though a minor sect in Zhengzhou, many factions and local dignitaries had sent gifts out of respect for Han Seong, a Great Righteous Expert.
Then, with the deep tolling of a bell, the manor's martial artists brought forth a large table.
Upon it sat a gleaming golden basin filled with clear water.
"Thank you, fellow martial brothers!"
An elderly man draped in silk robes stepped forward before the assembled guests.
It was Han Yeong-baek, lord of Longsword Mountain Manor.
Beside him stood a sturdy young man—his son, Han Seong, the young master and a Great Righteous Expert.
The gathered martial artists, who had been drinking and feasting, immediately fell silent as the Han father and son appeared.
"I never imagined so many esteemed guests would come to witness this humble old man's Gold Basin Washing."
Han Yeong-baek's voice, though soft, carried clearly to the ears of all the attendees, numbering over three hundred, infused with internal energy.
"From this day forth, I, Han Yeong-baek, shall wash my hands and no longer interfere in the affairs of the martial world. Henceforth, all matters of the manor shall be—"
His words cut off abruptly.
The water in the golden basin suddenly erupted like a firecracker.
"Father!"
Han Seong instinctively shielded Han Yeong-baek.
Hiss—!
White smoke billowed from the splashing liquid. The basin hadn't held water—it was filled with Extreme Poison.
"Ghk—!"
Han Seong swung his sleeve to repel the liquid, but—
Sizzle...
Then, thick smoke suddenly billowed up from beneath the table, spreading densely in all directions.
"AAAAAH!"
A scream tore through the hall, now shrouded in hazy smoke.
The sound was so wretched, as if the person had poured out every last drop of their life force, that it sent chills down everyone's spines.
"The Young Manor Lord is dead!"
As the smoke cleared, someone shouted.
Han Seong, who had been shielding Han Yeong-baek, now lay with his head severed from his body—hadn't it happened in the blink of an eye?
"Assassins!"
The hall plunged into chaos as Han Seong, one of the Great Righteous Experts, was killed in an instant.
But something was strange.
Despite the death of his only son, Han Yeong-baek's face remained eerily calm.
In fact, wasn't there even a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips?
GRRRR—
A dull, resonant sound suddenly echoed from the manor's entrance.
At the same time, dozens of martial artists emerged from the rear courtyard with disciplined movements, swiftly sealing off the entrance.
Faced with this unexpected turn of events, the guests exchanged bewildered glances.
—What in the world is happening?
"Remain calm!"
Han Yeong-baek's voice boomed as he surveyed the crowd.
"Fellow martial brethren! I must first offer my sincerest apologies!"
His expression solemn, he continued.
"I've heard that the Ten Demonic Heirs, scum of the Demonic Path, have been wreaking havoc in the Rivers and Lakes."
A few sharp-eyed martial artists nodded faintly at his words.
They had already realized that this Golden Basin Washing ceremony was a trap to lure out the Ten Demonic Heirs.
"Correct. This ceremony was a desperate measure to draw them out."
Pausing briefly, Han Yeong-baek spoke again.
"Of course, the Golden Basin Washing will proceed as planned—but only after we deal with the Inheritor who has infiltrated this gathering."
Just then, a young man with a dignified bearing stepped forward from behind Han Yeong-baek.
The crowd gasped in shock—because it was none other than Han Seong, the Young Manor Lord of Longsword Mountain Manor.
Had he secretly had a twin brother all along?
"Uhak. I will never forget your sacrifice."
Han Seong's face twisted in sorrow as he gently touched the cheek of the youth who bore his exact likeness.
Then, a thin mask peeled away, revealing the face of a sharp-eyed young man.
—Such a mask exists?!
The martial artists stared in stunned disbelief.
Human skin masks were not unheard of in the martial world.
But they were only tools to conceal one's own face—never before had there been one that could perfectly replicate another's.
"My apologies for startling you all."
As the manor's warriors respectfully collected Uhak's body, Han Seong stepped forward and clasped his hands.
"Upon receiving intelligence that a Ten Demonic Heir from the Ultimate Assassin Pavilion was targeting me, our manor made thorough preparations. With the help of Pavilion Lord Bang of the Pavilion of Skilled Hands, we crafted this mask."
A murmur of awe rippled through the crowd.
Bang Hoeng-hae, the Pavilion Lord of the Pavilion of Skilled Hands, was renowned as the Heavenly Master of Skilled Hands—a master of Mechanism Formations and an artisan capable of crafting anything.
Han Seong had commissioned him to create a perfect replica of his own face, which was then worn by one of the manor's warriors.
Finishing his explanation, Han Seong swept his gaze across the room with a triumphant smile.
"If the culprit reveals themselves now and surrenders peacefully, I will spare their life."
Despite his declaration, the guests only exchanged uneasy glances—no one stepped forward.
"Very well."
At Han Seong's nod, the manor's warriors blocked the entrance.
"My apologies, but all guests must now follow our warriors' instructions while they move temporarily."
Grumbles rose from the crowd.
"We came only to celebrate Manor Lord Han's retirement!"
"We want no part in this troublesome affair!"
Han Seong listened in silence before replying gravely.
"This is a necessary measure to root out the Inheritor. I ask for your understanding. However—"
A fierce light flashed in his eyes.
"—any refusal will be taken as evidence of complicity."
True to his reputation as one of the Great Righteous Experts, an overwhelming aura erupted from Han Seong, pressing down on the entire hall.
Though some wore expressions of discontent, they had no choice but to comply, slowly beginning to move as instructed.
"...!"
Just as the movement neared its end, Han Seong's eyes suddenly sharpened.
He had locked onto the piercing gaze of a middle-aged man shuffling slowly in line.
The exchange lasted only an instant—but Han Seong didn't miss it.
"Halt."
THUD!
Realizing he'd been spotted, the middle-aged man whirled around and lunged for the manor's outer wall.
WHOOSH!
But in that same moment, a crimson mist exploded in midair.
Simultaneously, the fleeing man plummeted to the ground.
THUMP.
Before his fallen body, dozens of figures clad in dark blue martial robes descended from above.
They were the Taoists of the Kongtong Sect.