Chapter 201
When Bu Eun-seol opened the door, he saw a young attendant with her head deeply bowed.
Though her features were striking, her makeup-free face trembled slightly, her entire body shaking lightly.
Despite her gentle voice, it was clear this was her first time serving someone during a bath.
Understanding the situation at once, Bu Eun-seol let out a sigh and spoke.
"It's fine."
"Young Master..."
"Don't worry, you may leave."
Bu Eun-seol had already pierced through the attendant's inner thoughts.
"I'll speak to the manor master directly. You won't face any disadvantage because of this."
"Th-thank you, my lord."
Only then did the attendant seem to breathe a sigh of relief, bowing deeply before departing.
Listening to the sound of her light footsteps fading away, Bu Eun-seol exhaled heavily.
Jin Yu-hwa had likely forced this exceptionally beautiful attendant upon him in a desperate attempt to gain favor.
'Well, it can't be helped. He is, after all, a member of the Kill-Seeking Unit.'
Those in the Kill-Seeking Unit, never knowing when death might come, had no reservations about taking women to bed—just like the assassins of the Murim.
With a bitter smile, Bu Eun-seol dried his damp body and stepped outside.
The world was silent, and only the lonely moon hung in the sky, casting its desolate light upon the earth.
Gazing at the moonlight with deep eyes, Bu Eun-seol then turned his attention to the rooftop of the opposite pavilion.
"Hmm."
He spoke in a low voice.
"Can't sleep?"
Thud.
At the same moment, a tall shadow leaped down from the rooftop and landed on the ground. It was none other than Hyeok So-jin.
"Brother Bu."
In his hand was a large glass bottle.
While the other unit members had been drinking and resting, he had been sitting alone on the rooftop, drinking by himself.
"I'm just... troubled."
Hyeok So-jin stared at the empty bottle before letting out a bitter laugh.
"We'll soon be entering the Demon Hall. I can't help but wonder if the same thing will happen again."
Last time, Hyeok So-jin had been unable to withstand the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's overwhelming presence and had been forced to turn back at the gates of the Holy Demon Pavilion.
For the heir of the Heaven-Severing, Earth-Destroying, it had been a humiliating incident he would never forget.
"Don't worry. If you meet the Demonic Heavenly Emperor this time, you'll be able to endure it."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because you've grown stronger through this ordeal."
"Have I? Then why can't I feel it myself?"
Hyeok So-jin wore an expression of deep disappointment.
"Perhaps I still have a long way to go."
Watching him, Bu Eun-seol allowed a faint smile to touch his lips.
He, too, had once experienced a great advancement in the Martial Arts True Scripture without realizing it—back when he had returned to Langya Pavilion after resolving matters in the martial world.
—"...Once you grasp such principles, you'll be able to perceive and unravel even the phenomena and changes occurring within your own body. Those who reach such a level are what we call Grandmasters of Martial Arts."
Recalling the words Deputy Pavilion Master Dan Cheong had once spoken to him, Bu Eun-seol said quietly,
"Even I only realized such truths after seeking guidance from Deputy Pavilion Master Dan Cheong and the Wind Cloud Brigade's leader."
"What do you mean?"
"That sensing the phenomena and changes within one's own body is something only a peerless Grandmaster of Martial Arts can achieve."
Bu Eun-seol explained in detail the insights he had gained from Deputy Pavilion Master Dan Cheong and Baek Yeon.
"I see..."
After listening for a while, Hyeok So-jin finally nodded with a brightened expression.
"I truly had no idea."
Clapping his hands in delight, Hyeok So-jin suddenly darkened again.
"But... there's another reason I'm troubled."
"What is it?"
"You've always walked the martial world alone, haven't you?"
"And?"
"But after leading the Rootless Squad this time... I've realized that numbers can't be ignored."
Hyeok So-jin continued with a grave expression.
"I'm worried the other factions of the Demonic Path Ten Gates might come after you with a large force. There are no restrictions on battles between successor candidates, after all."
The Demonic Path Ten Gates were no small factions.
If they truly mobilized their forces, what then? Even if his martial arts improved several times, it would be impossible to stop them alone.
"Of course, that's possible."
Bu Eun-seol replied indifferently.
"But they won't bring a massive army. At most, they'd send a single unit or detachment."
"How can you be sure? You've already crushed several units from the Demonic Path Ten Gates. They wouldn't repeat the same mistake, would they?"
"The successors of the Demonic Path Ten Gates are all fiercely proud."
Bu Eun-seol stated firmly.
"Even if the White Horse Monastery, Hell Blood Citadel, or the Death Command Gate failed, they'd never believe they would fail themselves."
"You think so?"
"Most likely."
"Well, that's a relief."
Despite hearing this reassurance, Hyeok So-jin's expression remained uneasy.
A warrior's intuition.
It was a premonition only those who had survived life-and-death battles could truly sense.
"The unit members have mostly recovered by now. We'll be able to return soon."
Turning away, Bu Eun-seol spoke in a low voice.
"Rest. At dawn, we'll use our Lightness Skill to return to the Demon Hall in one go."
"Understood."
Hyeok So-jin slung the empty bottle over his shoulder, grinned, and strode out of the pavilion.
But that plan ultimately fell through.
By the time dawn broke, martial artists clad in pitch-black uniforms had begun gathering one by one before Silver Star Manor.
Hyeok So-jin's intuition—it had proven eerily accurate.
Creak.
As the great gate swung open, martial artists wearing black masks with a peculiar luster stood solemnly in formation.
Their entire bodies exuded a uniformly sharp energy, and at their waists hung swords without scabbards.
Bu Eun-seol, who had been indifferently observing the masked martial artists, suddenly narrowed his eyes.
The blades hanging from their waists were unusually narrow.
Bloodflame Blade.
The Bloodflame Blade Art, the pinnacle of the Blade Tyrant Study, hailed as the strongest blade discipline among the Demonic Path Ten Gates.
The Bloodflame Blade Family had perfected their training system to such an extent that even an ordinary person with mediocre bone and muscle structure could reach first-rate mastery if they practiced it.
And if a truly talented individual took it up, their progress would surpass all imagination in speed.
The Bloodflame Blade Family—a sect that stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the Fire Rain Sword Sect, the greatest of the demonic factions. And now, its masters had surrounded the entrance of Silver Star Manor.
"Hmm."
Bu Eun-seol's gaze deepened.
The Bloodflame Blade Family was incomparable to the likes of White Horse Monastery or Hell Blood Citadel—it was a grand lineage of the blade, equal to the Fire Rain Sword Sect, the foremost sword sect of the Demonic Path.
And now that they had revealed themselves, they must have prepared an unavoidable strike.
Thud. Thud.
Then, the formation parted left and right, and a muscular man stepped forward.
His complexion was deathly pale, and his eyes—sharp as if slashed open—pierced through the air.
He looked like a blade that had taken human form.
"Tak Il-hwang."
The Blood Sea Demon Blade, Tak Il-hwang.
Though he belonged to the Bloodflame Blade Family, he had restrained his activities in the Martial World—yet he was still one of the Ten Great Blade Demons, a terrifying blade master on par with Jeon Il-hon.
As Bu Eun-seol's gaze remained fixed on the masked swordsmen, Tak Il-hwang grinned.
"You must've heard of the family's Twelve Flame Guests."
The Twelve Flame Guests.
A group of terrifying blade masters who relentlessly pursued and slaughtered all who dared oppose the Bloodflame Blade Family.
Tak Il-hwang, one of the Ten Great Blade Demons, and the Twelve Flame Guests, who had never once failed in their missions—an undefeated force.
That was the Bloodflame Blade Family's trump card, their guaranteed victory.
'The Blood Sea Demon Blade and the Twelve Flame Guests...'
Something felt off.
As Bu Eun-seol sank into deep thought, sensing an inexplicable unease—
"Bu Eun-seol."
The middle-aged man standing before him stared coldly into his face and spoke.
"I'll give you a choice."
"..."
"Either return to Langya Pavilion as you are... or embrace death."
Tak Il-hwang wore the expression of the King of Hell, delivering judgment.
Each of the Twelve Flame Guests possessed peak-realm strength, and they had each mastered the Bloodflame Blade Art beyond the Five Stars.
In other words, even if Bu Eun-seol died and came back to life, he stood no chance against them.
"Nonsense."
Bu Eun-seol stretched out his hand with an indifferent expression.
"Enough talk. Draw your blade."
"Hoh, are you counting on the rabble behind you?"
"Who knows."
Tak Il-hwang chuckled.
"I know. They're the Rootless Squad, dispatched under the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's orders for the Demon Rebel Gate mission."
Tak Il-hwang had thoroughly investigated Bu Eun-seol's movements.
He already knew that the unit standing behind Bu Eun-seol was the Rootless Squad—a gathering of reckless ruffians.
"Those brats were sent under the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's orders to eliminate the Demon Rebel Gate, weren't they?"
"So?"
"That means their mission is over. They won't risk their lives fighting for you."
Instead of answering, Bu Eun-seol drew his Ink Sword.
Shiiing—
As a low sword resonance hummed through the air, Tak Il-hwang scoffed.
Shhhring—
But the moment Bu Eun-seol drew his weapon, as if they had been waiting for it, thirty Rootless Squad members followed suit, unsheathing their own arms.
"Oh? You're interfering?"
Despite the unexpected turn of events, Tak Il-hwang maintained his composure, tilting his head.
"You lot have nothing to gain by meddling in a successor candidate's fight, do you?"
Then, Wi Cheon-gyeong, his bangs covering his forehead, stepped forward and spoke.
"We don't care about successor fights. We just have to protect our commander."
"How surprising."
Tak Il-hwang cocked his head in puzzlement.
The Rootless Squad was a gathering of extremely selfish individuals with no sense of belonging whatsoever.
And yet, they were willing to stake their lives for Bu Eun-seol, a mere temporary commander?
"You're... really going through with this?"
A murderous aura began spreading from the bodies of every Rootless Squad member.
"I don't know what kind of sorcery you used on them."
His brief look of surprise faded as Tak Il-hwang sneered.
"Not that it'll change anything."
Nod.
At his signal, the Twelve Flame Guests standing behind him slowly stepped forward.
Even with battle imminent, their eyes remained low and calm, devoid of any tension.
They had fought countless bloody battles—and never once tasted defeat. Their long-standing victories had numbed their emotions entirely.
"Brother Bu."
At that moment, Hyeok So-jin stepped forward with a grave expression.
"We'll handle these bastards. You take care of that big-faced bastard over there."
Without hesitation, he charged toward the Twelve Flame Guests, spreading his arms wide.
Fwaaah!
A violet radiance exploded outward, followed by razor-thin silver threads spreading in all directions.
It was the Blood Thread Steel Wire unleashed through Divine Rending Demon Qi.
Shwrrrrrlk!
The steel wires, alive like serpents, pierced through empty air and instantly disrupted the formation of the Twelve Flame Guests standing behind Tak Il-hwang.
"We'll take the flanks!"
With Wi Cheon-gyeong's shout, the Second Squad members split left and right, deploying their movement techniques while scattering hidden blades.
"We'll strike the front!"
This time, Won Se-mun and his unit members drew their swords and charged head-on.
"And we'll cover the rear!"
Naturally, Jo Nam-cheon's Third Squad encircled the Twelve Flame Guests from behind.
Clang! Clang!
The clashing of weapons rang out as the battle between the Twelve Flame Guests and the Rootless Squad began.
At first, the Twelve Flame Guests swung their blades with sneers, but their expressions gradually twisted in bewilderment.
The Rootless Squad members were supposed to be nothing but reckless ruffians whose skills turned into a mess when grouped together.
Yet now, they moved in perfect coordination—not just in attack and defense, but with disciplined precision.
Moreover, they fought without fear, like battle-hardened veterans who had long transcended the boundary between life and death.
"Don't aim to win! Just hold out until Brother Bu finishes that bastard off!"
At Hyeok So-jin's loud command, the unit members roared in unison, swinging their weapons with even greater precision.
Watching the Rootless Squad move in flawless formation, even Tak Il-hwang gaped in shock alongside the Twelve Flame Guests.
"What the hell is this?"
The Rootless Squad, who should have been mowed down like straw by the Twelve Flame Guests, were now holding their own with ease.
"Are these really the same Rootless Squad?"
These were no longer the reckless ruffians of the past.
Not only had their skills improved dramatically, but they had also gained experience from defeating over a hundred elite soldiers of the Demon Rebel Gate. That was why they stubbornly held their ground even against the terrifying Twelve Flame Guests.
Tak Il-hwang let out a disbelieving laugh.
"Impressive. To transform these unruly bastards—whom even the Demon Hall couldn't control—into elite fighters in such a short time..."
"Eyes on me."
A low voice cut through the air as a pitch-black sword aura slashed toward his neck.
In that instant, Bu Eun-seol had drawn his Ink Sword like lightning, aiming to behead him.
Clang!
A clear metallic ring resounded as blade met blade. Tak Il-hwang's face twisted as if he had swallowed something bitter—the sheer force behind the Ink Sword had numbed his fingertips.
'This bastard—?'
His eyebrows twitched.
'Has his martial arts reached an even higher realm in such a short time?'
He had thoroughly investigated Bu Eun-seol, including not just his temperament but also the level of his martial prowess.
Yet now, Bu Eun-seol's strength seemed to have advanced beyond what it had been when he left the Demon Hall.
'Has he broken through another realm in this brief span?'
"Good!"
Erasing his doubts in an instant, Tak Il-hwang surged his internal power.
Whoosh!
A chilling saber aura erupted, coiling around Bu Eun-seol like a serpent.
"Let's play properly!"
Bu Eun-seol's eyes gleamed sharply as he observed the cascading saber aura.
'I need to break his saber forms as quickly as possible.'
Back on Hell Island, the most troublesome opponents had always been those who trained in the Bloodflame Blade Art.
The Bloodflame Blade grew more intricate and powerful with each clash.
If he let his guard down even briefly, the saber light would multiply in an instant—so he had to suppress it early.
Flash!
As four streaks of saber light rained down, the Ink Sword tore through the air, disrupting the saber forms.
Bzzzt!
But in that moment, the tip of the saber trembled once—and the saber light instantly multiplied into eight streaks.
Clang-clang-clang!
The unpredictable angles of the variations were impossible to anticipate, yet Bu Eun-seol's sword precisely intercepted all eight.
"Not bad!"
As Bu Eun-seol shattered the initial forms, Tak Il-hwang only laughed hoarsely and unleashed another wave of saber techniques.
"Then try blocking this!"
Clang!
The Ink Sword and saber collided midair, sparks flying.
Blade Light Sword Shadow.
The high-speed exchange of saber and sword techniques filled the surroundings with a chilling sword qi, as if all the air had been sucked from the space between them.
Shriiiing!
As if by mutual agreement, the two closed the distance in an instant, weapons clashing once more.
'This is where it ends.'
The Bloodflame Blade Art's visible forms were only the surface. The more saber forms were unleashed, the more its power grew exponentially.
Boom!
Bu Eun-seol channeled his full internal energy, a vortex of true qi erupting from his body.
Swift battle, swift resolution.
He had to end Tak Il-hwang—fast.