Chapter 202
'That bastard?'
Tak Il-hwang, sensing the extraordinary aura rising from Bu Eun-seol's body, also poured forth his full combat power without reserve.
Kwaaaa—!
As azure saber energy cascaded like a tidal wave to envelop Bu Eun-seol's body—
Bbrrrrr.
Bu Eun-seol's Ink Sword trembled faintly before beginning to chase the shadows of the pouring saber strikes like a specter.
The fifth form of the Formless Heavenly Flow. Ten Thousand Swords Return to Origin.
An ultimate art unfolded—one that perfectly replicated the enemy's techniques by tracing the trajectories of their pouring martial forms.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
With only a momentary delay, Bu Eun-seol's Ink Sword clashed against Tak Il-hwang's blade.
This time, he had no intention of observing the saber technique or dismantling the forms.
Tak Il-hwang was a master among the Ten Great Blade Demons. His skill was on par with Jeon Il-hon, without the slightest discrepancy.
"Tch."
After exchanging over forty forms in a single breath, a groan burst from Tak Il-hwang's lips.
With every clash of weapons, his entire skeleton shook, and his wrists ached.
Due to Bu Eun-seol's overwhelming internal energy, each impact rattled his bones and muscles like the Paeng Clan's Five Tigers Gate-Breaking Saber Method.
At this rate, far from severing Bu Eun-seol's neck, his own wrist bones would shatter first.
'He intends to decide the match with this single exchange.'
He had discerned that Bu Eun-seol sought to break his bones and end the battle in this one exchange.
'Moreover, this sword technique...'
Tak Il-hwang was a master who had roamed the martial world for decades. He instantly recognized that the sword path of Bu Eun-seol's Ten Thousand Swords Return to Origin was identical to his own Bloodflame Blade.
Zzziiing!
At that moment, Tak Il-hwang's Bloodflame Blade blurred before suddenly dispersing like mist.
Thud.
Bu Eun-seol's Ink Sword, which had been scattering light in all directions, lost its trajectory and fell to the ground.
The moment Tak Il-hwang halted his attack and employed an unusual martial form, the technique of Ten Thousand Swords Return to Origin—which instantly mimicked the opponent's sword path—also ceased abruptly.
Swoosh.
In that brief moment, Tak Il-hwang swiftly retreated, regulating his breathing and steadying his stance.
And just as he prepared to attack again—
Flash!
A brilliant light flared from the silver-glinting Bloodflame Blade, making Bu Eun-seol narrow his eyes.
Tak Il-hwang was standing with the sun at his back.
'A chance granted by heaven.'
He had mastered a unique saber strike that guaranteed a kill—but only when standing with sunlight at his back.
'Even going all out, I can't guarantee an easy victory against this one.'
Tak Il-hwang instinctively realized that Bu Eun-seol possessed skill equal to his own.
In that case, rather than risking his life in a prolonged battle, he would unleash a killing saber technique—one that could end the fight in a single stroke.
"Good!"
FSSSH—!
With a battle cry, he surged forward, leaping high above Bu Eun-seol's head.
Simultaneously, he unleashed his Bloodflame Blade, sending sixteen streams of saber light pouring endlessly down upon Bu Eun-seol.
Those streams multiplied into thirty-two.
And those thirty-two multiplied yet again into hundreds of luminous blades raining down upon Bu Eun-seol's head.
'Go on, deflect these saber lights like you've done before!'
Tak Il-hwang wore a cruel smile as he watched Bu Eun-seol.
'The moment you do, you're finished!'
Just as Bu Eun-seol finally moved his Ink Sword to deflect the descending saber light—
Tap.
Unnoticed, Tak Il-hwang's body had already circled behind Bu Eun-seol.
Though it seemed as though he had leaped into the air, it was merely an illusion conjured by the Bloodflame Blade and the sunlight.
Phantom Shadow Mirage.
An ultimate illusionary saber art that, when executed with the sun at one's back, deceived the enemy with hallucinations—allowing one to sever their life in a single stroke.
'This is the end!'
Without hesitation, Tak Il-hwang swung his blade toward Bu Eun-seol's exposed back.
But something was wrong.
Despite clearly cleaving through flesh, no sensation traveled through the tip of his blade.
Gleam!
At that moment, a tiny point of light bloomed before Tak Il-hwang's pupils.
Simultaneously, an elongated sword light extended endlessly behind it—piercing straight through his forehead.
"..."
Tak Il-hwang stared blankly at Bu Eun-seol with unfocused eyes.
Bu Eun-seol, who should have been split in two, was calmly sheathing his sword with an indifferent expression.
Drip.
A single drop of blood trickled from the center of Tak Il-hwang's forehead.
Plop.
Only after that drop hit the ground did he finally realize the truth.
"So that's how it was."
The moment Phantom Shadow Mirage was unleashed, Bu Eun-seol had already evaded the saber strike instead of countering.
Swift Shadowless. That secretive, lightning-fast movement technique had left behind an afterimage for Tak Il-hwang to see.
"It was I who saw the illusion."
Those were his final words.
Thud.
Tak Il-hwang, the Blood Sea Demon Blade, who had once spread terror throughout the martial world alongside the Twelve Flame Guests.
His end was utterly hollow.
It was true that staring directly at the sun momentarily dulled one's senses.
But Bu Eun-seol, having reached the realm of Empty Mind Spirit Perception, could gaze at the sun for hours without impairment.
"You chose the wrong final move."
Unable to believe his own defeat, Tak Il-hwang drew his last breath with his eyes wide open.
Bu Eun-seol gazed down at the sight and slowly shook his head.
"You should have unveiled the true essence of the Bloodflame Blade Art, not the Illusion Blade Ultimate Art."
Had Tak Il-hwang fought Bu Eun-seol with all his death force, the outcome would have been uncertain.
But instead of choosing a dangerous gamble, he had sought an easy victory.
And the result... was a hollow death—one so meaningless that even he himself could not accept it.
Clang! Shiiing!
Meanwhile, the Twelve Flame Guests were still locked in fierce combat with the Rootless Squad members.
Though the Twelve Flame Guests wielded overwhelming skill, the Rootless Squad, under Hyeok So-jin's command, moved as one, executing flawless Combined Attack Art.
Yet, even so, they could not seize the upper hand.
"Hmm."
After observing the battle for a long while, Bu Eun-seol let out a peculiar hum.
The reason the unit struggled despite having Hyeok So-jin—a Transcendence Realm master—among them?
Because, astonishingly, one of the Twelve Flame Guests was nearing the Transcendence Realm himself.
'A single member of the Twelve Flame Guests has stepped into the Transcendence Realm?'
Whoosh!
Bu Eun-seol shot forward in an instant, drawing his Ink Sword toward the overwhelmingly skilled Flame Guest.
Srrring!
As the Sword Resonance reverberated, countless points of light coalesced into a single radiance.
The Meteor Chasing Moon technique had been unleashed.
Crackle!
At that moment, a wide Bloodflame Blade gleamed silver, fanning out like a folding screen to form a vast curtain of light.
Clang-clang-clang!
With a deafening metallic sound, the Meteor Chasing Moon—a technique that could cleave heaven and earth—was abruptly halted.
Not only swift but imbued with the might of the Heavy Sword Art, yet it had been blocked by a single slash.
Thud!
The Flame Guest who had deflected the Meteor Chasing Moon instead lunged forward, as if throwing himself into Bu Eun-seol's arms.
"So the Bloodflame Blade Art also includes the Chaotic Sword Technique."
Muttering under his breath, Bu Eun-seol swung his Ink Sword, condensing its edge. At the same time, he aimed to cut down the charging Flame Guest—
Shiik!
But suddenly, the Flame Guest formed a hand blade with his left hand and slashed toward Bu Eun-seol's chest.
"...!"
A glint of surprise flashed in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
This move was far too abrupt.
Not only that—why discard a perfectly good Bloodflame Blade in favor of a left-handed hand blade?
Flash!
Though the reckless assault was incomprehensible, Bu Eun-seol did not hesitate. In a single motion, he cut at the hand driving toward his chest.
Clang!
Yet, despite the clash of sword and flesh, a metallic sound rang out—and it was the Ink Sword that was deflected.
As it turned out, this man had not only mastered the Bloodflame Blade Family's Saber Technique but also cultivated a terrifying hand art.
Shiik!
Seizing the opening, a smooth, white gleam pierced toward Bu Eun-seol's chest—or rather, it should have pierced through.
Thwip!
Instead, Bu Eun-seol snatched the Flame Guest's razor-sharp hand barehanded.
'How...?'
The man stared at his own captured hand in disbelief.
Even if it had been seized by iron tongs, it should have shattered into pieces. How could it be caught barehanded?
"Did you think the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon was just a simple fist technique?"
They must have easily deduced that he had trained in fist techniques.
But the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon was the refinement of fist and palm techniques—wrapped in the framework of fist arts.
It could be executed not just as a fist technique but also as a Grappling Art.
Bu Eun-seol had shifted his fist energy freely, repelling the hand art like a Seizing Hand and hooking the wrist like a grappling claw.
Whiik!
But this time, the man's left foot moved stealthily, driving deep into Bu Eun-seol's lower abdomen.
The Iron Arrow Blood Net Leg Technique—a devastating close-range attack.
Though sudden, Bu Eun-seol dodged the kick as if he had anticipated it and retaliated with a single devastating punch.
Boom!
With a thunderous impact, the man's body was sent flying, crashing into a wall.
Thud.
The Flame Guest quickly rose, but Bu Eun-seol's fist energy had torn his mask, sending it fluttering away in the wind.
What was revealed beneath the sunlight was a face so dazzling it defied all expectations.
Rosy lips. Pale skin. Large, luminous eyes.
The Flame Guest, with his—no, her—exceptional skill, was shockingly a young woman in the bloom of youth.
"As I thought... you weren't sent by Do Cheon-rin."
"What do you mean?"
When the woman shot back with a sharp glare, Bu Eun-seol replied flatly,
"If he had sent assassins, he wouldn't have dispatched them so sloppily."
From the moment Tak Il-hwang and the Twelve Flame Guests appeared, Bu Eun-seol had sensed something off.
Do Cheon-rin—that deep, calculating personage—would never send just Tak Il-hwang and the Twelve Flame Guests to kill him.
"I see. You must be Do Cheon-rin's sister."
Bu Eun-seol had a memory for faces and body lines sharp enough to put a physiognomist to shame.
Besides, he didn't even need to think deeply. The woman before him bore an uncanny resemblance to Do Cheon-rin—like a twin.
"Let go!"
The woman wrenched her arm free and stepped back irritably.
In truth, she was Do Cheon-rin's youngest sister, Do Chae-ryeong.
From childhood, she had adored and idolized Do Cheon-rin like a god.
Every day, she would seek him out where he stayed or take pleasure in watching him converse with others.
But at some point, the name "Bu Eun-seol" began to slip from his lips.
—He's truly extraordinary! If we exclude those "two," no one in his age group would dare stand against him.
Do Cheon-rin, who was called the Perfect Scholar for excelling not just in martial arts but in numerous fields—
The man she believed to be the greatest in the world was now lavishing praise on someone else.
And not just anyone—someone who had to be killed.
In the end, she persuaded Tak Il-hwang and set out into the Martial World alongside the Twelve Flame Guests.
Her goal was to personally kill Bu Eun-seol—the man who carried both Do Cheon-rin's love and hatred.
"Hmm."
Bu Eun-seol let out a deep sigh before looking down at Do Chae-ryeong and speaking solemnly.
"With this, I owe him nothing."
The Young Clan Head of the Bloodflame Blade Family, Do Cheon-rin—
He had consistently opposed Bu Eun-seol's rise as a successor candidate.
Yet, even as White Horse Monastery, Hell Blood Citadel, and Death Command Gate launched continuous attacks, he never once sent the Bloodflame Blade Family's forces.
Had he joined them, he might have seized the opportunity to bring Bu Eun-seol down.
In his own way, that might have been a gesture of goodwill toward Bu Eun-seol.
As Bu Eun-seol turned his head, his pupils began to glow with a crimson light.
"But this is the last time. If you cross me again, you'll have to stake your life on it. Not just you—everyone from the Bloodflame Blade Family."
Grit.
Biting her lip, Do Chae-ryeong clutched her wrist and stared at the corpses of Tak Il-hwang and the Twelve Flame Guests.
"Leave the bodies. The Main House will handle them."
"As you wish."
The moment Bu Eun-seol finished speaking, a sharp crack echoed as she activated her Movement Technique and vanished from the spot.
Boom.
The Guard Unit opened the massive gates of the Demon Hall.
Two young men—one in white, the other in blue—walked shoulder to shoulder, their steps unhurried. Bu Eun-seol and Hyeok So-jin.
Thud. Thud.
Behind them, a line of men followed, their bodies covered in wounds both large and small.
Their plain gray martial uniforms were torn in places, their bodies battered. Yet their eyes burned fiercely, and an aura of sharpness radiated from them.
The Rootless Squad.
They should have returned fully healed, but the ambush by Tak Il-hwang and the Twelve Flame Guests had left them wounded once more.
—That's the infamous Rootless Squad?
Passing martial artists gaped in shock. The Rootless Squad, who had always been met with scorn and disdain—
Now, they strode forward like Seasoned Heroes, their injuries only amplifying their razor-sharp presence.
Bu Eun-seol and the Rootless Squad arrived at the Grand Martial Training Ground within the Demon Hall.
A towering platform stood at its center, where the Demonic Heavenly Emperor sat upon a throne, clad in his Black Dragon Robe.
Beside him stood the Supreme Cult Commander, Yeop Hyo-cheon, while below, martial artists in uniforms embroidered with the Twin Dragons Vying for the Pearl stood in solemn formation.
They were the Demon Hall's elite Great Lords—
Save for the three special Great Lords of Heavenly Slaughter, Dark Heaven, and Soul Annihilation Corps, who carried out covert missions.
At the entrance to the training ground, the Guard Unit stood in rigid formation on either side.
Thud. Thud.
As Bu Eun-seol and the Rootless Squad ascended the platform—
Whoosh.
The armed warriors saluted them one by one as they passed.
The Demon Hall—a formidable alliance that commanded the Million Demon Blades.
Unlike the Martial Alliance, which upheld Righteous Harmony, this overwhelming force was driven solely by wealth and power.
Thus, the Demon Hall always promised generous rewards to those who achieved great feats—the greater the reward, the deeper the loyalty.
—Eliminate the Demon Rebel Gate and its leader!
Bu Eun-seol and the Rootless Squad had accomplished the impossible.
To honor their achievement, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor and his highest-ranking officials had gathered to receive them.
Thud. Thud.
They finally passed the Guard Unit and arrived at the foot of the platform where the Demonic Heavenly Emperor sat.
Swish.
Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands in salute, and Hyeok So-jin and the Rootless Squad followed suit, bowing their heads with solemn expressions.
"Bu Eun-seol, Great Lord of the Rootless Squad."
Clasping his hands once more, Bu Eun-seol spoke in a voice both deep and resonant.
"I have returned after fulfilling the command bestowed upon me by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor."
Nod.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor inclined his head slightly.
At his side, the Supreme Cult Commander, Yeop Hyo-cheon, spoke in a low voice.
"Though the mission was meant to select a successor candidate, the Great Lord of the Rootless Squad has once again proclaimed the Demon Hall's majesty to the Martial World and achieved a great feat."
He turned his gaze to Bu Eun-seol before addressing the Demonic Heavenly Emperor in a hushed tone.
"In accordance with the Law, it is only right to grant him a grand reward."
"Hmm."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor looked down at Bu Eun-seol and spoke softly.
"Name your desire."
For a moment, every martial artist in the Demon Hall—save for Yeop Hyo-cheon—wore expressions of bewilderment.
While eliminating the Demon Rebel Gate was no small feat, it hardly warranted the privilege of "Name your desire."
Swish.
Then, Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath and declared in a firm voice:
"I wish to formally become a Great Lord of the Demon Hall."