Chapter 226
Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
His heart pounded maddeningly.
Bu Eun-seol clenched his fists and bit his lip.
Because the desire to immediately draw the Ink Sword and fight had surged within him.
[...]
Ak Mu-ryeong, who had been observing the blazing light in Bu Eun-seol's eyes, suddenly curled his lips into a faint smile.
[You've set foot at the threshold of the Extreme Heaven Realm.]
Though he stood clearly before him,
Ak Mu-ryeong's voice still resonated through heaven and earth as if echoing from all directions.
[And I see traces of tempered spirit and mind as well...]
As he smiled, the eerie presence of the ruler of demons abruptly transformed, as though shedding its monstrous guise for that of a human.
The terrifying radiance in his eyes softened like sunlight, and the wild, beast-like aura around him had already shifted into a solemn bearing as weighty as Mount Tai.
Had anyone locked eyes with the Pavilion Lord of Langya Pavilion at this moment, they would never forget it for the rest of their lives.
"This disciple of Langya Pavilion, Bu Eun-seol..."
Just as Bu Eun-seol lowered his head to bow,
Rumble.
A low peal of thunder shook the earth's axis, and soon the ground trembled as if an earthquake had struck.
[A disciple of Langya Pavilion?]
"..."
[Since when can a disciple of Langya Pavilion become the Great Lord of the Demon Hall without the Pavilion Lord's permission?!]
The atmosphere shifted once more.
The grandmaster of martial arts, as solemn as Mount Tai, had transformed back into the Archdemon of the dark world.
[Answer me. Why did you demand the position of Great Lord of the Demon Hall?]
Ak Mu-ryeong's voice was dangerously low, his gaze as sharp as the edge of a blade.
Just as Dan Cheong had said.
Not only was Ak Mu-ryeong's temper notoriously foul, but he also seemed enraged that Bu Eun-seol had become the Great Lord without his permission.
Bu Eun-seol hesitated.
Because he realized that the Pavilion Lord was not someone who tolerated defiance.
'He truly is a demon.'
The Human Demon, Ak Mu-ryeong.
As the Pavilion Lord of Langya Pavilion, he was a Great Demonic Person who cared not even for the lives of his own disciples.
"I had no choice but to become the Great Lord."
After a long silence, Bu Eun-seol finally spoke.
"Because a disciple of this pavilion knows only victory—defeat is not an option."
To seize the momentum in the struggle for succession within the Demon Hall, he needed loyal subordinates.
For the sake of victory.
That was what Bu Eun-seol was implying.
Ak Mu-ryeong fixed his mysteriously gleaming eyes on Bu Eun-seol's face.
[You have no intention of stepping down.]
Was it a guess based on his resolute expression, or could he, like the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, peer into the depths of another's spirit and mind?
He had instantly pierced through Bu Eun-seol's thoughts.
[The position of successor to the Demon Hall, you mean.]
"That's correct."
[You believe you hold the upper hand.]
Ak Mu-ryeong looked down at Bu Eun-seol with icy eyes.
[Despite your pitifully weak martial arts, is it because you slaughtered that old fool who was all reputation and no substance?]
Though the Beggar King held the lowest rank among the Four Gods and Seven Kings, he was still a master among them.
Yet Ak Mu-ryeong dismissed him as nothing more than a "pitifully weak old man."
[With your current skills, you won't last against those who covet the fame of the Four Gods and Seven Kings.]
"I am still a disciple of Langya Pavilion."
But Bu Eun-seol's reply was just as firm.
"I have no desire to avoid any fight."
Koo-roong.
Once again, a thunderous voice shook the heavens.
[You misunderstand.]
Ak Mu-ryeong curled his lips in amusement as he regarded Bu Eun-seol.
[Do you think this Pavilion Lord issued such an order out of fondness for you?]
"..."
[Sado Mu-myeong. That man seeks to control everything under the guise of fate.]
Bu Eun-seol's gaze wavered.
It was the same doubt he had briefly felt during his confrontation with the Beggar King.
Could it be that the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had deliberately allowed him to master the Emotion Severing Secret Art, rendering him emotionless so he could be more easily manipulated?
[I will not permit this pavilion's disciple to remain his puppet any longer.]
An unexpected declaration.
Did those words imply that among Langya Pavilion's disciples, there had been someone whose fates had been twisted by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor?
"I..."
Bu Eun-seol opened his mouth to speak but then closed it again.
Because he remembered the Deputy Pavilion Lord Dan Cheong's warning.
―Never dare to contradict the Pavilion Lord's words. I will handle the aftermath myself.
"...Understood."
With no other choice, Bu Eun-seol lowered his head and clasped his hands together.
Dan Cheong had promised to take responsibility for the aftermath, so he surely would.
For now, he had to escape the piercing gaze of this Great Demonic Person, who would not tolerate even a single word of defiance.
But something was strange.
Even though he had given the desired answer, he could still feel those icy, frozen eyes scrutinizing every inch of his body.
A gaze filled with displeasure and distaste.
["You do not seek the Martial Way."]
Ak Mu-ryeong's eyes once again blazed like demonic flames as he stared fixedly at Bu Eun-seol.
["You merely wish to grow stronger."]
Bu Eun-seol flinched inwardly.
It seemed that Langya Pavilion's lord, Ak Mu-ryeong, much like the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, possessed not only physical prowess but also the ability to pierce through one's heart.
"Pursuing the Martial Way is also for the sake of growing stronger, is it not?"
At Bu Eun-seol's retort, Ak Mu-ryeong spoke in a solemn voice.
["To pursue the Martial Way is to comprehend the ultimate principle of martial arts and reach an absolute realm."]
After a brief pause, he continued.
["It is different from simply growing stronger."]
Ak Mu-ryeong's suspicion was accurate.
Bu Eun-seol had no desire to glimpse the pinnacle of martial arts or ascend to an absolute realm.
His only goal was to grow strong enough to execute the ruthless murderer who wielded overwhelming power.
["I command you..."]
As if sensing something, Ak Mu-ryeong swept his sharp gaze over Bu Eun-seol's body and declared:
["To undergo five years of closed-door training within this pavilion."]
For an instant, Bu Eun-seol's eyes wavered like rippling water.
If he were to answer this command—even if Dan Cheong smoothed everything over—he would never be able to return to the Demon Hall with his head held high.
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath. He had sensed it—this was an unavoidable situation.
"That is impossible."
BOOM.
In that instant, a massive explosion erupted inside Bu Eun-seol's mind.
Ak Mu-ryeong had not struck his body but had directly assaulted his formless spirit and mind.
'Ghk—!'
As Bu Eun-seol staggered—
KOOOONG.
Another eerie explosion reverberated through his skull.
'Ugh...'
Finally, Bu Eun-seol swayed like a man who had drunk potent liquor and took a step back.
["Did this pavilion lord permit you to talk back?"]
Ak Mu-ryeong's voice, resonating in all directions, became a weight of thousands of pounds of iron pressing down on Bu Eun-seol's body.
'So this is the pavilion lord's ability...'
The Human Demon Ak Mu-ryeong.
He was not striking with True Qi but with an intangible force—spirit—materialized into form, assailing Bu Eun-seol's very mind.
And this was not simply due to high Internal Power—it was possible because his martial arts had reached a profound and unfathomable realm.
'An attack that cannot be cleaved with a blade nor blocked with Internal Energy...'
["Hmph."]
Ak Mu-ryeong snorted in amusement as Bu Eun-seol immediately staggered back.
Martial artists were accustomed to physical pain, yet they were surprisingly vulnerable to mental torment.
This was especially true for prodigies who had effortlessly ascended through the Martial Arts True Scripture.
With exceptional bone and muscle structure and innate talent, they had reached high realms without ever facing true hardship.
But then, a glint flickered in Ak Mu-ryeong's eyes.
Bu Eun-seol, who had been swaying unsteadily, had already regained his composure—standing with an indifferent expression.
["Not bad."]
'Khh—!'
As Ak Mu-ryeong's voice echoed in his ears again, Bu Eun-seol shuddered violently.
Just hearing that low, eerie voice alone sent a pain so intense it felt like his brain was melting away.
'I must endure.'
Furrowing his brow, Bu Eun-seol focused his mind.
Soon after, his expression returned to its usual impassiveness.
Ak Mu-ryeong's eyebrow twitched slightly.
He had discerned that Bu Eun-seol's spirit and mind were unbelievably resilient.
["How amusing. Truly amusing."]
This time, Ak Mu-ryeong's echoing voice became a spinning blade, boring into Bu Eun-seol's steel-hardened psyche.
WHOOSH!
An indescribable force crushed down on Bu Eun-seol's spirit.
An ordinary person would have had their mind shattered—or been reduced to an idiot—by this single strike.
But Bu Eun-seol merely frowned for a brief moment.
He had been born with an inherently strong mind.
Not only that, but ever since meeting Bu Jan-yang, he had undergone the so-called Corpse Game—locked inside a coffin, overcoming distracting thoughts and fear while tempering his Internal Energy.
The sturdiness of his spirit and mind was comparable to that of a venerable monk who had cultivated Mysterious Art for decades.
["Heh heh heh."]
As Bu Eun-seol steadfastly resisted his mental assault, Ak Mu-ryeong let out a low chuckle.
Then, his eyes flashed—and he began multiplying the pouring force several times over.
Chirp, chirp, chirp.
Only the occasional sound of birdsong echoed through the tranquil surroundings.
A peaceful atmosphere flowed through Iron Palm Peak, and a warm spring breeze drifted by.
But in reality, a battle that could shake heaven and earth was unfolding.
Ak Mu-ryeong poured forth his formless, overwhelming power to shatter the mind, while Bu Eun-seol stood firm in spirit, resisting with every ounce of his strength.
Drip.
Gradually, thick veins bulged across Bu Eun-seol's bloodshot eyes.
As Ak Mu-ryeong's relentless force continued to gnaw at his psyche, the limits of his willpower began to show.
Illusions flickered at the edges of his vision, and the strength drained from his entire body.
This despair and emptiness far surpassed any physical pain.
Then, Ak Mu-ryeong's low voice reached him.
[If this continues for eight minutes longer, you will either become an imbecile... or a cripple.]
Coming from the solemn Pavilion Lord of Langya Pavilion, it was no idle threat.
Yet, defiance flared in Bu Eun-seol instead.
"Pavilion Lord may shatter my body..."
Raising his head defiantly, Bu Eun-seol met Ak Mu-ryeong's blazing gaze head-on.
"But you will never break my spirit."
[Kuhahahaha!]
Mad laughter erupted from Ak Mu-ryeong's lips.
BOOM!
The sky-rending peal of laughter triggered a violent explosion inside Bu Eun-seol's mind.
Splash.
At the same time, he felt as though he had plunged into an unfathomably deep lake—his pupils losing focus.
The overwhelming blast surging through his psyche hurled his consciousness into an abyss from which there was no escape.
[To dare act so insolently before this Pavilion Lord.]
Bu Eun-seol, acknowledged by all of Langya Pavilion as the rightful successor—
Even as he sank into the abyss, losing himself, not a trace of regret flickered in Ak Mu-ryeong's eyes.
—What is there to fear, so long as the heart's attachments are honed away?
Just as Bu Eun-seol, bereft of awareness, was about to be swallowed by the endless abyss—
A strange voice suddenly whispered in his ear.
"...?"
When he opened his eyes, he saw black flames flickering before him.
They were all incantations of the Emotion Severing Secret Art.
'Emotion Severing Secret Art...'
Mastering this would allow him to fully wield the Willful True Binding.
But Bu Eun-seol, who had no desire to sever his emotions, had deliberately erased the technique from his mind.
Yet, each time his mental fortitude crumbled, those incantations seared themselves into his consciousness like a Fire Brand.
'If the heart's attachments are honed away...'
Reciting the incantations unwittingly, Bu Eun-seol's consciousness clawed its way back from the abyss.
As the illusions faded and his scattered thoughts settled, his body began to respond.
Simultaneously, the Willful True Binding activated on its own—
Black flames flickered to life across his body.
And then—
Wasn't he gradually pushing back against Ak Mu-ryeong's mental assault?
[This is...!]
Ak Mu-ryeong's eyes widened as he detected the black True Qi emanating from Bu Eun-seol.
RUMBLE—!
In that instant, a tremor that shook heaven and earth erupted around Bu Eun-seol.
Black True Qi surged through his entire body, his pupils darkening like ink.
Forced to unleash the Willful True Binding under Ak Mu-ryeong's assault, the power of the Emotion Severing Secret Art carved itself even deeper into his psyche.
[Sado Mu-myeong. This is that bastard's doing.]
Ak Mu-ryeong's brow furrowed.
[He's gone and created yet another heretical technique that defies martial principles.]
A smirk curled at the corner of his lips as he instantly grasped Bu Eun-seol's condition.
[Keheheh. Hahahaha!]
As thunderous laughter shook the air, the black True Qi pouring from Bu Eun-seol's body grew even thicker.
[Sado Mu-myeong!]
Ak Mu-ryeong roared at the heavens, having discerned the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's martial essence embedded in Bu Eun-seol's psyche.
[Do you seek to challenge me once more through this disciple of mine?!]
In response, an overwhelming force crashed down, pressing against Bu Eun-seol's body.
Phantom Restoration Return.
The power he unleashed was a supreme martial art—layering illusion upon illusion.
A force that gave form to the formless, shaping the intangible into reality.
WHOOSH—!
The black True Qi enveloping Bu Eun-seol unfurled like countless threads, dispersing the crushing pressure.
He had defended against an intangible force with manifested True Qi.
—This jewel-like prodigy...
Ak Mu-ryeong could almost hear the voice of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, Sado Mu-myeong, in his mind.
—...Can you truly render him useless?
Bu Eun-seol's body was already imprinted with the Mind-Training Formula devised by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
It could not be extracted or separated.
In other words, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had presented Ak Mu-ryeong with another challenge.
To erase that power, he would have to strike Bu Eun-seol down.
—With your own hands.
Any normal martial master would have hesitated, even briefly, at the thought of killing their own disciple.
[This challenge... I accept!]
But Ak Mu-ryeong, without hesitation, unleashed his formless power straight into Bu Eun-seol's meridians.