Chapter 241
"The deeper the affection, the more powerful the martial arts become...?"
Following Emotion Directly.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor researched techniques unbound by worldly etiquette or formalities, ultimately creating the Emotion Severing Secret Art.
In stark contrast, the Martial Emperor's profound realization was Deep Affection and Quiet Heart.
He devised a mind-training formula that calms the spirit and mind by grounding them in profound emotion and deep affection.
"Hmm."
The thin sheets of paper, filled with writing on both sides, amounted to roughly three thousand characters.
Yet every passage contained profound principles condensed within, and some of the teachings were impossible to comprehend at a glance.
"I can't make heads or tails of this."
The teachings themselves were difficult, but more than anything, he couldn't grasp the essence of the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment mind-training formula.
"Why would a martial artist who stakes their life on the edge of a blade need to cultivate deep affection?"
Bu Eun-seol's gaze as he studied the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment secret art grew hazy, as if entranced.
He was wrestling with whether there was any need to delve into a mind-training formula that stood in direct opposition to the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's Emotion Severing Secret Art.
"If I can't understand it, I can just memorize it."
There was no reason to disregard the teachings left behind by a once-in-a-generation martial arts genius.
Bu Eun-seol began forcing himself to commit the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment mind-training formula to memory.
Fortunately, this place had underground water flowing through it and was stocked with well-sealed jars of honey.
If he wished, he could stay here without issue for over two months.
Bu Eun-seol, having lost all sense of time's passage, continued memorizing the teachings within the Martial Emperor Secret Repository.
'This is strange.'
His memory was exceptionally sharp—he never forgot anything he had seen or heard even once.
Yet memorizing these teachings was proving far from easy.
When he memorized the first half, the latter half slipped away. And when he thought he had finally committed the entire text to memory and tried reciting it again, he found the middle sections gone.
Not only that, but each time he attempted to memorize the teachings, memories from his childhood began creeping up like shadows.
'Is this mind-training formula meant to stir up distracting thoughts?'
Sensing something amiss, Bu Eun-seol stopped reciting the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment.
'This kind of mind-training formula isn't something you can master through brute-force memorization.'
Mind-training formulas were methods of mastering the heart—succeed, and one could elevate their martial arts realm in an instant; fail, and they risked falling into the clutches of an inner demon.
In other words, it was the most perilous of all martial secrets.
'First, I need to figure out what's going wrong.'
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath and sank into meditation.
How much time had passed?
'Do I really need to be bound by the concept of affection?'
As he entered a meditative trance, a single realization surfaced in Bu Eun-seol's mind.
'Isn't the heart, after all, like a vessel that holds affection?'
When the heart moves, qi moves, and the body naturally follows that qi.
'Perhaps he sought to reach a new realm in martial arts through deep and boundless affection.'
Bu Eun-seol could guess.
The Martial Emperor had lived his life with vast affection and rich emotion, and he had integrated that into his martial arts.
Once Bu Eun-seol properly understood the essence of the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment, he naturally began guiding his heart in accordance with the teachings.
Then, faint and hazy memories surfaced. Times of joy and warmth. Those distant recollections.
As they did, his spirit and mind grew increasingly tranquil, and his consciousness felt as though he stood alone in a beautiful garden where flower petals danced on the wind.
The entire world seemed beautiful, like a dream.
As Bu Eun-seol's spirit and mind filled with warmth, his physical body also gradually brimmed with vitality.
His heart beat stronger, his blood circulated faster. The life force within his body grew more vigorous, and the turbid qi inside seemed to flow outward.
'This is the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment.'
The moment he grasped the principle of the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment, an overwhelming surge of intense emotion welled up within him.
It was like the powerful thrashing of a child in the womb, finally ready to emerge into the world.
Flicker.
Bu Eun-seol opened his eyes and, unable to contain the emotions coursing through him, lightly extended his fist.
Without realizing it, he had unleashed the Fist Demon Seven Forms.
Then, a wind like a favorable breeze blew against the wall beside the bookshelf.
Rustle.
As the wind touched the solid wall, dust rose into the air—and suddenly, a perfectly round hole formed where none had been before.
'I barely channeled any internal energy into it.'
Bu Eun-seol couldn't hide his astonishment.
The Martial Emperor's Enlightenment.
This secret art was a Heaven-Transcending Art that could drastically amplify the might of martial techniques by harnessing the emotions that composed one's spirit and mind.
"Troublesome."
Bu Eun-seol rose to his feet and frowned as he examined the cleanly punctured wall.
"This can't be called a martial art of the Demonic Path."
The Seven Forms of the Fist Demon unleashed sharp, axe-like force.
But the fist energy he had just released carried a soft yet tenacious strength.
The Extreme Fierce Fist Art of the Demonic Path—the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon—had been unleashed with the gentle, compassionate power of the Buddhist School's martial arts.
"Affectionate, or devoid of emotion?"
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor's Emotion Severing Secret Art eradicated all distracting thoughts and affection from the heart, allowing the practitioner to freely wield materialized true qi.
The Martial Emperor's Enlightenment, rooted in deep and infinite affection, drastically amplified the might of martial arts while allowing for a soft, stable release.
He stood at a crossroads, uncertain which secret art to follow.
"I need to think this through calmly."
Even after obtaining the supreme mind cultivation techniques of both the Orthodox and Unorthodox Paths, Bu Eun-seol felt no particular joy.
The Martial Emperor's Enlightenment Art was fundamentally ill-suited for someone like him, whose nature was innately cold.
Unlike the Emotion Severing Secret Art, which he could instantly recite and wield, this required deep meditation to settle his mind before use.
"All of these are merely stepping stones for the heights I must reach."
Bu Eun-seol was forging his own path.
Thus, obtaining these secret arts changed nothing for him.
"Hmm."
Taking a deep breath, he took a step forward—finally preparing to leave the secret vault.
But then, something strange happened.
Perhaps it was due to mastering the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment Art—his gaze was abruptly drawn to the martial manuals lining the shelves.
Without realizing it, he began scrutinizing the secret texts stored here once more.
Rustle.
These manuals were not the orthodox martial arts of the Nine Great Sects and One Gang or the Eight Great Families.
Rather, most belonged to now-extinct or once-prosperous orthodox factions.
"And yet, Seop Mu-heun, who mastered these perfectly, earned the epithet Martial Emperor."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes darkened.
Should he learn them, or not?
Given how deeply the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment Art had been hidden, there must be astonishing martial principles concealed within these orthodox techniques.
"But there's no time..."
Taking another deep breath, he swiftly skimmed through the books on the shelves.
He was forcibly imprinting the orthodox martial arts manuals into his mind.
Tap, tap, tap.
How much time had passed?
Bu Eun-seol read and reread every manual in the vault without missing a single one.
When hungry, he drank honey and water. When drowsy, he practiced Qi Circulation.
And after consuming the Jade Phoenix Honey repeatedly, he found he could maintain a clear and alert mind even without sleep.
Finally, as he placed the last manual back into its shelf—
Rumble...
A low vibration shook the chamber, and the bookshelf flipped over, revealing four sharply written characters behind it:
Thirteenfold Qi Induction.
"Thirteenfold Qi Induction?"
It made no sense to him.
"What does it mean to 'draw forth thirteen'?"
But no matter how long he waited, there was no further reaction—no hidden mechanism activated.
He examined his surroundings meticulously, yet found nothing unusual.
"Why did the shelf flip?"
All he had done was read and memorize every manual in the Martial Emperor Secret Vault.
Crrrrk—
Then, the flipped shelves returned to their original positions.
But something was off.
Despite having placed them in order, the arrangement of the manuals was now completely different.
"The Mantis-Rectifying Step and Tiger-Capturing Eagle-Strength Hand were at opposite ends before..."
Muttering to himself, Bu Eun-seol unconsciously planted his left foot in the Mantis-Rectifying Step while his right hand executed the Tiger-Capturing Eagle-Strength Hand in midair.
Whoosh!
Then, something bizarre happened.
Though he had merely performed two separate techniques, they suddenly unfolded as if fused into a single martial art.
Crack!
But the strangeness didn't end there.
The moment he executed both simultaneously, a sharp surge of force erupted near his shoulders—
Even though he had used no internal energy whatsoever.
Shhk!
The sudden burst of force left a deep gash in the rosewood shelf.
"...Thirteenfold Qi Induction."
Only now did he understand.
The orthodox martial arts stored here shared extremely similar principles.
If one could unleash them simultaneously, they would merge into a single, entirely new martial art—
One that produced unpredictable surges of force.
"Hmm."
In an instant, a terrifying vision flashed through Bu Eun-seol's mind—
Thirteen streams of force, erupting from different parts of the body at unpredictable angles.
"So that's why it was named so."
Mastering this technique would allow one to unleash or retract thirteen distinct forces—hence the name Thirteenfold Qi Induction.
"Was this the Martial Emperor's true personal art?"
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath.
"It's so unique that it lacks even the orthodox faction's distinctive feel."
Bu Eun-seol was, after all, the successor of Langya Pavilion and a candidate to become the Heir of the Demon Hall. As such, he could not recklessly wield orthodox martial arts.
But the Thirteenfold Qi Induction was so peculiar that it resembled the demonic path's energy arts instead.
If he mastered this completely...
A new Martial Emperor would be born in the murim.
When Bu Eun-seol stepped outside, an unfamiliar landscape greeted him.
Looking around, he found himself dozens of li away from the mountain where the Martial Emperor Secret Vault had been hidden.
Rumble...
As he emerged, the iron gate trembled before sinking into the earth.
It seemed the vault had been designed to bury itself underground once someone who had mastered both the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment Art and Thirteenfold Qi Induction left.
"Only one person with a bond..."
Bu Eun-seol exhaled deeply as he recalled the legend of the Martial Emperor.
'Though I entered this place by chance, it's as if I've inherited his martial legacy.'
The Martial Emperor had been a peerless grandmaster who safeguarded the righteous energy of the murim, yet he met a lonely end, framed by both orthodox and unorthodox factions.
'Though I hail from the Demonic Path... I pray you will accept my respects.'
Watching the secret vault disappear into the earth, Bu Eun-seol bowed deeply in solemn reverence.
After leaving the Martial Emperor's Secret Vault, Bu Eun-seol soon arrived at a small village near Yunhe.
The moment he stepped into the bustling marketplace, his feet instinctively carried him toward a lively guest inn.
"Welcome, honored guest."
A waiter quickly wiped down the table where Bu Eun-seol sat and greeted him.
"You must have traveled a long way."
His time spent mastering the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment Art within the vault had lasted over a month.
Having lived in complete darkness within the stone chamber, his complexion was deathly pale, his appearance ragged. Had he not been carrying a sword on his back, the waiter might have mistaken him for a master from the Beggars' Sect.
"Not so much long as treacherous."
The vault had been filled with every conceivable trap the Martial Emperor could devise.
Yet Bu Eun-seol dismissed it all with a single word: treacherous.
"What would you like to order?"
"Do you have good liquor?"
After spending so long in that dim, suffocating place, he craved not fine food but a strong, fragrant drink.
"We have Snow-Scent Wine from the Gyeyang Liquor House—exceptionally potent, with a peerless aroma."
"Five bottles. Bring whatever side dishes you recommend."
"Understood."
The waiter glanced at Bu Eun-seol's cracked lips and hurried to bring the wine first.
The moment the bottle touched the table, Bu Eun-seol tilted it back like a drunkard, gulping it down in one go.
Gulp, gulp.
The fiery, aromatic liquor burned down his throat, jolting his senses awake and setting his stomach ablaze.
'Better than tea.'
The supreme martial experts he had observed always favored tea.
But for Bu Eun-seol, strong liquor suited his palate far better than fragrant leaves.
"Did you hear? There's been an uproar in the Demon Hall."
Just then, a hushed conversation from the noisy inn pricked his ears.
'The Demon Hall?'
Turning his head, he spotted two middle-aged men who looked like martial artist, whispering by the window.
"Ah, you mean the rumor that the Demon Hall's rising heir candidate has died?"
Bu Eun-seol's eyes flashed.
A promising heir candidate of the Demon Hall—dead?
Could it be Do Cheon-rin or Wi Ji-hye-sang? Had one of them suddenly perished?
"Right, the successor of Langya Pavilion."
In that instant, Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened as he whipped his head toward the two men.
Him? Dead?
How absurd. He was sitting right here, alive and well!
"After leaving the Heaven-Severing, Earth-Destroying Sanctuary, his trail vanished abruptly. The Demon Hall sent an investigation unit, and they found traces of him in a deep mountain valley."
"Then isn't it possible he's still alive?"
"Impossible."
The man with a goat-like beard shook his head.
"They say there were signs of a battle with the Bullet King there."
"The Bullet King?"
The other man nodded in understanding.
"Well, if it's the Bullet King, then surviving would be out of the question. That man despises demonic practitioners to the bone..."
The conversation continued.
Unfortunately, the heir of Langya Pavilion had encountered the Bullet King, who possessed formidable martial prowess even among the Four Gods and Seven Kings and loathed demonic path practitioners.
In the end, there was no room for miracles. He must have breathed his last.
"Still, the Bullet King has some nerve. Killing a Demon Hall heir candidate..."
The other man clicked his tongue.
To dare lay hands on a Demon Hall heir candidate—even if it were one of the Three Venerables instead of the Bullet King, they wouldn't escape unscathed.
"Ah, but here's the thing."
"What?"
"No body was found."
The bearded man downed his drink before continuing.
"The Bullet King must have disposed of it quietly to avoid conflict with the Demon Hall. No evidence means an easy denial."
"Tch, come on. The Bullet King, of all people? A peerless master who's roamed alone for decades—would he resort to such petty tricks?"
"Who knows? A man only has one life."
"Hmm."
"One thing's certain—he clashed with the Bullet King and fought fiercely."
The other man sighed and shook his head.
"Then it's only a matter of time before blood spills. If they don't find the body, the Demon Hall will hunt down the Bullet King."
"Right, that's how it'll go."
Listening to this, Bu Eun-seol finally grasped the gravity of the situation.
Under normal circumstances, he would have fought the Bullet King to the death.
But by sheer chance, after their brief skirmish, he had entered the Martial Emperor's Secret Vault—sparing them both from a decisive battle.
Yet the Demon Hall's pursuers, unaware of this, now believed him dead.
'The Demon Hall may not know, but...'
Thud.
Placing a banknote on the table, Bu Eun-seol launched himself through the window.
'The main unit might stir up trouble!'
WHOOSH!
And with that, he unleashed his Lightness Skill at full speed, racing toward the Demon Hall.