Chapter 245
'He's serious.'
Bu Eun-seol could feel it.
Yeop Hyo-cheon genuinely intended to kill him with this attack.
And if he stubbornly clung to defense alone, he would eventually be driven into a corner and meet his death.
'I must strike first.'
For an inferior to defeat a master, they must seize the initiative by any means necessary. And once momentum is gained, they must never retreat.
'In this situation, I can't elevate my martial arts through mind-training.'
The momentary fusion of the two secret arts earlier was nothing more than a stroke of luck born from hesitation.
To expect such fortune again in a life-or-death situation would only result in his head flying off in an instant.
'Then, the only option is the Thirteenfold Qi Induction.'
Yeop Hyo-cheon had already grasped the essence of the Willful True Binding to some degree.
To withstand his killing moves—which were on a level as far above his as heaven is from earth—Bu Eun-seol needed an unpredictable, abrupt martial technique.
He had to unleash the Thirteenfold Qi Induction.
Swish!
In that moment, Yeop Hyo-cheon's figure vanished, and invisible, razor-sharp killing moves poured forth.
Tsk tsk tsk!
Bu Eun-seol's hands and feet, moving at the limits of Swift Shadowless, began to wobble as if made of rubber.
Just like Yeop Hyo-cheon, he had begun executing fist techniques, leg techniques, and movement techniques as if they were separate bodies.
Crack!
But an unexpected result followed.
Though he had clearly merged different martial arts into one, their power was not overwhelming.
Even the signature sharp force of the Thirteenfold Qi Induction emerged weakly.
Slash!
Blood sprayed from Bu Eun-seol's neck as Yeop Hyo-cheon's killing move grazed him.
The searing pain jolted his mind awake.
'Without the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment, it can't unleash its full power.'
When he first grasped the Thirteenfold Qi Induction in the library, simply executing multiple martial arts at once had produced a sharp, formidable force.
But now, it felt as though its power had diminished dozens of times over.
'Back then, it manifested naturally because I had long trained in the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment.'
In short, without the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment, the Thirteenfold Qi Induction was nothing more than an empty shell of a martial art.
Bu Eun-seol's eyes flashed as he realized everything.
Zzzzzzt!
Focusing his mind, streams of true qi spread throughout his entire body.
The Martial Emperor's Enlightenment—something he normally could only summon through calm meditation, as it clashed with his temperament.
But now, with his life hanging by a thread, his spirit and mind instantly grew tranquil, and emotions surged within his chest.
In a single breath, he reached the realm of Deep Affection and Quiet Heart.
"Haaahp!"
Overwhelmed by explosive emotions, Bu Eun-seol let out a battle cry unlike any before.
Simultaneously, he executed the Cloud-Cleansing Steps with his legs and the Southern Peak True Fist with his left hand.
Swish!
A sharp force erupted from his waist and poured into his fist.
The Martial Emperor's True Body Supreme Art—the Thirteenfold Qi Induction—a technique that fused orthodox martial arts into an unpredictable torrent of force.
Finally, after four hundred years, it was being unleashed from Bu Eun-seol's hands.
Slash! Slash!
But Yeop Hyo-cheon's movements were too fast. Before the sharp force could fully manifest, he had already shifted to the left.
Yet Bu Eun-seol still had his right hand free.
Whirr! Shhk!
Deploying the Immortal-Seizing Hand with his right, two additional blade-like streams of force shot forth, targeting Yeop Hyo-cheon's flanks and cutting off his retreat.
"Oh?"
Yeop Hyo-cheon let out a sound of admiration as he swiftly evaded the cascading force.
'There!'
Thud!
The moment Bu Eun-seol pinpointed Yeop Hyo-cheon's position, he activated his movement technique and unleashed the Thirteenfold Qi Induction once more.
Whirrr! Shhk shhk shhk!
As he executed the technique in rapid succession, three streams of force swirled around him like a protective barrier.
They surged unpredictably—sometimes lashing out in sudden directions, other times curving back to orbit his body.
Snip.
A few strands of Yeop Hyo-cheon's hair were cleanly severed as he lightly dodged the three razor-sharp forces.
"Good."
With an exclamation of approval, Yeop Hyo-cheon shifted tactics.
He closed the distance, aiming to disrupt the flow of Bu Eun-seol's force before it could fully manifest.
Slash! Crack crack crack!
Just as they seemed to clash, they scattered; just as they seemed to leap into the air, they plummeted to the ground.
The two became streaks of light, tearing through the void, colliding and separating repeatedly.
BOOM!
With a deafening explosion, the luminous afterimages of Bu Eun-seol and Yeop Hyo-cheon collided head-on.
Screech!
Simultaneously, the two points of light retreated left and right, revealing Yeop Hyo-cheon and Bu Eun-seol once more.
"Hmm."
Yeop Hyo-cheon exhaled a sigh and glanced down at his sleeve.
Though he hadn't been injured, the fabric had been cleanly sliced away.
"Heh heh heh."
As laughter escaped him, the killing intent that had been surging from his body gradually faded.
"No matter how exceptional a prodigy is, there are limits to enlightenment."
Narrowing his eyes, he murmured,
"There's no way you could've grasped all of this Cult Leader's techniques in such a short time..."
His voice carried a mix of admiration and disbelief.
Click.
Sheathing his sword, Bu Eun-seol replied respectfully,
"I merely discerned that your hands and feet move under different martial principles."
"A sharpness of this caliber couldn't possibly be Langya Pavilion's secret technique... Did you create that martial art on the spot just now?"
Unable to reveal his visit to the Martial Emperor's Secret Vault, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"It's merely an application of insights gained during my journey to Heaven-Severing, Earth-Destroying."
Yeop Hyo-cheon stared intently into his eyes as if probing for the truth.
Only unwavering confidence reflected in Bu Eun-seol's pupils.
After all, the Thirteenfold Qi Induction truly was an insight obtained from that very journey.
As long as he omitted discovering the Martial Emperor's Secret Vault, Bu Eun-seol could always stand tall.
"I see."
Yeop Hyo-cheon nodded.
From his perspective, it must have sounded as though the Illusion Demon Hyeok Gong-baek had personally imparted these insights.
"You've progressed yet another step during this time."
Only after uttering these words did the light in Yeop Hyo-cheon's eyes and his expression return to normal.
Observing this, Bu Eun-seol felt an eerie realization dawn upon him.
'So this is the true nature of the Demon Hall.'
The Demon Hall had always maintained an austere atmosphere, with neither the Demonic Heavenly Emperor nor Yeop Hyo-cheon ever openly displaying demonic energy.
If anything, Langya Pavilion's lord Ak Mu-ryeong had been the one to embody the classic image of a Great Demon.
But only now did he understand.
Every demonkin in the Demon Hall possessed tremendous demonic energy—they simply chose not to reveal it under normal circumstances.
The Demon Hall was the Demon Hall after all.
This place was the sacred land of all demons under heaven, the cradle where Great Demons ruled over a million demonic practitioners.
"At this level, you should suffice."
Yeop Hyo-cheon, wearing a faint smile, said something unexpected.
"Even if you undertake solo missions, it won't tarnish this hall's dignity."
"Solo missions... you say?"
Bu Eun-seol's expression turned puzzled.
He had always operated independently, but only regarding successor affairs.
Yeop Hyo-cheon maintained his smile.
"Take the Death Shadow Squad and assist the Heavenly Slaughter Unit Commander in the martial world."
An utterly unexpected command.
As Bu Eun-seol blinked in surprise, Yeop Hyo-cheon continued in a low voice.
"The details have already been relayed to the Myriad Learning Society's Hall Leader. Go see him."
Then, as if concluding their business, he slowly turned away—a silent expulsion order.
"Understood."
Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands together.
Just as he was about to turn, Yeop Hyo-cheon's voice reached him once more.
"You've become a sharper blade than this Cult Leader anticipated."
A pause.
Bu Eun-seol halted his steps.
Only now did he grasp the true meaning behind today's spar.
'So that's what this was...'
Yeop Hyo-cheon had been the blacksmith.
He had hammered and tempered the metal countless times to forge a single blade. And now, he had finally tested the finished product.
Had the blade failed to meet his expectations, had he deemed it flawed...
He would have shattered it without hesitation.
'The Demon Hall remains the Demon Hall... I see.'
Bu Eun-seol clenched his fist.
Then slowly exited the small training ground.
That afternoon.
After washing up, Bu Eun-seol lay down in his quarters to rest for the first time.
Every muscle in his body felt torn, leaving him without even the strength to twitch a finger.
A test disguised as a spar.
Yeop Hyo-cheon had drawn out every ounce of Bu Eun-seol's hidden martial prowess.
'I thought he was helping me advance my martial arts through combat.'
Judging solely by the results, that wasn't entirely wrong.
Thanks to their duel, he had managed to apply the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment and the Thirteenfold Qi Induction in actual combat within such a short time.
But one thing was certain...
Yeop Hyo-cheon had genuinely intended to kill him at first, only changing his mind midway.
'Is the Supreme Cult Commander scheming something as well?'
Supreme Cult Commander Yeop Hyo-cheon.
Until now, he had seemed to hold Bu Eun-seol in considerable regard.
But this spar revealed that to be a misconception.
A tool.
Bu Eun-seol was merely a tool.
An exceptionally sharp blade that exceeded expectations.
Perhaps that very fact wasn't entirely welcome.
After all, an overly sharp blade could easily wound its wielder.
'The answers will come in time.'
Holding onto questions with no immediate answers would only drain his mental power.
Once his spiritual energy had somewhat recovered, Bu Eun-seol rose to meet the Myriad Learning Society's Hall Leader Baek Jeon-cheon.
But it proved unnecessary.
Just as he was about to leave, Baek Jeon-cheon came to him instead.
"It's been a while, Commander Bu."
The Myriad Learning Society's Hall Leader Baek Jeon-cheon wore his usual amiable smile.
But having glimpsed the true nature of Yeop Hyo-cheon—and the Demon Hall itself—Bu Eun-seol now perceived that smile slightly differently than before.
"Hall Leader."
As Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands in salute, Baek Jeon-cheon produced a small wooden case from his sleeve.
"What is this?"
When Bu Eun-seol opened it, a command plaque emblazoned with the Twin Dragons Vying for a Pearl shimmered in multicolored hues.
It was the insignia of a First-Grade Commander in the Demon Hall.
"Commander Bu, you've just been granted the rank of First-Grade Commander in our hall."
Baek Jeon-cheon continued matter-of-factly.
"However, since this is a temporary position for a covert mission, the formal appointment process has been omitted."
'So this was planned from the start.'
Upon returning to the Demon Hall, they had relocated the Death Shadow Squad to a first-grade headquarters.
At the time, I couldn't comprehend it, but now I understood with absolute clarity.
That all of this had been preordained from the very beginning.
"You mentioned a secret mission..."
As Bu Eun-seol inquired while concealing his complicated inner thoughts, Baek Jeon-cheon exhaled deeply and replied,
"Empty-Handed Divine Thief."
Bu Eun-seol's eyebrows shot up.
The pursuit of the Empty-Handed Divine Thief was the successor candidate mission chosen by Wi Ji-hye-sang. Yet now, traces of his movements had reached the Martial Alliance's ears?
"As the successor mission of the Fire Rain Sword Sect, this situation has escalated beyond their capacity to handle. Thus, our hall ultimately had to intervene."
Baek Jeon-cheon explained the circumstances to Bu Eun-seol in a low voice.
Empty-Handed Divine Thief was known to possess intimate knowledge not only of the Demonic Path but also of the spies embedded within the Righteous Faction.
When intelligence surfaced that the Fire Rain Sword Sect had caught Empty-Handed Divine Thief's trail and was pursuing him, the Martial Alliance immediately dispatched an Armed Brigade.
"The Martial Alliance has sent five first-grade sword units—including the Iron Sword Unit—along with ten third-grade sword units under their command to Hainan."
Baek Jeon-cheon narrowed his eyes.
"They claim this is to prevent full-scale armed conflict."
Had the Martial Alliance deployed a war brigade with sect-level military strength, a Great Orthodox-Unorthodox War would have erupted instantly.
However, first-grade sword units operate under their commanders' independent authority, with all responsibility for their subordinates falling solely on those commanders.
In other words, should armed conflict occur, they could at least use the excuse that it was the commanders' unilateral decision.
"But this is nothing more than a facade."
Whether they sent a single war brigade or around ten first-grade units, their affiliation remained unchanged.
The fundamental nature of this clash—between the Demon Hall and the Martial Alliance—would not shift.
"The most crucial element in conflicts between factions is justification."
Baek Jeon-cheon sighed heavily.
"If war brigades representing both sides were to clash, reconciliation would become nearly impossible. But conflicts of this scale can still be dismissed as mere deviations by individual units."
Shaking his head, he continued,
"Regardless, with the Martial Alliance's combat forces now deployed, our hall can no longer turn a blind eye to this situation."
Ultimately, the matter of Empty-Handed Divine Thief had escalated beyond the Fire Rain Sword Sect's jurisdiction, becoming the Demon Hall's responsibility.
A sudden question arose in Bu Eun-seol's mind.
Then, should Wi Ji-hye-sang's mission be considered a success? Or a failure?
Or perhaps he should be credited with partial achievement?
"Given the circumstances, we must set aside the successor mission for now. This matter has become far too critical."
Baek Jeon-cheon seemed to read Bu Eun-seol's thoughts as he spoke.
"In the Oji Mountains region where Empty-Handed Divine Thief was reportedly hiding, our hall's units have already clashed multiple times with the Martial Alliance's forces."
After a brief, heavy sigh, he shook his head again.
"As a result, half a month ago, our hall urgently dispatched the Celestial Slaughter Corps to the Oji Mountains."
This time, even Bu Eun-seol couldn't conceal his surprise.
The Celestial Slaughter Corps was one of the Demon Hall's three great elite units.
Their deployment equated to sending sect-level military strength.
If things went wrong...
A scaled-down version of the Great Orthodox-Unorthodox War might erupt in the Oji Mountains.
"Then why is our unit being deployed so belatedly?"
"While establishing the encirclement near the Oji Mountains, the Heavenly Slaughter Unit Commander requested an additional first-grade unit."
Baek Jeon-cheon continued his explanation.
"However, our hall currently lacks any available first-grade units to dispatch. Thus, the Supreme Cult Commander proposed temporarily elevating the Death Shadow Squad to first-grade status. After all, in terms of combat power, they already surpass second-grade units."
With Bu Eun-seol at its helm, the Death Shadow Squad's strength already exceeded that of second-grade units.
Moreover, the squad included transcendent realm masters like Myo Cheon-u and Yu Un-ryong, and its members now possessed skills incomparable to their past selves...
In truth, they were virtually indistinguishable from a first-grade unit.
"You must lead the Death Shadow Squad to the Oji Mountains at first light."
Baek Jeon-cheon studied Bu Eun-seol's expression—calm yet tight-lipped.
"Once there, you'll carry out your mission under the Heavenly Slaughter Unit Commander's orders."
It was an undesirable assignment.
Yet after hearing the full explanation, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"Understood."
As a Demon Hall unit commander, he had no choice but to accept such missions. No—from the moment he resolved to become a commander, he had prepared himself for this.
'But I won't simply obey orders without question.'
Though Bu Eun-seol's expression remained impassive, flames as fierce as the sun burned in his eyes.
Before the training grounds near the Death Shadow Squad's living quarters.
Bu Eun-seol assembled all unit members to brief them about the upcoming expedition.
He explained everything—from the squad's promotion to first-grade unit status...
To how the Martial Alliance's sword units now confronted the Demon Hall's forces in the Oji Mountains due to Empty-Handed Divine Thief...
And that they too must depart to join the Celestial Slaughter Corps there.
—Then we'll prepare immediately.
After hearing the full situation, each group leader dispersed with unperturbed expressions.
They had trained relentlessly in peacetime to survive any mission.
Moreover, with Bu Eun-seol leading them, even a mission to hell held no fear.
By now, dusk had fallen, staining the sky crimson.
In Bu Eun-seol's office stood a cold-faced man with arms crossed.
It was Yu Un-ryong, leader of the Death Shadow Squad's Fifth Group.
"Why did you summon me?"
Though now a group leader, Yu Un-ryong still seemed reluctant to accept Bu Eun-seol as his direct superior.
But Bu Eun-seol paid no mind.
Whether Yu Un-ryong acknowledged him as superior mattered little. All that concerned him was that the man remained flexible and fully utilized his exceptional abilities.
"I hadn't realized you were the young master of an official family that's held government positions for generations."
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
For the first time, a faint smile touched Bu Eun-seol's lips.
"I'm talking about your family."