Chapter 251
"Bone-Melting Powder?"
Wi Mu-yeom and Yi Se-cheon hurriedly approached Empty-Handed Divine Thief's corpse.
Chiii—
Pushing through the billowing white poison fumes, they saw that Empty-Handed Divine Thief's skin had already begun melting like water, exposing the bones beneath.
"What the hell happened?"
Bone-Melting Powder was potent enough to dissolve flesh and bone, but it was also highly volatile. Moreover, it only reacted with bodily fluids.
For this very reason, it couldn't be applied to hidden weapons or blades.
"Commander Wi! Why did you use Bone-Melting Powder?!"
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
"Then are you saying a dead corpse drank the poison on its own?!"
"Hmph. Isn't it more likely that you slipped the poison in while pretending to examine the body?"
Wi Mu-yeom's voice was icy.
"After all, it would be troublesome if the Martial Alliance were exposed as his killers."
"Bullshit."
Neither Wi Mu-yeom nor Yi Se-cheon had seen Empty-Handed Divine Thief bite down on the fake tooth.
Thus, they could only suspect each other.
"This is going nowhere."
At Wi Mu-yeom's signal, the Heaven Slayer Unit members drew their weapons.
In response, the Martial Alliance's forces immediately unsheathed their swords.
As the standoff reached its peak, Bu Eun-seol stepped forward.
"He swallowed the poison himself."
"What?"
"By the time I arrived, he was already swallowing it."
Wi Mu-yeom's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Earlier, you said he had already stopped breathing when you arrived."
"He was swallowing the poison around the time I arrived."
'This bastard...'
Wi Mu-yeom bit his lip.
Taking Bu Eun-seol's words at face value was difficult. But with the corpse already dissolving, there was no way to verify the truth.
"This is absurd."
Yi Se-cheon wore a hollow expression.
As the leader of the Martial Alliance's Special Grade sword unit, he had stood firm against the Demon Hall.
Yet he had gained nothing.
Worse, due to interference from the Death Shadow Squad stationed at Gwanmo Peak, he had arrived later than the Heavenly Slaughter Unit Commander—humiliatingly so.
And now, instead of capturing Empty-Handed Divine Thief alive, he was left staring at a corpse reduced to a puddle of blood, unable to even confirm the man's final moments.
The same went for Wi Mu-yeom.
Had he personally slain Empty-Handed Divine Thief, he could have at least salvaged some pride.
But by the time he found him, the thief was already mortally wounded and fleeing.
And the first to discover him?
The very Death Shadow Squad Commander he despised.
For the Heavenly Slaughter Unit Commander—a man whose name shook the world—to lead a mission and end up with such a pitiful outcome was nothing short of disgraceful.
—Damn it.
The same curse echoed in both Wi Mu-yeom and Yi Se-cheon's minds.
There was nothing left to do now.
Clenching his teeth, Yi Se-cheon turned away.
"We're leaving."
As the Martial Alliance forces withdrew behind him, Wi Mu-yeom questioned Bu Eun-seol.
"Is everything you've said so far the truth?"
"It is."
Wi Mu-yeom stared intently at Bu Eun-seol's unwavering face before finally spitting out,
"Return to headquarters."
Whoosh!
The Heaven Slayer Unit members vanished alongside him, their Movement Techniques carrying them away.
Yet one member remained behind—Seo Jin-ha, Third Squad Leader of the Heaven Slayer Unit.
Nod.
After locking eyes with Bu Eun-seol, Seo Jin-ha gave a slight nod before activating his Movement Technique and disappearing into mid-air.
"..."
Left standing alone, Bu Eun-seol silently gazed down at Empty-Handed Divine Thief's nearly dissolved corpse.
Until now, he had strived relentlessly for the power to defy fate.
But in doing so, he had forgotten something crucial.
'Grandfather...'
A fierce light swirled in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
He had finally decided what to do next.
For the first time in his life, Bu Eun-seol attended a Hall Master-level meeting presided over by the Supreme Cult Commander.
This was possible both because he temporarily held the qualifications of a First-Grade Commander and because he had been the first to discover Empty-Handed Divine Thief.
Notably, Wi Mu-yeom of the Heaven Slayer Unit still harbored doubts about Bu Eun-seol.
In the conference hall, he openly demanded that Bu Eun-seol recount the circumstances of his encounter with Empty-Handed Divine Thief once more.
"...That is what happened."
Bu Eun-seol meticulously explained the sequence of events that led him to pursue the thief.
The decisive cause of death was a fatal stab wound near the heart.
It was true that Empty-Handed Divine Thief had been struck by a hidden weapon and had ingested the Bone-Melting Powder himself.
The only details Bu Eun-seol omitted were the poison-laced false tooth and the final conversation they had shared moments before death.
With Empty-Handed Divine Thief's corpse already reduced to a puddle of bloody liquid, further investigation was impossible.
Wi Mu-yeom grilled Bu Eun-seol repeatedly, but he could find neither loopholes nor pretexts to seize upon.
"This isn't a meeting—they summoned me for an interrogation."
"I too have a question for Commander Wi."
Having finished his explanation, Bu Eun-seol met Wi Mu-yeom's gaze squarely as he spoke.
"I faithfully guarded Gwanmo Peak under Commander Wi's orders. I pursued the Empty-Handed Divine Thief, and my unit repelled the Martial Alliance's pursuit."
Seated at the table, Bu Eun-seol stared unflinchingly at Wi Mu-yeom.
"Yet Commander Wi, who was in overall command of the operation to capture the Divine Thief, achieved nothing of note."
"What did you say?"
A murderous white aura flared in Wi Mu-yeom's eyes.
"Repeat that."
"Did you not hear me?"
A crimson glow flickered in Bu Eun-seol's pupils.
"My Death Shadow Squad held off the Martial Alliance's pursuers, and I was the first to track down the Divine Thief."
Meeting Wi Mu-yeom's blazing gaze without hesitation, Bu Eun-seol enunciated each word clearly.
"And yet, Commander Wi treats me like a criminal."
"Because there are questionable aspects to your account."
"Am I to be interrogated simply because you find it questionable?"
"Enough."
As the argument escalated, Supreme Cult Commander Yeop Hyo-cheon raised a hand.
"If the information the Divine Thief possessed did not reach the Martial Alliance, then the matter is concluded."
Yeop Hyo-cheon sighed as he looked between the two.
"There is no need to argue further."
Who would dare defy the Supreme Commander's solemn decree?
Wi Mu-yeom and Bu Eun-seol had no choice but to clasp their hands and bow their heads.
Yeop Hyo-cheon gave a slight nod.
"Let us move on."
A heavy silence settled over the hall.
What came next was far more critical—and far more difficult—than the current dispute.
"Originally, the handling of the Divine Thief should have been resolved by the successor of the Fire Rain Sword Sect."
Yeop Hyo-cheon drew a deep breath before continuing.
"But the Martial Alliance's interference escalated the situation beyond control, forcing our senior masters to intervene."
Pausing briefly, he swept his gaze across the assembled hall leaders.
"How do you judge this incident?"
At this, Sim Ui, the Hidden Shadow Hall Leader of the Fire Rain Sword Sect, spoke in a low voice.
"Since this occurred independently of our sect's intentions, it is only fair to grant us another opportunity to undertake a different mission."
He cleared his throat before continuing.
"At present, only the Bloodflame Blade Family and Langya Pavilion have completed their successor missions."
"Hmm."
As Yeop Hyo-cheon nodded in acknowledgment, Sim Ui pressed on with greater conviction.
"Moreover, the Ultimate Assassin Pavilion and the Extinction Palace are still struggling with their tasks. That alone justifies granting us another chance."
Yeop Hyo-cheon nodded again, surveying the assembly.
"Are there no other opinions?"
As if waiting for this moment, First-Rate Commander Do In-cheong of the Bloodflame Blade Family clasped his hands together.
"May I speak?"
"Go ahead."
"The Divine Thief incident was not a battle of blades—it was a battle of intelligence. And in intelligence warfare, secrecy is paramount."
Do In-cheong's tone was calm, but his gaze was unwavering.
"Thus, the mere fact that information leaked to the Martial Alliance constitutes a grave failure on the Fire Rain Sword Sect's part."
Sim Ui immediately countered.
"Our sect conducted this operation in utmost secrecy. The leak came from spies buried so deep we couldn't possibly have rooted them out."
He continued firmly.
"The source of the Divine Thief's leaked intelligence was the Demon Hall itself—not our sect. How can you place all blame on us?"
"Spies have ears everywhere. Failing to account for that is still incompetence."
"Mind your words, Commander Do."
Sim Ui's eyes turned icy.
"Do you truly believe you are qualified to judge our successor's capabilities?"
"Qualified?"
As tensions flared once more, Yeop Hyo-cheon interjected.
"Death Shadow Squad Leader."
His piercing gaze fixed on Bu Eun-seol.
"What is your opinion?"
The question came out of nowhere.
Bu Eun-seol was momentarily taken aback but quickly composed himself.
"This does not seem like a matter I should comment on."
"Why not?"
"Because I am competing with him for the successor position."
"Ho ho ho."
Yeop Hyo-cheon's lips curled into an enigmatic smile.
"I did not ask for your answer as a successor candidate—I asked for it as the Death Shadow Squad Leader."
Judging by his resolute expression, it seemed Yeop Hyo-cheon was determined to hear an answer no matter what.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Bu Eun-seol calmly opened his mouth.
"As the Captain of the Death Shadow Squad, if I may dare offer my opinion..."
Just as he paused briefly and took a deep breath to continue—
Click.
The door to the conference hall opened, and a slender young man stepped in unhurriedly.
Though dressed in ornate martial robes, his clean, innocent features gave off an unexpectedly unassuming air.
It was none other than Wi Ji-hye-sang, the successor of the Fire Rain Sword Sect.
"Disciple Wi Ji-hye-sang of the Fire Rain Sword Sect pays his respects to the Supreme Cult Commander, esteemed Hall Leaders, and Captains."
The assembled crowd wore expressions of bewilderment.
Though he was the successor of the Fire Rain Sword Sect, he had no affiliation with the Demon Hall. Therefore, he had no right to attend this meeting.
Yet here he was, striding boldly into the Singular Light Pavilion in the middle of proceedings?
But Yeop Hyo-cheon showed no surprise, merely nodding slightly.
"What brings you here?"
"I know this is presumptuous, but I have come to take responsibility as a candidate for the succession of the Demon Hall."
"Responsibility?"
"I have heard there has been fierce debate regarding my status."
Wi Ji-hye-sang clasped his hands together with utmost deference.
"However, there is no longer any need for further discussion on the matter."
"And why is that?"
At Yeop Hyo-cheon's question, Wi Ji-hye-sang smiled faintly before replying in a clear, ringing voice.
"As of today, I shall step down from my position as a candidate for the succession of the Demon Hall."
A murmur of shock rippled through the hall.
Though the recent mission had not been a success, he was the successor of the Fire Rain Sword Sect—the foremost of the Demonic Path Ten Gates.
Given that his sect held the most influence within the Demon Hall, even Yeop Hyo-cheon would have found it difficult to outright dismiss any demand for a second chance.
Yet here he was, voluntarily withdrawing from the succession?
Murmur, murmur...
As the Hall Leaders and Captains whispered among themselves, Yeop Hyo-cheon raised a hand to silence them.
Then, in a grave voice, he asked,
"Is this truly your decision?"
"It is."
"And what led you to this conclusion?"
"If I had truly considered the gravity of the mission, I should have ensured security measures were doubled, even tripled."
Wi Ji-hye-sang answered composedly.
"Yet I failed to do so, resulting in a leak of information. Because of that, the core forces of the Demon Hall nearly clashed head-on with the Martial Alliance."
His hands still clasped, his eyes gleamed as he continued.
"That fact alone proves I am unworthy of the successor position. How could I shamelessly cling to it?"
As one unexpected declaration followed another, silence briefly settled over the hall.
Yeop Hyo-cheon, his eyes narrowed slightly, gave a slow nod.
"If that is your will, then so be it."
Then, in a low voice, he added,
"As of today, you are hereby removed from the position of successor candidate to the Demon Hall. I shall report this to the Demonic Heavenly Emperor as well."
"My gratitude."
Wi Ji-hye-sang clasped his hands without hesitation.
The meeting ended in disarray.
Not only the Hall Leaders of the Fire Rain Sword Sect but even the representatives of the Bloodflame Blade Family—who had opposed his continued candidacy—were left dumbfounded by Wi Ji-hye-sang's sudden announcement.
Given the circumstances, it seemed unlikely that his decision had been thoroughly discussed with his sect beforehand.
'Wi Ji-hye-sang.'
Stepping out of the Singular Light Pavilion, Bu Eun-seol gazed at the distant sky.
Until now, he had pierced through and predicted many things. But the depths of Wi Ji-hye-sang's intentions remained utterly unfathomable.
'He deliberately leaked the information. There's no doubt about it.'
Wi Ji-hye-sang was meticulous by nature—so much so that he had waited until the very end to pick his assignment slip.
There was no way someone like him would have neglected information security, knowing full well the spies embedded throughout the Demon Hall.
Even Seo Jin-ha had suspected this situation was orchestrated to disrupt the current balance of power, where Bu Eun-seol held the advantage.
Yet defying all expectations, Wi Ji-hye-sang had abandoned his claim to the Demon Hall's succession with baffling ease.
'Is he content with just being the successor of the Fire Rain Sword Sect?'
No matter what anyone said, the Fire Rain Sword Sect stood at the pinnacle of the Demonic Path Ten Gates.
With its deep roster of masters, vast sphere of influence, and unparalleled mastery of sword studies, no other faction in the Demonic Path could compare.
'No... That can't be it.'
If he had never desired the succession in the first place, he wouldn't have gone out of his way to pick his assignment slip last.
Hadn't he even locked horns with Do Cheon-rin, who had been the presumptive heir?
That alone proved he had once been serious about claiming the Demon Hall's succession.
Step, step.
Lost in thought, Bu Eun-seol had unknowingly made his way toward the East Gate, where the Death Shadow Pavilion stood—
"...?"
A faint, mirage-like silhouette flickered in the distance.
Even under the bright midday sun, the figure appeared translucent, as though glimpsed through heat haze.
'Wi Ji-hye-sang.'
The one standing before the Death Shadow Pavilion was none other than Wi Ji-hye-sang himself.