Chapter 256
The Heavenly Evil Ghost Demon Art not only allowed one to wield their physical body as a weapon through Unorthodox Arts, but it also included techniques to bewilder the spirit and mind and dull the senses.
Seok U-haeng had fused the Heavenly Evil Ghost Demon Art with Assassin Martial Arts, creating what could only be described as the perfect Assassin Secret Arts.
Flash!
Once again, a razor-sharp Sword Qi shot toward Bu Eun-seol from his blind spot.
Pat!
He evaded it with the Footwork Technique of Reversal Steps, but blood still splattered from his shoulder.
He couldn't precisely detect Seok U-haeng's attacks.
'He's suppressing my Way of the Beast with the Heavenly Evil Ghost Demon Art and then layering his attacks in rapid succession.'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes flashed as he tightened his grip on the Ink Sword.
Fwoosh!
In that instant, another barrage of attacks rained down from Seok U-haeng.
Sword Strokes slashed from the ground, while hidden weapons shot from the air, aiming for Bu Eun-seol's head.
Just as he thought Seok U-haeng was thrusting toward vital points with Sword Techniques, a sharp blade abruptly jutted out from behind him.
'It's as if there are two Seok U-haengs fighting me at once.'
Only now did Bu Eun-seol realize why Seok U-haeng had sought out and mastered the Heavenly Evil Ghost Demon Art.
This was the only method capable of instantly bridging the vast gap in their strength.
But then—
A deep vibration echoed through the underground waterway, followed by the sound of the earth itself trembling.
Crrrck—!
Before he knew it, an overwhelming number of assassins had surrounded Bu Eun-seol and Seok U-haeng, sealing off all escape routes.
They were assassins of the Extreme Killing Secret Pavilion.
Shhhk—
The sea of black-clad assassins parted, and a middle-aged man without a mask stepped forward slowly.
It was none other than Gwak Seong, the Warrior Blood Lord—leader of the Extreme Killing Secret Pavilion's elite forces.
"Seok U-haeng!"
His voice roared with fury, his eyes twisted in rage.
He had mobilized every last Special-Grade Assassin under the Extreme Killing Secret Pavilion to annihilate the Twelve Earthly Branches.
But the Twelve Branches had already scattered and disbanded.
Worse yet, on his way here, he had received shocking news.
The supreme leader of the Twelve Branches, the one who had killed Yong Jeok-bi, was none other than Seok U-haeng—the Ten Demonic Heir of the Extreme Killing Secret Pavilion.
Furious, Gwak Seong had immediately stormed into the underground waterway where Seok U-haeng was hiding.
"How dare you—!"
His voice trembled with rage before he finally noticed Bu Eun-seol and blinked in surprise.
"Who is that?"
He frowned as he observed Bu Eun-seol, who stood locked in a standoff with Seok U-haeng.
Though they had only clashed a few times, the currents of True Qi surging from their bodies were violently intense.
Even without asking for details, it was obvious that the two were engaged in a brutal fight to the death.
"Warrior Blood Lord. You arrived faster than I expected."
Seok U-haeng smiled faintly and shook his head upon seeing Gwak Seong.
"I thought it would take you at least another day."
Gwak Seong bellowed in fury.
"Seok U-haeng! Did you truly kill the Horned Leg Blood Lord?!"
The Horned Leg Blood Lord was the supreme commander of the Killing Instructors, those who trained the assassins of the Extreme Killing Secret Pavilion.
And that position had been held by Yong Jeok-bi, the sect's successor.
"Indeed."
"Why did you kill him?!"
"I couldn't just let myself die."
"What?"
Seok U-haeng replied indifferently.
"If he tried to kill me, was I supposed to stretch out my neck and let him?"
"Seok U-haeng!"
Gwak Seong roared.
"You violated the sect's recall order and hid among the Twelve Branches! That alone is a grave crime, yet you had the audacity to kill the Horned Leg Blood Lord, the successor of our sect?!"
"Blood Lord Gwak."
Seok U-haeng's voice was colder than ice.
"The Extreme Killing Secret Pavilion deliberately leaked information twice—attempting to pit me against the Great Righteous Experts in mutual destruction."
His voice trembled with suppressed fury as he spat out his words.
"Since when was I ever a disciple of the Extreme Killing Secret Pavilion?"
For a moment, Gwak Seong was speechless.
He and the rest of the Extreme Killing Secret Pavilion's high command knew the truth.
Not only did Seok U-haeng possess extraordinary talent, but his qualifications as a successor even surpassed Yong Jeok-bi's.
But they couldn't acknowledge Seok U-haeng, who had joined later, as the successor. Doing so would fracture the sect's internal factions.
So when the order to confront the Great Righteous Experts came down, the high command deliberately leaked Seok U-haeng's whereabouts—hoping he would die in battle.
"And now you say not to treat me as if I were still a disciple of the Extreme Killing Secret Pavilion?"
"Blood Lord. There's no need to waste words on this bastard."
At that moment, Ha Hu-gang, Gwak Seong's trusted subordinate and the vice blood lord, stepped forward and spoke.
"There's no need for lengthy words. It would be best to swiftly sever that bastard's head and present it to the Pavilion Lord."
Gwak Seong nodded, his eyes burning with fury as he glared at Seok U-haeng.
"Are you prepared to stretch out your neck?"
"I won't die by your hands."
"What did you say?"
"Stay there and watch."
Seok U-haeng spoke with unshaken confidence.
"I will be the one to face him."
He had already resolved himself for death. No amount of threats would sway him now.
"You—"
Before Gwak Seong could finish, Seok U-haeng turned his head and shouted toward Bu Eun-seol.
"Bu Eun-seol! I sacrificed everything to surpass you!"
Then, gripping his assassin's sword in a reverse grip, he channeled his Internal Power, drawing it upward.
"Come at me!"
Had Seok U-haeng wanted to preserve his life, he could have dismantled the Twelve Earthly Branches and vanished without a trace.
As the inheritor of the Extreme Killing Secret Pavilion's essence, he could have disappeared beyond anyone's reach.
But he did not flee.
He stayed solely to challenge Bu Eun-seol.
With time, the gap between them would only widen. This was his last chance to face him.
Clang.
Bu Eun-seol raised his Ink Sword vertically, gathering his Internal Power.
For one who stakes his life on a duel, this was the only answer he could give.
Flash!
Seok U-haeng struck first.
Defiantly, as if to show off to the assassins of the Extreme Killing Secret Pavilion, he unleashed a torrent of Assassin Secret Arts, layering them with the Heavenly Evil Ghost Demon Art.
Superb swordplay, throwing daggers, poison, and bizarre Hidden Weapon Devices—
He freely unleashed every technique he had mastered, pressing Bu Eun-seol relentlessly.
—Ooh.
After forty-odd moves, even the elite assassins of the Extreme Killing Secret Pavilion gasped involuntarily.
Seok U-haeng's techniques embodied the pinnacle of the Pavilion's assassin martial arts.
The Assassin Secret Arts were the culmination of all lethal techniques.
Unrestrained by forms or methods, Seok U-haeng poured out attacks freely, redirecting and flowing like water.
Hanging River Merit.
A realm where Assassin Secret Arts could be unleashed like an unending river, unbound by rigid forms.
The very ideal the Pavilion's masters had longed for...
Whoosh—!
As the relentless onslaught continued, Bu Eun-seol's gaze shifted.
Seok U-haeng was unleashing tremendous force with minimal Internal Power.
No matter how much you slash at a river, it never stops flowing.
His attacks were like that—unstoppable, unbreakable.
Whirr.
A gust of wind began swirling around Bu Eun-seol.
At the same time, a streak of blue light flickered across his body before—
Swoosh!
His entire form became a single current of wind, swallowing Seok U-haeng's attacks whole.
Once again, he manifested the Martial Emperor's secret technique, Thirteenfold Qi Induction, splitting his body into multiple parts to execute martial arts simultaneously.
'I...'
Watching Bu Eun-seol effortlessly dismantle his full-powered techniques, despair clouded Seok U-haeng's eyes.
'Even if I die...'
As despair engulfed him, time seemed to freeze. Tens of thousands of thoughts flashed through his mind.
'Are you telling me I can never surpass you...?'
No matter what anyone said, he was a martial genius.
But the Bu Eun-seol he had witnessed at Longsword Mountain Villa was an insurmountable wall.
Overwhelming Internal Power, a brilliant mind, keen insight, flawless adaptability—not even fear or hesitation.
Bu Eun-seol mastered any martial art with terrifying speed, unleashing destruction beyond its original might.
—If my martial arts are lacking, shouldn't I just unleash twice the power?
Seok U-haeng finally found his answer.
By merging the Heavenly Evil Ghost Demon Art with the Extreme Killing Secret Pavilion's Assassin Secret Arts, he could double his might in an instant.
But from the moment he clashed with Bu Eun-seol, he knew.
Even if he increased his martial power more than twofold—he could never win.
Even in this life-or-death battle, Bu Eun-seol was gaining enlightenment, evolving his techniques.
Unless he surpassed that monstrous rate of growth, victory was impossible.
'I made the same mistake as Yong Jeok-bi.'
A bitter smile touched Seok U-haeng's lips.
'I only accounted for the strength I had seen before.'
Fwip!
In that instant, the slowed time snapped back to normal—and Bu Eun-seol's attack came into view.
'But you can't defeat me either.'
Seok U-haeng smiled faintly.
In this battle, Bu Eun-seol could never win.
Because from the very beginning, he had no intention of surviving.
Oooooom—!
As Seok U-haeng channeled his Internal Power, hundreds of razor-sharp strands of energy surged from his entire body.
This was the Heavenly Evil Extreme Flame Steel Kill, one of the final techniques of the Heavenly Evil Ghost Demon Art.
"Bu Eun-seol—!"
Seok U-haeng threw his entire being at Bu Eun-seol with all his might.
A torrent of overwhelming energy, hot enough to melt steel, radiated from his body as he unleashed the Heavenly Evil Extreme Flame Steel Kill.
A triumphant smile curled on Seok U-haeng's lips.
He was attempting Mutual Destruction, pouring forth a martial art capable of dissolving flesh and blood.
No one could stand against such a technique.
'Even retreating means death.'
And in truth, all of this was merely a feint.
The real killing blow was the Heavenly Evil Bloodflow Art he had prepared behind Bu Eun-seol.
'You'll have no choice but to retreat, Bu Eun-seol!'
Seok U-haeng had carried out countless assassinations in his time.
And through killing many Masters, he had realized one undeniable truth:
—Those who possess much never take risks.
To hold many things in one's hands means there are many things one must protect.
Bu Eun-seol was the rightful successor of Langya Pavilion, a leading candidate to become the Heir of the Demon Hall.
Not only that—as the Great Lord of the Demon Hall, he commanded his own forces and had secured the support of Heaven-Severing, Earth-Destroying and the Fleeting Moment Boat.
There was no one in Murim who held as much as he did.
'The wise never gamble at the crossroads of life and death!'
Even the Bu Eun-seol he had seen on Hell Island was the same—calculating, always prepared, always determined to survive.
'Those who cling to life can never evade this technique!'
Finally reaching Bu Eun-seol's face, Seok U-haeng unleashed the Heavenly Evil Extreme Flame Steel Kill into his escape route.
'...What?'
Seok U-haeng's eyes widened.
He had been certain Bu Eun-seol would refuse to take the risk—that he would retreat to regroup.
But instead, Bu Eun-seol charged straight into the torrent of the Heavenly Evil Extreme Flame Steel Kill without hesitation.
Fsssssh—!
With each passing wave of the technique, Bu Eun-seol's clothes melted away, his skin blistering and dissolving as if scorched by flame.
Yet he pressed forward, cutting through the energy storm and thrusting his sword.
Flash—!
A frigid gleam erupted from the Ink Sword, piercing through the wall of extreme flame and driving straight for Seok U-haeng's throat.
Crunch—!
But the Ink Sword did not fully penetrate—instead, it struck with a dull, heavy sound.
At the last possible moment, Seok U-haeng had deployed the Heavenly Evil Ghost Demon Qi, hardening his entire body into an impenetrable defense.
Thud. Thud.
As Seok U-haeng landed on the ground, cracks split across his face, and the hardened scales covering his skin began to crumble away.
Crrrrk—!
Though he had avoided decapitation, the sheer force of the Ink Sword shattered his Heavenly Evil Ghost Demon Qi, leaving him defenseless.
Gush—!
The Reverse Polarity True Qi, sharp as a blade, seared through his meridians like molten fire, and a trail of blood spilled from the corner of his lips.
"I... just wanted to defeat you once."
His face twisted with bitter regret as he stared blankly into the void.
"Heaven... never chose me."
All this time, he had risked his life mastering the Heavenly Evil Ghost Demon Art for one reason alone—to defeat Bu Eun-seol.
—Just once... I wanted to win against him!
It wasn't out of jealousy or inferiority.
It was the burning Warrior Spirit of a once-in-a-generation prodigy—the desperate yearning to overcome an opponent who seemed utterly untouchable.
But even after staking his life, he had been utterly crushed.
And this wasn't just a difference in martial prowess.
Bu Eun-seol did not fear death. He had no desire to cling to what he possessed.
He was simply a man who shattered every trial in his path and moved forward without hesitation.
In the end, Seok U-haeng had failed to surpass Bu Eun-seol—not just in skill, but in the very essence of his resolve.
"It's over now."
As the victor was decided, Warrior Blood Lord Gwak Seong approached with a smile.
"Truly, a martial art befitting the Heir of the Demon Hall—without a single flaw. Thanks to you, I've had quite the eye-opening experience."
Without stopping, he continued walking toward Seok U-haeng.
Bu Eun-seol's expression darkened as he stepped in front of him, blocking his path.
"What are you doing?"
"Seok U-haeng is a traitor who killed my pavilion's successor. Hand him over."
Gwak Seong's smile deepened.
"There's no need to make an enemy of my pavilion, is there? You are to become the next Heir of the Demon Hall, after all."
His smile brimmed with confidence.
To become the Heir of the Demon Hall, one needed the support of at least half of the Demonic Path Ten Gates.
But the Spectral Sect, the Extreme Killing Secret Pavilion, and the Hell Blood Citadel were all hostile toward Bu Eun-seol, and his relations with the other sects were far from ideal.
Given that, Gwak Seong was certain Bu Eun-seol would never refuse his offer.
"If you hand him over, my pavilion will never forget this favor."
The smile on Gwak Seong's lips grew even thicker.
But the answer that came back was completely unexpected.
"I refuse."