Chapter 258
Death Shadow Pavilion, Bu Eun-seol's Office
Bu Eun-seol observed Yu Hwaryeong, who had been guided inside by the gatekeeper Mo Gwang.
It seemed Yu Hwaryeong had gained much experience in the martial world since they last met—his qi had improved by leaps and bounds. However, his complexion was far from healthy, and his eyes were clouded with deep worry.
"Welcome."
Bu Eun-seol greeted him first.
"Have you been well?"
His voice carried an unprecedented warmth.
Yu Hwaryeong was the one who had approached him without hesitation after the Martial Arts Tournament and led him to the Thousand Swords Society. And thanks to that, Bu Eun-seol had been able to learn the Rhomboid Sword Control Form, which had become a ray of light in his darkest moments...
For that alone, Yu Hwaryeong was someone deserving of such a warm greeting.
"Huh?"
Yu Hwaryeong's eyes widened in shock as he looked at Bu Eun-seol, unable to hide his surprise.
"Are you truly... the same person who traveled Sichuan with me?"
He exhaled in disbelief, shaking his head several times as if trying to dispel his astonishment.
"Through our society's information network, I've heard rumors of you shaking the martial world... but to think you'd improve to this extent."
Bu Eun-seol's appearance hadn't changed at all since their time in Sichuan.
Yet the qi flowing through his entire body was now on a level incomparable to back then.
'Human ability has its limits...'
Yu Hwaryeong took a deep breath.
The speed at which Bu Eun-seol's martial arts had progressed into the True Realm was truly unprecedented.
"And now, I hear you've become the commander of the Death Shadow Squad under the Demon Hall..."
Yu Hwaryeong trailed off as he took in Bu Eun-seol's formal commander's robes, then suddenly gasped.
"My apologies. My deepest apologies. I've committed a grave discourtesy."
Only now realizing his mistake, he clasped his hands together.
"Foolishly lost in old memories... I've spoken out of turn."
A First-Grade Commander of the Demon Hall stood beyond rank and status, equal in standing to the leadership of any major sect.
As Yu Hwaryeong bowed his head in fluster, Bu Eun-seol chuckled lightly.
"It's fine. Speak as you always have."
"How could I dare—"
"Our agreement with the Thousand Swords Society isn't yet fulfilled, is it?"
Bu Eun-seol met his gaze with clear, unwavering eyes.
"Until then, before the Thousand Swords Society, I am merely Bu Eun-seol, a disciple of Langya Pavilion."
—Until I fulfill my promise to the Thousand Swords Society, no matter what position I hold, I am but a single disciple.
That was what Bu Eun-seol was saying.
"I see. You truly haven't changed at all."
Yu Hwaryeong trembled slightly, visibly moved.
"Just like when we traveled Sichuan together."
His gratitude was genuine.
In exchange for teaching Bu Eun-seol the Rhomboid Sword Control Form, the Thousand Swords Society had extracted a promise from him—to kill one person.
But now, Bu Eun-seol's status was that of the rightful successor to Langya Pavilion and a First-Grade Commander of the Demon Hall.
Even the Thousand Swords Society, whose wealth and influence rivaled that of the Nine Great Sects and One Gang, could no longer recklessly lay hands on such a figure.
Yet Bu Eun-seol had not forgotten his promise—and was demonstrating his resolve to fulfill it faithfully.
"My late master once said this."
Yu Hwaryeong inhaled deeply before speaking in a calm voice.
"You are a man who would keep his promise even if the heavens collapsed."
"That's why he imparted our society's secret techniques to you without hesitation."
"Late master?"
Bu Eun-seol's expression turned puzzled.
"You mean the Seventh Seat has passed?"
"Yes."
Yu Hwaryeong bit his lip, his words dripping with bitterness.
"By the hands of the one who destroyed our society."
For a moment, Bu Eun-seol's expression went blank.
The one who had slaughtered them all and fled, despite having been taught all the sword techniques of the Tenth Seat of the Thousand Swords Society.
The unprecedented Sword Ghost, whom Seoksong and Uhak had called the "Demon"—the sworn enemy of the Thousand Swords Society.
Had they finally found him?
"You've located him?"
"We have."
A look of excruciating pain lingered in Yu Hwaryeong's eyes.
Only now did Bu Eun-seol understand why his complexion had been so poor.
"I see."
"Can you kill him for us?"
Bu Eun-seol did not answer immediately.
Of course, he had no intention of breaking his promise to the Thousand Swords Society.
But in a little over a month, he would have to act under the Blood Mist Corps' command to annihilate the Black Alliance.
And above all, hadn't he already resolved to hunt down the faction that had burned the Seong Family Ironworks and manipulated Seok U-haeng from the shadows?
'Is this fate, then?'
On the other hand, Bu Eun-seol still had a month's time, and tracking down those who controlled Seok U-haeng could be done later.
And Yu Hwaryeong's arrival felt like destiny.
—Was it fate that I never made it to the Thousand Swords Society?
The words of the Bullet King, Bukgung Ryeong, whom he had met in the Martial Emperor Secret Vault, flashed through his mind.
"Does this matter involve the Bullet King?"
Yu Hwaryeong looked startled.
"How did you know that? Ah, unless..."
He recalled an old false rumor—that Bu Eun-seol, the Demon Hall's successor, had clashed with the Bullet King and died.
"Did you hear it from him directly?"
Bu Eun-seol shook his head as he dredged up the memory.
"No. I only heard that he had business with the Thousand Swords Society but ultimately missed his chance to go."
"I see."
Yu Hwaryeong's expression twisted with regret.
"He was quite close with our Second Seat. He offered to assist us in this matter, but in the end... he never appeared."
Only then did Bu Eun-seol grasp the situation.
Bukgung Ryeong had been unable to keep his promise with Seoksong because he'd become trapped in the Martial Emperor Secret Repository while pursuing him.
'This truly must be fate.'
Nodding slowly, Bu Eun-seol asked impassively,
"Which sect does that man belong to?"
At that time, there had been only one reason why all the other prodigies—aside from Bu Eun-seol—had refused to inherit the Rhomboid Sword Control Form despite being qualified:
They couldn't know who their sworn enemy might be.
What if that person turned out to be family, a close friend, or a senior from their own sect?
Making a hasty oath would be impossible to keep in such cases.
"Someone from the Demonic Path?"
At Bu Eun-seol's question, Yu Hwaryeong shook his head.
"No."
"Then he must be from the Righteous Faction."
When Bu Eun-seol let out a light sigh, Yu Hwaryeong shook his head again.
"That man belongs to no martial sect in Murim."
"What do you mean by that?"
Pressed for an answer, Yu Hwaryeong's expression grew profoundly solemn.
"He's a government official."
Bu Eun-seol couldn't hide his astonishment.
That monstrous master who single-handedly slaughtered the Ten Seats of the Thousand Swords Society—wasn't a martial artist but a bureaucrat?
'In that case...'
A strange intuition flashed through Bu Eun-seol's mind.
Perhaps that man connected with the Thousand Swords Society might be connected to whoever mobilized the government office to burn down the Seong Family Ironworks.
"Very well."
Without further hesitation, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"Let us depart immediately."
A swiftly galloping carriage raced down the government road, having just left the Demon Hall behind.
Inside sat Bu Eun-seol and Yu Hwaryeong.
Their destination was a small village in Luzhou, Sichuan—where the man who had mercilessly slain the Ten Seats, including the Thousand Swords Society's leader, was said to be hiding.
'Indian Yoga Art...'
Lost in deep thought, Bu Eun-seol's gaze remained fixed outside the window.
An exotic martial art nearly impossible to master without innate warrior spirit, and unreachable at the Great Completion realm unless trained from childhood.
According to Seoksong and Uhak, that man had mastered the Indian Yoga Art, allowing him to wield sword techniques without any physical limitations.
This was precisely why almost no one in Murim practiced it.
With countless Superior Martial Arts available, who would waste their childhood on a yoga art that might never reach Great Completion?
"But how did you learn he'd be in that village?"
"My master said that wherever that man appears, a plague inevitably follows."
Yu Hwaryeong's eyes darkened as if recalling the past.
"So our society had been searching for villages struck by plague. By chance, we discovered one where an outbreak had just begun, and Master departed for it alongside Elder Seok."
"You mean the Second Seat went with him?"
"Yes. I accompanied them on that journey as well."
His expression gradually twisted as he continued.
"But they must have deemed it too dangerous—while I slept at the guest inn, the two of them slipped away secretly to investigate the village. There... they encountered him."
Yu Hwaryeong drew a long breath, his eyes burning with icy flames.
"But they were no match for that demonic fiend. In the end, Elder Seok staked his life to hold him off, allowing Master to barely make it back to the inn where I waited."
Clenching his fists, he lowered his head.
"Yet even Master had sustained fatal wounds... He passed away after leaving me his final words."
His eyes widened as he spat out the words like blood.
"That man is a government official—and he'll soon appear in another plague-stricken village."
"Those clues alone won't be enough."
Having listened silently, Bu Eun-seol furrowed his brow.
"A government official and plague-ridden villages. With just those two hints, pinpointing any specific individual would be difficult, wouldn't it?"
"Don't worry. Elder Seok left a trail."
"A trail?"
"Indeed."
Yu Hwaryeong spoke with a pained expression.
"Master told me that Elder Seok, resolved to die, left traces of the Rhomboid Sword Control Form on that man's scabbard."
To ensure they'd never lose track of him, Seoksong had secretly marked the scabbard with the unique defensive patterns of the Rhomboid Sword Control Form.
Since it emitted sword energy in a manner completely unlike conventional techniques, Bu Eun-seol would undoubtedly recognize it.
"If only those two had possessed innate killing intent like you..."
Yu Hwaryeong's fists trembled.
"They would never have died by his hand."
Bu Eun-seol nodded in agreement.
The unfathomable Rhomboid Sword Control Form, reacting solely to killing intent—hadn't that mystical Strange Sword Study perfectly blocked even the Beggar King's initial strikes at point-blank range?
"You've left out the most crucial detail."
A sharp glint flashed in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
"If the Seventh Seat identified him as a government official, he must have specified which office. Isn't that so?"
Yu Hwaryeong's face instantly turned ashen.
Now it was clear—he'd known the official's affiliation all along but hadn't told Bu Eun-seol.
"That man is..."
After a long silence, Yu Hwaryeong's answer came out haltingly.
"...from the Eastern Depot."
"The Eastern Depot—?"
A strange light rose in Bu Eun-seol's pupils.
Wasn't the Eastern Depot the most fearsome of all imperial intelligence agencies, wielding supreme authority?
They possess extraordinary powers of arrest, judgment, and execution—authority that extends even to high-ranking officials, imperial family members, and founding merit subjects...
Once caught in their grasp, there is no escape.
"My apologies for not telling you sooner."
In truth, it was only natural.
Killing someone affiliated with the Eastern Depot was tantamount to turning the entire government office into an enemy.
Yu Hwaryeong bowed his head as he spoke.
"To be honest, I've been agonizing over this ever since I learned you were a candidate to succeed the Demon Hall."
His head still lowered, he muttered under his breath.
"But if I had told you about the Eastern Depot beforehand... I thought you would never agree to help—"
"That's fine. However, there's one thing I don't understand."
Bu Eun-seol crossed his arms and furrowed his brow.
"The Thousand Swords Society isn't lacking in wealth or influence. Whether it's the Eastern Depot or anyone else... wouldn't you want to take revenge with your own hands?"
At Bu Eun-seol's question, Yu Hwaryeong's head drooped so low it seemed about to pierce the ground.
"After our two pillars—our elders—passed into immortality, the internal atmosphere changed drastically."
He bit his lip before continuing.
"Most disciples wish to maintain the society's immense wealth and influence. If we were to make enemies of the Eastern Depot's agents... the society itself would not remain unscathed."
Only then did Bu Eun-seol begin to grasp the situation.
Seoksong and Uhak had made avenging the deaths of the society's leader and the Ten Seats their life's purpose.
But the disciples thought differently.
They wanted to preserve the Thousand Swords Society's formidable financial strength—enough to maintain vast intelligence networks without even revealing themselves in the martial world.
Even if it meant abandoning vengeance for their masters' deaths.
"All my sworn brothers wish for the society to step back into the light. But killing an Eastern Depot agent would shatter us beyond repair."
Yu Hwaryeong couldn't raise his head from shame.
In the end, the disciples of the Thousand Swords Society had chosen self-preservation over their masters' revenge.
Realizing that Bu Eun-seol was now the only path left for vengeance, Yu Hwaryeong had come alone to the Demon Hall.
Desperately hoping he would keep his oath.
"I'm sorry."
"No need for apologies."
Bu Eun-seol spoke calmly.
"I'm merely repaying a debt."
Thump. Thump.
In the end, Yu Hwaryeong shed tears of gratitude.
From his perspective, Bu Eun-seol was soon to ascend as the Demon Hall's successor.
There was no need—nor should he ever—risk himself by killing an Eastern Depot agent just to keep a promise.
Yet Bu Eun-seol had honored his word without hesitation.
Because he valued integrity more than fame or power.
'Though he walks the Demonic Path, he carries the spirit of a Renowned Hero.'
"Thank you."
Wiping his tears, Yu Hwaryeong spoke in a voice thick with anguish.
"Make sure you kill him."
Once they left Changsha Prefecture, they disembarked from the carriage and immediately employed their Lightness Skill.
After three days and nights of nonstop travel, they had already left Hunan behind and arrived at a marketplace in front of a small Sichuan village.
But instead of the lively movement and vibrant energy that should have filled the marketplace, only a desolate wind swept through.
Due to its proximity to a plague-stricken village, foot traffic had ceased, leaving behind only unease and desolation.
"Wear this."
As they passed through the marketplace and reached the village outskirts, Yu Hwaryeong produced a cloth to cover his nose and mouth.
Bu Eun-seol took it and wrapped it around his face.
Then, suppressing their presence, they ascended to the roof of a large manor overlooking the village.
No healthy villagers were in sight.
The afflicted lay in a quarantine tent erected at the village center.
"Just hold on a little longer."
"Excuse me, once the herbal medicine is ready, could you turn him over?"
Inside the tent, a woman with her face veiled periodically checked the patients' conditions and brewed medicine.
'Her skills are impressive.'
Bu Eun-seol nodded slightly as he observed from afar.
Though she appeared quite young, her hands moved with swift precision when treating patients.
The sharp energy radiating from her body suggested not only mastery of advanced medical arts but also martial training.
"I don't see any Eastern Depot agents."
When Bu Eun-seol sent the telepathic transmission, Yu Hwaryeong narrowed his eyes and replied,
"Even if not now, they'll come. I'm certain of it."
His gaze burned with conviction.
But contrary to expectations, as the day waned, not even a single ordinary constable arrived—let alone an Eastern Depot agent.
Still, Bu Eun-seol and Yu Hwaryeong waited patiently.
When night fell, shadowy figures began arriving near the village.
They led a large cart, carefully loading the bodies of those who had succumbed to the plague.
Judging by their attire, they seemed to be villagers retrieving corpses for disposal.
Bu Eun-seol's eyes sharpened as he watched.
"Something's off."
"What do you mean?"
"Villagers are personally collecting the bodies?"
"What's strange about that? They're villagers, so of course they'd handle their own dead."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"Normally, disposing of plague victims is the duty of coroners dispatched by local officials."
His expression turned deadly serious as he transmitted,
"Villagers would never be allowed to handle corpses on their own."
"Is that so?"
Meanwhile, the group finished loading the cart and departed.
"They're suspicious. We should follow."
As Bu Eun-seol stealthily trailed them, Yu Hwaryeong reluctantly followed.
But something was strange.
Instead of burning the bodies at a distance from the village, they were pulling the cart deep into the mountains.