Chapter 262
Bam! Bam!
This time, Bu Eun-seol unleashed the Fist Demon Initial Manifestation, striking Gu Ju-hon's chest-center acupoint squarely.
"Keuh... keuh... keuh..."
For an ordinary martial artist, this would have been a fatal blow—one that should have made them vomit blood and die instantly. Yet Gu Ju-hon only let out a deranged laugh before charging straight at Bu Eun-seol.
"A Demon-Binding Jade Man?"
Jongri Sa-yu, who had been observing Gu Ju-hon's condition, gasped in horror.
"To think they actually succeeded in creating one..."
"A Demon-Binding Jade Man? What's that?"
Yu Hwaryeong, standing beside her, asked urgently. Jongri Sa-yu explained:
"For generations, medical and poison clans have researched ways to delay death. That is what a Demon-Binding Jade Man is—"
Her expression darkened with fear as she continued.
"It was only ever a theoretical concept. No one had ever actually succeeded in creating one before."
"Then... is he a jiangshi?"
"No. To put it simply, it's a method of forcibly sustaining life force so that even after suffering fatal wounds, the body's functions don't cease."
Though she called it "simple," Yu Hwaryeong couldn't wrap his head around it.
"A living mind inside a dead body... So there's no way to kill him?"
"Cut off his head."
Yu Hwaryeong's mouth fell open.
Gu Ju-hon, despite his fatal injuries, moved like lightning, swinging the Blood Chain Sword with terrifying speed.
His martial prowess seemed to have reached the Extreme Heaven Realm. The idea of cutting off his head seemed impossible, even for Bu Eun-seol.
"Is there no other way?"
When Yu Hwaryeong pressed the question, Jongri Sa-yu shook her head.
"The only other method would be to extract the drug injected into his body. The reason he can still move despite fatal wounds is undoubtedly due to that drug's power."
"An injected drug? But he's bleeding thick, coagulated blood—no liquid is coming out."
"The Demon-Binding Jade Man is more like a legend passed down through the ages. I don't know how they succeeded, but..."
Her voice trailed off before she shook her head again.
"They must have connected some kind of drug-injection device to him somewhere."
"I see..."
Having heard everything, Yu Hwaryeong drew his sword with a grim expression.
The only thing he could do now was brace for death and throw himself into the fight.
He had to create even the slightest opening—just enough for Bu Eun-seol to sever Gu Ju-hon's head.
Meanwhile, Bu Eun-seol's body was gradually becoming covered in blood.
In terms of pure martial prowess, Gu Ju-hon's skill was no match for Bu Eun-seol, who had already stepped into the Extreme Heaven Realm.
But reborn as a Demon-Binding Jade Man, he now wielded monstrous strength, abnormal internal power, and a tenacious vitality that refused to die even when stabbed through the heart.
From Bu Eun-seol's perspective, it was like fighting an unkillable monster that kept relentlessly attacking.
'A Demon-Binding Jade Man...'
Just then, Bu Eun-seol overheard the conversation between Yu Hwaryeong and Jongri Sa-yu.
A Demon-Binding Jade Man could move as if unharmed despite suffering wounds that should have been instantly fatal.
To stop this demonic existence, one had to either decapitate it or remove the drug sustaining its body.
'They must have hidden the injection device somewhere inside him.'
Whoosh!
Bu Eun-seol fully activated the Way of the Beast, and a white light spilled from his eyes.
Empty Mind Spirit Perception.
With each clash of their weapons, he traced the flow of Gu Ju-hon's true qi, attempting to glimpse fragments of his emotions and spirit-mind.
Zing. Zing.
Every time their blades met, faint emotions transmitted themselves into Bu Eun-seol's consciousness.
'So that's how it was.'
Amid the relentless onslaught of the Blood Chain Sword, he sensed a thread of bitter sorrow.
Gu Ju-hon had been a prodigy of martial arts in his own right, but he had never received proper training.
By chance, he had come across a chain sickle, which he then modified into his own unique weapon—the Blood Chain Sword.
But because he wielded a weapon considered grotesque even in Japan, the martial world scorned him.
Worse, without proper instruction in an Internal Energy Method, his internal power remained shallow compared to his martial skill.
'So this is where he ended up... All to vent his resentment.'
Though Bu Eun-seol had only grasped a sliver of emotion from his true qi, Gu Ju-hon's entire life flashed vividly through his mind.
—Kuuuuh!
Gu Ju-hon, still swinging the Blood Chain Sword, let out a roar like an Ill-Omen Star.
It was the scream of a martial artist who had never been given the chance to become strong—a howl of despair.
Fwip!
Bu Eun-seol retreated in an instant, then spoke in a low voice.
"But that doesn't justify resorting to something like this."
Shink.
He sheathed the Ink Sword and said coldly:
"You should have walked your own path, without caring for the eyes of others."
—KAAAAAAH!
Gu Ju-hon, his throat rattling with phlegm, gripped the Blood Chain Sword and unleashed a blinding surge of killing intent.
It was as if he was screaming—"What the hell do you know?!"
Bu Eun-seol gazed down at him with dispassionate eyes and spoke coldly:
"Now I shall prove how you were wrong."
—Uwoooh!
Enraged, Gu Ju-hon let out another ferocious roar and swung his Blood Chain Sword.
Having poured all his combat power into the strike, his martial forms became invisible to the eye.
One couldn't even perceive where the Blood Chain Sword was being launched toward.
Thwip!
Then something bizarre occurred.
From Bu Eun-seol's left hand, a net-like radiance poured forth along with golden ripples.
Thud.
And just like that, the vanished Blood Chain Sword had come to a complete halt within Bu Eun-seol's palm.
The Willful True Binding.
An ancient secret art that materializes true qi into any desired form.
Using this, he had caught the invisible Blood Chain Sword barehanded.
Shiiing!
At that moment, Bu Eun-seol's Ink Sword was drawn with a low sword resonance.
Simultaneously, he brought down the captured sword blade of the Blood Chain Sword with all his might.
Craaack!
Though the sword split apart, instead of a metallic sound, a grotesque slicing noise reverberated through the air.
At the same time, a viscous, deep emerald-green liquid began gushing forth like a fountain from the bisected blade.
—Uuuaaagh!
As the liquid sprayed out, Gu Ju-hon let out an agonized scream and writhed violently.
The Demon-Binding Jade Men.
The mysterious fluid that maintained life force within a dead body had been hidden all along inside his Blood Chain Sword.
"How could you ever hope to progress when you couldn't even relinquish your obsession with weaponry after becoming a Demon-Binding Jade Man?"
Through Empty Mind Spirit Perception, Bu Eun-seol had discerned that Gu Ju-hon's essence blood was concealed within the main body of the Blood Chain Sword.
And using the Willful True Binding, he had seized and shattered it in one swift motion.
Thud.
As the last of the essence blood drained away, Gu Ju-hon collapsed to his knees as though all strength had left him.
"Are you alright?"
Yu Hwaryeong, who had been prepared to assist Bu Eun-seol with grim resolution, approached with an expression mingling joy and astonishment at seeing the Blood Chain Sword destroyed and Gu Ju-hon subdued in an instant.
"You... are truly remarkable. How did you know that drug was hidden within his weapon?"
"I pieced together the clues after hearing your account."
"You were listening to our words even amidst such a fierce battle?"
Just as Yu Hwaryeong gaped in surprise—
"Aah..."
A human moan escaped from Gu Ju-hon's lips as he knelt.
With all essence blood drained, his body was dying, yet his mind seemed to have regained startling clarity.
"You were right."
Propping his upper body against the wall, Gu Ju-hon looked directly at Bu Eun-seol.
"I gained fame through my weapon, so I became shackled to it."
A bitter smile spilled from Gu Ju-hon's bloodied lips.
"But I... lacked the courage to cast it aside and start anew."
Astoundingly, it seemed Gu Ju-hon had heard every word Bu Eun-seol had spoken until now.
"Whether one's fame is great or small, every warrior's final resting place is the cold earth..."
Blood began trickling from his smiling eyes and lips.
"If only I'd strived each day without regrets, death wouldn't feel so hollow..."
Then Gu Ju-hon closed his eyes.
As if the regrets of his past had melted away, a single transparent tear rolled down his cheek.
A man who had once shaken the murim world with his Blood Chain Sword, blessed with extraordinary talent yet tormented by unfulfilled ambitions.
Rather than starting anew, he had chosen shortcuts to rapid advancement.
And in the end, he met his demise filled with bitter remorse.
Creeak.
Bu Eun-seol clenched his fist as he stared down the passage now swallowed by darkness.
Somewhere above, more experiments were likely being conducted on others like Gu Ju-hon—people nursing grudges or burning with ambition.
Unless this place was completely destroyed, second and third Gu Ju-hons would be created.
Thud. Thud.
Without looking back, Bu Eun-seol stepped past Gu Ju-hon's body and strode into the darkness.
Hiss...
A heat haze-like energy gradually rose from his body as he walked.
He was circulating his true qi to recover while moving forward.
"Let's go together."
As Yu Hwaryeong, having collected himself, hurried after Bu Eun-seol, Jongri Sa-yu—who had been standing dumbfounded—also scrambled to follow.
Upon emerging outside, they discovered to their shock that all underground facilities were collapsing.
Having had their location exposed to Bu Eun-seol's group, the perpetrators had destroyed the interior without hesitation before fleeing.
When they exited through the passageway, a thunderous roar shook the very earth.
"If we'd been just a little later..."
At Yu Hwaryeong's murmur, Jongri Sa-yu nodded grimly.
"We would have been buried alive here too."
Whoosh!
Just then, Bu Eun-seol—who had been carefully examining the ground—suddenly unleashed his Lightness Skill at incredible speed.
Tap! Whoosh!
Deploying Swift Shadowless, he flashed through the forest, clearing multiple mountain peaks in moments.
After running like this for about a quarter of an hour, he spotted dozens of martial artists in the distance, fleeing across a reed field while carrying numerous crates.
They were all wearing the uniforms of the Eastern Depot's government officials.
Swish!
The moment Bu Eun-seol saw them, he unleashed a sword strike without hesitation.
"Gahk!"
With a scream, two officials' heads fell to the ground in an instant.
Simultaneously, several boxes caught within the range of his sword energy shattered, spilling their contents—booklets that tumbled out in a flurry.
Judging by their pristine covers, they appeared to be records of the research conducted in the underground facility.
"Ambush!"
As the officials scattered in all directions to evade the rain of sword energy, a masked middle-aged man stepped forward in front of Bu Eun-seol.
"You all go ahead first."
He slowly drew the sword at his waist as he spoke.
"I'll handle this one myself."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
Surprisingly, this middle-aged man's scabbard also bore traces of the Rhomboid Sword Control Form technique.
What is going on here?
While Bu Eun-seol hesitated, the middle-aged man launched his preemptive strike.
Swish! Hiss!
As he unfolded his sword technique, his left hand simultaneously executed a sharp Claw Art, aiming for Bu Eun-seol's vital points.
Swoosh!
Bu Eun-seol immediately countered with Formless Heavenly Flow.
Clang!
The two weapons clashed midair, pausing briefly—until a chilling Shadow Strike grazed Bu Eun-seol's chest.
Whizz! Crack-crack-crack!
In that brief moment, the two exchanged over a dozen blows.
Though the middle-aged man's martial prowess was formidable, there was still a considerable gap between him and Bu Eun-seol.
Yet, the reason they could exchange a few moves was simple:
His sword technique had startled Bu Eun-seol.
The Righteous Path?
To his astonishment, the middle-aged man's Sword Studies also belonged to the orthodox faction—specifically, a variation of the Mount Hua Sword Art.
So it really was the Righteous Path...
Even Wicked Incense's assassins had used sword techniques derived from orthodox Sword Studies, channeled through True Void. And now, these men as well...
Thud!
Lost in thought, Bu Eun-seol barely tilted his head back in time as the middle-aged man hurled a hidden dagger.
The blade narrowly missed, grazing the edge of his mask instead.
"Impressive martial arts," the middle-aged man muttered lowly.
"I won't survive this."
His voice and gaze alone betrayed the experience of a battle-hardened veteran who had weathered countless storms.
Even if Bu Eun-seol subdued him and subjected him to every form of interrogation, he would never get an answer.
Snick-snick-snick!
Finally resolved, Bu Eun-seol unleashed a rapid barrage of sword strokes, sharp as arrows.
The middle-aged man evaded them effortlessly and attempted a counterattack—but that became his final movement in the mortal realm.
Swish-swish-swish!
With the sharp Sound of Breaking Air, the sword energy that had grazed his body circled back and poured into him.
The Fourth Form of Formless Heavenly Flow—Caged Bird Longing for Clouds—had unfolded its subtlety.
Slash-slash-slash!
Dozens of sword energies embedded themselves into his vital points, forcing the middle-aged man to his knees.
But that wasn't the end.
Swish!
A single, razor-sharp strand of sword energy, delayed by a fraction of time, streaked past his neck like a hawk in flight.
A crimson Blood Line traced across his throat—before his head tumbled helplessly to the ground.
Fwoosh!
Bu Eun-seol flicked his finger lightly.
The mask concealing the man's face flew off, slowly revealing his features.
He had the typical face of a martial official—narrow eyes and a hooked nose.
Shhk!
Curling his palm, Bu Eun-seol activated Void Object Retrieval, and the iron scabbard hanging from the middle-aged man's waist flew into his grasp.
So it was an imitation of Rhomboid Sword Control Form...
The marks engraved on the scabbard were meticulous imitations of the technique Seoksong had demonstrated.
"They didn't know it was a defensive sword technique, so they left these traces."
The murderer had no idea that the Rhomboid Sword Control Form engravings on the scabbard were a defensive technique that reacted to Killing Intent.
Though they had perfectly mimicked Seoksong's marks, they had failed to capture the essence of the Sword Intent within.
Instead, they had left traces closer to an offensive technique.
They knew about the deliberate engravings on the scabbard and used them in reverse.
This murderer wasn't just highly skilled—he was also brimming with confidence.
He had intentionally left these marks on the scabbards of multiple Eastern Depot officials.
That could only mean one thing: he was either the Eastern Depot's Commander—or someone of even higher status.
No... this might even be a trap.
Not only had they constructed a facility deep underground, but they had also used martial artists like Gu Ju-hon as Experiment Materials.
That alone suggested undeniable ties to the pinnacle figures of Murim.
They might have used the Eastern Depot as a decoy to conceal their true identity.
Exceptional spies often exploit the identities of their accomplices to mask their own.
In the end, the only certainty was this: the murderer who slaughtered the Thousand Swords Society's Ten Seats was undoubtedly colluding with the government office.
Whoosh!
Amid the fading Sound of Breaking Air, Yu Hwaryeong and Jongri Sa-yu finally arrived.
Yu Hwaryeong let out a startled cry as he rushed forward upon seeing the fallen government agent and the scabbard in Bu Eun-seol's hand.
"You succeeded!"
"It wasn't him."
"What?"
"Look closely. The traces are different."
Bu Eun-seol pushed the scabbard he was holding toward Yu Hwaryeong.
After carefully examining the scabbard, Yu Hwaryeong shook his head.
"Honestly, I can't tell. It looks identical to the marks left by my martial uncle."
Yu Hwaryeong lacked innate killing intent, so he had never mastered the Rhomboid Sword Control Form or the Wind and Cloud Transformation Formula.
Because of this, he couldn't comprehend the most crucial principles of the Rhomboid Sword Control Form Art: Weakness Overcomes Strength, Sensing Killing Intent, Change Handles It, and Moving Without Stagnation—the very essence of the sword's way.
"They're not the same. Most likely, the Eastern Depot Guards—or all government agents connected to them—have these subtle markings engraved on their swords."
"How is that even possible?"
"The culprit is probably the Eastern Depot Commander—or someone of even higher rank... or perhaps one of the top masters of Murim who has ties to them."
Yu Hwaryeong's vision darkened.
The butcher who massacred the Ten Seats of the Thousand Swords Society held such an exalted position?
"Don't worry. I'll find him."
Bu Eun-seol's voice was calm as he met Yu Hwaryeong's gaze.
"Even if not now, our paths will cross eventually. I'll track him down."
For a moment, Yu Hwaryeong trembled with emotion, his hands shaking.
Even if Bu Eun-seol had lied and claimed this man was the culprit, Yu Hwaryeong wouldn't have been able to verify it.
Yet despite knowing the butcher was linked to the government's upper echelons—or even entangled with them—Bu Eun-seol was still willing to fulfill his promise.
"But... you're about to become the Heir of the Demon Hall."
"That doesn't matter."
Bu Eun-seol's voice was firm as he looked at Yu Hwaryeong.
"I will find him and keep my promise. You can return with peace of mind."
Bu Eun-seol's instincts told him one thing:
The mysterious factions he had encountered so far were all connected to the butcher who slaughtered the Ten Seats of the Thousand Swords Society.
Even without Yu Hwaryeong's promise, he had to find that man.
"Thank you."
Yu Hwaryeong bowed deeply, then straightened with a resolute expression.
"But this is enough."
"What do you mean?"
"You... risked your life to fulfill the promise our society made. How could I ask for more?"
Yu Hwaryeong was a man of noble character, one who embodied the virtues of a Renowned Hero.
This time, Bu Eun-seol had chased down and eliminated a government agent of the Eastern Depot at the cost of his own safety. He had already given his all—more than anyone could rightfully demand.
Yu Hwaryeong no longer wished to see him endangered under the pretense of a promise.
'A good man.'
Most people prioritized their own interests, never hesitating to exploit others' help.
Especially when it came to avenging their master.
But Yu Hwaryeong cared more about Bu Eun-seol's safety than his own vengeance.
'The fact that men like him still exist means Murim hasn't completely rotted yet.'
Those of the Demonic Path moved solely by the logic of power and self-interest, while the so-called Righteous Faction was mostly a gathering of selfish people.
Truly good people were rare in Murim, but a few—like Yu Hwaryeong—still understood Righteousness and Chivalry.
Perhaps it was because of men like him that Bu Eun-seol, who otherwise held no illusions about Murim, still clung to his humanity.
Whoosh.
Just then, Jongri Sa-yu, who had arrived late, gasped upon seeing the fallen middle-aged man's face.
"Bang Dae-un?"
"You know him?"
At Yu Hwaryeong's question, she nodded.
"He was the Eastern Depot's Station Chief, overseeing the intelligence network in this region."
The Eastern Depot governed everything and investigated anything.
From the price of vegetables in the market to monitoring their supposed colleagues in the Imperial Brocade Guard, they maintained spy networks in every region, each managed by a Station Chief.
The man Bu Eun-seol had killed—Bang Dae-un—had been the Station Chief of this area.
"I see."
As Yu Hwaryeong nodded with a grave expression—
Plink.
The cloth covering Bu Eun-seol's face suddenly fell to the ground. The hidden dagger Bang Dae-un had thrown earlier had frayed the ties.
Under the moonlight, Bu Eun-seol's peerless beauty was unveiled in full.
"Huh?"
Jongri Sa-yu's eyes widened, her body freezing like ice.
Bu Eun-seol's appearance was as shocking as his martial prowess.
'How can a person... look like that?'
Bathed in the moonlight, his face made her heart swell as if she had just heard a sorrowful melody.
"Brother Yu. Let's meet again next time."
Blood Martial Group Leader Jwa Dae-baek would soon return to the Demon Hall.
Bu Eun-seol, too, had to go back—to undertake the final test set by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor: leading the Death Shadow Squad alongside the Blood Martial Group to annihilate the Black Alliance.
Nod.
Yu Hwaryeong gave a firm nod—and in the next instant, Bu Eun-seol's figure vanished into the night sky.
Jongri Sa-yu stood there dazed, only snapping back to her senses after a long moment.
"Just who... was that man?"
When she turned her head, her lips parted in surprise.
Yu Hwaryeong had also slipped away unnoticed.
"The Thousand Swords Society..."
She murmured as if waking from a dream.
She had much to do—tracking down the faction that had been pursuing her family, mastering the Needle King Secret Transmission as soon as possible.
And now, she added one more task to her heart:
"I will...
I will definitely find that handsome young man from the Thousand Swords Society again."