Chapter 291
A single shooting star traced a brilliant white parabola across the pitch-black sky before vanishing.
At this late hour when starlight flickered intermittently, deep within the mountains, a shadow walked along a dense forest path.
After climbing the narrow mountain trail at a brisk pace for about half an hour, an ancient-looking mountain gate finally came into view.
Swish.
Passing through the gate revealed a vast flower garden.
Twinkle, twinkle.
Yet the flowers and plants blooming in the garden emitted a faint, ethereal glow.
At a glance, it was as if the stars embroidered across the night sky had been scattered across the ground.
Crunch, crunch.
Beyond the garden stood a small shrine built entirely of wood, from floor to roof.
Its structure was so unique and mystical that it bore a style unseen in the Central Plains.
Stepping inside, an amber lantern burned beneath the eaves, and before it stood a massive altar carved from black stone.
Upon the altar rested a hemispherical metal object, as if a giant bell had been sliced in half.
Within it, a murky black liquid writhed and shifted as though alive.
Crunch, crunch.
The shadow observing the altar passed by it and entered a passageway to the right.
There lay a large square chamber, illuminated by faintly glowing metal pillars.
Engraved upon their surfaces were the Four Symbols—the qilin, vermilion bird, and others—each emitting a soft radiance.
Meanwhile, the ceiling, shaped like a well, bore unfamiliar characters, its edges chaotically inscribed with oracle bone script.
Thud.
The shadow prostrating on the floor spoke in a low voice.
"The Orthodox and Unorthodox factions are assembling a large investigation team to look into the child abduction cases."
Pausing briefly, the shadow continued in a hushed tone.
"All of this is because he uncovered and annihilated the Five Poisons Sect."
Receiving no response, the shadow cautiously added,
"If we leave this unchecked, it will cause significant disruption to the Grand Endeavor."
At last, an extremely low and quiet voice echoed from within the chamber.
[Bu Eun-seol.]
The voice was calm, yet its tone and pitch shifted endlessly, making it impossible to discern whether it belonged to a man or a woman.
Moreover, it was so intense and provocative that once heard, it could never be forgotten.
[Is he not already the Heir of the Demon Hall?]
Bu Eun-seol had become one of the Four Gods and Seven Kings, a powerhouse wielding immense influence over the martial world—and above all, the successor to the Demon Hall.
To provoke him would mean provoking the Demon Hall itself.
[Or are you planning to wipe out the Demon Hall now?]
The voice carried the weight of the Million Demon Blades, as if genuinely convinced it could wipe out the Demon Hall.
"His martial arts are formidable, and his personality is known to be ruthlessly cold... yet he has an unexpected weakness."
[A weakness?]
"The Ten Demonic Heirs."
The prostrated shadow spoke slowly.
"He seems to hold no attachment to anything—except for the Ten Demonic Heirs, toward whom he harbors deep affection."
After a brief pause, the shadow continued.
"Looking at his past actions, every reckless move he made was to save one of them."
Kneeling, the shadow pleaded earnestly once more.
"If we use the Ten Demonic Heirs as bait, we can lure him out alone and eliminate him."
Then, the voice from within the chamber carried a strange emotion.
[The most terrifying trap in this world... is one that uses affection as its snare.]
For the first time, genuine emotion seeped into that voice—
Grief and anguish.
A long silence followed.
Then, after the prolonged stillness, an eerie voice whispered once more.
But it was so faint that only the ears of the prostrated shadow could hear it.
Bu Eun-seol sat in his office, reading a letter.
He had mobilized the intelligence networks of both the Fleeting Moment Boat and the Kill-Seeking Unit, relentlessly tracking Wicked Incense and the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade, Bu Jan-yang.
This was the only way to uncover the traces of the murderer.
Knock, knock.
Just then, the quiet voice of an attendant sounded.
"Lord. A guest has arrived."
"A guest?"
Bang!
Before he could respond, the door swung open, and a striking man clad in plain black martial robes strode in without hesitation.
Long hair cascaded loosely on either side of his face, framing an androgynous yet captivating visage.
It was Seo Jin-ha.
"Are you busy?"
Seo Jin-ha glanced around the office as he spoke.
"Quite impressive for the Heir's office, I must say."
Even though Seo Jin-ha was the leader of the Celestial Slaughter Corps, there was still a vast gap in status between him and Bu Eun-seol, the Heir of the Demon Hall.
Yet, he surveyed the room as casually as if it were his own home before settling comfortably onto the edge of a table.
Bu Eun-seol watched Seo Jin-ha's nonchalant demeanor with indifference, then resumed writing his letter before speaking.
"What brings you here?"
"I've been granted a month or so of Demon Leave. No urgent missions with the main unit for a while."
Seo Jin-ha grinned, flashing white teeth.
"Figured we should all get together for a drink while we're free."
His eyes swept the room once more before he added,
"Call Myo Cheon-u and Yu Un-ryong too. I'll treat everyone."
"Hmm."
Bu Eun-seol frowned slightly, and Seo Jin-ha's eyes widened.
"What, are you too busy to even spare a drink?"
"That's not it. They've also applied for Demon Leave."
"Huh? Where to?"
"Myo Cheon-u took his unit members to Hainan. Said he wanted to test his newly developed palm technique against the waves."
Lately, Myo Cheon-u had been selecting talented unit members to pass down the Essence of Palm Arts he had mastered.
Now, with his leave approved, he intended to train them properly by the sea.
"And Yu Un-ryong?"
"He went to Longquan, Zhejiang for the Ten-Joint Staff. Said he needed to find an exceptional master blacksmith."
Yu Un-ryong had been drafting the Ten-Section Staff Diagram when he discovered a fatal flaw in his weapon—the chain joints connecting the sections were dangerously weak.
If an opponent exploited this weakness, the staff would shatter instantly.
So, Yu Un-ryong had set out to redesign the chain mechanism entirely.
"They got time off—why the hell are they working?"
Seo Jin-ha looked utterly baffled.
"They should be resting! Did you order them to do this?"
"Of course not."
Bu Eun-seol exhaled sharply through his nose.
"I explicitly told them to rest. But both insisted it was personal business they wanted to handle during their leave."
"Tch, they've turned into complete workaholics."
Seo Jin-ha slumped his shoulders in exasperation.
Myo Cheon-u, easygoing, was one thing—but even Yu Un-ryong, who once seemed like he'd never adjust to the Demon Hall, had become obsessed.
"How the hell do you turn reckless ruffians into loyal subordinates like this?"
"What are you talking about?"
"The Rootless Squad, for one. And now even Yu Un-ryong, that world-class rebel."
When Bu Eun-seol remained silent, Seo Jin-ha clicked his tongue in frustration.
"Fine, the main unit's discipline is strict, but honestly? Demanding blind loyalty through sheer force and authority isn't my style either."
He sighed deeply and muttered,
"How do I get my own squad to serve with that kind of devotion...?"
At that, Bu Eun-seol, still writing, spoke without looking up.
"There's no such thing as loyalty."
"What?"
"Men who live by the sword don't cling to loyalty. They struggle just to survive."
His gaze fixed on the letter, Bu Eun-seol continued flatly,
"All you can do is train them to survive, no matter the situation."
"That's the duty of a commander who holds even one more penny or bit of authority: to ensure they walk away alive."
Seo Jin-ha stared blankly for a moment.
Then, abruptly, he burst into laughter.
"Pfft—HAHAHA!"
After cackling for a while, he nodded as if enlightened.
"So that's how it's done."
"How what's done?"
"You act indifferent, but you're meticulously looking out for them, aren't you?"
"I'm not."
"Heh heh heh."
Seo Jin-ha chuckled as he stood up.
"Honestly, if I had a superior like you, I'd pledge my life to them too."
Bu Eun-seol ignored the praise, continuing to write without reaction.
"Hmm."
Seo Jin-ha shook his head, then leaned forward and casually tugged the letter Bu Eun-seol was writing toward himself.
Had anyone witnessed this, they would've gasped in shock.
Bu Eun-seol wasn't just cold-natured—he despised any act that crossed the line of propriety.
"What are you doing?"
Even under Bu Eun-seol's icy gaze, Seo Jin-ha merely pointed at his own face with an indifferent expression.
"What else? It's my day off."
"Even you should humor me once in a while."
Under the bright, full moon, Bu Eun-seol sat atop the steep roof of the Hidden Demon Pavilion, as if piercing the night sky.
And beside him was Seo Jin-ha.
In the past, Bu Eun-seol had loved drinking on rooftops.
The feeling of looking down upon the world, the vast openness that only high, unobstructed places could offer—that was why.
But ever since that final drinking session with the Gong Twin Demons at the Kill-Seeking Unit's Yueyang Branch, Bu Eun-seol had stopped drinking on rooftops.
Because the memory of their lonely, silent last moments had resurfaced.
But was it coincidence?
Seo Jin-ha had brought fine liquor and abruptly led Bu Eun-seol to the roof of the Hidden Demon Pavilion.
Gulp, gulp.
After taking a swig from the glass bottle, Seo Jin-ha tossed it back to Bu Eun-seol.
Despite having brought plenty of alcohol, Seo Jin-ha insisted on sharing just this one bottle, passing it back and forth between them.
—Why go through the trouble of drinking like this?
An ordinary person might have asked at least once why they were drinking this way.
But Bu Eun-seol didn't ask.
Because he had long known—this was how Seo Jin-ha drank with a close friend he truly cherished.
Thud.
Bu Eun-seol took a sip and tossed the bottle back to Seo Jin-ha.
Drinking under the moonlight on this rooftop felt like baring their hearts and exchanging hundreds of words, even without speaking much.
The two passed the bottle back and forth for a long while.
"Even on Demon Leave, you're like this."
Seo Jin-ha sighed as he peered into the bottle.
"Meaning you have nothing better to do."
He smacked his lips, then suddenly burst into laughter as if struck by a thought.
"By the way, that was impressive. Even in the middle of all that chaos, you managed to pluck a flower from each of the Orthodox and Unorthodox Paths."
Instantly, Bu Eun-seol's expression darkened.
The memory of those days—tormented by the so-called "engagement incident"—flashed through his mind.
"There is nothing between us."
"What do you mean, nothing? How can you say that?"
"It was a desperate measure to cut off the rumors about me seeking a bride."
"Huh?"
"Otherwise, portraits of potential brides would still be flooding in endlessly."
"But the Divine Maiden Palace made an official announcement, didn't they? That you were formally engaged."
Seo Jin-ha tilted his head in confusion.
"Because of that, I heard the young men who had gathered at the Divine Maiden Palace hoping to catch a glimpse of A Glance Worth a Thousand Gold left in tears."
"There was no engagement."
"What are you talking about? Then why didn't you deny the rumors when they first spread?"
"Circumstances prevented it."
Bu Eun-seol lowered his head with a gloomy expression.
"It was unavoidable."
Seo Jin-ha barely stifled a laugh.
Bu Eun-seol—who could overcome any crisis in an instant, whose martial prowess was unmatched—was making such a defeated face?
"Don't tell me... when it comes to this, you're completely inexperienced?"
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
"No, think about it. The Martial Soul Lord, whose martial arts and wisdom are so great that no obstacle can stop him—"
Seo Jin-ha grinned slyly.
"—yet when it comes to matters of the heart, you're completely helpless?"
"I resolved it. In my own way."
"Huh?"
"If I had acted harshly, they would have clung to me even more."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed.
"There are many splendid and remarkable people in this world. Given time, they too will realize that."
"So, time heals all wounds?"
"Yes."
Seo Jin-ha crossed his arms.
"But what if, even after time passes, they still wait for you?"
"If they keep wanting only you, even when their hair turns white and they become bent old women—what will you do then?"
"Until their hair turns white..."
Bu Eun-seol gazed at the distant sky, his eyes clouded with solitude.
"If I live long enough for my own hair to turn white... that in itself would be nothing short of a miracle."
His expression and tone were like that of a child left utterly alone in this world.
For a moment, Seo Jin-ha's eyes reddened.
Bu Eun-seol.
Just what are you thinking? What are you aiming for...
That you despair so deeply of life, that you treat your own existence as something so fleeting?
Seo Jin-ha was a man of deeper emotions than most.
Had that not been the case, he would never have harbored feelings of friendship for someone as cold and detached as Bu Eun-seol.
"By the way... how did you know to attack the Five Poisons Sect?"
After a long silence, he shifted the topic, his gaze fixed on Bu Eun-seol's profile reflected in the bright moonlight.
"Even the High Command of the main faction didn't know about the child abductions. How did you figure it out?"
Clink.
Bu Eun-seol, having received the glass bottle, took a deep swig of liquor.
Only after a long pause did he slowly open his mouth.
"The Heavenly Slaughter Unit Commander must have told you to investigate."
"Haha. You're really impossible."
Even though his true intentions had been instantly seen through, Seo Jin-ha laughed playfully.
"As you know, our Unit Commander loathes you. Not only that, he's quite close with the leadership of the Demonic Path Ten Gates—none of whom think highly of you either."
Then, with a bitter expression, he added,
"He somehow knew I was close to you and ordered me to look into it."
"How you gather information. How you run your organization. He wanted me to find out."
"Correct."
After a brief silence, Bu Eun-seol spoke in a low voice.
"I investigated the Martial Alliance for a while."
Then, abruptly, he revealed something that would shock Seo Jin-ha.
"And by chance, I discovered a spy who had infiltrated the Martial Alliance. He was from the Five Poisons Sect."
Seo Jin-ha's eyes widened.
Bu Eun-seol had investigated the Martial Alliance? That meant he had either sent spies there or infiltrated it himself.
If such a fact became known, it could spark an all-out war between the Demon Hall and the Martial Alliance.
"Why are you telling me all of this?"
When Seo Jin-ha asked with wide eyes,
"We made a promise."
Bu Eun-seol replied with an indifferent expression.
"That you wouldn't stab me in the back."
For a moment, Seo Jin-ha's pupils trembled.
—This one, at the very least, does not betray from behind.
That was what Seo Jin-ha had said when he proposed an alliance to Bu Eun-seol on Hell Island.
And Bu Eun-seol had believed him.
Even now, after all this time.
'You've trusted me all along, haven't you?'
Bu Eun-seol always claimed he didn't believe in things like friendship.
Yet he held fast to the words Seo Jin-ha had spoken. Wasn't that... the very essence of true friendship?
Suppressing the overwhelming emotion rising in his chest, Seo Jin-ha grumbled half-heartedly.
"Well, I'm sure you'll handle things your way, but the High Command and the Ten Gates are still on high alert about your movements."
After taking a deep breath, he continued.
"For now, stop mobilizing your intelligence network and lay low. In your current state, no matter what you do, they will catch you."
"That's not possible."
"Why not?"
"There's something I must find."
"What, exactly?"
When Bu Eun-seol didn't answer, Seo Jin-ha sighed.
"You're already the Heir of the Demon Hall. What more could you possibly lack?"
"Becoming the Heir was also so I could run an intelligence network like this."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes held a trace of exhaustion.
"But even with the power I have now, there are things I still can't find."
"What are you searching for?"
"Is it something you can't even tell me?"
"Because it's simply something I must do."
"Bu Eun-seol."
Seo Jin-ha looked at him squarely, his expression grave.
"I may not be on your level, but I am the Group Leader of the Celestial Slaughter Corps—no small power."
Then, in a firm voice, he added,
"In other words, I might stumble upon information even you don't have."
After a long silence, Bu Eun-seol spoke quietly.
"Wicked Incense."
"Wicked Incense?"
"Yes. I must track them down."
For a moment, Seo Jin-ha's expression twisted strangely.
Wicked Incense was known as the grand sect of hidden weapons—but that was all.
They merely circulated exquisitely crafted concealed weapons throughout the martial world. Their assassins rarely revealed themselves and held no influence in Murim.
Moreover, their base had remained undiscovered for so long precisely because they concealed their identities with absolute thoroughness.
Why would Bu Eun-seol be searching for them?
Seo Jin-ha studied Bu Eun-seol's eyes, then nodded.
"Right. I see."
He didn't need to know the reason.
Bu Eun-seol had resolved to find Wicked Incense, no matter the hardship.
And if that was the case, then Seo Jin-ha's role was clear.
That was what friendship was.
"I've made this drinking session heavier than it needed to be."
Seo Jin-ha slowly rose to his feet.
"I'll head back. I should enjoy this rare, long Demon Leave while I can."
Turning away, he wore a bright smile.
"Take care until I return."
Before Bu Eun-seol could even respond, he activated his Movement Technique and descended from the Hidden Demon Pavilion.
Bu Eun-seol stared blankly at Seo Jin-ha's retreating back.
Unlike love, friendship could endure even if only one person upheld it.
That was both its greatness and its tragedy.
But because Bu Eun-seol did not know this...
He would soon come to deeply regret this day.