Chapter 293
The Mad Heaven Three Ghosts shared not only pain sensations but emotions, desires, and—truly—everything as if they were a single body.
Which meant, if you thought about it differently, the effects on their physical bodies and Spirit and Mind could also be divided among the three of them, couldn't they?
"Since everything is split three ways, they could take that bizarre medicine without losing their minds."
"Heh heh heh. You're a sharp one, aren't you?"
The Mad Heaven Three Ghosts nodded in unison, wearing sinister smiles.
"Correct. We brothers even share the side effects of the medicine."
Because the side effects of the drug were divided among the three of them, they could maintain clear minds without losing their sanity.
In other words, the rumors that the Mad Heaven Three Ghosts' minds and bodies were all interconnected were true.
"You—they call you the Mad Sword in the martial world, don't they?"
The Mad Heaven Three Ghosts strode forward, drawing their swords simultaneously.
Their blades were much narrower than ordinary long swords, and they were roughly seven inches longer.
Not only that, but the tips of their swords split into three prongs, resembling torn strips of paper.
"We're called the Crazy Triplets. So, let's see who's crazier, shall we?"
Swish!
What they unleashed was an extremely basic stance of the Wind and Rain from Eight Directions.
But something miraculous happened.
Slick.
Bu Eun-seol had perfectly dodged the sword technique—yet the blade still grazed his shoulder.
'They split a single Sword Stroke among the three of them.'
The Mad Heaven Three Ghosts hadn't executed the same Sword Stroke simultaneously.
They had divided a single Sword Stroke among the three of them.
To put it simply, what Bu Eun-seol had dodged was the first brother's initial execution of the Wind and Rain from Eight Directions stance.
But midway, the second brother's stance detected Bu Eun-seol's evasion,
and finally, the third brother's stance ensured the blade made contact with his body.
It might sound simple, but the ability to split a single Sword Stroke into three parts—
That meant they could alter the same Sword Stroke three times, effectively experiencing time at a rate three times slower than ordinary martial artists.
Slick-slick!
With another sharp Sound of Breaking Air, three streaks of sword light pierced toward Bu Eun-seol's vital points.
This time, it was a basic stance of Immortal Points the Way.
Flash!
But the Immortal Points the Way, now split into three, was no longer an ordinary sword technique.
The Sword Stroke that should have extended straight forward now rained down from different directions at different speeds.
Whoosh!
Bu Eun-seol immediately deployed the Formless Heavenly Flow, attempting to neutralize the Sword Stroke's variations mid-execution.
But the Mad Heaven Three Ghosts reacted faster.
The moment Bu Eun-seol initiated his sword technique, they altered theirs again, disrupting the Formless Heavenly Flow.
It was as if a painter had just picked up his brush to paint, only for a child to rush in and shake the brush handle.
'They can even split defensive movements into three variations?'
No matter the stance, it split into three actions, pouring in from three directions at three different speeds.
This wasn't a Combined Attack—it was like unleashing an entirely new martial art.
'Impressive.'
They didn't just divide their attacks—even their defensive sword forms were split three ways, perfectly shielding their bodies.
Moreover, likely due to the drug's effects, their internal energy and the Sword Duke's might surged like furious tidal waves.
Slash-slash!
Two streaks of Sword Qi grazed past Bu Eun-seol's shoulders.
Before one knew it, they had shattered his meticulous defense and were now wielding razor-sharp Sword Strokes.
Slick-slick.
Eventually, the three streaks of sword energy they unleashed left a single Blood Line on each of Bu Eun-seol's shoulders and back.
Yet, as the Mad Heaven Three Ghosts' sword techniques grazed him, a faint smile curled at the corner of his lips.
'But is that all?'
In the span of an instant, Bu Eun-seol's eyes flickered with a sharp light as he identified their flaw.
'You can't perfectly synchronize three humans with distinct personalities into one.'
The moment this realization struck, Bu Eun-seol immediately altered his sword technique.
His trembling sword tip suddenly erupted with light, generating dozens of streaks of Sword Qi.
"Tch!"
As the Mad Heaven Three Ghosts startled and retreated, those streaks of Sword Qi transformed into two fierce bursts of qi energy, blasting Cheon Woo-gang and Cheon Woo-sang over a hundred and twenty feet away.
Swish!
Now, only one opponent remained before Bu Eun-seol.
The youngest of the three brothers—the weakest in martial arts—Cheon Woo-ryang.
Bu Eun-seol unleashed a torrent of Sword Strokes upon him.
The strokes, which at first seemed to extend weakly like drifting jellyfish, suddenly rained down in a dense, net-like formation.
Clang! Clash-clang!
At close range, weapons collided repeatedly, sending metallic echoes ringing through the air as sparks flew.
Bu Eun-seol attacked as if he were facing a sworn enemy—pouring every single Killing Move solely onto the youngest brother, Cheon Woo-ryang.
"Hold on just a little longer!"
Cheon Woo-gang and Cheon Woo-sang, the two elder brothers, hastily returned to the frontlines to block Bu Eun-seol's assault, but—
Whoosh!
The cold flashes of light Bu Eun-seol had been unleashing transformed once more into fierce energy blasts, shoving the two brothers back.
And again, the Ink Sword traced an uncanny trajectory, slashing relentlessly toward Cheon Woo-ryang.
As Bu Eun-seol ruthlessly focused all his attacks on him alone, Cheon Woo-ryang panicked.
Bu Eun-seol's Sword Strokes stabbed forward like sharp awls bursting forth one moment, then spread out like a net the next.
Faced with an endless barrage of Sword Strokes impossible to defend against alone, the precision of his swordplay began to crumble.
'If their Spirit and Mind had truly become one, the distribution of power in their swords should have been identical.'
As their Sword Strokes grazed past his skin, Bu Eun-seol could sense it.
Though the Mad Heaven Three Ghosts might share sensations among themselves—
Contrary to rumors, their bodies and Spirit and Mind had not fully merged into one.
If they had, the depth of the wounds on their shoulders and backs would have been uniform.
Shhk!
In that brief moment, Bu Eun-seol unleashed three consecutive sword strikes.
No matter how they counterattacked, no matter what offensive they mounted—he persistently, ruthlessly targeted only the youngest, Cheon Woo-ryang.
"Ghk—!"
Finally, a groan escaped Cheon Woo-ryang's lips.
For the first time, it was not the three brothers speaking as one—but a single voice, isolated.
Slash-slash-slash!
With their perfect harmony shattered, their swordplay began to collapse.
What had once been an exquisite and mystical sword technique gradually became simple, ordinary.
"Woo-ryang, pull yourself together and block his attacks properly!"
Because Cheon Woo-ryang kept disrupting the rhythm of their swordplay, their technique was falling apart.
Unable to stand it any longer, the eldest, Cheon Woo-gang, shouted—and the second brother, Cheon Woo-sang, echoed in agreement.
"You're not holding your own, and now I'm taking internal injuries too!"
Though their Spirit and Mind were not unified, the pain sensation in their bodies was shared.
And now, because of one brother's mistakes, the agony kept being divided between the other two—stoking their fury.
"Execute Leaf-Blowing Eight Divisions—but each of us differently!"
Cheon Woo-gang's eyes flashed as he barked the order, as if struck by sudden inspiration.
"If he's only attacking Woo-ryang, then we'll simultaneously unleash different Sword Strokes!"
At the eldest's command, the second brother, Cheon Woo-sang, shouted back:
"There are still more Soulless Ones left—I'll call them!"
He pulled out a thin flute from his robes and blew into it.
Immediately, over twenty Soulless Ones emerged from behind and rushed at Bu Eun-seol.
But that was their fatal mistake.
By abandoning their usual method of splitting a single Sword Stroke into three and instead attacking with ordinary combined strikes—
The mystical nature of their swordplay vanished in an instant.
—Uoooh!
Moreover, as the Soulless Ones surged forward like a wave, their once-impeccable defensive formation crumbled apart.
'Now!'
Cutting down the charging Soulless Ones, Bu Eun-seol swiftly activated his Movement Technique and closed in on the Mad Heaven Three Ghosts.
"Not a chance!"
Realizing their mistake immediately, the three brothers—
Split their Sword Strokes into three once more, weaving an airtight Sword Curtain.
But Bu Eun-seol's Sword Stroke was faster.
Flash!
A violet Lightning Flame flickered—and in the same instant, a razor-sharp Sword Qi slashed in a zigzag, coiling around Cheon Woo-ryang.
The Peerless Under Heaven Killing Sword—the Peerless Thunderbolt—had been unleashed.
Shiiing!
Shockingly, the Peerless Thunderbolt missed for the first time.
Having seen Bu Eun-seol relentlessly target Cheon Woo-ryang, the two elder brothers had tightly woven a defensive sword formation around him.
But that was exactly what Bu Eun-seol had planned.
From the very beginning, the attack aimed at Cheon Woo-ryang had been a Feint.
Until now, Bu Eun-seol had fixated on Cheon Woo-ryang.
Naturally, the two brothers had assumed the Peerless Thunderbolt would be directed at him.
A Killing Sword is a lethal technique—
Meaningless unless executed at the precise moment to sever the enemy's life.
Flash!
Not a Feint—but the true Peerless Thunderbolt was unleashed.
Its target? The exposed throats of the two elder brothers, wide open in their moment of vulnerability.
Sssshhhk!
As blood gushed from the severed necks of Cheon Woo-gang and Cheon Woo-sang, the eyes of the sole survivor, Cheon Woo-ryang, grew hollow.
Was he sharing the agony of having his throat slit?
Or was it relief—the severance of the mental and physical connection he had shared with his brothers?
He stood frozen, like a stone statue, unable to move.
'His mind has shattered.'
He had shared the sensation of death with his brothers.
Thus, Cheon Woo-ryang had already experienced the torment of dying.
Only his body remained intact... From this day forth, he would spend the rest of his life reliving the agony of that death.
Plip-plop.
The spurting blood began to fall like rain once more.
Bu Eun-seol methodically cut down all the Soulless Ones except Cheon Woo-ryang, who stood dumbly in place with an unfocused gaze.
Watching this, Cheon Woo-ryang trembled violently before—
"GAAAH!"
—charging at Bu Eun-seol with his sword raised.
Cheon Woo-ryang, who had shared his entire existence with his brothers, now found himself utterly alone.
And with their deaths, even the will to live had abandoned him.
Bu Eun-seol executed a sword technique.
So swift that there was no pain—Cheon Woo-ryang's head was severed in an instant.
Thud.
His head hit the ground.
Without so much as a backward glance, Bu Eun-seol strode slowly toward the central building of Blood Death Valley.
Creeeak.
Opening the door revealed a dim passage leading underground.
There was no need to employ Empty Mind Spirit Perception.
His intuition already told him—Seo Jin-ha was imprisoned here.
After walking down the seemingly endless passage, he soon arrived at a vast stone chamber.
Lanterns flickered along the walls, but the chamber was absurdly large, casting long, dark shadows in their dim glow.
At the far end stood a door.
A massive iron gate—six feet tall and over thirty feet wide.
At a glance, it was clearly designed to hold someone captive.
Seo Jin-ha had to be inside.
Just as Bu Eun-seol took a step forward—
Four figures abruptly materialized around the chamber, standing tall.
All wore masks, each gripping a sword of distinct design. Their stances and auras were wildly different, yet one thing was certain—their presence alone marked them as renowned swordsmen who had once shaken the martial world.
"Quite the imposing aura."
One of the masked men stepped forward, studying Bu Eun-seol's posture.
"We are the Four Sword Disciples."
"Four Sword Disciples?"
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed faintly.
Not only had he never heard of such a title in the martial world, but the masked men's eyes all gleamed with the same righteous light.
There was no trace of drugs in them, and the energy they exuded was pure and untainted.
These were not cruel Demonkin or wicked men. Most likely, they were once celebrated heroes of the Righteous Path.
"So all of you share the same title?"
"We have discarded the names we once bore."
The masked man met Bu Eun-seol's gaze impassively.
"I am merely the First Sword Disciple."
They had forsaken their names, referring to themselves only as the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Sword Disciples.
"We all made names for ourselves through our sword techniques, united by one common desire—to create the perfect sword form."
The First Sword Disciple began explaining without being asked.
"But we came to a realization. No matter how much we trained in this lifetime, our abilities alone could never achieve perfection."
"But what if, when executing a technique, another master swordsman could compensate for my flaws? And what if yet another could compensate for theirs?"
Absurd—yet ingenious.
Four genius swordsmen, each covering the flaws in the others' techniques in succession...
Wouldn't that result in a sword form without a single weakness?
"We named this the 'Seamless as a Heavenly Robe' technique. And to perfect it, we gave everything—even our very lives."
This was why they had become the Four Sword Disciples.
And now Bu Eun-seol understood why the First Sword Disciple was speaking so freely.
They had devoted their lives to reaching the pinnacle of the Sword Dao. And they wanted Bu Eun-seol—their adversary—to acknowledge it.
"Step aside."
The usual Bu Eun-seol would have cut them down without hesitation.
But he could sense it—
Beyond that iron gate, figures brimming with overwhelming killing intent lay coiled in wait.
If that was the case, he had to avoid unnecessary battles. Conserve his strength.
"I must save Seo Jin-ha."
"I'm afraid that won't be possible."
The First Swordsman spoke in an apologetic tone, as if he still retained a shred of conscience.
"This too is part of our promise."
"Whose promise are you referring to?"
"That, I cannot tell you. However—"
He gestured with his lowered voice toward the iron gate behind him.
"Our only duty is to prevent you from entering there. If you turn back now, we won't lay a finger on you."
In that moment, Bu Eun-seol sensed something amiss.
If all the Soulless Ones, the Mad Heaven Three Ghosts, the Four Sword Disciples before him, and those beyond the iron gate had confronted him simultaneously—he wouldn't have broken through so easily.
Moreover, each wave of enemies had grown progressively stronger.
'They weren't trying to kill me.'
Only now did Bu Eun-seol realize.
This trap was both a testing ground to gauge the limits of his martial prowess...
and a device designed to shatter his spirit and mind by using Seo Jin-ha as leverage.
No matter how powerful a faction might be, if they directly murdered the Heir of the Demon Hall with their own hands—
They would inevitably leave traces to be uncovered.
'This was meant to break my spirit.'
The method to crush a person's spirit and mind is simpler than one might think.
At the very moment one overcomes suffering and trials to finally reach their goal—you simply destroy that hope before their eyes.
Just as Bu Eun-seol now stood before the iron gate guarded by the Four Sword Disciples.
They had sent him Seo Jin-ha's severed ear along with their threatening message.
By doing so, they ensured he clung to the desperate hope that Seo Jin-ha still lived.
"So you won't turn back."
The First Swordsman drew his sword, staring intently into Bu Eun-seol's ice-cold eyes.
"Then show us. Your true skill."
Without another word, Bu Eun-seol immediately unleashed Meteor Chasing Moon.
This sword form combined the Fast Sword and Heavy Sword arts—a sword technique possessing both blinding speed and overwhelming might.
Shhk!
The First Swordsman extended his blade with equal swiftness.
In an instant, he suppressed the rapid strikes of Meteor Chasing Moon.
Simultaneously, the Second Swordsman beside him deployed his own sword technique, completely neutralizing the Heavy Sword force embedded within the attack.
"Impressive."
The First Swordsman nodded in genuine admiration.
"To force the Second Swordsman's intervention with just one sword move."
Though his praise was sincere, Bu Eun-seol's pride stung slightly.
That merely two of them working together could block Meteor Chasing Moon.
"Try blocking this."
Channeling his internal power, Bu Eun-seol successively unleashed the Formless Heavenly Flow.
Rather than a single stance, he deployed three martial forms simultaneously—transforming his sword energy into a colossal storm that crashed down upon the First and Second Swordsmen.
Swish-swish!
Standing side by side, the two swordsmen frantically swung their blades but couldn't withstand the technique's power and intricacy.
Clang!
With a clear sword resonance, the Third Swordsman stepped forward.
Clang-clang-clang!
Drawing a massive circular defense, he perfectly blocked all of Bu Eun-seol's sword strokes.
Zing!
Refusing to relent, Bu Eun-seol pressed forward to break their combined defense.
Yet when the Second Swordsman complemented the First's techniques, and the Third supplemented the Second's, their defense became impenetrable.
Individually, each was already a renowned master swordsman of the martial world.
But by calmly complementing each other's techniques, they not only overwhelmed the Formless Heavenly Flow—they began counterattacking.
Bu Eun-seol could only stack a maximum of three martial forms in the Formless Heavenly Flow. Yet they were effortlessly blocking it.
As razor-sharp sword strokes grazed his skin, blood sprayed from multiple wounds on Bu Eun-seol's body.
At point-blank range, their relentless sword forms continuously disrupted his techniques, exploiting every opening.
Before he knew it, the blood flowing from Bu Eun-seol's body had soaked the ground beneath him.
Yet with unshaken focus in his eyes, he continued exchanging furious blows.
"To force the Third Swordsman into action. Remarkable."
The First Swordsman wore an expression of sincere admiration as he wielded his blade.
"But once the Fourth joins, it will be over."
Easily deflecting Bu Eun-seol's sword energy, he shook his head regretfully.
In all his years, he'd never seen a prodigy like Bu Eun-seol—one so young yet wielding such extraordinary sword techniques.
The thought of killing him in one stroke somehow felt wasteful.
"But there's no helping it."
They had already promised to kill Bu Eun-seol.
—Kill just one person for us. When we require it.
This was the sole condition demanded by the faction that had supported them materially and spiritually for over a decade—allowing them to develop the Seamless as a Heavenly Robe technique.
"Shall we begin wrapping this up?"
Ching!
Finally, the Fourth Swordsman drew his blade.
With the Third Swordsman alone matching Bu Eun-seol's skill... once the Fourth joined, only defeat would remain.
"This ends here!"
With that shout, the Fourth Swordsman's blade plunged into Bu Eun-seol's Adam's apple.