Chapter 310
The Kill-Seeking Unit's Henan Branch.
Upon returning there, Bu Eun-seol personally prepared the funeral rites for Yeong Mun-ho's body.
It was partly out of affection as a Ten Demonic Heir, but also to study the scars left on his body in hopes of finding clues to deal with the Heavenly Sword.
Though Yeong Mun-ho had lost the most of his Internal Power, he had still fought dozens of exchanges against the Heavenly Sword bare-handed—befitting his status as a Ten Demonic Heir.
Moreover, he had stubbornly held his ground even knowing he couldn't win.
"Yeong Mun-ho..."
The corners of Bu Eun-seol's eyes trembled faintly.
Yeong Mun-ho's tenacious resistance against the Heavenly Sword had been deliberate—to leave traces of the enemy's techniques upon his own body.
—This is that bastard's sword technique.
Yeong Mun-ho had known full well that Bu Eun-seol would examine his corpse.
That was why he had endured so ruthlessly, carving the Heavenly Sword's methods into his very flesh.
As a result, Yeong Mun-ho's body had been left in a gruesome state—but it now allowed Bu Eun-seol to study the Heavenly Sword's sword techniques in meticulous detail.
Shiver.
Bu Eun-seol lowered his head.
No matter how cold and detached his nature, he too was a man with hot blood running through his veins.
'I must stay composed.'
He steeled his resolve.
If he let emotions cloud his judgment, he would squander even a fraction of the opportunity Yeong Mun-ho had bought with his life.
"Spirit and Mind, Internal Energy, the physical body, and sword techniques... There isn't a single flaw."
As Bu Eun-seol carefully cleansed Yeong Mun-ho's body once more, his sharp eyes narrowed.
The sword marks left by the Heavenly Sword held not a trace of hesitation—only a single, unwavering Sword Intent.
Humans ponder a thousand things even while eating, and untangle ten thousand worries even in sleep.
But the Heavenly Sword had fused his Internal Energy, willpower, and physical body into one.
That was how he could unleash sword techniques as swift as lightning, with not an inch of error.
"I couldn't do that."
Yet Bu Eun-seol's situation was the complete opposite.
His Spirit and Mind remained stagnant in the Middle Path, while the two supreme martial disciplines—the Willful True Binding and the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment—clashed within him.
Moreover, his inherently cold and detached nature warred with the warm, compassionate disposition instilled in him later, creating endless conflict.
The Heavenly Sword focused his entire mind into a single blade to face his enemies.
But Bu Eun-seol was at odds with himself—his Spirit and Mind, his body, even his inner emotions were in turmoil.
"In this state, I can't oppose the Myriad Forms One Style."
If the Willful True Binding and the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment couldn't unleash their full power, he would have to rely on the Formless Heavenly Flow to defeat the Heavenly Sword.
But the Heavenly Sword was a man who had honed nothing but the sword his entire life, and the Sword Sovereign's Myriad Forms One Style was already near-perfection in the realm of Sword Studies.
No matter how much Bu Eun-seol's Practical Sword Study evolved through battle, it could never overcome the Heavenly Sword, who had grasped the very Essence of Sword Study.
'I don't necessarily have to defeat him with sword techniques alone.'
Bu Eun-seol wasn't trying to compete with him in martial prowess.
If it meant killing him, he wouldn't hesitate to use poison or hidden weapons.
Rustle.
Just then, Yeong Mun-ho's slightly curled fingers began to move.
An ordinary person would have jumped in shock at such a sight.
But Bu Eun-seol, long accustomed to handling the dead, recognized it as a post-mortem rigidity phenomenon.
"...I see."
As he watched Yeong Mun-ho's fingers slowly unfurl, a profound realization flashed through Bu Eun-seol's mind.
"The root of the problem was trying to master the Mind-Training Formulas of both the Orthodox and Unorthodox Paths simultaneously."
Bu Eun-seol's nature had always leaned toward the Middle Path.
He possessed an innate coldness alongside the warmth instilled in him by his grandfather, Bu Jan-yang.
But martial arts were different.
Mastering the two supreme mental cultivation arts of both the Demonic Path and the Righteous Faction was akin to splitting his spirit in two.
Ultimately, these incompatible Mind-Training Formulas clashed, creating a divided mind within Bu Eun-seol's Spirit and Mind.
"So that's what was suffocating you. Even in death, you've given me enlightenment."
Yeong Mun-ho's once slightly curled fingers were now perfectly straight.
As if embodying the concept of emptiness.
—With your current strength, unifying the martial arts of the Orthodox and Unorthodox Paths is impossible. Why not create something entirely new instead?
Until now, Bu Eun-seol had studied the doctrines of the Emotion Severing Secret Art and the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment, attempting to merge them.
But was unification truly necessary?
What if he simply emptied his Spirit and Mind into the form of void? Wouldn't that give birth to an entirely new Mind-Training Formula?
This was the advice Yeong Mun-ho was offering him.
"It's impossible right now, but..."
Gazing at Yeong Mun-ho, Bu Eun-seol spoke in a firm voice, as if making a vow.
"I'll strive to find a new martial discipline—one that can fill the void left by the Willful True Binding and the Thirteenfold Qi Induction—as soon as possible."
At the Seven Sword Peak of Nangrim Mountain,
near the seventh summit, there had once stood a small thatched cottage.
Now, it had become an empty clearing, where only a large stone sarcophagus and a wooden coffin remained.
Inside the wooden coffin lay Yeong Mun-ho, whose remains Bu Eun-seol had personally and meticulously prepared.
His face looked as vibrant as it had in life, brimming with vitality, even appearing content.
Bu Eun-seol slowly dug into the earth.
After carefully burying the stone coffin, he placed the wooden coffin inside it. This way, the body would remain undisturbed by scavengers or external forces.
Before long, a small grave mound had risen where the thatched cottage once stood.
Had this been the Bu Eun-seol of the past, he would have stood before that grave and sworn vengeance against the Heavenly Sword.
But that was not what Yeong Mun-ho would have wanted.
Instead, Bu Eun-seol offered only a prayer for his happiness.
"In your next life..."
Gazing at the burial mound, Bu Eun-seol turned his head and murmured softly.
"May you be born in a place free of grudges... and live a life of happiness."
Bu Eun-seol immediately returned to the Demon Hall.
Originally, his destination had been the White Horse Monastery and the Spectral Sect. He had intended to investigate the unknown movements of the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade there.
But now, his goal had changed.
'How can I seek revenge when I can't even handle what's right in front of me?'
A bloody light flickered and spread through Bu Eun-seol's pupils.
The Heavenly Sword.
Bu Eun-seol would start by killing that madman of the Righteous Faction.
The Hidden Demon Pavilion's meeting hall.
At the center of the large table sat Bu Eun-seol, flanked on either side by Myo Cheon-u and Yu Un-ryong.
Myo Cheon-u and Yu Un-ryong.
The two were fellow Ten Demonic Heirs who had escaped Hell Island alongside him, and they could be considered his closest confidants.
A heavy silence filled the meeting hall.
Yu Un-ryong and Myo Cheon-u studied Bu Eun-seol's expression with grave faces.
Bu Eun-seol's pupils were frozen like glaciers, devoid of any emotion.
The two exchanged nervous glances.
They knew all too well—when Bu Eun-seol wore this expressionless face, he was at his most terrifying, and it meant he was planning something difficult.
"What happened?"
Unable to bear the silence any longer, Myo Cheon-u cautiously broke it.
"Did something go wrong during your travels in the martial world?"
Bu Eun-seol swept his gaze over them before speaking in a low voice.
"From now on, we will devote all our resources to investigating the Heavenly Sword."
"The Heavenly Sword?"
Myo Cheon-u blinked.
"You mean the Righteous Golden Divine Eye, known as the disciple of the Sword Sovereign, one of the Three Venerables?"
"Yes."
The two exchanged puzzled looks once more.
The Righteous Golden Divine Eye, the Heavenly Sword.
Years ago, he had earned that epithet in the martial world by exterminating a group of Unorthodox Faction members who had been tormenting civilians.
But since then, he had rarely been seen in the martial world. Why investigate him now, of all people?
"He killed Yeong Mun-ho."
At Bu Eun-seol's words, Myo Cheon-u and Yu Un-ryong's faces darkened.
"Yeong Mun-ho? The one who went to the Spectral Sect?"
"Yes."
"What do you mean? How could he kill someone who was already dead?"
Taking a deep breath, Bu Eun-seol calmly recounted everything that had happened.
How he had been using the Kill-Seeking Unit to track down the surviving Ten Demonic Heirs.
How he had finally met Yeong Mun-ho, who had been living as an herb gatherer, and reunited with him—
Only for him to be brutally murdered on the way back by a man who had mercilessly slaughtered the Black Wind Fortress—the Heavenly Sword.
And how the Heavenly Sword had, all this time, been one of the Great Righteous Experts whose identity had remained hidden.
"..."
When Bu Eun-seol finished speaking, a silence as thick as death settled over the room.
This was completely unexpected.
One of the Great Righteous Experts, whose identity had been shrouded in secrecy, was none other than the Sword Sovereign's disciple, the Heavenly Sword.
And he possessed strength comparable to Bu Eun-seol, the foremost Rising Talent of the Younger Generation in the Demonic Path?
"So that's what happened."
Yu Un-ryong, who had remained silent until now, nodded slowly.
He knew well that Bu Eun-seol had always regarded the Ten Demonic Heirs as his own kind.
After spending a fortune to finally locate Yeong Mun-ho... for the Sword Sovereign's disciple to cruelly slaughter him after he had already left the martial world—
Though Bu Eun-seol sat there calmly, his rage must have been piercing the heavens.
"From the very beginning, the Demon Hall pitted the Ten Demonic Heirs against the Great Righteous Experts."
Yu Un-ryong, deep in thought, spoke in a low voice.
"Even if that was part of the selection process for the successor candidates, that order has yet to be rescinded."
At this, Myo Cheon-u, who had been crossing his arms, nodded in agreement.
"In the end, the Ten Demonic Heirs and the Great Righteous Experts were never meant to coexist."
Bu Eun-seol, who had been listening silently, fixed his gaze on the window.
"He has never once revealed his movements, so investigating him will be difficult in itself. Mobilize every available resource to track his whereabouts first."
Turning his head, Bu Eun-seol's eyes flashed with a sharp light.
"After that, I'll handle the rest myself."
"I understand."
Yu Un-ryong, who had been lost in thought for a moment, responded immediately.
"I'll mobilize every available intelligence network to track him down."
Then he cautiously continued.
"If what we've discussed so far is true, you'll also need time to refine your martial arts, won't you?"
Bu Eun-seol nodded lightly.
"I know."
In his current state, he couldn't achieve an absolute victory against Cheon-geom.
From now on, Bu Eun-seol had to abandon his fixation on the two Mind-Training Formulas and enter a state of emptiness to reach a new realm.
A few days later. When Yu Un-ryong arrived at Bu Eun-seol's office, his face was stiff and pale.
"I've found Cheon-geom's trail."
"Where is he?"
"He's coming to the main hall."
Bu Eun-seol twitched one eyebrow in disbelief, prompting Yu Un-ryong to elaborate.
"He's coming here openly—as an envoy of the Martial Alliance."
"An envoy of the Martial Alliance?"
Bu Eun-seol's gaze turned peculiar.
Cheon-geom, who had never once revealed his presence in the martial world, had suddenly become an envoy of the Martial Alliance.
"That madman must have played some trick."
Yu Un-ryong furrowed his brow and sighed.
"I heard he went to the Martial Alliance and reported all the achievements he's secretly accomplished, including the destruction of Black Wind Fortress. And..."
To summarize the rest of his explanation:
Cheon-geom had abruptly appeared before the Martial Alliance, disclosed all his past accomplishments, and demanded a suitable position.
After lengthy deliberations, the Martial Alliance granted him the rank of First-Grade Sword Unit Commander under the Divine Guard Unit, one of the Seven Great Battle Corps.
They cited his merits in eliminating troublesome gangs like Black Wind Fortress and the Five Dragons Gang—groups that had harassed innocent commoners yet remained unassailable in their strongholds.
As word spread, not only the Righteous Faction but even ordinary commoners began taking notice of Cheon-geom, his fame gradually resonating among them.
"He's played his hand well."
Bu Eun-seol frowned.
As the Heir of the Demon Hall, Bu Eun-seol was now his sworn enemy. If Cheon-geom continued wandering the martial world alone, he could be ambushed at any time.
But by declaring his achievements and securing the position of Sword Unit Commander within the Martial Alliance...
He had effectively become someone even Bu Eun-seol couldn't recklessly touch.
"What reason did he give for coming to the Demon Hall?"
Yu Un-ryong answered in a grave voice.
"The Ten Demonic Heir."
Pausing briefly, he continued with an expression of utter bewilderment.
"He claims he's coming to put an end to the conflict between the Ten Demonic Heir and the Great Righteous Experts."
The gates of the Demon Hall swung open, and an Eight Horse Carriage bearing the Martial Alliance's banner entered.
Clack.
The carriage halted at the heart of the hall, and its door slowly opened.
A giant of a man, a greatsword strapped to his back, stepped out unhurriedly.
His face was gentle, with eyes that sparkled like gemstones reflecting sunlight.
A perpetual smile played on his lips, giving him an almost simple-minded appearance at first glance.
But in truth, he was a peerless martial prodigy, excelling in both physical prowess and wisdom.
Though he bore the epithet Righteous Golden Divine Eye, he was more commonly known as the Second Sword Sovereign, the Sword Sovereign's disciple—Cheon-geom.
"My, what a crowd has gathered to greet me."
Cheon-geom waved both hands cheerfully at the assembled officials of the Demon Hall.
"Pleasure to meet you all. Truly a delight!"
As he kept waving, the gathered Demon Hall officials frowned.
There was something undeniably frivolous and playful about his demeanor and expression.
Around that time, a middle-aged man in refined scholar's robes approached and offered a light bow.
"Welcome to our hall, Young Hero Cheon."
Cheon-geom's pupils shifted as he observed Baek Jeon-cheon.
Though he carried himself with the air of an elegant scholar, an overwhelming energy radiated from behind him—impossible to ignore.
"And you are...?"
"I am Baek Jeon-cheon, leader of the Myriad Learning Society."
"Ah! So you're the one who comprehends the heavens' words and discerns the hearts of men below..."
Cheon-geom waved his hands exaggeratedly, his face bright with enthusiasm.
"Your reputation precedes you, Master Baek!"
"You flatter me."
Baek Jeon-cheon smiled faintly and extended a hand.
"Please, follow me."
Guided by Baek Jeon-cheon, Cheon-geom ascended Singular Light Pavilion.
After staring at the pavilion for a long moment, Cheon-geom tilted his head in puzzlement.
"His Majesty the Demonic Heavenly Emperor... isn't here?"
Despite this being his first visit to the Demon Hall, Cheon-geom knew the exact layout of its inner halls.
But Baek Jeon-cheon showed no surprise and replied calmly.
"His Majesty has recently entered closed-door training. At present, all affairs of the hall are overseen by the Supreme Cult Commander."
"I see. Ah, but—"
Cheon-geom grinned playfully and spoke again.
"I heard the Deputy Hall Lord's whereabouts have been unknown for a long time. Why hasn't the Demonic Heavenly Emperor appointed a new one?"
No matter how much he was the Sword Sage's disciple, it wasn't his place to comment on the Demon Hall's affairs.
Had it been any other high-ranking official besides Baek Jeon-cheon, they would've immediately given him a cold glare or barked that it was none of his concern.
But Baek Jeon-cheon simply maintained an enigmatic smile as he replied:
"Well. I'm sure the Hall Master has his own profound considerations."
'Just as I'd heard—this man can't be underestimated.'
Baek Jeon-cheon carried himself like an unassuming scholar, yet his composure was extraordinary.
Moreover, he had just referred to the Demonic Heavenly Emperor as "Hall Master" in front of him.
In that instant, the Heavenly Sword realized Baek Jeon-cheon wielded formidable authority and possessed martial prowess that defied his unremarkable appearance.
"A messenger from the Martial Alliance has arrived."
At Baek Jeon-cheon's quiet announcement, a low voice echoed from within the Singular Light Pavilion's office.
"Let them in."
Baek Jeon-cheon then clasped his hands together toward the Heavenly Sword.
"Then I shall leave you to your discussion."
The Heavenly Sword likewise bowed respectfully before stepping inside.
Even as he entered the office housing the Demon Hall's second-in-command, his expression and gait remained utterly composed.
But the moment he saw the elderly man seated within—Yeop Hyo-cheon—his smile vanished.
'...!'
The Heavenly Sword instantly recognized that this seemingly ordinary old man possessed earth-shattering martial power.
'The foremost of the Four Gods and Seven Kings, they say...'
Concealing his astonishment deep within, the Heavenly Sword beamed brightly and clasped his hands.
"Cheon-geom, Sword Captain of the Murim Alliance's Yojin Sword Unit, pays his respects to the Supreme Cult Commander."
Yeop Hyo-cheon, who had been studying the Heavenly Sword's face, let out an impressed sigh.
"My, my. I'd thought no prodigy in the martial world could rival our Martial Soul Lord..."
Then, with another sigh, he added:
"Old Man Heonwon has been in seclusion all these years, yet he's been nurturing such talent."
Yeop Hyo-cheon smiled and extended a hand.
"Have a seat."
After offering the Heavenly Sword a place, Yeop Hyo-cheon summoned an attendant to serve tea.
"How fares Old Man Heonwon?"
Yeop Hyo-cheon inquired with a smile.
"The last I saw him was twenty years ago at Chungyak Mountain."
Yeop Hyo-cheon, known as the Dark King, had once clashed with the Sword Sage—revered as the Foremost Sword of the Righteous Faction—at Chungyak Mountain two decades prior.
The battle's outcome had been astonishingly mutual destruction.
Yeop Hyo-cheon had suffered severe meridian damage from the Sword Sage's sword energy, requiring three full years of closed-door cultivation to recover.
But the Sword Sage hadn't emerged unscathed either.
Struck by Yeop Hyo-cheon's One Hand Dark Heaven Style, his right leg had been struck, leaving him with a slight limp.
"My master also sends his regards. He said once he settles his affairs, he'd like to request another demonstration of your One Hand Dark Heaven Style's foundational forms."
'He's lying.'
Yeop Hyo-cheon's eyes narrowed slightly.
The Sword Sage was already over a hundred years old and had long withdrawn from martial affairs. There was no way such a man would still be driven by competitive spirit to make such a remark.
Yet Yeop Hyo-cheon simply chuckled and nodded.
"Tell him this old cult leader would welcome it anytime."
Then he continued:
"Now then. What brings the renowned Sword Captain of the Murim Alliance to our humble hall?"
'Old fox. He knows exactly why.'
Suppressing a cold inner scoff, the Heavenly Sword clasped his hands again.
"The Divine Guard Unit Commander made me a proposal. He suggested we end this pointless war of attrition between our factions."
The Heavenly Sword swallowed a laugh as he continued:
"I agreed with the sentiment, hence this official visit to deliver our position."
"War of attrition, you say?"
"The Ten Demonic Heir."
The Heavenly Sword feigned surprise.
"I believe the Demon Hall's successor also is also a Ten Demonic Heir. Wouldn't it be troublesome if our prodigies keep clashing like this?"
Though his words were diplomatic, the Heavenly Sword's eyes flashed with killing intent and madness.
Yeop Hyo-cheon studied him intently through narrowed eyes.
Just from the visible vascularity and well-defined musculature, this man's physical gifts clearly surpassed even Bu Eun-seol's.
Moreover, the unnatural clarity in his gaze paradoxically made him more unsettling.
'Heonwon Dam-cheong. That old fool took in a madman as his disciple.'
Instantly recognizing the Heavenly Sword's deranged nature, Yeop Hyo-cheon broke into an icy smile.
'This will be entertaining.'
In terms of madness, Bu Eun-seol—dubbed the Mad Sword—was no different.
And that one would never entertain notions of reconciliation with the Martial Alliance.
Yeop Hyo-cheon burned with curiosity about how Bu Eun-seol would handle this lunatic.
"However, with the Demonic Heavenly Emperor absent, I'm afraid this matter cannot be decided."
"Chuckle. When the Hall Master enters seclusion, he delegates full authority to this old cult leader."
"Is that so?"
The Heavenly Sword patted the greatsword strapped to his back and flashed a radiant smile, white teeth gleaming.
"Then will you accept?"
He was undoubtedly insane.
Fully aware he stood no chance against Yeop Hyo-cheon, he deliberately provoked him by tapping his greatsword.