Chapter 324
Clang clang clang clang!
When the Heavenly Sword unleashed Myriad Forms One Style with the essence of the Fast Sword, Bu Eun-seol also unleashed Myriad Forms One Style with the essence of the Fast Sword.
Half Up Half Down. Move Heaven Exchange Force.
It was the supreme principle of orthodox sword arts—something akin to the demonic sword technique United Efforts One Heart—where the very origin of the force pouring through the blade's edge was reversed.
'This bastard!'
Realizing the situation too late, the Heavenly Sword bit his lip.
Had everything up until now been a ploy to steal the secrets of Myriad Forms One Style?
'I should have killed him in one strike from the start.'
He should never have fought with the thought of a draw in mind. The moment he saw an opening, he should have severed Bu Eun-seol's breath in a single motion.
"Hahaha!"
Rage surged within the Heavenly Sword, and he burst into a maddened laugh.
"So this is what you call Practical Combat Martial Arts? Stealing others' techniques and strutting around like you own them—how very typical of someone from Langya Pavilion!"
Then, with all his might, he drew up his Internal Power.
'I'll cut him down with everything I have before he steals any more of my sword techniques.'
He had sensed it instinctively—if he failed to kill Bu Eun-seol today, he would never get another chance.
"You must have thought you had nothing left to lose. That just by enduring, you could reclaim everything."
Bu Eun-seol looked down at the Heavenly Sword.
"Far from it. Merely being the Sword Sovereign's disciple means you still possess much."
Then, the corner of his lips curled coldly.
"And this Lord has taken it all from you."
Crack.
Not only had his plans been thoroughly seen through, but even the essence of his sword techniques had been stolen. The Heavenly Sword's fury boiled over, threatening to erupt.
But then, sensing the gazes around him, he scoffed.
"First, you talk about not speaking to the dead, yet here you are, chattering away since earlier?"
"If it riles you up, why wouldn't I say it?"
Bu Eun-seol's lips curled into a leisurely smile as he sent a Voice Transmission.
"At any rate, you've worked hard. You followed the plan I laid out quite faithfully."
Grind—
The Heavenly Sword clenched his teeth so hard they nearly shattered.
If a glare could forge blades, millions would have poured from his eyes.
"Break my sword techniques first, then spout such nonsense!"
Thud.
The Heavenly Sword's massive frame grew even larger.
Having ignited even his latent potential, his Innate Divine Strength now pushed his physique to its absolute limit.
Whoosh—
As white True Qi began to rise from his body, the Heavenly Sword's stature expanded—he grew about a head taller, his body even more colossal.
This was no longer a human form. Yet it wasn't that of a monster, either.
Greed, cruelty, malice—and Killing Intent, all tangled together into something resembling an unknown lifeform.
"I'll end this in a single strike!"
His natural divine strength and energy. His overwhelming Internal Energy and Killing Intent, all converging into—
The moment he prepared to unleash a full-powered Myriad Forms One Style,
Hiss—
A pale mist erupted from Bu Eun-seol's Ice Soul Sword, shrouding hundreds of feet in fog.
"Enough of your cheap tricks!"
Now a giant, the Heavenly Sword closed the distance in an instant and swung for Bu Eun-seol's head.
But just as his greatsword was about to meet Bu Eun-seol's neck, an unsettling sensation clung to the back of his own.
'Something's wrong.'
The Heavenly Sword, too, was a Master who had stepped into the Extreme Heaven Realm.
He could perceive time several times slower than ordinary martial artists.
Splitting his full-powered strike into two, he prepared a countermovement in case of a sudden retaliation.
'No matter what trick you pull, I can just block with the greatsword in my left hand!'
Boom—
At that moment, a tempestuous gale erupted from Bu Eun-seol's blade, swirling with razor-sharp currents.
Shwaaaak—!
Simultaneously, countless points of light scattered outward before raining down upon both Bu Eun-seol and the Heavenly Sword.
'What kind of sword technique is this?!'
The points of light were Sword Rings—projectiles that pierced even iron with ease.
Even a glancing touch tore through cloth and gouged flesh.
As the Heavenly Sword closed in to behead him in one stroke, Bu Eun-seol unleashed a bizarre sword technique, showering the area with Sword Rings like rain.
Aimed at both himself and the Heavenly Sword.
"You madman! Was mutual destruction the best you could come up with?!"
Abandoning his decapitating strike, the Heavenly Sword swung his greatsword in wide arcs, obliterating the Sword Rings.
But Bu Eun-seol was different.
He charged forward, uncaring whether his body was shredded by the downpour of Sword Rings.
Swaaa—!
Drenched in the rain of Sword Rings, Bu Eun-seol became a Blood Person in an instant.
Tap.
Yet he paid no mind, condensing a single Sword Ring like a dewdrop at the tip of his blade.
Then, with a full rotation of the Ice Soul Sword, he hurled it straight at the Heavenly Sword.
In that moment, all the Sword Rings raining down vanished—
Whoosh—!
And the fog enveloping Bu Eun-seol and the Heavenly Sword evaporated as if it had never been.
For a brief moment, silence reigned over Seok Gwang-pyeong's stage.
—What just happened?
Due to the strange mist emitted by the Ice Soul Sword, even Masters with exceptional vision couldn't clearly see the precise exchange of blows between the two.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
Bu Eun-seol's entire body was torn and drenched in blood, yet he stood tall and unyielding.
The Heavenly Sword, however, gazed at him with an unreadable expression—without a single wound on his body.
"An exquisite—yet utterly insane—sword technique."
Even the Heavenly Sword, who had mastered Myriad Forms One Style, could only acknowledge it—
The Heavenly Sword, too, could be called a Sword Ghost.
In that instant, the sword strokes Bu Eun-seol had unleashed were those only a madman could execute—ones that embraced the meaning of death without a shred of fear.
The Sword Rings he had released carried tremendous destructive force. Had there been even a trace of hesitation or fear, his body would have been riddled with hundreds of holes.
But Bu Eun-seol had dashed into the storm of Sword Rings without a moment's pause.
And within that maelstrom, he had unleashed an eerie sword stroke, severing the Heavenly Sword's carotid artery.
"If you had used this sword technique from the beginning, you could have defeated me with a single move."
The Heavenly Sword had overestimated Bu Eun-seol's skill.
The Bloody Tears Seven Forms was an unparalleled blade art that required perfect alignment of the wielder's spirit and mind with the Blade Essence.
It was only because the Heavenly Sword had unleashed sword strokes powerful enough to take Bu Eun-seol's life that he, too, had been able to execute the Bloody Tears Seven Forms.
"If you were truly insane, you wouldn't cling to life. You could have blocked this strike."
Bu Eun-seol's voice was icy.
"But your madness was nothing more than arrogance—a hollow imitation."
The Heavenly Sword had won every battle until now.
He had prided himself on surviving any fight, no matter how dire.
—I am strong. No matter who I face, I will survive!
That was why, when he had entered the Demon Hall, he had dared to stand defiant even before Yeop Hyo-cheon, the Dark King—the head of the Four Gods and Seven Kings.
But if he had truly believed he could die?
He would never have dared.
"Ah... I suppose I have no choice but to admit it."
The Heavenly Sword lowered his head with a desolate expression.
"The real madman wasn't me—it was you."
Then, taking a deep breath, he asked:
"Then... you don't fear death?"
"This world is but a temporary lodging."
Click.
Bu Eun-seol sheathed the Ice Soul Sword and replied indifferently.
"To die is merely to return to one's original place..."
The first stroke of the Bloody Tears One Form—Life is a Sojourn, Death is a Return.
This technique involved scattering Blade Rings upon both the enemy and oneself, then cutting down the foe amidst the storm without hesitation—
A truly deranged, ruinous art.
"To die... is to return to where you belong."
The Heavenly Sword grinned faintly.
Splurt!
A fountain of blood erupted from his neck.
His vision blurring, the Heavenly Sword remained standing and extended a trembling hand toward Bu Eun-seol.
"I'm sorry."
His voice shook.
"For cruelly killing your close friend, the Ten Demonic Heir... Can you forgive me?"
Was it the approach of death that made him reflect on his own misguided life?
The Heavenly Sword's expression was desperate as he reached out.
"..."
Bu Eun-seol slowly stepped forward and clasped his hand.
It should have been the final farewell between two young talents of the Orthodox and Unorthodox Paths, who had fought without regret.
That was how it should have been.
Whoosh!
But in that instant, a flash erupted from the Heavenly Sword's body.
At the brink of death, he unleashed a desperate sword stroke—Reverse Heaven One Flash—a technique meant to ensure mutual destruction with his enemy.
Swish!
Yet Bu Eun-seol calmly twisted his body, evading the strike.
Thud.
The sword qi of Reverse Heaven One Flash grazed Bu Eun-seol's left shoulder before soaring into the sky.
He had anticipated this final, underhanded ploy.
A man incapable of understanding others' emotions would never sincerely beg for forgiveness.
Murmur, murmur.
Gasps of disbelief rippled through the gathered martial artists.
—Is this... the behavior befitting a disciple of the Sword Sovereign?
Even in the face of death, the Heavenly Sword had resorted to petty treachery, attempting to drag Bu Eun-seol down with him.
Did this not prove that all the rumors about him were true?
"The madness of the weak always amounts to this much."
Bu Eun-seol muttered under his breath.
"I'm finished."
Clutching his throat, the Heavenly Sword coughed up thick, gurgling blood.
Most of the blood in his body had already drained away.
Yet his right hand still gripped his greatsword tightly, and his fading eyes still searched for Bu Eun-seol's openings.
The instincts of a martial artist. And remarkable recovery ability.
"Damn it."
The Heavenly Sword grimaced in frustration.
"I've truly smeared filth all over my master's face."
Crunch!
Suddenly, the sound of tearing flesh echoed as the Heavenly Sword's head soared into the air.
Bu Eun-seol had swung the Ice Soul Sword like lightning, sending his head flying.
Thud.
The severed head tumbled to the ground.
For a moment, deathly silence enveloped Seok Gwang-pyeong.
Roll, roll, thump.
The head rolled like a ball before coming to rest at Bu Eun-seol's feet.
The watching martial artists were speechless.
Had this been a fair and honorable duel?
The Righteous Faction would have erupted in protest, drawing their weapons in fury.
To decapitate a figure like the Heavenly Sword as if he were mere bandit scum was an insult to them all.
But every orthodox martial artist present—including the observers—had witnessed his underhanded, brutal nature.
And so, none could condemn Bu Eun-seol.
"..."
Bu Eun-seol looked down at the Heavenly Sword's severed head.
To utterly destroy this deranged madman, he had executed countless plans and elevated his martial arts to new heights.
Yet he felt no satisfaction.
Only the image of Yeong Mun-ho's smile—blood trickling from his lips as he died—floated in his mind.
—Don't blame yourself.
Even in his final moments, Yeong Mun-ho had wished for Bu Eun-seol not to suffer.
Perhaps because he had known—
That Bu Eun-seol would avenge him, no matter what.
"Yeong Mun-ho."
Bu Eun-seol turned his gaze to the distant sky.
The image of Yeong Mun-ho in his memory—writhing in agony as he died—now seemed to have transformed into one of him smiling.
Swish!
At that moment, with the sharp Sound of Breaking Air, dozens of sword auras rained down from the void toward Bu Eun-seol like a storm.
Swoosh!
Though his spirit had briefly departed from reality, the Wind and Cloud Transformation Formula engraved into his flesh reacted instantly to the killing intent.
In a single breath, the Ice Soul Sword leapt from its scabbard, bouncing and weaving as it formed a perfect circular Sword Curtain.
The Fluorescent Sword Control technique had been unleashed.
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
As he deflected the chaotic barrage of sword auras, Bu Eun-seol's body was forced to retreat repeatedly.
The sheer rebellious force imbued in those strikes surpassed even the Innate Divine Strength of the Heavenly Sword.
Thud.
The shadow descending from the sky belonged to a giant of a man.
His eyes burned like a tiger's, and behind him, the distorted air seemed to take the shape of an enormous sword.
"Jo Cheon-wang."
He was none other than the leader of the Heavenly Martial Brigade, the father of Flawless Sword Jo Mu-gyeol—whose head Bu Eun-seol had severed in a single stroke.
The Dragon Subduing Sword, Jo Cheon-wang.
"Truthfully, part of me hoped you would die in that first strike... yet another part wished you wouldn't."
Jo Cheon-wang sighed deeply as he approached the fallen Heavenly Sword.
"You must suffer more. And in time, you must properly face my blade."
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
A father had every right to demand blood debt for his son's death.
That was why Bu Eun-seol did not condemn him for this sudden ambush.
"Call upon me whenever you wish."
At Bu Eun-seol's unwavering words, Jo Cheon-wang gave a slow, indifferent nod.
"Only if you ever reach a level where you can truly contend with me."
Surprisingly, Jo Cheon-wang saw Bu Eun-seol as beneath him—waiting for him to grow stronger before killing him properly.
'That's only natural for a leader.'
Just as the Demon Hall had the Demonic Path Ten Gates, the Murim Alliance had its Seven Great Leaders.
Their martial prowess was such that they could annihilate entire sects single-handedly, each commanding independent forces with overwhelming authority.
The true pillars of the Murim Alliance were not the Nine Great Sects and One Gang or the Eight Great Clans—but these seven sword squad leaders.
"Retrieve his body."
It seemed Jo Cheon-wang was the only leader who had come from the Murim Alliance side.
At his command, martial artists who appeared to be disciples of the alliance respectfully collected the Heavenly Sword's remains.
With the duel concluded, both the Demon Hall and Murim Alliance dispersed the gathered martial artists from Seok Gwang-pyeong's grounds.
After all, if the masters of the Righteous and Demonic Paths gathered in one place, who knew what chaos might erupt?
"..."
As the battle ended, Bu Eun-seol exchanged a brief glance with the grandmasters of the Death Shadow War Unit watching from afar.
Understanding his silent message, they all nodded in unison.
—Go safely.
—Return safely.
Leaving Seok Gwang-pyeong behind, Bu Eun-seol unleashed his Movement Technique at full speed.
His destination was not the Demon Hall—but Seven Sword Peak, where Yeong Mun-ho's Thatched Cottage stood.
The cottage, now bereft of its owner, stood desolate in its place, while the bleak winds sweeping in from all directions brushed past his ears with fleeting sorrow.
Bu Eun-seol climbed to Yeong Mun-ho's grave atop Seven Sword Peak.
"The sunlight is warm, yet I don't understand why the wind cuts so bitterly."
He poured a cup of strong, fine liquor over Yeong Mun-ho's grave.
"I couldn't bring you his head."
Then, in a low voice, he added:
"He was too significant a figure."
Bu Eun-seol had avenged Yeong Mun-ho's brutal death.
Had the Heavenly Sword not come, Bu Eun-seol would have left the Rivers and Lakes, living quietly while gathering herbs.
He might have met a simple-hearted woman, raised children, and lived happily.
'Grandfather.'
A pang of longing surfaced in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
Had the murderer who took his grandfather not appeared—
Even now, Bu Eun-seol would still be preparing the dead with Bu Jan-yang, eating pickled radish noodles, and—
At night, falling asleep in their single-room dwelling after sharing stories with his grandfather.
He would have been living a happy life.
'May you find happiness there.'
As he gazed at the grave, lost in thoughts of Yeong Mun-ho, Bu Eun-seol's vision blurred.
Before he knew it, night had deepened, and the bright moon had risen. He turned slowly, preparing to descend Seven Sword Peak.
Crunch, crunch.
But then—a shadow appeared in the distance.
Despite the moonlight illuminating the land clearly, the face of the approaching figure remained indistinct.
A powerful surge of true qi obscured his features.
"Finished mourning?"
The shadow's voice was hoarse and aged.
Bu Eun-seol had not sensed the old man's presence even once while ascending Seven Sword Peak.
Not only that, no matter how much he sharpened his Enhanced Vision, he couldn't peer through the shadow concealing the man's face.
The figure before him possessed martial arts of an unimaginable level.
"You waited for me?"
Yet Bu Eun-seol showed little surprise, speaking indifferently.
"There was no need."
"Heh-heh-heh."
The shadow chuckled lowly before stepping forward slowly.
As he did, an old man emerged—his face and arms carved with countless deep scars.
So many wounds marred his skin that he resembled less a man and more a reptile draped in human flesh.
Yet his gaze was clear and upright, carrying no malice.
But Bu Eun-seol's expression grew deathly serious. He took a Deep Breath and immediately drew the Ice Soul Sword.
"Indeed."
The old man nodded approvingly at Bu Eun-seol's instant readiness.
"Just the fact that you drew your sword before me proves what a rare Strange Talent you are."
"Have you come to avenge him?"
"I have."
At the old man's answer, Bu Eun-seol inhaled deeply.
Yet from his stance and the his bearing alone, he could tell at a glance.
That this was none other than Heonwon Dam-cheong, the Sword Sage—creator of Myriad Forms One Style, the Righteous Faction's foremost sword art.