Chapter 346
Yu Cheong-rim blinked his large eyes in disbelief.
"What do you mean by that?"
"She is—!"
Swish!
At that moment, the Black-White Witch's hair split into hundreds of strands, spreading outward before cascading toward Bu Eun-seol.
Whoosh—!
Bu Eun-seol's Ink Sword spun like a windmill, slicing through the falling strands of her hair, scattering them into pieces.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Then, the Black-White Witch extended her long fingers, moving them as if plucking invisible strings in the air.
In an instant, not just from above but from all directions, an overwhelming surge of finger force poured forth, coiling around Bu Eun-seol's body as if intent on tearing him apart.
"Hmph."
Bu Eun-seol scoffed lightly and swung his Ink Sword.
Swoosh—!
With that sound, the finger force vanished without a trace.
This was the profound principle of orthodox swordsmanship—scattering the razor-sharp energy she had unleashed in all directions like steam.
It was none other than the Heavenly Sword's Myriad Phenomena Solar Eclipse, the Move Heaven Exchange Force.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The moment the finger force was obliterated, the Black-White Witch's fingers danced swiftly through the air.
Each time those elegant, butterfly-like fingers moved, the number of finger-force surges multiplied by the dozens, then the hundreds, raining down relentlessly.
"Futile."
But Bu Eun-seol, mimicking the Myriad Forms One Style in rapid succession, dispersed the finger force like mist.
Fwip!
Then, in a single breath, he closed the distance, his sword flashing toward the Black-White Witch's neck—
Whoosh!
Suddenly, her body dissolved into an afterimage and vanished, only to reappear behind Yu Cheong-rim.
Was she planning to use him as a hostage to escape?
"Move!"
A sharp cry rang out from above as a mountainous force of Fist Energy descended upon the Black-White Witch standing behind Yu Cheong-rim.
BOOM!
The sheer magnitude of her power shook the earth, sending plumes of dust billowing in all directions.
"She's not here anymore!"
Yu Cheong-rim shouted as the dust settled.
Looking around, the Black-White Witch had disappeared without a trace.
"She deceived my eyes and escaped? Impossible."
So Ok-rim, who had landed beside Yu Cheong-rim, closed her eyes and pricked up her ears.
She was using the Strike Air & Steal Hearing Skill to track the Black-White Witch's movements.
"Damn it. She's already gone."
So Ok-rim opened her eyes again and shook her head.
"Unbelievable. Was the Black-White Witch's martial prowess truly at this level?"
Her Extrasensory Perception, like Bu Eun-seol's, extended nearly a thousand feet.
Could the Black-White Witch's martial arts have reached the Martial Extreme Realm, allowing her to traverse thousands of feet in an instant?
"It's not martial arts."
Bu Eun-seol spoke calmly.
"That witch is employing a martial technique that confuses the senses."
"Confuses the senses? How do you know that?"
"The martial arts of my sect include a secret technique called Resonance Mind Eye, which detects the flow of air."
"Detects the flow of air?"
"Indeed. Even if she transformed into a mayfly and vanished, she couldn't deceive my senses."
Bu Eun-seol spoke with confidence.
"But she disappeared without leaving any presence... She must be using a method that disrupts perception."
"Hmm."
So Ok-rim's expression darkened as she recognized the logic in his words.
"Is she really a Descendant of the Blood Emperor?"
She pressed her fingers to her forehead and muttered something incomprehensible.
"Come to think of it, when we first pursued her, she was one person—but later, she split into two. It seems..."
"Why did she suddenly disappear?"
Yu Cheong-rim cried out indignantly.
"You promised to protect me, so why did both of you vanish? I almost died!"
"Hey, do you really think I'd break my promise?"
So Ok-rim let out a sigh.
"I was secretly watching over you when suddenly, the Black-White Witch appeared behind us."
"Huh? That can't be!"
"It's the truth."
Her expression was deadly serious.
"I immediately gave chase, but then the fleeing witch split into two. So I pursued them separately."
Only then did Yu Cheong-rim recall Bu Eun-seol's words.
—The Black-White Witch is not one.
That bizarre statement had been the truth.
"So you're saying there are actually three Black-White Witches?"
"I don't know about that. But the one I was chasing suddenly vanished into thin air. That's why I thought it might be a trap and came back to you."
So Ok-rim glanced at Bu Eun-seol, who nodded in agreement.
"Same here."
"This can't be..."
Yu Cheong-rim clutched his hair in frustration.
"There are three of those terrifyingly powerful witches? How are we supposed to win a fight like this?"
As he stood there dazed and trembling, Bu Eun-seol bent down to carefully examine the spot where the Black-White Witch had stood.
When he summoned his Empty Mind Spirit Perception, a faint white light began to emanate from his pupils.
At the same time, invisible, barely discernible footprints became visible to his eyes.
'Could it be...?'
Footprints—these were the traces of continuous human movement, left by the head, shoulders, pelvis, calves, knees, and so on.
And by meticulously analyzing these footprints, one could deduce not just stride length but also gait, posture, and even stature.
'I see.'
Bu Eun-seol suddenly recalled the finger movements of the Black-White Witch as she had poured her martial energy into him earlier.
A flash of insight, swift as lightning, streaked through his mind.
"We might be able to find her easily after all."
"How?"
As So Ok-rim brightened with anticipation, Bu Eun-seol replied impassively:
"The Black-White Witch is most likely a former courtesan."
"A courtesan?"
"Given her age, she wouldn't be receiving guests directly anymore. She's probably the madam running a courtesan house now."
So Ok-rim shook her head in disbelief, her expression incredulous.
"You're telling me someone with martial arts so transcendent she could shake off our pursuit in an instant... is running a courtesan house?"
"It's only speculation, but she was definitely a courtesan at some point."
"How can you be sure?"
Bu Eun-seol's gaze was unwavering with certainty.
"The way she channeled her energy and moved—I could see the ingrained habits of someone who spent years in a courtesan house."
"Courtesan habits? What do you mean?"
"No matter what posture they take, courtesans instinctively try to accentuate their beauty and allure."
Bu Eun-seol turned his eyes back to where the Black-White Witch had vanished.
"They learn to recognize the angles and movements that best highlight their beauty, and it becomes second nature to them."
He then meticulously explained to So Ok-rim the specific movements and gait the Black-White Witch had exhibited.
"...In other words, she has lived all this time without realizing that the mannerisms of her courtesan days are still ingrained in her body."
"A courtesan, huh..."
So Ok-rim fell into thought, clicking her tongue.
"Well, the Blood Emperor himself was originally a gambler—a masu (cardsharp)—so it's not entirely impossible."
Among the masters of the Black Path and the Unorthodox Faction, there were quite a few who had risen from gambling dens, courtesan houses, or the ranks of the Black Syndicate's thugs.
The Blood Emperor's martial arts also belonged to the Evil Demonic Heresies, so it was entirely possible he had taken in disciples from similar backgrounds over the generations.
"But you know what? No matter how I think about it, she doesn't seem like a descendant of the Blood Emperor."
"I agree."
Bu Eun-seol also looked up at the distant sky with faint eyes.
"The Blood Emperor's martial arts don't include techniques like hers."
If the Black-White Witch wasn't a descendant of the Blood Emperor...
Was there really any need to waste precious time chasing her?
The martial world was full of villains.
Not just the Black-White Witch—there were countless evildoers committing atrocities, and catching them would only serve to boost one's reputation.
Truthfully, Bu Eun-seol had no interest in the martial world's power struggles or gaining fame.
—Shouldn't this old man who's lived longer handle this?
An image of Bukgung Ryeong surfaced in his mind—the elder who had been willing to go to Hell Island to protect the renowned heroes of the Righteous Path.
He guarded the martial world without seeking reward, and even now, he remained in hiding, falsely accused, all to prevent the Ten Weapons of the World from falling into the wrong hands.
—If you possess even a single thing more than others, you must share it.
Then, Bukgung Ryeong's voice shifted into Bu Jan-yang's warm tone.
Despite being in such dire straits that he couldn't even afford to eat a single bowl of noodles in peace, Bu Jan-yang had meticulously enshrouded the dead with care, even dressing them in burial shrouds at his own expense.
'Does it not matter whether they're from the Righteous or Unorthodox Faction?'
He had been so fixated on revenge that he had paid no attention to anything else.
But Bu Eun-seol, who had inherited Bu Jan-yang's teachings in full—
Unbeknownst to him, the disposition of a Righteous Path's renowned hero had already taken firm root in his heart.
"Still, shouldn't we capture her?"
At that moment, So Ok-rim spoke as if reading his thoughts.
Snapping out of his contemplation, Bu Eun-seol answered flatly:
"Of course."
"The Blood Emperor?!"
Just then, Yu Cheong-rim's face turned ashen, as if he had just seen a cursed doll.
"What in the world is the Blood Emperor?!"
So Ok-rim waved her hand dismissively.
"You don't need to know."
"No, I'm risking my life here too—shouldn't I at least understand?"
With a resigned sigh, So Ok-rim gave Yu Cheong-rim a brief explanation of why they were pursuing the Black-White Witch.
"I see..."
Yu Cheong-rim felt somewhat relieved.
Truthfully, he had assumed So Ok-rim was just a bounty hunter after the reward on the Black-White Witch's head.
But now, it seemed she was involved in something far more noble, wasn't she?
"Alright. Let's say she was originally a courtesan—what else?"
When So Ok-rim pressed further, Bu Eun-seol opened his mouth.
"Her height is approximately five feet eight inches. She has a somewhat slender build with well-developed shoulders. And also..."
Bu Eun-seol was estimating the Black-White Witch's height, physique, knee thickness, chest and waist measurements, thigh width, and even the breadth of her hips—all from just the footprints.
In short, he could deduce nearly everything about her except her face.
"That's incredible."
So Ok-rim's mouth fell open as she pointed at the footprints left behind by the Black-White Witch.
"You can infer that much just from footprints?"
"Brother Eun-seol must have been a constable captain in his past life, I see."
Yu Cheong-rim chuckled as if recalling something.
"They say constable captains can deduce all sorts of things from stride length, footwear, and even how worn the shoes are."
A faint smile crossed his face, as if lost in old memories.
"When I was young, I didn't know that and left footprints everywhere. I'd often get caught by constables and beaten half to death. Hahaha."
"Hey, that's nothing to brag about. You're admitting you were stealing since childhood?"
So Ok-rim scolded him, and Yu Cheong-rim shrugged his shoulders defiantly.
"Do you think the title of 'Divine Thief' was given to me for nothing? It's only possible because of the effort and trial-and-error I went through since childhood, honing my skills."
Puffing out his chest proudly, he looked smug—until So Ok-rim gave him a disdainful glance and suddenly remembered something.
"But identifying her just by body type seems difficult, no?"
She stroked her chin thoughtfully.
"If there are a hundred courtesans, seventy or eighty of them probably have that kind of build."
courtesans were generally around five feet four to five feet five inches tall with slender figures.
"And your estimated measurements could have errors, right? Besides, she's wearing clothes—how are you supposed to distinguish her body type?"
Bu Eun-seol answered firmly.
"I can distinguish it."
"Brother Eun-seol. Even if that's true, there's still a problem."
Yu Cheong-rim interjected with a serious expression.
"The Black-White Witch has evaded countless pursuers so far. There's a chance she might already know that Brother Eun-seol has deduced she was a courtesan."
True to his title as the Divine Thief, he was considering multiple scenarios.
Especially since the Black-White Witch was now being pursued by Masters like Bu Eun-seol and So Ok-rim—she'd likely be even more cautious about leaving traces.
"Actually, that works in our favor. It'll make it easier to flush her out."
At Bu Eun-seol's words, So Ok-rim's eyes widened.
"How?"
"By disguising someone with the exact same build as her, covering their face, and having them walk around the pleasure district. It's simple."
Bu Eun-seol explained slowly.
"If someone with a similar build walks around with their face covered, someone who knows her will inevitably recognize her."
"That makes sense."
So Ok-rim let out an impressed sigh.
People might think they identify others by face alone, but in reality, they subconsciously store a wealth of information—posture, gait, movements.
Bu Eun-seol planned to use that to draw out someone who could recognize the Black-White Witch despite her disguise.
"But who's going to disguise themselves as her?"
Bu Eun-seol's gaze settled on Yu Cheong-rim.
Though his chest and hips weren't particularly large, his height was around five feet five inches, and he had a slender build.
With his face covered, his silhouette could easily pass for a thin woman.
"Since I remember her exact measurements and gait, I can perfectly disguise—"
Before he could finish, Yu Cheong-rim grabbed Bu Eun-seol's arm and dropped to his knees with a thud.
"Brother Eun-seol. Please, spare me."
"We're almost there. Just endure a little longer."
"I can't take it anymore. Just kill me instead. Ughh..."
Yu Cheong-rim clasped his hands together, tears streaming down like chicken droppings.
His pitiful sobbing might have stirred sympathy, but So Ok-rim only coaxed him further in a sly tone.
"You've already seen the Black-White Witch's face twice. Once things calm down, she'll definitely come for you, you know?"
"Lady So."
"We have to deal with this properly now. Otherwise, you'll be target number one on her execution list."
"I'd rather just keep running and die. I can't do this anymore—it's too terrifying."
Though his eyes brimmed with tears, his expression was resolute.
Seeing that persuasion wouldn't work, So Ok-rim sighed and grabbed his shoulder.
"Running until you die sounds more like a wish than a threat."
"What kind of nonsense—"
Yu Cheong-rim's words cut off abruptly.
She had pressed down hard on a pressure point with monstrous grip strength.
"Ghk—!"
"Do you want to die now? Or die while running?"
Plop.
Now it wasn't just his shoulder—his entire arm felt like it might tear off at any moment.
Yu Cheong-rim wanted to cry.
But when the pain became unbearable, his tears seemed to retreat back into his eyes instead.
"..."
Of all the times to steal Guyang Chun's treasured sword, why did it have to be when this monster So Ok-rim was around? How could things have spiraled into such a disaster?
'Once this is over, I swear I'll never steal again!'
"Could you... let go first and then talk?"
As Yu Cheong-rim's eyes rolled back from the pain, So Ok-rim finally released her grip.
"Oh, but there's a silver lining."
She smiled sweetly, as if trying to comfort him.
"You get to make someone like me owe you a favor. Do you know how valuable that is?"
Then she pointed at Bu Eun-seol.
"And, well, you've probably figured it out by now, but that kid's got some serious connections too. Trust me, this won't be a loss for you."
Yu Cheong-rim shook his head.
Even if So Ok-rim and Bu Eun-seol were the Emperor's own bloodline, he still wouldn't want anything to do with this.
But when she reached for his shoulder again—
"Fine. I'll do it."
Before he could stop himself, he flinched and blurted out the answer.
Yu Cheong-rim wanted to slap his own mouth, but So Ok-rim just beamed and draped an arm over his shoulder like an old friend.
"Good, good. Smart choice."
A sudden thought crossed Yu Cheong-rim's mind.
Who was it that said you couldn't spit in the face of someone smiling at you?
Because if he were told to spit in So Ok-rim's brightly grinning face, he was pretty sure he could keep spitting until his throat ran dry.
"I'll make sure to catch her this time. Don't worry."
Yu Cheong-rim wanted to punch her in the face, but he forced a smile and nodded instead.
"Then... I'll be counting on you."
Once again, Yu Cheong-rim stepped out into the night in disguise.
But this time, he wasn't pretending to be the Black-White Witch—instead, he was dressed as a middle-aged noblewoman, her face veiled in fine silk.
Bu Eun-seol, who knew the Black-White Witch's physique well, had completely reshaped his body using cotton and rubber padding.
Dressed in lavish robes and a wide hat, his face hidden behind a silk veil, he looked every bit the madam of a high-class courtesan house.
"Roam around the tavern district like this. Someone who knows her might recognize you."
If the Black-White Witch really ran a courtesan house, she wouldn't be in some small village—she'd be in a bustling metropolis, where all kinds of people gathered.
Bu Eun-seol had disguised him and ordered him to loiter around the busiest pleasure quarters in Pyeongdo.
Whoosh.
But suddenly, from the alleyways, armed warriors poured out, surrounding him in an instant.
'What the hell is this now?'
Yu Cheong-rim, still veiled, tilted his head in confusion.
"Finally caught you."
From the crowd of warriors, a broad-shouldered middle-aged man stepped forward.
His features were handsome, but his gaze was sharp, his eyes brimming with authority.
Embroidered on his sleeves was the Murim Alliance's emblem—a pair of phoenixes in flight.
This was none other than Baek Un-saeng, the leader of the Murim Alliance's Shandong Branch.
'Why is he here?'
As Yu Cheong-rim clutched his chest in dread,
"I am Baek Un-saeng, Hall Leader of the Murim Alliance's Shandong Branch."
His voice boomed.
"Kneel. Now."
Yu Cheong-rim's brow furrowed.
'Did they find out about the things I stole from the Shandong Branch?'
Three months ago, he had stolen the Jade Delight Buddha Statue from the Murim Alliance's Shandong Branch.
The fact that Baek Un-saeng himself had appeared suggested they'd been investigating the incident relentlessly.
"Finally caught you red-handed."
Baek Un-saeng smirked triumphantly.
"We've been tracking rumors of your presence in this area for a while now."
Yu Cheong-rim stumbled back in shock, and Baek Un-saeng, mistaking his reaction for fear, grinned wider.
"Trying to run, Black-White Witch?"
'What?!'
Only then did Yu Cheong-rim realize what was happening.
He'd been impersonating the Black-White Witch in Pyeongdo under So Ok-rim's threats.
But Baek Un-saeng had been tracking his movements all along—and now, he'd mistaken him for the real Black-White Witch.
"Kneel!"
He brandished the Phoenix Plaque, the symbol of the Murim Alliance's authority, and declared sternly:
"Refuse, and you will be executed on the spot under the Alliance's law!"
Flap, flap!
Yu Cheong-rim pressed his lips shut and waved his hands frantically.
If he opened his mouth and his deep voice came out, all his suffering up to now would be for nothing.
'You idiots! It's not me!'
"So you choose to resist."
Baek Un-saeng laughed mockingly.
He had received solid intel about the Black-White Witch's whereabouts and brought over a hundred elite warriors from the Shandong Branch.
No matter how formidable her martial arts were, there was no way she could take on a hundred of the Alliance's finest.
'Damn these stupid Murim Alliance bastards!'
Oblivious to Yu Cheong-rim's internal screaming, Baek Un-saeng raised a finger with a triumphant expression.
"Arrest that witch—now!"