Chapter 356
"Death is a return to one's original state."
Whoosh—!
Black sword rings began pouring forth from Bu Eun-seol's Ink Sword.
"Guhk!"
Almost immediately, screams erupted as the Sword Pavilion disciples began sustaining severe wounds from the sword rings.
Even Bu Eun-seol, who had intended to unleash Life Is Temporary Death Is Return, had not anticipated this level of devastation.
'This opening form is especially effective against multiple enemies.'
Life Is Temporary Death Is Return was a saber technique that required one to brace for death when facing a single opponent.
But against multiple foes, it transformed into a demonic technique—one that delivered death to all surrounding enemies instead.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
The Flame Flower Team and Lotus Flower Team deflected the cascading sword rings while swiftly closing in on Bu Eun-seol.
Ordinary disciples would never have been able to repel the sword rings, but these elite warriors poured out sword qi in unison, amplifying their collective might.
'Martial arts are not about brute force—they are about profundity.'
Hiss! Hiss!
Two razor-sharp streams of internal power began swirling violently around his body.
As the Sword Formation's power intensified, Bu Eun-seol abandoned the Bloody Tears Seven Forms and instead channeled the Thirteenfold Qi Induction through his left hand.
Then, in the next breath, he switched back to the Bloody Tears Seven Forms, scattering sword rings once more.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sword rings clashed against sword qi. Internal power collided with sword winds. The resulting shockwaves erupted into a storm that seemed capable of swallowing the world whole.
At the same time, the shockwaves from the aerial collisions soared to the heavens.
'That bastard—!'
Neung-in Elder Nun's eyes widened as she observed the battle.
It wasn't the profound power of the Thirteenfold Qi Induction that stunned her—it was the sight of the mysterious, frothing waves of sword rings.
'Is that the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade's technique?!'
Neung-in Elder Nun had once witnessed a duel between the Righteous Faction's Renowned Hero, the Iron Essence Flying Blade, and the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade.
And now, she realized with a jolt that the technique Bu Eun-seol was executing bore an uncanny resemblance to the one the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade had used to behead the Iron Essence Flying Blade.
"Has that bastard inherited the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade's legacy?!"
Neung-in Elder Nun's body trembled uncontrollably.
The Seven Fingers Demonic Blade—a figure who had once plunged the world into terror. To think he had left behind a successor.
Was this why this young man had reached such heights in martial arts despite his age?
"That bastard must die!"
The Flame Flower Unit and Flame Flower Team were composed of disciples who had trained relentlessly for over fifteen years to master the Void Extinction Martial Formation—a formation renowned for dominating the martial world.
They were, in essence, the Sword Pavilion's strongest combat force.
Even if they couldn't capture the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade himself, they would surely be able to subdue this brat.
"Second Formation—unleash the Resentment Meeting Bitterness Style and destroy his sword forms!"
At Neung-in Elder Nun's command, the sword techniques of the Lotus Flower Team and Flame Flower Team shifted once again.
Resentment Meeting Bitterness—
It signified the agony of being forced to face someone you despised.
But within the Void Extinction Martial Formation, it referred to a foundational technique where disciples combined their internal power to clash their sword qi against the enemy's weapon—overwhelming them with sheer might.
Swish! Swish!
The sword qi did not target Bu Eun-seol's vital points. Instead, it pursued the Ink Sword gripped in his hand.
Striking a martial artist of exceptional skill with sword qi was an exceedingly difficult feat.
But when the intent was to clash against their weapon, it became far less challenging.
Shiiing!
As the sword qi burrowed into the Ink Sword like a living creature, Bu Eun-seol's bones ached, and a sweet, metallic taste of blood filled his mouth.
Yet the more injuries he sustained, the fiercer the flames in his eyes burned.
The Bloody Tears Seven Forms—
The closer this technique of the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade Bu Jan-yang drew to death, the more devastating its power became.
'I'll collapse this Sword Formation in one strike with Seeking Life Amidst Death.'
The second form of the Bloody Tears Seven Forms—Seeking Life Amidst Death—instantly annihilated the retreating space of an enemy in an instant.
He would use it to shatter the Sword Formation.
Boom! Boom!
Bu Eun-seol deliberately allowed his body to tremble under the assault of the overwhelming sword qi.
Whether the Sword Formation's effects were taking hold or not, blood soon trickled from the corner of his mouth, and the aura of his sword began to weaken.
Seizing the opportunity, the disciples cheered and surged forward to behead him in one swift motion.
Huuuung.
At that moment, a low, resonant hum filled the air as a dark heat haze bloomed from the blade of the Ink Sword.
Simultaneously, a black energy seeped from Bu Eun-seol's body, enveloping the Sword Pavilion disciples who had rushed at him.
And if he executed his technique along the trajectory of that energy, every living being within that space would lose their lives.
But to Neung-in Elder Nun, who knew nothing of the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade's abilities, it merely looked like Bu Eun-seol was lashing out in desperation before his death.
Clank.
Just as Bu Eun-seol twisted the Ink Sword in his grip to unleash his technique—
"Stop!"
A clear, ringing voice echoed through the sky.
Hiss!
A massive, radiant sword qi poured down from the heavens, crashing between Bu Eun-seol and the Sword Formation.
BOOM!
With a deafening explosion, a vast chasm was torn open between Bu Eun-seol and the Lotus Flower and Flame Flower Teams.
Tap.
At the same time, a figure clad in white robes descended from the sky.
It was A-yeon.
"Why are you here?"
Neung-in Elder Nun asked, her expression one of shock.
A-yeon exhaled a sigh before speaking.
"Elder Nun... How could you resort to such methods?"
"I did this for your sake."
"Repaying kindness with enmity—is that truly for my sake?"
"Is there any other way to shake off your Inner Demon?"
"Absolutely not."
A-yeon's voice was resolute.
"Do you truly not realize that this method will only shatter my Spirit and Mind into pieces?"
"Of course it will be painful—for now."
Neung-in Elder Nun's expression hardened.
"But one day, you will thank me."
As A-yeon stared into the eyes of Neung-in Elder Nun—consumed by her own obstinacy—she finally understood one undeniable truth.
The Elder Nun Neung-in, who had personally witnessed the successor she herself had raised plummet into the abyss...
She too harbored an inner demon that could not be shaken off.
"Very well."
As A-yeon raised her hand, countless figures poured forth from behind her.
They were the Sword Pavilion's leadership and disciples who had opposed the Elder Nun's tyranny and unilateral decisions.
"Does the successor meant to lead our Sword Pavilion now intend to divide our sect and wage war?"
"This isn't division—it's upholding righteousness."
"You're mistaken. To save that demonic path bastard, you'd split our pavilion in two!"
"Elder Nun."
"By all means, try!"
The Elder Nun sneered.
"Half our members still follow me. For that man's sake, go ahead and cleave our pavilion in two!"
A-yeon bit her lip.
The truth was, the Elder Nun loved the Sword Pavilion more than anyone.
Only her twisted past had made her obsessed with the sect's power and succession, gradually turning her despotic.
She couldn't be blamed outright.
"Elder Nun."
At that moment, Bu Eun-seol stepped forward.
"I heard this Sword Formation was created to eliminate the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade."
"Correct."
The Elder Nun smiled coldly.
"Had A-yeon not interfered, your head would already be separated from your body, wandering the nine heavens."
"Then let's make a wager."
"A wager?"
Bu Eun-seol's gaze swept across the Flame Flower and Lotus Flower Teams as he spoke.
"What if I break their formation single-handedly?"
"What did you say?"
"If this lord shatters their formation alone, what then?"
"Preposterous."
"Elder Nun claims this can capture the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade, but that's nothing but delusion."
"Hahaha."
The Elder Nun scoffed in amusement.
"You're the one dreaming."
Though he'd broken the First Formation, Bu Eun-seol's body bore wounds everywhere after being trapped within it.
Moreover, wasn't he only alive because A-yeon intervened before the Second Formation's decisive strike?
"Isn't the Elder Nun the one chasing delusions?"
Bu Eun-seol snorted.
"To think you could capture the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade—once the Invincible Saber Master—with just this formation?"
"Just this formation?"
"Indeed. Your failure to realize this proves you've lost touch with the currents of our times."
"Amusing. Very well."
Understanding his intent, the Elder Nun readily nodded.
"If you alone can break the Void Extinction Martial Formation, I shall voluntarily step down as Supreme Elder and cease all involvement in pavilion affairs."
"Agreed."
Bu Eun-seol stepped forward impassively.
"Then let's begin."
But A-yeon stopped him.
"You only faced the First Formation. The Third Formation's true power cannot be broken through mere internal energy or sword techniques."
She barred his path.
"This is the Sword Pavilion's internal matter. There's no need to stake your life."
A-yeon knew the truth.
Bu Eun-seol's reckless wager aimed to peacefully resolve the sect's division.
"Not solely for that reason."
"Then why?"
"To correct the Elder Nun's distorted vision."
The Seven Fingers Demonic Blade had been an unrivaled saber master, and Bu Eun-seol was his complete successor.
Yet she boasted of capturing him with a mere formation?
This struck at Bu Eun-seol's pride.
'Whether grandfather was the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade doesn't matter.'
While mastering the Bloody Tears Seven Forms, Bu Eun-seol realized Bu Jan-yang had transcended life and death—a peerless grandmaster who never knew defeat.
The martial path he created could never fall to something like a Sword Formation.
"Let's begin."
At Bu Eun-seol's words, the Elder Nun smiled.
"Very well."
Bu Eun-seol voluntarily positioned himself at the formation's epicenter.
The Elder Nun raised her hand.
"Immediately deploy the Third Formation—Transmission Outside the Teaching!"
A tremendous qi wave engulfed Bu Eun-seol's body.
His limbs grew heavy as if submerged dozens of fathoms deep, time itself seeming to slow.
'This is completely different from any formation I've encountered.'
Most murim formations either restricted movement through intricate patterns or amplified power by combining multiple energies.
But this esoteric formation directly dominated both mind and body, rendering counterattacks impossible from the outset.
Whoooosh!
Qi emanating from sixty sword tips finally enveloped the entire world.
Simultaneously, the disciples vanished as a massive, spherical light encased Bu Eun-seol like a translucent membrane.
Composed of pure sword qi, it would dissolve meridians and rend flesh from bone upon contact.
Shiiiing!
Bu Eun-seol unleashed layered Meteor Chasing Moon techniques to shatter the transparent sword qi barrier surrounding him.
Swooosh!
Yet his sword strokes vanished as if absorbed by the spherical qi field.
'Impressive.'
Hesitating before this unexpectedly powerful formation—
Shink!
In that instant, razor-sharp sword qi shot from the membrane toward his vital points.
Tsk-tsk-tsk!
Evading with Swift Shadowless, he found the enormous barrier once again silently encircling him.
"Void Extinction Martial Formation, Third Formation."
It was a living membrane of sword qi—one that absorbed any attack, countered whenever an opponent revealed an opening, and trapped its enemy within an inescapable, indestructible barrier.
'His head will roll soon enough.'
As she watched Bu Eun-seol standing motionless within the translucent sword qi barrier, the Neung-in Elder Nun let out a triumphant laugh.
The Sword Pavilion's mind arts and sword techniques could be summed up in a single word: Stillness.
They turned defense into offense, sealing movement through absolute calm.
And the Void Extinction Martial Formation's Third Formation was the ultimate manifestation of that principle—an impenetrable barrier of sword qi that could not be shattered by brute force, lying in wait for the slightest opening.
'Soon, he'll thrash around like a wounded beast gone mad.'
The Elder Nun was certain Bu Eun-seol would eventually lose patience and lash out like a caged lion.
But something was strange.
Instead, the trapped swordsman had adopted an odd stance, as if calculating something.
At the same time, his body blurred slightly, as though merging with the translucent sword qi barrier itself.
'Don't tell me... he's trying to mimic our Short Shadow Divine Art?'
The Elder Nun saw through his intentions and scoffed.
Bu Eun-seol had memorized the complete summary of the Nurturing Spirit Mind Art. Now, he was attempting to apply its principles to the Void Extinction Martial Formation.
'Hmph. He must not realize our Sword Studies and mind arts are entirely separate.'
Unlike orthodox sects like Mount Hua or Wudang, where sword techniques and internal cultivation methods harmonized, the Sword Pavilion's mind arts and swordplay had no shared foundation.
'Try all you want.'
A faint smile curled on the Elder Nun's lips.
Even if he struggled for ten days straight, he would never grasp the ultimate secret of this formation.
Meanwhile, Bu Eun-seol was thinking—
'This state... is precisely what Half-Alive, Half-Dead refers to.'
Contrary to the Elder Nun's expectations, he was unraveling the mysteries of the Bloody Tears Seven Forms.
Encased in transparent sword qi embodying the pinnacle of Stillness, locked in a stalemate that had turned into a battle of endurance...
The third move's essence—Half-Alive, Half-Dead—finally dawned on him.
—Third Move: Half-Alive, Half-Dead.
To reach a state where one neither lives nor dies.
When he first deciphered the Blade Essence, Bu Eun-seol had assumed this technique was meant to be executed while teetering on the brink of death.
But that made no sense when considering the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade's undefeated legacy.
A man who could split the sea with a single strike—who could possibly reduce him to a half-dead wreck?
'Perhaps "neither living nor dying" refers not to physical condition... but to this kind of deadlock.'
The Seven Fingers Demonic Blade must have also faced enemies like this—turtled up, refusing to reveal an opening, waiting for him to make the first move.
And Half-Alive, Half-Dead was the Absolute Saber Form that could shatter such defenses in a single stroke.
'If I were the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade... I would have first analyzed this formation's mechanics.'
The dome of sword qi dulled Bu Eun-seol's senses and weighed down his limbs.
Worse, beyond that indestructible barrier, sixty disciples stood ready—eyes blazing—waiting for him to unleash a technique.
Every sword form had a moment of recovery. And in that split second, a microscopic opening would appear.
The disciples wouldn't miss it.
Meaning, no matter what technique Bu Eun-seol used, the counter was already as good as launched.
'Invisible... but already deployed.'
A brilliant light flickered in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
With his life on the line, he was unraveling the Bloody Tears Seven Forms' secrets—evolving his martial arts once more.
'But if I can't perfectly read my enemy's mind and movements... Half-Alive, Half-Dead remains an impossible technique.'
Swish!
A razor-sharp strand of sword qi grazed Bu Eun-seol's back.
The disciples weren't just turtling—they were waiting for the perfect moment to strike, delivering attacks that couldn't be dodged.
Thud!
Warm blood trickled down his back as pain flared.
'Warm back...'
A memory flashed through his mind—something his grandfather had taught him when he was trapped by his Inner Demon.
The Heaven's Will Secret Art, which allowed him to synchronize with an opponent's True Qi Circulation in an instant.
But it required physical contact.
'What if... the Way of the Beast can achieve the same?'
A spark of inspiration struck.
The Heaven's Will Secret Art demanded skin-to-skin contact to perceive qi flow—
But what if the heightened senses of the Way of the Beast could detect it through the clash of weapons?
Huuuung—
Bu Eun-seol immediately pushed the Way of the Beast to its limit. Then, deliberately, he exposed an opening near his chest.
Swish!
Another strand of sword qi shot toward him.
He didn't dodge. Instead, he stood firm, subtly adjusting the Ink Sword to guard a vital point.
Clang!
Sparks erupted as sword qi rained down near his throat.
And in that instant—a bizarre sensation surged through his mind and body.
'It works.'
The Void-Wave Mind Eye, which could detect even vibrations in the air.
The Empty Mind Spirit Communion, which could discern even traces left ten years earlier.
With both abilities pushed to their peak, even the clash of steel against qi felt as vivid as flesh meeting flesh.
"That means..."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed in realization.
"...the Heavenly Robe Mind Art can be activated through weapon clashes alone."