Chapter 361
"Hall Leader Cheon."
Bu Eun-seol respectfully clasped his hands and bowed at the waist.
In response, Cheon Un-gwang offered a faint smile.
"The illustrious successor of the Demon Hall bows to the mere hall leader of a single sword sect? How unexpected."
Bu Eun-seol replied solemnly.
"Did you not impart to me the very foundation of Advanced Sword Studies, Hall Leader?"
"A teacher, am I?"
Cheon Un-gwang exhaled deeply as he gazed at the distant sky.
"Hell Island was a place teeming with beasts who had forsaken all human decency. And yet, you seek the bond of master and disciple there?"
"To me, it was simply a place that taught the principles of martial arts and the Rivers and Lakes. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Hohoho."
Cheon Un-gwang's faint laughter carried an air of detachment, as if he had transcended the secular world entirely.
"If that is how you see it, then I suppose this hall leader must play the role of teacher once more."
It was strange.
Cheon Un-gwang had once been a terrifying swordsman who exuded an overwhelming presence.
But now, not a trace of killing intent lingered around him. Even his eyes radiated an almost monk-like serenity.
"First, let me ask you one thing. Why have you sought me out?"
At Cheon Un-gwang's question, Bu Eun-seol respectfully clasped his hands once more.
"I've come to return the Peerless Thunderbolt to you."
Slowly, he drew the Ink Sword.
Srrring—
A low Sword Resonance hummed as the ink-stained blade revealed itself.
Flash!
At the same instant, a violet sword light, tracing a zigzag path, shot straight for Cheon Un-gwang's throat. It was the Peerless Thunderbolt, unleashed like lightning itself.
"Impressive."
Cheon Un-gwang nodded as he observed the Ink Sword halted precisely before his neck.
Bu Eun-seol's Peerless Thunderbolt had reached Grand Perfection, rivaling even Cheon Un-gwang's decades of sword refinement.
"And this is the Peerless Thunderbolt I've come to return to you."
Krrrack!
In that moment, the great tree behind Cheon Un-gwang split into three pieces.
Bu Eun-seol had further refined the Peerless Thunderbolt, layering three strikes in different directions into a single motion.
Ssshh—
Simultaneously, chaotic lines etched themselves into the ground near where Cheon Un-gwang stood.
It was a diagram—a perfect guide to executing the Peerless Thunderbolt, one that even an ordinary person devoid of killing intent could follow.
Click.
Sheathing his sword, Bu Eun-seol bowed his head.
"Thanks to the sword forms you taught me, I've overcome countless crises."
This was his repayment—leaving behind the perfected Peerless Thunderbolt for the Fire Rain Sword Sect.
"And now, I wish to return the Peerless Thunderbolt, as I've perfected it in my own way, to the Fire Rain Sword Sect."
"So you intend to destroy this sect."
Cheon Un-gwang let out a heavy sigh as he grasped Bu Eun-seol's intent.
"You've settled your debt with me so you can shatter this sect without hesitation."
Bu Eun-seol had come to sever ties, ensuring that when the time came to dismantle the Fire Rain Sword Sect, he would feel no remorse.
"If necessary... that is my intention."
"Hohoho."
Cheon Un-gwang chuckled low before—
Sshhk!
—abruptly extending his index and middle fingers, forming a finger-sword aimed straight at Bu Eun-seol's vital chest point.
Tststs—
Bu Eun-seol instantly activated Ultimate Speed Shadowless, evading the razor-sharp sword energy emanating from Cheon Un-gwang's fingertips.
"Hall Leader Cheon—"
"No need for lengthy words."
Keeping his finger-sword trained on Bu Eun-seol, Cheon Un-gwang spoke flatly.
"Did you think I would simply let stand one who openly declares his intent to destroy this sect?"
Sshhk!
The range of sword energy from the finger-sword expanded, splitting into multiple strands that sealed off all escape routes.
Bu Eun-seol pushed Ultimate Speed Shadowless to its limits, attempting to break free from the sword energy's reach.
Yet no matter which direction he moved, the finger-sword continuously gathered and dispersed, relentlessly targeting his vital chest point.
It bore an uncanny resemblance to the sword techniques Ok Yu-ha of Sword Pavilion had once displayed.
'Is he serious?'
From Cheon Un-gwang's fingers surged streams of internal energy capable of piercing even iron in an instant.
A direct hit wouldn't just tear flesh—it would shred his meridians to pieces.
Boom—!
Whiiing!
Unable to immediately escape the finger-sword's range, Bu Eun-seol's fist emitted a faint glow.
Simultaneously, he unleashed the overwhelming fist energy of the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon, attempting to sever Cheon Un-gwang's finger-sword in one strike.
Sshhk!
But Cheon Un-gwang's finger-sword moved like a living creature, nimbly evading the fist energy before splitting into dozens of strands once more.
Swish—!
Bu Eun-seol twisted his body mid-air, narrowly dodging the assault.
Yet Cheon Un-gwang's finger-sword seemed to anticipate his evasion, shifting trajectory mid-flight to strike again at his vital chest point.
It was as if nothing short of piercing that spot would satisfy him.
In an instant, Bu Eun-seol's body began to blur.
Ultimate Speed Shadowless—within the span of a single breath, he shifted his position ninety times.
Ssshhhk!
But Cheon Un-gwang's finger-sword, though seemingly straightforward, concealed profound intricacies within its movements.
In the span of a brief moment, as he shifted his position dozens of times, the flying sword relentlessly pursued Bu Eun-seol, calculating each of his movements.
It felt as though some living entity had latched onto his body, refusing to be shaken off.
Nine times. So that's how it was.
Finally, Bu Eun-seol could see it.
The single stroke Cheon Un-gwang had unleashed was a lightning-fast Quick Sword—bent and redirected nine times in midair.
This is impossible.
A Quick Sword was a Sword Form that pierced the enemy's vital points through the shortest possible path.
In other words, it was a Sword Form that could not be bent.
If it were to bend midway, it would no longer be a Quick Sword Form breaking through the shortest distance—it would instead become a Chain Sword Form.
And yet, despite bending the Sword Stroke nine times, Cheon Un-gwang had still executed a Quick Sword, traversing the shortest path as if it were unbroken.
Can it still be called a Quick Sword if it bends nine times?
Astonishingly, the answer was yes.
Because whether it was a straight Quick Sword Form or one bent nine times, both arrived at the same speed.
Sssk—!
In the end, the flying sword grazed Bu Eun-seol's chest, tearing through his robes and leaving a wound on his vital point.
Even after shifting his position ninety times in midair with all his might, he had failed to completely evade Cheon Un-gwang's sword.
A living sword technique.
As Bu Eun-seol stared down at the flying sword, he felt an inexplicable stirring in his chest.
The Sword Strokes of the Sword Sovereign—alive like a living creature, shifting with the enemy's movements.
Cheon Un-gwang, too, had displayed a sword technique that lived, adapting in real time.
"Why didn't you draw your sword to counter?" Cheon Un-gwang asked.
Bu Eun-seol answered quietly.
"Because while I saw Killing Momentum, there was no Killing Intent in your blade."
Had Cheon Un-gwang truly intended to kill Bu Eun-seol? He would never have fixated solely on striking his chest's vital point.
No—he had deliberately anchored his aim to one spot, ensuring Bu Eun-seol could easily discern the changes in his Sword Strokes.
"Is this the Sword Intent of the Fire Rain Sword?"
"Impossible."
Cheon Un-gwang smiled bitterly.
"Because I tempered the Killing Sword to its Extreme Realm, I could never grasp the highest mysteries of the Fire Rain Sword."
His eyes were filled with nothing but desolation.
"These Sword Strokes are merely the final thrashings of a disciple who failed to master the Fire Rain Sword in the end."
Originally, Cheon Un-gwang had been a once-in-a-generation genius, capable of mastering all the sword techniques of the Fire Rain Sword Sect, renowned throughout the world.
But in the past, when his fiancée was murdered by a vile sexual predator, his sword became a Killing Sword wielded by a vengeful ghost.
A Killing Sword could easily slaughter enemies—but it could never encompass the Myriad Swords, could never become the Fire Rain Sword.
Yet he did not abandon the path of the sword. Instead, he created the Peerless Thunderbolt Form, a technique that could reach the Extreme Realm of the Killing Sword.
And now, after years of wall-gazing penance... he had discarded the Killing Sword and grasped a new sword technique entirely.
Cheon Un-gwang's smile was dry.
"If I could fuse the first stroke of the Nine Dragons Flashing Thunder with the Peerless Thunderbolt Form... it would give birth to an unstoppable, lethal Sword Stroke."
What if the Peerless Thunderbolt Form—which pierced through like lightning—could be redirected nine times?
No matter how incredible one's Movement Technique or evasive maneuvers, there would be no escape.
So that's why he executed the Peerless Thunderbolt Form as a Quick Sword, not a Killing Sword.
Had Cheon Un-gwang drawn upon Killing Intent to unleash this technique, Bu Eun-seol wouldn't have been able to appreciate its variations—let alone evade them.
Nine Dragons Flashing Thunder.
This Sword Stroke was, without a doubt, a technique standing at the very pinnacle of the Killing Sword.
Cheon Un-gwang spoke in a low voice.
"This is the final lesson I will impart to you."
Cheon Un-gwang.
Once more, he had passed down to Bu Eun-seol a Sword Stroke containing the full essence of his swordsmanship.
"Why are you teaching me this Sword Study?"
The Sword Strokes Cheon Un-gwang had created were of such caliber that the Fire Rain Sword Sect should have preserved them for future generations.
So why was he passing them on to an outsider—one who had even declared his intent to destroy the Fire Rain Sword Sect?
Was this revenge against the sect that had cast him out?
"Perhaps... because I love and cherish this sect too much."
Cheon Un-gwang uttered the paradoxical words with a faint smile as he gazed at Bu Eun-seol.
"You'll understand someday."
Then, his voice lowered further.
"And grow stronger."
"There are still many Superlative Martial Experts in the martial world you know nothing of. There are also martial arts that transcend the stages one should pass through."
Cheon Un-gwang wore a gentle smile, as though looking upon a beloved disciple.
"May this Sword Form one day become a stepping stone—one that allows you to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them."
"Hall Leader."
"Take care."
Cheon Un-gwang turned back toward the thatched cottage.
Even though his penance had been lifted, he still chose to remain there.
"Hall Leader...?"
Though they had not performed the Nine Bows Ritual nor formally established a master-disciple relationship...
Cheon Un-gwang had unreservedly passed down the full essence of his swordsmanship to Bu Eun-seol.
And Bu Eun-seol had steadily inherited the pinnacle of Cheon Un-gwang's Sword Studies.
Could any master-disciple bond be more certain, more unbreakable, than this?
"Please take care of yourself, Hall Master."
Bu Eun-seol bowed deeply in farewell. Then, with utmost courtesy, he turned away slowly.
After leaving the thatched cottage where Cheon Un-gwang resided, Bu Eun-seol headed back toward the banquet hall.
But as he stepped onto the path leading there, a familiar face appeared in the distance.
The face was boyish and pure, yet brimming with a mischievous smile.
Moreover, the figure was even slimmer than Bu Eun-seol's, making them look, at a glance, like flower petals scattered by the wind—or perhaps the graceful form of a stunning beauty.
It was none other than Wi Ji-hye-sang.
"The attendant you brought drank far too much."
Wi Ji-hye-sang glanced back, revealing a dozen martial artists standing behind him, supporting a disheveled figure in a wretched state.
It was Won Se-mun.
"He was so drunk and rowdy that I had him temporarily confined in the prison. Though it seems my subordinates handled him rather roughly."
He gave a slight nod.
At the signal, the subordinates dragged Won Se-mun forward and dropped him at Bu Eun-seol's feet.
With a thud, Won Se-mun collapsed onto the ground.
"You really ought to choose your attendants more carefully next time. A man like this will only disgrace you sooner or later, Lord."
Whoosh!
In an instant, an overwhelming pressure erupted from Bu Eun-seol's body.
The dozen martial artists surrounding Wi Ji-hye-sang clutched their throats, their faces twisting in agony.
Formless Qi.
Enraged, Bu Eun-seol had unleashed his Formless Qi, sealing the breath of every martial artist nearby.
"Hoh."
Yet, instead of fear, Wi Ji-hye-sang's pupils shimmered with delight.
After all, even if Bu Eun-seol was the Heir of the Demon Hall, killing someone within the Fire Rain Sword Sect?
Not even the Demonic Heavenly Emperor could cover up such an act.
"Are you serious?"
Instead of answering, the bloody light in Bu Eun-seol's eyes deepened.
The martial artists' faces turned even paler. He truly intended to kill them.
Thud.
Then, Won Se-mun stirred, weakly grasping Bu Eun-seol's ankle.
"It's alright, my Lord."
With great effort, Won Se-mun clung to Bu Eun-seol's ankle and forced himself up.
"There's no need to fight them."
Bu Eun-seol withdrew his Formless Qi and steadied Won Se-mun.
Baring teeth stained with blood, Won Se-mun grinned.
「Your prediction was correct, my Lord.」
Struggling to stand, Won Se-mun followed up with a Voice Transmission.
「It wasn't Chief Instructor Wi Hyeok-gun—that frail-looking bastard was truly the one overseeing all major and minor affairs of the Fire Rain Sword Sect.」
A flash of insight crossed Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
From the start, Bu Eun-seol had found the Fire Rain Sword Sect's movements suspicious.
He had long heard that Wi Ji-mua no longer involved himself in the sect's affairs.
—Then, was it Wi Hyeok-gun?
Bu Eun-seol, who had been meticulously investigating the Fire Rain Sword Sect, shook his head.
The Wi Hyeok-gun he had seen on Hell Island possessed martial prowess that could shake the heavens, but he was hardly the type to handle sect affairs or manage trivial matters.
—If not Wi Ji-mua or Wi Hyeok-gun, then who is controlling the Fire Rain Sword Sect?
Deep in thought, Bu Eun-seol had given Won Se-mun a secret order before arriving at the Fire Rain Sword Sect.
While Bu Eun-seol met with Wi Ji-mua in private, Won Se-mun was to deliberately get drunk, cause a scene, and be thrown into the sect's prison.
Won Se-mun was not only a member of the Demon Hall but also Bu Eun-seol's direct subordinate.
Meaning, to punish or execute him, someone ranked above Bu Eun-seol—not merely a Hall Master—would have to step in.
In other words, the sect leader himself.
Once imprisoned, Won Se-mun began alternating between insulting Wi Ji-hye-sang and Wi Hyeok-gun in front of the guards.
This way, he could subtly compare their standing within the sect.
—Placing Wi Hyeok-gun and Wi Ji-hye-sang side by side?
Locked in the prison, Won Se-mun was shocked by the disciples' reactions as he cursed both men.
The martial artists were implicitly equating Wi Hyeok-gun—the Chief Instructor who handled sect affairs—with Wi Ji-hye-sang, the successor candidate.
Some disciples even feared Wi Ji-hye-sang more than Wi Hyeok-gun, reacting to his name with heightened sensitivity.
—No, this alone isn't enough.
But Won Se-mun soon discerned who truly led the Fire Rain Sword Sect.
Because the one who released him from prison was none other than Wi Ji-hye-sang.
Not only that, but Wi Ji-hye-sang repeatedly emphasized that he freed Won Se-mun out of goodwill toward Bu Eun-seol and his own magnanimity.
A statement he would never have made if acting under Wi Hyeok-gun's orders.
Meaning, the one holding the highest authority in the Fire Rain Sword Sect, the one managing all affairs—was not Wi Hyeok-gun, but this youthful successor, Wi Ji-hye-sang.
"You've done well."
After hearing Won Se-mun's full report via Voice Transmission, Bu Eun-seol glared at Wi Ji-hye-sang and spoke.
"At this rate, not a single drop of the medicine's efficacy will go to waste."
Then, he retrieved a pill from his robes and placed it in Won Se-mun's mouth.
It was the Violet Essence Pill he had obtained from the Mount Hua Sect long ago.
Gulp.
The moment the pill touched his saliva, it melted like water, sliding down Won Se-mun's throat.
Simultaneously, a warm heat began to rise from his organs, seeping deep into his bones.
This Mount Hua Sect's spirit medicine exhibits exceptional efficacy for both internal and external injuries.
Moreover, the worse the patient's condition, the faster its effects manifest.
"Begin qi circulation immediately. It will allow the medicine to be absorbed more rapidly."
At Bu Eun-seol's words, Won Se-mun promptly assumed the lotus position on the floor and began circulating his qi.
Soon, faint wisps of steam began rising from the crown of his head.
I thought he spent every night drowning in liquor, but it seems he's been diligently honing his internal energy.
Won Se-mun, whom Bu Eun-seol had assumed wasted his nights drinking, had in truth been secretly refining his martial arts without cease.
Just a little more assistance should suffice.
Without hesitation, Bu Eun-seol began channeling pure Reverse Polarity True Qi into his Great Vertebra Acupoint.
Whoosh!
As the Reverse Polarity True Qi coursed through his meridians, a radiant, five-colored golden flower bloomed above Won Se-mun's head—then, before they knew it, split into three distinct buds.
Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown.
The potency of the Purple Herb Pill, Won Se-mun's diligently cultivated true qi, and Bu Eun-seol's Reverse Polarity True Qi had merged, propelling him to a higher realm of mastery.
Flash!
Finally, as Won Se-mun completed his qi circulation, a brilliant light flickered in his eyes.
Springing to his feet like a released coil, he bowed deeply.
"My gratitude, Lord."
The warriors of the Fire Rain Sword Sect were stunned—not only had Won Se-mun, who had been on the brink of death, recovered his spiritual energy in an instant, but his internal power had also grown significantly.
Bu Eun-seol turned his cold gaze upon Wi Ji-hye-sang.
"You've been most hospitable."
Then, he turned to leave with Won Se-mun.
"Leaving so soon?"
Wi Ji-hye-sang swiftly intercepted them, his demeanor betraying an unwillingness to relinquish control.
"You've come all this way—won't you at least share a drink?"
"Had you treated him with care and courtesy from the start, perhaps that could have been arranged," Bu Eun-seol replied flatly.
"Even when beating a dog, one must consider its master."
Truthfully, Bu Eun-seol had intended to exchange words with Wi Ji-hye-sang.
But upon realizing that this man had led the Fire Rain Sword Sect all along—and was responsible for reducing Won Se-mun to such a state—he understood one thing with absolute clarity:
Wi Ji-hye-sang was an enemy.
No matter how courteous his words or refined his demeanor, it was all a facade to conceal his true intentions.
In that case, there was no need for further conversation.
Step. Step.
As Bu Eun-seol walked away without so much as a backward glance, Wi Ji-hye-sang's eyes narrowed into crescents.
"Have you been searching diligently for the descendants of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars?"
Bu Eun-seol's footsteps halted abruptly.
The search for the descendants of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars—this was a matter known only to Bu Eun-seol, his adjutants Myo Cheon-u and Yu Un-ryong, the other Great Lords, and the Kill-Seeking Unit's leader, So Ja-myeong.
So how did Wi Ji-hye-sang know of it?
'Is there a spy among us?'
Bu Eun-seol's expression hardened slightly.
The six individuals involved, including Won Se-mun, were all people he had trusted implicitly. Could one of them truly be an informant?
'No—he might simply be trying to sow discord with information obtained by chance.'
As he studied Wi Ji-hye-sang's smug expression, Bu Eun-seol's mind raced at blinding speed.
The best way to dismantle a solid organization is to corrode it from within.
Once doubt takes root, it spreads uncontrollably.
'You grew impatient, Wi Ji-hye-sang.'
A cold smile curled Bu Eun-seol's lips.
By deliberately revealing information only he should know, Wi Ji-hye-sang sought to project an illusion of omniscience—but it was nothing more than a desperate ploy.
'This very act only hands me a crucial clue.'
Bu Eun-seol was certain there could be no spy among the Great Lords.
Yet if Wi Ji-hye-sang possessed such knowledge, only two possibilities remained: Either he himself was a descendant of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars—
'Or the Fire Rain Sword Sect has already been seized by their descendants.'
Since its founding seven hundred years ago by the Founder Jeok Hwa-un, the Fire Rain Sword Sect had always been led by the Jeok Clan.
But for the past three centuries, the Wi Clan had monopolized the position of Sect Leader, and their influence had expanded rapidly.
Given Wi Ji-hye-sang's intelligence network, it was entirely possible that the descendants of the Sword Emperor among the Eight Emperors and Three Stars had taken control of the Fire Rain Sword Sect.
"Wi Ji-hye-sang."
Turning back, Bu Eun-seol wore a faint smile.
"Even someone like you makes mistakes."
Wi Ji-hye-sang's intelligence had always outstripped Bu Eun-seol's.
Time and again, he had spouted inexplicable knowledge to unsettle him—most of it impossible to verify.
But this time, Bu Eun-seol had come prepared with multiple contingencies.
Despite being on Wi Ji-hye-sang's home ground, the man had not only failed to seize the initiative but, in his impatience, had carelessly brought up something unnecessary.
"I'm afraid I don't follow."
"Then let it remain so."
Bu Eun-seol turned away, the corner of his lips lifting.
By visiting the Fire Rain Sword Sect alone, he had gathered every scrap of intelligence he needed—and even gained an intuition that Wi Ji-hye-sang, or perhaps the Wi Clan controlling the sect, might themselves be descendants of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars.
Yet the Fire Rain Sword Sect had gained nothing from him in return.
"Well then."
Without a trace of regret, Bu Eun-seol turned and departed.
"I'll admit you got one over on me this time."
Wi Ji-hye-sang watched his retreating figure with a dispirited mutter.
"The card you played was beyond anything I could have anticipated."
Taking a deep breath, his pupils gleamed once more with profound light.
"But this victory is yours only for now... Soon enough, you'll become my plaything."
From his radiantly smiling eyes seeped an unbreakable, viscous energy—and a strange, scorching heat.