Chapter 368
Ten days had already passed since they searched the Beggars' Sect's headquarters.
While playing the role of beggars there, Bu Eun-seol and Namgung Un had uncovered a great deal of information.
They learned that No Bong, who was supposedly bedridden with illness, wasn't at the headquarters but was secretly staying somewhere in Kaifeng, still commanding the sect from the shadows.
And more importantly—that aside from No Bong, the only person who knew anything about the Artificial Internal Core was Hae-pung.
"The reason those who retrieved the Internal Core came to Kaifeng seems clear," said Namgung Un with conviction after completing their investigation. "Because Sect Chief No Bong, who's made his nest near headquarters, is the mastermind overseeing the entire operation."
As if their hardships were finally bearing fruit, Namgung Un had been carefully observing various clues and drawing conclusions accordingly.
"I think the same," replied Bu Eun-seol with a faint smile. "It seems we can finally shed our beggar disguises."
The method for leaving the Beggars' Sect was surprisingly simple yet difficult in practice.
All they had to do was inform their instructor, untie their disciple knots, and return them—that was it.
The hard part was the severance procedure.
The Beggars' Sect had an ironclad rule: those who left must abandon everything they gained from the sect.
Though considered part of the Righteous Path, the Beggars' Sect was fundamentally an organization of beggars. Their rules were crude and straightforward, often adhering to the principle of "an eye for an eye."
Thus, it wasn't just the knots they had to return—they were also supposed to leave behind any martial arts techniques they'd learned.
If one had mastered Hand Techniques, their hands would be rendered useless. If they'd learned Leg Techniques, their legs would be crippled. And if they'd trained in internal energy methods, their Internal Power would be shattered—that was the rule.
Yet when Bu Eun-seol and Namgung Un, who had only recently become Second-Knot Disciples, announced their departure, In-guk readily granted permission.
"You may leave as you are."
After all, they were the type who couldn't even master a basic footwork technique—something even a child could learn in a day—after four days of training.
Hae-pung had arbitrarily promoted them to Second-Knot Disciples, thinking they might be useful, but that assessment had been completely mistaken.
"Are you returning to Fujian?" asked In-guk.
"Yes, sir."
"Very well."
In-guk's expression turned solemn as he continued, "However, once you leave our sect, you must never speak its name. And you must forget everything you've seen and heard here."
Then, lowering his voice, he added, "Our disciples are spread throughout the Central Plains. They'll watch your words and actions as closely as a palm reader examines lines. If you utter even a single careless word, you'll lose your lives instantly. Understood?"
At In-guk's grave warning, Bu Eun-seol bowed his head once more, while Namgung Un merely chuckled.
"Go now. I'll handle the rest."
"Thank you, sir."
"Heh heh."
As the two turned to leave, In-guk wore a slightly regretful expression.
These days, genuine beggars like them were rare in the sect. And during their training, he'd grown somewhat fond of them.
"Still, it seems they haven't forgotten the true duty of the Righteous Path," murmured Namgung Un in a low voice as they walked along the mountain path after leaving the sect. "Leaving a sect is never easy, yet they let us go without issue."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head. "If they'd truly upheld the beggars' duty, they wouldn't have meddled with something like an Artificial Internal Core."
"Huh?"
"Some random beggars who appeared out of nowhere suddenly becoming Second-Knot Disciples of the headquarters?" Bu Eun-seol stated firmly. "That In-guk might have wanted to let us go, but if Hae-pung hears of this, he'll never allow us to leave peacefully."
"Surely not," Namgung Un disagreed, shaking his head.
No matter how corrupt the Beggars' Sect had become, he couldn't imagine they'd harm former disciples who'd once been their own.
"But why did we have to announce our departure formally? We could've just slipped away unnoticed."
"Didn't I tell you? The Beggars' Sect may seem lax, but it's actually a meticulous intelligence network."
Bu Eun-seol gazed at the distant sky as he continued, "If we'd disappeared quietly, the sect would've grown suspicious and investigated all our activities up to now. And if they discovered that one of us is the legitimate heir of the Namgung Clan... that would create serious complications."
Only then did Namgung Un realize something.
Had Bu Eun-seol infiltrated the headquarters alone, he could've vanished without a trace—the Beggars' Sect would never have been able to track his movements.
Bu Eun-seol had taken this risk and left through proper channels solely for Namgung Un's sake.
Sniff.
Namgung Un rubbed his nose.
There was no need to thank Bu Eun-seol for every little thing like this. He was his sworn brother, and Namgung Un would follow him for the rest of his life regardless.
Crunch. Crunch.
Before they knew it, Bu Eun-seol and Namgung Un had left the village and were walking along a mountain pass leading to the next town.
The sun had already begun to sink low, staining the sky in hues of gold.
By the time the two crossed the pass and reached a dense forest path lined with thick trees—
Ping!
A sharp Sound of Breaking Air rang out—and in the next moment, Bu Eun-seol and Namgung Un collapsed face-first onto the ground.
Embedded in their necks were slender needles.
Swish.
Simultaneously, a middle-aged beggar in tattered clothes emerged from the bushes.
It was In-guk.
Crunch. Crunch.
He pressed his fingers against the necks of the fallen Bu Eun-seol and Namgung Un.
No pulse. They were already dead.
When he pulled out the needles, a black liquid oozed out.
The poison coating the needles was none other than the Seven Steps Gut-Breaking Poison—a toxin that severs the breath before the victim can take seven steps.
"Did it really have to come to this?"
In-guk muttered with a pained expression as he stared down at the two corpses.
They weren't particularly bright, but they had been honest, guileless disciples.
Since they hadn't even trained in martial arts for long, he had assumed they would be allowed to leave quietly.
But when Deputy Sect Master Hae-pung received the report that the two had departed, he gave an unexpected order:
—Have the disciples eliminate them discreetly.
In-guk had clasped his hands together and pleaded.
They were just ordinary beggars—simple, harmless souls who would never cause trouble.
But Hae-pung remained unmoved.
—Our sect is in the midst of a Grand Endeavor. Not even the slightest disruption or rift can be tolerated.
Bound by Hae-pung's firm command, In-guk decided to handle it himself.
Better to give them a clean death and bury them quietly than let other disciples make them suffer.
"Poor things."
In-guk's eyes glistened with tears.
Teaching them martial arts had been frustrating and headache-inducing, but their utterly desireless, thoughtless attitudes had, for a brief moment, purified his heart.
"What crime did you two even commit? The fault lies with me—a lowly beggar who dragged you into this filthy, ruthless murim."
With a tormented expression, he took out a short spade and began digging.
Before long, he had carved out two deep pits and carefully buried Bu Eun-seol and Namgung Un.
"May you be reborn in your next lives—not as beggars, but as children of good households."
Night had fallen, and moonlight spilled down from the sky.
After a deep sigh, In-guk turned away.
And after about fifteen minutes—
BOOM!
Dirt and sand erupted into the air—and under the moonlight, two figures emerged.
It was Bu Eun-seol and Namgung Un, having removed their disguises.
"So there are decent people in the Beggars' Sect."
Namgung Un gazed at the spot where In-guk had disappeared, his expression somber.
The two had known In-guk was secretly following them but had continued walking without concern.
And the moment he fired the poison needles, they had immediately sealed their acupoints to block the toxin's spread and used the Art of Feigned Death to play dead.
"The sect's actions must be separate from his own."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes were equally subdued.
Truthfully, among the Beggars' Sect disciples they had seen at the headquarters, few were truly tainted by evil.
It was only because the High Command had grown corrupt and confrontational that the rest had followed suit.
"Now all that's left is to find No Bong hiding in Kaifeng."
At Bu Eun-seol's words, Namgung Un spoke cautiously.
"Just the two of us? Should we call in the Information Warfare Unit from the Main House?"
"The Beggars' Sect's territory—especially the Kaifeng Prefecture—would notice the moment we brought in intelligence operatives."
"But if it's just the two of us searching..."
"Don't worry. We'll find him easily."
"How so?"
Bu Eun-seol looked up at the distant sky and asked,
"What did the Beggars' Sect's members at the headquarters think of No Bong, the current sect master?"
"Well... they wanted to confirm whether he had recovered and how he was doing."
"And yet, despite that, the sect's disciples couldn't locate No Bong in Kaifeng. What does that tell you?"
"That means..."
Finally, Namgung Un nodded as if realizing something.
"He must be in a place beggars would never enter."
"Exactly."
Bu Eun-seol's voice was low and steady.
"If there are so many beggars roaming Kaifeng yet no trace of No Bong can be found, it means he must be staying somewhere beggars cannot enter."
The next day.
As Namgung Un stepped out of the guest inn, he had transformed back into the dignified young master of a noble family.
He had scrubbed off the grime that had clung to him all night, removed the yellow dye and residue stuck between his teeth, and changed into clean blue robes that carried a faint, pleasant fragrance. The sensation made him feel like an immortal soaring through the heavens.
"Ah..."
Namgung Un spread his arms wide as he gazed up at the bright sunlight.
Wearing clean clothes, eating proper meals, resting in an unsoiled bed—things he had once taken for granted. Now, he realized just how much happiness these simple comforts could bring.
"I never knew it would feel like this."
He took a deep breath before speaking.
"It seems I was living far more happily than I ever realized."
Bu Eun-seol wore a faint smile.
"Finding contentment in life is good, but do not seek happiness through comparison. The more you do, the more desolate your heart will become."
Namgung Un blinked, momentarily stunned.
Though brief, Bu Eun-seol's words carried the profound insight of an old man facing twilight.
"You're right. I shouldn't measure happiness by comparison."
Look upward, and you shrink endlessly.
Look downward, and you rise endlessly.
That is the nature of human perspective—and of satisfaction itself.
"Brother Bu, are you content with your life now?"
Namgung Un's question seemed to assume the answer was obvious.
But Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"Not at all."
The meaning of happiness was painfully clear to him.
The only joy in his life had been the days spent peacefully with Bu Jan-yang—the man who had given him a name, taught him, and shown him boundless warmth.
"Brother Bu..."
Namgung Un repeated the words with a lonely expression.
At the mention of happiness, Bu Eun-seol's eyes turned as white as burnt-out ashes.
It was the agony of one who yearned for something forever out of reach.
"There must be... many things in this world that could make you happy, Brother Bu."
Namgung Un spoke with conviction.
"Even if they seem invisible now, or impossible to find."
Then he smiled, brighter than the morning sun.
"So you will find them. Without fail."
Bu Eun-seol had a way of casting an endless, desolate atmosphere around himself.
Yet Namgung Un remained untouched by it, still carrying his own radiant light—and sharing it freely.
That was something Bu Eun-seol could never do.
He could accomplish the near-impossible, resolve the unsolvable—but he could never bestow warmth and hope the way Namgung Un did.
Softly, silently, Bu Eun-seol whispered in his heart:
May only bright light await him in the days to come.
But how could he have known?
Namgung Un was praying just as fervently in his own heart:
O gods of heaven and earth, I beg you—let Brother Bu find happiness in this life.
People are born with different fortunes.
Those who refuse to accept this will envy others and drown in their own misery.
Yet these two, indifferent to what they themselves possessed, wished only for the other's happiness.
It was because of such magnanimity that...
...one day, one would stand at the pinnacle of the orthodox path as a peerless swordsman.
And the other would transcend the divide between orthodox and unorthodox to become a grandmaster.
Where would beggars never go to beg?
The manors where empresses, chancellors, and high-ranking officials resided? The gambling halls and courtesan houses where the Black Gangs gathered?
The escort bureaus packed with armed guards? Or perhaps the money exchanges where money was traded?
Or maybe the martial arts schools, where outsiders were barred for fear of martial secrets leaking?
The answer: anywhere guarded by fierce warriors or gatekeepers.
Linger there carelessly, and a minor dispute could leave you crippled—all for a few measly coins.
But there was one place they avoided even more.
Manors or mountain cabins too far from Chengdu.
Beg there and come back empty-handed? You might starve to death on the road home.
Beggars must wander hundreds of times just to earn a single spoonful of rice.
That's why they strictly avoided remote manors located in isolated areas.
Heavenly Flower Mountain Villa.
This villa was nestled deep within the mountains, far removed from Chengdu.
The stately villa, perched beside a lake, exuded an eerie atmosphere.
The owner of this manor was none other than Gwan Bi, the former Kaifeng Fist Master, who had once gained fame by creating the Empty Cloud Fist.
However, he had long since retired, devoting himself solely to training disciples to inherit his martial art. It was said he had built this villa to live in seclusion.
Under the pale glow of the moonlight,
two figures stood overlooking Heavenly Flower Mountain Villa—Bu Eun-seol and Namgung Un.
"I never would have guessed the Sect Chief of the Beggars' Sect was holed up in a place like that."
The two stood atop a peak, gazing down at the villa as they conversed.
"That hidden mastermind truly has far-reaching influence. To think they even prepared a hideout in Heavenly Flower Mountain Villa, a place with no prior connection to them."
Bu Eun-seol and Namgung Un had scoured every remote manor near Kaifeng, places where beggars would never dare to venture.
And soon, they had deduced that Heavenly Flower Mountain Villa was where No Bong was hiding.
"It's not just influence—Gwan Bi, the villa's owner, must have been one of their pawns from the very beginning."
Bu Eun-seol's voice was low.
"Otherwise, he wouldn't have handed over his villa as a hideout so willingly."
No matter how much power the Beggars' Sect wielded, they couldn't have turned Heavenly Flower Mountain Villa into a hideout without any prior ties.
Which meant Gwan Bi was undoubtedly in league with No Bong—both working under the same hidden mastermind who had created the Artificial Inner Elixirs.
"That does make sense."
As Namgung Un scratched his head, Bu Eun-seol continued.
"But given that the villa is swarming with warriors who've consumed the Artificial Inner Elixirs, it's hardly just a simple hideout."
After thorough investigation, they had confirmed that the villa housed numerous martial artists who had ingested the Artificial Inner Elixirs, and that the so-called Demon Seeds had also originated from this place.
In other words, No Bong had used his "illness" as an excuse to establish himself here—managing the production of Artificial Inner Elixirs all along.
"No wonder the Beggars' Sect is tearing itself apart. The Sect Chief neglects the Sect Council's duties while secretly aiding another faction."
No Bong had long abandoned his responsibilities under the pretense of illness.
Moreover, Hae-pung had discovered that No Bong was collaborating with an outside force to produce the Inner Elixirs.
And he, too, had secretly been retrieving the Artificial Inner Elixirs to build his own faction.
But most disciples of the Beggars' Sect remained unaware—seeing only that No Bong and Hae-pung had abandoned the sect's affairs.
"Still, I can't understand it."
Namgung Un shook his head.
"No Bong doesn't seem to desire a stronger Beggars' Sect, nor does he crave wealth or pleasure. So why would he do something like this?"
The position of Sect Chief could grant power and luxury rivaling even the Emperor's, if one so desired.
And yet, No Bong didn't even seem particularly attached to the Beggars' Sect itself. Why, after reaching the highest position, would he orchestrate such a scheme?
"Perhaps he became Sect Chief precisely to carry out this very plan."
Namgung Un's eyes widened as he grasped Bu Eun-seol's implication.
"You mean... he was a spy from the very beginning?"
"That's one possibility. Spies are planted all across Murim, after all."
Namgung Un crossed his arms with a grimace.
"We'll have to shed an enormous amount of blood to root them out."
The villa was undoubtedly filled with martial artists who had consumed either the Artificial Inner Elixirs or the Demon Seeds.
And once ingested, the Demon Seeds granted immense internal power, making their combat strength far beyond what ordinary martial artists could handle.
"I'll request reinforcements from my main house. Ah, no—"
Namgung Un scratched his head awkwardly.
"Since you're the one who uncovered all this, the Demon Hall should handle it, right?"
If Bu Eun-seol resolved this matter as well, his fame would spread across the entire martial world.
But Bu Eun-seol simply shook his head indifferently.
"I don't need merit. If I wanted that, I wouldn't have bothered infiltrating the Beggars' Sect in the first place."
"Huh?"
"Let's just deal with them first."
"Then I'll request support from my main house."
"No need to waste the Namgung Clan's forces."
Bu Eun-seol's gaze lingered faintly on the villa below.
"The Beggars' Sect has already crossed a line they can't turn back from. They should clean up their own mess."
"How do you mean?"
"The board is already set, isn't it?"
"Huh?"
"They're already divided."
A faint smile touched Bu Eun-seol's lips.
And then, he began giving Namgung Un a series of instructions.