Chapter 382
"Ah."
Sim Wol and Jin Seol let out brief exclamations upon discovering Bu Eun-seol.
"My Lord."
As the two rose and clasped their hands together, Bu Eun-seol also joined his palms.
"What a coincidence."
"Indeed."
Jin Seol calmly pressed her hands together.
"We were just about to leave. May you have a pleasant time."
Yet contrary to her words, the dishes at her seat were still steaming with freshly served heat.
It seemed Jin Seol felt uncomfortable around Bu Eun-seol and intended to relocate elsewhere.
A flicker of anger flashed in Sim Wol's eyes.
'Is she avoiding him now, fearing her heart might waver?'
Moreover, moving seats without a single word of consultation? Was this not outright disregard for his presence?
"No need. We shall be the ones to move."
At this, Won Se-mun, standing behind them, made a disappointed expression.
"My Lord. After coming all this way... Ugh!"
Just then, Jo Nam-cheon and Wi Cheon-gyeong approached, clamping Won Se-mun's mouth shut as they dragged him outside.
"Then enjoy your time."
As Bu Eun-seol pressed his hands together, Sim Wol smiled and spoke.
"My Lord. Such meetings are rare—won't you join us for a drink?"
He stepped closer, wearing an amiable smile.
"Are we not all part of the same family, after all?"
Then, turning to Jin Seol, he added,
"Once you marry, you'll have to set aside your duties as Upper Blossom. Would it not be better to part with everyone without regrets?"
In an instant, Jin Seol's brows sharply arched.
She had no intention of leaving the Demon Hall even if she married Sim Wol.
Yet here he was, making such presumptuous remarks to Bu Eun-seol without consulting her?
'So this is his way of reprimanding me for leaving my seat without permission.'
Understanding the reason for Sim Wol's anger, Jin Seol sealed her lips.
"Just one drink, My Lord."
When Sim Wol pressed again, Bu Eun-seol turned to Yu Un-ryong.
"Go ahead to another tavern. I'll join you shortly."
"R-right."
Yu Un-ryong nodded and led the leaders back out of the Pavilion of Complete Joy.
"Very well."
As Bu Eun-seol took his seat and lifted his cup, Sim Wol poured the wine with both hands.
"Sitting face-to-face like this reminds me of when you first arrived at the Demon Hall, My Lord."
Glug.
As the clear liquor filled the cup, Sim Wol narrowed his eyes and spoke.
"Though your status has since risen, surely you haven't forgotten those days?"
"Of course not."
"The wine seems to have gone to your head."
Detecting arrogance in Sim Wol's tone, Jin Seol shot him a warning glance.
But he paid no heed and continued,
"Did you not know? When My Lord first entered the main hall during the Ten Demon Hall era, it was under my guidance."
Jin Seol forced a smile and nodded.
"I'm aware of that."
'He, who's always gentle and considerate, is failing to control his emotions.'
A bitter feeling swelled within her, difficult to suppress.
'Does he not trust me? Why provoke the Shadow Spirit Lord like this?'
Though Jin Seol had once held feelings for Bu Eun-seol, that was in the past.
When she encountered him before the Singular Light Pavilion, she had shaken off those emotions and resolved her heart.
Yet here was Sim Wol, consumed by jealousy, committing acts he should have avoided.
"You speak truthfully."
At that moment, Bu Eun-seol lifted his cup and addressed Sim Wol.
"Back then, I was but a country bumpkin who knew nothing of the main hall's workings. Had you not aided me, I would have suffered considerable humiliation."
Gulp.
Bu Eun-seol and Sim Wol locked eyes as they drained their cups with both hands.
For someone of Bu Eun-seol's standing as the Heir of the Demon Hall, this was an exceedingly respectful gesture. Before Jin Seol, he was deliberately elevating Sim Wol's dignity.
"Then I shall take my leave."
As Bu Eun-seol rose, Jin Seol stood as well and bowed her head.
But once again, Sim Wol uttered something preposterous.
"My Lord. Why not stay a little longer?"
He smiled at Jin Seol.
"After marriage, we'll seldom have chances to meet."
This behavior of Sim Wol's had crossed a line far beyond propriety.
A flash ignited in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
Under normal circumstances, he would never have tolerated such insolence.
Yet Bu Eun-seol remained silent.
Because Jin Seol was present.
Every man wishes to appear strong before the woman he loves—such is the true intent of a man's heart.
Bu Eun-seol had no desire to diminish Sim Wol's dignity, even slightly.
"There will be other opportunities."
With that, he turned away calmly.
"Very well."
As Bu Eun-seol departed, silence settled heavily over the chamber.
Jin Seol bowed her head, overcome with shame, while Sim Wol finally snapped back to his senses.
'Why did I act like that? Could it be... because of that Internal Core?'
Biting his lip, he recalled the face of the man he had met months ago—the one who had given him the Internal Core and utterly upended his life.
That man was part of the Demon Hall's High Command, someone who should never have been suspected of colluding with external factions.
And yet, in an unexpected place, he had made an unexpected proposal to Sim Wol.
—"The time it takes for this Internal Core to fully assimilate varies depending on one's aptitude. For someone like you, it won't be long before you gain unimaginable power."
Sim Wol had been unable to hide his astonishment as he stared at the Internal Core.
There were two reasons for that.
First, because the man who had long enjoyed the complete trust of the Demon Hall's High Command was secretly working with an outside faction.
And second, because he had realized that the claim—"merely consuming this crimson Internal Core will massively augment one's Internal Power"—was undeniably true.
After all, his martial prowess had already multiplied several times over compared to before.
'Just by consuming it, my Internal Power increases, and once fully assimilated, I'll gain tremendous abilities?'
Sim Wol could hardly believe such a fantastical tale.
But since the Internal Core seemed to offer nothing but benefits—no harm whatsoever—he had accepted it without hesitation.
And the moment he consumed it, he felt his Internal Power surge instantly.
Not only that, but the more he trained, the more the energy of the Internal Core began merging with his Original True Qi.
'If this continues, my martial prowess will grow without limit.'
Sim Wol was intoxicated with euphoria.
Could such a miraculous thing truly exist in this world?
With this, even the seemingly insurmountable wall of the Transcendent Realm could be breached in a single leap.
—"However, this Internal Core may have side effects. Be cautious."
It didn't take long for Sim Wol to discover what those side effects were.
His once-serene Spirit and Mind were suddenly flooded with uncontrollable rage and Killing Intent.
'So this is it.'
Originally, Sim Wol had been a man of clear mind and strong patience.
But as the energy flowing from the Internal Core merged with his Original True Qi, his Internal Power swelled—and with it, so did his murderous impulses.
Eventually, the Killing Intent became so overwhelming that maintaining a peaceful daily life became impossible.
'There's no other way.'
Unable to suppress the overflowing power and bloodlust, Sim Wol made a choice.
'I'll have to go out and slaughter some Murim members.'
The Demon Hall was not a place where everything was as it seemed.
If he failed to control his Killing Intent, the Masters lurking in the shadows would surely see through him.
And if he were ever investigated? His consumption of the artificial Internal Core would be exposed, and he would be imprisoned alongside the man who had colluded with the external faction.
'But now that my Internal Power has grown, it shouldn't be a problem.'
It was human nature to want to wield a sharp sword once obtained, to test a newly learned martial technique in battle.
In the end, to quell his surging power and bloodlust, Sim Wol created another identity for himself.
The Shadowless Killing Ghost.
The true identity of the murderous fiend who had terrorized the Huguang region was none other than Sim Wol, the man who had assimilated the Internal Core.
"Sir."
Jin Seol's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Today, you weren't yourself."
Only then did Sim Wol emerge from his deep contemplation.
"Was I?"
Forcing down the Killing Intent threatening to burst forth, he offered her the gentlest smile he could muster.
"My apologies. It seems I drank too much today."
Jin Seol's expression turned cold yet sorrowful.
Those eyes.
Sim Wol clenched his fists again.
Jin Seol's gaze was always like a blizzard—icy and unyielding.
But that frigidity shattered in one instance: whenever she faced Bu Eun-seol.
'I'll kill him without fail.'
His vision burned red with fury. His blood surged, and strength flooded his limbs.
Just then, Jin Seol rose to her feet.
"I'm tired. I'll take my leave first."
"Let me escort you."
"That's unnecessary. I have a carriage waiting outside the guest inn."
"Very well."
As she turned away, Sim Wol's eyes overflowed with blood-red Killing Intent.
He wanted to strike Jin Seol down right then, to chase after that damned Bu Eun-seol and tear his face to shreds.
But he had to endure. Revealing his true nature now would ruin everything.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Blood dripped steadily from Sim Wol's clenched fist as he suppressed his killing intent.
He had gripped his hand so tightly that his nails had dug into his palm.
'This won't do at all.'
Sim Wol licked the blood from his hand, his eyes gleaming with cruelty.
To cool the boiling heat of his blood.
He was about to return to being the Shadowless Killing Ghost—to slaughter people once more.
The Myriad Erudition Hall was a place where all manner of information flowing into the Demon Hall could be gathered, allowing one to grasp the state of the Murim world at a glance.
Sim Wol was a disciple of that very hall, and as someone who had earned the Hall Leader's trust, he had the authority to access many things.
In other words, even if he rampaged through Huguang as the Shadowless Killing Ghost, he could easily conceal his tracks and identity using the Myriad Erudition Hall's intelligence network.
Whoosh.
The moment he left the Demon Hall, he unleashed his Lightness Skill in a single burst, swiftly departing Changsha Prefecture and arriving at the Hyeongdo Region.
According to the Demon Hall's intelligence network, there were no active information-gathering organizations near Hyeongdo, nor were there any outstanding masters from either the orthodox or unorthodox factions.
It was the perfect place to indulge in slaughter as he pleased.
'Killing Murim warriors has gotten a bit dull.'
At first, he had enjoyed slaughtering those who resisted and fought back.
But after massacring so many, he found it far more satisfying to butcher defenseless commoners who couldn't even put up a fight.
If Murim warriors were like balls bouncing unpredictably, commoners were like balls left perfectly still.
And to him, gathering a cluster of motionless balls and crushing them all at once was far more exhilarating.
'It'd be best to wipe out an entire village in one go.'
If he carelessly attacked commoners, evidence would remain.
But if he annihilated an entire village, erasing the evidence would be easier, and it would sow confusion among pursuers.
'After all, it's rare for a single person to massacre an entire village.'
Sim Wol closed his eyes, feeling the killing intent searing through his body.
Who would have thought that he, who had always used his wits to carry out his plans in secrecy, would become a blood-soaked demon?
'But I must do this. Even if it's just to further enhance my martial arts.'
The more he exerted his power, the more the dormant Internal Core within his body melted.
The more he slaughtered, the stronger he became—again and again.
Tap.
Before he knew it, he had arrived at the foot of a mountain overlooking a village, his face twisting into a rapturous expression.
'I'll melt it. Perfectly.'
As Sim Wol's body shot into mid-air, a killing intent so fierce it seemed to tear the heavens apart surged from him.
Chirp. Chirp. Chirp.
The dim sky had already brightened again.
Bu Eun-seol, who had returned from the guest inn last night, had been sitting in his office all day, lost in thought.
'The feeling is unmistakable.'
The truth was, the reason he hadn't immediately left yesterday wasn't just to spare Sim Wol's pride—it was also because he wanted to observe him more closely.
Sim Wol had made mistakes and acted rudely, unlike his usual self.
And Bu Eun-seol was certain it was due to the violent energy emanating from the Artificial Internal Core.
The Sim Wol he knew wasn't someone so lacking in self-control.
'Which means...'
Just as Bu Eun-seol sank deeper into contemplation—
"Haaah! Hup!"
A series of loud shouts erupted from outside.
Even from the sound alone, Bu Eun-seol could tell that Won Se-mun and the members of the First Squad were sparring.
'He must still be furious.'
Won Se-mun had once been beaten half to death by So Ok-rim.
Since then, he had been training his martial arts with even greater intensity.
Of course, he couldn't bridge that overwhelming gap in strength overnight. But day by day, he was steadily narrowing it.
'Looking back, I suppose it was a good motivator.'
A faint smile touched Bu Eun-seol's lips as he stepped outside.
By then, the training session seemed to have ended, as Won Se-mun and the squad members were sprawled across the training grounds, panting heavily.
Bu Eun-seol kept his distance, silently watching them without disturbing their rest.
"At least So Ok-rim did one good thing before leaving."
Yu Un-ryong approached Bu Eun-seol and spoke.
"He turned Won Se-mun, who used to drown himself in alcohol every day, back into a diligent man."
The Death Shadow War Unit had once been engaged in large-scale battles frequently, but recently, they had rarely been deployed.
Perhaps because of that, Won Se-mun and the First Squad had grown somewhat lax in their martial training.
—"Is there anyone in this world as strong as the Lord?"
But So Ok-rim's appearance had shocked Won Se-mun, making him train rigorously again.
This was a place where only the strong survived.
"That is the Murim for you."
"Soon, He'll be back."
Bu Eun-seol recalled So Ok-rim's face, grinning with sharp fangs bared.
Had it been too long since he last saw him?
Suddenly, he found himself missing So Ok-rim's round cheeks and the fierce expression he wore when shouting recklessly.
"Stronger."
"Hmm. That in itself is terrifying."
"What do you mean? Did something happen?"
"You haven't heard yet?"
Yu Un-ryong let out a sigh before speaking.
"Last night, the Shadowless Killing Ghost appeared again. This time, he wiped out an entire village."
"That's right. It was a large-scale massacre of civilians, so even the government office stepped in, but they still couldn't find any traces of him."
A strange thought crossed Bu Eun-seol's mind.
The Shadowless Killing Ghost was being monitored not just by the Martial Alliance but by numerous intelligence networks. Yet he had boldly broken through their surveillance and slaughtered civilians.
That level of intelligence...
Lost in deep thought, Bu Eun-seol turned to Yu Un-ryong.
"Yu Un-ryong."
"Hm?"
"From now on, investigate every movement of the Myriad Learning Society and all its disciples."
"The Myriad Learning Society?"
"Yes. Every single one of them. Without exception."
Yu Un-ryong blinked in surprise, but upon seeing the gravity in Bu Eun-seol's expression, he nodded.
"Understood."
That evening.
Yu Un-ryong visited Bu Eun-seol's office and reported his findings in detail.
"Baek Jeon-cheon, the leader of the Myriad Learning Society, has gone to Beyond the Pass. His subordinates are too busy managing the main hall to pay attention to anything else."
Yu Un-ryong spoke impassively.
"And when I went to the Myriad Learning Society, he welcomed me. We talked for quite a while before I left."
"Sim Wol... That man?"
"Yes. He enjoys the leader's deep trust, and perhaps due to the influence of the Elders' Hall's leader... In reality, he holds all the authority of a deputy leader, despite the position being vacant."
"Is that so?"
It was an unexpected revelation.
Sim Wol, who had always acted as nothing more than a disciple of the Myriad Learning Society, was actually its second-in-command.
"You're not planning to dig into him, are you?"
Yu Un-ryong chuckled as he spoke.
"Is that why you couldn't stand seeing him get along with Jin Seol, the Upper Flower? Couldn't stand seeing him with her?"
It was the kind of joke only a close friend, not a subordinate, could make.
But Bu Eun-seol nodded with the gravest expression.
"That's right."
"...What?"
"It seems he and Jin Seol are not a good match."
Yu Un-ryong's eyes widened.
Having served Bu Eun-seol for so long, he could read his intentions just from his gaze.
He's not joking.
Yu Un-ryong swallowed hard.
Even a hint of killing intent, something he had never seen before, flickered in Bu Eun-seol's eyes. At last, he reached an unbelievable conclusion.
"Don't tell me—"
Yu Un-ryong spoke with utmost seriousness.
"Sim Wol... is the Shadowless Killing Ghost?"
"Most likely."
"That can't be."
Yu Un-ryong shook his head.
The recent madman murderer was Sim Wol, the brilliant scholar of the Myriad Learning Society and a disciple of the Three Demons?
Sim Wol's status was merely that of a disciple, but he was still a key figure in the Demon Hall.
Would someone like him really hide his identity and slaughter Murim practitioners and civilians without reason?
"If that were exposed, he'd lose everything. That's far too reckless an adventure, isn't it?"
"It seems he has also consumed either a Demon Seed or an Artificial Inner Elixir."
At Bu Eun-seol's words, Yu Un-ryong's eyes bulged.
He had only heard rumors of the Artificial Inner Elixir and the Demon Seed—he had never seen them in person.
But according to Bu Eun-seol, those who consumed them not only gained boundless internal power but also had their spirit and mind warped, didn't they?
Yet even that was hard to believe.
Why would Jeok Bung's disciple feel lacking...?
Lost in thought, he shook his head.
No, of course he would.
At last, Yu Un-ryong understood Sim Wol's heart to some degree.
In the past, Sim Wol must have harbored ambitions of reaching the pinnacle of the Demonic Path.
But faced with an overwhelming rival like Bu Eun-seol, he must have drowned in despair and endless torment.
Yu Un-ryong had once been the same.
Now, he had resolved to stand not at the peak of the Demonic Path but by the side of the one who would reach it, so the suffering no longer plagued him—
But Sim Wol was still trapped in that pain, just as Yu Un-ryong had been.
"Then I'll cross-reference the Shadowless Killing Ghost's appearances with his movements."
"The main hall's intelligence network will be useless. As a disciple of the Myriad Learning Society, he would have already anticipated and blocked our information flow."
Bu Eun-seol spoke solemnly.
"Work with No Trace, the leader of the Death Soul Squad. If anyone can uncover Sim Wol's tracks, it's him—he has inherited everything from the former leader of the Kill-Seeking Unit."
"Understood."
Yu Un-ryong took a deep breath.
At last, a new mission had been handed down to the secret unit Bu Eun-seol had founded.
They would use their elite covert operatives to trace Sim Wol's hidden movements.