Chapter 393
'For now, I have no choice but to believe.'
Truthfully, these thoughts had been weighing on Bu Eun-seol ever since he began searching for the Divine Calculator.
Realizing there was no room for choice, Bu Eun-seol slowly opened his mouth.
"Who was it that killed Bu Jan-yang, the undertaker of the Hwangju Prefecture Constabulary?"
For a moment, silence flowed from within. After a long pause, a hoarse voice trickled out from behind the door.
"Himself."
Instantly, fury rose in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
He already knew the fact that his grandfather had deliberately allowed himself to be struck by the murderer in order to protect him.
But that wasn't the intent of this question. Naturally, he was asking about the identity of the brutal assailant who had attacked his grandfather—wasn't he?
"Are you playing word games with me now?"
"It's the truth."
The voice from behind the door carried a subdued force.
"He gave up his life of his own will. To protect someone."
"I already know that."
Suppressing the emotions threatening to burst forth, Bu Eun-seol spoke coldly.
"I'm asking about the person who attacked Bu Jan-yang."
"Pity."
A sigh-laden voice drifted from behind the door.
"But your question has been answered."
"I see."
Surprisingly, Bu Eun-seol nodded obediently.
"Is it over?"
At So-yo's question, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"Not yet."
At the same time, he swung a fist, smashing it into the sturdy wooden door before him.
BANG! CRACK!
With an explosive sound, the solid wooden door shattered like a cookie.
ZZZTT—
Then, a strange energy flickered in the air before scattering in all directions. That wooden door had been embedded with an odd boundary formation.
Simultaneously, the figure of an old man crouching inside came into view.
Step. Step.
Amid the dust spreading through the thatched hut, Bu Eun-seol, his entire body shrouded in dark True Qi, stepped inside.
His pupils had turned completely black, and sharp waves of True Qi surged upward, reaching the very heavens.
"If you knew that much, you must also know exactly who the murderer is."
Whoosh.
Bu Eun-seol closed the distance to the old man in an instant, his voice low and deathly.
"Who. Is. The. Murderer."
There was no need for threats like "Speak or die."
The look in Bu Eun-seol's eyes and the tone of his voice—
They were more than enough to convey his will: If you don't tell me the truth, I'll make sure you neither live nor die for all eternity.
Shiver. Shake.
The crouching old man trembled as he slowly raised his head.
Then, his face—covered in liver spots—came into view. It was the kind of utterly ordinary face one would inevitably see at least once if they passed through a village outskirts.
"Spare me, please!"
Yet, from the quivering lips of the old man came an unexpected answer.
"I—I was just following orders! I only answered as I was told!"
The pupils of Bu Eun-seol, who had been spewing black fog, trembled violently.
What in the world was this situation?
"I—I was blinded by a single gold tael... That's why I dared to do this..."
Unable to meet Bu Eun-seol's gaze, the old man groveled, stammering.
"I'm just a wandering fortune-teller... A month ago, an old man who looked like an immortal gave me a gold tael and told me..."
"When someone shows you a coin identical to the one the Great Hero possesses... A month from now, in this place... You must divine for them."
When the old man raised his head and saw Bu Eun-seol's blackened eyes, he immediately bowed again, pointing to the left wall.
There, densely written, was the secret remedy for treating Taiyin Severed Meridians—the same one he had just relayed to So-yo.
And even the answer regarding the death of Bu Jan-yang, the undertaker of Hwangju Prefecture.
"Where is that old man now?"
"I—I don't know!"
Bu Eun-seol stared down at the old man.
If everything this man said was true... then the Divine Calculator had predicted his and So-yo's visit a full month in advance.
And had deliberately planted a fake in his place.
'He gave So-yo a proper answer... but fed me nonsense?'
A sharp glint flashed in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
Could it be that the Divine Calculator disapproved of him using the Gratitude Coin?
Was this an attempt to take it back? Because he was a figure of the Demonic Path?
Then what was the point of this farce? He must have known full well that there was no chance Bu Eun-seol would accept such an absurd answer and leave.
"I—I'll return this to you."
With a trembling voice, the old man respectfully held out the Gratitude Coin that had been inside the jar, offering it to Bu Eun-seol.
Bu Eun-seol stared at the coin silently.
At that moment, a subtle gleam passed through his eyes—but the old man didn't see it.
"Where did you meet that old man?"
As Bu Eun-seol's terrifying aura faded and his tone softened, the old man showed slight relief before answering.
"D—Dengfeng County... It was a small village in Dengfeng County."
"Dengfeng County."
Bu Eun-seol narrowed his eyes.
A coincidence?
Dengfeng County in Henan was where Mount Song stood—the home of Shaolin, the foremost sect of the Righteous Path.
"Could it be that the Divine Calculator is hiding in Shaolin?"
Bu Eun-seol stared intently at the Gratitude Coin resting on the old man's wrinkled palm once more.
Then, he slowly picked it up.
'As I thought.'
Having realized something, Bu Eun-seol pushed the Way of the Beast to its utmost limit.
His pupils dilated sharply, and a white light began to emanate from them.
Empty Mind Spirit Perception.
Using that heightened awareness, he meticulously examined every inch of the Gratitude Coin.
'This...'
As Bu Eun-seol traced the emblem on the coin, a gleam flickered in his eyes.
Two Hundred and Fifty.
Surprisingly, the coin he had received bore characters so finely engraved they looked as if they had been etched with a needle.
Bu Eun-seol fixed his gaze on the still-trembling old man.
After a moment of contemplation, he clasped the old man's hands between his own.
"My apologies. I didn't realize the circumstances and nearly harmed you gravely."
"O-Oh, no need for such words..."
As the old man gave an awkward laugh, Bu Eun-seol curled the corner of his lips.
Without another word, he left the thatched hut with So-yo in tow.
Step. Step.
Once they had exited Grave Village, Bu Eun-seol turned to So-yo.
"Are you going to save the child suffering from Taiyin Severed Meridians?"
Nod.
When she nodded, he spoke again.
"And after that?"
Shake. Shake.
So-yo shook her head.
Beyond that, she had no goal. Moreover, the Hundred Split Assassin Gate would never leave her in peace.
As long as she drew breath, she would be subjected to their relentless pursuit.
"Come to the Demon Hall."
Bu Eun-seol's voice was calm as he looked at her.
"Gathering five masters with three sixty-year cycles of internal energy, all strangers in the Central Plains, would be no easy task."
A faint smile touched his lips.
"That's why you saved me, isn't it? Am I wrong?"
She had stood her ground and watched his battle with Jo Cheon-wang to the very end, and when the ambusher appeared, she had risked her life to help him.
It was because she had foreseen the possibility that the Gratitude Coin alone might not be enough to cure Taiyin Severed Meridians.
What if she failed to meet the Divine Calculator?
Or what if, even after hearing his answer, the conditions were beyond her ability to fulfill?
But if it was the Heir of the Demon Hall, he would surely—surely—be able to help.
In other words, despite her youthful appearance, So-yo possessed wisdom and insight no less formidable than Bu Eun-seol's.
"That's not the only reason I saved you."
So-yo spoke in a low voice.
"It was to repay a debt."
"I see."
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"Bring the child to the Demon Hall. I'll cure the Taiyin Severed Meridians... and I'll ensure their safety for the rest of their life."
"The rest of their life?"
"That's right. Even if I'm no longer here. Even if I die. I'll take responsibility to ensure that child lives in peace."
"Why?"
"You saved me. Shouldn't I repay a life debt?"
"You—"
So-yo abruptly turned her head and muttered under her breath.
"...You're quite the schemer."
She understood.
Him vowing to protect the child she had saved for their entire life—that was just a pretext to bring her into the Demon Hall.
After all, the only places in the murim where she could evade the pursuit of the strongest assassin sect in the Western Regions were the Martial Alliance... and the Demon Hall.
"Schemer?"
"You're making it so I can never leave your side, aren't you?"
"You've misunderstood. That wasn't my intention—"
As Bu Eun-seol waved his hands dismissively, So-yo's silver eyes gleamed, and her cheeks flushed.
"It's fine."
"What is?"
"I won't leave. Not ever."
A touching declaration.
Yet the moment those words left her lips, Bu Eun-seol's expression darkened severely.
In an exceedingly solemn tone, he said:
"My apologies. Forget everything this Lord has said up until now—"
"You need me."
It was no coincidence that So-yo was of the same kind as Bu Eun-seol.
Just by his expression, just by the look in his eyes... she could feel that he needed her abilities.
"I'll help you."
Her voice held no inflection, as cold as a winter's northern gale.
Just like Bu Eun-seol's voice had been in his youth.
But in her eyes, there was something like the warm breeze of spring.
Bu Eun-seol averted her piercing gaze and cleared his throat.
"Then I'll explain properly. I've formed a secret Information Warfare Unit, but the deputy leader who should be commanding in the field is—"
"I'll do it."
So-yo nodded.
"That settles it, doesn't it?"
Bu Eun-seol couldn't refuse.
Searching the entire murim, it would be impossible to find a deputy leader for the Death Soul Squad as capable—and as in sync with him—as her.
"Then, take this."
Bu Eun-seol held out his Command Plaque to So-yo.
"With this, if you go to the nearest relay station, the Demon Hall's subordinates will come to escort you."
Then he added:
"I'll ensure everything is arranged so you won't face any inconveniences there. Rest easy."
So-yo studied Bu Eun-seol before speaking in a low voice.
"You're going to Mount Song to capture the Divine Calculator, aren't you?"
Astonishingly, So-yo had seen straight through his thoughts—all of them.
"You knew?"
"No matter how much you're drenched in the scent of an old man, the smell of young flesh is different."
Her sense of smell seemed nearly on par with a dog's. To detect the true scent of skin beneath the False Divine Calculator's elderly disguise...
"There was no need to even mention meeting in Dengfeng County."
Bu Eun-seol nodded in agreement.
"It seems I was being tested. That—"
Only after accepting the coin the False Divine Calculator offered did Bu Eun-seol realize the man was a Murim Master.
Two hundred and fifty.
Moreover, hadn't the Gratitude Coin returned to him been engraved with characters so minute they could only be perceived through the senses of Empty Mind Spirit Perception?
In other words, through the False Divine Calculator, the Divine Calculator had effectively given Bu Eun-seol a new Gratitude Coin.
And by leaving the clue about being in Dengfeng County... It was clearly an invitation to seek him out again.
"Though you possess remarkable abilities, you'll need further refinement to become a member of the Information Warfare Unit."
Bu Eun-seol changed the subject.
"Go to the main hall and rest first. We'll discuss future matters gradually."
"Mmm."
The two parted ways.
Bu Eun-seol headed to Shaolin Temple, while So-yo went to the Demon Hall.
At that very moment, in the thatched cottage where the False Divine Calculator had been:
"Master. You've chosen quite the difficult opponent."
The False Divine Calculator gazed at the distant sky and murmured softly.
"He doesn't seem like someone who would move according to your intentions."
The voice that flowed out wasn't that of a senile old man, but rather a powerful and clear male voice.
"Well, if that's fate, then so be it."
The False Divine Calculator stretched and slowly peeled off the Human Skin Mask covering his face.
Beneath it was revealed the strikingly handsome visage of a middle-aged man.
Thick sword-like eyebrows and a prominent nose rose like Mount Tai, while the pair of eyes between them were long like a phoenix's and brimming with dragon-like majesty.
And those features, that aura... bore an uncanny resemblance to Bu Eun-seol.
Upon arriving in Chengdu, Bu Eun-seol immediately relayed information about So-yo to Yu Un-ryong.
There was no guarantee the assassins of the White Rank Assassination Sect wouldn't attack again, and preparations needed to be made so the child could receive treatment the moment he returned to the Demon Hall.
Moreover, Bu Eun-seol gave Yu Un-ryong one additional secret order.
This was known only to Bu Eun-seol and Yu Un-ryong... an extremely critical matter that would have to be revealed upon returning to the Demon Hall.
Whoosh.
After delivering all messages, Bu Eun-seol immediately deployed his Movement Technique and headed straight for Mount Song where Shaolin was located.
After meeting the False Divine Calculator, he could sense it intuitively.
That the Divine Calculator was testing him.
That the False Divine Calculator he met in Grave Village wasn't some ordinary copyist, but a peerless master who had attained astonishing martial prowess.
'To instantly engrave characters finer than a strand of hair onto the Gratitude Coin in secret...'
Otherwise, there would have been no way to leave such minute traces on the returned coin's surface—traces only detectable through Empty Mind Spirit Perception.
'I'll gladly accept the challenge.'
The Divine Calculator is no senile old man. When engaging in such schemes, he must have a clear purpose.
And only by passing this test would he agree to meet.
'Though I don't know his purpose, I will surely get my answer.'
Bu Eun-seol swelled with anticipation.
The question that had plagued him all this time.
He would finally hear the Divine Calculator's answer—who was the murderer that killed his grandfather?
Otherwise, there would have been no way for him to know about Bu Jan-yang, an undertaker working in a remote village of Hwangju Prefecture.
And if he could get that answer... even if the Divine Calculator tried to drag him into hell, he would gladly follow.
Whoosh.
Running day and night without rest using his Movement Technique, Bu Eun-seol finally arrived at Dengfeng County where Shaolin was located.
Without taking even a moment's rest, he immediately ascended Mount Shaoshi. However, he hid his Ink Sword—which could reveal his identity—in a concealed spot.
As he reached the mountain gate near Shaolin Temple on Mount Shaoshi, countless people were passing through.
They were incense-bearing pilgrims, coming to offer incense at Shaolin Temple to pray for blessings.
'Perfect timing.'
Shaolin Temple was currently accepting an unusually large number of pilgrims.
Because of this, Mount Shaoshi was as crowded as a bustling marketplace with pilgrims coming to burn incense.
The Divine Calculator must have predicted both Bu Eun-seol's arrival time at Grave Village and his arrival at Shaolin, orchestrating this situation accordingly.
Creak.
Facing the stone steps, Bu Eun-seol immediately disguised himself as Seol-so.
Upon finally entering Shaolin Temple, the majestic interior of the monastery came into view, filled with countless pilgrims.
'Under normal circumstances, there would have been no way to enter Shaolin like this.'
Though the temple grounds are vast, they're not like the Murim Alliance's sprawling complex where diverse figures mingle freely.
A situation requiring stealthy infiltration and investigation while concealing one's identity.
But Shaolin's security is even stricter than the Murim Alliance's, and terrifying masters abound.
In other words, attempting such a thing in Shaolin would have been impossible under normal circumstances.
But with the temple crowded with devotees like this, even in broad daylight, one could move about freely without drawing attention.
'So this is Shaolin.'
As Bu Eun-seol surveyed the temple grounds, a strange feeling welled up within him.
Originally, Shaolin had no connection to Bu Eun-seol whatsoever.
But his grandfather, Bu Jan-yang, was undoubtedly from Shaolin. And within his own body resided the Prajñā Great Power, the supreme strength of Shaolin.
Ever since stepping into the Martial World, Shaolin had become an inseparable part of his life.
Murmur, murmur.
Upon arriving before the Great Hero Hall, the clamor of countless voices reached his ears.
The grand gates stood wide open, and throngs of devotees streamed inside.
Bu Eun-seol, too, naturally entered the Great Hero Hall and lit incense.
'Security isn't too tight up to this point.'
Visitors could freely come and go around the Great Hero Hall without any particular restrictions.
'Let's see how far I can go.'
Wandering the temple like any other sightseer, Bu Eun-seol gradually made his way deeper inside.
Before long, he had passed through two courtyards and arrived at a place where a large monks' quarters stood.
Suddenly, two monks in robes materialized on either side of him, pressing their palms together in greeting.
"Amitābha."
The monk on the left, who had chanted the Buddha's name, spoke respectfully.
"This area is reserved for the disciples of our temple to train. Outsiders are not permitted entry."
"My apologies. I must have wandered in without realizing."
Bu Eun-seol also bowed his head politely before turning away.
Then, expanding the Domain of Heightened Senses, he carefully observed his surroundings as he walked slowly.
'It's heavily guarded.'
As his sensory field expanded, he could detect the energy of monks stationed within the halls and quarters.
Moreover, each of them seemed to have mastered exceptional Divine Arts, their bodies exuding a calm yet viscous pulse of true qi.
As long as these monks remained vigilant, no matter how stealthily one moved, the likelihood of being discovered was high.
'I'll have to wait until nightfall.'
No matter how skilled these warrior monks were, they would still sleep at night. Infiltrating after dark would be far easier than in broad daylight.
"Not at all!"
Just then, a clear, melodious woman's voice reached him from the opposite direction.
Raising his head, he saw an elderly monk with long, drooping eyebrows walking alongside a beautiful woman dressed in lightweight indigo martial attire, engaged in conversation.
"Father has always regretted not being able to come in person."
The woman spoke without pause, as if she were on familiar terms with the Shaolin elder.
'That woman—'
The moment Bu Eun-seol caught sight of her face, he froze momentarily.
He might not recognize the elderly monk beside her, but he knew exactly who she was.
The Jewel in the Palm of the Sichuan Tang Clan's head, his first true friend—Tang Cheong, Tang Gon's younger sister.
"You must be busy, so please attend to your duties."
Quick-witted as ever, Tang Cheong had sensed the elder monk's pressing matters and extended her hand.
"I'll take a short stroll around the temple while my attendants unload the offerings."
It seemed she hadn't come just to offer incense—she was likely here on behalf of the Tang Clan to make a grand donation.
"Then I shall take my leave for now."
The elder monk smiled faintly before departing.
Bu Eun-seol watched the exchange impassively and moved to walk past her.
But just as he brushed by her—
Tang Cheong's expression stiffened slightly. At the same time, an unreadable emotion flickered through her eyes.
"Wait."
She approached Bu Eun-seol and performed a Fist Wrap Salute.
"Excuse me."
Her tone was exceedingly polite, but her gaze was sharp as it swept over him.
"I am Tang Cheong of the Tang Clan."
Bu Eun-seol was slightly puzzled by her addressing him but maintained an indifferent expression as he replied.
"What is it?"
"Forgive my forwardness, but may I ask for the Young Hero's name?"
A strange thought crossed Bu Eun-seol's mind.
He had deliberately concealed his sword and dressed in the wide-sleeved robes of a merchant to blend in.
Merchants often donated generously to temples in hopes of greater wealth, making them a common sight among devotees.
Moreover, having mastered the Art of Rooster Calls and Dog Thieves, Bu Eun-seol exuded the unmistakable air of a merchant.
Yet Tang Cheong had immediately addressed him as "Young Hero."
"That is indeed quite forward."
Bu Eun-seol had planned to give a false name.
But Tang Cheong's eyes were shining too brightly. An instinctive feeling warned him that any lie would be instantly exposed.
"I don't know what this is about, but I must decline."
"You won't even tell me your name?"
Tang Cheong took a step closer, her eyes gleaming as she inhaled deeply.
"Then may I at least ask what you do?"
"I run a small shop near the Southern River. That's all."
With that curt reply, Bu Eun-seol briskly walked past her.
But suddenly, a cold Telepathic Transmission whispered in his ear.
「Are you pretending not to know me just because our paths diverged?」
When Bu Eun-seol pretended not to hear and quickened his pace, Tang Cheong's confident voice followed.
「Martial Soul Lord. Bu Eun-seol.」
Bu Eun-seol was not easily startled.
But this time, he was genuinely stunned.
His Face Changing and Bone Shifting Art was flawless, and his mastery of the Art of Rooster Calls and Dog Thieves was absolute.
So how had she recognized him at once?