Chapter 402
"Hahp!"
At that moment, with a sharp battle cry, dozens of streaks of Sword Qi rained chaotically down upon Bu Eun-seol's body.
Among the three great sword techniques of the Mount Hua Sect, the Hidden Fragrance Sparse Shadow Sword's strokes were not only exquisitely refined—
Their execution speed rivaled that of the Fast Sword.
Thus, even the most exceptional Master would fail to find an opening in an instant, inevitably forced to retreat and prepare a counterattack.
'With such nimble movement techniques, he'll surely step back.'
Cheon Hwa-in smiled with deep satisfaction.
'The moment you retreat, you're finished.'
Cheon Hwa-in had already learned from the Martial Alliance a foundational stance designed to compensate for the Hidden Fragrance Sparse Shadow Sword's weakness.
If Bu Eun-seol retreated, he planned to seize that opening and unleash a torrent of killing strokes.
But Bu Eun-seol stood motionless, his expression blank, as if seeing nothing at all.
—Don't blame yourself.
At the same time the explosive killing intent erupted, the voice of Yeong Mun-ho, the Ten Demonic Heir from the Death Command Gate, echoed in his mind.
The man who had lost his martial arts, become a herb gatherer, and finally found peace... The man whose heart had been too tender to remain a warrior... In the end, he had drawn his last breath in Bu Eun-seol's arms, a faint smile on his lips.
Worried that Bu Eun-seol would suffer.
How could he ever forget that harrowing, agonizing memory?
Swish-swish-swish!
Just then, dozens of Sword Qi streaks flashed past Bu Eun-seol's eyes as he stood frozen like a statue.
Precisely because he had been standing still, his mind absent, he had unwittingly evaded the Hidden Fragrance Sparse Shadow Sword's feint with eerie calm.
'What?'
Cheon Hwa-in, witnessing this, was stunned nearly to the point of fainting.
'Does he know the variations of the Hidden Fragrance Sparse Shadow Sword?'
But he was a Master with abundant experience in the martial world.
Even though Bu Eun-seol had disrupted his opening stance, Cheon Hwa-in didn't panic. Instead, he shifted his sword stroke and thrust toward Bu Eun-seol's lower abdomen.
Swish!
As the razor-sharp Sword Qi stabbed forward, Bu Eun-seol finally snapped back to awareness.
'What are you doing right now?!'
Scolding himself inwardly, Bu Eun-seol barely twisted his body to evade Cheon Hwa-in's stroke.
Had he not reached the Extreme Heaven Realm, where he could perceive time at least five times more slowly than Cheon Hwa-in?
That single move would have pierced clean through his abdomen in an instant.
'This is the Martial Alliance. I can't afford to lose myself in sentiment again!'
The Martial Alliance was a Demon-Subduing Palace where Masters superior to him stood guard.
What if, in his distracted state, he had unleashed the Formless Heavenly Flow or the Willful True Binding?
Forget avenging his grandfather... He would have either lost his life or sparked the Great Orthodox-Unorthodox War.
His lack of training as a spy had nearly led to a catastrophic mistake.
"Hahp!"
In that split second, as Cheon Hwa-in—clinging like a specter—let out a battle cry and prepared to unleash his killing stroke—
Clang!
A sharp metallic sound rang out, abruptly halting Cheon Hwa-in's technique.
Instead of retreating from the onslaught of Sword Qi, Bu Eun-seol charged forward, dagger in hand.
Clash!
When the dagger and longsword collided, both were forced a step back.
Since his Internal Energy couldn't afford to surpass Cheon Hwa-in's, Bu Eun-seol deliberately retreated.
'This brat is trouble.'
Cheon Hwa-in felt a chill run down his spine as he realized Bu Eun-seol's Internal Energy was no weaker than his own—and that he had effortlessly disrupted even his killing stroke.
Moreover, to precisely deflect his longsword, which danced with unpredictable variations, using nothing but a short dagger?
That required fearlessness and a level of focus few could muster.
'So it was him.'
Only now did Cheon Hwa-in realize that the one who had aided Tae Mu-ryong in their previous encounter was Bu Eun-seol.
'How could someone from a merchant company cultivate such profound martial arts?'
Just from this exchange, it was clear he had already broken through the barrier of the Peak Realm.
But if he possessed such skill, why had he spent his time only dealing with gangs of bandits?
Clang!
Cheon Hwa-in disengaged and swiftly retreated.
Then, he regarded Bu Eun-seol with calm scrutiny.
"So you were a hidden Master all along."
A sharp aura began radiating from Cheon Hwa-in's body.
Having recognized that Bu Eun-seol's Martial Prowess was nothing to scoff at, he now prepared to face him with utmost seriousness.
"Good. Very good."
Whoosh.
As Cheon Hwa-in murmured lowly, a razor-sharp whirlwind of Sword Qi coiled around his blade.
From its eerie and unusual intensity, it was clear he intended to employ his most exceptional sword technique.
Swish!
With a sound like splitting air, Sword Qi shot forth from his previously motionless longsword in an instant.
It was so swift and abrupt that there was no perceivable window to counter.
Hiss!
Bu Eun-seol hastily retreated—only for his back to suddenly burn with warning.
Before he knew it, a streak of Sword Qi had already pierced toward his back, targeting the Spirit Platform acupoint.
Only now did he realize Cheon Hwa-in had fired an additional, invisible strand of Sword Qi to ambush him from behind.
Swish!
The Sword Qi carried a razor-thin thread of Internal Energy.
If struck, Bu Eun-seol's meridians would suffer severe damage.
'So this is how Yeong Mun-ho lost his Internal Power.'
The sword stroke that had stripped Yeong Mun-ho of most of his power.
It was the Pure Fragrance Cliff Pine stance of the Hidden Fragrance Sparse Shadow Sword, secretly layered with a Sword Qi technique passed down by the Martial Alliance.
Hum.
A bloody light flickered in Bu Eun-seol's pupils.
He wanted to block this sword form head-on and cripple Cheon Hwa-in just as Yeong Mun-ho had been crippled.
But if he turned Cheon Hwa-in into a cripple in this match, his true Martial Prowess would be exposed, inviting suspicion.
'Not now...'
Finishing his thought, Bu Eun-seol flung his dagger.
'But soon enough, I'll repay every ounce of pain Yeong Mun-ho suffered!'
At the same time, he twisted his body sharply and spun rapidly through the air.
Swish!
The Sword Qi grazed past him by a hair's breadth.
Simultaneously, Bu Eun-seol's flying dagger plunged toward Cheon Hwa-in's chest.
Clang!
Cheon Hwa-in, who had just split the dagger in two, swung his blade downward to cleave Bu Eun-seol—who had just landed—in half.
But before he could complete the motion, another dagger had already appeared in Bu Eun-seol's right hand.
Whizz!
He launched the razor-sharp dagger straight toward Cheon Hwa-in's brow, aiming to extinguish the storm-like momentum of his opponent.
'Now!'
Yet Cheon Hwa-in had anticipated this.
He knew Bu Eun-seol would release the dagger—and that it would fly toward his forehead without the slightest deviation.
Swish!
He executed the Hanging Beam and Stabbing Thigh stance from the Hidden Fragrance Sparse Shadow Sword technique.
Though his body seemed to lean back like a drawn bow, his sword shot forward like a loosed arrow, piercing straight toward his enemy.
Thud!
He had read the trajectory of Bu Eun-seol's dagger and adjusted his stance accordingly.
The movement was faster than lightning—so fast that Bu Eun-seol had no time to evade. The longsword stabbed straight toward his chest.
'I've won!'
Just as Cheon Hwa-in allowed himself a brief, triumphant smirk—
Whizz!
Something bizarre happened.
The moment the sword's tip touched Bu Eun-seol's chest, the blade slid unnaturally to the side, grazing past his body instead of impaling him.
'What the—?'
Cheon Hwa-in's eyes nearly bulged out of his skull in shock, but he swiftly altered his Sword Stroke, slashing toward Bu Eun-seol's flank instead.
Shriiing!
Yet again, a strange rotational force flowed through Bu Eun-seol's body, causing the blade to skid off harmlessly.
'He's deflecting my sword with Deflect Flowers and Receive Jade?!'
Seon-u Jin, known by the epithet Heavenly Cliff Flying Dagger, wielded not only the art of flying daggers but also the True Void technique—Deflect Flowers and Receive Jade—which allowed him to redirect attacks away from his body.
But Deflect Flowers and Receive Jade was only effective against blunt strikes like punches. Against sharp weapons like swords, it should have been useless.
And yet, here he was, effortlessly diverting the blade's edge at will.
'Impossible!'
Enraged, Cheon Hwa-in summoned every ounce of his Internal Power.
CRACK!
His sword twisted like a whip, spinning violently as it lunged straight for Bu Eun-seol's throat.
This was Life and Death Are Fated—the forbidden killing move of the Life-Seizing Linked Sword technique, only to be used in direst circumstances.
Just as the unstoppable Sword Stroke was about to pierce Bu Eun-seol's neck—
Clang!
A clear Sword Resonance reverberated through the air.
A razor-edged dagger had intercepted the tip of Cheon Hwa-in's longsword with pinpoint precision.
Though the tip of the dagger in Bu Eun-seol's hand broke upon impact, Cheon Hwa-in did not press the attack. Instead, he retreated.
A stalemate.
Their skills were too evenly matched—no victor could be decided.
—Cheon Hwa-in lost.
But Yuk Jang-cheon and Gu In-jeong, watching from the stands, understood the truth.
The reason Bu Eun-seol had blocked with his dagger instead of countering was simple:
He had already identified the moment to strike Cheon Hwa-in's throat—but had held back, unable to bring himself to kill.
Cheon Hwa-in knew this too, which was why he had stopped and retreated.
'Should I fight to the death?'
Cheon Hwa-in hesitated.
The outcome was clear. But if this became a battle to the death, the story would change entirely.
'Then—'
Just as Cheon Hwa-in began gathering his Internal Energy once more—
"Since no victor has been decided, this match shall be declared a draw!"
Gu In-jeong, seated in the spectator stands, bellowed loudly as he strode toward the Martial Arts Stage.
"This is a duel to select a leader, not a fight to the death!"
Yuk Jang-cheon, watching this unfold, couldn't hide his incredulous expression.
Had Bu Eun-seol truly unleashed his dagger, Cheon Hwa-in would have lost.
And yet, despite knowing this, Gu In-jeong was insisting on a draw?
'Even if Cheon Hwa-in was the predetermined choice, this is too much.'
Until now, whenever there had been a clear gap in martial prowess, the elders had used their authority to declare a victor.
But to issue such an unfair, biased ruling like this?
'If that supposed heir of the Seonhwa Merchant House refuses to accept this, things could spiral out of control.'
Yuk Jang-cheon's face darkened with concern.
The Martial Alliance had already suffered irreversible disgrace when they unfairly promoted Cheon-geom.
If another incident like this occurred—
At worst, the Alliance Leader himself might intervene, and if that happened, neither Gu In-jeong nor Yuk Jang-cheon would escape responsibility.
"Understood."
But to Yuk Jang-cheon's immense relief, Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands politely and accepted the decision.
Gu In-jeong's stern expression softened, and he nodded in approval.
"Since we have a tie, we'll decide the leadership through another method. I trust you understand."
"Understood."
"Then, this duel is concluded."
Yuk Cheong-a, though visibly bewildered, had no choice but to raise her voice under Gu In-jeong's insistent gaze.
"As no victor could be determined, both participants shall be declared joint winners!"
The Martial Arts Tournament ended in disarray.
Cheon Hwa-in, the predetermined leader, had failed to defeat Seon-u Jin, the supposed heir of the merchant house—forcing this farcical "joint victory" outcome.
"Elder Gu. No matter how small the event, this tournament was held under the Alliance's authority."
Unable to stay silent any longer, Yuk Jang-cheon approached Gu In-jeong with a firm objection.
"Changing the rules like this could lead to uncontrollable consequences."
"I'm not changing the rules—it was a genuine draw. Both participants accepted it gracefully, so there should be no complaints."
But what came in response was Gu In-jeong's shameless reply.
"Frankly, this is for the best."
"What do you mean?"
"No matter how much the previous unit was tasked with handling minor affairs in the Martial World, a unit of the Martial Alliance is still a unit, is it not? We must consider not just martial prowess, but various other abilities as well."
That much was true.
The role of a commander leading subordinates was not something that could be fulfilled by martial strength alone—a fact that the figure known as the Thousand Swords had proven beyond doubt.
But to disregard all that and insist on selecting the new unit commander through a martial tournament—
The one behind this absurdity was none other than Elder Gu Jeong-in.
The only reason Yuk Jang-cheon hadn't stopped this stubbornness was simple:
The creation of this elite unit had been proposed by the Elders' Hall—
Or, to be more precise, it had been pushed forward with the support of the Mount Hua Sect and under Gu In-jeong's leadership.
Moreover, the High Command had already tentatively approved Cheon Hwa-in, a Master of Great Righteousness, as the unit's commander in accordance with Gu In-jeong's suggestion.
Yuk Jang-cheon had no particular thoughts or complaints about this arrangement.
But now that an exceptional figure like Seon-u Jin had appeared, his stance was shifting.
"Then what do you propose we do?"
"Let us follow the Alliance's usual method of selecting commanders. Assign them a mission that will test their comprehensive abilities."
"You mean for those two?"
"Precisely."
Gu Jeong-in answered indifferently.
"After all, the purpose of forming this unit was to handle the minor disturbances in the Martial World that our regular commanders cannot handle."
Yuk Jang-cheon let out a deep sigh.
'If only they had done this from the start.'
He wanted to snap back, but he held his tongue.
It wasn't his place to object now, when the very person who had stubbornly insisted on the tournament was finally proposing a proper method of selection.
"Very well. Let it be so."
Thus, Bu Eun-seol and Cheon Hwa-in, the joint victors of the tournament, were granted the temporary rank of acting commanders.
Since the tournament had ended without a decisive victor, the two were appointed as acting commanders and assigned a mission—
Under the pretext of evaluating their suitability for the role from multiple angles.
And on Yuk Jang-cheon's orders, Yuk Cheong-a explained this to Bu Eun-seol while also conveying her apologies.
"I'm sorry. By all rights, Young Hero Seon-u should have been chosen."
At Yuk Cheong-a's sincere consolation, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"Not at all. I believe this is the right decision."
In fact, Bu Eun-seol considered this outcome fortunate.
What if Gu In-jeong had stubbornly insisted on his original decision? As Gu In-jeong was the key figure behind the elite unit's formation, Bu Eun-seol would have been placed in an awkward position.
But now that they were giving him a fair chance, he ought to be grateful.
"And... I'm afraid I have another apology to make."
"Please, go ahead."
"Originally, the temporary units should have been formed fairly, but... the Alliance's finest martial artists have all been assigned to Cheon Hwa-in's temporary unit."
She spoke with an embarrassed expression.
"So, Young Hero Seon-u, you don't even have enough members to form a proper temporary unit."
Gu In-jeong had blatantly stacked Cheon Hwa-in's unit with all the Martial Alliance's top masters—
To ensure his success in the mission.
"Are you saying I won't be assigned a single unit member?"
"So, the Hall Master suggested recruiting young talents from the Distinguished Talent Assembly. What do you think?"
"From the Distinguished Talent Assembly..."
After a brief moment of thought, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"I have no choice. If they're willing to grant me even that, I can only be grateful."
His easy acceptance made Yuk Cheong-a feel strangely conflicted.
'Is he just good-natured, or is he a fool?'
Anyone with common sense would have protested or demanded compensation for such blatant favoritism.
But this Seon-u Jin was accepting these unreasonable conditions far too readily.
'Not my place to judge.'
"That's a relief."
Her expression softening, she continued.
"First, I've compiled a list of young talents from the Distinguished Talent Assembly who have expressed interest in joining the Alliance."
Yuk Cheong-a produced a small scroll and handed it to Bu Eun-seol.
On it were the names of about ten participants from the assembly.
"These individuals have agreed to join the temporary unit?"
"Yes. They've willingly consented to serve under Young Hero Seon-u's temporary unit. Because..."
A faint smile played on her lips.
"In exchange for their cooperation, they've been promised positions as martial artists in the Alliance—even if only as low-grade members."
"I see."
Bu Eun-seol nodded in understanding.
"Then I'll take these two."
"Just two? Wouldn't it be better to take all ten as subordinates?"
"The tournament is over. I doubt the mission will require much force."
Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly.
"It's impossible to command a large group like extensions of my own limbs in such a short time. A smaller, well-managed unit would be more effective."
Yuk Cheong-a inwardly nodded in approval.
'Perhaps not a fool after all.'
The two he had chosen were, in her eyes, martial talents of exceptional skill and potential.
"Very well. I'll arrange it."
Rolling up the scroll, she added,
"I'll report that the temporary unit will be formed with these two."
"Thank you. Ah, one more thing—"
Bu Eun-seol flashed her a bright smile.
"I suppose this counts as a request... There's something else I'd like to ask of you..."
About two hours after Yuk Cheong-a left, Tae Mu-ryong and Jeong Jong-do arrived before Bu Eun-seol.
They were the two he had selected as members of his temporary unit.
Though these two possessed outstanding abilities, they had never been given proper opportunities simply because of their humble origins or sects.
They were precisely the kind of people who desperately wished to join the Martial Alliance.
After all, if they could distinguish themselves here with various achievements, becoming a Commander someday wouldn't just be a pipe dream.
"Young Hero Tae. I'd like you to serve as this unit's Vice Chief."
At Bu Eun-seol's words, Tae Mu-ryong let out a quiet scoff.
"You're appointing a Vice Chief for a temporary unit with just two people?"
"Do you think this will remain temporary, Young Hero Tae?"
Tae Mu-ryong immediately fell silent.
He had glimpsed the solemn, burning intensity hidden beneath those gentle eyes.
"Well, even if that's the case. This is still too much."
Just then, the man with the iron sword at his waist, Jeong Jong-do, pointed at their quarters and spoke up.
"Even if we're both temporary units, why are we the only ones stuck with this shabby barracks?"
Cheon Hwa-in's temporary unit had been given a proper building, as if they were about to be officially established.
But Bu Eun-seol's temporary unit had been assigned a makeshift barracks at the northern edge of the Martial Alliance's headquarters—right by the bamboo forest.
"Even if we are temporary, this is downright humiliating."
Bu Eun-seol nodded at Jeong Jong-do's complaint.
Staying in such pitiful quarters would naturally dampen morale.
No matter how exceptional his leadership was, there was no guarantee the unit members could even carry out their duties properly.
"What can we do? Elder Gu In-jeong holds full authority over this unit's formation, and the Mount Hua Sect provided the funds."
When Tae Mu-ryong grumbled, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"Don't worry. That problem has already been resolved."
"Resolved? How, exactly?"
As Jeong Jong-do frowned and pressed for an answer—
Rumble, clatter, clatter!
Suddenly, hundreds of laborers and dozens of carts began swarming toward the barracks in front of the bamboo forest.
"Honored Sir."
An elderly man, the oldest-looking among the laborers, approached Bu Eun-seol and asked,
"Shall we begin construction here?"
Bu Eun-seol nodded, and the old man bowed his head.
"Understood."
Then, turning to the laborers and carpenters behind him, he shouted,
"Then let's get started right away!"
Tap-tap-tap-tap!
With that, the hundreds of laborers began constructing a massive building in front of the bamboo forest using the materials they had brought.
Most of them were skilled carpenters, and some even moved large logs with ease, as if trained in martial arts.
"What in the world is happening?"
When Tae Mu-ryong asked in astonishment, Bu Eun-seol smiled.
"Well, since the Alliance provided the land, shouldn't we at least build proper living quarters?"
"You hired laborers from outside?"
"That's right."
"But how—?"
Bu Eun-seol smiled.
"With my own money, of course."
Tae Mu-ryong gulped.
Seon-u Jin—he was the legitimate heir of a prestigious merchant guild, and having traded beyond the frontier since childhood, his wealth was likely on par with any magnate.
"Even so, building something this grand for temporary quarters?"
"I already asked you,"
Bu Eun-seol replied with a calm smile.
"Do you really think this will stay temporary?"
Tae Mu-ryong's jaw dropped.
He was right.
The laborers weren't just constructing a temporary building.
They were laying polished stone slabs for the floor, digging a pond, arranging decorative rocks and planting trees. On one side, they were even building a training ground for martial practice.
This wasn't a temporary structure—they were straight-up constructing an entire manor.
Tae Mu-ryong had to shake his head vigorously to snap himself out of his daze.
"But going this far..."
"Proper lodgings mean proper rest, and proper rest means better work, no?"
Bu Eun-seol shrugged, and Tae Mu-ryong and Jeong Jong-do exchanged stunned glances.
Mobilizing hundreds of laborers to build a massive manor in a place they might not stay long?
Not to mention, the scale and facilities rivaled those of high-ranking officials—not just some Third-grade Commander's quarters.
"Did the Martial Alliance approve this?"
At Jeong Jong-do's question, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"Of course. I obtained permission in advance from Hall Leader Yuk."
Then, glancing around, he added with a smile,
"The Martial Alliance is chronically short on funds due to its sheer size. When I offered to build the quarters at my own expense, they not only agreed but seemed rather apologetic about it."
Rumble, rumble!
Just then, a hundred servants carrying bamboo containers began marching toward the bamboo forest.
"We've arrived from Silver River Pavilion, Honored Sir!"
"We've brought the dishes you ordered from Cheongdo Restaurant!"
The hundred servants announced their affiliations as they unpacked plates from the bamboo containers.
When Tae Mu-ryong and Jeong Jong-do saw the dishes laid out, their jaws dropped again.
These weren't ordinary meals—each plate held high-end delicacies worth at least five taels apiece.
"Let's eat first. A full stomach means better work, right?"
At Bu Eun-seol's call, the laborers swarmed in to eat.
"Honored Sir. Your meal has been prepared here."
The elderly man directing the laborers pointed to a wooden table and chairs that had been set up.
So that's what he had been working on earlier—crafting a table and chairs so Bu Eun-seol could dine comfortably.
"Then let's eat as well."
At Bu Eun-seol's words, Tae Mu-ryong and Jeong Jong-do followed him like men who had lost their souls.
—So this is the level of a merchant guild's heir...
As disciples of second-rate sects, neither had ever enjoyed a truly lavish meal.
Yet the dishes spread across the table weren't just extravagant—they were the kind you couldn't even order at ordinary inns. No, they were dishes they had never even seen before.
"Most likely, our temporary quarters will be ready by today, so don't worry."
At Bu Eun-seol's words, Tae Mu-ryong and Jeong Jong-do could only nod their heads with utterly dazed expressions.