Chapter 410
"A mere Elder dares to wield the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace's ultimate secret art...?"
Bu Eun-seol couldn't conceal his astonishment.
Not only had his Internal Power surged the moment he swallowed the Internal Core, but he had also manifested the Blazing Flame Ionization Sword—the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace's supreme martial art, long believed lost?
"So he wasn't just some thief who stole the Fire Wheel Crystal and fled?"
"Die!"
As the Radiant Yang Adept roared and frantically moved both palms, the Blazing Flame Ionization Sword hovering in mid-air cascaded toward Bu Eun-seol.
'I can't block it head-on.'
Though it resembled a simple Sword Control by Qi technique, the Blazing Flame Ionization Sword could melt any object it touched like wax.
Not only that—if struck with enough force, it possessed explosive power capable of reducing an entire area to scorched earth.
If Bu Eun-seol recklessly countered, his body could be caught in the blast and incinerated in an instant.
'I'll meet it with the Glacier Thousand Streams Art.'
Crackle.
As Bu Eun-seol channeled the Glacier Thousand Streams Art at full power, frost whitened his hair, and a blue light flashed in his eyes.
Hiiiiisssss!
When an icy energy capable of freezing the heavens poured from his left palm,
Sizzle!
White steam billowed outward, and the searing Blazing Flame Ionization Sword evaporated instantly.
"Hrrgh—!"
At that moment, the Radiant Yang Adept let out a scream-like shout and conjured small flames in both palms before—
Vooom!
A low vibration reverberated, and two streaks of light surged forth. This time, two Blazing Flame Ionization Swords materialized above his hands.
"Die!"
Swish!
With a sharp Sound of Breaking Air, the two swords shot forward.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
In that instant, transparent Ice Crystals formed around Bu Eun-seol's core before hurtling toward the swords.
Shhhhk!
As the Ice Crystals poured forth endlessly, the Blazing Flame Ionization Swords—capable of melting everything and detonating violently upon impact—began to freeze over.
Thud.
Eventually, the two swords, now frozen into blocks of ice, dropped to the ground.
"The Glacier Great Emperor's... Glacier Thousand Streams Art?"
The Radiant Yang Adept's eyes bulged.
Only now did he realize that the Ice Art Bu Eun-seol wielded was the Glacier Thousand Streams Art—the essence of Extreme Yin's pinnacle, once mastered by the Glacier Great Emperor.
"How?! Even the North Sea Ice Palace Lord couldn't master this art!"
"That's none of your concern."
Bu Eun-seol glanced briefly at the cold energy swirling in his palm before speaking.
"Surrender quietly."
"Surrender?"
Black flames seemed to flicker in the Radiant Yang Adept's eyes.
Rustle.
This time, he reached into his robe and shoved a handful of Internal Cores into his mouth.
The moment he chewed and swallowed the Artificial Inner Elixirs—each pill capable of breaking through the Transcendence Realm's barriers—
Kwaaarrgh!
Scorching heat, intense enough to melt iron, erupted from his body in all directions.
Zzzing!
As the Radiant Yang Adept spread both palms, over twenty Blazing Flame Ionization Swords materialized around him.
'This is dangerous.'
A cold glint surged in Bu Eun-seol's pupils.
To create over twenty Blazing Flame Ionization Swords with a human body?
'Can I block this?'
Such a technique couldn't even be called a mere transcendence of Internal Power's limits.
If he failed to stop them, how could he possibly destroy twenty freely maneuvering Blazing Flame Ionization Swords?
Swish!
In that moment, the twenty swords shot toward Bu Eun-seol's body at blinding speed.
Whoosh!
At the last second, Bu Eun-seol unleashed the Qi-Piercing Ascent, propelling himself skyward with all his strength.
His speed was so immense that he resembled a white meteor streaking from earth to heaven.
"Don't even think of escaping!"
The Radiant Yang Adept channeled his Internal Power again, sending the Blazing Flame Ionization Swords rocketing upward.
Crackle.
Bu Eun-seol's entire body, now suspended in mid-air, was enveloped in a white current.
Having converted all his Internal Power into the Glacier Thousand Streams Art, his form resembled that of the Great Ice Human technique—his entire body encased in unyielding ice.
'Left hand for the Glacier Thousand Streams Art, right hand for the Heavenly Hand Empty Wave infused with the Move Heaven Exchange Force!'
In that fleeting moment, a plan to block all twenty swords formed in Bu Eun-seol's mind.
He would draw the Glacier Thousand Streams Art to its peak with his left hand while channeling the Heavenly Hand Empty Wave with his right, then rapidly descend—
Using the Heavenly Hand Empty Wave, infused with the Move Heaven Exchange Force, to redirect the swords' trajectories with the force of his descent.
Immediately after, he would unleash the Glacier Thousand Streams Art at full force with his left hand, freezing the Radiant Yang Adept solid in one strike.
'Failure means death.'
If even a single one of those twenty swords slipped past his defense—
Bu Eun-seol would be struck mid-air and plummet to the ground.
Swish!
Just as the Blazing Flame Ionization Swords reached his feet—
Whoosh!
A crimson energy exploded outward, shaping the sky like a flaming dragon crashing to earth.
Then, the surging Blazing Flame Ionization Sword didn't explode but instead spread widely to both sides, creating a vast empty space.
By pouring the Move Heaven Exchange Force into the Heavenly Hand Empty Wave at full strength, the trajectory of the Blazing Flame Ionization Sword was instantly altered.
Whoosh!
The redirected Blazing Flame Ionization Swords scattered in all directions, creating a dazzling display of flames—
'Now!'
Bu Eun-seol, who had been looking down, immediately activated the Thousand-Pound Drop to land swiftly on the ground. Just as he was about to unleash the Glacier Thousand Streams Art at full force—
He noticed something and halted his technique, landing as he was.
Fwoooosh!
By then, Radiant Yang Adept's body was already engulfed in roaring flames, his arms spread wide.
Though he had swallowed the Extreme-Yang Inner Core in one gulp to gain immense Internal Power, he ultimately couldn't withstand its energy—his entire body had become a blazing inferno.
"Ughhh..."
From within the flames, Radiant Yang Adept—now barely maintaining a human shape—let out a pained howl.
"I could have saved the Sacred Palace!"
He glared at Bu Eun-seol standing before him and let out a resentful cry.
"Because of you, the Blazing Flame One-Heaven Sword Secret Pill—!"
Fwoooom!
His scream was abruptly silenced.
Unable to endure the scorching heat surging through his body, he melted away in an instant.
Drip... drip...
As if even his bones had dissolved, his body turned into a smoldering mass of molten flesh, burning fiercely.
Crackle... crackle...
But then, amidst the flames, a shimmering orb caught the light.
Despite the extreme heat capable of melting human bones, it remained completely intact.
Hiss...
Bu Eun-seol, who had been suppressing the spreading heat with the Glacier Thousand Streams Art, used Void Object Retrieval to pull the burning orb toward him.
"This is..."
Floating in the air was a transparent orb the size of a newborn's fist.
Inside, countless orange specks of light shimmered, as if containing a universe illuminated by tens of thousands of suns.
"The Fire Wheel Crystal."
It was the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace's most treasured artifact—the Fire Wheel Crystal.
"Beautiful."
Recognizing it at a glance, Bu Eun-seol gave a slight nod.
The Fire Wheel Crystal was an invaluable treasure beyond measure, the pinnacle of the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace's relics.
And its form emitted a radiance so breathtaking, it seemed capable of absorbing a person's very soul.
Drip... drip...
Just then, a crimson liquid seeped from the flames and trickled into the ground.
Within the burning, molten mass, it seemed the inner cores Radiant Yang Adept had created were also melting away.
"He made quite a few."
The spreading crimson liquid resembled a small, blood-red pond.
—Because of you, the Blazing Flame One-Heaven Sword Secret Pill—
'One-Heaven Sword Secret Pill?'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes flashed as he observed the endlessly melting red liquid.
'He needed an army capable of swallowing the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace whole.'
It seemed Radiant Yang Adept had planned to use the Demon Seed and the Fire Wheel Crystal to mass-produce artificial inner cores infused with extreme-yang Earth Energy, creating an unstoppable force.
'That's why the Three Realms recruited him.'
The Three Realms operated from the shadows, exploiting the ambitions and desires of factions and individuals to dominate and manipulate them.
Radiant Yang Adept must have fallen for their schemes—stealing the Fire Wheel Crystal and receiving a supply of Demon Seeds as materials for the artificial cores.
'With an army of a thousand warriors enhanced by Extreme-Yang Inner Cores, it would've been entirely possible.'
The Blazing Flame Sacred Palace was a formidable sect, rivaling the North Sea Ice Palace, possessing a vast and profound system of Extreme Yang Arts.
If he had used the Extreme-Yang Inner Cores to enhance a thousand elite warriors and trained them to master Extreme Yang Martial Arts to its limits—
Overthrowing the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace wouldn't have been difficult at all.
"But..."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
Radiant Yang Adept was an elder of the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace, a man well past seventy.
Why would someone of that age suddenly turn traitor and seek to devour his own sect?
—I could have saved the Sacred Palace!
Though the reasoning and circumstances made sense, Radiant Yang Adept's final cry lingered in his mind.
Hadn't he shouted as though he were trying to save the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace from crisis?
Even if his words had been poor.
"Self-inflicted."
Radiant Yang Adept had failed to achieve his goals and, just like the vagrants he burned alive, died screaming in flames.
The net of heaven is vast—its meshes wide, yet nothing escapes it.
"A pity, really."
Right now, Bu Eun-seol was operating under the identity of Seon-u Jin.
If not, he would have relentlessly investigated how the Three Realms had ensnared Radiant Yang Adept, how the fire-attribute inner cores were being produced, and what state the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace was truly in.
But now, he had to return to the Martial Alliance—meaning this matter would have to wait.
"At least the inner core burned away—that's fortunate."
Had the Extreme-Yang Inner Core remained intact, he would have had no choice but to hand it over to the Martial Alliance.
But since it had been cleanly incinerated, there was no need to concern himself with it anymore.
Chiii—
Bu Eun-seol, having cooled the scorching Fire Wheel Crystal with the Glacier Thousand Streams Art, slowly tucked it into his robes.
—I could have saved the palace.
The Radiant Yang Adept's final cry echoed once more in his mind.
Looking back, the man's eyes had been steeped in madness—but not necessarily evil.
If his words were true...
Then the Radiant Yang Adept had, in his desperation to save the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace and to create the Blazing Flame One-Heaven Sword Secret Pill, used Fire Essence Stones and Demon Seeds to forge Artificial Inner Elixirs without hesitation.
"They're gradually revealing their tails."
The Three Realms, who had always operated in secrecy, had finally extended their reach—not just to the North Sea Ice Palace, but even to the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace.
If they continued to expose themselves like this, one by one...
It wouldn't be long before their true nature came to light.
"Right now, my own affairs take precedence."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
His foremost goal was to find the murderer who had harmed his grandfather.
Their manipulation of the factions Beyond the Frontier was a problem for later. For now, he needed to steadily accumulate merit and rise to a high position within the Martial Alliance.
Only by climbing higher could he uncover both the true nature of the Three Realms, who had infiltrated the alliance, and which of the Seven Great Leaders had killed his grandfather.
"If only to earn merit, I should return this."
Patting the pocket containing the Fire Wheel Crystal, Bu Eun-seol gazed at the distant sky—then launched himself into mid-air in a single breath.
The Martial Alliance was abuzz with talk of Peak Leader Seon-u Jin.
—The newly formed Peak Squad has accomplished a great feat, I hear.
—They recovered a treasured relic of the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace, a sect said to rival the North Sea Ice Palace!
The Fire Essence Stone theft case.
What had initially seemed like the work of a petty thief sneaking into a branch's weapon warehouse turned out to be far more.
The true culprit was none other than Elder Radiant Yang Adept of the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace, who had stolen the Fire Wheel Crystal, a sacred treasure, and fled.
And the same man had been the one burning vagrants alive with the stolen Fire Essence Stones.
All of this had been uncovered by the Peak Leader dispatched to resolve the theft. Not only that—he had even recovered the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace's lost treasure.
The Martial Alliance's officials couldn't hide their astonishment.
How had he identified and pursued the culprit in such a short time?
—They say he transformed the Peak Squad into an Information Warfare Unit—to swiftly handle major and minor incidents across the rivers and lakes.
—I heard he trained his unit members to meticulously refine intelligence from the Ten Thousand Reflections Hall repeatedly.
The Martial Alliance possessed the Ten Thousand Reflections Hall, an exceptional intelligence organization, but the information accessible varied by rank.
Thus, the Peak Squad had undergone rigorous training—learning to sift through mundane reports and extract only the most critical details.
—Remarkable. He's essentially created an entirely new kind of unit, unprecedented in the alliance!
Originally, the Peak Squad had been left in limbo after the Elders' Hall withdrew its support, rendering them little more than a burden.
Without intervention, they would have remained useless—unable to secure even a single mission.
But under Bu Eun-seol's command, the Peak Squad had evolved into an Information Warfare Unit, capable of swiftly resolving incidents across the martial world.
The Beggars' Sect'ssealing had created an intelligence void, and though the Martial Alliance belatedly began rebuilding its information networks...
True Information Warfare Units were neither easily cultivated nor cheap to maintain.
Yet the Peak Squad had naturally developed those very traits—
Now, they weren't just capable of handling martial affairs—they had become a versatile unit that could even substitute for an Information Warfare Unit.
—But how could a Third-grade Commander possibly capture the Radiant Yang Adept?
Yet doubts lingered.
The Blazing Flame Sacred Palace's martial arts were founded upon the Extreme Yang Force, making them nearly invincible against ordinary techniques.
So how could a newly promoted Third-grade Commander possibly contend with one of their elders?
—They say the Peak Leader is the successor of Master Unhindered, a legend of the Great Desert from three centuries ago.
—Even among the Great Righteous Experts, Cheon Hwa-in's skill stands out. Didn't he defeat Cheon Hwa-in, who was renowned for his prowess?
Only after details of Seon-u Jin's background spread did the alliance's members begin to accept the feat.
And for a time, the name Seon-u Jin set the Martial Alliance alight with discussion.
But that wasn't the end of it.
Unexpectedly, envoys from the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace, who had long remained absent from the Central Plains, suddenly visited the alliance.
They had come to express gratitude—for the unconditional return of their sacred treasure, the Fire Wheel Crystal.
As a gesture, they brought a thousand stalks of Scorching Sun Heavenly Jade Grass, a herb so rare it couldn't be bought with gold.
—To return our palace's treasured relic without demanding anything in return... We can only bow in gratitude.
The Blazing Flame Sacred Palace's unprecedented dispatch of envoys was met with lavish hospitality from the Martial Alliance.
Currently, the North Sea Ice Palace had been incorporated into the Demon Hall.
From the Martial Alliance's perspective, this incident presented a golden opportunity to open the door for a peaceful relations with the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace.
Hall of Ascending Martial, Yuk Jang-cheon's Office
"You've done well."
Yuk Jang-cheon's lips curled into a satisfied smile as he regarded Bu Eun-seol.
He had merely sent him to resolve a simple theft case, yet—
Not only had Bu Eun-seol swiftly uncovered the crimes committed by an elder of the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace, but he had also recovered their stolen treasure and returned it?
"Thanks to you, the Alliance has obtained a treasure capable of producing extraordinary medicinal elixirs. Moreover, you've laid the groundwork for future exchanges with the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace."
Though it wasn't yet at the stage where they could propose a peaceful relations, simply establishing a channel for interaction was already a monumental achievement.
"Thank you."
Bu Eun-seol's response was calm, prompting Yuk Jang-cheon to stroke his chin thoughtfully.
"Still, I find it difficult to comprehend. Why would an elder of the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace—someone of such standing—make such a foolish choice?"
He swallowed a sigh before continuing.
"Even after stealing the Fire Wheel Crystal and being hunted down by the Sacred Palace's masters, he still went out of his way to steal Fire Essence Stones from our Alliance and burn vagrants alive."
A peculiar glint lingered in Yuk Jang-cheon's eyes as he studied Bu Eun-seol.
"There must have been a compelling reason for such actions. Don't you agree?"
Of course, Bu Eun-seol knew the reason.
The Radiant Yang Adept's goal had been to mass-produce extreme-yang inner cores for his thousand-strong battle formation.
No matter how wealthy an individual might be, procuring large quantities of Fire Essence Stones privately was an exceedingly difficult and complicated task.
Thus, he had no choice but to raid the Martial Alliance's branch.
"Well... I suspect he was attempting to refine some grand martial technique," Bu Eun-seol replied with an innocent expression.
"Perhaps he believed there was a secret method to amplify his internal power using the Fire Wheel Crystal and Fire Essence Stones. After all, when I confronted him, he misused his power and self-destructed."
"So you've said."
Yuk Jang-cheon nodded, his gaze shifting to the documents laid out on the table.
Among them were Bu Eun-seol's mission report and the findings of the investigation team dispatched by the Martial Alliance.
"The investigation team's conclusions align with your assessment. Would you care to read them?"
Bu Eun-seol nodded and accepted the offered documents.
Inside were detailed records of the intelligence gathered by the Martial Alliance's team sent to Mount Uiryong.
There were also meticulous cross-references verifying the consistency between Bu Eun-seol's report and the actual conditions at the scene.
'As expected of the Martial Alliance.'
A chill ran down Bu Eun-seol's spine.
The Demon Hall rewarded merit—nothing more. They never scrutinized the process or dissected every detail.
But the Martial Alliance, even after acknowledging a great achievement, still examined every step with painstaking thoroughness.
They were verifying whether even the slightest omission or unreported fact existed.
"A truly perilous affair, wouldn't you say?"
Sensing the underlying implication in Yuk Jang-cheon's words, Bu Eun-seol bowed his head impassively.
"I was simply fortunate."
Then, with the same guileless expression, he continued.
"Since the Demon Hall's Tai'an Branch suddenly conducted training exercises on Mount Uiryong, our Alliance's branch also surrounded the mountain. That's how we found the Radiant Yang Adept so easily."
Yuk Jang-cheon stared at him intently.
Then, with a slow nod, he smiled.
"Ah, yes. That's right."
"And the fact that he was an elder of the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace was entirely unexpected as well."
Bu Eun-seol spoke in a composed tone.
"Had the Radiant Yang Adept not self-destructed, I wouldn't have recovered the Fire Wheel Crystal—I'd have been buried in Mount Uiryong instead."
Yuk Jang-cheon chuckled.
"Modest as ever. You've inherited Master Unhindered's legacy, haven't you? If the situation had truly been dire, you'd have found a way to escape."
Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly in silence.
In truth, the Radiant Yang Adept—having consumed an extreme-yang inner core and forged over twenty Blazing Flame Ionization Swords—had reached a level where Bu Eun-seol would have needed to fight with everything he had to defeat him.
This wasn't merely the successor of Master Unhindered. Even if the legendary master himself had returned from the dead, the outcome of such a battle would have been uncertain.
Had these circumstances been uncovered, suspicion would have inevitably fallen on Bu Eun-seol.
Knock, knock.
A soft voice came from beyond the door.
"Hall Master, the hall leaders have assembled in the conference room."
Yuk Jang-cheon rose with a grin.
"Time to get moving, then."
"Yes."
"Having completed your mission so splendidly, the hall leaders' opinions of you may have shifted."
Still smiling, Yuk Jang-cheon extended a hand toward Bu Eun-seol.
"Come with me."
Bu Eun-seol walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Yuk Jang-cheon as they entered the Hall of Ascending Martial's conference room.
The hall leaders pretended not to notice their arrival—though they couldn't ignore it entirely.
Setting everything else aside, the value of the Blazing Yang Heavenly Jade Grass sent by the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace rivaled the Martial Alliance's annual budget.
"This meeting concerns a request sent to our Alliance by the Sichuan Tang Clan."
Once seated, Yuk Jang-cheon spoke in a low voice.
"Hall Leader Yuk Cheong-a will provide the details."
At his signal, Yuk Cheong-a stood and nodded.
"The Sichuan Tang Clan has formally requested military support from our Alliance."
Bu Eun-seol's expression flickered with surprise.
This was an agenda item he hadn't anticipated at all.
Since when did the Sichuan Tang Clan request troops from the Martial Alliance? Had they gone to war with another sect?