Chapter 428
Four days had already passed.
Yet Yu Su-ryeon remained confined within the secret manor provided by the Infinite Realm, unable to move freely.
'Just how much longer must I wait?'
Normally, tracking someone required clues to be possible.
But even after four days, the Langya Pavilion had not left the Bu Estate—meaning they were still pursuing her.
If so, then they clearly knew she was somewhere within the Bu Estate and were scouring every inch of it.
'I should have hidden in another region instead.'
Yu Su-ryeon was deeply dissatisfied.
Had she predicted the Langya Pavilion's movements from the start, she would have relocated to a place beyond their reach.
But now, by forcing her to remain in this manor within the Bu Estate, she couldn't shake off their pursuit.
—The most crucial aspect of evading pursuit is staying where the enemy least expects.
Every time Yu Su-ryeon voiced her complaints, the martial artists of the Infinite Realm guarding the manor would respond this way.
Of course, they weren't wrong.
But if things continued like this, she might be trapped here not just for four days, but for over a month.
"This is strange, no matter how I look at it."
Seated at the table in her quarters, lost in thought, she shook her head.
Staying here any longer felt unsettling.
This manor had no one from her own faction attending to her—only unfamiliar martial artists and attendants affiliated with the Infinite Realm.
"Hmm..."
Yu Su-ryeon bit her lip.
Come to think of it, she couldn't fully trust the Three Realms either. If she stayed idle, she might be devoured before she even realized it.
'I have no choice but to investigate.'
She was, after all, a prominent figure who was managing the intelligence network of an entire sect.
Recognizing that the current situation was far from normal, she began scouting the manor's surroundings.
Though the interior was vast, only a handful of people occupied it, and no one stopped her from wandering around.
'Should I check that place?'
Near the western side of the manor stood a decrepit building resembling a warehouse—the only area where entry was strictly forbidden.
Yu Su-ryeon suspected it held some kind of secret.
"...Just as I thought."
The moment she slipped inside the old warehouse-like structure, a low voice reached her ears.
It belonged to one of the martial artists stationed in the manor.
"Increase the dosage."
"But if we do that, she might regain awareness when she wakes."
"It doesn't matter. As long as she's trapped in this manor, her senses will inevitably dull."
The voice was chilling beyond measure.
"Eventually, she'll reveal everything."
In an instant, her face darkened.
'So that's what this was.'
Yu Su-ryeon was stunned.
Now that she thought about it, every morning she woke with a heavy head and sluggish body.
She had assumed it was simply from being confined in the manor for so long—but no.
The Infinite Realm had locked her in this manor with the clear intention of administering the Soul-Dulling Drug over an extended period to extract the location of the Black Ledger.
'Men are all the same in the end.'
She bit her lip.
Time and again, women's sects had been trampled underfoot by men. The Three Realms were no different.
'I trusted them too much.'
Regret washed over her.
No matter how much she had believed in the Three Realms, she should never have stayed in such a place alone.
With not a single disciple to aid her, isolated in this manor cut off from the outside world... she was utterly powerless.
'If I keep ingesting the Soul-Dulling Drug, I'll eventually blurt out the Black Ledger's location without realizing it.'
Yu Su-ryeon clenched her teeth.
'First, I need to assess the situation outside.'
But the moment she tried to leave the manor, the guards blocked her path.
"What's the matter?"
"I have some business to attend to outside."
The guards shook their heads.
"That's impossible. The Langya Pavilion's masters are swarming outside—we've received strict orders not to let you leave."
'Just as I suspected.'
Her suspicions snowballed, but she kept her composure and nodded.
"Understood."
Now, only one option remained.
A covert escape from this manor.
She could stay here no longer.
The food provided, the sleeping quarters—all of it was undoubtedly part of their scheme to uncover the Black Ledger's hiding place.
'I'll watch for an opportunity to escape, then hide in the main safe house of the Flower-and-Willow Court.'
Since this safe house had been constructed in secrecy, aside from the Three Realms' martial artists, it was staffed only by ordinary attendants.
Slipping away wouldn't be impossible.
But then, a sudden thought flashed through her mind.
'No—what if this is all a ploy to lure me into escaping and leading them straight to the Black Ledger?'
The realization struck like a blow to the back of her head, jolting her awake.
She had been sold into a brothel as a child, forced to become a young courtesan, and after becoming a disciple of the Fleeting Moment Boat, she had spent her life handling intelligence.
No matter how worn down her heart was, she wasn't foolish enough to act rashly.
'In that case, there's only one way.'
Formulating a meticulous plan in her mind, Yu Su-ryeon approached the martial artists guarding the manor and spoke.
"I've left Jade Pity Fragrance unattended for too long—my subordinates must be worried."
She then produced a pre-written envelope and held it out.
"If I'm absent, matters won't proceed smoothly. I'd appreciate it if you could at least deliver this letter."
The guard took the letter from the envelope and read it aloud with an air of authority.
The contents merely inquired after Jade Pity Fragrance's well-being and assured her of Yu Su-ryeon's own safety.
After staring at the letter for a long while, the guard finally nodded.
"Understood. I'll deliver it."
The next day, a reply arrived from Sa Ok-cheong.
It briefly summarized the tavern's general state and mentioned that masters from the Langya Pavilion were still roaming Chengdu.
Seated at the table, Yu Su-ryeon read through the letter before lightly brushing her fingers over its back.
'There it is.'
A knowing smile curved her lips as she dipped her finger into the oil from the lantern and began rubbing it over the blank surface.
Gradually, something appeared—not words, but crooked, childlike scribbles resembling small ducks or vases.
This was the Fleeting Moment Boat's Secret Language.
'As expected, they couldn't fully decipher the original cipher.'
In truth, she had used a special solution to leave the hidden message on the back of the letter she sent to Sa Ok-cheong.
'Had the Infinite Realm verified it, they would have applied oil.'
But the back of the returned letter was clean, with no trace of oil.
'They must think finding the Black Ledger will end everything.'
A sharp glint flashed in Yu Su-ryeon's eyes.
The Three Clans wanted the Black Ledger. If things continued this way, its location would inevitably be exposed.
'Then there's only one solution.'
With the Black Ledger, she would learn about all of the Fleeting Moment Boat's financial channels, intelligence networks, and where its illicit funds had gone.
Even without her, the pavilion could be ruled effortlessly.
But what if the Black Ledger vanished forever? The Three Realms would never dare let her go.
Scritch, scritch.
Yu Su-ryeon picked up brush and ink, composing a letter filled with ordinary pleasantries.
Once the ink dried, she retrieved a small porcelain vial from her sleeve, dipped her finger into its contents, and began tracing invisible patterns.
―[Previous section omitted]... When you arrive there, you'll find something wrapped in oiled paper. Do not open it—burn it immediately. That is all you must do.
A faint smile played at the corners of her lips.
They would search endlessly for the Black Ledger she had hidden, but it would no longer exist.
And since only she and the Ferry Master could command the Fleeting Moment Boat without it... they would never dare betray her.
Having sent the letter, Yu Su-ryeon relaxed.
With the burden of the Black Ledger gone, her mind cleared. She no longer needed to fear the Three Realms.
To survive in any organization or faction, one must become irreplaceable.
Now that the Black Ledger was ashes, the Three Realms could never discard her.
Even without it, she could deftly manipulate the pavilion's finances and intelligence networks.
And aside from Geuk Hye-ryeong, she alone could command absolute loyalty from every disciple.
But how could she have known?
That the world never bends to one's will—and that everything she prided herself on was nothing but delusion.
Thud, thud, thud.
Suddenly, the sound of countless footsteps stormed toward her quarters.
Yu Su-ryeon jolted awake from her slumber, instantly sensing that something had gone terribly wrong.
'This is bad!'
This manor had been provided by the Three Realms as a safe house, frequented only by ordinary people.
The noise of so many figures moving at once should have been impossible.
'I must escape.'
She flung the door open and rushed outside—
Only to find herself surrounded by nearly a hundred figures encircling her residence.
"You—"
Yu Su-ryeon's expression twisted in disbelief as she scanned the crowd.
The ones surrounding her quarters were women, all clad in resplendent palace dresses.
And standing at their forefront was an old man exuding an aura as vast as the heavens—
The disciples of the Fleeting Moment Boat, the Ferry Master... and Geuk Hye-ryeong herself.
'The Ferry Master...'
"Well. You've done quite well as a spy, haven't you?"
Yu Su-ryeon's vision darkened.
But now, more than ever, she had to keep her wits about her. She could not afford to show weakness.
"I was no spy—only acting justly."
She met their gazes with unshaken dignity.
"Our pavilion is a women's sect, one that has long forbidden dealings with men. Yet for the sake of curing your granddaughter, the Ferry Master knelt before them without consulting anyone!"
Her eyes swept over Geuk Hye-ryeong and the surrounding disciples as she declared,
"I sought not personal gain—only to restore our pavilion's dignity!"
"Hah."
Geuk Hye-ryeong let out a hollow laugh, heavy with lament.
"You claim you rebelled to end the separation from men... so why were you cowering in a safe house they provided?"
"That's—"
"If you had come this far by your own strength, this Pavilion Master would have considered it the flow of the times. And I would have rightfully passed the position of Pavilion Master to you."
Geuk Hye-ryeong shook her head.
"But you didn't just betray this pavilion—you colluded with forces that recklessly stir the Murim, riding on their power to seize this pavilion's funds and the disciples' support."
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
Yu Su-ryeon replied with a cold expression.
"The Pavilion Master unleashed the men of Langya Pavilion to hunt me down, trying to suppress me by force. So how can you blame me with such words?"
"Do you truly believe this Pavilion Master would have sent Langya Pavilion's disciples after you?"
"What do you mean?"
"There was never any great force from Langya Pavilion to begin with. You were simply frightened and holed up here."
"That can't—"
Thud. Thud.
At that moment, elderly attendants who had worked in the manor stepped forward from among the disciples of Fleeting Moment Boat.
Rip.
In one swift motion, they tore off the masks covering their faces—revealing familiar visages.
They were all the Hall Leaders of Fleeting Moment Boat whom Yu Su-ryeon had secretly recruited.
"Then... this isn't the Infinite Realm's safe house?"
As Geuk Hye-ryeong nodded, Yu Su-ryeon shook her head in disbelief.
"That's impossible. He was definitely an envoy of the Infinite Realm..."
Her words trailed off as her eyes widened in sudden realization.
Geuk Hye-ryeong was a woman of exceptional martial prowess and insight—but she lacked the cunning to devise such a bold and meticulous plan.
Moreover, the overwhelming aura that had emanated from the Third Envoy...
There was only one person who could mimic such a presence.
The young Grandmaster of the Demonic Path, the one who had brought Fleeting Moment Boat to its knees—the Martial Soul Lord, Bu Eun-seol.
"So... the missing one has returned."
Now that she thought about it, ever since arriving at the manor, she had been far too flustered.
Under normal circumstances, she would have questioned why voices were so clearly audible in a supposedly secretive building.
But her fear of the Infinite Realm—
And the toll of living in isolation for so long had made it difficult to maintain a clear mind.
And the only person who could so precisely grasp human psychology and weave such a scheme was none other than Bu Eun-seol.
"Indeed."
Geuk Hye-ryeong gave a faint nod.
"He said this was the only way to make you cough up the Black Ledger. Because it was the sole lifeline you clung to."
Yu Su-ryeon bit her lip.
"They said he could never return alive..."
The only reason she had dared to join the plot to overthrow Fleeting Moment Boat was because she trusted the intelligence and power of the Three Realms.
But contrary to expectations, Bu Eun-seol had not only returned alive—
He had exploited her own unease to craft this scheme, forcing her to burn the Black Ledger with her own hands.
"In the end, you've relied on that man's help again!"
As Yu Su-ryeon cried out in indignation, Geuk Hye-ryeong gestured to the surrounding disciples.
"Look."
Her expression turned solemn.
"These are all the disciples who once followed you."
Her tone was resolute.
"You told them that Fleeting Moment Boat must stand tall on its own—that we must never accept help from others."
"And yet, you placed unwavering faith in the Infinite Realm's intelligence, hiding in the safe house they provided. These disciples saw it with their own eyes."
Geuk Hye-ryeong's voice was stern.
"That is why no one stands with you now."
"I—!"
Yu Su-ryeon nearly shouted—but then clenched her teeth.
She realized that no matter what she said, nothing would change.
"What words could a defeated general possibly have left?"
"Even now, you can still return."
Geuk Hye-ryeong's expression was solemn, yet sincere.
"Is this pavilion not, as you said, a sect of women? We've always embraced each other's flaws and lived on."
"Even if your heart has strayed differently, like a man's, we won't harm you. Su-ryeon."
"Pavilion Master..."
Yu Su-ryeon gazed at the distant sky with a wretched expression.
"...It's already too late."
Her eyes, fixed on Geuk Hye-ryeong, held a look of atonement.
Then, from her robes, she drew a dagger—
Thunk.
Without the slightest hesitation, she plunged it into her own heart, ending her life instantly.
"Su-ryeon..."
Geuk Hye-ryeong looked down at Yu Su-ryeon's cold corpse with a pained expression.
"Who was it that made you like this...?"
In that single murmur lay both longing and resentment—for the woman she had walked alongside for so long.
Yu Su-ryeon had joined hands with the Three Realms, attempting rebellion by seizing Fleeting Moment Boat's funds and disciples.
Yet even so, Geuk Hye-ryeong could not bring herself to hate her.
Because Fleeting Moment Boat was a place where the flawed embraced one another.
She had always treated her disciples that way.
"Was it the ruthless martial world? Or was it my own incompetence as Pavilion Lord?"
At Geuk Hye-ryeong's bitter muttering, the disciples all wept bitterly.
Whoosh—
Suddenly, the sky darkened, and a heavy downpour began.
Yet, Geuk Hye-ryeong and her disciples stood motionless like stone statues, unwavering.
Meanwhile, an unprecedented disturbance was brewing in the Demon Hall.
—The disappearance of Martial Soul Lord Bu Eun-seol was confirmed!
Martial Soul Lord Bu Eun-seol, who had been traveling between the Demon Hall and the martial world, handling various matters—had suddenly vanished, and rumors spread that his fate was unknown.
Because of this, for the first time since the Demon Hall's founding, a meeting was convened to discuss replacing the successor.
Demon Governance Council.
Originally, this would be a gathering of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, the leaders of the Demonic Path Ten Gates, and all figures ranked within the top ten of the Demon Hall's hierarchy.
But now, under the supervision of the Chief Doctrine Commander, only the leaders of the Ten Gates were assembled in the meeting hall.
The reason?
Because the successor, Martial Soul Lord Bu Eun-seol, was missing.
Since he could not possibly attend, there was no need for the Demon Hall's high command to gather.
Thus, this meeting was solely to decide whether Bu Eun-seol would retain his position as successor and as Martial Soul Lord.
Swish—
As the Chief Doctrine Commander entered the meeting hall, seven of the Ten Gates' leaders were already seated.
Due to Bu Eun-seol's disappearance, Langya Pavilion and Heaven-Severing, Earth-Destroying Sanctuary, both of which supported him, were absent.
Additionally, from Fire Rain Sword Sect, successor candidate Wi Ji-hye-sang attended in place of Sect Leader Wi Ji-mua.
From the Bloodflame Blade Family, Vice Sect Leader Do Cheon-pung was present.
"Today's agenda is to reconsider whether Martial Soul Lord's successor status should be maintained," said Yeop Hyo-cheon, sweeping his gaze across the assembly.
"Gongya City Lord, who proposed this motion, may now speak."
At that, Gongya Geuk, stroking his toad-like, bulging chin, opened his mouth.
"Martial Soul Lord has already lost the trust befitting a successor. Currently, Fleeting Moment Boat is in turmoil, its finances and intelligence network halved. Heaven-Severing, Earth-Destroying Sanctuary has been devastated by unknown assailants."
Pausing briefly, he sneered.
"Well, Langya Pavilion never had much financial backing to begin with, so that's no surprise."
The attendees could not hide their shock.
Even if Bu Eun-seol was missing, his death had not been confirmed.
Moreover, he had always mercilessly retaliated against those who crossed him.
White Horse Temple, in particular, had suffered so severely under his ruthless inspections that they had lost the will to resist.
Even Hell Blood Citadel, led by Gongya Geuk, had once raised the white flag under his scrutiny.
Yet now, he was openly criticizing Bu Eun-seol so harshly?
—He must have solid information.
That sly old fox, Gongya Geuk, wouldn't act like this without certainty.
He must have obtained definitive proof regarding Martial Soul Lord's fate.
"Is this really enough to warrant discussing his removal?"
At that moment, Wi Ji-hye-sang, representing Fire Rain Sword Sect in place of its Sect Leader, spoke with a smile.
"I don't believe the state of Heaven-Severing, Earth-Destroying Sanctuary and Fleeting Moment Boat reflects his competence."
"Young people may think differently," Gongya Geuk replied calmly.
"But consider this—the position of the Demon Hall's successor is..."
Creak—
At that moment, the door opened, and two figures entered the meeting hall.
One was an elderly man with a refined appearance, and the other was an old woman whose face was as wrinkled as the bark of an ancient tree.
They were none other than Hyeok Gong-baek, Sanctuary Master of Heaven-Severing, Earth-Destroying Sanctuary, and Geuk Hye-ryeong.
"You... How—?"
Gongya Geuk's eyes widened in shock, unable to hide his surprise.
"Hmph."
Hyeok Gong-baek narrowed his eyes coldly as he looked at Gongya Geuk and let out a derisive snort.
"The Demon Governance Council was suddenly convened—how could we not attend?"
As Hyeok Gong-baek took his seat, Geuk Hye-ryeong glared fiercely at Gongya Geuk.
Then, she too sat down.
'Heh. They've come for one last desperate struggle.'
Gongya Geuk met their sharp gazes with a mocking smile.
After all, one side had their financial and intelligence networks in ruins, while the other had been attacked by unknown forces, their prestige shattered beyond recovery.
Even if they attended the meeting, they could not influence the tide.
'They're trying to stop his downfall. But it's futile.'
Gongya Geuk chuckled and said,
"But Langya Pavilion didn't come. I thought at least Vice Pavilion Lord Dan would show up."
At that, Yeop Hyo-cheon surveyed the room and spoke.
"It seems there's nothing left to discuss. Shall we proceed to the vote?"
Gongya Geuk and the others nodded in agreement.
Yeop Hyo-cheon also nodded.
"Then, we shall decide by raising—"
Creak—
Once again, the door opened, and a man in formal robes slowly walked in.
Sunlight passed through his shimmering hair, and his face was dazzlingly beautiful.
Yet, an overwhelming majesty radiated from his entire being, and his footsteps carried the weight of moving Mount Tai itself.
It was Bu Eun-seol.