Chapter 438
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened in unconcealed shock.
'Does that mean the Three Realms organization within the Martial Alliance is even controlling the Death Gods?'
The Seven Kings were not merely martial artists of exceptional skill—they were masters who wielded tremendous influence over the Rivers and Lakes.
The Beggar King was the Grand Elder of the Beggars' Sect, a figure who held the intelligence networks of the righteous factions firmly in his grasp.
The Bullet King wandered the murim alone his entire life, yet renowned chivalrous heroes of the righteous factions flocked to him like clouds.
Moreover, the Illusion King, Sa Ok-cheong, had elevated what was once dismissed as mere sorcery—illusion techniques and the Mind-Seizing Art—into the ranks of legitimate martial arts.
Through the Spirit Summoning Secret Voice, he had become the great patriarch of the Illusion Arts.
But the Death Gods were different.
They were superlative martial experts born with bodies capable of wielding the mystical powers passed down through generations of the murim—
And from the very beginning, they held factions devoted to those powers within their grasp.
In other words, if the Seven Kings were self-made masters...
Then the Death Gods were the scions of wealthy lineages who had inherited vast legacies from their forebears.
However, the current Thunder God, Noe Bi-hon, was a man who had failed to protect that immense legacy, bringing ruin upon his house.
Though he was said to wield the most formidable Thunder Essence Divine Qi among all the sect leaders of the Thunder Spirit Gate throughout history...
The very power that made him peerless had instead driven him mad, leaving him known as a lunatic who wandered the murim alone.
And now, that very Noe Bi-hon had suddenly appeared at the edge of Yunnan—pursuing So-yo, no less?
Crackle—
As Bu Eun-seol lost himself in thought, azure lightning had already surrounded him on all sides.
'Thinking can wait.'
Bu Eun-seol raised his internal power.
It was said that Noe Bi-hon's Divine Thunder Annihilation, infused with overwhelming Thunder Essence Divine Qi, could reduce all living things to charcoal in an instant.
Not only that—it could take on countless forms. A single moment of distraction, and one's flesh could be reduced to ashes in the blink of an eye.
"So you refuse."
Noe Bi-hon's eyes flashed as he realized Bu Eun-seol had gathered his energy.
"Then die."
'I'll use Master Unhindered's martial arts to the fullest.'
Preemptive strike wins.
Before Noe Bi-hon could attack, Bu Eun-seol hurled two throwing daggers first.
Flash!
The twin blades shot forth in succession, aiming for Noe Bi-hon's glabella and lower abdomen.
"Hmph."
With a scoff, two streaks of white flame knocked the daggers to the ground.
But that had been Bu Eun-seol's ploy all along.
Flash!
In that instant, a single streak of light embedded itself into Noe Bi-hon's forehead.
Timing his strike for the fleeting moment between the unleashing and retracting of the Divine Thunder Annihilation, Bu Eun-seol had delivered a single move of the One-Hand Life-Taking Art.
Zzzzt—
Yet the dagger stopped midair just before touching his glabella, bursting into white flame.
The sheer density of Thunder Essence Divine Qi shrouding his body made it impossible for any metal weapon to even reach him.
"A skill worthy of a Messenger."
'A Messenger?'
Whoosh—
In that moment, white lightning coiled around his left and right like a net.
Bu Eun-seol activated his movement technique to escape its range, but—
Crackle—
Another web of lightning sealed off his retreat.
The movement technique recorded in Master Unhindered's secret manual simply couldn't outpace Noe Bi-hon's Divine Thunder Annihilation.
"Now die."
"Wait."
Bu Eun-seol sensed something and spoke in a clear voice.
"Surely you don't think I'm a Messenger of the Three Realms?"
Noe Bi-hon let out a derisive snort before roaring.
"Exactly! Every last Messenger of the Three Realms must die!"
In that instant, the lightning gathered around them surged toward Bu Eun-seol in a single overwhelming wave.
Swish—
With no possible way to evade, Bu Eun-seol unleashed the Soaring Roar Technique, slipping through the gaps in the net-like lightning.
"Die."
Before he could react, a bolt of white lightning had sharpened into a spear, piercing through Bu Eun-seol's suspended body.
And it hadn't even been launched—
It had manifested abruptly in the space right before his nose, as if conjured from thin air.
Zzzzing!
But the white lightning halted midair, ensnared by a swirling current of pitch-black energy.
At the brink of death, Bu Eun-seol had unleashed the Willful True Binding, entwining and neutralizing the spear forged from Divine Thunder Annihilation.
Thud.
As his feet touched the ground, Bu Eun-seol spoke with a grave expression.
"Brother Noe. I am not a Messenger of the Three Realms."
It was not Seon-u Jin's clear voice—but Bu Eun-seol's own, icy and devoid of inflection.
"Brother Noe? Heh... Heh heh! Hahahaha!"
Witnessing the complete shift in Bu Eun-seol's demeanor and aura, Noe Bi-hon only laughed louder, his voice grating like scraping metal.
"Indeed. If a master like you isn't the messenger, then who could be?"
Zzzzt—
Before anyone realized, hundreds of blades formed from Divine Thunder Annihilation materialized behind the Thunder God's back.
Their numbers were so vast that they resembled an endless, undulating white tide.
"It seems words are useless here."
As Bu Eun-seol shook his head,
"Hahaha! Exactly! What need is there for words with a Three Realms bastard?!"
With that laughter, Noe Bi-hon unleashed the hundreds of gleaming blades toward Bu Eun-seol.
A single touch from these Divine Thunder Annihilation blades would obliterate a body—and now, hundreds of them rained down at once.
'This can't even be called martial arts.'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed as he observed the descending storm of annihilation.
What Noe Bi-hon wielded was not martial arts.
It was merely Divine Thunder Annihilation, amplified by the mysterious power of Thunder Essence Divine Qi—an attempt to annihilate Bu Eun-seol's body in an instant.
'I'll have to abandon Seon-u Jin's identity completely!'
The martial secrets of Master Unhindered contained no method to block this relentless onslaught.
In the end, Bu Eun-seol resolved to unleash the True Void.
Zzziiing—
A dark shockwave radiated from his eyes, forming a barrier of True Qi that began intercepting the storm of annihilation.
Krrrrumble! Zzzzt—!
The thick wall of True Qi, shaped by the Willful True Binding, clashed endlessly against the hundreds of Divine Thunder Annihilation blades.
As overwhelming forces collided, azure flames erupted in all directions, and a tempest strong enough to shatter the world itself raged.
Thunder Essence Divine Qi could annihilate everything, regardless of internal power level.
But Bu Eun-seol's internal energy spanned five hundred years.
Poured entirely into the Willful True Binding for defense...
Even the purifying force of Divine Thunder Annihilation failed to breach that wall of True Qi.
"That martial art... So it was you. Hahahaha!"
Suddenly, the Thunder God grinned, his face alight with madness and delight.
"You were that bastard after all!"
Zzzzt—!
In an instant, the Thunder God closed the distance, drawing a gleaming azure sword.
Flash—!
The spot where Bu Eun-seol had stood was instantly scorched black.
The Thunder Spirit Gate's supreme sword art—Thunder Spirit Annihilation Form—had been unleashed.
Boom! Flash—!
With every swing, white lightning crackled alongside deafening thunder.
The thunderclaps were so immense they threatened to rupture eardrums, rendering any prediction of the sword's trajectory impossible.
This was the function of Thunder Spirit Annihilation Form—completely neutralizing the extrasensory perception of masters who relied on acute hearing.
Swiish! Thud-thud-thud—!
Forced to halt Noe Bi-hon's relentless assault of Thunderous Weight of Ten Thousand Jun,
Bu Eun-seol had no choice but to meet Thunder Spirit Annihilation Form with his iron sword.
Hiiiss—!
White smoke began rising from his body.
The Thunder Essence Divine Qi imbued in the sword art was seeping through his weapon, invading his meridians.
'This iron sword won't do.'
Using it only amplified the power of Thunder Spirit Annihilation Form.
Zzziiing—!
Bu Eun-seol deployed the Willful True Binding once more to counter the onslaught.
"Ghhh—!"
As the technique unfolded again, Noe Bi-hon's pupils burned crimson.
"Yes! Keep using that devilish martial art! Show me more!"
Like a madman, he swung his sword wildly, hacking toward Bu Eun-seol.
Krrrrumble—!
The sword qi forged from Thunder Essence Divine Qi coalesced into a single mass, crashing down upon Bu Eun-seol's body.
'First, I must decipher his sword technique.'
The Thunder Essence Divine Qi wielded by the Thunder God, Noe Bi-hon, surpassed any martial art Bu Eun-seol had ever learned in sheer destructive might.
But martial arts were not merely contests of power.
True to his role as Langya Pavilion's successor, he sought first to analyze the nature of Noe Bi-hon's martial arts.
Shh— shh— shh—
In an instant, Bu Eun-seol activated Ultimate Speed Shadowless, weaving the Willful True Binding like spider silk to slow the speed of Thunder Spirit Annihilation Form.
"Raaah! Yes! That technique!"
Every time Bu Eun-seol deployed the Willful True Binding, Noe Bi-hon roared like a raving lunatic, saliva flying from his lips.
'Does he think the Willful True Binding... is a martial art of the Three Realms?'
He had publicly used it in his duel with the Celestial Sword.
And every master of the orthodox and unorthodox factions had guessed it was the martial art of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
So why did Noe Bi-hon suspect it belonged to the Three Realms? Why was he lashing out like this?
'Could it be... that?'
The Willful True Binding that Bu Eun-seol was currently executing was, strictly speaking, not the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's Willful True Binding.
His Spirit and Mind had entered the Demonic Path only once—he had maintained the Middle Path ever since.
Because of this, there were restrictions in continuously executing the Willful True Binding, and its power was weakened to at least a tenth of its full potential.
Yet, from a certain point onward, his Qi Vessels no longer surged violently whenever he used it.
That moment was precisely after the energy of Prajna Great Power had been infused into his body.
Since then, though its power remained diminished, his Qi Vessels no longer raged even after executing the Willful True Binding three or four times.
'Could it be that, along with the Willful True Binding, he's going berserk because of the Prajna Great Power contained within it?'
Impossible.
The power of Prajna Great Power was not something that manifested outwardly.
Then, was Noe Bi-hon detecting the distinctive aura of the orthodox faction, which seeped out due to the mingling of Prajna Great Power and the Willful True Binding?
To confirm, Bu Eun-seol twisted his left fist.
Swiish—swiish!
At the same time, he generated a single strand of refined force near his shoulder—
He had unleashed the Thirteenfold Qi Induction.
Whoosh!
Though the single strand of Thirteenfold Qi Induction was instantly obliterated by the Thunderclap Annihilation Form's power, it created a brief opening.
Bu Eun-seol did not miss the opportunity. In an instant, his right hand moved chaotically—
Drawing upon the power of Prajna Great Power, he executed the Thousand-Hand Tathagata Palm.
Crackle—!
Hearing the chaotic cascade of palm strikes, the Thunder God's eyes widened.
"So you too alternate between the powers of orthodox and unorthodox martial arts!"
Noe Bi-hon grew even more frenzied, wildly unleashing the Thunderclap Annihilation Form.
'So that's it.'
Bu Eun-seol's gaze deepened.
Judging by Noe Bi-hon's reaction, among the Messengers of the Three Realms... there was someone who also wielded a fusion of orthodox and unorthodox martial arts.
"Stop dodging like a rat and face me!"
In the meantime, Noe Bi-hon chased after Bu Eun-seol like a madman, swinging his sword.
His eyes were rolled back like a lunatic's, and ordinary attacks dissipated the moment they touched his body—neutralized entirely by his Thunder Essence Divine Qi.
It was as if an immortal monster, baring its fangs, clung to him with relentless tenacity.
'So the title of Death God doesn't necessarily signify profound martial arts.'
Thunder Essence Divine Qi was an overwhelming force that could not be easily blocked by internal energy or any martial technique.
Because of this, Noe Bi-hon's techniques were solely focused on amplifying that power to terrifying extremes.
They could hardly be considered refined martial arts.
'And it wavers every time he speaks.'
Bu Eun-seol noticed that the Thunder Essence Divine Qi scattered whenever Noe Bi-hon spoke and gave a slight nod.
"You bastard—"
'Now.'
The moment Noe Bi-hon opened his mouth, Bu Eun-seol seized the opening where his Thunder Essence Divine Qi dispersed—and drew his iron sword.
Sshhling.
'I must erase that Thunder Essence Divine Qi in one strike.'
Tok.
Simultaneously, hundreds of luminous points emerged across Bu Eun-seol's body.
The art of annihilation—releasing hundreds of Sword Rings in a single strike.
Bloody Tears Seven Forms, Third Move—Half-Alive, Half-Dead.
Fwoooosh—!
When the hundreds of Sword Rings clashed with Noe Bi-hon's Thunderclap Annihilation Form, the world turned blinding white, as if everything had been annihilated.
But then, something astonishing happened.
"Who would just stand there and take such sluggish swordplay?"
Before Half-Alive, Half-Dead could fully unfold—
Noe Bi-hon had already closed the distance, pulling Bu Eun-seol's iron sword toward him like a magnet.
KWAZIZIZIZI—!
At the same time, a power no human body—save for one with the Thunder Spirit Physique—could possibly contain—
The most overwhelming force between heaven and earth—
Thunder Essence Divine Qi poured into Bu Eun-seol's meridians through the sword.
The Thunder God's martial arts were simplistic, incomparable to Bu Eun-seol's techniques, which embodied the profound principles of high-level martial arts.
But what he possessed was Thunder Essence Divine Qi—a colossal force that transcended even the principles of martial arts.
Noe Bi-hon intended to unleash this unstoppable power all at once and incinerate Bu Eun-seol's body from within.
Zzzzt—!
A blue shockwave surged from Bu Eun-seol's body.
Just as the Thunder Essence Divine Qi threatened to scorch his meridians, he drew upon the Glacier's Heavenly Flow Art.
Yet, at that very moment—along with the sensation of his dantian being utterly empty—
A single line from the Blazing Flame Divine Palace's stone walls surfaced in his mind:
"To know sufficiency is to never seek fullness."
The moment this teaching seared into his consciousness, a thread of blazing heat rose from his dantian.
"To know sufficiency is to refrain from filling completely."
The Blazing Flame Sacred Qi contained within the Fire Wheel Divine Flute had been absorbed into Bu Eun-seol's body—only to be emptied once more.
Because he had distributed the sacred energy among over a thousand disciples.
—In the midst of peril, the true Hot River Great Essence True Qi shall bloom.
But as the Thunder Essence Divine Qi threatened to incinerate every meridian in his body, the scripture of the Hot River Great Essence True Qi flashed through his mind.
'In the midst of peril, the sacred energy of Rehe manifests...'
Whoosh—
At the same moment, the Blazing Flame Sacred Qi, which had been completely extinguished, surged back with overwhelming force.
Hwaaaak!
Standing at the crossroads between life and death, Bu Eun-seol unconsciously continued circulating the Hot River Great Essence True Qi.
The Hot River Great Essence True Qi.
This supreme martial art of the Blazing Flame Holy Venerable was far too powerful, far too destructive—
It was designed not for the weak, but to manifest only when facing the strong.
And now, as the overwhelming Thunder Essence Divine Qi invaded Bu Eun-seol's flesh, the true Hot River Great Essence True Qi finally reawakened.
Crackle. Whoosh—
In an instant, a majestic flame erupted from Bu Eun-seol's body—
KWAOOOOM!
—and with an immense surge of scorching heat, it began repelling the cascading Thunder Essence Divine Qi.
Zzzt. Zzzzzzt.
It was said that Thunder Essence Divine Qi could annihilate all opposing forces.
Thus, not only internal energy but even the Glacier Thousand Streams Art had been vaporized in an instant.
Yet against the Hot River Great Essence True Qi, infused with the essence of Extreme Yang, it could do nothing.
Their natures were simply too similar.
Just as lightning could evaporate snow and water but could never extinguish a roaring flame.
"Ghh... Ugh..."
Noe Bi-hon began to let out agonized groans.
The Hot River Great Essence True Qi had rendered his Thunder Essence Divine Qi useless.
From Bu Eun-seol's perspective, Noe Bi-hon had suddenly become nothing more than an ordinary martial artist.
And against the sheer magnitude of Bu Eun-seol's unleashed internal energy, he stood no chance.
"GAAAH—!"
Noe Bi-hon, who had been channeling Thunder Essence Divine Qi through his sword, now found himself overwhelmed—not just by the Hot River Great Essence True Qi, but by the crushing weight of Bu Eun-seol's internal energy.
His meridians were on the verge of bursting.
'A pity.'
Bu Eun-seol gazed down at Noe Bi-hon's suffering and narrowed his eyes.
His identity had already been exposed—to keep it hidden, he had no choice but to kill this man.
Otherwise, all the effort he had poured into maintaining the persona of Seon-u Jin...
And his pursuit of the murderer who had slain his grandfather—
All of it would be for nothing.
'I must be ruthless.'
For a spy maintaining a double identity, sentimentality was a luxury.
Just as Bu Eun-seol hardened his resolve to sever Noe Bi-hon's meridians—
"Forgive me..."
Tears of blood spilled from Noe Bi-hon's eyes.
"This worthless father... couldn't stop the monster who slaughtered you so cruelly..."
Drip. Drip.
From the hollow depths of Noe Bi-hon's eyes, tears of blood—filled with bitter regret and fury—flowed freely.
Noe Bi-hon.
He had lost his child to the Three Realms.
And because of that, his hatred for them stretched to the ends of heaven itself.
"Tch."
Bu Eun-seol bit his lip.
How could he kill a man who, in the face of death, was tormented by his failure to avenge his own child?
'If I spare him, Seon-u Jin's identity may be exposed.'
Yet Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
'I entered the Martial World to avenge my grandfather. Not to slaughter the innocent.'
If he killed an innocent man in the name of vengeance—
Could he truly call it righteous retribution?
'There's no other way.'
With a deep sigh, Bu Eun-seol turned his head away.
'I'll leave this to fate.'
He steeled himself for the possibility that the Thunder God might expose Seon-u Jin's true identity—and chose to spare him regardless.
Huuung.
Bu Eun-seol ceased the flow of his internal energy.
Noe Bi-hon's hollow eyes filled with confusion.
He should have been killed instantly, his meridians obliterated—so why had the attack stopped?
"Go."
As Noe Bi-hon staggered and collapsed, Bu Eun-seol turned away with a bitter expression.
"I'll say it again—I am not of the Three Realms. If you seek vengeance, find the right person."
An ordinary man would have counted himself lucky to escape with his life.
But Noe Bi-hon's face twisted in humiliation instead.
"Don't mock me. Who else in this world could wield Convergent Demon Qi and still use Orthodox Martial Arts?"
'Convergent Demon Qi?'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
Convergent Demon Qi—also known as Gathered Stars Dark Qi—was the signature art of the Black Star, one of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars.
Could it be that among the Messengers of the Three Realms, there was a descendant of the Black Star who had also mastered Orthodox Martial Arts?
Or was it possible that the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's Willful True Binding had been modeled after Convergent Demon Qi?
If not...
'Is the Demonic Heavenly Emperor himself a descendant of the Black Star?'