Chapter 448
—The Death Soul Squad discovered Yeong Mun-ho's whereabouts. And he said he was going to meet him.
At the time when Bu Eun-seol was staying at Nangrim Mountain and preparing to meet Yeong Mun-ho,
Myo Cheon-u was also tracking his movements, relaying the information obtained from the Death Soul Squad to the Killing Ghost.
And soon, he received a shocking order.
—Leak Yeong Mun-ho's location to the Heavenly Sword. Make sure the Heavenly Sword and Bu Eun-seol fight to the death.
The Heavenly Sword was a disciple of the Sword Sovereign, not only possessing immensely powerful martial arts but also the Innate Divine Strength—a master of the new generation.
At the time, Bu Eun-seol could hardly guarantee victory against such a master.
But what worried Myo Cheon-u wasn't just Bu Eun-seol's safety.
—They said Yeong Mun-ho has lost his martial arts. He absolutely must not be used as bait.
The Heavenly Sword was a man who harbored extreme hatred toward figures of the Demonic Path, especially the Ten Demonic Heirs who had slain the Great Righteous Experts.
If such a man were to discover Yeong Mun-ho...
He would never let him go unscathed.
—A bait is just a bait. He won't die. Because Bu Eun-seol—he will protect him.
In the end, the Killing Ghost had concluded that Bu Eun-seol and the Heavenly Sword must fight.
Myo Cheon-u hesitated for a moment.
But in the end, he yielded to the Killing Ghost's persuasion.
Because thus far, their words had never been wrong, and time and again, they had developed Bu Eun-seol exactly as they had promised.
This incident, too, would surely become an opportunity for Bu Eun-seol to grow even stronger.
Myo Cheon-u did not doubt that. And so, he ultimately leaked the location of the Ten Demonic Heir, Yeong Mun-ho, to the Heavenly Sword.
Of course, only after confirming that Bu Eun-seol was with him.
As long as Bu Eun-seol was there, Yeong Mun-ho would never be harmed.
But that was a grave mistake.
Something entirely unforeseen happened.
Bu Eun-seol had briefly left for the village to run an errand, and in that short window, the Heavenly Sword stormed in and killed Yeong Mun-ho.
—What in the world do we do now?!
Upon learning of Yeong Mun-ho's death, Myo Cheon-u protested like a madman, but all he received in return were irresponsible replies.
—Who could have known the Heavenly Sword would strike the moment he left for the village?
—How can you say that?!
—In the end, wasn't it for the best?
The Killing Ghost answered indifferently.
—Just as it has always been. He will grow stronger from this trial.
Only then did Myo Cheon-u realize he had made the wrong choice.
They were nothing but lunatics.
To them, Bu Eun-seol—a living, breathing human being—
Was nothing more than a weapon, a tool. They never once considered his state or his heart.
—I was wrong to think otherwise.
He should never have become their spy. He should have firmly refused their orders and told Bu Eun-seol everything.
But... now, it was far too late.
From that day onward,
Myo Cheon-u drowned in maddening guilt, unable to do anything.
And time and again, he tried to confess the truth to Bu Eun-seol.
But he couldn't bring himself to do it.
If Bu Eun-seol were to learn that Yeong Mun-ho had died because of him...
He would never forgive him. No—it wasn't something that could ever be forgiven in the first place.
Not when even he himself couldn't seek forgiveness.
In the end, Myo Cheon-u had become nothing more than a puppet, unable to refuse the Killing Ghost's demands.
—I can't go on like this.
Finally, he reported Bu Eun-seol's movements—who had left to save his master, the Blood Vajra—and made one last demand of the Killing Ghost.
—I'll report his whereabouts as promised, but do not endanger him any further. If you do, my identity will inevitably be exposed. This is my final warning.
The Killing Ghost agreed to Myo Cheon-u's terms.
But it was a promise they had no intention of keeping.
Only then did Myo Cheon-u realize—
The Killing Ghost wasn't particularly afraid of his identity being revealed.
Even if it meant his death, they would never let him go free.
"So there's no way out."
Emerging from his memories, Myo Cheon-u set down his teacup and rose from his seat.
"Everything is my fault."
[You seem to have made up your mind.]
The voice laughed lowly, as if peering into Myo Cheon-u's heart.
[Revealing everything isn't a bad choice. But...]
A playful tone laced the eerie voice.
[The master you so desperately wanted to protect—you failed to save him. You must be floundering in despair, utterly disheartened. Another great shock awaits you.]
Grind.
Myo Cheon-u clenched his teeth hard.
Bu Eun-seol may appear cold and indifferent, but in truth,
He was meticulous and deeply compassionate.
If he were to learn of his betrayal? If he were to learn that Yeong Mun-ho had died at the hands of the Heavenly Sword because of him?
His already wounded spirit and mind might collapse beyond recovery.
"Yes, that's likely."
But Myo Cheon-u smiled faintly, as if recalling something.
Bu Eun-seol. He was a man who overcame every trial.
Though he would suffer now, he would take that pain as nourishment and rise to even greater heights.
As if resolved, Myo Cheon-u nodded firmly and declared:
"But he will undoubtedly stand again."
With those final words, he opened the door without hesitation and stepped outside.
Emerging from Daru Tea House, Myo Cheon-u immediately returned to the Demon Hall.
Without delay, he headed straight for the office where Bu Eun-seol resided.
As always, he wore his brightest expression—playing the role of a good friend and loyal subordinate.
"Busy?"
The moment Myo Cheon-u saw Bu Eun-seol, head bowed as he calmly penned a letter, he felt tears threatening to spill.
Yet, contrary to his inner turmoil, he forced a playful grin and asked:
"How're you feeling?"
Bu Eun-seol kept his gaze fixed on the letter and replied indifferently:
"Nothing worth mentioning."
"Good. That's a relief."
Myo Cheon-u took a deep breath, then pulled a small envelope from his sleeve and placed it on the desk.
It was a request for Demon Leave.
"I need to rest for about a month."
Bu Eun-seol never asked for reasons when it came to leave.
Though he himself was too busy to rest, he always wished his subordinates could take their time to recuperate.
"Must've overexerted yourself training palm techniques—"
"I'll inform Un-ryong. Don't worry about it. Rest well. Things aren't particularly hectic lately."
As Myo Cheon-u expected, his leave was approved without issue.
"Stay healthy."
Watching Bu Eun-seol scribble away at his letters, Myo Cheon-u suppressed a smile.
"I am healthy."
That same indifferent reply, that same voice—Myo Cheon-u engraved it deeply in his heart before chuckling.
"Right. I'll be back."
With that, he left the office and immediately exited the Demon Hall.
Unleashing his Lightness Skill, he swiftly departed Chengdu and headed toward a secluded cave in the Deep Mountain Secluded Valley—one he had long kept in mind.
A waterfall cascaded nearby, and with no human presence to disturb the peace, it was the perfect place to train in solitude.
"Reminds me of Hell Island."
Myo Cheon-u's eyes dimmed as he stared at the cave.
There, he had displayed exceptional talent in palm techniques and forged bonds with countless comrades.
Yet, in the end, fear and terror drove them to betray him. The only true friends he made were the exceptional prodigies who survived to the very end.
"Was it all meaningless?"
Truthfully, Myo Cheon-u had always been sociable, easily mingling with others and forming connections.
But none of that mattered. To truly gain good friends, he had to become someone outstanding—someone worthy.
"Useless sentimentality."
Stepping out of the cave, Myo Cheon-u gazed at the distant sky.
Until now, he had moved beyond the Annihilation Palm's confines and independently created and learned a new palm technique.
Because of this, he had broken free from the stable boundaries of the Transcendence Realm and was sprinting toward its limits—yet he still couldn't shatter that final wall.
"The problem was me all along."
If he—the one reporting Bu Eun-seol's movements—disappeared?
No further issues would arise.
Now that the Death Soul Squad was perfectly obscuring and protecting his tracks, even the Three Realms wouldn't be able to trace Bu Eun-seol.
And if they couldn't track him, they couldn't manipulate him at will.
"Bu Eun-seol wouldn't have to clash with that Killing Ghost, either."
The Killing Ghost's stated goal wasn't Bu Eun-seol's annihilation—it was progress.
He simply refused to hesitate in his methods, carrying within him the ever-present threat of betrayal.
"Besides, now isn't the time to face them."
To think they dared to nurture Bu Eun-seol—a once-in-an-era prodigy, the future successor of the Demon Hall—right under their noses?
Meaning the Killing Ghost—or whoever stood behind him—possessed power enough to scoff at Bu Eun-seol's martial prowess and influence.
Even if the time for confrontation would come someday, it was certainly not now.
"So... this is the best way."
Taking a deep breath, he began his training.
From the fundamentals of Internal Energy to his self-created palm techniques—even his trump cards. He polished each meticulously, again and again.
Before he knew it, over twenty days had passed.
With his scraggly beard, Myo Cheon-u now resembled a mountain hunter.
"This should be enough."
Truthfully, this training wasn't about gaining something new.
Long ago, while training in the South Sea with his fellow Unit Members, he had stumbled upon the martial legacy of a once-renowned Master.
One of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars—the Fist Emperor.
He had discovered the secret manual of the Fist Emperor's Killing Aura.
—To think the Fist Emperor's martial arts were hidden here!
Myo Cheon-u couldn't hide his elation.
According to Bu Eun-seol, the martial arts of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars operated on an entirely different level from modern techniques.
They possessed a mysterious might that transcended the usual restrictions and stages of martial realms.
And now, one of those arts had fallen into his hands!
—With this, I can defeat any enemy!
Overjoyed, Myo Cheon-u secretly preserved the Fist Emperor's legacy.
Whenever he had time, he quietly studied the techniques, mastering them bit by bit.
And this training session?
He intended to properly refine what he had never once used in actual combat—
The Fist Emperor's martial arts.
To ensure this trump card could be unleashed flawlessly at the decisive moment.
"Sigh."
Having finished everything, Myo Cheon-u looked up at the distant sky.
"You all must've thought of me as nothing but an amusing doll—"
"Hah."
The Killing Ghost who had saved him.
He must be a figure from the Three Realms, affiliated with some formidable sect.
And he must have been absolutely certain his identity would never be exposed—after all, he had never once revealed even the slightest hint or vulnerability.
But the Killing Ghost had made one mistake.
—"The Fire Rain Sword Sect's successor, Wi Ji-hye-sang, the one who would have been his greatest rival, will withdraw from the Demon Hall's succession candidacy."
No matter how powerful the Three Realms were, no matter how vast their influence and strength—
They could never force the Fire Rain Sword Sect, the foremost sect of the Demonic Path, to make its successor withdraw from the Demon Hall's selection.
In other words, the Killing Ghost had to be someone from the Fire Rain Sword Sect.
"Whatever the case, you picked the wrong people to mess with."
Life and death had long ceased to be a concern for him.
All he had ever wanted was to live peacefully alongside Bu Eun-seol, Yu Un-ryong, and the commanders of the Death Shadow War Unit—those whose hearts aligned with his.
And above all, he had wanted to stand by Bu Eun-seol, who had shouldered everything alone, to lend him strength where he could.
But now, he could no longer do that. Nor did he have the right to.
In that case, what he had to do now was undo what he had tied. Since his life had been spared, it was only right to return it.
And if possible, he didn't want to walk this path alone.
Whoosh—
In an instant, Myo Cheon-u unleashed his movement technique and departed from the Deep Mountain Secluded Valley.
He traveled endlessly eastward.
When he finally arrived at the Stone Gate, where the Qinling Mountains came into view, he halted his lightness skill and slowly stepped forward.
After walking for a while, a massive fortress-like structure appeared in the distance.
That place was none other than the Fire Rain Sword Sect.
"State your business."
A guard of the Fire Rain Sword Sect eyed Myo Cheon-u—his wild, unkempt beard giving him the appearance of a mountain savage—with suspicion.
"Deliver this letter to your Sect Leader."
The guard frowned at Myo Cheon-u's arrogant demeanor.
What kind of beggar-like fool would dare to demand a letter be delivered to the revered Sect Leader of the Fire Rain Sword Sect—the foremost sect of the Demonic Path—without even stating his name?
"Identify yourself and your affiliation."
"Tell him I'm a spy sent under the Fire Rain Sword Sect's orders to monitor the Martial Soul Lord. He'll understand."
"W-What did you just say?"
As the guard's eyes widened, Myo Cheon-u scoffed.
"A mere guard has no business questioning me. Just deliver the damn letter. Unless you want rumors spreading that the Fire Rain Sword Sect is tarnishing its own honor."
Even to the guard, Myo Cheon-u didn't seem like an ordinary man—his aura and bearing were far from that of a madman or a liar.
"Wait here."
Realizing something serious was afoot, the guard adopted a grave expression and hurried inside.
He immediately reported to his superior.
The Second-grade Commander of the guard unit, upon opening the envelope and examining its contents, stiffened.
Inside, alongside the letter, was a command plaque—proof of a Second-grade Commander's authority within the Demon Hall.
"This is a matter that must be reported."
"Shall we head to the Sword Demon Pavilion?"
"No, I'll handle this myself."
The Commander turned and immediately made his way to the Secluded Demon Pavilion, where Wi Ji-hye-sang resided.
A martial artist guarding the pavilion stopped him.
"What's the matter?"
"There's a man claiming to be a spy tasked with monitoring the Demon Hall's successor. He demands this letter be delivered."
"What?"
The guard took the letter, skimmed it, then shook his head.
"Is he insane? Just chase him off."
"But this was inside."
When the Commander showed the Demon Hall's command plaque, the martial artist's brow twitched.
"He's one of the Demon Hall's men?"
"Yes. According to my subordinate, his qi is extraordinary. He doesn't seem like a madman."
Creak—
At that moment, the pavilion's door slid open, and a slender figure emerged—Wi Ji-hye-sang, the Fire Rain Sword Sect's next Sect Leader.
"Let me see."
As if he had heard everything from inside, he calmly approached and extended his hand.
"Ah."
After reading the letter, Wi Ji-hye-sang smiled faintly and nodded.
"Tell him to wait at the pavilion near Cloud Dream Lake, in front of our main gate."
Cloud Dream Lake was a small body of water about twenty li from the Fire Rain Sword Sect.
"Politely. And make sure you don't act rudely."
"Y-Yes, understood."
A pleasant breeze blew across Cloud Dream Lake, the small lake a short distance from the Fire Rain Sword Sect.
By its shore stood a modest pavilion where visitors could rest and enjoy the scenery.
After receiving the message from the guard, Myo Cheon-u turned and made his way toward the lakeside.
When he finally arrived, he found a slender, beautiful youth—looking almost like a woman—standing tall before the pavilion, facing the wind.
It was Wi Ji-hye-sang.
Surprisingly, despite having just sent word to Myo Cheon-u from within the sect, he had already arrived here first.
"Oh my."
Wi Ji-hye-sang turned as Myo Cheon-u approached, his eyes widening in exaggerated surprise.
"What's with that look, Commander Myo? Like a wild beast descending from the mountains in search of prey."
He laughed, continuing his jest.
"Don't tell me you ran out of food and came looking for me?"
Myo Cheon-u stood in silence, unmoving.
Wi Ji-hye-sang sighed as he took in Myo Cheon-u's grave, solemn expression.
"What on earth are you thinking? You're not some three-year-old child—you're a seasoned commander of the Demon Hall. To pull such a reckless stunt..."
The letter Myo Cheon-u had delivered was none other than a challenge—to the Profound Demon himself, Wi Ji-mua.
