Chapter 451
Wi Ji-hye-sang spoke with an icy expression.
"In that case, Chief Myo won't escape punishment either, will he?"
"Do you really think he fears punishment?"
Bu Eun-seol let out a derisive snort.
"That bastard came here prepared to die."
For the first time, Wi Ji-hye-sang's crescent-shaped eyes straightened into slits.
Myo Cheon-u, whom he'd always considered a joke, had dealt an unexpected blow.
Had he not employed Myo Cheon-u as a spy, the secretly managed Seven Immortals Tea House would never have been exposed.
But because he'd recruited him as an informant...
The extremely covert financial pipeline and intelligence network that had remained hidden until now had been laid bare.
"Martial Soul Lord."
Wi Ji-hye-sang spoke with a face frosted over with cold fury.
"Until now, I've treated you with nothing but goodwill."
Pure white killing intent blossomed in his eyes.
"Yet you repay kindness with enmity."
"Kindness?"
Bu Eun-seol looked down at Wi Ji-hye-sang with eyes brimming with lethal intent.
"The moment the Fire Rain Sword Sect employed my close friend as their spy... you and I became enemies."
"Hahahaha."
Wi Ji-hye-sang laughed darkly.
"This 'close friend' you speak of—are you referring to the one who killed another of your dear friends?"
Instantly, Myo Cheon-u's face turned ashen.
If Bu Eun-seol learned that he was the one who exposed Yeong Mun-ho's movements to the Heavenly Sword...
There would be no forgiveness.
Tremble. Tremble.
Yet even as he hung his head and shook uncontrollably, Myo Cheon-u opened his mouth.
Because the truth had to be told.
Even if his sins couldn't be forgiven, Bu Eun-seol deserved to know the truth.
"It's true. I was the one who informed the Heavenly Sword about Yeong Mun-ho's—"
"Don't say another word."
In truth, Bu Eun-seol had heard nothing from the Killing Ghost.
The moment they'd faced each other, the ghost had immediately committed suicide.
But upon hearing that Myo Cheon-u had visited the Fire Rain Sword Sect, he'd pieced everything together.
That the Killing Ghost belonged to the Fire Rain Sword Sect.
That Myo Cheon-u hadn't become a spy for personal advancement.
That leaking information to the Heavenly Sword wasn't something he'd wanted, but a situation forced upon him.
And that he'd been willing to sacrifice his life to sever those chains.
Had Bu Eun-seol not believed this, he wouldn't have gone out of his way to rescue Myo Cheon-u from the Fire Rain Sword Sect.
"Bu Eun-seol."
"We were both just being used, weren't we?"
Bu Eun-seol gazed at the distant sky and exhaled a long, deep sigh.
"You. And me."
Wi Ji-hye-sang had deliberately orchestrated events to manipulate him as well.
Whether it had helped or not was unclear. But to some extent, he'd lived like Wi Ji-hye-sang's puppet.
"Let's end this here."
As Bu Eun-seol supported Myo Cheon-u and turned to leave, Wi Ji-hye-sang shouted after them.
"Interfering in another's vegetable garden means you've made your resolution, doesn't it?"
His pupils had darkened so completely with malice that no whites remained visible.
No matter how formidable his faction and power might be, losing his secret foundation was a devastating blow.
"Resolution? Don't make me laugh."
Bu Eun-seol smiled coldly.
"If you feel wronged, convene the Demon Governance Council. Announce that a teahouse engaged in treason by leaking information to the Martial Alliance has been annihilated."
"Persuade the Chief Doctrine Commander if you must, or even the Demonic Heavenly Emperor. Seeking Sect Leader Wi's solution would be a fine method too."
These words mocked Wi Ji-hye-sang's earlier provocation—his challenge to fight by any means necessary.
Step. Step.
As Bu Eun-seol began walking away with Myo Cheon-u,
"Planning to run away?"
Shiiing.
Wi Ji-hye-sang drew his sword.
"Since we're here, why not show me what you've got?"
Bu Eun-seol was not someone who would ever avoid a fight.
And Wi Ji-hye-sang was absolutely confident that once the duel began, he would send Bu Eun-seol straight to hell.
"Oh? You want justification? Let me give you one."
Wi Ji-hye-sang spoke with a laugh.
"Martial Soul Lord. I challenge you."
Thud.
Bu Eun-seol stopped in his tracks.
Myo Cheon-u looked at him with anxious eyes.
But he couldn't intervene any further. He no longer had the right.
"I refuse."
An unexpected answer returned.
Bu Eun-seol—this was a man who would wake from sleep for a fight.
Yet now he was avoiding combat?
"Are you afraid?"
"Far from it."
Bu Eun-seol replied with disinterested calm.
"There's no joy in winning right now."
"What do you mean, you wouldn't be happy even if you won now?"
"You must be so consumed with thoughts of restoring your ruined teahouse..."
Bu Eun-seol smiled uncharacteristically gently.
"That bitterness in your gut must be making it hard to even wield your sword properly. Master of the Seven Immortals Tea House."
Wi Ji-hye-sang.
He was the disciple of the Profound Demon, Wi Ji-mua, and as the successor of the Fire Rain Sword Sect, he stood above all others.
And yet, Bu Eun-seol had just addressed him as if he were some mere teahouse proprietor? When had he ever suffered such humiliation?
Myo Cheon-u, standing nearby, flinched involuntarily and stole a furtive glance at Wi Ji-hye-sang.
And in that moment, Myo Cheon-u had to clench his stomach and puff out his cheeks—otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to suppress the laughter threatening to burst out.
Wi Ji-hye-sang.
The man who had always carried himself with lofty detachment—his face now twisted as if melting like taffy at Bu Eun-seol's single remark.
"Well then."
Bu Eun-seol turned away without another glance, leading Myo Cheon-u off.
"Grrr..."
Crackle.
A white glow flickered over Wi Ji-hye-sang's body, veins bulging crimson across his skin.
The energy radiating from him surged skyward, and a storm howled in from all directions.
"Honestly, you two are such troublesome pests."
Swish!
He flicked his sword lightly.
And in that instant, Myo Cheon-u—who had been limping away with support—collapsed with a pained scream.
An invisible blade of Sword Qi had shot forth, piercing straight through his shoulder.
"Ugh—!"
Myo Cheon-u gritted his teeth, biting back the agony.
The wound itself was nothing. But the intangible Sword Qi tore through his meridians, tangling his Qi Vessels into knots.
"Stop them. Don't let them escape."
At Wi Ji-hye-sang's icy command—
Whoosh.
Five black-clad swordsmen materialized before Bu Eun-seol and Myo Cheon-u as if rising from the earth itself.
The Five Guests of the Fire Rain Sword Sect—elite guards who orbited Wi Ji-hye-sang, shielding him at all times.
"This is what happens when you turn your back so carelessly—"
BANG!
A sudden explosion sent the Five Guests' heads soaring into the sky.
Splaaash—
Crimson blood sprayed like a fountain from the severed neck.
Thud. Thud.
Through the falling rain of blood, a shadow with blazing red eyes emerged.
A figure clad in darkness, gripping a pitch-black iron sword, strode toward Wi Ji-hye-sang.
It was Bu Eun-seol.
Wi Ji-hye-sang had made a mistake.
If he wanted a fight, he should have attacked Bu Eun-seol immediately.
He should never have struck the already wounded Myo Cheon-u.
"You dare kill a disciple of our main sect—!"
Wi Ji-hye-sang's furious shout died in his throat.
He had seen Bu Eun-seol walking slowly through the blood—
But in the blink of an eye, the man was now standing so close their noses nearly touched, gazing down at him.
"You wanted a fight."
Bu Eun-seol's voice was low, his eyes burning like embers as they bore into Wi Ji-hye-sang.
"Make the first move."
Wi Ji-hye-sang couldn't hide his shock.
For most martial artists, the defensive boundary was roughly one jang (about 3 meters).
Any closer, and it became impossible to react to sudden attacks—instinct would trigger a preemptive strike.
And Wi Ji-hye-sang's own boundary was two jang (6 meters).
Because he, too, had reached the Extreme Heaven Realm, he could slice time into fragments—
Allowing him to counter even ambushes at close range effortlessly, executing three martial forms in the span of a single breath.
And yet, in the blink of an eye, Bu Eun-seol had closed that distance—standing nose-to-nose, looking down at him.
This alone was proof of just how high Bu Eun-seol's martial arts had ascended.
"Martial Soul Lord, I'm well aware your skills have reached extraordinary heights."
Wi Ji-hye-sang grinned, staring straight into Bu Eun-seol's blazing eyes.
"The fact that you haven't struck first, even at this distance, means you're confident of victory, no?"
His eyes curved into crescents as he flashed a childlike, radiant smile.
"But since it seems difficult to achieve a flawless victory... I'll take the easier route."
In that instant, a dark energy surged from Wi Ji-hye-sang's eyes.
At the same time, the focus in Bu Eun-seol's pupils vanished—a murky force drilling into his mind.
And then... his body slowly began to bend.
Don't tell me—
Had Wi Ji-hye-sang reached the Martial Extreme Realm, granting him the power to strike directly at another's Spirit and Mind?
"Mind Seizing Secret Art."
The bloody light flowing from Bu Eun-seol's eyes deepened.
Wi Ji-hye-sang had not reached the Martial Extreme Realm... but rather, he had mastered the astonishing Mind Seizing Secret Art, capable of directly striking even the spirit and mind of a master who had attained the Extreme Heaven Realm.
Just like Hyeokryeon Eung.
'So you too are a figure of the Three Realms.'
Bu Eun-seol's expression darkened.
The Demonic Path's Greatest Sword Sect, the Fire Rain Sword Sect—even its successor was a member of the Three Realms?
Just how far had their influence spread?
'No... I expected this, didn't I?'
The Three Realms had extended their reach throughout the entire Murim, and its leaders were either aware of their existence or directly—or indirectly—connected to them.
That was why he had resolved to either forge the strength to shatter them in one blow or defeat them in detail, wasn't it?
"In battles between masters, victory is decided in the space of a single moment."
At that moment, Wi Ji-hye-sang slowly approached.
Thunk.
Without hesitation, he drove his treasured sword straight through Bu Eun-seol's heart in a single motion.
"I truly didn't want to kill you."
He wore an expression of genuine regret.
He looked like a child of six or seven, heartbroken after breaking his favorite toy.
"Huh?"
But then, something strange happened.
Despite having his heart pierced, Bu Eun-seol's eyes remained wide open, glaring at him.
Flash!
Wi Ji-hye-sang swung his sword like lightning once more, severing Bu Eun-seol's arms, legs, and even his neck in an instant.
But it was useless.
Bu Eun-seol stood tall, completely unfazed, as if nothing had happened.
"What is this? Have you become a Demon-Binding Jade Man or something?"
Flash!
With that short exclamation, a razor-sharp sword qi erupted from Wi Ji-hye-sang's treasured sword, soaring into the heavens.
Sshhhk—!
The colossal sword qi split Bu Eun-seol in two, cleaved the earth beneath them, and... even sliced the distant Cloud Dream Lake clean in half.
Whoosh!
The sword qi returned, carving Bu Eun-seol's already bisected body into even smaller pieces.
It was the exquisite technique of the Fire Rain Sword's Fifth Form—Heartlight Capturing Guard.
Huuuung...
But then, something bizarre occurred.
A faint breeze began to blow from the fragments of Bu Eun-seol's body... and before anyone realized, it had transformed into a gale fierce enough to sweep away the entire world.
Boom! CRACK!
At the same time, the sky darkened, and thick black clouds roiled upward.
Simultaneously, a ghostly wail, chilling enough to make one's hair stand on end, echoed from all directions.
"Hmph! So the Martial Soul Lord of the Demon Hall has even mastered sorcery!"
Wi Ji-hye-sang's voice was icy as he unleashed his sword techniques once more, slicing Bu Eun-seol's corpse into even smaller pieces.
Ooooom...
But the more he cut, the larger Bu Eun-seol's corpse grew... until finally, it became a colossal shadow towering high enough to touch the sky.
Groooan.
The massive shadow shifted form once again.
Now, hovering in the sky above was a pair of blazing crimson eyeballs.
They were nothing more than the shape of eyes—yet merely meeting their gaze unleashed an overwhelming pressure, as if one's entire body would be crushed under its weight.
"..."
For the first time in his life, Wi Ji-hye-sang let out a stifled groan.
He had been born invincible, believing no existence could surpass him.
The only ones he considered worthy opponents were the superhumans who overlooked the Murim.
Even then, he had never doubted that, given time, they too would bow beneath his feet.
But now, suddenly, an unknown existence had emerged from an unexpected place.
"Why won't you die?!"
Wi Ji-hye-sang summoned every ounce of his internal power with all his might.
Immediately, massive shockwaves of true qi began radiating outward.
He had long ago broken past the limits of internal energy that even a young grandmaster could achieve.
His sword techniques had also transcended the boundaries of the Fire Rain Sword, allowing him to freely alter his moves at will, having reached that realm.
But now, his position was nothing more than a tiny candlelight before a typhoon.
KRRRUMBLE.
Then, a thunderous roar shook heaven and earth.
Tilting his head back, he saw a black storm surging forth from the crimson eyeballs in the sky.
It swallowed Wi Ji-hye-sang's body in an instant, then began swirling violently.
At the same time, his mind was flooded with unfamiliar, inexplicable questions, relentlessly burrowing into his thoughts.
—Why? What do you know? How far does your knowledge extend? How are you peering into my mind? Could it be... that all of this was planned from the start?
His head spun with nausea.
He wanted to vomit, but nothing came up.
No matter how violently he shook his head, that black storm relentlessly burrowed into his mind, sowing chaos.
Kurung.
Then, thunder roared once more.
At the same time, instead of the black storm, a shadow dyed in darkness approached Wi Ji-hye-sang.
"Ugh—"
The moment he saw the black shadow, Wi Ji-hye-sang began to retch.
It was an unbearable despair—an overwhelming overbearing force that defied resistance.
Merely looking at it felt like his Spirit and Mind were being torn apart. He couldn't even stand on his own two feet.
"Ugh..."
In the end, Wi Ji-hye-sang dropped to one knee.
If he didn't, he felt as though his body and soul would be devoured in an instant by that shadow, a fusion of despair and overwhelming force.
Kneeling, averting his gaze, submitting to that power...
The suffocating chaos and frustration gradually began to fade.
'Phantom Restoration?'
Only then did Wi Ji-hye-sang realize the truth.
It wasn't Bu Eun-seol who had fallen victim to the Mind-Seizing Secret Art—it was him.
And that Bu Eun-seol had used a power akin to Ak Mu-ryeong's Phantom Restoration to tear through his mind.
The moment he recognized that everything had been an illusion, his vision brightened... and his surroundings came into sharp focus.
At the same time, his body stiffened like a statue.
Before he knew it, he was kneeling before Bu Eun-seol, head bowed.
"How...?"
Wi Ji-hye-sang lowered his head, his gaze unfocused.
How had this happened?
The Mind-Seizing Secret Art he had unleashed could subdue even a Extreme Heaven Realm Master in an instant.
Could it be that Bu Eun-seol had reached the Martial Extreme Realm, defended against it, and even retaliated with the power of Phantom Restoration?
"I did nothing."
Bu Eun-seol, who had seen right through him, spoke impassively.
"I merely showed you what I had endured."
Because Bu Eun-seol had achieved the Spiritual Aperture Breakthrough, no attack could shake his Spirit and Mind.
But when Wi Ji-hye-sang suddenly used the Mind-Seizing Secret Art...
He abruptly recalled Ak Mu-ryeong's technique—the one that had forced him to witness his own Mental Imagery.
Though he had never trained in the Mind-Seizing Art, the Spiritual Aperture Breakthrough rendered the Mind-Seizing Secret Art ineffective, reversing the roles of caster and victim.
Moreover, Bu Eun-seol had mastered the Heavenly Robe Mind Art, the foundation of Ak Mu-ryeong's secret technique.
And so, in that instant, he mimicked Ak Mu-ryeong—projecting his own Mental Imagery onto Wi Ji-hye-sang.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
The first time he had encountered Ak Mu-ryeong, lord of Langya Pavilion... the agony and devastation that had struck his Spirit and Mind.
"You couldn't endure it."
Bu Eun-seol's voice was cold.
"The chaos and despair I suffered."
Looking down at the kneeling Wi Ji-hye-sang, he spoke with icy detachment.
"Since you've already knelt... I'll let you off this once."
With a gaze full of disdain, Bu Eun-seol turned away, supporting Myo Cheon-u as they slowly vanished into the fog.
Wi Ji-hye-sang remained motionless, staring blankly at the ground.
Bu Eun-seol had defeated him—without displaying a single martial technique or ounce of inner energy.
He had merely shared the suffering of his past.
"Heh... heh heh..."
Wi Ji-hye-sang, frozen like a statue, suddenly looked up at the sky and laughed.
"Heh heh... HAHAHAHA!"
His laughter was so low and bleak—like the mad laughter of a Demon God descending upon the mortal world to bring ruin.
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
Laughing wildly at the heavens, he abruptly cut off.
Huuuk.
When he lowered his head again, his face had completely transformed.
His delicate, almost feminine features had twisted into something savage.
His eyes narrowed further, his brows thickened, and even his fair skin seemed to darken to a deep tan.
"Ghk... ghk ghk! HAHAHAHA!"
With a grotesque laugh, he suddenly stopped, shaking his head.
"That's why... I told you you couldn't."
His voice, once clear and bright, now rumbled low and rough.
"Well, since it's come to this... I'll let him climb higher, grow stronger..."
His tongue flicked out. A dark gleam radiated from his eyes.
"And when he's ripe... I'll devour him in one bite."
Wi Ji-hye-sang's once serene and limpid eyes now shone with a crystalline transparency, while an eerie and sinister energy surged from his entire body.
No longer a pure youth—
He had transformed into a Demon God, descended to cast nightmares upon the Murim.