Chapter 460
The identity of Seon-u Jin was by no means something crafted overnight.
It was a meticulously prepared persona, so flawless that even the Three Realms would find no loopholes.
What exactly had the Divine Calculator intended to do with this identity of Seon-u Jin?
Why had he abruptly bestowed it upon him?
Countless thoughts flashed through Bu Eun-seol's mind in an instant, but he soon shook his head.
Right now, the priority was Ak Gu-cheon.
If he didn't deal with him quickly, the Peak Squad members would be slaughtered.
'With this counterattack form, even as Seon-u Jin, I can rightfully kill Ak Gu-cheon.'
Having made up his mind, Bu Eun-seol raised his iron sword.
"Now, let's finish this."
As Bu Eun-seol lifted his iron sword toward the sky, Ak Gu-cheon sneered.
"That pathetic sword technique won't work."
Though altering the nature of the poison and reflecting it back was quite ingenious, it wasn't a sword technique formidable enough to deliver a fatal blow.
Ak Gu-cheon charged forward, his body tightly wrapped in the Poison Demon Body Art.
In response, Bu Eun-seol unleashed the fourth form of the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms—One Sword Against a Thousand.
Ak Gu-cheon crossed his arms and closed the distance between them.
Even if it meant having his body pierced by Bu Eun-seol's iron sword, he intended to kill him in a single strike.
"Die!"
Finally, having closed the distance to within his attack range, Ak Gu-cheon executed the opening stance of Ghost Flame Seizing the White, infused with the Poison Demon Body Art.
A sharp palm energy surged toward Bu Eun-seol's brow and lower abdomen.
Bzzzt!
But then, something astonishing happened.
The deflected opening stance of One Sword Against a Thousand drew a semicircle in the air—
—and suddenly, the palm energy unleashed by Ak Gu-cheon coiled around the tip of the sword.
Swish!
The palm energy wrapped around the sword's tip traced a large arc before surging back toward Ak Gu-cheon's body.
'This—!'
Ak Gu-cheon's eyes widened as he stared at the returning palm energy.
'Not just the poison—he can reflect even palm energy back?'
Though countless sword techniques existed in the world, none could be executed to reflect the force of palm energy like this.
'I can't dodge it!'
Ak Gu-cheon hastily crossed his arms again and countered with the opening stance of Ghost Flame Seizing the White.
Boom!
In that instant, with a deafening explosion, Ak Gu-cheon's body soared into the air like a severed kite before crashing to the ground.
The palm energy that had coiled around Bu Eun-seol's sword and returned was several times more powerful than what Ak Gu-cheon had unleashed.
Thud.
Ak Gu-cheon, who had landed unceremoniously on the ground, quickly forced himself back up.
"Guh—ack!"
But immediately, he vomited a mouthful of crimson blood.
The opening stance of Ghost Flame Seizing the White, now several times stronger, had inflicted critical internal injuries.
"Just what kind of sword technique is this...?"
Ak Gu-cheon muttered under his breath, his eyes bulging.
Before he knew it, Bu Eun-seol—who had been standing far away—had crouched low and closed the distance right before his nose.
Flash!
In that moment, a sharp dagger from Bu Eun-seol's left hand stabbed toward his chest.
Stab!
But the dagger failed to pierce through the Poison Demon Body Art, merely grazing the surface of his skin.
"A mere dagger—what do you think you can do with—?!"
But his words were cut short.
Before he could react, Bu Eun-seol's iron sword was already thrust deep into his mouth.
"You talk too much."
Ak Gu-cheon wanted to say something.
But the sharp iron sword blocked his mouth, allowing only a choked "Ghk—!" to escape.
Drip... Thud.
In the end, with his mouth pierced through, Ak Gu-cheon died instantly.
Slash!
Bu Eun-seol retrieved his sword from Ak Gu-cheon's body and wore a momentarily dazed expression.
The Iron Sword Thirteen Forms and Deflect Flowers and Receive Jade.
By blending the essence of this sword technique and martial arts, he could execute a unique sword technique capable of countering any opening stance.
And this technique possessed a power so overwhelming it could captivate even Bu Eun-seol's mind.
'An unparalleled mastery of Sword Studies.'
Bu Eun-seol gazed down at his sword, feeling a faint thrill.
The Iron Sword Thirteen Forms, combined with Deflect Flowers and Receive Jade, wielded a power akin to blending the flawless defensive sword form of Rhomboid Sword Control Form with the counterattack technique of Lament by the River—
—so much so that even an opponent a level above him could be faced head-on.
'With this sword technique, even as Seon-u Jin, I can handle countless formidable enemies.'
Which meant...
It should never be revealed except in the most dire, life-or-death moments.
This mastery of Sword Studies must become Seon-u Jin's ultimate trump card. Exposure must be avoided at all costs.
Clank.
Sheathing his iron sword, he turned his head to observe the battle between the Peak Squad members and the Ghost-Effigy Hall.
The Ghost-Effigy Hall had just cornered the Peak Squad members and was on the verge of slaughtering them.
But when Ak Gu-cheon died and Bu Eun-seol's piercing gaze fell upon them, their faces twisted in panic.
'Did you think I wouldn't kill the Hell Blood Citadel just because I'm a spy of the Demonic Path, Chief Gongson?'
A sharp light flared in Bu Eun-seol's eyes as he stared at the panicked Poison People.
'Far from it. I'm someone who wouldn't hesitate to tear down the Hell Blood Citadel with my own hands!'
Swish!
Bu Eun-seol immediately began hurling daggers toward the Poison People.
"Guh—!"
"Ghk!"
Even though they had mastered the Poison Demon Body Art and continuously unleashed their Poison Arts, it was futile.
Poison had no effect on Bu Eun-seol, and their Poison Demon Body Art wasn't strong enough to block his flying daggers.
Moreover, having just grasped a new Iron Sword Thirteen Forms fused with Deflect Flowers and Receive Jade,
he didn't even need to fully deploy his sword techniques—he could subtly redirect the torrent of external force back at them.
Thud. Thud-thud-thud.
The time it took Bu Eun-seol to kill half of the Poison People who had been overwhelming the Peak Squad members was a mere half-quarter.
"Support the Unit Leader!"
Witnessing this, the Peak Squad members, their courage surging tenfold, began attacking the Poison People.
Though none of them, save for Tae Mu-ryong and Jeong Jong-do, possessed particularly outstanding martial prowess,
the momentum had already shifted in their favor.
Eventually, the surviving Poison People attempted to retreat.
But each time they tried, Bu Eun-seol shot out flying daggers to cut off their escape routes,
while the Peak Squad members swarmed forward to finish off those trying to flee.
Kuh-woong.
Finally, as the last remaining Poison People collapsed—
"Hahh, hahh..."
The Peak Squad members, who had been swinging their swords like madmen, halted their movements.
At last, the long and grueling battle had ended.
And the Peak Squad... had seized victory against the Ghost-Effigy Hall, known as the most fearsome division of Hell Blood Citadel.
In truth, even Bu Eun-seol hadn't anticipated such an overwhelming triumph.
The unit members had far surpassed his expectations in skill, refusing to give up even in the face of desperate odds and fighting to the very end.
Once Bu Eun-seol dealt with Ak Gu-cheon, their courage surged a hundredfold—and with sheer willpower alone, they overwhelmed the Poison People of the Ghost-Effigy Hall.
The unit members were drenched in blood, with not a single part of their bodies unscathed.
Yet they felt no pain—instead, a strange exhilaration enveloped them.
It was an emotion only those who had pushed beyond the limits of body and mind, surviving a life-or-death struggle, could comprehend.
An emotion beyond words.
—Ooooooh!
—Aaaaah!
Without needing anyone to prompt them, they simultaneously let out beast-like roars.
For the first time in their lives, they had fought in a chaotic melee and survived the brink of death.
There would be many more battles ahead... but this first taste of victory was something they would never forget.
"Unit Leader."
Tae Mu-ryong, the first to regain his composure, approached with a stunned expression.
"Are you alright?"
"Of course."
Shhk.
Bu Eun-seol sheathed his sword and took a deep breath.
Then he began assessing the unit members' conditions.
Five showed signs of poisoning, and three were severely wounded.
But fortunately, none had lost their lives.
The grueling training they had endured until now had proven its worth.
'Good. As long as they survive like this, it's enough.'
From the start, Bu Eun-seol had never intended to teach them exceptional martial arts.
He had focused on drilling them in techniques that would let them stubbornly cling to life.
If they could endure crises and survive... they would inevitably grow stronger.
"There will be no further pursuit. Let's take a moment here to treat our wounds before moving on."
After letting the unit members rest, Bu Eun-seol administered another potent antidote.
For those with severe injuries, he infused them with Internal Energy to alleviate their symptoms.
An ordinary commander would have sought out nearby physicians, but Bu Eun-seol spared no expense in expending his True Qi to heal his subordinates.
His True Qi was inexhaustible, and treating wounds of this level wouldn't affect his Internal Power in the slightest.
But to the unit members, it seemed as though he was selflessly depleting his own energy to hasten their recovery.
—If it's the Unit Leader's command, we'd march into hellfire itself.
Bu Eun-seol simply believed he was fulfilling his duty as a commander, but the unit members silently swore unwavering loyalty in their hearts.
* * *
Martial Alliance, Hidden Moon Hall.
There, a beautiful woman clad in a palace dress as white as snow sat, while a black shadow knelt before her.
They were none other than the Chief Strategist, Gongson Dan-gyeong, and her trusted subordinate, Chwi-myeong.
Her posture straight, she had been reading a report placed on the table when her eyes suddenly gleamed.
"It seems I was mistaken."
The report contained a detailed account of Peak Squad Leader Seon-u Jin's activities upon returning from the Yeogyeong region.
"He persistently tried to report the Coiling Dragon Hall Master's wrongdoing, and when his words went unheeded, he sent a letter to the Hall of Ascending Martial... On his way back, he was ambushed by the Ghost-Effigy Hall... yet displayed outstanding martial prowess and eliminated them."
As she closed the report, a peculiar light flickered in Gongson Dan-gyeong's eyes.
Until now, she had prided herself on never once being wrong in her intuition.
But this time, she had been completely off the mark.
The contents of this report had been compiled by the Wise General—the leader of the Martial Alliance's investigation unit and her most trusted aide.
Chwi-myeong himself had written it.
"So he wasn't a spy of the Demonic Path, but a dragon hidden within the Upper Realm?"
"Indeed."
Chwi-myeong, still kneeling, replied calmly.
"He has flawlessly mastered the martial refinement of Master Unhindered, placing him beyond any rival among the Rising Talents of the Younger Generation. In fact, he stands shoulder-to-shoulder with those regarded as the next generation's Grandmasters."
"Moreover, we've uncovered that the Ghost-Effigy Hall was responsible for the death of the Iron Shield Squad Leader. Though the negotiations failed because of this, we can now demand proper reparations from the Hell Blood Citadel."
She had merely sent them to accompany the Coiling Dragon Hall, following the Hall of Ascending Martial's advice.
Yet, the Peak Squad and Seon-u Jin had returned with achievements far beyond expectations.
Gongson Dan-gyeong, who had been lost in deep thought, narrowed her long eyes slightly.
"Have you met the Seonhwa Merchant House Leader?"
"Yes. I've been receiving reports about him through our informants. He said he would visit anytime if formally invited by the Alliance."
Her subordinate, still prostrated, replied in a low voice.
"Not only that, he personally gave me three thousand taels in banknotes for travel expenses. And for the Alliance, he sent five Seven-Gold Insight Stones and ten Vajra Diamond Jade Beads—requesting that we take good care of Commander Seon-u."
"I see."
Gongson Dan-gyeong shook her head, her eyes still narrowed.
From start to finish, there wasn't a single aspect of this man that raised suspicion.
Even after conducting a thorough investigation into the Seonhwa Merchant House, not a single trace of deceit could be found.
'Could my intuition be wrong?'
Her Profound Heart's Eye had the power to instinctively discern truth from falsehood without conscious thought or analysis.
Yet, when she looked at Seon-u Jin, she saw nothing.
The only ones her Profound Heart's Eye failed to penetrate were grandmasters who had reached the Martial Extreme Realm, enlightened monks who had undergone rigorous training, or wandering Taoists and beggars who had emptied their minds in Natural Action.
Could it be that he was truly a man of pure heart—free from desire and thought, like a monk or a Taoist?
"You've done well."
Having finished her contemplation, Gongson Dan-gyeong nodded.
"You may leave."
"Chief Strategist."
Chwi-myeong bowed deeply and spoke cautiously.
"And... he has reappeared in the Murim."
"Not only is his appearance extraordinary, but his qualifications are flawless—beyond reproach. Chief Strategist, you—"
"Enough."
Gongson Dan-gyeong cut him off coldly.
"I will handle that matter myself."
"...Understood. My apologies."
Chwi-myeong bowed deeply once more before turning to leave.
"Very well."
As Chwi-myeong exited, Gongson Dan-gyeong let out a deep sigh.
"Seon-u Jin. You truly are a man who surpasses all expectations. In that case, I have no choice but to reconsider my approach."
Her gaze sharpened as she looked down at the report in her hands.
If Seon-u Jin is truly a man without flaws—one who has concealed his abilities until now—then he is someone I must keep close.
Martial Alliance, Hall of Ascending Martial - Yuk Jang-cheon's Office
"You've worked hard."
Yuk Jang-cheon had summoned Bu Eun-seol for a private meeting upon his return to the Martial Alliance.
He then lavished praise upon Bu Eun-seol and the Peak Squad for their achievements.
From the Alliance's perspective, the negotiations in Yeogyeong had been nothing short of humiliating.
Especially since it was the Coiling Dragon Hall's Commander Yeon Ja-gang whose arrogance had ruined everything—making it impossible for Yuk Jang-cheon to evade responsibility.
But thanks to Bu Eun-seol uncovering the truth behind the Iron Shield Squad Leader No Dok-cheong's murder, they had managed to extract substantial reparations from the Hell Blood Citadel.
Had Bu Eun-seol not been sent to the negotiations, Yuk Jang-cheon himself would have suffered a crushing defeat.
"Trying to work alongside Chief Strategist Gongson only ended in disgrace."
Yuk Jang-cheon took a sip of tea, the deep furrows between his brows tightening.
"Of course, the Chief Strategist told me not to worry since it was her own mistake—but how could I, as the Hall Master, simply ignore it?"
He was a man eyeing the vacant position of the Heavenly Martial Brigade's Leader.
Even with consistent achievements, his path had been difficult—and now, with this blunder, his peace of mind was shattered.
"Had you not accomplished such a great feat, this would have been a disastrous loss."
If Bu Eun-seol had failed to uncover the true culprit behind No Dok-cheong's death—
If they hadn't forced the Hell Blood Citadel to pay massive reparations and issue an apology—
Yuk Jang-cheon might not only have lost his chance at becoming the Heavenly Martial Brigade's Leader but could have even been demoted.
"How are the unit members?"
"Thanks to the spirit medicine you bestowed, they are recovering well. My gratitude."
Yuk Jang-cheon had strongly emphasized Bu Eun-seol's contribution in exposing the true murderer during the General Assembly, demanding appropriate rewards.
Because of this, Bu Eun-seol and the injured unit members had received spirit medicine.
Of course, it was also Yuk Jang-cheon's way of covering up his own failure.
"Good. Well, this matter didn't require much intelligence—just you staying in one piece was enough."
"What do you mean?"
"There's something you must do alongside the Yeonseong Hall Leader."
Yuk Jang-cheon took a deep breath before speaking frankly.
"Thanks to your achievements, I avoided severe criticism—but the Coiling Dragon Hall Commander's failure was far too great."
Most people remember failures more vividly than successes.
Knowing this well, Yuk Jang-cheon intended to secure another major accomplishment—one that would completely erase the Coiling Dragon Hall's blunder from the High Command's minds.
"That just shows how desperate he is."
As Bu Eun-seol sank into thought, Yuk Jang-cheon spoke again.
"This matter is, in truth, an impossible one. Every high-ranking member of the Martial Alliance has already failed."
He shook his head and continued.
"But you—you've always managed to achieve the unexpected. So I'm sending you in the faint hope that, just maybe, you'll succeed."
By now, Bu Eun-seol was genuinely curious.
Just what kind of task was this, where even the Alliance's leadership had failed, and now they were sending him while merely praying for luck?
"What exactly is the mission?"
"The Bullet King, Bukgung Ryeong. We wish to invite him back as an elder of the Alliance."
Bu Eun-seol couldn't hide his surprise.
The Bullet King, Bukgung Ryeong.
In the past, he had been framed by the Three Realms for the brutal slaughter of righteous faction heroes, vanishing without a trace.
And now, the Martial Alliance wanted to invite him back as an elder?
"From what I've heard, the Bullet King mercilessly slaughtered righteous faction heroes on Ghost Island before leaving the martial world."
Bu Eun-seol deliberately feigned shock as he asked, prompting Yuk Jang-cheon to shake his head again.
"The truth is entirely different from what's known. At the time, fragments of the Ten Divine Weapons were hidden on Ghost Island, and the so-called righteous faction members turned on each other to claim them."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"The Bullet King deliberately left traces of his own presence to prevent the ugly truth of their infighting from being exposed."
"How the hell do they know that?"
That inside story was something only Bu Eun-seol and the Bullet King—who had been on that remote, uninhabited Ghost Island—should have known.
So how had the Martial Alliance uncovered it?
"That's astonishing. I can't imagine how such a thing could happen."
At Bu Eun-seol's subtly probing tone, Yuk Jang-cheon stroked his chin.
"Apparently, there was a survivor from Ghost Island. That's how we learned the truth."
"A survivor?"
"The righteous faction members who arrived on Ghost Island had already lost their senses to the Ten Divine Weapons, slaughtering each other early on. But the Bullet King arrived late, witnessed it, and left traces of his martial arts behind."
"I see."
Bu Eun-seol nodded, and Yuk Jang-cheon continued.
"The Bullet King has long stood unrivaled in the martial world, doing much good. And now, thanks to this incident, we've come to understand his true heart and righteousness."
He sighed briefly, gazing out the window before speaking again.
"Fortunately, we managed to track his whereabouts, and several of our high-ranking members went to persuade him. It would be a great loss to the martial world if a man like him were to remain in seclusion."
"Hmm."
"The Alliance wished to restore his honor and formally invite him as an honored elder—but he flatly refused."
"So now Hall Leader Yuk is going instead?"
"Indeed. Cheong-a is not only highly intelligent but also had some past acquaintance with the Bullet King. So as a last attempt, she'll be going to persuade him."
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
If Hall Leader Yuk succeeded where all the Alliance's leadership had failed, it would be a tremendous achievement.
"Though I don't hold out much hope, mind you."
Even those high-ranking members who shared deep ties with the Bullet King had been coldly rejected.
So the idea that Hall Leader Yuk or even a Peak Leader could accomplish this was unthinkable.
—Knock, knock.
Just then, a low voice sounded from behind the door, accompanied by knocking.
"Hall Leader Yuk of Yeonseong Hall requests an audience with the Hall Master."
"Let her in."
With soft footsteps, Yuk Cheong-a, clad in blue robes, entered the room.
"Hall Master."
As she bowed, Yuk Jang-cheon nodded.
"Good timing. I was just explaining the matter to Commander Seon-u."
"Is that so?"
Yuk Cheong-a offered a somewhat weary smile before turning to Bu Eun-seol.
"What are your thoughts, Commander Seon-u? Do you feel confident?"
"To be honest, it seems completely impossible."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
If he were to go under his true identity, perhaps—but as Seon-u Jin? There was no way he could persuade him.
"I thought as much."
Yuk Cheong-a nodded in agreement.
"I'm not holding out much hope either. Even those elders who were close to the Bullet King failed to sway him."
"Is that so?"
"Still, from the Alliance's standpoint, we have no choice. The Coiling Dragon Hall's blunder was too severe—we need something to divert attention."
In the end, it seemed Yuk Cheong-a, too, was setting out not with high expectations but simply to shift the focus away from the Coiling Dragon Hall.
"Still, the reason I'm taking you along, Commander Seon-u... is because you've always managed to achieve the unexpected."
Her expression was frank as she spoke.
"Whether it's luck or skill—I'd like to borrow some of yours."
Bu Eun-seol gave a bitter smile.
If he could refuse, he would turn his back on this mission without hesitation.
He knew all too well just how stubborn Bukgung Ryeong could be.
"Then let's depart now."
At Yuk Jang-cheon's words, Yuk Cheong-a took a deep breath and looked at Bu Eun-seol.
"Shall we go, then?"
"Where exactly is the Bullet King staying?"
At Bu Eun-seol's question, Yuk Cheong-a's lips curled into a faint smile.
"The Jongri Estate."
"The Jongri Estate...?"
"That's where the Needle King resides."
At her answer, Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
Of all places, the Bullet King was staying at the manor of the Needle King, Jongri Sa-hyeon—where Bu Eun-seol had once infiltrated under a false identity.