Chapter 484
'That can't be.'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
The Absolute Demon Saber Project didn't align with the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's age or generation.
Because even before the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade appeared, he had already risen to the position of right-hand man to the Number One of the Demonic Path.
So why was a book like this sitting on the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's shelf?
Bu Eun-seol hastily pulled out the book.
'This—'
It was written in Tibetan, the language used by Lama monks.
Though he couldn't understand the meaning, Bu Eun-seol immediately recognized it as a Buddhist scripture.
'The Demonic Heavenly Emperor, who rules over the Demonic Path, reads Buddhist scriptures?'
Grandmasters of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's caliber had long transcended the Orthodox and Unorthodox Paths, entering the Heavenly Human Domain.
For such beings, delving into profound Buddhist scriptures to cultivate their Spirit and Mind wouldn't be unusual.
'Blood.'
The corner of the book's final pages had turned a dark crimson. It was unmistakably old bloodstains.
Why? How?
Why would the Demonic Heavenly Emperor read a scripture used by Lama monks?
Why were there deep bloodstains soaked into a Buddhist scripture?
Could this actually be a martial arts manual rather than a scripture?
Bu Eun-seol's Spirit and Mind grew turbid, his thoughts in disarray.
If he stayed here any longer, he felt he might vomit.
Click.
Hurriedly stepping out of the office, Bu Eun-seol gasped for breath.
'Demonic Heavenly Emperor...'
Just by showing him the office.
He had plunged Bu Eun-seol's Spirit and Mind—which had achieved the Spiritual Aperture Breakthrough—back into chaos...
The extent of his martial prowess and cunning was beyond comprehension.
"Are you alright?"
When he raised his head, a pair of beautiful eyes were fixed intently on him.
It was Jin Seol.
"I'm fine."
Bu Eun-seol steadied his ragged breathing and composed his expression.
But the lingering turbulence still shook his mind.
"Here, drink this. It's cool Cold Fragrant Tea."
"Thank you."
Without refusing, Bu Eun-seol gulped down the tea.
As the cool liquid flowed down his throat, his mind seemed to clear again.
'I was so sure I'd never suffer another blow to my Spirit and Mind...'
A shiver ran down his spine.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor had brought chaos to his Spirit and Mind in a new way.
And that chaos...
Undoubtedly stemmed from some truth the Demonic Heavenly Emperor knew—one Bu Eun-seol did not.
'Demonic Heavenly Emperor. So you, too, are a mountain I must overcome.'
Flicker.
A bloody light rose in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
'No one will ever hang strings on this body to manipulate me.'
"Lord."
Just then, Jin Seol's soft voice reached him.
"The Demonic Heavenly Emperor holds you in high regard."
The remark came out of nowhere.
Suppressing his rage, Bu Eun-seol asked calmly,
"The Demonic Heavenly Emperor said that?"
"Yes. He often spoke of you to me."
An ordinary person might have asked what exactly had been said.
But Bu Eun-seol didn't want to hear it.
Because even words spoken through Jin Seol's lips...
Would undoubtedly be part of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's design.
"Then I'll take my leave."
As Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands together, Jin Seol called out lightly.
"Wait."
When he turned his head, she lowered hers and spoke.
"By any chance... are you blaming me for my narrow-minded actions?"
"I don't follow."
"You trusted my judgment and gave me a chance. But I was stubborn, and in the end, innocent people suffered greatly."
She was referring to the incident involving Sim Wol.
"Likewise."
Bu Eun-seol replied in a composed tone.
"Had I been wiser, I would have understood your feelings better and never made such a proposal."
It was an honest admission.
Bu Eun-seol could discern many things, but the hearts of women remained elusive to him.
He had only remembered Jin Seol's kindness and wanted to repay it.
So he had orchestrated a natural annulment with the demonic Sim Wol to preserve her dignity.
Yet that very act had wounded her pride, leading to the worst possible outcome.
"I worried you might blame yourself—that you'd think everything was your fault, just as you are now."
Jin Seol spoke calmly.
"But that's wrong. All of it was my mistake."
Then she apologized with complete sincerity.
"It's far too late, but I'm truly sorry."
Her eyes and voice carried the deep scars of the hardships she'd endured.
She had been arrogant, overconfident in her own judgment.
In truth, such traits were common among talented youths.
Only... the price of her misjudgment had been far too steep.
"There's no need to apologize to me."
Bu Eun-seol could only offer a dry smile.
This was the only comfort he could give her now.
"Then I'll take my leave."
As Bu Eun-seol turned to go, Jin Seol bowed her head deeply.
It felt as though she were seeing off someone who was departing far away—someone she might never see again.
"My Lord."
Then, abruptly, Jin Seol spoke of something unexpected.
"Do you know the original name of this Holy Demon Pavilion?"
A somewhat peculiar question.
"No."
"It was called the Venerated Deity Pavilion. This was the dwelling of a ruler who governed the Demonic Path—a sovereign revered like a divine being."
"..."
"But when the Demonic Heavenly Emperor took residence here, he renamed it the Holy Demon Pavilion."
Jin Seol met Bu Eun-seol's gaze and spoke plainly.
"The character 'Sacred' can refer to a sage with transcendent abilities, but it can also mean a wise person who listens well and judges wisely."
Her eyes bore into his.
"They say the Demonic Path is a place teeming with schemes and deceit, where force suppresses and power moves everything. But the Demonic Heavenly Emperor once said... the force that drives this vast Demon Hall is nothing more than rotten desires."
Then, in a whisper-soft voice, she added:
"Perhaps... the Demonic Heavenly Emperor wished to change that."
A twitch.
Bu Eun-seol felt a strong surge of resistance at her words.
"Even the Demonic Heavenly Emperor," he said coldly, a bitter smile playing on his lips, "seems unable to escape that principle."
"Isn't that why he believes in you?"
Jin Seol stared at him with eyes clear and unclouded.
"My Lord... I think you will be different."
In the end, she had indirectly conveyed to Bu Eun-seol the conversations she had shared with the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—things he had never asked to hear.
"I've spoken out of turn about many things."
"I'll be going."
As Bu Eun-seol turned away coldly, Jin Seol bowed respectfully.
Then she quietly closed the door.
Would she spend the rest of her life serving by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's side? Or was there another reason?
He couldn't know for certain, but Bu Eun-seol had a premonition.
It would be a long time before he saw Jin Seol again.
Returning to the Hidden Demon Pavilion, Bu Eun-seol held a meeting with the chiefs of the Death Shadow War Unit.
Then he attended to various duties.
While in the Demon Hall, he had to fulfill his role as the Martial Soul Lord faithfully.
So that no matter when he left, his absence would not be felt.
After two days of work, Bu Eun-seol departed the Demon Hall once more.
He immediately headed for the secret safe house in Xi'an Prefecture.
There, not only Seo Jin-ha but also Yu Un-ryong awaited him.
They were to discuss the matters concerning Shaolin in secret.
"Blood Shaolin is even more outrageous than the rumors suggested."
Yu Un-ryong and Seo Jin-ha gaped as they listened to Bu Eun-seol's account.
"What? They capture evildoers and turn them into Modified Monks, all in the name of protecting Shaolin? Is that something monks should be doing?"
Seo Jin-ha shook his head, and Yu Un-ryong let out a hollow laugh.
"Exactly. I'd heard Blood Shaolin didn't follow the precepts like the Bald Monks of Shaolin, but... I never imagined it was to this extent."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"From the start, they were an organization even Shaolin itself didn't acknowledge. They wouldn't have cared about the Buddhist Order's rules."
However, he did not speak to the two of them about the Absolute Demon Saber Project.
Not only had he sworn to Abbot Dam-jeung not to reveal it, but if these two were to learn of it...
They, too, might be assassinated by the Three Realms or the Shadow Force.
This was his revenge.
Having witnessed the Nameless Old Man's final moments, Bu Eun-seol had no desire for anyone else to be sacrificed for the sake of his vengeance.
Moreover, even Dam-jeung, who had pursued them for decades, had failed to uncover the true nature of that force.
Slowly.
Since he couldn't find them immediately anyway, he would travel the martial world, moving between the Demon Hall and the Martial Alliance... and seize them by the tail.
Bu Eun-seol turned to Yu Un-ryong.
"What of Tak Il-hon's condition?"
"The Medicine King Faction's master said it would take a long time for him to recover. His injuries are old, after all."
"Well, he did spend fifteen years in the Repentance Cave."
It seemed it would take considerable time before Tak Il-hon could be assigned as Seo Jin-ha's adjutant.
"Once he's fully recovered, assign him as Seo Jin-ha's adjutant."
"Understood."
Seo Jin-ha, who had been listening, grinned.
"Well, at least this journey yielded some gains. To think we'd recruit the infamous Flying Demon as a subordinate, of all people."
He chuckled brightly.
"And that old man—his Light Body Art is said to be formidable. Once he's fully recovered, Deputy Unit Leader So will have an easier time."
So-yo had been rushing back and forth between Bu Eun-seol and Seo Jin-ha, tirelessly carrying out his duties.
However, if Tak Il-hon were to become Seo Jin-ha's adjutant, it would significantly reduce the workload.
"But can he really be trusted? He was once known as the Great Thief and the Slaughtering Fiend—a public enemy of the murim."
Yu Un-ryong wore a worried expression, and Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"That prideful old man volunteered to serve as a subordinate. He hasn't completely turned over a new leaf, but he has a firm desire... It'll be fine."
Then, he proceeded to explain the Ten Demonic Heirs Plan he had discovered in the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's office.
Seo Jin-ha, who had been listening silently, let out a deep sigh.
"In the end, they're doing it again."
Yu Un-ryong responded,
"From the Demon Hall's perspective, it would be strange not to do it. It was a highly successful plan, after all."
The Ten Demonic Heirs Plan could assess the abilities of prodigies—traditionally judged by bone structure and aptitude—from multiple angles.
And because of it, they had produced an outstanding figure like Bu Eun-seol...
From the Demon Hall's standpoint, it would be more unusual not to repeat it.
"But it might be directly overseen by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor. And considering the Demon Hall's position, you can't outright oppose it."
Yu Un-ryong's opinion aligned with Bu Eun-seol's.
But Seo Jin-ha bristled and stepped forward.
"If we didn't know, fine—but are we supposed to just stand by knowing they're repeating something like this?"
"Our lord is the Heir of the Demon Hall, not an Apostle of Justice. If you keep obstructing the Demon Hall's affairs, you'll only weaken your standing."
"But—"
As the two continued arguing, Bu Eun-seol interjected.
"First, locate the whereabouts of Baek Jeon-cheon, the head of the Myriad Learning Society. We need to know where he is and what he's doing before we can oppose anything."
"Understood."
When Yu Un-ryong answered, Seo Jin-ha turned to Bu Eun-seol.
"Anyway, shouldn't we head to the Martial Alliance soon? The morale of their unit members is bound to drop before long."
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
The Peak Squad was a newly formed, multi-purpose combat force.
Unlike the battalion leaders and members of the Death Shadow War Unit, who had been with Bu Eun-seol for a long time, they still required considerable guidance and command.
"Understood. I'll go to the Martial Alliance."
"Make sure to ingratiate yourself with the master of the Hall of Ascending Martial. The Peak Squad members say he's constantly scheming how to earn merit."
"I will."
Bu Eun-seol looked at Yu Un-ryong and Seo Jin-ha.
"Then the two of you should return to the Death Shadow War Unit. I'll head to the Martial Alliance."
Just then, Yu Un-ryong spoke up.
"But are you really okay with this?"
"What do you mean?"
"The identity of Seon-u Jin. It was given by the Divine Calculator, wasn't it? I can't help but feel uneasy."
Bu Eun-seol replied calmly.
"He won't stab me in the back—not yet, at least. If that were his intention, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths to prepare the Seon-u Jin identity for me."
The Divine Calculator's goal was clear.
The eradication of the Three Realms infiltrating the Martial Alliance.
That aligned with Bu Eun-seol's own purpose, and as long as it remained so, he would never expose the identity.
If Bu Eun-seol hadn't trusted him to that extent, he would never have accepted the Seon-u Jin persona in the first place.
"Then go safely."
At that, Seo Jin-ha altered his appearance to match Bu Eun-seol's.
Since Bu Eun-seol hadn't yet disguised himself as Seon-u Jin, the two looked like mirror images of each other.
Whoosh.
The moment Bu Eun-seol assumed Seon-u Jin's form, his sword and clothes changed in an instant.
"I'll go ahead."
And with that, he vanished, leaving behind only Seo Jin-ha—Bu Eun-seol's shadow.
As the mirror-like reflection disappeared, leaving Seo Jin-ha standing alone, Yu Un-ryong, who had been silently watching, felt an odd pang in his chest.
'Surely not...'
According to Bu Eun-seol, even the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade—who had confined himself to Blood Shaolin—had once had a shadow.
To live as another's shadow was to completely abandon one's own life.
Seo Jin-ha was willingly walking that path... but Yu Un-ryong couldn't help but worry that, like the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade's shadow, it might lead to a sorrowful fate.
"What's wrong?"
Seo Jin-ha grinned brightly, and Yu Un-ryong's nose stung for no reason.
Most people in this world lived only for themselves. But there were also those who willingly lived for others.
"Isn't it hard?"
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
Seo Jin-ha smirked.
"And when I'm acting as the Martial Soul Lord, don't look at me like that. People might misunderstand."
Yu Un-ryong's face flushed red before he snapped,
"What kind of expression did I make? I was just worried that maintaining your disguise might be difficult!"
Then, as if deeply offended, he spun around and stormed out.
Seo Jin-ha watched him go with a bitter smile and murmured softly,
"You're no different, Yu Un-ryong."
He knew it too.
He understood Yu Un-ryong's concern for him. And he also realized that, before he knew it, the man had become someone who lived for others.
"But the most pitiful one is that guy."
Seo Jin-ha gazed at the spot where Bu Eun-seol had been standing.
He had entered the Martial World solely for revenge... yet fate continued to toy with him, leading him toward an unknown destination.
'First, I should do what I must.'
Shaking his head, Seo Jin-ha stepped outside and called after Yu Un-ryong, who was walking ahead.
"Sanghak Unit Commander. Prepare a carriage for this lord."
"Yes, yes~"
Yu Un-ryong pretended to answer respectfully but didn't bother turning around.
Martial Alliance, Hall of Martial Ascension. Yuk Jang-cheon's office.
The room was now filled with lavish paintings, scrolls, and elegant furnishings that hadn't been there before.
"You've arrived."
As Bu Eun-seol entered with a respectful bow after returning to the Martial Alliance, Yuk Jang-cheon grinned broadly and nodded.
"You've worked tirelessly day and night handling various matters in the Martial World. That must have been exhausting."
"Not at all."
Bu Eun-seol answered brightly, then glanced around and asked,
"But what exactly is all this?"
"I bought them from the Henan Branch of the Ten Thousand Blossoms Store."
The Ten Thousand Blossoms Store.
It was a revolutionary large-scale marketplace established by the Martial Alliance, where one could purchase everything from rare books and paintings to high-end artworks, clothing, fabrics, and daily necessities—all under one roof.
The idea was to protect merchants from being extorted by the Black Syndicate while collecting modest stall rents from them at regular intervals.
Thanks to this, merchants could now conduct business with peace of mind, and the Martial Alliance, in turn, was able to resolve its chronic deficits and alleviate much of its financial difficulties through the steady stream of rental fees.
"The General Assembly will soon convene in this hall's meeting room."
Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly.
The Martial Alliance's General Assembly was originally held in the Hidden Moon Hall.
However, the Hidden Moon Hall was currently undergoing renovations under Gongson Dan-gyeong's orders. Hence, this time, the General Assembly would be held in the Hall of Martial Ascension's meeting room.
Of course, this arrangement was only possible due to Yuk Jang-cheon's efforts to curry favor with the Chief Strategist, Gongson Dan-gyeong.
'He'll cling to any foothold he can get.'
In a way, it was an attitude worthy of respect.
Yuk Jang-cheon never stopped scheming to win the favor of the high command, always watching for opportunities to rise higher.
He knew when to bow low and when to step forward boldly.
Most young people had ambitions, but few put in the effort to match them.
Yet even past his fifties, he never rested, constantly striving.
And regardless of age or gender, he treated anyone he deemed useful with such warmth that he'd gladly pluck out his own liver for them.
Considering his status and age, this was no easy feat.
"Well? Doesn't this meeting room suit the dignity of the General Assembly?"
Yuk Jang-cheon licked his lips and spoke in a voice brimming with ambition.
"It wouldn't be out of place as a venue for future Leader Conferences either."
"Of course."
Bu Eun-seol let out an admiring sigh as he surveyed the surroundings.
"The Hall Master's grandeur and discernment are already more than befitting of a Leader."
"Hahaha. I didn't know you were capable of such flattery."
Despite his words, Yuk Jang-cheon seemed pleased, letting out a hearty laugh.
"This Hall Master has lived frugally until now, but I spared no expense this time. After all, the high command will be gathering here frequently from now on."
"A wise decision. If you tried to decorate later, it would only waste time. Just like the current state of the Hidden Moon Hall."
"Heh heh heh. You always seem to be in sync with this Hall Master's thoughts."
Perhaps eager to show off, Yuk Jang-cheon pointed to a nearby scroll.
"What do you think? Do you know much about paintings? This was something even a thousand gold couldn't buy, but I was lucky enough to find it in the Ten Thousand Blossoms Store's Old Bookstore."
"Is that so?"
Bu Eun-seol examined the painting Yuk Jang-cheon indicated.
It depicted a graceful pine tree bathed in moonlight, exuding an effortless elegance at first glance.
"Well? What do you think?"
Yuk Jang-cheon asked with a smile.
"Can you tell what it is? Ah, of course you can."
The heirs of merchant houses were educated in rare books and artworks from childhood.
Naturally, as the successor of the Seonhwa Merchant House, they assumed Bu Eun-seol's discernment would be exceptional.
'Truthfully, I know nothing about paintings.'
Bu Eun-seol had learned many things from his grandfather, Bu Jan-yang.
But he had never been taught how to appraise calligraphy, paintings, or assess the value of artworks.
'Hmm...'
Bu Eun-seol sighed inwardly.
Now that he thought about it, it made no sense for a merchant house's heir to lack knowledge of painting.
If his ignorance became obvious, it could arouse suspicion.
"Let me take a closer look."
Feeling Yuk Jang-cheon's expectant gaze, Bu Eun-seol pretended to study the painting.
Then something strange happened.
"It's the Moonlit Pine Radiance Painting by Master Chumyeong, a painter of the previous generation."
Despite never having learned anything about painting before—
The moment he looked at it, a flood of knowledge surged into his mind.
It felt as though he were retrieving long-buried memories.