Chapter 489
"Heh heh heh."
Noe Bi-hon didn't even glance at Bu Eun-seol, who was disguised as Seon-u Jin, and instead drooled as he stared at the Messenger.
"So the Messenger of the Three Realms truly exists."
The moment Bu Eun-seol accepted Gongson Dan-gyeong's proposal, he mobilized the Death Soul Squad to track down Noe Bi-hon's whereabouts.
Though they managed to narrow it down to the general region, pinpointing his exact location proved impossible.
After much deliberation, Bu Eun-seol decided to use So-yo.
Her movement technique bore an uncanny resemblance to the Flying Current Body-Launching Art employed by the Messengers of the Three Realms.
And Noe Bi-hon had been identifying and detecting that very technique to pursue the Messengers.
—In three days, the Three Realms will appear at So-ho's warehouse.
Finally, So-yo located Noe Bi-hon and relayed these words to him.
—And the Messenger of the Three Realms will be there too.
—The Messenger, the Messenger...!
Though his mind wavered in and out of coherence, his hatred for the Three Realms remained unwavering.
Moreover, when she mentioned that it was a message from his "younger brother," with whom he had once hunted the Three Realms together—
—Younger brother... I see.
Noe Bi-hon nodded as if recalling something and agreed.
'Thank heavens.'
Bu Eun-seol inwardly sighed in relief as he observed Noe Bi-hon, who now fully embodied the majesty of the Thunder God.
Only his appearance could ensure survival from the Messenger's hands while maintaining Seon-u Jin's identity and avoiding suspicion from both the Martial Alliance and the Three Realms.
'But.'
Bu Eun-seol's gaze darkened momentarily.
Even at a glance, it was clear that Noe Bi-hon's madness had worsened significantly since the last time he had seen him.
"You rat bastards. I've finally got you by the tail."
Crackling strands of white Divine Thunder Annihilation began spreading from Noe Bi-hon's body.
He loathed the Three Realms.
Because it was their Messenger who had mercilessly slaughtered and experimented on his beloved family.
[Noe Bi-hon.]
The Messenger furrowed his brow, seemingly recognizing the Thunder God, Noe Bi-hon.
Then, before Noe Bi-hon could unleash his attack, the Messenger immediately thrust out both hands.
In that instant, an overwhelming surge of energy poured toward Noe Bi-hon's body—
Zzzzt!
But that intangible force was completely obliterated by the Divine Thunder Annihilation.
Whoosh!
Before anyone could react, the Messenger had already launched himself into the air.
Noe Bi-hon was an immortal, using his Thunder Essence Divine Qi to continuously regenerate his body as he pressed forward.
Moreover, his berserk madness ensured he would never retreat, even if it meant tearing into his opponent with his teeth.
In the end, as Noe Bi-hon began to attack in earnest with unbridled fury, the Messenger chose to flee without hesitation.
"Stand still!"
As the Messenger escaped, Noe Bi-hon roared and immediately gave chase.
"Whew."
Once they had both vanished, Bu Eun-seol let out a sigh.
What if Noe Bi-hon hadn't arrived at the perfect moment?
The Messenger would have fought with everything he had to kill Bu Eun-seol, forcing him to abandon Seon-u Jin's identity.
But thanks to Noe Bi-hon's timely appearance, the crisis had been averted.
'No—not averted, exactly.'
Though the Messenger had left, the assassins lurking nearby remained.
Their eyes gleamed as they spotted Bu Eun-seol, swords already drawn.
'Is it impossible as Seon-u Jin?'
Currently, Bu Eun-seol's internal power was halved, and the only ultimate technique he could use was Master Unhindered's True Void.
While the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms was an exceptional counterattack technique, it alone wouldn't be enough to build a formidable reputation in the martial world.
The Rivers and Lakes only celebrated those who fought and won—defensive techniques were never held in high regard.
'Even as Seon-u Jin, I must establish a glorious reputation.'
Shhhhk.
Bu Eun-seol drew his iron sword once more.
—Kaaah!
At the same time, the assassins lunged at him.
It felt as though a black tidal wave was about to engulf the entire world.
Bu Eun-seol didn't evade. Instead, he immediately unleashed the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms.
He didn't employ the subtleties of Deflect Flowers and Receive Jade, instead transforming the gentle foundational stance into a killing sword technique.
It was reminiscent of the time on Hell Island when he had trained in martial arts, when he had been steeped in killing intent.
Back then, no matter what sword technique he learned, no matter what stance he took, everything inevitably transformed into a lethal killing move.
Because at that time, he had been filled with a relentless, world-shattering killing intent.
It hadn't been long since he had witnessed his grandfather's gruesome death.
An inexhaustible, overwhelming killing intent had flowed from him without end.
'Like back then... I'll try it!'
Swish!
Stab, twist, sever, shatter.
The core principle of the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms was to deflect the enemy's attack with Deflect Flowers and Receive Jade before countering at the opportune moment.
But Bu Eun-seol eliminated the need for defense by striking first.
Since the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms lacked a killing move,
he stabbed wildly in every direction like a madman, relentlessly forcing his enemies back.
"What do the Orthodox and Unorthodox Paths matter to a madman bent on killing his enemy, and what use is a killing move?"
It was a fleeting surge of exhilaration.
He didn't want to simply convert the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms into killing techniques—he wanted to perform a sword dance, one that would paint the air in blood.
Instead of overwhelming sword techniques imbued with immense internal energy, he desired an unbroken flow, an endless torrent of attacks.
Whoosh.
Before he realized it, a blue energy began radiating from Bu Eun-seol's body as he swung his sword.
It was the Water Spirit Energy that Gongson Dan-a had infused into him earlier.
Though only a minuscule amount, it coiled around him, facilitating the smooth circulation of his true qi.
"So that's how it was."
As the Water Spirit Energy continuously activated, flowing like a river, Bu Eun-seol finally understood what he had been lacking.
He had yet to create a martial art purely of his own making.
Broad but not deep.
Though he had mastered numerous martial techniques from the Orthodox, Unorthodox, Demonic, and Buddhist schools, he had not truly perfected any of them.
He had devised the Formless Heavenly Flow, but that was merely a refinement of the sword techniques imparted to him by Langya Pavilion and Dan Cheong.
He frequently used the Willful True Binding, but he had not honed it to its limits—nor was it even the most profound secret technique.
The Martial Emperor's Enlightenment and the Thirteenfold Qi Induction went without saying.
As for martial arts of Extreme Yin and Extreme Yang, like the Glacier Thousand Streams Art and the Hot River Great Essence True Qi, he restrained himself from using them due to the risk of internal energy collisions.
Even sword techniques like the Fluorescent Sword Control and the Nine Dragons Flashing Thunder, which had reached the pinnacle of their respective schools, were only employed when absolutely necessary.
The reason was simple—he had yet to harmonize these martial arts or transform them into something uniquely his own.
"Wasn't Master Unhindered's martial arts the same?"
Master Unhindered's Flying Dagger Art and Deflect Flowers and Receive Jade.
And the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms—though they had greatly inspired his orthodox martial foundation, he had not refined them deeply.
In the end, Bu Eun-seol still lacked a martial art that was truly his.
—Where is this pavilion's martial art?!
The voice of Ak Mu-ryeong, who had once rebuked him in Langya Pavilion, brushed past his mind.
Even now, he had failed to create his own martial art.
No—he couldn't create one.
The martial arts he had learned were all techniques devised by grandmasters who had already reached the pinnacle.
He dared not tamper with them, so he had tried to unify them using Harmonization.
But as Seon-u Jin, he couldn't even do that—because he couldn't use the abilities Bu Eun-seol possessed.
"But Seon-u Jin's martial arts can be transformed."
Seon-u Jin's martial arts were different.
They had not yet reached their peak, so with Bu Eun-seol's current skill... he could freely reshape them into something of his own.
Swish! Sssshhhhk!
Lost in the State of Selflessness, Bu Eun-seol's swordplay grew swifter and more profound.
Whenever a martial technique surfaced in his mind, the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms immediately adapted, unfolding in perfect synchronization.
A Sword Dance.
Before he knew it, Bu Eun-seol was freely executing a nearly extinct sword technique—one that had all but vanished from the murim.
Thud.
Silence descended.
Stillness settled over both Bu Eun-seol's spirit and the battlefield.
Thump.
At the same time, the two hundred assassins surrounding him collapsed in unison.
The Sword Dance.
In the State of Selflessness, Bu Eun-seol had ceaselessly pursued the Martial Way, and that profound cultivation manifested in his swordplay.
"Divine Calculator... no, Heavenly Sovereign."
As he surveyed the corpses piled around him, Bu Eun-seol's emotions churned with indescribable complexity.
"What exactly were you thinking when you passed these martial arts down to me?"
If he had gone to such lengths to perfect Seon-u Jin's identity and martial techniques, surely there must have been someone else meant to inherit this role.
So why had he given it to him?
The Divine Calculator was not so foolish as to give someone else what he'd prepared for decades on a mere whim.
Ssssshhh.
But now was not the time for sentimentality.
Before he knew it, the space around him was once again filled with black-clad assassins.
The number of killers swarming this place was roughly a thousand.
Bu Eun-seol had only dealt with the first wave.
"..."
The sheer number of assassins encircling him was enough to suffocate a man just by looking at them.
Yet, strangely, Bu Eun-seol felt a peculiar thrill rising within him.
Even if there were two thousand instead of one, it wouldn't matter.
Right now, he simply wanted to dance—to lose himself in the sword dance again and again.
"Shall I perform the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms' sword dance once more?"
Realistically, given their numbers, even the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms' dance couldn't guarantee his survival.
But without hesitation, Bu Eun-seol prepared to unleash not his True Void—but the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms once more.
Sssshhhh—
But suddenly, a strange sound reverberated from all directions.
It resembled the tranquil sound of waves lapping against a shore.
How could the sound of waves reach this remote place, so far from Chengdu?
Whoosh—!Boom!
Yet that wave-like sound abruptly transformed into a deafening explosion.
It was as if compressed air had burst outward—or as if stacked gunpowder had been set ablaze in a massive detonation.
Kwoong.
At the same time, one side of the Flesh Wall formed by the assassins surrounding Bu Eun-seol collapsed entirely.
Thud, thud.
From the wreckage of the fallen Flesh Wall, a middle-aged martial artist slowly emerged, holding a white sword that glowed with a faint radiance.
His eyes were like those of a dragon, and the aura radiating from his entire body resembled that of a divine spirit descended from the heavens.
The Sacred Sword, Baekri Mu-jo.
He had finally made his appearance.
Hesitation.
Until now, the assassins had never feared death.
But the moment Baekri Mu-jo appeared, they instinctively recoiled, their faces twisting with terror.
The authority of a superhuman.
They could sense it in their very bones.
'Baekri Mu-jo...'
Bu Eun-seol swallowed hard.
This was completely different from when he had seen him at the Sacred Guard Pavilion.
Back then, he had exuded a sacred and divine presence befitting his epithet, the Sacred Sword...
But now, he carried the majesty of a god of destruction, one who could reduce the demons invading this sacred realm to ashes in an instant.
Ssssshhh—!
Then, white shadows began flooding into the warehouse.
They were none other than the elite warriors of the Star Guard Corps.
Sssshhk!
The martial artists of the Star Guard Corps immediately drew their swords and began cutting down the assassins.
Their martial prowess was uniformly formidable, driving back the swarming assassins in an instant.
"Leader."
As Bu Eun-seol, drenched in blood, clasped his hands together, Baekri Mu-jo's profound gaze settled upon him.
"Did you deal with the assassins here?"
"Yes."
For a moment, a peculiar light flickered in Baekri Mu-jo's eyes.
Grrrk.
Just then, Deputy Leader Seo Muk opened the mechanism leading underground.
Gongson Dan-gyeong, who had been inside, slowly stepped out.
Seeing that Seo Muk had opened the mechanism naturally—without breaking it—she recognized him as an ally.
"Leader."
As Gongson Dan-gyeong spoke,
"Chief Strategist."
Baekri Mu-jo also nodded slightly, offering a light bow in greeting.
Gongson Dan-gyeong had falsely requested a Demon Leave, then used her intelligence network to completely conceal her movements before arriving at the Ten Thousand Blossoms Store.
Yet Baekri Mu-jo had not only tracked her every step—he had also led his troops here in an instant the moment she was in danger.
Zzzzt.
When Gongson Dan-gyeong and Baekri Mu-jo's gazes met, sparks seemed to fly through the air.
But it lasted only a fleeting moment.
As if nothing had happened, the two exchanged amiable smiles.
"Chief Strategist."
Baekri Mu-jo gestured with utmost courtesy toward the carriage the Star Guard Corps had brought.
"Let us return to the Alliance at once."
Under normal circumstances, he might have questioned why she had left the Alliance in secret.
But he asked nothing.
He simply watched her with a gentle, benevolent gaze, as if relieved that she was unharmed.
"Very well."
Gongson Dan-gyeong gave a short reply and began walking slowly toward the carriage.
'Their relationship isn't good, is it?'
Bu Eun-seol could sense it.
Gongson Dan-gyeong and Baekri Mu-jo.
The two were meticulously concealing their true feelings, leaving not the slightest gap for others to read.
Swish.
Then, Baekri Mu-jo turned and began carefully examining the scars left by the assassins Bu Eun-seol had dealt with.
"A Sword Dance."
He instantly recognized it as a nearly forgotten martial technique from the Murim world.
"You didn't learn it beforehand—you executed it on the spot."
Not only that, he had discerned that Bu Eun-seol had gained insight during the fierce battle and improvised the Sword Dance.
One who grows stronger in the midst of life-and-death combat.
Wasn't that something only the chosen, the truly exceptional martial artists, could achieve?
"Leader. Look here."
At that moment, Seo Muk spoke gravely as he examined a scorched boulder nearby.
"Traces of Thunder Essence Divine Qi."
Bu Eun-seol, feeling Baekri Mu-jo's gaze upon his face, quickly explained.
"A masked man of formidable martial skill appeared here. I was no match for him and was nearly killed—but then the Thunder God arrived."
"Hmm."
"When the masked man fled, the Thunder God pursued him immediately."
Bu Eun-seol's words held not a single falsehood.
Yet as Baekri Mu-jo fell deep into thought, he approached Bu Eun-seol and lightly grasped his Pulse Gate.
The movement was so natural and concise that there was no time to evade.
'This is bad.'
Bu Eun-seol inwardly gasped in alarm.
A chilling unease swept over him—if a master like Baekri Mu-jo were to grasp his Pulse Gate, wouldn't he see through his true martial foundation?
"Your Internal Energy is solid."
Fortunately, Bu Eun-seol had already condensed half of his energy into his Internal Core, so Baekri Mu-jo failed to detect it.
Huuuum...
With a firm grip on the Pulse Gate, Baekri Mu-jo briefly channeled his Internal Energy.
It was to heal the internal injuries Bu Eun-seol had sustained while performing the Sword Dance.
"Leader."
Seo Muk, who had been watching, was visibly shocked.
The Holy Sword, Baekri Mu-jo.
He was a man who pursued perfection, and the warriors under his command underwent equally brutal training to match his standards.
Yet here he was, personally infusing his energy to heal someone's injuries?
"You suffered in my stead."
The Star Guard Corps' duty was to protect the highest echelons of the Martial Alliance.
Since Bu Eun-seol had risked his life to fulfill that duty, he was more than deserving of such a reward.
Even so, Seo Muk's expression remained sour.
Because Bu Eun-seol was the one who had refused to join the Star Guard Corps.
The fact that he had turned down an offer from the leader he revered like the heavens still grated on him.
Huuuum...
Baekri Mu-jo's Internal Energy was deeper and purer than Bu Eun-seol had imagined.
In an instant, his turbulent Qi Vessels settled, and his internal injuries healed. Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands together.
"Thank you."
"How is your body?"
"Fully recovered."
Baekri Mu-jo gave a slight nod before addressing Seo Muk.
"Escort the Chief Strategist and return immediately."
As Gongson Dan-gyeong boarded the carriage, she nodded at Bu Eun-seol.
It was an expression of gratitude and trust for the man who had risked his life to protect her until now.
Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands once more.
Now that he had earned her trust, he would be able to accomplish much more in the future.
Clack, clack...
Inside the carriage, Gongson Dan-gyeong's sharp eyes narrowed as she gazed out the window.
'He possesses extraordinary martial talent.'
She knew.
That Baekri Mu-jo had grasped Bu Eun-seol's Pulse Gate—
It was a test. To see if the sword techniques left in the assassins' scars matched his level of Internal Energy.
Fortunately, there had been no irregularities, so he had infused his energy. Had there been any discrepancies, he would have immediately unleashed his power to subdue Bu Eun-seol.
'I like him.'
Gongson Dan-gyeong nodded slightly.
His martial arts were outstanding, his wisdom profound, and he was both loyal and fearless in the face of danger.
Moreover, she admired his steadfast heart—one that harbored no impure thoughts toward her beauty.
"Is it not common for peonies to obscure the sight of magnolias?"
Recalling Bu Eun-seol's compliment, she allowed a faint smile to grace her lips.
She had received countless praises before, but never one so uniquely pleasing.
"To recognize the magnolia hidden behind the peony..."
She chuckled softly before turning her gaze back outside.
Then, in a voice so quiet it was drowned out by the sound of the carriage wheels, she murmured,
"Soon... without fail..."
"From this point onward, our division will begin the investigation."
Meanwhile, Baekri Mu-jo, having finished organizing the scene, lightly patted Bu Eun-seol's shoulder.
"Return safely."
His tone and gaze were both affectionate and warm.
Bu Eun-seol respectfully clasped his hands.
"Thank you."
Then he turned away.
But the moment his back was turned, Bu Eun-seol's expression hardened like ice.
'So that's how it was.'
He bit his lip to suppress the emotions threatening to burst forth.
Now that everything was over, a strange thought flashed through his mind.
Had Gongson Dan-gyeong's test also included Baekri Mu-jo?
Even if that was a mistaken assumption, one thing was certain:
Baekri Mu-jo had also tested him here.
That final pat on the shoulder—
Under the guise of a friendly gesture, it had been a way to measure the Counterforce of his Internal Energy, in case there were an undetected level of Internal Power.
'Just what...'
Bu Eun-seol clenched his teeth.
'What kind of place is the Martial Alliance, that they test people to this extent?'
Why were Gongson Dan-gyeong and Baekri Mu-jo wary of each other?
Why had Baekri Mu-jo, despite taking a liking to him, tested him again?
Was it because Seon-u Jin was supposedly from the Upper Realm? Or was it a trial to determine his worthiness?
Even so, wasn't this level of suspicion excessive?
What exactly... were they guarding against?
'In the end, this place is no different.'
Bu Eun-seol understood now.
The Martial Alliance was far more perilous than the Demon-Subduing Palace of the Demon Hall—
A blood-soaked den of conspiracies and treachery, where men killed with smiles on their faces.
A place that was anything but the guardian of righteousness in the Murim.