Chapter 501
In contrast, Sa Cheong-ha—who had lost most of her true essence—staggered backward unsteadily.
"Ugh..."
Originally, Water Essence Divine Qi was a force that even disciples trained in the Divine Beast Palace's martial arts couldn't easily absorb.
Moreover, even if it were expelled, it should endlessly regenerate and be reabsorbed into her body.
So how had most of her Water Essence Divine Qi been injected into Bu Eun-seol's body?
"What is the meaning of this?"
Sa Cheong-ha glared at Bu Eun-seol with a face that seemed to have aged ten years.
"Don't tell me you've mastered the Spirit-Absorbing Lesser Art to drain another's vital essence!"
"Deputy Palace Master."
Bu Eun-seol let out a deep sigh and extended his hand.
"Do you think I am the one who has cultivated sinister internal power?"
"What did you say?"
"The Water Essence Divine Qi you injected to kill this Lord merely fused with my Extreme Yin Qi. Here, see for yourself."
Bu Eun-seol unleashed the Glacier Thousand Streams Art.
A blue energy surged forth, countless streams of water spreading like mist.
It was a manifestation of the Glacier Thousand Streams Art combined with Water Spirit Energy.
"You claim my Ice Art has merged with this Deputy Palace Master's Water Spirit Energy?"
"Indeed. If you wish, you may even check my pulse."
Bu Eun-seol offered his Pulse Gate.
For a martial artist to expose their Pulse Gate so readily was akin to baring their neck.
Regardless, Bu Eun-seol needed the Divine Beast Palace's permission to enter All Swords Land.
Thus, to clear his name, he willingly presented his Pulse Gate.
Snap.
After a brief hesitation, Sa Cheong-ha seized his wrist.
Immediately, she could sense the overwhelming power circulating within him.
'How is this possible?'
Sa Cheong-ha, too, was a Grandmaster long immersed in the martial world.
Yet to contain such immense energies within one's body simultaneously—
Wasn't this something beyond imagination?
'I can't let this end like this. Not like this.'
Sa Cheong-ha's gaze turned venomous.
Bu Eun-seol had absorbed more than half of her Water Essence Divine Qi.
What if she couldn't reclaim it?
She resolved then—even if she had to kill this bastard, she would clear her grievance.
"You thought you could steal my Water Essence Divine Qi and walk away unscathed?!"
Gripping his Pulse Gate, Sa Cheong-ha began channeling razor-sharp Internal Power.
Once the Pulse Gate was suppressed, even the greatest Master would be rendered powerless.
She intended to cripple Bu Eun-seol's Internal Energy entirely in this moment.
Whoooosh—!
Sa Cheong-ha poured True Qi as sharp as blades through his meridians.
Yet Bu Eun-seol's expression remained indifferent.
Not only could he wield Yin-Yang Dual Qi, but his Internal Energy had surpassed five hundred years in potency.
Even if she flooded his meridians with True Qi sharp enough to sever them, to Bu Eun-seol, it was no more than the tickling of a leaf.
"For a prestigious sect like the Divine Beast Palace to stoop to such petty cunning..."
Bu Eun-seol sighed deeply.
"If you're this vile a woman, it'd be better for the Divine Beast Palace's honor if you just died."
Instantly, Bu Eun-seol summoned the Glacier Thousand Streams Art.
Crackle—
When his five centuries of Internal Energy converted into Extreme Yin Qi, it became akin to the Great Nature's unstoppable wrath.
Sa Cheong-ha's skin gradually hardened, and the moisture in her body began freezing.
"AAAAAH—!"
She let out a bloodcurdling scream.
The True Qi circulating within her body under the Glacier Thousand Streams Art had turned into sharp needles, tearing through her meridians with excruciating pain.
"AAAAAAH—!"
Just as her agonized shrieks were about to shake the Divine Beast Palace's halls—
"Stay your hand, Lord."
A low, serene voice echoed from all directions, and suddenly, a clear rain began to fall upon the Divine Water Pavilion.
Sssshhh—
Simultaneously, a transparent, elongated hand formed from rainwater clung to Sa Cheong-ha's back.
Huuuum—
The translucent hand blocked the Glacier Thousand Streams Art pouring into her body, expelling the Extreme Yin Qi that had been injected into her.
"Ho... To think the Glacier Great Emperor's Supreme-grade Absolute Art would reappear in Murim..."
Suddenly, a faint shadow materialized before Bu Eun-seol.
Though her face was veiled in silk, her clear, ocean-like eyes were visible.
It was none other than the Divine Beast Palace Lord, Neung-gyeong, who had supposedly been in Closed Door Training and no longer showed herself.
'If the Palace Lord has arrived, there's no need to kill her.'
Swoosh—
The moment Bu Eun-seol withdrew his Internal Energy, the Divine Beast Palace Lord also retracted her Water Essence Divine Qi.
Though Sa Cheong-ha had narrowly escaped death thanks to Palace Lord Neung-gyeong, she was too stunned to move.
"Deputy Palace Master. Not only have you tarnished this Palace's honor, but you've also resorted to the petty ambush tactics of vile villains."
The Divine Beast Palace Lord spoke to her in a solemn voice.
"Relinquish your position as Deputy Palace Master and undergo Wall Gazing Penalty for seven years."
Sa Cheong-ha didn't dare respond. She merely bowed her head and staggered away, her steps unsteady.
To an outsider, seven years of wall gazing might seem excessively harsh, but in truth, Neung-gyeong had shown considerable mercy.
Sa Cheong-ha had lost half of her Water Essence Divine Qi to Bu Eun-seol.
Without a full seven years of dedicated Internal Energy refinement, she would never recover her martial prowess.
Neung-gyeong had given her the opportunity to recuperate undisturbed, free from external interference.
'Wise.'
Bu Eun-seol inwardly nodded in approval.
Sa Cheong-ha had twice resorted to vicious and underhanded methods, tarnishing the Divine Beast Palace's honor.
By punishing her, Neung-gyeong upheld the palace's dignity while simultaneously granting her the chance to heal.
"This palace lord must apologize to you. I am truly ashamed."
Sa Cheong-ha's crimes were so grave that even if Neung-gyeong were to kneel and beg forgiveness, it would not absolve her actions.
Yet Bu Eun-seol merely clasped his hands together with an indifferent expression.
"The deputy palace master misused her Internal Power and lost most of it in the process. In such a desperate situation, how could she have kept her wits about her?"
His demeanor was not that of the ruthless Head Leader of the Demonic Path, but rather that of a young grandmaster groomed by the Righteous Faction.
Neung-gyeong smiled faintly and nodded.
"For the Lord to possess such magnanimity and compassion—truly, it bodes well for the martial world."
Having held the position of Divine Beast Palace Lord for thirty years, Neung-gyeong was undoubtedly well past seventy.
Yet her gaze and voice seemed far younger and more vibrant than even Sa Cheong-ha's.
Born with a Water Spirit Constitution that defied aging and having mastered the Divine Beast Palace's martial arts to Grand Perfection, she retained an almost youthful vigor.
"However, I believe an explanation is in order regarding the absorption of Water Essence Divine Qi."
The theft of another's True Qi or Essence Blood was strictly forbidden in the Orthodox and Unorthodox Martial World.
If Bu Eun-seol had cultivated such a sinister power, Neung-gyeong would have no choice but to act immediately.
"I did not absorb the energy—rather, the Water Essence Divine Qi healed my body."
"What do you mean?"
"My body contains a mixture of various energies. The Water Essence Divine Qi merely embraced one of them."
Bu Eun-seol extended his arm again.
"Rather than explaining a hundred times, a single pulse diagnosis would be more effective."
"You offer your Pulse Gate—as vital as life itself—so carelessly to others."
Neung-gyeong's eyes, hidden behind her veil, curved like crescent moons.
She seemed to be stifling laughter.
Bu Eun-seol scratched his head awkwardly.
"I can offer it confidently because I have nothing to hide."
"Good."
Whoosh!
As Neung-gyeong stretched out her pale hand, water from the Divine Water Crystal rose into the air.
She shaped it into a translucent hand and immediately grasped Bu Eun-seol's Pulse Gate.
"Was it truly necessary to go through the trouble of using Internal Power for the diagnosis?"
"Men and women must maintain propriety—how could I recklessly take a man's hand?"
'An eccentric indeed.'
There was at least a forty-year age gap between Bu Eun-seol and Neung-gyeong.
Yet she still carried herself like a young maiden.
"This—"
Neung-gyeong's eyes flashed as she assessed the energy flowing through Bu Eun-seol's body.
"It was you."
Then, in an utterly frigid voice, she said:
"You were the one with Dan-a at Nine-Bend Mountain."
Though Neung-gyeong was known to have withdrawn from the Divine Beast Palace's affairs,
in truth, she was diligently grooming her successor.
Among them, the most promising candidate, Gongson Dan-a, had recklessly gone to Nine-Bend Mountain and barely returned alive after encountering grave danger.
Upon questioning, Dan-a revealed that the mountain housed facilities for creating Soulless Ones, along with traps designed to eliminate outsiders.
And that she had only survived thanks to the timely intervention of a wandering stranger.
Neung-gyeong had repeatedly asked about this stranger's identity, but Dan-a only insisted she didn't know.
Yet Neung-gyeong could tell.
From the bright, cheerful glint in Dan-a's eyes, it was clear this stranger was an exceptionally young man.
Otherwise, the usually solemn Dan-a would never have worn such a carefree expression.
—Your heart has been occupied by another.
Caught by Neung-gyeong's words, Dan-a smiled innocently.
—Yes. I met someone just like me. It was the first time I'd met someone who, like me, didn't care about others' beauty or ugliness. Ah, of course, we weren't interested in each other's faces either. And also...
As Dan-a chattered excitedly, Neung-gyeong sighed.
Such curiosity and familiarity could easily cross into the realm of affection.
Because Neung-gyeong herself had once been the same.
—Since your mind has been unsettled, I command you to spend a year in the Pure Heart Cave.
This "punishment" was closer to consideration—Neung-gyeong feared Dan-a's Mystic Art might become disordered.
The Pure Heart Cave was a place where one could refine Water Essence Divine Qi, a location any Divine Water Palace disciple would dream of entering, even in their sleep.
And Gongson Dan-a, having understood Neung-gyeong's intentions, willingly obeyed the command.
But who would have thought that the eccentric she met at Nine-Bend Mountain would turn out to be the Martial Soul Lord, the Heir of the Demon Hall?
"How did you know?"
"The energy within your body."
Neung-gyeong spoke calmly.
"Embracing the Water Essence Divine Qi to expel the Extreme Yin Qi... Wasn't that the Taoist Cultivation Secret Dan-a passed on to you?"
The moment Neung-gyeong discerned this, Bu Eun-seol bowed his head with a startled expression.
"That's correct. I happened to meet her at Nine-Bend Mountain, and we helped each other."
Bu Eun-seol's face was filled with curiosity, his pupils brimming with pure sincerity.
Just like Gongson Dan-a, he showed only genuine curiosity and goodwill—not a trace of romantic affection between man and woman.
'A relief.'
Neung-gyeong inwardly sighed in relief before steering the conversation elsewhere.
"Dan-a once told me she met an unusual person at Nine-Bend Mountain."
"It was nothing significant. We merely exchanged assistance."
Bu Eun-seol spoke in a low voice, as if recalling something.
"However, I hope you won't blame her."
"Blame her?"
"At the time, I was trying to stop a trap beneath Nine-Bend Mountain and ultimately lost control of my internal energy. She had no choice but to save me."
Learning another sect's martial arts or absorbing their Internal Power was an unforgivable offense.
Bu Eun-seol was worried Gongson Dan-a might be punished for infusing him with the Water Spirit Energy.
"Don't worry. The Taoist Cultivation Secret Dan-a passed on to you isn't part of this palace's martial arts—it was something she stumbled upon by chance."
Hearing this, Bu Eun-seol felt slightly awkward.
'She didn't mention the infusion of Water Spirit Energy.'
What he had referred to was Gongson Dan-a injecting him with the energy.
But from the way Neung-gyeong spoke, she seemed to think he was only concerned about receiving the Taoist secret...
Clearly, Gongson Dan-a hadn't mentioned the infusion.
"I see. That's a relief."
Truthfully, the reason Bu Eun-seol could assimilate the Water Spirit Energy wasn't solely due to the Quanzhen Sect's Taoist Cultivation Secret—
It was also because Gongson Dan-a had already infused him with the Water Spirit Energy.
But Neung-gyeong, unaware of this fact, found Bu Eun-seol's consideration for Gongson Dan-a endearing.
Moreover, since he had saved her most cherished disciple, Neung-gyeong also felt she owed Bu Eun-seol a debt.
"Hmm."
Neung-gyeong exhaled deeply.
"The Favors and Grudges of Murim are truly unpredictable."
"What do you mean?"
"I've spent years hiding from past entanglements, focusing only on nurturing disciples... And now, my favorite student tosses a bundle of debts right back at me."
At the mention of "Favors and Grudges," Bu Eun-seol's eyes gleamed.
"Now that you mention it, there's something I'd like to ask the Palace Master."
From Gongson Dan-a, Bu Eun-seol had learned that Palace Master Neung-gyeong was well-acquainted with the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade, Bu Jan-yang.
Given that she was a master from the same era and of similar age... she would know much about him.
"Speak."
"I've heard the Palace Master knows about the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade."
Neung-gyeong's gaze darkened instantly.
Unable to meet Bu Eun-seol's eyes, she turned her head toward the distant sky.
Her expression grew somber as she lifted her chin, as though carrying untold sorrow in her heart.
'She doesn't wish to be entangled in Murim affairs.'
Bu Eun-seol could read her inner thoughts.
'Then I shouldn't dredge up what she wants to forget.'
Just because he wanted to trace his grandfather's footsteps didn't mean he had the right to unearth another's painful past.
"My apologies."
Bu Eun-seol quickly clasped his hands together.
"I spoke carelessly and disturbed the Palace Master's peace. Please disregard my earlier question."
"Hohoho... You're unlike what I'd expect from the Heir of the Demon Hall. Truly unlike a successor of the Demonic Path."
Sensing Bu Eun-seol's consideration, Neung-gyeong faintly nodded.
"It's true that he and I shared a bond in the past. But..."
She shook her head.
"Now that I've reached the twilight of my years... old memories don't come to me so easily."
Bu Eun-seol bowed his head once more, hands still clasped.
"Forgive me for asking an improper question."
Neung-gyeong's gaze softened at his polite apology.
That dignified yet solemn presence.
The stubbornly pressed lips. The refined yet somehow lonely eyes.
Didn't they resemble—as if cast from the same mold—the figure of a man she had yearned for even in her dreams?
'I still haven't forgotten him.'
Neung-gyeong felt the decades of her tranquil Mystic Art shake uncontrollably.
And before she realized it, she found herself asking Bu Eun-seol:
"Do you have some special connection with the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade?"
Special connection.
At those words, Bu Eun-seol's eyes rippled like disturbed water.
"Yes."
"What is it?"
Bu Eun-seol hesitated briefly.
Should he tell the truth or evade the question?
Though the Divine Beast Palace Lord belonged to the Righteous Faction, she possessed a wise and composed personality. No matter how he looked at it, she didn't seem like someone who would bring him harm.
"That person—"
Having made up his mind, Bu Eun-seol spoke calmly.
"—is my grandfather."
"What?"
Neung-gyeong staggered as if struck by a great shock.
"You are Bu Jan-yang's grandson?"
"Yes."
Neung-gyeong gazed at Bu Eun-seol with a dazed expression.
No wonder he seemed familiar. That lonely air—he had inherited it perfectly.
Clench.
She balled her hands into tight fists.
If she didn't, tears might have spilled from her eyes.
"I see. So he had a grandson."
Forcing a smile, Neung-gyeong nodded.
"I wonder why this Palace Lord never heard such rumors."
Then, taking a deep breath, she added,
"In any case, you should return. This Palace Lord is quite busy—"
"There is something I must ask of you, Palace Lord."
"Ah, I nearly forgot."
Waving her hand distractedly, she nodded again.
"You wished for me to open the way to All Swords Land, did you not?"
"Yes."
"Go, then."
She turned her head away as she spoke composedly.
"Once you have finished all your business, return immediately. That is this Palace Lord's condition."
"Understood. I shall do so."
Though veiled, Neung-gyeong's beauty was unmistakable—rivaling even Gongson Dan-a's.
Moreover, her personality and demeanor were gentle and kind.
'She would have suited Grandfather well.'
Bu Eun-seol could sense it.
Neung-gyeong, too, had shared some history with his grandfather—and still missed him even now.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have worn such a wistful gaze upon hearing the name Seven Fingers Demonic Blade.
'Grandfather...'
Just thinking of him, a pang of longing surged in Bu Eun-seol's chest.
But he couldn't afford to simply yearn. He had to find the murderer, crush the Three Realms—and exact revenge.
"I am grateful for the Palace Lord's kindness."
Collecting himself, Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands together.
"Then, I shall return with Brother Noe to visit the Divine Beast Palace again."
"Wait."
Just then, Neung-gyeong turned and spoke.
"Follow this Palace Lord for a moment."
She led Bu Eun-seol into a hall deep within the Divine Beast Palace.
It was a small chamber filled with the faint scent of incense—likely a meditation room where she cultivated her mind.
"He..."
Neung-gyeong's lips trembled beneath her veil as she looked at Bu Eun-seol.
If she spoke the words in her heart now, the decades of accumulated Mystic Art would crumble.
Her position as the Divine Beast Palace Lord—no, everything she had—would be cast aside as she rushed off to find him.
Knowing this, she couldn't bring herself to voice it aloud.
"My grandfather..."
Then, in a clear and deep voice, Bu Eun-seol spoke.
"...did not marry. Instead, he took me in—an orphan—as his grandson."
As if he had read her thoughts.
"And together, we prepared the dead for burial... and lived happily."
Though the long years felt fleeting, the news was brief.
Yet Neung-gyeong could infer that Bu Jan-yang had lived happily with his grandson—
And that he was no longer of this world.
Drip.
At last, crystal-clear teardrops spilled from her large eyes.
Slip.
As if unable to bear the weight of her sorrow, Neung-gyeong's blue veil slid silently to the ground.
And then—
An indescribably beautiful face was revealed.
Astonishingly, despite her age, the Divine Beast Palace Lord maintained the youthful appearance of a woman barely twenty.
'This is the punishment for my cowardice.'
Both then and now.
Neung-gyeong had lacked the courage to break free from the shackles binding her.
"The gate of affection is truly difficult to cross."
Tears like pearls streamed down her face—yet a bright smile graced her lips.
Only now did she realize that what had pained her heart for decades—
Was not the memory of Bu Jan-yang, but her own fear of making a choice.
"You resemble him so closely."
At Neung-gyeong's words, Bu Eun-seol straightened his shoulders and answered proudly.
"Because I am his grandson."
Neung-gyeong smiled.
As if gazing fondly at a grandchild.
"But do not follow in your grandfather's footsteps."
She could sense it.
That Bu Eun-seol, too, was living a life much like Bu Jan-yang's.
"Live a life different from his."
It was an admonition—to meet someone he loved and build a happy family.
Though Bu Eun-seol didn't fully grasp her meaning, the raw emotion in her eyes was so earnest that he nodded.
"I understand."
When his answer came, she gave a dry smile and turned away.
Then, slowly, she stepped out of the meditation room.
Bu Eun-seol knew.
Neung-gyeong would retreat deep into the Divine Beast Palace—never to show her face to the world again.
"Thank you for bringing me news of him."
Glancing back one last time, she gifted Bu Eun-seol with the most beautiful smile imaginable.
It was the final smile of a woman bidding farewell to the first love—the lover—she had cherished in her heart for so long.