Chapter 509
Bu Eun-seol couldn't immediately grasp Master Cheol's words at the time.
Forget Langya Pavilion's combat methods and martial arts to win? How?
Langya Pavilion's tactics involved discerning the intricacies of an opponent's martial arts mid-battle, exploiting them to dismantle their techniques or deliver a decisive strike.
The stronger the opponent, the stronger one became in turn, even attaining epiphanies unachievable through ordinary training.
It was an almost ideal combat philosophy for martial artists.
So why discard those tactics and the very essence of their martial arts?
—If he couldn't immediately grasp the meaning, then he had no choice but to fight in an entirely different way than usual.
Having resolved this, Bu Eun-seol, as he faced Paeng Ryun in battle, tried to rile Paeng Ryun with words.
He began attempting strategies and actions he had never employed before.
Of course, even this was merely bait to gauge his opponent's combat prowess and martial arts mastery.
Whoosh!
Paeng Ryun, visibly irritated, immediately swung the Black Blood Demon Saber.
In an instant, the surroundings darkened, and a colossal blade energy capable of splitting heaven and earth poured down toward Bu Eun-seol's head.
Flash!
With no time to evade, Bu Eun-seol instinctively unleashed the Formless Heavenly Flow.
Sssk—
But the sword qi conjured through the Waning Moon Morning Star and Caged Bird Longing for Clouds techniques couldn't even resist Paeng Ryun's blade energy—it vanished instantly.
Bu Eun-seol rapidly unleashed a flurry of sword strokes, but none even reached Paeng Ryun's body.
'So this is what it means to be driven to despair.'
Every martial artist in the Murim possesses their own secret techniques, relying on them to secure victory.
But what if those trump cards simply don't work? What if the martial arts they've honed become utterly useless?
Not only would their mental serenity and confidence shatter, but they'd also be consumed by an irreparable sense of defeat.
'I don't succumb to despair.'
But Bu Eun-seol was different.
He hadn't trained in martial arts for honor or victory—but for revenge. He had never once felt pride in his martial prowess.
In fact, perpetually pressed for time, he had never been able to dedicate himself to refining or studying martial arts.
Because of this, Bu Eun-seol had always thirsted for real combat. And he had sought battles against those stronger than himself.
Only life-and-death struggles against those above him... could provide the opportunity to advance his martial arts in a single leap.
He had always entered battle with this mindset.
So even if his techniques failed, even if he was relentlessly cornered, he would never despair.
Swish—!
Bu Eun-seol spun the Ice Soul Sword like a windmill, deploying his sword techniques in rapid succession.
Yet the Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi continued to nullify every martial art he unleashed, relentlessly carving into his body.
'I won't use the sect's martial arts.'
Flash!
Bu Eun-seol consecutively executed the Peerless Thunderbolt and Nine Dragons Flashing Thunder techniques he had learned from Cheon Un-gwang.
Thanks to his recent refinement in swordplay, the Nine Dragons Flashing Thunder altered its trajectory midair four times.
Not only that, he had fully mastered the Peerless Thunderbolt, blending the subtleties of slow swordplay into this lethal technique of extreme speed, allowing him to freely modulate its velocity.
Had Paeng Ryun practiced ordinary martial arts, this single move would have either killed him or sent him fleeing in terror.
"You've learned quite the assortment of techniques."
But Paeng Ryun, with a leisurely expression, swung the Black Blood Demon Saber and effortlessly deflected the variations of Peerless Thunderbolt and Nine Dragons Flashing Thunder.
Tzzzt—
Moreover, the terror of Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi wasn't limited to erasing martial techniques.
Each time its razor-sharp blade energy grazed Bu Eun-seol's skin, a vicious energy seeped in, draining his true qi reserves.
True qi belonged not to the physical body but to the domain of heart techniques.
It even diminished his fighting spirit—something that existed within the realm of spirit and mind.
'No wonder Master Cheol was concerned.'
A martial science that rendered all techniques useless, shattered not only one's internal power but even the tranquility of one's spirit and mind.
Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi.
Its power transcended the boundaries of martial arts, delivering absolute despair and terror to its victims.
"For someone who talks big, your martial arts are pitiful."
With each graze of the Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi, Bu Eun-seol's movements grew sluggish, his gaze hazy.
Watching this, Paeng Ryun allowed himself a triumphant smirk.
No matter how exceptional a master might be, constant exposure to Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi would reduce them to a sickly chicken, powerless to resist.
Swish! Swish-swish-swish-swish!
But then something strange happened.
Bu Eun-seol, who had been swinging his sword with a lifeless expression, suddenly regained his internal power and fighting spirit—and launched another fierce assault.
'This bastard—?'
Whoosh!
Sensing something amiss, Paeng Ryun unleashed the Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi once more, this time wider and more violently.
Immediately, the fluctuations of true qi and fighting spirit flowing through Bu Eun-seol's body visibly diminished.
But then—
Bzzzt. Crackle!
A transparent light and a violet-tinged glow faintly surged from Bu Eun-seol's body.
And just like that, his internal power and fighting spirit were restored.
It was as though he were a jiangshi—killed again and again, only to rise once more.
Even Bu Eun-seol sensed the strangeness of it.
'This is...'
Upon closer observation, each time the Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi grazed him, a refreshing energy and a prickling surge alternated within his body.
As it turned out, the Water Essence Divine Qi and Thunder Essence Divine Qi within him had activated in tandem.
It was neutralizing the energy of the Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi.
The Four Spirit Energies.
When two of the four divine energies, each containing the power of Great Nature, merged—
They rendered utterly useless the most vicious energy that no one had ever been able to resist.
"Now we can have a proper duel."
Bu Eun-seol, alternating between a transparent glow and a violet light, allowed a faint smile to touch his lips.
The Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi, which rapidly drained an opponent's fighting spirit and true qi regardless of martial prowess—
That terrifying Otherworldly Peerless Art had been nullified. From now on, victory would be decided by true martial skill.
"Impressive."
Paeng Ryun paused his assault and tilted his head slightly.
"To think there exists a martial art capable of blocking the Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi."
In truth, the Two Spirit Energies were not martial techniques but the power of Great Nature itself.
But Paeng Ryun, unaware that Bu Eun-seol had obtained them, smirked with confidence.
"You're not deluding yourself into thinking that just because you blocked the Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi, you can win, are you?"
"..."
"Hohoho. Far from it. Until now, I could have easily defeated you with just the Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi, so I was merely swinging the Black Blood Demon Saber half-heartedly."
Then, with a pleased expression, he raised the Black Blood Demon Saber.
"But now, I shall freely display the profound forms of the Dark-Blood Blade Art!"
Shiiing!
A bizarre Sound of Breaking Air reverberated through the Great Hall, piercing Bu Eun-seol's ears.
At the same time, Paeng Ryun vanished—
Only for hundreds of razor-sharp lines to carve through the air and rain down before Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
Pah-pah-pah-pah-pah!
They came so fast that evasion was impossible.
Zzzing!
Bu Eun-seol channeled all his strength into unleashing the Willful True Binding, manifesting a shield of true qi before him.
CLANG!
Yet the hundreds of lines, seemingly imbued with the Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi, shattered the shield in an instant.
Still, Bu Eun-seol seized the opening to evade them with Ultimate Speed Shadowless.
Ssshhhaaaak!
The floor of the Great Hall where he had stood was now etched with chaotic lines carved by hundreds of sword energies.
It was, without a doubt, the fastest saber technique he had ever witnessed.
"Hoh? You dodged the first form of Wild Gale Swift Blade?"
That had been the first stance of the Dark-Blood Blade Art—Wild Gale Swift Blade.
"Try dodging it again."
With those words, Paeng Ryun vanished once more, and hundreds of saber energies began tracing lines through the air.
'Though it appears wild and erratic, he's targeting three precise points...'
In a single glance, Bu Eun-seol grasped the intricacies of Paeng Ryun's Wild Gale Swift Blade stance and formulated a dismantling technique to counter it.
Zzing! Zzing!
As the razor-sharp forms conjured by the two masters clashed midair, a blinding radiance erupted in all directions.
Fwaaah!
Yet in the end, one sharp streak grazed Bu Eun-seol's shoulder.
Drip... drip...
As blood trickled from his wound, Paeng Ryun smiled faintly.
"Not bad."
"Have you only mastered the first stance of your saber technique?"
"Hohoho, save such words for after you dismantle Wild Gale Swift Blade."
Ssshhhaaaak!
Once again, Paeng Ryun disappeared, and hundreds of razor-sharp lines engulfed Bu Eun-seol's body.
'The essence of supreme speed...'
Bu Eun-seol attempted to grasp the intricacies of Wild Gale Swift Blade once more and shatter its form.
'What am I doing?'
Then, abruptly, he snapped back to his senses.
Finding the essence of martial arts within an opponent's forms and identifying their weaknesses—that was the core of Langya Pavilion Martial Arts, its defining tactic.
If he recalled Master Cheol's advice, this was precisely what he must not do.
Fssht!
The sharp saber energies had already enveloped his body, leaving another wound on his left forearm.
"Keheheheh."
Paeng Ryun let out a sinister chuckle.
He was confident that if he unleashed the full might of the Dark-Blood Blade Art in succession, he could crush Bu Eun-seol in an instant.
Yet he deliberately executed stance after stance, inflicting wounds one by one.
Only this way could he drive his opponent to the brink of despair.
Even if Bu Eun-seol somehow survived today, even if he advanced his martial arts countless times in the future—
He would never dare challenge him again.
But something was strange.
As Bu Eun-seol watched his own blood fall, his expression was not one of defeat—but exhilaration.
'So that's how it is.'
Only after suffering another slash from Paeng Ryun did he faintly grasp what Wang Geol had been trying to tell him.
"From the start, this saber technique was never one where you could steal stances or patterns."
What Paeng Ryun wielded was not a real blade but the Black Blood Demon Saber—a materialization of true qi, much like the Willful True Binding.
In other words, even if he discerned the essence of the martial art, the forms would not follow a fixed pattern.
And by manipulating true qi, the trajectories could be altered at any moment.
"Your realization is swift."
Paeng Ryun let out an admiring sigh.
No one had ever grasped the function of the Black Blood Demon Saber so quickly.
"But what difference does that make?"
A sneer curled his lips.
"The Dark-Blood Blade Art consists of thirty-two stances. If you're so inclined, try dismantling them one by one, just like this."
An ordinary martial artist would have despaired at those words.
The Wild Gale Swift Blade stance alone could be considered among the pinnacle of saber techniques in the murim.
And yet, thirty-one more stances of comparable level remained?
Moreover, martial arts techniques typically grow more powerful in their later forms...
For Bu Eun-seol, this was a truly despairing situation.
"Unleash the Bloody Tears Seven Forms."
Paeng Ryun insinuated quietly.
"Only the Bloody Tears Seven Forms can oppose the Dark-Blood Blade Art."
Though he had disparaged the Bloody Tears Seven Forms as merely passable saber techniques, his true intentions differed.
The five forms of Bloody Tears Seven Forms he'd memorized after receiving them from the Infinite Realm were supreme ultimate arts surpassing even the Dark-Blood Blade Art in power.
Paeng Ryun was a lifelong master of blade techniques—an adept who had even grasped the Blade Essence of five Blood Tear forms through the Infinite Realm's teachings.
What if Bu Eun-seol unleashed the remaining two forms?
Through observing those variations, he could comprehend the complete Blade Essence of the Bloody Tears Seven Forms. Internally, his body burned with anticipation.
"Not yet."
Flash!
A frigid star erupted from the Ice Soul Sword gripped in Bu Eun-seol's hand.
The swift and razor-sharp sword qi pierced toward Paeng Ryun's throat in an instant.
A single stroke of the Meteor Chasing Moon technique.
"Hmph, Langya Pavilion's fast swordsmanship?"
Paeng Ryun blocked Bu Eun-seol's sword stroke with a disappointed expression.
Flash!
Yet the sword stroke transformed midair and lunged again—this time toward his chest.
A variation technique derived from the Nine Dragons Flashing Thunder.
"Fine swordplay."
With an admiring exclamation, Paeng Ryun swung the Black Blood Demon Saber and effortlessly parried Bu Eun-seol's technique.
"But such swordplay alone is insufficient—"
Paeng Ryun's confident smirk twisted strangely.
Bu Eun-seol was already altering his sword technique again—this time conjuring countless Sword Flowers instead.
"Crude swordsmanship."
Murmuring low, Paeng Ryun immediately summoned his internal power.
"Let me shatter it for you right now."
Whoosh!
Crouching low, he positioned the Black Blood Demon Saber at his left hip—a stance reminiscent of a drawing technique.
Swish!
In that instant, an invisible but massive vortex surged toward Bu Eun-seol's body.
As Bu Eun-seol dodged leftward like lightning to evade it—
KWAANG!
Paeng Ryun, having anticipated the evasion, closed the distance instantly and swung the Black Blood Demon Saber.
The second form of the Dark-Blood Blade Art—Black Wind Purgatory.
FWOOSH!
Just as the flesh-rending vortex was about to engulf Bu Eun-seol at point-blank range—
FWOOM!
A crimson energy stream erupted from Bu Eun-seol's left fist, spreading outward in the shape of a furious dragon.
He too had predicted Paeng Ryun's opening move and preemptively unleashed the Heavenly Hand Empty Wave.
GROOOWL!
When the razor-edged vortex clashed with the Heavenly Hand Empty Wave, a storm-like energy current erupted skyward.
Snap!
Before anyone realized, Paeng Ryun pierced through the Heavenly Hand Empty Wave and slashed toward Bu Eun-seol's body.
SCHWING!
A single saber stroke unleashed dozens of blade energies that coiled around Bu Eun-seol's form.
An abrupt technique even Bu Eun-seol couldn't have foreseen.
Flicker-flicker!
Then, the Ice Soul Sword moved as if alive—
Forming a circular Sword Curtain that deflected the cascading blade energies one by one.
The Thousand Swords Society's Strange Sword Study—Diamond-Shaped Sword Control Form—activated in response to killing intent.
CHI-CHI-CHIK!
As the Black Blood Demon Saber, forged from true qi, clashed with Bu Eun-seol's Ice Soul Sword, eerie sparks began scattering.
Snap!
At that moment, a razor-sharp blade wind grazed Bu Eun-seol's cheek.
Fwoosh.
As Bu Eun-seol retreated, Paeng Ryun didn't pursue.
"Shall I start drawing out your full strength now?"
Whooom!
Paeng Ak unleashed another blade technique, pressing Bu Eun-seol relentlessly.
With each exchange, fresh wounds accumulated on Bu Eun-seol's body.
Though he narrowly avoided fatal blows using Swift Shadowless, the damage mounted.
As their duel of techniques continued, Bu Eun-seol realized two truths.
'He's holding back.'
Likely delaying intentionally to coax out the Bloody Tears Seven Forms.
'And... since dismantling his techniques is impossible, I can only counter with sword arts of equal caliber.'
The Blade Emperor's techniques—wielded through the materialized true qi of the Black Blood Demon Saber—were beyond conventional counters.
Neither analyzing their martial principles for retaliation nor executing immediate dismantling techniques would work.
This was why Wang Geol had warned against using Langya Pavilion's tactical martial arts against the Heir of the Blade Emperor.
Langya Pavilion's warriors developed their martial arts by comprehending and assimilating their opponents' techniques mid-battle.
But the Blade Emperor's arts made this impossible—hence the strict prohibition against Langya Pavilion's tactics.
Finally grasping both Paeng Ryun's intent and the Dark-Blood Blade Art's nature, Bu Eun-seol conceived a brilliant idea.
'Then Paeng Ryun—why not use this bastard to advance the martial arts I've acquired so far?'
He'd never had time for gradual martial training.
Instead, he'd always honed his skills through battles against the strong.
This was only possible because—
He could instantly decipher opponents' martial secrets and exploit weaknesses to seize victory.
'Regardless, the Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi is useless now. Plus, he's desperate for me to unleash the Bloody Tears Seven Forms.'
Thanks to his Two Spirit Energies, the Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi no longer posed a threat.
And Paeng Ryun wouldn't deliver a finishing blow—not until he'd drawn out the Bloody Tears Seven Forms.
Bu Eun-seol decided to use this opportunity not to dissect and analyze his enemy's martial arts as he always had—
For the first time, he would develop his own martial arts while facing an opponent.
'Then let me set my blood aflame!'
As Bu Eun-seol twisted the Ice Soul Sword in his grip, hundreds of Sword Rings materialized around him.
He had unleashed the first form of the Bloody Tears Seven Forms—Life Is Temporary Death Is Return.
"Good!"
Paeng Ryun let out a triumphant cry the moment Bu Eun-seol deployed the Bloody Tears Seven Forms, swinging the Black Blood Demon Saber with a roar.
KIIIIII—!
With a shriek like the wail of a vengeful ghost, six massive streams of saber energy bloomed outward like flower petals, erasing the Sword Rings one after another.
This was the third form of the Dark-Blood Blade Art—Six Blades Absolute Severance.
SHAAAK!
The Six Blades Absolute Severance not only erased all the Sword Rings but tore through the air toward Bu Eun-seol as if to shred him apart.
Tsu-tsu-tsu.
Anticipating the collapse of Life Is Temporary Death Is Return, Bu Eun-seol continuously shifted his stance midair, altering his defensive position.
SHAAA—K!
Yet the Six Blades Absolute Severance, as though alive, adjusted its trajectory to chase his movements.
CHWAAK!
But in the end, after failing to match his ninety-nine shifts, the saber energy dissipated.
SWISH!
Paeng Ryun switched techniques again, slashing toward Bu Eun-seol's shoulder and back.
Blood sprayed once more, but the wounds were not fatal.
"You scurry around like a rat."
Despite Paeng Ryun's provocation, Bu Eun-seol remained composed—defending calmly, attacking methodically.
'Let's take this... slowly.'
Paeng Ryun, who had spent his entire life honing his blade techniques and had mastered the Blade Emperor's secret arts, wielded a skill far beyond Bu Eun-seol's reach—his attacks overwhelming in sheer force.
But he was deliberately prolonging the fight, intent on wresting the Bloody Tears Seven Forms from Bu Eun-seol completely.
And Bu Eun-seol exploited that.
He primarily used the Formless Heavenly Flow, but intermittently mixed in the second, third, and fourth forms of the Bloody Tears Seven Forms—Seeking Life Amidst Death and Half-Alive, Half-Dead.
All to ensure Paeng Ryun never let go of hope—to drag out this battle as long as possible.
FLASH! CLANG! KREEEEEK!
Bu Eun-seol unleashed another barrage, from Waning Moon Morning Star to Returning God Destroying Earth.
But the Formless Heavenly Flow had no effect on Paeng Ryun—instead, it invited a sharp counterattack.
Had this been the past, Bu Eun-seol would have been shocked, even panicked, that neither his swordplay nor the Bloody Tears Seven Forms worked.
But this battle was a time for refinement, for growth—his mind was at ease, relaxed.
'Unfortunately, Lament by the River is impossible to execute here.'
Lament by the River was an absolute counterattack that severed an enemy's breath in the perfect instant—impossible to unleash without pinpointing a precise opening.
'What should I try next?'
Just as Bu Eun-seol, gripping the Ice Soul Sword, took a deep breath—
—If you've scavenged techniques like a beggar, shouldn't you mix them together as best you can?!
Ak Mu-ryeong's sharp reprimand flashed through his mind.
Bu Eun-seol had learned martial arts that stood at the pinnacle of their respective disciplines.
Because of that, aside from Harmonization, he had never been able to develop or merge them.
'No—there is one.'
There was one martial art he could rapidly evolve and refine in a short time.
The Formless Heavenly Flow—his own creation.
FWOOOOOSH!
At that moment, hundreds of saber energies began raining down from above.
Paeng Ryun, having spotted Bu Eun-seol's opening, had unleashed the first stance of Demon Wheel Bewitching Ground.
Watching the saber rain, Bu Eun-seol had an epiphany.
'Right—mix them as best I can.'
Paeng Ryun, armed with Dark Blood Blade Emperor Qi, was immune to True Qi Martial Arts.
Whether he unleashed Extreme Yin, Extreme Yang, Thunder Essence Divine Qi, or Water Essence Divine Qi, Paeng Ryun could easily nullify them.
But what if he fused those energies into his swordplay? Like all martial arts, the Formless Heavenly Flow already contained balanced Yin-Yang and Five Elements energy.
KUUU-RUNG!
Suddenly, thunder roared from the Ice Soul Sword.
ZZZZZT!
Simultaneously, violet lightning crackled—and a massive Sword Qi surged forth in the shape of a thunderbolt.
He had merged Thunder Essence Divine Qi with Waning Moon Morning Star, a technique already imbued with the properties of wind and thunder.
FLASH! FLASH!
In an instant, the saber rain was obliterated—and Bu Eun-seol unleashed a relentless barrage of Sword Strokes at Paeng Ryun.
Merely by cloaking his blade in Thunder Essence Divine Qi—
Every swing sent violet lightning surging outward, and—
The speed of his Waning Moon Morning Star had tripled.
KWAANG!
As the technique grazed the Grand Hall's floor, a deafening explosion erupted—
GRRRRUMBLE!
The ground trembled as if struck by an earthquake.
'He's pouring all his Internal Energy into raising the technique's power.'
Paeng Ryun smirked.
'Then his swordplay will slow.'
Mistaking Bu Eun-seol's sudden surge in power as a reckless expenditure of energy, he assumed his movements would dull.
"Shall we try this, then?"
In a blink, Paeng Ryun closed the distance—his Black Blood Demon Saber condensing into a compact form.
At the same time, he unleashed the Wild Gale Swift Blade at a speed invisible to the naked eye.
ZZZT!
But when Bu Eun-seol countered with another Thunder Essence Divine Qi-enhanced strike, the Wild Gale Swift Blade was instantly blocked.
'Gh—!'
Even as he parried, Bu Eun-seol inwardly gasped.
His arms felt like they would tear from their sockets—his sword strokes accelerating beyond his control.
ZZZZZZT!
Worse, with every swing, the Thunder Essence Divine Qi within him surged wildly, as if possessed.
'I don't even know anymore.'
As the uncontrollable energy raged, Bu Eun-seol began swinging his sword recklessly, channeling the storm into his strikes.
FWOOOOOOSH!
The chaotic, high-speed Sword Strokes morphed into a colossal thundercloud—engulfing Paeng Ryun in an instant.