Chapter 527
Bu Eun-seol, who had thought he'd found a solution, soon shook his head.
'No, I was being too simplistic.'
Refinement is easier than creation.
But refining the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms was still beyond Bu Eun-seol's current capabilities.
First, the sword techniques of the Righteous Faction had deep roots.
They were foundational forms painstakingly developed by exceptional Martial Arts adepts, making them difficult to modify casually.
Even so, Bu Eun-seol might have managed—had it not been for the second obstacle.
The fact that he was a true Demonic Path practitioner, having trained exclusively in Demonic Path Martial Arts.
'I might have stood a chance with Demonic Sword Arts, but Orthodox Sword Studies are beyond me.'
No matter how exceptional his talent, for Bu Eun-seol—who had focused on Demonic Path Martial Arts—to casually alter an Ultimate Art of the Righteous Faction that had been honed over centuries...
At present, it was simply impossible.
'Considering that, the Divine Calculator is most likely the Martial Alliance Leader.'
Master Unhindered was a figure from Beyond the Frontier, and his Ultimate Arts differed slightly from those of the Central Plains—
They were Superior Esoteric Arts from Beyond the Frontier, of an extraordinarily high level.
Yet the Divine Calculator had effortlessly refined even those arts as if they were Central Plains Martial Arts, creating a defensive form capable of repelling any external force.
This meant the Divine Calculator could freely modify not only Central Plains Martial Arts but also the Esoteric Arts of Beyond the Frontier—
Proof that he was a Grandmaster of Orthodox Martial Arts.
'However, the refined Iron Sword Thirteen Forms leans more toward a counterattack form... So I'll still need to make adjustments.'
Until now, Bu Eun-seol had trained in Demonic Sword Arts, which emphasized turning offense into defense and prioritizing destructive power.
But Orthodox Martial Arts primarily focused on defense and suppressed lethal Killing Moves whenever possible.
Moreover, the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms was specialized solely for counterattacks, leaving something to be desired.
'Difficult as it may be, it's worth attempting.'
After much deliberation, Bu Eun-seol decided to proceed with his initial idea—
Using the Martial Arts Manuals stored here to refine the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms.
Rustle.
He began swiftly scanning the manuals on the shelves, focusing on those marked with the character for "sword".
'It's certainly different from the Martial Emperor Secret Vault.'
The manuals in the Martial Emperor's vault had all served as foundations to maximize the power of the Thirteenfold Qi Induction through the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment Art.
Since the Thirteenfold Qi Induction was a martial art capable of generating force even bare-handed, Fist Palm Finger Art had been the primary focus.
As a result, Bu Eun-seol knew far less about Orthodox Sword Studies than he had expected.
'I see. The Divine Calculator referenced Wudang Sword Arts for his refinements.'
The Wudang Sword Arts, which used softness to overcome strength, bore a striking resemblance to the refined Iron Sword Thirteen Forms.
If Bu Eun-seol wanted to enhance the principle of Softness Overcomes Hardness, he should have studied Wudang-related manuals again.
But his current goal was to resolve the lack of Killing Intent and insufficient sharpness in his techniques... So he had to search for different manuals.
'There are too many.'
Even though this was only the second floor of the Pratyekabuddha Hall—
The number of Martial Arts Manuals displayed inside was enough to make one's head spin.
Bu Eun-seol combed through the shelves until dawn, yet he still hadn't found a manual that could serve as a clue for refinement.
"Is it enough to make me hungry?"
Mental exertion drained stamina even more than physical movement.
Bu Eun-seol poured himself a cup of clear water from the large kettle placed at one end of the Pratyekabuddha Hall.
Then, chewing on a Fasting Pill exuding a rich grain aroma from the display beside it, he rested briefly.
That alone was enough to restore his stamina to the point where he could go without a sip of water or a wink of sleep for four days.
Rustle.
He resumed his rapid search through the manuals.
But the Pratyekabuddha Hall was three or four times larger than the Ten Thousand Demonic Secret Archive, making this far from easy.
'Hmm.'
Pausing his search momentarily, Bu Eun-seol racked his brain.
If he continued filtering through them like this, even four sleepless nights wouldn't be enough to find a satisfactory manual.
'I need a method—a way to narrow it down.'
He had three days left.
In that time, Bu Eun-seol had to find the key to refining the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms within this Pratyekabuddha Hall.
And refinement didn't just mean tweaking the sword's power—
He needed to incorporate a vicious Killing Move capable of transforming the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms, which leaned heavily toward counterattacks, into a fierce offensive sword technique.
The problem was that Orthodox Sword Studies inherently preferred suppressing Killing Moves.
Ultimately, without blending in Demonic Sword Arts, refining the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms would be exceedingly difficult.
'No, there is a way.'
Bu Eun-seol recalled the manuals he had skimmed through so far.
Even within Orthodox Sword Techniques, there were ruthless Killing Moves.
It was just that the sword forms containing such techniques were all created by fringe sects or martial artists who had strayed from the mainstream.
'Strayed from the mainstream...'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes gleamed.
He had finally realized how to quickly locate the manuals that could aid in refining the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms.
'Manuals that Righteous Faction practitioners avoid or refuse to touch.'
Well-versed in Demonic Sword Arts, Bu Eun-seol knew their characteristics inside out.
Conversely, Righteous Faction members were deeply familiar with Orthodox Sword Studies—they could tell what a manual contained just by its title. They likely never even picked up certain manuals to begin with.
"Haa..."
Taking a deep breath, Bu Eun-seol focused his mind.
Zzzing.
A faint Heat Haze began to rise from his eyes.
He had elevated his senses to the extreme—activating Empty Mind Spirit Perception, the pinnacle of the Way of the Beast.
In this state, he began selecting manuals that bore fewer traces of human touch.
Heavy wear meant they were exquisite sword techniques favored by Righteous Faction practitioners.
But what Bu Eun-seol sought wasn't refinement—it was sword techniques imbued with overwhelming power akin to the Demonic Sword Arts.
Even if they were undoubtedly orthodox sword techniques.
He was searching for techniques so brutal and devastating that even righteous faction members would recoil in horror.
If such techniques existed, they could elevate the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms to new heights.
'Hmm.'
Having classified the manuals using Empty Mind Spirit Perception, Bu Eun-seol gathered about thirty sword manuals that showed little sign of handling and placed them on the table.
Then, sitting upright, he began flipping through them at a rapid pace.
'Insufficient.'
The sword techniques recorded in these manuals were indeed more focused on raw power than finesse.
Yet, none were advanced enough to be adapted into the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms.
That, in itself, was proof of just how refined his modified version had become.
'Is it impossible?'
After closing the last manual, Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath.
Ultimately, he had found nothing in this floor of the Pratyekabuddha Hall that could be integrated into his sword art.
Perhaps that was only natural.
Even if it was considered martial arts from Beyond the Frontier, Master Unhindered's sword studies were an Ultimate Art capable of shaking the murim.
Moreover, the Divine Calculator had further refined it—considering that level, he would likely need to ascend to the third floor of the Pratyekabuddha Hall.
The manuals on this floor, meant for Hall Master-ranked individuals, simply couldn't match the caliber of the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms.
"Hah."
Finally exhaling a deep sigh, Bu Eun-seol stood and began slotting the manuals back into place.
'A waste of time, perhaps.'
He still had two days left.
But with no manuals catching his interest, there was no reason to linger here.
Thud.
Perhaps out of frustration, as he was shelving the books, he kicked the lower part of the heavy bookshelf with his foot.
Rumble.
A faint shockwave rippled outward from the point of impact in concentric circles.
The vibration from his kick had triggered the Void-Breaking Mind's Eye.
'Hm?'
At that, Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
He sensed a thin manual placed atop the bookshelf where he stood—one that shouldn't have been visible from below.
'Strange. Why would a manual be placed where it can't be seen?'
The bookshelf was quite tall, standing at least ten feet high.
After a brief hesitation, Bu Eun-seol lightly leaped up to retrieve the hidden manual.
But then—
'...I feel eyes on me.'
Perhaps he had been too absorbed in the books.
Still, whoever was watching had martial arts so refined that even he had barely noticed.
'Pavilion Lord Mok must be personally overseeing this.'
No matter how distracted he had been, only Pavilion Lord Mok could evade his senses like this.
'Odd. The Pratyekabuddha Hall isn't supposed to have surveillance.'
Unlike the Demon Hall, the Pratyekabuddha Hall didn't employ watchers.
Yet Daoist Mok was secretly observing him—
'Has their operational policy changed? Or... has there been some recent incident?'
From Bu Eun-seol's perspective, these were just mediocre manuals.
But to ordinary martial artists—
Even this floor of the Pratyekabuddha Hall was filled with priceless martial arts manuals.
Perhaps someone had attempted to transcribe or damage them.
If not that—
'...Then they're not watching the manuals. They're watching me.'
After a moment of contemplation, Bu Eun-seol quickly skimmed through the manual in his hands.
Then, while quickly trying to pull a book from the shelf, he misapplied his strength—
Crash!
—and sent the entire stack of books tumbling to the floor.
In that instant, he sensed the watcher's gaze locking onto the scattered books.
Flick.
Seizing the moment, Bu Eun-seol used Void Object Retrieval to pull the hidden manual from the top of the shelf and pressed it against his back.
Then, crouching naturally among the fallen books, he let it blend into the pile.
"Hmm."
Humming to himself, he gathered the books as if satisfied with their arrangement and carried them all to the table.
Sitting down, he began reading—
The watcher's attention now fixed on his seemingly docile posture.
But the manual Bu Eun-seol was reading wasn't one from the shelf.
It was the one that had been hidden on top.
'Despite its age, there's almost no trace of handling...'
The manual's cover was worn, clearly ancient, yet bore almost no fingerprints.
This meant it had clearly been newly revised from an older work.
Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan.
Opening it, he found the title inscribed not on the cover, but on the first page.
'Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan? Surely not that Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan?'
A legendary sword art from antiquity.
It was said that Master Gwangseong, the ancient immortal, had created this single-form sword technique to instruct the Yellow Emperor, Xuanyuan.
Why would this peerless secret art be hidden atop a bookshelf in the Pratyekabuddha Hall's second floor?
Moreover, judging by its condition, this wasn't an ancient relic—it was a freshly transcribed manual.
'This is...'
As Bu Eun-seol read further, his eyelids trembled faintly.
The sword technique recorded within—
—was more brutal than any he had ever seen, saturated with killing intent.
More vicious and lethal than any other.
Almost identical to the sword art that had—
—sliced off his grandfather's arms with glass-like precision.
The sword art of that Demon.
Clench.
Bu Eun-seol's fingertips shook as they gripped the manual.
Why would a sword technique as demonic as this be hidden in the Martial Alliance's Pratyekabuddha Hall?
'And yet... the opening form is ruthless, but unmistakably orthodox sword studies.'
The sword art carved into his grandfather Bu Jan-yang's flesh had been a Demonic Path technique, infused with twisting, wrenching motions.
But this Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan displayed sword strokes nearly identical to that technique while being fundamentally rooted in the orthodox sword studies of the righteous path.
Does that mean the murderer who killed Grandfather deliberately wielded this Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan as a variant of demonic sword arts?
Thud-thud-thud-thud.
His heart pounded violently as if about to burst.
He had to circulate his internal energy just to steady his mind.
—The one capable of executing such an order after being recruited by them is most likely among the Seven Great Leaders. This is all the information we have regarding Undertaker Bu Jan-yang's death.
Suddenly, the words spoken by the Divine Calculator in Shaolin's underground chamber flashed through his mind.
According to the Divine Calculator, the one who killed Grandfather was most likely one of the Seven Great Leaders.
And as if to prove those words true—
Here lay a sword art that seemed to have transformed the technique that severed Grandfather's arms into an orthodox secret manual... preserved within the Pratyekabuddha Hall.
The one who killed Grandfather is in the Martial Alliance, just as the Divine Calculator said!
Bu Eun-seol swallowed his rage in silence.
He wanted to tear the Martial Alliance apart right this instant, to hunt down whoever had mastered Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan.
But he couldn't.
Because right now, Bu Eun-seol possessed neither the strength nor the authority to do so.
Crack.
As he suppressed his fury, a ruthless killing intent swirled in his eyes.
He had come to the Martial Alliance to find the murderer who killed Grandfather.
And now that he had finally uncovered traces of that killer, a grief-stricken rage boiled within him, making it nearly impossible to maintain his composure.
I must become a Leader.
There was no time to waste.
He had to accumulate achievements as quickly as possible, to rise as the leader of the Heavenly Martial Brigade even a single day sooner.
Even if promotions were decided by merit alone, martial prowess would also be examined.
Perhaps one day, as a candidate for Alliance Chief, he could fight all Seven Great Leaders one by one—and weed out the one who had mastered Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan.
Grit—
Bu Eun-seol clenched his teeth with all his might, suppressing the surging waves of true qi threatening to erupt.
If he unleashed an internal energy shockwave here, his true identity would be exposed.
Crinkle.
As his grip tightened around the manual, a bloody light flickered in his pupils.
I'll master it.
Still grinding his teeth, he began reading through the manual.
The murderer who killed Grandfather would most likely use this very sword technique when facing him.
Which meant he needed to fully comprehend this art—to devise a dismantling technique against it.
This...
As he read further, a strange glint surfaced in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
When he first saw the manual,
he hadn't believed that this was merely a modified version of the sword technique created by Master Gwangseong, despite its name.
How could a sword form crafted by an immortal be so thick with killing intent, so brutal?
But the more he read, the more certain he became.
This Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan... truly was a modified version of the original technique created by Master Gwangseong.
Because this sword form was utterly impossible for a human body to execute.
Three hundred and ninety-five variations in a single sword move?
Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan—
It unleashed three hundred and ninety-five variations in a single stroke while simultaneously adapting to the enemy's movements,
then coalescing back into a single sword form to bisect the opponent.
This is absurd.
Dan Cheong, the Deputy Pavilion Master of Langya Pavilion, was the most exceptional swordsman the sect had to offer.
He could execute one hundred and eight variations in a single stroke.
That alone encapsulated the pinnacle of all sword variations within Langya Pavilion's techniques—
and by combining those variations with Langya's sword energy techniques, Bu Eun-seol had created his Formless Heavenly Flow.
Yet this Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan displayed three times more variations than Dan Cheong's single stroke.
Are these sword strokes even possible?
Bu Eun-seol rapidly scanned the manual, analyzing the transitions between each stroke.
Huh?
His movements halted abruptly.
To execute three hundred and ninety-five variations in a single stroke,
a unifying principle—a total formula—was needed to bind them together.
But this manual lacked that crowning essence of Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan, containing only the initial variations.
It's been split.
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed as he traced the manual's final page.
This wasn't a case of the manual being divided into upper and lower volumes—someone had cleanly sliced the complete manual in half.
With a sword.
The swordsmanship of the one who had cleaved the manual was unimaginably precise, the severed edge as smooth as glass.
Just like the skill of the one who had severed Grandfather's arms.
No one would slash a perfectly intact manual without reason.
A flash of insight crossed Bu Eun-seol's mind.
A manual succession battle?
The manual hadn't been split by a blade—but by sword qi.
And not just one, but two distinct sword qis.
Closing his eyes, Bu Eun-seol ran his fingers along the severed edge once more.
The scene unfolded in his mind.
Two extraordinary masters must have coincidentally entered the Pratyekabuddha Hall at the same time.
One of them discovered this manual, and to seize it, they fought in Soundless Silence.
Swoosh—!
As the manual floated midair, the one attempting to prevent its theft drew their sword like lightning, releasing a slash of sword qi.
Swoosh—!
In response, the one seeking to claim the manual countered with their own sword qi to prevent its destruction.
Clack.
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
When the tolling bell echoed, the two ultimately fled the scene—leaving the manual split in half on the shelf.
Bu Eun-seol reopened his eyes, brows furrowed.
Then was the other half stolen? Or hidden elsewhere?
No matter how deeply he pondered, no answer came.
And why this manual remained on the shelf wasn't important right now.
What mattered was mastering what little remained of its sword technique.
Even without the total formula, I can't execute it fully—
But the idea of unleashing three hundred and ninety-five variations in a single stroke existed only in theory.
In other words, Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan surpassed the limits of variation possible within the framework of sword techniques—
And astonishingly, its roots lay in the orthodox path, yet it harbored methods of unparalleled brutality.
"What if I were to incorporate these changes into the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms?"
The result would be a terrifying killing sword art—so dreadful it would make even the Peerless Thunderbolt seem ordinary by comparison.
(No dialogue tags are needed as this is an unspoken thought.)