Chapter 536
Whoosh!
In that instant, Bu Eun-seol's body began spinning violently.
Seeing no way to evade the Finger Wind, he unleashed Deflect Flowers and Receive Jade to disperse its force.
Ping!
The Finger Wind grazed past Bu Eun-seol's body and struck the enormous warehouse behind him.
Kwaang!
The warehouse exploded as if blasted apart, fragments scattering in all directions.
Whirrrrr!
Even after redirecting the force of the Finger Wind, Bu Eun-seol's body continued spinning like a top.
Despite activating Deflect Flowers and Receive Jade, he hadn't completely neutralized the Finger Wind's power, leaving his body in an endless, dizzying rotation.
[Hmph. Seems you've trained in Deflect Flowers and Receive Jade for quite some time.]
A peculiar glint flickered in the masked envoy's eyes as he watched Bu Eun-seol spin like a top.
[But that won't be enough.]
Goooooo...
Just as the envoy prepared to extend his finger again—
Piiii.
A faint, distant sound of a flute echoed, causing his brow to furrow.
[Lucky you.]
Slowly retracting his hand, he turned to Wang Cheol.
[This one must have heard everything. If word gets out, Wang Cheol, you'll be in trouble too.]
Wang Cheol was known as a man who upheld Chivalrous Righteousness.
Yet here he was, obediently conversing with an envoy who had slaughtered innocent civilians—all because he had been tempted by the promise of dominating the martial world.
And if it became known that the Extreme Darkness Demonic Sword could make one the Supreme Martial Lord?
Countless martial artists would undoubtedly swarm to seize it.
"Understood. I'll take care of him myself."
[Heh heh heh. Wise decision.]
The envoy sneered as he glanced at Bu Eun-seol, still spinning wildly.
[Make sure not a trace remains.]
Pat.
In the same instant, the envoy vanished into mid-air.
Srrrk.
Wang Cheol's lips curled into a cold smile as he drew the dagger at his waist—the Extreme Darkness Demonic Sword.
"Eavesdropping on others' conversations is a sure way to lose your life..."
But then, something strange happened.
Whirrr—Thud.
The moment the envoy left, Bu Eun-seol's violently spinning body came to an abrupt halt.
When the Finger Wind had been fired, Bu Eun-seol had deliberately used the Force-Flowing Whirlpool Body principle of Deflect Flowers and Receive Jade to evade it.
He had feigned helplessness against the envoy's Finger Wind, intentionally concealing his true strength.
If it were revealed that Bu Eun-seol—or his alias, Seon-u Jin—had learned such secrets, the Three Realms would never stop hunting him.
"You really like playing the Iron Palm Wanderer, don't you?"
A crimson Blood Light flickered in Bu Eun-seol's eyes as he looked down at Wang Cheol.
"What kind of Renowned Chivalrous Hero licks the boots of a murderer who slaughters civilians?"
"Shut your mouth!"
Wang Cheol immediately swung the Extreme Darkness Demonic Sword.
This demonic sword possessed numerous abilities—one of which was that, when executing sword techniques, it could unleash massive Sword Rings as if the wielder's Internal Power had multiplied dozens of times over.
Kooong!
Before Bu Eun-seol's eyes, a Sword Ring the size of a watermelon came hurtling toward him.
By nature, Sword Rings were impossible to block unless met with equal force.
And even with five Cycles worth of Internal Power, deflecting a Sword Ring of that magnitude should have been unthinkable.
BANG!
Yet something unbelievable unfolded before Wang Cheol's eyes.
The masked young man—
As if annoyed—simply drew his sword, still sheathed, and flicked the Sword Ring away like a ball.
Kwaang! Rumble...
The deflected Sword Ring roared through the air, obliterating an entire house in the village.
"Die."
Shwip.
Closing the distance of about fifteen meters in an instant, Bu Eun-seol unleashed the Heavenly Hand Empty Wave in a single motion.
Paa! Splat.
Engulfed in a crimson surge of energy, Wang Cheol burst apart, his remains scattering in all directions.
"'Scatter the demon swords to choose a successor'... huh."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head as he gazed in the direction the envoy had departed.
There was no way the Three Realms would choose its successor so carelessly.
"Given the talk of an Empty-Spirit Body and whatnot, they must be searching for someone with a specific trait."
Bu Eun-seol fell into brief contemplation.
He had not been born with a special constitution like the Empty-Spirit Body or Heavenly Martial Body, imbued with extraordinary power.
But if the nature of his Two Spirit Energies aligned with the power of an Empty-Spirit Body... he might just be able to deceive the agents of the Three Realms.
"Shall I take one more step?"
If he could infiltrate the most fearsome faction among the Three Realms—if he could truly become their successor—
He wouldn't need to become the leader of the Martial Alliance to uncover the Three Realms' secrets in full.
"But I can't rush into this."
Judging by the envoy's strength alone, he was on an entirely different level compared to the envoys of the Infinite Realm and Azure River Realm.
Moreover, the Ink Soul Sword had become Bu Eun-seol's Beloved Sword, one he never let leave his side—so he couldn't use it to approach them.
"For now, I'll take this."
Picking up the Extreme Darkness Demonic Sword from the ground, Bu Eun-seol tucked it into his robes.
Since demonic swords resonated with one another, he would use this one to track down other Demon Sword wielders and seize their blades.
After all, the envoy had already seen that the Extreme Darkness Demonic Sword was wielded by Wang Cheol.
"First, let's return."
He stopped by the Magistrate's Office to report the massacre of the village before heading back to the Martial Alliance.
At this point, he still didn't know why the Three Realms had scattered demon swords throughout the martial world or what purpose they served.
But soon enough, Bu Eun-seol would discover it.
The Three Realms' purpose in distributing the demon swords.
And the very thing he had been desperately searching for.
Martial Alliance, Hidden Moon Hall. Gongson Dan-gyeong's office.
Having returned to the Martial Alliance, Bu Eun-seol sat across from Gongson Dan-gyeong, calmly exchanging information.
Under the guise of Seon-u Jin, he reported everything he had investigated so far—the atmosphere within the Demon Hall and details about the Martial Soul Lord.
"The Martial Soul Lord is even more formidable than the rumors suggest—a figure of exceptional intellect whose emotions are impossible to gauge," Bu Eun-seol said with a grave expression after finishing his report.
"I believe we should avoid maintaining any prolonged relationship with him."
"Hmm."
Gongson Dan-gyeong wore a cryptic smile.
"Even if we engage in long-term dealings with him, I doubt we'd ever come out at a loss."
"What do you mean?"
"Bu Eun-seol, that man is genuinely intent on dismantling the Infinite Realm. Not only that, but he also doesn't seem particularly attached to his position as successor."
Surprisingly, she had discerned multiple aspects of Bu Eun-seol after just a single meeting.
"Moreover, he is tainted by madness. And madmen... once they set their sights on a goal, they don't care about profit or loss."
A sharp glint flashed in Gongson Dan-gyeong's eyes.
"In that case, negotiations with him will always proceed in our favor."
'As expected, she's no easy opponent.'
In that brief time, she had analyzed him with remarkable depth.
To grasp a person's thoughts and temperament at a glance—that was not something achievable through intellect alone.
And now, this prodigy with such insight was confidently declaring that she wouldn't suffer any losses...
From now on, whenever negotiating with her, he would have to stay sharp.
"Actually, there's something else we should be wary of."
"And what would that be?"
"The mood."
Gongson Dan-gyeong, uncharacteristically, cracked a joke.
"The atmosphere around him is truly something else. No wonder he managed to get engaged to two beauties from the Orthodox and Unorthodox Paths."
As if amused by her own thoughts, she added a somewhat absurd quip.
"If that man ever decided to use honey traps, I might actually fall for it. Especially those eyes of his..."
She abruptly stopped speaking.
Seon-u Jin, who always maintained a composed expression, now had his eyes widened in shock, his mouth slightly agape.
"It's a joke. Just a joke—no need to be so surprised."
Only then did Bu Eun-seol close his mouth and regain his composure.
"My apologies. I was caught off guard."
In the current martial world, Gongson Dan-gyeong was the most difficult and troublesome figure to deal with.
From Bu Eun-seol's perspective, the idea of using honey traps was unthinkable.
As the Martial Soul Lord, he didn't want to spend even a second longer than necessary in her presence.
"Regardless, maintain close contact with the Martial Soul Lord. We may need his cooperation again at any moment."
"Understood."
"Ah, one more thing."
Gongson Dan-gyeong's expression turned serious as she recalled something.
"It seems the Yeonseong Hall Leader is preparing to formally transfer her position to the Dragon Coil Hall."
Yuk Cheong-a had originally been the one who assigned Bu Eun-seol major missions, allowing him to accumulate significant achievements.
But at some point, no more tasks came his way.
Instead, they were all being funneled to the Golden Upright Divine Dragon, Baek Mu-seong—the Second-grade Commander of the Dragon Coil Hall.
"She must be convinced that Commander Seon-u has fully aligned himself with the Chief Administrator. And now, she intends to formally promote Commander Baek to First-grade Commander."
Gongson Dan-gyeong's eyes gleamed.
"And her ultimate goal is undoubtedly to elevate Commander Baek to the position of Heavenly Martial Brigade Leader."
"That is likely the case."
A man like Baek Mu-seong wouldn't climb the ranks just to remain a mere First-grade Commander or Hall Leader within the Martial Alliance.
Yuk Cheong-a had clearly seen through Gongson Dan-gyeong's plans and was now maneuvering to place Baek Mu-seong as the Heavenly Martial Brigade Leader.
"Commander Seon-u. From now on, you must also refuse any missions issued by the Chief Administrator."
She laid out her strategy to Bu Eun-seol.
"Doing so will make Hall Master Yuk Jang-cheon, view the Yeonseong Hall Leader even more unfavorably. After all, he'll believe his only daughter is sabotaging his grand endeavor."
She had already dissected the icy relationship between Yuk Jang-cheon and Yuk Cheong-a.
There was no affection between father and daughter—only mutual benefit held them together.
Gongson Dan-gyeong intended to exploit that very point to drive a permanent wedge between them.
"From now on, Commander Seon-u, you must act as though you are wholly loyal to Hall Master Yuk while maintaining a firm stance against the Chief Administrator."
A sharp light flickered in Gongson Dan-gyeong's eyes.
"If that happens, the conflict with the Hall Leader of Yeonseong Hall will intensify, and ultimately, Hall Master Yuk will assign missions to Commander Seon-u directly. And in the end, the Hall Leader of Yeonseong Hall will become the Hall Leader of the Administrative Affairs Hall under Dragon Coil Hall."
Am I like that as well?
Though Gongson Dan-gyeong wore the face of an innocent, beautiful maiden, in truth, she was a strategist who would stop at nothing—employing any means necessary—to achieve her goals.
Perhaps that was no different from Bu Eun-seol, who pursued revenge without hesitation, regardless of method.
"Understood."
"Then you may go."
"Yes."
Bu Eun-seol respectfully clasped his hands together.
From then on, he carried out Gongson Dan-gyeong's orders meticulously.
He never so much as lingered near the Hidden Moon Hall again, and whenever she attempted to summon him or subtly assign him a mission—
He instead sought out Yuk Jang-cheon and earnestly advised him to draw a clear line with Gongson Dan-gyeong.
"Hall Master. The Chief Strategist keeps trying to assign me missions under the Strategy Pavilion, claiming she has need of me. Her intent is clear—to gather capable individuals and strengthen her own faction."
"Hmm."
Yuk Jang-cheon nodded with an expression of agreement.
"Even if we are in a cooperative relationship, this is certainly excessive. It's why even Cheong-a has turned her back on me."
He spoke with an awkward expression.
"As you know, that child no longer concerns herself with my affairs and instead devotes herself to the Golden Upright Divine Dragon, who has joined Dragon Coil Hall."
Yuk Jang-cheon's eyes burned with fury.
To hand Baek Mu-seong over to none other than Dragon Coil Hall—his direct competitor?
That could only mean she truly intended to sever ties with him.
"It's fine."
Bu Eun-seol spoke calmly.
"Hall Leader Yuk must have her own considerations for acting this way. She would never intend to harm you, Hall Master."
Seeing his composed yet somehow earnest gaze, Yuk Jang-cheon let out a heavy sigh.
"Truthfully, Cheong-a—that child has never been one to trust others easily."
Then, he revealed something he had never shared with anyone.
"Not even her own father."
"Isn't it natural for misunderstandings to exist, even between father and daughter?"
Bu Eun-seol replied with utter serenity.
"Even if she feels distant now, once she understands your heart, Hall Leader Yuk will surely return to your side."
Yuk Jang-cheon nodded with a pleased expression.
His loyalty is unquestionable.
From Bu Eun-seol's perspective, it might have been more advantageous if Yuk Cheong-a had completely broken away.
Yet here he was, disregarding his own rise to fame and advising him on how to mend his relationship with her?
This man, Seon-u Jin—
He was far more impressive than Yuk Jang-cheon had anticipated.
"My own daughter treats me coldly, yet you remain steadfast in your loyalty."
"Didn't you, Hall Master, take me in from the very beginning? I am merely fulfilling my duty."
"Hoho."
Yuk Jang-cheon smiled bitterly.
"If only that child had even half your character."
Then, as if coming to a decision, he nodded firmly.
"Originally, I intended to observe you carefully for a while longer before deciding your position. Even if Cheong-a is narrow-minded, she is not a fool."
Clearing his throat, he lowered his voice.
"But there's no need to delay any further. Hall Leader Sang. Come in."
At his words, the door opened, and a middle-aged man with a goat-like beard cautiously entered.
It was Sang Gu-baek, Hall Leader of the Grand Star Hall under the Hall of Martial Ascension.
So he had already found a strategist to replace Yuk Cheong-a.
Yuk Jang-cheon trusted no one.
Not even his own daughter.
Moreover, knowing full well that Yuk Cheong-a was not one to reverse her decisions, he had immediately prepared a successor.
"Hall Leader Sang."
As Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands in greeting, Sang Gu-baek gave a slight nod before bowing to Yuk Jang-cheon.
"Hall Master."
"Have you considered a suitable mission for Commander Seon-u?"
Sang Gu-baek nodded slightly and spoke.
"Currently, the farming villages near U Gyeong are suffering from flood damage and are in dire straits. I believe dispatching Commander Seon-u there would be most appropriate."
"To the flood-stricken region?"
"Indeed. Commander Seon-u has recently accumulated considerable achievements. Now is the time for him to build a favorable reputation externally."
"But hasn't the Alliance already sent many Unit Members there?"
"Precisely why Commander Seon-u must distinguish himself—by ensuring word spreads that he led the most effective flood recovery efforts."
An ideal mission for this moment.
Bu Eun-seol nodded in approval.
Sang Gu-baek was not a strategist of extraordinary intellect, but he had experience.
Thus, his ability to analyze situations and his insight were on par with Gongson Dan-gyeong's.
"That seems acceptable."
At Sang Gu-baek's suggestion, Yuk Jang-cheon nodded and turned to Bu Eun-seol.
"What are your thoughts?"
Meeting Yuk Jang-cheon's gaze, Bu Eun-seol respectfully clasped his hands.
"I shall depart immediately with the Unit Members."
Yuk Jang-cheon nodded and gestured to Sang Gu-baek.
"From now on, your missions will be decided after careful deliberation between this Hall Master and Hall Leader Sang."
"Understood."
Bu Eun-seol then respectfully clasped his hands together toward Sang Gu-baek.
"Though lacking, I will do my utmost. Hall Leader."
Sang Gu-baek, seemingly pleased by Bu Eun-seol's courteous demeanor, stroked his goat-like beard and nodded.
"The Hall Master has high expectations for you, Commander Seon-u. Do your best."
"Yes."
Bu Eun-seol bowed once more to Yuk Jang-cheon and Sang Gu-baek before stepping outside the Hall of Ascending Martial.
'So that's why he was driven out of the Nine Heavens Society.'
Recalling Yuk Jang-cheon's face, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
To see one thing is to know ten.
Yuk Jang-cheon possessed both towering ambition and the affability to maintain vast connections—
Yet he trusted others too easily, and discarded them just as easily.
He should have listened more carefully to Yuk Cheong-a, his own blood relative. And he should have observed Bu Eun-seol a little longer.
But because he had noticed Yuk Cheong-a's growing fondness for Bu Eun-seol—and worse, that she had awakened to romantic feelings—
He dismissed everything she said, wounded her pride, and made no effort to change her mind.
Because he had Bu Eun-seol as a substitute.
In the end, it was precisely this stubborn, judgmental personality—this inability to truly see people—that cost him his reputation and led to his disgraceful fall from the position of Nine Heavens Society's leader.
'History repeats itself.'
Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly as he gazed up at the Hall of Ascending Martial.
People do not change easily. They repeat the same mistakes over and over.
Yuk Jang-cheon would remain no different in the future. The history of the past would simply repeat itself once more.
The elite unit had finally left the Martial Alliance.
Every single member had departed to carry out the task assigned by the Hall of Ascending Martial's leader—restoring flood damage in the U Gyeong region.
Smiles lingered on the lips of the unit members as they stepped outside.
Though this could hardly be called a journey through the martial world, the mere fact that they were undertaking a mission with Bu Eun-seol filled them with satisfaction and joy, as if they were setting off on an outing.
"It seems many warriors from our Alliance have already come to assist," remarked Tae Mu-ryong, scanning their surroundings.
As soon as they entered the U Gyeong vicinity, Martial Alliance warriors could be seen everywhere, moving about to aid the commoners affected by the flood.
At Tae Mu-ryong's words, Bu Eun-seol, as if he had already considered the matter, pointed beyond the village's mountain.
"Let us assist Woo Village over there."
Instantly, Tae Mu-ryong and the unit members stiffened.
Woo Village was a tiny, remote mountain hamlet—so isolated that helping it would hardly earn them any recognition.
Moreover, the area was rife with vagrant settlements, meaning they'd have to care for the displaced as much as the flood damage.
And if handled poorly, their efforts could backfire entirely.
That was why, despite the flood of Martial Alliance warriors in the region, no one had bothered with it.
"Woo Village?" Tae Mu-ryong whispered, visibly flustered.
"Commander. Even if we go there, we won't hear much praise. Even the Government Office barely pays it any attention."
Jeong Jong-do added in a low voice,
"He's right. And there are far too many vagrants there. It's less about flood restoration and more about aiding the vagrants. Even if we help them, they won't feel grateful."
"I'm aware," Bu Eun-seol replied flatly.
"Of course, it would be nice to hear praise—but does it matter? We came here to aid the commoners, didn't we?"
Tae Mu-ryong and Jeong Jong-do exchanged glances.
Though they hadn't served under Bu Eun-seol for long, they could read his expression and gaze well enough.
This wasn't some reckless, thoughtless act of charity.
He undoubtedly had a plan—perhaps even employing his Mystic Calculation Strategy.
"That is a worthy cause," Tae Mu-ryong and Jeong Jong-do conceded, nodding.
Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly.
"Then let's go."
Thud. Thud.
The flood restoration in Woo Village progressed with startling efficiency.
—The commoners will each beg for help with their own homes or damages first.
But we can't indulge that. We must prioritize based on the scale of damage and urgency.
Having led the Death Shadow War Unit's members in aiding disaster-stricken villages before, Bu Eun-seol had ample experience in this.
Unlike other Martial Alliance units that rushed in haphazardly, his team worked systematically and swiftly.
First, he emptied his own coffers to provide food for the villagers and the nearby vagrant settlements.
—Only with full stomachs can minds stay clear and assess the situation properly.
Next, they cleared the mudslides, repaired collapsed walls and houses, and removed the rocks and logs blocking the irrigation channels that had worsened the flood damage.
Bu Eun-seol directed the unit members with flawless precision—as if he had spent his entire life restoring flood damage—
And in the blink of an eye, Woo Village and the vagrant settlements were fully restored.
This speed was beyond what any ordinary unit could achieve.
"Now, let's move to the next village!"
—So this was the Commander's plan all along.
Only then did the unit members realize.
Bu Eun-seol intended to use this efficiency to tour only the remote, neglected villages—the ones the Martial Alliance units avoided—and restore them one by one.
—Because the vagrants' mouths spread word faster.
Even if a hall-rank force restored a proper village near the Government Office, only its residents would sing their praises.
But Bu Eun-seol would restore small, forgotten villages—many of them, indiscriminately.
It was as clear as day that he would receive more acclaim than any other unit.