Chapter 544
Murmurs erupted.
The hall had descended into utter chaos.
Amidst the uproar, a composed middle-aged man who had been silently listening stood up and asked in a resonant voice:
"How can you prove that man was the Martial Alliance Leader?"
He was none other than Neung Gak,
Hall Leader of the Profound Manifestation Hall,
a disciple of Langya Pavilion
who had assisted Bu Eun-seol during the five-move test at White Horse Monastery.
"Did the masked man personally declare himself to be the Martial Alliance Leader?"
"No, he did not."
"Then how can you be certain that man was Jeong Cheon-je?"
Neung Gak's question was calm yet razor-sharp.
"Or are you suggesting Hall Leader Geum has become such a master that he could survive an encounter with Jeong Cheon-je?"
The logic was impeccable.
Geum Jang-cheon let out a deep sigh before abruptly lifting his upper garment.
—Gasp!
A collective gasp erupted through the hall.
Dozens of vicious pressure point strikes scarred Geum Jang-cheon's abdomen like a crimson checkerboard painted upon human flesh.
"That man severed the breath of my hall's warriors in less than a single exhale. Then he suspended this hall leader midair and spoke these words."
—Remarkable. To think you've cultivated the Great Art of Qi Refinement long lost to the martial world.
Instant murmurs spread through the chamber.
The Great Art of Qi Refinement was an esoteric art of the Nabu Sect.
How could Geum Jang-cheon, leader of the Flying Killing Faction, have mastered it?
"This hall leader once chanced upon the secret manual of the Great Art of Qi Refinement at a graveside by West Lake. I never spoke of this to anyone."
Fear saturated Geum Jang-cheon's gaze.
"Yet that masked man lifted me into the air without lifting a finger, then reversed my internal power flow—as if he'd discerned every thread of my True Qi circulation."
A single term flashed simultaneously through every mind in the hall:
Heavenly Robe Mind Art.
The forbidden technique unique to Jeong Cheon-je that could synchronize with and analyze another's internal energy circulation.
Silence blanketed the chamber.
Setting aside the terrifying internal power required to levitate a man without movement—wasn't there only one person in the entire martial world capable of reading another's True Qi circulation?
"There's a flaw in your account."
Neung Gak shook his head.
"Are you claiming to have escaped Jeong Cheon-je's grasp as a corpse with reversed energy flow?"
"He likely believed me dead."
Geum Jang-cheon spoke through gritted teeth.
"He severed all eight of my meridians, confirmed my last breath, then departed."
"So you're saying you're a jiangshi now?"
Geum Jang-cheon's lips curled into a ghastly smile.
"Hardly. This hall leader mastered the Return Soul Blood Seeking Art. That alone preserved my life."
The Return Soul Blood Seeking Art.
A secret technique that maintained a wisp of vitality in the body regardless of its condition.
Jeong Cheon-je couldn't have known he'd learned it.
After performing the Eight Meridians Severing and confirming his death, the masked man had quietly withdrawn.
Later, Geum Jang-cheon was discovered by Demon Hall masters and revived through the miraculous medical arts of the Medicine King Faction's leader.
But Jeong Cheon-je's technique had eradicated his internal power, leaving him a cripple.
Yang Gu-eung's voice cut through the tension once more:
"Hall Leader Geum. Do you swear every word you've spoken is true?"
"I stake my neck on its truth."
A leaden silence fell.
Every hall leader's gaze in the conference room now fixed upon Bu Eun-seol.
Yeop Hyo-cheon spoke in a low voice:
"Lord. Do you have any rebuttal?"
Bu Eun-seol exhaled through his nose and nodded.
"I do."
"Proceed."
"The man Hall Leader Geum met wasn't the Martial Alliance Leader—it was me."
Yang Gu-eung's face twisted in disbelief.
"What did you say?"
"Are your ears failing?"
Bu Eun-seol's smile was glacial.
"I said it wasn't the Martial Alliance Leader who crippled his martial arts—it was this lord."
Thud.
Every person in the hall looked as though they'd been struck from behind.
None could comprehend this devilish twist.
"You're claiming... that you yourself destroyed Hall Leader Geum's martial arts?"
At Yeop Hyo-cheon's question, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"Correct."
His icy smile widened as he recalled the events that had led to this moment.
Mutual Love Pavilion.
This was where Demon Hall's Secret Order Leader Dan So-ok and Martial Alliance's Coiling Dragon Hall Leader Yeon Ja-gang had once negotiated.
That negotiation ceded the Guwol Mountain region to the Martial Alliance's sphere of influence while granting Demon Hall control over Jeoksu River.
In short—a painfully costly negotiation for the Martial Alliance, leaving deep scars.
And now, at this very pavilion, the leadership of Demon Hall and the Martial Alliance were secretly meeting once again.
It was none other than Bu Eun-seol and Gongson Dan-gyeong.
"Unexpected."
Gongson Dan-gyeong, her face veiled, swept back the strands of hair scattered by the wind as she spoke.
"For the Lord to summon me first—and what's more, through Commander Seon-u's Supreme Peak Faction's network, no less."
Bu Eun-seol had contacted her through the intelligence network operated by Seon-u Jin's Supreme Peak Faction, ensuring the message would reach her ears immediately.
From Gongson Dan-gyeong's perspective, it might have seemed like a bold move, but in truth, Seon-u Jin and Bu Eun-seol were one and the same.
From Bu Eun-seol's standpoint, he had simply reached out through an absolutely secure channel.
"Do you trust Commander Seon-u?"
Gongson Dan-gyeong's gaze was provocative.
"Or do you trust me?"
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"I trust no one."
Then, meeting her eyes squarely, he spoke solemnly.
"The only one this Lord trusts is myself."
In other words, Bu Eun-seol was guaranteeing that even though he had contacted Gongson Dan-gyeong directly through the Supreme Peak Faction's network, there was no chance of the outside world ever finding out.
Gongson Dan-gyeong's lips curled into an enigmatic smile.
"Well, the Lord does command an exceptional intelligence organization..."
She nodded slightly, then fixed her gaze on Bu Eun-seol.
"I understand why this desolate place is the optimal location to conceal our meeting."
Then, in a low voice, she asked:
"But why did you summon me so urgently?"
Bu Eun-seol drew a deep breath.
Gongson Dan-gyeong was working to dismantle the Infinite Realm.
And Hyeokryeon Eung was a core figure of the Infinite Realm.
Bu Eun-seol had summoned her to enlist her aid in a plan to bring Hyeokryeon Eung down.
'If I emphasize that this is for the sake of destroying the Infinite Realm, securing her cooperation should be easy.'
But he quickly reconsidered.
Gongson Dan-gyeong was a strategist nearly his equal. And whether Hyeokryeon Eung would fall for this scheme remained uncertain.
Yet her assistance was absolutely, undeniably necessary.
In that case, a different approach was needed.
'Sometimes, one must set aside calculations and speak from the heart.'
Bu Eun-seol believed now was such a time.
Without hesitation, he said:
"Help me."
Gongson Dan-gyeong's expression flickered with surprise.
She knew full well that someone like Bu Eun-seol would never casually ask for another's aid.
At his level, repaying a debt to another would come at a steep price.
And wasn't she, after all, a figure firmly entrenched in the opposing faction?
"Unexpected," Gongson Dan-gyeong murmured, inhaling deeply.
"For the Lord to say such words to this Chief Strategist."
"Will you help?"
Her eyes gleamed.
"Tell me what you mean first."
"I must seize the traitor."
Bu Eun-seol calmly laid out the situation.
Hyeokryeon Eung—the traitor of the Demon Hall and former Royal Tutor of Prince Wei's Residence—had reappeared in the martial world, and the time had come to eliminate him.
"So you intend to capture Hyeokryeon Eung, one of the Infinite Realm's core figures."
"Correct."
"Then you didn't need to ask for my help."
The two had already agreed to cooperate in dismantling the Infinite Realm.
And since Hyeokryeon Eung was part of the Infinite Realm... there had been no need to bow his head and plead for assistance.
"This plan may not even ensnare him."
Bu Eun-seol spoke evenly.
"Yet it's a risk I must take."
He drew another deep breath.
"He is plotting my downfall. And I intend to use that against him—to strike back."
Bu Eun-seol did not refer to himself as "this Lord," but as "I."
It was a personal, sincere plea.
"For that, your help is absolutely necessary."
"Regardless of success or failure, this would still be a dangerous gamble for me."
"Precisely."
"Continue."
Bu Eun-seol spoke without hesitation.
"Tell me the location of the Heavenly Sovereign."
"Excuse me?"
"I know he is no longer in the Martial Alliance. And I know the last person to see him was the Chief Strategist."
The Heavenly Sovereign had not made any public appearances.
But recently, someone had met with him in private—none other than Gongson Dan-gyeong, newly appointed as the Martial Alliance's Chief Strategist.
After all, ascending to the position of Chief Strategist required the Alliance Leader's approval.
Effectively, she was the last person to have officially seen the Alliance Leader.
"That is an exceedingly difficult request."
Gongson Dan-gyeong's expression darkened.
Then, resolute, she said:
"I refuse."
"..."
"If it were discovered that I revealed the Alliance Leader's location to the Lord, losing my head would be the least of my worries."
If it became known that Gongson Dan-gyeong had revealed the Martial Alliance Leader's location to Bu Eun-seol?
She would immediately be branded a traitor, and the repercussions would extend not only to her—
But also to her clan, and even to her younger sister, Gongson Dan-a.
"Don't worry. It's not as though I truly intend to meet the Alliance Leader."
"What do you mean?"
"If the Chief Strategist Gongson, who last met the Alliance Leader, were to tell me that the Leader was in a certain place... then wouldn't it become true that the Leader was indeed there?"
After a long moment of deep contemplation, Gongson Dan-gyeong's eyes gleamed.
"Cast a Brick to Attract Jade... So that's your strategy."
True to her title as the Martial Alliance's Chief Strategist, she had predicted Bu Eun-seol's plan with just a single sentence.
"Precisely."
"But your opponent is the Hall Master of the Demon Hall's Hall of Protectors and the Royal Tutor of Prince Wei's Residence. Not only could he instantly discern that the bait is false... but he might not even take it in the first place."
"That's why I need your help."
Bu Eun-seol's voice was low.
"I've prepared a tempting lure, but someone must confirm whether it's spoiled food... or something that can be safely consumed."
"You intend to borrow even my information network, then."
"Correct."
"Absurd. Do you really think I would permit such a thing?"
"Of course."
"And why is that?"
Bu Eun-seol met Gongson Dan-gyeong's gaze squarely and spoke decisively.
"Because it is I who am asking."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes burned fiercely.
He was the Heir of the Demon Hall, and among the new generation of grandmasters she knew, he was not only peerless in martial arts and wisdom—
But also the one whose words carried the greatest weight.
To make him owe her a favor?
It was no different from gaining the opportunity to turn something Gongson Dan-gyeong had once deemed "impossible"... into something "possible."
"Very well."
Gongson Dan-gyeong took a deep breath before speaking.
"Since I know full well how difficult it is to make you owe me a debt, I'll comply."
"My thanks."
Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands together.
Truthfully, he hadn't been certain.
That someone like Gongson Dan-gyeong would take such a risk to aid him.
Yet she had agreed without hesitation.
This meant that the grudge she held against the Infinite Realm was absolutely genuine—
And that the probability of this plan's success had risen to seventy percent.
'Seventy percent is enough.'
Bu Eun-seol bit his lip.
Hyeokryeon Eung, who had brutally murdered So Ja-myeong and sought to crush him—Bu Eun-seol was about to set in motion a plan to completely shatter the man's wings.
Inside a secret chamber of the Demon Hall's safehouse in Xi'an Prefecture.
"Isn't that far too dangerous?"
Seo Jin-ha, who had been silently listening to Bu Eun-seol's explanation, shook his head.
"What if she betrays you? You'd be walking straight into a trap with no way out."
Gongson Dan-gyeong was, after all, the Martial Alliance's Chief Strategist.
What if she changed her mind—or worse, acted with malice—and broke her promise to Bu Eun-seol?
He would be cornered with no escape.
"That won't happen."
"How can you be sure? Haven't you heard that a woman's heart is as fickle as a reed?"
"She's no ordinary woman. She's the type who wouldn't hesitate to use even a spy from the enemy's side... so long as they had value."
Bu Eun-seol spoke with confidence.
"She understands exactly what it means to gain a piece like me. She won't make a foolish move."
"Trusting her for that reason alone carries far too much risk."
"Of course."
Bu Eun-seol added one more point.
"She harbors a deep-seated grudge against the Infinite Realm. Had I not been certain of that, I would never have sought her help in the first place."
"Hmm."
Seo Jin-ha gave a faint nod.
After all, it was Gongson Dan-gyeong who had reached out to Bu Eun-seol, fully aware that everything could collapse.
An act she would never have taken... if not for her burning hatred toward the Infinite Realm.
"Fine, let's say that's true."
Seo Jin-ha crossed his arms.
"But is this really necessary? Hyeokryeon Eung might not take the bait. You could just end up owing Gongson Dan-gyeong a favor for nothing."
"That's possible. But there's over a seventy percent chance he'll fall for it."
A flash passed through Bu Eun-seol's pupils.
"Hyeokryeon Eung... After his last failure, he won't dare confront me directly again."
Bu Eun-seol had shattered the Spirit Summoning Secret Voice, which Hyeokryeon Eung had considered his trump card.
Moreover, through their brief clash, he had made it clear that facing Bu Eun-seol head-on would be a battle for survival.
Considering Hyeokryeon Eung's status and everything he had built—
He would never challenge Bu Eun-seol openly again.
"Besides, he's already lost his standing in the Infinite Realm and can no longer wield his former influence. In that state, his only option is to execute a plan to dismantle my position first."
A cold starlight flickered in Bu Eun-seol's pupils.
"By turning that against him and laying an intricate trap... he will inevitably take the bait."
"But what if he doesn't?"
"That won't happen. Even if he suspects it's a trap, the bait will be so irresistibly sweet... he won't be able to refuse."
Seo Jin-ha let out a sigh.
Though he too possessed a sharp mind, whenever he listened to Bu Eun-seol's schemes,
he always felt as if he were a fool in comparison.
"Fine. If you're that confident, then it must be true."
Seo Jin-ha exhaled deeply and nodded.
"Then I'll make the preparations accordingly."
"This must remain between the two of us. It absolutely cannot leak outside."
"Even Un-ryong is to be kept in the dark?"
"Of course."
Bu Eun-seol's reply was firm.
"Yu Un-ryong, the strategist, is undoubtedly the one Hyeokryeon Eung is most wary of and monitors closely. If he catches wind of this beforehand, Hyeokryeon Eung will never bite."
"Hmm, I see what you mean."
Finally grasping Bu Eun-seol's plan, Seo Jin-ha took a deep breath.
"This isn't just about capturing Hyeokryeon Eung, is it? Right?"
"Correct."
Bu Eun-seol's voice was resolute.
"He held the position of Guardians' Faction Master for a long time. There must still be many in the Demon Hall who are either connected to him or consider themselves his loyalists."
Then, with finality, he added:
"I intend to use this opportunity to uproot, at the very least, every last person in the Demon Hall connected to Hyeokryeon Eung."
"Well, most of the Demon Hall's people would strike a deal with the Grim Reaper himself if it benefited them... let alone Hyeokryeon Eung."
Seo Jin-ha let out a bitter laugh.
"That's just how demonic practitioners are."
The Demonic Path moved by power and authority.
If someone offered immense profit?
It didn't matter if they were from the Righteous Faction, the Unorthodox Faction, a government official, or even a ghost—none of it would matter.
"Then let's begin."
Seo Jin-ha nodded at Bu Eun-seol's words.
From this moment on, they would set in motion a plan to sweep away not just Hyeokryeon Eung, but every last person tied to him.
Universal Aid Pavilion, Underground - A Hidden Chamber
"What a ridiculous ploy."
Hyeokryeon Eung scoffed as he listened to the report from his subordinate, Hwa-uk.
"A secret meeting with the Martial Alliance Leader at this time? Heh."
His low chuckle carried a chilling edge.
"A trap. A crude one."
"It's not something we can dismiss lightly."
Hwa-uk spoke in a hushed tone.
"This information didn't come from the Demon Hall's network, but from the Martial Alliance's—specifically, the intelligence channels controlled by their highest-ranking officials."
"The Martial Alliance's intelligence network?"
Hyeokryeon Eung's brow furrowed.
No matter how formidable Bu Eun-seol's influence was within the Demonic Path,
or how impressive the secret intelligence organization he had built might be,
there was one place he could never infiltrate or detect.
That was the Martial Alliance's intelligence network.
Especially the systems operated by their top leadership—no external force could interfere with or penetrate them.
As a former member of the Infinite Realm, Hyeokryeon Eung knew this better than anyone.
"Is it true?"
"Yes. We barely managed to uncover this through our own network."
Stripped of his position as Dharma Demon Master, Hyeokryeon Eung could no longer access the Infinite Realm's intelligence resources.
But Hwa-uk had somehow managed to use them to track Bu Eun-seol's movements.
"Well, it's possible, but..."
Hyeokryeon Eung's eyes narrowed.
"Bu Eun-seol—that brat makes the impossible possible. There's a chance he could be plotting with the possibility in mind that our network might detect it."
"Then... should we ignore it?"
"No. If he truly is attempting to contact the Martial Alliance Leader, then that in itself is a golden opportunity."
"So we proceed?"
"It's worth investigating. That bastard doesn't care about the distinction between orthodox and unorthodox factions when it comes to achieving his goals."
Hwa-uk's brow creased.
"But if the person he's meeting really is the Heavenly Emperor of the Righteous Path... even if we monitor them with the utmost secrecy, won't we be detected?"
Rumors said the Heavenly Emperor's martial prowess rivaled even the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's, and his sensory range extended over three thousand feet.
Surveilling a master of that caliber was no simple task.
"Then we'll use disposable pawns."
"Disposable pawns...?"
"People who won't matter even if they're caught and killed."
A faint smile played on Hyeokryeon Eung's lips.
"Select someone suitable from the Hall Master-ranked figures we've planted in the Demon Hall and spread word that the Martial Soul Lord is meeting not the Martial Alliance Leader... but a Martial Alliance official."
"Not the Martial Alliance Leader, but an official?"
"To them, it doesn't matter whether Bu Eun-seol is truly there—only who he's meeting."
"Understood."
"Even if they're discovered and killed, the traces of their death will reveal who they were observing."
Hyeokryeon Eung's expression brimmed with confidence.
"Namely, whether that person is truly the Heavenly Emperor."
"I see."
Hwa-uk couldn't help but marvel.
Truly, this was the man who had once been a Special Divine Rank of the Infinite Realm and dominated both the Demonic Path and government offices.
With this method, Hyeokryeon Eung would suffer no losses whatsoever,
while still confirming the identity of the Martial Alliance figure Bu Eun-seol was contacting.
And even if, as Hyeokryeon Eung said, the contact wasn't the Heavenly Emperor but merely a Martial Alliance official,
they could still ensure Bu Eun-seol's fall from the position of Martial Soul Lord.