Chapter 558
Rustle.
But then, the ground where the Soulless Ones had appeared churned once more, and another hundred or so Soulless Ones emerged.
Strangely, their hair had all turned stark white.
Ssssssh—!
Simultaneously, something astonishing happened.
This time, the Soulless Ones weren't directing white energy streams toward Bu Eun-seol?
It was Extreme Yin Qi, strikingly similar to the Glacier Thousand Streams Art he had just unleashed.
Tsk.
Bu Eun-seol's eyes sharpened with extreme severity as he evaded the energy stream with Ultimate Speed Shadowless.
'So it's the Infinite Realm.'
The Infinite Realm's purpose was to implant martial arts into perfectly healthy individuals.
And indeed, the enhanced Soulless Ones had been infused with multiple martial arts they could now wield.
But the Soulless Ones that had just appeared—
It was as if they had instantly absorbed the martial art Bu Eun-seol had unleashed, now executing a strikingly similar technique.
'Then is this the Infinite Realm's ultimate goal?'
If there existed a method to instantly absorb martial arts—
The Infinite Realm could effortlessly acquire the techniques of formidable masters through these Soulless Ones.
'No, that's impossible.'
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
If such a thing were possible, the Infinite Realm would have already dominated the world.
Whoooosh—!
Bu Eun-seol's hair stood on end as violet lightning crackled incessantly across his body.
This time, he channeled the Great Stillness Heat River True Qi, infused with Thunder Essence Divine Qi.
Boom! Whooosh—!
The overwhelming heat, amplified by Thunder Essence Divine Qi, obliterated the hundred Soulless Ones in an instant.
Thud-thud-thud.
The hundred Soulless Ones, who had been unleashing cold energy, were reduced to skeletons in the blink of an eye.
The grotesque sight of the piled bone towers was nothing short of bizarre.
Bu Eun-seol didn't even glance their way, his expression indifferent as he stepped forward.
"This should be enough."
Once again, he stirred all the power within his body.
Crackle—!
Veins bulged across his entire body, but he paid them no mind, perfectly aligning every ounce of his strength.
He was unleashing the Power of Harmony once more.
Rumble—!
As the five-colored radiance spread, accompanied by a low vibration—
Another colossal pillar, previously invisible, collapsed to the ground.
Drip. Drip.
Beads of sweat rolled down Bu Eun-seol's forehead.
Using the Power of Harmony—a force that explosively amplified his internal energy—twice in succession had taken its toll.
As proof, unlike the first time, it now took over half a quarter-hour to manifest the Power of Harmony.
'I'm still not ready.'
Though he had gained the Two Spirit Energies and could freely wield Extreme Yin and Extreme Yang Martial Arts—
Instantly and freely deploying the Power of Harmony was still beyond him.
Fwooosh—!
Yet again, the ground churned in the distance, and more Soulless Ones poured forth.
This time, the Soulless Ones' eyes burned like charcoal embers, their bodies radiating Extreme Yang Force akin to solar flames.
Just as Bu Eun-seol had anticipated—
Soulless Ones capable of instantly replicating the martial arts he wielded were being created.
"I see."
An ordinary martial artist would have been utterly bewildered or panicked by this grotesque phenomenon.
But Bu Eun-seol remained coldly analytical.
Having harbored multiple energies within his body and studied the principles and intricacies of countless martial arts—
He held an unshakable faith that such things were fundamentally impossible.
"The Martial Extreme Realm."
The layered boundary formations that even Harmonization couldn't shatter in one strike.
Soulless Ones emerging while perfectly retaining the energy their enemies had unleashed.
Having reached the Spiritual Aperture Breakthrough, he couldn't possibly be seeing illusions or mirages.
Therefore, all the boundary formations, troops, and traps deployed across this area—
They were either part of some esoteric ritual art designed to counter a Martial Extreme Realm master, or...
"From the very beginning, all of this is the 'phenomenon' itself, manifested by a Martial Extreme Realm master."
No matter how bold a martial artist might be, despair would be inevitable in such a situation.
Yet, instead, an intense fighting spirit flared in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
A new enemy had appeared.
Or a new technique had been discovered.
Which meant—this was yet another opportunity to advance his martial prowess.
Whoosh—!
Just then, the Soulless Ones simultaneously thrust out their hands, unleashing a torrent of scorching heat.
It was Extreme Yang Force, eerily similar to the Great Stillness Heat River True Qi Bu Eun-seol had wielded.
"Then let's try it like this!"
Swipe—!
Without using internal energy—
Bu Eun-seol simply unsheathed his sword and slaughtered them all in an instant.
SWISH—!
His sword technique was so refined that even a haphazard swing became an exquisite martial form.
THUD.
Having cleanly severed the necks of the hundred-odd Soulless Ones spewing Extreme Yang Qi, Bu Eun-seol—
CLICK.
—sheathed the Ink Soul Sword and surveyed his surroundings with keen interest.
'Now the answer will reveal itself.'
CRUMBLE.
Once more, the earth trembled as the Soulless Ones rose to their feet.
And then, they unleashed their sword techniques.
Bu Eun-seol's lips curled into a faint smile.
The Soulless Ones had ultimately failed to replicate his swordplay.
"They can mimic the profound True Qi Martial Arts—sword techniques fueled by internal energy—yet they can't copy the simplest, most unrefined strokes."
True Qi Martial Arts, which required mastery of esoteric energy circulation, were several times harder to learn than mere swordplay.
Even though they had perfectly mimicked the Glacier Thousand Streams Art and the Great Stillness Heat River True Qi, both of which stood at the pinnacle of Extreme Yin and Extreme Yang—
—they couldn't replicate the most casual sword strokes Bu Eun-seol had executed.
This proved one thing:
There was no such thing as a Soulless One capable of absorbing martial arts.
SWOOSH—!
Shattering the Soulless Ones once more with another sweep of his blade, Bu Eun-seol murmured softly:
"Then it must be the Art of Spells."
A power that displayed overwhelming might despite not being martial arts—a force that existed beyond the boundaries of martial techniques.
There was only one thing that fit:
Spellcraft.
Moreover, its effects were so vicious and potent that even decades later, remnants of spells still lingered in Nine-Bend Mountain, where the Maoshan Sect had once stood.
However, the lineage of spellcasters in the Murim had long been severed.
Spells were so formidable that ordinary martial arts couldn't dispel them—their power defied imagination.
And precisely because of their danger, the martial world had adopted a ruthless policy:
The moment someone even hinted at wielding spells or esoteric ritual arts, they were met with indiscriminate slaughter.
'But for the Three Realms, it's possible.'
Over the years, the Three Realms had secretly restored many factions thought to be extinct in the Murim.
Reviving sects and ritualists who practiced spellcraft would have been well within their capabilities.
"But why?"
Bu Eun-seol furrowed his brow.
If this truly was spellcraft—
Why go through the trouble of merely trapping him in an enclosure and creating Soulless Ones that mimicked martial arts?
"Unless... they expected me to be a master of the Martial Extreme Realm and hoped I'd manifest the 'Phenomenon'?"
It was said that those who reached the absolute pinnacle of martial refinement—the highest extreme—
—would trigger Martial Extremity Equal Enlightenment, a phenomenon allowing them to instantly grasp the Ultimate Principle of martial arts.
Those who achieved this would transcend human limits, wielding a body and power beyond even the logic of martial theory.
And that state was known as—
The Martial Extreme Realm.
These spells...
...might have been a trap designed to confirm whether Bu Eun-seol had reached that realm.
'No, that can't be it.'
Bu Eun-seol had undeniably unleashed Harmonization.
Though it couldn't be considered the power of the Martial Extreme Realm, it had allowed him to faintly evade the "Phenomenon" that the Sword Sovereign had once manifested when executing the Nature Sword.
If this had truly been a trap set for someone at the Martial Extreme Realm, the formation itself—not just the Pillars—would have shattered.
'Time.'
A sudden realization flashed through Bu Eun-seol's mind.
'They were stalling for time.'
There was only one reason to deploy such a formation:
To delay him—
—until a terrifying powerhouse capable of facing him arrived.
'I need to break it. Now.'
He wasn't afraid of a strong opponent.
But if the enemy had laid a perfect trap, why dance to their tune and fight at a disadvantage?
'There's only one way to break spellcraft.'
A transparent energy flickered around Bu Eun-seol's body.
Though spellcraft was notoriously difficult to dismantle even with formidable martial arts—
—fortunately, he possessed the simplest means to shatter it.
SHHH—!
In an instant, millions of water droplets materialized around him.
Pure droplets, condensed from Water Essence Divine Qi.
The easiest way to break spellcraft—neither a formation nor martial arts—
—was to wield the power of Great Nature, imbued with Evil-Breaking force:
the Four Divine Energies.
SWOOSH—!
As Bu Eun-seol stretched out both hands, the massive droplets surged outward in all directions.
The transparent walls shattered, and gradually, the clear sky became visible once more.
'Just as I thought.'
In the past, Gongson Dan-a had effortlessly dismantled the spells lingering in Nine-Bend Mountain using the power of Water Spirit Energy.
And what Bu Eun-seol had just unleashed wasn't mere Water Spirit Energy—
—but its purified essence: Water Essence Divine Qi.
The spell formation that had enveloped the plains in a single breath began to shatter.
Whoosh.
As the surrounding landscape revealed itself, Bu Eun-seol immediately withdrew the Water Essence Divine Qi.
Sssshhh—
The spell formation, thoroughly saturated with the Water Essence Divine Qi, could no longer endure and naturally dissipated.
'I must leave this place immediately.'
Bu Eun-seol prepared to activate his Movement Technique and depart in an instant.
Thud.
But suddenly, his heart lurched violently.
Thud.
A low vibration resonated as his vision abruptly blurred.
An indescribable sense of foreboding surged through his body.
Slowly, Bu Eun-seol turned around.
There, as if giving concrete form to the very concept of dread—
A black shadow stood 100 feet away.
Thump-thump-thump.
The moment his gaze fell upon the black shadow, his blood surged rapidly, and his heart pounded as if ready to burst.
Shing.
Without realizing it, Bu Eun-seol drew his sword and assumed a guarded stance.
The shadow possessed only a vague outline—no face, no presence whatsoever.
Like a flower blooming by the roadside—commonplace. Like a dead leaf drifting in the wind—utterly devoid of presence.
Nothingness, and Emptiness.
From the black shadow, all that could be perceived was an extreme sense of futility and void.
[How intriguing.]
A voice flowed forth.
That voice emerged simultaneously from the heavens and the earth—
From the grasses sprouting in all directions, from the sand, the trees, the rocks.
As every object in the world carried the shadow's voice, Bu Eun-seol felt such dizziness that his vision blurred.
Ugh!
He tried to circulate his Internal Power to block out the sound, but—
[The Art of Spells created by the Red Pine Adept to imprison wind and rain...]
Despite his efforts, an infinitely deep voice, as if echoing from within a cavern, bored into his ears.
[...and yet you shattered this ancient secret transmission and escaped...]
Whoooosh—
At that moment, the Reverse Polarity True Qi circulating within Bu Eun-seol's body surged outward.
"Are you the Heavenly Venerable?"
Bu Eun-seol's voice severed the shadow's words.
"Or the Supreme Emperor?"
He could sense it.
The black shadow standing before him—
This was undoubtedly one of the two figures Do Song-baek had spoken of, the ones who commanded the Special Divine Rank—either the Supreme Emperor or the Heavenly Venerable.
[Oh-ho.]
The shadow let out an exclamation.
Then, as if a white mouth had formed within the black shadow—
[To recognize this one so swiftly—you are quite impressive.]
The Heavenly Venerable.
That shadow was none other than the Heavenly Venerable of the Infinite Realm.
Creeeak.
Bu Eun-seol tightened his grip on Ink Soul Sword.
If he didn't, his body might move uncontrollably, regardless of his will.
'Fortunately, he has let his guard down.'
Against such a transcendent being, no ordinary Martial Arts would suffice.
But Bu Eun-seol had a trump card.
The Two Spirit Energies, Harmonization—and Ink Soul Sword.
Both energies possessed power that transcended Martial Arts, and Ink Soul Sword, when infused with the Two Spirit Energies, unleashed a mysterious force.
'I'll channel the Two Spirit Energies into Ink Soul Sword and activate Harmonization simultaneously.'
With these—even if it's the Heavenly Venerable, I can surely deliver a fatal strike.
[Like a beast hiding sharp fangs.]
Another smile seemed to form within the Heavenly Venerable's shadow.
[But you are far too tense.]
It was true.
Bu Eun-seol had been facing the Heavenly Venerable in a rigid, guarded stance.
In contrast, the Heavenly Venerable's shadow stood with utter ease.
That alone made the outcome seem all but decided.
'Victory or defeat doesn't matter.'
This wasn't a Martial Arts duel—
Even if it cost him his life, Bu Eun-seol was determined to sever the Heavenly Venerable's head.
[The Dharma Demon Master of our realm, Hyeokryeon Eung—you must know of him.]
The Heavenly Venerable's voice seemed to make the entire world wobble like rubber.
[Where is he?]
Hyeokryeon Eung had vanished completely due to the Harmonization Bu Eun-seol had unleashed.
For the Infinite Realm, losing a core figure who handled countless affairs—vanishing as if evaporated—was an unacceptable situation.
They had mobilized their entire Information Network and discovered that the last person to meet him was Bu Eun-seol.
"Defeat me, and I'll tell you."
[Fascinating. And unique.]
Had it sensed his murderous intent?
The Heavenly Venerable's shadow let out an amused sound, then formed the gesture of applause.
Swish.
Suddenly, three masked figures appeared around Bu Eun-seol like ghosts.
They were clad in black, wraith-like attire.
Moreover, they radiated an overwhelming aura—far beyond any of the Infinite Realm's envoys he had encountered before.
'Special Divine Rank.'
Most likely, these were the Special Divine Rank of the Infinite Realm, and they probably possessed abilities similar to Hyeokryeon Eung's.
[Do not compare them to Hyeokryeon Eung.]
The Heavenly Venerable spoke indifferently, as if he had read Bu Eun-seol's very thoughts.
[He merely had a useful Mind-Seizing Art, which allowed him to rise to the position of Dharma Demon Master and handle various tasks in my stead.]
Hyeokryeon Eung, who had not only been implanted with the martial arts of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars but also wielded an external martial discipline surpassing even the Vajra Indestructibility—
The same Hyeokryeon Eung who had pushed Bu Eun-seol to the brink of death.
Yet the Heavenly Venerable dismissed him as nothing more than "a man with a passable Mind-Seizing Art."
"The title 'Heavenly Venerable' is wasted on you."
Bu Eun-seol glared at the shadow of the Heavenly Venerable and let out a cold sneer.
"If you're so confident, stop flapping your lips and fight me yourself."
Whoooom.
At that moment, the flickering black shadow of the Heavenly Venerable, like a candle's flame, froze in place.
[Heh heh heh.]
The Heavenly Venerable, who had been chuckling lowly, suddenly—
[HAHAHAHAHA——————!]
—burst into mad laughter that seemed to shake the heavens and earth.
A gale strong enough to sweep the entire world spread outward, and the sky and ground began to tremble.
[I can't even remember the last time I heard such insolence. Hahaha!]
With every peal of laughter, the world itself quaked.
'Now.'
The distance between them was roughly 50 feet.
In that instant, a brilliant light erupted from the scabbard of Bu Eun-seol's Ink Soul Sword.
He had seized the perfect moment—right as the laughter burst forth.
True Bloody Tears Seven Forms, Second Form: Half Alive, Half Dead.
A technique that shattered any form of defense in a single stroke, delivering death to all living things.
The absolute saber doctrine of the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade Bu Jan-yang had been unleashed.
'It doesn't matter if the Heavenly Venerable's shadow is just an illusion!'
The Bloody Tears Seven Forms delivered death to everything.
Even if the target were a ghost, it would still die.
But then, something strange happened.
Shwaaak!
To his shock, one of the Special Divine Rank operatives—who had been standing still—
—leaped in front of Bu Eun-seol before his saber technique could fully manifest.
Shwaaak!
Even though the technique had not yet reached its full execution, the operative's body was split in two by the sheer blade stance.
Clank.
Immediately, Bu Eun-seol's technique halted.
The Special Divine Rank had intercepted the technique mid-unfolding.
The perfect moment had been shattered.
And with it, the mystical power of the Bloody Tears Seven Forms—the power to bring death to all things—had been lost.
'How is this possible?'
That had been the perfect moment—the Fixed Moment—to cleanly bisect the Heavenly Venerable.
So how had the Special Divine Rank predicted his movements?
[Magnificent.]
The Heavenly Venerable's voice, unlike before, now carried genuine emotion—human-like sincerity.
[To think you nearly killed me once.]
Instead of retreating, the Heavenly Venerable took a step closer to Bu Eun-seol.
[As a token of my admiration, I shall study everything about you—your martial arts, your skin, your hair, your bones, your tendons. Every last part of you.]
The black shadow of the Heavenly Venerable suddenly transmitted words directly into Bu Eun-seol's spirit and mind.
[But before that... I shall grant you the opportunity to ask me one thing.]
Bu Eun-seol's gaze turned icy.
This was not an act of generosity—not a chance to satisfy curiosity.
He saw through it instantly.
This was a psychological tactic—a way to probe what lay buried in his heart, to uncover his deepest desires, his most burning questions.
"Fine."
Expressionless, Bu Eun-seol spoke.
"What is your goal?"
[Our goal, you ask.]
The Heavenly Venerable's shadow vocalized its response once more.
[Before I answer that... let me ask you something.]
"..."
[Do you believe that when a human dies, their body and mind cease to exist?]
From within the shadow, a set of white teeth had begun to form.
[Or do you believe that while the flesh may die temporarily... the body is reborn, preserving its current state... endlessly?]
A strange light flickered in Bu Eun-seol's pupils.
What the Heavenly Venerable was speaking of was the Views of Annihilation and Permanence from the Buddhist Order.
In other words—
Is everything truly impermanent, devoid of lasting reality?
Or is everything eternal, unchanging... preserving its current state without end?
That was the question being posed.
[If you cannot answer, that too is acceptable.]
"Not at all."
Bu Eun-seol could answer without hesitation.
Because long ago, his grandfather, Bu Jan-yang, had already given him the answer.
"The two are not separate. They are one."
A radiant light spilled from Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
"The purpose is always the same—to transcend life and death and return to the One."
Whoooom.
At that moment, the Heavenly Venerable's shadow darkened—
—into a black deeper than the night sky itself.
[As I thought... you share the same ideals as the Return-to-One Realm.]
"The Return-to-One Realm?"
Bu Eun-seol finally understood.
The Three Realms, who had never revealed their true form—
Their name was the Return-to-One Realm.
[Even if the entire world were to vanish... those who share the ideals of the Return-to-One Realm cannot be allowed to live.]
From within the endlessly flickering shadow of the Heavenly Venerable, another set of white teeth formed—grinning playfully.
[Now, die.]