Chapter 579
The Peak Realm Unit had all been granted Demon Leave.
Officially, it was a reward for their relentless efforts—for never having rested even once until now.
But every member of the Peak Realm Unit knew the truth.
It was for Seon-u Jin, who had been unjustly branded a spy. And to quell the unrest brewing within the Martial Alliance.
By sheer fortune, Tae Mu-ryong, who had gone missing after leaving the Martial Alliance, had returned safely.
According to the investigation, he had been ambushed by assassins sent by the Dragon Coil Hall Lord and thrown off a cliff—yet miraculously survived.
The Martial Alliance's senior members breathed a sigh of relief.
Had Tae Mu-ryong met a gruesome end, a thorough investigation would have been launched into his death. And in the end, Yong Myeong's evil deeds would have been laid bare before the entire world.
The Martial Alliance pretended to conduct an inquiry into the matter, but—
...since the culprit, the Dragon Coil Hall Lord, was already dead—they were able to sweep the incident under the rug.
"So that's why the Chief went to save the Vice Chief."
However, every member of the unit, including Jeong Jong-do, knew that Bu Eun-seol and Tae Mu-ryong were hiding the truth.
Yet none of them asked any questions.
They were simply grateful that Tae Mu-ryong had returned alive.
Peak Realm Pavilion, Martial Alliance—Seon-u Jin's Office.
"Now, it's time to reveal the whole truth."
Bu Eun-seol had sealed the room with an Astral Energy Barrier to prevent sound from leaking out.
He had summoned Tae Mu-ryong, Jeong Jong-do, and all the members of the Peak Realm Unit.
Tae Mu-ryong, standing at the forefront, looked far healthier than before.
Not only had his severed meridians fully healed thanks to the Rejuvenating Soul Divine Pill and Azure Spirit Stone Fluid, but he had also received treatment from Gyo Jung-hak in the Demon Hall's safe house, consuming numerous Spirit Pills, including the Slumbering Demon Divine Pill.
As a result, his Internal Power had increased by over sixty years of cultivation, and his aura and presence had undergone a remarkable transformation.
"I am a figure of the Demonic Path."
Bu Eun-seol reverted to his original speech and energy.
"My true identity is a disciple of the Langya Pavilion—and the Martial Soul Lord of the Demon Hall."
He explained everything in detail to the unit members—his real identity, and even the fact that he had infiltrated the Martial Alliance to avenge his grandfather's death.
"The Chief... is the Martial Soul Lord?"
Surprisingly, however—
Tae Mu-ryong, Jeong Jong-do, and the other members did not seem particularly shocked.
The Peak Realm Unit was an Information Warfare Unit, and its members were all elite operatives handpicked and rigorously trained by Bu Eun-seol himself.
They had already perceived that Bu Eun-seol always concealed his abilities—and that his potential far surpassed imagination.
So the fact that he was the Heir of the Demon Hall, destined to rule a million Demonic Path practitioners, was not all that surprising.
"We didn't know the Chief was the Martial Soul Lord," Jeong Jong-do shrugged and said, "but honestly, we had already guessed that he was a figure of the Demonic Path."
Bu Eun-seol's expression shifted to one of surprise.
He had only slipped up once—with Tae Mu-ryong.
Yet the entire unit had already deduced he was from the Demonic Path?
Had there been some oversight he hadn't noticed until now?
"Chief, you used a Movement Technique in front of us, remember?" Jeong Jong-do said with a laugh. "You must have been so frantic when you thought Vice Chief Tae was in danger... that you weren't thinking straight."
Back then, upon hearing that Tae Mu-ryong was in peril, Bu Eun-seol had unconsciously channeled Thunder Essence Divine Qi and unleashed his Movement Technique.
The Peak Realm Unit members had discerned from that single display that Bu Eun-seol was a master of the Demonic Path.
"So that's how it was. I had no idea." Tae Mu-ryong chuckled.
"Truthfully, ever since the Hell Blood Citadel incident, the unit had suspected that the Chief had another identity."
"That can't be."
"If you had trained us half-heartedly, maybe we wouldn't have noticed. But you raised us to be far too capable."
Then Gye Muk, standing at the front of the unit, grinned and added,
"He's right. Did you really think we wouldn't recognize the Chief's true nature?"
Bu Eun-seol had poured his heart and soul into training them, ensuring that one day, every member of the Peak Realm Unit would stand tall in the Martial World.
As a result, each member had become an elite intelligence operative, ranking among the finest in the martial world.
On top of that, the unit members had all devoted their loyalty and attention to Bu Eun-seol. That was how they had picked up on his peculiarities.
"Though we returned to the Martial Alliance at the Vice Chief's insistence," Bu Eun-seol declared firmly, "if even a single one of you refuses... I will leave the Martial Alliance immediately."
The unit members stood in solemn formation—not a single one voiced opposition.
They had long since sworn to lay down their lives for Bu Eun-seol.
Whether he was of the Demonic Path or the Righteous Faction... such things no longer mattered in the slightest.
'So that's how it is.'
Only now did Bu Eun-seol truly understand the hearts of his unit members.
They harbored such unwavering loyalty that they would not hesitate to die for him.
So what did it matter whether he was of the Demonic Path or the Righteous Faction?
"Good. Then we shall remain with the Martial Alliance."
Taking a deep breath, Bu Eun-seol resumed his usual tone and demeanor as he addressed them.
"I will now declare the foremost principle that all members of this unit—including myself—must uphold from this day forward."
The unit members' eyes flashed as they straightened their postures.
Even if he ordered them to die on the spot, they would carry it out without so much as blinking.
"This unit is one. If we live, we live together. If we die, we die together."
For a moment, the tension in the air dissolved, and proud smiles tugged at the corners of their lips.
Bu Eun-seol was a Divine Being beyond mortal reach, a figure who would rewrite the history of the martial world.
For such a man to declare that they would live and die together...
There could be no greater honor.
"Enjoy this Demon Leave. Things will only get harder from here."
Bu Eun-seol offered them a faint smile.
No matter what trials lay ahead, he would face them alongside his unit. And so, what he needed to show them now was a bright smile—one filled with hope.
Having secured a little over a month’s leave, Bu Eun-seol left the Martial Alliance and switched identities with Seo Jin-ha.
He then sent Seo Jin-ha to the Seonhwa Merchant House to rest.
He wanted Seo Jin-ha—now posing as Seon-u Jin—to take a proper break, far removed from the blood-soaked martial world, if only for a while.
[I have urgent news.]
Just as Bu Eun-seol was nearing the Gwangsan area after leaving Henan, So-yo sent him a Thousand-Li Voice Transmission.
Listening in silence, a flash of light flickered through Bu Eun-seol's pupils.
'They've grown bold. How dare they.'
Lost in deep thought, he weighed his options before sending another transmission.
[Select the fastest unit members and dispatch them Beyond the Frontier immediately. And...]
After relaying a series of detailed instructions to So-yo, he added one final command.
[Time is of the essence. Do not be late under any circumstances.]
[Understood. I'll set out right away.]
Once So-yo had fully memorized his orders, she slipped out of the mine unnoticed.
As Bu Eun-seol prepared to resume his Lightness Skill, he stared blankly in the direction she had gone.
Normally, he would have felt only a fleeting pang of guilt for So-yo's hardships before immediately returning to the Demon Hall to handle the backlog of work.
But the recent events at the Martial Alliance had left his mind in turmoil.
'I came to the Rivers and Lakes for revenge. Not to ruin the lives of brilliant young warriors.'
His journey into the martial world had been solely for vengeance.
The Demon Hall and the Martial Alliance—both were merely temporary stops along that path.
And yet, in both places, he had gained subordinates willing to stake their lives for him.
But deep down, Bu Eun-seol was certain of one thing.
If the Peak Mastery Squad ever learned his true identity—his true purpose—they would be deeply disappointed and abandon him.
Yet that was nothing but his own delusion.
They didn't care whether he was of the Righteous Path or the Unorthodox Faction, nor what his goals were.
Absolute Loyalty.
They followed Bu Eun-seol with their lives, heedless of all else.
It was a touching realization, but it also weighed heavily on his conscience.
'I can't help but feel guilty toward the Death Shadow War Unit.'
When he returned to the Demon Hall, just like the Peak Mastery Squad,
The Death Shadow War Unit's subordinates—equally devoted—would be waiting for him.
But right now, he couldn't face them.
Though they were like family to him, the Death Shadow War Unit's leaders would never accept the Righteous Faction—nor the Peak Mastery Squad.
'For now, forget the Demon Hall. Forget the Martial Alliance.'
With his mind in disarray, Bu Eun-seol chose not to return to the Demon Hall.
Instead, he wandered aimlessly through the Rivers and Lakes like a lost traveler.
Whenever he spotted a quiet, secluded tavern, he would enter and drink.
His lodgings were always cheap guest inns.
By the time he reached the outskirts of Sichuan, he had once again rented a room in a shabby inn and sought out a run-down tavern to drown his thoughts.
Gulp, gulp.
Having ordered copious amounts of cheap baijiu, Bu Eun-seol drank like a man whose sole purpose was oblivion.
"Haaah..."
Setting down his cup, he exhaled a long, satisfied sigh.
People drink to forget the sorrows and suffering they feel in life.
Until now, Bu Eun-seol had never lived a leisurely existence where he drowned his sorrows in alcohol.
Every second had been precious, each moment demanding careful calculation and deliberation.
When anguish arose, he honed his martial arts or dissolved it through meditation—never through liquor.
Yet the Bu Eun-seol of now...
Measured nothing. Refined nothing. Drank without a single thought in his head.
As though he had become a wastrel.
Merely sipping liquor while reminiscing about the past, using those memories as his only accompaniment.
'Grandfather.'
The liquor brimming in the bowl seemed to reflect the benevolent face of his grandfather.
For Bu Eun-seol, the only memories that could be called happy were those shared with that old man.
Bu Jan-yang had been his sky, his earth, his parent, his friend.
Every shred of knowledge and thought in his mind had been poured into him by Bu Jan-yang.
Even now, as a martial artist, the secrets passed down by the old man still shielded his body.
Time should have dulled such things.
And yet—perhaps the reason he still burned so fiercely for vengeance...
Was because everything that filled Bu Eun-seol's being...
Had been given to him by his grandfather, Bu Jan-yang.
Gulp, gulp.
Bu Eun-seol tilted the bottle to his lips again and closed his eyes.
Drinking like this, eyes shut...
Made the fiery liquid coursing into his belly...
Rush back up into his skull, conjuring memories of the past with startling clarity.
And so he drank, and drank again, using those rising recollections as his only side dish.
Thud, thud.
Late into the night, Bu Eun-seol stumbled out of the tavern and into the streets.
He couldn't remember how many bucketfuls he'd drunk.
As if in sympathy for his tormented heart...
His body, which would normally purge the effects of alcohol immediately...
Held onto the drunkenness for an unusually long time.
Thanks to that, he could stagger forward, exhaling sweet, liquor-laden breaths.
What his grandfather had so desperately wanted...
Was for him to live like an ordinary man.
'Had I lived quietly as an undertaker, Grandfather would have been even happier.'
Bu Eun-seol laughed weakly.
Truthfully, an ordinary life was something he, too, had desired.
But he could never live while forgetting those who had murdered his grandfather in cold blood.
If that were the case, he might as well have taken his own life.
Shuffle, shuffle.
With unsteady steps, he made his way toward the shabby inn where he was staying.
When he reached a deserted clearing, Bu Eun-seol halted.
And let out a deep sigh.
"Even getting drunk is a luxury for me, it seems."
Hiss, hiss—
At the same moment, the sound of countless scuttling insects filled the air—
And before he knew it, dozens of black shadows had encircled him.
Whoosh.
The shadows abruptly parted with disciplined precision, and a man clad in resplendent silk robes strode forward.
Moonlight reflected off features so handsome they could startle the eyes—
Yet his sharp, elongated eyes lent him a somewhat sinister air.
"How fascinating."
The man smiled as he spoke.
"The Martial Soul Lord, who commands the Demonic Murim, drinking cheap baijiu like a vagabond and sleeping in a dingy inn."
Bu Eun-seol's gaze wasn't fixed on the man's face—but on his sword.
The blade at his waist was unusually broad, its scabbard and hilt both plated in silver.
It was unmistakably the Bloodflame Blade, wielded by the masters of the Bloodflame Blade Family.
"You're from the Bloodflame Blade Family."
At Bu Eun-seol's question, the man clasped his hands together with an air of confidence.
"Do Yong-rin, at your service."
Bu Eun-seol raised an eyebrow.
So this was the second son—Heaven-Shocking Single Saber, Do Yong-rin—who had replaced Do Cheon-rin as the family's successor.
"What do you want?"
"As I will soon inherit the position of Family Head of the Bloodflame Blade Family..."
Do Yong-rin continued with a somewhat arrogant expression.
"I paid a visit to the Demon Hall to meet the Chief Doctrine Commander. But the one I truly wished to see—the Martial Soul Lord—was absent from his post... So I came in person."
Bu Eun-seol muttered, sounding thoroughly unimpressed.
"Now that you've seen me, I trust you're satisfied."
As he turned to leave, Do Yong-rin spoke again.
"My elder brother, Do Cheon-rin, suffered humiliation after his defeat at your hands and left the Bloodflame Blade Family, did he not?"
Bu Eun-seol paused mid-step.
Do Yong-rin's lips curled faintly.
"My elder brother was too busy studying the Art of Kingship and mastering all manner of skills—neglecting his martial training in the process."
"..."
"I came here hoping you would acknowledge that fact."
Now it was clear—Do Yong-rin had come as the new successor of the Bloodflame Blade Family.
He had sought even the slightest redemption for the humiliation Bu Eun-seol had inflicted upon them, and to restore his own pride.
"You say Do Cheon-rin neglected his martial training...?"
"Indeed."
Do Yong-rin wore a self-assured smile.
"I will soon ascend to the position of Family Head. Once that happens, it would be awkward for me to have this kind of conversation with you, Lord."
"..."
"That is why the Family Head ordered me to make this point absolutely clear to you."
'A lie.'
Bu Eun-seol let out a faint breath through his nose.
There was no way Do Mu-jeok, a peerless Master of the highest degree, could fail to gauge Bu Eun-seol's martial prowess.
He would never have ordered anyone to pick a fight with him.
'Just overconfidence, then.'
Bu Eun-seol could piece together the entire situation.
Do Yong-rin believed he had surpassed Do Cheon-rin—who had long been renowned—through his own skill.
Unable to contain his joy at the prospect of soon inheriting the position of Family Head, he had come to provoke Bu Eun-seol.
After all, Bu Eun-seol was the one who had repeatedly humiliated the Bloodflame Blade Family.
"I see."
Bu Eun-seol turned away as if the man wasn't even worth his time.
"Now that I understand, you may leave."
As he began walking off with slow, unhurried steps, Do Yong-rin furrowed his brow.
Turning one's back so casually in front of an opponent—
Wasn't that an attitude that revealed the sheer gap in their martial skill?
"You're just going to walk away?"
Do Yong-rin provoked him again.
"Since we've met like this, wouldn't it be good to offer me some instruction?"
"What is there to teach?"
Bu Eun-seol replied flatly.
"You only defeated someone who, as you said, neglected his martial training within the Bloodflame Blade Family."
Tch.
A thick vein bulged on Do Yong-rin's forehead.
He had intended to belittle Bu Eun-seol, but instead, the man had twisted his words into an insult against the Bloodflame Blade Family itself.
"How disappointing. To think the title of Martial Soul Lord was earned by wagging a sharp tongue."
Thud.
Bu Eun-seol stopped walking.
Not out of anger.
Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have even entertained such a fledgling.
But sensing the blatant gaze watching from afar... he had no choice.
"If it were Do Cheon-rin, he would have made an appointment with me beforehand. Because he would have wanted to face me at my peak."
Bu Eun-seol turned his head and exhaled sharply through his nose.
"But you provoked me knowing full well I've been drinking heavily."
"..."
"That alone proves you lack the bearing to follow in Do Cheon-rin's footsteps."
Do Yong-rin scowled.
"Would a Master of your caliber really be affected by a few cups of wine?"
"A proper duel demands both body and spirit and mind be honed to their utmost. Not a single misstep can be tolerated."
Bu Eun-seol smiled coldly.
"Has the Second Young Master of the Bloodflame Blade Family not yet grasped this?"
"It's a bit disappointing to receive instruction through words alone."
"Do Yong-rin."
Bu Eun-seol sighed, then spoke solemnly.
"Your current level of martial skill is shameful for someone who calls himself the Young Clan Head of the Bloodflame Blade Family. The Family Head surely knows this and is troubled by it."
"What did you say?"
"Return to the Bloodflame Blade Family and undergo three years of closed-door cultivation. If you achieve results by then, that will be the time to aim for the position of Family Head."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head and let out a deep sigh.
"That is my sincere advice."
Then he turned away again and resumed his unhurried steps.
"You've been saying the same thing this whole time."
Furious to the roots of his hair, Do Yong-rin stepped in front of Bu Eun-seol, blocking his path.
"Shouldn't such advice come after demonstrating your skill?"
"Hmm."
Bu Eun-seol exhaled a sigh deep enough to hollow the earth.
Do Yong-rin possessed an outstanding martial physique, but compared to the martial artists who had risen as the next generation's Grandmasters, his skill was somewhat lacking.
He wasn't even at a level where he could win easily against Seo Jin-ha or Yu Un-ryong—yet here he was, challenging him with such confidence.
'They say those of the Martial World only weep once they see the coffin.'
Bu Eun-seol nodded slightly, recalling a proverb passed down through the Rivers and Lakes.
It seemed today, he would have to set aside his melancholy.
And instead, perform the task of granting eye-opening to the frog squatting in the Bloodflame Blade Family's well.
"Fine. Display your martial arts."
Bu Eun-seol crossed his arms and spoke indifferently.
"But give it your all. So you have no regrets."
"Spare me the nonsense."
Swoosh.
Do Yong-rin immediately drew his Bloodflame Blade.
A silvery radiance spread in all directions as razor-sharp sword qi began to surge.
"Draw your weapon."
"If I draw my weapon, I'll count it as your victory."
"Heh... Hahaha!"
"..."
"As expected, your pride is truly something."
Do Yong-rin let out a sharp cry as he unleashed the Bloodflame Blade Art.
"Don't regret this!"
Whoooosh—!
The rainbow-hued sword qi dyed the night sky before cascading down upon Bu Eun-seol's body.