Chapter 583
"Please rest for a moment. I'll swiftly sweep away those rabble and return."
"Wait, if you step in now— Ah!"
Dam Yu-yeon, who had been trying to stop Heuk-pyo, let out a startled cry.
"It's nothing."
Heuk-pyo. Wasn't he originally a wandering fighter to begin with?
Moreover, this battle was ostensibly a conflict between wandering factions, so he had more than enough justification to intervene as the leader of such forces.
"Then, please wait just a little longer."
Pah-ang!
Leaving behind an afterimage of his clasped hands, Heuk-pyo vanished into the battlefield in an instant.
His speed was like lightning, his stealth like a ghost.
"This guy... He deliberately feigned ignorance."
Do Cheon-rin let out a hollow laugh and shook his head.
"He said he wouldn't listen unless it was information that could shake the martial world."
Until now, he had resented Bu Eun-seol.
The same man who had extended his hand to him without hesitation had turned away coldly when Dam Yu-yeon, who had treated him with the Golden Needle Art, was in danger.
But only now did he realize—
Bu Eun-seol had already decided long ago to help Dam Yu-yeon.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to summon the Wandering King, a man renowned even beyond the frontier, at such a perfectly timed moment.
"He must have planned to help at the most desperate moment to take all the credit for it."
When Dam Yu-yeon said this with a laugh, Do Cheon-rin shook his head again.
"No. He deliberately said he wouldn't help."
Finally grasping the full depth of Bu Eun-seol's intricate scheme, he continued.
"There was the issue of information leaks, but... it was also to deal with the spies who had infiltrated not just the Black Banner Society, but the Red Sky Curtain Branch in one fell swoop."
As Dam Yu-yeon let out a small gasp of realization, Do Cheon-rin wagged his head in exasperation.
"Honestly, it's unbearable."
Even he, who was called the Perfect Scholar for his exceptional intellect, couldn't hope to match Bu Eun-seol's Mystic Calculation Strategy.
"Bu Eun-seol... You're someone I can't even begin to measure with my own vessel."
Watching Do Cheon-rin's defeated expression, Dam Yu-yeon spoke gently.
"He's different from us. Don't let it bother you."
"Different..."
Do Cheon-rin nodded slowly at her words.
"I see. That must be it."
If he thought of Bu Eun-seol as an entirely different creature, as Dam Yu-yeon said... it certainly made him feel better.
The moment Heuk-pyo's Rogue Vanguard was fully deployed into battle, the Black Banner Society crumbled in an instant.
They were all wandering fighters specialized in large-scale combat, wielding unfamiliar weapons and tactics unseen in the Central Plains martial world.
Some units hurled strange hidden weapons that precisely targeted only enemy combatants.
Others clad themselves in iron armor and focused solely on breaking enemy formations and battle arrays.
Though their numbers barely surpassed three hundred, they were masters who could fight a hundred each. In the blink of an eye, the tide of battle had turned.
"Retreat!"
Dam Ung, who had been observing the battle, roared.
"Fall back!"
With that single command, he began retreating at full speed.
Now that those bizarre troops had arrived, defeat was inevitable.
If so, he had to preserve as many of his forces as possible to placate the Black Banner Society's wrath.
But that was nothing more than a futile hope.
Rumble—
As if anticipating the retreat, the Rogue Vanguard spread wide to the left and right, relentlessly pursuing and slaughtering them.
Swish!
Like a hawk spotting its prey—
Heuk-pyo flashed forward, cutting off Dam Ung's retreat in an instant.
"Kill him!"
At Dam Ung's order, the martial artists around him moved to engage.
They were all elites of the Black Banner Society, formidable masters in their own right.
But their opponent was the Wandering King, Heuk-pyo—
A man known for accomplishing missions deemed impossible alone, whose abilities were said to be unfathomable.
The Black Banner Society's elites, who could cut down ordinary martial artists in a single stroke, were mowed down like bundles of straw.
Kwa-rung!
Then, with a thunderous roar from the distant sky, the Black Banner Society's martial artists charging at Heuk-pyo were sent flying in all directions.
Do Cheon-rin had rejoined the battlefield, unleashing the Evil Dragon Mountain-Shattering Form once more.
"I'll lend a hand."
"No need. I'll handle it."
Heuk-pyo amplified his Internal Power and swiftly dispatched the surrounding Black Banner Society masters.
'His talent is extraordinary.'
Do Cheon-rin, watching him, clicked his tongue.
'With a little more training, he'd be unstoppable.'
It was strange.
He had never once taught anyone before.
Yet, looking into that sharp-eyed young man's gaze, he felt an inexplicable urge to impart every martial art he had ever mastered.
"Your movement technique is flawless, but your attacks are far too flashy."
Do Cheon-rin brandished the Phantom Demon Sword and called out as he performed the Bloodflame Blade Art.
"And against those who focus solely on defense, a sword technique that overwhelms with sheer Internal Power is better than relying on speed. Watch!"
Then, he demonstrated the Bloodflame Blade Art's ultimate principles—
Action Within Action and Do Not Look Back—woven seamlessly into his strikes.
"Ah."
Having followed Bu Eun-seol all this time, Heuk-pyo had learned to discern the subtleties of martial arts.
Because of this, he could instantly grasp the profound principles within Do Cheon-rin's saber technique.
"I see. I am grateful for your instruction."
Heuk-pyo grinned brightly.
In Do Cheon-rin's demeanor, he saw the shadow of Bu Eun-seol, who had once taught him in the past.
"Let me try it again!"
Following Do Cheon-rin's advice, Heuk-pyo drew upon his Internal Power in full force, wielding his dagger like a Heavy Sword.
KWAANG! KWAANG!
With explosive sounds, the Escort Corps collapsed in an instant.
A single lesson from Do Cheon-rin had elevated his prowess yet again.
'He's a Master beyond my ability to face.'
Dam Ung, who had been watching the scene, gaped in shock.
Though cruel by nature and fond of women, he was a shrewd figure capable of managing the Black Banner Society's finances.
The moment the Escort Corps fell, Dam Ung turned tail and fled without hesitation.
PA-PA-PAK!
But Heuk-pyo moved with Lightning Flash, subduing Dam Ung's pressure points in an instant.
CHU-EEK.
Placing his dagger against Dam Ung's throat, Heuk-pyo unleashed a Lion's Roar.
―KNEEL――――!
A voice brimming with the blazing Warrior Spirit, befitting the majesty of one called the Wandering King, shook the mountains and rivers.
The surviving warriors of the Black Banner Society, seeing Dam Ung subdued, threw down their weapons and dropped to their knees.
―Spare us!
The surviving wanderers who witnessed this erupted in cheers.
―WAAAAAH!
It had been a battle they thought impossible to survive.
Yet they had achieved a decisive victory, even capturing Dam Ung himself.
"I surrender. I surrender!"
With his pressure points sealed, Dam Ung babbled incessantly, his eyes darting between Do Cheon-rin and Heuk-pyo.
"I swear I'll never dare covet the Red Sky Curtain Branch again!"
Do Cheon-rin and Heuk-pyo turned their heads simultaneously toward Dam Yu-yeon.
Since she led the Red Sky Curtain Branch, the decision was rightfully hers.
THUD. THUD.
Dam Yu-yeon stepped forward slowly, stopping before Dam Ung.
"Young Lady Dam."
Dam Ung forced a servile smile.
"Please, for the sake of our society, show mercy—"
SLISH.
Without letting him finish, Dam Yu-yeon drew her Treasured Sword.
"Branch Leader!"
One of the nearby wanderers cried out in alarm.
"If you kill the Black Banner Society's Hall Leader, they will surely seek revenge against our branch!"
SLASH!
Yet Dam Yu-yeon did not hesitate—she severed Dam Ung's head in a single stroke.
Then, turning to the wanderers, she spoke.
"Even if we spared Dam Ung, even if we forged a non-aggression pact—it would mean nothing without strength."
Only after enduring this invasion had she realized it once more, with bone-deep clarity.
Without power, you are invaded.
Only with power can you speak to your enemies without fighting.
"Don't worry."
Heuk-pyo spoke up then.
"Lord Martial Soul has ordered part of our Wanderer Unit to be stationed here to assist Red Sky Curtain Branch."
Dam Yu-yeon's body flinched slightly.
Bu Eun-seol hadn't helped her just once.
To protect Red Sky Curtain Branch permanently—
He had arranged for Heuk-pyo's Wanderer Unit to become part of its forces.
Since they, too, were wanderers, even if new factions settled here, the branch's autonomy would remain intact.
'He conceals his kindness beneath coldness.'
Though she had treated him with nothing but indifference, Bu Eun-seol had disregarded it entirely—
Preserving her pride while ensuring Red Sky Curtain Branch would never again suffer invasion.
His consideration had been meticulous.
"That won't be necessary."
When Dam Yu-yeon refused firmly, Heuk-pyo's expression flickered with surprise.
Even now, was she unable to set aside her pride?
Or was Bu Eun-seol's goodwill too burdensome?
"From today onward, this branch will be subordinate to the Demon Hall—no, to the Martial Soul Lord himself."
At this unprecedented declaration, not just Heuk-pyo but even Do Cheon-rin and the wanderers were left speechless.
In the past, Dam Yu-yeon would have chosen death over joining the Demon Hall.
But now, things were different.
Having witnessed Bu Eun-seol's character and the depth of his vessel—
Even if it were not the Demon Hall but an Unorthodox Faction that controlled jiangshi, she would willingly serve under him.
"Are you certain?"
Do Cheon-rin, of all people, spoke with concern.
"Shaanxi has long been dominated by the Righteous Faction. If word spreads that you've submitted to the Demon Hall, its factions will scorn Red Sky Curtain Branch."
"It doesn't matter."
Dam Yu-yeon's voice was icy.
"When the Black Banner Society marched here with an army disguised as wanderers, the Righteous Faction turned a blind eye."
She raised her voice, addressing the wanderers.
"Even after the devastation we suffered, they remained silent... They have no right to criticize us for joining the Demonic Path."
Recognizing her unwavering resolve, Heuk-pyo clasped his hands together.
"Understood. Then we shall remain stationed here only until the Demon Hall makes an official announcement."
"That won't be necessary."
Do Cheon-rin stepped forward then.
"If you intend to join the Demon Hall, it would be better to station the Supreme Saber Unit here instead."
His gaze fixed on Dam Yu-yeon as he continued.
"They are highly skilled and utterly loyal to me. There could be no better choice for your protection."
Dam Yu-yeon's face flushed crimson in an instant.
The Bloodflame Blade Family's blade masters being assigned as her personal escort—she had just grasped the full implications of that gesture.
"You...!"
As the scarlet-faced Dam Yu-yeon stammered, Heuk-pyo—whose perception moved faster than any movement technique—swiftly intervened.
"An excellent decision indeed! You must share the happy news at the earliest opportunity. I shall absolutely come for the noodles."
"Eating noodles" was a euphemism for holding a wedding ceremony.
At Heuk-pyo's words, Dam Yu-yeon turned her reddened face away while Do Cheon-rin cleared his throat awkwardly, avoiding eye contact.
"You're truly... excessively hasty," Do Cheon-rin muttered between coughs.
Heuk-pyo scratched his head sheepishly.
"I just happen to love noodles. Doesn't Lord [Bu Eun-seol] enjoy them as well?"
Then he flashed an innocent smile.
"Truthfully, my greatest wish is to taste noodles served by Lord himself."
Even Heuk-pyo earnestly hoped that Bu Eun-seol would find love and hold a wedding ceremony.
"I've spoken out of turn."
Sniffling, Heuk-pyo clasped his hands together.
"I'll take my leave now. Ah, and one more thing..."
As if suddenly remembering, he scratched his head again.
"Please put in a good word for me with the Lord. Tell him I'm begging for forgiveness."
Do Cheon-rin and Dam Yu-yeon exchanged glances.
What could this brilliant young man have possibly done to Bu Eun-seol to warrant such desperate pleading?
"Well, you see... The Young Palace Lord of the Divine Maiden Palace was able to locate the Lord because... I may have revealed his whereabouts."
Heuk-pyo scratched his head in embarrassment.
"I thought they'd make a good match."
Do Cheon-rin and Dam Yu-yeon blinked in bewilderment.
Just what nonsense had this youngster been spouting?
"That is to say..."
Feeling the weight of their stares, Heuk-pyo began rambling incoherently.
"Young Palace Master Yeon is tight-lipped and upright in character, so I assumed she wouldn't mention it, but..."
"..."
"Ever since, I haven't been able to face the Lord. If you two could kindly intercede on my behalf, I'd be eternally grateful."
"Pfft—"
"Bahahaha!"
Dam Yu-yeon and Do Cheon-rin burst into laughter after locking eyes.
The sight of him stumbling awkwardly over his words made him seem not like the Wandering King who shook the martial world, but rather just another bashful young man of Murim.
An unexpected rumor spread through the martial world.
The Wanderers' Market of Shaanxi, the Red Sky Curtain Branch, had abruptly pledged allegiance to the Demon Hall.
That the Black Banner Society had established the Wind-Rain Estate—and that they coveted the Red Sky Curtain Branch—was hardly news.
The only reason the Righteous Sects had refused their help was because the conflict had devolved into a muddy brawl between wandering factions.
But then, something unforeseen occurred.
When the Wind-Rain Estate and Red Sky Curtain Branch finally clashed in earnest, and the latter faced annihilation—
The Wandering King, having caught wind of the situation, immediately intervened and protected Red Sky Curtain Branch.
The real problem arose afterward.
Without warning, Red Sky Curtain Branch fervently petitioned to submit to the Demon Hall.
—Why would they pledge allegiance to the Demon Hall after the Wandering King saved them?
It made no sense.
The Wandering King, a young rogue with no known background or affiliations, who had always lived Beyond the Frontier—
Why would he set aside all other matters to aid Red Sky Curtain Branch?
Even if one generously assumed he helped them out of fellow wanderer solidarity—
Why would Red Sky Curtain Branch then seek to join the Demon Hall?
—Could the Wandering King himself hail from the Demonic Path?
Murim's martial artists shook their heads.
—Impossible.
A wanderer who takes jobs for money wouldn't meddle in the divide between Orthodox and Unorthodox factions. If he did, he'd cease to be a wanderer.
—And wasn't the Bloodflame Blade Family's Supreme Saber Unit already stationed there?
Even more absurd rumors followed.
The Supreme Saber Unit, the elite force of the Bloodflame Blade Family, had taken up permanent residence in Red Sky Curtain Branch as if they were its main military force.
Though Red Sky Curtain Branch had submitted to the Demon Hall—
Never in history had the Demon Hall dispatched or stationed masters from the Demonic Path Ten Gates in such a manner.
So why had the Bloodflame Blade Family's elites entrenched themselves there?
—Just what in the world had happened?
The martial world was dying of curiosity, but the truth remained hidden.
Only one thing was certain:
—The Righteous Faction must be seething.
Shaanxi, long considered the Righteous Faction's territory, had previously kept demonic forces at bay despite their presence.
But with Red Sky Curtain Branch now under the Demon Hall's banner, the Demon Hall had naturally extended its influence into Shaanxi.
For the Righteous Faction, this was a painful strategic blunder.
***
Murim Alliance, Hidden Moon Hall. Gongson Dan-gyeong's office.
Her brow furrowed, she sank deep into thought, grappling with an unsolvable conundrum.
Strangely, it had nothing to do with the uproar surrounding Red Sky Curtain Branch.
"Looking back, it's all too bizarre."
What could possibly trouble Gongson Dan-gyeong—renowned as the most brilliant strategist in the world, hailed as the Star of Great Wisdom?
"The Earthly Killing Star is said to be an existence that cannot be slain, no matter how exceptional one's martial arts may be."
A flicker of light passed through her pupils as she drew a deep breath.
"How could his body have been torn apart by the Diamond Prajna Palm?"
Her eyes narrowed to slits.
The Earthly Killing Star could instantly restore its body using the power of the dead.
Because of this, killing it outright was impossible.
To truly slay the Earthly Killing Star, one had to first completely subdue it, then strike it down relentlessly until it could no longer recover—
She knew this all too well.
"Then there are only two conclusions. Either Commander Seon-u's entire testimony was a lie..."
Her empty gaze fixed on the void as she murmured under her breath.
"Or he belongs to the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars."
The One Hundred and Eight Stars were composed of thirty-six Heavenly Stars and seventy-two Earthly Killing Stars.
Unbeknownst to Gongson Dan-gyeong, Bu Eun-seol had stored the power of the Two Spirit Energies within his body.
She assumed Seon-u Jin was one of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars.
"Seon-u Jin is a man who conceals extraordinary intellect and martial prowess beneath an unremarkable exterior..."
Gongson Dan-gyeong's eyes gleamed.
And what if he also possessed the ability to instantly kill an Earthly Killing Star?
"I must make him mine."
She took a deep breath.
"At all costs."
What she needed now was not just brilliant strategy—but overwhelming strength.
If Seon-u Jin could fill that void... she would give him everything she had.
Because she must have her revenge.
"With the Yang Seol faction having revealed themselves, the Jungson Clan must also have emerged in the martial world."
Surprisingly, Gongson Dan-gyeong seemed well-informed even about the Jungson Clan, who had yet to make an open appearance.
"After eradicating the Infinite Realm..."
A light of profound, bottomless resentment spilled from her eyes as she stared into the void.
"The Jungson Clan—you're next."
Crunch.
Her clenched fist drew blood as her nails dug deep into her palm.
And then, the memories of a past she could never forget—no matter how much she wished to—rose to the surface.
So-min was born into a farming family.
Though they were not wealthy, she grew up robustly, showered with her parents' love.
And So-min was brilliant.
By three, she could converse clearly with adults. By four, she had taught herself to read.
But when she turned five, masked intruders suddenly stormed in.
They slaughtered her parents with brutal efficiency and abducted her.
When So-min opened her eyes again, she found herself in a small village built within a secluded valley.
There, children of similar age were gathered.
Astonishingly, all of them were as old as her—and matched her in intelligence and talent.
Under the strict surveillance of five figures called instructors, So-min and the other abducted children were forced to study academics and arts.
By the time she turned six, she finally understood their purpose.
The Heavenly Mechanism Star.
A being born with intellect and wisdom beyond imagination, whose mind turned like an unceasing wheel—capable of creating techniques and knowledge that defied the world's limits.
Even the legendary Jegal Kong-myeong was said to have been born with this star, though since then, its appearance had become so rare that it was nearly mythical.
The instructors' goal was simple:
They kidnapped children predicted to carry the energy of the Heavenly Mechanism Star, then forced them to cultivate their genius here—until the true star manifested.
If we keep feeding them knowledge, their latent talent will inevitably bloom.
But as time passed, no child stood out.
So they changed their methods.
—If their lives are at stake, that power will surely awaken. From now on, we cull the weak.
When So-min turned seven,
they began administering trials of death.
Children who failed to solve the problems vanished without a trace by the next day.
So-min studied desperately, mastering every subject and skill they demanded.
To survive.
To one day take revenge on those who had slaughtered her family.
—Iwillsurvive!
She swore it.
She would survive—
and make everyone who killed her family and everyone here pay.
With vengeance burning in her heart, So-min's abilities slowly awakened.
She absorbed knowledge and skills faster than the others, all while endlessly researching ways to escape—to survive.
But soon, she despaired.
Because no matter how hard she tried, she realized there was one opponent she could never defeat.
Chu-so.
A perpetually pale, sickly-looking boy who always seemed to hover in the middle of the pack—neither outstanding nor lacking.
Yet So-min saw through him.
Chu-so—that boy possessed the greatest ability here.
"Why do you struggle so hard to survive?"
Strangely, once So-min saw through him, Chu-so approached her with unexpected warmth.
"I will have my revenge," So-min bit her lip.
"And I will never let them get away with this."
In her eyes burned a resentment too fierce, too venomous for a seven-year-old.
They had killed her family.
And now, they slaughtered even the children she had lived alongside for years—without hesitation.
Her hatred grew uncontrollably.