Chapter 591
A flash of light passed through Bu Eun-seol's pupils.
These were people capable of conjuring mist over perfectly calm waters.
There likely existed some hidden mechanical device or surveillance facility—something even his extrasensory perception couldn't detect.
"Heh heh heh... It's real. It's really real."
Flipping through the martial manual with uncontainable excitement, Bu Eun-seol burst into joyous laughter.
And then, he truly began to read it.
After poring over the manual in a frenzy for some time, a faint glow flickered in his eyes.
'But this isn't a sword technique suited for me.'
Advanced Sword Studies inherently contained secrets—either methods to amplify power or ways to transform one's spirit and mind in accordance with the Way of the Sword.
The Moonshadow Sword Manual also held techniques to greatly amplify killing intent, along with a mysterious footwork technique called Moon Shadow Step.
'No, mastering this would actually be a regression.'
The mind-training formula accompanying Superior Martial Arts—if it didn't align with the practitioner's innate disposition—
No matter how hard one trained, reaching Great Completion would be impossible. Worse, it could ruin the body entirely.
'Still, I should at least grasp the fundamentals.'
Bu Eun-seol was intelligent and quick to comprehend martial arts.
If he truly desired, he could master the profound principles of various Superior Martial Arts regardless of whether they suited his disposition.
'A modified sword study, perhaps.'
The Moon Shadow Demon Venerable was known as a master who once dominated the murim and defined an era.
But the sword techniques recorded in this manual weren't merely preserved relics of the past—
Someone had refined them further.
'Fascinating.'
Bu Eun-seol spent an entire day studying the manual.
Yet, he made no progress beyond memorizing the sword formula.
Considering his usual ability to internalize any martial art within a single day—
This was utterly nonsensical.
'Something's off.'
Even Master Gwangseong's Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan, which lacked its concluding principle and was thus impossible to master, had taken Bu Eun-seol only two days to memorize.
But now, he couldn't even understand the Moon Shadow Demon Venerable's sword forms, let alone execute them?
'This makes no sense.'
For example, the opening stance of Moon-Sinking Bright Mirror was a defensive form that precisely pinpointed an enemy's opening and seized the moment for a counterattack.
Yet, absurdly, the manual dictated that the immediate counter wasn't delivered by the sword-wielding right hand—but by a stance launched from the left flank.
'Is this a mutual destruction opening?'
Moreover, Moon-Sinking Bright Mirror could be considered a preparatory stance for Moon-Dust Flower at the Summit.
But the moment one executed Moon-Sinking Bright Mirror, their heart or vital points would already be pierced—leaving them dead.
Unless one was a jiangshi, performing Moon-Dust Flower at the Summit would be impossible.
'I don't get it. Is there some other ultimate art involved?'
Bu Eun-seol shook his head, then tried to swallow, but his mouth was parched.
Glancing outside, he saw the pale dawn breaking once again.
Another day had passed without notice.
'This manual is monstrous.'
Any martial artist who read this would go insane.
Despite containing overwhelming power capable of dismantling any stance, the techniques demanded that the user die mid-execution, leaving their flaws exposed?
How could anyone not lose their mind?
Gulp, gulp.
Bu Eun-seol rushed outside and drank deeply from the valley stream, the cold water soothing his throat.
'I need to shake this off.'
If he became too engrossed in this manual, he'd lose his sanity.
Tucking the manual back into his robes, he headed toward the village. Enough time had passed—he decided to pause his training and explore.
'I don't think I'm the only one here. Where did everyone else go?'
The stone chamber he'd been assigned bore clear signs of previous occupants.
Undoubtedly, countless others had gone through this same process.
So where had they all gone?
'At this point, wandering the village shouldn't raise suspicion.'
Bu Eun-seol quickened his pace and soon emerged from the forest.
The midday village was tranquil.
Women drew water from wells, while children ran about in playful groups.
In the alleys, peddlers spread their wares on mats, hawking goods at the top of their lungs.
Though their faces were grotesque, each wore the same relaxed smile.
'They're not ordinary villagers.'
But Bu Eun-seol could sense it.
Just like Dae-bo, who had been a servant boy—
None of them were ordinary villagers. They were merely acting the part.
"Hmm."
Deliberately dulling his gaze, Bu Eun-seol pushed open the door of an inn at the heart of the marketplace.
Well past mealtime, the interior was empty.
No—there was one customer.
Gulp, gulp.
A giant of a man sat in a shadowed corner, downing liquor.
His hair was disheveled, his face overgrown with a thick beard, and the pungent stench of vinegar wafted from him even at a distance—proof of how long it had been since he last washed.
The floor was littered with countless liquor bottles standing haphazardly—so many they were impossible to count. Judging by the sight, the man must have been drinking nonstop from morning until now.
'At least his face is intact.'
Though his drinking manner was eccentric and filthy, his face, at least, remained unblemished.
Perhaps this man, like Bu Eun-seol, had come here after obtaining a demonic sword and examining the characters engraved on its blade.
Gulp, gulp.
The man continued drinking with unfocused eyes, even after noticing Bu Eun-seol's entrance.
"Hmph."
Bu Eun-seol deliberately snorted in disdain.
So Jin-cheon was a hot-tempered and combative figure—there was no way he would ignore such a man without picking a fight.
"You're ruining the mood. Aren't you going to throw that bastard out?"
"Hahaha."
The disheveled man laughed as he looked at Bu Eun-seol.
"Another corpse has arrived."
"What?"
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed sharply, his expression darkening.
"What did you just say?"
"Have you mastered the secret manual yet?"
"What the—"
Only then did realization flash in Bu Eun-seol's eyes, and he gave a slow nod.
"So you, too, came here wielding a demonic sword to receive a secret manual."
His grip tightened around the hilt of the Moon Shadow Demon Sword, his gaze sharpening.
"Then you must be prepared."
The disheveled man chuckled dryly and shook his head.
"No need to get so worked up already."
Staggering unsteadily, he walked past Bu Eun-seol.
"You'll end up just like me anyway."
"What do you mean?"
"You'll have to make a choice, that's all."
Leaving behind those cryptic words, the man swayed as he stood.
Then, with an utterly indifferent expression, he waved his hand dismissively.
"Try your best."
Whoosh!
Maintaining his angry expression, Bu Eun-seol instantly drew his sword and pressed it against the man's throat.
If this were the real So Jin-cheon—a man of vicious temperament—he would have undoubtedly ambushed him like this.
"Bastard. Do you want your head to roll?"
His voice was laced with bone-chilling menace.
"Speak. What choice must I make? What exactly is happening on this island?"
"I already told you."
With a trembling hand, the man pressed his middle finger against the Moon Shadow Demonic Sword poised at his throat.
"Study hard on your own."
Tung.
The moment his fingertip touched the blade, an indescribable pressure erupted.
Huum—!
The sword emitted a deep, resonant hum that lingered for a long moment.
At the same time, Bu Eun-seol felt as if his entire body had gone numb.
The sheer force contained in that single fingertip was so overwhelming that his entire body trembled uncontrollably, just like the vibrating blade.
"Not bad."
The disheveled man tilted his head with an impressed snort, examining his own finger.
His middle finger was pale and translucent, like that of a beautiful woman's.
"To not drop your sword after being flicked by the Red Blood Demon Finger Art."
"The Red Blood Demon Finger Art?"
Wasn't that the exclusive martial art of the Red Blood Demon Emperor, a demonic sovereign from three hundred years ago?
For this drunken man to wield it so effortlessly—did that mean he had mastered the Red Blood Demon Emperor's lost secret manual?
"You've obtained the Red Blood Demon Emperor's secret manual."
Bu Eun-seol let out a sinister laugh and thrust his sword forward again.
"Hand it over."
Pfft.
The man bared his white teeth in a hollow laugh, then turned and walked away.
"Stop!"
Bu Eun-seol unleashed a thunderous sword technique.
But the disheveled man, as if unwilling to engage, immediately activated a movement technique and vanished outside the inn.
"You bastard—!"
Crash!
Bu Eun-seol smashed through the inn's door in pursuit—but the man had already disappeared without a trace.
His movement technique was as elusive as a ghost's.
"Rat bastard."
Bu Eun-seol gnashed his teeth and roared.
"You'll still be stuck on this island anyway. I'll find you and cut off every last one of your fingers!"
When Bu Eun-seol re-entered the inn, a waiter approached him.
"What would you like to order?"
A normal waiter would have trembled in fear after witnessing Bu Eun-seol's violent outburst.
But this waiter's face—swollen and sagging unnaturally—bore an expression of utmost gentleness.
"You're ruining the mood."
Meeting the waiter's gaze, Bu Eun-seol scowled in disgust.
Thud, thud.
He rose from his seat and strode toward the kitchen.
There, a fat man was busily stir-frying meat—his face, too, was sagging like that of a leper.
"Forget it."
Bu Eun-seol returned with a thoroughly disgusted expression and waved his hand dismissively.
"Bring me a barrel of liquor. I'll take it with me."
After receiving the barrel from the inn, Bu Eun-seol headed back toward the stone cottage.
But then he spotted a group of people gathered around a fire in the middle of the village.
They had built a charcoal fire and were busily roasting something to eat.
But as Bu Eun-seol approached,
they stopped eating and stared at him with eyes full of curiosity.
Their expressions were as if they were looking at some strange, exotic creature.
"What are you staring at?"
When Bu Eun-seol shouted while wearing So Jin-cheon's face, he looked every bit the embodiment of a Fierce God Murderous Kill.
Yet the villagers only grinned, their smiles oddly friendly.
"Here, try some of this."
A middle-aged man pulled a wooden skewer from the charcoal fire and held it out to Bu Eun-seol.
The skewer held a piece of meat—tender, succulent, and perfectly roasted, looking utterly delicious.
"Perfect for drinking, isn't it?"
"You want me to share my liquor?"
"Oh, we've got plenty of liquor ourselves."
The middle-aged man chuckled and pointed to a large liquor jar sitting nearby.
"Come now, take a bite."
He wrapped the charcoal-grilled meat in oiled paper and handed it to Bu Eun-seol.
"Sprinkle some salt on it—it'll taste incredible. Take it with you."
Though So Jin-cheon was known for his brutality, even he wouldn't lash out at someone offering him delicious charcoal-grilled meat.
"You know your stuff."
Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly and nodded.
"I'll enjoy it."
Taking the oil-wrapped meat from the middle-aged man, Bu Eun-seol turned back toward the stone cottage.
He uncorked the liquor jar and began drinking.
But the moment he caught the scent of the meat inside the oiled paper—
"...!"
His expression hardened instantly.
The skewered meat had looked like beef or lamb at first glance.
But Bu Eun-seol could detect a distinct, unmistakable aroma from the roasted flesh.
'Human flesh.'
Unbelievably, the meat the villagers were grilling and eating over charcoal was none other than human meat.
Having worked at Peaceful Burial House, Bu Eun-seol had performed countless cremations.
Corpses consumed by flames.
In other words, he had smelled the scent of burning human flesh more times than he could count.
'They're eating it knowingly.'
Human flesh has a unique odor—anyone who isn't a fool would notice something was off.
Yet these seemingly simple villagers were laughing while eating human meat?
'Then they aren't lepers.'
Leprosy doesn't just cause skin lesions—it rots away extremities like arms, legs, and even the tip of the nose.
But these villagers only had skin abnormalities. Not a single one had missing body parts.
'Is their melting skin related to consuming human flesh?'
Historically, during famines, cannibalism was far from rare.
But Cold Moon Island seemed to have no shortage of food.
If they were still eating human meat, there had to be another reason. Perhaps it was connected to the Great Art they were performing.
'Then that man must truly be an outsider.'
Bu Eun-seol recalled the disheveled man from the guest inn.
He had casually displayed the Red Blood Demon Emperor's signature finger technique and drank liquor without any side dishes.
Maybe he had refused food because he knew all the meat here was human.
'Just who is he?'
Despite possessing remarkable martial prowess, the man had the eyes and expression of someone who had abandoned all worldly concerns.
—"Have you mastered the secret manual?"
And with a strange smile, he had asked that question.
As if he already knew it was impossible to fully master the techniques within.
'Then—'
Sensing something, Bu Eun-seol stepped outside and inspected the other stone cottages.
Inside, the interiors were neatly arranged.
It seemed they had been cleaned in advance—likely in preparation for the arrival of those who wielded the Demon Sword, just like him.
Zzziiing.
A white light flickered in his eyes as he scanned the interior.
He was invoking Empty Mind Spirit Perception, scrutinizing every inch of the space.
'So that's how it is.'
At last, Bu Eun-seol understood.
Why these thatched cottages had been prepared. And why he had been secretly observed all along.
'They were meant to suffer.'
Inside the stone cottages, traces of countless martial artists—writhing in rage or agony—were vividly preserved.
And the reason for that...
Was likely the same as with the Moonshadow Sword Manual—an overwhelmingly powerful, yet impossible-to-master martial arts manual.
Despair and rage.
Those who possessed the Demon Sword were all born with the Empty-Spirit Body.
Despite their pride in their exceptional talent, failing to master even a single martial arts manual—
Would drive them to unbearable despair and fury.
And now, Bu Eun-seol realized what he had to do.
'I'll do it.'
To progress to the next stage—
Just like all those who had come before him with the Demon Sword, he had to embrace the torment and struggle through it.
Nine days had already passed since Bu Eun-seol arrived on Cold Moon Island.
Gripping the demonic sword, Bu Eun-seol trembled before the thatched cottage and let out a scream.
"Aaaaah!"
It was the agonized cry of a martial artist who had desperately struggled to master the techniques, only to be met with utter despair at his failure.
"What kind of sword technique is this supposed to be? This makes no sense!"
Swish, swish, swish, swish!
With a face twisted in rage, he swung the demonic sword like a madman. His lips were parched, and madness flickered in his pupils.
"Impossible! This sword technique is completely absurd!"
Bu Eun-seol howled.
So Jin-cheon must have always believed his talent was extraordinary.
After all, he had come this far without ever experiencing a single setback.
But the Moonshadow Sword Manual had given him a frustration unlike anything he had ever known.
Right now.
Bu Eun-seol was vividly acting out the despair of a genius who had belatedly realized his own limits.
Thud, thud.
The sound of soft footsteps approached Bu Eun-seol, who was kneeling in despair.
When he lifted his head, he saw a boy with a radiant smile.
It was Dae-bo.
"Young master, you seem to be struggling greatly."
"You! What kind of Moonshadow Sword Manual is this?"
Bu Eun-seol shouted with hollow eyes.
"This is a fake! Bring me the real manual!"
"Young master."
Dae-bo spoke in a pitying tone.
"You know very well that this is the authentic Moonshadow Sword Manual."
"Nonsense! How am I supposed to execute this?"
Bu Eun-seol glared at the distant sky and roared.
"It's impossible for a human body to perform these moves! How could anyone possibly execute this?!"
"There is a way."
Dae-bo looked at the despairing Bu Eun-seol and spoke in a suggestive voice.
"But that method requires risking your life."
"What are you talking about? What method?"
"I cannot tell you that. However—"
Dae-bo's eyes curved like crescent moons.
"—if you are truly resolved to stake your life, I can help you master the Moonshadow Sword Manual."
"You're saying if I risk my life, I can learn this manual?"
"That is correct."
"Isn't venturing into the Martial World already a gamble with one's life?"
Bu Eun-seol shouted, saliva dribbling from his lips.
"Speak now!"
"Very well."
Dae-bo immediately led Bu Eun-seol forward.
"Follow me."
'It's done.'
A faint smile flickered across Bu Eun-seol's mind.
At last, he would uncover the true nature of the Three Realms secretly embedded on this island.
The place Dae-bo led Bu Eun-seol to was a cliff overlooking the shore.
There stood a small stone hut.
It looked no different from the stone hut assigned to Bu Eun-seol.
"What is this place?"
Instead of answering, Dae-bo opened the door to the stone hut.
Inside, rather than a living space, there was another door.
Creak.
When that door was opened, a passage leading underground was revealed.
Surprisingly, the stone hut itself was a secret passage descending below.
'The Three Realms certainly have a fondness for underground spaces.'
Every facility of the Three Realms he had encountered so far had been underground. The same was true for the Return-to-One Realm's facility here on Cold Moon Island.
Perhaps it was inevitable—they had to conceal their true form, never revealing themselves openly.
Thud, thud.
As they descended the long passageway, an enormous space hundreds of feet high came into view.
It was more than twice the size of the Underground Castle of the Infinite Realm he had seen before in Sichuan.
'No Human Blossoms here, at least.'
Fortunately, there was no sign of Human Blossom cultivation here.
Yet, despite the vastness of the space, not a single person could be seen moving about.
Only silence flowed through the area like a ghost town.
"This way."
Dae-bo took the lead again, entering one of the buildings.
Inside, a grand hall appeared—its ceiling at least 50 feet high, its interior spanning roughly 3,300 square meters.
Massive pillars, so thick that three grown men could not encircle them with their arms, supported the ceiling.
Their surfaces were engraved with carvings of demonic figures.
The interior was neither too dark nor too bright, and on the opposite side stood a large door.
"Young master. You've always wanted to live as a strong man, haven't you? And you wish to remain an undefeated warrior in the future."
Surprisingly, Like Bu Eun-seol, Dae-bo spoke as if he had thoroughly investigated So Jin-cheon's entire life.
"Isn't that obvious?"
Bu Eun-seol replied with bloodshot eyes, his voice dripping with impatience.
"Then hurry up and tell me the method."
"Very well."
Clap.
When Dae-bo struck his palms together, a deep hum echoed, and a section of the floor in the grand hall opened, revealing a massive glass tube rising from below.
'This is—'
Beneath the glow of the Seven Calamities Night-Shining Pearl, bright light spilled from the lower part of the glass tube, which was filled with a transparent liquid.
Inside floated a corpse—every inch of its skin stripped away except for the face.
In some places, the muscles were exposed as if meticulously carved away, while in others, bones and blood vessels were fully visible.
No matter how composed a person might be, such a grotesque sight would inevitably shock them.
"W-what is this?"
Bu Eun-seol recoiled in horror, but Dae-bo remained unfazed.
"The Moon Shadow Demon Venerable."