Chapter 602
"Divine Calculator."
Bu Eun-seol muttered quietly as he carefully examined the tattered robes—the kind only an old copyist would wear.
"So he's been impersonating the Martial Alliance Leader."
Bu Eun-seol was bewildered.
If the True Heaven Emperor—a pillar of the orthodox faction—had truly died...
Then the term "Twin Heavenly Emperors of Righteous and Demonic" could no longer exist in the current martial world.
Could it be that the Martial Alliance's high command, unable to publicly announce this fact, had systematically concealed the True Heaven Emperor's death?
If not, had the Three Realms, entrenched within the Alliance, assassinated him?
'No, that can't be.'
Having once faced Ak Mu-ryeong in private, Bu Eun-seol could sense it.
Even if the Three Realms ruled the world...
They still dared not touch a supreme martial expert like the Human Demon Ak Mu-ryeong.
Ak Mu-ryeong, hailed as the strongest of the Three Demons.
He would never tolerate anyone reigning above him, and his martial prowess had already shown signs of breaking through even the Heavenly Human Domain.
If they left him alone—someone who would challenge the Twin Heavenly Emperors themselves and fight to the death—what then?
For the Three Realms, who manipulated the martial world as they pleased, it would mean leaving behind an uncontrollable disaster.
Yet, they still did not dare lay a finger on him.
And yet, the True Heaven Emperor—rated a step above him—had been killed by someone?
That was utterly nonsensical.
'One thing is certain: it wasn't the Martial Alliance.'
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
If they had wanted to conceal the True Heaven Emperor's death...
There would have been no need to hide his corpse in an ice jade coffin beneath the Pratyekabuddha Hall.
"What kind of place is the Martial Alliance, really?"
A sigh escaped him unbidden.
The Demon Hall was said to be rife with schemes and treachery, but at least they committed acts befitting humans.
The Martial Alliance was different.
It was as if demons wearing human disguises had gathered to commit atrocities beyond imagination.
The term "Demon-Subduing Palace" suited the Martial Alliance far better than the Demon Hall itself.
"That robe is unmistakably the kind only a copyist would wear."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed as he studied the garment preserved in the stone chamber.
Could all of this be the work of the Divine Calculator?
If the corpse in the ice jade coffin was truly the True Heaven Emperor... Could it be that he had been playing the role of the True Heaven Emperor?
'What if the True Heaven Emperor suffered grave injuries and went into seclusion... and used this opportunity to fake his death?'
This line of reasoning held credibility.
After clashing with the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, he had been severely wounded.
Seizing the chance to eliminate the Three Realms' spies embedded in the Martial Alliance, he faked his death...
And the Three Realms, fooled by the ruse, might have installed a fake Alliance Leader in his place.
'Or perhaps the opposite—he entrusted the position to the Divine Calculator temporarily.'
It was also possible that the True Heaven Emperor had left, entrusting the Alliance Leader's seat to the Divine Calculator while he recovered from his injuries.
"If that's the case..."
This time, Bu Eun-seol traced his fingers over the character for "world".
Clack, clack.
The sound of metal echoed, and soon the ice jade coffin itself transformed into a rectangular block of gleaming golden metal.
"Earth-Pole Profound Iron..."
The surface of the metal was made of Earth-Pole Profound Iron, so thick its depth was impossible to gauge.
It seemed a master artisan had crafted this mechanism to protect the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade Coffin.
"Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan?"
Astonishingly, the metal-encased coffin bore three hundred and ninety-five sword marks—strikingly similar to those of the Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan style—etched across its surface.
"Someone unleashed sword strokes upon the ice jade coffin?"
It was incomprehensible.
Regardless of its authenticity, why would someone pour forth an absolute sword technique like Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan upon a coffin containing a corpse bearing the True Heaven Emperor's likeness?
Bu Eun-seol scrutinized the sword marks on the surface once more.
'At least four people...'
The Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan technique could only be executed in a single, continuous motion.
Yet the marks on the coffin's surface appeared as though four masters had divided the strokes among themselves.
Four distinct sets of sword marks remained.
'So, did four people split the Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan technique among themselves?'
Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan was an absolute sword art impossible for a human body to execute flawlessly.
Had four immensely powerful masters each learned a portion of it and then unleashed the technique simultaneously?
Theoretically, it was possible.
But if four people had combined their efforts, it could hardly be called a perfect execution of Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan.
Moreover, why would they unleash such a sword technique not upon the True Heaven Emperor himself, but upon the metal encasing the ice jade coffin?
"Let me examine this again."
Bu Eun-seol's gaze meticulously followed the marks etched into the metal surface.
Though it seemed perfectly executed, the strokes were still divided into four, revealing minute fractures.
"I can only perceive up to the one hundred and ninety-eighth stroke."
The marks on the coffin's surface contained every variation of Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan.
But because he had not grasped the technique's ultimate principle, beyond the one hundred and ninety-eighth stroke, he could no longer discern how the sword strokes connected.
'Conversely, this means I've obtained the sword formula to execute one hundred and ninety-eight strokes in a single motion.'
Bu Eun-seol had forcibly memorized the three hundred and ninety-five variations of Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan.
If he were to execute the technique based on these marks, he would have grasped nearly half of its total essence—one hundred and ninety-eight strokes.
'It'll be a great help in emergencies.'
If he could perfectly unleash the 198 variations—equivalent to roughly half of the flawless Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan style—
It would be no different from Seon-u Jin gaining an overwhelming True Void of his own.
"Ah!"
Bu Eun-seol, who had been memorizing the sword technique's variations in a trance, suddenly snapped back to his senses.
So absorbed in examining the sword marks,
He had belatedly realized that a considerable amount of time had already passed.
"If what's inside here truly is the True Heaven Emperor..."
Bu Eun-seol bowed respectfully before the Ice Jade Coffin, now transformed into metal.
Though he had taken a different path, the man was a giant who had left an indelible mark on Murim.
Moreover, since Bu Eun-seol had learned his secret art, Heavenly Robe Mind Art, through his grandfather...
In a way, they were connected by fate.
"Unintentionally, I owe a debt for having learned the Heavenly Robe Mind Art. Once I confirm the truth of this matter, I will inform Murim."
What if Bu Eun-seol had been a true demonic practitioner?
He would have immediately spread word that the Pratyekabuddha Hall held a coffin likely containing the True Heaven Emperor's corpse, throwing the Righteous Faction into chaos.
But he refused to confine himself within labels like Demonic Path or Righteous Path.
Whether this was truly the True Heaven Emperor's corpse or not, he had no intention of exploiting his name to plunge Orthodox Murim into turmoil.
"Then."
Bu Eun-seol turned to leave.
"...Huh."
Had too much time passed?
The door he had entered through was shut without a trace.
Zzzing!
He unleashed the Willful True Binding, forcing it into the crack in the wall where he had entered.
Kwoong!
Even with his full strength channeling his Internal Power, the wall didn't budge.
Krrrrumble!
Instead, the force of the Willful True Binding seemed to have damaged some internal mechanism, producing an unsettling noise.
'If I force my way out, I might be discovered.'
This was the underground of the Pratyekabuddha Hall.
If he recklessly used martial techniques, those above might sense the vibrations.
Growing anxious, Bu Eun-seol scanned his surroundings.
"Then."
He repeatedly traced his fingers over the characters for First engraved on the Ice Jade Coffin.
Swish!
In an instant, countless near-invisible hidden weapons rained down upon him.
Shwaaak!
Without even time to dodge, Bu Eun-seol immediately deployed the Willful True Binding, erecting a massive barrier.
Yet the hidden weapons showed no sign of stopping.
Srrring!
Finally, he drew Ink Soul Sword and executed the Second Form of Formless Heavenly Flow—
Return to Rightful Owner, deflecting and returning the hidden weapons.
Shu-shu-shuk! Clang!
As the fine projectiles were sucked back into their hidden compartments, the metallic clatter ceased.
"So touching it wrong activates the mechanism instead."
Bu Eun-seol's gaze shifted to the faintly inscribed words Eternal First beside the coffin.
Carelessly touching it again might trigger another trap.
'In that case, there's only one way.'
Harmonization.
He would use the power that annihilated all things to blast through the blocked passage in one strike.
Wooong!
Gathering every ounce of strength in his body, he forced all his energy upward.
"Ghk—!"
As conflicting energies clashed within him, excruciating pain tore through his entire being.
But enduring it stubbornly, a faint auspicious energy finally began radiating from his body.
Zzzing.
At that moment, Prajna Great Power naturally unfurled, and a five-colored radiance bloomed.
He had perfectly aligned the forces within himself.
Krrrrumble.
But then, something strange happened.
As the Power of Harmony flowed out, a soft glow also emanated from the Ice Jade Coffin, now turned to solid metal.
Krrrrumble.
Simultaneously, a new secret passage abruptly opened in the opposite wall.
'It reacted to Harmonization?'
No time to ponder.
Bu Eun-seol immediately stepped through the newly opened door.
Unlike the descending passage of the Pratyekabuddha Hall, this one led upward.
Tsu-tsu-tsut!
Pushing the senses of the Way of the Beast to their limits, he sprinted upward.
'This is different.'
His expression darkened.
This passage wasn't leading back to the Pratyekabuddha Hall—it was going in the exact opposite direction.
'A fork.'
After some time, the path split into three.
Without hesitation, Bu Eun-seol dashed straight down the middle.
Then, an eerie sensation prickled over his scalp.
It felt as though countless martial artists of formidable skill were standing in solemn formation above him.
Zzzing.
Spreading his arms lightly, he channeled his Internal Energy.
Concerned that someone might detect vibrations from below, he avoided shaking the ground directly—
Instead, he amplified his qi waves, deploying the Void-Breaking Mind's Eye.
'The Heaven and Earth Pavilion?'
To his shock, this extended passage was connected to the interior of the Heaven and Earth Pavilion.
'Impossible.'
How could a hidden mechanism beneath the Pratyekabuddha Hall be linked to the Martial Alliance Leader's residence?
'I'll have to investigate this later.'
He bit his lip.
'After I survive this crisis.'
Right now, he needed to return to the Pratyekabuddha Hall immediately.
If anyone noticed his disappearance, he wouldn't be able to remain in the Martial Alliance any longer.
Doubling back to the fork, Bu Eun-seol took the right path this time.
This led to an endlessly long corridor.
Finally, at its end stood a single rusted iron gate.
"This isn't the Pratyekabuddha Hall—it's a completely different direction."
Yet, fortunately, no martial presence could be detected in the vicinity.
'Well, I have to check it out anyway.'
Bu Eun-seol pushed open the iron gate, intending to step outside.
'Hng.'
But the gate was far heavier than expected.
To his astonishment, he had to exert internal energy about six-tenths of his internal power before the gate finally budged.
'This place...'
Beyond the gate lay a storage room, its floor cluttered with old, discarded furnishings.
This was the supply warehouse at the far end of the Martial Alliance's West Gate.
'So this is both the entrance and exit of the secret passage.'
No one ever came here except those tasked with managing the supplies.
Meaning, one could access the secret passage freely, without worrying about prying eyes.
If he used this warehouse—
He could enter the Pratyekabuddha Hall or the Heaven and Earth Pavilion at any time.
'But now isn't the time for this.'
Regaining his focus, Bu Eun-seol slipped back into the secret passage from the warehouse, heading once more toward the underground section of the Pratyekabuddha Hall.
That meant the left fork in the passage must lead back to the hall.
Tsk, tsk, tsk—
Retracing his steps, Bu Eun-seol swiftly dashed down the left passage.
'The direction is unmistakable.'
Though not a single ray of light pierced the tunnel, stretching endlessly forward—
Bu Eun-seol could feel with absolute certainty that this path led to the Pratyekabuddha Hall.
Krrr—
When he finally pushed open the iron gate at the end of the passage—
"...!"
His eyes widened.
An entirely unexpected sight unfolded before him.
"The Training Room."
Unbelievably, the passage had led him to the very edge of the first floor of the Pratyekabuddha Hall—
Directly connecting to the last of the ten training rooms.
'Why didn't I notice this earlier?'
Pulling out the Seven-Star Diagram from his robes, Bu Eun-seol exhaled a sigh of relief.
'At least it's a relief.'
Had he emerged in some random place—or worse, near the bookshelves, where martial artists gathered in droves—
His presence in the secret passage would've been exposed immediately.
He'd have been dragged to the Disciplinary Hall for intense interrogation—or forced to flee the Martial Alliance altogether.
"Hah..."
Just as Bu Eun-seol let out that breath—
Tap, tap, tap.
Light, brisk footsteps echoed from outside the training room.
Sensing something amiss, Bu Eun-seol stepped out—
"Oh-ho, so there was someone here."
A white-haired old man, his locks neatly combed like snowy roots, regarded him with a dry, raspy voice.
The one who had walked into the training hall corridor was none other than Daoist Mok, the Hidden Forest Pavilion Master.
"Pavilion Master."
Swallowing his surprise, Bu Eun-seol respectfully clasped his hands.
"What brings you here?"
"Heh heh heh. I came looking for a quiet place to meditate."
Those words sent a chill down Bu Eun-seol's spine.
There was no reason for Daoist Mok, who resided on the third floor, to descend all the way to the first-floor training rooms just to meditate.
He must have come after hearing I'd entered the first floor of the Pratyekabuddha Hall.
'Which side is he on?'
Bu Eun-seol's mind churned in confusion.
Was Daoist Mok a member of the Three Realms?
Or was he simply part of the Martial Alliance's High Command, keeping an unusually close watch on Bu Eun-seol?
As he forcibly suppressed the flood of thoughts—
"I've been watching your exploits with great interest."
Daoist Mok spoke in a voice both warm and amiable.
"So, have you gained anything?"
Once again, he posed the same question he had before.
It was as if he genuinely welcomed the rise of Seon-u Jin, this new Grandmaster—
And held immense interest in him.
But Bu Eun-seol could clearly sense something else lurking beneath Daoist Mok's words.
Now I know.
There's no way it's that simple.
No one in the Martial Alliance's High Command harbored such pure intentions.
"I realized I'd neglected the fundamentals of martial arts, so I petitioned the Hall Master of the Hall of Ascending Martial to allow me to re-establish my foundation."
Bu Eun-seol noticed Daoist Mok's gaze lingering on the Seven-Star Diagram in his hand and smiled faintly.
"While doing so, I encountered doubts regarding footwork techniques and sought answers in various texts. I found a solution in a book on Battle Formations, so I came here to study it quietly."
A flawless, unassailable answer.
"I see."
Daoist Mok nodded as if satisfied.
"Indeed, the intricacies of Battle Formations and footwork techniques share a common thread. A wise decision."
Then, he offered a composed smile.
"Then, continue your training."
"Thank you."
As if his purpose had been fulfilled, Daoist Mok turned and briskly departed.
'Daoist Mok.'
A blade-like glint flashed through Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
'One day, I'll tear off that mask of yours.'
For now, he didn't even have the luxury of pondering Daoist Mok's true motives.
There was too much to do.
'First, I must investigate the Heaven and Earth Pavilion.'
During the Hero Stele ceremony for Bukgung Ryeong, the Martial Alliance Leader had possessed a bearing worthy of the title Righteous Heavenly Emperor.
His martial prowess was beyond comprehension.
Which meant—between the living True Heaven Emperor and the corpse in the Ice Jade Coffin—
He had to determine which one was real.
Beep. Beep.
As night deepened, Bu Eun-seol, who had been meditating in his office, quietly slipped out.
At the peak of the mountain lay a dense bamboo forest, and the persona of Seon-u Jin often strolled there, enjoying meditation amidst the trees.
...This was a habit he had long ingrained in the Martial Alliance's warriors.
Thus, even if he were to go out somewhere at night,
the passing warriors would merely offer a light bow of courtesy, paying no particular attention.
Bu Eun-seol slipped out of the bamboo forest and headed toward the western edge of the Martial Alliance.
There stood a massive warehouse where old supplies were stored—a place any member of the Martial Alliance could enter.
And within it lay a secret passage leading to the underground of the Pratyekabuddha Hall,
and further, to the Heaven and Earth Pavilion where the Alliance Chief resided.
'Most likely, the secret passage between the Pratyekabuddha Hall and the Heaven and Earth Pavilion was part of the original architectural design.'
Otherwise, there would be no reason for the Pratyekabuddha Hall to be built right beside the Heaven and Earth Pavilion.
But this supply warehouse was different.
It was clearly constructed later, for the convenience of using the existing secret passages between the Pratyekabuddha Hall and the Heaven and Earth Pavilion.
In other words, it must have been made so that the Alliance Chief—or whoever was acting in his stead—could secretly slip out of the Heaven and Earth Pavilion and move freely between the Martial Alliance and the wider martial world.
Swoosh.
Bu Eun-seol entered the warehouse and stealthily surveyed his surroundings.
No human presence could be sensed.
He moved inward and quietly opened the concealed floor hatch he had scouted earlier in the day.
'Tight security indeed.'
Even if someone discovered this door, not just anyone could enter.
The door was so heavy and massive that it required at least three hundred years of cultivated internal power just to lift it.
Swoosh.
Once inside, Bu Eun-seol followed the passageway, taking the middle fork of three diverging paths—the one leading to the Heaven and Earth Pavilion.
Though he could sense the movements of guards above ground, he paid them no mind and carefully proceeded to the end of the tunnel.
Gradually, the gentle slope gave way to steep stairs.
Climbing them, he finally spotted a small iron gate.
'Still no presence.'
Sssk.
As he silently opened the gate, the wide interior of an office came into view.
'This is...'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
To his astonishment, this passage led directly to the third floor of the Heaven and Earth Pavilion—straight into the True Heavenly Emperor's office.
Click.
As Bu Eun-seol stepped inside, the passage door closed behind him, and a vase placed on a small table flipped over naturally.
The mechanism to open and close the secret passage was hidden in the vase placed at the edge of the office.
Even if someone managed to infiltrate the Martial Alliance Chief's office, they would never think to touch something as conspicuous as a vase—one wrong move, and they'd be exposed.
It was a simple yet brilliantly deceptive trap.
'Find the evidence.'
Taking a deep breath, Bu Eun-seol heightened his Empty Mind Spirit Perception and swiftly began investigating the interior.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor's office was no different from those of other Hall Master-ranked officials—
nothing particularly unusual, just shelves filled with books.
But the True Heavenly Emperor's office was entirely different.
It was packed with an overwhelming number of items.
There were meticulously detailed maps marking the exact distribution of sects and factions—those of the Righteous Path, the Demonic Path, the Unorthodox Path, and the Black Path.
Countless ledgers and letters. And on one side, even a personal armory had been set up.
'Why would the Martial Alliance Chief need to monitor sect movements to this extent?'
The interior of the office looked as though someone had been combing through every last detail of the entire martial world.
As if preparing for war.
'This makes no sense.'
With a single word or gesture,
numerous intelligence networks would rush to deliver the freshest information, hot off the press.
So why conduct such investigations alone?
'Moreover...'
A strange thought occurred to Bu Eun-seol.
Most of the maps, ledgers, and intelligence gathered here were from over a decade ago.
'Does this mean no one has entered the Martial Alliance Chief's quarters in ten years?'
An utterly incomprehensible situation.
Zzzing.
As Bu Eun-seol combed through the room, he heightened his Empty Mind Spirit Perception further.
Then, he sensed and perceived countless pieces of information invisible to the naked eye.
'Someone was here.'
The office had been empty for a long time.
But about ten years ago, someone had entered. And while examining and organizing various things here...
'Frustration. Rage.'
...they had discovered something and erupted in fury.
'Here.'
Then, that person had naturally opened the armory hidden within the Alliance Chief's quarters.
The fact that they could open the armory meant
this was not their first time entering the Heaven and Earth Pavilion—and they must have been extremely close to the True Heavenly Emperor.
Rustle.
Stepping into the hidden chamber, Bu Eun-seol found an old martial uniform hanging inside.
And embedded in the center of the stone wall was an old wooden sword.
'A wooden sword?'
Martial artists could infuse their True Qi into wooden swords, hardening them to the strength of steel.
But the wooden sword lodged in the stone wall was so decayed that it would shatter if even a trace of internal energy were forced into it.
Yet, that person had driven the brittle wooden sword into the solid wall as effortlessly as if it were tofu.
'A master beyond imagination.'
This meant they hadn't relied on internal energy—instead, they had embedded it through the sheer might of an unfathomable sword technique.
In other words, the one who had driven this sword into the wall was not only deeply versed in the principles of martial arts but also wielded a sword technique of unimaginable mastery.
Suddenly, a terrifying thought flashed through Bu Eun-seol's mind.
'This sword...'
On the hilt of the wooden sword, buried deep in the stone, was engraved a single sharp character:
"Martial."
"No way."
Before he realized it, Bu Eun-seol muttered aloud.
"Martial Venerable."
Among the Three Demons, the one with the greatest strength was the Human Demon, Ak Mu-ryeong.
Among the Three Venerables, the one with the greatest martial prowess was known as the Martial Venerable.
And if one were to name the most exceptional among the Three Demons and Three Venerables,
it would undoubtedly be the Martial Venerable.
In other words, excluding the Twin Heavenly Emperors of Righteous and Demonic, he was the most formidable master in the martial world.
"The Martial Venerable used a wooden sword."
If his deduction was correct,
then the one impersonating the Righteous Heavenly Emperor was none other than that terrifying master—the foremost among the Three Demons and Three Venerables.