Chapter 621
Song Ok was utterly astonished.
The power emanating from this Black Divine Artifact was nearly impervious to martial arts techniques.
Yet here was a young man—neither Master Azure Pine nor Daoist Master Yeong-cheong—shattering this spatial barrier and forcing his way in?
Thud.
Bu Eun-seol approached Song Ok and curled the corner of his lips.
"That's quite the Black Divine Artifact. Where on earth did you get it?"
In an instant, Song Ok's eyes narrowed to slits.
"Where did you hear those words?"
"None of your business."
Bu Eun-seol fixed him with a piercing gaze.
"State your affiliation and identity."
"Hmph, do you really think you've subdued me just because you broke in here?"
Song Ok extended his fingers.
Then, the transparent ring on his thumb had, before anyone realized, multiplied into two, stretching all the way to his index finger.
BOOM!
At the same time, an invisible, colossal force surged toward Bu Eun-seol's body.
The power was immense—comparable to the Inner Energy Bullet Art unleashed by the Bullet King himself.
Sshhk!
Yet, Song Ok's jaw dropped in disbelief moments later.
Hadn't this insignificant-looking black iron sword just cleaved that invisible, overwhelming force cleanly in two?
"How—?"
"Who knows?"
Bu Eun-seol glanced around at the divided space before speaking.
"Either way, there's nowhere left to run. Give up."
Song Ok bit his lip.
Only now did he realize that Bu Eun-seol was no ordinary opponent—his martial prowess was on a level he couldn't hope to match.
"What's your purpose in coming to Wudang?"
"Do I look like I'll tell you?"
"Right. Of course not."
He hadn't expected an answer in the first place.
Anyone who wielded a Black Divine Artifact couldn't possibly be a mere small fry.
In the end, there was no choice but to subdue—or kill—him.
Whooosh—
At that moment, the scabbard of the Ink Soul Sword began to swirl with golden and crimson light, intertwined with mysterious emblems.
Bu Eun-seol had channeled the full might of his Two Spirit Energies into the blade, intending to shatter Song Ok's rings.
"That is—!"
Song Ok's eyes widened in shock.
The emblem engraved on that young swordsman's blade—
Wasn't that the legendary emblem said to have been crafted by the most mystically powerful figure in history?
"Die!"
Terror-stricken, Song Ok thrust out his fingers.
Light erupted from all ten of them at once.
The Flawless Ten-Finger Ring was unleashing its full power.
"Grrr—!"
As the Flawless Ring activated, violet veins bulged grotesquely across the fake Song Ok's face.
Unfortunately, he hadn't managed to drain all the vital energy from Wudang's Elders, leaving the Flawless Ten-Finger Ring's power incomplete.
"Fine."
With no other choice, he began sacrificing his own life force to forcibly activate its might.
"AAAAAH!"
A scream tore from his throat as ten rings of light began to engulf the entire world.
'So this is its power.'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened as he beheld the ten rings swallowing the world whole.
Zzziiing!
A radiant, multicolored glow spilled from his body, forming a spherical barrier of Protective Astral Energy.
As the overwhelming force—something no martial art could ever hope to withstand—bore down on him, every power surging within his body aligned in perfect harmony.
The Harmonization had activated on its own.
Zzziiiiing!
The ten rings enveloped Bu Eun-seol in an instant.
Each ring pressed down on him as though carrying the weight of the world itself, suffocating his entire body.
'Impressive.'
Crack—
When the Protective Astral Energy formed by Harmonization finally began to fracture, Song Ok—his body now covered in throbbing violet veins—burst into a triumphant laugh.
"No one can resist the power of the Flawless Ten-Finger Ring!"
Oooom—!
Then, a dazzling light flashed from the scabbard of Bu Eun-seol's Ink Soul Sword.
As though prepared to shatter the Black Divine Artifact itself, the blade resonated with Sword Resonance.
'How am I supposed to draw it under this pressure?'
Before Bu Eun-seol's muttered words could even fade—
Tock.
A strange sound reverberated near the scabbard, and suddenly, his body felt light.
Unbeknownst to him, one of the engraved emblems had shattered.
Swish!
Freed from the pressure, Bu Eun-seol instantly unleashed the Meteor Chasing Moon technique.
His target? The Flawless Ten-Finger Ring on Song Ok's thumb.
Zzziiiiing—
The moment the tip of the Ink Soul Sword touched the ring, multicolored light exploded outward in all directions.
—Screeeech!
Simultaneously, an eerie shriek—like the scream of a witch—echoed from the transparent Flawless Ten-Finger Ring before—
Crack—
The ring on Song Ok's finger became covered in fissures.
Pah-ah-ah!
In an instant, the ring turned into thousands of points of light, scattering in all directions.
Koo-woong.
As the Flawless Ten-Finger Ring was destroyed, the black fog that had enveloped the surroundings began to fade away.
"Ugh..."
With a groan, Song Ok collapsed to the ground.
The dark spatial distortions gradually dissipated, revealing the sky once more, bathed in sunlight.
"This place..."
Bu Eun-seol had assumed they had been transported to some vast, otherworldly space by the Black Divine Artifact.
Yet the spot where he and Song Ok stood was merely at the foot of Wudang Mountain.
"You..."
At that moment, Song Ok—now slumped on the ground, blood trickling from his lips—looked up at Bu Eun-seol with trembling words.
"Is she... still alive?"
"She?"
"Don't play dumb."
The impostor Song Ok's gaze was fixed on the mysterious emblem engraved on the scabbard at Bu Eun-seol's waist.
"I see. So you too crawled out from the Mountain Beneath the Earth."
The youthful skin of Song Ok began to mottle and yellow, his features rapidly aging into those of an old man decades older.
"Is she still alive...?"
After muttering those bizarre words—
Thud.
—the false Song Ok's head lolled to the side as he collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
Dead.
"The Mountain Beneath the Earth...?"
Bu Eun-seol urgently shook the now-aged Song Ok's body.
"Which Mountain Beneath the Earth do you mean? And who is this 'she' you're talking about—?"
But the impostor Song Ok was already gone, his body drained of all vitality like a withered tree.
The Mountain Beneath the Earth...
Wasn't that the place the Azure River Realm had mentioned when speaking of the Inhuman Ones—that grotesque faction or group?
Rustle.
Just then, dozens of figures descended from the mountainside.
Among them were Master Azure Pine, Bukgung Ryeong, and several Wudang Sect members.
"Caught him, I see."
Master Azure Pine nodded as he observed Song Ok's half-melted face, now overlaid with the visage of an old man.
"The ring he was wearing—?"
A sharp gleam flickered in Master Azure Pine's tiger-like eyes.
"Where is that Black Divine Artifact?"
Surprisingly, he already knew the impostor had been wielding a Black Divine Artifact.
"It shattered."
Regaining his composure, Bu Eun-seol gestured to the scattered fragments of the Flawless Ten-Finger Ring.
"How?"
When Master Azure Pine asked in astonishment, Bu Eun-seol replied flatly,
"It seems it wasn't in perfect condition. It unleashed an enormous surge of rings before finally self-destructing."
"Hmm."
Daoist Master Yeong-heo, who had been closely examining Song Ok's corpse, nodded at Master Azure Pine.
It was clear they had used the Scar to check whether Bu Eun-seol's account had any flaws.
The Wudang Sect knew all along.
A chill ran down Bu Eun-seol's spine.
The Wudang Sect had already been fully aware of the Black Divine Artifact.
Then why had they summoned Bukgung Ryeong? They clearly had the power to suppress both the artifact and its wielder.
True, the Old Man's Inner Energy Bullet Art could counter the Flawless Ten-Finger Ring's power.
Perhaps the Wudang Elders had deduced that the life-draining force was the Black Divine Artifact—
And deliberately called Bukgung Ryeong, knowing his techniques could oppose it.
Just how deep does Wudang's reach go?
Outwardly, they appeared utterly peaceful, yet their hidden potential surpassed even Shaolin.
Could it be that the Abyssal Forces—those factions capable of overturning the Murim, equal to or beyond the Three Realms—
Knew of Wudang's true strength and intentionally sent bearers of the Black Divine Artifact?
"You've done well."
Master Azure Pine gave Bu Eun-seol a nod before slowly turning away.
Then, Daoist Master Yeong-cheong approached Bu Eun-seol and Bukgung Ryeong, inclining his head.
"You've endured much."
With a faint smile, he regarded Bukgung Ryeong.
"Honorary Guardian, you have proven yourself a true ally of Wudang—a guardian of Murim itself."
Bukgung Ryeong's expression stiffened slightly.
Only now did he realize this entire ordeal had not been coincidence, but a meticulously planned test.
"Did you doubt my worth so greatly?"
His eyes burned with indignation.
"Or did you consider me some disposable pawn to be dragged into Wudang's affairs?"
"How could that be?"
Daoist Master Yeong-cheong looked greatly surprised, taking Bukgung Ryeong's hand.
"Honorary Guardian, calm your anger. Let me explain everything in detail."
Wudang Mountain, True Warrior Hall's guest chamber.
Daoist Master Yeong-cheong served tea to Bukgung Ryeong and Bu Eun-seol.
By all rights, the two of them should have been deep in private discussion.
But Bukgung Ryeong had brought Bu Eun-seol along.
With a resigned expression, Daoist Master Yeong-cheong acquiesced and began his explanation.
"...And so, that is how this matter began."
As the conversation continued, Bukgung Ryeong's expression hardened like stone.
It turned out the Wudang Sect had been in close contact with the Martial Alliance Leader.
They had already confirmed that spies indistinguishable from genuine disciples had taken root in various Murim factions.
And what's more—
This bizarre incident had been carried out using the Black Divine Artifact.
"If you knew all this, was there really a need to summon this old man separately?"
Bukgung Ryeong suppressed his rising fury as he spoke.
"After decades of wandering Murim alone... you thought I was such a fool that I didn't even know the Black Divine Artifact existed?"
"Why say such things? That was never the point."
"I don't understand. If you knew the full situation, why not resolve it quickly? Why drag me here and waste time?"
At that, Daoist Master Yeong-cheong wore a somewhat apologetic expression.
"Truthfully, there is more to this matter."
"What more could there be?"
"The reason not just this humble Daoist, but all members of our sect, could maintain such a close friendship with you... was precisely because you never sought fame or power, remaining indifferent to worldly affairs."
Yeong-cheong spoke calmly.
"But then you suddenly joined the Martial Alliance. Your name was inscribed on the Hero Stele, and you ascended to the position of Honorary Guardian."
Understanding his meaning, Bukgung Ryeong let out a hollow laugh.
"Are you saying you suspected I was an imposter?"
Yeong-cheong nodded with an honest expression.
"The Bukgung Ryeong we knew would never have joined the Martial Alliance—not even if they offered him the position of Alliance Leader."
Bukgung Ryeong fell silent, unable to refute him.
The truth was, Yeong-cheong was right.
Had he never met Bu Eun-seol? Had the very concept of orthodox and unorthodox factions not been blown away like dust in his heart?
Bukgung Ryeong would never have joined the Martial Alliance.
In fact, even his decision to join had been Bu Eun-seol's suggestion.
Because he could no longer live as Murim's Lone Independent.
Because without expanding his influence and operating an intelligence network, he couldn't survive at the hands of the Three Realms.
If he wasn't going to take a position in the Demon Hall... then following Bu Eun-seol's advice, the only place left for him was the Martial Alliance.
But Wudang, unaware of the drastic change in his mindset due to Bu Eun-seol, had no choice but to find him suspicious.
"So."
Bukgung Ryeong's face twisted in displeasure.
"You were testing me?"
"'Test' is too strong a word. After all, you and this humble Daoist have been close for many years, have we not?"
Yeong-cheong spoke with an awkward expression.
"If you had been an imposter, your safety might have been compromised. We had to confirm it."
Bukgung Ryeong sighed.
In the end, sending Song-ak to resolve this matter wasn't just about handling Wudang's affairs—
It was also to verify whether he was the real Bukgung Ryeong.
"If you truly worried for me, if you wanted to confirm my identity, there were many other ways."
Bukgung Ryeong rose from his seat, his voice icy.
"If you considered me a close friend, you should never have chosen this method."
Then he turned sharply and strode out of the True Warrior Hall.
"..."
A frigid silence settled over the guest chamber.
Yeong-cheong, who had been sitting in a daze, looked at Bu Eun-seol with an embarrassed expression.
"This humble Daoist has nothing to say."
He spoke to Bu Eun-seol.
"He has always been proud since his youth. I foolishly forgot that and proceeded with this plan."
"It wasn't pride. He must have felt lonely."
"Eh? Lonely?"
As Yeong-cheong blinked in surprise, Bu Eun-seol explained with a composed expression.
"All this time, Master has walked Murim alone, unmatched. He lived loftily, never giving anyone even a single thread to criticize."
"..."
"But now, the very person he considered a close friend—Daoist Master Jang Gyo—carried out such a scheme... It must feel as though his entire life has been denied."
"But this was done not out of suspicion, but out of concern for him."
"Didn't Master himself say it? If that were truly the reason, there were many other ways."
The Perfected Person of Spiritual Clarity let out a soft "Ah."
Though he had executed this plan with the intention of protecting Bukgung Ryeong, in truth, he had failed to grasp the depths of his old friend's heart.
"In the end, what Wudang showed was a plan steeped in obstinacy and arrogance."
"You're right."
Daoist Master Yeong-cheong lowered his head with a sigh.
"I truly have no face left to show him. This old monk has committed too grave a mistake."
"It's alright."
"Hm?"
"You'll forget soon enough."
Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly.
"Though your temper is fiery and eccentric, you're also the type to quickly cast off unpleasantness and assess situations with cold rationality."
Truthfully, he hadn't known Bukgung Ryeong for very long.
Yet it was as if they'd been childhood friends who'd grown up together—they understood each other with uncanny clarity.
Had it been otherwise,
they could never have become such intimate friends, seeing through each other's hearts beyond the boundaries of orthodox and unorthodox paths—
true comrades who'd bared their souls to one another.
"So that's why the man who swore never to take disciples made such an exception."
The Perfected Person of Spiritual Clarity chuckled.
"He found a disciple who understands his heart like a lifelong friend."
Bu Eun-seol smiled.
Though he'd failed to deeply consider this matter,
the Perfected Person too was undoubtedly Bukgung Ryeong's true friend.
"Then I'll take my leave."
As Bu Eun-seol turned to go, the Daoist Master spoke again.
"Did you already know about the Black Divine Artifact?"
The abrupt question gave him pause.
After brief consideration, Bu Eun-seol tilted his head.
"What do you mean?"
"I know. That you were effectively the one who resolved this entire affair."
Despite appearing purely benevolent, this was after all the sect leader of Wudang—peer to Shaolin.
He'd discerned that Bu Eun-seol's schemes had cleanly unraveled the incident,
recognizing the extraordinary mind concealed beneath his ordinary demeanor.
"I merely happened upon the solution by coincidence."
"Ho ho ho. No need for modesty. The Honorary Guardian knows much but lacks sharp observation."
The Perfected Person narrowed his eyes slightly.
"You were brought precisely because he knew this matter couldn't be resolved otherwise, weren't you?"
When Bu Eun-seol remained silent, the Daoist Master nodded gently and asked:
"Tell me—which sect's heroic disciple are you truly?"
"I don't follow."
"That single Sword-Spirit Unification which shattered Song Ok's dimensional rift—it revealed you've reached the realms of True Emptiness and Wondrous Existence, the Supreme Ascension Summit."
The Perfected Person continued calmly:
"No matter one's talent, could someone so young truly stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a master dubbed Bullet King otherwise?"
'Truly, Wudang is Wudang.'
Bu Eun-seol had merely executed one Sword-Spirit Unification in a moment of crisis.
Yet from that single motion and technique alone,
the Daoist Master had instantly grasped the profound martial realm he'd attained.
"Actually, I—"
Compelled, Bu Eun-seol prepared a false explanation.
"No need to explain if it troubles you."
The Daoist Master waved a hand with an understanding smile.
"Are you not someone he trusts implicitly?"
He spoke plainly:
"If the Honorary Guardian trusts you, this humble monk can as well."
The Perfected Person knew.
That Bu Eun-seol and Bukgung Ryeong shared bonds deeper than words.
Otherwise, even after decades of friendship, Bu Eun-seol wouldn't have clearly perceived the Bullet King's true nature, which the Daoist Master himself had overlooked.
A gentle smile touched Bu Eun-seol's lips.
With leaders like the Daoist Master guiding them, Wudang Sect would weather any crisis.
"Perfected One, there's one thing I'm curious about."
Remembering Wudang's close ties with the Martial Alliance Leader, Bu Eun-seol cautiously broached:
"If the Martial Alliance knows of such matters, why aren't they addressing them more openly?"
"Our sect will soon restructure internally to prevent external spies from infiltrating."
The Daoist Master's answer seemed tangential.
"Thus we must suspend all sect operations temporarily for reorganization. The process will take considerable time."
But Bu Eun-seol understood the implication.
The Martial Alliance too must harbor countless spies.
Announcing such matters publicly and launching large-scale purges
would require completely halting alliance operations.
What would take even a major sect like Wudang extensive time
would demand ten or twentyfold more resources from the vastly larger Martial Alliance.
Moreover, public action would throw the entire martial world into chaos.
All the Alliance could do
was discreetly coordinate with the Nine Sects to track the Black Divine Artifact or to eliminate those who'd changed identities.
Only thus could they reform and normalize their internal structure.
"Does that answer you?"
"Yes, thank you."
Bu Eun-seol's faint smile deepened.
Wudang acknowledged its mistakes and shortcomings while striving endlessly to improve.
Therefore... Wudang would only grow stronger henceforth.