Chapter 628
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath.
Did that mean he might be a descendant of the legendary Baekri Clan?
Considering that his father, Baekri Mu-ha, was the successor of the Three Realms and bore the title of Murim's First Beauty, it wasn't an impossible story.
"Let's assume I am from the Baekri Clan."
Bu Eun-seol wore a pained expression.
"Is there any need for that?"
"What do you mean?"
"Is it really necessary to sacrifice so many lives to prevent something like Final Extinction?"
Then, with the gravest expression, he continued.
"If we must sacrifice countless people to stop Final Extinction, what value does such a world even hold?"
"..."
"If the world can only be preserved by sacrificing its people, wouldn't it be better for it to just end?"
Bi-yeon spoke calmly.
"There was a time when I thought the same way as you."
"..."
"But before long, you'll come to understand. The Final Extinction isn't merely the end of the world."
"What does that mean?"
"You'll know someday. Even if I told you now, you wouldn't understand."
Bi-yeon's long, narrow eyes brimmed with both joy and sorrow.
"Now, I'm the only one left in the Ancient Sword Forest."
She drew a deep breath.
"Truthfully, my body is already half a Black Divine Artifact. That's probably why I didn't die even when the Dharma Instrument shattered."
She was asking Bu Eun-seol to kill her.
"If you want to die, do it yourself."
Bu Eun-seol couldn't bring himself to kill Bi-yeon.
She wasn't an evil person, and all the members of the Ancient Sword Forest had merely sacrificed their bodies to complete the Black Divine Artifacts.
He had no right to take their lives.
"I can't do it myself. Didn't I tell you? Half of my body... has already become a Black Divine Artifact."
Bi-yeon smiled faintly, her expression lonely.
"I've waited so long for this moment."
Her eyes looked as though she were dreaming.
"Life, after all, is but a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow. A fleeting fantasy... that in the end vanishes without a trace, like foam and shadows."
She laughed softly.
"Send me off... with a smile."
"No."
Bu Eun-seol bit his lip.
He had thought all factions of the Abyss were filled with evil people.
But the Ancient Sword Forest had its own convictions—they had only sought to create the Black Divine Artifacts to save the world.
From his perspective, it was the Neither-Human-Nor-Beast and their ilk who had helped them who seemed closer to true evil.
"You want to destroy the Three Realms, don't you?"
Bi-yeon spoke quietly.
"When you shattered the Dharma Instrument, I caught a glimpse... of what lies in your heart."
Just as Bu Eun-seol had seen the lingering grudges within the Dharma Instrument's memories, Bi-yeon, too, had briefly glimpsed fragments of his own.
"The Forest has long been an enemy of the Infinite Realm. They sought to take what we possessed."
Her voice was soothing.
"I'll tell you. The secrets of the Infinite Realm. So that you can destroy them."
"I don't need to destroy the Infinite Realm."
Bu Eun-seol pleaded earnestly.
"Don't give up on life. No matter how harsh the world is, good days may still come if you keep living."
"I know. But I've grown too old, and I've lived for far too long."
Bi-yeon stared straight at Bu Eun-seol.
Unbeknownst to him, her lips had begun to dry and crack.
Only then did Bu Eun-seol realize.
With the Dharma Instrument shattered and all the members of the Ancient Sword Forest having ended their tenacious lives...
If she were left alone, she would wither into an old and grotesque form—
Left behind in the Ancient Sword Forest, no one knew how many desolate years she would have to endure.
"Though I feel sorry for him..."
Bi-yeon thought of Seok Chi-haeng, who had long guarded the entrance of the Ancient Sword Forest. Who had watched over her for so long.
A wanderer of the martial world, their fates had intertwined... and he had stayed by her side his entire life.
But regrettably, Bi-yeon was far too old, and she could never return his feelings.
"Killing me... won't be easy."
Before Bu Eun-seol could speak, Bi-yeon gave a faint smile.
"If you attack me, my power will instinctively react. You might be in danger. You could die."
"..."
"But... you'll do it, won't you?"
Bu Eun-seol nodded solemnly.
Because in his mind's eye, he could already see Bi-yeon—frail, aged, and waiting only for death.
If this was the wish she had held for so long... he had no choice but to grant it.
"Not for the sake of the Infinite Realm's secrets."
Shing.
Bu Eun-seol drew his sword.
"For your sake."
"Thank you."
She closed her eyes, her smile radiant.
"Everything... will be alright."
Nod.
Bu Eun-seol dipped his head slightly, then channeled his internal energy into the Ink Soul Sword.
As if sensing the killing intent, a brilliant light spilled from Bi-yeon's left eye.
The glow gradually filled half her body...
Until it became a single mass of translucent, shimmering radiance—so clear it reflected even Bu Eun-seol's own image, like a mirror.
Zzziiing.
Then Bi-yeon's form vanished.
Before he knew it, a middle-aged man clad in white robes had appeared, exuding an air of solemn nobility.
Baekri Mu-jo.
Among all the masters Bu Eun-seol had ever crossed blades with, this was the one man from whom he had never once seized victory.
This is no illusion.
Bu Eun-seol swallowed dryly as he stared at the figure before him.
It's replicating the abilities stored in my mind.
The power of Bi-yeon, fused with the Black Divine Artifact, seemed to manifest those whom the opponent deemed unbeatable.
Flash!
A brilliant radiance erupted from Baekri Mu-jo's hand.
His signature swordsmanship—the Sacred Sword—had been unleashed without hesitation.
Kwawooo—
The light surged forth like a torrent of galaxies crashing down upon Bu Eun-seol.
He dodged swiftly, but even the slightest exposure to that radiance—
Tssssk!
—sent searing pain through his meridians as if they were burning, his organs twisting inside him.
Ptuh.
Blood sprayed from his lips as he suffered internal injuries in an instant.
She wasn't lying.
Bi-yeon's words held no deceit.
The power she wielded, fused with the Black Divine Artifact, was something even Bu Eun-seol's martial prowess couldn't easily overcome.
Because the man before him was the real Baekri Mu-jo—and the might of his sword techniques was being displayed in full.
To materialize a person from someone else's mind...
If this were mere illusion, it wouldn't have worked on Bu Eun-seol, who had achieved the Spiritual Aperture Breakthrough.
Yet the Baekri Mu-jo before him wielded swordsmanship identical to the real one he had fought before.
Meaning—it had physically manifested the Baekri Mu-jo residing in Bu Eun-seol's spirit and mind.
The materialization of mental imagery is both a manifestation ability of the Heavenly Darkness Star and a hallmark of the Baekri Clan...
But there was no time to dwell on the implications.
Flash!
Another blinding white radiance burst forth in rapid succession from Baekri Mu-jo's treasured sword.
The Sacred Sword.
The Absolute Sword Art forged by Baekri Mu-jo was something that could not be blocked and was almost impossible to evade.
Pahat! Zzzing! Pahat!
Bu Eun-seol pushed Swift Shadowless to its limits, but the speed of the Sacred Sword was akin to light itself, instantly matching his movements.
If he closed the distance, the Sacred Sword expanded like a fan, ensnaring him.
If he retreated to attack from afar, it rained down arrow-like beams of light.
Worse, in this place, he couldn't properly wield his internal energy—both the Extreme Yin and Extreme Yang and the Orthodox Unorthodox Demonic and Buddhist Arts were completely sealed.
The only thing he could still call upon was the Two Spirit Energies.
And considering the might of Baekri Mu-jo's Sacred Sword... the only thing that could withstand it was the Thunder Essence Divine Qi.
Zzzzt—!
As he gathered the Thunder Essence Divine Qi, violet flames crackled along his Ink Soul Sword.
But as he watched those flames, a profound realization flashed through his mind.
"Did you think brute martial power alone could break through the gate?"
Bi-yeon's words suddenly resurfaced in his thoughts.
"All gates within this tower belong to the realm of enlightenment—they cannot be shattered by force alone."
The martial gate erected within the Ancient Sword Forest's tower wasn't something to be overcome through sheer martial might.
It was designed to test enlightenment.
"Rather than relying on overwhelming martial arts, one must wield the right technique at the right moment."
Click.
Bu Eun-seol sheathed his Ink Soul Sword, still staring at the cascading light.
Meanwhile, Baekri Mu-jo continued unleashing the Sacred Sword upon him with flawless precision.
But there was a difference.
The ultimate principle he had sensed within the martial gate—
Responsive Adaptation.
The true terror of the real Baekri Mu-jo wasn't the sheer power of the Sacred Sword.
It was his ability to predict his opponent's opening move and strike at the exact moment of vulnerability.
Yet the Sacred Sword being unleashed now was just that—a Sacred Sword.
And that gave Bu Eun-seol the slimmest thread of opportunity.
Flash!
Once more, the Sacred Sword descended upon him with perfect accuracy.
But it was still just a Sacred Sword meant to kill him—
Not one infused with the true martial refinement of the real Baekri Mu-jo.
Srrrlk—
The Ink Soul Sword, drawn from its scabbard, erupted in crimson flames.
Time itself seemed to freeze as the blazing sword surged forward.
At last, he had found the flaw in Baekri Mu-jo's otherwise flawless Sacred Sword.
Flash!
The light that had drowned the world in whiteness vanished entirely.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Before Bu Eun-seol's eyes now stood Bi-yeon, clutching her throat as blood trickled from her lips.
"So that's how it was."
A faintly moved expression crossed Bu Eun-seol's face.
The moment he had unleashed the Transcendent Formless Heavenly Flow Form, he had understood.
Since she had created the martial gate, she must have deeply mastered the mysteries of Responsive Adaptation herself.
Through this battle—
She had deliberately given him the chance to experience those principles in real combat once more.
"I had a feeling you'd pull it off."
Bi-yeon smiled faintly.
"Because I truly believed... this kind of world could be shattered."
Ssshhhk—
Blood finally gushed from her throat.
As Bu Eun-seol quickly supported her, Bi-yeon maintained her faint smile and struggled to speak.
"Go... to the Heavenly Grace Medicine Grove."
"The Heavenly Grace Medicine Grove?"
"The one they call the Medical Immortal—the Dreaming One—he is the Heavenly Venerable of the Infinite Realm."
Thud.
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
The Heavenly Grace Medicine Grove, which had saved countless lives, was founded by the Medical Immortal known as the Dreaming One—
The largest medical institution in the Central Plains.
Yet the Heavenly Grace Medicine Grove was the Infinite Realm's headquarters? And the Dreaming One was the Heavenly Venerable?
"The Infinite Realm... never stopped attacking our sanctuary. But even knowing their stronghold... we couldn't strike back."
Gurgle, gurgle—
As blood poured out, Bi-yeon's complexion turned as pale as paper, her hands still clutching her throat.
"Will you... show me your real face?"
She spoke with a smile.
"So I can remember you... even in the Underworld."
Click, clack.
Bu Eun-seol immediately released the Face-Changing Bone-Shifting Art, reverting to his original appearance.
His topknot came undone, revealing his breathtakingly beautiful features.
"You—"
In that instant, Bi-yeon's eyes flew wide open.
"How could this... be...?"
Her lips trembled, her widened eyes freezing mid-motion.
She couldn't even finish her sentence before her life was cut short.
"Why did she look at me like...?"
Bu Eun-seol couldn't understand.
Bi-yeon's shock upon seeing his face—was it because he resembled someone? Or was there another reason?
"Everything will be revealed eventually."
He decided not to dwell on it.
As he continued his journey through the martial world, the secrets he'd wondered about were unraveling one by one.
Whether it was the Returned Ones Realm, the Azure River Realm, the Infinite Realm, or even another Ancient Sword Forest—
Everything about them would be exposed to the world, and they would all have to be brought down.
Because they possessed the Black Divine Artifacts.
And because he was fated to shatter those artifacts.
"The beginning... will be the Infinite Realm."
Now that he'd uncovered the Infinite Realm's headquarters and the Heavenly Venerable's identity—
The time had come to annihilate one of the Three Realms that had recklessly shaken the martial world.
The Heavenly Grace Medicine Grove.
This was the medical sanctuary founded by the Dreaming One, revered as the Medical Immortal—the most renowned institution of healing in the martial world, worshipped by countless people.
Here, the poor and boys under twenty received treatment completely free of charge.
But for the wealthy, the fees were exorbitantly high.
Though the rich grumbled about this policy,
the Heavenly Grace Medicine Grove's physicians were so exceptionally skilled that those with serious illnesses had no choice but to seek treatment here.
Through this practice of aiding the poor with free care,
the sanctuary's founder, the Dreaming One, earned widespread reverence,
and people respectfully called him the Medical Immortal.
Under the warm midday sun,
a gaunt young man staggered toward the entrance of the Heavenly Grace Medicine Grove.
Though his features were delicate, his hair was disheveled and his clothes soaked with filthy water.
His tattered shoes, worn from long travel, exposed his big toe.
His disheveled appearance was one thing, but his deathly pale complexion and constant coughing suggested
he was gravely ill.
"How may we assist you?"
As the young man approached, a middle-aged man conversing with guards at the gate addressed him.
This was none other than the Chief Steward of the Heavenly Grace Medicine Grove—Eom Jeok.
"I..."
Caught off guard by Eom Jeok's approach—neither a guard nor someone of low status—the young man hesitated before forcing his parched lips to move.
"My name is Im Ji-pyeong... from Fujian. I heard this place treats those under twenty for free..."
"Ah."
Eom Jeok scanned Im Ji-pyeong up and down before nodding.
"Of course."
With a kind smile, he took Im Ji-pyeong's hand.
"Please, come inside first. We can talk further there."
Guided by Eom Jeok's hand, Im Ji-pyeong entered the Heavenly Grace Medicine Grove.
"Ahh..."
Im Ji-pyeong's jaw dropped as he took in the vast courtyard before him.
Inside, countless pavilions stood densely packed, with massive crowds moving about.
Long lines of patients stretched before each building,
and for those unable to enter yet, makeshift beds were arranged at regular intervals across the wide courtyard.
Dozens of physicians in their distinctive robes hurried between the pavilions, followed by young assistants carrying herbal medicines.
There was not a trace of the typical medical hall scene where they demand payment before even checking one's pulse.
This was truly the epitome of a medicinal grove.
The Heavenly Grace Medicine Grove was a place where genuine physicians, who tirelessly devoted themselves to healing patients, had gathered.
"It's crowded over there, so come this way."
Without summoning any servants, Eom Jeok personally guided Im Ji-pyeong deeper into the grove, leading him to one of the inner halls.
After bringing him to a room densely packed with beds, the middle-aged man spoke with a gentle expression.
"First, we need to know a few things before beginning treatment."
He inquired in detail about where Im Ji-pyeong lived, his name, and how long he had been ill.
"Age eighteen, first fell ill a year ago, after finishing my studies at the academy while walking along West Gate Great Road..."
Eom Jeok diligently memorized Im Ji-pyeong's personal details before extending his hand to begin the pulse diagnosis.
"You were already weakened by illness, and the long journey seems to have taken a heavy toll on your body. Please rest here for now."
Then, glancing at the attendant who had followed them, he said,
"Go to the Tenfold Hall and bring a decoction that strengthens both qi and blood."
The attendant bowed and left.
Not long after, a young assistant arrived carrying a steaming bowl of herbal medicine.
"Thank you."
Without hesitation, Im Ji-pyeong gulped it down.
Almost immediately, warmth spread through his body, as if all the accumulated fatigue had melted away.
"How do you feel?"
"I think my energy is returning."
"You must be tired—rest here for a while. I'll arrange for the physicians to properly treat you soon."
"Thank you."
Whether it was the medicine or sheer exhaustion, his eyelids grew heavy, and drowsiness overwhelmed him.
With an awkward expression, Im Ji-pyeong closed his eyes the moment Eom Jeok stepped outside.
"Hmm."
Before long, Eom Jeok returned with a young physician to where Im Ji-pyeong lay in deep slumber.
He studied the sleeping youth intently before checking his pulse once more.
"Indeed, his Golden Spirit Flower Body allows him to absorb medicinal effects exceptionally well."
The perpetually mild expression on Eom Jeok's face darkened ominously.
He stretched out all ten fingers and began meticulously palpating Im Ji-pyeong's body.
"Mmm, mmm."
As if pleased by something, he repeatedly let out soft exclamations and nodded to himself.
"A usable body. Very usable indeed. We just need to cure his lung disease."
Then, retrieving a thick acupuncture needle from his sleeve, he forcefully drove it into Im Ji-pyeong's dantian.
Despite the deep penetration, not a single drop of blood spilled—precisely because he had struck the Qi Sea Acupoint.
"From today onward, administer medicine for his treatment. And..."
Eom Jeok leaned in and whispered something in an extremely low voice to the young physician.
The physician, listening respectfully, repeatedly nodded before bowing deeply.
Im Ji-pyeong's condition gradually improved.
Between the grove's herbal decoctions, acupuncture treatments, proper meals, and deep sleep, his symptoms—shortness of breath and complete exhaustion—slowly faded.
His complexion brightened, and his once-sallow skin regained its healthy hue.
But then, at some point, his condition worsened again.
"Is my illness difficult to cure?"
The physician in charge of his treatment answered calmly,
"Chronic ailments don't heal all at once. They fluctuate—better one day, worse the next. You must be patient and commit to long-term treatment."
"I see."
Im Ji-pyeong nodded apologetically.
"I'm ashamed to have burdened you for so long."
Though his words were humble, a faint smile played at the corners of his lips.
With good meals served at every hour and free treatment, his time at the Heavenly Grace Medicine Grove felt like paradise compared to his years of poverty.
Days passed like this.
Hmm.
Late at night, Im Ji-pyeong slowly opened his eyes in the darkened hall where he had been sleeping soundly.
His gaze, glinting in the darkness, swept cautiously around before he carefully sat up.
Was he going to relieve himself?
After stepping out of the hall where patients stayed, he surveyed his surroundings before quietly making his way toward the heart of the Heavenly Grace Medicine Grove.
I have roughly an hour before the physicians come to check on me.
For the past few days, Im Ji-pyeong had pretended to sleep while noting the times the physicians made their nightly rounds.
Now, seizing the moment when no one was around, he slipped out unnoticed.
Swish.
With a peculiar, almost gliding gait, he weaved between the halls.
Then, as if sensing discomfort, he paused and glanced down at his lower abdomen.
They struck my dantian properly.
A self-assured smile curled on his lips.
Despite having his dantian sealed, he could still freely wield his internal energy.
Whoosh!
As he summoned his inner power, a blue energy reminiscent of ocean waves shimmered in his eyes.
Unbelievably, no restrictive seal could suppress his internal energy.
He was practicing the Radiant Cloud Sect's supreme internal cultivation art—the Jade Body Profound River Qi—the Heavenly Outer Absolute Art, renowned three hundred years ago as the pinnacle of internal martial arts.