Chapter 632
Seo Jin-ha was a man who understood a woman's heart better than anyone.
He had anticipated this very situation and had already prepared a betrothal gift for Jongri Sa-yu from the Death Shadow War Unit in advance.
"That goes without saying."
Seo Jin-ha gazed into Jongri Sa-yu's eyes with profound depth.
"As it happens, I've brought a token of affection to present to you."
"A token... of affection?"
Jongri Sa-yu, who had been smiling brightly, suddenly spoke with a hint of coldness, as if a thought had crossed her mind.
"You're not about to give me some common jewel or ornamental pendant, are you?"
She spoke decisively.
"Since our paths diverge, I want something unequivocal. A clear mark... proving that the Lord has given it to me."
Though she had fallen in love, she was by no means a foolish woman.
Unless they were formally engaged, exchanging secret tokens of affection would be utterly meaningless.
That was why she wanted not some jewel or accessory that could be bought with money—
But a sacred relic or cherished possession that could attest to the giver's status.
After all, something purchasable anywhere could never serve as proof.
"Of course. Before coming here, I stopped by the Death Shadow War Unit's archives and retrieved an item."
"An item from the Death Shadow War Unit's archives?"
"Indeed."
Seo Jin-ha, who had been watching Jongri Sa-yu with those deep eyes, turned and called out in a loud voice.
"Move the betrothal gift to the lady's quarters."
At his command, servants who had been waiting in the distance grunted as they carried a large object wrapped in red silk.
Judging by its size and weight, it seemed to be an exceptionally precious item.
"Something that large?"
"For you, what could possibly be too extravagant?"
Seo Jin-ha added one more thing.
"That is the only one of its kind in the world. So take good care of it."
"The only one in the world..."
Indeed, given its size, it seemed impossible to craft a second—a truly rare treasure.
"Thank you."
Jongri Sa-yu beamed as she spoke.
"Since your resolve is so firm, I'll persuade my grandfather right away."
"I appreciate it. However—"
Seo Jin-ha clasped his hands together.
"This matter is urgent, so if you could expedite it... that would be ideal."
"Is it that pressing?"
"Absolutely. If we miss our window, exterminating them and stabilizing the martial world will become nothing more than a dream."
Jongri Sa-yu pondered briefly before nodding.
"Follow me."
She led Seo Jin-ha into a hidden storeroom deep within the Jongri estate.
After disengaging several mechanisms, an extremely secretive stone chamber was revealed.
Inside, a chilling cold energy flowed, and a small iron chest lay in the center.
"Here it is."
When she opened the metal chest, an indescribably refreshing scent wafted out.
It was none other than the Needle King Pill—the life's masterpiece of the Needle King, capable of neutralizing the Human Flower Poison in a single dose.
"So this is the Needle King Pill?"
"Correct. Take it."
Seo Jin-ha hesitated for a moment.
"What if your grandfather finds out? How will you withstand his wrath?"
"What else can he do but kick me out?"
Jongri Sa-yu replied calmly.
"Especially since this is for dealing with the faction behind the Soulless Ones."
"But—"
"Well, if I have nowhere else to go, I can always join the Demon Hall."
A shiver ran down Seo Jin-ha's spine.
He couldn't tell whether she was serious or joking.
"It's a joke."
Jongri Sa-yu laughed as she extended the metal chest.
"Take it quickly."
Her smiling face was truly lovely.
Moreover, her willingness to part with such a treasure as the Needle King Pill without hesitation pleased him deeply.
'She really is a remarkable woman.'
"My deepest gratitude."
With utmost courtesy, Seo Jin-ha wrapped the metal chest in silk and secured it tightly to his person.
"Great turmoil is about to unfold in the martial world."
Seo Jin-ha looked at Jongri Sa-yu.
"And once it does, criticism against our Hall will come pouring in. But I hope you'll continue to trust me."
Bu Eun-seol would soon strike the Celestial Herb Forest to attack the Infinite Realm.
And the fact that they were the faction cultivating the Soulless Ones would be difficult for the Jongri family to accept.
"I'll trust you."
"Just like that?"
Jongri Sa-yu covered her mouth and laughed.
"Has anything you've done so far ever been ordinary?"
'She really is a wonderful woman.'
Seo Jin-ha smiled inwardly.
'To act without hesitation, trusting Bu Eun-seol alone...'
He silently vowed.
He would do everything in his power to ensure Bu Eun-seol and Jongri Sa-yu could be together.
"Then... I'll take my leave."
"Take care."
"You as well."
With a final smile, Seo Jin-ha immediately departed the Jongri estate.
Jongri Sa-yu saw him off all the way to the gate, then waved regretfully and murmured,
"Since you've already given me a token... why not a little affectionate touch as well?"
Watching Bu Eun-seol's retreating figure, she let out a small sigh.
"But I do have the token!"
Remembering the large object wrapped in red silk, she hurried back to her quarters in a fluster.
A sacred relic from the Death Shadow War Unit's archives—the only one of its kind in the world.
For him to bring such a thing, it must be not only priceless but surely imbued with his personal touch.
Jongri Sa-yu intended to use it to soothe her longings.
"It really is enormous."
Staring at the red-draped object in her quarters, Jongri Sa-yu's jaw dropped.
Just what had he brought that was taller than she was?
Swish.
When she removed the red silk, her mouth fell open in shock.
"This is—"
Jongri Sa-yu rubbed her eyes.
Beneath the silk stood a resplendent gold-plated statue.
It was a massive sculpture meticulously crafted in the exact likeness of Bu Eun-seol.
"What is this?"
Jongri Sa-yu's face twisted in bewilderment.
The gold-plated Bu Eun-seol wore an exaggerated smile—
With one arm dramatically pointing toward the distant sky.
And at the base of the statue...
"—To eternally enshrine in the hearts of all humanity the immortal achievements of the Grandmaster of Demonic Path Martial Arts, the great Lord Bu Eun-seol, who shall lead the next generation of Murim, and to pass down his undying legacy for ten thousand generations..."
A eulogy so nauseatingly effusive that merely reading it threatened to shatter one's sanity—was densely inscribed at the base.
"Ugh."
As Jongri Sa-yu read further, her stomach churned.
For some reason, she felt physically ill.
And just looking at the gilded statue's gleaming, exaggerated smile made the corner of her mouth twitch involuntarily.
Moreover, the pose—one arm dramatically pointing toward the distant heavens—was so over-the-top that the statue's belly even appeared unnaturally protruding.
Unable to bear it any longer, Jongri Sa-yu finally threw the red cloth back over it.
"The warehouse..."
Staggering slightly, she pressed a hand to her forehead and shouted at the servants.
"Take this thing to the warehouse—right now!"
At the same time, within the Hidden Demon Pavilion—Yu Un-ryong's office.
"Unit Leader!"
His adjutant, Mu-gwang, burst into the room in a panic.
"We have a serious problem!"
"What is it?"
"Our treasury has been robbed!"
"The treasury was robbed?"
"The most precious treasure kept in this hall has vanished!"
Just then, with a series of heavy footsteps, Won Se-mun and Jo Nam-cheon rushed in.
"Unit Leader Yu!"
Won Se-mun practically leapt as he spoke urgently.
"The treasure of our battalion has been stolen!"
Yu Un-ryong frowned.
"What exactly was stolen?"
Jo Nam-cheon shouted from beside him.
"The statue of our Lord—the one funded by pooling the wages of all the warriors of the Death Shadow War Unit—has been taken!"
Blinking in disbelief, Yu Un-ryong sighed and shook his head.
'Haah.'
These men had long since surpassed mere respect or admiration for Bu Eun-seol—they had turned him into an object of worship.
Before anyone realized it, Death Shadow War Unit had solidified into something resembling a tightly-knit cult.
And the fanaticism of these fervent devotees only grew worse with time...
—Come to think of it, why doesn't our hall have a statue of our Lord?
—Shouldn't we preserve his magnificent appearance while he's still young?
—The Chief Doctrine Commander won't do it, so let's do it ourselves!
Led by Won Se-mun, the warriors pooled their money and brought in the most renowned sculptor in Jiangnan—the Iron Master—to craft a life-sized statue of Bu Eun-seol.
—And engrave this inscription for us.
Once the statue was completed, the officers demanded that their reverent eulogy be carved into its base.
—I absolutely... cannot do this.
Already uncomfortable with the exaggerated smile and awkward pose of the statue, the Iron Master balked at the absurdly worshipful text.
—I am a man of art, not someone who carves such... words.
Just as the Iron Master was staunchly refusing—
Wi Cheon-gyeong stepped forward and placed a box before him, its contents gleaming with the unmistakable sheen of gold ingots.
—...I have long dreamed of such an opportunity. I shall give it my utmost effort.
With the last of his life's vigor, the Iron Master completed the inscription.
And when the statue was finally finished—
The warriors of the Death Shadow War Unit proudly displayed it right in front of their hall.
—What in the world is this?!
By the grace of heaven—
Miraculously—before any officials of the Demon Hall or Bu Eun-seol himself could see it—
Yu Un-ryong discovered the statue first.
—You absolute lunatics!
Furious, he immediately ordered the statue dumped at the warehouse entrance.
Though the warriors grumbled, none dared defy Yu Un-ryong—the de facto authority managing all affairs of the battalion.
—So what if it's in the warehouse? We can visit it whenever we want.
In the end, the warriors of the Death Shadow War Unit—
Morning and night—would stand before Bu Eun-seol's statue at the warehouse entrance.
And what's more—they even burned incense and bowed before it!
—Is this the Guan Shrine now?!
Witnessing this, Yu Un-ryong exploded.
—Cut it out immediately!
But the officers and unit members spoke in unison.
—Hah! Comparing it to the Guan Shrine? You're comparing the wrong things.
—What?
—Think about it. Even if it were Lord Guan himself, could he last forty exchanges against our Lord before losing his head?
Yu Un-ryong was so exasperated he could barely breathe—yet somehow, the logic made sense.
—Well... no matter how peerless Lord Guan's valor, even he couldn't withstand that monster's Willful True Binding, wielded with centuries of Internal Power.
—Exactly!
Resigned, Yu Un-ryong wiped his nose.
—Fine. Do whatever you want—but only here. This must never leak outside.
—Ah, don't worry! That'll never happen.
In the end, Yu Un-ryong turned a blind eye.
If they wanted to worship in some warehouse corner, who was he to stop them?
But then—an unexpected turn of events.
Seo Jin-ha began rummaging through the Death Shadow War Unit's warehouse for a gift to give Jongri Sa-yu.
—What... is this?!
And unfortunately—
He, too, was no different from the warriors—a fervent devotee of Bu Eun-seol.
—To think such a magnificent thing existed!
Gasping in awe at the gleaming statue, Seo Jin-ha—
Without hesitation—chose it as the perfect gift for Jongri Sa-yu.
—Why do you want to take that out?
When Seo Jin-ha came to his office to explain, Yu Un-ryong furrowed his brow.
—What do you plan to do with it?
Seo Jin-ha answered confidently.
—Who wouldn't love a gift like this? Right?
Watching Seo Jin-ha's eyes sparkle, Yu Un-ryong pressed a hand to his forehead.
I thought at least this one was sane... but of course, he's just like the rest.
—Do as you please.
Finishing his recollection, Yu Un-ryong exhaled deeply.
"It was removed for a certain mission."
"What do you mean, 'for a certain task'?"
"I gave it to someone as a gift. That's all you need to know."
Upon hearing this, Won Se-mun's mouth fell open.
"You mean... the sincerity of our efforts?"
Beside him, Jo Nam-cheon muttered in a trembling voice,
"That treasure, which we wouldn't trade even for ten million gold, imbued with the aspirations and devotion of the warriors of the Main Hall?"
"Ah, sure, sure."
Yu Un-ryong waved his hand dismissively, his face weary.
"Your aspirations and devotion were surely well conveyed. Now get out."
Without even glancing at them, he resumed writing his letter.
Watching this, Won Se-mun and the others exchanged helpless looks before reluctantly turning away.
"Well, what can we do?"
Then, in voices so low they were nearly inaudible, they whispered among themselves:
"We'll just have to make another one."
"Bigger this time."
"Might as well place it right at the entrance of the Main Hall."
The Blood Mist Corps of the Demon Hall had completed their preparations for deployment.
Under Bu Eun-seol's leadership, a force capable of annihilating the Cheonhye Yakrim in a single strike had been assembled.
The ones most shocked by this were not the warriors of the Demon Hall, but the high-ranking officers of the Death Shadow War Unit.
After all, Supreme Cult Commander Yeop Hyo-cheon, who they had sworn would never approve such an operation, had given his consent.
—How in the world did you manage to persuade the Supreme Cult Commander?
To their questions, Bu Eun-seol responded simply:
—I merely reminded him once again that the Supreme Cult Commander is not the Deputy Hall Lord.
The officers wore puzzled expressions at his words.
With the Demonic Heavenly Emperor frequently in seclusion, wasn't Supreme Cult Commander Yeop Hyo-cheon effectively the one overseeing and commanding all affairs of the Demon Hall?
In truth, wasn't he practically the Deputy Hall Lord—no, didn't he wield even greater authority than that?
And yet, Bu Eun-seol claimed he had persuaded him by reminding him that he wasn't the Deputy Hall Lord? What kind of nonsense was that?
"Officer Yu."
Rustle, rustle.
Unable to contain their curiosity, the officers of the Death Shadow War Unit swarmed around Yu Un-ryong and cautiously pressed him:
"The Lord's words make no sense to us."
Yu Un-ryong, who had been busy with deployment preparations, furrowed his brow.
"Why does that matter to you?"
"Well, how could it not? We're so curious we can't even sleep at night."
At Won Se-mun's words, Jo Nam-cheon nodded emphatically.
"He's right. It's not just us—even our subordinates are losing sleep over it. If this curiosity lingers, it'll affect the morale of the entire unit."
"Oh, what a convenient excuse."
Though it was a ridiculous claim, Yu Un-ryong seemed to find it plausible enough, as he finally relented.
"Do you know why the Supreme Cult Commander became the Supreme Cult Commander?"
"Well..."
Won Se-mun blinked, tilting his head.
Come to think of it, the position of Supreme Cult Commander wasn't originally part of the Demon Hall's hierarchy.
It was a title found in religious sects of the Demonic Path, like the Veneration Cult or the Blood Cult, where doctrinal authority was paramount.
So why had the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, instead of appointing someone to the vacant Deputy Hall Lord position, elevated Yeop Hyo-cheon—formerly the Night-Dancing Heavenly Lord—to the rank of Supreme Cult Commander?
Won Se-mun stammered out his answer.
"Well... since the Deputy Hall Lord didn't die but went missing, wasn't it just a temporary measure to give him the title of Supreme Cult Commander?"
"Then what's the difference between the Deputy Hall Lord and the Supreme Cult Commander?"
"That is..."
Won Se-mun hesitated.
Even Jo Nam-cheon, who was usually sharp-witted, and Wi Cheon-gyeong, renowned for his insight, remained silent, unable to answer.
"What exactly is the difference?"
At Won Se-mun's question, Yu Un-ryong spoke calmly.
"The Supreme Cult Commander has managed all affairs of the Demon Hall in the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's stead. But has he ever proactively issued orders or decrees?"
The officers' eyes widened in realization.
—Now that you mention it...
It was true.
When they thought about it, the Supreme Cult Commander had never once taken the initiative to issue commands or assign missions.
He had only ever approved requests from subordinates or handed down rewards and punishments.
"Now that I think about it, you're right."
Jo Nam-cheon blinked.
"Have any of you ever heard of the Supreme Cult Commander directly issuing an order?"
The assembled officers all shook their heads.
Every mission until now had been directed by the leaders of their respective organizations.
And the Supreme Cult Commander, who ultimately commanded those leaders, had only ever decided whether to approve those missions—never once taking the initiative to assign one himself.
"Looking back, it is strange."
Then, stroking his chin, Wi Cheon-gyeong spoke up.
"Isn't the Supreme Cult Commander a position meant to oversee the indoctrination of followers within a religious sect?"
"Correct. To be precise, it's a position that ensures followers adhere to the sect's doctrine—and imposes sanctions if they deviate."
"Was the Demonic Heavenly Emperor originally from a sect?"
At Won Se-mun's off-the-mark response, a flash of insight lit up Wi Cheon-gyeong's eyes.
"So that's... how it was."
Won Se-mun and Jo Nam-cheon turned to Wi Cheon-gyeong.
"What? What does that mean?"
"Simply put, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor treated the Supreme Cult Commander like a sect figure—strictly limiting the scope of his authority. That's why the position was created in the first place."
"But isn't that just a written regulation? The Supreme Cult Commander has been managing the Demon Hall in the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's stead all this time—surely his authority extends beyond that?"
Jo Nam-cheon pressed sharply, and Wi Cheon-gyeong replied,
"Of course, it wouldn't be wrong to say the Supreme Cult Commander is effectively the Deputy Hall Lord. However."
He continued calmly.
"In the absence of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, just how far can the Supreme Cult Commander's authority extend?"
"Huh?"
"Judging by the Lord's attitude, the Cheonhye Yakrim's true nature is clearly more than just a subordinate faction. This operation must involve a matter of grave importance—one that could disrupt the balance of the Main Hall or even the entire Demonic Path."
Wi Cheon-gyeong concluded,
"But the Supreme Cult Commander has no authority over such matters. That's the nature of his position."
Yu Un-ryong wore an impressed expression at Wi Cheon-gyeong's words.
Truthfully, the officers had never fully understood the Three Realms until now.
But Wi Cheon-gyeong, who had long handled intelligence, had not only vaguely grasped the entire situation—
Wi Cheon-gyeong had also sharply discerned the true position of the Chief Doctrine Commander that Bu Eun-seol had grasped.
'Now that it's time to deal with the Infinite Realm, I should reveal the whole truth.'
Yu Un-ryong took a deep breath.
At last, to the leaders of the Death Shadow War Unit as well.
He was about to disclose everything—the current state of the Murim, the Three Realms organization, and all that Bu Eun-seol had uncovered during this time.