Chapter 643
An unexpected outcome had emerged.
The first trial to select the new leader of the Heavenly Martial Brigade—
The task of flawlessly recreating the brigade's Silver Shield Formation.
And the one who had executed it to perfection was none other than Seon-u Jin.
'How is this possible?'
Yuk Jang-cheon's eyes widened in disbelief.
He had demonstrated a Silver Shield Formation so impeccable that even if the former leader, Jo Cheon-wang, had returned, it would have been convincing.
But Baek Mu-seong and Seon-u Jin—
These two young men had gone a step further, unveiling an evolved version of the formation.
Baek Mu-seong had presented a new Silver Shield Formation that maximized its previously lacking offensive power.
Meanwhile, Seon-u Jin had refined the formation's ultimate principle—the essence of unyielding defense—
Creating a method to maintain the formation for a set duration even if the silver shields were shattered.
Clap, clap, clap.
Once all demonstrations concluded, Bukri Seung applauded and nodded approvingly.
"As expected!"
Then, with an immensely pleased smile, he declared:
"All of you performed splendidly. Even if Hall Master Jo were to return, I doubt he could have executed such formations."
At Bukri Seung's praise, Yuk Jang-cheon's expression darkened.
The remark that even Hall Master Jo could not have done this—
Was ultimately high praise reserved solely for the newly evolved Silver Shield Formations.
"Indeed, we must not rush the selection of the new leader."
Bukri Seung stroked his chin before nodding decisively.
"You've all worked hard. Let us meet again for the next trial."
With a satisfied smile, Bukri Seung departed the Grand Martial Training Ground alongside the senior officers.
As Yuk Jang-cheon stood frozen in place, Baek Mu-seong smirked at Seon-u Jin.
"As expected, you truly are my rival."
The words were both praise for Bu Eun-seol and mockery aimed at Yuk Jang-cheon.
"Brother Baek..."
Just as Bu Eun-seol tried to steer the conversation, Baek Mu-seong waved him off.
"Let's save the talk for later."
Then, with a faint smile, he added:
"After all, someone might think this isn't a fair competition."
His gaze remained fixed on Yuk Jang-cheon.
Baek Mu-seong had only spoken to Bu Eun-seol to taunt the man further.
"Well then."
After flashing Yuk Jang-cheon one last smirk, Baek Mu-seong turned away indifferently.
He was blatantly avoiding Bu Eun-seol.
'Brother Baek...'
Bu Eun-seol watched him with a distant expression.
'What exactly are you thinking?'
It was a fait accompli that Baek Mu-seong belonged to the Three Realms.
Had it not been for the Three Realms' tacit approval—
He would never have been able to present the fake head of Hyeokryeon Eung.
But why would a disciple of the Buddha Honored One join the Three Realms? What was his purpose? That much remained unclear.
And now that he had thrown his lot in with them... he had become an enemy with whom coexistence was impossible.
"Hmph."
A derisive snort echoed nearby.
Turning his head, Bu Eun-seol saw Yuk Jang-cheon sneering at him.
"They say you shouldn't raise a black-haired beast, but who knew it'd turn out to be a rabid wolf that bites its master?"
He was truly furious with Bu Eun-seol.
Time and again, he had tested and confirmed the young man's loyalty. Time and again, he had doubted and scrutinized him.
Yet in the end, he had been stabbed in the back from an unexpected angle—no, throat bitten from behind.
"Hall Master Yuk."
Bu Eun-seol bowed his head with utmost courtesy.
"How could I ever dare to sink my teeth into your neck?"
"What?"
"I merely act as I am commanded."
Yuk Jang-cheon let out a disbelieving laugh as he stared at the sky.
"Still wagging that silver tongue, are you? So you're saying Chief Gongson ordered you to become a candidate for brigade leader?"
"That is correct."
At Bu Eun-seol's calm reply, Yuk Jang-cheon nearly burst into hollow laughter.
"Are you still mocking me?"
"It is the truth, Hall Master."
With an utterly solemn expression, Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands together.
"Though I cannot explain in detail, I have no choice but to follow the chief's orders. That is my circumstance."
Yuk Jang-cheon's eyes flashed.
In the past, he would have demanded an explanation, bewildered by such words.
But now, he knew exactly what was happening.
This bastard was toying with him, keeping him dancing on the palm of his hand.
"No more words are necessary."
"Hall Master."
"We'll see how this plays out."
As Yuk Jang-cheon turned away coldly, a faint smile touched Bu Eun-seol's lips.
'I'll tear you down, bit by bit, slowly.'
What happens when someone realizes they've been betrayed?
Witnessing such ingratitude would send them into a frenzy of rage.
But in doing so, they might also regain their composure.
What truly breaks a person—
Is not showing them outright betrayal, but eroding them, piece by piece, without respite.
'So for now, dream sweet dreams.'
Even now, Yuk Jang-cheon still clung to the belief that he would become the next leader.
All this time, he had strived endlessly to become the Leader. And now, he had finally ascended those lofty steps.
But that was nothing more than an illusion crafted by Bu Eun-seol.
Yuk Jang-cheon had not climbed steps—he had stepped onto foam that would soon melt away.
Before long, he would inevitably plummet from those dizzying heights into an abyss from which there was no return.
Four hundred years ago, the emergence of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars, who elevated the martial arts of the Murim in an instant.
Though unknown to the martial world, it had been a carefully orchestrated arrangement by the Three Realms.
Yet even then, the banners of the Three Realms were different, each pursuing beliefs so diametrically opposed.
And that division gave rise to an unforeseen master among the Eight Emperors and Three Stars.
That was none other than the Martial Emperor.
He was the first to perceive the existence of the Three Realms.
He realized that his entire life had been that of a puppet, that all the martial arts he had mastered and the trials he had endured in the Rivers and Lakes—
Had all been arranged by the Three Realms.
In the end, deeply shaken, he left the martial world for a time.
And at last, breaking free from the martial arts bestowed by the Three Realms, he devised a mind-training formula rivaling theirs—the Martial Emperor's Enlightenment Art—
And upon its foundation, created the peerless secret technique known as the Thirteenfold Qi Induction.
When the Martial Emperor reemerged into the world, he began opposing the Three Realms, who had toyed with his fate.
The result? Five masters who had been pillars of the Azure River Realm and the Infinite Realm were slain,
And the Pure Dharma Monastery, then the headquarters of the Azure River Realm, was destroyed.
Because of this, the Three Realms, which had been divided, united their wills once more.
In the end, the Martial Emperor was forced to leave the martial world under false accusations.
Once the Three Realms mobilized all their power,
They could instantly destroy the reputation, achievements, and life of a peerless grandmaster—one who had been called the Number One of the Righteous Path in his era.
And four hundred years after the Martial Emperor's death,
The figures of the Three Realms gathered once more to begin their discussions.
The reason?
Bu Eun-seol.
He had ultimately uncovered the headquarters of the Infinite Realm,
And without lifting a finger, he had even defeated the Heavenly Venerable—a master capable of delivering opponents to their deaths without moving a finger.
Flash!
Dozens of lightning flames flickered in the sky one after another, followed by an explosive roar as if calamity and tribulation were about to pour down upon the world.
It shook the entire world as though the universe had exploded and was being reborn anew.
Had anyone heard it, no matter how stout-hearted, their mind would have gone blank, incapable of rational thought.
But fortunately, this place was a mysterious space cut off from the world—one where no living beings dwelled for hundreds of miles,
A place impossible to enter without knowing the method, much like the forest where Wooden Buddha, disciple of Mo-ryun the Dharma Seeker, resided.
Screeeech—
As if heaven and earth were being torn asunder, an overwhelming explosion resounded, followed by a tempest of unrivaled ferocity.
Within that boundless space, three shadows emerged.
As though the essence of humanity had harmonized with nature, they stood unwavering amid the ceaseless explosions and raging winds.
[The infighting of the Main Realm is one thing...]
The crimson shadow was the first to speak.
[But allowing an outsider to raise a blade against the Main Realm is absolutely unforgivable.]
Then the azure shadow spoke.
[The fall of the Infinite Realm was foreseen. Had they not always exposed themselves so openly in the murim?]
The azure shadow spoke again.
[They placed too much faith in holding hostages from each realm. In the end, they collapsed without even utilizing the forces they had laid in wait.]
The crimson shadow responded.
[That bastard was fated to die anyway.]
The crimson shadow turned its gaze toward the black shadow opposite it.
But the black shadow remained silent, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
[It seems the Realm Master is still absent.]
At the azure shadow's words, the black shadow replied in a low voice.
[The Main Realm is merely here to listen. Whatever conclusion is reached.]
[Then Bu Eun-seol—his eradication has been decided.]
For a name to be spoken here was no different from inscribing it upon King Enma's register in the Underworld.
[No. First, we should meet with Sado Mu-myeong.]
The azure shadow spoke then.
[If he is determined to interfere, matters will only grow more complicated.]
Silence fell once more.
Could they truly be expressing their stance through silence?
As the silence stretched on tediously, the azure shadow finally spoke.
[Then let it be so. We shall decide the rest afterward.]
At the azure shadow's words, the crimson and black shadows vanished in an instant.
At the hour when the sunset burned crimson,
An old man sat fishing by the riverside, lost in thought.
His body was withered, his frame small, his appearance utterly unremarkable.
From afar, he seemed less like a person
and more like a natural part of the riverside scenery, seamlessly blended into the surroundings.
Step, step.
But then, the sound of footsteps approached the riverbank.
It was the Old Man in Blue, his snow-white hair neatly combed and draped over his shoulders. He too seemed to have come for fishing, carrying a small basket slung over his shoulder along with his fishing rod.
"Caught much?"
At the Old Man in Blue's question, the Gray-Clad Old Man kept his gaze fixed on the river as he replied indifferently,
"Not a single one in these waters."
"Hoh."
The Old Man in Blue gave him a strange look.
"Then why fish in a place with no fish?"
"Because I caught something bigger instead."
"Something like what?"
The Gray-Clad Old Man answered in a voice so tranquil it was almost eerie.
"A big catch that moves the Azure River Realm."
For a moment, the Old Man in Blue's expression flickered subtly.
"So you knew I was coming."
It was a startling revelation.
Did that mean this Old Man in Blue, with his immortal grace and Daoist bearing, was none other than the ruler of the Azure River Realm—one of the three great factions that divided the martial world?
"If I couldn't even tell that much, I'd have to throw away the name 'Demonic Heavenly Emperor.'"
The Gray-Clad Old Man.
He was the master of the Demon Hall, the supreme leader of the Demonic Path—the Number One of the Demonic Path, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor himself.
Sado Mu-myeong.
"We met once before, over a decade ago in Hainan. Or have you forgotten?"
A mysterious glint flashed in the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's eyes.
"Must be fun, pulling the strings of the Azure River Realm."
"Heh heh heh. Saying I 'move' the Azure River Realm is too grand a claim."
The Old Man in Blue chuckled faintly and shook his head.
"I, too, am merely a man who follows orders."
His eyes narrowed slightly, as if tracing back through old memories.
"You must remember the day we met quite vividly."
"How could I forget?"
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor muttered softly, his gaze drifting toward the distant sky.
"It was the day I discovered the third person who defied my expectations."
"Heh heh heh."
The Old Man in Blue let out a faint laugh.
"Truly fitting for the man they call the Sky of the Demonic Path."
But instead of being pleased by the praise, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor seemed to lose interest, turning his attention back to the river.
The Old Man in Blue, too, naturally lowered his fishing rod into the water.
A long silence followed.
The two of them stared at their fishing rods like men possessed, as if nothing else in the world mattered.
These were figures who commanded the martial world, whose every word could shift the tides of power.
And yet, even in a meeting like this, they wasted precious time in endless silence.
Before long, the sun dipped below the horizon, and the day darkened.
Finally, as the stars began to dot the night sky, the Old Man in Blue spoke again.
"It seems we cannot let that child live."
His voice, unlike before, was solemn—heavy with finality.
"Bu Eun-seol. That boy."
The Old Man in Blue was declaring his intent to the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, seeking to make Bu Eun-seol's death a fait accompli.
But the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's response was unexpected.
"Unacceptable."
Pulling his fishing rod from the water, he repeated firmly,
"Do not touch that child."
"Are you saying you would sacrifice yourself for him?"
"Sacrifice?"
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor let out a derisive snort, as if hearing an unfamiliar word for the first time.
"And it's not as if you've decided this just because he raided the Heaven-Blessed Herb Forest."
As he gathered his fishing rod and empty basket, he continued,
"I can't fathom what you're so afraid of."
"Heh heh heh. You always have to counter, don't you? Can't help that stubborn nature."
The Old Man in Blue smiled faintly.
As if the very idea of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor sacrificing himself for someone was absurd—
As if a man of the Azure River Realm could never fear anyone.
"With that single remark, you could have died just now."
"Heh heh heh."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor grinned back.
"You should've said that ten years ago."
"Hmm. Back then, it was an unavoidable decision."
When the Old Man in Blue sighed, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor replied,
"It's not too late even now. Try me."
"Now is not the time."
The Old Man in Blue spoke frankly.
"Even back then, you were too strong. Had we truly tried to kill you, I suspect half of the Three Realms would have crumbled in the process."
A curious statement.
Though the Old Man in Blue was a figure of the Azure River Realm,
he did not refer to it as the "Main Realm," instead speaking of the Three Realms as if they were separate factions.
"We can't afford to repeat such a thing."
"Do you think that boy has reached into the Abyss?"
"No matter how absurd your words, no matter what you say... you always find a way to glimpse the truth behind them."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor's response made the Old Man in Blue shrug slightly—a gesture of mild admiration.
"Nature Shattering. That was the first form of Limitless Power you created, wasn't it?"
The power that Bu Eun-seol referred to as "phenomena"—the force unleashed by those who had reached the Martial Extreme Realm.
Its formal name was Limitless Power.
And the Old Man in Blue knew every detail of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's martial lineage.
"Correct. There was a reason for that."
The Old Man in Blue nodded slightly before speaking again.
"But what truly matters is that the boy seems to have genuinely inherited the essence of the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade's martial arts. And... he possesses far too many treasures."
He gazed at the Demonic Heavenly Emperor with a faint smile.
"Isn't it said in Murim that possessing treasures is a crime in itself?"
"You're taking quite the long-winded way to say you fear his potential."
Zing.
In an instant, two ghostly lanterns flickered to life within the Old Man in Blue's pupils—eyes that had been nothing but gentle until now.
The visage of an immortal transformed into that of a malevolent spirit reigning over the most wicked fiends of the world.
"Oh dear, careful now. Must be careful."
The Old Man in Blue regained his serene smile.
"I nearly carelessly lopped off the head of the Demonic Path's most prized game piece."
He spoke of the Number One of the Demonic Path's neck as if it were nothing more than an ear of corn he could pluck at will.
Even in the face of such provocation, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor merely snorted before replying.
"Mark my words—that boy will rage relentlessly to avenge the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade. In the end, his blade will be aimed at the Three Realms."
"That, too, is a problem."
The Old Man in Blue shook his head.
"Now is not the time for the Three Realms' influence to be shaken."
"Shouldn't you be grateful instead?"
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor turned his head, fixing the Old Man in Blue with a piercing stare.
"The Infinite Realm has been exposed as much as it could be. If anything, this incident has excised the rot within the Three Realms."
"Even if they were exposed, toppling a part of the Three Realms? Do you truly believe such a thing is permissible?"
The Old Man in Blue shook his head.
"They do not fear it; they judge it dangerous because of its very existence. That is the Three Realms' conclusion."
"So in the end, you fear he'll reach the deepest abyss, learn everything... and finally pry open that door."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor's eyes gleamed with an eerie light.
"The gate to where they reside."
The Old Man in Blue shuddered.
First, because he realized the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's Limitless Power had subtly encroached upon his Spirit and Mind.
Second—because the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had just uttered a word that should never have been spoken.
"Think what you will."
A surge of blue energy rippled across the Old Man in Blue's body, expelling the invasive Limitless Power from his Spirit and Mind.
"The conclusion has already been reached."
"Do as you please."
A radiant glow, as if illuminating the night sky, flickered from the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's form.
"I will ensure the Three Realms cannot act in Murim for about three hundred years."
A silence as profound as death descended.
With just that single flash of light from the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—
The sounds of the river, the rustling of insects, the whispers of the wind—
Every natural sound in the surroundings was severed in an instant.
"I regret what happened ten years ago."
The Old Man in Blue, still staring at the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, smiled faintly.
"Even if I had to defy all opposition... I should have killed you back then."
"You wouldn't have succeeded."
"How can you be so sure?"
"You'd have just spewed red and blue lights like a ghost while clicking your abacus beads. When, exactly? In what millennium?"
"Hohoho."
The Old Man in Blue suddenly clutched his stomach—
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
—and erupted into mad laughter that could shake the heavens.
"You're right. That's the Three Realms' problem."
His laughter cut off abruptly as he spoke.
"Some things require immediate action, yet all they do is tear at each other's throats in endless debate."
"And thanks to that, you've held out just fine."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor's voice was calm.
"All while making good use of Bon-jwa."
"Hohoho. To think you even knew that much—I have nothing left to say."
The Old Man in Blue nodded.
Given the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's abilities, which far exceeded his expectations, conceding this matter was the only logical choice.
"Very well. Then let's settle it like this."
He gazed at the distant stars and spoke.
"I'll send the Supreme Emperor."
Taking a deep breath, he continued.
"Let his judgment decide. How does that sound?"
"You mean to divert attention elsewhere by revealing a fragment of the truth."
A mysterious radiance flickered in the depths of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's eyes.
"Instead of the Infinite Realm, you'll have him deal with them—buying time in the process."
"He might just kill them outright. He is, after all, a man without mercy."
"So?"
"Let's leave it to the Supreme Emperor's judgment. If the boy survives his hand, I'll use my authority to lift the Execution Order—just this once."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly before nodding.
"How amusing."
"Good."
The Old Man in Blue nodded in return.
"I sincerely hope you achieve your ambitions as well."
Whoosh.
With those final words, his figure vanished.
Not by moving at blinding speed, nor by traversing heaven and earth.
It was as if he had merged with nature itself—disappearing in the blink of an eye.
"Hmph."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor smirked coldly at the empty space where the Old Man in Blue had stood.
"I can see your end drawing near."
He reeled in his fishing rod and turned slowly.
Then, his body too scattered like starlight—vanishing without a trace in an instant.