Chapter 647
A bizarre incident had occurred in a small village along the lower reaches of the Yellow River.
Overnight, the villagers had been brutally slaughtered.
The victims were vagrants.
Or the elderly, the terminally ill, or the disabled.
Their limbs were scattered about like broken toys.
The severed stumps were ragged, as if they had been torn apart by chariots, yet no traces of weapon use could be found anywhere.
The government office had dispatched investigators, but they couldn't determine the cause.
And from that day onward.
Similar incidents began occurring sporadically across the Central Plains.
It was a sign of the impending Blood Calamity.
But since most cases happened in small villages, and the victims were mainly vagrants or the disabled.
And because the incidents occurred intermittently, they didn't attract much public attention.
However, there was one group that quickly became aware of these strange occurrences...
Bu Eun-seol's Death Soul Squad and the elite intelligence operatives of the Supreme Blade Squad.
Inside the main conference hall of the Hidden Demon Pavilion.
"It seems it has begun."
All the senior leaders, including Bu Eun-seol, had gathered with grave expressions as Wi Cheon-gyeong continued his report.
"Mysterious massacres are occurring in various places, but since the casualties are low and the victims are mostly elderly, sick civilians, or vagrants... it hasn't drawn significant attention yet."
"Hmm."
As Bu Eun-seol let out a thoughtful hum, Yu Un-ryong asked.
"Could this be the backlash from the collapse of the Infinite Realm that the Supreme Emperor mentioned... the faction called Neither-Human-Nor-Beast?"
A mysterious faction originating from the Demonic Cult, whose name and form had constantly evolved—Neither-Human-Nor-Beast.
The Supreme Emperor had said that soon, the Ghost Child created by Neither-Human-Nor-Beast would appear in the murim.
And if they could be stopped, the Infinite Realm would not revive.
"Most likely. He said signs would appear soon after the Infinite Realm vanished."
"So it's worth investigating."
"Indeed."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed.
"It's too systematic to be random killings by ghosts. And considering the targets are the weak... it aligns with the beliefs of Neither-Human-Nor-Beast, as the Supreme Emperor described."
The senior leaders frowned.
Neither-Human-Nor-Beast's grotesque belief in slaughtering the weak as a form of universal offering—something only a true Demonic Cultist would do.
"What about Gongson Dan-gyeong's side?"
At Bu Eun-seol's question, Yu Un-ryong answered.
"Through the Supreme Blade Squad's intelligence network, we relayed some information about the Neither-Human-Nor-Beast faction. A reply should arrive soon."
Gongson Dan-gyeong had risked political ruin to bring down the Infinite Realm.
Her hatred for them ran so deep that she had secretly met Bu Eun-seol to request an alliance.
And after Bu Eun-seol finally destroyed the Infinite Realm, Gongson Dan-gyeong had sent a letter promising her assistance at any time as repayment.
Since Bu Eun-seol's plan to establish a coalition required the Martial Alliance's involvement.
He had immediately informed her and requested aid.
However, he omitted details like Neither-Human-Nor-Beast being a faction rooted in the Demonic Cult.
There was no need to mention that.
"Lord, a reply from Chief Strategist Gongson."
Just then, Wi Cheon-gyeong, who had stepped outside earlier, re-entered the conference hall and handed Bu Eun-seol a letter.
Since Bu Eun-seol had disclosed everything to his subordinates in the Death Shadow War Unit, integrating both intelligence networks wasn't difficult.
With the Death Soul Squad and the Supreme Blade Squad sharing information across the Orthodox and Unorthodox Paths.
They could now communicate directly with Chief Strategist Gongson Dan-gyeong.
"Hmm."
Unfolding the letter, he saw that it contained a positive response to his request for cooperation.
However, there was no immediate request for a meeting.
"Sharp as ever."
Like Bu Eun-seol, Gongson Dan-gyeong didn't blindly trust information from others.
Especially something as hard to believe as the Neither-Human-Nor-Beast faction.
She would likely conduct her own investigation before reaching out much later.
"At any rate, this is as good as a confirmation of support. We can begin preparations now."
At Bu Eun-seol's words, the senior leaders all nodded.
The silent deaths of civilians and vagrants held little interest for martial artists.
No matter how much Bu Eun-seol ranted about them being descendants of the Demonic Cult, it wouldn't matter.
Because there was no proof.
If he simply labeled the killings of civilians as the work of the Demonic Cult?
It might instead paint him as a figure of a heretical sect.
And could even erode support from the Demonic Path.
No matter how much good he had done, if he took charge of an unknown incident.
A series of murders targeting civilians and vagrants...
It wouldn't showcase the righteousness of his faction—it would make him indistinguishable from the orthodox factions themselves.
The Demonic Path pursued dominance, not the protection of civilians or the upholding of justice.
But if the Martial Alliance stepped in, the story would change.
If they investigated the civilian murders to claim merit for themselves?
It would only be natural for the Demon Hall, opposing the Martial Alliance, to intervene.
"I hope she handles it well."
At Wi Cheon-gyeong's words, the senior leaders all took a deep breath.
The Demon Hall saving civilians would be strange—but for the Martial Alliance, it was entirely possible.
Bu Eun-seol was setting the stage for a grander scheme—and ultimately, the creation of a new allied force.
To that end, he had entrusted Gongson Dan-gyeong with several tasks.
With her authority as the Martial Alliance's chief strategist, she would be able to frame the massacre of commoners as a major incident.
"We should begin preparations soon."
At Bu Eun-seol's words, the Great Lords all nodded firmly.
The die had been cast for the coming confrontation.
—A new breed of Killing Ghosts had emerged in the martial world.
The Martial Alliance began publicizing previously unknown deaths of commoners and vagrants.
These killings were attributed to newly appeared specters—
ghosts said to lurk in villages, preying exclusively on the disabled and the homeless.
Though the public remained unaware,
the Martial Alliance had sensed something amiss and launched a full-scale investigation, soon uncovering shocking truths.
—The perpetrators were all teenage boys.
—Despite having no formal martial training, they were strong enough to tear people apart and cunning enough to evade martial pursuers.
As the Martial Alliance revealed these new findings, the martial world grew tense.
Yet despite interrogations and eyewitness accounts, they had only confirmed one thing—that the killers were teenage boys.
They hadn't even identified a single suspect, let alone found any traces of them.
Considering the Martial Alliance had assembled a full investigation unit... this was absurd.
Just as the investigation hit a deadlock, something astonishing happened.
—The North Sea Ice Palace and a detachment from the Beast Palace began entering the Central Plains.
Forces from Beyond the Frontier marching into the Central Plains' martial world was a taboo so severe it could send orthodox and unorthodox factions alike into fits.
Throughout martial history, invasions by forces from Beyond the Frontier had been all too frequent.
"We summoned them to resolve this Killing Ghost incident, which the Martial Alliance has failed to handle."
But then, the unexpected occurred.
Bu Eun-seol, the Martial Soul Lord of the Demon Hall,
had allegedly called upon the North Sea Ice Palace and the Beast Palace to solve the murders of commoners and vagrants.
"Nonsense! Since when do forces from Beyond the Frontier mobilize for something as trivial as child killers?"
"They are not ordinary boys—they are Ghost Children, created by a faction called Neither-Human-Nor-Beast. Their base cannot be found by conventional means. Only the masters of the Beast Palace and North Sea Ice Palace can track their traces."
"Neither-Human-Nor-Beast?"
Various factions investigated this so-called "Neither-Human-Nor-Beast," but no such group was found.
This was only natural.
Only the high command of the Three Realms—who had secretly ruled the martial world for generations—knew of their existence.
Thus, no matter how Bu Eun-seol explained, persuasion was impossible.
"No such faction exists. Even if they did, Central Plains affairs should be handled by Central Plains martial artists. Stay out of this."
The orthodox factions, of course—but even the Black Banner Society, all unorthodox sects, and even some demonic factions protested Bu Eun-seol's decision.
Even if there was a hidden force behind these killings,
none saw it as urgent or significant enough to warrant summoning forces from Beyond the Frontier.
"Whether we find them or not, forces from Beyond the Frontier cannot enter!"
Virtually the entire martial world—save the Demon Hall—stood in opposition.
Yet Bu Eun-seol faced them unflinching.
"Do not interfere with this lord's affairs. If a Blood Calamity erupts later, you will bear the responsibility for this incident."
"Blood Calamity?"
The martial artists were baffled.
How could the murders of a few commoners and vagrants possibly lead to a Blood Calamity?
And even if this "Neither-Human-Nor-Beast" faction was formidable, couldn't the martial factions unite to suppress them?
"If we do not eliminate them preemptively, a Blood Calamity will occur. Stand aside!"
Bu Eun-seol once again mobilized the forces of the Death Shadow War Unit.
"If you intend to compensate beyond what the Martial Alliance can offer, then by all means, stop me. This time, I will destroy everything—uprooting them to the last—and claim my due recompense."
The opposing factions hesitated.
Bu Eun-seol, who had destroyed the Heaven-Blessed Medicinal Forest—the hidden base of the Soulless Ones that no one had known about—was once again taking a firm stance.
That meant this incident might truly be a sign of a Blood Calamity, just as he said.
—Has something like the Heaven-Blessed Medicinal Forest happened again?
The martial factions that had opposed him wavered.
Until now, Bu Eun-seol had destroyed vicious forces that had secretly taken root in the martial world and saved countless people.
It was something no one else had accomplished.
Now that he was once again taking such decisive action,
they found it impossible to defy him.
"...Surely the Demon Hall's heir isn't conspiring with forces from Beyond the Frontier to invade, right?"
"The Demonic Heavenly Emperor still reigns. That's impossible."
"I heard only a small detachment from the North Sea Ice Palace and Beast Palace is entering?"
"Well, if the Martial Soul Lord is behind it... it can't be anything bad."
As the saying goes—trees cast shade, men cast reputations.
The unthinkable entry of forces from Beyond the Frontier into the Central Plains...
was allowed to proceed with absurd ease—solely because Bu Eun-seol willed it.
But soon, the orthodox factions would come to regret it.
Naturally, they had assumed the group would head to Hunan, where the Demon Hall was located.
Yet instead, they had begun stationing themselves at the Ronin Market in Shaanxi—the Red Sky Curtain Branch.
No matter how remote its location, Shaanxi was, after all, the central hub of the Righteous Faction.
Their mere presence here forced the intelligence networks into a frenzy, scrambling to track their every move.
Red Sky Curtain Branch, Martial Soul Hall.
This was the name of the newly constructed grand hall, built after demolishing the Scripture Instruction Hall where Dam Yu-yeon had once resided.
The first and second floors of the three-story hall were occupied by the same personnel from the Scripture Instruction Hall, continuing their duties.
The third floor housed an elegantly furnished office and a spacious conference room.
And now, within that conference room, sat Bu Eun-seol, Do Cheon-rin, and Dam Yu-yeon.
Dam Yu-yeon was bustling about, directing servants to prepare tea and rearrange furnishings.
Meanwhile, Bu Eun-seol and Do Cheon-rin were deep in discussion, their heads bent close together.
Then, as the morning sun climbed to its zenith, shadows began filing into the Shadow Spirit Hall one after another.
The first to arrive was the North Sea Ice Palace Lord, Bing Han-pung.
"You've had a long journey, Palace Lord. You must be weary."
Bu Eun-seol bowed respectfully, and Bing Han-pung returned the gesture with equal courtesy.
"It has been a while."
A radiant smile graced Bing Han-pung's lips.
Thanks to Bu Eun-seol, the North Sea Ice Palace had crushed the conspiracy of the traitor Dong Yu-gak and mended the fractures among its five clans.
Not only that—under his aid, the young clan head of the Han Clan, long afflicted by illness, had fully recovered.
And most crucially, Bu Eun-seol had restored the Glacier Thousand Streams Art, the pinnacle of their martial heritage, and passed it back to Bing Han-pung.
To Bing Han-pung, Bu Eun-seol was nothing short of a savior who had revived the North Sea Ice Palace.
"The Lord has grown even more formidable since we last met."
Bing Han-pung gazed at Bu Eun-seol with pride.
"To have reached such boundless heights—this is a blessing upon the Demonic Martial World."
When Bu Eun-seol had first arrived at the North Sea Ice Palace to quell its turmoil, he had been little more than a newly anointed successor, freshly inducted into the Demon Hall.
Yet now, in what felt like no time at all, he had become a figure capable of steering the next generation of the Demon Hall—a Grandmaster who commanded the martial world itself.
"You flatter me too much."
Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands together in humility.
"The Palace Lord has already attained the realm of Solitary Radiance of the Spirit. I offer my congratulations."
For a brief moment, Bing Han-pung couldn't conceal his astonishment.
He had trained the Glacier Thousand Streams Art Bu Eun-seol had imparted to him to the Great Origin Realm, achieving the state of Solitary Radiance of the Spirit—where he could unleash limitless Extreme Yin Qi at will.
This was only possible because Bing Han-pung had devoted his entire life to mastering Extreme Yin Art.
In terms of pure mastery over the Glacier Thousand Streams Art, he had reached a level even Bu Eun-seol could not surpass.
However, the deeper one cultivated Extreme Yin Art, the more subdued their Ice Energy became.
No matter how keen a master's perception, gauging the depth of such attainment was impossible.
Yet Bu Eun-seol had discerned Bing Han-pung's martial prowess at a single glance.
'This isn't something mere observation could reveal. The Lord's martial prowess must have ascended to an unimaginable level.'
"All thanks to the Lord's guidance."
Bing Han-pung swallowed his surprise and smiled—just as the door creaked open, and a dark-skinned youth strode in.
It was Dae Gu-hwi, the youngest son of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace Lord.
"Lord!"
Like an overexcited puppy, Dae Gu-hwi bounded forward and seized Bu Eun-seol's hands.
The once-naive youth now exuded an aura of serene, storm-like intensity—calm yet overwhelming.
Not only had he perfected the Beast Force, but Thunder Essence Divine Qi slumbered within his body.
Having absorbed these two supreme forces into his body, his martial arts had advanced by leaps and bounds, and even his Qi had stabilized into profound tranquility.
If he were to unleash his full power, it would be enough to sunder heaven and earth.
"You've been well, I see."
Bu Eun-seol patted his shoulder warmly, and Dae Gu-hwi nodded eagerly.
"Of course! Thanks to the manual you gave me, I was able to perfectly unify the two energies."
Dae Gu-hwi had become a disciple of Noe Bi-hon, mastering all the martial arts of the Thunder Spirit Gate.
But Bu Eun-seol had foreseen the eventual clash between Beast Force and Thunder Essence Divine Qi, and so, he had devised a method for Dae Gu-hwi to merge the two—sending it to the Beast Palace.
For someone who could harmonize the Orthodox, Unorthodox, Demonic, and Buddhist Arts, as well as the Two Spirit Energies, unifying two conflicting forces was child's play.
"A little late, aren't you?"
With a clack, an impossibly tall middle-aged man stepped into the conference room.
His eyes carried the majesty of a thunder god, yet his Qi was unfathomably gentle—giving off the air of a profoundly learned scholar.
It was the Thunder God, Noe Bi-hon.
"Master!"
Dae Gu-hwi rushed forward in delight, dropping to his knees and bowing.
"Have you been well all this time?"
Noe Bi-hon chuckled, pulling him up and patting his shoulder.
"You've made tremendous progress."
"Yes, yes! Lord Bu bestowed upon me a secret manual, allowing me to synthesize the martial arts of the North Sea Ice Palace with your teachings, Master."
"I've heard the stories."
Noe Bi-hon, who had been affectionately ruffling Dae Gu-hwi's hair, nodded toward Bu Eun-seol.
"Little brother."
"Elder brother."
The two exchanged glances, uttering only those brief words—no further elaboration was needed.
Having sworn a Golden Bond of Friendship, even the slightest meeting of their eyes conveyed all the unspoken words and emotions that had accumulated between them.
"Brother Noe, this is Bing Han-pung, the Lord of the North Sea Ice Palace."
At Bu Eun-seol's introduction, Noe Bi-hon's face broke into a warm smile as he clasped his hands together.
"I have long admired the noble purity of Lord Bing."
He stepped forward and greeted Bing Han-pung with evident delight.
"To meet you in person like this is an honor beyond words."
Noe Bi-hon was a Grandmaster of the Central Plains martial world and one of the Four Divine Figures.
Even as the ruler of the North Sea Ice Palace, a major sect from Beyond the Frontier, Bing Han-pung's status and renown paled somewhat in comparison.
Yet, out of respect for Bu Eun-seol's standing, Noe Bi-hon greeted Bing Han-pung with the utmost courtesy.
"How could this humble Bing, a mere unknown in the martial world, dare accept such overwhelming praise from the Thunder God, a sect leader of the Central Plains?"
Bing Han-pung returned the greeting with equal politeness.
"Long ago, Sect Leader Noe slew the Bald-Headed Xiang Killer with a single palm strike and eradicated the Hongak Guild, saving the suffering commoners along the Yangtze River. Ever since, this humble one has held the majesty of Sect Leader Noe in the highest regard."
Before losing his family to Paeng Ak, Noe Bi-hon had spent years eliminating vile sects and wicked men who tormented the innocent.
His execution of the Bald-Headed Xiang Killer, one of the Ten Demonic Paragons, who had ruthlessly oppressed the commoners along the lower Yangtze,
and his solo annihilation of the Hongak Guild,
were the deeds that first cemented his reputation as the Thunder God—his most glorious achievements.
Bing Han-pung deliberately highlighted these feats to honor him.
"What kind of sect leader is a man who lived as a madman, consumed by revenge?"
Despite his words, Noe Bi-hon was visibly pleased as he clasped Bing Han-pung's hand.
"Since Lord Bing has traveled thousands of miles to aid our younger brother, we are already friends. Once this matter is settled, let us share a drink."
Then, as if suddenly worried, he cautiously added,
"You do enjoy wine, don't you?"
"Hahaha! How could I refuse? Even if I were a teetotaler, the honor of being called 'Brother Bing' by Sect Leader Noe himself would compel me to drain three gallons!"
Under normal circumstances, a Dominator from Beyond the Frontier and a Grandmaster of the Central Plains would never mingle.
But both men had been drawn together by their shared admiration for Bu Eun-seol,
a man who cared not a whit for the divide between Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions,
allowing them to open their hearts and become fast friends in an instant.
"This is Do Cheon-rin, who leads the Rogue Vanguard at the Red Sky Curtain Branch. And this is our strategist, Dam Yu-yeon."
At Bu Eun-seol's introduction, Do Cheon-rin and Dam Yu-yeon exchanged greetings with Noe Bi-hon, Bing Han-pung, and Dae Gu-hwi.
Noticing the two were lovers, Bing Han-pung and Noe Bi-hon offered a few words of blessing.
"A well-matched pair."
"With a dragon and phoenix standing together, the future of the Red Sky Curtain Branch will surely stretch as vast as the Azure Sky."
Once the pleasantries concluded, Bu Eun-seol spoke again.
"Shall we begin?"
The group nodded and took their seats in the meeting hall.
"The recent massacre of commoners and vagrants was not the work of ordinary Killing Ghosts or martial artists."
Bu Eun-seol detailed every incident involving the Three Realms, the intelligence he had received from the Supreme Emperor,
and how the collapse of the Infinite Realm would lead to the emergence of forces like the Ghost Child, created by Neither-Human-Nor-Beast, triggering a ground shift in the martial world's power structure.
The mood grew especially heavy when the Supreme Emperor's warnings were discussed.
The Infinite Realm—one of the three pillars dominating the martial world—had vanished,
yet its lingering influence remained as potent as ever.
Moreover, the revelation that the Demonic Cult, or perhaps secret factions that might not even be the Demonic Cult, had existed in the martial world under various names was unsettling.
"So, by exploiting the chaos from the Infinite Realm's collapse, you intend to have the Martial Soul Society recognized as a new alliance Between Orthodox and Heterodox?"
At Dam Yu-yeon's words, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"Correct."
"But will it work?"
Bing Han-pung spoke up, his expression troubled.
"To be frank, I've brought my entire Ice River Vanguard."
He sighed heavily.
"Even if it's to deal with this Neither-Human-Nor-Beast or his Ghost Child... the Central Plains sects will never tolerate my forces remaining here."
A month prior, Bing Han-pung had received a letter from Bu Eun-seol:
"I will create an opportunity for the North Sea Ice Palace to leave its barren lands and take root in the Central Plains. Will you accept?"
Beneath it were detailed plans for forming a new coalition and establishing a foothold.
If this scheme succeeded,
the North Sea Ice Palace would, in time, secure its place in the Central Plains.
But one critical factor had been overlooked—the backlash from the Central Plains martial world.
The sects of the Central Plains had always been wary of forces from Beyond the Frontier.
There was no way they would permit such an incursion.