Chapter 686
"Lord!"
Won Se-mun swallowed his anguish, his face twisted with sorrow as he spoke.
"Lord, just how far do you intend to go? You're not planning to leave us behind, are you?"
"What kind of nonsense is that all of a sudden?"
Jo Nam-cheon, standing beside him, scowled. Won Se-mun sniffled and replied,
"What if you suddenly ride a crane and fly away?"
He was genuinely worried that Bu Eun-seol might ascend to the heavens like an immortal.
"You idiot!"
Thwack.
Jo Nam-cheon smacked the back of Won Se-mun's head with an exasperated expression.
"The Lord isn't cultivating the Dao. Just because his martial arts have improved doesn't mean he'll turn into an immortal!"
"Aren't you worried at all? What if the Lord ascends to a new realm... and then ascends that way too?!"
As the two bickered, Bu Eun-seol let out a sigh.
"No need to overcomplicate things. Walking a new path that others haven't taken means the probability of failure is also high."
Then, he offered a faint smile.
"I won't become an immortal. In fact, the higher my martial arts reach... the less likely it is that I'll display the kind of superhuman prowess you're imagining."
The people gathered here were those he cherished as dearly as his own life.
That was why he spoke with complete honesty.
"After facing the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, I made a decision. I won't wield divine power like them—instead, I'll forge a strength that can drag them down to the realm of mortals."
The Great Masters were stunned.
—He's going to turn those inhuman monsters into ordinary beings.
It was a revolutionary idea, one no martial artist had ever conceived before.
And perhaps...
It was only possible because Bu Eun-seol still didn't truly consider himself part of the martial world.
"..."
A heavy silence filled the hall.
The sheer shock of such a concept left them needing time to regain their bearings.
"Alright, fine, let's say martial arts are one thing," Yu Un-ryong said, the first to recover. "But if what you're saying is true, then this mission is a deliberate sanction imposed by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor through the Supreme Cult Commander."
"Most likely."
"But something feels off."
Yu Un-ryong stroked his chin.
"It's not just because you shattered his authority. I have this strange intuition... like there's some other intention behind it."
He paused briefly, then shook his head.
"Frankly speaking, if this mission fails, the ones who'll suffer aren't you—it's the warriors of the Death Shadow War Unit."
Now that he mentioned it, it was true.
Even if Bu Eun-seol failed to negotiate with the Blood Cult leader, he wouldn't suffer any losses.
But sending the Death Shadow War Unit to strike the Yin-Knot Demon Grounds was a battle they had an eighty percent chance of losing.
And defeat in a large-scale battle like that would mean the deaths of most of their warriors.
"He's right. Unless the Lord is with us, we'll undoubtedly be annihilated."
At Wi Cheon-gyeong's words, Yu Un-ryong declared firmly,
"Even so, we can't defy the order."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor's commands were absolute.
If they refused? Bu Eun-seol would no longer be able to remain in the Demon Hall as its heir.
"Perhaps... the Demonic Heavenly Emperor is waiting for the Lord to bow his head?"
Wi Cheon-gyeong, who had been deep in thought, spoke up.
"Honestly, everyone can see that this order is unreasonable, can't they?"
"..."
"Maybe... the Demonic Heavenly Emperor wants the Lord to swear Absolute Loyalty once more?"
"Since when have we ever received an order that wasn't unreasonable?"
Bu Eun-seol's voice was resolute.
"The Demonic Heavenly Emperor does not revoke his commands once given."
"I suppose that's true."
Wi Cheon-gyeong shook his head with a gloomy expression.
"Still, the idea that the Demonic Heavenly Emperor is just waiting for the Lord to grovel... doesn't make sense either."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor didn't care for loyalty. There was only Absolute Obedience—or death.
Then, Seo Jin-ha spoke.
"The bigger problem is that we don't even have time to send scouts and formulate tactics."
Gazing out the window at the slowly brightening dawn, he let out a deep sigh.
"We have about an hour left before departure. All we can do is charge in blindly."
"Then we must prepare for death."
Wi Cheon-gyeong took a deep breath, his eyes flashing.
"Perhaps that's what the Demonic Heavenly Emperor wants—our deaths."
"No. There is a way."
Yu Un-ryong spoke with conviction.
"We just have to hold out until the Lord returns from negotiating with the Blood Cult."
Tak Il-hon nodded in agreement.
"This Protector will harass the enemy lines alongside the Flying Demon Unit. That should buy us some time."
"I'll help too."
So-yo stroked the hidden short bow on her forearm.
"In a melee, I have plenty of arrows that'll work."
"The Evil Soul Squad has also trained many combatants."
No Trace, the squad leader who had remained silent until now, spoke firmly.
"We'll hold the defensive line with our lives—until the Lord can hold out."
Morale in the Death Shadow War Unit soared.
If they fought with death in their hearts, they could surely pull off a miracle.
'The key to this plan isn't the Death Shadow War Unit's strength.'
Even amidst the fervor of the meeting, Bu Eun-seol remained utterly calm.
He prioritized his subordinates' safety above all else.
And he placed no faith in hopeful words like miracle—or in vanishingly slim probabilities.
He would never stake everything on a single gamble.
"Let's give it a try."
Yet, despite his thoughts, Bu Eun-seol nodded without revealing his true intentions.
There was no need to dampen his subordinates' soaring morale.
To deceive the enemy, one must first deceive one's own allies.
From the moment he received the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's command, he had already been secretly executing a plan to save his men.
The Death Shadow War Unit marched out.
As the direct combat force under the Martial Soul Lord, their numbers amounted to roughly six hundred. However, only about three hundred were elite troops that could be immediately deployed against the Yin-Knot Demon Grounds.
Even that number was only possible because it included the combat personnel of the Evil Soul Squad and the Flying Demon Unit.
Fortunately, these were all peerless warriors with exceptional martial prowess and abundant battlefield experience—each capable of facing a hundred foes.
With this force, they could annihilate most sects in the blink of an eye.
The problem was that their opponent was the Yin-Knot Demon Grounds, one of Murim's Four Great Vicious Places.
Not only did they wield bizarre Great Arts and Esoteric Ritual Arts, but they also employed a Secret Art that could turn perfectly healthy people into jiangshi-like beings.
The Iron Hammer Iron Corpse Warriors.
Stripped of pain and fear.
No longer able to feel the agony of wounds or the terror of death—these demonkin.
Their bodies were as hard as if clad in the Iron Cloth Stance, and the martial arts they unleashed could rival even Peak Masters.
They had created over five hundred of these Iron Hammer Iron Corpse Warriors, forming an entire battle unit...
No matter how seasoned the warriors of the Death Shadow War Unit were,
wiping out the Yin-Knot Demon Grounds alone was an impossible task.
"Their internal defenses are airtight—no gaps to exploit."
Eun Jung-hwi, leader of the Flying Demon Unit, calmly reported after swiftly scouting the perimeter of the Yin-Knot Demon Grounds.
"Moreover, their headquarters is positioned in such a way that a frontal assault is our only option for annihilation."
"Hmm."
Yu Un-ryong fell into deep thought at Eun Jung-hwi's words.
No matter how skilled martial artists were in formations and mystical techniques,
large-scale sect extermination operations at the battle-unit level were ultimately decided by numerical superiority.
Currently, the Death Shadow War Unit's elite combat force numbered three hundred.
The enemy's forces? Five thousand. And that included five hundred Iron Hammer Iron Corpse Warriors.
To overturn such a disadvantage in numbers, they would need either a powerhouse like Bu Eun-seol to shatter the enemy's elite forces in the opening moments—
or to employ tactics that exploited the enemy's weaknesses, using specialized units to repeatedly ambush and lure them into piecemeal destruction.
"Bring me the map."
Yu Un-ryong spoke with a solemn expression.
When it came to military strategy and the art of deploying troops, he was a Wise General who rivaled even Bu Eun-seol.
Despite the absurd numerical disadvantage, he remained utterly composed.
"Fortunately, the Lord has researched various formations that allow a small force to contend with larger enemies. We'll employ them in this operation."
Bu Eun-seol had spent every spare moment not only compiling martial manuals
but also developing numerous formations for the Death Shadow War Unit and the Peak Realm Pavilion.
Because neither the Death Shadow War Unit nor the Peak Realm Pavilion would receive reinforcements anymore.
He never forgot that relying solely on a trusted elite force meant they could always find themselves outnumbered.
As a result, Bu Eun-seol had created a highly unique formation—a fusion of the Demonic Path and the Righteous Faction's tactics.
"Even at full speed, it will take the Lord at least three days to return from the Blood Cult. Perhaps even longer."
Yu Un-ryong addressed the unit members.
"Once battle begins, they will use their numerical advantage to encircle our entire force. So what we must do... is deploy a defensive formation and hold out relentlessly."
Rustle, rustle.
But then, a strange sound echoed from the distance.
At the same time, Tak Il-hon landed from midair, his voice urgent.
"It's an enemy ambush."
"An ambush?"
Yu Un-ryong's eyes widened.
The Yangsan region, where the Yin-Knot Demon Grounds was located, was under the Demonic Path's sphere of influence.
Fortunately, they had managed to infiltrate undetected, avoiding the enemy's information network.
And yet, before they could even launch their attack—how had the enemy encircled them first?
'A trap.'
Yu Un-ryong took a deep breath.
'So even the Demon Hall is no longer safe.'
Betraying one's allies to the enemy—
that was the greatest act of treachery in the Demonic Path.
The fact that someone could do this without hesitation meant... the Death Shadow War Unit could no longer plant its roots securely within the Demon Hall.
'Now is not the time for such thoughts.'
Brushing aside the flood of reflections, Yu Un-ryong shouted:
"Deploy the formation!"
Whoosh—
At once, all the masters of the Death Shadow War Unit formed a perfect circle around Yu Un-ryong.
Simultaneously, a blue Astral Energy Barrier unfurled, sealing their surroundings tightly.
"Hold out with everything you have!"
Yu Un-ryong roared.
"Until the Lord returns!"
Even if Bu Eun-seol hurried back, it would take three days.
The masters of the Death Shadow War Unit would have to endure here for that long.
***
At that very moment, a figure clad in black martial robes embroidered with the Twin Dragons Vying for the Pearl crest arrived before the Blood Cult's main temple.
It was Bu Eun-seol.
Creak—
As he reached the main gate, the doors swung open on their own.
The Blood Cult's main temple, rivaling even the Demon Hall in scale, had no guards stationed at its entrance.
This was, after all, a religious sect infused with esoteric beliefs—one that wielded strange Esoteric Ritual Arts.
It could not be considered a typical martial sect, and its structure and scale defied normality.
"Welcome."
A middle-aged woman in crimson palace dress greeted Bu Eun-seol and guided him inside.
"The Cult Leader has been expecting you."
Bu Eun-seol followed her deeper into the temple.
Countless scenes passed by as he walked through the vast Grand Hall.
In some places, expansive pavilions came into view, while in others, figures who appeared to be followers were engrossed in reading books.
'Somewhat unexpected.'
Bu Eun-seol had assumed the Blood Cult was merely a sinister and grotesque heretical sect that practiced dark sorcery.
But judging by the solemn atmosphere and the dignified bearing of its followers, it didn't feel like the bizarre religious faction rumored in the murim.
'No, it is indeed a heretical sect.'
With every step he took, the figures of the followers vanished like illusions.
They weren't real people—this entire Grand Hall was enveloped in some kind of eerie sorcery.
Thud. Thud.
At the end of the long hall stood a towering stone altar, upon which an ornate ornate chair had been erected.
Surrounding it, numerous Blood Cult followers clad in crimson robes stood in solemn silence.
"I am Martial Soul Lord Bu Eun-seol."
Bu Eun-seol offered a respectful greeting, but the followers standing atop the altar remained unmoved, as if they hadn't heard a thing.
"I've come to meet the sect leader."
Even after speaking a second time, there was still no response.
Maintaining silence for a moment, Bu Eun-seol observed the followers and thought:
'This isn't good.'
A faint battle formation encircled the Grand Hall, and the followers on the altar also exuded an intense prayer-like aura, suggesting formidable martial prowess.
Given the hall's atmosphere and the current circumstances, it was impossible to even imagine the Blood Cult leader welcoming him with warmth.
"If you were going to treat me like this, you should've just turned me away at the gates."
If the Blood Cult leader refused to negotiate at all, that was fine too.
There was no need to waste time here—he could simply return to the Yin-Knot Demon Grounds and assist the warriors of the Death Shadow War Unit.
Even if he failed, he wouldn't be disobeying the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's orders.
"Very well."
Swish.
Bu Eun-seol immediately turned on his heel and strode toward the opposite end of the hall.
But the firmly shut doors did not open again.
[We've been desperate to expand into the Central Plains. And now, a bargaining chip for negotiations with the Demon Hall has fallen right into our laps.]
Then, a low and sinister voice reverberated throughout the hall.
It likely belonged to the Blood Cult leader, Pae Reuk-gyeol.
Since the voice echoed incessantly from all directions, it seemed he was using the Six-Harmony Voice Transmission to conceal his location.
"Do you really think capturing a mere lord like me will make for a bargaining chip?"
[If we detain the successor, even the Demonic Heavenly Emperor will have to reconsider.]
Ssssshh—
As the words ended, the floor, walls, and even the ceiling of the Grand Hall began to stain crimson.
At the same time, Bu Eun-seol's vision was dyed entirely in red.
True to the Blood Cult's nature—worshipping blood and wielding sorcery through it—everything was bathed in a bloody hue, and a metallic blood scent began to permeate the air.
"An amusing sorcery."
Bu Eun-seol spoke leisurely, but his mind felt as if it were burning, and his bones seemed to melt under an excruciating pain.
'This is all an illusion.'
Despite the torrent of agony, Bu Eun-seol maintained an expressionless face.
Yet beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, and his pupils trembled like rippling water.
Pae Reuk-gyeol, leader of the Blood Cult...
Could his martial arts really surpass even the Human Demon Ak Mu-ryeong's, to the point of shattering Bu Eun-seol's mental barriers in an instant?
'Bu Eun-seol. That man would never lose to illusions.'
Then, he repeated a shocking realization.
The one who had entered the Blood Cult for negotiations wasn't Bu Eun-seol at all—it was Seo Jin-ha, disguised as Bu Eun-seol.
'Ugh...'
The thread holding his consciousness felt like it was about to snap.
Yet Seo Jin-ha stood firm, enduring the cascading pain without flinching.
'I can't even let my expression twist.'
Bu Eun-seol's patience was unrivaled in the world.
And he was known for maintaining absolute composure in any situation.
If he showed even a flicker of pain—grimacing or groaning—not only would his identity be questioned, but the fact that Bu Eun-seol had left a shadow behind might also be exposed.
Drip. Drip.
But regardless of his will, the sound of bones cracking escaped his body.
The pain was so overwhelming that his very flesh was beginning to collapse.
'There's no choice but the Emotion Severing Secret Art.'
To make Seo Jin-ha a perfect clone, Bu Eun-seol had not only taught him his own secret martial arts but also passed down the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's Emotion Severing Secret Art.
Seo Jin-ha's martial prowess wasn't enough to erect mental barriers, but through the Mind-Training Formula of the Emotion Severing Secret Art, he could resist mind-seizing sorcery and hallucinations.
'But if I use it now... I might become a Great Demon.'
Bu Eun-seol hadn't just taught Seo Jin-ha the Emotion Severing Secret Art—he had also meticulously explained its dangers.
True to its name, the Emotion Severing Secret Art eradicated all lingering emotions within the mind, allowing one to construct an impenetrable mental barrier and freely materialize True Qi within the body.
It was, without a doubt, the most profound secret art of the Demonic Path.
The problem?
Using it risked erasing all emotion, stripping away one's humanity, and transforming them into a merciless Great Demon—devoid of blood, tears, or compassion.
'Ugh...'
As the pain intensified, his consciousness began to fade.
Zzzzzzzz—
At that moment, a dark heat haze began to rise from Seo Jin-ha's entire body.
Simultaneously, his pupils darkened into pitch black.
The pain, akin to death itself, had instinctively triggered the Emotion Severing Secret Art.
Ooooooh—
But just as quickly, his blackened eyes cleared again.
'No.'
Seo Jin-ha steeled his mind once more.
If he surrendered completely to the Emotion Severing Secret Art...
He would become a cold-blooded being incapable of ever feeling emotions again—or worse, a Great Demon who no longer expressed joy, anger, sorrow, or pleasure.
'What's happening, Bu Eun-seol?'
As his consciousness slipped away once more, Seo Jin-ha recalled the conversation he'd had with Bu Eun-seol.
'Was your prediction wrong?'