Chapter 690
The sorcery of Pae Reuk-gyeol, the Blood Cult leader, was said to burrow deep into the enemy's spirit and mind,
carving seeds of terror and fear into their very soul.
—So in the end, he's no different from the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
—The reason all people fear and dread the Demonic Heavenly Emperor is because of his "unfathomable change"—his very existence defies prediction.
According to Bu Eun-seol,
the Demonic Heavenly Emperor was akin to chaos itself, impossible to predict.
This unpredictability bred unease in the spirit and mind, which then swelled uncontrollably like a snowball.
And the sorcery of Pae Reuk-gyeol, leader of the Blood Cult, also exploited the very essence of fear and terror.
—Then...
Seo Jin-ha's eyes flashed.
This time, Bu Eun-seol had done something no one could have anticipated—a life-risking challenge—
shattering the attribute of chaos that the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had embodied.
Because of this, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor realized:
He could no longer manipulate Bu Eun-seol within the palm of his hand.
In the end, unable to kill him,
he instead assigned the Death Shadow War Unit an impossible mission, choosing to shake Bu Eun-seol’s resolve from the outside.
—I'll do the same.
And so, Seo Jin-ha, too, resolved:
To completely escape the Blood Cult leader's expectations, to refuse to cling to negotiations,
and to show a presence that transcended fear and terror.
—At the very least, he won't be able to do the obvious thing and cut my head off.
He could confidently declare that.
If the Blood Cult leader was a man who tested and studied human nature and will—just like the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—
then no matter the situation,
he would never tolerate circumstances slipping beyond his control.
"If you plan to act, then act swiftly."
Seo Jin-ha erased his rising thoughts and spoke with composure,
as if earnestly hoping Pae Reuk-gyeol would lose his temper and strike.
"Waiting is tedious, you see."
'Killing me would actually be for the best.'
A faint smile rose to Seo Jin-ha's lips as he stared at Pae Reuk-gyeol.
If the man struck him down in a single blow, that wouldn't be so bad either.
After all, it would mean dying in Bu Eun-seol's stead. It would mean fulfilling that wish.
[You're not pretending to be mad... You're genuinely insane.]
Pae Reuk-gyeol wore an odd expression.
No matter how bold a person might be, fear and terror always lurked deep within their spirit and mind.
Yet this audacious young man before him showed not even a hair's breadth of fear.
[Hmm.]
Pae Reuk-gyeol let out a thoughtful hum.
Though young, the Martial Soul Lord Bu Eun-seol was already a grandmaster of the Demonic Path's new generation.
And yet, he had staked his life to negotiate with him?
Rather than anger, Pae Reuk-gyeol found his long-held dissatisfaction—
'Why did the Demon Hall send nothing more than the Martial Soul Lord?'—beginning to fade.
After all, this man hadn't come bearing medicinal herbs to heal his dantian as bargaining chips.
He had come offering his own life as collateral.
[Very well. If nothing else, I'll acknowledge the sheer nerve it took to come to our main cult alone.]
It had worked.
Seo Jin-ha's madness—his willingness to laugh and die for Bu Eun-seol at any moment—that presence which transcended life and death—
had finally moved Pae Reuk-gyeol's heart.
[I also wish to hear the true reason behind your claim that attacking the Demon Hall would be acceptable.]
"It's nothing grand."
Seo Jin-ha replied calmly.
"Truthfully, the safety of the Demonic Path means nothing to me. The Demonic Path, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—none of it concerns me. I walk only my own path."
Then he added one more line.
"If the Cult Leader intends to invade the Central Plains, be sure to strike the Demon Hall first. I'll secretly lend you an arm."
From behind the curtain, Pae Reuk-gyeol remained silent for a long moment—before bursting into mad laughter.
[Hohoho, hahahaha!]
Of course, the offer to lend an arm was surely a joke.
But the part about disregarding the orthodox and unorthodox factions? That was undoubtedly sincere.
[So the Hall Master Sado has truly been trampled upon.]
Pae Reuk-gyeol nodded slowly, as if finally realizing something.
[That's why they sent you here.]
He had finally understood why the Martial Soul Lord had come alone to the Blood Cult to negotiate.
[Very well. I shall immediately withdraw the Blood-Sound Cult to the western frontier. The main cult, too, shall vow not to invade the Central Plains.]
As Pae Reuk-gyeol gave his resolute answer, Seo Jin-ha clasped his hands together.
"I thank the Cult Leader for his decisive judgment."
Then he rose from his seat.
"Then I shall take my leave with that understanding."
[Just like that?]
Normally, such an important covenant would be documented and sealed with signatures.
But Seo Jin-ha shook his head.
"What meaning would such formalities hold?"
The Blood Cult was not a Central Plains sect.
Moreover, they believed in their own twisted doctrine, placing no value on honor or face unlike Murim...
Even if they stamped a hundred seals, they could simply break their promise if they wished.
"However, I do hope the timeline is pushed back. Frankly speaking, I still have much to reap from the Demon Hall..."
Muttering words that blurred the line between jest and truth, Seo Jin-ha clasped his hands again. From behind the curtain, Pae Reuk-gyeol let out a low chuckle.
[Hohoho.]
"Well, if the Cult Leader sends a single signed document to the main hall, it might help preserve my dignity a little."
With a composed bow, Seo Jin-ha turned to leave.
Myo Cheon-u, who had been standing silently nearby, quickly followed him out.
"How the hell did you pull that off?"
Once outside, Myo Cheon-u—who had remained silent the entire time—thrust out a thumbs-up.
"Even if that guy had come in person, he wouldn't have negotiated this flawlessly."
"Hahaha, as if."
Seo Jin-ha shook his head, feeling cold sweat trickling down his spine.
"I was just mimicking Bu Eun-seol. If he had come himself, he probably would've gotten the Blood Cult Leader to sign the agreement without even needing to promise herbs or Spirit Pills."
Then he explained to Myo Cheon-u—
That Pae Reuk-gyeol and the Demonic Heavenly Emperor were cut from the same cloth. And that he had gleaned the key to negotiation from Bu Eun-seol's words.
Finishing his explanation, Seo Jin-ha let out a bitter chuckle.
"In the end, all I bought from this negotiation was a little time. Just as the Cult Leader said, once the Blood Cult regains its strength, invasion is only a matter of time."
"That might be true."
Myo Cheon-u smirked.
"But by then, that guy will have come up with another brilliant scheme. He always sees several moves ahead with frightening accuracy."
"Hmm."
Seo Jin-ha nodded in agreement, then straightened his back.
"Well, at least I earned my keep."
Though he had relied on Bu Eun-seol and Myo Cheon-u's help, he had still faced Pae Reuk-gyeol head-on and held his ground.
That alone was enough for Seo Jin-ha to stand tall.
"So, you're returning to the Demon Hall now?"
At Seo Jin-ha's question, Myo Cheon-u nodded.
"Yeah. The real struggle starts now."
Myo Cheon-u took a deep breath.
The Demon Hall was no longer the cozy sanctuary of the Death Shadow War Unit, and the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had proven he could turn hostile toward Bu Eun-seol at any moment.
There would be no more comfortable days as the heir.
From now on, Bu Eun-seol wouldn't inherit the Demon Hall as heir—he would have to topple the Demonic Heavenly Emperor and take his place.
Drip. Drip.
Blood seeped once more from Myo Cheon-u's shoulder.
The Willful True Binding Seo Jin-ha had used was razor-sharp, forged like a reverse-edged blade, making the wound slow to heal.
"You alright?"
At Seo Jin-ha's question, Myo Cheon-u scowled.
"Do I look alright? The Ice Soul Sword's blade, lined with saw-toothed true qi, tore through my flesh and bone."
"Then why'd you jump in? You could've just stayed put."
"You call that a proper thing to say? Who was the bastard frothing at the mouth, screaming about killing and sparing people?"
"Who you calling a bastard? You done talking?"
The two bickered incessantly as they walked.
Even after boarding the carriage, and all the way until they reached the Demon Hall—
No, by the time they arrived, they were yelling curses, grabbing each other's collars in a heated scuffle.
Unbeknownst to them, friendship had begun to bloom between the two.
Having completed both tasks assigned by the Supreme Cult Commander, Bu Eun-seol immediately returned to the Demon Hall and ascended to the Singular Light Pavilion.
"You've worked hard."
Yeop Hyo-cheon's sharp eyes flickered faintly as he regarded Bu Eun-seol seated across from him.
Considering he was known for not batting an eye even if the heavens collapsed, this was nothing short of staggering.
'Even with Shadows, this shouldn't be possible.'
Yeop Hyo-cheon's gaze trembled again.
Through the Secret Shadow Pavilion, he had received word that the Death Shadow War Unit had achieved a great victory against the Yin-Knot Demon Grounds—
And that Yong Mun-gyeok's head had been taken.
From this, he could deduce one thing:
Bu Eun-seol hadn't gone to the Blood Cult in person—he had sent a Shadow.
And while he had anticipated that this might be how the matter would be resolved...
How?
How could a mere Shadow stand toe-to-toe with the Blood Cult Leader in negotiations?
Did he truly have a subordinate whose ability and martial prowess rivaled his own?
'This makes no sense.'
In truth, the mission's success was due to—
The desperate, relentless efforts of subordinates willing to stake their lives to aid Bu Eun-seol.
And Bu Eun-seol's own foresight, having spent long hours devising a strategy to ensure their safe return.
But from Yeop Hyo-cheon's perspective, none of it added up.
"However, the Blood-Yin Cult's retreat to the frontier is only temporary. They'll invade again sooner or later."
"Well, of course. Even if they swore a blood oath, they're not the type to keep their word."
Yeop Hyo-cheon nodded.
"You completed the mission flawlessly. Well done."
"Thank you."
"Though another difficult task may come your way soon, so it'd be wise to stay alert."
—The Demonic Heavenly Emperor could issue another order at any moment.
That was what Yeop Hyo-cheon was implying.
Moreover, as the Supreme Cult Commander—an observer—
No matter what command the Demonic Heavenly Emperor gave Bu Eun-seol,
He could watch it all unfold with keen interest.
"Understood. Then, if you'll excuse me."
Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands indifferently.
But as he turned away, a flash of bloody light flickered in his eyes.
'His calculation must be that I have no choice but to bow my head in loyalty—or relinquish my position as heir and leave.'
From the moment he returned to the Demon Hall,
Bu Eun-seol had already suspected the Demonic Heavenly Emperor and predicted that sanctions would come.
'The problem is that the Martial Soul Society isn't ready yet.'
Currently, the Murim world was locked in a power struggle between two great alliances—the Demon Hall and the Martial Alliance.
And Bu Eun-seol intended to exploit that—
To nurture the Unholy Assembly into a massive coalition existing between the orthodox and unorthodox factions, creating a tripod balance of power.
Just like Zhuge Wuhou's Threefold Division of the Realm.
"Even if the Martial Soul Society grows in power, it won't be able to rival the Demon Hall or the Martial Alliance in the short term."
But what if he leveraged the struggle between the two? Then it could become a coalition capable of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with them.
"That's why I still can't leave the Demon Hall just yet."
If he were to abandon his position as the Martial Soul Lord and return to the Martial Soul Society now?
Other factions aside, the Demon Hall would immediately roll up its sleeves and come for him.
This wasn't the time to leave the Demon Hall—it was the time to seize its dominance instead.
"Did you think I'd just sit back and take it?"
Bu Eun-seol, who had been gazing coldly at the towering Holy Demon Pavilion in the distance, curled his lips into a frosty smile.
"Hall Master Sado."
A frigid glint erupted from his eyes.
Though it was merely a soliloquy, this was the first time Bu Eun-seol had addressed him not as the "Sky of the Demonic Path," but as the Hall Master of the Demon Hall.
"From now on, I'll make sure no one within the Demon Hall dares lay a finger on me again."
The most urgent matter was preventing the Demonic Heavenly Emperor from assigning him death missions or interfering with the Death Shadow War Unit.
Bu Eun-seol was now executing the plans he had prepared in advance, one by one.
Seo Jin-ha, who had safely returned from the Blood Cult, had gone back to the Martial Alliance.
And at the very moment Bu Eun-seol temporarily left the Demon Hall to carry out his plan to restrain the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—
Hidden Demon Pavilion, Grand Conference Hall.
There, under Yu Un-ryong's leadership, a Lord's Meeting was being held.
"If only the Lord had given us some warning beforehand..."
Won Se-mun stuck out his lips as he recalled the battle against the Yin-Knot Demon Grounds.
"Then our subordinates wouldn't have been so badly injured."
Fortunately, almost none of the unit members had suffered life-threatening wounds during the suppression of the Yin-Knot Demon Grounds.
But given how fierce the battle had been, over one-third of the Death Shadow War Unit's warriors had sustained injuries, both major and minor.
"It was necessary to maintain secrecy, you idiot."
Jo Nam-cheon scolded him.
"With a loudmouth like you around, if the Lord had given any hints, the information would've leaked already!"
"That wasn't the only reason."
At that moment, Wi Cheon-gyeong spoke up.
"Keeping it secret was part of it, but more than that, I think the Lord wanted to give us an opportunity to leap forward—to gain experience."
"Experience?"
"Right. Until now, we've never had a real battle, have we? But thanks to the Yin-Knot Demon Grounds, we've learned something."
Wi Cheon-gyeong said proudly,
"That all our training up until now wasn't in vain."
For a brief moment, smiles flickered across the lips of the Death Shadow War Unit's unit leaders.
No matter how busy he was, Bu Eun-seol had ordered them to undergo brutal training every single day.
And even in the midst of that, he continuously developed training methods tailored to each unit's characteristics and imparted martial arts techniques.
It was training so grueling and harsh that calling it "difficult" would have been an understatement—
But because they had been hardened by the intense drills since their days in the Death Shadow Squad, they followed his orders without complaint.
Still, a part of them had wondered—Will this really work?
But now, they knew.
They had reached the level of the finest combat units in the martial world.
No matter who they fought, they would never be outmatched.
"Speaking of which—where exactly is the Lord?"
At Jo Nam-cheon's question, Yu Un-ryong answered,
"With the Demonic Heavenly Emperor and the Supreme Cult Commander breathing down his neck like that, he must've gone to deal with it."
"You don't mean... he's trying to mobilize the Demonic Path Ten Gates?"
The Demonic Path Ten Gates had never been on good terms with the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
After all, the rulers of the Demon Hall had traditionally emerged from the Demonic Path Ten Gates.
Because of that, whenever the Demonic Heavenly Emperor tried to push something forward, the Demonic Path Ten Gates would always find a way to interfere.
If they could exploit that—wouldn't it be possible to impose sanctions on the Demonic Heavenly Emperor?
"That's impossible with the Demonic Path Ten Gates."
Wi Cheon-gyeong cut in.
"Because of the Lord, the Demonic Path Ten Gates' authority has actually declined. They probably hate the Lord even more than the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—there's no way they'd help him."
"Well, that's for the Lord to handle. No need for you all to worry about it."
Then, Yu Un-ryong, who cut in, scanned the room before turning toward the door and saying,
"And you—if you're here, just come in. Are you planning to stand outside forever?"
Creak.
With the sound of the door opening, a man in shabby brown martial robes stepped into the conference hall.
It was Myo Cheon-u.
"Sorry I'm late. Have you all been well?"
As Myo Cheon-u spoke with a calm smile, the unit leaders all wore dazed expressions.
He had betrayed the Death Shadow War Unit and exposed Bu Eun-seol's movements.
Yet, Bu Eun-seol had sent him on Demon Leave without a word—ostensibly to let him recover from his injuries, but in truth, to protect his honor.
The unit leaders of the Death Shadow War Unit were all well aware of these circumstances.
So why had he suddenly returned like this?
"Unit Leader Myo risked his life to infiltrate the Blood Cult and assist Unit Leader Seo in negotiations."
Yu Un-ryong explained.
"That's how the Lord was able to help us."
When the reaction remained lukewarm, he added,
"In other words, the reason we survived this mission was thanks to Unit Leader Myo."
Even so, silence filled the conference hall.
The way the Demonic Path dealt with traitors was incomparably harsher than the Righteous Faction's methods.
In a world governed solely by profit and dominance, there was no such thing as mercy for betrayal.
Thud.
At that moment, Won Se-mun abruptly stood and strode toward Myo Cheon-u.
Without a word, he drove his fist straight into Myo Cheon-u's face.
Crunch.
Though he hadn't infused it with Internal Power, Won Se-mun possessed Innate Divine Strength.
CRASH!
Myo Cheon-u went flying a full zhang's distance before smashing through the wooden surface and collapsing in a heap.
He was a master of Palm Art, and his Fist and Palm Learning ranked among the highest of the Death Shadow War Unit's Great Masters.
Yet he hadn't dodged Won Se-mun's punch—he had taken it willingly.
"I'm sorry."
Myo Cheon-u apologized.
If he didn't convey his sincerity now, he had no right to remain here.
"The truth is, I—"
"Tch, if you were healed, you should've come sooner. What took you so damn long?"
Before he could even open his mouth, Won Se-mun cut him off irritably.
"Because of you, we've been working like dogs. Do you have any idea how busy we've been lately?"
"Won Se-mun."
As Myo Cheon-u stood there dumbfounded, Jo Nam-cheon stepped in.
"Well, judging by that punch, your body seems perfectly fine now."
He scowled and waved his hand dismissively.
"Did you think we'd give you time to make a grand speech, since it's been so long."
"..."
"Now that you're here, shut up and sit down. We've got a mountain of work ahead of us."
Myo Cheon-u's eyes wavered like rippling water.
The Great Masters of the Death Shadow War Unit were true Demonic Path practitioners—they didn't know how to forgive traitors.
But Myo Cheon-u had left the Demonic Path, fought alongside them at the risk of his life, and was their comrade—their close friend.
That was why they refused to even acknowledge his betrayal, brushing it aside without another word.
"Great Master Myo."
At that moment, Wi Cheon-gyeong approached and extended his hand.
Thud.
Myo Cheon-u gripped it tightly, gritting his teeth as he pulled himself up.
"Welcome back."
Those three simple words, casually tossed out by Wi Cheon-gyeong, carried deep trust within them.
"Yeah."
Myo Cheon-u felt like hot tears might spill at any moment.
If Bu Eun-seol hid burning friendship beneath a layer of ice, the Great Masters of the Death Shadow War Unit were like roaring flames.
They illuminated each other so brightly that no darkness could remain.
"Alright, enough small talk."
As the mood settled, Yu Un-ryong pulled out a thick ledger, his expression grave.
"Let's begin the meeting. We have much to do."
His voice was solemn.
"The Lord will undoubtedly attempt to restructure the Demon Hall's system. Which means we must—"
Before a small lake in the Martial Hall.
Beneath serene and picturesque scenery stood a single manor, as beautiful as a painting.
Clack clack clack.
Yet before this manor, an Eight Horse Carriage had drawn to a halt.
The carriage gleamed with a dark luster, its banners bearing the emblem of the Twin Dragons Vying for the Pearl.
Hiss... hiss...
As the carriage approached, a dense water fog suddenly rose from all directions.
A boundary formation had been set up to conceal the manor's appearance from outsiders.
But the carriage ignored it entirely, stopping precisely before the manor's great gate.
Click.
The door opened, revealing a tall man with long, flowing hair.
His dark brows framed eyes brimming with melancholy, and his skin was as pale as snow.
With refined eyebrows and crimson lips, his beauty could easily be mistaken for a woman's.
It was Bu Eun-seol.
Creak.
As he stepped down, the great gate swung open on its own.
A neatly dressed young servant bowed deeply to him.
"Welcome."
"Hm."
"The Master has been expecting you."
Bu Eun-seol's expression flickered with surprise.
He had arrived unannounced.
Yet the manor's owner had known he was coming—even instructing the servant beforehand.
Thud. Thud.
As he stepped inside, a beautifully arranged flower garden came into view.
But with each step, the scenery seemed to shift.
The flowers, which should have appeared warm and lovely, now looked cold and sharp as metal.
The rigid, artificial arrangement alone was enough to tell him one thing about the person residing here:
Just how strict and ruthless their nature was.
"This way."
The young servant guided Bu Eun-seol to a small pavilion at the garden's center.
There sat an old man with piercing eyes and an ethereal, austere bearing, leisurely sipping tea.
Whoosh.
The moment the old man's gaze landed on Bu Eun-seol—
The sky seemed to darken with storm clouds, and ghostly wails echoed from nowhere.
Despite the gentle spring breeze, the world itself felt like it was hurtling toward annihilation under that gaze.
Because this old man was none other than—
The Great Demon known to have slaughtered more Righteous Faction members than any other in the current martial world.
The Blood Demon—Jeok Bung.
"This disciple, Bu Eun-seol, pays his respects to the Elder."
As Bu Eun-seol bowed respectfully, Jeok Bung regarded him with mild surprise.
"Your courtesy is excessive."
Given his position as the Martial Soul Lord and his fame, there was no need for such deference.
Yet Bu Eun-seol greeted him with the same humility and reverence as when they first met—back when he was still the Ten Demonic Heir.
—Even if I have risen to the position of Martial Soul Lord, my respect for you, the Hall Master of the Elders' Hall, has not changed in the slightest.
That was what Bu Eun-seol's actions conveyed.
"So you remain unchanged."
Jeok Bung saw through his intent and spoke calmly.
"Well then. What brings you here?"
His tone was indifferent, but his gaze was razor-sharp.
Perhaps it was only natural.
Jeok Bung's disciple, Sim Wol, had been lured by outsiders into taking an Artificial Inner Elixir—a bizarre concoction.
Unable to withstand its killing intent, he had become a Killing Ghost, slaughtering innocents en masse.
When Bu Eun-seol exposed this truth, Jeok Bung, burdened by responsibility, temporarily stepped down from his position as Hall Master of the Elders' Hall.
Now, he lived here in what could only be called a self-imposed exile.
Even if the fault lay with his disciple, there was no reason for Jeok Bung to look favorably upon the man who had laid bare every detail of the incident.
Regardless, Bu Eun-seol pressed his palms together solemnly.
"I have come to escort you, Elder."