Chapter 692
Murim Alliance, Hidden Moon Hall. Gongson Dan-gyeong's office.
Inside a covertly installed secret chamber, Gongson Dan-gyeong and Bu Eun-seol—disguised as Seon-u Jin—faced each other.
Just as he was returning to the Murim Alliance, her summons had arrived.
It turned out the Martial Venerable had issued yet another clandestine order.
"It's been a while."
Unlike when they had last met at the Gongson Clan, Gongson Dan-gyeong looked somewhat haggard.
'It must be because of the Elders' Hall.'
Bu Eun-seol, observing her fatigue-lined face, inwardly let out a bitter smile.
As the Murim Alliance's Chief Strategist, the one thing she had to monitor most closely was the movements of the Demon Hall, the united front of the demonic factions.
Jeok Bung, who had relinquished his position as Hall Master of the Elders' Hall and retired, had suddenly returned—reorganizing the Elders' Hall and overturning the Demon Hall's power structure in the process...
From her perspective, she had been scrambling to uncover the reason behind it all—what the internal atmosphere was like, what circumstances had led to this.
Her eyes were hollow, as if she hadn't slept in days, too busy to even blink.
Unmoved, Bu Eun-seol spoke with an expression that made it clear he found this incomprehensible.
"Are you saying the Martial Venerable is still issuing orders to me?"
The Martial Venerable had already broken his promises multiple times.
And yet, he was now delivering separate orders through Gongson Dan-gyeong again? No matter how he looked at it, this was an action he couldn't fathom.
"You're free to refuse."
Gongson Dan-gyeong replied calmly.
"In fact, I was planning to discuss this with Commander Seon-u. About what we should do if the Martial Venerable continues issuing orders like this in the future."
Gongson Dan-gyeong had chosen Seon-u Jin over the Martial Venerable.
And she was prepared to take responsibility for that decision.
"The Martial Venerable is, after all, still the Murim Alliance Chief in status. I imagine you think it's impossible to defy him."
"I doubt it's that simple. You know full well what kind of personality I have."
"What do you mean?"
"Given my disposition, do you really think I wouldn't have proof that the Martial Venerable is acting in place of Jeong Cheon-je?"
"Are you suggesting you'd use that proof to pressure him?"
"Exactly."
In the past, Bu Eun-seol might have agreed with such an approach.
But now he knew better.
That among the figures in the Murim Alliance, almost none were truly righteous.
The Martial Venerable had claimed he became the Alliance Chief to safeguard Murim's essence—but in truth, he was a man with unfathomable ulterior motives.
If he saw Gongson Dan-gyeong as an obstacle, he wouldn't hesitate to eliminate her.
"You mustn't."
"It's fine. No matter how formidable the Martial Venerable is, I too have a trump card no one else knows about."
"Absolutely not."
Bu Eun-seol's voice was resolute.
"People like him will stop at nothing to remove obstacles in their path. If you provoke him carelessly, Chief Strategist, you'll be in danger."
"You think so?"
When Bu Eun-seol vehemently opposed the idea, Gongson Dan-gyeong withdrew her stance with almost comical ease.
"Very well, then. It's reassuring that Commander Seon-u is even considering my safety."
'There's no way she'd actually do that.'
Someone as meticulous as Gongson Dan-gyeong wouldn't recklessly threaten a figure like the Martial Venerable.
She had deliberately made those remarks.
"Are you still testing me?"
As fury flashed in Bu Eun-seol's eyes, Gongson Dan-gyeong wore an apologetic expression.
"Don't take it that way. I was half-serious."
"What do you mean?"
"I meant that I'm prepared to employ any means necessary to protect Commander Seon-u."
Her tone carried a hint of playfulness.
"We can't just stand by and watch each other in crisis, can we? Don't you agree?"
'She really has changed.'
Since their time at the Gongson Clan, her speech and demeanor had shifted slightly.
The woman who had once been as cold and detached as ice was gradually opening up emotionally—at least toward Bu Eun-seol.
'I need to stay sharp.'
Gongson Dan-gyeong was the Murim Alliance's Chief Strategist—Bu Eun-seol's direct superior.
What if she made a misjudgment? He, too, could sink with her.
If Gongson Dan-gyeong had grown complacent, then he had to be even more clear-headed.
Taking a deep breath, Bu Eun-seol steered the conversation elsewhere.
"What orders did the Martial Venerable issue?"
"He said we must retrieve the Ice Spirit Jade."
A flash of light flickered in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
The Ice Spirit Jade—it was a treasure of the Corpse Handling Sect.
Moreover, wasn't it the core material of the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade Coffin, and the device that maintained the cold energy of the Ice Jade Coffin?
'Has something happened to Jeong Cheon-je's corpse?'
After learning that even Gongson Dan-gyeong had never seen the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade Coffin beneath the Pratyekabuddha Hall,
Bu Eun-seol had not once used the Murim Alliance's secret mechanisms.
The Martial Venerable already knew about it, after all.
He must have shut down or altered the internal mechanisms in some way.
"But why me?"
If it were the Martial Alliance Chief's request, they could have easily obtained something like the Golden Spirit Immortal Fruit—so why task him, of all people, with retrieving something as trivial as the Ice Crystal Jade?
"What's wrong?"
Gongson Dan-gyeong noticed the stiffness in Bu Eun-seol's expression and asked.
"Still reluctant?"
Bu Eun-seol quickly adjusted his expression and replied,
"No, it's just... If the Martial Venerable merely wanted to obtain a treasure, wouldn't a single command suffice?"
"You're right. Even I, as the Chief Strategist, find this mission baffling."
Gongson Dan-gyeong shook her head, brows furrowing.
"Perhaps there are significant obstacles in retrieving the Ice Crystal Jade. That's why he entrusted this task to you, Commander Seon-u."
"Obstacles, you say?"
Swish.
Instead of answering, she pulled an assignment slip from a drawer and handed it to him.
"The Ice Crystal Jade has been safeguarded by a mysterious sect that has long remained hidden from the martial world."
As Bu Eun-seol read the slip, a flicker of surprise crossed his face.
"The Snow Blossom Sect. So they still exist."
The Snow Blossom Sect.
An all-female sect renowned for their mastery of the Extreme Yin Art, they had once been compared to the North Sea Ice Palace beyond the frontier.
Though a women's sect, they walked the line between orthodox and unorthodox, with some even labeling them as part of the Unorthodox Faction.
And for good reason—their Ice Art was bizarre and terrifying.
Ordinary Ice Arts required direct exposure or a strike to unleash their power.
But the Snow Blossom Sect's techniques?
A mere graze—or even no visible wound at all—could freeze one's bloodline solid.
A force that defied comprehension, transcending even the principles of martial arts.
Yet two hundred years ago, they vanished without a trace, never to be seen again.
And now, out of nowhere, he was being sent to retrieve the Ice Crystal Jade from them?
"Even I was shocked," Gongson Dan-gyeong admitted. "A sect that disappeared two centuries ago, still maintaining its legacy..."
"But that's strange. Judging by this slip alone, the mission doesn't seem particularly difficult."
Bu Eun-seol tilted his head in thought before shaking it.
"And considering the Martial Alliance Chief's position, it makes no sense that he couldn't find someone more qualified than me."
"Then what do you think, Commander Seon-u...?"
"I suspect I'm being used as a disposable pawn."
His voice was calm.
"Logically speaking, taking another sect's treasure is no different from picking a fight with them outright."
Gongson Dan-gyeong gave a faint nod.
"Then you should refuse. This time, at least. Find any excuse you can."
"No. I'll take it."
"Huh?"
Contrary to his earlier words, Bu Eun-seol accepted the mission without hesitation.
"I'll go to the Snow Blossom Sect."
"Why?"
"Because if I succeed, I'll have leverage to negotiate with the Martial Venerable."
His eyes flashed.
"If I willingly take on a mission that's obviously dangerous, even impossible—and still succeed—then I can at least demand fair treatment in return, can't I?"
A spark of light flickered in Bu Eun-seol's pupils.
"Besides, once I obtain the Ice Crystal Jade, someone will have to deliver it to the Martial Venerable."
"That's a dangerous line of thinking."
Gongson Dan-gyeong shook her head firmly.
"From his perspective, you're replaceable at any time. And there's no reason it has to be you who delivers the Ice Crystal Jade."
"It won't be like that."
Bu Eun-seol was certain.
"The Martial Venerable will agree to a private meeting with me."
He knew full well that Seon-u Jin was expendable.
But the Ice Crystal Jade had only one purpose—to be installed in the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade Coffin.
Meaning this retrieval mission was tied to the body of Jeong Cheon-je.
'The Martial Venerable must know I've seen the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade Coffin.'
He intended to use the Ice Crystal Jade as a bargaining chip.
There was no other way to secure a private audience with the Martial Venerable.
He had to confirm whether Jeong Cheon-je was alive or dead—and where he was now.
'And to split the Martial Alliance into three... Before a division head is chosen, I must settle things with the Martial Venerable.'
Only now, after dividing the Demon Hall into three factions, did Bu Eun-seol realize—
He must not become a Martial Alliance unit commander.
The position came with immense power, yes—but also crushing responsibility and duty.
Yet until the Martial Soul Society took root in the martial world like a tripod, he needed to remain within the Martial Alliance at all costs.
And for that, above all else—
He needed to settle things with Jeong Cheon-je.
No—with the Martial Venerable.
"And your reasoning?"
"The Ice Crystal Jade must be an extremely important artifact. That's why he's sending me instead of any other subordinate."
For now, he couldn't explain to Gongson Dan-gyeong about the body of Jeong Cheon-je resting in the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade Coffin.
So Bu Eun-seol had no choice but to lie.
"And... I have an unexplainable intuition."
"Intuition...?"
"Yes. The intuition that the Martial Venerable will undoubtedly come himself to retrieve the Ice Spirit Jade."
He spoke with absolute confidence.
"My intuition tends to be quite accurate, you see."
Gongson Dan-gyeong wore a dazed expression.
To her knowledge, the man known as Seon-u Jin was not someone who acted purely on intuition.
'But every time he has made such a declaration, it has come to pass without fail.'
Had this been the Gongson Dan-gyeong of the past, she would have relentlessly pressed him for answers until she was satisfied.
But now, a seed of trust had been planted in her heart toward this man called Seon-u Jin.
At present, it was still faint—but given time... it could grow uncontrollably.
"Very well."
Swallowing the questions rising in her mind, Gongson Dan-gyeong smiled and nodded.
"Just be careful."
The perpetually snow-capped peak of Jade Dragon Mountain resembled a silver dragon coiled upon the slopes.
Throughout the Murim, countless legends spoke of mythical spirit beasts and spiritual herbs.
And among them was the tale of the legendary Heavenly Snow Flower, said to bloom in full upon this very peak—Heavenly Snow Peak.
It was said that consuming just one petal of the flower could restore one's youthful appearance.
And if one were to brew the entire flower, they would be granted a life free of illness and blessed with longevity.
In the past, martial artists had climbed Heavenly Snow Peak upon hearing these rumors.
Yet all they found was the breathtaking snowscape—no trace of the legendary flower.
Moreover, the extreme altitude made breathing difficult, and even highly skilled martial artists struggled to ascend.
As time passed, the legend of the Heavenly Snow Flower faded, and no one dared climb the peak anymore.
Whoosh.
Now, a lone shadow scaled the treacherous slopes of Jade Dragon Mountain, where none had ventured in years.
Clad in plain white martial robes with an unremarkable iron sword at his waist.
The jagged, ice-covered cliffs were steep, and the piercing cold was enough to induce vertigo instantly.
Yet the man's Internal Energy and Light Body Technique were formidable, allowing him to ascend without the slightest discomfort.
Finally reaching the summit, he was met with a breathtaking vista—a sheer cliff where the heavens and mountains seemed to merge into one.
For a moment, he stood transfixed.
"In the past, countless philosophers strove to create martial arts that mimicked nature."
Gazing at the vast, distant landscape, his eyes gleamed with a sudden realization.
"But nature is boundless... unfathomable. Whether one exists within it or not—it is all meaningless in the end."
The white-robed man was none other than Bu Eun-seol, disguised as Seon-u Jin.
Acting on the Martial Venerable's secret orders, he had come to retrieve the Ice Spirit Jade—venturing into the Snowflower Sect, known only through legend.
"They said the passage to the Snowflower Sect lies here."
Surveying the snow-covered peak, Bu Eun-seol retrieved the letter Gongson Dan-gyeong had given him.
Inside was a chaotic array of intricate diagrams—a Formation-Breaking Art meant to unravel the hidden Boundary Formation concealing the entrance.
By dismantling the formation, he could access the secret passage leading into the Snowflower Sect.
'This is... quite difficult.'
Even with the Formation-Breaking Art, the formation was so complex that unraveling it was no simple task.
'To this extent... it's as if they've already recruited a Snowflower Sect member.'
The formation diagram contained detailed breaking methods that only a member of the Snowflower Sect would know.
For the Martial Venerable to possess such precise knowledge of a sect that had never surfaced in Murim affairs...
He must have recruited a Snowflower Sect elder to obtain this.
Rumble.
At last, the hidden door embedded in the rock slid open.
Beyond it lay a realm that seemed to cradle the mysteries of creation—rare and mystical flora bloomed, bathed in an ethereal glow.
Without hesitation, Bu Eun-seol stepped inside.
Whoosh.
The moment he did, he felt as though he were plummeting endlessly into the abyss.
What had appeared to be a passage adorned with mystical flowers was, in truth, an illusion.
The reality was a sheer, bottomless cliff.
'A trap.'
The howling wind roared past him as his body continued to fall.
When martial artists fell from great heights, they typically employed one of two methods:
Either they lightened their body just before impact, executing the Cloud Dragon Flip to soften the landing—
Or they unleashed a powerful burst of Palm Energy toward the ground to cushion the impact before rolling.
But Bu Eun-seol needed neither.
His Enhanced Vision pierced through the darkness, and he had mastered Ultimate Speed Shadowless to Grand Perfection—allowing him to alter his trajectory midair.
Moreover, his Internal Energy had surpassed five hundred years of cultivation.
So long as he disregarded energy expenditure—
He could also deploy the Land-Flying Technique.
If he disliked all those options,
he could even channel the Two Spirit Energies circulating within his body to release an invisible pressure, allowing him to hover midair.
In short, Bu Eun-seol—
no matter the situation—had no reason to fear death from falling from great heights.
'Does the Snowflower Sect's membership consist of birds that can fly?'
As he continued his endless descent, Bu Eun-seol stared downward with an absurd expression.
The cliff's height was roughly 3,000 feet.
At such a height, unless one used the Land-Flying Technique or stabbed their sword into the cliff face to slow their descent—
even the most formidable martial artists of Murim would have no way to preserve their lives.
'This isn't the entrance.'
When leaving Jade Dragon Mountain, one would need to soar 3,000 feet into the air, and when returning, they would have to land safely from this dizzying height.
Unless the Snowflower Sect disciples had such abilities, there would be no reason for them to use this passage.
'A test.'
A strange thought suddenly crossed his mind.
What if the Martial Venerable hadn't given him a mission—but was instead testing him for something?
'But why?'
The Martial Venerable already knew everything about him.
That he was searching for the one who killed his grandfather. That his father was Baekri Mu-ha.
So why? What more could he possibly need to test?
Whoosh—!
Before he knew it, his body accelerated, plummeting faster, and the ground finally came into view.
Bu Eun-seol drew his Internal Power to its peak, making his body as light as a feather.
Tap.
Having decelerated gradually in midair, he landed gracefully the moment the ground appeared.
And immediately, he surveyed his surroundings.
Below was a pitch-black cavern where not a single ray of light penetrated, with countless branching paths stretching before him.
'They carved a passage through the mountain, huh.'
Staring up at the dizzyingly high ceiling, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
Over the centuries of the Snowflower Sect's existence—
they must have slowly chiseled away at the mountain, or perhaps the founding Sect Leader, having reached the Martial Extreme Realm, wielded an unimaginable power beyond human limits—
to carve an entire passage straight through the mountain's core.
Swoosh.
Bu Eun-seol lightly rolled his foot, preparing to activate the Resonance Mind Eye—
but there was no need.
Rumble—!
From the opposite side, countless figures clad in white robes poured forth as if emerging from nowhere.
Each of them wore veils over their faces, their gazes as cold as ice.
In an instant, Bu Eun-seol recognized them as Snowflower Sect disciples and clasped his hands together.
"Peak Leader Seon-u Jin of the Martial Alliance—"
But before he could finish, the middle-aged woman at the front sharply cut him off with a frigid tone.
"Follow us."
Having said only what she needed, she turned on her heel and strode away.
Bu Eun-seol hesitated briefly but soon followed.
After walking through the dark cavern for some time, the surroundings gradually brightened, revealing a broad passage.
Creak—
When the door there opened, the interior of a magnificent structure came into view.
The floor and walls were paved with marble, and the ceiling was densely embedded with Seven-Colored Night Pearls.
The furnishings and architecture were strikingly unique, starkly different from the styles of the Central Plains.
'They're a Central Plains sect, yet why do they feel like a sect from Beyond the Frontier?'
"This way."
Where the middle-aged woman guided him stood a towering set of stairs, reminiscent of an Emperor's Palace Hall—
and atop them, an ornate jade throne adorned with dazzling gemstones.
Seated there was a woman in resplendent robes, her face veiled, her expression solemn.
She was none other than the current Snowflower Sect Leader, So Yeong-hwa.
"Bow before the Sect Leader."
The middle-aged woman respectfully gestured toward the veiled figure on the throne.
With no choice, Bu Eun-seol approached the foot of the stairs and gave a formal salute.
"Peak Leader Seon-u Jin of the Martial Alliance, at your service."
When he merely saluted instead of bowing, the middle-aged woman's temper flared, and she stepped forward.
"I said, bow before the Sect Leader!"
"Enough."
The Snowflower Sect Leader, So Yeong-hwa, raised a hand to stop her before speaking.
"The fact that you entered through the Moon Shadow Gate means he sent you."
Bu Eun-seol had simply followed the letter given by the Martial Venerable—he had no idea what this Moon Shadow Gate was.
But judging by her words, it seemed the Martial Venerable had already communicated with her beforehand.
"The reason I've come is to obtain the Ice Essence Jade—"
"I know."
The Snowflower Sect disciples seemed to specialize in cutting people off mid-sentence.
The Sect Leader likewise interrupted him calmly before murmuring in a low voice.
"As expected... He said he'd bring the greatest prodigy under heaven, and here you are."
Pausing briefly, she then spoke again, this time with an astonished expression.
"To reach the realm of Tranquil Stillness at such an age? I can't detect even a trace of martial training on you."
Just as Bu Eun-seol opened his mouth to respond, the Sect Leader raised her hand again, silencing him.
"Well, no need for lengthy explanations."
Then, nodding, she turned her gaze to the middle-aged woman.
"Take him to the Profound Yin Wall."
Bu Eun-seol couldn't hide his bewilderment, his mouth falling open.
What kind of nonsense was this? The moment he arrived, he was being ordered to go to some Profound Yin Wall? Just what the hell was going on here?