Chapter 694
So Yeong-hwa wore an expression brimming with pride.
"Hyang-a isn't just beautiful because she's my daughter—she's far more lovely than those women they call the Three Beauties of the World."
Her expression was utterly serious.
"It's simply that our sect has never ventured into the martial world, so my child's beauty remains unknown."
Then she added another remark.
"And it's not just her appearance, is it? She's reached the Eighth-Star Attainment in the Ice Crystal Snowflower Art and is skilled in the Four Arts of the Scholar. In short, she's a woman of talent without a single flaw."
"N-no, that's not— I mean..."
"It's fine. What does it matter if you're a Martial Alliance chief?"
So Yeong-hwa swiftly cut off Bu Eun-seol's words and lightly patted his shoulder.
"If you're capable of passing through the Heavenly Yin Hall and reaching the Heavenly Yin Ice Wall, that's qualification enough to become this sect's son-in-law."
"No, what I mean is—"
"You can quit the Martial Alliance right now and come to our sect—that would be perfectly acceptable."
Then she spoke benevolently.
"A man cannot become this sect's leader, of course. But I'll bestow upon you the position of Supreme Elder so you may guide this sect alongside Hyang-a."
Bu Eun-seol's vision darkened.
Where should he even begin to respond?
This chatterbox of a Snowflower Sect Leader, who loved interrupting others—
He had no idea whether she would even comprehend his words.
"Hyang-a, come out."
At the sect leader's call, a pale-faced beauty in white robes opened the door and stepped inside.
It was the young woman Bu Eun-seol had saved—the Snowflower Sect Leader's only daughter, So Eun-hyang.
"You two should talk among yourselves."
She smiled warmly as she spoke.
"This mother will go confer with the elders about future matters for a while."
"Sect Leader, I—"
As Bu Eun-seol abruptly stood, So Yeong-hwa cut him off again with a wave of her hand.
"It's fine. Talk with each other in the meantime. I'll return shortly."
With an exceedingly benevolent smile, she whisked herself back outside.
As Bu Eun-seol stood there gaping, So Eun-hyang approached.
She was remarkably tall—less than half a handspan shorter than Bu Eun-seol, who stood over six feet.
Her face was as though a god had poured their heart into painting it, gathering dazzling jewels and flowers into one breathtaking image.
The Snowflower Sect Leader's claim that her beauty surpassed the Three Beauties of the World was clearly no empty boast.
"This humble one, So Eun-hyang, greets my lord."
Perhaps she took after her mother.
Her temperament was unbearably hasty—she was already referring to herself as "this humble one."
"Young Sect Leader. I can't handle this."
For the first time in his life, Bu Eun-seol let out a stifled groan.
"I merely disrupted your cultivation after being deceived by that middle-aged woman guiding me. I would never dare presume to become your—"
"It's fine."
It seemed this family had passed down the secret art of interrupting others as a hereditary technique.
So Eun-hyang lightly pressed a finger to her crimson lips, then shook her head.
"This must be my fate."
"Young Sect Leader."
"I'm just as flustered, you know. But what can I do?"
So Eun-hyang bit her red lips and spoke in a low voice.
"Since things have come to this, we might as well marry and live well together."
Bu Eun-seol's jaw dropped.
What kind of woman had such an impatient temperament?
'Besides, my current identity makes this troublesome.'
If he were acting as the Martial Soul Lord, he could refuse even if the Demonic Heavenly Emperor himself proposed the match.
But right now, he was Seon-u Jin—
A Martial Alliance Hall Master-rank figure couldn't bluntly reject the Snowflower Sect Leader's offer.
"These words are too much for me."
"Do I not appeal to you?"
So Eun-hyang asked, as though unable to comprehend.
"Are you saying my plain looks fail to interest you?"
"Nothing could be further from the truth."
In terms of appearance, she was easily the most dazzling and radiant woman Bu Eun-seol had ever met.
In fact, every time she parted her lips, an indescribably sweet fragrance wafted through the air—
Enough to make his heart race and his mind grow restless.
'I need to keep a clear head.'
"Then why do you say such things?"
Wiping away cold sweat, Bu Eun-seol forced a smile.
"I'm just a mere chief who lives to carry out the Martial Alliance's orders. Whether I appeal to you or not is irrelevant."
"Don't say that. The mere fact that you passed through the Heavenly Yin Ice Hall and reached the Heavenly Yin Ice Wall proves you're more than qualified to be my husband."
'There's no other way.'
Even when he spoke indirectly, she showed no sign of understanding his refusal.
That left only one option.
"I..."
Taking a deep breath, Bu Eun-seol spoke with resolute determination.
"...have a fiancée arranged by my family."
But the reply he received was absurd.
"Anyone can get engaged."
"What?"
"An engagement is just a promise. It's not like you're married yet, right?"
So Eun-hyang spoke with perfect composure.
"In the past, I had many fiancés too. But in the end, they all became wandering spirits, with the Heavenly Yin Ice Hall as their grave."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes nearly bulged out of his head.
"Those traces left in that place—they were your fiancés?"
"About half of them. Some were candidates Mother brought."
"Why did you drive your fiancés to their deaths?"
"Deaths? It was just... Mother verifying whether they were worthy of becoming sons-in-law."
Bu Eun-seol felt a chill run down his spine.
Only now did he understand why the Snowflower Sect had always been regarded as part of the Unorthodox Faction, despite rarely revealing themselves in the martial world.
It wasn't merely because they had mastered the bizarre Extreme Yin Secret Art.
These people—their way of thinking was fundamentally different from ordinary individuals.
"There's one thing I'd like to ask."
"Go ahead."
"If I refuse this marriage, what will happen to me from now on?"
So Eun-hyang blinked.
"What will happen? Naturally, nothing at all."
"I see. That's a relief."
"Though, the problem would be on my side. Having lost my True Yin and become a cripple, what reason would I have to keep living?"
So Eun-hyang fluttered her large eyes before speaking in a detached tone.
"After slaughtering the Ice Flower Garden Master and her entire family for causing this mess... I'd have no choice but to behead those old fools from the Martial Alliance who drove my husband into this, then take my own life."
Gulp.
Bu Eun-seol swallowed dryly.
He wanted to believe it was a joke, but no matter how he turned it over in his mind, it didn't sound like one.
"Why? Are you thinking of refusing the marriage?"
As So Eun-hyang lifted her long lashes and blinked innocently, Bu Eun-seol shook his head rapidly.
"How could I possibly do that?"
Bu Eun-seol had never made excuses in his life, nor had he ever averted his gaze from another's scrutiny.
Yet now, he kept his head bowed, cold sweat dripping, as he stumbled through a lengthy explanation.
"It's just... the sudden mention of marriage caught me off guard, that's all."
"I see."
So Eun-hyang beamed brightly, tucking the sharp dagger she had concealed in her sleeve back into place.
"I thought you were serious for a moment."
The blade was stained pitch-black. At a glance, it was unmistakably coated with Extreme Poison.
Her words about suicide might not have been sincere... but her vow to slaughter the Ice Flower Garden Master and the Martial Alliance elders didn't sound like a lie.
Bu Eun-seol forced a smile.
"My lady has quite the fiery temperament."
"What's the rush over matters of life and death?"
So Eun-hyang replied flatly.
"If you die, you die. If you live, you live."
"A wise perspective."
Bu Eun-seol nodded awkwardly, wiping the sweat from his brow.
'There's no escaping this.'
For the first time, the word resignation surfaced in his mind.
If he refused her proposal... there was no telling what So Eun-hyang might do.
'No, I can't.'
If he were to perform the Yin-Yang Grand Ritual—imbued with the secrets of dual cultivation—for a hundred days, his Face-Changing Bone-Shifting Art would unravel.
And once that happened, his true identity would be exposed to the world.
Drip, drip, drip.
Wiping away the waterfall of sweat with his sleeve, Bu Eun-seol cautiously spoke.
"Lady So. There's something I'd like to ask—please, answer me honestly."
Under normal circumstances, given Bu Eun-seol's temperament, he wouldn't have phrased it so politely even before the Emperor.
But right now, his expression was nothing short of solemn and earnest.
Because standing before him was a bomb in the shape of a stunning beauty—
one that would detonate at the slightest provocation.
"Ask away."
"By any chance... aside from that Returning Essence and Reversing Yin Phoenix Method, is there no other way to restore your True Yin?"
"You mean a method to recover True Yin other than the Phoenix Method?"
"Correct."
So Eun-hyang pursed her shimmering red lips into a perfect circle and blinked her large eyes.
To any other man, her appearance would have been breathtakingly beautiful.
But to Bu Eun-seol, she looked like King Enma deliberating whether to inscribe his name in the Book of Death.
"Hmm..."
"There isn't one?"
"Well, technically, there is."
Bu Eun-seol's face instantly brightened.
Suppressing the urge to bow in gratitude to the heavens, he carefully pressed further.
"What is it?"
"Destroy the Heavenly Yin Ice Wall in a single strike."
"The Heavenly Yin Ice Wall... You mean that ice wall you fell from?"
"Exactly. If you can shatter it in one blow, the Restrictions left by our Founder will break. Then, using the Snow Jade embedded within, you could restore my True Yin and instantly master the Ice Flower Snow Blossom Energy."
"Restrictions, you say..."
"The Founder declared that only once the wall is shattered may we freely engage in martial activities. I don't know the reason, though."
Bu Eun-seol frowned.
"If breaking the Restrictions grants treasures as well... why hasn't anyone attempted it until now?"
Even if that ice wall was monstrously vast—
for a Master who had transcended human limits and reached the Martial Extreme Realm, destroying it shouldn't be impossible.
Moreover, wasn't this sect connected to the Martial Venerable?
If the Martial Venerable—whose martial prowess rivaled even Jeong Cheon-je—lent his strength, couldn't they demolish the wall in an instant?
"It can't be broken."
So Eun-hyang shook her head so vigorously that her pale nape peeked through her hair.
"Even a Martial Extreme Realm Master cannot destroy the Heavenly Yin Ice Wall."
"Why not?"
"I don't know the reason. The Founder only said it cannot be shattered through martial arts alone."
"Martial arts alone cannot break it...hmm."
As Bu Eun-seol was deep in thought,
"What pleasant conversation are you having so cheerfully?"
Snowflower Sect Leader So Yeong-hwa entered the hall with light footsteps, a smile playing on her lips.
"Your lively chatter could be heard all the way outside."
Her gaze as she looked at Bu Eun-seol was gentle and tender, as if she were already treating him like a son-in-law.
"I was telling him about the Heavenly Yin Ice Wall."
"The Heavenly Yin Ice Wall?"
"Yes. I asked if there might be another way to restore my true yin without performing the Returning Essence and Reversing Yin Phoenix Method."
The Sect Leader's smiling eyes turned icy cold in an instant.
"Why?"
The moment her gaze fell upon him, it felt like icy water had been dumped over his head, jolting him to full alertness.
Worried he might have upset So Yeong-hwa, Bu Eun-seol quickly responded with deference.
"I merely thought that if another method existed, it might be more beneficial for the Young Sect Leader."
"For Hyang-a's sake?"
So Yeong-hwa's eyes hardened like frozen blades.
"How would another method be for Hyang-a's benefit?"
In that instant, Bu Eun-seol's mind spun faster than light, scrambling for an excuse.
"Well, enduring the Grand Method for a hundred days straight... wouldn't that risk harming the Young Sect Leader's delicate constitution?"
"Hohoho. Already worrying over your wife-to-be, are you?"
So Yeong-hwa's expression softened, a pleased smile gracing her lips.
"Your thoughtfulness warms this Sect Leader's heart."
"...Thank you."
"However, that is impossible."
She shook her head.
"That ice wall cannot be shattered, even by a master who has reached the Martial Extreme Realm. Because it is not something that can be broken through martial prowess alone."
"Why is that?"
"The Heavenly Yin Ice Wall itself embodies the power of the Snow Jade—it is the Ice Essence Snow Blossom Energy in its purest form. In short, it instantly nullifies any external force applied to it."
The Sect Leader spoke with pride.
"Even if you detonated roughly 130,000 pounds of gunpowder, the ice wall would remain unscathed."
The reason the Snowflower Sect had been able to carve out its unique place in the martial world was precisely this.
Their Ice Essence Snow Blossom Energy could dissolve any martial technique and instantly infiltrate a body with its chilling force.
"I see."
Having finished his contemplation, Bu Eun-seol nodded firmly.
"Then I shall attempt to break the Heavenly Yin Ice Wall."
"What are you saying?"
'If I can't persuade her, I'll either be forced to perform dual cultivation for a hundred days or abandon my Seon-u Jin identity and flee.'
"Isn't it better to spare the Young Sect Leader the hardship of enduring those hundred days?"
Bu Eun-seol's words flowed smoother than ever before.
"If I can break it, I can also lift the Snowflower Sect's Restrictive Seal. That would be the perfect solution."
"It's impossible."
At that moment, So Eun-hyang, who had been silently listening, shook her head.
"Every prodigy who has ever tried to break the seal has died."
"That's fine."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes burned with determination.
"I will definitely shatter the Heavenly Yin Ice Wall."
"Hmm."
So Yeong-hwa nodded slowly, lost in thought for a moment.
"Can he truly see the future, I wonder?"
"What do you mean?"
"The Divine Calculator's words."
Her eyes narrowed as she continued.
"He said the young man he sent this time might be able to break our sect's restrictions."
From her words, Bu Eun-seol could infer several things.
'I'm not the first.'
She had clearly said, "the young man he sent this time."
Meaning countless other young men had come here before.
Not only that...
'He's manipulating sects not as the Martial Venerable, but under the guise of the Divine Calculator.'
The one who had contacted the Snowflower Sect beforehand wasn't the Martial Venerable—it was the Divine Calculator's identity being used.
Which meant he was likely handling martial world affairs not as the Martial Venerable, but as the Divine Calculator.
The Martial Venerable was one of the Three Venerables of the Righteous Faction, renowned for his martial might.
But the Divine Calculator was the Foremost Sage of the Murim, revered by all.
"The Divine Calculator said that?"
"Yes."
So Yeong-hwa's voice lowered.
"I didn't believe in his reputation as the Foremost Sage at first, but every prophecy he's made has come true."
From her words, Bu Eun-seol deduced even more.
'The Martial Venerable deliberately used the Divine Calculator's identity to approach the Snowflower Sect Leader and offer assistance.'
The identity of the Divine Calculator held immense advantages.
Not only could it grant natural access to hidden sects like this one,
but through the word "prophecy," he could manipulate them.
The title of "Sage" made it easy to impose debts on sects and masters with just a few words of foretelling.
And from there, he could mold them to his will.
'The Divine Calculator. The Martial Venerable.'
Bu Eun-seol bit his lip.
Only now did he realize the terrifying shadow the Martial Venerable had cast.
Even Namgung Jeong, the Family Head of the Namgung Clan, had once sent his clan's masters and sons—including Namgung Un—into the martial world, all for the sake of obtaining a single Gratitude Coin.
The Foremost Sage of the Murim.
With that title alone, he could effortlessly control countless sects.
'In the end, they're the same.'
The Martial Venerable was no different from the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
"He's manipulating others' fates as he pleases. That means the Martial Venerable is also highly likely to become my enemy."
'I must obtain the Ice Spirit Jade at all costs.'
If he secured the Ice Spirit Jade, the Martial Venerable would have no choice but to face him directly.
Even if he tried to avoid it, Bu Eun-seol would force a confrontation.
Which meant his current priority was clear—
Shatter the Heavenly Yin Ice Wall to claim the jade, dismantle this farcical marriage arrangement, then head straight to the Martial Alliance for that inevitable showdown.
"I will see this through without fail."
At Bu Eun-seol's declaration, So Yeong-hwa gave a solemn nod.
"We'll be waiting."
Guided by So Yeong-hwa and So Eun-hyang, Bu Eun-seol exited the hall and reentered the Heavenly Yin Ice Hall.
"Please don't push yourself too hard."
So Eun-hyang already seemed to regard him as her husband. Her affectionate gaze made his chest tighten, but he forced a smile before stepping through the gate.
Whoooosh.
A bizarrely frigid wind swept through, but Bu Eun-seol advanced unhindered by channeling the mysteries of the Glacier Thousand Streams Art.
Once more, he stood before the colossal ice barrier—the Heavenly Yin Ice Wall.
'I'll pour everything I have into this.'
Harmonization.
It was the most formidable martial technique Bu Eun-seol could unleash, so overwhelming that even Ak Mu-ryeong had been forced to evade.
Yet activating Harmonization required excessive time and perfect alignment of energies—conditions impossible to achieve in actual combat.
'If I'd reached the Martial Extreme Realm, could I have used Harmonization consecutively?'
The thought struck him abruptly.
Had he ascended through Martial Extremity Equal Enlightenment to the Martial Extreme Realm—
Would he have gained the ability to deploy Harmonization in rapid succession?
'No. That's not it.'
The Martial Extreme Realm represented the pinnacle of human potential.
While practitioners at that level exhibited vastly different capabilities based on enlightenment, their defining trait was access to Limitless Power—a transcendent force.
But Harmonization...
Wasn't about reaching martial arts' absolute peak.
Rather, it involved simultaneously unleashing multiple martial disciplines—
A supreme technique closer to the highest mysteries of martial arts than any singular path.
'At the Martial Extreme Realm, I'd have manifested phenomena entirely distinct from Harmonization.'
Should he regret this?
With Limitless Power, he could rival even the supreme masters of that realm.
'This distinction is crucial.'
In martial arts—as in all pursuits—higher stages bring greater susceptibility to confusion and inner demons.
Because momentary choices can lead to entirely different destinations.
After prolonged contemplation, Bu Eun-seol reached a definitive conclusion.
'This was indeed the correct path.'
Had he attained the Martial Extreme Realm?
He could never have defeated the Three Demons and Three Venerables or the Demonic Heavenly Emperor who reached it first.
Nor could he predict how many years catching up to them might require.
True, the Martial Extreme Realm concerns enlightenment—
Latecomers aren't necessarily doomed to lag behind.
But this path is faster.
Choosing to walk an unprecedented martial road meant no one could predict what realm he might achieve.
Meaning even against current Martial Extreme masters, the outcome would be utterly unpredictable.
Since he now stood neither at the Extreme Heaven Realm nor in Martial Extremity Equal Enlightenment.
'The Demonic Heavenly Emperor must have similarly sought to transcend his martial limits.'
Otherwise, he wouldn't have instantly recognized Bu Eun-seol wasn't following conventional progression.
And the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's own choice likely stemmed from one of two motives:
Either it was the method to reach the Heavenly Will Realm—
Or some master surpassing even his own prowess existed, forcing him to choose this path to catch up.
'Though it's hard to believe anyone surpasses the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.'
Whoosh.
Dispelling distracting thoughts, Bu Eun-seol summoned the Power of Harmony.
Multicolored radiance began emanating from his entire body.
'It's slightly faster now.'
Previously, aligning his energies required more than eight minutes.
Now he'd more than halved that duration.
The problem lay with Prajna Great Power being the key—
Only its activation could perfectly synchronize his chaotic energies, making Harmonization impossible without it.
Yet Prajna Great Power only emerged when sensing danger or countering attacks—
Leaving Bu Eun-seol still unable to deploy Harmonization at will.
"Ugh..."
Even now, with all his power mobilized, Prajna Great Power refused to manifest.
His energies remained misaligned, and the gathered force threatened to rupture his physical form from within.
Crack.
As his skin split and bones twisted under the tremendous internal pressure—
Ziiing!
Golden light finally shimmered forth as Prajna Great Power activated, perfectly aligning all his energies.
BOOOOM!
Simultaneously, the Heavenly Yin Ice Hall quaked as if collapsing.
The Peerless Tyrannical Might that had forced even Langya Pavilion's lord, the Human Demon Ak Mu-ryeong, to retreat—
Harmonization was about to be unleashed.
Flash!
Then lightning-like brilliance flickered through Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
'I mustn't use Harmonization here!'
Realizing a critical oversight, his body emitted—
Oooom. CRACK.
—grotesque sounds.
Prepared to sustain internal injuries, he immediately aborted the Power of Harmony.