Chapter 714
Martial Alliance, Supreme Summit Hall. Grand Conference Room.
Even after Bu Eun-seol became the head of the Secret Intelligence Bureau, the Supreme Summit Unit located in the North Gate Bamboo Grove remained unchanged.
What had once been a second-tier Information Warfare Unit had effectively become a senior organization within the Secret Intelligence Bureau.
Inside the conference room, all unit members, including Tae Mu-ryong, sat with grave expressions.
They had immediately convened an emergency meeting upon receiving the letter from the Demon Hall.
Bu Eun-seol remained silent, lost in thought.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor was absolutely not the kind of person who would ever apologize for such matters.
Nor was he the type to personally meet with someone like the head of the Martial Alliance's Secret Intelligence Bureau.
'In that case...'
Bu Eun-seol's pupils trembled slightly.
'Is the Demonic Heavenly Emperor suspecting that I am Seon-u Jin?'
The reason the Demonic Heavenly Emperor was summoning Seon-u Jin might very well be... because he doubted Seon-u Jin's identity.
If he truly intended to apologize and sought a resolution to this matter?
An unofficial request would have sufficed for a meeting.
Yet he had formally demanded a meeting with Seon-u Jin like this.
That could only mean he had taken measures to ensure Bu Eun-seol could not refuse the invitation.
"Chief."
Tae Mu-ryong, who had been silent until now, spoke.
"You must not accept that proposal."
His expression was deadly serious.
"He absolutely does not intend anything good by summoning you. At worst, he may try to pin everything on you."
Jeong Jong-do also nodded in agreement at Tae Mu-ryong's words.
"Didn't you say the Demonic Heavenly Emperor can manipulate a person's spirit and mind without even lifting a finger? We must first find a way to counter that technique."
"That's impossible."
Bu Eun-seol, who had been listening silently, shook his head.
"The Demonic Heavenly Emperor has publicly named me... There's no justification for refusal."
After taking a deep breath, he continued.
"Even the Grand Council has concluded that this matter should be resolved by meeting the Demonic Heavenly Emperor directly, leaving it to my discretion."
"But—"
"If I refuse this proposal now, I may be held responsible for the ongoing standoff between the orthodox and unorthodox factions."
After all, on the surface, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had extended an offer of peace and summoned Seon-u Jin.
Moreover, the Martial Alliance had already granted Seon-u Jin full authority to negotiate.
If he refused such a request?
From then on, all blame would fall on Seon-u Jin—no, on Bu Eun-seol.
"It was inevitable."
Bu Eun-seol spoke firmly.
"The higher one's position, the more one must clash with the leadership of both sides."
Then he added calmly,
"I will go."
"Alone? We should accompany you."
"The Demonic Heavenly Emperor can pierce through even the barriers of one's spirit and mind in an instant. I cannot even be confident in my own defenses."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head again.
"If you accompany me, my true identity will be exposed immediately."
All the unit members nodded solemnly.
If even Bu Eun-seol couldn't guarantee his safety... their presence would only lead to complete exposure.
"Even so, it's unacceptable."
At that moment, Jeong Jong-do spoke again.
"Rather than risk the Chief falling victim to the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's techniques, it would be better to refuse outright."
Even if rejecting the peace offer meant...
shouldering all responsibility for the conflict between the orthodox and unorthodox factions, at least his life would be spared.
But if his true identity was exposed before the Demonic Heavenly Emperor? There was no guarantee he would survive what followed.
"Don't worry. I'm not going blindly."
Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly.
"I've prepared a secret plan capable of thwarting the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's schemes. You need not be concerned about that."
"Truly?"
Only then did the tense expressions of his subordinates ease slightly.
Bu Eun-seol's wisdom was unparalleled in the world.
If he claimed to have devised a countermeasure, nine times out of ten, it would succeed.
"Indeed."
Bu Eun-seol nodded firmly.
A countermeasure certainly existed.
But the probability of success was not high.
Because before an existence like the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, even the best-laid plans could prove meaningless.
And secondly, he couldn't be certain whether the precious artifact he possessed would truly serve as a countermeasure.
"So there's no need to worry."
Concealing his true thoughts, Bu Eun-seol rose from his seat.
"Then I shall take my leave."
Swish.
Tae Mu-ryong and all the subordinates stood and bowed respectfully.
But Bu Eun-seol had already vanished.
Drawn by Snow-Cluster Horses, capable of galloping thousands of li in a single day...
The Eight Horse Carriage, reserved only for the highest leadership, departed from the Martial Alliance.
It was a carriage prepared by the Martial Alliance for Bu Eun-seol's journey to the Demon Hall to negotiate with the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
Clatter, clatter.
Sitting inside the carriage, Bu Eun-seol gazed out the window, lost in endless contemplation.
'This is a gamble.'
His fingers brushed over the object concealed within his robes as he took a deep breath.
'Yet, I have no choice but to stake everything on this slim chance.'
Man proposes, Heaven disposes.
No matter how meticulously one plans their schemes,
In the end, it is heaven that determines success.
No matter how exceptional one's wisdom may be, the future cannot be perfectly predicted, and events rarely unfold as intended.
That is why, to accomplish anything... a reckless challenge is sometimes necessary.
Just like now.
Clatter. Clatter.
The carriage, which had raced tirelessly for days, finally arrived before the gates of the Demon Hall in Changsha Prefecture.
Passing through the wide-open gates without hesitation, the carriage came to a stop deep within the Demon Hall.
Click.
As the carriage door opened, a somewhat gaunt and unremarkable-faced man stepped out.
He wore a white martial robe with two soaring phoenixes embroidered on the sleeves.
Around his waist was a cincture embedded with diamonds, and on his feet were expensive deerskin shoes.
This was none other than Seon-u Jin—the heir of the Seonhwa Merchant House, a young man who had ascended to the Seat of the Four Gods and Seven Kings, and now the newly appointed Chief of the Martial Alliance's Secret Intelligence Bureau, trusted by the Alliance Leader.
'In the end, this day has come.'
Bu Eun-seol's feelings were complicated.
He had anticipated that someday, he would visit the Demon Hall under Seon-u Jin's identity.
But he never expected that, immediately after becoming the Chief of the Secret Intelligence Bureau, he would be granted a private audience with the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
"Welcome."
As he stepped down from the carriage, he was met with rows of high-ranking officials from the Demon Hall. At the very front stood the Supreme Cult Commander, Yeop Hyo-cheon.
'Unexpected.'
No matter how high the position of Chief of the Secret Intelligence Bureau was,
To the Demon Hall's elite, Seon-u Jin was still nothing more than an unripe youngster.
Yet, astonishingly, the second-in-command of the Demon Hall, Yeop Hyo-cheon himself, had come to greet him.
"I am Seon-u Jin, currently overseeing the Secret Intelligence Bureau."
When Bu Eun-seol offered his greeting first,
"I heard you defeated both the Fist King and the Palm King in succession to claim a seat among the Four Gods and Seven Kings. Truly, you carry the bearing of a dragon among men."
Yeop Hyo-cheon smiled benevolently and nodded.
"I had thought the Martial Soul Lord, our Hall's successor, was the greatest prodigy under heaven... but today, it seems my horizons have been greatly expanded."
Though Seon-u Jin was far younger in age, he had come as an envoy of the Martial Alliance.
Moreover, given his high status as the Chief of the Secret Intelligence Bureau, the Supreme Cult Commander treated him with due courtesy.
"How could I possibly compare to the Martial Soul Lord?"
"Hohoho. Had he not been absent, it would have been a fine meeting. A pity."
There was something pointed in his words.
But Bu Eun-seol only smiled and replied,
"Indeed, a pity. I, too, have long wished to meet the Martial Soul Lord—the so-called 'Righteous Man within the Demonic Path.'"
The nickname 'Righteous Man within the Demonic Path'—
Was the most detested phrase among those in the Demonic Path who revered Bu Eun-seol.
Yet Yeop Hyo-cheon showed no outward reaction and merely nodded.
"You are too humble. Come."
With a composed smile, Yeop Hyo-cheon extended his hand.
"The Master awaits."
Then, leading the way, he guided Bu Eun-seol toward the Holy Demon Pavilion.
The path to the Holy Demon Pavilion was one he had walked many times before.
But Bu Eun-seol maintained the tense expression of a first-time visitor, his eyes constantly scanning his surroundings.
Even in the smallest of actions—
He could not afford to reveal that Bu Eun-seol and Seon-u Jin were the same person.
"Go on in."
When Yeop Hyo-cheon gestured toward the great gate of the Holy Demon Pavilion, Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands together.
"Thank you."
As he stepped inside, a palace beauty with skin as white as snow and hair coiled like clouds appeared before him.
It was none other than Jin Sang-hwa—Jin Seol.
'They're definitely suspicious.'
First Yeop Hyo-cheon, now Jin Seol.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor seemed to be deploying those capable of seeing through Bu Eun-seol's disguise one after another—
As if to unsettle his spirit and mind.
"I am Jin Seol, Upper Blossom of the Demon Hall."
"I am Seon-u Jin, Chief of the Secret Intelligence Bureau."
As Bu Eun-seol respectfully clasped his hands, Jin Seol gave a slight nod toward an attendant.
Immediately, a cup of tea was presented—West Lake Longjing, its aroma so clear it seemed to purify the mind.
"Please, have some tea first."
When Jin Seol politely offered the tea, Bu Eun-seol allowed a faint smile.
"Longjing is fine, but at this time of year, the White Cockscomb from Wuyi Mountain is exceptionally flavorful."
Glancing briefly at the Longjing tea, Bu Eun-seol let out a sigh.
"The White Cockscomb of this season is rich in taste, its fragrance carries far, and its smoothness coats the tongue like oil."
"You are quite knowledgeable about tea."
"I drink it often, so it's not so much knowledge as habit."
Jin Seol's expression remained placid as she nodded at the attendant.
At once, the attendant brought forth a new tea—precisely the Wuyi Mountain White Cockscomb Bu Eun-seol had just mentioned.
"Did you test me because you feared I wouldn't recognize the taste of tea?"
A hint of displeasure colored Bu Eun-seol's voice. Jin Seol lowered her gaze.
"Many in the orthodox factions blindly regard West Lake Longjing as the finest. Some even believe that failing to serve it would be seen as disrespect."
For a moment, Bu Eun-seol wore a dazed expression before suddenly bursting into clear laughter.
"Hahaha."
With laughter still lingering on his lips, he continued speaking.
"You're not wrong. Truth be told, many of our alliance's core members won't even touch tea unless it's Dragon Well."
Swallowing his laughter, Bu Eun-seol lightly lifted the teacup. Instead of downing it in one gulp, he sipped it slowly, savoring each taste.
It was a natural demeanor for someone raised as the successor of the Seonhwa Merchant House, where luxury goods like tea were consumed as casually as water.
Jin Seol waited until Bu Eun-seol had finished drinking before extending her hand.
"Please follow me. The Demonic Heavenly Emperor is waiting."
Instantly, Bu Eun-seol's expression darkened.
"So serving tea really was a test."
"If one cannot discern the taste of tea..."
Jin Seol replied with a polite yet firm expression.
"...then they are unworthy of a private audience and must be sent back."
It was clear—the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had instructed Jin Seol to serve tea, testing whether Seon-u Jin possessed discerning taste in selecting tea and whether he truly appreciated it.
"Wasn't it the Demon Hall that requested this audience?"
Bu Eun-seol spoke with visible displeasure.
"I don't know if the Demonic Heavenly Emperor is praised as the Number One of the Demonic Path, but to me, he is nothing more and nothing less than the Head Leader of the Demon Hall."
He referred to the ruler of a million demonic blades—the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—as merely the "Head Leader," and in front of Jin Seol, the Upper Flower of the Demon Hall, no less.
Yet Jin Seol only smiled faintly. Seon-u Jin's anger was entirely expected.
"I suppose so. Allow me to apologize on behalf of the offense caused."
She spoke calmly.
"This test was merely the Demonic Heavenly Emperor following my suggestion."
"What do you mean?"
"If an unqualified person were to have a private audience with the Demonic Heavenly Emperor..."
Her gaze turned as cold as ice.
"...their head would explode on the spot."
Jin Seol's voice was frigid.
"I simply wished to prevent such a thing. After all, it's rare for a figure from the Martial Alliance to visit our hall."
'So this is the true face of Upper Flower Jin.'
Jin Seol.
A woman renowned as the Flower Among Demons, representing the very essence of the Demonic Path.
From the perspective of a Righteous Faction member, she revealed a side entirely different from the one seen by the Martial Soul Lord.
Gulp.
Bu Eun-seol swallowed hard, his expression tightening as if biting back words.
This was the correct response for Seon-u Jin.
"This way."
At last, Jin Seol guided him to where the Demonic Heavenly Emperor waited.
'Not the West Gate.'
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor had always summoned him at the Holy Demon Pavilion's West Gate.
But now, he had been called to the office at the very top of the pavilion.
"Esteemed Martial Alliance Commander Seon-u has arrived."
At Jin Seol's words, the door creaked open on its own.
"Then."
Jin Seol turned her head slightly toward Bu Eun-seol.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside.
Thud. Thud.
With each step into the office,
Creak. Creak.
a clamorous noise rose from beneath the floor.
'Another test.'
Bu Eun-seol had entered this office before, summoned by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's command.
But back then, the wooden floor had not made such sounds.
If his gaze or physical reactions betrayed even the slightest abnormality now—his true identity could be exposed in an instant.
'So this is how it is.'
As test after test continued, Bu Eun-seol realized something.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor was not some god who could instantly pierce into the depths of a person's mind and read their thoughts at a glance.
Instead, through meticulous arrangements like these—
observing every subtle reaction, dismantling the barriers of one's spirit and mind—
he peered into their innermost thoughts.
'Looking back, it's always been like this.'
When he first met the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, he had been unable to conceal his gaze and expression.
The shock of seeing the Number One of the Demonic Path—a ruler of the world—bearing such an ordinary appearance.
Every word the man spoke had sent Bu Eun-seol's mind spiraling into chaos.
In later meetings, he gritted his teeth, struggling to overcome that confusion.
Even after developing barriers in his spirit and mind, he had constantly worried—
'Could he still see into my thoughts?'
'Even the Martial Venerable...'
The Martial Venerable had deduced vast amounts of information from a single phrase Bu Eun-seol uttered.
If that was the case, then the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—naturally superior to the Martial Venerable—must possess even more refined methods or wield far more profound means.
'No, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's ability isn't limited to just that.'
Even if he arranged minor tests to observe reactions, he was still the Number One of the Demonic Path.
A terrifying figure who could strike at one's spirit and mind without lifting a finger—he wouldn't rely solely on petty tricks.
"Hmm."
Finally standing before the office, Bu Eun-seol saw an elderly man of unremarkable appearance seated there.
There was nothing extraordinary about him—if anything, he even seemed kindly.
This was the man who ruled over a million demonic practitioners.
The Number One of the Demonic Path—the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, Sado Mu-myeong.
Gulp.
Bu Eun-seol swallowed hard once more.
This was partly because he had perfectly transformed into the persona of Seon-u Jin,
and partly because—despite having erected an impenetrable barrier around his spirit and mind through the Spiritual Aperture Breakthrough—
he still couldn't shake the uncertainty of whether he could truly deceive the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's gaze.
"Seon-u Jin, Chief of the Martial Alliance's Secret Intelligence Bureau, pays his respects to the Demonic Heavenly Emperor."
Steeling himself, Bu Eun-seol delivered his greeting with a demeanor both respectful and unyielding.
In that instant, a mysterious glimmer flashed in the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's eyes.
Then, as if the very air had been sucked away, the office seemed to shift into another world entirely.
"You've had a long journey. You must be weary."
His voice and expression were so composed, it was as if he were welcoming a long-lost disciple.
The Bu Eun-seol of the past might have struggled to maintain an expression of polite surprise and unfamiliarity.
But now, he went a step further, replying smoothly:
"Though this is our first meeting, Your Eminence feels strangely familiar."
A practiced, affable smile played on his lips.
"As if we've met somewhere before."
"I hear that often."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor chuckled in response, the atmosphere now resembling a casual chat with an elderly villager at the town's edge.
Yet, a chill crept down Bu Eun-seol's spine.
Every time the Emperor spoke aloud,
it felt as though another layer of his skin were being peeled away.
"Sit."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor gestured.
A reception table—one that hadn't been there during Bu Eun-seol's previous visit—was there.
As Bu Eun-seol quietly took his seat, the Emperor spoke again.
"Speak."
His voice resonated, shaking the stillness of the office.
"Tell me precisely what the Martial Alliance—and you yourself—desire."
"What I desire..."
The moment Bu Eun-seol opened his mouth, his voice nearly trembled.
This time, it wasn't just his skin—it felt as though the very scalp of his head were being flayed.
'This is the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's power.'
His instincts screamed in alarm.
This was no mere illusion.
The Emperor was undeniably using some form of force to peer into his innermost self.
Gritting his teeth, Bu Eun-seol focused his mind and swiftly replied:
"...An official apology from the Demon Hall, and a vow to prevent future incidents."
Drip. Drip.
Cold sweat trickled down his back.
Had he hesitated, lost in thought for even a second longer—
the Emperor's suspicion would have solidified into certainty, and he might have acted immediately. That much was clear.
"I've heard you dismantled one of our secret organizations."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor's voice cut through the air again.
Now, it felt as though his skin had melted away entirely, leaving only exposed muscle behind.
"By doing so, Chief Seon-u, you struck first against the Demon Hall. Yet you omit that from your demands. Why?"
Fortunately, this was a question he had anticipated.
Steadying himself, Bu Eun-seol answered calmly:
"Before joining the Martial Alliance, I once wandered the Rivers and Lakes... and encountered martial artists surrounding a village in the Dongting region."
With every word, it now felt as though his hair was dissolving, his scalp peeling back.
Still, he met the Emperor's gaze unflinchingly.
"They had the village under siege, slaughtering innocent civilians without mercy."
In the past, the Blood Enemy—a secret faction under the Supreme Cult Commander—
had once sealed off an entire village in Dongting to eliminate Dan So-ok.
Countless civilians had been killed or injured in the process.
Now, Bu Eun-seol was claiming that Seon-u Jin had been present at the time and witnessed the atrocity firsthand.
"Back then, I didn't know they belonged to the Demon Hall. I assumed they were just another indiscriminate band of assassins."
His eyes hardened.
"Later, after becoming Chief of the Secret Intelligence Bureau, I happened upon them during an inspection and dealt with them. Naturally, I had no idea they were a covert branch of the Demon Hall."
Then, staring directly at the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, he asked:
"Is that a crime?"
"Hohoho."
The Emperor's laughter sent a fresh wave of dread through Bu Eun-seol. Now, it wasn't just his skin—his very muscles seemed to be melting away.
'It's not working.'
One more word from the Emperor—or one more answer from him—
and he was certain every last barrier around his spirit and mind would shatter, exposing his true self completely.
"By happenstance... you say."
As the Emperor spoke, Bu Eun-seol's muscles finally dissolved entirely.
"There is no such thing as happenstance in this world."
At last, the sturdy shell cracked, and Bu Eun-seol felt his true form laid bare.
'It's over.'
Just as he was about to cry out inwardly—
Zzzing.
Something bizarre occurred.
A faint vibration pulsed from his chest, followed by a chaotic, twisting sensation—as though every fiber of his being was being violently rearranged.
'Ghk—!'
His organs writhed on their own. Blood vessels convulsed. Bones stretched and warped.
Even his brain, encased within his skull, seemed to shrink and expand in rapid succession.
It was as though his very existence—Bu Eun-seol—was being forcibly rewritten into another being entirely.
'It worked.'
He exulted inwardly.
The gamble he'd taken on the slimmest of probabilities had paid off.
'Thank heavens!'
The object nestled within his chest—
was none other than the orb Tang Pae had given him.
'The Boundary-Prosperity Jade.'
In that instant, Bu Eun-seol's mind flashed back to the conversation he'd had with the Demon Swordsmith at Langya Pavilion—right after parting ways with Tang Gon.