Chapter 723
'This is what you deserve.'
Bu Eun-seol's sharp eyes flashed as he watched Wi Hyeok-gun retreat.
From the very beginning, he had never even considered victory.
There was no way Seon-u Jin, who had only just earned his place among the Four Gods and Seven Kings, could defeat the Sword Demon.
Not in pure swordsmanship, at least.
Even if Bu Eun-seol unleashed his signature martial art, he could never surpass the Foremost Demonic Sword, a man who had honed his blade for a lifetime.
That was why he had devised a single plan.
To secretly deploy the Water Essence Divine Qi and cripple his hand.
To use Jin Gak's teachings to land just one decisive blow on Wi Hyeok-gun.
—I won't let him walk away unharmed.
That had been his oath.
But if they had fought normally?
Unless he defeated Wi Hyeok-gun with everything he had, damaging the body of a peerless swordmaster of such caliber would have been impossible.
Fortunately, Bu Eun-seol had studied Wi Hyeok-gun's personality in detail.
The man harbored a fanatical reverence and pride for the Fire Rain Sword Sect.
Because of that, though he had earned the epithet of the Foremost Demonic Sword, he had never been able to become the sect's successor.
—All I needed was to create the slightest opening.
Bu Eun-seol had exploited that weakness.
Without aiming for victory, he had executed a plan to deal a fatal blow.
By shattering the prestige of the Fire Rain Sword Sect—the very thing Wi Hyeok-gun cherished most—he had created a flaw in his Sword Stroke.
And with the Water Essence Divine Qi, he had damaged the meridians in his forearm.
'I got lucky.'
Though he had meticulously laid out his scheme,
an unforeseen situation had arisen at the last moment due to the power of the Boundary-Prosperity Jade.
But in the end, he had seized the opportunity, and thanks to the earthquake that shook Poseok Island, he had been able to smoothly halt the fight.
If the earthquake hadn't occurred?
Wi Hyeok-gun might have fought to the death, and Bu Eun-seol would have been forced to unleash his signature martial art.
'Now, it's more or less resolved.'
As Wi Hyeok-gun and the forces of the Fire Rain Sword Sect departed,
the hidden gaze he had sensed since the start of the battle had completely vanished.
Whether it was the Demonic Heavenly Emperor himself or a subordinate he had sent,
they must have left convinced that Seon-u Jin was not Bu Eun-seol.
'I've become so different, even I can't control it. Of course they wouldn't recognize me.'
Because of the Boundary-Prosperity Jade, Bu Eun-seol's face twisted in pain.
The way he channeled his Internal Energy, even the hand techniques he used to execute his Martial Forms—everything had drastically changed.
Even if someone knew he could fly, there was no way they could possibly recognize him as Bu Eun-seol.
"You've worked hard."
Just then, a middle-aged man with a dignified appearance, who had been standing behind Bu Eun-seol the entire time, approached and offered his greetings.
It was Seo Muk, the deputy commander of the Divine Guard Unit.
"Though unexpected circumstances prevented you from defeating the Sword Demon, your reputation, Lord Seon-u, will now rise as high as the sun."
Seo Muk's expression was filled with goodwill.
Truthfully, he had not held a favorable opinion of Seon-u Jin before.
After all, the man had once rejected Baekri Mu-jo's offer to join the Star Guard Corps.
But after witnessing today's duel,
he had come to see Bu Eun-seol as a remarkable martial artist—one who never backed down, no matter the crisis.
Realizing that the level of his Martial Arts far surpassed his own, Seo Muk's attitude and tone had grown respectful.
"You flatter me too much."
Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands together.
"A defeated general who barely escaped the Sword Demon's blade with his life—how could such a man be called the sun of the murim?"
"Hohoho. Did you not wield the Martial Emperor's Martial Arts to toy with the Sword Demon using a second-rate sword technique? The righteous faction's masters who witnessed it couldn't help but marvel."
The outstanding masters of the righteous faction who had been on Poseok Island
had seen how Bu Eun-seol deliberately employed the Martial Emperor's Martial Arts and a second-rate sword technique to crush the Sword Demon's pride.
More than his defeat by the blade, they had been exhilarated by the greater humiliation inflicted upon him.
"It was merely a desperate measure. I couldn't muster the courage to face him head-on."
"Nonsense. The very fact that you confronted the Fire Rain Sword with such a technique proves that your swordsmanship, Lord Seon-u, has reached the Summit of Mastery."
Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly.
Risking his life to face Wi Hyeok-gun with a second-rate sword technique—while it had indeed been meant to provoke him and diminish the might of his blade—
it had also been, as Seo Muk said,
a declaration to the world that his swordsmanship had reached a level where he was no longer bound by form or style.
Only then, regardless of victory or defeat,
would the Demonic Heavenly Emperor have no choice but to acknowledge him.
KRRRUMBLE—
Suddenly, Poseok Island trembled violently once more.
Seo Muk quickly gestured toward the ships.
"It truly seems the island is about to sink. We must leave at once."
Bu Eun-seol nodded and followed behind him.
As the two men and the Martial Alliance troops departed Poseok Island,
[Was that man also one of the One Hundred and Eight Stars?]
A strange voice echoed across the now-empty Poseok Island.
It was a voice like the howl of a demon crouching in the darkness.
[So that's why he was strong.]
The voice drifting from the desolate island had not only discerned that the earthquake had been caused by the energy emanating from Bu Eun-seol's body—
But it also seemed to have realized why Seon-u Jin, who had barely spent a year since opening the Martial Emperor's Secret Vault,
Could fight the Sword Demon on equal footing.
[I'll have to revise my evaluation of him.]
With those final words, the voice that had shaken Poseok Island quietly faded away.
Was this, too, part of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's arrangements?
Just as Bu Eun-seol had anticipated,
Thanks to this confrontation with the Sword Demon, the countless factions that had been watching him
Would, from this day onward, withdraw their suspicions regarding Seon-u Jin's true identity.
But in stark contrast, there was one person who had been deeply shaken—
None other than Gongson Dan-gyeong, who had secretly observed the duel.
Clack, clack.
Her eyes had turned as cold as ice as she boarded the carriage to leave Poseok Island.
'Had he been deceiving me all this time?'
Gongson Dan-gyeong was in a state of shock.
It was an utterly unbelievable truth.
Had she not seen the irrefutable evidence with her own eyes—she would never have believed it.
She knew exactly why the sudden earthquake had struck Poseok Island.
Because she had experienced the same thing in her childhood.
She knew why that light and tremor had occurred.
'The Heavenly Favor Star.'
In the past, the Jungson Clan had abducted children suspected of being the Heavenly Mechanism Star, attempting to force their power to manifest.
But when they failed to find the Heavenly Mechanism Star, they made the children slaughter one another.
And the child who lost to her—Hwasu—was dragged away like a pig to the slaughter.
Faced with death, Hwasu unleashed the latent power of the One Hundred and Eight Stars and resisted them.
'A radiant light spread in all directions, shaking the entire Jungson Clan.'
If what she had seen was not an illusion—
The power that had surged from Seon-u Jin's body was undoubtedly the same energy Hwasu had wielded—the Heavenly Favor Star's power.
'Hwasu, who lost her memories, survived and became part of the Yang Seol Family... And now, Lord Seon-u is using that power.'
A chill ran down Gongson Dan-gyeong's spine.
'Then Lord Seon-u... is one of the Jungson Clan.'
There was only one reason the Jungson Clan had gone to such lengths to find the Heavenly Mechanism Star—
They possessed a method to steal the power of the One Hundred and Eight Stars.
Meaning, if Seon-u Jin was using the Heavenly Favor Star's power—
He might very well be one of the Jungson Clan, having killed Yang Seol-rin and stolen her power.
'Hwasu.'
Gongson Dan-gyeong's gaze darkened.
In the past, she had tried to capture a member of the Yangseol Family who had entered the martial world, hoping to locate the Jungson Clan's hideout.
But that person turned out to be Hwasu—the same girl who had been abducted alongside her—living under the name Yang Seol-rin, her memories erased.
'Could Lord Seon-u have killed her and all of the Yangseol Family's escorts?'
In the past, she would have dismissed such a possibility as impossible.
But now she knew.
Given Seon-u Jin's martial prowess, it was entirely possible—even for him to cut down the Yangseol Family's members.
'After all, he matched the Sword Demon.'
The Foremost Demonic Sword had long since shaken the martial world, and Seon-u Jin was strong enough to fight him to a standstill.
Killing Yang Seol-rin and her escorts would not have been beyond him.
'If he truly is one of the Jungson Clan—'
Resentment swirled in Gongson Dan-gyeong's eyes.
She had trusted him, in her own way.
But if he was one of the Jungson Clan—those who could steal the power of the One Hundred and Eight Stars—
Then she could never forgive him.
'I'll kill him without fail.'
She vowed to strip away every layer of Seon-u Jin's mask—and then silence him for good.
"The Sword Demon and the Sword King could not determine a victor!"
As the outcome of the duel on Poseok Island spread rapidly through the martial world, the public was stunned.
The rising star, Sword King Seon-u Jin—
Had fought the Sword Demon, whose reputation was beyond reproach, to a draw without a decisive outcome?
"Had the earthquake not interrupted the duel... Seon-u Jin would have become a wandering spirit beneath the Sword Demon's blade!"
Many elite masters from both the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions had witnessed the duel, evaluating the two fighters with cold precision.
What was truly strange, however, was Wi Hyeok-gun's reaction.
Given his temperament—one that knew neither tolerance nor compromise, one that fiercely guarded the Fire Rain Sword Sect's honor—
Even if Seon-u Jin refused,
It was expected he would demand a rematch, reasserting his supremacy as the Foremost Demonic Sword.
Yet he remained tight-lipped, refusing to even mention the duel on Poseok Island.
"Is the Fire Rain Sword Sect preoccupied with other matters?"
"Well, considering the bloodbath they left behind, one could argue the duel was settled decisively enough."
The spectators were divided in their opinions.
But when Wi Hyeok-gun showed no particular reaction, their interest quickly waned.
"We've arrived now."
Before long, Bu Eun-seol had returned to the Martial Alliance alongside Seo Muk.
During their journey back, Seo Muk had treated Bu Eun-seol with exceptional courtesy.
In the past, he had clashed with the Sword Demon several times, and had once been soundly defeated.
Yet now, this young man, Bu Eun-seol, had fought the Sword Demon to a standstill.
To Seo Muk, it felt as though his past defeats had been avenged, filling him with immense satisfaction.
"Hall Master, let's share a drink sometime."
As they parted ways at the Seongwigak, Seo Muk spoke with a reluctant expression.
Though there was a difference in age, Bu Eun-seol was both the Chief of the Secret Intelligence Bureau and a high-ranking official who held the Clear-Heart Command Token.
In terms of authority, he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with even the heads of divisions—
Seo Muk believed he was more than worthy of such companionship.
"Call on me anytime."
"Hahaha. Consider it a promise, then."
Seo Muk laughed heartily, clasping his hands together in a friendly gesture.
"Then."
"Take care on your way back."
Bu Eun-seol returned the courtesy, and Seo Muk left in high spirits.
Watching his retreating figure, Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath and immediately headed for the Jeoljeonggak.
As he stepped inside, all the unit members, including Tae Mu-ryong, rushed to greet him.
"Hall Master!"
"You've worked hard!"
Their faces were brimming with pride.
Since Bu Eun-seol had taken his time returning to the Martial Alliance with Seo Muk by boat and carriage,
by the time they arrived,
news of the decisive battle at Poseok Island had already spread like wildfire throughout the martial world.
The sudden surge in fame meant that the label of "rising star" now clung to Seon-u Jin.
But regardless of the battle's outcome, the mere fact that he had fought the Sword Demon to a draw was a monumental achievement.
From now on, no one in the martial world would dare underestimate him.
"Judging by your expression, Bureau Chief, it seems things went according to plan."
As Tae Mu-ryong smiled, Bu Eun-seol gave a slight nod.
"Without anyone noticing, I used the Water Essence Divine Qi to damage the meridians in his forearm."
Then, with an utterly indifferent expression, he added,
"For at least four or five years—perhaps even a decade—he won't be able to think of crossing swords with anyone."
The unit members' jaws dropped.
To secretly damage the meridians of Wi Hyeok-gun, the Foremost Demonic Sword, in front of countless masters?
Did that mean he had already reached the same level as the Three Demons and Three Honored Ones?
"It was only possible because I targeted his forearm exclusively. Had we truly clashed swords, I would have lost."
Sensing their thoughts, Bu Eun-seol calmly explained.
"Moreover, I've long known that the Sword Demon's temperament is extremely narrow-minded. He values honor and prestige above all else and reveres the Fire Rain Sword Sect as if it were his own life. In the end, I merely exploited that weakness."
Even with that explanation, the unit members' mouths remained agape.
Even if one knew of such a weakness—
how many in the martial world could actually render the Sword Demon a cripple?
A brief silence fell over the meeting room.
"Hmm."
It was Jeong Jong-do who snapped out of it first, clearing his throat.
"Ah, right."
He then handed Bu Eun-seol an envelope.
"A message from the Chief Inspector."
Lowering his voice, he added,
"He strictly instructed that no one but Hall Master should open it. It seems to contain highly confidential information."
Bu Eun-seol immediately opened the letter on the spot.
The Peak Realm Members were like family to him—there were no secrets between them.
"Hmm."
Upon reading the letter, he found its contents unexpectedly surprising.
"Is something wrong?"
When Tae Mu-ryong asked, Bu Eun-seol handed him the letter.
"She wants to meet secretly at Mudan Fortress."
Mudan Fortress was a ruined stronghold located dozens of li from Hagok, standing desolate in the middle of nowhere.
Yet in the past, it had been one of the most famous sites in the martial world.
Because it was there that the two strongest masters under heaven—the Twin Celestial Emperors of Righteousness and Demon—had clashed.
But though rumors of that battle still lingered,
no traces remained, and now it was a place no one visited.
So why would she suddenly summon Bu Eun-seol there?
"I have a bad feeling about this."
Tae Mu-ryong spoke in a low voice.
"Let me send some unit members ahead to scout the area."
"No need."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"The Chief Inspector and I have built a certain level of trust through our dealings so far. If we mobilize intelligence operatives for something like this and get caught... it would only undermine that trust."
"But summoning you to such a place without reason—"
Tae Mu-ryong trailed off.
His intuition told him that calling Bu Eun-seol alone to such a location couldn't possibly mean anything good.
Of course, Bu Eun-seol thought the same.
But there was no need to burden his subordinates with unnecessary worry. He could simply handle it himself.
"It's fine."
Bu Eun-seol's lips curled into a faint smile.
"If anything happens, I'll withdraw immediately. I'll also have the Death Soul Squad stationed nearby, so there's no need for concern."
"Understood."
With that final assurance,
Tae Mu-ryong bowed his head without another word.
Bu Eun-seol's mastery of his own martial arts was extraordinary—if he resolved to escape, few masters in the world could stop him.
Mudan Fortress.
In this desolate ruined stronghold, the Orthodox Heavenly Emperor and the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had once clashed during their prime.
Yet the battle between these two masters, who stood at the pinnacle of the Orthodox and Demonic Paths, had no clear victor.
In the end, no decisive outcome was reached.
Once it became known that Mudan Fortress was the site of their legendary duel, countless martial artists flocked to this place.
Not only did it hold symbolic significance as the first battleground between the two supreme beings,
but many also came in hopes of discovering traces of their martial enlightenment left behind.
Yet, astonishingly, there was not a single mark of their clash.
Not a single blade of grass or tree bore any sign of their fierce battle—no remnants of martial techniques, no scars of combat.
—Someone must have spread false rumors.
Disappointed, the visiting martial artists left in droves.
—Well, it makes sense. Why would the duel site of the Twin Heavenly Emperors be publicly known?
But the world remained unaware.
That the few masters of the Martial Extreme Realm who had secretly visited this place had all departed in shock.
The Twin Heavenly Emperors had not clashed through physical movement or martial techniques.
They had overlapped their Mindscapes, creating a new space, and fought solely with their Limitless Power.
—Terrifying.
The martial masters who witnessed the heights of their martial enlightenment reacted in two ways.
Some swore to surpass the Twin Heavenly Emperors no matter what,
while others, recognizing their own limits, left with reverence.
Whoosh.
Arriving at Mudan Fortress—a place unclaimed by any faction of the Orthodox or Demonic Paths—
Bu Eun-seol was greeted by a desolation so profound it felt as if the world's end had come.
He wandered the ruins, carefully observing his surroundings.
Originally, he had little interest in the Twin Heavenly Emperors.
He had never even considered visiting this place, though most martial artists made the pilgrimage at least once.
But now, these two supreme beings had become figures of immense significance in his life—and in his impending revenge.
Any location tied to them demanded his utmost scrutiny.
Flash!
But as Bu Eun-seol surveyed the area, his pupils suddenly sharpened.
'Something's wrong.'
Expanding his senses, he realized an intricate energy enveloped the surroundings for dozens of li.
Even without focused observation,
he discerned that these were the residual energies of multiple overlapping Ancient Formations.
To sense the presence of a formation from such a distance—
meant there weren't just a few formations here, but possibly dozens.
Swish.
Then, a woman clad in white palace robes slowly materialized before him.
Gongson Dan-gyeong.
"An impressive formation," Bu Eun-seol remarked, offering a word of praise.
"In all my travels through the martial world, I've never encountered one of this caliber."
Bu Eun-seol possessed extrasensory perception so acute he could detect an ant's movement from over three hundred yards away.
Yet he hadn't sensed Gongson Dan-gyeong's approach until she stood right before him?
The formations laid here...
possessed a level of power he had never before witnessed or experienced.
"The true terror of this formation isn't just its ability to disrupt senses."
A sharp glint flashed in Gongson Dan-gyeong's large eyes.
"It completely suppresses the dormant power of the One Hundred and Eight Stars within one's body."
As Bu Eun-seol observed her calmly, her gaze grew piercing.
"You don't seem surprised."
"Should I be?"
"Well, I suppose you predicted everything before coming. You always do."
"I'm afraid I don't follow."
Gongson Dan-gyeong's eyes narrowed like blades as she glared at him.
"Even now, do you still intend to deceive the Chief Strategist?"
"You seem to be under some misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding?"
Flames flickered in her pupils.
"You possess not only exceptional intellect but also silver-tongued eloquence—enough to persuade anyone, I imagine."
Her voice grew icy.
"But today, no matter what you say, you won't sway me."
"Are you afraid?"
"Excuse me?"
"You're afraid of being persuaded by my words."
Bu Eun-seol spoke evenly.
"If I'm to die, shouldn't I at least know why? Even the King of Hell would want an explanation."
Provoked by his jab at her pride,
"Fine."
Gongson Dan-gyeong instead curled her lips into a cold smile.
"Let's hear your answer."
After all, in this place,
a single twitch of a finger—
and even if it were the Sword Demon instead of Seon-u Jin, he would be buried underground instantly.
A blazing light erupted in her eyes.
"How you could possibly be the Heavenly Favor Star."