Chapter 726
"It's not simply a matter of connecting more strings."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"I crafted joint mechanisms to allow natural movement and reconnected the strings there."
The boy tilted his head with a puzzled expression.
"Then why weren't the puppets made this way from the beginning?"
"Creating multiple joints complicates the movements and increases the pressure on your fingers exponentially."
Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly.
"With this design, almost no one can properly manipulate the puppets. That's why they're not made this way."
"But it's much easier for me to move now! It's truly amazing!"
The boy exclaimed in wonder.
After Bu Eun-seol modified the puppet's joints, the boy could freely execute movements that had been impossible before.
"I can do it! I really can!"
With every flick of the boy's fingers.
The puppet replicated elegant motions flawlessly, as if a living Murim master were moving before their eyes.
Watching this, Bu Eun-seol gave a slow nod.
'As expected.'
Manipulating a wooden puppet involves lifting it or pulling and releasing its strings to complete movements.
But this boy went beyond that.
With his long fingers, he maintained the puppet's balance with delicate precision, controlling its speed and rhythm with masterful refinement.
Every motion flowed like water, seamlessly connecting one to the next.
"How on earth are you doing this...?"
The boy turned his head with a laugh, only to freeze.
Bu Eun-seol, who had been standing before him moments ago, had vanished without a trace.
"A... a ghost?"
But then the boy looked down at the wooden puppet still clutched in his hand.
The increased number of strings and the meticulously altered joints proved this was no dream.
"Did a Divine Spirit come to help me?"
Scanning the surrounding forest, the boy hastily bowed in every direction.
"Th-thank you!"
Then, with renewed excitement, he resumed practicing the puppet's movements.
—Wooow!
Cheers erupted through the marketplace.
The puppet show performed by the bald man Shim Heung and the boy began receiving thunderous applause.
Particularly impressive were the boy's manipulations of the Righteous Heavenly Emperor puppet—it moved with such life that it seemed a miniature Murim master had sprung to existence.
Even when Shim Heung's Demonic Heavenly Emperor puppet attacked with somewhat sluggish movements.
The boy blocked each martial form with precision so exquisite it was hard to believe even while watching.
It felt like witnessing an actual duel between supreme martial artists, drawing cheers and praise not only from the crowd.
But even from trained martial artists among the spectators.
"Ahahaha!"
After the show, Shim Heung burst into laughter at the pile of copper coins filling their basket.
He could scarcely believe it.
During his brief absence, the boy's skill had improved by leaps and bounds.
Someone had added new joints and strings to the boy's wooden puppet.
When asked who could have done such a thing.
—The Divine Spirit helped me!
The boy's nonsensical reply came, but Shim Heung hardly cared.
Not only could the boy now perform fluid movements previously impossible.
But he manipulated the puppet with even greater finesse than Shim Heung himself, despite decades of experience.
"My eyes weren't mistaken after all!"
Shim Heung shouted excitedly.
At this rate, they wouldn't need to wander from town to town—even staying in one place would draw endless crowds.
All that remained was sitting pretty on their pile of money.
"U-um, Master."
The boy approached Shim Heung hesitantly.
"Can I... have something to eat now?"
Clutching his growling stomach, the boy pleaded.
Whenever his puppeteering was lackluster or earnings insufficient, Shim Heung would starve him without fail.
For "failing to control the puppet properly," the boy had eaten nothing but corn porridge two days prior.
"Fine, eat."
Despite the substantial earnings, Shim Heung tossed the boy a single stale dumpling.
"Thank you!"
The boy caught the cold dumpling and began devouring it ravenously.
Just then.
Tap. Tap.
A tall, striking man slowly approached the alley where they rested.
Bu Eun-seol.
"Who goes there?"
Shim Heung hastily hid the coins he'd been counting and barked sharply.
"This area's reserved for our troupe. Ordinary folk shouldn't be wandering in."
Having reached the realm of Tranquil Stillness, Bu Eun-seol appeared to all as a frail scholar.
Carrying a fan with his sword concealed, he looked every bit the scion of a wealthy family.
"D-Divine Spirit?"
The boy startled.
"How did you—"
"Divine Spirit?"
As Shim Heung frowned, the boy explained.
"He's the one who fixed my puppet."
Then Bu Eun-seol spoke.
"You're this child's master?"
"That I am. What of it?"
"I'll buy him."
"Buy what?"
Bu Eun-seol pointed at the boy.
"I said I'll purchase the child."
"Hohoho."
Shim Heung stared blankly for a long moment before bursting into raspy laughter.
Abruptly cutting off, he glared with bulging eyes.
"You spouting nonsense?"
Then, pointing at the wooden puppets leaning nearby, he snorted derisively.
"Listen here. Do you have any idea how much I've spent raising that brat?"
He bellowed angrily:
"And how much money will he earn for me in the future? Such nonsense—"
Shim Heung couldn't finish his sentence.
Because before he knew it, Bu Eun-seol had already fanned out dozens of banknotes in his hand.
"Hmm."
Bu Eun-seol extended one of the notes toward him.
"A... a thousand taels?"
"Will this suffice?"
Shim Heung reached out with trembling hands to take the note.
But after taking in Bu Eun-seol's refined demeanor and expensive clothing, he puffed himself up again.
"Hmph, a mere thousand taels isn't enough to take my disciple—"
He fell silent once more.
Because before he knew it, the banknote before his eyes had doubled.
"T-two thousand taels?"
"Any higher, and even I can't help it."
As Bu Eun-seol turned to leave—
"Good heavens, the God of Wealth has descended upon us!"
Afraid he might change his mind, Shim Heung hastily snatched the banknotes from Bu Eun-seol's hand and groveled.
"Seeing as you know how to handle puppets, I take it you're in the same line of work? Hahaha."
Even if he performed puppet shows for thirty years, he'd never lay hands on such a fortune as two thousand taels.
He quickly shouted at the boy in the corner:
"Fool! From now on, you're to follow this gentleman."
"Master."
As the boy lowered his head, Bu Eun-seol asked Shim Heung:
"Are you certain it's fine to take your disciple?"
"Disciple? Pah! He's just a beggar I picked up because he had nimble fingers."
Worried Bu Eun-seol might demand the money back, Shim Heung glared and barked:
"Stop your nonsense and follow him at once!"
Despite the harsh command, the boy bowed respectfully.
"Farewell, Master."
But Shim Heung, as if devoid of conscience, impatiently waved him off.
"Master? Just go. Hurry up."
The boy bowed once more with quiet dignity before following Bu Eun-seol.
"What's your name?"
After leaving the marketplace, Bu Eun-seol's question made the boy flush with shame.
"Fool."
During all this time under Shim Heung's care—
He hadn't even been given a proper name, just worked like a dog.
"We have a long journey ahead. Let's fill your stomach first."
Bu Eun-seol took the boy to a guest inn for a meal.
He only ordered chicken noodles and side dishes, but the boy ate with repeated expressions of gratitude.
Clearly, under Shim Heung, he'd rarely had proper meals.
After eating for a while, the boy met Bu Eun-seol's gaze and immediately lowered his head.
"Forgive me, sir."
His fearful reaction to mere eye contact suggested prolonged exposure to brutal violence.
"Eat comfortably."
Though Bu Eun-seol's expression remained cold, the warmth in his eyes made the boy muster the courage to ask:
"But sir, why did you do that?"
"Do what?"
"You didn't need to pay so much. If you'd revealed your martial arts..."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes gleamed.
"You think I've trained in martial arts?"
"Aren't you a Murim practitioner, sir?"
Bu Eun-seol was slightly startled.
He had merely used a dagger to cut and rethread the puppet's joints—never displaying martial arts.
Moreover, having reached Tranquil Stillness, even masters of the Martial Extreme Realm couldn't detect his skills unless he revealed them.
How had this boy discerned his training?
"Why are you so certain I've trained?"
"I knew when you threaded the string."
Under Bu Eun-seol's piercing gaze, the boy awkwardly lowered his head.
"If you hadn't trained, sir, you couldn't have threaded through such a tiny gap in one try."
The boy possessed not only innate dexterity and finger strength—
But also extraordinary observational skills.
"The reason is simple."
Bu Eun-seol gazed at the distant sky beyond the window and spoke calmly.
"Because wicked men never understand satisfaction."
"Eh?"
The boy blinked, utterly baffled by Bu Eun-seol's words.
"Hmm."
After studying the boy's hollow stomach and gaunt cheeks, Bu Eun-seol suddenly stood up.
"That's enough. Get up."
The boy clutched his chopsticks desperately.
"P-please wait! I'll finish quickly."
Over half the noodles remained, and he hadn't even touched the side dishes.
"I said put down the chopsticks."
"B-but—"
Then, a cold glint flashed in Bu Eun-seol's pupils like winter stars.
"I detest repeating myself."
The firm tone left the boy no choice but to set down his chopsticks.
"Forgive me, sir."
Yet his longing gaze kept drifting back—
To the untouched noodles and side dishes still on the table.
Unmoved, Bu Eun-seol led the boy out of Chengdu.
After walking some distance, they reached a steep mountain pass.
The sharp incline left the boy gasping, his tongue nearly hanging out.
"Huff... huff..."
He watched Bu Eun-seol walking ahead.
Though his steps seemed leisurely, he moved far faster than an ordinary man—
Each stride precisely measured as if drawn by a ruler.
'With all that money, why didn't he hire a carriage?'
Bu Eun-seol had been holding dozens of banknotes when he handed over the payment.
He had spent the astronomical sum of two thousand taels to buy a mere beggar like himself.
So why, on this sweltering day, were they walking without even a carriage?
'They say frugality is the path to prosperity.'
The boy nodded to himself, recalling some adage he'd heard somewhere.
'The reason he became wealthy must be because thriftiness is ingrained in his very bones.'
Just as the boy, having convinced himself of this logic, was about to take another step—
"Aah!"
A scream tore from his lips before he could stop himself, his hands clutching his stomach.
A sudden, twisting pain had seized his insides, as if his guts were being wrung out.
"M-Master..."
His face pale, the boy staggered.
"P-Please wait just a moment. My stomach... it hurts too much."
Bu Eun-seol gave a slight nod.
"Rest here for a while."
"Uuugh... M-Master, I think I'm dying..."
The pain in his belly had escalated to the point where it felt like his organs were being ripped out by the roots.
Yet Bu Eun-seol remained unfazed.
"It's because you ate rich food when you're not used to it. But since you only had a small amount, it won't be serious."
'Huh?'
Only then did the boy realize.
The reason Bu Eun-seol had stopped him from eating even half of the noodles—
It wasn't to torment him.
He had known the boy hadn't eaten properly in a long time.
And to prevent any mishap, he had deliberately allowed only a small portion.
"Uuugh..."
Another wave of pain hit, and the boy doubled over, clutching his stomach.
about seven and a half minutes passed.
Slowly, the agony in his belly subsided.
Just as Bu Eun-seol had said, the pain faded without any treatment.
"Master, I'm better now."
But Bu Eun-seol didn't seem to hear, his gaze fixed on the distant sky.
After standing still for a long moment, he muttered under his breath,
"Seems this place will do."
"What do you...?"
Rustle.
From the distant thicket, dozens of burly men emerged.
"M-Master?!"
At the head of the group stepping out of the brush was none other than the boy's former master—Shim Heung.
"Heh heh heh. Not very surprised, are you?"
Shim Heung ignored the boy entirely, his hollow chuckle directed at Bu Eun-seol, who stood unmoved.
"Is this the confidence of a rich young master? You've got guts, I'll give you that."
Bu Eun-seol scoffed as he eyed the men behind Shim Heung.
"You used the money I gave you to hire assassins, I see."
"Correct."
Shim Heung grinned, his smile oozing greed.
"You had at least tens of thousands of taels in your pouch. A two-thousand-nyang investment is hardly a waste."
"Investment?"
Shim Heung curled his lip.
"Anyone who'd pay two thousand taels for a ragged beggar like him won't complain too much when I take all your money, right?"
"You mean them?"
"Of course."
Shim Heung smirked with confidence.
These weren't just any assassins.
He had stumbled upon a group from the Ghost Gate passing through the village and immediately hired them for two thousand taels.
"Fool."
Bu Eun-seol let out a derisive snort.
"Do you think assassins who butcher people like cattle would be satisfied with a paltry two thousand taels?"
He clicked his tongue as he studied the Ghost Gate killers.
"After killing me, they'll slit your throat to silence you and take every last coin."
"What?!"
Only then did Shim Heung sense the danger and glance back at the assassins.
They didn't refute Bu Eun-seol's words—only bared their yellowed teeth in grins.
The murderous glint in their eyes made it clear they fully intended to do just that.
"G-Gentlemen! Surely you wouldn't act as this man claims? You, who are renowned throughout the Martial World—"
Thwack!
The lead assassin backhanded Shim Heung with brutal force.
"Gah—!"
Teeth flew as Shim Heung crumpled to the ground, writhing in pain.
"Seems you've learned some martial arts."
The leader smirked, not even bothering to look at the whimpering man.
Thud. Thud.
He strode forward, his gaze locked on Bu Eun-seol.
"Judging by your stance, you picked up some trash techniques from a local dojo."
When Bu Eun-seol remained unflinching, the assassin grinned wider, yellow teeth glinting.
"You think we're just any killers for hire, don't you? That trash over there brought us, after all."
"..."
"Heh heh heh. We're the real Ghost Gate. We only approached because that fool was waving around thousand-nyang banknotes, asking the Black Syndicate thugs where to find assassins."
The leader's voice dripped with mockery.
"No need for long speeches. Hand over all your money, and we'll let you live."
Instead of answering, Bu Eun-seol wore a faint, enigmatic smile.
Watching this, the boy trembled as the full picture fell into place.
'So that's what it was.'
That young man had flaunted his wad of banknotes in front of Shim Heung for a reason.
Only now did the boy understand.
'He was creating justification... to slaughter them all.'
It dawned on him then—
Bu Eun-seol wasn't just a martial arts master of extraordinary skill.
He was a man who refused to act against even martial artists without proper justification.
A man bound by his own ironclad principles.
And so, he had dangled vast wealth to provoke Shim Heung's greed, luring him into attempting murder.
Now, he would deliver not the wrath of heaven—
But a punishment far more severe.
A punishment wrought by human hands.