Chapter 729
Swish! Swish!
The moment Bu Eun-seol sensed the unusual energy flowing from the Supreme Emperor's body, the circulating force of Thirteenfold Qi Induction protecting his vital points began rotating even faster.
'This is the last one.'
Deliberately, Bu Eun-seol had drained his Internal Energy to its limit, used up his strength, and pushed his physical abilities to the brink.
The Thirteenfold Qi Induction was not an all-encompassing shield.
Having barely grasped a single function of the Thirteenfold Qi Induction after grasping an insight into a single move, each activation consumed an absurd amount of Internal Energy and Mental Power.
Moreover, wasn't he currently posing as Seon-u Jin?
That was why he had deliberately provoked the Supreme Emperor into unleashing his signature martial art without delay.
Flash!
At that moment, a blindingly radiant light erupted from the Supreme Emperor's right hand.
In that split second, Bu Eun-seol realized one thing.
The Supreme Emperor had been continuously releasing Sword Qi accompanied by light.
That light could have been the unique Shockwave produced by his esoteric Internal Energy Method—or perhaps an invisible weapon.
Something like a glass blade, smooth and reflective.
But now he knew.
From the very beginning, the Supreme Emperor had been capable of unleashing formless, soundless Sword Qi—so refined it could sever even the sound of air being split.
'Which means he deliberately chose to unleash Sword Strokes accompanied by light...'
Bu Eun-seol's mind raced.
'First, to induce a specific reaction. Second, to strike with the speed of light itself.'
Whoosh—
In that instant, Bu Eun-seol halted his evasion and activated the Thirteenfold Qi Induction at full power.
Thud!
His body shuddered as though struck by a massive iron hammer—the light, carrying terrifying force, grazed past him at an angle.
Swoosh!
Simultaneously, a colossal Sword Qi shot into the distant sky.
'Such swordsmanship...'
A cold sweat drenched his back.
The Supreme Emperor had just unleashed an Annihilation Sword Form—a technique capable of shattering every conceivable human defense.
But because Bu Eun-seol had instantly discerned the nature of the Sword Stroke and stopped moving, the Sword Qi missed its mark, merely grazing him before soaring into the heavens.
[……]
The Supreme Emperor stood motionless, staring at Bu Eun-seol.
Only now did he realize that the young man he had dismissed as a mere fly was, in fact, an opponent he could never defeat without resorting to his signature martial art.
Yet this revelation brought him the truth he had so desperately sought.
[No...]
The Supreme Emperor murmured softly.
[They could never have nurtured a true martial artist like you in that place.]
"What do you mean by that?"
As Bu Eun-seol furrowed his brow, the Supreme Emperor raised his hand instead of answering.
Whirr—
The Sword Qi spread throughout the surroundings was swiftly drawn back into his body.
"Are you giving up?"
[Far from it.]
The Supreme Emperor's white silhouette floated upward into the void.
[We'll meet again.]
Leaving behind those cryptic words—
Flash!
—he ascended into the sky in an instant and vanished like mist.
Only then did Bu Eun-seol, who had maintained a composed and tranquil expression throughout,
Thud.
drop to one knee, gasping for breath.
'That was too close.'
Fortunately, this battle had allowed him to grasp a new function of the Thirteenfold Qi Induction.
However, the circulating Internal Energy protecting his body could not be generated indefinitely.
More importantly, the Supreme Emperor's martial attainment had surpassed all expectations.
Even if Bu Eun-seol were to unleash his full, unrestrained power, victory was far from guaranteed.
'And his Internal Power...'
It was said that the human body's limit for containing Internal Energy was ten Cycles.
Yet the Supreme Emperor had scattered Sword Qi across a radius of over a hundred zhang and frozen it in place—a feat even Bu Eun-seol, with his Internal Energy exceeding nine Cycles, could not easily replicate.
This suggested the Supreme Emperor had likely reached the ten-Cycle threshold.
"That's not what matters right now."
Swoosh.
Bu Eun-seol straightened his posture, a flash of light gleaming in his eyes.
"Supreme Emperor."
Crack.
His fist clenched tightly.
This battle had revealed an unbelievable truth.
"Were you... the Leader of the Baekri Clan?"
A glint of light flickered in Bu Eun-seol's eyes as he gazed at the distant sky where the Supreme Emperor had vanished.
The Sacred Sword, Baekri Mu-jo.
He had crossed blades with him as Seon-u Jin and encountered him again as Bu Eun-seol during his escape.
Not only that—in that life-or-death moment, his Langya Mind's Eye had surged to such heights that it instantly deciphered the Thirteenfold Qi Induction's functions.
Thus, he had sensed not only that the Supreme Emperor was concealing his signature martial art...
But also that the origin of the terrifying sword technique he had unleashed was none other than—
The Sacred Sword of Baekri Mu-jo.
"No, this shouldn't be possible even with the Langya Mind's Eye."
The shadow the Supreme Emperor had created lacked physical attributes, like a spirit.
It was impossible to perceive things like aura or presence.
And yet, mysteriously, Bu Eun-seol had sensed something from the Supreme Emperor's shadow that he had never felt before.
He had detected the Sacred Sword of Baekri Mu-jo.
"Then that too was a deception."
When he had crossed blades with the Supreme Emperor using the Bloody Tears Seven Forms in the past, what he had glimpsed in the final moment from the spirit body was the visage of a young man.
Perhaps that, too, had been yet another trick—to ensure his true identity would never be exposed.
"If he is the Supreme Emperor..."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"He is not the murderer who killed Grandfather."
And then he recalled the first time he had encountered the Supreme Emperor.
—Are you here to avenge Bu Jan-yang? Depending on your answer, your fate will change.
—In this realm, they are debating whether to kill you or not.
—To put it plainly, you must not die. On the contrary, you must survive to the end.
—If you can eliminate them... the Infinite Realm will never rise again.
—Survive to the end. If you do, you will meet someone beyond your wildest imagination.
—And you must obtain the remaining one of the Two Spirit Energies.
The Supreme Emperor had admitted—during their battle—that he had examined Grandfather's corpse and deduced the cause of death and circumstances.
And he had left behind these words.
If Baekri Mu-jo was the Supreme Emperor?
Then even if he were a spy of the Three Realms embedded deep within the Martial Alliance, he could never be Grandfather's killer.
"Hah."
A hollow laugh burst from Bu Eun-seol's lips.
Partly because he had realized that Baekri Mu-jo, whom he had been so certain was the murderer, was in fact someone entirely unrelated.
But more than that—because this revelation had led him to an even more shocking truth.
"The spies of the Three Realms weren't merely planted within the Martial Alliance..."
Bu Eun-seol voiced the assumption he had long held—yet desperately denied—until now.
"From the very beginning... the Martial Alliance was the Three Realms itself."
Drip.
The internal injuries inflicted by the Supreme Emperor seemed to flare up, and fresh blood trickled once more from the corner of his mouth.
But whether from shock or something else, he felt no pain at all.
"The Martial Venerable knew this... and that's why he sought strength from outside."
It felt as though all the tangled threads surrounding the Martial Alliance were finally unraveling.
"Yes, it must be so... Otherwise, how could the Number One of the Righteous Path, rivaling even the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, have been killed within the Martial Alliance's headquarters?"
This was something Bu Eun-seol had never been able to understand.
How could Jeong Cheon-je, the undisputed pinnacle of the orthodox factions, have met his end so quietly within the Martial Alliance?
But now, he knew the reason with absolute clarity.
Because the Martial Alliance was the Three Realms itself.
That was how it had been able to take root and thrive within the Murim for generations.
Thud.
Bu Eun-seol dropped to his knees.
Dizziness and nausea rose within him.
No wonder—even after ascending to the high-ranking position of Secret Intelligence Bureau Chief—even figures like Gongson Dan-gyeong, who ranked fifth, had never fully grasped the Martial Alliance's secrets.
No wonder there were so many shadow organizations embedded within the Martial Alliance...
Because the Martial Alliance itself was the headquarters of the Three Realms.
"Of course, this assumption could be wrong. But..."
He could think of no other explanation that fit so perfectly.
If so, then the reason the Martial Venerable had resorted to something as vile as the Poison Parasite—to keep secrets and bind him—was also because he knew the truth.
That the Martial Alliance was the Three Realms.
"That's why he said Grandfather's killer was one of the Seven Great Leaders."
In the end, Baekri Mu-jo was not the murderer—it was someone else.
"I suppose the Martial Alliance was always destined to fall, regardless."
Bu Eun-seol clenched his teeth.
In the end, the high command of both the Orthodox and Unorthodox Paths must have known—from the moment he first stepped into the Murim—that he was the grandson of Bu Jan-yang.
The son of Baekri Mu-ha.
Baekri Geom-ha.
Yet they had feigned ignorance, observing how he would grow—just like the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—all to manipulate him as they pleased.
"You won't get your way."
A flash of light erupted from Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
This incident had shattered his conviction that one of the Seven Great Leaders was Grandfather's killer.
Of course, he couldn't rule out the possibility entirely—he would continue investigating—but now, a new goal had emerged.
Not just the Seven Great Leaders.
He would tear open the Martial Alliance's shell and drag out the true core hidden within.
Yet there was one thing even Bu Eun-seol could never have guessed...
The Supreme Emperor he had once encountered in the past—
Had been attacked by someone, leaving his fate unknown.
Because he had provoked Baekri Mu-jo—
He had, ironically, been allowed to remain within the Martial Alliance for a long time.
Bu Eun-seol returned to the Martial Alliance.
He stepped back into the Pinnacle Pavilion, but the atmosphere was different now.
This was no place for ordinary Unit Members to stay. It was the maw of a beast.
He wanted to extract the Peak Realm Members from this place as soon as possible.
But he couldn't.
Because he still had revenge to carry out.
He had to expose every hidden organization and faction within the Martial Alliance—and find the one who had killed Grandfather.
'Forgive me.'
Bu Eun-seol gazed up at the Pinnacle Pavilion with weary eyes.
'Endure just a little longer. I will remove the Poison Parasites from your bodies and free you from this place as soon as I can.'
He had thought there were no more secrets between him and the Peak Realm Members—yet once again, he found himself forced to conceal the truth.
Perhaps the Martial Alliance itself was the headquarters of the Three Realms.
That was precisely why he needed to swiftly uncover the mastermind behind his grandfather's murder, remove the Poison Parasites from the Peak Realm Members, and extract them from this hellish place.
"It's been a while."
Just then, a low voice sounded from behind Bu Eun-seol.
Turning his head, he saw a man clad in white garments gazing at him with a faint smile—Mu-gyeol, the Martial Venerable's disciple.
"What brings you all the way here?"
Bu Eun-seol's heart grew heavy.
Now that he knew the truth about the Martial Alliance, he couldn't help but pity Mu-gyeol, the disciple of the Martial Venerable.
"It seems it's finally your turn to repay your debt," Mu-gyeol said, his smile lingering.
In the past, Bu Eun-seol had made an unreasonable request of Mu-gyeol—to approach Yuk Cheong-a in order to bring down Yuk Jang-cheon.
After much deliberation, Mu-gyeol had agreed.
Because he had subtly revealed that he did not walk the same path as the Martial Venerable.
And above all—
Because Bu Eun-seol had promised to fulfill any request Mu-gyeol made in return.
"Follow me."
Mu-gyeol led Bu Eun-seol to the Clear Radiance Hall within the Ten Thousand Reflections Hall.
Entering the office inside the pavilion, he touched an inkstone, and with a rumbling sound, a secret passage was revealed.
'People really are all the same, aren't they?'
Mu-gyeol, too, had prepared a hidden chamber within his office for confidential discussions.
Once inside, he wasted no time and cut straight to the point.
"What I'm about to tell you must remain with you alone. You must guard this secret."
Inside the hidden chamber, Mu-gyeol set aside formalities and spoke to him as an equal, like an old friend.
"You needn't worry."
"Don't answer so lightly. Because..."
Mu-gyeol's expression darkened.
"If this secret leaks, not only you—but every acquaintance and subordinate you have—will die."
Bu Eun-seol's gaze turned icy.
"So the master-disciple relationship here has grown so accustomed to threatening lives?"
"Is that how you see it?"
Despite Bu Eun-seol's scathing rebuke, Mu-gyeol's eyes remained earnest—even desolate.
"Let me say it again. What I'm about to tell you must remain with you alone. Guard it as you would your own life."
Mu-gyeol took a deep breath.
"If you can't swear to that, tell me now. I won't force you."
"Are you saying I can refuse your request?"
"Of course."
"Judging by your expression, you seem certain I'll agree."
"That's right."
Bu Eun-seol let out a hollow laugh.
"Should I be grateful you see me as such a man of honor?"
"It's not because I believe you're honorable."
"Then why are you so sure I'll keep my word?"
A sharp glint flashed in Mu-gyeol's eyes.
"Because you'd never pass up the chance to learn the Martial Venerable's secrets."
For a moment, Bu Eun-seol froze.
"What did you just say?"
"What I'm about to tell you is a secret between me and the Martial Venerable—one that no one in the Martial Alliance, no, in this entire world, knows."
Mu-gyeol paused briefly before continuing.
"Will you swear to keep this secret and repay your debt? Or will you leave now?"
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath.
After learning the truth about the Supreme Emperor—no, Baekri Mu-jo—he had already sworn to uncover the reality hidden beneath the Martial Alliance's facade.
And now, Mu-gyeol was offering to reveal one of those very secrets. How could he refuse?
"Very well."
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"I swear to keep what I hear here a secret. I will tell no one."
"Good."
Mu-gyeol spoke immediately.
"I am, in truth, the Martial Alliance Chief's disciple."
For a moment, Bu Eun-seol was speechless.
Wasn't it common knowledge throughout the murim that he was the Martial Venerable's disciple?
"You don't mean the Martial Venerable—but Jeong Cheon-je's disciple?"
"Exactly."
Bu Eun-seol's brow furrowed.
Mu-gyeol was known to be a disciple the Divine Calculator had taken in late.
But if he was Jeong Cheon-je's disciple—?
"Are you saying your martial arts surpass the Martial Venerable's?"
The Martial Venerable had achieved martial prowess comparable to Jeong Cheon-je himself.
There was no way Mu-gyeol, inferior to him, could deceive Jeong Cheon-je.
"Of course not."
Mu-gyeol answered calmly.
"There was never any deception to begin with."
His expression remained composed as he looked at Bu Eun-seol.
"I shed my own Internal Power to become the Martial Venerable's disciple."
Thud.
The words struck like a hammer.
Mu-gyeol, originally Jeong Cheon-je's disciple, had willingly shed his own Internal Power to conceal his identity and become the Martial Venerable's disciple?
Why would he do such a thing?
"The Martial Venerable is known to be sworn brothers with Jeong Cheon-je. How could he not recognize you, his disciple?"
"My master intended to make important use of me. That's why he never revealed my status as his disciple to anyone."
Mu-gyeol spoke with confidence.
"That's why even the Martial Venerable couldn't discern my true identity."
Bu Eun-seol took another deep breath.
"Why would you do such a thing?"
"Because otherwise, I could never deceive the Martial Venerable."
"You know that's not what I meant."
Under Bu Eun-seol's pressing questions, Mu-gyeol took a deep breath.
"I needed to uncover the truth about my master's death."
"The truth?"
"It's true that my master formed a sworn brotherhood with the Martial Venerable. But he always said that the Martial Venerable held misguided beliefs."
"What do you mean by that?"
Mu-gyeol exhaled slowly.
"To be honest, I suspect that the Martial Venerable may have been involved in my master's death."
Thud.
The shocking words that followed made the back of Bu Eun-seol's head throb in disbelief.
"Even if the Martial Venerable has fallen to the lowest depths, are you saying he's such a beast—so devoid of humanity—that he would kill Jeong Cheon-je, the sworn brother who sacrificed his own Internal Power to save his life?"
"I see you've heard stories about my master and the Martial Venerable from the Chief Inspector."
"That's right."
Mu-gyeol inhaled deeply.
"Correct. My master was like a blood brother to the Martial Venerable. But he always repeated the same warning to me."
His expression darkened with anguish.
"The Martial Venerable clings to misguided beliefs. His greed knows no bounds."
Bu Eun-seol fell silent.
The revelation was too shocking, and he needed time to digest and analyze Mu-gyeol's words.
"So you abandoned your Internal Power and investigated the Martial Venerable... based on that alone?"
"Of course not."
Mu-gyeol took another steadying breath.
"My master once told me that the reason he could govern the world and protect the Murim... was because he held the key to meeting a sage who could read Heaven's Will."
"A sage who reads Heaven's Will?"
Bu Eun-seol couldn't comprehend.
Wasn't the current Foremost Sage of the Murim none other than the Martial Venerable himself, the Divine Calculator?
"Obviously, my master wasn't referring to the Martial Venerable. He meant there was another person capable of reading Heaven's Will."
"But that's still nothing more than a flimsy lead."
Bu Eun-seol frowned.
"You discarded your Internal Power and became the Martial Venerable's disciple... just because of a single remark about his greed and some unknown sage?"
"Hear me out."
Mu-gyeol's voice grew deathly serious.
"Despite mastering the greatest Martial Arts of our era, my master always prepared for death. And he told me... if anything were to happen to him..."
His pupils dilated as if staring into an abyss.
"...to open the Spring and Autumn Annals kept on the far end of the second floor of the Ten Thousand Learning Bookstore in Kaifeng."
Mu-gyeol's face twisted in pain.
"But... when I went there, the book was gone."
"You think the Martial Venerable took it?"
"Most likely."
His reply was firm.
"After years of investigation, I discovered that the Martial Venerable—as the Divine Calculator—had visited that bookstore."
Only then did Bu Eun-seol understand why Mu-gyeol suspected the Martial Venerable.
The first person to discover Jeong Cheon-je's inexplicable murder had been none other than his sworn brother, the Martial Venerable.
Yet, without ever discovering the cause of death...
Under the pretense of protecting the Orthodox Murim, he concealed the truth.
The mere fact that he had been impersonating Jeong Cheon-je all this time was suspicious enough.
And now, the book containing his master's final wishes had been stolen—
If the Martial Venerable had been there... from Mu-gyeol's perspective, not suspecting him would have been stranger.
"But that's still just conjecture."
Bu Eun-seol, lost in thought, shook his head.
"Objectively speaking, even if the Martial Venerable holds misguided beliefs—even if he took that book—that doesn't prove he killed Jeong Cheon-je."
"True. Evidence is what matters most."
Mu-gyeol's voice hardened.
"That's why I called you here."
"What do you need me to do?"
Mu-gyeol suddenly said something unexpected.
"I've been observing you for a long time. To see what kind of person you are. Whether you could help me."
"..."
"You would never betray someone or reveal secrets. Nor do you crave power or fame."
A faint smile touched Mu-gyeol's lips.
"But most of all, I can trust you because... you would never side with the Martial Venerable."
His greatest fear had been whether Bu Eun-seol might align himself with the Martial Venerable—or follow a similar path.
After all, the Martial Venerable had also been obsessed with Martial Arts in his youth, reaching unparalleled heights early on.
And now, both of them wielded immense authority—
It was only natural to worry.
Those who hold power rarely let it go.
"How can you be sure of that?"
"If you were that kind of person, the Martial Venerable wouldn't have needed to leash you by threatening the lives of your Peak Realm Members."
The Martial Venerable's other identity was the Foremost Sage of the Murim.
A man of his stature had discerned Bu Eun-seol's weakness—loyalty—which was precisely why Mu-gyeol could trust him.
"Even without that, I would have believed you. Every action you've taken has been for revenge... or to protect those around you."
"..."
"I've said too much."
Mu-gyeol locked eyes with Bu Eun-seol.
"I want to recover that book my master left behind."
"You're asking me to kill the Martial Venerable?"
To steal a book kept by the current Number One of the Righteous Path—wasn't that essentially a request for his death?