Chapter 744
'I was just about to look for her.'
Within Yeon-wol's memories,
Bu Eun-seol had finally been able to see the face of the mother he had missed so dearly.
And astonishingly, his mother's features bore a striking resemblance to Man-wol.
Ever since that day, Bu Eun-seol had gone to great lengths to find Man-wol. And every night, he would recall her face.
It was a longing akin to instinct.
Since she so closely resembled the mother he had yearned for so deeply, he had hoped to meet her again, even if only in his dreams.
But the pile of tasks he needed to handle had grown mountain-high, and no matter how much he mobilized his intelligence network, Man-wol remained unfindable.
Just as he had half given up inside, she had suddenly appeared?
Bu Eun-seol felt an impatience he had never known before.
Crack.
Having restored his original appearance, he drew up his internal energy.
Whoosh.
Then, the body of the fabric shop owner, tightly bound in metal coils, floated into the air—
Bang!
—before clinging to Bu Eun-seol's side as they soared upward together.
Whoooosh!
Moving as swift as lightning, Bu Eun-seol raced endlessly toward the southeast.
His extrasensory perception could only span a thousand feet.
But strangely, whenever Man-wol appeared,
even from dozens of li away, he could distinctly sense her presence.
Swish!
Standing atop a cliff in a remote mountain, Bu Eun-seol scanned his surroundings.
Though Man-wol's presence was palpable, her figure remained unseen.
Paaah.
He dispersed his Water Essence Divine Qi in all directions.
Rumble.
Then, the world rippled like waves—until, at the very edge of the cliff overlooking the vast expanse below,
the figure of a woman clad in red robes was revealed.
Her pale skin seemed to hold a faint glow, and her hair, reflecting the moonlight, swayed with the breeze.
Her pupils shimmered like stars in the night sky, and her lips glistened like soft pink roses.
Yet, her gaze and expression carried a shadow, exuding an infinitely subdued aura, like a flower blooming in darkness.
It was Man-wol—presumably the shrine maiden of Neither-Human-Nor-Beast.
"Miss Man-wol."
Even at Bu Eun-seol's call,
Man-wol remained silent, her long lashes lowered as she gazed at the world below the cliff.
"Have you been well?"
Bu Eun-seol's expression was filled with warmth and joy.
At this moment, his voice was the brightest,
the most affectionate greeting he had ever given a woman in his life.
"Do you not remember me?"
Only then did Man-wol turn to look at him.
Then, noticing the fabric shop owner floating behind him, she let out a deep sigh.
Sigh.
Extending a pale finger,
Slither.
the shop owner—who had been struggling against the metal coils—closed his eyes and quietly fainted.
"They're called Ghost Spirits,"
Man-wol said, looking at the unconscious man.
"Those who use the Art of Spells to turn civilians into Killing Ghosts."
"First Ghost Child, now Ghost Spirits."
Bu Eun-seol, who had been smiling brightly, exhaled deeply.
He had suspected as much, but indeed, they were sent by Neither-Human-Nor-Beast.
"If the Infinite Realm handled Ghost Child, then Ghost Spirits must be the responsibility of another faction within the Three Realms."
Man-wol gave a slight nod.
"The Azure River Realm."
"Azure River Realm."
For a moment, a thought flickered through his mind.
The Three Realms. There was something bizarrely interconnected about them—more than just opposing forces.
"Ghost Children were boys, yet they wielded tremendous power. Almost like the Demon-Binding Jade Men the Infinite Realm sought to perfect."
"..."
"And these Ghost Spirits—they easily dominate a person's spirit and mind using strange sorcery."
Bu Eun-seol frowned deeply, his voice low.
"As if the Azure River Realm is manipulating minds to create powerful warriors."
When Man-wol remained silent, he stared intently at her, eyes flashing.
"Then, the Three Realms aren't conducting this research to oppose Neither-Human-Nor-Beast..."
Pausing briefly, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"They're merely replicating what Neither-Human-Nor-Beast originally created. Aren't they?"
Man-wol didn't answer, but she nodded faintly.
Her expression seemed almost proud,
as if she found his relentless analysis of the relationship between the Three Realms and Neither-Human-Nor-Beast admirable.
"What is Neither-Human-Nor-Beast's true purpose?"
"..."
"The Neither-Human-Nor-Beast I met before referred to his affiliation as 'Heaven.' Does that mean Neither-Human-Nor-Beast is part of a larger faction?"
As Man-wol maintained her silence,
Bu Eun-seol pressed on impatiently.
"Fine. Then tell me about Ghost Child and Ghost Spirits. If the Three Realms are divided into three, are there other beings like them?"
When she still remained silent, Bu Eun-seol spoke decisively.
"If you refuse to answer, then as of today, I will halt everything and pursue only you."
"..."
"Had you not revealed yourself, it would be one thing. But now that you've shown your face, hiding again won't be so easy. I have the power to break through your Art of Spells."
Until now, Bu Eun-seol had always maintained courtesy toward women and had never acted unreasonably.
But with Man-wol, he made an exception.
"You're right about everything. Neither-Human-Nor-Beast is merely one faction belonging to the Human Heaven."
She let out a sigh as she spoke.
"And there is nothing beyond Ghost Child or the Ghost Spirits. All experiments are now reaching their conclusion."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
"What is this 'Human Heaven' you speak of? And what do you mean by experiments?"
"You'll learn the answers to those questions soon enough anyway."
Man-wol gazed at Bu Eun-seol with mysterious eyes.
"It may take some time... but you'll find out through someone close to you."
"Through someone close to me?"
Man-wol spoke like a true shrine maiden.
"Who exactly is this person?"
"I don't know either. Only that it will be someone near you, and soon."
Her voice was gentle, as if soothing a child.
"Don't be impatient. Wait. You'll surely learn everything you've been curious about."
"Just one more question."
Bu Eun-seol's expression turned deadly serious.
"Miss. Are you on my side? Or are you aligned with another faction?"
His eyes burned fiercely.
To an outsider unaware of the situation, his expression might have looked like that of a young man, overcome with passion, confessing his feelings to a woman.
"How innocent you are. Still."
Man-wol avoided his scorching gaze and spoke in a low voice.
"What does it matter? In this world, there are no eternal enemies or allies."
"..."
"Everything changes and shifts with time."
"I despise playing Twenty Questions. If you're going to speak, answer me clearly."
Rage flickered in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
But seeing her desolate expression, he found it impossible to stay angry.
"My apologies. I had no right to lose my temper with you, Miss."
"No. I'm the one who should apologize. I didn't come here to leave you with more questions."
Man-wol, who had been watching him, wore a lonely smile.
"I only... wanted to help you."
She glanced at the fabric shop owner and said,
"To save those captured by Ghost Spirits, you'll need the power of the Daoist Lineage."
"The Daoist Lineage."
"Yes. I came to deliver that message."
Bu Eun-seol frowned in confusion.
"Why are you helping me?"
"You always prioritize saving the innocent, don't you?"
Man-wol replied.
"Killing Ghost Spirits isn't particularly difficult. But you—you think first about how to rescue the civilians they've taken."
Was it because she was a shrine maiden?
As if she had witnessed everything from the sidelines, Man-wol saw straight through Bu Eun-seol's inner thoughts.
"How do you know that?"
"Anyone could tell just by looking, couldn't they?"
She pointed at the unconscious fabric shop owner lying on the floor.
"You could have ended this with a single finger. Yet you've been trying desperately to restore them to their original state."
For the first time, Man-wol's smile was not dark but bright.
But Bu Eun-seol's face, in contrast, grew deeply shadowed.
'Is there any point in dragging this out further?'
Man-wol clearly knew secrets he was unaware of.
And truthfully, he was exhausted.
He still hadn't glimpsed all the Abysses within Murim.
They were like riddles with no end, no matter how much he unraveled them.
Unless he solved them all—
His revenge had already begun to feel like a distant dream.
'She's likely affiliated with the Demonic Cult.'
What if he resorted to force?
If he captured or restrained Man-wol—
Couldn't he make her spill everything she knew?
If he used his power just once—
Wouldn't he uncover all the secrets?
Clench.
Bu Eun-seol tightened his fist, then shook his head.
'How could I even consider that?'
But he couldn't do it.
Man-wol had done nothing evil—she had appeared suddenly and was helping him.
And she had kindly told him that, in time, he would learn everything.
How could he possibly use force against her, demanding she reveal all her knowledge?
"Miss."
In the end, Bu Eun-seol offered a bitter smile.
"You know what? The whole time I've been looking at you, I've been hesitating."
"..."
"Thinking—what if I detained you and tore open all those damnable secrets, all those abysses I'm sick of? What then?"
His gaze, fixed on empty space, grew hollow.
"I know."
Man-wol's expression was gentle, as if consoling him.
"I know how exhausted you are. How long you've been wandering back through time."
Bu Eun-seol was startled.
Having reached the Spiritual Aperture Breakthrough, even the Number One of the Demonic Path wouldn't be able to penetrate.
Had she shattered the barrier of his spirit and mind, peered inside?
"Can you see into my thoughts?"
"Of course not."
Man-wol's starlit eyes shimmered as she gazed at Bu Eun-seol.
"It's just... your expressions are far too telling."
"..."
"As if your heart is laid completely bare."
Bu Eun-seol was stunned.
When he thought about it, he had always maintained an expressionless facade, never once revealing his emotions.
But looking back... in front of Man-wol, he had constantly let his feelings show.
When something astonishing happened, his eyes would widen, or he'd react with unrestrained intensity.
His voice always carried emotion.
"My words may sound strange to you. No, you might not believe me. But I am not the kind of person who easily reveals his emotions."
Bu Eun-seol wanted to explain, to ensure she didn't misunderstand his nature.
But the moment he opened his mouth to speak—
He could vividly feel the tangled mess of his emotions spilling out.
"I understand."
Man-wol nodded gently.
"Then I'll take my leave."
As she turned to go, Bu Eun-seol urgently called out.
"Miss. May I ask one more thing?"
When Man-wol turned back, he asked with the utmost solemnity.
"Saha Manor. Do you know of that place?"
Her large eyes blinked slowly before she shook her head.
"I don't."
"You may not know the name."
Bu Eun-seol spoke quickly.
"The Murim's First Beauty, Baekri Mu-ha—do you know anything about the manor where he hid his identity in seclusion? Or about his death?"
Man-wol thought for a long moment before shaking her head again.
"Other than the fact that Baekri Mu-ha was a person of the Baekri Clan..."
"I see."
Bu Eun-seol forced a smile.
The resemblance she bore to his mother—
He had wondered if there might be blood ties or some other connection between them.
But it seemed their faces were merely similar by some extremely improbable coincidence.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For telling me that, in time, I would learn the whole truth."
Bu Eun-seol wasn't the type to indulge in hopeful speculation.
But for the first time, he wanted to believe—
Her sweet prophecy.
"I'll take my leave first."
Bowing slightly, Bu Eun-seol lifted the unconscious fabric shop owner into his arms.
Then, in a single motion, he unleashed his movement technique and vanished into the distant sky.
Man-wol watched the direction he had disappeared with a vacant gaze,
"...I'm sorry."
She murmured in an almost inaudible voice.
Then she, too, dissolved into a radiant aura of light.
The Wudang Sect had long realized that a dark cloud loomed over the martial world, and so they diligently trained their disciples,
steadily amassing strength in preparation.
But as it turned out, the forces stirring chaos in the martial world had roots deeper than Wudang's own history, lurking endlessly in the abyss.
Not only that, but these factions were diverse, each pursuing entirely different goals.
—This time, an entity called the Ghost Spirits has been discovered.
Amidst this, astonishing news reached Wudang.
The Martial Soul Lord of the Demon Hall, Bu Eun-seol, had secretly contacted the Wudang Sect.
In the past, through Wudang's intervention,
he had helped rebuild the Beggars' Sect after its sealing, and when annihilating the Cheonhye Yakrim, he hadn't sought personal gain—
Instead, he had greatly preserved the dignity of the Righteous Faction.
Of course, this wasn't to curry favor with the orthodox sects, but rather the result of his efforts to minimize harm to civilians.
—The Martial Soul Lord. He can be trusted.
Wudang knew well that Bu Eun-seol possessed the temperament of a Renowned Hero and had consistently defended the martial world from malevolent forces.
So when such a man reached out in secrecy, they couldn't afford to ignore it.
—To save civilians captured by Ghost Spirits, we must infuse them with Daoist Lineage internal power.
Having received Man-wol's advice, Bu Eun-seol immediately sought out a nearby Daoist temple.
But the Daoists in the village had neglected their training, their internal power impure.
Thus, in the end, he had to seek out a Wudang-trained Daoist to barely manage expelling the Evil Qi from the fabric shop owner.
—We welcome aiding civilians at any time. However...
The Wudang Sect, upon receiving his message, expressed reluctance.
—We cannot openly collaborate with the Demon Hall.
No matter how noble the cause,
their paths were fundamentally different, their positions irreconcilable.
If Wudang were to comply with Bu Eun-seol's request?
They would be branded as a sect conspiring with the Demonic Path.
—Instead, we will dispatch Song-ak to investigate the matter.
After much deliberation, Wudang sent a reply under the name of Daoist Master Yeong-cheong, the Daoist Master Jang Gyo.
—Song-ak has cultivated the Jade Dew True Qi. For expelling Evil Qi, his abilities should suffice.
As a figure widely regarded as the next sect leader, Song-ak had mastered the Jade Dew True Qi—one of Wudang's supreme Daoist secret arts.
—And if our disciples uncover any definitive information, then Wudang can step forward without hesitation, no?
If Song-ak were to personally uncover the exact nature and forces behind the Ghost Spirits,
the Wudang Sect would gain justification to intervene.
By sending Song-ak into the martial world, the Wudang Sect had found an indirect way to assist Bu Eun-seol.
Thud. Thud.
Deep in the mountains, two young men walked side by side.
They appeared to be wandering merchants peddling miscellaneous goods, each carrying a large bundle strapped to their backs, laden with various wares.
But in truth, the two men held the status of young grandmasters representing the Demonic Path and the Righteous Faction.
They were none other than Seol-so—Bu Eun-seol in disguise—and Song-ak.
Bu Eun-seol had met Song-ak through the Bullet King's suggestion.
And since he had previously visited the Wudang Sect under the alias Seol-so to resolve their strange incident,
he could now disguise himself as Seol-so without hesitation in front of Song-ak.
Thud. Thud.
As he walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Bu Eun-seol, deep furrows formed between Song-ak's brows.
"Haa..."
Even as they moved, he repeatedly gasped for breath.
His forehead was drenched in sweat, and his complexion was ashen, as if he hadn't slept for days.
"This is truly not easy."
Song-ak sighed and muttered under his breath.
It had been ten days since he left Wudang Mountain to travel the martial world.
During that time, Bu Eun-seol had mobilized intelligence networks to track down and eliminate the Ghost Spirits,
while Song-ak had treated the civilians who had turned into Killing Ghosts.
Following Man-wol's advice, he found that simply infusing them with Jade Dew True Qi could eradicate the Evil Qi that had invaded their bodies.
But whether the number of Ghost Spirits was increasing or not, those corrupted by Evil Qi had sharply multiplied.
And so, they had ultimately begun traveling together like this.
"You've endured much hardship."
Bu Eun-seol observed Song-ak's exhaustion and pulled out a small medicine bottle from his robes.
Inside were numerous Blood-Life Divine Pills, capable of replenishing qi vessels and restoring internal energy.
"Care to take one?"
"No need."
With a weary face, Song-ak retrieved a Spirit Pill from his own robes and swallowed it.
"Daoist Master Jang Gyo has already generously supplied me with our sect's Spirit Pills."
Yet his pallor did not improve.
While the Spirit Pill could restore his internal energy, it could not recover the stamina and mental power he had expended in using it.
Even so, Song-ak pressed on without complaint—
driven solely by his single-minded determination to save the civilians, pushing forward as if forgetting his own fatigue.
"I wonder when we'll finally catch the vile mastermind behind all this."
At Song-ak's words, Bu Eun-seol gazed at the distant sky.
"The masters and mercenaries of the Martial Soul Society are tracking their traces. We'll find them soon."
Officially, it was not the Demon Hall but the Martial Soul Society that was pursuing the Ghost Spirits.
Not only could any misunderstanding about the Wudang Sect colluding with the Demon Hall cause trouble,
but deploying the Demon Hall's troops for this matter might provoke fierce backlash from the Demonic Path.
Above all, the Martial Soul Society needed to expand its influence in the martial world.
Resolving this incident—
would be an excellent opportunity for the Martial Soul Society, a coalition between orthodox and heterodox factions, to stand tall once more.
"So in the end, it really is the Lord moving the Martial Soul Society."
Song-ak chuckled faintly.
"You denied it before, didn't you?"
Officially, the Martial Soul Society had drawn a clear line, declaring no connection to Bu Eun-seol.
But from what he could see now, it seemed the Martial Soul Society was moving precisely as Bu Eun-seol intended.
"Not at all."
Bu Eun-seol replied firmly.
"The Martial Soul Society was created to protect the martial world. I merely requested their aid."
"Must you keep up the act even with me? Speak honestly."
But no further answer came.
Song-ak, as if his enthusiasm had cooled, turned his gaze to the distant sky.
"Ah, come to think of it..."
As if suddenly remembering something, Song-ak sniffed and spoke.
"Was it really necessary to kill those Ghost Spirits so brutally?"
Bu Eun-seol furrowed his brows, and Song-ak continued.
"I know they committed heinous acts, but was there truly a need to slaughter them so indiscriminately?"
Over these ten days, Bu Eun-seol had hunted down the Ghost Spirits who infused civilians with Evil Qi—
and without an ounce of mercy, had taken their lives.
Though Wudang was not as strictly non-lethal as Shaolin, which upheld compassion as its foundation,
it still emphasized restraint in killing and focused on reforming evildoers.
Yet Bu Eun-seol had been cutting down every Ghost Spirit he encountered with ruthless brutality,
and Song-ak, forced to watch impassively, couldn't help but feel somewhat dissatisfied.
"Lord. Setting aside our positions, may I offer you a piece of advice—human to human?"
Over these ten days of traveling together, Song-ak had realized—
that despite Bu Eun-seol's cold expression, his heart was neither callous nor lacking in compassion.
And so, he had begun to wish to grow closer to him on a personal level.
"I suppose I'm also a bit older, after all."
Song-ak spoke with a warm expression, but—
"I decline."
Bu Eun-seol turned his head away coldly.
Undeterred, Song-ak approached with an easygoing manner and spoke in a coaxing tone.
"I know well that you do good deeds and show no mercy to evildoers. But even they were not born wicked."
With the solemnity of a schoolmaster instructing a child, he continued earnestly.
"Have you ever heard of the phrase 'a heart of compassion'?"
Bu Eun-seol wrinkled his nose in displeasure.
Yet even as his slightly raised eyebrows betrayed his irritation, Song-ak only grinned wider, flashing his white teeth.