Chapter 756
Thud.
Thick veins bulged across Bu Eun-seol's body.
The effects of Heaven's Joy and Earth's Delight were coursing through him like madness. In his mind, only Yu Baek's dizzyingly beautiful face and figure remained, seared into him like a Fire Brand.
Shuffle, shuffle.
With languid movements, Yu Baek slowly approached him.
It was an irresistible, intoxicating temptation.
Moreover, his body had stiffened rigidly from the lingering aftermath of her kiss.
His first kiss.
That sweet, tender sensation left a long-lasting echo in his senses.
He wasn't poisoned by the aphrodisiac.
He was spellbound—ensnared by Yu Baek's ethereal beauty and the sweetness of her lips.
Straightening up.
Finally, as she stepped right before him, he could see her eyes—pure and beautiful beyond compare.
Within those black pupils, an inexpressible sorrow and indescribable beauty swirled together.
Her face, pale as marble under the moonlight, trembled slightly, her lips quivering. Now that he looked closely... she, too, was afraid.
—I'm sorry.
The subtle shifts in Yu Baek's eyes beneath the light seemed to whisper those words.
'So that's how it was.'
Seeing the sorrow beneath her breathtaking gaze, Bu Eun-seol snapped back to his senses as if doused in ice water.
Her eyes looked as though they held the pain of all the years she had spent in Heartless Blood.
Just as Yu Baek was about to collapse into his arms—
"Useless."
A bloody light erupted from his eyes as his scattered Internal Power surged back.
"No aphrodisiac in this world can affect me."
CRACK!
At the same time, an enormous Shockwave exploded outward from his body.
A scorching Hot Wind rose like a volcanic eruption, flames blooming in its wake.
He was summoning Hot River Great Essence True Qi to incinerate every trace of Heaven's Joy and Earth's Delight within him.
Whoosh—
Before he knew it, Bu Eun-seol's body had become a mass of flames.
Yet nothing inside him burned—the fire clung only to the surface of his skin.
To purge the poison from his body,
he had unleashed the Burning One's Own Body technique, immolating only himself.
Hiss—
Pale smoke began rising from his entire body.
Heaven's Joy and Earth's Delight—a poison that, once absorbed, could never be expelled or neutralized except through intercourse—
had been reduced to ashes in an instant, leaving not a single drop of its effects behind.
"Lord."
Just then, a low voice called from outside—the commander of the Blood War Unit, tasked with guarding Yu Baek.
Having sensed the violent surge of True Qi and the explosive sound, he had rushed to her quarters in alarm.
"Is something the matter?"
"Nothing at all."
Bu Eun-seol answered calmly, his gaze fixed on Yu Baek, who had been knocked to the floor by the Shockwave from his unleashed Internal Energy.
"I merely lost control of my Internal Power during Inner Training, causing a Shockwave to erupt."
"Understood."
The commander bowed outside the door before withdrawing.
Thud. Thud.
Yu Baek, unable to detoxify the poison of Heaven's Joy and Earth's Delight, was drenched in sweat, her breath ragged.
'Hmm.'
Bu Eun-seol exhaled deeply and approached her.
"I'll detoxify you."
Yu Baek stared at him in bewilderment.
Her expression betrayed confusion—why would he save her after she had just attempted to assassinate him?
"Even if I were to kill you, letting you die in such a wretched state would only tarnish my name, wouldn't it?"
A lie.
Whether she died in her under-robe or from the aphrodisiac's poison, quietly disposing of her would have sufficed.
He simply pitied her fate.
Abandoned by her father, forced to live her entire life in a dark cave,
only to be used by the Demon Hall and discarded like a worthless pawn.
Even if he were to kill her, he refused to let her suffer such a humiliating death.
Huum.
Using the Body-Striking Transmission Art, Bu Eun-seol channeled Hot River Great Essence True Qi into her.
But Heaven's Joy and Earth's Delight was too potent—he couldn't detoxify her without direct contact.
"Forgive the intrusion."
Immediately, he placed his hand on her Life Gate Acupoint.
Whoosh—
A pale energy erupted from her body.
Flash!
But in that instant, a blinding light flared.
Seizing the opportunity, Yu Baek snatched the dagger that had fallen to the floor and stabbed Bu Eun-seol.
Thunk.
Twisting his body at the last moment, he avoided his heart—but the blade sank deep into his shoulder instead.
"Your instincts as an assassin are impressive."
Receiving an infusion of Hot River Great Essence True Qi was akin to being burned alive by hellfire.
Yet even in that agony, she had maintained terrifying composure—grabbing the fallen dagger and striking him without hesitation.
Hiss—
Finally, every trace of poison in her body was incinerated.
With the dagger still embedded in his shoulder, Bu Eun-seol slowly rose to his feet.
"Next time, try a different method of assassination. This one's too cliché."
Yu Baek's gaze remained fixed on the dagger lodged in his shoulder.
She had coated it in Extreme Poison and infused it with Battle Energy, enough to shred muscle—so how was he completely unharmed?
Plop.
Then, the dagger embedded in his shoulder softened like melted taffy before popping out.
"I anticipated your strike and wrapped myself in Extreme Yang Qi beforehand."
With those final words, Bu Eun-seol turned away.
Yu Baek slowly rose to her feet, then bowed deeply in a formal salute.
Yu Baek realized Bu Eun-seol was letting her assassination attempt slide.
Unable to face the dizzying sight of her exposed figure beneath the thin silk under-robe, he sharply turned his head away and waved his hand dismissively.
"Go."
Yu Baek turned away.
Had all her emotions truly vanished after deeply mastering the Emotion Severing Secret Art? Or was it simply the instinct of an assassin raised in Heartless Blood?
Her gaze remained unchanged—
Ready to attempt another assassination the moment an opportunity arose.
Kill or be killed.
She regarded the act of killing people as something entirely natural.
Click.
As Yu Baek stepped outside, Bu Eun-seol leaned against the bed and exhaled a long, heavy breath.
"Vicious."
Pulling aside his robe, he revealed a deep wound on his shoulder.
His claim that he had burned the dagger with Extreme Yang Qi had been a lie.
He didn't even know why he had lied.
"Hmm."
He tossed a Spirit Pill into his mouth and circulated his Internal Energy once through his meridians.
The poison smeared on the dagger had been Yama's Smile—a toxin so lethal that even a Poison Person who had cultivated Poison Art for decades would struggle to neutralize it.
Hiss—
Bu Eun-seol's Internal Energy had surpassed nine Cycles, allowing him to employ not Qi Gathering Poison but the twin techniques of Dispersing Poison Qi and Purifying the Body of Poison—instantly eradicating even the infamous Yama's Smile.
Ugh...
He suppressed a groan.
Though the poison had been purged, the torn muscles would take considerable time to heal.
So this was the scheme.
Clenching his fist, Bu Eun-seol recalled Yu Baek's innocent eyes.
He had vaguely suspected it before, but now it was clear why the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had placed her by his side.
A game. A test. Manipulation.
Once again, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor was amusing himself by testing and controlling him.
Having discerned Bu Eun-seol's nature—always walking the righteous path, protecting the weak—
He had sent Yu Baek, a pure-hearted figure, to test him once more, observing the results with delight.
'If you wish to remain in the Demon Hall, you must sever all attachments.'
Bu Eun-seol bit his lip.
'Just like the Emotion Severing Secret Art.'
Was it because he wanted him to enter the Supreme Demon Path?
Or did he believe that only by cutting off all sentiment could Bu Eun-seol truly become the Heir of the Demon Hall?
—If you wish to lead the Main Hall as its successor, you'd best erase notions like comradeship and affection. Such things will soon become nothing but cumbersome baggage obstructing your path.
Those had been the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's words when Bu Eun-seol returned to the Demon Hall with Hyeok So-jin.
He had always forced him to grow ruthless.
And because of the Emotion Severing Secret Art he had learned in the Ten Thousand Demonic Secret Archive, Bu Eun-seol had nearly lost his emotions multiple times.
It was undoubtedly a supreme secret art, one that reached the pinnacle of Demonic Path Martial Arts—
But for someone like him, raised by Bu Jan-yang and nurtured with deep emotions... it was as deadly as Extreme Poison.
'Perhaps the Demonic Heavenly Emperor was certain that the Emotion Severing Secret Art would completely sever my attachments...'
But that assumption had been wrong.
Bu Eun-seol had gradually mastered the art in his own way.
And his mind had finally found perfect balance.
—Then I wonder... can you kill the descendant of Hyeokryeon Eung, born into a wretched fate and forced to live cruelly?
Having witnessed Bu Eun-seol's Spirit and Mind gradually mirroring his grandfather's, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor was now testing him once more.
Could he kill Yu Baek, who had lived a miserable life?
Though he never pitied his own tragic past,
He had always been overflowing with sympathy and compassion for the suffering of others.
What choice would he make?
"I'll do it."
Hiss—
As the Hot River Great Essence True Qi seared his wounded muscles, a flash of Blood Light flickered in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
Yu Baek's death was already inevitable.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor had decreed it.
Even if Bu Eun-seol didn't kill her, someone else would.
And because of that, his Spirit and Mind would be shaken once more.
He would blame himself, believing her death was ultimately his fault—
Because he couldn't save that innocent assassin.
"But I'll do it my way."
If he couldn't prevent her death,
Then he resolved to end her life with his own hands.
The next day.
Despite the assassination attempt and the physical assault the night before,
Bu Eun-seol continued to teach Yu Baek diligently—
As if nothing had happened.
Even though she had no chance of truly becoming the Blood Secret Command Lord,
Even though her fate was already sealed—to be used and discarded—
Bu Eun-seol treated her with sincerity.
They always ate together, sitting face to face.
When they went outside, they walked side by side.
Their conversations were exchanged through glances and sign language.
Had her plans changed?
Yu Baek no longer attempted to assassinate him.
Perhaps she had realized it was futile.
Or perhaps she had sensed his genuine sincerity—
But like a child studying in an academy,
She learned everything he taught with enthusiasm and took joy in traveling the Martial World with him.
"Your training is now complete."
After three days of instruction, Bu Eun-seol spoke.
"Since all your lessons are finished, return to the Demon Hall. If the Demonic Heavenly Emperor deems you suitable for the position of Blood Secret Command Lord, he will grant it to you."
Though his words were formal, his gaze was dark.
That could never be.
Because the ending of this tale had already been decided.
Yet Yu Baek wore a bright smile.
Perhaps she knew it too.
As an assassin of the Heartless Blood, she had carried out countless killings and had been trained to discard her life at any moment.
The fate of assassins always ended like this.
Perhaps Yu Baek's smile—
Was meant to soothe Bu Eun-seol's anguish.
[I have personal matters to attend to. I will return to the Demon Hall within three days. There is no need to follow me.]
After parting with Yu Baek, Bu Eun-seol sent a Thousand-Li Voice Transmission to So-yo and headed off alone.
Traveling day and night at breakneck speed, he arrived at a secluded valley deep in the mountains, where jagged cliffs and countless peaks formed a breathtaking landscape.
It was the very spot where he had first met the Bullet King, Bukgung Ryeong—before the rock where the Martial Emperor Secret Vault had once lain hidden.
"Even if the martial techniques were destroyed, the storage room should still remain intact."
The Martial Emperor Secret Vault had once held Jade Phoenix Honey.
And that miraculous elixir possessed the mystical ability to partially restore even damaged vocal cords.
Just as Bu Eun-seol had once healed Geuk Hye-bin's injured throat,
He sought to obtain the Jade Phoenix Honey once more to treat Yu Baek's voice.
But no matter how much he searched, the vault that had sunk into the earth was nowhere to be found.
Zzzing—
Bu Eun-seol heightened his Empty Mind Spirit Perception and scoured the area for a full day and night.
Yet still, there was no trace of the Martial Emperor Secret Vault.
"I had hoped at least the storage remained."
Thud.
Exhausted, he collapsed onto the ground and gazed up at the flickering night sky.
Even with his steel-like stamina, maintaining Empty Mind Spirit Perception for an entire day had pushed him to his limit.
"The Martial Emperor..."
The Martial Emperor, said to have been the strongest among the Eight Emperors and Three Stars.
Four hundred years ago, he had stood as the most towering figure in the dazzling world of the murim.
A fleeting thought crossed his mind.
Why would such an extraordinary man—
After passing on his martial arts to a chosen successor—immediately seal away his vault without hesitation?
"Because he did not wish for another to learn his techniques."
But that raised another question.
What if his successor returned to this place? What if they desperately wished to enter the Martial Emperor Secret Vault?
How would the Martial Emperor distinguish them?
'Thirteenfold Qi Induction.'
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Still lying on the ground, Bu Eun-seol unleashed the Thirteenfold Qi Induction, sending nine razor-sharp currents of force swirling in all directions.
Rumble—
Then, from the rock opposite where he lay, the earth trembled as a small door creaked open.
Bu Eun-seol swiftly stepped inside.
And there, revealed before him, was the storage room filled to the brim with jars of Jade Phoenix Honey.
"As expected."
Marveling, Bu Eun-seol picked up a jar with a face full of joy.
Honey never spoiled, even after centuries.
With this, he could surely heal Yu Baek's throat.
"I should tell Yu Un-ryong later to store this honey separately."
Jade Phoenix Honey was not just an elixir—it was also a key ingredient in Soul-Restoring Pills, capable of saving countless lives.
In case anyone was injured or wounded,
Bu Eun-seol intended to move this honey to the Death Shadow War Unit headquarters.
Upon returning to the Demon Palace, Bu Eun-seol swiftly caught up on his backlog of work.
Then, he began preparing for his journey to the Martial Alliance.
At the very least, he took solace in the fact that nothing major had happened on the Martial Alliance's side recently.
If both fronts had been in chaos, he would have surely lost his sanity.
"Bu Eun-seol."
Suddenly, Yu Un-ryong entered his office.
His expression was graver than ever.
"The Supreme Cult Commander has summoned you."
"The Supreme Cult Commander?"
Bu Eun-seol was puzzled.
Before bringing Jeok Bung, during a private meeting, Yeop Hyo-cheon had promised never to interfere with his affairs again.
With the Demonic Heavenly Emperor now resuming his duties, why would he request a private audience?
"It must be the Demonic Heavenly Emperor."
Bu Eun-seol was certain.
There was no reason for the Supreme Cult Commander to summon him unless it was by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's order.
"Most likely."
Yu Un-ryong's voice was bitter.
"In any case, if the Demonic Heavenly Emperor is determined to act, there's no stopping him."
Bu Eun-seol had brought Jeok Bung back, bolstering the Elders' Hall's influence to block the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's unreasonable decrees.
But there was no way to countermand secret orders relayed through the Supreme Cult Commander.
"And the outcome this time is obvious. No matter what, you won't feel good about it."
Yu Un-ryong, too, knew Yu Baek's fate well.
"Death is commonplace for those of the murim."
"Bu Eun-seol."
"I'll be fine."
His reply was calm as he turned away indifferently.
"First, I'll hear what they have to say."
Singular Light Pavilion, Yeop Hyo-cheon's office.
Yeop Hyo-cheon wore a somewhat peculiar smile.
It was a sympathetic one—as if acknowledging the unwanted trials Bu Eun-seol had endured repeatedly under the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's orders.
"You must be busy, so I'll keep this brief."
Without even offering tea, Yeop Hyo-cheon exhaled through his nose as he faced Bu Eun-seol.
"Yu Baek. The final test to determine whether she is fit to become the Blood Secret Command Lord—has been decreed."
Then, in an utterly frigid voice, he added:
"Sword King Seon-u Jin. His extermination."
For a brief moment, a flash of light flickered through Yeop Hyo-cheon's eyes.
"If she succeeds in assassinating him, no one in the Demon Hall will oppose her becoming the Blood Secret Command Lord."
Bu Eun-seol's pupils trembled like rippling water.
Kill Seon-u Jin and be promoted to Blood Secret Command Lord? What kind of absurd proposition was this?
"And why are you telling me this?"
"I summoned you to hear your opinion."
Yeop Hyo-cheon spoke with an impassive expression.
"You've been teaching her all this time. You know her abilities better than anyone."
"It seems like an impossible task."
Bu Eun-seol opened his mouth calmly.
"He is a young Grandmaster who rivals even the Sword Demon. No matter how peerlessly talented she may be in assassination techniques, she cannot defeat the Sword King."
"I agree."
Yeop Hyo-cheon chuckled lightly.
"Lord, I've heard you not only command a formidable intelligence network but also possess more experience in the martial world than most—even clashing with the Martial Alliance before."
"..."
"Your counsel would be more valuable than anyone else's."
Bu Eun-seol stared directly into Yeop Hyo-cheon's eyes.
"My counsel...?"
"Who knows? With your Mystic Calculation Strategy, perhaps even the gap in martial prowess could be bridged."
A wave of nausea rose in Bu Eun-seol's throat.
Because this entire conversation didn't feel like Yeop Hyo-cheon's own words—it felt as though the Demonic Heavenly Emperor himself was speaking through him.
"I understand what you mean."
Yet he suppressed his emotions and replied with an utterly expressionless face.
"I'll consider it. If I have any advice, I'll relay it to the Secret Shadow Pavilion."
"Good. I appreciate your efforts."
Upon returning from the Singular Light Pavilion, Bu Eun-seol gathered with the unit commanders in the conference room.
"The Demonic Heavenly Emperor has given Yu Baek her final trial."
Bu Eun-seol explained calmly.
"Sword King Seon-u Jin. If she succeeds in assassinating him, she will be granted the position of Blood Secret Command Lord."
Instantly, the atmosphere in the conference room darkened.
"Could it be... they know your true identity?"
Wi Cheon-gyeong asked cautiously, but Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"Unlikely. If they did, there would have been no need to send Yu Baek to me in the first place."
If Bu Eun-seol were Seon-u Jin, he would be guilty of high treason for deceiving both the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor could easily manipulate him like a puppet just by holding that weakness over him.
"Then this entire scheme must be designed to unsettle you, Lord."
At Wi Cheon-gyeong's words, everyone nodded in agreement.
The unit commanders sensed it too.
From the very beginning, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had already decided to discard Yu Baek as a pawn.
And through her death—
He intended to shake Bu Eun-seol's spirit and mind.
"Well, in a way, this might be for the best. Think of it differently."
At that moment, Myo Cheon-u shrugged and spoke up.
"If Seon-u Jin is targeted by an assassin from the Demon Hall, doesn't that give us leverage to pressure them in the future?"
Since Seon-u Jin is Bu Eun-seol, the assassination attempt would obviously fail.
Even if Yu Baek managed to escape covertly, they already knew her true identity.
The fact that an assassin from the Demon Hall—trained in the Heartless Blood—attempted to kill the Martial Alliance's Chief Inspector—
Would serve as excellent leverage for Seon-u Jin to pressure the Demon Hall in the future.
"True. I agree."
When Bu Eun-seol nodded, Myo Cheon-u tilted his head.
"Then why do you look so grim? Just kill her. Or capture her alive if you don't want to."
At Myo Cheon-u's question, Bu Eun-seol's expression turned grave.
"I have to kill her. If I don't, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor will undoubtedly execute her brutally in front of me."
"Her?"
"Yu Baek—she's a woman."
Instantly, not just Myo Cheon-u but all the unit commanders' expressions twisted in shock.
"A woman? You're saying Yu Baek is a woman?"
"Yes."
The unit commanders' jaws dropped.
Did that mean she wasn't Hyeokryeon Eung's son—but his daughter?
"How did you find out?"
At Yu Un-ryong's persistent question, Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath.
Then he briefly recounted the incident where Yu Baek had attempted to assassinate him at the guest inn.
Though he lied—claiming he discovered it when her clothes tore during battle, not because of the aphrodisiac.
"I see."
Yu Un-ryong, who had been listening silently, finally spoke.
"If she displayed such talent within the Heartless Blood, an organization of elite assassins, she must have been born with peerless potential."
As if all his doubts had been resolved, Yu Un-ryong let out a hollow smile.
"Hyeokryeon Eung didn't cast her aside because she was illegitimate—he abandoned her because she was a woman."
Unlike orthodox martial arts, the tyrannical Demonic Path Martial Arts are difficult for women to master to Great Completion.
Especially Hyeokryeon Eung's exclusive martial arts, which belong to the Yang Gang lineage.
He must have deemed it impossible for her to inherit his legacy and discarded her without hesitation.
Then Myo Cheon-u spoke up.
"And the fact that they specifically targeted Seon-u Jin... Maybe this is another test to confirm whether you are Seon-u Jin? After all, she's just a disposable pawn."
Yu Un-ryong also nodded.
"Bu Eun-seol."
Then, as if seeing through Bu Eun-seol's conflicted thoughts, he spoke firmly.
"That woman has already been marked for death by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor. Whether she's a woman or not—don't dwell on it."
When Bu Eun-seol didn't respond, Yu Un-ryong pressed further.
"What, did something happen between you two?"
Bu Eun-seol couldn't answer.
Because he had already remembered.
The sorrowful, grief-stricken eyes reflected in the moonlight.
Even in an assassin's life, trapped in a dark cave with her vocal cords severed and forbidden even to make a sound—
The radiant smile she had shown him these past few days...
That innocent, carefree grin of Yu Baek's.