Chapter 765
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor let out an admiring sigh as he observed the Sword Sovereign's stance.
"The realm of Mind and Object as One, Unity with the Dao."
He had discerned that the Sword Sovereign's spirit and mind had achieved perfect harmony with the external world, finally becoming one with the natural order.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor gazed at the Sword Sovereign with pleased eyes, then nodded as if delighted.
"Indeed. You've completed the Nature Sword."
The Sword Sovereign showed no surprise that the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had seen through his realm and merely nodded in return.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor asked again:
"Your sword?"
The Sword Sovereign carried no blade, nor was there any trace of a weapon on him.
To the question, the Sword Sovereign replied indifferently:
"Within my heart."
"I see."
Whoooosh—
As their gazes locked, a violent gale swept through the rocky mountain.
No further words were needed.
The Number One of the Demonic Path and the Foremost Sword of the Righteous Faction.
The battle between these peerless grandmasters, who had reached unprecedented heights, was finally about to begin.
'Guhk...'
Bu Eun-seol, hidden in concealment, inwardly let out a stifled groan.
Simply from the fact that the Demonic Heavenly Emperor and the Sword Sovereign harbored killing intent toward each other.
Not only had the area around the rocky mountain become a vacuum, but the entire Victory over Evil Island had transformed into the most perilous place in the world.
'Ugh...'
Bu Eun-seol's body, wrapped in Water Essence Divine Qi, was swelling.
Had he not been in hiding, he might have endured this level of pressure somehow.
But now, with all energy in his body suppressed and only the Water Essence Divine Qi enveloping him, he couldn't withstand such terrifying force.
Zzzzing—
Then, at that moment, a strange sensation washed over him, and his body suddenly felt lighter.
The overwhelming pressure, as if it could crush the entire world, had loosened slightly.
[You fool!]
At the same time, a thunderous voice pierced through Bu Eun-seol's mind.
Ak Mu-ryeong.
He had sent a Voice Transmission.
[What did you think would happen if a runt like you tried to resist the power of those two old men?!]
Astonishingly, he had known all along that Bu Eun-seol was hiding.
[Don't resist. You can't from the start.]
Hearing those words, Bu Eun-seol realized one thing.
Unless he possessed an ability surpassing that of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor and the Sword Sovereign.
Even if he tried to resist their power.
In the end, his body would inevitably collapse under the pressure.
[When the Mind Is Firm the Water's Force Is Firm. Spread the Water Essence Divine Qi only enough to conceal your body, and convert the rest into a barrier of the spirit.]
Shockingly, Ak Mu-ryeong not only knew Bu Eun-seol was harboring Water Essence Divine Qi.
He even knew the method to wield it.
'He already knew everything.'
Until now, Ak Mu-ryeong had clashed with Bu Eun-seol twice and had even tasted the Power of Harmony.
Thus, he had meticulously discerned every force within Bu Eun-seol's body.
Flicker—
At that moment, Ak Mu-ryeong's figure, which had vanished among the pillars of the rocky mountain, faintly shimmered into view.
This phenomenon occurred because he was shielding Bu Eun-seol from the terrifying pressure bearing down on him.
'Pavilion Lord...'
Bu Eun-seol shuddered.
Only now did he understand why Ak Mu-ryeong had come to Victory over Evil Island.
Even though he stood at a critical juncture, ascending to a higher realm.
'The Pavilion Lord knew I would inevitably come here.'
His throat tightened, and his heart pounded.
Ak Mu-ryeong understood Bu Eun-seol's temperament all too well.
Knowing full well that he would risk his life to infiltrate this place to uncover the duel's location.
To protect Bu Eun-seol.
He had come to Victory over Evil Island, prepared to accept the decline of his Internal Power.
Because Bu Eun-seol was the future of Langya Pavilion.
Because he was the spitting image of Ak Mu-ryeong's own nature—willing to stake his life to master martial arts.
'Pavilion Lord...'
Bu Eun-seol immediately converted the Water Essence Divine Qi enveloping his body into a barrier of the spirit.
As for the remaining pressure, Ak Mu-ryeong would handle it.
All he needed to do was maintain an unshaken spirit while concealed within the Water Essence Divine Qi.
Zzzzing—
Then, the Sword Sovereign's transparent eyes began scrutinizing the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's physical body as if piercing through it.
To an ordinary person's eyes, he might appear as nothing more than an old man of flesh and blood.
But from the perspective of his Dharma Eye, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor was nothing but a condensed mass of Evil Thoughts.
Such an existence could not be destroyed—not by blade, not by fire, not by any means.
—How, then, could such an existence be eradicated?
The Sword Sovereign had long researched methods to sever the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's lifeline.
His devotion to the Nature Sword.
Was born from the realization that this was the only way to achieve victory against him.
—Nature.
This short word encompassed an overwhelmingly vast and complex concept.
All life and inanimate objects, every law and meteorological phenomenon.
A self-operating, evolving system in itself.
And the Demonic Heavenly Emperor was an existence that did not belong to nature—an aberrant, incomplete being.
In other words, if he could use the power of the Nature Sword to transform the Demonic Heavenly Emperor into a complete, ordinary being—homogeneous with other humans—
Then his breath could surely be severed.
Whoooosh—
The energy flowing from the Sword Sovereign's body grew increasingly violent until, at last, it began surging toward the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
It was all the Natural Qi the Sword Sovereign had refined and accumulated over his lifetime.
And now, he was pouring it all—without reservation—into the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
Bzzzt—
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor's body trembled faintly.
Exposed to the Natural Qi, his mystical flesh—which contained boundless power—began gradually losing strength.
'So the Sword Sovereign had the same thought as me.'
Bu Eun-seol, watching this unfold, nodded inwardly.
After personally experiencing the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's terrifying might,
He, too, had set his ultimate goal not on reaching the Heavenly Will Realm or some supreme martial state,
But on creating a power capable of dragging down transcendent warriors like the Demonic Heavenly Emperor to the level of ordinary humans.
And the Sword Sovereign—who had long harbored the aspiration to defeat the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—
Had, through the Nature Sword,
Devised a technique capable of felling an existence like the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—a being akin to a Demon God.
And now, that method was striking true, causing the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's Diamond Body to crumble bit by bit.
"Kehahahaha!"
Suddenly, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor erupted into uproarious laughter.
At the same time, he closed the distance between them—from over one hundred feet to just fifty feet in an instant.
Yet the Sword Sovereign, as if blind to this, continued pouring out Natural Qi without so much as a flicker in his gaze.
Forty feet, thirty feet, twenty feet...
Finally, the gap between them narrowed to just ten feet.
In that instant, a mystical light flashed in the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's pupils—
And he slowly threw a punch.
Sssssss—
Time seemed to slow by hundreds of times.
His fist advanced forward sluggishly, like a crawling turtle.
Not only did that fist contain the essence of all supreme martial arts,
But it also carried Heaven-Defying Energy—a force that defied and pushed back against the Natural Qi the Sword Sovereign was unleashing.
'Preposterous!'
The Sword Sovereign paid it no mind and continued fiercely expelling Natural Qi.
Soon, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's body would collapse.
Before that sluggish fist could bring calamity upon him—
All he had to do was return the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's flesh to nature.
Twitch, twitch.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor's fist appeared motionless, yet it advanced steadily, inexorably forward.
The Sword Sovereign ignored it, intent on pouring out Natural Qi without pause.
But the longer he watched that creeping fist, the more suffocated he felt—as if he might vomit blood.
—Does he believe his fist will reach me before his body collapses?
A doubt sprouted in the Sword Sovereign's mind.
From his perspective, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's body was on the verge of disintegration.
Surely, before that fist could land—
That massive frame would vanish without a trace.
Twitch, twitch.
And yet, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor wore an expression of utter leisure as he threw his punch—wasn't he?
This should have been the Sword Sovereign's absolute victory.
So why did that man look so utterly at ease?
Crack— Rumble—
Fissures spread across the entire rocky mountain.
It seemed on the verge of collapse.
Meanwhile, time crawled forward agonizingly slow—and in that span, the Sword Sovereign realized one thing.
The ground.
Even as the entire mountain crumbled,
Only the ground beneath the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's feet remained intact.
'So that's it.'
To nature, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor was an incomplete, alien existence.
But the earth beneath his feet had become the most perfect, unshakable foundation in this world.
Reversal.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor was reversing the flow of nature's power—using it to protect his own body.
'That fist might reach me first.'
At last, the Sword Sovereign understood:
Before the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's body collapsed—
That terrifying fist, brimming with overwhelming force, might strike him down.
'No choice.'
If this continued, decades of cultivation would be wasted.
'I must kill him. For the sake of Murim!'
Having steeled his resolve, the Sword Sovereign immediately formed a finger-sword with his right hand and thrust toward the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's brow.
He transformed the Nature Sword—which could be called the "Sword of Nothingness"—into the "Sword of Substance."
Sssshhhhk—!
The flow of time, which had been sluggish, rapidly accelerated—
Until fist and finger-sword collided midair.
KWA-BOOOOOM—!
A monstrous shockwave erupted from the point of impact, soon taking the form of a colossal dragon that seemed ready to tear apart the heavens.
CRASH— RUMBLE—
A portion of the mountain collapsed, and the entire island began shaking violently—as if about to sink beneath the sea.
"Ugh—"
The Sword Sovereign let out a stifled groan.
Only now did he realize—
He had been completely deceived.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor had neither blocked the Natural Qi nor employed the power of Reversal.
He had merely amplified the Sword Sovereign’s doubts, transforming the Sword Dance of Natural Qi into the Flowing Sword.
In other words, the Sword Sovereign had thrown away a sharp treasured sword capable of felling his foe—only to grasp a rusted pickaxe instead.
And the Demonic Heavenly Emperor did not let that opportunity slip.
With a fist imbued with the Heaven-Shattering Form's single strike—one that could bring the entire world crashing down—he lashed out.
Crrk—crackle—
Thick veins burst from the Sword Sovereign's body as he extended his manifested sword.
The moment he had materialized the formless Nature Sword into a tangible blade—
It was no longer the Nature Sword. It could never hope to block the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's One Fist.
"So you did not achieve the Nature Sword. You merely forged a blade to kill this sovereign."
Pushing back against the manifested sword, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor clicked his tongue in disappointment.
"How utterly disappointing."
Upon hearing those words, the Sword Sovereign's eyes widened.
He had believed he had finally grasped the Nature Sword, reaching the pinnacle of the sword's path.
But in truth, all he had accomplished was a mere tool—a means to kill the Demonic Heavenly Emperor at all costs.
In other words, what he had attained was not the perfect Nature Sword.
"So that's how it was."
The Sword Sovereign laughed hollowly.
"This old man did not refine the Nature Sword. He created the Demon Heaven Killing Sword instead."
The Nature Sword.
It must embrace all things, remaining unshaken despite the Thousand Changes.
In the end, what the Sword Sovereign had forged was not the pure Nature Sword—
But a Killing Sword, crafted solely to slay the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor had instantly discerned this, securing his victory in this decisive battle.
Tap.
With those final words, the Sword Sovereign's manifested sword yielded beneath the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's fist.
And at the same moment—
BOOOOOOM—!
An enormous shockwave erupted from the Sword Sovereign's back.
Unable to block the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's strike, the calamitous force had passed clean through his body.
KWAOOOOO—!
The shockwave that burst from the Sword Sovereign's back split the island in half—and for an instant, even the sea was cleaved apart.
Perhaps it was an illusion.
No matter how formidable one's martial arts, no human should possess the power to sunder the ocean itself.
Yet every master present, including Bu Eun-seol, distinctly saw the sea being split asunder.
—Did he unfold his Mindscape?
The grandmasters observing from afar were thrown into confusion.
They could not discern whether the power the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had displayed was the result of unfolding his Mindscape—or if it was his raw, unleashed might.
"..."
The Sword Sovereign stood frozen like a statue, his manifested sword still extended.
Though his breath had already ceased, his posture remained rigid and unyielding.
Perhaps it was his final declaration—that even in death, he would never kneel before the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
"Amitabha."
With a solemn chant, the Buddhist Venerable—who had concealed himself until now—revealed his presence.
Step. Step.
Without even sparing a glance at the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, he gazed at the Sword Sovereign's unwavering form.
Clasping his hands together, he began reciting sutras in a low voice.
As the verses continued, the solemn expression on the Buddhist Venerable's face gradually softened into serenity.
"The essence of life is suffering, is it not?"
Finishing his chant, the Buddhist Venerable smiled faintly.
"Now that you have departed from this place, it is truly a cause for celebration."
And with that, he wore a smile as if genuinely rejoicing that the Sword Sovereign had left this Saha World behind.
Whoosh.
After retrieving the Sword Sovereign's remains, the Buddhist Venerable immediately activated his Movement Technique and vanished.
—Not yet, it seems.
A low voice, like the tolling of a victory bell, echoed as a streak of light disappeared into the distant sky.
Jeok Bung, who had been watching the battle, also vanished in an instant, employing his Movement Technique.
He had witnessed the greatness of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's attained realm in this duel.
But he himself had no intention of stopping here.
From the moment he returned to the Demon Hall, he had already resolved—
That he would no longer be satisfied with merely being the head of the Elders' Hall.
And so, eager to digest the insights he had gained from this battle in solitude, he departed immediately after the duel's conclusion.
Only, as a final gesture of respect toward the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's martial prowess, he left behind those words.
—As expected.
Wi Ji-mua, too, departed quietly after uttering a single phrase.
Though brief, it was his way of paying homage to the Demonic Heavenly Emperor before taking his leave.
Bu Eun-seol, still hidden, took a deep breath.
He knew full well how monumental it was—
To receive such reverence from figures like the Three Demons.
"Hm."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor swallowed a soft sigh before turning his head.
His gaze landed precisely where Bu Eun-seol was concealed.
Fssht—!
But then, something incomprehensible occurred.
Suddenly, blood began gushing from the body of Ak Mu-ryeong, who had been hiding atop a stone pillar.
Pshhh—!
Though his concealed form remained invisible, the torrent of blood continued to pour forth without end.
'For my sake.'
Only then did Bu Eun-seol grasp the situation.
Realizing he could not withstand the force the Demonic Heavenly Emperor was exuding, Ak Mu-ryeong had intercepted it in his stead.
"If you're willing to suffer such losses... I suppose I should humor you this once."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor muttered something cryptic before slowly turning his body.
Zzziiing.
At that moment, an invisible, transparent gate seemed to materialize before him.
And it was no illusion.
For with each step the Demonic Heavenly Emperor took as he turned away, his figure gradually faded from sight.
Finally, when he had vanished completely—
Whoosh.
Ak Mu-ryeong, who had been concealing himself until now, at last revealed his form.
Drip. Drip.
His body was drenched in blood.
Likely because he had been standing at the precipice of ascending to an even higher realm, his Internal Power had waned.
Unable to withstand the pressure unleashed by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, his skin had split and torn.
"Sado Mu-myeong."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor had known.
That Bu Eun-seol had been secretly hiding on Victory Over Evil Island.
Yet when a demonkin like Ak Mu-ryeong sacrificed even his Internal Power to protect Bu Eun-seol—
It was as if he had watched an amusing play. With a satisfied smile, he departed.
By all rights, he should have obliterated both foolish master and disciple in one stroke.
This could be considered an act of mercy.
"Pavilion Lord."
As Bu Eun-seol released his Water Essence Divine Qi and moved to support him—
"Heh heh heh heh—"
The blood-soaked Ak Mu-ryeong suddenly erupted into Mad Laughter.
"HAHAHAHA!"
As his laughter boomed forth, storms howled in all directions, and the island shook as though it might sink beneath the sea.
"Sado Mu-myeong. At last, I see your limits."
"Pavilion Lord."
"Did you truly believe this Pavilion Lord came here merely to save a wretch like you?"
Golden light streamed from Ak Mu-ryeong's eyes as he unleashed an aura capable of crushing the heavens themselves.
Now it became clear—his Internal Power hadn't weakened at all.
Rather, his Martial Prowess had advanced to an incomparable degree.
"How long do you think your Nature Shattering will remain effective?"
Hearing this, Bu Eun-seol understood.
Ak Mu-ryeong had already augmented his Martial Prowess. Yet he had tested whether the Demonic Heavenly Emperor could still comprehend everything about him—
Whether he could pierce through all his secrets.
In the end, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had failed to perceive Ak Mu-ryeong's augmented power or grasp his psychology.
Considering how even the Sword Sovereign—who had mastered the Nature Sword—had fallen victim to the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's psychological warfare and died before fully deploying his techniques...
Ak Mu-ryeong had reached a realm beyond all previous measure.
"Moreover, he's severely wounded."
Ak Mu-ryeong gazed at where the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had vanished and smiled faintly.
"This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
"Pavilion Lord."
"From now on, refrain from pointless actions..."
Ak Mu-ryeong's voice turned icy as he regarded Bu Eun-seol.
"...and learn to trust yourself more."
With that, he immediately turned and disappeared.
Bu Eun-seol stood dumbfounded, his lips parted slightly.
"The Pavilion Lord will exploit anything if it means advancing his Martial Prowess."
Ak Mu-ryeong had devoted his entire existence to the Martial Way.
Thus, if an action could further his Martial Arts, he would commit it without hesitation.
This time, he had used Bu Eun-seol's reckless, perilous attempt to gauge the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's strength once more—
And simultaneously prove his own augmented Martial Prowess.
"Yet despite everything, he still looked out for me."
A faint smile touched Bu Eun-seol's lips.
There were countless other methods to verify augmented Martial Prowess.
There was no need to dangerously provoke the Demonic Heavenly Emperor here just to savor his own power.
He had come here, risking everything, because he wanted to save me.
"Moreover, the Pavilion Lord has proven me as well."
In the past, merely hearing Ak Mu-ryeong's Sixth Level voice would induce dizziness and scatter Bu Eun-seol's Internal Power.
Yet now, his voice no longer resonated like the Six-Harmony Voice Transmission.
Because Bu Eun-seol's own Martial Prowess had grown tremendously.
—Trust yourself more.
And those words—
Likely carried Ak Mu-ryeong's intention for Bu Eun-seol to reaffirm his own power and bolster his confidence.
"One must believe in oneself."
Yet Ak Mu-ryeong's words held another meaning.
The Sword Sovereign, who had cultivated the Nature Sword, possessed sufficient ability to defeat the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
But he had lacked faith in himself, viewing the Demonic Heavenly Emperor as overwhelmingly superior.
Thus, he failed to fully deploy the Nature Sword, ultimately creating irreversible consequences.
'And yet, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor remains the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.'
Ak Mu-ryeong was both Bu Eun-seol's master—whose pupil had mastered the pinnacle of Langya Pavilion Martial Arts—and someone who could scrutinize every energy within his body.
Thus, he could instantly detect Bu Eun-seol's presence here.
Yet the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had sensed Bu Eun-seol purely through his own abilities.
Considering how even the Buddhist Venerable and the Profound Demon failed to notice...
One could grasp just how sublime a realm the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had attained.
"Demonic Heavenly Emperor."
Bu Eun-seol clenched his fist.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor's Martial Arts remained Endless and Unnameable.
He had reached a realm where none could discern his limits or assign it any name.
Because of this, even the Sword Sovereign—who had cultivated the Nature Sword—had his Spirit and Mind's barriers shattered, causing him to fall into the Lesser Vehicle Realm.
"But thanks to this, I've gained a clue."
A smile played at Bu Eun-seol's lips.
Upon witnessing the Sword Sovereign's Nature Sword, the destination he had long pursued yet never glimpsed—
At last began coming into clear view.