Chapter 776
"Huh."
Jeong Cheong-ja, who had been about to leave, let out a sigh.
He had detected a faint flow of auspicious energy emanating from the ruined site.
Walking toward it, he slowly extended his hand.
Rumble—
As he did, trees and stones were pushed aside, revealing three metal boxes floating midair.
"This is..."
Jeong Cheong-ja's eyes narrowed.
These were some of the treasures once kept by the Three Pure Realms.
In fact, they weren't even among the most special of the stored relics.
Yet they had endured the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's power—a force that brought calamity not just upon living beings but even inanimate objects—and remained completely intact.
"Then this too must be fate."
Taking a deep breath, Jeong Cheong-ja tucked them into his robes.
The boxes were made of heavy metal and were far from small.
Yet once they entered his embrace, they became like tiny orbs, leaving no visible trace.
Just as he prepared to depart—
Skitter-skitter-skitter!
Suddenly, the sound of tens of thousands of swarming insects filled the air, darkening the surroundings as over a hundred masked figures began encircling Jeong Cheong-ja like ghosts.
Bzzzz.
A ceaseless vibration emanated from their bodies, as if they had cultivated some sinister martial art.
Their pupils were dyed a deep violet.
Even stranger, each had two pupils side by side.
They seemed less like humans and more like monsters merely wearing human forms.
"Overlapping Pupils People?"
Jeong Cheong-ja muttered as though exclaiming.
"He's found the Four Calamities Purgatory Scripture?"
The Four Calamities Purgatory Scripture.
A cursed forbidden text said to contain the most wicked demonic arts in martial history.
It was rumored to hold methods for creating horrific demonic creatures that could not be countered by any ordinary means.
Among them, the Overlapping Pupils People were beings whose bodies and spirits were linked as one.
Through the deaths of their comrades, they could instantly grasp the Internal Power needed to counter an enemy's techniques.
For example, if a Double-Pupil Man were slain by a certain sword technique?
The remaining Overlapping Pupils People would immediately learn the secret to resisting that very technique.
But the dark arts of the Four Calamities Purgatory Scripture were so cruel they demanded the abandonment of one's humanity.
Their contents were known only through legend, never having surfaced in the mortal world.
Thus, such demonic beings had never actually appeared before.
Yet the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had uncovered this legendary forbidden text and succeeded in creating the Overlapping Pupils People.
"Demonic Heavenly Emperor..."
Jeong Cheong-ja's eyes flashed as he assessed the situation.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor's nature was meticulous beyond measure. Accounting for even the slightest oversight, he had clearly stationed the Overlapping Pupils People as a contingency.
"To reach such heights in martial study and leave not a single gap..."
Skitter-skitter-skitter!
As if programmed to kill every living being within their sight, the Overlapping Pupils People lunged at Jeong Cheong-ja without hesitation.
"Preposterous!"
Jeong Cheong-ja spread his arms wide—
Whoosh!
—and the attacking Overlapping Pupils People instantly burst into flames.
The Flame Emperor's Qi of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars.
Crackle, roar!
As the keeper of the Worldly Affairs Pavilion, he had read every secret martial manual preserved by the Three Pure Realms.
He was no ordinary master.
Hiss-hiss-hiss!
Even as they burned, the Overlapping Pupils People, like moths oblivious to fear, charged headlong into the cascading flames.
Whoosh! Blaze!
As their numbers swelled, even the overwhelming might of the Flame Emperor's Qi could no longer incinerate them all at once.
Worse, the surviving Overlapping Pupils People had begun adapting—now resisting the flames, no longer burning even when struck.
"Ugh..."
Jeong Cheong-ja groaned.
The Overlapping Pupils People were endless, and with each comrade's death, they learned how to counter his techniques.
Moreover, no human could endlessly unleash flames hot enough to melt steel.
The only consolation was this:
Creating Overlapping Pupils People required astronomical sums of wealth, countless spirit beasts, the souls of stillborn fetuses... materials impossible to gather easily.
Meaning even the Demonic Heavenly Emperor couldn't produce them infinitely—their numbers were limited.
Had it been otherwise, he would have long since wiped out the Righteous Faction and conquered the martial world.
"Ghhh..."
Smoke began rising from Jeong Cheong-ja's arms as he poured out the Flame Emperor's Qi.
His body had reached its limit, unable to endure any further.
'No need to finish this here.'
Fwoom!
Jeong Cheong-ja ceased the flames and in one swift motion unleashed a movement technique, fleeing the area.
Hiss-hiss-hiss!
The Overlapping Pupils People immediately gave chase, soaring like black meteors using the Qi-Piercing Ascent.
Under the scorching sun, small mounds of sand and barren hills stretched endlessly.
It was less a desert and more a desolate wasteland.
With every gust of wind, even the sky grew hazy, making the world seem like a mirage.
Trudge, trudge.
A lone shadow walked tirelessly along the rough, parched path.
It was Jeong Cheong-ja, who had journeyed from the Three Pure Realms of Tibet toward the Central Plains.
Haa, haa.
Jeong Cheong-ja was gasping for breath.
Though he had barely managed to shake off the Overlapping Pupils People, his stamina and Internal Power were already depleted.
Originally, his Internal Power had been profound enough to traverse a thousand li in a single breath.
But after being exposed to the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's power, he had suffered irreparable injuries, barely sustaining his life through the Soul-Returning Art.
At this rate, he would die before ever reaching the Central Plains.
Sssssss.
Then, from somewhere, the sound of insects moving echoed on the wind.
The Overlapping Pupils People.
Demonic beings that never stopped until their target was dead—they had caught up to him again.
Tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk.
Before he knew it, the Overlapping Pupils People had surrounded Jeong Cheong-ja, revealing themselves.
"Fine."
Jeong Cheong-ja forcibly raised his Internal Power.
Immediately, sharp Sword Qi surged from his index and middle fingers.
He intended to cut down the Overlapping Pupils People as they rushed at him.
"This will be my last stand."
Jeong Cheong-ja bit his lip.
The Overlapping Pupils People feared no death and would keep attacking relentlessly.
In the end, he wouldn't last long before dying.
"Why so noisy?"
Then, along with a clear voice—
Poof!
Suddenly, from the sand dune where Jeong Cheong-ja stood, a young man in tattered clothes abruptly sat up.
His face was covered with cloth, obscuring his features, but his eyes were deep and clear like a lake.
Click.
The Overlapping Pupils People tilted their heads in confusion at the sudden appearance of this new figure in their line of sight.
Though they were demonic beings that eliminated all enemies in their vision, they were still made from human flesh.
Thus, they were capable of some degree of thought.
Their extrasensory perception could detect even a mole underground within about 150 meters—
So how had they failed to notice a young man sleeping soundly just about 30 meters away?
For a long moment, they pondered the reason.
"My, my."
The young man clicked his tongue as he looked at the masked figures with dual pupils.
"Double-Pupils. Seems you've learned some bizarre Demonic Gate Great Art."
Even as he spoke, the young man lay back down leisurely, unfazed by the hundred Overlapping Pupils People surrounding him.
"Honestly, I don't get why anyone would bother learning such a method. Might as well spend that time honing actual martial arts."
Jeong Cheong-ja, who had been watching the young man, gaped.
Had this youth been lying here all along, hoping for death?
Or had his senses dulled so much that he couldn't even feel the overwhelming presence of the Overlapping Pupils People?
"Young man. Run. Now."
Jeong Cheong-ja urged him urgently.
"The Overlapping Pupils People don't just relentlessly pursue their targets—they're vicious by nature. If you stay in their sight, you'll die too."
As if to prove his words, the Overlapping Pupils People's gazes locked not only onto the old man but also onto the reclining youth.
"Hmm."
At that, the young man sat up again.
Then, he walked over to Jeong Cheong-ja and spoke calmly.
"Just from that one remark, I can tell you're a good person, old man."
Before Jeong Cheong-ja could wonder what he meant, the youth scratched his head sheepishly.
"Living in this desolate desert for so long, I've met too many people who stab you in the back."
Then, he grinned brightly.
"Too often, I've extended a helping hand only to get burned."
BANG!
At the same time, a sharp energy erupted from the young man's body—
Powerful enough to easily repel the oppressive aura radiating from the Overlapping Pupils People.
This young man... has such presence?
Jeong Cheong-ja's eyes widened in shock.
A youth who looked barely past his coming-of-age was emitting a shockwave that seemed to blanket the entire desert?
Grrrrrr.
The Overlapping Pupils People bared their beast-like fangs.
They had now marked the young man for extermination as well.
Swish!
Without further hesitation, they attacked.
No matter how skilled a formation they deployed, a hundred Masters couldn't strike a single target simultaneously.
But the Overlapping Pupils People had mastered a unique Demon Gate Great Method—
Even if their target were as small as a puppy's paw, they could concentrate their combined force into a single strike.
Swish-swish-swish!
Yet something astonishing happened.
Instead of engaging each Double-Pupil Man individually, the young man moved at blinding speed—
Toying with them.
Flash!
In his hands now gleamed a pair of sharp daggers.
One by one, the heads of the Overlapping Pupils People began to fall amid bursts of light.
"Incredible Movement Technique."
Jeong Cheong-ja couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
With nothing but a Movement Technique so fast it defied the eye—
The young man was effortlessly nullifying the Overlapping Pupils People's attacks and cutting them down one after another.
"Tch."
But as the battle dragged on, a pained groan escaped the young man's lips.
The Overlapping Pupils People had grown accustomed to his speed, dodging his strikes and counterattacking.
Watching this, Jeong Cheong-ja clenched his fists tightly.
"I can't let the innocent be caught up in this."
As he spoke,
the purest flames in all the world began to whirl violently from the palms of his hands.
KWA-RUNG!
With a thunderous roar, dozens of pillars of fire erupted from the ground where the Overlapping Pupils People stood.
It was the Flame Emperor's supreme technique—Wildland Blazing Fire.
Hwaak—Hwaaaak!
The Overlapping Pupils People touched by the flames were instantly reduced to charred bones and collapsed.
"Urgh!"
Forcing out his Internal Power in his near-death state, Jeong Cheong-ja finally spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Elder."
When the young man moved to support him, Jeong Cheong-ja shook his head.
"It's fine. This body was already broken anyway."
Then, he smiled faintly.
"They say the Wandering King's Movement Technique and Dagger Art have no equal in the world. Truly remarkable."
The young man dressed in tattered robes—
He was none other than the famed Wandering King, Heuk-pyo.
"How did you know?"
Heuk-pyo's expression stiffened in surprise.
Though the name Wandering King was widely known,
the martial world had no knowledge of what martial arts he practiced or even what he looked like.
Yet this old man had recognized him at a glance—how?
"Though I was buried deep in the mountains of Tibet, I always kept my ears open to the affairs of the martial world."
Jeong Cheong-ja chuckled lightly.
"If you weren't the Wandering King, why would you be lying alone in this place where bandit gangs pass through? And how else could you face the Overlapping Pupils People single-handedly?"
Heuk-pyo's eyes flashed.
"Are you saying those things were Overlapping Pupils People created by that vile Demon Gate Great Method?"
"If they weren't, how could they leave behind bones even after being scorched by the Wildland Blazing Fire?"
"Eight Emperors and Three Stars..."
Only then did Heuk-pyo realize—
This old man was not only extraordinary but also connected to the Three Realms, the very faction Bu Eun-seol was opposing.
"Elder, you—"
"Don't worry."
As if reading his thoughts, Jeong Cheong-ja smiled calmly.
"The Three Realms I know are... slightly different from the ones you're familiar with."
"Different? How?"
"It would take far too long to explain, so let's leave it at that. This old man doesn't have much time left."
Jeong Cheong-ja nodded at Heuk-pyo.
"Someone like you—a Furnace Vessel with such pure and clear energy—would understand exactly what kind of person I am."
Without realizing it, Heuk-pyo nodded in return.
From Jeong Cheong-ja's body flowed an energy as clear and refreshing as that of an immortal, and his eyes held a profound brilliance.
One could change their appearance, but the innate energy flowing within them could never be altered.
'He is a good man.'
After traveling with Bu Eun-seol,
Heuk-pyo had unknowingly developed an instinctive ability to distinguish good from evil.
And the reason he could do so—
Was not because he possessed the same keen insight as Bu Eun-seol, but because his own heart was inherently pure and untainted.
"Are you... perhaps a late master of the Wudang Sect?"
The term Furnace Vessel was commonly used by Daoist priests.
At Heuk-pyo's question, Jeong Cheong-ja shook his head.
"How could that be? However—"
As he studied Heuk-pyo's face, something seemed to occur to him, and he rummaged through his robes.
Though there had appeared to be nothing of note inside, when he extended his palm, a fairly large box emerged.
"It seems this was fated to reach you."
"What is this?"
"Something that would suit you perfectly."
Jeong Cheong-ja smiled.
"I suppose I'll have to ask for your help one more time."
"Are they coming again?"
"They'll be here within a quarter-hour—perhaps even half that. So open it quickly."
Heuk-pyo carefully opened the box.
Inside lay a metallic object gleaming with a dark, lusterless sheen—
A pauldron designed to be worn separately on the shoulder.
"This is—"
"Wing-Breaking Heaven Feather. A genuine artifact once wielded by the Black Wing Blood Lord, who once boasted the greatest Lightness Skill in the world."
The Black Wing Blood Lord was revered as the Black Path Grandmaster, said to have elevated movement arts to their absolute peak.
With just this single mystical weapon—the Wing-Breaking Heaven Feather—he had stood unrivaled in the martial world.
Yet he had mysteriously vanished in the Valley of Freedom, never to be seen again.
Afterward, even his beloved weapon was said to have disappeared entirely—
So how had this old man come to possess it?
"He didn't leave the martial world. He simply entered our realm."
Jeong Cheong-ja, having read Heuk-pyo's thoughts once more, chuckled as he spoke.
"Try it on."
Click.
The Wing-Breaking Heaven Feather fitted perfectly onto Heuk-pyo's shoulder.
And when he channeled his Internal Power to activate his Movement Technique—
SWOOSH!
Suddenly, his body lifted slightly into the air, and a sharp energy spread out like wings.
The Black Wing Blood Lord's signature weapon—the Wing-Breaking Heaven Feather.
It had finally revealed itself to the world once more.
Rustle—
But then, with a sound like swarming insects,
dark shadows began gathering toward them once again.
Just as Jeong Cheong-ja had predicted—
The Overlapping Pupils People had returned.
"With your current skills, you should be able to evade them with ease."
Jeong Cheong-ja gazed at Heuk-pyo with grandfatherly benevolence in his eyes.
"Just buy me a little time so this old man can slip away."
"Who are they?"
Heuk-pyo asked.
"Who could have inflicted such a grievous wound upon someone like you?"
He had already discerned that Jeong Cheong-ja was not only a virtuous man but also a martial artist of extraordinary skill.
Yet, what kind of person could have felled such a master in a single strike?
"Though I operate Beyond the Frontier, my roots lie in the Central Plains. And I have no intention of standing idle while forces seek to tear down the Murim."
Understanding the implication of Heuk-pyo's words, Jeong Cheong-ja shook his head.
"Giving you the Wing-Breaking Heaven Feather was merely a matter of fate."
Then, he offered a gentle smile.
"Life is but a fleeting visit. We've each helped one another once... There is no debt, no favor owed."
"Elder."
Jeong Cheong-ja smiled faintly.
"Take care."
And in the next instant, his figure vanished without a trace.
Heuk-pyo stood dumbfounded.
The old man before him had transcended worldly attachments, harboring neither regret nor lingering sorrow.
So why would anyone seek to kill such an extraordinary being?
"You say there is no debt, no favor owed..."
Whoosh.
Channeling his Internal Power, Heuk-pyo's body lifted into the air.
As he did, the razor-sharp energy flowing from the Wing-Breaking Heaven Feather grew distinct once more.
"How could I possibly accept such a weapon without repayment?"
Sssss—
By then, the Overlapping Pupils People had closed the distance, nearly upon him.
Under normal circumstances, he would have dodged at all costs—but not now.
Even if only a little, eliminating these bastards would ensure that venerable elder could escape in peace.
Shwaaak!
As the Wing-Breaking Heaven Feather fully manifested into wings of radiant light, blade-like energy surged toward the heavens.
BOOM! Shatter!
The moment Heuk-pyo unleashed his Movement Technique, a deafening explosion erupted, followed by a streak of brilliance.
He had merely streaked past them at blinding speed—yet the Overlapping Pupils People split apart like toys, raining down in pieces.
Screeeech!
As if enraged, eerie heat began radiating from the pupils of their eyes.
Fwoooosh!
Simultaneously, the Overlapping Pupils People activated their own Movement Techniques, pursuing Heuk-pyo at high speed.
"Try and keep up!"
Whoooosh!
Doubling his Internal Power, Heuk-pyo heard the Wing-Breaking Heaven Feather emit a sound like it was sucking in the surrounding air—
SHATTER!
—before abruptly unleashing a tremendous current, accelerating his Movement Technique more than twofold.
'An incredible treasure.'
Heuk-pyo smiled faintly as he observed the terrifying energy pouring from the Wing-Breaking Heaven Feather.
"From now on, I shall call you Black Wing."
They say master and disciple resemble one another.
Having obtained a beloved weapon to wield for the rest of his life, Heuk-pyo, much like Bu Eun-seol, had begun by naming it first.
Shhhiiing!
Perhaps it was thanks to the name—
Black Wing unleashed an even fiercer current, transforming Heuk-pyo's body into a streak of light.
At last, Jeong Cheong-ja passed through Jade Gate Pass and entered the Central Plains.
Having already crossed into Sichuan, he continued pushing forward without rest, his Lightness Skill never faltering.
'That child must be safe.'
Even in his dazed state, Jeong Cheong-ja fervently wished for Heuk-pyo's safety.
He possessed the temperament of a Renowned Chivalrous Hero—gentle in appearance yet steadfast and unyielding in spirit.
Without a doubt, he would one day become a pillar of the Murim.
Jeong Cheong-ja could only hope he had escaped the Overlapping Pupils People unscathed.
'The Sect Leader should have been here.'
As he activated his Movement Technique, Jeong Cheong-ja gazed bitterly at the distant sky.
To avoid repeating the sins of the Three Realms, to prevent power and authority from corrupting them—
The Three Pure Realms had deliberately refrained from amassing vast influence or establishing an elite intelligence network.
Instead, they nurtured exceptional successors in scattered locations, ensuring only the sect leaders maintained close contact.
Because of this, Jeong Cheong-ja now stood alone—cut off from any information network, unable to seek aid from the rest of the Three Pure Realms.
'So Ok-rim should be there.'
Once So Ok-rim reached a certain level, the Three Pure Realms had prepared for her to achieve another breakthrough.
Jeong Cheong-ja and the others had secretly restored and hidden their martial knowledge in three locations—including Neungra Mountain.
Having long since mastered the Galaxy Severance, she should now be diligently training in one of those three places.
She had always been a child of extraordinary talent, surpassing all expectations.
After much deliberation, Jeong Cheong-ja had chosen Neungra Mountain as his destination.
'Please, let her be here.'
Upon arriving, he swiftly ascended the mountain path.
Shiiing!
Then, an eerie sound echoed from somewhere.
Could the Overlapping Pupils People have already reached this remote mountain, lying in wait for him?
Whoosh! Whoosh!
But then came the strange Sound of Breaking Air—
Resembling both the whistle of hidden projectiles and the howl of a sudden gale.
'Could it be... So Ok-rim?'
Rushing toward the source, he found a man standing tall in a wide clearing within the forest.
Around him, hundreds of hidden weapons floated midair, moving freely like living creatures.
'Ten-Finger Spirit-Returning Rotation?'
The pinnacle of hidden weapon techniques—capable of controlling countless projectiles individually, each with varying speeds and force.
A skill so rare that almost no one had ever mastered it.
Was this not the Ten-Finger Spirit-Returning Rotation?