Chapter 784
As Bu Eun-seol's figure vanished completely—
The faint smile lingering in Gongson Dan-gyeong's pupils trembled imperceptibly.
"Commander Seon-u."
Due to the Fist Adept's Authority... Bu Eun-seol's physical body had been reduced to an extremely weakened state.
And because of that, in the final moment when Reverse Polarity True Qi had spread in response to that power—
Gongson Dan-gyeong had been able to perceive, to some extent, the forces dwelling within Bu Eun-seol's body.
'If only I could shatter the Great Art...'
Even after escaping the Jungson Clan—
To ensure Gongson Dan-gyeong wouldn't be pursued, Chu-so had deployed a mysterious Great Art,
Suppressing the mystical energy imbued within her body.
After reaching adulthood, she had attempted countless times to break the ritual—but all had ended in failure.
Yet, it seemed even that ritual wasn't flawless.
Occasionally, an ability to glimpse into others' powers manifested within her.
Just as it had now.
"A Divine Being like you, wielding such power, could never truly be just an ordinary successor of a merchant house."
Gongson Dan-gyeong's eyes narrowed.
"You've concealed strength beyond measure until now. As if... you were an agent of those shadowy factions that have yet to reveal themselves."
Her gaze shimmered with a violet light.
Through this incident, she realized two things.
First—that the probability of Chu-so still being alive was high.
And second—that this entire trap might have been orchestrated by him.
Now, she had uncovered one more cruel truth.
Seon-u Jin.
He was no heir of the Seonhwa Merchant House.
From childhood, he had been systematically trained in martial arts by an extraordinary master.
And now—he had reached a level of Martial Prowess that transcended generations, capable of shaking the world itself.
"Perhaps even the Fist Adept's appearance... and your intervention... were all part of the calculation."
Gongson Dan-gyeong's eyes wavered.
Half of her reason for clenching her teeth and seeking vengeance had been for Chu-so.
But what if he was alive—and toying with her all along?
Then every single plan she had crafted until now would need to be rewritten.
***
After parting ways with Gongson Dan-gyeong, Bu Eun-seol immediately headed for Langya Pavilion.
Now, he had glimpsed the hidden factions of Murim—forces that had remained veiled until this moment.
The True Demon.
A primordial entity of pure evil, locked in endless conflict with the Baekri Clan.
Yet in the end, the Baekri Clan had failed to destroy the True Demon—only sealing it away.
They had created the Three Realms to prevent its resurrection.
But the Three Attendants, Sichuan, and the Eight Heavenly Servants had never ceased scheming for the True Demon's return.
The Neither-Human-Nor-Beast who had appeared in Murim was also one of the Eight Heavenly Servants.
And if they were active—then perhaps the True Demon's emergence was imminent.
'Could peerless grandmasters like the Twin Heavenly Emperors of Righteous and Demonic, the Three Demons and Three Venerables—have been unaware of this truth?'
Impossible. The likelihood was zero.
Rather, they must have known all along—which was why they had secluded themselves in Closed Door Training repeatedly.
Because if those beings returned, the entire balance of Murim's factions would collapse.
And so, Bu Eun-seol sought out Ak Mu-ryeong.
To demand the truth—
About the True Demon.
About the Baekri Clan.
And about his own origins.
"Deputy Pavilion Master."
"So you've come."
As he entered Langya Pavilion, Dan Cheong—strangely enough—had come out to greet him.
Almost as if he already knew Bu Eun-seol had clashed with the Fist Adept and suffered severe internal injuries.
"You've endured much."
Dan Cheong studied Bu Eun-seol's disheveled hair and battered form, then—
With a gentle expression, patted his shoulder.
"I remember when I first brought you to the pavilion. Back then, you were wounded too, your body in ruins."
At that time, exposed to the Sword Demon Wi Hyeok-gun's Formless Qi, Bu Eun-seol had only survived thanks to Dan Cheong's aid.
Even so, his body hadn't fully recovered by the time he arrived at Langya Pavilion.
Having never properly trained in martial arts, he had suffered vicious internal injuries.
Yet Bu Eun-seol had entered Langya Pavilion with his shoulders squared—unbowed.
Just as he always had.
"You've come to see the Pavilion Lord?"
"Yes."
"Listen carefully to what I say next—and do not misunderstand."
With a grave expression, Dan Cheong spoke unexpected words.
"Perhaps you should reconsider."
"I don't understand what you mean."
"There are things in life one need not know."
Dan Cheong spoke calmly.
"Remaining focused on the present is far more important."
Bu Eun-seol had come to ask Ak Mu-ryeong about every unanswered question—
Including the unresolved mystery of his own origins.
Because they had to know.
The current generation's superlative martial experts—even the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—must have already discerned his past, his connection to his grandfather.
And Dan Cheong, anticipating this, had deliberately spoken those words.
"So the Deputy Pavilion Master already knew as well."
The truth of his origins.
Not just the Human Demon Ak Mu-ryeong—but even Deputy Pavilion Master Dan Cheong had known.
Which meant Langya Pavilion's core members—Master Cheol, Baek Yeon, So-jeon—must have known too.
Because Langya Pavilion did not withhold information based on rank.
They trained together like family, risking their lives in the pursuit of martial arts.
"And here I was, oblivious—ready to confess my identity to the Pavilion Lord and everyone else."
There was no mistaking the note of hurt in Bu Eun-seol's voice.
"It doesn't matter what your origins are."
Dan Cheong spoke in a low but firm tone.
"You are a disciple of this pavilion. Nothing else is important."
It was a touching sentiment—
yet it also carried the unspoken wish that Bu Eun-seol would not dig into his past.
'Why do they think it's better for me not to know?'
A thought struck Bu Eun-seol, and with a devastated expression, he asked:
"Is my past truly that wretched?"
"Bu Eun-seol."
"Rather than remaining ignorant and happy..."
He took a deep breath before speaking resolutely.
"I would rather know, even if it pains me."
"...Very well. If that is your choice."
Dan Cheong nodded faintly, a faint smile on his lips.
"The Pavilion Lord is at Iron Palm Peak. Go to him."
"Thank you."
Bu Eun-seol bowed respectfully.
As he walked away, Dan Cheong's gaze dimmed as he watched his retreating figure.
"You are nothing more than this pavilion's successor."
His murmur was so quiet that Bu Eun-seol could not hear it.
Bu Eun-seol sprinted up the steep mountain path using his Movement Technique, and before long, Iron Palm Peak came into view.
At the summit, a figure stood with his hands behind his back, gazing down at the mountains below.
A giant of a man, his muscles gleaming with an eerie luster, exuding an aura as towering as the Tai Mountains.
It was none other than the Lord of Langya Pavilion—the Human Demon, Ak Mu-ryeong.
"Pavilion Lord."
Bu Eun-seol bowed respectfully.
Since his martial prowess had advanced, he was no longer affected by the oppressive energy or voice of Ak Mu-ryeong.
But had the man entered a new realm in the meantime?
The sheer force radiating from Ak Mu-ryeong made Bu Eun-seol feel as though he were standing in thin air, his internal breathing slightly disrupted.
"Did you already know everything?"
When Ak Mu-ryeong remained motionless, Bu Eun-seol finally cut to the heart of the matter.
"About the existence of the True Demon... and their followers."
"You brat."
Ak Mu-ryeong turned slowly, his voice a low growl.
Then, from his pupils erupted a light as blinding as the sun.
"You think just because you've improved a little, the whole world is at your feet?!"
The rebuke sent a sweet, coppery taste rising in Bu Eun-seol's throat.
Still not fully recovered from the internal injuries inflicted by Fist Adept, the sudden surge of Ak Mu-ryeong's energy tore through him once more, reopening his wounds.
Zzziiing—
A golden light flickered across Bu Eun-seol's body.
With his internal injuries flaring up—
and his entire energy system collapsing under Ak Mu-ryeong's pressure, the Prajna Great Power activated on its own.
Grrrlll—
Then, something miraculous happened.
As the Prajna Great Power took effect, his displaced organs began shifting back into place.
'This...'
The Shaolin Tendon Transformation Sutra was originally a secret method used by ascetic monks to nourish their organs and purify their blood.
Bu Eun-seol had cultivated his Internal Energy through it, and later, through the Reverse Extreme Inner Method, which bore striking similarities—
he had gained complete control over the flow of his True Qi.
But as a result, the scripture's mystical functions—Clearing the Heart and Nourishing the Meridians, and Cleansing Impurities and Strengthening the Sinews—had remained dormant.
Yet now, under the strain of severe internal injuries, the activation of Prajna Great Power had triggered not the Reverse Extreme Inner Method, but the profound mysteries of the Reverse Muscle Scripture, rapidly healing his wounds.
'Pavilion Lord...'
A surge of warmth flooded Bu Eun-seol's heart.
'Even while scolding me, you were worried for my body.'
Ak Mu-ryeong, a master who had grasped the deepest secrets of all martial arts, could not possibly be ignorant of the Shaolin Reverse Muscle Scripture, one of the greatest Internal Energy Methods in the world.
Moreover, he knew every latent power within Bu Eun-seol's body.
Which was why he had deliberately unleashed his energy to stimulate the Prajna Great Power, accelerating his recovery.
'If I thanked him for every little thing like this, the Pavilion Lord would only grow furious.'
Well aware of Ak Mu-ryeong's temperament, Bu Eun-seol chose not to voice his gratitude and instead continued indifferently.
"I have glimpsed the Abyss of the martial world now."
He took another deep breath before speaking again.
"And since it concerns my own origins, I believe I have the right to ask you about these matters."
Ak Mu-ryeong's terrifying gaze swept over Bu Eun-seol's body, scrutinizing him thoroughly.
Then, silence fell.
How much time passed?
Finally, Ak Mu-ryeong slowly opened his mouth.
"The True Demon and its familiars have existed since the dawn of time. And the ancient fiends of the Eight Heavenly Servants sought out not only me—but the Twin Heavenly Emperors of Righteous and Demonic as well."
Bu Eun-seol was not particularly surprised.
He had already suspected that the frequent Closed-door Cultivation of the Twin Heavenly Emperors was connected to them.
Even in their youth, the familiars of the Fist Demon had clashed with the Twin Heavenly Emperors.
Bu Eun-seol stole a glance at Ak Mu-ryeong, whose presence alone seemed capable of crushing the world beneath him.
Naturally, the repeated Closed-door Cultivation of the Twin Heavenly Emperors and the Three Demons and Three Honored Ones was not because of the Eight Heavenly Servants—
but to defeat the ones above them—the Four Divine Heavens... or perhaps the Three Attendants.
"The reason the martial world has fallen to this state..."
Then, Ak Mu-ryeong uttered words more shocking than anything before.
"...is ultimately because of the Baekri Clan."
At the unexpected words, Bu Eun-seol's speech faltered.
"What do you—"
"They sealed the True Demon in a half-baked manner, and because of that, the Three Realms were born. But the Three Realms became corrupt, and instead, they provided the opportunity for the Servants of the True Demon to accumulate power in the shadows."
Flicker.
The corner of Bu Eun-seol's eye trembled faintly.
Though his words were harsh,
even Ak Mu-ryeong, who looked down on the world,
acknowledged that mysterious clan—which had vanished in an instant three hundred years ago—as the guardians of the Murim.
'But that's strange.'
If his father, Baekri Mu-ha, was a member of the Baekri Clan, then Bu Eun-seol himself was also of the Baekri Clan.
'Then there's no way the Servants of the True Demon would have let me live this long.'
The fact that Baekri Mu-ha had been the leader of Saha Manor was already known among the Superlative Martial Experts of the Murim.
Even the Divine Emperor had informed his disciple, Mu-gyeol, that Baekri Mu-ha was a descendant of the legendary Baekri Clan.
So, could the Servants of the True Demon really have been unaware of this?
Did they truly not know he was Baekri Mu-ha's son?
If they had known—
how could he have survived until now?
"Pavilion Lord."
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath and bit his lip.
There was no longer any reason to hide his identity from the Pavilion Lord.
"There is something I must tell you."
After another steadying breath, he spoke with utmost gravity.
"I am of the Baekri Clan."
"..."
"In my memories, there are those implanted by my father, Baekri Mu-ha."
Ak Mu-ryeong stared fixedly into Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
Then, uncharacteristically, he let out a heavy sigh.
"You are not."
"What do you—"
"There was only one reason Sado Mu-myeong pursued Baekri Mu-ha's child in the past."
Ak Mu-ryeong spoke slowly.
"It was because he knew Baekri Mu-ha was a descendant of the legendary Baekri Clan."
His voice remained calm as he continued.
"And he knew that the child Bu Jan-yang was raising was a survivor of Saha Manor. But he did not kill you."
Pausing briefly, he looked down at Bu Eun-seol and declared solemnly:
"Because you are not truly of the Baekri Clan's bloodline."
For a moment, darkness swallowed Bu Eun-seol's vision.
"What do you mean?"
"You are not of the Baekri Clan's lineage."
Ak Mu-ryeong gazed down at him with eyes burning like torches.
"Baekri Mu-ha knew his own fate. So, to save his child, he made many preparations. Including you."
Thud.
The shock was so immense that the back of Bu Eun-seol's head throbbed as if splitting open.
"What are you saying?"
"You were merely a lucky decoy who survived—a sacrifice to protect the true bloodline of the Baekri Clan."
Silence stretched between them.
Bu Eun-seol shook his head in disbelief.
"That can't be."
Desperation edged his voice as he spoke again.
"My appearance—"
But then he realized—in this vast, boundless world, finding someone who resembled him was not entirely impossible.
He quickly changed his words.
"I have memories of my parents."
"Implanted memories. Because you had to die as the perfect son of the Baekri Clan."
Bu Eun-seol raised his voice in agitation.
"I remember my father frantically placing me in a secret passage to save me! And then erasing my—"
But Ak Mu-ryeong snorted, cutting him off.
"Do you truly believe a Divine Being like Baekri Mu-ha would resort to such a clumsy act—sending his child alone through a secret passage?"
Bu Eun-seol's mouth snapped shut.
If Baekri Mu-ha had truly been such a being—if he had known death was coming—
he would have completed all preparations before the Blood Calamity began.
Sending a child alone into hiding during the calamity...
was far too sloppy a plan to save one's offspring.
But Bu Eun-seol couldn't accept it.
If that were true—then what did that make him?
"I cannot believe this."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"Did you speak to Baekri Mu-ha yourself?"
"No."
"Then how can you know such a thing?"
"Bu Jan-yang."
Ak Mu-ryeong's voice dropped so low it seemed to shake the earth.
"He told me."
Flicker.
Bu Eun-seol's face drained of color.
Then... his grandfather hadn't saved him by coincidence after all?
"The moment the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade is mentioned, you lose all sense!"
BANG!
For an instant, Bu Eun-seol felt as though heaven and earth were quaking.
Ak Mu-ryeong had struck him with a Shockwave of True Qi.
"Fool. Bu Jan-yang merely picked up a child freezing to death on the roadside—nothing more."
Ak Mu-ryeong saw through Bu Eun-seol's inner turmoil and sneered in contempt.
"He had no idea who you were."
"..."
"But in the end, that pitiful act of kindness exposed his whereabouts to countless powerful figures."
Bu Eun-seol's fingertips trembled at the scathing words.
"Because I... was a survivor of Saha Manor?"
"Correct."
Ak Mu-ryeong's voice was merciless.
"Bu Jan-yang had vanished completely from the Murim—no one knew his whereabouts. But... tracking the traces of a Saha Manor survivor was possible."
"Then that means..."
Bu Eun-seol's expression twisted in devastation.
"To protect the real descendant of the Baekri Clan... the decoy's trail was hidden carelessly. Is that it?"
"Of course."
Stagger.
As the cruel answer struck him, Bu Eun-seol's body swayed unsteadily.
Sparks danced before his eyes, and his head spun.
'The parents in my memories... weren't my real parents. I was carrying implanted false memories.'
Now that he thought about it, it made sense.
If he had truly been a blood descendant of the Baekri Clan—
If he had carried that great lineage capable of opposing the True Demon—
There was no way the Servants of the True Demon would have left him alone.
"Then... where is the real descendant of the Baekri Clan?"
"I don't know. Had they been discovered, the landscape of Murim would have changed."
'Grandfather.'
Bu Eun-seol bit his lip.
In the end, he had been nothing more than bait—deliberately left with traces so that the real bloodline could remain hidden.
Because of that, countless powerful figures, including the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, had been able to track him down easily.
And through him, they had found Grandfather's whereabouts.
"How... how did Grandfather know I was bait created at Saha Manor?"
"Countless masters came searching for you, believing you were the Baekri Clan's descendant. Naturally, he had to investigate."
Ak Mu-ryeong spoke decisively.
"And Bu Jan-yang determined that you were not the Baekri Clan's bloodline."
His head spun violently.
Bu Eun-seol staggered, then suddenly spat out a thin stream of blood.
Only now did he understand the meaning behind Dan Cheong's words.
—"There are things in life you don't even need to know."
Dan Cheong had known all along.
He had heard this very story from Ak Mu-ryeong long ago.
Because Bu Eun-seol was not Baekri Mu-ha's descendant,
Dan Cheong had wanted him to live faithfully as a disciple of Langya Pavilion, unburdened by the past.
'So that's why I couldn't recover my memories.'
The father in his memories—Baekri Mu-ha—had said:
Once he began training in martial arts,
Once his skills deepened,
He would eventually regain his memories.
But no matter how far his martial arts progressed, no matter how he surpassed the younger generation,
his memories never fully returned.
'Because there was nothing to recover.'
They were implanted from the start.
Fragments of fabricated memories.
That was why he could never find them.
And the most unbearable truth of all—
'In the end... it was because of me.'
Bu Eun-seol clutched his head with trembling hands and dropped to his knees.
'I was the one who destroyed Grandfather's peaceful life.'
Nausea rose in his throat.
He was the one who had ruined the life of the man he loved so dearly.
Because of his existence as misfortune,
Grandfather had been discovered by powerful figures and ultimately killed.
"What a ridiculous fool."
A low voice.
CRACK!
A blow strong enough to rattle his skull struck him.
Ak Mu-ryeong, watching him, had delivered a single punch.
A real punch.
CRASH!
Sent flying dozens of feet, Bu Eun-seol slammed into a great tree and spat out another mouthful of blood.
"The successor of this pavilion, kneeling and collapsing on his own?"
Bu Eun-seol muttered with dead eyes.
"In the end... I killed Grandfather."
"Kehahahaha!"
Ak Mu-ryeong burst into mad laughter, as if he found this utterly contemptible.
"Who the hell do you think killed Bu Jan-yang?"
"It's the truth. I personally encoffined Grandfather's—"
Rip.
Suddenly, Ak Mu-ryeong tore off his upper robe.
His torso, muscles coiled like forged steel, was fully exposed.
"Pavilion Lord."
"Look."
As Bu Eun-seol raised his head, Ak Mu-ryeong turned around.
His broad back was densely carved with hundreds of scars, like spiderwebs.
"Three moves."
The light swirling in Ak Mu-ryeong's pupils darkened.
"I was utterly defeated in just three moves."
Then he roared:
"Who in this world could dare kill a man like that?!"
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
Ak Mu-ryeong, the Human Demon, was a peerless grandmaster—one even the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had never fully defeated.
Yet Grandfather had crushed him in only three moves?
"Seven Fingers Demonic Blade Bu Jan-yang. He had long since transcended the boundaries of the Martial Extreme Realm."
Ak Mu-ryeong's expression turned solemn.
"Not even Sado Mu-myeong—not even if all Eight Heavenly Servants swarmed him at once—could anyone defeat him. And you dare say he died because of you?"
Bu Eun-seol's eyes bulged.
Grandfather had long broken through the Martial Extreme Realm.
He had soared far beyond even the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, the strongest of the current era.
"Bu Jan-yang. He was the world's foremost master."
Ak Mu-ryeong declared firmly.
"Not even the Twin Heavenly Emperors of Righteous and Demonic could have faced him together."
A faint trace of reverence and longing flickered in his eyes.
The only things capable of moving the heart of a man like Ak Mu-ryeong were:
The boundless realm of the Martial Way.
And the title of the world's foremost master.
"And you dare pity the path such a master chose for himself?!"
CRASH!
Bu Eun-seol was sent flying again.
Ak Mu-ryeong had struck him once more.
"You think you have the right to mourn him? To carry guilt?!"
Finally understanding, Bu Eun-seol bowed his head in shame.
The world's foremost master.
Bu Jan-yang, his grandfather, was a man who had inspired even the Human Demon—a supreme Great Demon—to gaze upon him with longing.
For a mere fledgling to weep and blame himself for the death of such a peerless grandmaster,
a man who had reached the pinnacle of martial arts and chosen his own end—
That was an insult to the world's foremost master.
Ak Mu-ryeong found it so contemptible he could barely endure it.