Chapter 796
Bu Eun-seol firmly shook his head.
["I'd rather reveal my true capabilities and request an audience with the Palace Lord. To ask for the transmission of the Wind & Cloud Divine Qi."]
["Do you truly believe the Wind God Palace, which walks the orthodox path, would impart their secret divine energy to you, Brother Bu? Moreover, the very fact they're holding this Groom Selection Tournament suggests the current state of the Wind God Palace is far from normal."]
Truth be told, Bu Eun-seol was already aware of this.
But because of him—
He could never permit Hyeok So-jin to become the Wind God Palace's matrilocal son-in-law.
["Even if you were to become their son-in-law, do you think the Palace Lord would grant permission to transfer the Wind & Cloud Divine Qi to another?"]
["Who would ask for permission before learning it? That would be like announcing to the world that the Wind & Cloud Divine Qi exists."]
Bu Eun-seol fell silent.
The truth was, even the Water Essence Divine Qi he possessed—
Hadn't been obtained with the Divine Water Palace's permission. Hadn't he absorbed it through Taoist Cultivation Secrets while resisting the vicious internal power of the Deputy Palace Lord...?
["If I'm eliminated, then you can give up. Wouldn't that be acceptable? If Brother Bu withdraws, I'll withdraw as well."]
Seeing the desperate gleam in Hyeok So-jin's eyes, Bu Eun-seol let out a heavy sigh.
["So-jin."]
["I'm begging you."]
Hyeok So-jin knew Bu Eun-seol's personality all too well.
Even if it meant losing his life—
He would never forcibly participate in the Groom Selection Tournament.
That was why, rather than trying to persuade him, Hyeok So-jin was attempting to become the Wind God Palace's son-in-law himself.
["Is there truly a need to go that far?"]
["I'm old enough now, and marrying a great beauty isn't such a bad thing, is it?"]
["What of the Heaven-Severing, Earth-Destroying Sect? They want you as their matrilocal heir."]
Hyeok So-jin bared his teeth in a grin.
["The Sanctuary Master is just an old man managing a bunch of retirees anyway. My grandfather would be thrilled if I married quickly and gave him grandchildren."]
["So-jin."]
["If you want to stop me, you'll have to cut off my head and stand up from that seat yourself."]
Hyeok So-jin knew exactly how severe Bu Eun-seol's injuries were.
If left untreated, they could worsen irreversibly.
He was staking his own future to ensure Bu Eun-seol received treatment.
Seeing the blazing intensity in Hyeok So-jin's eyes—hot enough to melt iron—Bu Eun-seol exhaled deeply.
Even if their positions were reversed—
He would have done the same.
["Very well."]
In the end, Bu Eun-seol remained seated.
["But if there's any danger, I'm withdrawing immediately."]
["Understood. Thank you."]
At that moment, Elder Hyang's voice rang out.
"Now, come forward one by one and channel your internal energy into the Five-Elements Stone."
Then she declared firmly:
"A minimum of three lights must manifest for qualification. Those who fail to produce at least three lights must leave our palace quietly."
The gathered participants all nodded in understanding.
Without hesitation, they descended to the first level and placed their hands on the Five-Elements Stone.
"Ohhh!"
Exclamations erupted when—
As Yeo Mun-gi channeled his internal power, three lights emerged—Li Fire Qi accompanied by True Wood Qi and Dui Metal Qi.
"Heh heh heh..."
He smirked arrogantly.
Despite his exceptional talent, he had been consistently overlooked due to his illegitimate birth and excluded from succession plans.
But if he obtained the Wind & Cloud Divine Qi and became the Wind God Palace's Grand Duke?
That paltry position as leader of the Jiangnan Martial Alliance would mean nothing.
Moreover, gaining the Wind God Palace's peerless beauty as his wife... It would be killing two birds with one stone.
—Ooooh!
Then another wave of astonishment swept through the hall.
When Jegal Seo-un channeled his energy, four lights emerged.
Yeo Mun-gi's hawk-like eyes narrowed in displeasure.
"Don't concern yourself. The number of lights doesn't necessarily indicate superior talent," Elder Hyang said calmly.
"Having only three is perfectly sufficient for obtaining the Wind & Cloud Divine Qi."
At this, Yeo Mun-gi's stiff expression relaxed somewhat, and he returned to his seat.
Next was a perpetually smiling young man.
When he infused the stone with his energy, four lights appeared.
So far, five participants had produced three lights.
Only Jegal Seo-un and the smiling man had manifested four.
"My turn now."
Hyeok So-jin placed his hand on the stone and channeled his power.
Another wave of astonishment followed—
He too produced four lights.
Now it was Bu Eun-seol's turn.
'It's impossible anyway.'
He knew full well from the Ten Demonic Heirs Tournament—
That he hadn't been born with any special constitution or innate power.
Moreover, the Boundary-Prosperity Jade had confirmed this fact yet again...
He held no expectations whatsoever.
Thump.
Bu Eun-seol summoned his internal energy.
As expected, the Five-Elements Stone showed no reaction.
"Hmm?"
But Elder Hyang wore a puzzled expression.
Having channeled his energy, at least the Li Fire Qi's light should have appeared.
Why was there no response at all?
"Has the Five-Elements Stone malfunctioned?"
As the tilting-headed Elder Hyang reached out her hand, three lights instantly appeared.
"It's perfectly fine."
"Perhaps he simply has no abilities."
At Bu Eun-seol's indifferent remark, Elder Hyang tilted her head in puzzlement before her eyes suddenly flashed.
"Don't tell me, you—"
Then, in an utterly chilling voice, she said:
"—are using a disguise."
Bu Eun-seol stiffened imperceptibly but feigned ignorance.
"I don't know what you mean."
"If you're employing a disguise technique to alter your appearance, the Five-Elements Stone won't react."
Elder Hyang glanced around and nodded, and white-robed disciples surged forth in an instant, surrounding Bu Eun-seol.
"Did you think this palace's event was some kind of joke?"
Before he could even respond, Elder Hyang declared firmly:
"Reveal your true identity. Otherwise, I will consider you a spy sent to disrupt this palace's event."
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath.
Judging by Elder Hyang's attitude, even if he tried to leave now, she wouldn't allow it.
'Wasn't I planning to reveal my true identity anyway?'
He had expected his identity to be exposed the moment he first used the disguise.
Besides, hadn't he originally intended to disclose his true self when he first planned to visit the Wind God Palace?
Crack.
Finally, Bu Eun-seol released the Face-Changing Bone-Shifting Art.
As he did, his tied-up hair loosened, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful face that belonged in a painting.
"That man—"
Elder Hyang's eyes widened to the point of nearly tearing.
The Heir of the Demon Hall.
The foremost young Grandmaster of the Demonic Path—wasn't this the Martial Soul Lord himself?
Murmur, murmur.
As Bu Eun-seol revealed his true appearance, not only Jegal Seo-un but every man present in the hall stared in shock, their pupils flashing with astonishment.
"I came here unintentionally, so I had no choice but to conceal my identity."
Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands together as he met Elder Hyang's gaze.
"I meant no harm, so I ask for your generous understanding."
His words were dignified yet polite, befitting a Grandmaster of the Demonic Path.
"If you wish, I will leave the Wind God Palace at once."
But Elder Hyang's expression was strange.
She looked as though she was so overjoyed she didn't know what to do—or perhaps she was barely suppressing an overwhelming surge of emotion.
"No, that won't be necessary."
Elder Hyang smoothed her peculiar expression and spoke calmly.
"Since you've dispelled your disguise, I will acknowledge your participation in the Groom Selection Tournament. Go ahead and place your hand on it."
The moment she forced a smile—despite having been hostile just moments ago—Bu Eun-seol felt somewhat uneasy.
Moreover, she was allowing him to continue participating in the tournament just because he had lifted his disguise?
'What does she really want?'
[Brother Bu. At this point, you're riding a tiger—you can't get off. Didn't they just formally permit your participation?]
Hearing Hyeok So-jin's telepathic transmission, Bu Eun-seol had no choice but to place his hand on the Five-Elements Stone again.
But still, there was no reaction whatsoever, wasn't there?
"I've failed, then."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head as if resigned.
"Not necessarily."
Elder Hyang spoke decisively.
"If one's Five-Elements Qi reaches its extreme, it may not manifest at all."
Murmur, murmur.
The unexpected answer caused an uproar among the crowd.
In other words, wasn't Bu Eun-seol the ideal candidate to inherit the Wind & Cloud Divine Qi?
"The former palace lord was the same at first."
It was a lie.
Whether one's Five-Elements Qi reached its peak or not, the Five-Elements Stone only determined its presence—and this man's body contained no such energy at all.
Nevertheless, this Heir of the Demon Hall must pass through the gate.
Not to receive the Wind & Cloud Divine Qi—but for the sake of revenge.
'The opportunity for revenge has come on its own.'
Elder Hyang bit her lip.
The reason the former palace lord had died screaming.
It was because the Number One of the Demonic Path—
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor, Sado Mu-myeong, had brutally slaughtered him.
'Even if I can't kill the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, I can at least kill his successor.'
Elder Hyang swallowed a venomous smile.
Since Bu Eun-seol had willingly entered the Groom Selection Tournament, she would seize this chance without fail—to kill him.
Those who passed through the Five-Elements Stone—
Including Bu Eun-seol, there were seven in total.
Whether it was a Son-in-Law Invitation or a Marriage Invitation, most such events ultimately ended in a duel.
But the Wind God Palace didn't seem to have duels in mind at all, instead leading them deep into the palace.
After walking for some time, they arrived at a complex of buildings with open doors.
Focusing his enhanced vision, Bu Eun-seol saw that the interiors were veiled with curtains, and beyond them, another layer of silk fabric hung.
Judging by the layout, it seemed like a place meant for secluded meditation or quiet tea ceremonies.
"Now, we will officially begin the Groom Selection Tournament."
Elder Hyang, who had guided the seven young men here, announced in a loud voice.
"This is where our palace conducts mental cultivation. And inside, there are esteemed elders who have mastered exceptional mental techniques."
She swept her gaze over the young men.
"If they declare you 'pass,' then you will have cleared the First Gate."
"I don't understand."
Yeo Mun-gi curled his lips into a sneer as he spoke.
"What method are we supposed to use to pass? Are you seriously suggesting we resort to intimidation?"
"That would be fine too."
Elder Hyang, on the contrary, smirked.
"Whether you intimidate or suppress them, it doesn't matter. As long as you can make them say the word 'pass,' you'll clear the trial."
At those words, the gathered participants wore expressions of utter disbelief.
Just what kind of ability did the women inside possess that allowed Elder Hyang to make such a bold claim?
'Are they planning to deploy the Mind-Seizing Art?'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed.
Though his extrasensory perception had faded, his five senses remained intact.
Through the open door, he caught the scent of Soul-Seizing Incense—a tool often used covertly by masters of the Mind-Seizing Art.
[So-jin.]
[I know.]
Hyeok So-jin, too, seemed to have detected the scent, responding in a low voice.
But just then, a peculiar voice transmission resonated in both their minds.
[They're likely verifying our identities once more... or perhaps screening for those who might pose a threat to the Wind God Palace.]
It was Jegal Seo-un's voice.
Even if this was the Groom Selection Tournament—
The secret techniques of a martial sect.
And not just any techniques, but the power of the Wind God, one of the Four Divine Figures, being handed over unconditionally.
Even if it meant resorting to something worse than the Mind-Seizing Art—
It was only natural they would weed out those with impure intentions.
[You've probably already guessed, but if you can prove you mean no harm to the Wind God Palace, you'll pass. The crucial thing is—you must never resist the Mind-Seizing Art.]
As Bu Eun-seol and Hyeok So-jin exchanged puzzled glances, Jegal Seo-un turned his head slightly.
[I owed you a debt from before, so consider this advice repayment. Though, of course, this alone doesn't settle it.]
Then, Elder Hyang's voice rang out.
"Now, enter."
The participants, who had been standing blankly, each stepped into the building before them.
After exchanging a glance with Hyeok So-jin, Bu Eun-seol stood before the structure directly ahead.
"You may come in."
At the cold voice of a woman, Bu Eun-seol lifted the beaded curtain and stepped inside.
A somewhat narrow room came into view, where a gaunt, middle-aged woman with icy eyes sat waiting.
"I am Okjeong, the Joha Hall Master."
As she greeted him, Bu Eun-seol returned a polite bow.
"Disciple of Langya Pavilion, Bu Eun-seol."
"The heir of the Demon Hall, the Martial Soul Lord himself."
Okjeong stared intently at Bu Eun-seol.
"You're quite handsome."
Her gaze swept over his face and figure before she spoke coldly.
"You must have lived a life free of dissatisfaction, walking only on smooth paths, no?"
"..."
"I'm curious—what will you use to satisfy this hall leader?"
All around them, the Soul-Seizing Incense—said to steal the souls of men—drifted upward.
Since it was not poison, internal energy could not block it, and the enclosed space, narrow and poorly ventilated, made it all the more potent.
If this conversation continued in such a confined room, resisting the Mind Seizing Great Art would be no easy feat.
"..."
For a moment, Bu Eun-seol stared back at Okjeong.
With age, one's true nature becomes etched upon their face.
In the glint of the eyes, the set of the expression, the tone of the voice—deficiencies reveal themselves.
After a long silence, Bu Eun-seol spoke calmly.
"I'd like a drink. Preferably something strong."
At his words, Okjeong's lips curled slightly.
When men sought to ensnare a woman's heart, offering wine was the oldest trick in the book.
'This one is simpler than I thought.'
Okjeong suppressed a sneer.
"Of course, I can provide wine. But this hall leader won't be drinking."
"As you wish."
When Okjeong murmured something to someone behind her, a table was soon laid out with strong liquor, fruits, and rice cakes.
Bu Eun-seol slowly poured wine into his cup.
The drink they had brought was, as he had requested, extremely potent, its fragrance deep and rich.
Filling his cup to the brim, he brought it to his lips with deliberate slowness.
The way Bu Eun-seol drank was peculiar.
He filled the transparent cup with clear liquor, then sipped it in small, measured portions—never gulping it down all at once.
The speed at which he emptied the cup was neither fast nor slow, but perfectly steady.
Watching him, Okjeong unconsciously swallowed hard.
Disciples of the Wind God Palace, living in frigid lands, were known to enjoy strong liquor.
But seeing a peerlessly handsome man savoring such a drink with such relish—it was impossible not to salivate.
"Truthfully, my childhood was far from comfortable."
Having slowly drained an entire bottle, Bu Eun-seol spoke impassively.
"One might even say I lived a life more wretched than most."
With every word he spoke, the rich scent of alcohol spread through the air.
Okjeong, being fond of wine herself, felt no particular aversion to the rising aroma.
"And so?"
"The first memory that comes to mind is from when I lived in the underground waterways. On the brink of starvation, I once found a half-eaten rat discarded by a bird... and I chewed on it."
Bu Eun-seol recounted his wretched past with detached composure.
Though a man of few words, once he began speaking, he became an orator who could seize the listener's very soul.
She had intended to pay little attention to whatever he said,
but his storytelling was so enthralling that, before she knew it, she found herself listening intently.
"After that day, I never starved again. Because I realized there is nothing in this world that a person cannot eat."
Bu Eun-seol slowly emptied his glass once more.
The room was not particularly large, and the two sat facing each other,
so Okjeong had no choice but to breathe in the scent of liquor mingling with his exhales. Unconsciously, she felt her own mind growing hazy.
'I need to pull myself together.'
She wasn't here to listen to his lamentations—she needed to extract every secret he held.
There was no reason to endure his ramblings any longer.
"You can't call that hardship. In this cruel world, how many nameless orphans do you think there are?"
"Are you saying you've lived a life even more wretched than mine?"
Uncharacteristically, Bu Eun-seol curled the corner of his lips into a faint smile.
In response, Okjeong's expression turned icy.
"I was swept up in the chaos of war. My family all died, and my mother was violated by soldiers."
She bit her lip.
"After that day, my mother lost her mind. She would beat me daily, then weep in remorse, repeating the cycle endlessly."
"..."
"Then, at some point, she started saying that I might suffer the same fate as her... and tried to kill me."
Okjeong's pupils burned red.
"I've lost count of how many times I nearly died by my mother's hand. One day, she resolved herself and swung a sickle at my throat."
She abruptly stopped speaking, snapping back to her senses.
She had just realized she was divulging things she should never have spoken aloud.
But then, Bu Eun-seol spoke.
"Yet the Hall Leader is alive and well now... So in the end, your mother must have met a tragic fate alone."
At his clumsy deduction, Okjeong bit her lip harder.
"Not at all. I was struck by her sickle. I was dying. But by sheer luck, the Palace Lord found me as I lay dying."
Okjeong, who had lived a wretched life, had finally been on the verge of death by her mother's hand.
But she was saved by the former Wind God—the Palace Lord—and became a disciple of the Wind God Palace.
"A stroke of fortune, then."
Bu Eun-seol nodded, oblivious to the storm in her heart.
"Now that you're in the Wind God Palace, you must have been freed from that life of suffering."
"Freed?"
She bit her lip.
How strange.
No matter how hard she tried to remain composed, she couldn't shake the despair and bitterness festering in her mind.
"It was the opposite. Because as I watched my mother die by the Sect Leader's hand... I felt relieved."
Unable to suppress her anguish, she forced a bitter smile.
"I thought—Now I won't have to endure this anymore. Now I won't have to agonize over whether I should kill my mother myself. And I despised that part of me."
Drip.
At last, scalding tears spilled from Okjeong's eyes.
Having heard everything, Bu Eun-seol let out a deep sigh.
He, too, had lived through the Era of Strife and endured a miserable existence.
He didn't even have memories of his parents, and the ones he had finally recovered turned out to be fabricated lies.
But Okjeong—despite having intact memories of her parents—
was tormented by those very recollections, now twisted into something wretched and sorrowful.
Glug.
In silence, Bu Eun-seol refilled his glass to the brim.
The liquor, filling the transparent cup, released a pungent aroma that prickled the nose.
Yet he did not drink it.
This was his silent empathy—a glass poured not for himself, but for Okjeong and her painful past.
Okjeong stared at the glass in bewilderment.
Then, suddenly, her eyes widened.
She had detected the faint ripple of translucent True Qi emanating from the cup.
"Don't tell me—"
Her voice shook.
She realized that Bu Eun-seol had been straining his Internal Energy all this time—
spreading a barrier of True Qi to ensure no sound escaped the room.
"It's fine. No one heard you."
Okjeong couldn't comprehend it.
Why had she—
Why had she spilled her darkest, most wretched secrets to this man, when she had never spoken of them before?
"I orchestrated this deliberately."
As if reading her thoughts, Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly.
"I didn't invite you for drinks on a mere whim."
Just by looking at Okjeong's face, he had discerned much.
Her eyes held the weight of a brutal past, her lips sealed over secrets she had never shared.
And her arid voice—
betrayed the hollowness and suffering hidden beneath her icy exterior.
—Am I, too, becoming like the Demonic Heavenly Emperor?
Though severely injured from his battle with Fist Adept,
Bu Eun-seol had gained the confidence and conviction that he could face a Master of the Martial Extreme Realm.
As a result, his Martial Arts True Scripture had undergone another profound leap forward.
And as if to prove it... much like the Demonic Heavenly Emperor or Martial Venerable—
he had awakened the ability to peer into the depths of another's Spirit and Mind.