Chapter 80
Clack. Clack.
The sound of carriage wheels rolling across the parched earth shattered the silent stillness.
It was a rather spacious carriage. Such carriages were comfortable but slow.
Because of this, Bu Eun-seol could read the martial arts manual at an utterly leisurely pace.
"Young Master."
At that moment, Heuk-pyo, seated in the driver's seat guiding the horses, spoke in a low voice.
"It seems we'll have to camp out tonight."
"That's fine."
Upon hearing Bu Eun-seol's reply, Heuk-pyo gradually brought the carriage to a halt.
Nine days had already passed since they departed from the Wandering Drifters by carriage.
During that time, Bu Eun-seol had been studying the Fist Demon's secret manual given to him by Domyeong.
Every time he read the Fist Demon's fist techniques, he couldn't help but marvel as if a mountain boy had stepped into the palace where the Emperor resided.
'There was another realm I didn't know existed.'
Until now, he had never learned fist, palm, or finger techniques.
To grow stronger as quickly as possible, he had focused on mastering the sword, never feeling the need for anything else.
But only after reading the Fist Demon's manual did Bu Eun-seol realize how shallow and lacking his martial knowledge truly was.
Tap.
Finally, having memorized the entire manual, Bu Eun-seol narrowed his eyes slightly.
If martial arts were the skills or techniques expressed through the body, then martial knowledge was the theoretical framework that unraveled all those techniques.
In particular, the fist techniques contained within the Fist Demon's manual were supreme ultimate arts, reaching the highest realm among the scattered fist (quan), palm (zhang), hand (shou), finger (zhi), and claw (zhao) techniques of the martial world.
By reading the essential principles and doctrines of these fist techniques, Bu Eun-seol had ascended to another level of understanding.
'If I master these fist techniques deeply, I could conquer the world with just my two hands. But...'
—This manual is incomplete. No matter how profound its techniques and martial principles may be, its finest essence is missing.
Recalling Domyeong's words, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
It was an accurate assessment. Even if the Langya Pavilion possessed this manual, they wouldn't have been able to fully pass down its techniques to their disciples.
The reason was simple.
—First Form: Fist Demon Initial Manifestation
—Second Form: Extreme Lightning Blend
—Third Form: Self-Oblivion and Mutual Shattering
—Fourth Form: Heavenly Hand Empty Wave
...
The first four forms, the last three forms. Though the manual was structured around seven foundational stances, the ultimate arts of the last three forms had been lost.
'Even so... it's remarkable.'
With just the first four forms alone, one could contend with masters throughout the world.
Had the Langya Pavilion not pursued the highest martial realm and instead focused on expanding their influence moderately, they could have nurtured exceptional martial artists with just this Fist Demon's manual.
'Hmm.'
As Bu Eun-seol sank deep into thought,
"Young Master, I've lit a fire. Won't you come out and have something to eat?"
Heuk-pyo's clear voice reached him.
"Very well."
After a brief reply, Bu Eun-seol stepped out of the carriage slowly, still holding the manual.
Thud.
The moment he stepped outside, he tossed the manual he was holding into the roaring bonfire.
Whoosh.
As the aged manual fell into the flames, a bright crimson fire bloomed before quickly turning into gray ash.
And so, the Fist Demon's fist techniques—once hailed as the Langya Pavilion's supreme martial art—remained only within Bu Eun-seol's mind.
"Young Master, I've got some Old Hong Liquor I picked up from the village earlier. Care for a drink?"
Having lived as a rogue since childhood, Heuk-pyo was not only sharp-witted but also quick to read the mood.
Even after seeing Bu Eun-seol burn the manual, he pretended as if he hadn't noticed a thing.
"It pairs wonderfully with beef jerky."
"Fine."
At Bu Eun-seol's reply, Heuk-pyo hastily retrieved a jug of liquor and a bundle of jerky from the carriage.
Gulp, gulp.
As the strong liquor burned down his throat, even the cold night breeze felt sweet.
Bu Eun-seol sat by the bonfire with Heuk-pyo and finished half the jug of liquor along with a bundle of jerky.
"Ah, camping out like this brings back memories."
Heuk-pyo gazed at the distant sky, his face slightly flushed.
"When I first started my life as a rogue, I wandered Beyond the Pass and spent many nights like this. Tibet, the Southern Barbarian Region, the Great Desert... there wasn't a place I didn't go."
Then he turned his gaze to Bu Eun-seol.
"Young Master must have far more experience in the martial world than I do. You've traveled much more, haven't you?"
"I didn't travel much."
Bu Eun-seol downed the remaining liquor before answering.
"Until I was fifteen, I lived only in Hwangju Prefecture. It's only been three years since I entered the martial world. And my journey through it has lasted barely a year."
"One year... you say?"
Heuk-pyo shook his head as if he couldn't believe it.
Bu Eun-seol exuded the aura of a battle-hardened veteran who had seen countless struggles in the martial world—and in truth, he was exactly that. But to claim his experience amounted to merely a single year?
"If that's true, then you must have endured unspeakably brutal hardships, Young Master."
Bu Eun-seol said nothing.
The moment he stepped into the martial world, he had thrown himself into a life-or-death struggle to become the Ten Demonic Heir.
After that, in the Slaughter-Seeking Squad, he had taken on dangerous and filthy missions, one after another.
There were few in the entire martial world who had lived a harsher life than Bu Eun-seol.
"That's not it."
Yet he denied it.
"The martial world is inherently brutal. If you don't think so, then you haven't truly lived in it."
"Is that so?"
Heuk-pyo laughed, but he couldn't agree.
From childhood, he had wandered as a rogue martial artist, observing countless people. But he had never met anyone as inscrutable as Bu Eun-seol, whose emotions remained unreadable.
What kind of life has he lived?
Curiosity surged within him, but he barely suppressed it.
To build a good relationship with someone, one had to maintain an appropriate distance. That was true even for martial artists who wandered the martial world, living by the sword.
"I'll step away for two hours or so to get some air."
Heuk-pyo's expression turned strange as he subtly tried to slip away.
The reason was the crimson glow that had risen in Bu Eun-seol's eyes, which had been expressionless until now.
"Young Master, has something displeased you—?"
Before his words could finish—
Snap!
Bu Eun-seol moved like lightning, thrusting his sheathed sword to deflect a flying needle aimed at Heuk-pyo's temple.
Ting!
The deflected needle embedded itself into a nearby tree branch.
At the same time, a hissing sound erupted as smoke curled from the branch, and the leaves withered in an instant.
"Golden Silkworm Poison Toad?"
Heuk-pyo's mouth fell open as he stared at it.
In the past, while covertly gathering information, he had once been poisoned by an excruciatingly lethal toxin—none other than the Hell Blood Citadel's Golden Silkworm Poison Toad.
"It's the Hell Blood Citadel!"
The moment Heuk-pyo shouted—
Swish!
From the distant bushes, a figure clad in a blood-red robe emerged like a ghost.
It was none other than Yangmyeong, leader of the Blood Ghost Society under the Hell Blood Citadel.
"Bu Eun-seol."
Under the moonlight, Yangmyeong's face, now wrinkled and aged, looked different from before.
The moment the internal power of the Poison Demon Body Art condensed in his right hand dispersed, his energy level visibly dropped.
"Did you really think you could leave Guizhou alive?"
Yangmyeong gnashed his teeth.
Unlike before, his hand was now clad in a metal glove—likely a prosthetic, since Bu Eun-seol had shattered his nerves and bones.
"Since when did I need your permission to leave Guizhou?"
"Heh heh heh. Others might slip away, but not you. Not without this Hall Leader's permission."
Laughing darkly, he pointed at the black sword strapped to Bu Eun-seol's back.
"Hand over the Spiritual Subtlety Divine Sword. If you surrender it, I'll let you leave quietly."
"This sword is called Ink Sword."
"Don't spout nonsense!"
As Yangmyeong roared, Bu Eun-seol smirked.
"The Hell Blood Citadel's master is resorting to banditry now?"
"Shut your mouth!"
Yangmyeong's eyes spewed black venomous energy as he bellowed.
"That sword was always meant to be our sect's tribute! You're the one who interfered and ruined everything!"
"How strange."
Bu Eun-seol crossed his arms.
"If that's true, why was it offered as the tournament prize in the first place?"
"That was Ok Ho-bang! That damned mutt's idea!"
Yangmyeong ground his teeth.
"He said the Eastern Drifters, Western Wanderers would eventually fall under the Hell Blood Citadel's control anyway. Might as well use the Spiritual Subtlety Divine Sword to draw attention to the tournament and profit from it."
"You have a brain, don't you? And yet you agreed to such an idiotic plan?"
Bu Eun-seol spoke at length, uncharacteristically verbose.
"What if a master from the Demon Hall had entered the tournament? Or one from the Demonic Path Ten Gates?"
"Hmph, you know one thing but not two. The Demon Hall—and even the Demonic Path Ten Gates—have countless divine weapons stockpiled beyond measure. No master would enter a tournament just for a single divine sword."
Yangmyeong ground his teeth with a grating sound.
"Except for you damned Langya Pavilion bastards."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes turned icy.
"Seems you didn't come here to beg."
"Hehehe. Caught on, have you?"
Black malice oozed from Yangmyeong's eyes.
"Indeed. Even if you were to kneel and offer your sword, I would never let you live."
At this, Heuk-pyo's complexion changed.
"Lord Bu is Langya Pavilion's Ten Demonic Heir. Do you truly wish for direct conflict between two sects of the Demonic Path Ten Gates—Langya Pavilion and Hell Blood Citadel?"
Yangmyeong instead revealed a vicious smile.
"Hehehe. If I kill you here and melt you down with Bone-Melting Powder, who would ever know?"
It seemed he had already made up his mind and come fully prepared to kill Bu Eun-seol and Heuk-pyo.
"You're already completely surrounded by our faction's masters. No matter what tricks you have up your sleeve, there's no escaping now!"
As Yangmyeong shouted, rustling movements could be felt throughout the forest.
When the sound of rustling leaves echoed from all directions, Bu Eun-seol's pupils gleamed in the darkness.
The Beast Path's ability—Void-Breaking Mind's Eye—activated, allowing him to thoroughly scan his surroundings through the slightest vibrations in the air.
'Fifty of them...'
Having grasped the number and positions of the Blood Ghost Society masters surrounding them, Bu Eun-seol spoke to Heuk-pyo.
"Have you mastered all the movement techniques I taught you before?"
"I've only managed to learn about twenty percent so far."
"That's enough."
Heuk-pyo, already guessing Bu Eun-seol's intent, spoke solemnly.
"Even if it costs me my life, I will break through this encirclement and deliver this news to Langya Pavilion."
"What nonsense."
Bu Eun-seol replied flatly.
"Those lurking rats are about to shower us with hidden weapons. While I deal with them, do your best to evade."
"Huh?"
Heuk-pyo's mouth fell open.
Was he seriously planning to take on all the Blood Ghost Society masters who had infiltrated this forest alone?
"Young Master, you can't."
It was a reckless plan. Bu Eun-seol's martial prowess had already been thoroughly exposed during the Martial Arts Tournament.
Moreover, Yangmyeong had personally experienced his skills. He wouldn't have launched this ambush without absolute confidence in victory.
"Hahaha!"
Yangmyeong burst into disbelieving laughter at Bu Eun-seol's words.
"Madman. You think you can take on the entire Blood Ghost Society alone?"
"If I were afraid of rats who only know how to shoot poisoned needles, I wouldn't have stepped into the martial world in the first place."
"You're relying on that pitiful sword art of yours?"
Yangmyeong knew Bu Eun-seol was hiding an extraordinary sword technique.
But such techniques were only effective in one-on-one duels. Against multiple enemies—especially hidden weapon specialists—swordplay was hardly an efficient method.
Snap.
Yangmyeong suddenly raised one hand.
Swish—
Simultaneously, the trees in the forest rustled chaotically as a strange pressure began pouring in from all directions.
"Fire!"
In that instant, Bu Eun-seol's vision was dyed black.
It felt like being trapped in a lightless prison.
Fwoosh!
With faint Sounds of Breaking Air, dozens of poison needles rained down from somewhere.
The Blood Ghosts had completely sealed off any space to dodge, saturating the entire area with their attack.
'An assault designed to counter the Beast Path's abilities.'
All of Langya Pavilion's masters trained in the Beast Path, so darkness and hidden weapons meant nothing to them.
Knowing this, Yangmyeong had blinded their vision while flooding the space with a barrage of hidden weapons to dominate the battlefield.
—In the martial world, one-versus-many battles are common.
When first teaching the Beast Path, Sa-u had said:
—You didn't think there'd only be honorable duels, did you?
Of course, Bu Eun-seol had known better from the start.
That was why, when creating the Supreme Heavenly Flow, one of the key techniques he developed was for fighting multiple opponents.
And another for destroying hidden weapons.
"I'll return them to you."
At last, Bu Eun-seol drew the Ink Sword from his back.
Shiiing—
As the blade emerged, a vibration reminiscent of a dragon summoning lightning and wind from within the clouds could be felt.
Without hesitation, Bu Eun-seol executed the Second Form of the Supreme Heavenly Flow—Return to Rightful Owner—a technique designed to send hidden weapons back to their senders.
Flash!
A brilliant light erupted as the Ink Sword painted a black rainbow across the void. Instantly, every single incoming hidden weapon reversed direction.
"What the hell is that?!"
The Blood Ghosts hiding in the forest paled in horror.
As the sword technique unfolded, most of the hidden weapons they had unleashed suddenly arced back toward them at terrifying speed.