Chapter 803
"Are you serious?"
At Hyeok So-jin's question, Hae-yeon's lips curled into a faint smile.
"Perhaps."
"Palace Master Hae... you're quite bold."
"Do you find it strange?"
Hyeok So-jin awkwardly raised his thumb.
"Not so much strange as... there simply hasn't been anyone in the Central Plains Martial World as groundbreaking, daring, and unconventional as Your Excellency."
"Yes, I suppose that may be true."
Hae-yeon's smile turned somewhat melancholy at his words.
"I thought I'd died helplessly from poisoning, yet here I am returning to the world after a hundred years... It seems my personality has changed somewhat."
Her gaze turned desolate as she looked up at the distant sky.
"Now, the only person left in this world who remembers me is Elder Hyang."
Hearing this, Bu Eun-seol
could faintly guess why she hadn't cut Elder Hyang's throat.
Though the elder was extremely advanced in years,
she must have feared killing the last person who remembered her.
After all, she'd spent a century trapped in the Crystal Coffin, poisoned by Extreme Poison in a deathlike state before reviving...
Her anguish and loneliness
were perhaps beyond anyone else's understanding in this world.
"You can start making new memories from now on, can't you?"
Bu Eun-seol spoke as if offering comfort.
"Rather than those who remember how you were a hundred years ago, focus on those who'll remember the Palace Master you are now."
"Thank you."
Hae-yeon's smile remained dry.
Yet she could perceive that beneath Bu Eun-seol's cold expression lay a warm disposition.
"I've rambled pointlessly long enough."
Hae-yeon continued.
"Truthfully, there's only one thing this Palace Master desires."
"Speak."
"Simply acknowledge that you are my Grand Supreme Duke. Can you do that?"
Her words flowed as naturally as water, and Bu Eun-seol nearly nodded without thinking.
'What soul-stealing rhetoric.'
Bu Eun-seol shook his head as if the idea were absurd.
"How could that possibly be?"
"It's fine. Let me repeat—I only need you to acknowledge the title of Grand Supreme Duke."
Hae-yeon said something unexpected.
"I swear you'll never be bound by any obligations. That is my promise."
Astoundingly, she wanted only the name of Grand Duke, not Bu Eun-seol himself.
Had this been shortly after Bu Eun-seol entered the martial world, he might have eagerly accepted.
But having witnessed women frequently go back on their word, he firmly shook his head.
"I'm afraid that would be difficult."
"How cruel."
Hae-yeon pouted slightly, looking hurt.
"Do you truly think I'd say one thing while scheming something else?"
Bu Eun-seol wanted to flatly say "Yes" but restrained himself.
"Not exactly. It's just that as a disciple of Langya Pavilion, registering under another sect—one not even of the Demonic Path—would be problematic."
"Ah, the Demonic Path. I see."
Hae-yeon bowed her head, seeming disappointed.
Then, as if remembering something, she turned to Hyeok So-jin.
"You're the young master of Heaven-Severing Earth-Destroying, correct?"
"I am."
"Has your clan head ever suffered from a grave illness?"
Hyeok So-jin nodded, startled.
"Indeed. My grandfather was in poor health for a time. How did you know?"
Hae-yeon narrowed her eyes.
"A century ago, the Palace Master told me. The Hyuk Clan leading Heaven-Severing Earth-Destroying has always had weak hearts."
Her gaze grew distant, as if recalling the memory.
"They were constantly searching for elixirs to cure their ailments, she said."
"I see."
Hyeok So-jin nodded calmly.
"But he's fine now. Thanks to Brother Bu's help, my grandfather has fully recovered."
"Yet at his age, there must still be concerns?"
"Well..."
As Hyeok So-jin blinked in hesitation,
Hae-yeon nodded to a disciple standing afar.
A Wind God Palace disciple in snow-white robes entered the Grand Hall carrying a large wooden box.
Inside the open box lay a ginseng shaped like a white child—the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng.
"Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng."
Hyeok So-jin's eyes widened.
Wasn't this a priceless treasure no amount of money could buy?
"Brew this for your clan head."
Hae-yeon smiled benevolently.
"He'll enjoy a lifetime free from illness."
"Truly?"
Hyeok So-jin's voice trembled with emotion.
"Thank you, Palace Master."
To so generously give a peerless treasure for the health of his beloved grandfather—
no gift could have brought him greater joy.
"Brother Bu."
Then, with utmost solemnity, Hyeok So-jin approached Bu Eun-seol.
"It's just putting a name down, isn't it? Considering the Palace Master's dignity, why not accept the position of Grand Duke?"
The Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng had completely disarmed him.
"Admittedly, Brother Bu's personality is somewhat cold, but you're truly warmhearted. When I think about it, only someone as bold as the Palace Master could be your heavenly match. Personally, I think you should immediately visit the Langya Pavilion Master and..."
As the man continued his incessant nonsense beside him, Bu Eun-seol fixed his gaze squarely on Jegal Seo-un.
—You owe me a debt, do you not?
Jegal Seo-un indeed owed him.
And so, Bu Eun-seol judged that he wouldn't simply stand by and watch this crisis unfold.
"The Palace Master is rather impatient, isn't she?"
Unable to withstand the heat in Bu Eun-seol's piercing stare, Jegal Seo-un stepped forward with an expression of resignation.
"There's an old saying, is there not? That good things should be done slowly, without haste. Why not discuss this matter at a more leisurely pace?"
After all, this was the Wind God Palace, and at this moment, it was a fight Bu Eun-seol had no choice but to lose.
In that case, the wisest course of action was to admit defeat quickly and plan for the future.
'Indeed.'
Bu Eun-seol looked at Jegal Seo-un with an expression of admiration.
Not only was his ability to swiftly analyze the situation remarkable, but his attempt to extricate himself from this precarious position without provoking Hae-yeon was also a move befitting a strategist of the Jegal Clan.
"You are the Young Clan Head of the Jegal Family, correct?"
"That is correct."
"Wait here a moment."
Hae-yeon stepped out of the Great Hall briefly and spoke to one of her disciples.
Not long after, a disciple returned carrying an ancient iron case, its surface weathered with age.
When opened, inside lay a feather fan that shimmered with a silvery glow.
Engraved upon its handle were the characters Small Heaven Silver River in delicate relief.
"This is a treasure artifact that entered our palace long ago. I've heard it holds deep ties to the Jegal Family."
In an instant, Jegal Seo-un's pupils dilated as if they might tear apart.
What lay within the iron case—
Was it not the Crane Feather Fan, the sacred relic the Jegal Clan had spent generations searching for in vain?
Shiver.
With trembling hands, Jegal Seo-un grasped the fan.
If he were to return with this sacred relic, the lifelong aspiration of the Jegal Clan—
Even the stubborn Family Head would surely forgive him generously, and there would be no further disputes.
"You're giving this... to me?"
"Did I bring it out just for you to look at?"
"Th-Thank you!"
Jegal Seo-un immediately dropped into a deep bow before Hae-yeon.
The Crane Feather Fan was nothing less than the very symbol of the Jegal Clan.
For generations, the Family Heads had lived with guilt in their hearts, burdened by the loss of this sacred relic.
And yet, here she was, resolving the clan's long-held regret without demanding anything in return?
He felt the urge to kneel before her and bow hundreds of times.
"Palace Master!"
In the end, Jegal Seo-un spoke in a voice thick with emotion.
"From this day forth, the Jegal Clan shall stand as a steadfast companion to the Wind God Palace!"
Then, pointing at Bu Eun-seol, he declared loudly:
"Though of course, the Palace Master's lifelong companion will naturally be the Lord!"
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
In the end, even Jegal Seo-un had been completely won over by Hae-yeon.
"Well said."
Hyeok So-jin chimed in with an expression of utmost solemnity.
"In all the world, there is only one person truly suited to be Brother Bu's match—Palace Master Hae-yeon."
Jegal Seo-un immediately followed up.
"The Lord is, after all, the Grandmaster destined to unify the Demonic Path, is he not? To accomplish great deeds in the future, he must pair with someone like Palace Master Hae-yeon—not only peerlessly skilled in martial arts but also broad-minded and magnanimous."
As the two of them chattered like a comedy duo—
Hae-yeon smiled bashfully, though her joy was evident.
In stark contrast, Bu Eun-seol felt a chill run down his spine.
Wasn't there a saying about old ginger being the spiciest?
Hae-yeon wasn't clinging to him or trying to win his favor.
Instead, she had instantly won over his companions, who were now urging him to accept this union.
"Since you two insist, I suppose there's no helping it."
Her moves landed flawlessly.
Hae-yeon spoke with a somewhat embarrassed expression.
"But this is a lifelong matter, so for now, let us simply register the name. We can resolve the rest slowly."
Then, turning to Bu Eun-seol, she added:
"You have your own status and reputation to consider, so I won't demand signatures or oaths from you."
Bu Eun-seol said nothing.
Even if she unilaterally declared him the Grand Duke, no one would acknowledge it.
But Hae-yeon hadn't become the Wind God Palace Master by rolling dice.
"Still, we'll need witnesses."
"Witnesses?"
Instead of answering, she nodded toward a corner of the Great Hall.
At once, a disciple of the Wind God Palace scurried over and handed a sheet of paper each to Hyeok So-jin and Jegal Seo-un.
Written upon them was a declaration that Martial Soul Lord Bu Eun-seol had become Grand Supreme Duke to Wind God Palace Master Hae-yeon—
Along with a signature line for the witnesses to confirm their attestation.
"Of course."
Before Bu Eun-seol could even protest—
Hyeok So-jin and Jegal Seo-un were already signing and stamping their names with lightning speed.
If not for the lack of tails, their eager movements would have resembled puppies swarming their master.
"Good."
Once she had their signatures, Hae-yeon beamed and patted their heads affectionately.
"You may return now."
Then, to Bu Eun-seol, she said:
"I leave the rest to you."
Bu Eun-seol could only gape wordlessly.
With the witnesses' signatures secured—
His position as the Wind God Palace's Grand Supreme Duke had now become a fait accompli.
"Then I shall visit the Demon Hall soon. We'll meet again then."
"That cannot be allowed."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head firmly.
He absolutely had to prevent her from going to the Demon Hall.
"Don't worry. Did you think I was going to boast about you becoming the Grand Duke?"
Hae-yeon's large eyes sparkled as she spoke.
"As I mentioned earlier, I only intend to seek out the Hall Master and inquire about the truth behind the previous palace lord's death."
That couldn't be true.
It was obvious she was using the Demonic Heavenly Emperor as an excuse to stamp her authority over the Demon Hall once more.
But on the surface, she was merely investigating the cause of the previous palace lord's death... There was no justification to stop her.
Her way with words is impossible to match.
Bu Eun-seol had no choice but to admit defeat.
Not only was Hae-yeon's personality extremely meticulous, but she was also the type to push through with whatever she set her mind to—
And on top of that, she possessed the silver tongue to sway people to her will.
"Understood."
Bu Eun-seol had no choice but to concede.
This was enemy territory, and the situation was already unfavorable.
The more he tried to act here... the deeper he would sink into the quagmire.
"Then."
Bu Eun-seol bowed and stepped out of the Great Hall.
"Brother Bu. Let's go together."
"Indeed. Since parting like this is regrettable, how about sharing a drink—"
The moment their babbling voices reached his ears—
Flash!
Bu Eun-seol shot them an icy glare—
Bang!
—and without sparing them another glance, he immediately activated his Movement Technique and left the Wind God Palace.
"Well, well. What a fine display."
A cold voice echoed through the dim chamber.
"They insisted on trusting the Infinite Realm to the very end, yet in the end, they vanished without a trace."
The voice resonated once more, filling the chamber.
"Because of this, even the Empress Dowager is furious. She said we entrusted the matter to the wrong people."
The owner of the voice emerging from the chamber was none other than Director Eunuch Wang Ryang.
The Eastern Depot had deep ties with the Infinite Realm and, alongside the Empress Dowager, had been manipulating the Emperor.
But as the Infinite Realm, which had provided them with vast funds and manpower, gradually lost its power—
Before they knew it, it had completely disappeared.
In the end, the Eastern Depot had become like a dog chasing a chicken—left with nothing.
"There is no need for concern, Director."
A eunuch, prostrated on the floor, spoke cautiously.
"Have not those far more formidable than the Infinite Realm extended their hand?"
"Incheon... was it?"
"Indeed."
The eunuch lowered his voice.
"They are said to be a faction that has long dominated the Murim. Not only that, but they possess such terrifying power that they could rival the entire Three Realms, including the Infinite Realm."
"And what do they want?"
"Nothing."
The eunuch bowed his head.
"They claim to desire nothing."
"Hmph. Those who say they want nothing are usually the ones who covet the most."
As dissatisfaction dripped from the Director Eunuch's voice, the eunuch hastily added,
"They are beings who look down even on Murim's factions. However, due to certain circumstances, they have remained hidden."
"I've heard that nonsense before."
As the Director Eunuch, who governed the empire's intelligence, he had heard tales of the Baekri Clan, the True Demon, and the Eight Heavenly Servants.
But they were so grandiose as to be absurd—
Nothing more than the wild fantasies that circulated through Murim.
"Those of Murim always spin fanciful tales under the guise of legends."
"If they are mere braggarts, is that not all the better? They have pledged unconditional cooperation to the Empress Dowager."
The Director Eunuch spoke coldly.
"So?"
"First, we shall have them deal with the Grand Secretary."
"You mean Yu Jeong-pung?"
"Correct."
Grand Secretary Yu Jeong-pung.
The Emperor's most trusted loyal retainer, and a figure who constantly opposed the Empress Dowager and the Eastern Depot.
Especially because he actively criticized the Empress Dowager's interference and worked tirelessly to purge corrupt officials—
To the Eastern Depot, he was nothing but a thorn in their side.
"And you believe they can eliminate him? How?"
"Did His Highness the Crown Prince not recently temporarily relocate for safety?"
"Hmm."
The Director Eunuch's eyes flashed in the darkness as he grasped the eunuch's plan.
"You're saying that's possible?"
"Of course."
The prostrated eunuch spoke swiftly.
"Their power is truly extraordinary. Even if the Imperial Brocade Guard were to protect him in full force, they could eliminate him without difficulty."
"Hm."
"And even if they fail, there is no loss—only gain."
The eunuch bowed his head.
"If they succeed in this matter, it will prove they possess a Master of such immense power that even the greatest Grandmasters of this era could not withstand them."
The Director Eunuch fell into deep thought, gazing out the window for a moment.
"Very well."
Turning his head, he spoke solemnly.
"If they can kill Yu Jeong-pung without a trace, I shall personally plead with the Empress Dowager."
"Understood."
As the bowing eunuch raised his head again, the Director Eunuch had already vanished like mist.
"It's done."
The eunuch bared his white teeth in a smile.
"If the Empress Dowager and them make contact... the plan will proceed even more smoothly."
This matter was as good as accomplished.
The Eight Heavenly Servants.
One of those terrifying masters had stepped forward.
Yu Jeong-pung was already as good as dead.
Yu Un-ryong was the busiest person in the Death Shadow War Unit.
If all the tasks he handled were listed out, they would fill an entire book and still not be enough.
Especially recently—he had become even busier.
The first reason was none other than Bu Eun-seol's movements.
Lately, he had been acting so independently and covertly that even the Death Soul Squad couldn't track him.
And Yu Un-ryong, intuitively grasping why Bu Eun-seol was moving like this,
had been maintaining full readiness to assist him at any moment.
"Just what is going on this time?"
Upon receiving a report from the Death Soul Squad stating that they couldn't find any trace of Bu Eun-seol's recent activities,
he shook his head and let out a deep sigh.
"He must be handling some dangerous matter alone again."
Yu Un-ryong's expression twisted in frustration.
Because whenever Bu Eun-seol's subordinates faced perilous tasks,
or whenever a terrifying superlative martial expert appeared as an enemy, he would invariably conceal his tracks
and handle everything on his own.
Moreover, given that he had visited Langya Pavilion multiple times, it was clear that something major had happened to him personally.
"Then I need to complete this as soon as possible."
The second reason was the matter of completing the Mind's Eye Mirror from the Essentials of Strange Mechanisms,
a secret that would allow him to confront masters of unimaginable martial prowess through the mental world.
"This was sheer fortune."
In truth, a year ago, Yu Un-ryong had encountered a great fortuitous opportunity.
He had obtained an ancient, mysterious artifact—a secret manual called the Essentials of Strange Mechanisms,
which contained methods to shatter the boundaries of reality and plunge enemies into a mental world.
And it was all thanks to the work he had begun to assist Bu Eun-seol.
If there are mysterious factions passed down through the ages in the martial world, then surely the ancient sages and philosophers must have written about them.
—Bring me every old book from the bookstores in the Central Plains. Even miscellaneous texts will do.
Yu Un-ryong had acquired books through the Death Soul Squad, and he himself visited old bookstores in Chengdu whenever he had time, flipping through countless volumes.
And by sheer coincidence,
he had obtained a bizarre ancient text called the Essentials of Strange Mechanisms from one such bookstore.
It was written in oracle bone script, filled with mundane, tedious entries like a diary.
But Yu Un-ryong discovered that not only was there a specific cipher system embedded within the ordinary passages,
but also that if the scattered illustrations were reflected in a mirror, mysterious dharma arts would appear.
—There's more to this.
After repeated examinations,
he found that certain characters, when tilted or slightly altered in color, revealed hidden dharma arts.
The Mind's Eye Mirror.
The dharma arts recorded in the Essentials of Strange Mechanisms were creations of ancient sages,
combining formation studies, mystical dharma arts, and the subtleties of martial arts
to form a mysterious boundary formation—the Mind's Eye Mirror—that could confront enemies through the mental world.
—I must be the one to complete this.
If he gave it to Bu Eun-seol?
He would be unable to do anything else while deciphering it.
But if he shared it with the other unit commanders? The secret dharma arts of the Essentials of Strange Mechanisms might leak out.
—The dharma arts are incomplete, and there's too much that needs refining.
Moreover, the manual itself was not in perfect condition, with missing sections in the dharma arts.
In the end, Yu Un-ryong had been continuously refining the techniques of the Mind's Eye Mirror
by combining the martial secrets and boundary formations Bu Eun-seol had shared with him
with the principles of martial arts and the mysteries of formation studies he had researched himself.
—I must complete it.
Now, unknown superlative martial experts were emerging one after another in the martial world.
What if they all wielded Limitless Power or had ascended to the Supreme Origin Realm?
In a situation where even numerical superiority would mean nothing,
this technique was absolutely necessary to confront them.
Knock knock.
Just then, a low voice sounded alongside the rapping of the door.
"unit commander, it's Mu-gwang."
"Enter."
The door opened, and his adjutant, Mu-gwang, approached with a cautious expression before speaking.
"Someone has requested an audience with you, unit commander."
"Requested an audience?"
It was an odd choice of words.
Yu Un-ryong tilted his head slightly before replying shortly.
"Tell them to come in."
"Well... they requested a private meeting."
Mu-gwang scratched his head as he spoke.
"They said they are a martial artist from your family, unit commander."
"What?"
"They said delivering a letter to you would be difficult, so they came in person."
In an instant, Yu Un-ryong's eyebrows shot up.
He had long severed ties with his family and had no involvement in its affairs.
However, while resolving the matter with the Heavenly Human Cult, he had sought out his father, Yu Jeong-pung,
and had somewhat opened the door to reconciliation.
But for a martial artist from his family to seek him out so abruptly?
'There must be a mishap.'
Yu Un-ryong took a deep breath and nodded.
"Where is he?"
After receiving the location from Mu-gwang, Yu Un-ryong headed to a private room in a quiet teahouse, slightly removed from Chengdu.
The space was isolated, allowing them to converse without worrying about prying eyes.
"Uncle Jang."
Yu Un-ryong's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected sight.
The middle-aged martial artist seated in the private room—
was none other than Jang Gang, a former member of the Imperial Brocade Guard who, during the miserable days of his childhood,
had secretly looked after him without being swayed by the family's atmosphere.