Chapter 806
Step. Step.
With each footfall, golden light surged upward—as if a divine guardian had descended from the heavens.
A dazzling radiance began to flow from Myo Cheon-u's body.
Having seized control of the Mind's Eye Mirror space that had become his mindscape, he pondered how to confront a Master of the Martial Extreme Realm.
—Even in a mindscape, one cannot create anything that defies reason or does not exist.
After agonizing over the booklet Yu Un-ryong had left behind, he arrived at an ingenious decision.
Something that could block any attack.
He had conjured the Divine Guardian Armor.
'This is the best I can do.'
With dignified movements, Myo Cheon-u slowly strode forward.
No such thing as Divine Guardian Armor existed in the world.
But surely, somewhere in Murim, there must be a mystical armor capable of withstanding any attack.
This was the optimal choice Myo Cheon-u could create within his mindscape.
BOOM!
At that moment, a deafening explosion erupted, and a pale mist billowed from Myo Cheon-u's body.
The Bamboo Hat Man had unleashed yet another imperceptible strike.
"Haha. Impressive."
CRASH.
Myo Cheon-u, embedded in the wall, rose with an utterly unfazed expression.
Thanks to the Divine Guardian Armor forged in his mindscape, he had taken no damage despite the Bamboo Hat Man's terrifying assault.
Whoosh.
Sensing the mysterious energy enveloping Myo Cheon-u's body, the Bamboo Hat Man finally assumed a stance.
Zing.
A faint point of light flared at the tip of his spear.
It was the Absolute Spear Form—unstoppable, unblockable.
KWAANG!
Myo Cheon-u was struck by another invisible spear thrust and sent crashing into a massive wall.
RUMBLE.
Yet again, he rose from the rubble, his expression unshaken.
"Is this all you've got? Disappointing."
At Myo Cheon-u's provocation, killing intent flashed in the Bamboo Hat Man's eyes.
Whoooosh.
Simultaneously, the darkened mindscape trembled violently.
"Huh?"
The Bamboo Hat Man wasn't attacking Myo Cheon-u—he was pouring out immense energy to collapse the very fabric of the Mind's Eye Mirror space.
Whoooosh.
As he did, the golden armor around Myo Cheon-u began to flicker.
With the space itself under siege, the power of the mindscape was waning.
'He's shaking the Mind's Eye Mirror just by releasing his energy?!'
"That won't do!"
He had to hold out until he could unleash his Limitless Power.
With a fierce shout, Myo Cheon-u unleashed his Silver Flame Palm.
The palm technique he executed in the mindscape was incomparably stronger than anything he could muster in reality.
KWAOONG!
Yet each time he struck, the Bamboo Hat Man merely flicked his spear shaft lightly.
The Silver Flame Palm, capable of toppling heaven and earth, melted away like snow in an instant.
Worse still, razor-sharp energy pierced Myo Cheon-u's body from angles that defied evasion.
KWAANG!
Every collision of force resounded like thunder.
Myo Cheon-u's martial prowess ranked among the highest of the new generation's Grandmasters, and this was his mindscape—his domain.
Yet the Bamboo Hat Man brushed off his strikes effortlessly, countering with spear thrusts from unfathomable angles.
'He can kill me without even using Limitless Power.'
Myo Cheon-u gritted his teeth.
Had this been reality, his heart would have been pierced instantly.
But here, he had armor that nullified most attacks in a single breath, and his palm techniques were several times more potent than usual.
Even so, he couldn't overcome the Bamboo Hat Man.
KWAANG!
Another explosion sent Myo Cheon-u slamming into the wall once more.
The Bamboo Hat Man's spear technique was not only exquisite—it extended with such imperceptible subtlety that sensing it was impossible.
Yet the moment it touched flesh, it transformed into a force capable of toppling the world.
He wielded the profound mysteries of martial arts, secrets ordinary masters could never grasp in a lifetime, as effortlessly as breathing.
THUD-THUD-THUD!
Myo Cheon-u sprang up and clashed with the Bamboo Hat Man again, pouring everything into their deadly exchange.
With each passing moment, deep wounds carved into his body, and streams of internal energy from the spear infiltrated his meridians, threatening to sever them.
The longer the fight dragged on, the more his organs twisted, his blood vessels swelling as if ready to burst.
"Not a chance!"
Yet Myo Cheon-u fought on as if impervious to pain.
Whoosh.
Seeing Myo Cheon-u endure relentlessly, the Bamboo Hat Man briefly halted his assault and stared at him coldly.
Seizing the moment, Myo Cheon-u deliberately smirked, taunting him.
"Got anything else? You're too weak."
In the Mind's Eye Mirror space, he could reflect an enemy's attack exactly once.
Masters who reached the Martial Extreme Realm could recover swiftly from most injuries—so he had to provoke the Bamboo Hat Man into using Limitless Power.
"..."
But the Bamboo Hat Man's momentum remained placid as flowing water, showing no sign of unleashing his Limitless Power.
'Damn it. I'll have to push harder.'
Just then, the Bamboo Hat Man attacked again.
Myo Cheon-u evaded with all his might, but the spear shaft barely grazed his shoulder.
BOOM!
Even that glancing touch sent him flying more than a hundred feet away with another thunderous blast.
Step. Step.
The Bamboo Hat Man approached, looking down at the fallen Myo Cheon-u.
His gaze was as indifferent as if he were observing a squirming insect.
In those eyes, Myo Cheon-u saw it clearly.
A bug to be crushed. Nothing more, nothing less.
"I told you—this won't kill me!"
BANG.
A silvery radiance erupted from Myo Cheon-u's body.
He had unleashed the Silver Flame Palm—his signature Extinction Palace technique—once more.
Swish!
The Silver Flame Palm's energy was sharp as a blade's edge, capable of slicing through even iron in a single stroke.
Moreover, its range spanned well over a hundred feet.
He had been born with an innate talent for fist and palm techniques.
After mastering the Extinction Palace's palm arts, his martial prowess had skyrocketed, and his hands now wielded power more terrifying than any weapon in the martial world.
But it was useless against the Bamboo Hat Man.
Every swing of the spear extinguished the silver flames of the Silver Flame Palm, and Myo Cheon-u's body was sent crashing into the walls again and again.
Yet he refused to give up.
He would keep fighting—until not a single drop of blood remained in his body, until he had poured out everything he had left.
Because he had to hold out until that man unleashed his Limitless Power.
Because he had to die killing that man in Yu Un-ryong's place.
Boom!
Another deafening explosion resounded, and Myo Cheon-u was sent flying over two hundred feet.
Twitch.
He forced himself back up, but his body wouldn't obey him properly.
The golden armor enveloping him had already dimmed, and a thread of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
'Is this really impossible?'
Myo Cheon-u's gaze darkened.
Perhaps because the difference in their strength was so overwhelming, the Bamboo Hat Man wasn't even using his Limitless Power.
No—he didn't even seem to consider it necessary.
Whoosh.
As if he had grown weary of dealing with Myo Cheon-u, the Bamboo Hat Man raised his spear with a bored expression.
If that crimson spear split the air one more time, Myo Cheon-u's heart would be pierced—killing him instantly.
'Then I have no choice but to use my last resort.'
Myo Cheon-u bit his lip.
'I can only hope it deals at least some damage to his Spirit and Mind.'
Since he couldn't defeat the Bamboo Hat Man or force him to use Limitless Power, he would sever his own lifeforce to collapse his Mindscape unnaturally.
Even if this method couldn't kill the Bamboo Hat Man, it would at least deal a severe blow to his Spirit and Mind—since he had stepped into the Mindscape himself.
'It'd be best if he turns into a fool.'
Myo Cheon-u took a deep breath.
And the moment he gathered his Internal Power to sever his Heart Meridian—
Drip.
A drop of blood, clinging to the very tip of his hair, suddenly fell into his eye.
The blood that had pooled at the edge of his brow had trickled right into his pupil.
The instant he instinctively winced—
Swish!
The Bamboo Hat Man's spear split the air.
In that single moment, he had seized Myo Cheon-u's opening—
And unleashed a Killing Move aimed at his throat in one decisive stroke.
Clang!
Then, with a clear Metallic Sound—
A rigid staff suddenly materialized before Myo Cheon-u, blocking the spear strike.
Thud.
At the same time, a massive shadow descended from the sky and landed in front of him.
It was Yu Un-ryong.
"Yu Un-ryong."
Myo Cheon-u shouted in disbelief.
"Have you lost your mind?"
For Bu Eun-seol. For the Death Shadow War Unit.
He had begged Yu Un-ryong to live—even if it meant sacrificing his own life.
So why had he come back? Why make such a stupid choice?
"You can't do it alone."
Clank.
Yu Un-ryong, retrieving his Ten-Joint Staff from the ground, spoke flatly.
"No matter if this is a Mindscape, do you really think you can push back someone like that by yourself?"
"You idiot. That's my problem to deal with. Get the hell out of here."
"I can't."
Yu Un-ryong's gaze deepened as he looked at Myo Cheon-u.
"It's the same for me either way."
"What?"
"I'll be ruined regardless."
Yu Un-ryong offered a calm smile.
"If you die, then I—"
Myo Cheon-u was just as precious to him as Bu Eun-seol...
He couldn't sacrifice him and go on living an ordinary life.
"You fool. You're supposed to be a strategist who keeps his cool—is that all you amount to?"
"If I'd ever had that kind of cold rationality to begin with..."
Yu Un-ryong's lips curled into a faint, knowing smile.
"I wouldn't have followed Bu Eun-seol in the first place."
Bu Eun-seol, who seemed ruthless but harbored a friendship hotter than anyone's.
After meeting him, after being drawn into his bond—
The two of them had long since lost any chance of maintaining true, emotionless detachment.
Clank.
Gripping his Ten-Joint Staff, Yu Un-ryong settled into stance.
"This is the final stretch, then."
He grinned at Myo Cheon-u.
The two had spent every day together in the Death Shadow War Unit.
So just a glance was enough to know what the other was thinking.
"Fine."
Myo Cheon-u rose to his feet.
Kwaaang!
A shockwave of swirling True Qi erupted from his body.
He didn't care about victory.
He would unleash every ounce of his strength without reserve—and leave this world without regrets.
Kwa-ru-rung!
As Myo Cheon-u's Silver Flame Palm dyed the world in silver—
Swishhh!
The Ten-Joint Staff, infused with tenfold Harmonization, unleashed a single strike carrying the Thunderous Weight of Ten Thousand Jun.
Kwaaaang! Koo-woong! U-ru-rung!
Their martial arts, executed with Death in their hearts, split the heavens and shook the earth.
Even the Bamboo Hat Man could not ignore this flawless, Seamless as a Heavenly RobeCombined Attack Art.
[Ugh.]
The Bamboo Hat Man, who had remained silent until now, finally let out a strange, guttural sound.
Koo-woong.
With a low vibration, the crimson spear slowly extended forward.
Creak. Creak.
Then, the space around Yu Un-ryong and Myo Cheon-u began to distort.
It was an absolute attack—one that could neither be blocked nor evaded.
"Grrk—!"
Thick veins bulged across Yu Un-ryong and Myo Cheon-u's bodies.
Since this was the domain of the Mind's Eye Mirror, most ordinary forces could be instantly neutralized.
Yet the two men's bodies were gradually bending under the pressure.
The Bamboo Hat Man wasn't attacking with a martial arts technique—he was unleashing an unfathomable, overwhelming power.
"I-I think it's time to use it now."
At Myo Cheon-u's words, Yu Un-ryong gritted his teeth.
"No, we can't be certain yet if this is truly Limitless Power."
"R-really?"
Blood trickled steadily from Myo Cheon-u's nose.
"If we wait any longer, we'll die."
The two poured out their full strength, releasing a circular Qi Wave that expanded outward.
But it couldn't completely block the crushing force, and their bodies continued to bend further.
"Is this it...?"
Even Yu Un-ryong had reached his limit.
If things continued like this, they would die without even a chance to scream.
Myo Cheon-u and Yu Un-ryong exchanged glances and nodded.
Finally, the last function of the Mind's Eye Mirror.
They were about to unleash the Secret Art that perfectly reflected an enemy's force back upon them—a lethal reversal.
"Haaap!"
As Myo Cheon-u roared and stomped his foot, the darkened labyrinthine space vanished in an instant.
The real scenery and the Mind's Eye Mirror's illusion began flickering alternately.
Kuuung.
Simultaneously, a low vibration reverberated, and the Bamboo Hat Man suddenly dropped to one knee.
The force that had been shaking the Mind's Eye Mirror was now reflected back like a mirror, piercing into his own body.
This was similar to the principle of how Bu Eun-seol, who once wielded immense power within the mental world created by Neither-Human-Nor-Beast Yeon-wol, had suffered fatal Internal Injuries from his own unleashed energy after his death.
"Pfft."
But it was Yu Un-ryong and Myo Cheon-u who spat blood.
Merely activating the Mind's Eye Mirror's reflection function had inflicted severe Internal Injuries upon them as well.
—Did we fail?
Even through the agony of their twisting organs, the two clenched their teeth and glared at the Bamboo Hat Man.
Drip, drip.
Then, blood began trickling from the corner of the Bamboo Hat Man's mouth.
Yu Un-ryong and Myo Cheon-u watched with tense expressions.
Was the power he had just unleashed truly Limitless Power? Had he suffered a fatal wound?
"Wrong."
Yu Un-ryong, who had been silently observing, shook his head.
Now that he looked closely, the man was merely kneeling on one knee—circulating his Qi.
As if to prove it, waves of Internal Energy pulsed visibly across his body.
Far from suffering fatal injuries, he was simply adjusting the Counterforce of the reversed energy.
"Damn it."
Their own injuries were too severe.
Even seeing the Bamboo Hat Man in meditation, they couldn't muster the strength to attack.
"Can't be helped."
Myo Cheon-u also sighed.
"We've never fought a Master who reached the Martial Extreme Realm before."
There was no regret in their expressions.
The Martial Prowess of those who had entered the Martial Extreme Realm was beyond imagination.
They had used every ability they possessed, and it hadn't been enough.
All of it was simply the will of heaven.
"Whatever your last resort is, hurry up and do it. Before that bastard attacks again."
Myo Cheon-u grinned at Yu Un-ryong.
"Your final plan."
Like Bu Eun-seol,
Yu Un-ryong always prepared multiple contingencies for failure.
He would never have relied solely on the Mind's Eye Mirror to stop this man alone.
"You know me well."
Yu Un-ryong smirked.
In truth, he had hidden tens of thousands of pounds of gunpowder here for the worst-case scenario.
Whether it would work on the Bamboo Hat Man was uncertain... but they had to try everything.
Swish.
Myo Cheon-u swiftly traced something on the ground with his right foot.
The scenery inside lurched violently before gradually melting away like liquid.
The Mind's Eye Mirror's space was being completely dismantled.
Thud.
At the same time, Myo Cheon-u collapsed weakly to his knees.
"Myo Cheon-u."
"I'm fine."
Wiping the blood from his lips, Myo Cheon-u shook his head.
"I was prepared for this from the start."
Yu Un-ryong's eyes trembled.
This Mind's Eye Mirror was something he had forcibly completed to save his father, Yu Jeong-pung.
Due to its incomplete formation, it had always been flawed.
Merely sustaining such a defective space... would inevitably erode both Spirit and Mind and the Physical Body.
Drip, drip.
When Myo Cheon-u opened his mouth, thick streams of blood spilled out.
"Hurry. Before I stop breathing."
"Myo Cheon-u."
With a trembling hand, Yu Un-ryong tightly grasped the blood-soaked hand of the collapsed man.
Wuung.
As he channeled his Internal Energy, the limp Ten-Joint Staff stiffened like a club.
"Right... Let's meet again in Hell."
Just as Yu Un-ryong was about to drive the sharpened staff into the ground—
"Huh? Wait."
A clear voice escaped the lips of the supposedly dying Myo Cheon-u.
When Yu Un-ryong turned, the man lying on the ground was blinking with an oddly composed expression.
"What?"
"No, it's just..."
Myo Cheon-u rubbed his neck, tilting his head in confusion.
"I was sure I was about to die... but I feel fine now? My body seems completely healed."
"What?"
But then something bizarre happened.
Yu Un-ryong's pupils momentarily turned transparent before he violently vomited a mouthful of blood.
Thud.
Just like Myo Cheon-u, he collapsed, gasping for breath—but not dying.
"What, was I the one dying?"
Yu Un-ryong lay on the ground, panting heavily for a long moment.
But he, too, remained alive.
"So that's how it was."
Only then did Myo Cheon-u nod as if finally understanding something.
"Were you trying to create a Mindscape alone?"
"That's right."
"'That's right'?"
Myo Cheon-u smiled faintly.
"But right now, there are two of us. And we've joined forces to kill that bastard."
From the beginning, the Mind's Eye Mirror had been incomplete.
Yu Un-ryong had used a method that required staking his very life force to deploy it.
Because of that, whether the enemy was eliminated or not, the caster was destined to die.
But Yu Un-ryong had entered the Mindscape through the same path as Myo Cheon-u.
And together, they had tried to defeat their foe.
In other words, the life force that should have been exhausted to the point of death was instead shared between the two of them.
That was why they hadn't died.
"So that's how it was."
Yu Un-ryong smacked his forehead.
He hadn't even considered such a simple principle until now.
"From the start, it wasn't meant to be deployed alone."
The reason why using the Mind's Eye Mirror would have inevitably led to death—
Was because it was a technique originally designed to be unleashed by multiple people combining their strength.
"Either way, all that's left now is to die again."
At Myo Cheon-u's words, Yu Un-ryong also made a regretful expression.
"It would've been nice to pass on this principle before dying."
Both of them had suffered fatal internal injuries and could no longer fight.
"Then let's go."
Before the Bamboo Hat Man could gather his energy, they had to detonate the buried gunpowder.
"Haap!"
With a sharp cry, Un-ryong gritted his teeth and drove his Ten-Joint Staff into the ground.
"..."
But there was no reaction.
"Ah."
Yu Un-ryong seemed to realize something and pressed his forehead again.
"Another mistake."
"Don't tell me you need at least some intact internal energy to detonate it?"
"Exactly. If it wasn't buried deep enough, it could be discovered or accidentally triggered. I arranged it so it would only respond to Cold Flame True Qi."
"That's an uncharacteristic mistake for you."
Myo Cheon-u chuckled dryly.
"Well, you must've been out of your mind. It was about saving your father, after all."
This time, Yu Un-ryong had tried to do too much alone.
He had manipulated the information network to ensure his tracks couldn't be followed.
While also leaving various instructions for Mu-gwang so the Death Shadow War Unit wouldn't be left in disarray.
He had to somehow complete the unfinished Mind's Eye Mirror, stake his life to save his father,
And even prepare an elaborate trap for the final moment.
In the midst of all this, he had overlooked one thing—
The possibility that his internal energy might run dry at the last moment.
"Still, it was somewhat successful."
Myo Cheon-u muttered as he watched the Bamboo Hat Man still recovering.
"Managing to restrain a master of that caliber for even half a quarter is impressive."
Instead of answering, Yu Un-ryong slumped down beside Myo Cheon-u.
There was nothing left they could do.
Tap tap.
Then, light footsteps sounded behind them.
Someone was approaching swiftly.
'Did they have another ally?'
No matter how exhausted they were from the fierce battle, how could someone approach this close without any presence?
—Ah, I was wrong from the start.
To bring someone like that and call for backup?
They had truly crafted a flawless plan, layering meticulousness upon meticulousness.
"...!"
But when Yu Un-ryong turned his head, his eyes widened in shock.
The approaching figure was none other than Bu Eun-seol, clad in his plain gray martial uniform.
"Bu Eun-seol, how did you—"
Instead of answering, Bu Eun-seol threw a small wooden box at them, his eyes burning with fury.
Inside were vials of Azure Spirit Stone Fluid, renowned for healing all manner of internal and external injuries, and paired doses of the Deep Slumber Divine Pills.
Seemingly struggling to suppress his rage, Bu Eun-seol spoke in a choked voice.
"Take them. Before your wounds worsen."
"What's going on?"
"Protector Tak told me. He said he wanted to pretend not to know, moved by your touching friendship... but he couldn't bring himself to."
Yu Un-ryong and Myo Cheon-u.
Though they were Bu Eun-seol's closest confidants, unlike his other subordinates, they had no safety measures in place.
Because their martial arts were among the finest of the younger generation.
But Bu Eun-seol hadn't been reassured by that.
Just in case, he had arranged for Tak Il-hon to report their movements to him the moment they left the Death Shadow War Unit.
Like the ever-present Xiao Yao by his side.
To constantly monitor their whereabouts and prevent them from risking their lives.
"Did you not trust me?"
Bu Eun-seol's low voice trembled with suppressed fury.
His eyes burned with anger—
At the fact that Yu Un-ryong and Myo Cheon-u had tried to throw their lives away without consulting him.
"You know that's not what I meant."
Yu Un-ryong sighed.
"You're not alone. If something happened to you, what would the subordinates who rely on you do?"
"Have you forgotten why I entered the Martial World?"
A fierce light flashed in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
"If I lose those close to me in the name of revenge... what meaning would that vengeance even hold?"
Yu Un-ryong's pupils wavered like rippling water.
Deep down, he had always known.
To Bu Eun-seol, they were all family.
And if avenging his family meant sacrificing them—
He would rather abandon that revenge entirely.
"...Right. I see."
Yu Un-ryong lowered his head.
Bu Eun-seol's world had collapsed with his grandfather's death, driving him into the Martial World alone in search of the murderer.
And now, they had nearly made him suffer the loss of family again.
"I'm sorry."
Yu Un-ryong bit his lip.
"It won't happen again."
Then he glanced at the Bamboo Hat Man, who was still regulating his energy.
"But you should understand Un-ryong's side too."
Myo Cheon-u pointed at the Bamboo Hat Man.
"That man is a master of the Martial Extreme Realm. Rather than sacrificing countless martial artists... this was the only way we could end it ourselves."
"Why sacrifice anyone?"
"What did you say?"
With an indifferent expression, Bu Eun-seol walked toward the Bamboo Hat Man.
"I'll resolve this alone. That's all."
"W-wait. That man is—"
As Myo Cheon-u reached out to stop him, Yu Un-ryong grabbed his arm.
"Let him go."
"Let him go? Didn't you see that man's skill?"
"He can win."
"What?"
Yu Un-ryong, watching Bu Eun-seol's retreating back, smiled with incomparable pride.
"That kid... has already entered the Martial Extreme Realm."