Chapter 858
"Why is this here?"
A Dharma Instrument he had seen in his Mindscape existed in reality—and was stored in this place.
Did that mean the one who had performed the Great Art at Saha Manor was here?
Hmmmm...
Just then, a low vibration echoed from somewhere, accompanied by a flowing light.
Turning his head, Bu Eun-seol saw a mysterious auspicious aura (seugi) and a deep hum resonating from the depths of the inner chamber.
As if entranced, he found himself moving toward the source of the light without realizing it.
The place he finally arrived at was a massive stone chamber.
Srrrk—
As the enormous Stone Gate slid open,
a dazzling spectacle unfolded before him, as though all the light in the world was pouring out from within.
The walls were covered in intricate patterns carved from gold and silver, and starlit jewels were embedded sporadically throughout.
The floor was smooth as marble,
and upon closer inspection, faintly glowing, unknown emblems could be seen etched into its surface.
Stepping further inside,
he found an array of Divine Weapons—each one capable of overturning the entire murim world if they were to appear—displayed in grandeur.
And on one side, Dharma Instruments, seemingly imbued with strange powers, were also placed.
"That—"
Among them, the most eye-catching was an eyeball-shaped orb resting atop the highest point of the altar.
The orb's surface appeared to be made of pure white glass, transparent and flawless, with a blue pupil-like form embedded at its center.
That pupil seemed to pierce through all the natural laws of the world,
as though it were beckoning Bu Eun-seol closer.
Step. Step.
As he approached, a subtle energy radiated from the orb's surface.
Without realizing it, he reached out his hand—
and an indescribable sensation, neither cold nor hot, spread from his fingertips.
At that moment,
thin golden and silver lines began swirling endlessly around the pupil emblem, forming intricate patterns,
while at its center, a brilliant light—like an exploding star—flashed intermittently.
Whoosh!
Simultaneously, the entire world seemed to ripple like waves of light, and a mysterious fantasy began unfolding before Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
—Waaah! Waaah!
Amid the sound of a crying infant,
the burning landscape of Saha Manor slowly took shape in his mind.
Saha Manor again.
Why did memories of that place come flooding back every time he touched these strange, energy-laden treasures?
But then, something even more astonishing happened.
A conversation—one he had never been able to hear before—
began echoing in his ears.
—"Her energy cannot be contained within a single vessel."
A gruff voice spoke from one shadow, and in response, an eerie, bizarre voice from the opposing shadow replied:
—"Make the False True. Even the fake has become real."
At the same time, before the two shadows,
another treasure appeared—alongside a newborn infant, fast asleep.
'So that's how it was.'
In an instant, Bu Eun-seol understood.
Because the middle-aged beauty bound to the Pillar of Fire
could not contain her immense power all at once,
they had prepared two treasures—
and two infants.
Flash!
Eventually, the light pouring from the burning woman's body surged into the sky—
before splitting and cascading down toward both treasures.
—Waaah!
But it wasn't divided evenly.
The energy pouring out was far stronger than they had anticipated,
and most of it flowed into the infant on the right rather than the left.
—"Just as expected."
The eerie voice spoke again.
—"Even the Spiritual Energy has been fully absorbed by this one."
Then, the opposing shadow shook its head.
—"A shadow remains a shadow. There will inevitably come a limit."
And in a low voice, it added:
—"It would be better to subject her to trials so her power can fully manifest. The treasure is intact, after all..."
But gradually, their murmurs grew faint—
CRASH!
With the sound of something shattering,
the fantasy before Bu Eun-seol's eyes vanished in an instant.
The vision shown by the eyeball-shaped orb had ended.
'If this is true...'
If that infant on the right was Man-wol...
then she was a shadow created as a contingency, while the true vessel existed separately.
And those who orchestrated this—
were deliberately subjecting her to trials to maximize her power.
'Then why does she help me?'
Man-wol had always appeared mysteriously whenever he needed aid,
helping him without any conditions.
If she was struggling to endure her own trials, why would she still go out of her way to assist him?
Could it be that the Great Art transfers not only power,
but even the memories of middle-aged Mi-bu?
If so, does that mean I truly am Baekri Geom-ha?
'Am I really Baekri Geom-ha, and is she helping me because she holds my mother's memories...?'
The possibility existed.
But if I were merely bait raised by the Saha Manor, then Man-wol would have no reason to aid me so devotedly.
'But why?'
This truth wasn't particularly shocking.
Even if he learned of it now, there would be no real harm—no significant consequences.
So why hadn't she told him this truth directly?
'The Jungson Clan?'
The first time he glimpsed Saha Manor's memories was because of a middle-aged man who appeared to be a high-ranking member of the Jungson Clan.
Did that mean the shadowy figures he had spoken with were also from the Jungson Clan?
Crunch, crunch.
Then, from deeper within, the presence of someone reached his senses.
Bu Eun-seol moved to hide, but abruptly, the footsteps vanished—
Shhh.
In an instant, a faint shadow materialized before him.
A truly miraculous Movement Technique.
"You've arrived just in time."
The figure who mysteriously revealed himself was an old man draped in a black cloak that covered even his face.
Yet around his eyes were deep scars, as though seared by black flames,
and his eyes were transparent gray, with no pupils.
A blind man.
"The time of completion draws near."
The old man didn't speak aloud—instead, his words seemed to whisper into Bu Eun-seol's ears like the wind.
Bu Eun-seol tensed, realizing this was no ordinary blind man,
but someone wielding an extraordinarily mysterious power.
'If he possesses such abilities, why is he mistaking my identity?'
Just judging by his Movement Technique alone,
he was a terrifying Master capable of deceiving even Bu Eun-seol's senses.
So why did he mistake him for someone else?
As doubt flickered in Bu Eun-seol's mind,
he suddenly noticed the strange light from the eyeball-shaped orb still lingering around his body.
'Why is this energy clinging to me?'
Then the old man spoke in a reverent voice.
"Soon, the young lady will regain her power."
'Young lady?'
Bu Eun-seol stiffened.
'Then these treasures... were they meant for the person Man-wol is substituting for?'
If so,
this old man was undoubtedly one of those who had used the Saha Manor's treasures to extract power from a woman's body.
Moreover, the overwhelming energy radiating from him
made it clear he wielded abilities beyond any powerhouse Bu Eun-seol had faced before—an entirely different realm of power.
'Just who is this old man?'
But asking outright was impossible.
Right now, the wisest course was to slip away before the old man realized his true identity.
Yet, contrary to his expectations, the old man slowly stepped toward him.
"Behold. With this energy..."
Then something unexpected happened.
Crack.
The massive eyeball-patterned orb beside Bu Eun-seol suddenly split in half—
Fwoosh!
One of the shattered fragments crumbled apart, engulfing his body.
Sssss.
The moment the dust touched him, white smoke billowed from his skin as though doused in Bone-Melting Powder,
and in an instant, most of the energy circulating within him vanished in chunks.
Yet strangely, the auspicious qi and light emanating from his body only grew more intense.
"Who are you?!"
The blind old man finally sensed something amiss and struck like lightning.
Bu Eun-seol, mentally prepared, immediately tried to evade—
But then the unimaginable occurred.
KRRRUMBLE!
What the old man unleashed wasn't Palm Energy from Martial Arts, but some bizarre Dharma Art.
Suddenly, it transformed into the head of a colossal Evil Dragon, swallowing Bu Eun-seol whole—
FWOOOSH!
Yet another bizarre twist followed.
When the Evil Dragon devoured Bu Eun-seol, black blood instead gushed from the old man's mouth.
"Ghk—!"
The old man doubled over as if struck by a massive iron hammer, his face twisted in agony.
'What is this now?'
Bu Eun-seol tilted his head, observing the black fog swirling around him.
The terrifying Evil Dragon, radiating enough pressure to swallow the world, had vanished,
leaving only thick, lingering mist.
Snap.
When Bu Eun-seol waved his hand, the black fog disappeared in an instant.
No—it didn't disappear. It felt more like it was sucked into his palm.
"There's no need to fight."
Though the bizarre phenomena continued,
Bu Eun-seol had no intention of digging deeper or engaging in battle with the blind old man.
It wasn't as if the man would answer his questions anyway, so he simply decided to leave quietly.
"Where do you think you're going?!"
KWAHAAAA!
Before he knew it, more than ten colossal Evil Dragons had surged up before Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
The old man, still coughing up blood, had spread his arms wide and unleashed a grotesque Dharma Art with all his might.
"Die!"
As the old man roared, the dozen or so Evil Dragons that had soared to the ceiling swallowed Bu Eun-seol whole in an instant.
Gulp, gulp.
Then, something strange happened.
The swarm of Evil Dragons that had filled the stone chamber transformed into Black Fog at the wave of Bu Eun-seol's hand—
And vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye.
"Ghk—!"
The old man vomited another mouthful of black blood before collapsing to his knees.
"Just who the hell are you...?"
When Bu Eun-seol didn't answer, the old man dipped his middle and index fingers into the dark crimson blood he had coughed up.
Then, smearing it over his eyelids, his transparent pupils gradually began to take on a crimson hue.
But in the end, his pupils only half-formed before stopping, leaving the old man with eyes that could barely perceive faint afterimages.
"Reveal your true identity at once!"
"I'm the one who wants to ask—just what are you doing in this place...?"
As Bu Eun-seol spoke, his words trailed off when he noticed his left arm had turned pitch black.
Upon closer inspection, the fog hadn't disappeared—it had remained clinging to his arm.
"No matter how much this old man has lost all his power due to the Creation Sun and Moon, leaving only a handful of Soul-Demon Magic Energy behind... How could a wretch like you absorb it?!"
As the old man trembled and shouted, Bu Eun-seol could only stare in shock.
Soul-Demon Magic Energy.
Wasn't that the very force the Bakyeon Legacy Site had referred to as the power of the True Demon?
"So that's what it was."
The Great Art performed at Saha Manor—where the woman's Spiritual Energy had been divided between the two infants—
Had not been the work of the Jungson Clan's sorcerers... but the Servants of the True Demon.
'The master of Saha Manor, Baekri Mu-ha, was a figure of the Baekri Clan. It's not so strange that the Servants of the True Demon were involved.'
Then, did that mean the bloodbath at Saha Manor—which he had assumed was the doing of the Abyssal Forces, including the Three Realms—
Was actually the work of the True Demon, who stood in opposition to the Baekri Clan?
'It can't be that simple.'
If the True Demon had gathered his forces and attacked Saha Manor—
There was no way the Baekri Clan would have stood idly by.
'Just who am I?'
His thoughts were in turmoil.
Was he truly a shadow created at Saha Manor?
Or had the Pavilion Lord lied to him?
How had his grandfather not only mastered the Shaolin Secret Arts but also Jeongcheonje's signature techniques?
Why was this Dharma Instrument transmitting Saha Manor's memories to him?
Why had he been mistaken for the Heavenly Darkness Star all this time?
What even was the Heavenly Darkness Star?
"Speak!"
By now, the old man seemed to have recovered somewhat, letting out a roar that shook heaven and earth.
"Your true identity!"
"I'm the one who wants to ask."
Bu Eun-seol stared back at the old man with eyes filled with endless darkness and despair.
"Who am I?"
His gaze was utterly desolate.
It would have been better if he had remained an orphan.
Back then, he didn't have to care about the Baekri Clan or the True Demon.
He only had to yearn for parents whose faces he couldn't even remember.
In the end, he had tried to turn away, refusing to question his roots.
But Saha Manor had become an unshakable specter, tormenting his mind whenever he thought he could forget.
"You dare mock this old man?"
Though Bu Eun-seol had spoken with complete sincerity,
The old man took it as mockery, his eyes flashing with malice.
At the same time, an indescribably vast energy erupted from his body—
A force so overwhelming and untouchable that it surpassed even the Superlative Martial Experts Bu Eun-seol had encountered in Murim.
'If he wields that energy, no martial artist in the world could stand against him.'
"Take it back."
Then, Bu Eun-seol spoke flatly.
"Just tell me how to return this cumbersome, pitch-black energy."
"What?"
The old man blinked in shock as Bu Eun-seol pointed at the shattered orb.
"I only stumbled into this place by chance and touched that orb out of curiosity. Here, look."
Huuuung—
Bu Eun-seol reached out toward the half-destroyed eyeball-shaped orb.
FWOOOOOSH!
In an instant, the remaining fragments of the orb crumbled into dust, swiftly enveloping his body.
Sssssss—
Once again, smoke rose from his body, and the radiance flowing through him grew even more intense.
"You insolent wretch, daring to touch my greatest treasure!"
Anticipating that his Dharma Arts would be ineffective as before, the old man unleashed a Palm Technique capable of splitting mountains in a single strike.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion sent dust billowing in all directions.
Crackle—
In response, a circular light manifested around Bu Eun-seol's body like Protective Astral Energy.
As the Palm Energy surged forth, the radiant glow flowing through his body spontaneously formed a defensive barrier akin to Protective Astral Energy.
"What in the world have you done?!"
"Instead of shouting, why not calmly explain?"
Bu Eun-seol shook his head in bewilderment, staring down at his own body.
"I merely touched the orb, yet all my Internal Power and strength vanished. And now, this light and Black Fog envelop me—why?"
"All your Internal Power is gone?"
The old man scrutinized Bu Eun-seol with his blood-crimson pupils, unable to comprehend.
His blurred vision prevented him from discerning the youth's features, but he sensed no trace of Manifestation Art Energy or similar power.
"You're not of the Baekri Clan..."
He tilted his head in confusion.
"And you haven't absorbed the Soul-Demon Magic Energy—instead, you've wrapped it around your arm like a weapon."
At those words, Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed to slits.
If this man was truly one of the Servants of the True Demon, he would naturally possess the ability to distinguish members of the Baekri Clan.
Yet he had just confirmed Bu Eun-seol was not of their bloodline.
"Extend that arm."
Detecting no hostility in Bu Eun-seol's gaze, the old man commanded,
"If everything you say is true, you won't object if I reclaim my power?"
"Of course not."
With a serene expression, Bu Eun-seol extended his left hand.
"But in return, you must reveal your true identity and the purpose of this place."
"You are nothing. You deserve no answers."
"Then do as you please. I'll take my leave."
"Foolish dreamer. Did you think I couldn't reclaim what you refuse to surrender?"
The old man spread his arms wide and began chanting True Words.
At once, the Black Fog coiled around Bu Eun-seol's arm began slithering back toward the old man.
Sssk—
As the old man's jaws unhinged grotesquely,
Gulp. Gulp.
The Black Fog, now serpentine, poured endlessly into his gaping maw.
Then—his eyes bulged wide.
The very nature of the Soul-Demon Magic Energy he had absorbed had inverted.
No—this was no longer something that could even be called Soul-Demon Magic Energy.
Hiss—
Instead of empowering him, the Black Fog's absorption caused the overwhelming, terror-inducing aura surrounding the old man to fade.
"Ugh—"
With a pained groan, he was reduced to the level of an ordinary martial artist, emitting only the shockwaves of Internal Energy.
"...I see."
Finally, the old man nodded in grim understanding.
"You've come under his command to kill me."
"His command? Who are you talking about?"
"Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous."
A vicious smile twisted the old man's lips.
"This is my domain. Did you truly believe I'd let you kill me so easily?"
"Old man."
Bu Eun-seol's voice burned with frustration.
"Listen to reason! Why do you rant like a beast instead of holding a proper conversation?!"
Then—something astonishing happened.
KWAANG!
His shout erupted into a shockwave of force, blasting the old man backward.
Writhing—
The Black Fog around his arm surged outward, morphing into the form of a furious monster, as though embodying his Spirit and Mind.
"Divine Energy Completely Disappears, Heavenly God Becomes Mortal...? Are you from the Sacred Realm?"
"More nonsense?"
As the old man spouted yet another incomprehensible phrase, Bu Eun-seol snapped in irritation.
"Speak in a way humans can understand!"
"Arrogant brat. You think that power makes you invincible?"
The old man sneered, then turned his left palm downward.
RUMBLE—
Instantly, a mystical light erupted from the ground beneath Bu Eun-seol's feet.
Simultaneously, the Black Fog, now in its monstrous form, was sucked into the radiant floor.
'A Domain? Does he wield the power of the One Hundred and Eight Stars as well?'
Like the legendary stars, the old man had dominated the space, annihilating the energy coiled around Bu Eun-seol in an instant.
Zzzing—
With the Black Fog gone,
The shimmering remnants of the bead powder's glow clinging to Bu Eun-seol also vanished.
And then—his lost Internal Power began trickling back.
"Now, you can no longer rely on that pitiful power, can you?"
SHING—
Suddenly, razor-sharp objects shot up from the ground, forming circular shapes midair.
Sword Control.
Unbelievably, the old man was executing the Transcendent Swordsmanship of the Heavenly Craft Sword Gate—
The Outer-Heaven Sword Studies, a supreme discipline allowing endless Sword-Flight Art strikes through True Qi.
"Martial Arts?"
Bu Eun-seol let out a hollow laugh.
The old man had misjudged the mystical energy enveloping him as True Void—
And in response, he had activated a power akin to the One Hundred and Eight Stars,
Transforming the entire area into a battleground where only Martial Arts could prevail.