Chapter 864
The Fleeting Moment Boat was a sect that strictly forbade men—an absolute sanctuary where no male was ever permitted entry, and outsiders were treated with wariness.
In the past, the Flower-Plucking Lecher had seduced one of its disciples, leaking the secret method to infiltrate the pavilion's grounds. As a result, the young sect leader, Geuk Hye-bin, was taken hostage by the lecher and subjected to a horrific ordeal—her vocal cords were severed.
After that incident, the pavilion invested an astronomical sum to reinforce the Immeasurable Heavenly Water Gate, ensuring no one could enter or leave without the sect leader's explicit permission.
Yet another mishap occurred.
When they attempted to bar the Ten Demons' Inheritor, Bu Eun-seol, from entering, the Immeasurable Heavenly Water Gate was utterly destroyed. From that day onward, the sect lost its most formidable barrier, leaving it unable to completely shut out outsiders.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Bu Eun-seol—alongside Hyeok So-jin—provided the Fleeting Moment Boat with the secret martial arts manual of Heaven-Severing, Earth-Destroying to bolster its strength. He also refined the sect's inherited martial techniques and personally instructed the Ladies of a Hundred Flowers, ensuring they could defend their sect without relying on external aid.
During this time, Bu Eun-seol also healed the emotions of the young sect leader, Geuk Hye-bin, whose heart had been stripped of feeling. He even procured Jade Phoenix Honey to restore her severed vocal cords.
And now, he had recently located the pond containing the Heavy Water, restoring the Immeasurable Heavenly Water Gate once more...
In every sense, Bu Eun-seol was the pavilion's greatest benefactor—the one who had given it new life.
"Lord."
When Bu Eun-seol arrived at the Fleeting Moment Boat, not only the senior members but even the sect leader, Geuk Hye-ryeong, awaited him at the great gate.
Regardless of status, Bu Eun-seol was both the pavilion's most honored guest and its savior.
"Sect Leader."
Bu Eun-seol bowed respectfully.
"There was no need for such a grand welcome."
"This was not my doing," Geuk Hye-ryeong replied with a smile.
"The disciples gathered of their own accord, eager to lay eyes on the most peerlessly handsome man in the world."
Bu Eun-seol rarely appeared in public, preferring to move through the martial world in secrecy. As a result, few had ever seen his true face.
However, during his time as the Ten Demons' Inheritor, he had stayed at the pavilion long enough that all its disciples knew of his transcendent beauty—like an immortal descended from the heavens, noble and flawless.
Thus, the moment word spread of his arrival, they had flocked to the gates in droves.
"Older brother."
Beside Geuk Hye-ryeong stood a beautiful girl of about thirteen or fourteen, bowing gracefully to Bu Eun-seol.
It was the young sect leader, Geuk Hye-bin.
"Have you been well?"
Thanks to the Jade Phoenix Honey, Geuk Hye-bin had partially recovered her vocal cords and could now speak aloud like any ordinary person.
"Yes. And you?"
At Bu Eun-seol's question, she nodded shyly, a faint smile on her lips.
"Yes."
Then, Geuk Hye-ryeong spoke up.
"Who is this?"
Her gaze was fixed on the figure standing beside Bu Eun-seol—a man whose attire made it unclear whether he was a Taoist priest or a scholar.
"He does not seem to be of the Demonic Path."
Surrounded by countless disciples, Bu Eun-seol could not openly reveal Han Sang-ja's identity as a sage of the Sage Forest. Instead, he deflected.
"A friend assisting me with a matter."
Han Sang-ja bowed politely to Geuk Hye-ryeong in turn.
"I am Han Sang-ja."
Seemingly unimpressed—perhaps assuming he was no figure of significance—Geuk Hye-ryeong nodded indifferently.
"I see."
"Sect Leader, there is something I must discuss—"
"Come inside first. A feast has been prepared—we can speak there."
Geuk Hye-ryeong began leading Bu Eun-seol in by the hand.
"Sect Leader, this matter is urgent. I fear we must confer immediately."
"Confer?"
"Yes."
Bu Eun-seol glanced briefly at Geuk Hye-bin before continuing.
"The young sect leader's assistance will be required."
Noticing the gravity in Bu Eun-seol's expression, Geuk Hye-ryeong nodded.
"Very well. Let us relocate."
The Secluded Pavilion, Fleeting Moment Boat.
Within the Secluded Pavilion's innermost chamber—completely isolated from the outside world—Bu Eun-seol, Han Sang-ja, Geuk Hye-ryeong, and Geuk Hye-bin gathered.
"Now, speak. What is this matter?"
At Geuk Hye-ryeong's prompting, Bu Eun-seol nodded and began.
"I have come regarding the Executioner."
Then, calmly and methodically, he explained everything he knew about the Executioner.
The Fleeting Moment Boat's intelligence network was among the finest in the Demonic Path and had been an invaluable asset to Bu Eun-seol since his days as the Ten Demons' Inheritor. Now, it shared its resources entirely with the Death Soul Squad, meaning Geuk Hye-ryeong was already somewhat aware of the martial world's dire circumstances.
"To think that bizarre legend was true..."
Geuk Hye-ryeong was nearing a century in age and had long overseen one of the martial world's most formidable intelligence networks. It seemed she had heard whispers of the Executioner before.
"This is grave indeed."
Her expression darkened.
The so-called Laws of the martial world—and that monstrous entity known as the Executioner—were forces no faction of the Demonic Path could hope to oppose.
"But how did you determine how little time remains?"
No information about the Executioner had ever been circulated within the murim.
So how could Bu Eun-seol possibly be privy to such knowledge—even down to the remaining time?
'I can't speak of Man-wol's words.'
But then, Han Sang-ja stepped forward.
"The Sage Forest possesses information regarding the Executioner. We know that if the first attack fails, it grants a certain period of respite before striking again."
"The Sage Forest?"
Bu Eun-seol explained Han Sang-ja's background.
"He is a descendant of the Sage Forest, an organization that vanished from the murim."
"The Sage Forest..."
Geuk Hye-ryeong's eyes widened in surprise.
The sages of the murim had disappeared decades ago, vanishing as if evaporated into thin air.
At present, the only one still referred to by such a title was the Divine Calculator.
Yet the Sage Forest still existed—and had nurtured a sage as young as this?
"In truth, this plan was my proposal to the Lord."
Han Sang-ja spoke with unshaken confidence as he laid out his reasoning.
"Though the Sect Leader was born with the Heavenly Fragrance Constitution, its nature has somewhat altered over time."
He cleared his throat before continuing.
"Fortunately, the Young Sect Leader shares the same constitution... If she assists us, our plan to confront the Executioner may succeed."
Then, he openly revealed every detail of the scheme he had devised.
Even if Geuk Hye-bin agreed, this plan could never be executed without Geuk Hye-ryeong's permission.
"I see what you mean."
Geuk Hye-ryeong's sharp gaze swiftly swept over Han Sang-ja's figure.
"But how did you know Hye-bin possesses the Heavenly Fragrance Constitution? No intelligence network could have uncovered that."
True to her position as the leader of the Fleeting Moment Boat,
she did not overlook even the slightest ambiguity that others might have dismissed.
"In the past, the Sage Forest conducted investigations into the high command of the Orthodox and Unorthodox Martial World."
Han Sang-ja answered honestly.
"That was when we learned the Sect Leader had been born with the Heavenly Fragrance Constitution."
He did not explicitly state that they had infiltrated the Fleeting Moment Boat itself...
But his words acknowledged that they had investigated Geuk Hye-ryeong.
"I see."
One might have expected her to take offense,
but Geuk Hye-ryeong merely nodded with an air of indifference.
"The Sage Forest of old did possess an extraordinary intelligence network."
"Thank you for your understanding."
As Han Sang-ja bowed his head,
"Hye-bin."
Geuk Hye-ryeong turned to her beloved granddaughter, who had been sitting quietly.
"Will you do this?"
"Yes."
Geuk Hye-bin nodded without hesitation.
"If it helps the Lord, I could ask for nothing more."
Geuk Hye-ryeong nodded in turn.
Though the Fleeting Moment Boat was a female-only sect, its members upheld honor more fiercely than most men.
Had they not once staked the very survival of their sect to aid Bu Eun-seol—repaying their debt to him even during the Death Command Gate's invasion?
"Thank you."
Bu Eun-seol spoke as though making a vow.
"If danger arises... I will protect you with my life."
"Yes."
Han Sang-ja nodded at Geuk Hye-bin's bright smile.
"Then it seems we must begin now."
Time was running out.
No amount of troops or wealth would be of use in this matter.
They had only Han Sang-ja's plan to rely on—
and the three of them would have to stake their lives on it.
The Heavenly Fragrance Constitution.
A mystical bodily constitution capable not only of mimicking the so-called "Heart Fragrance",
but also of fundamentally comprehending and replicating another's spiritual and mental state.
Han Sang-ja summoned Bu Eun-seol and Geuk Hye-bin into a secluded chamber
and began explaining how the Heavenly Fragrance Constitution manifested—and how it could imitate a person's Heart Fragrance.
"The Sage Forest's Thousand-Gold Secret Manual contains a method for fully harnessing the power of the Heavenly Fragrance Constitution."
Han Sang-ja retrieved a book from his robes.
"I've excerpted the relevant passage in advance. If the Young Sect Leader follows this method, she will be able to perfectly replicate the Lord's Heart Fragrance."
Geuk Hye-bin, nodding, swiftly read through the passage.
The method detailed within involved analyzing the deepest recesses of the heart—emotions, temperament, experiences... everything—
and contained the secrets to perceiving or mimicking another's Heart Fragrance.
"However, this method alone is not enough."
Han Sang-ja addressed Bu Eun-seol.
"The Lord must recount every experience of his life to the Young Sect Leader—along with every emotion he felt in those moments."
"Why is that?"
"The Lord's current emotions are, in essence, the culmination of all past emotions."
True to his origins in the Sage Forest, Han Sang-ja was eloquent.
For a long while, he explained to Bu Eun-seol
why it was necessary to describe his life's journey in detail to Geuk Hye-bin.
"From now on, I must research the formations we'll use for this task, based on the Thousand-Gold Secret Manual. In the meantime, please work in harmony."
With that, he immediately departed.
"Hmm..."
After a long moment of contemplation, Bu Eun-seol let out a quiet sigh.
"I'm not sure where or how to begin, but..."
He offered an awkward smile.
"I'll try to recount things calmly, as they come to mind."
Truthfully, it was his first time.
Tracing the footsteps of his past life—
the fragments of emotion he had felt in each moment, the shards of memory embedded within them.
To speak aloud like this and convey it to someone.
But in order for Geuk Hye-bin to emit the same Heart Fragrance as his own.
He told her everything—the course of his life up until now, the thoughts that crossed his mind daily, and all the emotions he had felt.
Tap, tap, tap.
Having heard the entire story, Geuk Hye-bin shed tears.
To others,
he was a peerless prodigy who had mastered martial arts that ordinary people could never grasp even with a lifetime of effort.
A face more beautiful than any woman's, wisdom so outstanding it could be called the reincarnation of Zhuge Liang.
And as the Lord of the Demon Hall, he commanded countless Wise Generals and Valiant Generals who would lay down their lives in loyalty.
A man who lacked nothing, possessing every perfect condition.
A young Grandmaster who should have envied no one in the world—yet the reality was entirely different.
He was the loneliest person in the world.
Though he had met a ray of light that allowed him to forget painful memories and see a warm world,
in the end, a murderer as cruel as the Demon had taken everything away.
In his pursuit of revenge, before he knew it, he had gained loyal subordinates who followed him.
They never doubted anything he did and gave him absolute support.
But that absolute trust,
from Bu Eun-seol's perspective, was an inescapable burden.
For the sake of those who believed in him,
he could never afford to lose, nor could he waver.
Because only then could he ensure the lives of those who followed him would not be lost.
Whatever he set out to do, he had to succeed—perfectly.
Not only that, but having reached such lofty and profound heights at such a young age...
there was no one who could truly empathize with what he felt.
Only battles against life-threatening Superlative Martial Experts could soothe his loneliness,
and make him feel alive.
And so, forsaking even the joy of victory,
the splendor of honor...
for the sake of revenge alone, he had abandoned even friendship,
and at times, even himself, endlessly letting go.
Because of that... no matter how many peerless beauties approached him, he could never form a genuine bond.
Because he intended to bear everything alone.
Because he could never burden someone he loved with such weight.
"Sniff... Hic..."
Geuk Hye-bin clutched Bu Eun-seol's hand.
Having heard everything,
she now understood exactly where Bu Eun-seol was headed.
"Don't go, Brother."
With hot tears streaming down her face, she gripped his hands tightly.
"There are still so many beautiful things in this world."
Though it seemed he was deeply involved in the affairs of the murim,
though it seemed he lived among countless people in this turbulent world...
the truth was,
Bu Eun-seol lived a lonely existence in a gray, disconnected space where no one else existed.
His eyes looked upon reality,
but in truth, they were fixed only on the distant place where his grandfather resided—a place he could never reach.
In the end, he was a being who did not belong to this world.
Merely surviving day by day, as if clinging to life... for the sake of a journey that would one day take him far away.
"I'm fine."
Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly and patted Geuk Hye-bin's back.
"That's just a fragmentary impression. The reality isn't like that."
That, too, was true.
Just because he carried those emotions within him,
it didn't mean they defined the entirety of his existence.
"And I made a promise to the Bullet King."
Bu Eun-seol gave a gentle smile.
"That I would never take my own life."
Though it was a soft-spoken attempt to console her,
Geuk Hye-bin only cried harder, shaking her head as tears poured down.
"From now on... I'll make sure you never have such thoughts again."
She hugged him tightly.
"I swear I'll make sure of it."
Bu Eun-seol quietly soothed the weeping Geuk Hye-bin.
His life had not been in vain.
If someone were to ask him what bonds meant, he could answer like this:
They were the sparks engraved deep within his heart.
Because of those sparks, he could endure this cold and bitter world.
Knock, knock.
Just then, the sound of knocking echoed, followed by Han Sang-ja's clear voice.
"Have you finished memorizing the scriptures?"
When he stepped inside,
his mouth fell open at the sight of Geuk Hye-bin crying, tears and snot streaming down her face.
"...I was mistaken."
After hearing everything from Bu Eun-seol, Han Sang-ja stroked his chin with a troubled expression.
"Young Mistress respects the Lord far too much. This is an entirely unforeseen situation."
Though he phrased it as respect due to Geuk Hye-bin's young age,
in truth, it was closer to deep affection.
Realizing this, Bu Eun-seol sniffed and changed the subject.
"Are there no other Heavenly Fragrance Constitutions?"
Han Sang-ja let out a deep sigh.
"Even if there were, would it matter?"
Even if they found someone else with the Heavenly Fragrance Constitution, it was impossible for them to risk their lives for Bu Eun-seol.
Understanding the implication, Bu Eun-seol cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Then let's look for an alternative."
"No, it's fine. I can do it."
At Geuk Hye-bin's words, Han Sang-ja shook his head.
"You can't."
"Why not?"
"Human emotions aren't something one can easily control on their own, Young Mistress."
"If it's my own heart, why can't I control it?"
Han Sang-ja calmly explained.
"Then, if I told you to resent the Lord right now, could you do it immediately?"
People often believe they can control their own emotions.
But that was nearly impossible.
Even if one forced themselves to pretend to be sad or laugh, their true emotions wouldn't change.
And emotions like hatred or affection... were things that could never be manipulated at will.
"No, it's possible."
Yet, to everyone's surprise, Geuk Hye-bin looked at Bu Eun-seol and spoke.
"Brother, do you remember? When I was little, I pretended to follow people like an emotionless doll."
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
In her childhood, she had lost her parents and grew up under the protection of Pavilion Lord Geuk Hye-ryeong.
But Geuk Hye-ryeong was so busy that she only poured her energy into hiring renowned scholars to educate her—
And never gave her proper love.
As a result, Geuk Hye-bin had ended up becoming a doll-like person, incapable of feeling emotions at all.
If, back when Bu Eun-seol had visited the Fleeting Moment Boat—
He hadn't noticed that about her?
By now, she would have either become a witch of the Murim, or lived her life as an utterly emotionless person, performing an act while her Spirit and Mind crumbled away.
"But now, you've already developed emotions."
Presently, Geuk Hye-bin had transformed into someone so passionate she could burst into tears.
There was no way she could calmly understand and mimic Bu Eun-seol's inner self.
"No. Actually, I'm still the same."
"The same?"
"I was born inherently emotionless. It was only thanks to Grandmother's love and attention that I learned emotions."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
She wasn't saying she felt emotions—she was saying she learned them.
"That's right."
Geuk Hye-bin spoke impassively.
"I'm still emotionless."
As if to prove her words, the passionate light in her eyes had already faded into utter indifference.
"How is that possible?"
When Han Sang-ja asked in surprise, Geuk Hye-bin replied flatly.
"Grandmother and the Lord are special to me, so I can empathize with them."
Her tone was chillingly detached.
"But beyond that, I'm completely indifferent. Things like pity or compassion—I only act on them because I was taught to."
She continued calmly.
"For example, saving someone drowning or rescuing trapped animals—it's not because I feel sorry for them. I just do it because I was taught it was the right thing."
Bu Eun-seol and Han Sang-ja exchanged a long look.
Then, they pressed their lips together to suppress a laugh.
Despite her grandiose words...
Geuk Hye-bin ultimately had emotions no different from an ordinary person.
"Pavilion Young Lady."
Han Sang-ja forced back his laughter and spoke solemnly.
"To be honest, most people in the world live like that."
"What?"
"When people do good deeds, it's not because they empathize with others' feelings. They just... do it because they were taught it was right."
Geuk Hye-bin's face flushed bright red.
At her young age, it was natural—
Everyone harbored the delusion that they were somehow special.
"Hmm."
After a long moment of deep thought, Han Sang-ja's eyes began to sparkle like stars.
Then, as if struck by inspiration, he clapped his hands together.
"But thanks to the Pavilion Young Lady's purity and warmth, I've thought of another method!"
"Really?"
As Geuk Hye-bin's eyes widened, Han Sang-ja nodded.
"Your pure heart made it impossible to mimic the Heart Fragrance... but that very purity carries a warmth capable of embracing another's heart."
"Warmth."
"Yes. If we apply the principles of Warm Embrace Protecting the Heart and Warm Affection Nourishing the Heart from the scripture here..."
He pointed to a section of the manual he had written and calmly explained.
"...Instead of imitating the Lord's Heart Fragrance, we overlay it with your clear, warm energy."
"That's an amazing method!"
Geuk Hye-bin clapped her hands in admiration.
"Teacher Han, it seems you're quite skilled in scriptures that move the heart."
"Disciples of our sect memorize entire books from the Scripture Archive Pavilion. This is nothing."
Han Sang-ja scratched his cheek awkwardly.
Since Bu Eun-seol kept calling him Elder Brother, she, too, was mistaking herself for a Han.
"Shall we try again, then?"
At Han Sang-ja's words, Geuk Hye-bin nodded.
The Heavenly Fragrance Constitution could perfectly mimic another's Heart Fragrance.
Meaning, if she could perceive another's Heart Fragrance, she could also overlay it with her own energy.
Rather than imitating Bu Eun-seol's loneliness and sorrow—
She would envelop them with her own fragrance.
But as Bu Eun-seol watched, a chill ran down his spine.
'This isn't something one could think of just by being smart.'
Ancient scriptures were profound texts refined through the research of countless sages.
To alter them in an instant was nearly impossible.
Moreover, the method Han Sang-ja proposed was an innovative approach no sage had ever considered before.
For an ordinary person, even a lifetime of study wouldn't grant them the courage to attempt such a thing.
"Is something wrong?"
Feeling Bu Eun-seol's intense gaze, Han Sang-ja scratched his cheek.
He looked exactly like a simple country boy who had come to Chengdu to study.
"No, it's nothing."
Bu Eun-seol dismissed his rising thoughts.
Even if his suspicions were correct... now was not the time to dwell on them.