Chapter 865
The Executioner, once it identifies its target,
is known to turn those adjacent to the target into puppets and attack through them.
But is there no limitation to the distance at which it can create these puppets?
Could the Executioner exert its power to create puppets even from thousands of ri away?
And what if the target cannot be distinguished—or worse, if there are two?
The sages of the martial world had ceaselessly researched to unravel such questions.
Through numerous trials and studies, they had managed to uncover some of its secrets.
The Executioner distinguishes its target using a unique energy emitted by the human body, known as Heart Fragrance,
and it processes only one target at a time.
Knowing this, Han Sang-ja prepared a plan to expose the Executioner's true nature by utilizing the Heavenly Fragrance Constitution.
However, the problem lay in the distance.
Bu Eun-seol's Heart Fragrance was too potent.
If they stood side by side, the imitation crafted by Geuk Hye-bin would be distinctly noticeable.
This was akin to how even the most exceptional counterfeit,
when placed beside the original, would starkly reveal its flaws.
"We'll need to keep them much farther apart than anticipated."
In preparation for this scenario,
Han Sang-ja had brought the Sage Forest's treasure, the Measure of Boundless Light.
It was an artifact capable of measuring anything in the world
that its owner could perceive.
And after measuring with the Measure of Boundless Light,
he discovered that the two needed to be at least six hundred and thirty ri apart to avoid influencing each other's energy.
"To think they must be separated by at least six hundred and thirty ri..."
Han Sang-ja weakly shook his head.
Even if they concealed their identities and erased all traces of their whereabouts, how could the Executioners still find them?
The Heart Fragrance had spread far wider than he had imagined.
In the end, after much deliberation,
he chose to locate two vast plains, each far removed from the Fleeting Moment Boat,
where Bu Eun-seol and Geuk Hye-bin could hide.
He then set up fifteen mystical formations passed down through the Sage Forest,
including the Heaven Origin Reverse Step Formation, which would collapse on one side if the other was breached.
With this distance between them, the Executioner would inevitably attempt to confirm the identities of both,
and Bu Eun-seol would be able to detect the collapse of the formation instantly and rush to Geuk Hye-bin's aid.
"Now, we must measure how long it takes the Lord to traverse this distance."
Han Sang-ja explained,
"You must run at a pace that conserves your stamina. If you arrive completely exhausted, you may instead fall prey to the Executioner's counterattack."
True to his nature as a sage, he always accounted for the worst-case scenario.
Goooooo—!
Bu Eun-seol employed his Lightness Skill at a pace that preserved his stamina and strength.
When he finally returned, Han Sang-ja nodded.
"If the Lord crosses six hundred and thirty ri while conserving combat power, it takes roughly fifteen minutes."
The maximum speed of the Ultimate Speed Shadowless, when sprinting at full power while preserving stamina, was roughly six hundred and twenty-five ri in fifteen minutes.
If he pushed his Lightness Skill to the limit, drawing upon all his Internal Power—including the Thunder Essence Divine Qi—he could cover a thousand ri in the same span.
But the latter method consumed too much energy,
and even if he arrived swiftly, the likelihood of falling victim to the Executioner's counterattack was high.
"Can this formation hold against the Executioner for that long?"
Bu Eun-seol asked with a concerned expression.
He wished to station numerous troops beforehand to protect Geuk Hye-bin,
but doing so would only increase the number of the Executioner's puppets—there was no other way.
"It should be possible."
Han Sang-ja spoke firmly.
"The formations of our Sage Forest possess the ability to nullify all forces scattered throughout the world."
"And if something goes wrong?"
"I'll stake my neck on it."
Han Sang-ja made an excessive vow.
"If the Young Mistress is harmed, I will offer you my head."
Though something felt off, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"There's no need to go that far."
Han Sang-ja smiled as if to divert the topic.
"Truthfully, I'm more worried about whether the Lord can defeat the Executioner in battle than whether the formation will hold."
Bu Eun-seol had felled countless formidable foes until now.
But the Executioner was entirely different.
It imposed bizarre Laws and wielded incomprehensible power.
Even the Superlative Martial Experts who commanded the world could not detect its presence, leaving them helpless.
These beings had existed for ages, their true nature perfectly concealed.
"I don't intend to win."
Bu Eun-seol spoke frankly.
"But I am confident we can die together."
What if he failed to eliminate the Executioner?
Those around him would face endless threats to their lives.
Even if it meant Mutual Destruction, Bu Eun-seol was determined to end the Executioner here and now—
and if he succeeded, he would trace the trail back to those lurking behind it.
"The Lord is always so self-assured."
"I simply live each day as it comes."
"Doesn't everyone live day by day?"
At Han Sang-ja's words, Bu Eun-seol gazed at the distant sky and replied,
"I live each day as if it were my only one."
His voice carried a profound loneliness.
"Every day, I live just that single day."
Only then did Han Sang-ja grasp the meaning behind Bu Eun-seol's words.
"We are similar, then."
With an expression both subtly moved and impressed, he nodded.
"Indeed, with such resolve, one can accomplish what others deem impossible."
Han Sang-ja's gaze, fixed on the distant sky, was unfathomably deep.
What thoughts lay behind those eyes?
Not even the direction of his gaze could be discerned.
"Hah."
Sensing Bu Eun-seol's piercing gaze, Han Sang-ja let out a dry laugh before speaking in a loud voice.
"Now that we truly don't have much time left... shall we begin quickly?"
Bu Eun-seol felt uneasy about Han Sang-ja's behavior.
'He seems to have some hidden motive.'
In matters where one stakes their life, even the most daring individuals would inevitably grow solemn.
Yet Han Sang-ja acted as if this were some unrelated affair—relaxed, even enjoying himself.
'It doesn't matter.'
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
Now was not the time for such thoughts.
He had to eliminate the Executioner this time. If not, he would have to leave the martial world entirely.
Han Sang-ja had spent ten sleepless nights.
Fifteen of the most formidable battle formations passed down from Sage Forest were laid out across the vast plains.
It was no easy task, so the exceptional talents of the Fleeting Moment Boat assisted in the work.
The completed formations, just as Han Sang-ja had promised, were so sturdy that not even Bu Eun-seol—nor any other force—could easily break them.
Even repeatedly unleashing Harmonization, a power rivaling Limitless Power, would not be enough to shatter them.
Moreover, they could withstand all manner of supernatural abilities, meaning even if the Executioner employed strange spells, they would hold firm.
Most importantly, the two formations were linked—if one was attacked, the other would detect it immediately, allowing Bu Eun-seol to react without delay.
'Impressive.'
Even Bu Eun-seol, who had faced countless formations before, found Han Sang-ja's work inscrutable.
The complexity of these formations surpassed even his Formation-Breaking Art, and their efficacy was extraordinary.
They were on par with the formations Heavenly Mechanism Star had once set up in Heavenly Heart Valley—the very ones that had trapped him and Gongson Dan-gyeong using Fist Adept.
'This isn't a legacy formation.'
Having dismantled countless formations, Bu Eun-seol could be called the foremost expert in the martial world at breaking them.
He could say with certainty that Han Sang-ja's formations were neither inherited from Sage Forest nor reinterpretations of existing ones.
They were something entirely new.
'At this level... doesn't it surpass even the Chief Strategist's skill?'
Gongson Dan-gyeong's mastery of formations rivaled Gongson Hwa-uk's, and her intellect was second to none.
Yet everything Han Sang-ja undertook was so exceptional it even startled Bu Eun-seol—unprecedented, groundbreaking, revolutionary.
"I'll now set up the formation to conceal myself."
Han Sang-ja's reason for helping Bu Eun-seol was simple:
To confirm the existence of the Executioner—a being whose true nature had never been properly revealed.
If one of the two formations collapsed, he would rush to observe it immediately.
To that end, he began setting up a formation to hide his own presence.
"Not only must my presence be perfectly concealed, but I must also detect if either formation collapses... So I'll install a slightly different formation."
Han Sang-ja made an unexpected request.
"Lend me either warriors from the Fleeting Moment Boat or thirty-two under Lord's command. I need to set up the Ghostly Limitless Formation."
The Ghostly Limitless Formation.
A unique formation of Sage Forest, one that used humans as its components—reversing the natural order and returning to the primordial state of origin.
"I cannot allow you to use people as formation materials," Bu Eun-seol said firmly.
"The Executioner's power could manifest and turn them into puppets."
"Don't worry. That won't happen."
"There's always a 'what if.'"
Bu Eun-seol's tone was unyielding.
"I won't stake thirty-two lives as collateral."
"This is the only formation that possesses the energy of Extreme Heaven Primordial Unity."
Han Sang-ja shrugged.
"And what's the point of doing anything without risk?"
"We should be the only ones bearing the risk."
"Then we should end this here."
Han Sang-ja's eyes appeared as pure as Geuk Hye-bin's, yet a strange heat continuously radiated from them.
Though he seemed naive, he was still a sage of Sage Forest.
A man who would accept any sacrifice in pursuit of truth—one who harbored madness.
"I don't care whether this succeeds or fails," Han Sang-ja said, somewhat coldly.
"I'm only curious whether the Executioner is truly a supernatural entity... or an agent of a mysterious faction even Sage Forest hasn't uncovered."
"I understand."
"Then I'll resort to an alternative."
Han Sang-ja lowered his voice.
"Money can solve this."
"You mean hiring wandering martial artists?"
"Exactly."
Han Sang-ja spoke calmly.
"The warriors serving as materials for the Ghostly Limitless Formation only need internal energy exceeding 60 years' worth. They don't have to be your subordinates or disciples of the Fleeting Moment Boat."
In a way, it was a rational decision.
But Bu Eun-seol didn't want to gamble innocent lives—not just his own subordinates, but vagrants who had done no wrong.
"That's also unacceptable."
"That's a severe restriction."
Han Sang-ja sighed deeply.
Who would've thought Lord would hesitate even over vagrants' lives?
"Lord. Vagrants are people who trade their lives for money to survive."
"..."
"Many among them would gladly exchange their lives for sufficient payment. We can simply choose those."
But Bu Eun-seol's expression remained unchanged.
Of course, he disliked the idea of paying vagrants to undertake a task that could easily kill them. But more than that—
He had intuitively sensed that Han Sang-ja had another intention.
'But I can't figure out what it is.'
Just as Bu Eun-seol was making a complicated expression, Han Sang-ja spoke.
"If you truly dislike the idea, then let's end this matter here. I won't be able to assist you any further."
Han Sang-ja's goal was to witness the truth of the Executioner with his own eyes.
If that wasn't possible, then there was no need to help Bu Eun-seol.
"And if I may offer a bold piece of advice—in all matters, one must weigh priorities and urgency."
"I know."
"You know? Even knowing that if you fail to resolve this matter, the people around you could suffer greatly, you still say that?"
He wasn't wrong.
If they didn't seize this opportunity to deal with the Executioner? Sooner or later, he could lose the precious people around him.
"Then, do as you please."
As Han Sang-ja turned to leave,
"Wait."
After a moment of deep contemplation, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"Fine. I'll select thirty-two martial artists from the intelligence organization I lead."
"Then you must make me a promise."
Han Sang-ja spoke with unwavering firmness.
"That no matter what happens, you will not resent me."
"I won't resent you."
The elite soldiers of the Death Soul Squad were combat forces Bu Eun-seol had poured his heart and soul into nurturing.
Not only that, but they had also partially mastered the Mind's Eye Mirror, a battle formation capable of unfolding a Mindscape, devised by Yu Un-ryong...
Even in the worst-case scenario, they should be able to escape with their lives.
"Good."
Han Sang-ja received his confirmation once more.
"Then swear it to me."
There was no trace of a smile on his face.
"Swear to me here and now that no matter what happens in the future, you will never resent the choices I make."
'There's definitely something more to this.'
Not just don't resent me, but don't resent my choices?
Moreover, his expression was so resolute that it seemed he wouldn't proceed without hearing such an oath.
'Hmm.'
Even Bu Eun-seol, who was second to none in reading people, couldn't fathom Han Sang-ja's thoughts.
'I still can't grasp his intentions.'
All he could vaguely sense was that Han Sang-ja had no intention of harming him.
"I swear it. No matter what happens because of this matter, I will not resent you."
"Good."
Han Sang-ja nodded in satisfaction upon hearing the oath.
"If we succeed, one of the Murim's secrets will be unraveled."
His pupils sparkled as if they held stars within them.
He seemed excited at the prospect of uncovering the true nature of the Executioner.
'With such a strong investigative spirit, no wonder he joined the Sage Forest.'
The Sages were the kind of people who, if they could uncover the truth—if they could solve a mystery no one else had—
Would endure anything, no matter how dangerous.
'It doesn't matter what it is. As long as the Executioner is eliminated.'
They had to find the Executioner as soon as possible.
To ensure no more harm came to those around them, they had to put an end to its evil deeds.
Finally, on the very day Man-wol had foretold—two months after the Executioner's attack—
Inside the battle formation Han Sang-ja had prepared, Geuk Hye-bin began enveloping Bu Eun-seol's Heart Scent with her own energy.
It was a warm, pure Heart Scent, unique to Geuk Hye-bin yet harmonizing perfectly with his.
Huuung...
As their Heart Scents synchronized completely, a faint light began to emanate from both Bu Eun-seol and Geuk Hye-bin.
"I pray for your success."
At Han Sang-ja's words, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
Then, looking at Geuk Hye-bin, he spoke gently.
"Nothing will happen. Wait here without worry."
As if resonating with Geuk Hye-bin's warm Heart Scent, Bu Eun-seol wore a smile softer and kinder than ever before.
"Yes."
As Geuk Hye-bin answered brightly, Bu Eun-seol shot into the air in an instant.
Then, with a burst of Lightness Skill, he raced toward the distance.
After running for a quarter of an hour and covering over six hundred li, he immediately entered the battle formation Han Sang-ja had prepared in advance.
Then, light flowed from all directions, blurring his surroundings.
"Truly profound."
Now he understood anew—
Why the Sages of the Sage Forest could investigate even the high command of various factions in Murim.
The Concealment Art that allowed infiltration anywhere, a disguise art that could fool anyone—
And the strange, unknown Arts of Spells and mystical knowledge unknown to Murim.
Gaining even a single strategist from the Sage Forest—
Was akin to obtaining an entire intelligence organization, if not more.
'The Sage Forest of the past was bound to walk the wrong path.'
Stagnant water rots.
Those who grasp the staff of Authority inevitably wish to wield it.
Though Sages were commonly known as—
Wise figures possessing exceptional learning and wisdom—
The true Sages of the Sage Forest held abilities no less than those of Murim's warriors, along with arcane knowledge.
In the end, they sought to artificially create the King of the Sages, Heavenly Mechanism Star, using that power and knowledge—
And thus, they walked the path to ruin.
His head grew heavy with thoughts, so Bu Eun-seol shook it off.
'Right now, focus only on the Executioner.'
He had no interest in the Murim's hidden, mysterious factions to begin with.
Whatever they did was none of his concern.
But he could no longer tolerate an existence that—
Simply because he had grown stronger a little faster than others—
Threatened the lives of those around him with incomprehensible Laws.
"To uphold these so-called Laws, they toy with people's lives as they please..."
As he muttered under his breath—
A flash of light streaked across his mind.
Only then did he realize what Han Sang-ja had been hoping for.
"To uphold the Laws..."
The Executioner's sole purpose is to "uphold" the Laws.
And to safeguard those Laws?
It must never reveal its true nature.
—That won't happen.
Strangely enough, Han Sang-ja had assured them—
That no great calamity would befall either Geuk Hye-bin or himself.
Yet, when it came to the Ghostly Limitless Formation—
A formation that required thirty-two human sacrifices just to evade the Executioner's attacks—
He had shown no such confidence in guaranteeing the lives of the martial artists involved.
'He made himself the bait.'
At last, Bu Eun-seol understood.
The Executioner was—
Literally a mysterious entity with the power to manipulate humans.
If such a being existed?
Rather than those who merely rejected the Laws—
It would surely deem those who sought to uncover its existence and expose its true nature far more threatening.
—Swear to me now, here in this place—that no matter what happens, you will never resent the choice I make.
Suddenly, Han Sang-ja's voice seemed to whisper in his ear.
The "choice" he had spoken of—was becoming the bait himself.
And the reason was simple.
'To summon not the Executioner, but someone higher.'
Even if they dealt with this Executioner, another could come.
But what if they shattered the Executioner's secrets—or took actions that could collapse their Laws?
Then it wouldn't just be another Executioner.
There was a chance—
That the one who controlled the Executioners, or the one who governed these Laws, would appear instead.
Han Sang-ja was willing to stake his life—
To summon someone who could definitively explain the Executioner's existence—
And who had the authority to break the Covenant.
Only then could this matter truly be resolved.
Zzziiing—
At that moment, an eerie sensation flowed through the formation.
A strange, somewhat unpleasant feeling—as if something inside his body was being pulled outward.
'Even these fifteen-layered formations must be a method to merge my energy with Geuk Hye-bin's.'
Han Sang-ja, whose Lightness Skill wasn't particularly fast—
Had set up the formation at the midpoint between himself and Geuk Hye-bin, claiming it was to confirm the Executioner's arrival.
His excuse was that they couldn't know which of the two locations the real one would appear at—
But in truth, it was likely a means to draw Bu Eun-seol and Geuk Hye-bin's energy into himself.
Whether the Executioner or its overseer came—
They would have to lure it toward the side where the unbreakable formation was set.
'For a fundamental resolution.'
Han Sang-ja wasn't just a curious young sage.
From the moment he devised this plan—
He had intended to summon someone who could fundamentally resolve or explain the issue of the Covenant.
But knowing Bu Eun-seol would never allow him to become bait—
He had hidden it.
'Was he the successor meant to lead Sage Forest's future?'
Sage Forest had artificially created the Heavenly Mechanism Star—
And Gwi-jin-ja had called it a "calamity."
If Chu-so was Absolute Evil—
Then surely they would have sought to raise a righteous and extraordinary Divine Being to oppose him.
And perhaps—that was Han Sang-ja.
"But this plan is far too dangerous."
If a being of terrifying power—one capable of commanding the Executioner—appeared there?
Bu Eun-seol might encounter him—
But the thirty-two members of the Death Soul Squad—
And Han Sang-ja himself—
Had no chance of survival.
Crackle—
Bu Eun-seol tried to force his way out of the formation.
But as if to block his escape, strange flames flickered from the formation—
And an invisible wall barred his path.
These fifteen-layered formations—
Were said to neutralize any external force.
But now, he realized—
Han Sang-ja had cleverly reversed the formation's direction.
To ensure Bu Eun-seol couldn't leave easily.
"Brother Han."
With a sigh, Bu Eun-seol drew the Silent Tomb Sword.
"Did you really trust me so little?"
If he couldn't break Han Sang-ja's formation—
Bu Eun-seol would likely die upon arrival anyway.
So Han Sang-ja had taken measures—
To ensure his life wouldn't be wasted.
Zzzzziiing—
A five-colored radiance bloomed in an instant, converging on the Silent Tomb Sword—
Flash!
The Heaven-Shattering Form's power shook the formation.
He had used Harmonization.
Flash! Flash!
Three consecutive bursts of Harmonization—
Yet not even a hint of collapse appeared.
This formation wasn't designed to keep the Executioner out—
But to trap those inside.
Its structure was reinforced inward.
"My formation mastery still falls short."
Han Sang-ja's formations were the essence of Sage Forest's refinement.
Even Gongson Dan-gyeong might not have noticed anything amiss.
Yet Bu Eun-seol blamed himself for his own inadequacy.
"Hah... Hah..."
Gasping, he forced down the excruciating pain wracking his body.
The repeated use of Harmonization had taken its toll.
"I don't need to destroy it outright."
A thought flashed through his mind.
He focused his Internal Power once more.
"He must have made it unbreakable from the inside."
Sssss—
A faint mist began to rise around Bu Eun-seol's body.
"If I just... create a space natural enough for my body to slip through—"
In this moment of crisis—
He instantly devised a new technique—
Overlaying Harmonization onto the River Waves Spreading Across the Lake's principle of natural harmony.
Rumble—
Space twisted.
Pulsations like a heartbeat thrummed through the walls and floor.
The interior space began emitting dazzling fragments—
Like the collapse of a star.
Quake—
The ground trembled as if struck by an earthquake.
At the same time—
Crimson, azure, violet—
Five-colored flashes danced around Bu Eun-seol's body.
Wrrrrr—
Space slowly distorted once more—
KWA-BOOM!
A Thunderous Sound erupted from within the Boundary Formation,
Hiss—hiss—!
A shockwave spread outward as if it would annihilate the entire world.