Chapter 878
"Fast."
The Ghost King stood at a distance with his arms crossed, watching the fight with an intrigued expression.
"I'm quite looking forward to seeing what kind of abilities you possess."
'Abilities?'
Bu Eun-seol furrowed his brow but had no time to dwell on it.
Clang!
The armored puppet remained rooted in place, continuously manifesting massive black greatswords in the space where Bu Eun-seol stood—as if creating matter from nothing.
Without fail, enormous greatswords materialized right where Bu Eun-seol had been standing.
Clang! Clang!
Bu Eun-seol moved relentlessly, deftly evading the greatswords conjured by the armored puppet.
Shiik!
At the same time, he swiftly closed the distance, slashing at the armor with the Ink Soul Sword.
Yet, the armor—perhaps forged from some mysterious metal—didn't even bear a scratch.
"Attack all you want."
The Ghost King sneered.
"The Ghost Armor endlessly absorbs evil qi, so it will never shatter."
'Evil qi within Ghost King Valley.'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes flashed.
The Ghost King had likely revealed the truth to emphasize the armor's indestructibility.
But such arrogant words—
To a genius like Bu Eun-seol, they were no different than handing him the key to dismantling the technique.
'It doesn't break because it absorbs the evil qi flowing from within Ghost King Valley...'
A glint of insight crossed his eyes as he swung his sword.
That meant the armor—
Maintained its form by absorbing the evil qi circulating through Ghost King Valley.
Conversely, if it could no longer absorb that evil qi? The armor's mystical properties would vanish entirely.
Zzzziiing—
As Bu Eun-seol moved swiftly, he slipped his left hand near his chest, and light began to seep out.
It emanated from the Measure of Boundless Light hidden within his robes.
'The shoulder guard must be the conduit through which it absorbs evil qi.'
Through the Measure's function, he discerned that the armor didn't absorb evil qi across its entire surface—
Rather, it drew it in through the shoulder guard before dispersing it throughout the rest of the armor.
'The evil qi isn't being supplied from this entire Grand Hall—it's flowing from the pillars embedded underground.'
The massive pillars embedded in the Grand Hall—
They didn't just support the structure—
They were also devices that spread the vicious evil qi rising from beneath the earth.
'This should work.'
Having grasped the entire situation with the Measure of Boundless Light, he began swinging the Ink Soul Sword at bizarre angles.
Clang! Clang-clang!
Unfazed, the armored puppet continued manifesting enormous blades in the space where Bu Eun-seol stood.
Pat! Pat!
As Bu Eun-seol spun the Ink Soul Sword continuously, he soon began circling the entire Grand Hall in wide arcs.
Click-click-click.
How many times had he circled the hall?
Finally, his swordplay shifted into something uncanny.
Each time he cleaved through the air, strange geometric afterimages formed—
And soon, they began pushing the armored puppet's body back.
"Pointless effort."
The Ghost King sneered, assuming Bu Eun-seol was using the Mountain-Passing Bull Strike technique to crush the puppet's body from within.
"Even if you use the Internal Heavy Hand Technique, it's useless. The armor is perfectly intact inside as well—"
But his words cut off.
As Bu Eun-seol spun and unleashed his swordplay, faint geometric shapes around him gradually sharpened into clarity—
And soon, they clung to the Grand Hall's pillars, emitting a blue light.
"The Zhuge Family's martial arts?"
The Zhuge Family was home to the greatest masters of boundary formations in the martial world, and their techniques all contained intricate formation principles.
Thus, no matter how skilled a master might be—
If they faced an attack infused with the Zhuge Family's profound formations—
Their body would be forcibly moved elsewhere, or the direction of their strength would be altered.
Having detected the source of the evil qi, Bu Eun-seol—
Used the subtleties of the Zhuge Family's martial arts to redirect the flow of energy rising from the Grand Hall's pillars.
'If evil qi has a tangible existence, then naturally, its direction can be altered.'
Evil qi couldn't be seen or touched, but it undeniably existed within Ghost King Valley.
Having measured and sensed its quantity through the Measure of Boundless Light, redirecting its flow wasn't particularly difficult.
Sschk!
With an eerie slicing sound, the armored puppet's left arm fell into the air.
Once the mystical energy protecting its body vanished—
It couldn't withstand the Ink Soul Sword's razor edge, which could cleave through iron as if it were tofu.
"..."
Despite losing an arm, no blood spilled out.
With the evil qi gone, the armored puppet abruptly froze in place.
Thud.
At the same time, the mask on its face slipped off on its own.
And then—an astonishing visage was revealed.
'That's—'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed.
The armored puppet wasn't human.
Pieces of beast flesh, organs, wood fragments, stone, clotted blood—
Countless materials had been molded into human form—
It was a Yin-Killing Soul-Transferring Man.
Plop-plop-plop.
From where its face had been shaped, fragments of various materials began dropping to the floor one by one.
Likely, without the evil qi sustaining it, the construct could no longer maintain its form.
Moreover, the lump of flesh-like muscles were swelling ominously, looking as though they might burst at any moment.
'A Yin-Killing Soul-Transferring Man is my sibling?'
Just as he was staring in disbelief at the grotesque sight—
"Impressive technique. You've mastered not just martial arts but also battle formations."
The Ghost King, who had been watching with his arms crossed, nodded approvingly before flicking his index finger through the air.
Thud.
In an instant, the Yin-Killing Soul-Transferring Man's head was severed.
Oooong—!
From the decapitated corpse, a sudden Black Fog surged outward in all directions before—
Whoooosh—
—being sucked straight into the Ghost King's nostrils in the blink of an eye.
From the Black Fog that had escaped the Yin-Killing Soul-Transferring Man's body, Bu Eun-seol sensed a strange, malevolent energy—a Demonic Energy so potent that no human vessel could possibly contain or control it.
"Hohoho. Didn't you know?"
Seeing Bu Eun-seol's stunned expression, the Ghost King chuckled darkly.
"Yin-Killing Soul-Transferring Men are excellent vessels—capable of being infused with or absorbing Demon-Sealing Fragments."
'Demon-Sealing Fragments.'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
Han Sang-ja had spoken of them—the Absolute Knowledge possessed by the True Demon. And now, the Ghost King had been harboring these fragments?
Not only that, but the Yin-Killing Soul-Transferring Man wasn't just a mere combat puppet—it was a vessel capable of infusing and storing these very fragments.
'Heavenly Mechanism Star.'
Only then did he realize why the Ghost King had willingly become Heavenly Mechanism Star's subordinate—and why he followed him so loyally.
Heavenly Mechanism Star had provided both the knowledge of the Demon-Sealing Fragments and the Yin-Killing Soul-Transferring Men to contain them, allowing the Ghost King to safely and effortlessly obtain the True Demon's power.
"You're collecting the Demon-Sealing Fragments?"
At Bu Eun-seol's murmur, the Ghost King's brow twitched slightly.
"Isn't that obvious?"
Then, spreading his arms boastfully, he declared:
"As long as I have Yin-Killing Soul-Transferring Men, I don't even need to risk my life. Obtaining the other fragments will be child's play."
Just as Han Sang-ja had said—
Those who possessed Demon-Sealing Fragments were constantly seeking to steal them from one another.
And the Ghost King was no exception, using them to gain the True Demon's power.
'So that's why he called us siblings.'
Finally, Bu Eun-seol understood why the Ghost King had referred to the armored freak and himself as brothers.
He had mistakenly assumed that Bu Eun-seol also carried a fragment—and had come here to claim it.
"Do you have any idea how many fragment-seekers have infiltrated this valley?"
The Ghost King launched into a lengthy explanation.
"They all end up here, in the Soul-Gathering Treasure Hall—just like you. Because this is where the Yin-Killing Soul-Transferring Men, the vessels holding the fragments, are kept."
In truth, Bu Eun-seol had only infiltrated this place by chance—
Following various clues in his mission to assassinate the Ghost King.
But the Ghost King was under the illusion that Bu Eun-seol, too, carried a fragment—
And had taken the bait, coming here specifically for the one stored inside the Yin-Killing Soul-Transferring Man.
"But something's odd."
Having absorbed all the black energy, the Ghost King tilted his head in confusion.
"I don't sense any Demon-Sealing Fragment within you."
Having absorbed another fragment, the Ghost King could now detect them within others' bodies—
Yet Bu Eun-seol's form emitted no such energy at all.
"What's going on here?"
At the Ghost King's outburst, Bu Eun-seol frowned slightly.
'Closed-off sect leaders really do love to hear themselves talk.'
In his experience, leaders of insular sects—
Those untouched by outsiders—
Tended to be excessively talkative, regardless of their allegiance to the Orthodox or Unorthodox Paths.
"If there's a way to reveal them, there's also a way to conceal them. Isn't that obvious?"
Feigning arrogance, Bu Eun-seol lied outright. The Ghost King snorted in response.
"Impossible."
"I also know you're Heavenly Mechanism Star's subordinate."
Click.
The Ghost King's laughter died instantly.
No one in the Murim world knew of his allegiance to Heavenly Mechanism Star—it was a closely guarded secret.
Only then did the Ghost King realize—
Bu Eun-seol hadn't come here merely for the fragments.
"You're after the Association Leader, then."
'Sect Leader?'
When Bu Eun-seol remained silent, the Ghost King jumped to his own conclusion.
"Foolish. Do you really think killing me would so much as make the Sect Leader blink?"
The fact that Chu-so had established some kind of Sect Council wasn't particularly surprising.
Given his actions so far, it would've been stranger if he hadn't become the leader of some faction.
But for the Ghost King—a man nearing a hundred years of age—to use the highest form of respect for Chu-so, who was the same age as Gongson Dan-gyeong?
To even fear him, judging by the look in his eyes?
"You're afraid of him."
"Afraid?"
"You seem completely unaware of his whereabouts. For someone called the Ghost King, you're being treated like a mere foot soldier."
"Heh heh heh."
The Ghost King's eerie laughter rang out as Killing Intent flashed in his eyes.
"You madman."
Then, his entire body radiating Evil Qi, his expression twisted into something truly sinister.
"Today shall be the anniversary of your death."
Kuuung.
Before he knew it, black fog had begun billowing from the Ghost King's body in all directions.
"From the moment you revealed yourself before this lord, you had already set foot into Yama Hall."
Zzzing.
In an instant, Bu Eun-seol's vision blurred. For a brief moment, it felt as though he were dreaming—or even plummeting from a cliff, that dizzying sensation of freefall washing over him.
'My mind is fading...?'
When he regained his senses and opened his eyes—
"...!"
A staggering sight unfolded before him.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Before he could react, he found himself hoisted into the air by the throat, gripped in the Ghost King's log-like hand.
Considering Bu Eun-seol's mastery of martial arts and the level of his spiritual barriers... this was something utterly unbelievable.
"Surprised?"
The Ghost King, holding Bu Eun-seol's neck in one hand, curled his lips upward.
"Or did you truly believe this lord was some mere foot soldier?"
The 'King of Ghosts,' who had ruled over the martial world for generations, was now demonstrating a power beyond anything Bu Eun-seol had encountered—a force that transcended the ordinary.
"Even if the Twin Heaven Emperors themselves stood here, they couldn't use their powers in this valley."
Black fog seeped from the edges of the Ghost King's demon-mask.
"Now, I shall tear off your limbs one by one, then use the Spirit-Sealing Heart-Seal Method to extract the truth of who sent you."
Fwoosh! Shlik!
Instead of answering, Bu Eun-seol swung the Mourning Soul Sword in his grip, severing the Ghost King's neck.
Arteries split, blood spurting like a fountain—
Sssssss.
Yet, in the next instant, the black mist flowing from beneath the Ghost King's mask sealed the wound as if it had never existed.
"Didn't I say this lord is invincible?"
The Ghost King let out a dark chuckle.
"Keheheh. Go on. Struggle harder. Fight back all you want."
"You truly never shut up, do you?"
Bu Eun-seol's voice was icy.
"Rather than 'Ghost King,' you'd be better off calling yourself the Chatter King."
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Even with his throat in the Ghost King's grasp, Bu Eun-seol unleashed the Thirty-Two Swords technique once more, carving through the Ghost King's neck and abdomen.
Sssssss.
But the result was the same.
The black mist rose again, instantly knitting flesh and sinew back together.
Worse, the Ghost King didn't even seem to feel pain—his lips still curled in amusement.
This man possessed a body capable of regenerating any wound in an instant.
"Curious. Judging by your swordplay, you're an assassin trained in both orthodox and unorthodox martial arts."
Tsk.
The Ghost King tilted his head slightly, then tightened his grip on Bu Eun-seol's throat.
"And though you have no internal energy, your body is unnaturally durable. Did you train in the Unorthodox Faction's External Arts?"
Bu Eun-seol's ears nearly bled from the Ghost King's incessant chatter.
But it bought him time.
Ever since Han Sang-ja had entrusted him with the assassination of the Ghost King, he had pondered—
One of the many methods he had devised to kill this man could now be put into action.
Uuuung.
Despite lacking internal energy, an unfathomable pulse began radiating from Bu Eun-seol's body.
Drip. Drip.
At the same time, his pupils darkened completely, swirling with an eerie luster.
He had begun unleashing the power of the Saint Among Poisons.
Whether it was internal energy or the suppression of the Three Divine Powers—
The nature of the extreme poison lurking within his body never changed.
From the moment Han Sang-ja had warned him that all power would be sealed upon entering Ghost King Valley—
He had agonized over countless ways to kill the Ghost King.
And one of them was to weaponize the poison in his own veins.
Tssssss.
As he channeled the stored extreme poison through the Ghost King's grip on his throat—
"Ghk—!"
The Ghost King let out an undignified scream.
Within Bu Eun-seol's body resided:
Though he had never formally trained in poison arts... he had already touched the threshold of the Saint Among Poisons realm.
He had merely restrained himself, focusing on refining his martial arts.
But if he truly unleashed his venomous energy—
Few in the martial world could withstand it.
Drip. Drip.
In an instant, the Ghost King's eyes blackened completely.
"Ugh...!"
The Ghost King groaned, clutching his face with both hands as agony wracked his body.
'An invincible being... weak to poison?'
Using poison had been just one of many contingencies.
He hadn't expected it to deal a fatal blow.
Yet now, the so-called invincible ruler of Ghost King Valley was writhing in pain—
From a single toxin.
'The title of Ghost King is wasted on you.'
But this was Bu Eun-seol's mistake.
Because he had never seriously cultivated poison arts—
He failed to fully grasp that his body had already reached the pinnacle of what a Poison Person could achieve: the threshold of the Saint Among Poisons.
Moreover, the poison he had accumulated within his body was an Extreme Poison rarely matched in the Martial World.
Having poured all of it into his system at once... even an invincible existence could not avoid taking damage.
Even if one had reached Immunity to All Poisons, it would have been impossible to withstand.
Flash!
Bu Eun-seol did not miss the opportunity and swung his blade once more at the Ghost King's throat.
Thwip!
The Ghost King twisted his body instinctively, barely avoiding a fatal wound.
Drip... drip...
But unlike before, blood now flowed ceaselessly from the wound, and it refused to close.
Simply by injecting poison—
His body had been rendered incapable of absorbing the Deathly Energy of Ghost King Valley.
'Poison was the key? Impossible.'
Bu Eun-seol's expression turned blank with disbelief.
If the Ghost King had been this vulnerable to poison—
He would never have been called an invincible existence within Ghost King Valley.
'There's something else at play.'
"Grrr..."
The Ghost King's eyes, which had darkened completely, slowly began regaining their original color.
His Regeneration was finally kicking back in—given enough time, it seemed he would recover from the poison's effects.
Slash! Slash!
Bu Eun-seol unleashed another flurry of sword strikes, but—
"Not a chance!"
The Ghost King swiftly stretched out his hand.
Rumble...
In response, hundreds of martial artists flooded into the Grand Hall.
Half wore iron masks, while the other half were Yin-Killing Soul-Transferring Men—grotesque creatures with bestial bodies and faces like lumps of raw flesh.
"Kill him!"
The Ghost King, staggering, barked the order before retreating from the hall.
—Kuhack!
The forces of Ghost King Valley swarmed in, immediately launching their assault on Bu Eun-seol.
Hiss...
Yet when Bu Eun-seol unleashed his Malice in full force, the charging warriors collapsed without even putting up a fight.
Normally, without access to Internal Energy, one couldn't employ techniques that spread Malice over a wide area.
But Bu Eun-seol, having reached the threshold of the Sage Among Poisons—
Could turn the very Breath of his Malice into a land of death spanning about thirty feet around him.
Crash! Shatter!
Yet the Yin-Killing Soul-Transferring Men kept charging, unfazed even as their bodies melted under the poison.
As genuine artificial constructs, they were not only resistant to poison—
But could move relentlessly until the Dharma Arts sustaining them were severed.
Shatter! Crack-crack-crack!
Bu Eun-seol swung Ink Soul Sword rapidly, cutting down the oncoming Yin-Killing Soul-Transferring Men.
But it wasn't easy.
While the martial artists of Ghost King Valley fell easily to his blade—
The Yin-Killing Soul-Transferring Men, savage as wild beasts, were far harder to dispatch.
Their Muscles could exert strength several times greater than a human's, and their razor-sharp Teeth and claws—
Coupled with their beast-like, instinctive movements that defied prediction—
Allowed them to evade every sword technique he unleashed and even attempt Counterattacks.
Hiss...
Forced back momentarily by their ferocious assault, Bu Eun-seol's eyes flashed.
"Good."
The closer he came to death, the fiercer his Fighting Spirit burned.
The more desperate the battle—
The bloodier the Battlefield—
The more he teetered on the razor's edge between life and death—
The more Bu Eun-seol's focus peaked, and his Potential exploded.
Whish! Crunch!
He poured everything into cutting down the Yin-Killing Soul-Transferring Men.
Even without access to his internal power, his Combat Power and superhuman skill remained intact.
Slash! Crack-crack!
He dodged or deflected most attacks, and when evasion failed, he took them on his shoulder or back.
Countless wounds littered his body, yet not a single one was fatal.
Thud. Thud.
But the Yin-Killing Soul-Transferring Men were no pushovers.
Their bodies were harder than diamond, and they moved even faster than his sword techniques.
'Without my Internal Energy and the Three Divine Powers, I can't keep up with them...'
Though they mimicked wild beasts—
Their Intelligence surpassed that of beasts, and their movements defied human prediction.
Heh.
Even as the shadow of death loomed, a smile crept onto Bu Eun-seol's lips.
The Metallic Sound of clashing weapons—
The splatter of blood—
The desperate, brutal movements and ragged breaths, as if sprinting toward death itself—
All of it intertwined, making his heart pound wildly.
Ever since entering the Rivers and Lakes for Revenge—
The moments he felt most alive were those brushing against death.
His Aspiration for death, paradoxically, became the Purpose that drove him forward.
Only through Battle could he reaffirm the meaning of his existence.
"Hah... Hah..."
Bu Eun-seol exhaled roughly.
Compared to the formidable foes he had faced before, the Yin-Killing Soul-Transferring Men were nothing.
But with nothing but raw Strength at his disposal—
This was the most grueling fight yet, teetering on the edge of life and death again and again.
Hunting a beast barehanded would have been safer than this.
'Beasts.'
As the life-or-death struggle continued—
Crack. Creak.
His body suddenly contorted unnaturally, and his irises flooded crimson.
Thump. Thump.
His heart drummed like thunder, veins bulging and glowing red across his entire body—
His Muscles writhed and expanded like living creatures.
The overwhelming Combat Power of the Yin-Killing Soul-Transferring Men—
Their terrifying ferocity—
Instead of crushing him, it stimulated his most specialized Domain:
The ability to absorb an enemy's strengths mid-battle and grow stronger from it.
And in doing so—
It awakened a supreme martial art within him that he had long forgotten.