Chapter 884
"But we don't know whether all of them are pawns of the Abyssal Forces or not."
Yu Un-ryong wore a grave expression.
"Moreover, if they're luring us to a specific location like this, doesn't that mean the place itself is a trap? Or that they've prepared an inescapable snare?"
Any faction capable of orchestrating something of this scale...
...would undoubtedly have mixed in those who truly lost loved ones to the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade.
In that case, recklessly engaging in battle would be impossible, and they could easily find themselves trapped between a rock and a hard place.
Yu Un-ryong spoke decisively.
"Leave this matter to me."
"No. This isn't something that can be resolved through negotiation."
Bu Eun-seol replied calmly.
"I'll go alone."
"Whether they truly hold a grudge or are all imposters... sooner or later, the entire martial world will learn that you're the grandson of the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade."
If they continued relentlessly tracking the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade's whereabouts like this, eventually, every intelligence organization would catch wind of it.
It was only a matter of time before Bu Eun-seol and Bu Jan-yang's relationship was exposed.
"You are the successor of the this hall. Even if the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade committed evil deeds... no one would seek vengeance against the future leader of the Demon Hall and the heir of Langya Pavilion."
"You're right."
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"Which is precisely why I must go."
"Then let me go with you."
Yu Un-ryong's expression was earnest.
"It's not because I'm worried you'll get hurt. I'm asking to accompany you because I fear you might not remain coldly rational."
Bu Eun-seol was always ruthlessly composed—
—except when it came to matters involving Bu Jan-yang. Then, he became impassioned and emotional.
Yu Un-ryong knew this well, which was why he insisted on going together.
"I'll be fine now."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"There won't be any more incidents like that."
"You say that, but when push comes to shove—"
"The Saintess of the True Demon Family, Sa Ah, was my mother."
Bu Eun-seol spoke with unsettling calm.
"The First Beauty of the Martial World, Baekri Mu-ha of the Baekri Clan's bloodline, was my father."
"...What?"
"My grandfather was the World's Greatest Martial Artist, capable of defeating our Pavilion Lord in three moves..."
After briefly staring into the void, he continued with an even graver expression.
"...and after belatedly realizing my bloodline and internal energy, he fused the powers of Orthodox and Unorthodox Martial Arts to grant me an ordinary body—a righteous master born from the Absolute Demon Saber Project."
Thud.
The barrage of shocking revelations hit Yu Un-ryong like a blow to the back of the head, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"For now, you're the only one who needs to know."
Bu Eun-seol kept his gaze fixed on the empty air.
"If Myo Cheon-u, Seo Jin-ha, or the other leaders and martial artists found out... they wouldn't be able to handle it."
Yu Un-ryong blinked repeatedly for a long moment.
"I can't even handle it."
After learning about the Baekri Clan and the True Demon...
...he was certain that even if everyone vanished or the entire martial world faced annihilation, he wouldn't be surprised.
But this was something he could never have imagined, even in his wildest dreams.
"And regarding the Heavenly Mechanism Star..."
Seizing the moment, Bu Eun-seol recounted his conversation with the Old Man of the Sanctuary...
...the secrets of the Heavenly Secret Star Chu-so, the Demon-Sealing Fragments, and the Same Heart Society.
Yu Un-ryong's face went blank as he sank into deep thought.
After a long silence, he finally spoke with a hollow expression.
"So that's why such cruel trials keep befalling you, and why so many bizarrely powerful foes keep targeting you..."
His distant gaze refocused as a bitter smile twisted his lips.
"It was inevitable from the very beginning."
Born between the blood of the Baekri Clan and the lineage of the True Demon...
Brought up by the world's greatest martial artist, a Demonic Path spy raised by the Righteous Faction and known as the Great Killing Star...
Inheriting the blood and enlightenment of absolute superhumans...
Of course he would face absurd storms and trials.
"Normally, someone with your background would be treated as a noble bloodline, commanding influence over two great factions..."
Yu Un-ryong shook his head with a sigh.
"But instead, if this gets out, you'd be hunted down by both sides? Isn't that too much?"
"It's for the best."
Bu Eun-seol shrugged.
"Because of that, I'm free from their influence."
The Old Man of the Sanctuary had called it a curse, but Bu Eun-seol saw it differently.
He was the only one who could live freely, unbound by the laws and influence of the Baekri Clan and the True Demon.
"You're quite the optimist."
Yu Un-ryong let out a long sigh.
"If I were in your position, I wouldn't be able to sleep. Once the truth comes out, the bloodlines of the Baekri Clan and the True Demon would hunt me down."
"Well, it's not like they're some three-headed, six-armed monsters. If I gradually grow stronger, I'll eventually be able to face them too."
If anyone else had said that, Yu Un-ryong would have scoffed.
But Bu Eun-seol could do it—and had every right to.
Not because of his extraordinary bloodline...
...but because he possessed the warrior spirit and broad-mindedness to turn even a cursed lineage and trials into opportunities for strength.
"Then the ones approaching us now are likely from the Same Heart Society. Wouldn't it be better to just ignore them?"
Yu Un-ryong spoke.
"There's no need to rush the Deputy Hall Lord's affairs. They'll be resolved in time. You don't have to accept invitations from those kinds of people just to force an answer."
"No, there's no time. Since there are no leads regarding Grandfather's past, if there's even the slightest connection, I must go."
"But those bastards... They've surely mixed in real victims among them. Or perhaps they themselves are genuine victims."
"It doesn't matter."
Bu Eun-seol wore a composed smile.
"I made up my mind the moment I learned that Grandfather was the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade. If his sins are clear and undeniable, then I will shoulder them."
Then he declared firmly,
"That doesn't mean I intend to throw my life away. I only mean to make amends within my power."
There is no way to repay a human life.
But when Yu Un-ryong heard him use the word "amends," his expression eased.
In the past, Bu Eun-seol had treated his own life far too lightly, always ready to die without hesitation.
Yet now, without even realizing it, he had become someone who cherished those around him, who saw his subordinates as family.
Now, he would never—ever—take his life lightly.
"I understand."
Realizing that Bu Eun-seol had finally come to value his own life, Yu Un-ryong nodded brightly with a smile.
"Then go carefully."
The place where the descendants of those annihilated by his grandfather had invited Bu Eun-seol was none other than the Ink Night Heavenly Palace—once a place of profound and eerie esoteric ritual arts that chilled the hearts of those in the martial world.
Now, the entrance of the Ink Night Heavenly Palace, long fallen into ruin, stood grand yet faded, as if still displaying its former glory.
However, the corners of the doors were broken, and the once-gilded handles had rusted into a bluish hue.
The stone pillars flanking the great gate were weathered and cracked, eroded by time and the elements.
Following the weed-choked stone path into the palace, several structures came into view.
Roofs had collapsed in places, and the remaining walls were covered in moss and mold.
Swoosh.
As Bu Eun-seol stood tall at the center, faint shadows began to form one by one, accompanied by the sound of wind seeping through.
There was an old man, a middle-aged woman, a masked Taoist, and a sharp-eyed man in his prime.
They were the descendants of the five sect councils who claimed to have suffered at the hands of Bu Jan-yang.
Among them, the eldest stepped forward and spoke.
"I am Nak Gu-cheon, descendant of the Great Star Gate."
The Great Star Gate was a sect recorded in the reports of the Death Soul Squad, which the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade had annihilated.
It was a place renowned throughout the martial world for generations, famed for its mystical sword technique—the Following Forms Sword.
"You are Bu Eun-seol, grandson of the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade Bu Jan-yang and the Martial Soul Lord, correct?"
"I am."
"I see."
Nak Gu-cheon nodded as he observed Bu Eun-seol's imposing stature and refined features.
"It's like seeing him in his youth."
It wasn't that he resembled his grandfather in appearance.
Rather, it was the way he carried himself—that same relaxed, almost indifferent aura unique to Bu Jan-yang.
"As the grandson of Bu Jan-yang, you must know your sins."
At that moment, a massive middle-aged man with a demonic saber strapped to his back coldly shouted.
He was Maeng So, descendant of the Dragon Shadow Gate.
Then, the handsome middle-aged woman beside him spoke.
"We've endured harsh lives, clinging to survival just to take revenge on Bu Jan-yang. But he vanished completely... and before we knew it, his grandson had risen to prominence in the martial world."
She was Wan-an Su-wol, the survivor of the Wan-an Clan—a reclusive family from beyond the central lands, annihilated by Bu Jan-yang.
"We heard you intend to repay the blood debt of Bu Jan-yang. Is that true?"
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"It is. Collect it from me."
"How confident."
Wan-an Su-wol glared at him as she spoke.
"Repaying a blood debt usually means a fight to the death. Do you really think you can handle all five of us?"
"That's not it."
Bu Eun-seol replied with a respectful yet unyielding expression.
"I accepted the invitation to make amends to the best of my ability."
"Amends?"
"If my grandfather committed wrongs, then as his grandson, the least I can do... is offer my deepest apologies and restitution, no?"
Wan-an Su-wol's voice turned icy.
"And just how do you intend to make amends?"
"I believe that through dialogue, we may find common ground."
"You speak so lightly."
"I say this with sincerity—please do not misunderstand."
"Then make amends. What exactly will you offer?"
Bu Eun-seol carefully added,
"Before that, I would like to see definitive proof."
"Proof?"
"Yes."
Bu Eun-seol's gaze turned slightly pained as he stared into the air.
"I, too, have been searching for traces of my grandfather's past. But too much has been concealed, making it difficult."
He continued,
"I can take responsibility for what he undeniably did—but not for things he never committed."
"Proof, you want proof?!"
Nak Gu-cheon suddenly roared.
"Do you think there's no evidence just because decades have passed since the annihilation?"
"That's not what I meant."
Bu Eun-seol pressed his hands together respectfully and spoke calmly.
"It is true that my grandfather annihilated the orthodox and unorthodox masters, along with the mysterious sect. But how can one atone for sins they did not commit?"
"Did not commit? Fine!"
Nak Gu-cheon roared before tearing his upper garment apart with both hands.
Shhhk—
His back was densely covered with wounds that resembled black worms crawling across his flesh. The flesh itself had melted and tangled grotesquely, and in some places, bone protruded unnaturally. It was a sight so horrific one could scarcely bear to look.
"Bu Jan-yang slaughtered not only our clan but also my wife and children—brutally, mercilessly."
Nak Gu-cheon's face twisted in anguish as he stared at the sky.
"Had I not been wearing the Heavenly Star Dawnlight Garment, passed down through generations of my family, my body would have long rotted away into death."
Bu Eun-seol had no words.
At a glance, he could tell these were wounds melted by the Blood-Tear Seven Forms' sword qi.
Moreover, the Heavenly Star Dawnlight Garment was a masterpiece forged by Yeo Gong, a legendary blacksmith once hailed as the Divine Craftsman. It was considered the finest protective garment in all of Murim.
Yet even that had failed to fully block the Blood-Tear Seven Forms, leaving behind such scars.
'Then... is Nak Gu-cheon truly a victim?'
These five could all be genuine survivors—or perhaps some among them were pawns of a hidden faction.
Just then, Nak Gu-cheon stepped forward and bellowed at Bu Eun-seol.
"Look at it with your own eyes! If this isn't proof of Bu Jan-yang's deeds, then what is?!"
"I acknowledge it."
Bu Eun-seol replied calmly.
"Do the rest of you also have evidence?"
The other four explained that they, too, had survived only through rare martial secrets, Divine Pills, or protective garments—treasures so precious that even naming them second-best would be an insult.
However, the two women could not expose their wounds for examination, and the remaining two, like Nak Gu-cheon, refused to disrobe. Thus, it was impossible to confirm whether they bore the marks of the Blood-Tear Seven Forms.
'But...'
A strange thought crossed Bu Eun-seol's mind.
'Grandfather would never make such a mistake.'
His grandfather had been far more meticulous and thorough than he was.
If Bu Jan-yang had truly intended to kill someone—
Even if they wore not the Heavenly Star Dawnlight Garment but the Divine Guardian Armor itself, they would have had no hope of escaping death.
'Then when he annihilated their sect, his purpose wasn't to slaughter them all.'
Most likely, his grandfather had not sought their deaths.
Instead, he must have destroyed their sect in the process of carrying out some other objective.
'But why?'
No matter how much Bu Eun-seol pondered, he couldn't even begin to guess the reason.
'The only certainty is that they are victims of Grandfather's actions.'
"That relaxed expression alone proves you're truly that demon's blood!"
Suddenly, the nun who had remained silent until now snapped, unable to hold back any longer.
It was Elder Nun Hyeon-jeong, a disciple of the Purple Robe Gate.
"I've heard your martial arts are formidable. Come, then—strike us down and wipe out our bloodlines!"
At her cry, Bu Eun-seol's expression darkened.
The grandfather he knew was no such villain.
If he were to kill them now, it would be no different from admitting his grandfather's crimes.
'I bear the responsibility of repaying Grandfather's debts.'
Moreover, regardless of the reason—
His grandfather had annihilated their clans and sects. The fact that these five alone survived was undeniable.
"Let me say this clearly once more."
Bu Eun-seol spoke honestly, revealing his innermost thoughts.
"I came here to take responsibility for my grandfather's sins and offer you compensation."
"Compensation? Compensation?!"
Nak Gu-cheon snarled furiously.
"People are dead! What kind of compensation could possibly make up for that?!"
Maeng So, too, drew his weapon and stepped forward.
"Enough talk. We've already resolved to throw away our lives and drag this bastard down with us!"
A bloodbath was imminent.
Bu Eun-seol's gaze drifted momentarily into the empty air.
If a fight broke out and he slaughtered them all—
What meaning would there be in his earlier resolve to atone for his grandfather's sins and repay the blood debt?
"Very well."
Bu Eun-seol extended his hands.
"Attack me."
He took a deep breath and added—
"I will not resist."
"Hahahaha!"
Maeng So laughed scornfully.
"Is this your way of flaunting your martial prowess?"
"Does it seem that way to you?"
The five stiffened as they realized Bu Eun-seol was utterly serious.
He was the Demon Hall's next hall master, and his martial prowess was said to rival even the superlative martial experts across generations.
Moreover, under his command were fearless warriors and brilliant strategists—
With a single order, he could annihilate any major sect within a day.
And yet, this same man was offering his life without resistance?
"Are you serious?"
At Nak Gu-cheon's question, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"Attack. I will not retaliate."
"You would throw your life away?"
"Not quite."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes remained tranquil.
The masked Taoist, who had been silently observing, suddenly narrowed his gaze.
He then restrained those who were poised to attack at any moment and said:
"Let us discuss this briefly."
"What is there to discuss?"
"His martial arts are far more advanced than what is known."
"And what of it?"
"Moreover, taking revenge on Bu Jan-yang by striking down his grandson is hardly the wisest course of action."
The Taoist spoke in a low voice.
"If word spreads that we struck him down when he offered no resistance, it would only leave a poor impression among the righteous factions of the martial world."
The eyes behind the masked Taoist's veil flashed.
"Should that happen, this grandson of Bu Jan-yang would gain justification for retaliation."
At those words, the gathered warriors hesitated momentarily.
Then they began conversing silently through Voice Transmission.
How much time had passed?
"If that is your collective opinion, so be it."
As if a consensus had been reached, Elder Nun Hyeon-jeong addressed Bu Eun-seol.
"Though you are Bu Jan-yang's grandson, you are not the one who committed those evil deeds. We have no wish to be unreasonable."
A somewhat surprising statement.
Why had they suddenly changed their minds when they'd been ready to kill him mere moments ago?
But as her next words came, Bu Eun-seol immediately grasped the situation.
"However, we cannot simply swallow our deep-seated grudges. If you wish to take responsibility, sever your fingers."
Elder Nun Hyeon-jeong's voice was icy.
"There are five of us. Cut five fingers, and we shall let this matter rest."
The masked Taoist had devised a clever plan.
After all, the probability of successfully killing Bu Eun-seol was slim, and their justification remained somewhat lacking.
But if they took fingers as compensation for his grandfather's sins?
They would avoid condemnation from the martial world's righteous factions, while gaining face by severing the fingers of the Martial Soul Lord himself.
"A man's life is worth more than mere fingers, is it not?"
In response to Elder Nun Hyeon-jeong's words, Bu Eun-seol replied impassively:
"The number of people Grandfather killed is beyond counting, yet I possess only ten fingers and toes."
His gaze swept over the assembled warriors.
"If word of this spreads, every last person holding a grudge against Grandfather will come demanding their own pound of flesh. At best, this body could only satisfy twenty such grudges."
"We have considered that as well."
Elder Nun Hyeon-jeong responded.
"Should others with grievances against Bu Jan-yang appear, we shall take responsibility for persuading them. If words fail, we will strike them down ourselves."
An unreasonable demand.
In short, they were determined to take Bu Eun-seol's fingers by any means necessary.
Bu Eun-seol looked down at his hand.
Having mastered the subtleties of martial arts to perfection, it mattered little whether he wielded sword techniques with his left or right hand.
Even without fingers, he could execute the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon flawlessly.
'If this is the path to settling all of Grandfather's debts, then it is no loss.'
But to sever his fingers under the threats of these five?
That would truly disgrace his grandfather.
"Very well."
Yet for reasons of his own, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"Very well. Take them. However—"
He extended his fingers, staring at the five martial artists.
"Do it yourselves."
"You mean this?"
At Elder Nun Hyeon-jeong's question, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"Indeed. It should pose no difficulty."
"Good!"
Without hesitation, she drew a razor-sharp dagger from her robes and—
Flash!
—swung it like lightning to sever one of his fingers.
Or rather, she should have severed it.
Schick!
Instead, the blade merely left a shallow cut on Bu Eun-seol's finger, failing to reach the bone.
How could one possessing the most ordinary physique in the world display such divine resilience?
The truth lay in his peerless internal energy and repeated Metamorphosis and Bone Renewal.
By merely concentrating his Internal Power into his finger, his flesh had naturally attained a state akin to the Inner and Outer Vajra Body.
"What is this?"
Elder Nun Hyeon-jeong's eyes widened as she stared at the dagger halted against Bu Eun-seol's finger.
"Have you trained in External Arts?"
"Indeed."
Bu Eun-seol's reply was calm.
"I have refined the Underworld Jade Blood Aura to the Great Origin realm—considered superior even to the Poison Demon Body Art."
The warriors' mouths fell open.
The Underworld Jade Blood Aura was the ultimate demonic art of the Eternal Blood Demon—the former Number One of the Demonic Path three centuries ago.
Was it not one of the supreme external techniques of the Demonic Path's greatest master?
And to think he had already mastered the Heaven-Extinguishing Demon Arts—which even the Eternal Blood Demon only perfected in his final years—to the Twelve Stars realm?
"This complicates matters."
Maeng So spoke gravely.
"If he's achieved Great Completion in the Underworld Jade Blood Aura, then he's forged a Corundum Physique... Even with Divine Swords and Treasured Sabers, this won't be easy."
"Impossible. He must be bluffing."
Nak Gu-cheon drew his crescent-moon shaped longsword.
"Let me try cutting him."
Crack!
As he summoned his full Internal Energy, his hair stood on end.
Simultaneously, a terrifying Sword Aura erupted from his blade.
"This New Moon Sword can sever anything!"
The New Moon Sword was an ancient treasured weapon renowned throughout the martial world for its peerless sharpness.
Shing!
A cold star-like gleam traced through the air before piercing toward Bu Eun-seol's extended finger.
Drip.
His New Moon Sword lived up to its reputation, leaving a deep gash on Bu Eun-seol's finger.
Yet ultimately, it failed to sever the bone.
"Am I seeing a ghost?"
Nak Gu-cheon collapsed to his knees with a dazed expression.
He was a Sword Ghost who had devoted his life to the sword.
Moreover, the New Moon Sword was a treasured blade capable of slicing metal like tofu.
Yet it had been stopped by a mere finger of flesh and blood?