Chapter 901
A shocking rumor spread through the martial world.
The Wind God Palace, which had long remained absent from the martial world, had been attacked by an unidentified faction.
But what was even more astonishing was that the first to uncover this fact was none other than the Martial Soul Society—
And that they had personally stepped forward to aid the Wind God Palace and eliminate the enemies.
Who would dare lay a hand on the Wind God Palace?
Among the Four Divine Beasts passed down through generations in the martial world, the Wind God had always been considered invincible.
The disciples of the Wind God Palace wielded the mysterious power of Wind and Cloud Qi, surpassing ordinary martial arts.
No sect, no matter how powerful, would have dared even to consider invading them.
So just what kind of faction had the audacity to secretly strike the Wind God Palace?
—They were a mysterious faction with deep roots in the martial world, coveting the Wind God Palace's Wind and Cloud Qi.
The faction known as the Eight Heavenly Servants—
Could not be explained to the martial world, nor should they be.
If their hidden identity were exposed, the Servants of the True Demon might recklessly reveal themselves across the martial world.
So Bu Eun-seol carefully leaked plausible information about the Eight Heavenly Servants.
—They were a sect that had once shared the same origins as the Wind God Palace but bore a deep grudge against them.
After years of bitter resentment, this mysterious sect had supposedly amassed enough forces to swallow the Wind God Palace whole and launched an immediate ambush.
However, their movements had coincidentally been detected by the Martial Soul Society—
And the Four Great Hall Masters, who happened to share a deep bond with the current Wind God, immediately led their elite warriors to the Wind God Palace.
The outcome was a resounding victory.
This was thanks to the relentless efforts of the Martial Soul Society's warriors, who had endured brutal training without cease.
—We will join the Martial Soul Society.
The current Wind God, Palace Lord Hae-yeon, made an unprecedented decision.
As a gesture of gratitude toward the Martial Soul Society, which had fought for the Wind God Palace without demanding anything in return—
She offered the vast quantities of spirit medicine produced from Haba Snow Mountain and simultaneously proposed the Wind God Palace's membership in the Martial Soul Society.
—The Martial Soul Society's standing is about to change.
Until now, the Martial Soul Society had managed to build itself into a considerable force—
But unfortunately, more than half of its strength had been composed of sect leaders and their troops from factions beyond the frontier.
And because it had advocated for a concept and banner never before seen in the martial world—a union between orthodox and heterodox factions—its position had remained somewhat ambiguous.
But now, it had aided the Wind God Palace, an orthodox sect of the Central Plains with a lineage stretching back generations, and even recruited them.
At this point, the martial world's sects had no choice but to acknowledge the Martial Soul Society as a legitimate coalition of the Central Plains.
Moreover, through this incident, the Martial Soul Society had proven that it not only possessed formidable military strength—
But was also a faction capable of influencing the martial world's political landscape.
From now on, its influence would only grow, and one day, it would become a pivotal force shaping the martial world.
The Elders' Hall of the Martial Alliance. The conference room.
There, the elders who held sway over the Martial Alliance had gathered in secret for a meeting.
Their purpose was to decide the fate of the Alliance Lord, who had not only completely neglected his duties—
But had also vanished entirely to undergo closed-door training.
The elders sat around a large table, and at its center was not the Hall Master of the Elders' Hall—
But an old man referred to as the Old Master.
He was a figure who represented the opinions of those deeply rooted within the Martial Alliance—
In a sense, one could call him the shadow commander.
Though he rarely revealed himself—
When important matters arose, he synthesized the opinions of all the elders and conveyed them to the Alliance Lord.
In truth, the same could be said of the Elders' Hall's senior members.
Outwardly, they appeared to spend their days idly, occupied with trivial pastimes.
But each of them oversaw their own organizations, silently pooling their wisdom to manage and develop them.
Though they might seem leisurely on the surface—
They made critical decisions based on decades of experience and insight.
For example, Gwak Ja-cheong, the lord of the Inhwa Court seated in the corner of the conference room—
Was in charge of the Martial Alliance's secret assassination organization, the Blood Banner.
And beside him sat Jong Dae-myeong, the lord of the Bright Heaven Hall, who secretly managed the Seven Stars Hall, a covert organization manipulating the Black Syndicate.
Thus, the elders were effectively administrators, discreetly overseeing numerous organizations that exerted influence both within and beyond the Martial Alliance.
For this reason, the Elders' Hall meetings were not just about internal Martial Alliance affairs—
But also served as a forum to coordinate the interests of countless factions.
"We can no longer delay the selection of the next Alliance Lord," Gwak Ja-cheong declared, rising from his seat with a stern voice.
"Especially the Alliance Lord Shin Do. He has caused numerous problems in the past. But because he became a symbolic figure of the Righteous Faction... we couldn't remove him from his position."
He raised his voice further.
"But now, he has become utterly useless. His reckless management led to the birth of the Azure Heaven Alliance, and the Martial Alliance of the light has been split apart."
In response, Mak Cheon-pung, the lord of the Ho-yeon Pavilion who handled contact with intelligence organizations of the Demonic Path factions, spoke.
"Isn't the Alliance's split actually more convenient? We no longer have to deal with the pointless opinions of mid-ranking officials."
"Not at all," Gwak Ja-cheong retorted.
"If the Martial Alliance's outward authority disappears, our influence will eventually vanish as well."
Then, Jong Dae-myeong, the lord of the Bright Heaven Hall, added,
"Isn't influence ultimately relative? Until now, no matter what happened, the Martial Alliance remained unshaken and maintained its legacy."
He shrugged his shoulders.
"Looking back at the Main Alliance's history, the current situation doesn't seem like something worth worrying about."
As opinions clashed and the discussion dragged on, the elders eventually turned their gaze toward Old Master.
After all, it was his responsibility to decide whose opinion to accept—and how to deliver their decision to the higher-ups.
"I agree with the opinion that we should quickly select the next Alliance Chief," Old Master said, stroking his chin. "But when considering Martial Chief Shin Do's influence and what he symbolizes..."
Creak.
Just then, the door opened, and a middle-aged man in white garments strode confidently inside. His gentle features contrasted with the stark white hair at his temples, and a golden dragon ornament was pinned to his hair.
Jeong Cheon-je, Shin Do-mu-bi.
No—it was the Martial Venerable, currently disguised as Jeong Cheon-je.
"I see the elders are holding a meeting," the Martial Venerable said with a faint smile, striding forward and taking a seat at the empty center position. "Since I've broken my closed-door training to return to duty, I thought I might as well hear your opinions directly."
The elders exchanged glances.
It was against protocol for the Alliance Chief to attend the Council of Elders. Moreover, for him—who was notorious for his constant seclusion—to suddenly appear here and start blustering?
"Alliance Chief," Gwak Ja-cheong spoke up with clear displeasure. "This is where the Council of Elders convenes. Even you, as Chief, cannot simply barge in as you please."
"I'm aware," the Martial Venerable replied, fixing Gwak Ja-cheong with a sharp gaze. "But doesn't it strike you as odd?"
"What does?"
"That the Alliance Chief—the one who governs the Alliance—is barred from attending the Council of Elders."
"Alliance Chief," Gwak Ja-cheong said solemnly. "That is a long-standing rule of the Main Alliance, passed down through generations."
"Precisely why I find it strange," the Martial Venerable said flatly. "Why shouldn't I, the one managing this Alliance, be allowed to hear the elders' opinions directly? I simply can't comprehend—"
Old Master, who had remained silent until now, abruptly cut in. "Given that the Alliance Chief has deigned to attend this meeting, I assume you have some insight to share."
Even though Old Master had interrupted him, the Martial Venerable showed no sign of irritation. "Not at all. I truly came only out of curiosity. And..." He grinned. "I do agree with the earlier suggestion to expedite the selection of the next Alliance Chief."
When their gazes met, a glint flashed in Old Master's eyes, hidden beneath his long, drooping eyebrows.
'He's changed.'
Jeong Cheon-je Shin Do-mu-bi's aura had undergone a complete transformation—to a degree even he couldn't ignore. No, to such an extent that even if all the elders here were to attack him at once, the outcome would be uncertain.
"So, the Alliance Chief intends to abide by the Council's decision after all?"
"Indeed," the Martial Venerable replied with a faint smile. "And from today onward, I plan to continue attending the Council of Elders."
Gwak Ja-cheong scoffed. "You'll just go back into seclusion soon enough, won't you?"
"Do you think I'll need to?" The Martial Venerable smiled as he looked at Gwak Ja-cheong.
In that instant, the smirk on Gwak Ja-cheong's lips vanished. The mere act of meeting his gaze felt like his eyeballs were being seared with unbearable pain.
"Ahem."
It wasn't just Gwak Ja-cheong—all the elders felt it.
Jeong Cheon-je Shin Do-mu-bi.
Despite holding the position of Number One of the Righteous Path, he had always exuded a benevolent energy, maintaining the demeanor of a good-natured man.
Yet now, he was radiating an intensity like the sun—blinding and overwhelming.
The sheer force of it was suffocating, pressing down on the elders like an inescapable weight.
An awkward silence lingered.
Unable to endure the oppressive atmosphere, Old Master finally spoke. "If the Alliance Chief attends the Council of Elders, it would violate the long-standing rules of the Alliance. If you truly wish to participate... we would need to amend the rules through a Grand Council."
"I see." The Martial Venerable nodded, then rose from his seat and swept his gaze across the conference hall before smiling faintly. "No need to go that far."
"..."
"I was just speaking offhand."
The elders' expressions twisted in disbelief.
—Just speaking offhand.
Such words were absolutely unacceptable in the Council of Elders—an outright insolence no one would dare utter before them.
Unfazed, the Martial Venerable bowed politely. "My apologies for interrupting the meeting." Then, he turned slowly and exited the hall.
The elders' expressions hardened as they watched his retreating figure.
Only Old Master nodded slightly, as if he had somewhat understood.
He knew that Jeong Cheon-je's Internal Power had significantly diminished for some reason, which was why he hadn't questioned his repeated seclusions. It must have been an effort to regain his strength.
'But this is too much.'
Even if he had fully recovered his power—
For someone who had already reached such heights of martial prowess—
To suddenly achieve another breakthrough...
Such a thing was unprecedented, something not even the entire Martial Arts History could account for.
'This isn't a minor adjustment—it calls for a complete reevaluation.'
The Martial Alliance had stood as the unchallenged center of Murim for ages, its influence absolute.
Yet there had always been forces even they couldn't touch—and if Jeong Cheon-je was connected to them...
Every plan they had laid out until now could unravel entirely.
Having left the Elders' Hall, the Martial Venerable walked leisurely toward the Heaven and Earth Pavilion.
Yet where his footsteps halted was not the Heaven and Earth Pavilion, but rather the Martial Alliance's Scripture Archive Pavilion—the Pratyekabuddha Hall—standing opposite it.
"Hmm."
For a moment, he gazed up at the Pratyekabuddha Hall.
Looking back, it truly was a peculiar place.
The Pratyekabuddha Hall, where the orthodox faction's martial records were stored, had existed alongside the Martial Alliance's history.
In truth, this place was less of an archive and more akin to a treasure vault.
Mechanisms that ordinary martial artists could never lay eyes upon were installed throughout,
and hidden within were mysterious texts not listed in the archive's catalog.
Bonds, he thought.
Those concealed texts had been hidden by various factions lurking in the Martial Alliance's shadows.
And the reason they had been stashed away?
They were searching for successors to inherit their wills.
Even he, the Alliance Chief, had no way of knowing exactly which texts existed or who managed them.
Even the Sword Laughs at Xuanyuan technique, the signature skill of the former Alliance Chief Cheol Mu-heun, had only been discovered when he stumbled upon the Sword Manual within the Pratyekabuddha Hall.
But the original text had mysteriously vanished after Cheol Mu-heun's death, until Bu Eun-seol eventually uncovered its remaining half.
You've always been like this.
Those who crouched in the Abyss of the Martial Alliance acted as if they were gods,
manipulating the people of the world like chess pieces upon their palms.
But the Martial Venerable had now slipped free from their grasp.
And soon, he would sever every last one of the Chains of Binding they had forged.
Creak.
Having finished his thoughts, the Martial Venerable pushed open the doors of the Pratyekabuddha Hall without hesitation and stepped inside.
The moment he entered, as if waiting for him, an old man with snow-white hair slowly revealed himself.
It was the chief of the Forest Pavilion, Daoist Mok—the caretaker of the Pratyekabuddha Hall.
"Alliance Chief."
"Pavilion Lord."
The two exchanged greetings like old friends.
"My congratulations, Alliance Chief. You have achieved the rank of Grand Duke."
"You flatter me."
The Martial Venerable remained humble.
"It is but a minor accomplishment—nothing worth boasting of."
Though their conversation was harmonious, the gazes they exchanged were as cold as frozen glaciers.
"What brings you here?"
Instead of answering, the Martial Venerable unleashed the vast energy stored within his body, letting it spread outward.
Drip, drip.
Black ink-like darkness began seeping across the visible surroundings.
It was as though reality itself was being visually dragged into a nightmare.
Grrr—
Once they were completely enveloped in perfect blackness, the Martial Venerable spoke in an utterly frigid voice.
"I'll be brief."
He spoke in his true voice, carrying a momentum that seemed capable of tearing the world apart.
"Do not interfere in my affairs again."
"Interfere?"
Daoist Mok shook his head.
"We maintain a position of neutrality—we take no one's side."
"Neutrality?"
The Martial Venerable's voice was so sharp and cold it seemed as though ice shards might scatter from it.
"Does it feel godlike, leisurely observing from both sides?"
"..."
"Or did you enjoy playing puppet master in place of the Azure River Realm's ruler while preaching about maintaining neutrality?"
In an instant, Daoist Mok's kindly eyes transformed into something razor-sharp.
"Alliance Chief—no, Danmok Gi."
Before anyone realized it, Daoist Mok's pupils had become a pair of blazing crimson ghost-lanterns,
and even his teeth, once smooth as corn kernels, had grown jagged like sawblades.
"Whether you used that strange coffin to access the secret passage within the Pratyekabuddha Hall, or whether you played the role of Righteous Heavenly Emperor... this old man has never interfered."
Daoist Mok's face twisted grotesquely, like a nightmare from a dreamworld.
"But if you provoke me just because you've gained some paltry power, things will become very... unpleasant. Do you understand?"
"Heh heh heh."
Instead, the Martial Venerable burst into Mad Laughter.
"HAHAHAHA!"
After laughing like a madman for a long while,
snap.
he abruptly cut off his laughter and spoke with an icy expression.
"Enough talk. Why don't you act?"
"Are you saying you'll resign as the Martial Alliance Chief?"
"I could erase the Martial Alliance entirely."
Madness flickered in the Martial Venerable's eyes.
Sensing that this was no idle threat, Daoist Mok slowly opened his mouth.
"State your demands clearly. That way, I can decide whether to erase the Martial Alliance... or erase you."
The Martial Venerable spoke with utmost gravity.
"Restore the Absolute Boundary."
As he continued, a radiant light erupted from his eyes.
"He belongs to me."
"You're mistaken."
Daoist Mok shook his head.
"He left the Absolute Boundary of his own will. And that is something beyond our control."
"Do you want me to obliterate the Martial Alliance from my side?"
The Martial Venerable began radiating a sharp energy, as if he would strike at any moment.
"Did the tracks of the one who reads Heaven's Will in an instant get exposed?"
"...I see what you mean."
Finally seeming to grasp the situation, Daoist Mok replied indifferently.
"I swear I will not interfere in what comes after."
As if satisfied with this answer,
the flames in the Martial Venerable's eyes gradually dimmed.
"Then we end things here for today."
"..."
"But if you wish for the Martial Alliance to survive, you must change your attitude from now on."
The chilling threat only drew a faint smile from Daoist Mok.
"I won't forget today's conversation."
Whether it was an acknowledgment of agreement—
or an ambiguous speech pattern that could just as well mean he would remember today's events and exact revenge—was unclear.
The Martial Venerable, as if it didn't matter either way, let out a dismissive snort and turned away.
Without hesitation, he strode out of the Pratyekabuddha Hall.
"A Soul-Demon Magic Artifact of that magnitude..."
Daoist Mok clicked his tongue.
"I don't know what exactly happened, but... things have just gotten troublesome."
Drip, drip.
As the Martial Venerable left, the interior of the Pratyekabuddha Hall, which had been dyed black, gradually returned to its original colors, and the black fog dissipated.
"Well, it was bound to happen eventually."
Daoist Mok's eyes narrowed.
"Wooden Buddha. He must remain alive... for now."
After all, the Sacred Realm had already calculated everything. His role was merely to surrender himself to the flow of history.
Atop a dizzyingly high cliff, a figure stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing down below.
Crash!
Beneath him, a raging river surged violently, its rough currents churning like a blue dragon writhing between jagged rocks.
The figure stood as motionless as if carved from stone, not the slightest tremor in his stance.
His features, veiled in the twilight's darkness, were those of an utterly ordinary old man.
Yet his eyes were deeper than the ocean, so unfathomable that one couldn't even tell where he was looking.
This was none other than the Sky of the Demonic Path, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—Sado Mu-myeong.
Zzzzt—
But behind the black-clad figure, a mysterious light descended from the heavens.
One by one, the falling points of light gathered in one spot, gradually forming the shape of a human.
Fwoosh.
Before long, the light coalesced into a masked man clad in robes that shimmered with an ethereal glow.
"Hall Master."
The masked man knelt in deep prostration, offering the utmost respect.
Then, cautiously, he continued.
"As expected, the successor of the Sacred Realm who took the Creation Sun and Moon... was not there."
"Hmm."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor kept his gaze fixed on the raging river as he responded in a low voice.
"Jin Seol. As long as that child lives, she will reveal herself eventually."
"Then shouldn't we eliminate the Martial Soul Lord as soon as possible?"
Receiving no reaction, the masked man bowed his head and pressed on.
"Wooden Buddha's movements have been detected this time. If the Nine Heavens Radiant Cloud were to appear as well..."
Mid-sentence, the masked man's eyes suddenly widened.
Only then did he realize the gravity of his mistake.
"I have overstepped, Hall Master."
Thud, thud, thud.
He pressed his forehead to the ground, pleading desperately.
"Please forgive me."
Ooooom—
At that moment, a black sphere materialized in the air above the masked man's head.
The sphere seemed to contain an entire universe, its surface etched with shimmering, mysterious stars.
"H-Hall Master—"
"It's been about twenty years, hasn't it?"
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor clicked his tongue, his expression one of pity as he looked down at the river.
"You've worked hard all this time."
Fsssh.
The masked man, swallowed by the sphere, instantly turned to black dust, scattering in all directions.
Just like that, a subordinate who had served with unwavering loyalty for twenty years was reduced to ashes.
"All misfortune stems from the mouth..."
Muttering softly, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor slowly turned around.
"Don't you agree?"
Boom.
With a peal of thunder, the earth darkened, and from the ground before him, a pitch-black shadow surged upward like a rising tide.
The martial world was home to countless Hidden Stealth Secret Arts, some of which could turn the body entirely black.
But the shadow standing before him was not merely a body dyed in darkness—
it had become darkness itself, an abyss that devoured even light.
"Return to Unity Realm Lord."
Boom.
The black shadow—
Instead of answering, the Return to Unity Realm Lord unleashed a slash of black energy that split the heavens.
A black flash, one that swallowed even light, soared into the sky, forming a black sun in its wake.
In that instant, the area around the cliff became a space where the natural order no longer applied.
The earth had turned into a sea, and droplets of blood rained from the darkened sky.
"Still as formidable as ever."
As the Return to Unity Realm Lord wielded his mysterious power, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor countered with his own martial arts.
Snap!
A brief gust of wind rose, and an energy unbound by the constraints of time and space
instantly pierced all three hundred and sixty of the Return to Unity Realm Lord's acupoints.
In that moment, the form of a battle ghost manifested, scattering pitch-black darkness to erase the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's figure.
Meanwhile, the black sea raged as if in fury, lashing out with razor-sharp tendrils.
Zzzzt—
But where the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had stood, a single black lotus suddenly bloomed.
As a mysterious radiance flowed from the lotus, giant eagles descended from the distant sky, sweeping away the battle ghosts and tendrils.
Crash!
A black dragon burst forth from the heavens, tearing through the eagles.
Yet in that brief moment, the black lotus slowly began to unfurl its petals.
Drip, drip.
And with that, this grotesque world began to drown in an even deeper darkness.
"The Black Reincarnation..."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor's low voice echoed from somewhere unseen.
"I thought you were using Bu Jan-yang's corpse to complete the Bloody Tears Seven Forms."
Whoosh.
At that moment, a black great blade froze in midair.
And in the hands of the Return to Unity Realm Lord, who was gradually revealing himself, it was firmly gripped.
"Now, there's only one chance left."
At some point, a single black butterfly had alighted upon the blade's edge.
"...Little brother."
Snap!Flutter—
The black butterfly on the great blade shattered into hundreds of fragments of light before vanishing into the distant sky.
"Uuuuuugh—!"
The Return to Unity Realm Lord drove the great blade into the ground—
—ROOOOOAR!—
And unleashed a roar that could tear the heavens apart.
Amidst it all, thunder crashed, and a storm raged.
It was as though a demon capable of annihilating all things had awakened.