Chapter 904
'No way.'
Bu Eun-seol's pupils dilated as he watched with bated breath.
Was that obese masked man really Baekri Mu-jo?
Suddenly.
The white-clad masked man abruptly halted his steps.
'Damn.'
The turbulence in one's spirit and mind ripples outward like waves of true qi, becoming detectable as presence.
Pausing his movement, he stared at a massive tree more than a hundred feet behind him and spoke in a low voice.
"A little rat was hiding there."
That was precisely where Bu Eun-seol was concealed.
When no response came, the white-clad masked man immediately drew his thin sword.
KWAANG!
A deafening vibration and eerie noise erupted—
—and in an instant, a blinding white sword stroke reduced the giant tree where Bu Eun-seol had been hiding to powder.
'The power of internal energy.'
Surprisingly, unlike Bu Eun-seol, the masked man could still wield his internal energy.
Meaning, he possessed a means to resist the spell's power spreading across this island.
"Come out."
PAT!
Before anyone could react, the masked man closed the distance.
Pinpointing Bu Eun-seol's exact hiding spot, he thrust his razor-sharp thin sword straight for his throat.
Anticipating the masked man's opening move, Bu Eun-seol unleashed his movement technique and evaded the sword's momentum.
But the masked man pursued him relentlessly, like a ghost, matching Bu Eun-seol's transparent state step for step.
'There's no avoiding this fight.'
SWOOSH.
Bu Eun-seol withdrew his concealment art and revealed himself.
He had disguised his appearance, worn a face veil, and even altered his skeletal structure.
Even someone who knew him well would never recognize him now.
"Hmm."
The masked man briefly scanned Bu Eun-seol from head to toe before wordlessly swinging his thin sword.
FWOOOSH!
In that instant, thread-thin, razor-sharp sword strokes enveloped Bu Eun-seol's body.
Those lethal sword strokes were sharp enough to cleave diamond, laced with a sticky suction force—
—making them impossible to evade through footwork alone.
CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!
Drawing the Ink Soul Sword, Bu Eun-seol swung it wildly, like a madman.
Though it seemed chaotic, each stroke embodied the profound principle of Formlessness Defeats Form.
Combined with the unrestrained nature of the Wind & Cloud Divine Qi, he swiftly repelled the sticky sword strokes of the white-clad man, pushing them back like spiderwebs.
"Hoh."
A gasp escaped the white-clad masked man as a gleam of light flashed in his eyes.
Not only was Bu Eun-seol's swordsmanship unbound by the orthodox and unorthodox paths, but his strokes were also supremely natural, unhindered.
Had he not transcended the constraints and limitations of the sword as a weapon?
"Who are you?"
Bu Eun-seol gave no answer, continuing to unleash his frenzied swordplay.
The white-clad masked man's swordsmanship was not only of the highest caliber, but his hand speed was lightning-fast.
If Bu Eun-seol showed even the slightest opening, his head would roll.
"Hmm."
The white-clad masked man let out a short hum, then expanded his internal energy and altered his sword technique.
SWISH! SWISH!
Suddenly, white sword strokes materialized in the air, pouring down as if dozens of swordsmen were attacking at once.
'Mystic Torrent Flying Swords.'
It was the legendary swordsman Yang Hong-ja's secret ultimate technique—the Mystic Torrent Flying Swords.
'I can't face this head-on.'
Unable to draw upon his internal energy, Bu Eun-seol amplified the power of his swordplay using the Wind & Cloud Divine Qi.
But the translucent, lightning-fast Mystic Torrent sword strokes rained down endlessly from the sky.
They then split into hundreds of sword strokes, piercing toward his vital points.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
As unavoidable killing moves unfolded, the Fluorescent Sword Control technique activated on its own.
The white-clad masked man's eyes widened in shock at the sight of the Fluorescent Sword Control, and he shifted his sword technique once more.
FWIP! FWIP! FWIP! FWIP!
This time, needle-thin sword strokes poured down on Bu Eun-seol's body like a storm of spikes.
This was the Phantom Rain Sword Technique, the signature style of the peerless swordsman known as Wooden Sword Master three centuries ago.
'I can't reveal the Vacuum Martial Arts.'
Bu Eun-seol spun the Ink Soul Sword like a windmill, deflecting the sword strokes.
His sword strokes knew no boundary between orthodox and unorthodox, utterly disregarding the discipline and principles of martial arts.
Yet, as if wielding a transcendent swordsmanship, he effortlessly blocked the Phantom Rain Sword Technique.
"...!"
As if provoked, the white-clad masked man—
BANG! FWOOOSH! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
—shifted his sword technique yet again.
This time, he unleashed only the most orthodox sword techniques—True Shadow Swordplay and First Wind Severing Style —one after another.
'He's trying to discern my origins.'
Bu Eun-seol realized the masked man was using orthodox sword techniques exclusively to deduce the roots of his martial arts.
If he kept facing orthodox swordplay like this—
—even if he tried to hide it, anyone who practiced demonic path martial arts would eventually reveal themselves.
Before one even realizes it, they inevitably end up employing the distinctive dismantling techniques unique to the Demonic Sword Arts.
'How amusing.'
Bu Eun-seol realized that not only was the White-Masked Man's swordsmanship exceptionally superior to his own, but his knowledge of martial arts was also vast.
Instead of feeling intimidated, his heart pounded with excitement, and vitality surged into his eyes.
'Then I'll play along.'
Swish!
The Ink Soul Sword, which he had been gripping, suddenly shifted to his fingers and began spinning freely.
At the same time, the sword techniques the White-Masked Man unleashed began to manifest identically from Bu Eun-seol's own hand.
The fifth stroke of the Formless Heavenly Flow—Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Origin—had been deployed.
Though Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Origin was part of the Formless Heavenly Flow's sword studies, it utilized only the martial principles of mimicking force to seize advantage and duplicating techniques to steal mastery.
Thus, whether orthodox or unorthodox—or even the background and origins of the martial arts—could not be discerned at all.
Shwaaah—!
Razor-sharp sword winds continuously poured from the Ink Soul Sword in his fingers, pressing relentlessly against the White-Masked Man.
Because the Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Origin technique instantly replicated the enemy's sword strokes, it was executed not with the hand but with the fingers.
Though the technique itself lacked some power, Bu Eun-seol compensated for this limitation with the internal energy of the Wind & Cloud Divine Qi.
The White-Masked Man frowned as Bu Eun-seol's swordplay grew increasingly intricate, making it impossible to trace its martial origins.
In contrast, Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly.
Fighting a peerless swordsman like this while lacking internal energy...
Instead of feeling disadvantaged, he found himself newly aware of the profound subtleties of the Formless Heavenly Flow, and his fighting spirit soared to its peak.
'Let's see whose swordsmanship truly excels.'
Since Bu Eun-seol's swordplay had already reached the Summit of Mastery, he could conceal the depth of his martial foundation entirely.
Even if they exchanged a thousand blows, neither his origins nor his internal energy would be exposed.
"Hmm."
At that moment, a low hum escaped the White-Masked Man's lips—
Flash!
A brilliant radiance, so dazzling it seemed to bleach the entire world white, erupted without warning.
Sacred Sword.
This was the Absolute Sword Art, a supreme technique that obliterated everything exposed to its holy light—the signature swordsmanship of Baekri Mu-jo, leader of the Star Guard Corps.
Bwoooom—!
The sudden deluge of light didn't just target Bu Eun-seol—it flattened the surrounding area, turning everything within a radius of a little over a hundred feet into barren ground in an instant.
Whooosh...
Amid the billowing smoke, the White-Masked Man slowly stepped forward.
But where Bu Eun-seol had stood, nothing remained.
"...Fast."
After scanning the area for a long moment, the White-Masked Man—
Boom!
—paused when a distant explosion echoed through the air.
After listening intently for a while, as if coming to a decision—
Swish!
—he vanished into the distant sky in an instant.
With his departure, silence settled over the empty forest.
Swish.
Then, a transparent energy flickered—and a grayish shadow materialized on the ground.
It was Bu Eun-seol.
"Hah... Hah..."
Gasping for breath, he exhaled deeply as he stared in the direction the White-Masked Man had disappeared.
"Baekri Mu-jo."
Muttering the name under his breath, he shook his head.
"So it was him after all."
How strange.
Baekri Mu-jo had already shown him the rapier hidden within his greatsword once before.
So why had he brought a signature weapon that could reveal his identity?
Why had he so readily unleashed his secret technique, the Sacred Sword, exposing himself?
'He deliberately used his signature martial arts to announce his presence here.'
After careful consideration, Bu Eun-seol could only conclude this much.
Perhaps it was under someone's orders—or groundwork for some greater scheme.
'Or perhaps it's a move to secure the next Alliance Leader position.'
His gaze darkened.
Given that Baekri Mu-jo commanded the formidable Star Guard Corps and its intelligence network, his appearance here wasn't entirely unexpected.
'Then... was he sent by the Martial Alliance?'
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
The Martial Alliance was not a place where pure martial artists could survive.
In fact, it was far more likely that Baekri Mu-jo belonged to another faction entirely.
"Haa..."
Taking another deep breath, Bu Eun-seol summoned the Wind & Cloud Divine Qi once more.
The energy emanating from the ground still blocked his internal energy.
'Thankfully, I have the Wind & Cloud Divine Qi.'
Since it left almost no trace when used, it was perfectly suited for a situation like this.
'First, I need to fully recover my stamina.'
After surveying his surroundings, Bu Eun-seol ventured deeper into the forest and rested beneath a towering Great Tree.
'Feels like I'm back on Hell Island.'
In the past, Bu Eun-seol had hidden on Hell Island, fighting hundreds of enemies alone.
'At least back then, I had information.'
Back then, he had spent time living among them, learning their habits and weaknesses.
But now, the formidable enemies he faced were incomparable to those times—and there was no telling how many of them lurked in these woods.
Nor could he even begin to guess where they might be hiding.
At this rate, failure is inevitable.
In a confined battlefield like this, the most crucial factor was information about the enemy.
If he wandered aimlessly like this, he would eventually collide with multiple foes or fall into an ambush, facing fatal danger.
Haaah...
Just as Bu Eun-seol, leaning against the great tree, was about to shake his head—
"Benefactor."
A soft sensation pressed against the tree trunk, and a low voice resonated in his ear.
"You're rather heavy. Would you mind shifting aside?"
For a moment, Bu Eun-seol was so startled he nearly leapt into the air.
Even if his internal energy had vanished, his extrasensory perception remained intact. Yet he hadn't sensed the presence of someone right behind him?
Fwip!
In his shock, Bu Eun-seol immediately spun around to face the tree.
Thud.
The sound of a foot stepping on a branch followed.
Though faint, to Bu Eun-seol's ears, it rang out as clearly as thunder.
Crack, crack, crack.
Another rustle of branches, and then—the opposite great tree seemed to tremble faintly.
At the same time, a figure came into view, seated neatly beneath the tree trunk in perfect meditation.
Wooden Buddha.
Instinctively, Bu Eun-seol recalled the name the Martial Venerable had mentioned.
A disciple of Mo-ryun the Dharma Seeker, a prophet capable of perfectly reading Heaven's Will.
True to his name, his appearance resembled that of a wooden Buddha statue.
"Wooden Buddha... is it truly you?"
At Bu Eun-seol's question, Wooden Buddha nodded.
Creak.
Then, staggering unsteadily, he took a few labored steps forward.
His body was covered in bark-like skin, his frame gaunt and skeletal.
"...!"
After observing him for a long moment, Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
Not because of Wooden Buddha's appearance—
But because the eyes embedded in that bark-like skin were somehow familiar.
"Venerable One."
Bu Eun-seol bowed deeply in reverence.
"You... were the one who saved me when I had lost all my strength."
Back then, Bu Eun-seol had been reduced to a cripple, his body had all its power blocked.
And just then—
A mysterious adept, wrapped in bloodied bandages, had appeared.
He had told Bu Eun-seol that his body could recover in a place where stars rained down.
And now, Bu Eun-seol realized—Wooden Buddha's eyes were identical to that adept's.
"Your keen eyesight astonishes this humble monk."
Originally, Wooden Buddha's lips had been so tightly sealed that he could only communicate through Wisdom-Light Mind Speech.
But now, perhaps because his divine power had weakened greatly, he barely managed to move his cracked lips to produce speech.
Just as Bu Eun-seol was about to respond, Wooden Buddha gazed at the distant sky and spoke with difficulty.
"Has my presence been detected again?"
Then, turning to Bu Eun-seol, he said:
"Would you carry this humble monk to a quieter place? I have mastered the Way of Nature and can conceal my presence—you need only move as slowly as possible."
Bu Eun-seol was stunned.
A prophet, they called him—
Yet he had perfected the Way of Nature, a technique even the Sword Sovereign had failed to master?
Could he truly be a martial arts master?
"Of course. Please climb onto my back."
Thoughts could wait.
Swiftly lifting Wooden Buddha onto his back, Bu Eun-seol activated Swift Shadowless, infused with Wind & Cloud Divine Qi.
Then, Wooden Buddha spoke again through Wisdom-Light Mind Speech:
[There is no need to spread the Wind & Cloud Divine Qi so widely. Imagine yourself lying comfortably in water, gently rising—concealment will come easier that way.]
He even knows the esoteric methods of wielding Wind & Cloud Divine Qi?
Not only had he instantly recognized that Bu Eun-seol possessed this energy—undetectable to anyone else—but he was also offering advice on how to wield it?
Swallowing his shock, Bu Eun-seol adjusted the flow of the divine energy as instructed.
And just like that, his presence became even more perfectly concealed.
[Behind that waterfall over there—there is a small cave.]
Sure enough, hidden behind the cascading water, a narrow cavern awaited.
This will do.
For the first time, Bu Eun-seol felt a flicker of relief.
The advantage of information.
By joining forces with Wooden Buddha, Bu Eun-seol had gained access to intelligence far beyond what his enemies possessed.
In other words—his chances of victory in this battle had just increased by more than fifty percent.
"Venerable One."
Once inside, Bu Eun-seol carefully set Wooden Buddha down and bowed deeply.
"Why does the benefactor show such excessive courtesy?"
"Because, in the end... you deliberately entered the Rivers and Lakes to restore my body, didn't you?"
Wooden Buddha was a prophet who could lose Heaven's Will.
Which meant—
He had already known everything about Bu Eun-seol's condition.
He had ventured into the martial world specifically to guide him toward recovery.
"Why did you save me?"
Like all prophets and sages, Wooden Buddha gave an enigmatic answer.
"Because it is the Natural Order."
Then he swiftly changed the subject.
"Martial Venerable. Did he send you?"
His voice was calm, as if he had already surmised everything about Martial Venerable's schemes.
"He... intends to restrain this humble monk once more."
"That is correct."
Bu Eun-seol looked at the Wooden Buddha and spoke respectfully.
"If the Great Monk wishes to escape Martial Venerable's grasp, I will assist you."
"I appreciate the sentiment, but it's unnecessary."
The Wooden Buddha spoke weakly.
"In fact, right now, Martial Venerable's Domain is the safest place for me."
Bu Eun-seol's expression turned ambiguous.
He couldn't tell whether those words were sincere or merely spoken out of concern for his own safety.
"I have heard that the Great Monk is a prophet who surpasses even your master, the Seeker of Dharma, and that you can perfectly read Heaven's Will."
Bu Eun-seol shifted the topic again, his expression earnest.
"There is something I wish to ask you. Please do not refuse me."
The Wooden Buddha shook his head as if he already knew what Bu Eun-seol's question would be.
"That is something even this humble monk cannot know."
"Is it because of the Heavenly Punishment?"
Through Han Sang-ja, Bu Eun-seol had vaguely guessed the price one paid for reading Heaven's Will.
"It is not just the Heavenly Punishment. Some answers are of a nature that this monk can neither know nor speak of."
Bu Eun-seol gazed at the Wooden Buddha's body, then spoke with utmost sincerity.
"If it is because of the Heavenly Punishment, I will surely provide a fitting reward in return."
He withdrew a wooden box from his sleeve.
Inside were not only the Azure Spirit Stone Fluid but also rare Spirit Medicines seldom seen in the mortal world, all gathered together.
"Though these may not fully heal the Heavenly Punishment, they will at least help mend your body."
Having heard Han Sang-ja's account, Bu Eun-seol had guessed that the Wooden Buddha was suffering under Heavenly Punishment.
So before coming here, he had opened the treasury of the Hidden Demon Pavilion and carefully selected the so-called "peerless treasures"—Spirit Medicines of the highest grade—to bring with him.
"Offering these medicines is not a condition. If you reveal the murderer to me, I will serve you for the rest of my life as your loyal hound after all matters are settled."
"That is a burden too heavy to bear."
The Wooden Buddha shook his head again.
"Moreover, in the case of Heavenly Punishment, all medicines are useless. No matter how extraordinary the Spirit Medicine, it will be of no avail."
"Then at least allow me to ease your suffering by infusing you with True Qi."
Bu Eun-seol pressed his palm against the Wooden Buddha's Life Gate Acupoint and channeled True Qi into him.
Not just any True Qi—Primordial Essence True Qi.
As the pure energy flowed in, the agony in the Wooden Buddha's eyes lessened slightly.
"That is enough. Do not waste such precious True Qi."
"It's fine. My Internal Power is more than abundant."
"I know. But even if you infuse me with Internal Power, this monk's body cannot retain it. That is why I say this."
Then, the Wooden Buddha returned the Primordial Essence True Qi he had received from Bu Eun-seol.
'How is this possible?'
Once Primordial Essence True Qi was expelled, that was the end of it. It could not be retrieved or re-infused.
Yet the Wooden Buddha was displaying a power that defied the principles of Martial Arts—something truly unfathomable.
"This old monk's body was ruined long ago. So do not trouble yourself over it."
Even speaking seemed to drain him, as he spat out a black clot of blood.
His bark-like skin was, in truth, a patchwork of scabs clinging to his flesh.
Between them, yellow pus oozed in thin streams.
Moreover, his voice lacked strength, and his gaze was unfocused.
He was in a state where it would not be strange if he drew his last breath at any moment.
"It was because of Martial Venerable."
Bu Eun-seol, having realized something, spoke.
"You suffered so much Heavenly Punishment because you granted Martial Venerable's request. Isn't that so?"
The Wooden Buddha remained silent, which was affirmation enough.
'So it was true.'
Martial Venerable was indeed a man of extraordinary wisdom and insight—a genius, no doubt—but he had always been somewhat lacking to bear the epithet of Foremost Sage of the Murim.
If he had truly been at the level of the Foremost Sage of the Murim, he would not have fallen into the very trap he himself had set.
In the end, it was only with the aid of the Wooden Buddha—a prophet—that he had been able to claim such a title.
"That, too, was fate."
Bu Eun-seol clenched his fists and lowered his head.
Truthfully, he had been prepared to use any means necessary to force the Wooden Buddha to reveal the murderer who had killed his grandfather.
Even if the monk refused, he had already prepared schemes and methods that would make refusal impossible.
But... seeing the extent of his suffering, he could not bring himself to do it.
"Benefactor, you have a pure heart."
The Wooden Buddha, understanding the reason for Bu Eun-seol's somber expression, cracked his stiff lips into a faint smile.
"In truth, the reason this monk cannot answer you is not because my life is precious or because I fear Heavenly Punishment."
"What do you mean?"
"There are two reasons. The most important of them is..."
The Wooden Buddha paused briefly before speaking solemnly.
"Because the murderer must be found by your own hands."
After gazing for a long moment into Bu Eun-seol's gleaming eyes, the Wooden Buddha spoke again.
"Only by uncovering the truth yourself and finding the murderer... will you achieve what you desire."
"Only by uncovering the truth myself will I achieve what I desire..."
Repeating the Wooden Buddha's words, Bu Eun-seol wore a dazed expression.
Wasn't that something the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had always said?
Then... could it be that the Wooden Buddha was indirectly telling him that the Demonic Heavenly Emperor was the murderer?