Chapter 907
The masked woman spoke as if issuing a command.
"Open the Life Gate."
"If you release the master."
"Do you wish to die?"
"I'll return those words to you."
Bu Eun-seol replied in a low voice.
"If you don't return the master, I will hunt down not only you but the leader of the Same Heart Society without fail and cut them down."
"The leader of the Same Heart Society? What are you talking about?"
"Your answer sounded natural, but unfortunately, you couldn't suppress your physiological response."
A cold smile played at the corners of Bu Eun-seol's lips.
He hadn't missed how the masked woman's pupils had abruptly dilated the moment she heard "leader of the Same Heart Society."
Of course, this was a minute change ordinary martial artists wouldn't have been able to detect.
Only someone like him—who could pierce through human psychology and perfectly discern even physiological reactions—would have noticed.
"..."
Suppressing her surprise, the masked woman studied Bu Eun-seol carefully while he wore a veil.
She was trying to confirm whether he possessed a Demon-Sealing Fragment.
But she couldn't sense any energy from him, nor could she gauge the extent of his martial prowess.
"A dangerous one, indeed."
A sharp Killing Intent surged from her eyes.
She intended to kill Bu Eun-seol and escape this place.
Kukukukuku.
As she drew upon her energy, the Domain of the Life-and-Death Combat Formation began to shake violently.
When a martial artist obtains a Demon-Sealing Fragment, they gain a mysterious power that transcends the principles of martial arts.
This power manifests differently in each individual, and its exact mechanics can only be grasped once actual combat begins.
Thus, those who possess Demon-Sealing Fragments are like adversaries hiding invisible weapons, requiring extreme caution when facing them.
Whoooosh—
Bu Eun-seol immediately summoned the Wind & Cloud Divine Qi, attempting to rescue the Wooden Buddha trapped in the sack.
'I can't.'
But he withdrew his power just as quickly.
The Wooden Buddha's warning had come to mind.
'He told me not to intervene, even if he were in danger.'
The Wooden Buddha had strictly instructed him never to step in, no matter how dire his predicament within this formation.
Remembering those words, Bu Eun-seol—
—instead widened the distance between himself and the masked woman and spoke calmly.
"So the Same Heart Society is part of the axis of evil after all. Trying to abduct people through intimidation."
"Nonsense!"
The masked woman shook her shoulders in agitation.
At once, a plume of white smoke billowed from behind her, spreading into the sky before surging toward Bu Eun-seol in an instant.
Chiiii—
Where the white smoke passed, the ground blackened, and holes riddled the stones like sieves.
The secret martial art of the Dali Dan Clan, the Piercing Mist Skill, lost to time four hundred years ago.
Specifically, she had employed the power of Piercing Mist Through Objects and Clouds Disperse, Mists Vanish.
'So the Same Heart Society has restored the Dali Dan Clan's martial arts?'
Fwoosh—
Just as Bu Eun-seol activated his Movement Technique to evade the attack—
Tak!
Someone abruptly entered the Life-and-Death Combat Formation and snatched the sack strapped to the masked woman's back.
The motion was swift and precise as lightning, leaving the masked woman no choice but to helplessly surrender the sack.
"Who are you?!"
Swish.
The figures that revealed themselves were the six Yellow-Robed Agents Bu Eun-seol had seen upon first arriving on the island.
They moved through the air like phantoms, surrounding the masked woman and launching their assault.
"Preposterous!"
Enraged, the masked woman flung both arms skyward, and within moments, the area within a little over a hundred feet was filled with white mist.
Instantly, the sack held by one of the Yellow-Robed Agents was punctured with holes, and the Wooden Buddha tumbled out.
And the spot where he fell was near the Life Gate Bu Eun-seol had prepared.
Oooong—
As if repelled by the masked woman's Piercing Mist Skill, the six Yellow-Robed Agents simultaneously swung their massive fists like windmills.
Kwaaaa!
The white smoke recoiled back toward the masked woman—
—and then began spreading toward where Bu Eun-seol stood.
Tsk.
As Bu Eun-seol dodged the smoke, he naturally found himself near where the Wooden Buddha had collapsed.
[If you leave through the Life Gate now and head northeast, you should be able to exit the island unhindered.]
The moment the Wooden Buddha's Voice Transmission reached him—
Whoosh!
Without a second thought, Bu Eun-seol scooped up the Wooden Buddha and dashed through the Life Gate.
Tsk!
Pushing his Movement Technique to its limits inevitably produced an extremely faint Sound of Breaking Air.
Kwaaang!
At that moment, an explosion rocked the Life-and-Death Combat Formation.
The masked woman and the Yellow-Robed Agents tried to pursue Bu Eun-seol, but the Life Gate had shifted again, trapping them inside.
'It will take at least a day and a half before they can emerge.'
The Life-and-Death Combat Formation the Wooden Buddha had altered was as sturdy as dozens of Ancient Formations layered together.
No matter how skilled they were in formations or how exceptional their martial arts, breaking free within a day would be impossible.
Tsk tsk tsk tsk.
Carrying the Wooden Buddha, Bu Eun-seol raced to escape the island at full speed.
But something was strange.
Despite the Sound of Breaking Air produced by his urgent use of Lightness Skill, no pursuers appeared.
Clang! Clink!
Then, faint metallic clashes echoed from all directions.
The sounds came not from one spot but from across the entire island.
Moreover, transparent ripples of energy were spreading from various points on the island.
Oooong.
And with each ripple that spread—
A faint, low vibration was also emanating from Wooden Buddha's body.
'I see.'
Only then did Bu Eun-seol grasp the situation.
Wooden Buddha had activated the power of a mysterious boundary formation laid across the entire island, simultaneously dispelling all the concealment arts of the martial experts who had entered this place.
In the end, having been forced to reveal themselves to one another, they had no choice but to engage in fierce battles.
That was why no one had noticed Bu Eun-seol employing his Lightness Art, even with the faint sound of breaking air accompanying his movements.
'He truly sees through the future.'
Wooden Buddha had perfectly foreseen everything.
As if piercing through the very principles of heaven.
A living embodiment of Heaven's Will itself.
Sssk—
As they reached the boundary of the island where the formation was deployed, the star-studded black night sky came into view.
And finally, upon passing through the formation and leaving the island behind—
Zzziiing!
The vast internal energy that had been stagnant within his body began circulating violently.
"Forgive my discourtesy."
With his internal energy restored, Bu Eun-seol shifted his posture, hoisting Wooden Buddha onto his back before—
Kwooong! Kwaang!
—unleashing the Ultimate Speed Shadowless movement technique at full power, augmented by Thunder Essence Divine Qi.
However, concerned that Wooden Buddha's frail body might not withstand the wind pressure, he activated Protective Aura before executing the technique.
Kwaaauuu!
Like a shooting star, Bu Eun-seol streaked madly toward the northeast.
After roughly four hours of relentless sprinting—
A distant cliff, shrouded in faint mist, came into view.
The very place where he was to meet Martial Venerable.
Paaat.
As Bu Eun-seol stepped inside—
He saw an ornately decorated large palanquin, masked men carrying it, and Martial Venerable clad in gray robes.
Judging by his somewhat weary eyes and expression—
Rather than knowing their arrival time in advance, it seemed he had been waiting there all along.
"As expected."
Martial Venerable alternated his gaze between Bu Eun-seol and Wooden Buddha—both looking as though they had endured untold hardships—before nodding.
"You've suffered."
Then he smiled with conviction.
The certainty that Bu Eun-seol had failed to extract any information from Wooden Buddha.
After all, the only visible change was a small patch of flesh missing near the monk's ear.
"Wooden Buddha."
Approaching the monk, he grinned broadly.
"It's been a while."
Wooden Buddha remained silent, staring straight at him as if he had nothing to say.
"I know. That you can no longer speak to me."
Martial Venerable shrugged.
"Still, this was all to save you. Had you stayed there, you'd have been dragged away and subjected to unspeakable torment."
Wooden Buddha shook his head lightly.
His expression seemed to reproach Martial Venerable for past transgressions.
"Wooden Buddha."
Martial Venerable clicked his tongue.
"Did you really think I'd remain subordinate to others forever?"
In that instant, Bu Eun-seol's pupils flashed.
Martial Venerable was a man of Sole Supremacy.
He had never belonged to any faction nor taken orders from anyone.
Yet now he spoke of working under someone?
'Then it's certain—he must have recently pledged himself to some power.'
As Bu Eun-seol sank deep into thought, Martial Venerable spoke again.
"My only concern was guaranteeing your safety. For now, at least..."
Wooden Buddha, who had been staring intently at Martial Venerable, turned to Bu Eun-seol instead.
Then, with eyes brimming with boundless compassion and warmth, he clasped the young man's hand tightly.
Though his hand felt as hard as wood, warmth radiated unmistakably from it.
Swwish.
Turning away, Wooden Buddha slowly climbed into the palanquin prepared by Buddhist Venerable.
"Great Master."
Bu Eun-seol spoke up, pained by the sight.
"If you wish to stay with me, I will protect you."
Even if it meant fighting Martial Venerable here and now.
Even if it risked triggering the Great Orthodox-Unorthodox War.
If Wooden Buddha willed it, he would defend him at all costs.
Slowly, slowly.
Wooden Buddha shook his head with tender eyes.
His demeanor seemed to say, 'This is the Natural Order.'
Swwish.
As Wooden Buddha settled into the palanquin, Martial Venerable asked Bu Eun-seol:
"Was it a fruitful meeting?"
Uncharacteristically, he grinned.
As if he knew everything.
"It was."
Bu Eun-seol smiled back.
He would no longer be led around by others in his search for the murderer.
Following Wooden Buddha's advice—
He would uncover everything with his own hands.
As the monk said, all would undoubtedly be resolved.
"I see."
Noticing the newfound confidence glowing in Bu Eun-seol's eyes—so different from before—Martial Venerable unconsciously twisted his lips.
"Until next time."
With that brief farewell, he departed without hesitation.
The masked men carrying the palanquin vanished into the distant sky in an instant.
"He meant it, it seems."
Bu Eun-seol had expected Martial Venerable to break his promise or scheme further.
Yet he had kept his word and left without reluctance.
Not out of honor—but because ensuring Wooden Buddha's safety took precedence.
"Great Master..."
Once Martial Venerable's presence had completely faded, Bu Eun-seol cautiously opened his palm.
Earlier, when Wooden Buddha had clasped his hand, he had inscribed something.
Fwoosh.
As his palm unfurled, wooden fragments revealed a single carved word:
Ghost Island.
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
That place was where, in the past, the Three Realms had used the Ten Weapons of the World as bait to lure countless Renowned Heroes to their doom.
It was also the place where Bukgung Ryeong had come to realize the ugly truth of the Righteous Faction.
But above all, it held special significance for Bu Eun-seol.
It was where he had obtained the hilt of Journey, the signature weapon of the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade—an heirloom of his grandfather—and where he had grasped the Blade Essence of the Bloody Tears Seven Forms.
Ssshhh...
But then, something astonishing happened.
The wood shavings began moving on their own again, forming yet another character.
Martial God Heaven.
"Martial God Heaven."
Bu Eun-seol stared down at his palm with a startled expression.
That was none other than one of the Four Divine Heavens—the Servants of the True Demon.
Did that mean Wooden Buddha was telling him that Martial God Heaven's headquarters was on Ghost Island?
'If that place is Martial God Heaven's stronghold...'
Bu Eun-seol muttered quietly as he studied the characters carved into his palm.
'Does that mean it wasn't the Three Realms who lured the heroes with the Ten Weapons of the World, but Martial God Heaven?'
The Three Realms were beings who would ally with anyone if it served their interests.
So even if one of their factions had formed a close relationship with Martial God Heaven and turned Ghost Island into a graveyard for Righteous Faction heroes, it wouldn't be all that surprising.
'Then... was the place where Grandfather's sword hilt was stored actually Martial God Heaven's Secret Vault?
Grandfather's Bloody Tears Seven Forms is the greatest saber technique in martial history.
But if Ghost Island, where it was hidden, is Martial God Heaven's stronghold...
That can't be mere coincidence. There must be some deliberate arrangement behind it.'
'I have to go.'
Bu Eun-seol's heart pounded.
Perhaps Wooden Buddha had pointed him there because secrets related to his grandfather were hidden on that island.
Even if not, if it truly was the headquarters of Martial God Heaven—one of the True Demon's most powerful servants—then it was worth risking the danger to investigate.
Tap.
He brushed the wood shavings from his palm.
Then, in an instant, he unleashed his Movement Technique.
Ssshhh...
But as the wood fragments scattered to the ground, they formed yet another long passage of characters.
"Awakening of the New Self, A New Chapter of Fate."
—A new self shall awaken, and another chapter of destiny shall unfold...
Whoosh.
Yet as the wind blew, the wooden fragments scattered across the ground like dust, erased without a trace.
The sky stretched like a bolt of blue silk, and sunlight scattered like powdered gold.
Passing the shoreline where waves left silver foam in their wake, a dense forest came into view.
Ghost Island.
The place where hundreds of young warriors from the Righteous Faction had once fought a brutal and bloody battle for possession of the Ten Weapons of the World—legendary armaments passed down through the ages in the martial world.
And now, he had returned to the island where he had once found the hilt of Journey, his grandfather's sword, containing the Bloody Tears Seven Forms.
"Hmm."
Bu Eun-seol frowned slightly as he surveyed his surroundings.
Outwardly, it was the serene landscape of a deserted island, yet the faint scent of blood lingered in the air.
Because back then, fragments of bone and flesh had been strewn everywhere.
"Not a pleasant memory."
In the past, Bu Eun-seol had struggled alongside the Bullet King to save the heroes embroiled in the slaughter here.
But in the end, those who had come to Ghost Island were nothing more than beasts wearing the masks of heroes.
Not a single one had survived.
'It makes no sense for Martial God Heaven to be here.'
If this truly was Martial God Heaven's hidden stronghold—
If they had installed a Secret Vault here to store the hilt of Grandfather's sword—
Then they should never have lured outsiders in.
Yet why had they used the Ten Weapons of the World—divine armaments of the highest order—as bait to draw in the Righteous Faction and set a trap?
Even if a Secret Vault containing the sword hilt imbued with the Essence of Saber Arts of the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade—a martial legend—was hidden here,
Why would they so carelessly lure outsiders in?
"Moreover..."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"If Martial God Heaven's stronghold or headquarters had been here back then, there's no way I wouldn't have noticed."
Of course, there was a vast difference between his martial prowess then and now.
But his senses as the Beast Path remained the same—his sharp intuition and insight hadn't dulled in the slightest.
"Besides, they would have known I took Grandfather's Blade Essence. So why didn't they try to reclaim it?"
Even if the Three Realms had coincidentally carried out this scheme while Martial God Heaven was temporarily absent from Ghost Island,
They should have easily discovered that he and the Bullet King had visited this place.
Yet despite having lost the sword hilt containing the Blade Essence of the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade—a treasure beyond measure—
Why had they made no move to track it down or reclaim it?
"I'll find out once I investigate."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
If Martial God Heaven was truly here, all secrets would be revealed. There was no need to rack his brain over theories.
Zzziiing.
Drawing upon the Empty Mind Spirit Perception, he began combing through every inch of the island like a hunter tracking prey.
"Nothing."
Even after searching for half a day, he found no trace of anything unusual.
Even the cliffside at the edge of the island—where the hilt of Journey had once been stored—
Had vanished entirely, as if the Sea God himself had appeared and wiped it clean from existence.
"This makes no sense."
Bu Eun-seol pressed a hand to his forehead.
Was someone expecting his visit and deliberately erased all traces here?
"No, that can't be."
Wooden Buddha was a prophet who could immediately perceive Heaven's Will.
Had such interference occurred, he wouldn't have directed me here in the first place.
I simply haven't found it yet.
Something must be hidden here.
After prolonged contemplation, Bu Eun-seol muttered in a low voice:
"Absolute Boundary."
An Absolute Boundary could perfectly conceal even vast spaces under any circumstances.
If something were hidden here yet remained invisible?
No other possibility came to mind except the Absolute Boundary's techniques.
Whoosh.
Floating into the air, Bu Eun-seol closed his eyes.
Then with full combat power, he summoned the Wind & Cloud Divine Qi.
Swoooosh—
A violent wind began coalescing around his body before spreading across the entire island.
How much time passed?
"There it is."
A faint reaction pulsed in the distance.
The coastal cliff where his grandfather's blade Journey had been stored—
Though now completely vanished, he sensed an inexplicable barrier in that empty space.
"The Wind & Cloud Divine Qi confirms it's an Absolute Boundary, but..."
Examining the area intently, Bu Eun-seol noticed something peculiar.
Absolute Boundaries completely sever space, leaving no passage between dimensions.
To enter, one must dismantle the boundary itself.
Yet this boundary strangely hinted at an accessible space, as if possessing an entrance.
After prolonged scrutiny of the vanished cliffside, he made an unexpected discovery.
"It never disappeared."
To the naked eye, the coastal cliff storing Journey's hilt had utterly vanished.
But through extrasensory perception amplified by Wind & Cloud Divine Qi—
The cliff remained intact, and the blade's cavern stood unharmed.
Only the entrance remained, as if deliberately preserved for entry.
"Is this even possible?"
Swallowing his bewilderment, Bu Eun-seol activated the Land-Flying Technique.
Assuming the cliff's presence, he stepped cautiously toward the cavern's location.
Though initially advancing through empty air—
Upon passing where the entrance should be, the cavern's interior gradually materialized.
"Fascinating."
Eyes widening, he ventured inside.
The passage widened, and an unknown light source dispelled the darkness.
"The spatial configuration is peculiar."
Despite appearing open ahead, the traversable space remained narrow—
As if transparent walls blocked all directions except one predetermined path.
"A method to conceal entrances discreetly."
Imagine a fork in the road where one path is rendered invisible.
Unless perceiving that hidden wall, discovery becomes impossible.
"Harmonization would serve best here."
Though physically taxing—
Nothing surpassed Harmonization's power, which unleashes all forces at maximum simultaneously for dismantling boundaries.
Flash! Whooosh!
Yet something astonishing occurred.
The Power of Harmony—which had shattered every boundary instantly—proved utterly ineffective.
He couldn't even sense contact with anything.
"The nature differs."
Only then did Bu Eun-seol realize this boundary operated fundamentally differently.
"Almost as if demanding something from entrants."
Qualification, perhaps?
If this were the passage to the Divine Martial Heaven—
Requiring proof of being a Servant of the True Demon—
Or some unique power they possessed wouldn't be unusual.
"Hmm."
Pausing mid-step, he pondered deeply.
"No. This can't be exclusive to the True Demon's servants."
Wooden Buddha could gauge Heaven's Will.
Had entry required inaccessible conditions or restrictions—
He would have accounted for it.
Yet he'd only inscribed "Divine Martial Heaven" and "Ghost Island."
"Meaning I can breach this."
Decision made, Bu Eun-seol summoned the Water Essence Divine Qi.
Not to force open the transparent barrier, but to perceive its nature.
Shoooom—
A translucent mist expanded as aqueous energy manifested.
Then an eerily familiar shape registered through his senses.
"A door?"
Astoundingly, this wasn't a conventional space-severing boundary—
But an invisible, enigmatic door—
With no discernible method of opening.
Grrrind.
As the Water Essence Divine Qi made contact, another shock followed.
'It's alive.'
Resembling a door yet pulsating with life.
Merely mimicking the concept of a portal—
An autonomous entity capable of judgment and testing.
'It's observing me.'
Beyond the door lurked a presence watching everything.
Like a ghostly gaze existing only in subconscious perception.
'An ancient secret art?'
This resembled the Mind's Eye Mirror's method—
Which forged mental worlds into battle formations.
'Like a mindscape... its appearance varies by observer.'
The door seems intangible—
Yet may appear as an insurmountable wall to some, or nonexistent to others.
In essence, it declares: "Only the qualified may pass."