Chapter 921
—So you knew all along, Master.
Only then did Domyeong realize why Yong Mun-gyeok had called the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon a Heretical Path.
Such fist arts should never have been passed down through the generations of the Martial World.
But alas...
Domyeong had already been corroded by demonic martial arts.
Before he knew it, he had become a Killing Ghost, taking perverse pleasure in beating people to death with his fists.
—You've fallen into the Heretical Path after all.
When Domyeong became a Killing Star tormented by Slaughter Frenzy, the aged Yong Mun-gyeok sought him out as he wandered the Rivers and Lakes.
—Our Pavilion pursues the Martial Way. Once you become a Killing Ghost, you can no longer remain a disciple of this Pavilion.
And so, he pleaded with him gently.
—Even now, abandon those fist techniques and return to the Pavilion. We'll find a way, slowly, to purge that Demonic Energy.
—No.
—Then cut off both your hands.
Such fist arts are demonic techniques no disciple of this Pavilion should ever learn.
But Domyeong, who had already deeply mastered the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon and succumbed to its Demonic Nature,
no longer held even Yong Mun-gyeok—who had been like a grandfather to him—in his eyes.
—If you have the skill, then try cutting them off!
The Demonic Path follows Might Makes Right, after all.
Domyeong now intended to defeat not only Yong Mun-gyeok but also the current Pavilion Lord—and even the next in line, Ak Mu-ryeong—
so that he himself could become the Lord of Langya Pavilion.
—Your Demonic Nature has seeped into your very marrow.
—What's so wrong about mastering powerful fist techniques?!
Yong Mun-gyeok sighed and spoke.
—Do you truly not know that the only reason you obtained the Secret Manual of the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon was because you pledged yourself to a secret faction of the Martial World?
The truth was, Yong Mun-gyeok had known everything.
That Domyeong hadn't stumbled upon the Secret Manual by chance.
That while wandering the Rivers and Lakes to deepen his Practical Combat Martial Arts, he had hit his limits—and in that moment of weakness,
a certain faction had offered him the true Seven Forms of the Fist Demon as the price for his allegiance.
—I believed in you. That one day, you would return as a disciple of this Pavilion.
Yong Mun-gyeok's expression was devastated as he spoke.
—But in the end, this is what became of you.
Domyeong was indignant.
—I accepted that Secret Manual not just for my own growth, but because I wanted these fist arts to be passed down through the generations of our Pavilion!
—Did our Pavilion seem so weak to you?
When Domyeong saw Yong Mun-gyeok's expression turn solemn, he sensed that his expulsion was imminent.
Returning to his senses for a brief moment, he clasped his hands together and begged.
—I only meant to take the techniques and leave that place. Please forgive me, Master.
Yong Mun-gyeok shook his head firmly.
—You are no longer a disciple of this Pavilion.
Domyeong gritted his teeth.
—Didn't I just say I was planning to leave that place soon?!
But he was already ensnared by the Evil Qi inherent in the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon.
In the end, he lost his reason once more and lunged at Yong Mun-gyeok.
Yet the aged master shattered both his arms with a single strike.
He could have severed them outright, but he couldn't bring himself to maim the disciple he had raised like his own child.
—No matter how powerful, what good is a fist technique that turns a human's Spirit and Mind into wreckage?
Yong Mun-gyeok shook his head again.
—By the laws of this Pavilion, I should have cut off both your arms, but I cannot bring myself to do it...
Then he turned away without looking back.
Long ago, he had broken through even the Extreme Demon Realm and stepped into the Super Demon Realm.
Above all, he had cherished Domyeong like a grandson... And so, in the end, he severed their bond by casting him out of Langya Pavilion.
—The Pavilion Lord knew everything.
Only after feeling the Excruciating Pain of his shattered arms did Domyeong regain his clarity.
The Seven Forms of the Fist Demon he had learned was steeped in incomparable Evil Qi, and it had ravaged his Spirit and Mind.
Yong Mun-gyeok had known this all along—which was why he had desperately tried to stop Domyeong from mastering it.
—There's no turning back now.
Domyeong altered his appearance and
became a wanderer, drifting through every corner of the Martial World.
Even then, the faction that had recruited him occasionally assigned him tasks every few years.
It was no different from the odd jobs wandering martial artists picked up from time to time.
—If this is how it's going to be, why not become a true wanderer?
Adrift without purpose, he eventually found his way to the Wandering Drifters of Guizhou, where he steadily built his influence.
And though he eventually rose to become the Wolf Lord,
a yearning always lingered in his heart—to return as a disciple of Langya Pavilion.
—If I can create a version of the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon purged of its Evil Qi... perhaps the Pavilion will take me back.
Even as the Wolf Lord leading the wanderers of the Wandering Drifters, Domyeong tirelessly refined and improved the fist techniques.
At last, he succeeded in transforming them into flawless Demonic Path fist arts—retaining their might while eradicating their malevolent energy.
But alas, his skill only allowed him to perfect the first four forms.
Time flowed mercilessly on, and the hair at his temples turned white.
By then, his master Yong Mun-gyeok had passed away after living out his Lifespan, and the former Pavilion Lord had vanished without a trace.
Before he knew it, Langya Pavilion had come to be led by Ak Mu-ryeong, who now stood at the pinnacle as one of the Three Demons.
—Since I'm no longer a disciple of Langya Pavilion, I can't even visit my master's grave there.
Domyeong endlessly regretted the past as he carried on with his life.
Then, in the midst of his days, the successor who would lead Langya Pavilion's next generation—Bu Eun-seol—came to him.
—Is this fate as well?
With his own regrets weighing on him, he handed over the secret manual containing the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon—the first four forms he had refined through Langya Pavilion's martial principles.
Because that was the only way he could atone—
As a former disciple of Langya Pavilion.
Having heard the entire story, Bu Eun-seol could only let out a sorrowful sigh.
Yet, in a way, he understood the man's heart.
Masters of Langya Pavilion were more susceptible than anyone else to falling into the temptations of sinister factions like the Three Realms.
Because they pursued strength without limits.
Because those with overwhelming power and influence could easily fulfill their desires.
That was why Langya Pavilion's disciples had no choice but to remain few in number.
Even if their martial arts grew stronger, if they abandoned their pride, they could no longer be considered disciples of Langya Pavilion.
"They call themselves the Same Heart Society."
Domyeong swallowed a bitter smile as he spoke.
"The faction that tried to recruit me—the ones who gave me the secret manual of the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
The Seven Forms of the Fist Demon was, of course, the martial art of Fist Demon Cheon.
Naturally, he had assumed Do-myeong had been recruited by the Servants of the True Demon—so why was the Same Heart Society suddenly being mentioned?
"You seem to know of them."
Bu Eun-seol nodded at Domyeong's words.
"I've heard the Buddhist Venerable is a core member. That they're restarting the Absolute Demon Saber Project."
"He isn't the leader of the Same Heart Society. The Absolute Demon Saber Project is merely an operation led by his faction."
Domyeong's next words were unexpected.
"The Same Heart Society is just an alliance of factions opposing the Baekri Clan and the True Demon. Each group has its own way of achieving that goal."
Bu Eun-seol couldn't hide his surprise, blinking rapidly.
"Then... the leader of the Same Heart Society has no authority over the individual factions?"
"As long as their goal is eliminating the Baekri Clan and the True Demon, the Society's leader imposes no restrictions. Each faction moves organically anyway."
Bu Eun-seol was at a loss.
The structure and operation of the Same Heart Society were unlike anything ever recorded in martial history—bizarre and unprecedented.
In short, they were united only by their shared enemy: the Baekri Clan and the True Demon.
Each faction had its own leader, carrying out independent missions in their own way.
"How is that even possible?"
"Of course it is."
Domyeong shrugged.
"Their history has just been overshadowed by that of the Baekri Clan and the True Demon. The Same Heart Society has been passed down for generations."
Then he continued.
"Think about it. How many martial artists who know the truth of the Baekri Clan and the True Demon would feel despair? Naturally, they'd want to gather whatever strength they could to oppose them."
"So the Same Heart Society is an alliance of all factions capable of opposing the Baekri Clan and the True Demon?"
"Precisely."
Domyeong nodded.
"Even the Three Realms—who oppose the Baekri Clan—could be considered part of the Same Heart Society."
Bu Eun-seol had already suspected that the Same Heart Society and the Three Realms were connected after his encounter with the Strange Old Man of Dongwolheon.
But to think the Same Heart Society itself was—
A coalition of all factions dedicated to destroying the Baekri Clan and the True Demon?
'So that's what it meant.'
A member of the Same Heart Society had once claimed they could persuade the Three Realms.
At the time, it made no sense—but after hearing Domyeong's explanation, their actions finally clicked.
'Just as the Wolf Lord said, each faction moves organically, cooperating when necessary.'
Then Domyeong dropped another bombshell.
"And in this era, the Same Heart Society's power has supposedly reached a level where they can oppose the Baekri Clan and the True Demon."
It was unbelievable.
The Same Heart Society had power comparable to the Baekri Clan or the True Demon?
Did that mean a new force capable of disrupting the balance between them had emerged?
"Any faction in the martial world that knows of the Baekri Clan and the True Demon—and opposes them—can be called part of the Same Heart Society."
"Then where does the Sacred Realm belong?"
"The Sacred Realm?"
Domyeong shook his head.
"I've never heard of such a faction."
'The Wolf Lord is strong enough to detect my presence. So why hasn't the Covenant sought him out?'
"Has the Covenant not come for you?"
Bu Eun-seol briefly explained the Covenant to Domyeong. After listening for a while, the man sighed.
"Looking back... I suppose I'm no different from a Servant of the True Demon."
Ever since he had attacked his master, Yong Mun-gyeok, in his madness over the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon—Domyeong had likely been acknowledged as one of the True Demon's servants.
"My apologies."
Realizing he had unintentionally reopened old wounds, Bu Eun-seol swiftly changed the subject.
"Then the Same Heart Society must be trying to recruit anyone of use who isn't already aligned with the Baekri Clan or the True Demon."
"Indeed."
"Then does that mean figures like the Buddhist Venerable are not core members of the Same Heart Society? Given his fame and power, he wouldn't have remained merely as Shaolin's sect leader."
"I don't know the internal affairs of the Same Heart Society."
Domyeong shook his head.
"I didn't want to know, either."
He had spent long years refining the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon, living a life of atonement.
Even if the Same Heart Society were a gathering of immortals, he wouldn't have cared.
"Then how did you obtain the secret manual for the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon in the past?"
"They say those born under the same One Hundred and Eight Stars can perfectly replicate the martial arts of their predecessors. That I was able to obtain the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon must have been part of their meticulous plan."
After listening calmly to how Domyeong had acquired the technique, Bu Eun-seol let out a deep sigh.
"If the forces of the Three Realms have merged with the Same Heart Society, then their core must be the Infinite Realm."
The attempt to connect the previous generation's One Hundred and Eight Stars with the current generation's—
Hadn't that always been the Infinite Realm's doing?
They had been using the demonic sword to select those with the One Hundred and Eight Stars, conducting research to pass down the martial arts of past masters born under those stars.
"That's not certain."
Domyeong wore an apologetic expression.
"I was solely devoted to refining fist techniques. I never paid attention to what they were doing."
"No, it's just... This is an important matter to me, so I had to ask."
Ever since Bu Eun-seol learned that Domyeong was from Langya Pavilion,
He had regarded him as an elder martial brother and treated him with unwavering respect.
As if sensing that sentiment, Domyeong smiled faintly.
"If you have questions, ask freely. Though I know little."
Bu Eun-seol didn't hesitate.
"Given these facts, the Baekri Clan and the True Demon must be aware. Why are they staying silent?"
"Looking back at martial history, forces opposing the Baekri Clan and the True Demon have always existed. From their perspective, the Same Heart Society is just another fleeting coalition, doomed to vanish like the rest."
"If the Wolf Lord knows all this, is there truly a need to remain with them?"
"I merely carried out their orders occasionally. I had no interest—not even the awareness that I was part of them."
Domyeong gazed at the distant sky, his face filled with regret.
"My only goal was to perfect the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon, purged of its Evil Qi. And that... was something I could never accomplish alone."
In the end, to create a flawless version of the technique, he had remained with the Same Heart Society—the very organization that had ruined his life.
Because he believed that only then... could he return as a disciple of Langya Pavilion once more.
"You defeated the Fist Adept, didn't you?"
Domyeong chuckled.
"Having seen him, you must have perfected a new Seven Forms of the Fist Demon."
"That's correct."
"Ah, I thought as much."
As Domyeong's expression turned hollow, Bu Eun-seol quickly added,
"That was only possible because the Wolf Lord gave me the secret manual for the first four forms, cleansed of Evil Qi."
The first four forms of the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon were the culmination of Domyeong's blood and sweat over long years.
And because Bu Eun-seol had learned the technique through that manual,
He had been able to complete the remaining three forms after witnessing the Fist Adept's fist techniques.
"Thank you for saying that."
Domyeong's lips curled faintly.
In his youth, a single wrong choice had wounded his master and led to his expulsion from Langya Pavilion.
Yet he had never given up, dedicating his life to perfecting the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon so he could pass it on to Langya Pavilion.
Because he believed it was the only way to atone for his sin against his master, Yong Mun-gyeok.
And at last—
Through Bu Eun-seol, he had fulfilled his lifelong mission.
"Now... I have no more regrets."
"There's one last thing I wish to ask."
"I know. You want to ask where I took the great saber's blade found on Ghost Island."
"Yes."
Domyeong spoke as if dredging up a distant memory.
"I heard the blade I secured was offered to the Society Leader."
"Why would they assign such an important task to the Wolf Lord?"
"They said Ghost Island held a certain treasure—one that could only be found through Empty Mind Spirit Perception."
As it turned out, the Same Heart Society had known—
The state of Ghost Island and that the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade's legacy remained there.
If they even knew it could only be found through Empty Mind Spirit Perception...
Then the Society Leader must be someone inextricably tied to his grandfather.
"Then the reason the Society Leader sought the great saber's blade was..."
Understanding Bu Eun-seol's implication, Domyeong nodded.
"To my knowledge, the Society Leader is a Divine Being who has no need for the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade's saber techniques. If there's a reason..."
His eyes, fixed on empty space, narrowed infinitely.
"...it's likely he wanted to be the only one to know the secret the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade carried."
He, too, knew that the great saber's blade held the truth his grandfather had sought to conceal.
"You didn't see the contents inscribed on the blade?"
Domyeong shook his head.
"I examined it, but there was nothing unusual. Perhaps the method to reveal its contents was separate."
In the end, his grandfather’s great saber had been taken by the Same Heart Society, and its contents remained unknown.
Still, obtaining even that much information was fortunate enough.
"From now on, the Same Heart Society will target you. Because they have never tolerated those who dig into their affairs."
"I've been waiting for that."
"Is that so?"
Domyeong laughed lightly.
"It seems I've now accomplished everything I set out to do in life."
His smile was utterly serene, brimming with relief.
"Can you show me the complete fist art?"
At Domyeong's words, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
Then, toward the open window, he lightly extended a single fist.
In an instant, a dragon-twisting gale powerful enough to sweep away the entire Wandering Drifters began to surge.
A flawless execution of the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon, now purged of its Evil Qi—a new fist discipline that shattered all existing principles of fist techniques.
The seventh stance of the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon: Discard the Old and Spread the New unfolded before them.
"Magnificent."
Domyeong's face brightened with a radiant smile.
"Please convey this perfected Seven Forms of the Fist Demon to the main pavilion."
For the first time, he referred to Langya Pavilion as the main pavilion.
He had once betrayed his master due to his own mistakes and was cast out from Langya Pavilion.
All that remained was to pass on the complete Seven Forms of the Fist Demon, thereby atoning for his sins.
And now that he had fulfilled that duty, there was nothing left to desire—
He could once again call himself a disciple of Langya Pavilion.
"I will ensure it is delivered."
Bu Eun-seol bowed with the utmost solemnity.
"And as the successor of the main pavilion, I offer my deepest gratitude for perfecting the supreme fist technique that will be passed down through generations of disciples."
Domyeong laughed brightly.
Though he had once disappointed his master and left Langya Pavilion due to past errors—
After this long journey, his fist art had been acknowledged by Langya Pavilion's successor.
What more could he possibly regret?
Domyeong's funeral was held quietly.
He passed away with a satisfied smile on his lips.
The senior members of the Wandering Drifters couldn't comprehend why Domyeong—who had neither illness nor weakness in his martial arts—had died so suddenly.
But on the desk in his office,
A will entrusting the leadership of the Wandering Drifters to Ok Ho-bang remained, leaving them to surmise that he had taken his own life.
—It seems he had his own reasons.
When the senior members of the Wandering Drifters saw the peaceful, contented smile on Domyeong's face as he lay in repose,
They no longer questioned why.
Heuk-pyo, who had been beyond the frontier, also attended the funeral to mourn his death.
Not only the drifters of the Wandering Drifters but countless other wandering martial artists of Murim came to pay their respects and pray for his peaceful rest.
In his youth, Domyeong had lived as a drifter, risking his life to save countless people.
It was an act born from having no attachments to life,
Yet because of it, many drifters had survived.
He may have believed he lived a life filled with regrets, but looking back—it had been a meaningful and rewarding one.
'Hall Master Ok will do well.'
Watching Ok Ho-bang, who presided over the funeral with sorrow, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
He had long since turned over a new leaf, cared for the drifters, and managed the Wanderers' Market fairly.
The Wandering Drifters would continue to thrive—there was nothing to worry about.
After leaving the Wandering Drifters, Bu Eun-seol did not return to the Demon Hall but wandered aimlessly through Guizhou.
Before his death, Domyeong had deliberately left traces of Bu Eun-seol's movements at his request.
For a secretive organization, the most crucial thing was maintaining secrecy.
From the Same Heart Society's perspective, since they couldn't know what information Domyeong had passed to Bu Eun-seol before his death,
They would undoubtedly seek to confirm it—or silence him to keep their secrets.
'The Same Heart Society is vastly different from conventional secret organizations.'
Bu Eun-seol sank into deep thought.
Ordinary secret societies strictly compartmentalized information by hierarchy,
Ensuring lower ranks remained ignorant of the organization's full structure, with access limited only to their assigned tasks.
They also typically enforced terrifying restrictive seals or binding conditions to maintain security.
But the Same Heart Society, arguably the largest secret organization in Murim,
Made no effort to conceal themselves and imposed no restrictive seals on their members.
Hadn't even the subordinates under the Buddhist Venerable boldly declared their affiliation with the Same Heart Society?
'It's an impressive display of confidence.'
Perhaps the Same Heart Society believed they had such complete control over Murim that such measures were unnecessary.
Otherwise, they would have surely taken action when their name was exposed.
'Regardless, now that the leader is dead, someone from the Same Heart Society connected to him will come for me.'
After all, he was the last person Domyeong had met before his death.
'By now, nearly all the hidden factions from the Abyss have revealed themselves.'
The Baekri Clan and the True Demon, who had been locked in conflict since the dawn of time.
The Sacred Realm, which sanctified their struggle and enforced the Covenant.
And the Same Heart Society, determined to shatter this carefully woven gameboard.
Of course, there might be other factions beyond these, but none as vast.
"Now, I'll test your strength."
A gathering place for all who rejected the Baekri Clan and the True Demon—
Just how formidable their hidden power was, what kind of martial force they possessed—
It was his turn to put them to the test.
'They're here.'
A faint, chilling energy brushed against his senses.
It was the gaze of an overwhelmingly powerful figure fixed upon him.