Chapter 935
"Lord?"
At that moment, a small, quiet voice reached his ears.
In an instant, all the illusions before Bu Eun-seol's eyes vanished without a trace.
"Is something the matter?"
Until now, Bu Eun-seol had been receiving memories from within the orb.
But from Gongson Dan-gyeong's perspective,
it had merely appeared as though he had frozen mid-motion with his eyes wide open.
"This is..."
Bu Eun-seol couldn't conceal his bewilderment.
The history of the Ancient Sword Forest had to span at least several hundred years—no, it likely exceeded a thousand years by far.
Hadn't Bi-yeon, who treated the aged Seok Chi-haeng like a child, lived an extraordinarily long life?
The eras in which the two were born must have been separated by at least several centuries.
How could the Founder of the Ancient Sword Forest bear such a striking resemblance to his mother?
'Could this be what they call reincarnation?'
"Is something wrong?"
At Gongson Dan-gyeong's question, Bu Eun-seol snapped back to attention and shook his head.
"I received memories from within this orb."
He then proceeded to relay everything he had seen and heard within the orb to her.
The secret ravine located in the Gomo Tagrik region of Xinjiang—
even the fact that it served as the headquarters of the Ancient Sword Forest, whose influence spread throughout the Central Plains.
"I see."
Gongson Dan-gyeong took a deep breath.
The orb Bu Eun-seol had brought was given to him by the boy who led the Ancient Sword Forest of Hengshan, pleading for him to save the Forest Lord.
If the Forest Lord was indeed in that ravine, there might be adversaries even she couldn't contend with.
'But he would never lead a large force or bring along subordinates with exceptional martial prowess.'
That had always been his way.
Because he believed he alone should shoulder every danger.
'And he wouldn't listen even if I tried to stop him.'
As Gongson Dan-gyeong's expression turned resigned,
"I'll just quietly investigate and return."
Bu Eun-seol, sensing her thoughts, spoke with a confident expression.
"I won't take any reckless risks."
"Then promise me just one thing."
Gongson Dan-gyeong's gaze was infinitely solemn and resolute as she spoke.
"If you sense danger, you must avoid confrontation and retreat immediately."
Bu Eun-seol feared no trial, and no matter how formidable an enemy appeared, he would never resort to fleeing.
But this time...
An ominous premonition lingered—that even he might face an adversary too terrifying to handle.
"That is..."
"Can you not?"
Meeting Gongson Dan-gyeong's earnest gaze, Bu Eun-seol found himself nodding involuntarily.
"Understood. If I judge the situation to be dangerous, I'll withdraw at once."
"Thank you."
Gongson Dan-gyeong flashed a bright smile.
It was the kind of approving smile one might give to a well-behaved child.
'Something feels off about this situation.'
As Bu Eun-seol made an awkward expression, Gongson Dan-gyeong smiled gently, her eyes brimming with trust.
"Please return safely."
If she was worried, she could either predict what lay ahead or prepare for emergencies.
But what if she couldn't?
Then all she could do was offer,
as she did now,
a smile of unwavering trust.
Having left the Azure Heaven Alliance, Bu Eun-seol immediately headed for Gomo Tagrik, pushing his Lightness Skill to its limits.
The one silver lining was that So-yo still hadn't returned from Mount Jangbaek.
This matter was far too perilous.
Had he been here, So-yo would have undoubtedly insisted on accompanying him.
But if there was someone capable of threatening the Forest Lord? He would have to be a martial expert who stood above the world. This investigation had to be conducted alone.
'Perhaps this was the same reason Grandfather chose to walk the path of a lone master.'
The martial prowess of the Murim's elite had grown increasingly formidable with time.
Now, even the Abyssal Forces—including the Same Heart Society—
were producing young masters capable of facing those who stood at the pinnacle of the world.
It had become impossible to predict what kind of adversaries might emerge next, and even Bu Eun-seol could no longer guarantee an easy victory.
'Alone, I can always find a way to escape, but with comrades or subordinates, that becomes impossible.'
In the current Murim, numerical superiority no longer held much significance.
A single superlative martial expert could wipe out an entire sect, and with their movements, the balance of power could shift in an instant.
Even though the Righteous Faction's influence had been steadily growing,
the reason the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—with his temperament of sole supremacy—hadn't reacted strongly
might have been because he already knew that concepts like the Righteous Path's sphere of influence, the Demonic Path's territory, or equilibrium had lost all meaning.
As Bu Eun-seol raced across the land using his Lightness Skill, upon entering Xinjiang,
Whoosh.
He shifted his appearance to that of Seol-so.
There was no need to expend internal energy to activate the Face-Changing Bone-Shifting Art.
Thanks to the power he had absorbed from Hwa Mu-gi's body,
he could now alter everything—from his outward appearance to the position of his internal organs and the flow of his blood—simply by willing it.
Whoosh!
Cutting through the air like a whirlwind, Bu Eun-seol arrived at Gomo Tagrik before he knew it.
Upon reaching the ravine, he located the hidden, secretive entrance he had seen in the orb's illusion.
The cave-like entrance lay nestled between naturally formed cliffs, and whenever the wind blew, desert sand would pile up, concealing it effortlessly.
Thus, even without any deliberate effort to obscure or hide the entrance,
The terrain itself naturally blocked outsiders from approaching.
Upon entering the cave-like opening, a massive door engraved with mysterious emblems came into view.
The patterns seemed to depict the constellations and the position of the sun in the desert region.
To open this door, it appeared one had to align the engravings so that the desert constellations and shadows matched specific positions.
"So, those unversed in celestial and terrestrial studies are not even meant to approach, is that it?"
Celestial and terrestrial studies referred to the phenomena and principles governing all things in the world—the patterns of the heavens and the configurations of the earth.
And the Ancient Sword Forest's headquarters...
Only those with the correct mental imagery through Heart-Qi Origin Flow and profound knowledge could enter.
"How troublesome."
Bu Eun-seol began slotting the engraved patterns into place.
Having traversed the martial world, overcome countless traps, and endured numerous trials and crises, he had—
Before he knew it—become someone who had deeply mastered battle formations.
Especially since battle formations were fundamentally based on celestial constellations,
Bu Eun-seol had naturally acquired deep insight into the movements of the heavens.
Click—
As he swiftly aligned the engravings, the door opened, releasing a mysterious sound as if an ancient instrument were being played.
Beyond the opened door lay yet another massive stone gate.
This one was carved with the image of two dragons biting each other's tails.
Strangely, as he approached, it opened on its own—
As if welcoming him into a new world.
"It's like witnessing an ancient holy city."
Inside, an astonishing sight unfolded.
The interior resembled an ancient holy city—
A vast space where many people could walk freely, with an artificial waterfall at the center that seemed crafted from crystal.
Under the sunlight, the waterfall refracted dazzling colors, and golden stones paved its surroundings,
Glittering as if stars had descended from the heavens.
And in the distance, a structure resembling a temple enshrining a deity stood.
The roof of the building was painted white, and at its heart stretched a towering staircase that seemed to reach the sky.
"That must be it."
As if entranced, Bu Eun-seol stepped toward the staircase.
Upon ascending, he found a circular structure that appeared to observe and record the movements of Heaven's Will.
Somewhere, the sound of dripping water echoed faintly.
"This is..."
Deeper inside, a round grand hall awaited, and before it stood an oval-shaped structure erected vertically.
Upon entering the structure, he saw engravings resembling the Milky Way, and at its center was an empty gap.
"Is this where I'm meant to place it?"
Bu Eun-seol took the orb from his robes and inserted it into the center.
Clunk— Zzzzing—
A heavy mechanical sound reverberated,
And the wall ahead split open once more, revealing a space perfectly sized for a person to stand.
"Hmm."
Bu Eun-seol hesitated briefly.
Stepping recklessly into such a space could be dangerous.
"..."
After scrutinizing the interior for a long while, he nodded.
'If they had intended to eliminate outsiders or intruders, they wouldn't have demanded the Ancient Sword Forest's orb in the first place.'
Even if this inner space were a trap, he was confident he could break through it.
Without further hesitation, he stepped inside.
Clank— Rumble—
The opened door slowly closed, plunging Bu Eun-seol into complete darkness.
—"He, who was born as this lady's twin star... is an existence the world calls the 'True Demon.'"
The woman's voice, imprinted within the orb, began to echo in the pitch-black interior.
And the first words she spoke—
Were shockingly about her being the True Demon's twin.
—"We were born as one body."
Then surely, he too must have possessed a benevolent heart and a clear Dao Heart.
I made my descendants...
Endlessly guide him...
So that his heart might change, arranging countless measures.
Yet through the cycles of reincarnation... I hoped the demonic taint in his heart would fade.
A faint light seeped from within, and the low voice resonated once more in Bu Eun-seol's ears.
—"But at the time, I could not foresee the distant future."
I did not know he was reincarnating while retaining his memories.
Even the process of dying and being reborn countless times at the hands of my descendants was part of his plan.
In the end, my mistaken judgment only granted him the time to amass immense power.
Kwoong—
Suddenly, a massive vibration shook the interior space where Bu Eun-seol stood.
Kwoong, kwoong—
The tremors did not cease, continuously rattling the chamber.
—"Fortunately, by the time I realized this truth, I too had gained divine power to oppose him..."
'This is bad.'
Bu Eun-seol was taken aback.
As the vibrations endlessly reverberated, the voice inside faded to the faintness of an ant's footsteps.
Kwoong. Kwoong.
The tremors only grew stronger.
Eventually, the words from within became completely inaudible, and faint crimson lights flickered intermittently.
'Someone has entered this place.'
Bu Eun-seol could surmise that the sound was someone breaking in from the outside.
'I must hear the rest of the message.'
His heart grew urgent.
The divine message flowing from this place contained invaluable information unknown to any person or organization.
The problem was—just as with the Bakyeon Legacy Site of the Baekri Clan—
a message imbued with such mystical power
could not be heard repeatedly. It would only be delivered once, to those whose fate allowed it.
If someone interrupted it now?
He would never be able to hear the rest.
Oooom—
Bu Eun-seol simultaneously unleashed his Internal Energy and the Three Divine Powers, wrapping them around the structure to prevent it from shaking.
—...The Familiars will emerge one after another.
Then, faintly, the message began to transmit again.
However, the vibrations from afar also grew increasingly louder.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
As the tremors intensified, the intermittent voice from within the structure ceased once more.
'It's not that the vibrations are blocking the message.'
Bu Eun-seol could sense it.
It wasn't that the shaking of the structure had interrupted the transmission—
but that someone had destroyed something connected to it, causing this disruption.
—O Seeker.
Then, an extremely thin, soft voice resonated.
—To you... I shall grant the power to find.
At the same time, millions of light points scattered before his eyes—
Zzzing, zzzing—
Suddenly, strange emblems began appearing in his right eyeball.
These emblems closely resembled the patterns engraved on the Ink Soul Sword whenever he channeled power to unleash the Heaven-Shattering Form of Harmonization.
Tskiiii—
Simultaneously, white smoke rose from his Hundred Meetings Acupoint, and an agony as if heaven and earth were splitting apart began to spread.
"Ghk—"
Unconsciously, Bu Eun-seol let out a groan.
Even if his limbs were severed, the pain wouldn't be this excruciating.
It was as though flames had ignited at his Hundred Meetings Acupoint, slowly spreading as they burned through his skin and muscles.
Soon, it felt as though the fire wasn't just scorching his flesh—but was now disassembling and crushing each of his bones, one by one.
His body swelled before shriveling, his tendons and ligaments feeling as though they were being peeled away.
But the most unbearable torment wasn't inflicted on his physical body—it was his Spirit and Mind.
Pshhhht!
Something sharp pierced through the barrier of his spirit, followed by a series of BANG BANG explosions that tore at his soul and annihilated his ego.
Zzzing—
At that moment, an infinitely gentle energy began spreading from his Brain Gate Acupoint, resisting the force burrowing into his Hundred Meetings Acupoint.
It was the power his grandfather had once infused into him, now manifesting once more.
'Haa...'
Just as the pain seemed to be subsiding—
Crackle.
The two energies from both acupoints collided violently instead.
To put it simply—the Hundred Meetings Acupoint was near the crown of his head, while the Brain Gate Acupoint was at the base of his skull.
With these two forces clashing within a span no wider than a hand's breadth, the agony felt as though his skull was being split vertically.
Tremble, tremble.
For an ordinary human, this would have been enough to drive them mad—but Bu Eun-seol only gritted his teeth and shuddered violently.
'Something... is wrong.'
The energies writhing within his Brain Gate Acupoint weren't uniform—they were divided into gentle and violent currents.
But before he knew it, the energy pouring from his Hundred Meetings Acupoint had also begun accumulating near his Brain Gate Acupoint.
'It's not piercing through—it's sealing it shut alongside the blockage?'
If a new energy forced its way into a sealed acupoint, the existing blockage should naturally be released.
Yet the energy from his Hundred Meetings Acupoint had merged with the Brain Gate Acupoint, becoming another force reinforcing the seal instead.
'At this rate, I'll die.'
He had no capacity left to ponder the bizarre phenomenon unfolding inside his body.
Because the moment the energies converged in his Brain Gate Acupoint—
an unbearable agony, one no human flesh and blood could endure, began spreading through him.
"Ughhh—"
Bu Eun-seol tried desperately to harmonize them within his body, but the energies defiantly began joining together to block the Brain Gate Acupoint.
—...Also, in dire situations, using this power will help you escape crisis.
The intermittent voice—
had, at some point, shifted into something speaking directly to him.
But Bu Eun-seol had no composure left to listen.
"Ghhhk—"
His body felt like it was about to explode.
No—it would explode.
At most, eight minutes? At the very least, three breaths from now.
For the first time, Bu Eun-seol sensed death looming over him.
Crackle, crackle—
But then, something strange happened.
Spiderweb-like fissures spread across the scabbard of the Ink Soul Sword—
Zzzing, zzzing—
And from within, a pure white light began to flow out.
Simultaneously, the energy that had threatened to tear his body apart began streaming toward the sword.
Whooosh—
A transparent current of energy spread from the Ink Soul Sword—
then, with a shwoop, was instantly absorbed.
'Haa, huu...'
The explosive energy gradually settled, and the pain began to fade.
KWAANG! RUMBLE—
A deafening explosion echoed, followed by the sound of something massive collapsing.
Ziiing.
The light that had filled the interior vanished completely.
CLANK— CRRRRK.
The door of the structure where Bu Eun-seol had been trapped slid open on its own.
In the end, it was due to the vibrations—
The Origin's power that had been sustaining the internal mechanisms had completely dissipated.
THUD.
As the door opened, Bu Eun-seol collapsed to his knees without realizing it.
The pain that had just been drilling into his skull—
He could swear on his life—
It was a torture technique from hell that no one in this world could endure.
Though the agony had faded, the lingering aftershocks of pain still wracked his entire body, making it impossible for him to even move.
"Is Heaven... on the True Demon's side?"
More than the excruciating aftermath of the pain—
What tormented Bu Eun-seol even more was that he hadn't been able to hear the information about the True Demon that the Founder of the Ancient Sword Forest had tried to impart.
"The sword..."
Lowering his head, Bu Eun-seol witnessed an unbelievable sight.
The Ink Soul Sword, which had originally been in the form of an ordinary longsword, had now shrunk—scabbard and all—into a somewhat thinner shape.
It wasn't drastically smaller, but to Bu Eun-seol, who knew the Ink Soul Sword's exact size, form, and weight—
It looked as though a perfectly intact longsword had transformed into a rapier.
'So that wasn't an illusion?'
Just moments ago, he had felt as though the Ink Soul Sword had absorbed part of the energy that had been drilling into his Hundred Meetings Acupoint.
But he had dismissed it as a hallucination brought on by the pain—yet the sword had truly melted down?
"I don't know what kind of power it gave me."
The life-threatening agony had stopped, but that was all.
There was no sensation of any new power entering his body, nor any feeling of something being added.
SHHHK—
As Bu Eun-seol gripped the hilt of the Ink Soul Sword—
SSSSS—
White smoke rose from his palm as if he had touched a red-hot piece of metal.
Strangely, however, there was no pain.
"What is this?"
Before he knew it, a bizarre emblem had been engraved on his right palm—
One that bore an uncanny resemblance to the pattern that had appeared before his eyes earlier—
The one that formed when Harmonization was poured into the Ink Soul Sword.
SSSIIII—
The engraved emblem slowly faded away along with the white smoke.
Bu Eun-seol touched the hilt again, but this time, no smoke rose, and no emblem formed on his palm.
'Was all of this arranged by the Lord of the Ancient Sword Forest?'
Bu Eun-seol had only come to the Mount Heng Sect at Myeong-un's request.
But he had discovered the Ancient Sword Forest, secretly hidden within the sect.
He had eliminated a member of the Same Heart Society who had been attacking it.
And then, after receiving an orb from the Young Forest Lord who led the Ancient Sword Forest, he had been asked to save the Lord of the Ancient Sword Forest.
This sequence of events had been nothing but a chain of sheer coincidences—impossible for anyone to have orchestrated or interfered with.
But looking at the result—
Didn't it feel like a meticulous arrangement by the Founder of the Ancient Sword Forest to pass down information and power to him?
'Then... does that mean she truly is the True Demon's twin?'
If he pieced together everything he had heard so far—
She had been born at the same time as the True Demon and could foresee the distant future.
Yet, unlike the True Demon, she couldn't be reborn with memories of past lives—
Which was why she had made these preparations.
For a moment, a strange thought crossed Bu Eun-seol's mind.
"Then... is she reincarnating over and over, losing her memories like an ordinary human... only to be reborn as a woman of the True Demon's lineage?"
The Founder of the Ancient Sword Forest, the True Demon's twin.
His mother, Saintess Sa Ah.
And even Manwol, who had inherited her power—
All three women resembled one another as if they were the same person.
Could it be that one person was endlessly repeating the cycle of life and death?
'No, that doesn't make sense.'
If Manwol had been born after his mother's death, perhaps—
But the two had undeniably existed at the same time.
Moreover, though their faces were strikingly similar, upon closer inspection, they weren't completely identical.
"Then..."
A flash of insight crossed Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
He had finally realized the reason behind all of this.
"Blood kin."
This was likely the answer.
Just as the True Demon, who reincarnated through the ages and appeared in the world, had left descendants—
Forming a vast lineage—
The woman called the True Demon's twin must also have descendants passed down through generations.
The Founder of the Ancient Sword Forest was perhaps the ancestor of both his mother and Manwol.
Otherwise, their resemblance wouldn't be so uncanny.
KRAAAK— KWAANG!
Another explosion erupted at that moment.
"Who the hell has invaded now?"
Only now remembering that intruders had breached the ravine, Bu Eun-seol sprinted toward the entrance.
'A woman?'
There stood a woman, radiating white light from her entire body, wielding tremendous power as she relentlessly destroyed the interior of the Ancient Sword Forest.
As if born from snowflakes—
Her entire form, from head to toe, was dyed in white light—a beauty of mystical grace.
She soared through the air like an immortal, firing dazzling beams of light from both hands—
And with each strike, an overwhelming force erupted, shattering the buildings within the ravine.
'The Baekri Clan?'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes flashed.
The power that white-clad woman was using—
Didn't it closely resemble the power Yuk Jang-cheon had once said he received from an elder of the Baekri Clan?