Chapter 941
Bu Eun-seol wore a puzzled expression as clear tears streamed from the White-clad Woman's eyes.
"Why do you weep?"
Suddenly, a radiant light blossomed before his eyes.
Like a flower unfurling in full bloom, it spread with both gentleness and grandeur, until it seemed to embrace his entire body.
The light transformed into shimmering waves of pale white, rippling outward.
Bu Eun-seol's body temperature had plummeted from his severe internal injuries, his skin as pallid as blank parchment.
Yet as the White-clad Woman's pale energy seeped into him, color returned to his complexion in an instant, and a healthy glow radiated from his skin.
"Stop."
But Bu Eun-seol raised a hand with grave determination.
He instinctively recognized that the power she was transferring to him was her very life force.
"Just accept it."
"I have no need of it."
He summoned his Internal Energy, attempting to return the energy she had poured into him.
But his injuries ran too deep—his Internal Power couldn't properly circulate.
Crack.
A wave-like tremor spread through his body, accompanied by the sound of grinding bones.
Forcing his Internal Energy to reverse the flow had twisted his already battered physique once more.
Creak.
Yet Bu Eun-seol suppressed the pain and mustered his Internal Energy again.
Whoosh.
A five-colored radiance emanated from his body.
He was attempting to trigger Harmonization once more, to rouse his shattered and contorted flesh.
The White-clad Woman's gaze wavered like disturbed water as she watched.
From the past until now...
She had encountered countless martial artists who pretended to be righteous for their own self-satisfaction.
But when faced with life and death, they always revealed their true selfishness.
Yet here he was, even with his life hanging by a thread...
Still prioritizing another's well-being, rejecting even a helping hand.
"Where there is life, there must also be death..."
Her robes were stained with blood.
Yet her skin glowed faintly, and at the corners of her lips, a Buddha-like smile bloomed as quietly as dawn mist.
"There is nothing to regret... nothing to mourn."
Once more, she channeled her life force and Manifestation Art Energy into him.
As her power flowed into his body...
The bulging veins receded, and the chaotic energies ravaging his form stabilized in an instant.
"Stop."
But Bu Eun-seol's voice was resolute.
"Now."
Though martial artists lived far longer than ordinary folk due to their Internal Energy Methods, she had at most three or four years left.
To share her life force was no different than abandoning what remained of her own existence.
"I refuse to survive by another's sacrifice."
Bu Eun-seol was unwavering.
His grandfather's sacrifice had been enough. Because of it, he had lived through long years of torment.
He would not allow anyone else to lose their life for his sake.
"It is no sacrifice."
The White-clad Woman shook her head.
"My life was never meant to be long."
She smiled serenely.
"If I perform a final act of kindness before death, perhaps King Yama will take pity... and grant me a better rebirth?"
Her voice was utterly tranquil.
Yet her eyes trembled, as if tears might come flooding forth at any moment.
That alone spoke volumes of the weary, sorrowful life she must have endured.
"And leaving behind proof that I once lived... wouldn't be so bad either."
She redoubled her efforts once more.
Ssshh—
Another surge of pristine white energy spread, soon transforming into a brilliant light of vitality that enveloped Bu Eun-seol's body.
"Miss."
"It's Seoryeong."
The woman—Seoryeong—spoke calmly.
"Just a disposable tool... worthless once no longer needed."
Then she offered a smile tinged with profound shyness.
"But I do have a name."
As she poured out her strength, the shadow of death gradually crept across her face.
"There's so much I wish to tell you... but time is short."
To restore Bu Eun-seol's body...
She had expended not only her Manifestation Art Energy but her very life force, aging decades in mere moments.
"Strange..."
Seoryeong, still channeling her energy, stared intently at Bu Eun-seol's face and shook her head.
"You've received Manifestation Art Energy, yet there's no change at all?"
Though the Baekri Clan's power wasn't the true origin, Manifestation Art Energy was a cosmic force embodying the essence of life and creation.
Exposure to this ultimate power—meant to maintain the world's balance and restore nature's disrupted order—should have...
Like the people of the Baekri Clan...
Caused his skin and hair to emit a luminous white glow, as if he'd become a spirit of the snow.
The latent power within his body was being unleashed.
Yet no matter how much Manifestation Art Energy was poured into Bu Eun-seol, there was no external change—
as if a stone had been tossed into the vast open sea, leaving no trace or ripple behind.
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed as he observed Seol-ryeong's startled expression.
'As expected, my body remains unaffected by the powers of the Baekri Clan and the True Demon Family.'
The true cause of this phenomenon was simple:
the genuine primordial energy of the Baekri Clan lay dormant within his body.
Like a river flowing into the ocean,
the forcibly created Manifestation Art Energy from an external source could only be naturally absorbed into the true Manifestation Art Energy that served as its root.
Yet unaware of this truth, Bu Eun-seol could only assume
it was because he had inherited the bloodlines of both great clans.
'Even the parchments of the Baekri Clan and the True Demon Family, offered by the Old Man of the Sanctuary, had no effect on me.'
Whoosh—
The life force and Manifestation Art Energy she had poured into him were more than enough to heal his injuries.
A radiant glow now shimmered in his pupils, and waves of True Qi shockwaves began spreading throughout his body.
At last, his internal injuries had been completely healed.
Stagger—
As if all her strength had been drained, Seol-ryeong finally collapsed weakly.
"Miss Seol-ryeong."
Bu Eun-seol swiftly caught her and attempted to infuse her with Reverse Polarity True Qi.
But because her life force had been utterly depleted, the True Qi could not properly circulate within her.
It was as if only an empty husk remained.
Shudder—
Seol-ryeong trembled, cold sweat dripping from her.
Even for martial artists renowned for their endurance, the agony of a shattered dantian—where Internal Power scatters—was said to be unbearable enough to draw tears.
And yet, she had lost all her power and life force in an instant...
The pain that now assailed her was beyond even that—a terror surpassing comprehension.
'At the very least, I must stop her suffering.'
With desperate resolve, Bu Eun-seol channeled his Internal Power, wishing only for her pain to cease.
Then, instead of Reverse Polarity True Qi, the True Qi generated by the circulation method of the Sinew Reforging Classic manifested—
and the supreme life-saving technique of the martial world, Prajna Great Power, was unleashed once more.
In an instant, the excruciating torment that had wracked Seol-ryeong's body—as if her bones were being torn from her flesh—vanished.
Yet even so, the life force she had lost could not be restored.
Having mastered Manifestation Art Energy at the cost of her lifespan, she had already paid with the remainder of her years.
No matter how mighty Prajna Great Power was, it could not extend the predetermined lifespan of a human.
"Heavenly Mechanism Star."
Once the pain subsided, Seol-ryeong spoke with eyes devoid of all warmth.
"He was the one who created us."
"Us?"
"Puppets—vessels capable of containing the powers of the Baekri Clan and the True Demon."
Her voice was low, hollow.
"He despises everyone. Claims he wants to destroy the Baekri Clan and the True Demon... but in truth, he seeks the annihilation of the entire martial world. He says this place no longer deserves to exist."
Chu-so, the monster birthed by the Sage Forest—
his true purpose was the complete eradication of the martial world itself.
"And to achieve that... he must seize the Sanctuary."
"The Sanctuary."
"That's also why he wandered in search of the Ancient Sword Forest. He insisted that he must become the successor of this era's Ancient Sword Forest."
Drip—
Black blood trickled from her lips as she spoke.
"The power that only the successor of the Ancient Sword Forest can obtain... he said he must claim it at all costs..."
"Speak no more."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
Someone of Chu-so's caliber would undoubtedly have placed a Restrictive Seal to prevent the leakage of secrets.
Though she was already dying from exhaustion, he had no wish for her to meet a gruesome end because of the seal.
"I have no further questions."
Instead, he continued pouring Prajna Great Power into her, ensuring her suffering would not return.
Seol-ryeong felt warmth in the True Qi flowing into her.
True Qi was born from the workings of the heart, reflecting the temperament and spirit of its wielder.
Bu Eun-seol's True Qi was unwavering, steadfast—and kind.
Though he himself was trapped in the darkness of vengeance,
he still carried within him a warmth and gentleness that could become a ray of light for others.
"I... lacked courage."
Regret and sorrow pooled in Seol-ryeong's eyes.
"I knew where the righteous path lay... but I didn't have the strength to walk it as unflinchingly as you."
"Miss."
"I didn't want to return to the streets... to live like a beggar again."
A clear dewdrop formed at the corner of her eye.
"For a girl to become a vagrant... means enduring unspeakable horrors."
Like Bu Eun-seol, she had lived a wretched life as a beggar, suffering indignities too cruel to put into words.
Hatred for men. And, inevitably, hatred for the world itself.
Then, by chance, she was led out of the Beggar's Den by Chu-so, who had discovered her talent.
For a brief moment, she had rejoiced at the thought of gaining the power to change the world.
But by the time she realized she was nothing more than a pawn—a mere accessory in Chu-so's schemes—
her remaining lifespan had already dwindled to less than three years.
"The easiest people to exploit in this world are the vagrants."
Seo-ryeong spoke with a dim light in her eyes.
"He no longer gathers beggars directly. Instead, he runs orphanages to mass-produce consumables."
Her body trembled faintly, as though all her vitality had already drained away.
"For the sake of seizing the Sacred Realm, for his own ambitions... innocent children are sacrificing their lifespans."
Unable to suppress his grief and fury, Bu Eun-seol asked,
"Where is this place?"
"The only one I know of is Grace House in Eastern Heaven Prefecture."
Her voice was pleading.
"Please... make sure no more children end up like me."
Bu Eun-seol clasped her hand and nodded firmly.
"I swear it."
Seo-ryeong smiled faintly.
Perhaps because, for the first time, she felt certain—
that children like her might still be saved, even if only a little, by Bu Eun-seol.
"If back then... it had been you who pulled me out of that beggar's den, instead of Chu-so..."
Her voice was soft, tears spilling as she smiled.
"...would my life have been different?"
Plink.
A clear teardrop rolled down her cheek.
Even as she sensed her final moments approaching, she could still smile brightly.
Because she had saved him—the savior who would rescue that man, and the countless children still writhing in agony.
"The last person I see..."
Seo-ryeong murmured in a low voice.
"...is you. I'm glad."
Her face was at peace.
Though she had suffered and struggled in darkness for so long...
in her final moment, she had saved a righteous soul before departing.
And so, she quietly drew her last breath.
"Miss."
Bu Eun-seol's smile was sorrowful yet radiant.
Where there is life, death must always follow.
She had atoned for her past and faced death without regret—
if anything, he should bless her departure from this agonizing Saha World.
The corners of Seo-ryeong's lifeless lips curled gently upward.
Her expression resembled the blissful smile of a pilgrim who had finally reached the end of a long-awaited journey.
Whoosh—
Channeling the Hot River Great Essence True Qi, Bu Eun-seol purified her body in flames.
Countless factions in the martial world today
employ Great Arts and Arts of Spells that violate even the eternal rest of death.
To ensure no one could desecrate her remains, he cremated her himself.
Hwi-ing—
As her body turned to ashes, a sudden gale swept in, carrying her remains high into the distant sky.
It was as though the wind god, mourning her tragic life,
had granted her the freedom to wander the world unrestrained.
"Heavenly Mechanism Star."
Bu Eun-seol glared at the distant heavens, his expression seething with rage.
Until now, he had never considered Heavenly Mechanism Star truly evil, despite his schemes.
After all, every martial artist had their own ambitions and desires.
But to exploit vagrants as consumables was one thing—
to establish orphanages and farm children as tools?
That was unforgivable.
Crackle.
As he watched her remains vanish into the wind, flames ignited in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
He would ensure no more victims like her.
He would hunt down every orphanage under Chu-so's control—starting with Grace House.
Heavenly Mechanism Star was renowned as the wisest man in the world, capable of foreseeing nearly all events to come.
Yet it seemed he had never imagined Seo-ryeong would meet Bu Eun-seol—
or that she would repent because of him.
Even after Bu Eun-seol returned to the Demon Hall,
Grace House continued operating undisturbed.
"Capture everyone tied to Grace House. Uproot this evil at its source."
To ensure Heavenly Mechanism Star could never exploit children again,
Bu Eun-seol mobilized not only the Death Soul Squad's intelligence network
but also personally commanded every warrior of the Death Shadow War Unit
to begin tracking down Chu-so, the mastermind behind Grace House.
"As expected of Heavenly Mechanism Star."
Yu Un-ryong shook his head in frustration after their investigation.
There were fifteen orphanages tied to Grace House across the Central Plains Martial World.
And yet, they still couldn't determine where the children were taken—or what became of them.
This wasn't about training orphans for short-term purposes.
It was something far more insidious.
It was as if they were running an independent assassin training organization—brutally conditioning these children for years on end.
"After much deliberation, we covertly infiltrated one orphanage and captured its leader to extract information... only for his head to explode instantly, killing him on the spot."
Yu Un-ryong shook his head repeatedly.
"And immediately after, the orphanage was shut down."
Chu-so had placed a terrifying Restrictive Seal—
Not only did it cause the heads of key figures to explode the moment outsiders subdued them,
But he had also established a communication system to instantly relay that information, allowing affiliated facilities to be swiftly shut down.
"They call it 'shutting down,' but in truth, they slaughter every child inside to leave no clues or traces behind."
Yu Un-ryong spoke with a face twisted in rage.
"No such Restrictive Seal technique exists in the martial world today. It seems he can freely wield ancient Secret Arts."
"I see."
Bu Eun-seol clenched his fist.
He hadn't expected to track down someone as elusive as Chu-so in one go.
In the end, this time—
He would have to settle for rescuing the children trapped in these orphanages.
—This is an orphanage?
The rogue warriors of the Martial Soul Society who raided the fourteen orphanages (excluding Grace House) were left speechless by the horrific sight before them.
This was no orphanage.
It was a hell of starving ghosts.
Hidden beneath lay a secret underground cavern—
Where countless children, stripped even of proper clothing, were being trained in the Killing Art to become Killing Ghosts.
The problem was that they were so starved for food that some had resorted to eating the flesh of their dead comrades.
Just as the Three Realms had done in the past—
Chu-so was ultimately no different from the generations of wicked factions that had come before him.
—Kill every last person involved in establishing these orphanages! Whether they're from the Government Office, the commercial world, or even Buddhist sects and Taoist temples—none shall be spared!
An orphanage wasn't something just anyone could build on a whim.
It required permits from the Government Office, sponsorship from wealthy benefactors,
A trusted figure endorsed by the local community and the commercial world, and connections to religious institutions like temples or shrines.
In other words, the creation of orphanages that turned children into killing machines was only possible because countless figures across all factions had turned a blind eye.
—The purge is complete.
The rogue warriors of the Martial Soul Society eliminated every last person—whether they had been recruited by Chu-so or knowingly allowed these killing machine factories to exist.
After all, the rogue warrior Seol-so would take full responsibility for the aftermath.
"Now, I must leave my mark."
Only one orphanage remained after the purge.
Bu Eun-seol stormed into Grace House alone.
This was no orphanage—it was a cradle of slaughter, forging children into killing machines.
Starting with Grace House—
He would sweep away every last trace of Chu-so's forces under the identity of Seol-so.
The Martial Soul Lord and Peak Leaders may wield immense fame and authority, but with that came countless obligations and restrictions.
BOOM!
Each time his Inner Energy Bullet Art fired, agonized screams echoed through the air.
Though there were martial artists in Grace House who appeared to be Chu-so's subordinates, not a single one could block his bullets.
His Inner Energy Bullet Art was nothing short of the Bullet King reborn—
No one could block even a single move.
After eliminating the vile figures within Grace House, Bu Eun-seol deliberately left traces of Seol-so's martial arts behind.
From now on, every organization linked to Chu-so would be destroyed by Seol-so and the Martial Soul Society.
"For now, I hope this will suffice."
Once the cleanup of Grace House was complete, Bu Eun-seol gazed up at the distant sky.
For a moment, it seemed as though he could see Seo-ryeong's face—her lips curled in a satisfied smile.
From that day onward—
Under the guise of the rogue warrior Seol-so, Bu Eun-seol collaborated with Bu Bok-un, the lord of Golden Orchid Manor,
Establishing orphanages for children across the Central Plains under the manor's name.
And even if his own breath were to cease—
To ensure that Bu Bok-un, who had no ties to the murim's Favors and Grudges, could care for these children,
He not only provided vast personal financial support but also secretly dispatched Yu Un-ryong to establish a proper system for the orphanages.
Moreover, he ordered the Death Soul Squad to routinely monitor both existing and newly established orphanages.
Taking Chu-so's head was important—
But ensuring that no more children would ever be exploited by such vile figures was far more crucial.
Deep within the mountains, where the scenery was breathtakingly beautiful, lay a secluded valley with a small pond fed by a cascading waterfall.
Beside it stood a modest pavilion where one could leisurely take in the surrounding landscape.
There, a young man with flawless skin and eyes as clear as a tranquil lake, alongside a middle-aged man of refined appearance, gazed at the waterfall.
Though the young man's features were peerlessly handsome—
The aura he exuded was like that of a boulder weathered by centuries of hardship.
In contrast, the middle-aged man, despite his refined looks, wore an expression of extreme unease.
They were none other than Heavenly Mechanism Star (Chu-so) and his trusted aide, Bang-il.