Chapter 944
As one who had ascended to the position of Black Divine Heavenly Lord, he naturally possessed not only formidable subordinates of immense power,
but also operated vast intelligence networks spread throughout the Martial World.
However, no matter how exceptional an intelligence organization might be, tracking the movements of a nonexistent "Seol-so" was utterly impossible.
Thus, the repeated killings targeting only Special-Grade mercenaries were ultimately the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's provocation—a ploy to draw out the wandering warrior Seol-so.
'This is unexpected.'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed to slits.
From the beginning, he had adopted the identity of Seol-so solely to lure out the Heavenly Mechanism Star and Chu-so.
Yet now, out of nowhere, the Black Divine Heavenly Lord had appeared?
"Is there something you've discerned?"
At Wi Cheon-gyeong's question, Bu Eun-seol waved a dismissive hand.
"No, nothing."
The emergence of the Four Divine Heavenly Lords was an event that could completely overturn the Martial World's landscape. Each of them wielded power that transcended mortal limits.
Yet their true identities and objectives remained shrouded in mystery.
For that reason, until concrete facts came to light, Bu Eun-seol had kept the existence of the Divine Heavens a secret from all the faction leaders—save for Yu Un-ryong.
"I'll need to review this again."
"Understood."
As Wi Cheon-gyeong withdrew, Bu Eun-seol stared into empty space with a grave expression.
'He intends to keep slaughtering innocent mercenaries until I reveal myself.'
At first, the Black Divine Heavenly Lord must have conducted his own investigation into Seol-so's whereabouts.
But no matter how vast his intelligence network, tracking the movements of Special-Grade mercenaries was inherently difficult.
Most of their assignments were perilous in the extreme, and many were covert, unofficial requests where the mission details themselves were classified.
Moreover, mercenaries shared an unexpectedly deep camaraderie.
Each carried untold burdens buried in their hearts, staking their lives for mere scraps of coin.
For those who lived such lives, the only ones they could truly rely on were fellow mercenaries—kindred souls in the same plight.
'It's a way to verify whether I'm a real mercenary.'
If mercenaries continued dying in droves, yet Seol-so refused to step forward?
The conclusion would be obvious—that he was no true mercenary.
They would then launch another meticulous investigation into the figure behind the alias.
"But why?"
Why would a being of the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's stature go to such lengths just to capture a single mercenary?
In his eyes, a wandering warrior like Seol-so should be nothing more than a bug to be crushed at will—neither more nor less.
"His pride was wounded."
—I swear I will find and erase you!
Those had been the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's furious words after Bu Eun-seol annihilated his Black Divine forces using the power granted by the Ancient Sword Forest's master and escaped.
The Servants of the True Demon all shared an inflated sense of privilege and towering arrogance.
Not only had Bu Eun-seol safely extracted Seo-ryeong from the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's assault,
but he had also obliterated the Black Wave Army—entities that could be considered the lord's very clones.
No doubt his pride had suffered a devastating blow.
"But even if bound by a Restrictive Seal, resorting to such crude methods seems unnecessary."
Given the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's temperament,
he would have begun by erasing entire mercenary markets to flush Seol-so out.
Even if some Restrictive Seal prevented him from acting directly in the Martial World—
or if he were constrained by some covenant that barred him from touching the Martial World factions—
no matter how he considered it,
this approach was utterly unbefitting a Heavenly Lord of the Divine Heavens.
"Which means someone is acting on his behalf."
In that case, the probability was high that another party had devised this scheme in the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's stead.
And their motive and purpose...
"To face me alone."
A flash of light crossed Bu Eun-seol's pupils.
Even if the Black Divine Heavenly Lord were bound by some Restrictive Seal preventing direct intervention,
he could easily have subordinates torment the figure known as Seol-so.
Even failing to locate Seol-so, razing a few mercenary markets would have been satisfying vengeance.
Yet instead, he had created a single "Killing Ghost" to methodically slaughter mercenaries at random?
The intent behind this was transparent.
—Mercenary Seol-so. Reveal yourself. I'll send you one Killing Ghost.
"He's dispatching a subordinate to duel me alone..."
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath as he gazed into the void.
The Black Divine Heavenly Lord himself was beyond question, and even his underlings undoubtedly possessed extraordinary martial prowess or abilities.
Moreover, going to such convoluted lengths suggested a high probability of ulterior motives beneath the surface.
"Fighting as things stand would mean certain defeat."
Hadn't the Black Divine warriors and the Black Wave Army also employed Dharma Arts that rendered martial techniques ineffective?
Though he hadn't fought at full strength—having sustained critical injuries while rescuing Seo-ryeong—
from Bu Eun-seol's perspective, that was merely an excuse.
The fact remained that he was inferior to the Black Divine Heavenly Lord in strength.
And if this was an underling the lord had confidently dispatched...
"With Seol-so's identity, there's no chance of victory from the start."
If he employed his True Divine Martial Arts?
No matter how formidable the opponent's martial skills, he would have nothing to fear.
Even in defeat after giving his all, he would harbor no regrets.
But the one they pursued was the mercenary Seol-so,
and only that identity could lure out the Killing Ghost slaughtering from the shadows.
To face an enemy he couldn't defeat even at full strength,
while restricted to Seol-so's limited martial repertoire—that was tantamount to suicide.
"Above all, the complete lack of information about the Killing Ghost is fatal."
Not a single trace of martial arts remained from the Killing Ghost, who only targeted Special-Grade Mercenaries.
Moreover, as a subordinate of the Black Divine Heavenly Lord, there was an extremely high probability he wielded supernatural abilities beyond the boundaries of conventional martial arts.
Fighting without any information would be nothing short of reckless and foolish.
"Then."
Bu Eun-seol looked down at his own palm.
The best course of action now was either to take time to further elevate his martial prowess—
Or to consciously awaken the supernatural power hidden within the Abyss.
The problem was that the former couldn't be achieved in a short time, and the latter, even if successful, was dangerous.
A power whose exact manifestation he didn't even fully understand would likely drain his stamina and mental power the moment he used it.
Even if he knew how to awaken it, the chances of immediately applying it in real combat were slim.
There was nothing more perilous than wielding an unfamiliar weapon in battle.
Even if one obtained a divine sword on the eve of a duel—
They would still have no choice but to rely on the beloved weapon they had honed for decades rather than the new blade.
"In the end, I must first decide on an identity."
As Seol-so—
He lacked the strength to defeat an assassin sent by the Black Divine Heavenly Lord.
But what if he resolved this matter under the identity of the Martial Soul Lord?
Then the dual identities he had meticulously crafted since entering the martial world would be exposed.
If that happened, even the identity of Seon-u Jin, which had already been under suspicion, would inevitably face relentless pursuit.
"Still, I can't abandon it."
Above all, Bu Eun-seol had a grand plan that could only be accomplished under the identity of Seol-so.
"Because the Martial Soul Society Leader must be Seol-so."
When the time was right—
He intended to step into the martial world as Seol-so, assuming the mantle of the Martial Soul Society Leader.
He couldn't abandon that identity just because of the Black Divine Heavenly Lord.
"No choice, then."
Until now, he had accomplished feats deemed impossible.
And now, as Seol-so—
He would have to face yet another impossibility: confronting the assassin sent by the Black Divine Heavenly Lord.
Deep in the mountains, nestled within a small valley, stood a solitary thatched cottage.
A cool breeze occasionally swept through the scenery surrounding the cottage, rustling softly.
The intermittent chirping of insects wove an endlessly serene atmosphere.
Crunch, crunch.
At the break of dawn, a man clad in worn-out clothes approached the cottage.
His long hair was tightly bound with a tree branch, and in one hand, he carried a basket filled with wild mushrooms and mountain herbs.
Thud.
After setting the basket down by the door, he stepped inside.
Within, wooden spoons and simple bowls were visible.
The man retrieved a bamboo tray from among them and began meticulously cleaning the mushrooms and herbs one by one.
Though crouched in tattered clothes while preparing the greens—
His posture exuded an elegant grace, and his gaze was serene yet as weighty as Mount Tai.
Tap.
Once finished, he rose and made his way toward the mountain peak.
At a cliff where the distant rising sun was visible, he began his inner training.
His method was highly unorthodox—rather than sitting in the lotus position with closed eyes, he kept them open, one knee raised, his hands poised as if executing the Quick Sword Form.
It was as though he were circulating his energy to unleash a sword technique.
With each breath, nature seemed to breathe with him, the earth pulsating powerfully beneath.
By the time the bright sun had fully risen, casting light upon the world, a faint heat haze shimmered around his body.
Huuuuum.
After a prolonged session, white steam rose from his Hundred Meetings Acupoint like a boiling cauldron.
Yet the man remained unblinking, his gaze fixed unwaveringly upon the sun.
Normally, staring at the sun for so long would severely damage one's eyes.
But the man shielded his optic nerves with formidable internal energy—
Instead, he harnessed the solar radiance to temper even his nerves.
Sssss.
As time passed, white steam also rose from his eyes, and tears trickled from their corners.
No matter how much internal energy protected his optic nerves, it couldn't block the pain.
Yet, even amidst that excruciating agony, he didn't so much as blink, his gaze locked onto the sun.
Whoosh.
By the time he released his stance, the sky had already turned crimson.
Though he had ascended the cliff at sunrise, he had continued his training until sunset.
Drip.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, the man's pupils—
Flashed momentarily with an amber glow, as if infused with sunlight itself.
That radiance bore an uncanny resemblance to the piercing gaze of the peerless saber master whose invincible techniques had once chilled the hearts of heroes across the land.
Crunch, crunch.
With measured steps, the man returned to the cottage.
His forehead burned red like charcoal, thick beads of sweat rolling down, yet his expression remained unchanged.
After pouring himself a cup of cooled tea—
Flick.
He lit a candle with a fire striker, then sat upright, closed his eyes, and began to meditate.
He appeared to be nothing more than a simple mountain hermit living an utterly unadorned and effortless existence in harmony with nature.
Yet in truth, he was a martial artist who ceaselessly repeated grueling training every waking hour without rest.
Thud. Thud.
But now, in the depths of these mountains, the heavy sound of footsteps reverberated.
Against the backdrop of the setting sun, a shadow approached the thatched cottage, ascending the steep cliffside path.
A man with long, disheveled hair and a sickly pale complexion walked forward, his eyes tightly shut as if blind, cradling a longsword in his arms like a precious treasure.
Thud. Thud.
His pace was at least twice as slow as an ordinary person's, yet each step resonated through the mountains like the footfalls of a giant.
Moreover, with every movement, a massive shadow loomed behind him, as though he commanded some ominous yokai.
Whoosh.
Finally, the blind swordsman came to a halt before the cottage.
Creeeak.
As if waiting for this very moment, the door swung open.
Inside sat a young man in the lotus position, deep in meditation.
"..."
The two exchanged gazes with expressions as relaxed as old friends reuniting.
After a long silence, the blind swordsman was the first to speak.
"Disciple of the Bullet King—you are the wandering swordsman Seol-so, correct?"
In response, the man across from him took a single step forward, emerging from the cottage.
The fading sunlight illuminated his face, previously shrouded in darkness.
Though his features were unremarkable, his narrow eyes held pupils as deep as an abyss.
This was Bu Eun-seol, disguised as the wandering swordsman Seol-so.
—With Seol-so's identity and martial skill, there's no way to win this fight.
The martial arts Seol-so could openly display were severely limited.
Conversely, even if the enemy unleashed their full strength, victory was far from guaranteed.
—Revealing my true martial arts would disrupt future plans.
Yet he couldn't abandon Seol-so's identity either.
When the time came, he would need this persona to lead the Muhonhoe.
After much deliberation, Bu Eun-seol devised a plan—to elevate Seol-so's martial prowess to a level where he could face formidable opponents.
—This isn't reckless confidence.
During his battle against the masked man disguised as Hwa Mu-gi, Bu Eun-seol had obtained a mysterious power distinct from the Face-Changing Bone-Shifting Art—one that allowed him to transform not just his face, but his entire body into someone entirely different.
—Using Seol-so's physique to execute martial arts would conceal their origin.
When he had fought the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's subordinates, he had wielded the Formless Heavenly Flow in Seol-so's body—with altered bone structure and organ placement—resulting in a martial art whose lineage was impossible to trace.
What if he applied the Willful True Binding to this? What if he unleashed the Thirteenfold Qi Induction?
—I'll do it.
To ensure even his internal energy and inherent nature would change when executing his true martial arts, Bu Eun-seol couldn't rely on mere disguise.
He had to create Seol-so—not as a facade, but as a fully realized person, with distinct habits and thoughts.
—Seol-so must become the Bullet King's disciple, a peerless grandmaster surpassing even his master.
To perfect this persona, Bu Eun-seol sought out Bukgung Ryeong, the Bullet King, and formally requested instruction in his signature Inner Energy Bullet Art.
—"Then the wandering swordsman Seol-so will truly become my official disciple."
Upon hearing everything, Bukgung Ryeong gladly imparted all his secret techniques without reservation.
In eighty years of life, he had never taken a disciple—nor had he ever intended to.
But for Bu Eun-seol...
For that young man... he would give everything without regret.
—"This should suffice."
Having fully transmitted the profundities of the Inner Energy Bullet Art, Bukgung Ryeong smiled with satisfaction.
—"If, during your travels, you encounter a prodigy worthy of mastering this art... you may pass it on in my stead."
Entrusting one's martial legacy to another was unheard of.
In other words, Bukgung Ryeong had already accepted Seol-so—no, Bu Eun-seol—as his true successor.
—"Understood."
For the first time, Bu Eun-seol bowed deeply to Bukgung Ryeong.
This was his respect—not just for a mentor who had selflessly imparted his arts, but for a friend transcending age.
After receiving Bukgung Ryeong's teachings, Bu Eun-seol secluded himself in a Deep Mountain Secluded Valley, constructing a thatched cottage while fully embodying Seol-so's identity.
—"Now, Seol-so will become the new Bullet King."
Forging iron spheres, he refined the Inner Energy Bullet Art, adapting all his martial knowledge to Seol-so's physique.
—"Soon, he will come for me."
By living openly in the cottage, he ensured the Killing Ghost—the one who had slaughtered wandering swordsmen—would track him down.
As he waited, Bu Eun-seol immersed himself in an effortless existence, honing his skills through relentless training.
He deepened his study of the Way of Nature while elevating Seol-so's martial arts to match his true prowess, meditating daily.
And at last—the Killing Ghost had arrived.