Chapter 945
Bu Eun-seol, having emerged from his thoughts, answered indifferently.
"That's correct."
Even after hearing the admission that he was indeed Seol-so, the blind man seemed unwilling to believe it.
He began spreading waves of internal energy and strange currents, likely to confirm whether Bu Eun-seol was using a disguise or not.
However, since Bu Eun-seol had altered his face and physique not with the Face-Changing Bone-Shifting Art but with a mysterious energy, the man ultimately failed to detect any disguise and nodded.
"I see."
"You must be a subordinate of the Black Divine Heavenly Lord?"
"Indeed."
At Bu Eun-seol's question, the blind man curled his lips into an enigmatic smile.
His appearance was that of a middle-aged man who looked about ten years older than Bu Eun-seol's original form, but his voice was cracked like that of a hundred-year-old elder, mixed with a sound like dripping water.
"It seems you're capable enough to escape the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's grasp with your life intact."
With a leisurely expression, the man extended his hand.
"No need to waste time. Let's begin."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes gleamed with admiration as he observed the blind man's stance, sword cradled in his arms.
Up until now, Bu Eun-seol had defeated countless formidable opponents and had reached a level where he could fight on equal footing with masters of the Martial Extreme Realm who wielded Limitless Power.
Though his martial prowess wasn't widely known in the murim, there was no denying he was now one of the foremost figures in the current martial world.
And yet, this man stood before him in such a relaxed stance?
'Has he pursued perfection through absolute ordinariness?'
The blind man's face was so plain that even staring at it wouldn't help anyone remember it.
His posture was equally unremarkable, appearing riddled with openings.
His gaze, his clothing—nothing about him carried even a hint of individuality.
And yet, that very ordinariness had somehow transformed into something perfect.
Zzzing—
In that instant, a crushing pressure descended around Bu Eun-seol's body as though the heavens were collapsing.
The blind man's stance had shifted only slightly, yet that alone unleashed an overwhelming force impossible to resist.
'Hmm.'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed.
If he were to recklessly attack or adjust his stance now?
It would only expose his own openings. The man's blade would sever his head in an instant.
"Impressive."
Despite his closed eyes, the man faintly nodded as if seeing through everything.
"To comprehend this stance at your age is remarkable."
When Bu Eun-seol remained still as a boulder, unmoving, the man spoke again, deeply impressed.
"But how long can you endure?"
"Endure?"
Bu Eun-seol let out a soft laugh.
"You call it a perfect stance, but it's limited to defense. It's inherently vulnerable to change."
Slowly, he raised his hand.
The movement was so sluggish it could have made someone yawn, yet his balance and posture remained flawless.
KWA-RUNG!
Suddenly, with a thunderous roar, a force capable of annihilating the world erupted from his fingertips.
Without any dramatic flourish or process of condensing inner energy, he had unleashed the Inner Energy Bullet Art in a single breath.
But something miraculous happened.
The bullet qi struck the man's body—only to instantly deflect off him like a slippery loach sliding from an oil-coated bowl.
It shot past him and obliterated a boulder more than a hundred feet away.
How could he deflect a bullet qi with the power to topple Mount Tai just by standing still?
"You've truly inherited the Bullet King's martial legacy."
The blind man let out an exclamation.
"At this level, you might even surpass the Bullet King in his youth."
Though he spoke and nodded, his defensive stance remained unbroken.
After observing him for a long while, Bu Eun-seol finally spoke calmly.
"You didn't deflect the bullet qi. That stance itself was the essence of martial arts."
Though young, Bu Eun-seol was a grandmaster who had grasped the principles and subtleties of the world's martial arts.
The moment the blind man effortlessly redirected the bullet qi without moving, Bu Eun-seol instantly discerned the secret behind it.
"You've created an entirely new defensive stance under the concept of 'flawlessness.'"
"Hmm, indeed."
The blind man nodded approvingly as Bu Eun-seol immediately deciphered the nature of the Posture of Perfection.
"Despite reaching such heights at a young age, you refrain from making waves in the murim. You remain hidden, like a divine dragon..."
He tilted his head curiously.
"That only confirms you must be someone's alternate identity."
With an intrigued expression, the blind man closed his eyes and began analyzing Bu Eun-seol.
"Truthfully, until I arrived here, I believed you were the Heir of the Demon Hall."
"..."
"No mere wanderer could display such martial prowess, and your tracks were impossible to uncover."
Surprisingly, he had already deduced part of Seol-so's true identity.
"But to think you're an entirely different person..."
The moment Bu Eun-seol heard the blind man's confident tone, his eyes flashed.
'For him to be so certain...'
Judging by his speech alone, it was clear he possessed the ability to see through disguises.
'Had I not obtained this power earlier, Seol-so's identity would have ended here today.'
"If Bu Eun-seol hadn't obtained that mysterious power to change bodies through the Masked Man..."
This time, he would never have been able to maintain Seol-so's identity.
"You, too, are far too strong to simply be called a subordinate of the Black Divine Heavenly Lord."
Bu Eun-seol also began analyzing the blind man.
"Perfectly fusing the attribute of 'perfection' into martial arts is a realm unattainable even in middle age."
"..."
"Your speech and the look in your eyes resemble those of a hundred-year-old man who has weathered countless storms."
A sharp glint flashed in the eyes of Bu Eun-seol, who currently wore Seol-so's appearance.
"Moreover, if you were truly the Black Divine Heavenly Lord's subordinate, you would simply carry out orders. There's no reason for you to show such curiosity toward me..."
The blind man's expression remained utterly impassive.
But any human with a physical body has biological reactions they cannot conceal.
Right now, Bu Eun-seol was displaying terrifying insight and observational skills—comparable to the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's Limitless Power, Nature Shattering.
"So it was you."
Hearing Bu Eun-seol's voice, which seemed to have grasped something, the blind man spoke with a tone laced with emotion for the first time.
"Oh? And who do you suppose I am?"
"One of the Eight Heavenly Servants."
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath before answering in a low voice.
"Neither-Human-Nor-Beast."
The blind man tilted his head slightly, still cradling his sword.
"Why do you think that?"
"Some time ago, the Black Divine Heavenly Lord captured Miss Seo and said this: 'I'll hand you over to that thing that isn't even human as an experiment.'"
"Miss Seo?"
The blind man tilted his head in thought for a long moment before murmuring,
"Are you talking about that doll Heavenly Mechanism Star created to mimic Manifestation Art Energy?"
"Her name is Seo-ryeong."
"Well, and?"
Bu Eun-seol continued coldly.
"There's only one person the Black Divine Heavenly Lord would refer to with such familiarity while saying, 'that thing that isn't even human.'"
"So you concluded I'm Neither-Human-Nor-Beast based solely on that remark?"
Bu Eun-seol didn't answer.
So far, he had defeated four of the Eight Heavenly Servants—Fist Adept, Spear Master, Deathly One, and Wind Person.
Having roughly gauged their level and abilities, he could tell this blind man was no mere subordinate of the Black Divine Heavenly Lord.
"Or was it just a wild guess?"
"Are you admitting you're Neither-Human-Nor-Beast?"
"Who knows?"
The blind man grinned faintly before saying something cryptic.
"Amusing. I can't remember the last time I had such an entertaining conversation."
"..."
"Though your words struck a nerve."
Neither-Human-Nor-Beast spoke calmly.
"In the end, you've revealed the identity you sought to hide."
Then, with an expression of absolute certainty, he closed his eyes and stared straight at Bu Eun-seol.
"Martial Soul Lord."
Excluding the core figures of the Abyssal Forces—such as the Baekri Clan, the True Demon, the Sacred Realm, and the Three Realms—there was only one person in Murim this young who possessed such insight, martial prowess, and deep knowledge of the Eight Heavenly Servants.
The Heir of the Demon Hall, who had repeatedly clashed with the Three Realms and the Heavenly Servants—none other than the Martial Soul Lord.
"Neither-Human-Nor-Beast turns out to be nothing special. Calling me a mere pawn of the Demon Hall?"
But Bu Eun-seol refused to acknowledge it.
Even if this man was Neither-Human-Nor-Beast, there was no way he could have seen through his disguise.
"Did you go blind because even with eyes, you couldn't tell people apart?"
Having altered his appearance to Seol-so's, Bu Eun-seol not only looked like a man in his thirties but also adopted the rough, unpredictable speech of a free-spirited wanderer.
His entire demeanor had changed so completely that he didn't even need the Art of Rooster Calls and Dog Thieves to adjust his gaze or voice—the tone and expression came naturally.
"The moment you declared me Neither-Human-Nor-Beast without reason, you sealed your own identity as the Martial Soul Lord."
"Think what you want. Disappointing, though."
Bu Eun-seol clicked his tongue.
"Resorting to such stubborn denial just to cover up your own blunder."
"Blunder?"
"You showed your true colors the moment you slaughtered the Special-Grade mercenaries of the Central Plains."
"Showed my true colors?"
Bu Eun-seol's lips curled as he stared at the blind man.
"Creating a nonexistent Killing Ghost and slaughtering those mercenaries was no different from announcing that you had to see me alone."
"Oh?"
"A mere subordinate of the Black Divine Heavenly Lord wouldn't need to see me alone. You must have been after my body—for research or experiments, no doubt."
The blind man listened silently before nodding.
"I can't deny that."
Then, raising his arms slightly as he held his longsword, he spoke.
"Correct. This Heavenly Lord is indeed Neither-Human-Nor-Beast."
Neither-Human-Nor-Beast.
The leader of the Eight Heavenly Servants, the one who endlessly conducted grotesque experiments, torturing and killing people—their master had finally appeared before Bu Eun-seol.
"Good."
A sharp flash ignited in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
"Then let's not waste any more time."
Tap.
Bu Eun-seol kicked a stone at his feet.
Ziiing—
Light spread across dozens of yards around the thatched cottage, and a transparent glow lingered in the air.
Bu Eun-seol was now utilizing the formation studies he had mastered thus far.
Even if his opponent were a master of the Martial Extreme Realm, there would be absolutely no escape.
He had completed a unique battle formation—a fusion of the Gongson Clan's battle formation and Langya Pavilion's Life-and-Death Combat Formation—and had already laid it out across the surrounding area.
"A battle formation, hm? You've prepared quite thoroughly."
As Neither-Human-Nor-Beast smirked, Bu Eun-seol drew a dull black iron sphere from his robes.
Though he wore the Ink-Soul Sword—a blade as unremarkable as any common iron sword—he had no intention of drawing it.
Because he had to become the perfect Seol-so.
Just like the Bullet King's Purple Lightning Golden Pellets,
he had prepared a weapon specifically for this battle—one that could maximize the destructive power of the Inner Energy Bullet Art.
KWA-RUNG!
With a thunderous roar, the iron sphere shot straight for Neither-Human-Nor-Beast's forehead.
"...!"
For an instant, Neither-Human-Nor-Beast's expression flickered.
Like Bu Eun-seol, he was an expert in human anatomy, capable of distinguishing individuals based solely on muscle structure and bodily characteristics.
That was why he had long since memorized the physical traits of key figures—such as the Martial Soul Lord.
Yet the person before him was genuinely someone else.
'As expected, he doesn't recognize me.'
Bu Eun-seol suppressed a knowing smile as he read the blind man's inner thoughts through his movements.
In the past, he would have forcibly suppressed his internal energy and limited himself to martial arts befitting Seol-so's identity.
After all, while one could alter their appearance, the martial techniques and energy ingrained in the body were far harder to change.
But now, thanks to that mysterious power, he had not only altered his face—he had become a completely different person in body as well.
Which meant he could freely adjust his internal energy and martial arts without restraint.
BOOM! BOOM!
As the iron spheres fired, explosive shockwaves sent Neither-Human-Nor-Beast stumbling back step by step, his sword still sheathed.
He maintained his Posture of Perfection—just as he always had.
But Bu Eun-seol, deftly manipulating the iron spheres, continuously generated intangible currents of energy,
shattering the martial principle behind the so-called "Perfect Defensive Stance" that Neither-Human-Nor-Beast had devised.
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!
In the span of a single breath, thirty iron spheres traced hundreds of black trajectories, relentlessly pressuring Neither-Human-Nor-Beast.
Oooom...
Finally, a protective astral energy barrier formed around his body.
Even if the Posture of Perfection could deflect the Inner Energy Bullet Art,
it couldn't block the razor-sharp internal energy that pierced like millions of needles.
KWA-RU-RU-RU-RUNG!
Encircled by black streaks, Neither-Human-Nor-Beast remained motionless in his stance.
He could have counterattacked at any moment—
yet it seemed he was testing whether Bu Eun-seol could truly dismantle the principle behind his Posture of Perfection.
Rumble... Sssshhhh... Ssssaaa...
Gradually, the iron spheres' explosive roars shifted—first into sharp, piercing whistles,
then, at their climax, into a soft, whispering breeze.
As the power imbued in the iron spheres reached its extreme,
they attained the realm of "Extreme Hardness Turns Soft"—the pinnacle of martial refinement where overwhelming force paradoxically becomes gentle.
'So you still insist on facing me with nothing but your Posture of Perfection?'
Even as he unleashed Inner Energy Bullet Art capable of leveling mountains,
Bu Eun-seol observed Neither-Human-Nor-Beast from head to toe with a modified version of the Langya Mind's Eye—a pupil technique.
And what he discerned was this:
At present, Neither-Human-Nor-Beast was not relying on his supernatural ability—
but purely on the intricacies of martial arts.
Twitch.
Then, Neither-Human-Nor-Beast's finger moved—so subtly it was almost imperceptible.
A sign that he had shifted from defense to offense.
SWISH!
In that instant, Bu Eun-seol abruptly ceased his assault and, like lightning, twisted his body into a furious diagonal spin.
KWAANG!
A deafening roar shook heaven and earth as a terrifying force, sharp as a blade of light, split the ground—
KWA-RU-RU-RUNG!
—and obliterated a cliff dozens of yards away.
"So that stance was a setup for this kind of counterattack."
Bu Eun-seol muttered in a low voice as he observed the fissure torn through the earth.
"Absorbing the enemy's attacks... only to unleash them all in a single, decisive strike?"
The beam Neither-Human-Nor-Beast had fired was, in fact, the accumulated power of every Inner Energy Bullet Art Bu Eun-seol had launched thus far.
But when Bu Eun-seol narrowly evaded the counterattack, Neither-Human-Nor-Beast's voice—calm until now—changed for the first time.
"...Impressive."
Until this moment, he had captured countless powerful individuals for his human experiments.
All of them had fallen to this very technique—absorbing their own attacks and annihilating them in a single retaliatory blow.
"Every opponent before you failed to break my Posture of Perfection... and died helplessly to the counterattack fueled by their own accumulated power."
A rare hint of admiration colored Neither-Human-Nor-Beast's tone.
"Even the Righteous Heavenly Emperor, at your age, likely hadn't reached such a realm of martial understanding."
"You've fought the Righteous Heavenly Emperor in his youth?"
"Who can say?"
At the vague reply, Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed.
A thought flickered through his mind—
Could it be that the Righteous Heavenly Emperor became a Soulless One... because of Neither-Human-Nor-Beast?
'No. Impossible.'
Whatever power Neither-Human-Nor-Beast was hiding,
the Righteous Heavenly Emperor he had once witnessed was a being who had ascended to martial prowess akin to an incarnation of destruction itself.
Even after joining forces with So Ok-rim, whose skills were not far behind his own, merely preserving his life had been the best he could manage.
No matter how extraordinary Neither-Human-Nor-Beast's martial arts were, they were absolutely not at a level where one could oppose him.
"Or perhaps, like now, you begged and pleaded with the Lord of Heaven of the Death God Sect to meet him?"
Neither-Human-Nor-Beast was a figure more secretive than any other servant of the True Demon.
Maintaining the rough speech of a wandering martial artist—as though Bu Eun-seol had lived that way his entire life—he continued to provoke without pause.
Shing.
Instead of answering, Neither-Human-Nor-Beast slowly drew the sword he had been cradling from its scabbard.
"I acknowledge it. You have reached a level where you are worthy of receiving the sword of the Lord of Heaven."
A blinding white light poured from the blade Neither-Human-Nor-Beast unsheathed. Astonishingly, it was a divine sword imbued with Evil-Breaking energy.
And at the same time—
Flash!
A razor-sharp Extreme-Speed Killing Form surged toward Bu Eun-seol's face.
'Demonic Sword Arts?'
He had expected some profound sword technique upon seeing the divine blade drawn.
Yet what unfolded was a brutal school of sword study, wholly incompatible with the sword's attribute—a lineage of the Demonic Path.
'Fast.'
Bu Eun-seol's reflexes were as swift as light itself.
Yet before he knew it, a blade of frigid white energy had already pierced toward his philtrum.
Clang!
A metallic sound rang out as a tremendous shockwave swept through the surroundings, unleashing violent ripples.
Chichik.
In an instant, Bu Eun-seol's hand now gripped thirty iron pellets linked together in the form of a sword.
Iron Pellet Sword.
Rather than drawing Ink Soul Sword,
he had combined Inner Energy Bullet Art and internal energy vibration to wield the iron pellets as a blade.
Hiss-hiss-hiss—Bang!
The moment he detonated the Explosive Formula through the Iron Pellet Sword, the blind man was flung backward in an instant.
Swish—Shwak!
At the same time, the Iron Pellet Sword in his hand scattered back into thirty pellets, streaking toward Neither-Human-Nor-Beast like a Meteor Shower.
Ting-ting-ting.
Neither-Human-Nor-Beast, having resumed his Posture of Perfection, deflected the pellets and closed the distance to three feet in the blink of an eye, aiming to sever Bu Eun-seol's neck.
Swoosh!
Meanwhile, the pellets returned to Bu Eun-seol's hand, reforming the Iron Pellet Sword.
Clang!
Sparks flew as their weapons clashed midair once more.
Kurung!
The Inner Energy Bullet Art extending from Bu Eun-seol's five fingers pierced toward Neither-Human-Nor-Beast's vital chest point.
Zzzing.
A faint glow flickered across Neither-Human-Nor-Beast's body as the Inner Energy Bullet Art struck—
Thud!
And in the next moment, it was instantly reflected back at Bu Eun-seol.
True to the profound principle of his martial art, Posture of Perfection, he had effortlessly reversed even True Qi Martial Arts like the Inner Energy Bullet Art.
Pat!
Dodging the rebounding energy, Bu Eun-seol briefly retreated to widen the gap.
"..."
A brief silence fell.
The reaction speed and mental acuity of these two far surpassed that of ordinary martial artists by dozens of times.
In less than the blink of an eye, this exchange of offense and defense had unfolded.
"..."
Neither-Human-Nor-Beast tilted his head slightly, raising the divine sword to mid-level.
The defensive profundity he had devised was an unprecedented martial principle, one that even the current era's Superlative Martial Experts would struggle to counter.
Yet this wandering martial artist, Seol-so, was matching it with exceptional martial skill and improvisation—wasn't he?
"Defense alone won't suffice."
Swoosh.
Suddenly, Neither-Human-Nor-Beast let his longsword drag along the ground as he calmly advanced toward Bu Eun-seol.
"Then let me show you what perfect offense truly is."
His body, eyes now closed, was enveloped in an indescribably mysterious radiance.
Perfect offense.
Until now, Neither-Human-Nor-Beast had not attacked—he had merely used perfect defense to counter every assault.
He had never truly struck first.
"Let us see if you can withstand perfect offense as well."
Skreee—!
Dragging his blade across the ground, Neither-Human-Nor-Beast suddenly lunged forward at blinding speed, carving into Bu Eun-seol's body.
Slash-slash-slash-slash-slash!
The trajectories of his Sword Strokes were so swift they became invisible,
seizing upon unavoidable instants, denying even the chance to evade—this was perfect offense in its truest form.
Splurt!
Blood erupted from Bu Eun-seol's body in an instant.
Countless gashes, large and small, split his skin under the relentless storm of slashes.
Slash-slash-slash-slash!
Closing the distance, Neither-Human-Nor-Beast—eyes still shut—continued swinging his longsword at hyper-speed, aiming for Bu Eun-seol's vital points.
His divine sword was twice as long as an ordinary longsword, its edge honed to a chilling sharpness.
And once in close quarters, the blade condensed like a dagger, its techniques growing even more bizarre and unfathomable.
This was a Strange Sword Study never before seen in the martial world.
'He intends to settle this with martial arts alone—without relying on Supernatural Power?'
After awakening to the terrifying Supernatural Power within Baekri Geom-ha's persona,
and realizing that the Lords of Heaven of the Death God Sect wielded comparable might, Bu Eun-seol had prepared countermeasures.
Yet astonishingly, Neither-Human-Nor-Beast had not used Supernatural Power at all.
Just like Bu Eun-seol himself.
He had made his intent clear—to settle this purely through supreme martial skill.
'Madman.'
In that moment, he understood with his entire being.
Neither-Human-Nor-Beast—this man's martial prowess surpassed even the strongest opponents he had faced thus far.
And more than that, he was a lunatic who would stake his very life without hesitation.