Chapter 950
Bu Eun-seol's expression hardened like stone.
"So you desperately tried to kill me for that reason."
The secret organization operated by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor must never have its true nature exposed.
If someone were to discover their identities?
Even if they were high-ranking officials of the imperial household, they must be killed to silence them permanently.
And that principle... made no exceptions, not even for the Heir of the Demon Hall.
"If only the Chief had been allowed to commit suicide, we wouldn't have had to die together here."
Thud.
He stabbed his own heart with his left hand to kill himself. Or so it seemed.
Crrk—
Suddenly, the hand that had pierced his heart began to swell grotesquely.
His height expanded to seven feet, and the muscles throughout his body gradually bulged with monstrous growth.
"Stabbing his heart to activate the Divine Descent Art."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed to slits.
"So you've even learned the arts of the Veneration Cult."
What the middle-aged man had unleashed was the Blood Heart Summoning Art—a forbidden technique of the long-vanished Veneration Cult.
If so, did this mean the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had revived the cult's lost arts, deemed impossible to restore by anyone, and taught them to his subordinates?
Hwoosh!
Amidst a bizarre roar, the middle-aged man—now transformed into a giant—swung his blackened claws.
Sshhk!
Five streaks of darkness sliced through the air, weaving a spiderweb of razor-sharp Internal Power that rained down toward Bu Eun-seol's face.
Pat!
Bu Eun-seol effortlessly evaded the attack with Swift Shadowless.
Huhuh...
As if waiting for this exact moment—
Before anyone realized, the middle-aged man was already behind Bu Eun-seol, exhaling a sinister laugh.
With impossible speed, he drove both hands toward Bu Eun-seol's temples.
Tuk-tuk-tuk.
But the hands meant to thrust into his temples hovered half an inch above Bu Eun-seol's face.
Bu Eun-seol had extended his index finger, blocking both of the man's palms.
Hrrgh...
The transformed man possessed strength capable of pulverizing steel—yet he couldn't overcome a single outstretched finger.
Hwoo!
A grotesque battle cry erupted from the man's mouth. Simultaneously—
Shwaaak!
Dozens of blades of black True Qi pierced into Bu Eun-seol's body.
Willful True Binding.
Shockingly, the middle-aged man had executed an unavoidable point-blank strike using the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's secret martial art—something even Bu Eun-seol hadn't anticipated.
Thud-thud-thud!
In the end, dozens of blades embedded themselves into his body.
Kahahaha!
The middle-aged man, still cackling, bared his fangs.
"No matter how much of a prodigy you are—"
His triumphant expression froze mid-sentence.
Only then did he realize the blades of the Willful True Binding hadn't pierced through Bu Eun-seol's body.
They had merely punctured his skin before stopping dead.
"Monster."
The middle-aged man trembled.
His Internal Energy was so profound—
The blades couldn't even breach the Body-Protecting Profound Energy enveloping Bu Eun-seol's body.
"The power of the Willful True Binding varies drastically depending on the user's Internal Power and mastery."
Bu Eun-seol's upturned eyes gleamed with a sickly yellow light.
"Kill yourself. That is the final mercy this Lord can grant you."
His voice wasn't mere sound—it distorted reality and shook the very roots of human consciousness.
It wielded the same effect as Phantom Restoration, the ultimate technique of the World Demonic Art mastered by the Human Demon, Ak Mu-ryeong.
Shudder.
The middle-aged man's body quaked uncontrollably.
A single exchanged glance filled him with unbearable dread, terror, and awe.
And his voice wasn't mere vibration—it transformed into a tangible wave, resonating directly with his brain and psyche.
Shwaaak!
In that instant, another blade of the Willful True Binding extended from behind the man—
Shlik!
—and instead, split his body vertically in half.
A veteran Master who had trained in countless Demonic Auxiliary Arts under the Demonic Heavenly Emperor...
Had truly committed suicide at Bu Eun-seol's mere words.
Thud.
The bisected colossal body collapsed sideways with a dull thud.
Perhaps due to the Divine Descent Art's enlargement, his blood volume had increased as well.
A grotesque pool of pitch-black blood spread rapidly across the ground.
'Did I unconsciously learn the Pavilion Lord's Phantom Restoration?'
The Human Demon Ak Mu-ryeong's Phantom Restoration shook the brainstem—which controlled reflexes and bodily functions—and the limbic system, which governed emotions.
It paralyzed the target's will to resist, reducing them to prey frozen before a predator. It was a Demonic Art that enforced absolute submission.
'There was a reason the Pavilion Lord never taught it to me properly.'
Phantom Restoration was the culmination of Ak Mu-ryeong's understanding of cosmic principles, the phenomena of life, and the Mind Seizing Secret Art's mastery over the spirit and mind.
In other words, the moment one masters this technique—
Bu Eun-seol would become a second Human Demon.
"Demonic Heavenly Emperor."
Having regained his composure, Bu Eun-seol stared at the bisected corpse of the middle-aged man with an expression colder than ice.
—You too will be punished for killing us and die for it.
Those clad in the White-Shifting Stealth Cloaks—
They were undoubtedly a secret organization covertly operated by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor himself.
Regardless of the reason, he had just slaughtered an entire covert force under the direct command of the Number One of the Demonic Path, the lord of the Demon Hall, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor...
Whether he knew or not, that crime could never be overlooked.
The moment he returned, Bu Eun-seol ordered the Evil Soul Squad to conduct a thorough investigation into the organizations hiding in Sang-an Village.
And the result was—
Worse than he had anticipated.
—It was the Secret Moon Division.
The organization Bu Eun-seol had annihilated in Sang-an Village—
It was none other than the intelligence division directly under the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, responsible for investigating and reporting on all manner of affairs within the martial world.
Had it been an assassination squad or a combat unit, there might have been some room for justification.
But of all things, he had wiped out the very eyes and ears of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor?
Pleading ignorance wouldn't even begin to serve as an excuse.
Demon Hall, Hidden Demon Pavilion conference hall.
The atmosphere inside the meeting room was as heavy as a funeral, with figures who rarely made appearances—the Evil Soul Squad leader No Trace, Protector Tak Il-hon, and all the key figures of the Death Shadow War Unit—gathered in solemn deliberation.
"...It's clear that this so-called 'Saint' and the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's covert organization are deeply intertwined," reported No Trace, his expression grave.
"Otherwise, they wouldn't have dared to attack the Lord, even at the cost of their lives, simply because their escape failed."
The squad leaders all nodded in agreement.
Bu Eun-seol was the Lord of the Demon Hall.
Even if his cover had been blown, there was no need for him to flee.
Had escape truly been impossible, revealing his identity and explaining the situation would have sufficed.
Yet they had attacked him without question—without even demanding an explanation.
This could only mean one thing:
Their presence in Sang-an Village wasn't merely for investigation.
They were undeniably connected to the Saint.
"But there's no need to worry, is there?"
At that moment, Jo Nam-cheon spoke up.
"No matter how you look at it, the Lord has done nothing wrong."
He scanned the room before continuing.
"He merely discovered hidden operatives, yet they attacked him without hesitation. Even after the Lord revealed his identity, suspecting them to be assassins from the Ultimate Assassin Pavilion—"
"No, there is wrongdoing."
Yu Un-ryong cut in sharply.
"The fact that the leader of that covert organization is the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—that alone makes it a crime."
Instantly, the expressions of the squad leaders darkened.
Because his words held not a shred of falsehood.
What the Demonic Heavenly Emperor valued above all else was the dignity and authority befitting the Number One of the Demonic Path.
Yet now, his own covert subordinates had been slaughtered—
And the feeble excuse of "I didn't know" would never suffice.
"The Demonic Heavenly Emperor won't let this slide. A Demon Governance Council will soon be convened."
Yu Un-ryong turned his gaze to Bu Eun-seol.
"The only defense we can mount is to gather the opinions of key figures and prevent the Demonic Heavenly Emperor from imposing arbitrary punishment."
Then, with a look of earnestness, he added:
"Even now, wouldn't it be wise to meet with Deputy Leader Dan and other key figures to discuss the matter?"
Even the Demonic Heavenly Emperor couldn't act unilaterally—Bu Eun-seol was the Martial Soul Lord.
Punishing him required the formal procedure of the Demon Governance Council, which wasn't a meeting decided solely by the Emperor's will.
"A futile effort."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"The Demonic Heavenly Emperor is the Demonic Heavenly Emperor. If he has resolved to punish me... even if the entire Demon Hall—no, the entire Demonic Path—opposes it, persuasion will be impossible."
As Yu Un-ryong fell silent, Myo Cheon-u spoke instead.
"Still, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor is a man who values dignity and protocol. He won't act recklessly."
The squad leaders nodded, but their expressions remained grim.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor was unpredictable—a man whose emotions could never be anticipated.
Wishful thinking was pointless.
"There's no need for concern."
Yet Bu Eun-seol remained utterly composed as he spoke.
"The outcome you fear won't come to pass."
Had they been his former squad leaders, they might have believed him.
But now, they knew better.
They knew that nothing could sway the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's mind.
That he would never tolerate any act that undermined his authority.
Above all, he despised unnecessary complications—so if he had no intention of punishing Bu Eun-seol, he would have given prior notice to prevent the pointless convening of the Demon Governance Council.
But his silence spoke volumes.
It was as good as declaring his intent to punish Bu Eun-seol.
"This is a good opportunity to reorganize the Evil Soul Squad as well."
Bu Eun-seol retrieved a booklet from his robes.
"During this time, we've been integrating the Martial Soul Society and the Azure Heaven Alliance's intelligence networks too hastily amidst various tasks. This is an opportunity to reorganize properly."
"This isn't something we can simply overlook."
Yu Un-ryong spoke with a grave expression.
"Moreover, reorganizing our intelligence apparatus during such a critical period—"
"This is precisely why it must be done now."
Bu Eun-seol replied impassively.
"The Demonic Heavenly Emperor understands me all too well. But now... I understand him just as much."
"Then at least tell us what contingency plans you've prepared."
At Yu Un-ryong's earnest words, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"My silence isn't due to distrust of you all, but because the Demonic Heavenly Emperor himself remains an unfathomable entity."
He added quietly:
"Even if one predicts his thoughts and actions, voicing those predictions aloud would be unwise. That's all there is to it."
The assembled leaders, including Yu Un-ryong, nodded in understanding.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor wielded power over fate itself, like the flow of Heaven's Will.
Thus, even if one discerned his intentions, maintaining silence—as one would regarding forbidden heavenly secrets—was the wisest course.
"You'll have to endure hardships for a while."
The words carried the weight of a farewell to someone who wouldn't be seen for a long time.
As the leaders stood dumbfounded,
Bu Eun-seol slowly turned and exited the conference hall.
The Demon Governance Council never convened.
Instead, something far more terrifying occurred.
—This matter shall be discussed solely with the Martial Soul Lord.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor had summoned Bu Eun-seol alone to the Demon Hall's grand conference chamber.
—If it's the conference chamber rather than the Holy Demon Pavilion... doesn't that mean His Majesty intends to personally administer punishment?
Holding the Council would have at least offered some hope.
Even if the Demonic Heavenly Emperor decided on punishment, he couldn't completely disregard his advisors' opinions.
But summoning him alone like this—
Not even granting a private audience in the Holy Demon Pavilion, but calling him to the conference chamber as if convening the Council—
This demonstrated his absolute resolve to act without hearing anyone's counsel.
Deathly silence filled the grand conference chamber.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor sat at the head of the conference table, while Bu Eun-seol was seated at a considerable distance to his right.
Even during regular Council meetings,
Bu Eun-seol would sit much closer, always positioned to the left.
The deliberate placement of tea at this distant right seat
Indirectly signaled that this meeting's sole purpose was Bu Eun-seol's punishment.
Yet the Demonic Heavenly Emperor acted as if engaging in casual conversation,
Ordering attendants to serve fragrant Dragon Well tea at Bu Eun-seol's seat.
But Bu Eun-seol knew this wasn't simple courtesy.
Dragon Well tea was reserved for the Demon Hall's honored guests—he himself never drank it.
This was the Emperor treating him as an outsider.
"This must feel unjust."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor sipped his tea while glancing at documents before him.
"You merely acted on intelligence about a suspicious plague, investigating civilian homes where you discovered someone hiding."
"..."
"That they suddenly attempted to flee... that they attacked desperately despite your identifying yourself, then abruptly committed suicide—"
The documents contained a meticulous account of Bu Eun-seol's actions.
Yet his expression remained utterly unchanged.
As if whether the matter was unjust or not meant nothing.
Bu Eun-seol likewise remained silent, awaiting judgment.
"But allowing my possessions to be damaged without consequence... would severely undermine my dignity."
A terrifying light flickered in the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's eyes.
Yet Bu Eun-seol remained impassive.
As if he'd anticipated everything, as if no outcome could unsettle him.
"Very well."
The Emperor spoke calmly, as if presenting a premeditated solution.
"You shall take over the case previously assigned to the Secret Moon Division and resolve it flawlessly."
An utterly unexpected pronouncement.
"Uncover the true nature of that oddity calling itself the Saint, and I shall overlook this incident."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened slightly.
This meant the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had known of the Saint's existence all along—
That dispatching the Secret Moon Division signaled he was trying to uncover the Saint's identity.
'Then there's high probability the Demonic Heavenly Emperor is also opposing the True Demon.'
Otherwise, he'd have no reason to investigate the Saint's connection to the True Demon.
"However—you may not command any subordinates. No organizations under your authority may be mobilized. You work alone."
"I don't understand what you mean."
"My words are literal. Alone, you must uncover the Saint's true nature."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor spoke dispassionately.
"Your investigation of Sang'an Village—was that related to your official duties in any way?"
"..."
"Yet you went, ultimately annihilating an organization I painstakingly cultivated."
And then, he spoke words more astonishing than anything.
"With great power comes equally great responsibility. This natural order admits no exceptions for anyone."
For a moment, Bu Eun-seol doubted his own ears.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor was a Great Demon who could slaughter thousands—no, tens of thousands—without so much as blinking.
And yet... he was speaking to him about great power and the responsibility that came with it?
"Is the condition solely that I investigate alone?"
"Indeed."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor replied impassively.
"If you fail to uncover the Saint's true nature within a month..."
A brief silence fell before a mysterious glint flashed in his pupils.
"You shall face the punishment of the End of Calamity Burial."
End of Calamity Burial.
Literally, it meant "to perish after dedicating everything over a long lifetime."
But in truth, it held the exact opposite meaning.
A single strike from the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—
It signified the Life and Death Palm Decree.
And this punishment was nothing less than a death sentence.
For in all the martial world,
there existed no one who could withstand the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's single strike barehanded.
Even if it weren't Bu Eun-seol—even if it were one of the Three Demons and Three Venerables—taking the Life and Death Palm Decree with their bare body would, at the very least, shatter their limbs and sever their meridians.
After all, the Life and Death Palm Decree existed for one purpose:
To execute someone without tarnishing the dignity of the Number One of the Demonic Path.
'In the end, he means to cripple me.'
The Saint's true nature had eluded even the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's secret organization, the Secret Moon Division, despite their prolonged efforts.
And yet, he was demanding that Bu Eun-seol uncover it within a month—
Alone, without the aid of any intelligence network or subordinates?
This wasn't forgiveness.
It was no different from sentencing him to have his limbs and meridians severed.
'He intends to nip me in the bud with this opportunity.'
Even if he didn't die, enduring the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's strike barehanded would leave him a body incapable of further martial development.
Perhaps the Demonic Heavenly Emperor saw this as his chance to break Bu Eun-seol's edge and establish his own unchallenged Demonic Martial World.
No longer could his true intentions be discerned—Bu Eun-seol had become nothing more than a chess piece that had escaped the board the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had crafted.
"May I ask one thing?"
Originally, Bu Eun-seol had intended to ask whether the Demonic Heavenly Emperor planned to oppose the True Demon—
Or what he thought of the Baekri Clan and the True Demon.
But as he met those endlessly deep, abyssal eyes, he realized such questions held no meaning.
'Because to him, they are all enemies.'
From the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's perspective,
both the Baekri Clan and the True Demon were existences to be crushed beneath his heel.
For all must kneel and bow their heads before him.
That majestic gaze, devoid of even a glimmer of compromise, was answer enough.
So Bu Eun-seol changed his question.
"How long may I remain in the Demon Hall?"
For an instant, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor regarded him with an inscrutable expression—
As if he hadn't expected such a question to be posed to his face.
"In the grand history of the martial world, the rise and fall of this hall is but a fleeting moment."
His voice was low, almost as if murmuring to himself.
"The passage of time holds neither value nor meaning."
This, too, was an unexpected answer.
The Demon Hall was a venerable alliance that had flowed unbroken alongside the history of the Demonic Path—
And he was its current master.
And yet, he spoke of it as if it were a place of no consequence.
'Is the Demonic Heavenly Emperor truly the Demonic Heavenly Emperor?'
Bu Eun-seol clenched his fist.
He had not become the master of the Demon Hall out of reverence for the Demonic Path.
He had chosen this place solely because the position of Number One of the Demonic Path suited the role of master of the Demon Hall.
"I understand."
After carefully weighing the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's words, Bu Eun-seol respectfully clasped his hands together.
"Within a month, I will uncover the Saint's true nature and return."
At that moment—
A voice, deep and majestic, flowed forth like molten lava bubbling up from the abyss of hell.
"You anticipated this, it seems."
An indescribable pressure seeped into that voice, freezing the soul of whoever heard it.
"Then I shall speak plainly as well."
It was the tone of one who knew the beginning and end of all things.
"Martial Soul Lord."
A heavy, eerie resonance filled the air as a voice laced with unfathomable power and terror settled upon Bu Eun-seol's ears.
"Mark my words—you will receive the Life and Death Palm Decree."
'Is he... angered?'
Bu Eun-seol, standing with his back turned, instead curled his lips into a knowing smile.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor—
For the first time,
he was expressing rage at having his true intentions predicted.
"So you would do well to spend this month seeking martial arts capable of enduring my strike."
It was no different from a death sentence.
In the end, he would fail to uncover the Saint's true nature—
And be left with shattered limbs and severed meridians, dying in misery beneath the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's palm.
Yet Bu Eun-seol's expression remained utterly composed.
"I appreciate the advice."
Clasping his hands together, he replied calmly.
"I will do my best—or return to receive the Life and Death Palm Decree."
Then, with another respectful bow, he turned and strode out of the conference hall.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor's decree had been issued.
From this moment, he had one month.
He needed to enter the Martial World at once—
And uncover the Saint's true nature.