Chapter 951
Having received the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's orders, Bu Eun-seol briefly relayed the situation to the Death Shadow War Unit and then—
Immediately set out into the Martial World alone to track the Saint's movements.
"From this moment onward, all warriors of the Death Shadow War Unit—
including the intelligence operatives of the Evil Soul Squad—
are absolutely forbidden from making contact with this Lord."
He had explicitly commanded that the matter be handled alone.
Naturally, this meant he could not mobilize his subordinates, nor could he utilize the intelligence network of the Evil Soul Squad.
And if anyone dared to disobey?
Even if they succeeded in uncovering the Saint's true identity, they would still have to endure the Life and Death Palm Decree.
Moreover, a month was not a long time.
With no one's help but his own, he had to resolve this matter alone.
In the end, this would be a battle against time.
"Understood!"
Only then did the Great Lords breathe a sigh of relief.
The order to reorganize the intelligence network, including the Evil Soul Squad—
This was only possible because Bu Eun-seol had already anticipated the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's command to refrain from using the intelligence forces.
"This won't be easy."
Yet, the expression on Bu Eun-seol's face as he activated his Movement Technique was far from bright.
Without the aid of the intelligence network, he had to uncover the Saint's true identity—something even the Secret Moon Division had failed to do—within a month?
The grueling journey ahead seemed to loom vividly before him.
"I'll have to rely on my feet as much as possible."
To gather leads, Bu Eun-seol first returned to Sang-an Village.
Had he been able to use the intelligence network's power?
He could have seized all the scattered clues—including the villages ravaged by the plague—within half a day.
But now, he had to do everything alone.
'There's no other way.'
The more vast or complex the information, the more necessary an organization was to sort and store it.
Moreover, even after obtaining information, the process of refining it into something reliable was crucial.
That was why intelligence networks employed experts from various fields—
each conducting in-depth analyses based on their specialties.
But now, that was impossible.
Until now, thanks to the Evil Soul Squad, Bu Eun-seol had easily obtained high-quality information at his leisure.
But now, it was as if he had to dig through the earth barehanded—gathering, sorting, and refining intelligence entirely on his own.
'Then...'
A wide-ranging investigation was impossible alone.
That meant he had no choice but to focus his efforts on the most promising locations.
'Sang-an Village.'
Sang-an Village was where the Saint had appeared, curing those afflicted by the plague—
yet in the end, the elderly had succumbed to the disease, leaving only the young alive.
Since the young had survived, he should be able to gather substantial clues there.
Bu Eun-seol headed back to Sang-an Village.
"I'm sorry, but I don't wish to speak about that incident."
"I don't need money. I truly have no desire to discuss it."
But it was harder than expected.
Though most of the young had survived, they were people who had lost their parents or close family to the plague.
Moreover, from their perspective, the Saint was quite literally a savior—
so it was only natural they would feel a strong sense of rejection toward Bu Eun-seol, who sought to investigate him.
'I can't force answers from those who have only just begun to rise from their sorrow.'
After much deliberation, he resolved to seek answers from others.
From the dead.
"If the Saint truly cured those afflicted by the plague, there must be traces left behind."
Arriving at the village's cemetery, he paid his respects before carefully examining the corpses of those who had contracted the plague.
Fortunately, they had not perished from the plague itself.
Thanks to the Saint's treatment, they had recovered—only to succumb later, their life force exhausted from the prolonged suffering.
Thus, the elderly corpses had not been cremated but were instead enshrouded and buried.
"Strange."
Bu Eun-seol's gaze sharpened as he meticulously inspected the corpses.
Thanks to his long experience in the Martial World—
his observational skills, insight, and knowledge had grown incomparably beyond his days as an undertaker.
So much so that he no longer needed to scrutinize corpses as thoroughly as before—he could swiftly extract the information they held.
"Something's wrong."
The more he examined the corpses, the colder his expression grew.
Even if one recovered from an illness, traces of it always remained in the body.
Especially with a life-threatening disease like the plague—those scars should have been even more pronounced.
"There's nothing."
But there was nothing.
Not a single trace of the plague could be found in the numerous elderly corpses said to have died from it.
"Was there never a plague to begin with?"
That couldn't be.
When a plague broke out, local officials were dispatched first to verify its authenticity.
Naturally, when the plague struck Sang-an Village, officials had confirmed the infections and documented them.
Countless physicians had also verified the plague's presence—its authenticity was beyond doubt.
Yet, the corpses showed no signs of the disease? That made no sense.
"There must be traces I've missed."
A corpse bore the marks of its past life—and above all, the cause of death was always etched into it.
That was an absolute, unchanging truth.
"Let me examine it once more."
Bu Eun-seol meticulously inspected the corpse again.
This is...
Strangely, in the bodies of the deceased elders,
their blood vessels had abnormally constricted, or black, thread-like marks were visible.
These were traces of anomalies—distinctly different from the signs left by a plague.
Then...
Bu Eun-seol reached out.
In the past, he would have had to cut open the corpse's abdomen with a blade to examine its internal state.
But now, thanks to his heightened extrasensory perception and the Heavenly Robe Mind Art,
he could scrutinize the body's interior as if dissecting it without damaging the remains.
The heart has shriveled, and the liver looks like an empty husk.
Without exception, their hearts had noticeably shrunk compared to normal sizes,
and their livers, too, had taken on the form of hollow shells.
Moreover, the state of decay was unusual.
Though the onset of illness varied, they had all died from the plague around the same time.
Yet, some corpses appeared to have decayed as if years had passed, while others showed signs of decomposition so slow it was as if they had just died.
Then...
Bu Eun-seol's eyes flashed as his thoughts converged on something.
He then headed to the temporary treatment center set up in the village outskirts—where the Saint had supposedly treated the people.
For a long while, he stood there, observing the area with his head bowed.
And there, he found traces of withered grass, trees, and insects—creatures that had died not gradually, but in an instant.
Absorption?
Only then did the answer come to him.
Judging by all the circumstances...
The so-called Saint had not cured the plague—he had absorbed it.
Does this even make sense?
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
How could a mere human possess the power to absorb disease? Wasn't that fundamentally impossible?
Then... could he have absorbed their life force along with the disease?
When he carefully examined the surroundings again,
he found that the grass and trees where the Saint had treated patients were all withered and dead—
as if all the surrounding life force had been drained away.
In other words, just as he had deduced,
the Saint had not only absorbed the disease from the afflicted—but their life force as well.
"Fortunately, he's not a real saint."
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath.
He had been worried.
What if this man truly was a saint who helped people?
What if he genuinely possessed miraculous powers to heal the sick?
If so, he would be a being with truly supernatural abilities, making any investigation impossible from the start.
But if he was merely a vile practitioner using cruel methods to harm innocent people—
a man who preyed on common folk with wicked sorcery—
then he was no supernatural entity.
He must have left traces behind.
And through investigation, those traces could be followed.
"I'll catch him."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes burned like red-hot coals.
Anyone who dared harm innocent civilians—people who weren't even part of the martial world—could never be forgiven.
***
The Nine Killers Corps.
An organization whose existence could never be revealed to the outside world—
for if their missions were exposed, conflicts between sects would erupt.
They were a secret unit tasked with carrying out officially unacknowledged operations.
In the past, Bu Eun-seol had joined the Nine Killers Corps to grow stronger quickly and gain experience in the martial world.
For a year, he carried out their missions—
not just assassinations, but also investigations, gathering intelligence by interrogating people,
and refining rumors into usable information.
And that experience...
became the foundation that allowed him to solve any problem, overcome any trial.
Just like now.
Drawing on his experience from the Nine Killers Corps, Bu Eun-seol left Sang-an Village and began his inquiries in neighboring villages.
Simply shoving money at civilians and asking questions wouldn't yield quality information.
They neither remembered specific events clearly nor knew how to describe them accurately.
Especially for incidents long past—no matter how persistently he questioned them, useful leads were hard to come by.
So Bu Eun-seol sought out inn waiters and information brokers in Chengdu.
At the very least, he needed to grasp the Saint's outline—some defining characteristic—
so he could return to the civilians with a clear line of questioning.
I can't mobilize an intelligence network, but buying floating rumors with money should be fine.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor had ordered him to uncover the Saint's identity alone, without relying on subordinates.
Naturally, deploying an intelligence network was out of the question—
but gathering rumors by himself was permissible.
After all, he would be the one refining the information anyway.
—I'm buying information on the man who cured the sick in Sang-an Village.
Bu Eun-seol visited gambling dens and brothels run by the Black Syndicate, slipping money to thugs guarding the entrances as he spoke.
—Even baseless rumors will do. If you have any information about him, come to the annex of Jang Pyeong Inn anytime.
After scattering money like seeds across various places...
information about the Saint slowly began trickling in.
But most of it...
was just thugs from the Black Syndicate spewing nonsense—
whatever they had heard from civilians—just to pocket the money.
Bu Eun-seol never dismissed anything as nonsense, listening attentively to every story as he refined the information.
A single month was far too short.
And since he had to handle everything alone without anyone's help,
he needed to find even the smallest, most accidental lead.
"Um, excuse me... sir."
Just then, a grubby-looking boy appeared at the annex where Bu Eun-seol was staying.
Hesitating for a long moment, the boy finally spotted Bu Eun-seol and approached with an awkward expression, scratching his head.
"I... I heard it by chance from Third Master at the West Gate. That if I told you about the person who cured the sick in Sang'an Village, you'd pay me."
As if to ease the boy's frozen tension, Bu Eun-seol pulled out a coin pouch from his sleeve.
"Of course. No matter how trivial, it doesn't matter."
Then he placed the hefty pouch on the table.
The boy swallowed hard before speaking.
"Actually... a while back, I snuck into Sang'an Village to beg. Of course, I didn't get far before the Branch Chief caught me and beat me half to death."
The boy was a vagrant belonging to the local beggar gang, driven by hunger to secretly beg in another village.
But while wandering Sang'an Village, he had heard something extremely strange.
"Back then, I overheard an old physician saying, 'Isn't that Saint the same one who treated the patients at Golden Wind Manor in the past?'"
Golden Wind Manor.
Bu Eun-seol's eyes gleamed.
The Saint had always operated in remote mountain villages, making his identity and movements difficult to trace.
But a grand estate like Golden Wind Manor was different.
Such places had servants and attendants constantly present, with countless eyes watching.
So if the Saint had ever visited the manor? Gathering information about him would be far easier.
"You have my thanks."
Bu Eun-seol took out a piece of paper, pressed something into it with his fingernail, and placed it on the table.
Then, like a jackal rising from the surface, it stood upright.
"Wh-what is this?"
The boy, who had hoped for at least a few copper coins, looked crestfallen as he picked up the blank paper.
"If I gave you silver taels, wouldn't the Branch Chief just take them from you?"
Bu Eun-seol patted the boy's head.
"I'll have food brought here. Eat your fill."
"Huh?"
"And soon, someone will come to fetch you. If you follow him, you'll never go hungry again."
Not only did the boy remember events from months ago clearly, but he had also described them in detail.
Bu Eun-seol recognized his sharp intelligence—
and intended to introduce him as an informant to be raised by the Evil Soul Squad in Chengdu.
If he became an informant, the squad members wouldn't just teach him how to gather information—they would also provide basic training in various skills.
Those informants who were diligently nurtured would not only receive continued support from the squad,
but they'd also earn substantial rewards for bringing valuable intelligence, allowing them to handle far greater sums than most merchants.
"B-but I belong to the Bald Head Gang by the canal... I can't just join another group."
"It's fine. From now on, you won't have to do that kind of work."
Bu Eun-seol first called a waiter to bring food and let the boy eat his fill.
Then, pointing to the paper summoning the Evil Soul Squad, he said:
"The squad members will arrive soon. If you follow them, you'll never starve again, and you won't have to fear the Black Syndicates in the back alleys."
"Th-thank you."
Even as a beggar, the boy had heard rumors about the martial world and its workings.
Realizing this was what people called a fortuitous encounter, he beamed with joy.
"I'll take my leave now."
Bu Eun-seol rose from his seat.
It would have been better to give direct orders to the squad members about the boy,
but since the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's decree forbade direct contact with them, he had summoned them indirectly like this.
'This is the taste of wandering the Rivers and Lakes, isn't it?'
Stepping outside, Bu Eun-seol allowed himself a faint smile.
Roaming the martial world like this, directionless,
and stumbling upon children with such outstanding potential—it truly lifted his spirits.
'With luck, he could grow into an exceptional intelligence agent.'
Good steel only grows stronger when forged and hammered, and people only grow stronger and more skilled after enduring trials from the very bottom.
Since the boy had started from the lowest rung—a vagrant—if he worked hard, he could rise to become a great figure.
Pahng!
Finishing his thoughts, Bu Eun-seol immediately unleashed his Lightness Skill and shot toward Jiangxi, where Golden Wind Manor stood.
Beyond the martial clans,
it was common for renowned martial artists to retire and establish manors within the Rivers and Lakes.
In such cases, much like martial clans,
they would take in martial artists and retainers, gradually forming their own martial factions.
Golden Wind Manor was one such estate, founded by Deng Yao, who had once made a great name for himself with the Golden Wind Sword.
In Wonju Prefecture, it was a place that carried some weight.
"Pardon me."
Around noon, an old man with a hunched back slowly approached the gates of Golden Wind Manor.
"What business do you have?"
When the manor's gatekeeper glared and questioned him, the old man gestured to the bundle on his back and replied.
"I've come to sell some rare medicinal herbs."
"This manor does not purchase herbs directly."
The guard waved his hand dismissively.
"If you wish to sell your herbs for a good price, you should go to the Cloud Night Pavilion in Chengdu. They frequently purchase medicinal ingredients there."
"I did go there, but the physician said these particular herbs were far too valuable and suggested I come to Gold Wind Manor instead..."
"Physician Go recommended our manor?"
The guard tilted his head with curiosity gleaming in his eyes.
"Just what are you trying to sell?"
"I don't know myself. I just found something glittering and sticky clinging to a cliff edge, so I collected it in this bottle."
When the old man opened the bottle, a mysterious light spilled forth along with a fragrant aroma that spread in all directions.
"G-Gathering Cloud Jade Essence?"
What the old man had brought was a priceless treasure rarely seen in this world.
Merely drinking this liquid could grant longevity without illness, and for martial artists, it could provide the internal energy equivalent of a hundred and twenty years (120 years) of cultivation - a peerless treasure indeed.
"W-wait here a moment."
The guard hurried inside.
Soon the gates swung open, and a stout, broad-shouldered middle-aged man emerged.
It was Ma Hwan, the Chief Steward of Gold Wind Manor.
"You've brought Gathering Cloud Jade Essence?"
Ma Hwan urgently peered into the bottle the old man had brought and sniffed its contents.
But after examining it for a long while, he shook his head and sighed deeply.
"Ah, you've only brought the liquid from the Gathering Cloud Jade Essence."
"Huh?"
"The true essence of Gathering Cloud Jade Essence lies in the Jade Gathering Pearl within the pool where it forms. But the pearl is missing here."
At this, the old man made an "Ah" sound.
"That small pearl? It smelled so sweet that I ate it."
"You ate it?"
Ma Hwan scrutinized the old man from head to toe, then his eyes flashed.
"Tell me, have you trained in martial arts?"
"How could someone like me have done such a thing?"
"Then it's fine."
Ma Hwan chuckled lightly.
"To dissolve Gathering Cloud Jade Essence requires a martial master with at least three sixty-year cycle (180 years) of internal energy to perform inner training. For an ordinary person, swallowing it would be no different than eating a pebble."
Then he asked in a low voice:
"Have you... passed it since eating it?"
"No, not yet."
The old man bowed his head as if just realizing something.
"Then when it comes out, I can bring it back to you."
"Exactly."
Ma Hwan glanced around before speaking in a more composed tone:
"Do you truly intend to sell the Gathering Cloud Jade Essence to our manor?"
"Of course. The Cloud Night Pavilion said such a treasure couldn't even be bought with money."
"If you wish to sell it to us, you may stay here for a few days."
He said in a hushed voice:
"If word gets out that you have Gathering Cloud Jade Essence in your belly, martial bandits will slice you open immediately."
"S-slice me open?"
As the old man recoiled in shock, Ma Hwan gave him a kindly smile.
"You're truly fortunate."
Then he grasped the old man's shoulder firmly and spoke warmly:
"Our manor walks the Righteous Path and never takes what belongs to others, so you'll be perfectly safe."
Leading the old man through the great gate, Ma Hwan continued:
"Sell the Gathering Cloud Jade Essence to us, and you'll become a rich man."
"R-rich? How much exactly..."
"Three hundred taels, no... I'll give you five hundred taels."
"Five hundred taels?"
As the old man's mouth fell open, Ma Hwan laughed and guided him along.
"Come, come. Let's get some food in you while we talk."
Ma Hwan led the old man to a small pavilion in the Outer Courtyard where outsiders could stay.
He then ordered the cook to prepare a table laden with food.
"Eat and rest comfortably here. And if you need to use the privy, have a guard accompany you."
"Thank you."
When the old man bowed deeply, Ma Hwan smiled broadly and said to the guard behind him:
"Attend to him well during his stay here. Ensure he lacks for nothing."
"Yes, sir."
After Ma Hwan left, the guard said to the old man:
"Take your time. I'll be waiting outside—let me know if you need anything."
"Thank you kindly."
The old man, who had been eating ravenously, gave an embarrassed smile.
When the guard finally exited, the old man chewed his food slowly, his eyes flashing.
'Bandits would be more honest—they at least wield their blades openly.'
The old man stared into space.
No—Bu Eun-seol, disguised as an old man, snorted quietly.
Gathering Cloud Jade Essence was a treasure beyond monetary value.
Even if sold cheaply on the Black Market, it would fetch at least thirty thousand taels.
Yet Ma Hwan, pretending to be a kind benefactor, had offered mere pocket change—five hundred taels.
'And locking me in this pavilion means he plans to take the essence for himself when it... emerges.'
Judging by the stationed guard,
it seemed Chief Steward Ma Hwan hadn't reported this to Manor Lord Deng Yao, instead placing a gag order on the guard.
'He either plans to claim credit for obtaining the essence himself, or more likely, to swallow it up after paying me five hundred taels.'
Probably the latter.
If he conspired with the guard to secretly sell the essence?
He could amass wealth beyond what a thousand years as Chief Steward could earn.
'I must complete my investigation within four days—no, two.'
With Bu Eun-seol's martial arts, he could have infiltrated Gold Wind Manor secretly to conduct his investigation.
But to track the Saint,
rather than sneaking about, he needed to converse naturally with numerous people inside the manor.
That's why instead of infiltrating, he devised a way to interact with the manor's inhabitants.
Disguised as an old herb gatherer who'd chanced upon the essence, he had entered the manor openly.