Chapter 953
"Ye Cheong-rin."
Mak Hwa-wol wore an expression as if she were dreaming.
How can even a name be so beautiful?
It was a name that perfectly matched that heartbreakingly beautiful face.
"You don't seem like an ordinary entertainer..."
At Mak Hwa-wol's words, Bu Eun-seol opened his mouth with a bashful expression.
"When I was around ten years old, my father passed away after being attacked by a band of marauders... Our household fell into ruin, and I became a wandering musician."
No wonder. That explains his refined bearing.
Mak Hwa-wol nodded inwardly.
Though she didn't know the name of his manor—
The fact that he could speak of it so confidently meant he must have been the descendant of a well-established family.
And then, after his family was destroyed, he became a lone orphan, drifting through life?
Wasn't that precisely the kind of story—
The classic tale of a protagonist from a romantic novel circulating in the streets?
The conditions are perfect.
Suppressing her pounding heart, Mak Hwa-wol asked,
"Very well. Young Master Ye. Trusting in your character, I will share a secret with you."
She spoke in a low voice.
"In the martial world, there exists someone with the ability to cure any illness."
"Exists?"
"That's right. No matter how severe the disease, he can undoubtedly heal it."
When Bu Eun-seol made a disbelieving face, Mak Hwa-wol adopted a solemn expression.
"It's true. However, one's lifespan may be greatly reduced... or they might even die."
Bu Eun-seol looked incredulous.
"Then even if the illness is cured, wouldn't dying be the same in the end?"
"I will infuse you with the Yin-Yang Energy Rotation of our pavilion, along with Primordial Essence True Qi. If so, you won't die, and with good fortune, you may even live quite a long time."
"Even if such a miraculous person exists, why would he treat me?"
Mak Hwa-wol replied,
"He always saves young people afflicted with terminal illnesses. Though 'saving' isn't quite the right word..."
After shaking her head briefly, she continued in a hushed tone.
"Regardless, if it's a terminal illness, he can't resist intervening. So if you go, he will undoubtedly heal you."
Whoosh.
Mak Hwa-wol placed her hand on Ye Cheong-rin's Life Gate Acupoint and began infusing him with Yin-Yang Energy Rotation.
It was a pure force containing the energy of the Five Phases, refined through the Byeokwolru's mental cultivation method.
He truly hasn't learned martial arts.
No matter how much one could disguise their face, the positions of muscles, veins, and internal organs couldn't be altered.
Having discerned that the man had no martial training, Mak Hwa-wol wore a relieved expression as she—
Even infused him with Primordial Essence True Qi, instantly and rapidly circulating it through his blood circuits.
Hmm.
In an instant, the man's complexion improved, and his eyes gleamed.
"Go to Jade Heart Lake, in front of the Elegant Moon Pavilion—a famous scenic spot in Shanxi."
Stopping the infusion of True Qi, she spoke with absolute certainty.
"If you wander near there, he will undoubtedly appear."
Bu Eun-seol clenched his fists.
At last, he had found it.
The Saint—the one behind all these events.
He had discovered where that man resided.
"Haa..."
Mak Hwa-wol let out a weary sigh.
Due to expending her Primordial Essence True Qi, her face had grown extremely dark, and the hair at her temples had turned white.
"Once you meet him and are fully healed, return to this manor and show this to the Gatekeeper Elder. Then, you'll be able to see me again."
From her sleeve, she handed him a thick money pouch along with a Command Plaque embedded with jewels.
"Take this road, borrow a carriage, and go there immediately."
"But I..."
Bu Eun-seol deliberately feigned a dazed expression.
However, Mak Hwa-wol gestured to him and said,
"Never speak of what I've told you to anyone."
Even as he was practically pushed out, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
"Understood. Thank you."
"And make sure to return here and show that Command Plaque to the caretaker."
Mak Hwa-wol smiled sweetly.
"Let's meet again then."
Then, she embraced him tightly.
Bu Eun-seol also held her close and spoke in a low voice.
"I will definitely heal my body and return."
With that, he picked up his bowed fiddle and left the manor.
Step. Step.
Under the bright moonlit night sky, Bu Eun-seol walked slowly down the road—
Whoosh. Swoosh.
Then, he unleashed Harnessing Qi and Rising on the Wind, gradually ascending until—before he knew it—he stood upright like an immortal, cutting through the night sky.
Shuuuk.
At the same time, his entire body rippled like flowing water—
And his original face, even more melancholic and beautiful than his disguised one, slowly began to emerge.
I was lucky.
While investigating the Byeokwolru, he had narrowed down the disciples who knew about the Saint.
Among them, he discovered that Mak Hwa-wol, the Hall Master in charge of various supplies and household affairs, was due to arrive in Chengdu soon.
However, it was unthinkable that someone holding such crucial information wouldn't have defenses against the Soul-Seizing Art or interrogation.
After much deliberation, Bu Eun-seol investigated her more meticulously.
And he learned that whenever Mak Hwa-wol went out, she bought large quantities of romantic novels.
That she had a fondness for handsome men.
And that she was someone who had long yearned for love, dreaming of spending a hundred years in harmony with a beautiful man.
―Then I'll take the easier route.
After tracking her movements, Bu Eun-seol entered Chengdu and bought a bowed fiddle.
Then, pretending to be a wandering musician, he played the bowed fiddle for several days near the teahouse, where he often drank tea.
If he suddenly appeared, she might grow suspicious, and the waiters would undoubtedly question his background.
He needed to establish the impression that "the musician plays the bowed fiddle near the teahouse" among those around them.
And though he had meticulously prepared his disguise—
Upon learning that the romantic novels Mak Hwa-wol frequently bought mostly featured delicate, frail beauties—
He had transformed into the delicate, ethereal beauty of a peerlessly handsome man with a melancholic aura like moonlight.
In truth, it was merely an amplification of the inherent darkness and poetic gloom in Bu Eun-seol's natural features—hardly a difficult disguise to pull off.
And as if the heavens themselves were aiding him—
Rain had fallen at the very hour Mak Hwa-wol visited the teahouse, heightening that melancholic and mysterious atmosphere, instantly winning her favor.
—I must make her willingly reveal the Saint's secrets.
After much deliberation, he had crafted the persona of a man living on borrowed time.
To ensure no loose ends, he had even borrowed the identity of Ye Cheong-rin, a real figure from Hyanghyeonjang, to weave this deception.
'Under normal circumstances, I would have been consumed by self-loathing for manipulating a woman's affections to achieve my goal.'
Until now, Bu Eun-seol had never once resorted to such deliberate honey traps to accomplish his objectives.
But Byeokwolru was either aiding the Saint, presumed to be a True Demon, who had been draining the life force of innocent civilians—or was a sect subservient to him.
They were the very ones responsible for sacrificing countless guiltless lives.
And so, he felt not an ounce of guilt for employing such tactics.
'If uncovering the Saint's true nature weren't absolutely necessary, I would have annihilated Byeokwolru on the spot.'
He didn't know what the True Demon was scheming, but knowing that Byeokwolru was a sect complicit in the Saint's atrocities—
Even if not now, he would have to eradicate them eventually and trace the roots of their corruption.
'This would have been impossible without this power.'
Thanks to absorbing the abilities of the one who had mastered the art of disguise through Hwa Mu-gi—
He could now alter not just his appearance and bone structure, but even his internal organs, blood flow, and body hair... becoming an entirely different person.
That was how he had managed to deceive Mak Hwa-wol completely, despite receiving an infusion of True Qi.
KWA-RUNG, PAAAH!
Accompanied by Thunder Essence Divine Qi, Bu Eun-seol raced tirelessly for three days and nights before finally arriving at Jade Heart Lake.
Shrouded in mist, the lake lay hidden within the depths of a secluded valley.
The mountains surrounding it rose like colossal walls into the heavens, their peaks veiled by clouds as if celestial beings dwelled beyond them.
Bu Eun-seol stared intently at the lake.
Its waters were astonishingly clear and still, reflecting the sky and surrounding scenery like a vast mirror.
As he approached the shore—
Flowers floating on the water shimmered under the sunlight, releasing a fragrant aroma.
"He isn't here."
Jade Heart Lake was a famed scenic spot in Daedongbu, attracting countless visitors in spring.
It was hardly the kind of place one would expect the Saint—a figure who left behind the most secretive and bizarre trails in the martial world—to hide.
"No... now that I think about it, it's always been like this."
Looking back, the hidden bases of mysterious factions—including the Martial Venerable's Treasury—
Were often established in bustling, crowded places.
Because they possessed the means to perfectly partition space—the Absolute Boundary.
WHOOSH—
He unleashed Wind & Cloud Divine Qi at full force, sending transparent energy rippling outward endlessly.
And then, his expression twisted in disbelief.
Even though he had sensed it, the reality before his eyes was too absurd to accept.
"The center of the lake."
The place where the Absolute Boundary—impervious even to Wind & Cloud Divine Qi—had been erected... was none other than the very heart of the lake.
SPLASH—
Activating his Movement Technique, he glided to the lake's center, where an utterly alien Absolute Boundary lay in wait.
Something profoundly dark and infinitely silent severed the space itself.
ZZZIIING—
But then, something strange happened.
The moment Bu Eun-seol's Wind & Cloud Divine Qi detected its presence—
That dark Absolute Boundary seemed to welcome him, slowly dissolving its transparent barrier as if inviting him inside.
'...Is it telling me to enter?'
Without hesitation, Bu Eun-seol stepped through.
SHWOOP—
Passing through the transparent space, a radiant light lingered briefly before fading—
Revealing a tranquil lake and a small island floating upon it.
A floating island alone was surreal enough, but what was even more bizarre—
Was the long, winding bamboo bridge leading into the lake's depths, as if guiding visitors inside.
Bu Eun-seol slowly advanced across the bamboo bridge.
Despite its slender and fragile appearance, not a single creak sounded beneath his feet.
It felt as though he were walking on clouds.
Upon reaching the island, a landscape where all four seasons coexisted unfolded before him.
One side was blanketed in snow as if in the depths of winter—
While the other basked in the warmth of a spring day.
'A Servant of the True Demon?'
In what he presumed to be the Baekri Clan's Secret Vault, a new sun had risen, and a forest imbued with primordial mystery had been crafted.
Deep down, Bu Eun-seol had suspected the Saint was either the True Demon—
Or one of his powerful familiars.
So the presence of a Dharma Art similar to the Baekri Clan's Secret Vault here wasn't all that surprising.
CRUNCH, CRUNCH—
As if entranced, Bu Eun-seol ventured toward the island's center.
There stood a small thatched cottage, incongruous with the mystical surroundings—
Nearly identical to the one he had built when fighting Neither-Human-Nor-Beast.
As if it hadn't been made for dwelling, but for some deliberate purpose.
CREAK—
The moment Bu Eun-seol approached, the door swung open—
And a tall, striking silhouette emerged.
The instant he saw the figure's face, Bu Eun-seol let out a soft gasp.
His face glowed with a faint radiance, pristine as if carved from light itself, his skin smooth like white marble.
His gaze was deep and warm—meeting it felt as though all pain would melt away.
Yet the atmosphere was profoundly eerie.
Despite his saintly appearance, the air around him was dark, as if infused with black smoke.
His form seemed to ripple with desiccated cracks, and his skin bore a faint crimson hue—like a monster coiled behind him, silently biding its time.
"Are you the one they call the Saint?"
Bu Eun-seol asked with measured courtesy.
Even if his aura wasn't pure,
there was something about him—reminiscent of the Buddhist Venerable, an immortal who had transcended mortality—that demanded respect.
"The Saint."
The man exhaled a deep sigh and muttered softly, gazing at the distant sky.
"I am but a specter who cannot die."
His words were as good as admitting he was the Saint.
'A relief.'
Bu Eun-seol inwardly let out a sigh of relief.
Truthfully, he had about ten days left.
To escape the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's punishment, he had to uncover the Saint's true identity.
And if this man wasn't the Saint?
Then Bu Eun-seol would have no choice but to return to the Demon Hall, prepared to have his limbs and meridians torn apart.
But fortunately, he had found the man known as the Saint.
"Why have you committed such evil deeds?"
Bu Eun-seol secretly gathered his Internal Power.
If words failed, he would suppress the man immediately—
and if suppression proved impossible, he would at least analyze his martial techniques to expose his true nature.
"Why do you drain people's life force and kill them?"
"Drain their life force?"
The man—the Saint—studied Bu Eun-seol's stance before sighing deeply.
"After all this time yearning for death yet unable to die, why would I steal the lives of others?"
—Yearning for death for so long.
Hearing that, Bu Eun-seol's expression turned grave.
"Then you are the True Demon."
The Saint was the 'truth' that Neither-Human-Nor-Beast had urged him to see with his own eyes.
So was he truly the True Demon?
Or was he the strongest of the Servants of the True Demon—one of the Three Attendants, a vessel for his soul?
"The True Demon?"
The Saint bared his white teeth and let out a cheerful laugh.
"That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard."
"If not the True Demon, then one of his Servants—or perhaps his Representative. Am I wrong?"
At Bu Eun-seol's question, the Saint narrowed his eyes as if realizing something.
"Now I understand how you found me."
His next words were unexpected.
"Neither-Human-Nor-Beast sent you, didn't he?"
Shockingly, the Saint had deduced that Neither-Human-Nor-Beast had leaked his whereabouts.
"What does that matter?"
"It matters."
The Saint smiled faintly.
"He promised to send someone capable of killing me."
At this preposterous claim, Bu Eun-seol furrowed his brow.
He couldn't make sense of the Saint's words.
"Since you're tracking the True Demon, I assume you wish to know about him."
He referred to the True Demon simply as 'him.'
That single word suggested the Saint was not one of his Servants.
"What are you hiding?"
Instead of answering, the Saint extended his hand.
"Why not sit for a while? I'll brew you some fine tea."
"I decline."
"A pity. I truly meant it as a kindness."
"If you wish to show kindness, reveal your identity."
"You have the order wrong."
The Saint clicked his tongue and spoke in a low voice.
"How can we converse if you won't even drink tea?"
"Then we have nothing to discuss."
As Bu Eun-seol reached for his sword hilt, the Saint chuckled.
"That's fine too."
Spreading his arms wide, the Saint grinned brightly.
"If you can kill me, I'll tell you everything—the True Demon's purpose, and my own identity."
Bu Eun-seol tightened his grip on Ink Soul Sword, and the Saint's eyes curved into crescents.
"But you'll have to make a choice."
"A choice?"
"If you kill me now, every life I've saved until now will perish."
The Saint's smile was faint.
"It's a simple matter of choice. Nothing difficult."
Then, contrary to expectations—
Had the Saint not absorbed disease to absorb life force, but rather consumed disease by absorbing life force?
"They are all connected to me."
In the end, his words implied that those cured of illness still lived—
because they remained linked to the Saint in some way.
"Hmm."
The Saint studied Bu Eun-seol with an intrigued gaze.
"Well? Can you kill me?"
Killing the Saint would reveal the True Demon's purpose and his own identity.
It would also spare Bu Eun-seol from the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's punishment and bring him one step closer to the True Demon's essence.
But every life the Saint had saved—every young man and woman—would die.
Of course, they were strangers, and their deaths wouldn't happen before his eyes.
They would simply perish as the price of Bu Eun-seol achieving his goal.
"Whatever you choose, it is your freedom."
The Saint spoke as if wagering his own life for sport.
Sssk.
Yet a smile also curled at Bu Eun-seol's lips.
At the same time, he slowly drew Ink Soul Sword.
Was he truly prepared to kill the Saint without hesitation to fulfill his purpose?
"How unexpected."
The Saint's eyes gleamed.
"You pretended to care for the common folk—I thought you'd at least hesitate."
"There's no need to hesitate."
Bu Eun-seol's smile was cold.
"I took measures before coming here."
Then he clicked his tongue and shook his head.
"Though it wasted the most time."
"I don't follow."
"They were all implanted inside the bodies of those who survived the disease."
A flash of light flickered in Bu Eun-seol's pupils.
"Demon-Sealing Fragments."
Recalling his investigation in Sang'an Village, his expression grew solemn.
Until now, he had believed the Demon-Sealing Fragments were mere bait—a tool the True Demon used to enforce his will, with the claim that it strengthened martial artists' techniques serving as bait.
But all those assumptions had been wrong.
"That means the True Demon's original purpose wasn't the Murim practitioners—it was the young commoners."
At Bu Eun-seol's words, the Saint's eyes flew wide open.
This was a thoroughly concealed truth that no one had ever uncovered before.
Just how had this person managed to discover that fact?