Chapter 961
All of the Poison Sovereign's subordinates were Poison People who practiced Poison Arts, and the Ajanta Caves were a place they frequented.
Despite being a famous landmark in Nashik City, it had long since become a place no tourists could visit.
"I see."
As Bu Eun-seol nodded in understanding after grasping the full situation, A-wan spoke in a voice that seemed to crawl along the ground.
"It was once a renowned tourist spot, but it became far too dangerous once the Poison Sovereign's men began patrolling there regularly. That's why I didn't mention it to you earlier, Young Master."
Unable to meet his gaze out of guilt, she hung her head low.
"No matter how extraordinary your martial arts may be, their Poison Arts are impossible to withstand."
Though Bu Eun-seol had not formally trained in Poison Arts, his body had already crossed the threshold of the Poison Saint Body.
No matter how formidable Garama's Poison Arts might be, they could never poison him.
But unaware of this truth, A-wan had desperately hoped he would never venture into the Ajanta Caves.
"But now I know. That you, Young Master, are truly invincible."
A-wan had witnessed Bu Eun-seol's true capabilities at Fantasy Pond.
Not just his martial arts, but the impenetrable fortress of his spirit and mind, and his indomitable will.
Only then had she believed he could effortlessly overcome even Garama's Poison Arts, which was why she finally spoke up.
"I'm sorry for telling you so late."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head with a faint smile.
"Thanks to you, I've gained a crucial lead."
Had she not shared this information,
he might have wandered Nashik City aimlessly without any clues.
"I'll go investigate."
"Yes."
A-wan clenched her hands tightly.
Since childhood, she had roamed Nashik City as a guide.
Her life had been so harsh and exhausting that she'd never had the luxury of thinking beyond mere survival.
But after meeting Bu Eun-seol and embarking on this brief adventure, she had gained both beauty and strength.
And she had also learned what it meant to harbor tender feelings.
'But I can never confess them.'
The Wind Cloud Prince was the benefactor who had brought her tribe glory, and he would soon return to the Central Plains.
And she was destined to become the Yona Tribe's Saintess—they could never be together.
"Then, I'll take my leave."
"Stay safe."
A-wan also smiled brightly as she bowed.
Unaware, even in her dreams, that she would soon come to regret this choice.
KRRRUMBLE!
Bu Eun-seol left Nashik City and immediately headed toward Nagana City.
Thanks to the fortuitous encounter at Fantasy Pond,
even without obtaining the Four Divine Powers, he had devised a method—the Heavenly Light Endless Art—to unify the Three Divine Powers within his body.
As he unleashed it while activating his Movement Technique, he could now run at literally the speed of light.
'I must apply this to all my martial arts.'
What if he could integrate the Heavenly Light Endless Art not just into his Movement Technique, but also into his Sword Techniques and other martial arts?
Even without deliberately summoning the Three Divine Powers, their concentrated power could naturally fuse into his techniques.
'First, let's test how much it enhances my Movement Technique.'
Whoosh—BOOM!
Even when executing only the Fourth Star level of Swift Shadowless while channeling the Heavenly Light Endless Art,
his speed now matched what he had previously achieved only at full power.
'With this Movement Technique, I could even outpace the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.'
Until now, he had never felt anything resembling pride in his martial arts.
But now he was certain.
As long as he employed this Movement Technique, no one could ever catch him.
KRACK—BOOOOM!
As he doubled the technique's output, thunder roared, and Bu Eun-seol's figure became a streaking meteor, slicing through the sky.
Had an ordinary person attempted such speed, their skin would have torn apart and their blood vessels burst.
But the natural order of martial arts dictated that as one's realm advanced, their physique inevitably grew sturdier.
Upon reaching the Martial Extreme Realm, one would obtain a body as unyielding as steel—the Dharma Heaven Golden Immortal physique.
Had Bu Eun-seol stepped into the Martial Extreme Realm, he could have withstood the shockwaves of such velocity with his steel-like body.
But he had discerned that the Martial Extreme Realm was an inherently unnatural path, and instead forged his own, entering a new realm.
Though his flesh was not as unbreakable as steel, the profound effects of the Heavenly Light Endless Art compensated,
allowing him to cleave through the air unimpeded.
'This is the true value of the Heavenly Light Endless Art.'
With the technique active, the surrounding air flowed according to his will.
Even at this tremendous speed, he could minimize resistance and collisions.
Before long, the sun set and night fell.
After sprinting nonstop for three days, Bu Eun-seol paused briefly when Chengdu came into view.
No matter how exceptional his martial arts cultivation, he was still human—he needed to eat and sleep.
Moreover, since this was his first attempt at integrating the Three Divine Powers into his Movement Technique, he felt considerable exhaustion.
'This is the advantage of being Beyond the Frontier.'
Had he been in the Central Plains, whether as Bu Eun-seol, Seol So-dun, or Seon-u Jin,
he would never have dared to casually enter a crowded guest inn in Chengdu, with its crowded guest inns,
due to the ever-looming threat of the Abyssal Forces and unpredictable clashes with powerful masters.
But here, where no one knew him, he could freely enter any city—be it Chengdu or the imperial capital—without a care.
Bustle, clamor.
The marketplace was a dazzling spectacle, as if colorful lights were dancing in harmony.
The shouts of merchants and the laughter of diners blended into a cacophony.
The rich scent of spices filled the air.
Cotton fabrics, spices, jewels, and crafted goods packed the streets.
Exotic goods never seen in the Central Plains caught the eye at every turn.
Bu Eun-seol entered the largest guest inn frequented by travelers.
As he stepped inside, a servant came rushing out to greet him.
"...!"
But the servant scrutinized Bu Eun-seol from head to toe before making an exaggerated expression of shock and chattering excitedly in a foreign tongue.
"I am from the Central Plains."
When Bu Eun-seol spoke in Han language,
the servant blinked blankly before suddenly bursting into laughter and pointing at his face.
He roared with laughter as if hearing the funniest joke in the world.
"What nonsense is this?"
As Bu Eun-seol's expression hardened, the servant hastily waved both hands and respectfully guided him to a seat.
After surveying his surroundings, Bu Eun-seol gestured to the servant and asked:
"What food can one eat here?"
The servant scratched his head in visible distress—
he didn't understand a word of Han language.
"Hmm."
Though they couldn't communicate, there was nothing in this world that money couldn't solve.
He took out silver taels and pointed at the dishes and wine others were consuming.
"Bring me that food and wine."
The servant's face lit up as he pocketed the silver, then dashed to the kitchen with eyebrows practically flying off his face, returning swiftly with the ordered fare.
"Too sour."
The local wine's sharp acidity made it far inferior to what the Vayura Tribe had served him before.
"Finding palatable liquor beyond the frontier won't be easy."
He muttered low while drinking, when suddenly—
something felt off.
Looking around, he realized every patron in the inn was staring holes through him.
Worse still, some were whispering among themselves while raking their eyes up and down his body.
'They're not looking at me.'
After analyzing their gazes, Bu Eun-seol finally understood—
every eye in the inn was fixed on his clothing.
'The Vayura Tribe?'
His original robes had been torn to shreds in Fantasy Pond,
so he'd borrowed a set from the Vayura Tribe before leaving.
Yet the way everyone stared unblinkingly at his attire...
"Servant."
Bu Eun-seol summoned the attendant again.
He pointed to the large silver ingots in his sleeve, then emphatically gestured at his clothing.
When the servant kept trying to take just the silver, Bu Eun-seol held the silver in his hand and kept pointing at his robes.
Finally comprehending, the servant nodded and scurried off,
returning with a shabbily dressed young man who appeared to be a local guide like A-wan.
After the servant jabbered some explanation, Bu Eun-seol asked:
"Do you understand me?"
"Of course, my lord."
"Tell me why everyone keeps staring and whispering about my clothes."
The guide tilted his head and questioned several patrons in India language before returning to scratch his head sheepishly.
"They say it's because you're wearing Vayura Tribe garments, my lord."
"Is that so strange?"
"Not exactly—it's just that the Iron Elephant King's army marched to attack the Sacred Land of the Four Sacred Tribes. So they find it odd that someone dressed as a Vayura tribesman would be drinking here so leisurely..."
"The Iron Elephant King?"
Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
Why would the Iron Elephant King attack the Four Sacred Tribes' territory?
—Tell him to come find me himself.
Suddenly, he recalled the warning he'd given the Iron Elephant Sect disciples.
Could their martial masters have actually tracked his movements and attacked the Vayura Tribe based on that alone?
'The Iron Elephant Sect's intelligence network couldn't possibly be that extensive.'
Bu Eun-seol had spent less than half a day with the Vayura Tribe when retrieving the Sacred Artifact,
and only another half-day during their festival.
Moreover, if they'd truly tracked him precisely,
they would have sent pursuers after him rather than dispatching an army to Samana Valley.
An army meant complete annihilation of the Four Sacred Tribes themselves.
Why would the Iron Elephant King commit such an act?
'The Sacred Artifact.'
In that instant, everything became clear.
Since the Four Sacred Tribes resided in Nashik City, the Iron Elephant King must have heard the legends about their artifact.
He'd likely planted spies among the tribes to monitor the situation.
Then when news arrived that someone called the Wind Cloud Prince had come seeking the artifact—
and actually obtained it—
the spies would have immediately reported to their king.
Thud.
Bu Eun-seol slammed two silver taels on the table before—
CRACK!
—unleashing his movement technique at full power.
'Three days have passed since I left the Sacred Land.'
The Iron Elephant Sect was based in Nashik City—
they could have reached the valley already.
Even if he departed now, the attack would already be underway.
Grooooooan!
Bu Eun-seol channeled the Heavenly Light Endless Art at maximum capacity, fusing the Three Divine Powers with Swift Shadowless movement.
"Iron Elephant King!"
With an earth-shaking roar, his body became a streak of light cleaving through mid-air.
"If you touch them, you die!"
Samana Valley ran red with blood.
Corpses piled mountain-high as screams and battle cries mingled with roaring flames that shook the heavens.
The Four Sacred Tribes' warriors formed defensive lines, fighting relentlessly against the Iron Elephant Sect's masters.
But only a handful had regained their power through the Sacred Artifact.
Most tribesmen hadn't yet undergone the ritual to restore their strength,
leaving them utterly outmatched against the Iron Elephant Sect's formidable martial artists.
Yet the warriors of the Four Sacred Tribes fought bravely with spears and shields raised.
Every one of them had splashed their faces with a liquid made from ground red sand, and around their necks hung the fangs of beasts.
These were the marks only those unafraid of death could bear.
Still, a river of crimson blood flowed, and one by one, the tribal warriors collapsed, their bodies turning cold and lifeless.
—Bwooo!
Amid the blare of horn trumpets, the Masters of the Iron Elephant Sect advanced, pushing forward massive elephant-shaped shields to crush the defensive line of the Four Sacred Tribes.
The only saving grace was that the shamans of the Four Sacred Tribes, who could still wield their curse-like power,
had cast incantations from a distance to restrict their movements.
Additionally, A-wan—a Saintess Candidate who had fully unsealed her curse and could freely wield the power of the Yona Tribe—
along with a few tribal warriors who had unlocked their strength, stood at the forefront, relentlessly cutting down the enemy.
And so, somehow, the defensive line held.
Swoosh—! Fwoom—!
A-wan floated mid-air, her arms moving ceaselessly.
With each motion, hundreds of translucent arms stretched forth, piercing through the bodies of the Iron Elephant Sect's Masters.
Her power, not only eerily similar to Water Essence Divine Qi but also capable of shape-shifting like the Willful True Binding,
dug into the vital points of her enemies, felling them in an instant.
"So that is the power of the Holy Relic."
From atop a distant palanquin, an armored figure muttered in a low voice as he observed the scene.
Even in the face of such brutal slaughter, he merely rested his chin on his hand, watching with an intrigued expression.
This was none other than Sang Do-yu-mong, son of the Iron Elephant King.
"Truly, the Four Sacred Tribes were right to stake their lives searching for something of such worth."
After watching the battle for a long while, Sang Do-yu-mong fixed his gaze intently on A-wan, who was at the forefront of the fight.
Her beauty was dazzling enough to make one's eyes widen, and the way she fought, radiating a mysterious light,
made her seem like a divine maiden descended from the heavens.
"Good."
Sang Do-yu-mong's eyes shifted to a red-masked figure prostrated below his palanquin.
This was Ban Nipa, his most trusted subordinate and the White Elephant Pavilion Master of the Iron Elephant Sect.
"Bring her to me. Strip her completely—I wish to admire her body bare."
Bow.
With a respectful nod, Ban Nipa acknowledged the command—
BANG!
—and in the next instant, he shot through the air toward A-wan.
Tribal warriors of the Yona Tribe tried to block his path, but his pike pierced their throats in an instant, killing them before they could react.
CRASH!
Finally reaching A-wan, Ban Nipa swung his pike wildly.
Like cannonballs, waves of Spear Aura poured forth endlessly.
Swish-swish-swish!
A-wan, too, stirred the air as if playing an invisible zither, and the Spear Aura vanished in an instant—
—only to be replaced by sharp, tendril-like forces that burrowed into Ban Nipa's body.
Thud.
But Ban Nipa's body was wrapped in the formidable defenses of an external martial art, rendering A-wan's attacks useless against him.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Seizing the moment, Ban Nipa unleashed over thirty consecutive spear strikes.
Each strike carried intricate hand techniques—some fell slowly, others like lightning.
Not only did they perfectly seal off all escape routes, but as he relentlessly closed the distance,
A-wan had no choice but to retreat step by step, forced into a one-on-one confrontation.
Zing! BOOM! BOOM!
Dozens of invisible hands clashed against axe-blade-sharp spear strikes in mid-air.
In terms of pure ability,
A-wan held the advantage—not only could she freely alter the form of her attacks, but she could effortlessly deflect even the strongest of strikes.
But Ban Nipa's spear techniques contained all the profound mysteries of the Iron Elephant Sect's martial arts,
and having mastered the Eight Elephant Art, even the fiercest attacks left not so much as a scratch on him.
Moreover, he was a battle-hardened Master who had led countless fights to victory.
Against A-wan, who lacked combat experience, he employed cunning tactics, pressing her relentlessly.
"Tch—!"
A pained gasp escaped A-wan's lips.
If this continued, she would inevitably fall, a hole torn through her throat.
Snap!
But something was strange.
Even though Ban Nipa had clearly seized the perfect moment to deliver a fatal blow,
instead of targeting her vitals, he tore away a fistful of fabric from her shoulder.
"Ugh—!"
As A-wan staggered, her movements dulled, Ban Nipa wasted no time—
closing the distance, he swung his spear shaft in rapid succession, unleashing a flurry of attacks.
Rip. Rip. Rip.
Ban Nipa wasn't trying to kill her.
No—it was as if he intended to strip her completely bare,
deliberately shredding her clothes with the tip of his spear.
"Haaah—!"
Humiliated, A-wan spread her arms wide, preparing to unleash her full power.
But in close combat,
acting out of rage with wide, reckless movements was one of the gravest taboos.
BAM!
In the end, she failed to block the Palm Energy Ban Nipa shot from his left hand—
—and was struck in the shoulder, sent crashing to the ground.
Drip.
A-wan quickly pushed herself up, but blood trickled from her lips.
Never before had she fought in a battle where blood flowed so freely, where flesh was torn apart.
Had it not been for Bu Eun-seol, who had taught her how to freely manipulate the power of the Yona Tribe...
Even if she had exerted several times her current strength, she still wouldn't have been able to block Ban Nipa's Three-Move Style.
"Your skin is so pale and smooth."
Ban Nipa paused his movements and let out a sinister laugh as he saw the flicker of fear in A-wan's eyes.
"If you strip yourself willingly, I won't attack you any further."
"Nonsense!"
Just as A-wan tried to gather her strength again—
Thunk.
A sharp pike had already pierced deep into her left shoulder.
"Ugh..."
Had she been a martial artist of Murim, she would have seized this moment—when the attack lodged in her shoulder and halted—to instantly close the distance and kick him in the groin with a technique like Cunning Dragon Seizes the Heart.
But she, who had never experienced true combat in her life, froze completely under the weight of fear and pain, her movements grinding to a halt without her even realizing it.
Rustle.
In that moment, Ban Nipa grabbed the collar of A-wan's clothes near the nape of her neck.
If he exerted even a little more force—
Her garments would tear apart, leaving her completely exposed.
"Hah!"
Then, A-wan let out a sharp cry.
Everything up until now had been her feint.
Knowing that Ban Nipa not only possessed formidable martial arts but also regarded her as beneath his notice, she had waited for his moment of carelessness—
And attempted to drive a transparent, razor-sharp hand straight into his throat.
Drip, drip, drip.
Crimson blood trickled from Ban Nipa's neck.
But he had shifted just an inch, evading the fatal strike—only his flesh had been torn.
"The Sacred Artifact truly is impressive."
Ban Nipa curled the corner of his lips as he stared at A-wan.
"To think that merely borrowing the power of a Sacred Artifact would allow you to wound the body of this Pavilion Lord, who has mastered the Eight Elephant Art to the Third Layer."
A-wan simply gazed back at him with an impassive expression.
She wasn't afraid of death.
She had already steeled her Resolution the moment this battle began.
But now, with death looming before her, she felt an indescribable Regret and anguish.
Wind Cloud Prince.
If only I could have told you how my heart raced for you.
That for the first time in my life, I had fallen for someone.
That I should have just abandoned everything and followed you—
But she lacked the Courage, too afraid of being rejected to ever confess her feelings.
"The Young Master ordered me to flay you and bring you back."
Ban Nipa swallowed hard as he stared at A-wan's fallen face.
"Had there been no such order, I would have taken you as my concubine. What a waste."
As the White Pavilion Lord of the Iron Elephant Sect, he had always taken any woman who caught his fancy by force.
And even in the midst of battle, that perverse desire hadn't faded.
Snap, snap, snap!
Mid-sentence, he unleashed a Finger Wind as swift as lightning.
He had noticed A-wan's attempt to take her own life and instantly suppressed her Demon Blood Point.
"You cannot die without my permission."
Drip, drip.
Tears spilled from A-wan's eyes.
She had thought that after retrieving the Sacred Artifact and breaking her tribe's curse, all that remained was the prosperity of the Four Sacred Tribes.
But then the Iron Elephant King's troops had swept in as if lying in wait, unleashing a massacre.
'Wind Cloud Prince...'
A-wan closed her eyes.
All that remained now was a life of humiliation and the annihilation of her tribe.
There was no more Hope left.
Rip.
Just as Ban Nipa finally gripped her clothes with both hands to tear them apart—
KABOOM!
A five-colored lightning bolt streaked across the distant sky.
KRAAAKOOOM!
With a deafening thunderclap, the lightning flashed again.
RUMBLE—
At the same time, a brilliant white meteor traced the Sign of the Cross across the darkened night sky—
BOOOOM!
—before suddenly descending straight toward A-wan's location.
Ban Nipa recoiled in shock, leaping back around a hundred feet.
KABLAM!
A deafening explosion sent plumes of dust billowing outward—
Crunch, crunch.
—before a man clad in the feathered garments of the Vayura Tribe emerged from the haze.
It was none other than Bu Eun-seol.
"Young Master!"
Tears of joy streamed down A-wan's face, despite the suppressed Demon Blood Point.
How had he returned here after heading to Nagana Fortress?
Was this a dream?
Snap.
Bu Eun-seol immediately extended his hand, releasing her sealed pressure point.
"A-wan."
But when he saw her disheveled and battered state, a bloody light ignited in his eyes.
Tearing the clothes off a girl who wasn't even an adult yet?
Whoosh.
Ban Nipa, who had retreated around a hundred feet away, furrowed his brow and demanded in Han speech:
"Who the hell are you?"
Though Bu Eun-seol wore the attire of the Vayura Tribe, Ban Nipa had discerned his Han origins.
"Daring to interfere with our sect's—"
But his words cut off abruptly.
The overwhelming Energy radiating from Bu Eun-seol's body was crushing him where he stood.
"Your Internal Energy is formidable."
Despite the immense Pressure bearing down on him, Ban Nipa endured it and roared defiantly:
"The Eight Elephant Art of our sect is Invincible!"
The External Arts of the Iron Elephant Sect were unmatched in India.
And as the White Pavilion Lord, Ban Nipa had cultivated the Eight Elephant Art—comprising eight layers—up to the Third Layer.
Even reaching the Fourth Layer alone would rival Shaolin's Vajra Indestructibility Divine Art.
In this state, with his Divine Art fully unleashed, his physical body was absolutely indestructible.
Twitch.
But then, Ban Nipa's eyes—previously calm—widened in shock.
He realized that the overwhelming pressure wasn't meant to crush his body from the outside—
But rather, a strange Vibration and scorching heat were spreading from within him.
"W-what is this?!"
At his bewildered cry, Bu Eun-seol—his eyes blazing with bloody light—let out an icy laugh.
"What else? I'm roasting you from the inside out."
Hot River Great Essence True Qi.
He wasn't suppressing Ban Nipa with his Internal Energy—
He was unleashing the supreme martial art of the Blazing Flame Sacred Palace—incinerating that hardened body from the inside out.