Chapter 989
Bu Eun-seol's expression darkened.
"Whose order was it?"
He had once visited the Fire Rain Sword Sect in the past.
There, he had discovered Cheon Un-gwang being punished for the crime of imparting sword techniques to him.
In the end, he had settled the debt by returning the refined Peerless Thunderbolt Form to the Fire Rain Sword Sect.
Though Cheon Un-gwang had later taught him the Nine Dragons Flashing Thunder technique,
that had been nothing more than a privately transmitted Sword Intent.
By all outward appearances, he no longer owed the Fire Rain Sword Sect anything.
And yet now, they had issued such a petty and underhanded order—even to Dan Cheon-yang and Jin Gak?
"I was under the impression that Sect Leader Wi Ji-mua was not so narrow-minded."
The Profound Demon Wi Ji-mua was a man of such unassuming temperament that one might mistake him for a sage of the Righteous Faction. Moreover, he had no interest in things like dominance over the martial world.
There was simply no way he would issue such an order.
"The Sect Leader did not give the command."
"Then..."
Bu Eun-seol's pupils burned like embers.
"Wi Ji-hye-sang—was it his order?"
Currently, the Fire Rain Sword Sect was being run in a highly unusual manner.
For reasons unknown, Sect Leader Wi Ji-mua had completely withdrawn from sect affairs and secluded himself.
While the Chief Instructor, the Sword Demon Wi Hyeok-gun, oversaw general operations,
the successor, Wi Ji-hye-sang, was issuing commands to each division as if he were the de facto sect leader.
"An outsider like you has no need to know the internal affairs of our sect."
"Then... have you been living in seclusion like this because you refused to carry out that order—for my sake?"
"Quite the opposite."
Jin Gak spoke impassively.
"I realized my skills fell short of yours and have been honing my sword. Because I must carry out the solemn command our sect has issued."
As it turned out, he had left the Fire Rain Sword Sect to embark on a path of training—all for the sake of defeating Bu Eun-seol.
When winter arrived, he had settled on Golden Sand Island to refine his sword techniques.
"And not long ago, I completed my sword art."
Jin Gak offered a smile devoid of any emotion.
"And just in time, you appeared."
Only then did Bu Eun-seol understand why Jin Gak had spoken of fate.
He had trained to defeat him, and the moment his technique was perfected, Bu Eun-seol had come to him of his own accord...
It was only natural to call it fate.
"Gyo Du."
"At first, I couldn't comprehend the order to kill you. But now, I think I grasp the situation somewhat."
Jin Gak shook his head.
"The heir apparent of the Demon Hall was a spy for the Righteous Faction? That makes no sense, does it?"
'It's understandable he'd misunderstand.'
Jin Gak was a master of exceptional Sword Intent.
He must have sensed the fluctuations of Bu Eun-seol's True Qi earlier.
Though he had used the orthodox method of manipulating qi out of necessity—due to his fractured psyche—
from Jin Gak's perspective, it would be stranger not to conclude he was a spy of the Righteous Faction.
—I am not a spy of the Righteous Faction.
Bu Eun-seol wanted to say it.
But looking back on his past life, he had spied for the Martial Alliance for so long.
Even if that weren't the case, he was no follower of the Demonic Path.
He had never once acted for the benefit of the demonic factions—nor had he ever intended to.
Becoming the heir of the Demon Hall had merely been a means to track down the assassin.
In the eyes of a true demonic practitioner... he was no different from a traitor.
"Why did you do such a thing?"
At Jin Gak's question, Bu Eun-seol offered a bitter smile.
"The lives of those who live by the sword in the martial world..."
Then, lowering his head, he spoke.
"...are all stained with grief and misery."
These, too, were words his grandfather Bu Jan-yang had once said.
At the time, Bu Eun-seol hadn't understood them. But now, he finally did.
Once you set foot in the martial world,
the cycle of favors and grudges repeats endlessly, and there is no escape from its shackles.
Those who raised their blades in the past, who raise them now, and who will raise them in the future—
the lives of martial artists are inevitably steeped in grief and misery.
"Grief and misery, you say."
Jin Gak gazed at the distant sky and let out a deep sigh.
"You've cut down countless enemies up to now. I don't understand how you can still have the eyes of an outsider."
"It's because I'm an outsider that I could cut them down. And because I'm not truly of the martial world, I could disregard the divide between orthodox and unorthodox."
That was Bu Eun-seol's honest sentiment.
Swish.
Jin Gak rose to his feet.
Drawing the longsword at his waist, he tossed the scabbard onto the ground.
It was a declaration—
that this fight would not end until one of them lay dead.
A vow to fight to the death.
—The lives of those who live by the sword in the martial world... are all stained with grief and misery.
His grandfather's desolate voice seemed to whisper in his ear.
Gritting his teeth, Bu Eun-seol also stood from his seat.
This battle could not be avoided.
"Instructor."
Then he gripped the hilt of the Ink Soul Sword.
"Thanks to the teachings you bestowed upon me, I was able to enter the world of Sword Studies, and upon that foundation, I built my martial prowess."
Shring—
Drawing the Ink Soul Sword, he held the sword with both hands, pointing it downward in a formal salute.
"Though my skills remain meager, I shall demonstrate the results of my training."
Jin Gak smiled faintly.
"The Martial Soul Lord of the world shouldn't bow his head so easily."
And without hesitation, he unleashed the Fire Rain Sword Technique with a shout:
"Brace yourself!"
Unlike the Righteous Faction, the Demonic Path does not concern itself with rank or precedence once battle begins.
Knowing full well that Bu Eun-seol had surpassed him in Sword Studies, Jin Gak immediately took the initiative.
Bu Eun-seol effortlessly evaded Jin Gak's swordplay and remarked in a clear voice:
"An excellent sword technique."
For a moment, he wanted to cover his own mouth.
To casually dismantle a sword technique while sighing in admiration—such behavior was typical of Righteous Faction swordsmen.
Regardless, Jin Gak focused his mind and continued unfolding his technique.
Zzzing—
Not only did Jin Gak's Sword Strokes contain subtleties capable of instantly disrupting an opponent's attacks,
but even the mere act of swinging his blade sent razor-sharp shockwaves rippling outward.
The Fire Rain Sword Technique, in particular, was based on its foundational principles, yet each master of the sect interpreted it differently,
creating swordplay tailored to their own understanding.
This was precisely why the Fire Rain Sword Sect had earned its title as the Demonic Path's Greatest Sword Sect—
because its practitioners could freely adapt their techniques to match their individual temperaments.
Swish—!
Bu Eun-seol swung the Ink Soul Sword, parrying Jin Gak's razor-edged strokes.
Yet even though he wasn't directly struck, the shockwaves pierced through him like a blade to the organs,
and despite the sword never touching his skin, burns and bleeding appeared.
'The Iron Sword Thirteen Forms?'
Realizing Jin Gak was executing the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms, Bu Eun-seol inwardly gasped.
'He's honed the fundamental subtleties of the Fire Rain Sword with relentless dedication.'
Jin Gak's temperament was calm and steady.
Thus, rather than pursuing flashy, ever-changing techniques, he had chosen to refine the most basic Martial Forms to their utmost depths.
As a result, his Fire Rain Sword Technique was now astonishingly close to the original style established seven hundred years ago by the Founder Jeok Hwa-un,
who had synthesized the entirety of the Demonic Path's sword arts into a single system.
'Literally, Fire Rain.'
Wherever Jin Gak's swordplay unfolded, stone and wood alike turned to ash,
and the sword qi, falling like embers, scorched the air so intensely that even breathing became difficult.
Clang-clang-clang—!
Jin Gak's strikes were exquisitely precise—
not only were his Sword Strokes blindingly fast, but the range of his sword's influence was vast.
'I underestimated the Fire Rain Sword Technique.'
Bu Eun-seol had also trained in the fundamentals of the Fire Rain Sword, and he had even crossed blades with Sword Demon Wi Hyeok-gun, one of the sect's greatest masters.
Because of this, he had arrogantly believed he understood the Fire Rain Sword better than anyone.
But the Fire Rain Sword Jin Gak wielded was not the swordplay of the Demonic Path—
instead, it was as refined and fluid as the Sword Studies of the Taoist School.
At first glance, it seemed easy to engage with,
yet in every moment he failed to perceive, the blade grazed him as if cutting through air.
Tremble—
Moreover, Jin Gak's sword trembled at its tip with such subtlety that even Bu Eun-seol could barely detect it—
a result of extreme speed and profound Sword Strokes merging seamlessly.
Clang—!
When their weapons collided midair, a clear metallic sound resonated across Golden Sand Island.
Sssk—
Yet, astonishingly, the one forced back was none other than Bu Eun-seol.
The Fire Rain Sword was a technique that demanded relentless refinement of the basics—
so much so that even the most ordinary Sword Stroke could be executed with near-perfection, leaving no opening to exploit.
It was a swordplay that ignored even the disparity in their levels of Internal Energy.
"Your swordplay is still crude,"
Jin Gak murmured in a low voice.
"And your Spirit and Mind remains unsteady."
Bu Eun-seol could not reply.
With his mind entirely consumed by Righteous Grandeur,
he couldn't properly wield even his own Formless Heavenly Flow, let alone any Demonic Path sword art.
But if he were to use the Sword Studies of the Righteous Faction instead?
That would be nothing short of an insult to Jin Gak.
'How could I wield my sword carelessly against the man who first taught me the blade?'
His swordsmanship had reached the Summit of Mastery—
unbound by orthodox or unorthodox techniques, capable of manifesting swordplay through sheer Way of the Sword alone.
But to wield his sword like that would be to belittle Jin Gak.
Drip—
A bead of blood trickled down Bu Eun-seol's cheek.
Unnoticed, a razor-sharp sword qi had grazed his temple.
Had his evasion been even slightly slower, his right eyeball would have been blinded.
Crack—!
Yet Jin Gak did not halt his sword techniques, relentlessly unfolding the Fire Rain Sword without pause.
As if submerged in the State of Selflessness, his pupils burned with a solar radiance of fighting spirit, his entire body wreathed in transparent flames.
'He's serious about this.'
Only then did Bu Eun-seol realize the grave miscalculation he had made.
'Isn't this kind of thinking exactly what those face-obsessed Righteous Faction hypocrites would do?'
Jin Gak was a swordsman who had spent his entire life relying on a single blade to battle his enemies.
No matter what sword techniques Bu Eun-seol employed, no matter what thoughts crossed his mind, no matter what expression he wore—
Jin Gak was solely focused on unleashing sword techniques meant to cut down his opponent with every ounce of his being.
'For now, this is the best I can do!'
With his spirit and mind dominated by righteous conviction, he couldn't employ the incomparably sharp Formless Heavenly Flow.
Instead, he had to rely on a swordsmanship that utilized only the Way of the Sword—something only those who had reached the pinnacle of martial mastery could execute.
'I must read the flow of his sword strokes and defend against the Fire Rain Sword.'
At present, Jin Gak's Fire Rain Sword had reached an exceedingly high realm—
Every single martial form seized upon an unavoidable instant, unfolding sword techniques with flawless precision.
In that case, the only way left was to use that very flow against him, to completely control the movement of his techniques.
Shiiing!
A white storm erupted from Bu Eun-seol's body as he spun in a wide arc, unleashing a lightning-fast slash.
Unfazed by the sudden martial form, Jin Gak read the trajectory of Bu Eun-seol's movements—
Then, tracing a luminous path like falling light, his blade aimed straight for Bu Eun-seol's vital points.
Twitch.
But in the end, Jin Gak couldn't complete his technique.
Because Bu Eun-seol, still suspended mid-air, was already releasing another sword stroke.
As if time itself had frozen, the tip of his sword—
Sealed off every possible Sword Path Jin Gak could take.
The moment Jin Gak attempted to execute his technique, a gap inevitably opened in his defense.
Swish!
Unfazed, Jin Gak—
Drew his longsword back behind him, unfolding another sword stroke into the air.
But it was futile.
Bu Eun-seol still hadn't completed his martial form.
Yet the instant Jin Gak tried to execute his technique, his own movements would inevitably collapse under their weight.
'Controlling the flow of motion with sword intent alone.'
Bu Eun-seol's frozen sword stroke wasn't meant to cut down his opponent—it was meant to envelop everything about him.
Moreover, because he could read the flow of the sword's intent even before Jin Gak himself—
No matter what movement Jin Gak made, no matter what technique he unleashed, it would be instantly blocked.
Whoosh.
In the end, Jin Gak had no choice but to lower his sword.
And then, a relieved smile touched his lips.
"You've grasped the art of reading the flow of the sword in such a short time."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes flickered in realization.
Only now did he understand—
That Jin Gak had deliberately employed these martial forms to teach him the intricacies of the Fire Rain Sword Technique.
With an expression of disbelief, Bu Eun-seol asked:
"Why did you teach me this sword technique?"
"You've already learned the Fire Rain Thirteen Forms on Hell Island with the Demon Hall's permission," Jin Gak replied flatly.
"So teaching you the Thirteen Forms again wouldn't be a crime."
"Instructor..."
Bu Eun-seol lowered his head with a pained expression.
"I was never a particularly talented individual," Jin Gak said, a somewhat lonely smile forming.
"Because of that, I could never properly master the Fire Rain Sword. I had no choice but to endlessly train in the basic techniques—the Fire Rain Thirteen Forms."
"..."
"After much struggle, I focused solely on mastering the core principles of the Thirteen Forms—'Perceiving the Flow to Control Battle' and 'Recognizing Opportunity to Seize Victory.' In other words, the art of reading an opponent's movements first to dominate combat."
He continued calmly.
"I thought that, at the very least, I wouldn't die beneath an enemy's blade this way."
His gaze drifted to the distant sky.
"But those who mastered these principles within the Fire Rain Sword Sect disappeared. Why bother with something as tedious and seemingly insignificant as the Fire Rain Thirteen Forms when you could learn the Foremost Demonic Sword Studies—techniques that allow you to subdue an opponent in an instant?"
Lacking exceptional talent, Jin Gak had been—
Among the countless disciples of the Fire Rain Sword Sect, the lowest of the low—a Leaf Sword.
Like the Langya Pavilion, the Fire Rain Sword Sect—
Determined one's rank and status solely by swordsmanship.
Jin Gak had long recognized his limits and, in the end, abandoned the pursuit of the sect's supreme sword studies—the Fire Rain Sword.
—The Founder created the Fire Rain Thirteen Forms for ordinary disciples. Surely, there must be profound meaning in this technique.
He was stubborn, more tenacious than anyone.
While others treated the Thirteen Forms as a mere stepping stone to master the Fire Rain Sword's foundations—
For a full ten years, he had relentlessly honed them without cease.
And after those ten years, for the first time,
he participated in the annual Sword Competition held within the sect.
There, he surpassed a dazzling array of master swordsmen and claimed victory.
—"Indeed, just as I thought."
At the time, the Profound Demon Wi Ji-mua, who had been observing the competition, let out an admiring sigh and nodded.
—"Only a man like him could take charge of the Sprouting Hall, responsible for all the novice disciples of our sect."
It was nothing short of an unprecedented appointment.
The Profound Demon had grasped in a single glance exactly what kind of man Jin Gak was—
and what kind of training he had undergone up to that point.
—"To leap from the lowest rank of Leaf Sword in the Main Pavilion to becoming a Hall Leader and attaining the rank of Overwhelming Sword in just ten years...!"
Once Jin Gak had earned the recognition of Wi Ji-mua—the Foremost Demonic Sword and one of the greatest masters of the era—
countless disciples of the Fire Rain Sword Sect flocked to him, seeking instruction.
And so, just as he had learned, he silently taught them the Fire Rain Thirteen Forms.
—"What in the world is this?"
The disciples of the Fire Rain Sword Sect couldn't hide their bewilderment.
Every disciple of the Fire Rain Sword Sect cultivated their own unique version of the Fire Rain Sword,
constantly refining their skills through duels with one another.
But Jin Gak's method—silently mastering the foundational sword studies to perfection and awakening the profound mysteries within—
was nothing but an outdated relic,
completely out of step with the ever-evolving, ever-progressing sword studies of the Fire Rain Sword Sect, while his method focused solely on relentless foundational training.
—"Was the Sect Leader merely trying to establish a Hall Leader who would preserve our sect's traditions?"
In the end, the disciples all left in disappointment.
Occasionally, a few stubbornly stayed behind to practice the Fire Rain Thirteen Forms under Jin Gak's guidance,
but none lasted even a full year before leaving.
—"It seems this generation will produce no disciple who can achieve Great Completion in our sect's sword studies."
The Profound Demon, upon seeing Jin Gak silently guarding the Sprouting Hall alone,
reportedly clapped him on the shoulder, clicked his tongue, and left.
But the only one who knew of this episode was Jin Gak himself.
Having finished his reminiscence, Jin Gak let out a low sigh through his nose.
"If I die, one of the great mysteries of the Fire Rain Thirteen Forms will be lost here."
He looked at Bu Eun-seol with a faint smile.
"But you can pass it on to our sect, can't you?"
"But I am someone who cannot coexist with the Fire Rain Sword Sect."
At present, Bu Eun-seol was a sworn enemy of the Fire Rain Sword Sect—someone who could never stand beside them.
And yet, Jin Gak wanted to impart the mysteries of the Fire Rain Thirteen Forms to him and have him pass them on to the sect?
"No, you can do it."
Jin Gak was certain.
Bu Eun-seol—even if he were a blood-sworn enemy—would never refuse such a request.
"Why do you say that?"
Jin Gak smiled.
"Because I saw everything—how you endured the Third Trial on Hell Island."
When he first saw him,
he had thought Bu Eun-seol would become nothing more than an endlessly ruthless, emotionless, and cold-blooded Killing Star of the Demonic Path.
But after teaching him all the foundational sword studies, he came to realize—
that not only did he possess innate talent and genius in martial arts, but he also harbored deeper emotions than anyone else.
It was just that, due to some past event, those emotions had frozen solid.
Otherwise,
he wouldn't have gone out of his way to say such things to each and every one of those who died by his hand.
—"Do you have any last words for your fellow disciples or acquaintances?"
Back then, even as Bu Eun-seol killed the children who rushed at him one by one on Hell Island,
he always spoke these words to those who faced him in a fair one-on-one duel.
—"Tell me. I will deliver them without fail."
At the time, to ensure the smooth progression of the battles on Hell Island, all instructors wore masks and played the role of Killing Ghosts.
—"What a strange boy."
And so, Jin Gak secretly followed Bu Eun-seol, observing every single one of his actions.
As a Fire Rain Sword Sect Ten Demonic Heir, he had vehemently insisted that Bu Eun-seol be brought in no matter what.
"...So that's how it was."
After hearing everything, Bu Eun-seol wore an awkward expression.
He had suspected that the Killing Ghosts were the instructors who had trained the Ten Demonic Heirs.
But he never imagined Jin Gak had been following him, watching everything.
"Actually, right now, I..."
Bu Eun-seol tried to explain his current situation to Jin Gak.
"...am not in a normal state."
"I know. A warrior's sword techniques bear the unaltered imprint of their spirit and mind."
Surprisingly, Jin Gak spoke as if he already understood everything.
"You've been caught in a Great Art or placed under a Restrictive Seal—something that has constrained your spirit and mind, haven't you?"
"That's correct."
Since he couldn't say it was a technique passed down by his father in his childhood, Bu Eun-seol conveyed only a rough approximation of the truth.
"I happened to come across a technique that affects the spirit and mind... and because of it, I've become unstable."
"A technique that affects the spirit and mind, you say."
Jin Gak lowered his head slightly, studying Bu Eun-seol.
"You didn't happen to see the Wi Clan's technique, did you?"
"The Wi Clan's technique?"
"The Wi Clan wanted to dominate the Fire Rain Sword Sect forever. So they obtained something no human should ever wield—the Soul Spirit Secret Art—and used it."
"The Soul Spirit Secret Art?"
Then Jin Gak said something utterly shocking.
"They say it was modeled after the Soul Spirit Secret Art of the Baekri Clan—one of the legendary Three Clans of Murim."