However, there was something even Ak Muryeong had miscalculated.
Bu Eunseol had just fought a life-and-death struggle against the Returning to One Realm Lord, whose skills were equal to Ak Muryeong’s current level.
Through the help of the Infinite Land, he had reached a level of skill where he could strike down a terrifying powerhouse like Myeong Myeol in a single breath. If he set his mind to it, he too could sever Jongbaek’s arm within thirty moves.
‘No, the Pavilion Lord couldn't possibly be ignorant of my skills.’
When the Pavilion Lord looked at him, his eyes had flashed brightly. There was no way he would fail to recognize Bu Eunseol's current increase in martial prowess.
‘Teach him, and through that, let me realize it as well.’
A rapid increase in power inevitably breeds arrogance.
Although Ak Muryeong was a Human Demon who walked the path of Heavenly Hegemony, he was a man of frightening wisdom and insight, rivaling the Demon Emperor.
He surely sensed some sort of flaw alongside Bu Eunseol’s rapid growth and intended for him to use this battle to refine his spirit once more while seeking a way to fix that flaw.
‘Until I find a clue to that realization, I must extend this exchange as long as possible.’
Flash!
In a single opening, Bu Eunseol unleashed over ten sword strikes. They contained not only the powers of Extreme Yin and Extreme Yang but also the distinct essence of the Three Divine Energies.
This was a new technique he had never attempted before—a newly created marvel of martial arts exerted to keep up with Jongbaek’s ghost-like movements.
Swish—
However, Jongbaek flowed past the sword strikes as lightly as a ghost.
Sizzle!
In an instant, he neutralized a mass of various energies within Bu Eunseol’s body.
Pop!
Once again, Bu Eunseol concentrated various sword techniques into a single mass to slash at Jongbaek’s body or strike him with fist force. Even though the power was amplified, Jongbaek did not budge. This was because his body was enveloped in a ruinous energy that acted like a protective qi, capable of offsetting and crushing all worldly powers, ignoring not only Extreme Yin and Yang but even the Four Divine Energies.
"You, who worship martial arts, likely despise these powers as sorcery."
An infinitely dark energy spread from Jongbaek's eyes.
"But it is quite the opposite. These powers existed from the beginning of time; it was martial arts and Great Laws that were created later."
The Baekri Clan and the True Demon had existed since the beginning, possessing mysterious powers such as Stealth and Dharma Treasures.
According to the followers of the True Demon, both martial arts and sorcery were their creations. From their perspective, it must seem laughable that insignificant beings—who originally couldn't exert any power—would worship martial arts while calling sorcery or supernatural abilities 'dark arts.'
‘Even if they were the ones who created martial arts...’
Bu Eunseol was certain.
Even if the True Demon or the Baekri Clan had invented martial arts, they could never truly complete them. Martial arts begin with imperfection and pursue perfection. Only ordinary people with no inherent power can truly complete the path of martial arts.
Roar!
At that moment, a gray wave like a storm began to overwhelm Bu Eunseol.
At first glance, it looked like mist, but in reality, it was a conceptual attack that transcended time. Within the gray current, countless indistinguishable blades of Qi acted like living predators. They erupted from the front, back, left, right, top, bottom—and even from within the gray current itself. A power that could neither be avoided nor blocked covered Bu Eunseol like a dense net.
In an instant, Bu Eunseol’s figure rose slightly into the air and transformed into dozens of shadows. He was evading the attack by deploying the Swift Beyond Shadow, which allowed him to change directions ninety-nine times in a single breath.
Rumble! Whoosh. Tap.
As Bu Eunseol landed on the ground, the pouring current vanished instantly, and even the gray mist slowly dissipated.
Drip, drip.
Blood was soaking the parched earth.
Despite using the Swift Beyond Shadow, he had failed to dodge the attack perfectly, sustaining various wounds across his entire body.
"Hmph."
Jongbaek looked down at him with an arrogant gaze, the corners of his mouth curling upward.
"You managed to survive. That one is truly difficult to avoid."
The areas where Bu Eunseol was bleeding were all vital points, and those spots were densely covered in wounds. Jongbaek had not simply poured out supernatural power; he had accurately targeted and cruelly gouged at the vitals. Had Bu Eunseol not mastered the Swift Beyond Shadow to its peak, he would have died with hundreds of holes in his body.
"Shall we try again?"
Jongbaek reached out leisurely. The same attack was unleashed once more.
Boom! Pop, pop, pop!
As he deployed the Swift Beyond Shadow accompanied by the Thunder Spirit Energy, dozens of shadows were created around Bu Eunseol’s body.
Tap.
When the current finally cleared, Bu Eunseol’s body was even more bloodied than before. Even though he had used his full strength, combining the Thunder Spirit Energy with his movement technique, he had failed to block Jongbaek’s single move.
‘Even with the Infinite Reversal Power, I cannot avoid it. It’s as if five hundred attacks are pouring down in a single breath.’
Bu Eunseol’s eyebrows shot up. Even the Sword Pavilion Xuanyuan Technique of Guangchengzi, known as the swordsmanship of the immortals, displayed about three hundred and eighty variations.
Yet Jongbaek, who had unlocked his potential through the Primal Demon Artifact, could pour out five hundred attacks in a single strike.
"Are you happy, having surpassed your limits so easily?" Bu Eunseol asked coldly. "Being able to easily deploy techniques that cannot be achieved through martial arts."
"Is that not also an obsession?" Jongbaek snorted. "Is only martial arts right, and supernatural power wrong? To the commoners who do not practice martial arts, your techniques would also look like supernatural powers."
"I believe you know better than anyone that is not what I meant." Bu Eunseol spoke, holding the Silent Tiger Soul Sword upright. "Power that cannot be controlled ultimately becomes nothing but a weakness."
Supernatural power is like handing a sharp divine sword to a child. Because it cannot be perfectly controlled, it can harm one’s own body at any time.
But martial arts are different.
It is not about being handed a sharp sword; it is about tempering oneself to be able to wield one. Because one becomes strong by disciplining and controlling the body and spirit, the process is arduous and difficult—but depending on one's effort, the power obtained can be perfectly mastered.
"How foolish." Jongbaek shook his head while looking at Bu Eunseol. "In the martial world, the words of the strong are always right. Is it not also in the teachings of the Nangyang Pavilion? That one must do anything to become strong."
Bu Eunseol’s eyes flashed. In truth, he had been matching Jongbaek’s strength until now. Defeating Jongbaek was a trivial matter; the issue was that he had not yet found what it was he needed to realize. But listening to Jongbaek’s words, he was beginning to find those faint clues.
‘Now I understand why everyone in the Pavilion said those things.’
From Dancheong to Blood Vajra, Master Iron, So Jeon, Baek Yeon, and more... the Nangyang Pavilion family had constantly given him advice on his mindset while teaching him martial arts.
—Do not be mistaken. The teaching of this Pavilion is not about doing anything just to become strong.
—What will you do once you become strong? It is about asking how you will use that power.
—Pursue power, but do not be swayed by it; cultivate the strength of heart to govern that power.
—Obsessing over mere strength is an act of betraying the very foundation of true greatness.
And before leaving the Polar Regions in the past, Ak Muryeong had said:
—Constantly question yourself and pursue the true path of martial arts.
Each of those teachings became Bu Eunseol’s conviction and goal. Though he had started learning martial arts for revenge, through the teachings of the Nangyang Pavilion, he had found himself walking the path of a true martial artist.
"What do you train for the sake of your supernatural power?" Bu Eunseol asked then. "Are you researching where that power comes from or the principles of how it works?"
He continued his questioning.
"Have you ever attempted detailed control or application? Have you worked to eliminate unpredictable situations where the power changes or fails to manifest depending on your emotional state or external factors?"
Bu Eunseol’s gaze was stern.
"I am asking if you even understand it before you unleash it."
Martial arts is a systematic field of study where the experience and wisdom of countless people have accumulated over thousands of years.
It begins with basic physical training and progresses through internal arts, footwork, qinggong, leg techniques, finger techniques, and grappling techniques. While talent and a teacher's guidance are necessary, one can become strong through effort alone if they advance steadily.
In other words, the process and results of growth in martial arts are predictable, and the possibility of overcoming limits to reach higher realms is infinitely open. Furthermore, it does not just involve increasing physical ability; it includes governing the internal qi and cultivating mental strength through internal cultivation.
A strong body and a clear, powerful spirit harmonize to create a martial artist who remains unshaken in any situation.
While martial arts contain the principles of power management, the laws of nature, and even philosophical reflections on humanity and the world, supernatural powers completely lack such a process.
"Stupid brat. You haven't even considered that my martial arts are also higher than yours."
Jongbaek believed he possessed martial arts that could find the best move even in unpredictable situations, and that he used his supernatural power based on wisdom and improvisation.
"Your martial arts are high... is that something a disciple of Nangyang Pavilion should say?" Bu Eunseol said coldly. "The realms of martial arts are merely convenient classifications. It is about not settling in a realm but constantly disciplining and polishing oneself to pursue something higher."
Uncharacteristically, Bu Eunseol began to speak at length about martial arts. The development of martial arts goes beyond the simple pursuit of strength; it is a process of seeking the Way to complete oneself as a human being. Sometimes through training, and sometimes, like now, through dialogue with an enemy, one can steady oneself and grow stronger.
‘In fact, even I hadn't realized it until now.’
Through his conversation with Jongbaek, Bu Eunseol was having a belated realization. Until now, he had only been focused on learning and mastering martial arts, overlooking the process of reinterpreting and internalizing them according to his own nature.
"This fellow... is using me to reflect upon himself."
Only then did Jongbaek realize that Bu Eunseol wasn't asking him questions, but was speaking for the sake of his own martial reflection. He clicked his tongue.
"Do you think you are qualified to discuss martial theory with me?"
"Are you not confident?" Bu Eunseol said calmly. "Is it because you are ashamed of having obsessed over something and letting go of the thread of the Martial Way?"
Jongbaek’s ambition was great, and he had learned the truth of the martial world too quickly before he could firmly grasp his spirit. Because of that, he had abandoned the path of the Martial Way and become obsessed with powerful supernatural abilities.
"Have you ever tried to change the martial arts you built up through sweat to suit yourself? Have you ever even tried to create a sturdiness that does not break before any trial?"
"Save such talk for after you defeat me."
Jongbaek’s eyes flashed, and this time he emitted a completely different power. It wasn't a direct attack, but a pressure flowing from his body.
"One can kill with pressure alone."
The pressure flowing from his body truly felt as if it could uproot mountains and cover the world.
Whoosh—
At the same time, the gray current once again enveloped Bu Eunseol’s body. It was not a simple medium for attack, but a technique of the Mind World that attacked the spirit itself, a supernatural power.
"The moment you are entangled in this current, you will feel the pain of your soul being torn apart before you feel any physical pain!"
Crack.
As if proving his words, Bu Eunseol’s senses became distorted as he was caught in the current. His consciousness fragmented, and a crushing pressure that seemed to deny his very existence weighed down his entire body.
"You really have lived as nothing more than someone else's servant."
Despite this, a smile played on Bu Eunseol’s lips.
"Is this all it is?"
To him, who had been attacked spiritually countless times and had reached a level where he could even block the collapse of a Mind World, an attack of this level was enough to make him yawn.
‘It is even lower in quality than the Pavilion Lord's Illusion Upon Illusion.’
The Mind World ability Jongbaek displayed was no different from the Eight Human Lords he had seen before. Jongbaek had no idea how much brilliant progress had been made in martial arts in the meantime, or what formidable realms the powerhouses of the martial world had reached through bitter perseverance.
‘A discarded pawn.’
The True Demon had left behind numerous bloodlines, and there were subordinates ranging from the Three Attendants to the Four Divine Heavens and the Eight Human Heavens. They had always possessed power transcending martial arts and looked down upon the martial world, but ultimately, in this era, they could not keep up with the speed of development of the martial world’s martial arts and its supreme experts.
‘He intentionally let his subordinates fall behind.’
According to the Inbiin Lord, the True Demon delighted in the struggles of his subordinates. Furthermore, there was no collective movement or attempt at retaliation even when subordinates died.
‘Even though the Secret Treasury was raided.’
Despite the fact that the extremely hidden Secret Treasury had been plundered, he had only sent Jongbaek to pursue them alone.
‘He is nothing more than a minnow.’
In other words, all matters had been concluded flawlessly, and Jongbaek, the person in charge of the Secret Treasury, had been intentionally driven into a dead end to be disposed of.
"From now on, I will show you just how pathetic the pride you've held onto is."
A ghostly light was already flickering in Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
Heart Mirror Reverse Reflection, True Enemy Heart and Soul.
Before leaving, Ak Muryeong had briefly passed on a significant martial formula to Bu Eunseol. It was none other than a portion of the inner secrets of the Illusion Upon Illusion that he had never shared before.
It was a formula to reveal the abyss deep within one's heart when an enemy's spiritual attack is launched, thereby dealing a greater blow to the opponent.
It was a technique to turn the mirror of the heart backward, returning the darkness of the abyss to the enemy and shaking their soul.
Screeech!
As Bu Eunseol deployed the secret formula, the wailing of ghosts echoed from all sides. It was a desperate scream echoing from the deepest part of his soul.
Oooooh!
Soon, the ghostly wailing changed into the mournful lament of the dead. For a moment, Jongbaek felt as if he had locked eyes with a demon crouching in the darkness. Clearly, he was the one who had manifested the Mind World; he was the one who had deployed the treasure to shatter the enemy’s spirit.
Yet, why was it that his own blood, qi, and internal energy were being sucked away helplessly, and he felt a pain as if the very source of his life was drying up?
Having mastered part of the Illusion Upon Illusion's subtleties through Ak Muryeong’s formula, Bu Eunseol unleashed the darkness of the abyss within his own heart toward Jongbaek like a sharp technique.
Jongbaek let out a painful groan despite himself.
A grandmaster like him would never groan even if his arm were severed or if he were thrown into a fire alive. But the pain he felt now was neither physical nor spiritual; it was an indescribable regret and fear.
"Even a hero who once commanded the world has met an inevitable death and become a ghost full of resentment."
Synchronized with Bu Eunseol’s spirit, Jongbaek suddenly burst into a lament that sounded like a cry. Even Bu Zhanyang, who was practically the number one person under heaven, had met an unknown death, and his body could not even be found.
How much worse would his own life be, living by borrowing the power of the True Demon's subordinates? Wouldn't he eventually meet a real master soon... and die without even being able to resist properly? Wouldn't he meet an individual who far surpassed his power, and with only incomprehensible terror remaining, become a cold corpse and end his life?
Tremble.
Jongbaek clutched his head. The supernatural power and gray current he had wrapped around his body began to slowly fade away.
It was as if he had woken from a futile dream.
Crack.
Finally, the Mind World shattered, and Jongbaek faced Bu Eunseol, who was standing perfectly fine.
"To think a person who couldn't even properly train their spirit hoped to look down upon the world."
At Bu Eunseol’s words, Jongbaek lowered his head. Finally, the words his junior, Sangpan Sohong, had consistently said to him came to mind.
—Is not the strength gained through the process of disciplining oneself to the limit the true strength? Power that is not earned by oneself is meaningless.
Jongbaek should have wandered the martial world and clashed with numerous experts to test his strength. However, he had quickly unlocked his potential as supernatural power through the Primal Demon Artifact and easily disposed of many experts. He thought he had reached a formidable realm, but in reality, he had been building a sandcastle that would collapse instantly upon meeting a true powerhouse.
"If you had become strong through self-discipline, the barriers of your spirit would have inevitably become thick as well. You would have gained a steeled heart that is unshaken by anything."
At Bu Eunseol’s words, Jongbaek’s past self came to mind.
—If I obtain the Primal Demon Artifact, at the very least, I will never lose to martial artists!
He had always held this mindset—that he was a completely different existence.
Because he possessed the Primal Demon Artifact, he believed he would never lose to martial artists.
But looking back, he was not a special being.
He was just one of many martial artists who had happened to get his hands on a special power. Behind the power called the Primal Demon Artifact, his essence was no different from any other martial artist.
"Fine. I admit it." Jongbaek nodded. "But I also expected it. That because I skipped the training process by obtaining the Primal Demon Artifact... weaknesses could arise."
Crunch.
In an instant, his body was turning black.
"So, I also prepared a means to crush all stages or flaws of martial arts."
Swoosh.
The black true qi flowing from Jongbaek’s body grew even thicker.
"So that I can handle the pure Primal Demon Artifact, rather than just using it as potential supernatural power."
At the same time, his hair grew longer, and his pupils were dyed pitch black.
"Haa."
Black smoke rose from the mouth of Jongbaek as he exhaled. While the Baekri Clan’s appearance changed like a spirit blooming in the snow, when Jongbaek used the Primal Demon Artifact to transform his body, he became a bizarre figure with long black-dyed hair and black flames.
‘Even a rotting mackeral is still a mackeral, I suppose.’
Compared to the current experts of the martial world, Jongbaek possessed somewhat lagging martial arts and senses. However, he too had predicted such points and prepared a way to offset those disadvantages in one go with the powerful supernatural strength he obtained by becoming a servant of the True Demon.
‘This is dangerous.’
Bu Eunseol immediately deployed the Supreme Heavenly Flow, launching a series of intense sword qi. If exposed to that massive sword qi, even if not directly hit, flesh would have been stripped away until only bones remained. However, from Jongbaek’s body, which was struck by the sword qi, a black, sticky liquid flowed instead of blood.
That liquid rose like smoke and bizarrely sealed the wounds. He seemed to feel pain as he slightly furrowed his brow, but it instead became fuel to amplify his anger and power, and he wore a cruel smile.
Rumble—
The ground shook, and thick veins popped out from the skin of his entire body.
Gurgle.
The veins were red and writhed violently like a boiling furnace. At the same time, his skin began to turn a dark reddish color like an iron plate heated in fire, and an eerie heat, as if thin smoke were rising, surrounded him. His two eyes turned into a flaming golden color, and his pupils slit thinly like a beast’s. His presence alone exuded a bizarre intimidation.
Jongbaek’s body was no longer living flesh; it had become a vessel containing the True Demon’s will and a cursed demonic creature.
"Die!"
Jongbaek reached out his hand. Then, a power poured out that compressed and distorted the surrounding air, creating the illusion that even space was warping. He concentrated a power that seemed to crush heaven and earth into his palm, striking Bu Eunseol at an unavoidable speed.
Bang!
Ink-colored light points splattered in all directions, and heaven and earth shook. It was a power that would have caused an ordinary martial artist to vanish without a trace.
But at that moment,
Crack, Clang!
Along with the sound of something clear and resonant shattering, Bu Eunseol’s entire body turned ice-cold, and his skin began to be dyed white as a snowflake.
As the powerful and murky Primal Demon Artifact invaded his body, his hair and skin had turned pure white.
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