Step, step.
Deep within the innermost sanctuary of the Inner Court, a massive pavilion appeared before Bu Eunseol’s eyes. This was originally the Demon Sword Pavilion, where the Sect Leaders of the Hwa Wu Sword Sect resided.
However, for a long time, the Sect Leader had not entered it; instead, the Young Sect Leader, Weiji Hyesang, had been staying there.
Kreeeeak.
As Bu Eunseol approached, the doors of the pavilion opened as if they had been waiting.
A man with sleek, long hair neatly combed down smiled and walked out slowly.
His body was slender and long, exuding an elegant atmosphere like an orchid in an ink wash painting. His chiseled jawline, sharp bridge of the nose, and bloodless, pale white skin gave an impression of cold indifference at first glance, but a smile like a spring breeze lingered at the corners of his mouth.
It was none other than the Young Sect Leader of the Hwa Wu Sword Sect, Weiji Hyesang.
"It has been a long time."
Weiji Hyesang originally had a slender, feminine voice, and his gaze tended to be delicate. But now, he was producing an incredibly low and deep voice.
Not only were his deep, dark eyes shining as intensely and brilliantly as a beast's, but he also exuded a chilling majesty that felt as if it were piercing one's heart—an allure so magnetic that one would not dare to look away.
"I do not know what to call you."
Bu Eunseol felt it instinctively.
The person standing before him was not the Weiji Hyesang he had seen until now. Within that slender body crouched an existence like an imugi* that had survived the storms of the human world for a vast age. What emanated from him was not the momentum of a martial artist; it was an overwhelming pressure, like an unknown entity that had been coiled in the deepest parts of the primordial sea finally awakening after a thousand years.
*Imugi - a really big reptile that becomes a dragon after thousands of years
"Shall I call you the Young Sect Leader?"
"Young Sect Leader, my foot."
Weiji Hyesang waved his hand dismissively.
"This fellow was never Sect Leader material from the time he was a child."
Weiji Hyesang was treating his own self as if he were a different person. Bu Eunseol did not find this particularly strange. He himself likely had a completely separate, new personality settled within his mind.
"Even so, I had quite high expectations for that Mu-a fellow. He was the greatest genius the history of this sect has ever seen."
Weiji Hyesang clicked his tongue and shook his head.
"But his temperament was too honest and gentle; that became the problem."
Though he spoke in a friendly tone, his eyes were entirely dyed blue. Bu Eunseol felt a constant itch in his hands. Every time Weiji Hyesang spoke, he felt as if he had to quickly draw the Silent Tiger Soul Sword and attack with all his might.
"Once he learned the secret of this family, he fell into despair and lived like a Taoist who had left the secular world."
'He calls Sect Leader Weiji "Mu-a," does he?'
Hearing Weiji Hyesang’s words, Bu Eunseol found the final piece of the puzzle that resolved all his lingering doubts.
"You are Weiji Hun, the Sect Leader from two generations ago."
He was known not only for forging the most unique Hwa Wu Sword in the history of the sect but also for possessing an extremely cruel temperament. He was the one who caused the incident where he tracked down and slaughtered over a hundred members of the Orthodox Sect simply for badmouthing him or looking at him unfavorably.
"How fascinating."
When Bu Eunseol identified his identity at once, Weiji Hyesang stroked the wall as if surprised.
"Has my identity already been figured out?"
"It is a fact anyone could see at a glance."
"You have always spoken quite interestingly."
Weiji Hyesang—no, Weiji Hun—said with a flash in his eyes.
"Tell me. Why did you think I was Weiji Hun?"
"No matter how foolish a father may be, he tends to know his child well," Bu Eunseol said calmly. "But a grandfather might not know what kind of person his grandson is."
"Are you saying I don't know him?"
"If you knew him, would you have plotted such a stupid thing?" Bu Eunseol clicked his tongue. "Sect Leader Weiji did not despair. He simply knew that because of you, the sword sect would collapse."
He spoke firmly.
"He knew that if a ghost who cannot even die starts controlling the sword sect, the end will eventually be nothing but ruin."
Weiji Hun burst into a clear laugh. Just by laughing, his fragile appearance seemed to tear away, as if a sleeping, evil demon were baring its fangs and laughing.
"You even swear in creative ways."
Weiji Hun—the Sect Leader from two generations ago—was settled as a personality within Weiji Hyesang’s body.
If Bu Eunseol had not seen the Great Method of the Clear River Realm, he would never have believed such a nonsensical fact.
"You couldn't truly create a separate personality and live inside someone else's body for hundreds of years." Bu Eunseol paused. "I do not know how you can occupy the body of a descendant, but—"
"Let me ask you, what exactly is a soul?"
Weiji Hun curled the corner of his lip.
"If someone had the exact same memories, habits, and personality as you... what would you call that person?"
"Are you saying it truly is the Great Method of the Clear River Realm?"
In the Clear River Realm, a bizarre Great Method is passed down that merges the personalities of two living people into one. This involves one person taking another as a target and, for as little as a year to as long as over a decade, following and mimicking that target to imitate everything about them. Finally, when it is judged that they have perfectly imitated not only habits and personality but even the way of thinking, they take the target's life through a special technique and absorb the entire personality.
However, a question remained.
How could Weiji Hyesang, who was only in his twenties, have stayed by the side of Weiji Hun, who died long ago, and absorbed everything exactly as it was?
"Are you saying you were hiding and living as long as a Buddha?"
"Who knows?"
Weiji Hun’s red eyes flashed.
"It is likely different from the Great Method of the Clear River Realm you speak of. That would be too inefficient."
"Then what is it?"
"Well, it is something your mind could not possibly imagine, so even if I explained it, you would not understand."
With a sneer, Weiji Hun turned the subject, looking around at the empty surroundings.
"This is a matter that could have been resolved instantly by sending just the Ten Great Swordsmen of this sect..."
As if it were a waste to kill Bu Eunseol instantly, he intentionally led the conversation along.
"That Mu-a fellow sent out all the disciples of the sword sect and threatened me, saying we must settle this alone."
When Weiji Mu-a heard the intelligence that Bu Eunseol was invading alone, he moved all the disciples of the sword sect elsewhere and told Weiji Hun to resolve it one-on-one.
"Is there a need to listen to Sect Leader Weiji's words? You could just continue to control the sword sect as you do now."
"He was quite firm this time." Weiji Hun licked his lips and said, "He said that if we did not resolve it between the two of us and instead dragged it into a power struggle, he would reveal every secret of this family to the martial world and then commit suicide."
For a moment, Bu Eunseol felt a heat in his chest.
From the start, Weiji Mu-a had no intention of fighting. Instead, he had staked his own life to ensure that Bu Eunseol and Weiji Hun would face each other alone.
"He said this proposal was the only way to protect the Hwa Wu Sword Sect..."
Weiji Mu-a had understood Bu Eunseol perfectly. What if Weiji Hun had not responded to the duel alone? Indeed, Bu Eunseol had prepared a plan to completely massacre every single disciple of the Hwa Wu Sword Sect.
"The Sect Leader saw correctly."
"You think you can break this sect, which could not be broken even if the entire forces of the Majeon were mobilized?" Weiji Hun snorted. "A mere brat from the Nangyang Pavilion?"
As he spoke the name of the Nangyang Pavilion, a blood-red phosphorescence began to burn in the eyes of the previously calm Bu Eunseol.
"Do you think I can't?"
Until now, Bu Eunseol had accomplished everything that was considered impossible. Weiji Hun curled his lip and burst into a mad laugh.
He realized that while the boy might not succeed, he truly intended to crush the Greatest Sect of the Demon Path.
"Hahahaha!"
Every time the laughter echoed, the landscape distorted and the sky darkened as if a black sun were burning. Through laughter alone, he was exerting a powerful vibration that transcended martial logic.
"Yes, you have always done bizarre things."
Weiji Hun stopped laughing and wore an expression as if he had no choice.
"Since it was Weiji Mu-a’s last request, I have no choice but to grant it."
"Do not pretend to care for Sect Leader Weiji now." Bu Eunseol sneered. "You accepted because you knew this was the only way to shut my mouth."
His first plan to tear down the Hwa Wu Sword Sect was to reveal the identity of the person secretly controlling it. What if Weiji Mu-a had not greeted him alone?
Bu Eunseol would have started by spreading the secrets of the Hwa Wu Sword Sect across the entire martial world, dragging its reputation to the floor.
"Correct," Weiji Hun admitted. "Because the secrets of this family must be protected at all costs."
When Bu Eunseol first detected the fact that the Hwa Wu Sword Sect had conspired with outside forces, he found it impossible to understand.
The Hwa Wu Sword Sect was the greatest sect of the Demonic Path, and in this era, it had produced a peerless swordsman like Weiji Mu-a. Even if Weiji Hyesang were a dullard compared to Weiji Mu-a, why would they need to sympathize with outside forces and damage the legitimacy of the Hwa Wu Sword Sect?
But he realized it late.
It wasn't that Weiji Hun was particularly greedy; it was that the three-hundred-year history of the Weiji family was built this way from the start.
They had been conspiring with outside forces for a very long time.
"Are you saying the Hwa Wu Sword Sect absolutely had to be the greatest sect of the Demonic Path?"
"You wouldn't know. The reason we must absolutely control the Hwa Wu Sword Sect." Weiji Hun clicked his tongue and said, "There is no other way, since we cannot produce a genius of the ages in every generation, is there?"
Bu Eunseol sighed.
This old monster's personality wanted the Hwa Wu Sword Sect not only to stand tall in the demonic martial world every time but also to produce a Sect Leader befitting that status.
"Is this all the bloodline of the True Demon amounts to?"
In an instant, the face of the smiling Weiji Hun stiffened slightly.
"What are you saying?"
"Is it not obvious?" Bu Eunseol spoke calmly. "You appeared at the strongholds of the Returning to One Realm twice with a fake body, but you never truly belonged to the Returning to One Realm.
"Furthermore, if it were simply to defeat the Jeok family and revive the Hwa Wu Sword Sect at any cost, there would be no need to be connected to all sorts of forces like this."
Taking a deep breath, Bu Eunseol sighed. "In the end, is it not that the Weiji family itself is a force created by the bloodline of the True Demon to encroach upon the Hwa Wu Sword Sect?"
In fact, it was something he had sensed since he saw the secret vault of the Hundred Swords Sect.
If one intends to replace the leadership of each martial faction, no matter how much time it takes or what sacrifices are required, there is one place that must be obtained.
It was the Hwa Wu Sword Sect, called the greatest sect of the Demonic Path.
Among single sects, they exert the most powerful influence in the martial world, and their military strength is comparable to a coalition. Without seizing this place, replacing the leadership elsewhere would be meaningless.
"The bloodline of the True Demon, you say." Weiji Hun shrugged. "If that's the case, could we establish a cooperative relationship with the Returning to One Realm? The Three Realms are the enemies of the True Demon."
"Do you still think I'm a brat who can be fooled by a game of twenty questions?" Bu Eunseol snorted. "The Three Realms turned traitor long ago, and the high-ranking members within are rebelling and clashing. Moreover, about half have gone over to the United Heart Society."
"In the end, whether it's Baekri Family, the True Demon, the Three Realms, the Sacred Realm, or the United Heart Society, they are all rebelling and clashing internally, so it doesn't matter whose hand you hold." Continuing, he shook his head. "Also, the Heavenly Mechanism Star used the backing of the Three Families to reach out to all sorts of sects and maintain cooperative relationships. You all also used that Heavenly Mechanism Star to draw in and utilize numerous outside forces."
"Did you think I wouldn't know that the Hwa Wu Sword Sect and the abyss forces are tangled together like a ball of yarn?"
This time, even Weiji Hun wore a surprised expression. To think Bu Eunseol had grasped even those facts?
"Impressive." Weiji Hun gave a thumbs up. "Until now, no one as young as you has ever looked straight into the abyss of the martial world."
He clicked his tongue. "But there is something you do not know."
"Are you talking about the forces behind the Ten Gates of the Demon Path?"
"You know even that?" Weiji Hun let out an exclamation.
As it turned out, that fellow knew everything. No, rather, it was because of that that he was able to strike the Hwa Wu Sword Sect alone.
"If you truly are the bloodline of the True Demon," Bu Eunseol paused, "should you not naturally dominate even those behind you?"
"Huhuhu, you haven't grasped what's truly important yet."
"What do you mean?"
Weiji Hun teased him, withholding his words. "Huhuhu, well..."
But how could he have known? Bu Eunseol would soon know all the major reasons, so this sneer was ultimately meaningless.
"However, you should rethink the term 'bloodline of the True Demon,'" Weiji Hun said. "The word 'bloodline' has no meaning from the start."
To a True Demon who is born randomly while possessing only the memories of reincarnation, a bloodline is nothing more than a puppet that follows their orders.
"Let us stop the long talk and begin."
At Bu Eunseol’s words, Weiji Hun shook his head as if regretful.
"Do you want to die that quickly?"
"Do not act leisurely."
"Leisure, you say?"
Bu Eunseol stared straight into Weiji Hun’s eyes with his glowing red pupils.
"If it's not that, why are you wearing an expression that says something went wrong even while we talk?"
In an instant, the smile vanished from Weiji Hun’s face.
It was because of a strange and ominous sensation he was feeling for the first time in his life.
Weiji Mu-a had denied his own lineage and chosen a life of leisure, letting go of everything long ago. However, despite living idly with nature as his companion, his martial arts had instead improved abruptly, reaching a realm that could not be ignored.
From then on, anxiety bloomed in Weiji Hun’s heart.
Could it be that the super-strong individuals of the current martial world are also making leaps that transcend human limits, like Weiji Mu-a?
And now, talking with this fellow Bu Eunseol, he began to have an ominous premonition: could even this brat have reached the same rank as them?
"Perhaps Mu-a made the right choice after all." For the first time, he spoke words acknowledging Weiji Mu-a. "Well, these are useless words."
Weiji Hun drew the sword at his waist. "Since I have reached a realm where I simply cannot lose."
As Bu Eunseol drew his sword, Weiji Hun watched his posture closely and nodded. "Go ahead and try to defeat me."
Even if Weiji Hun were not the real Weiji Hun but merely a remnant modeled after the personality he had during his life, the personality of a Great Grandmaster who had reached the pinnacle of the sword had been maintained for a full hundred and fifty years.
From Weiji Hun’s perspective, Bu Eunseol would look like nothing more than a bug struggling.
"Correct." Bu Eunseol readily admitted it. "I likely cannot defeat you yet."
"If you know that, this will be a boring match."
"Do not be so happy. I said I cannot win; I did not say I would be defeated."
"Do you have enough leisure to play with words?"
"To think you haven't realized the logic between not being able to win and not being defeated." A calm smile lingered at the corner of Bu Eunseol’s mouth. "You've lived a long time in vain."
In an instant, a massive sword was formed above Weiji Hun’s head. It soared into the sky, eventually dominating the distant heavens.
How could human power create a sword that pierced the sky to its limit?
"Take this one sword and then try to speak your insolent words."
The moment he saw the sword floating in the sky, Bu Eunseol’s body began to stagger beyond his will. Even though he had lost his balance like a drunken man, he struggled as if trying to force his body, which felt split in two, back together, with his hands and feet moving separately.
Mind-Eye Life-Extinguishing Sword.
This was the ultimate state of mind that could only be unfolded after refining the Hwa Wu Sword to the Realm of Great Completion and then contemplating it for decades. It was said that only the progenitor, Jeok Hwa-un, had fully realized this sword style, but now, that absolute sword was being unfolded again from Weiji Hun’s hand.
Psh.
In an instant, tears began to appear all over Bu Eunseol’s skin. Even before the sword technique was unfolded, his skin was split by the momentum as if cut by a sharp blade.
Cr-cr-crack!
Even his body twisted strangely. It felt as if a giant invisible hand were twisting his body.
Bang!
At that moment, an explosive sound erupted from Bu Eunseol’s body. Bu Eunseol, having spread sixty years of internal power, performed the Swift Beyond Shadow move.
Having instantly escaped the range of the Mind-Eye Life-Extinguishing Sword's momentum, he took a great leap in the air and rushed back toward Weiji Hun, deploying his swordsmanship.
Flash!
"Ho."
Seeing Bu Eunseol rush in courageously, Weiji Hun dropped his hands as if pleased. "Come."
Whish!
Finally, at the moment Bu Eunseol, who had become a red point of light, tried to cut Weiji Hun’s neck—
Wh-wh-wh-vwooom!
As a transparent airflow spread out, the rushing Bu Eunseol began to be pushed back little by little, like an ant before a storm.
Boom!
A sound of thunder erupted from his body. He was trying to exert power that transcended even one jia of internal energy to break through the pouring force.
Vwooom!
The transparent airflow created by Weiji Hun then grew even stronger.
Creak.
The Silent Tiger Soul Sword extended forward began to bend like a piece of taffy.
Fortunately, the Silent Tiger Soul Sword was made of a mysterious metal and had good elasticity, so it did not break.
To think he was pouring out this much pressure even before properly unfolding the Mind-Eye Life-Extinguishing Sword?
"You hold on well, but this is the end."
Flash!
In an instant, a brilliant light that seemed to cover the whole world spread in all directions. Transcending time and space, this ultimate light—which sublimated pure will into swordsmanship—was cutting not only the physical body but even the deepest parts of the spirit.
P-ah-ah-ah!
Sharp energy, sharper than any divine weapon, spread in the form of pure light. In an instant, Bu Eunseol’s face began to distort as if it were being shoved into a narrow space.
"It is over, after all."
Seeing that, Weiji Hun smiled. The reason Bu Eunseol’s face distorted was that he had failed to perfectly block the strike of the Mind-Eye Life-Extinguishing Sword, and its power had pierced through his spirit and brought disaster even to his physical body.
"Hmph."
As Weiji Hun hummed with a languid air and turned his body—
Swish!
Suddenly, with a sharp sound of breaking air, a sharp sword qi grazed past him, missing by a hair's breadth. Feeling the cold sensation against his cheek, he instinctively brought his fingers to it.
A single clear drop of blood was tenuously gathered on his fingertip.
As he slowly turned his head with an expression of disbelief, there stood Bu Eunseol, perfectly fine, aiming his sword in a mid-level stance.
"Just now..."
Weiji Hun, who could not understand the sight before his eyes at all, tilted his head diagonally.
"...What did you do?"
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