—Martial Soul Society Leader Seolso has defeated two of the Eight Tyrants of Cheonchuk!
Astonishing news struck the martial world.
Among the Eight Tyrants of Cheonchuk, who were practically called living gods in Cheonchuk, Vajra Khan, the Master of the Ten Thousand Bone Blood Sect, and Rahula, the Lord of the Illusion Dream Fortress, were defeated by the Martial Soul Society Leader at the Crescent Palace of Ratna Fortress.
Martial Soul Society Leader Seolso, a mysterious figure who founded and led the Martial Soul Society—the first alliance between the orthodox and unorthodox factions to appear in the martial world—was originally known as a mercenary who learned martial arts as a disciple of the Bullet King.
However, his true identity was said to be a mysterious master of the Way, having obtained the heritage of an immortal fifteen hundred years ago.
At one time, due to his friendship with Dae Guhwi, the Beast Corps Leader, and the name Martial Soul, there were suspicions that the Martial Soul Command Lord and the Martial Soul Society Leader were the same person. However, numerous intelligence organizations and even the powerhouses of the abyss forces had since confirmed that the two were completely different individuals.
The Sacred Domain.
In particular, the masters who possessed that supreme power had a mysterious ability to recognize any disguise at a single glance. Therefore, the mere fact that they had met the Martial Soul Society Leader was as good as proving Seolso's identity.
Was this the birth of a new Grandmaster?
The figure representing the young generation of the current martial world was the successor of Majeon, the Martial Soul Command Lord. However, he had monopolized the Ten-Thousand-Li Treasure Ship, a treasure that appeared in the martial world, and because of that, he had greatly lost the public's favor.
On the other hand, Seolso silently led the Martial Soul Society, finally spreading his name beyond the Central Plains to external forces.
Now, the people of the martial world were praising him, saying he was a far superior figure to the Martial Soul Command Lord.
—The movements of Martial Soul Society Leader Seolso are unusual.
Even after that, the name of Martial Soul Society Leader Seolso began to rise and fall within the major intelligence organizations of the martial world. This was because he was preparing for a secret meeting this time. It was a negotiation resulting from a clash with the newly founded orthodox Alliance, the Azure Heaven Alliance.
—No matter how much of an alliance between the orthodox and unorthodox factions it is, shouldn't the spheres of influence be clearly defined?
The Martial Soul Society, situated in Shaanxi, had greatly expanded its influence over time, and before long, its might extended all the way to the Guangyuan area, the border region of Sichuan.
—I am well aware that the Azure Heaven Alliance also crosses over into Hanzhong quite often?
Now that the Zhongnan Sect and Mount Hua Sect were powerless, the hegemon of Shaanxi could be said to be the Martial Soul Society. And the Hanzhong area was a major basin in southern Shaanxi and a strategic stronghold. When the Azure Heaven Alliance brought up the sphere of influence, the Martial Soul Society also had plenty to say.
—This is troubling.
Although the leaders of the two forces were moderate, preventing it from escalating into a massive fight, the Azure Heaven Alliance Lord, Bukgung Ryeong, wished to draw a clear boundary regarding the Martial Soul Society's sphere of influence.
—The current martial world is in a state of utter chaos. Is there any need to carve away our own flesh over spheres of influence? Instead of doing that, let us meet and discuss it.
In the end, the minds of the two leaders connected, and thanks to that, the meeting was decided in short order. And this situation was secretly transmitted to each intelligence organization of the martial world.
Gaiyang County, Shundong Prefecture, a certain quiet teahouse.
An old man clad in luxurious silk clothes with a sword fastened to his waist sat by a quiet window, engrossed in reading an ancient book. His gaze was fixed on the book, but occasionally, a calculating look in his eyes deepened and faded repeatedly. The old man, who occasionally sipped tea while reading, was surrounded by a calm and tranquil tea fragrance.
How much time had passed?
Having finished his tea, the old man boarded a carriage waiting in front of the teahouse.
Clop, clop.
The carriage, which had been traveling along the official road for a while, was now running through a deep forest that cast long shadows. The worn-out carriage meant for long journeys, a common sight at post stations, made a continuous creaking sound because its axles were worn, and deep traces of time were left all over it.
The middle-aged driver steering the carriage wore shabby clothes and had a slightly hunched back, and his large hands, which skillfully handled the reins, were roughened by long years of being a driver. He silently steered the horses with an expression that offered a glimpse into the hardships of life.
The forest was quiet, and only the creaking of the carriage and the sound of horses' hooves regularly broke that shifting tranquility.
The carriage ran through the forest for a while, then arrived back at the teahouse. The old man went up to the teahouse as if nothing had happened. And the carriage set off again, leaving the outskirts of Chengdu.
As the carriage had been running for a long time and was traversing a deep mountain path again, a rustling sound echoed.
A shadow shaped sharp like a blade with a color as deep as darkness abruptly rose directly in front of the running carriage. It was as if a black ghost buried deep within the earth had suddenly risen to stop the running carriage. Startled, the driver brought the carriage to a halt.
Soon, the black shadow began to transform into a human shape.
"M-my lord, this carriage is empty."
The driver, thinking the suddenly appeared black shadow was a bandit, repeatedly joined his hands and pleaded humbly.
"I am just on my way back after already dropping the passenger off at their destination."
When there was still no answer from the shadow, the driver took out a money pouch with trembling hands.
"This is all I have. It is a small amount, but if the Lord..."
[Almost anyone would be fooled. Just looking at your eyes, one would believe you are a real driver.]
A completely chilling voice flowed from the shadow.
[Then again, one must have at least that much ability to lead an alliance at such a young age.]
"My lord, what do you mean by..."
[Disguising yourself as a driver to meet the Azure Heaven Alliance Lord and conduct the meeting. You certainly have a good head on your shoulders, Martial Soul Society Leader Seolso.]
For the secret meeting, he had disguised himself as a driver and headed toward the Sichuan border. There, he had quietly met the Azure Heaven Alliance Lord, Bukgung Ryeong, who was disguised as an ordinary old man. After finishing the long meeting inside the running carriage, he was returning to Shaanxi once again in the guise of a driver.
The meeting was conducted in absolute secrecy, and not a single intelligence organization had detected this fact. Yet, for a black shadow to see right through it?
At that moment, the look in the driver's eyes changed. A razor-sharp, cold energy flashed within his narrowed pupils, and a steel-like intent that pierced the surroundings bloomed.
"Who are you?"
[You will find out soon enough.]
Along with the shadow's low voice, the entire area began to dye black. Before long, hundreds, thousands of black crows began to gather around the forest.
The Master of the Dark God Heaven, who controlled crows and turned every space into death—the Dark God Heavenly Lord himself had appeared.
[A mere mercenary.]
The Dark God Heavenly Lord revealed himself from the darkness.
[I wondered how you managed to slip past this Heavenly Lord's hands.]
From within the abyss deeper than darkness and quieter than tranquility, a person's figure slowly emerged. It was someone draped in bizarre clothing modeled after the shape of a crow. He carried a strange power that felt somewhat eerie yet incomprehensible. His face was also hidden behind a crow mask, but judging by his exposed eyes and gaze, one could guess he was of considerable age.
[To think you were the one who created the Martial Soul Society, hoho.]
As he burst into laughter, a fierce wind that felt like a mixture of sticky fog swept back as if to swallow the entire forest. Simultaneously, not only the flow of air but also the nature of the soil, the scent of the earth, and all surrounding odors changed entirely.
[Hoh.]
In an instant, the eyes of the masked Dark God Heavenly Lord changed.
Instead of the eyes of a brat who should be gripped by fear and trembling, a cold brilliance shone in the eyes of the man before him. On his lips, wasn't there a quiet smile hanging as if he had known everything all along?
'He leaked the information on purpose.'
In that split second, the Dark God Heavenly Lord realized everything.
It was to lure this Heavenly Lord out.
"Because I wanted to know."
The man Bu Eunseol, who had changed his appearance back from the middle-aged driver to Seolso’s face, took off his driver's hat and spoke calmly.
"I figured someone of the Dark God Heavenly Lord's caliber would know about the Infinite Land."
It was said that among the Three Attendants, Pamyeong was constantly training in the Infinite Land to seize the chain of reincarnation. If so, the Dark God Heavenly Lord under his command would at least know where Pamyeong was, or where the Infinite Land was located.
"The Infinite Land?"
The Dark God Heavenly Lord's expression turned grotesque.
[Are you also looking for the Earth Divine Energy?]
At that moment, Bu Eunseol was so greatly shocked that he could not hide his expression. He had merely asked about the Infinite Land, yet to be asked if he was looking for the Earth Divine Energy?
Regaining his composure, Bu Eunseol quickly assessed the situation. Analyzing his gaze and tone, he discerned that the words 'this Heavenly Lord' referred to the Dark God Heavenly Lord himself.
"Does the Dark God Heaven desire the sacred artifact of Cheonchuk?"
[There is no need for you to know.]
Upon hearing the Dark God Heavenly Lord's voice, a bizarre realization flashed through Bu Eunseol's mind. Though he could not fathom the reason, he intuitively sensed that the reason the Dark God Heavenly Lord had not revealed himself to the martial world until now, and had instead deployed his dark forces, was to find the sacred artifact of the Yona tribe.
[Until now, there was only one person who escaped this Heavenly Lord's hands.]
The Dark God Heavenly Lord laughed coldly.
[That mysterious guy failed to handle the matter properly and ended up losing as much as ten percent of this Heavenly Lord's power.]
"Hearing that makes it quite fascinating."
Bu Eunseol spoke leisurely.
"Then it means the retainers of the True Demon can distribute their power to lower entities."
If a higher entity could distribute power to lower subordinates, or amplify their strength, it meant there were distinct phases to the power they held, and that it could be transferred. In the end, didn't this mean their power was not independent, but organically linked to the higher entity?
"The retainers of the True Demon are not strong on their own."
Bu Eunseol said, "You mean they are strong because they are connected to the massive source of power called the True Demon."
In other words, the power possessed by the retainers was closer to a form that was granted or borrowed from a higher entity, rather than something they generated themselves.
"That is why you did not care even if the retainers died."
If that were the case, as long as the higher entity was not eliminated, retainers could be created endlessly.
[And so?]
As the Dark God Heavenly Lord opened his mouth, the crows filling the forest slowly began to flap their wings.
[What does that have to do with your impending death?]
At that moment, the dark crows filling the forest transformed.
The Dark God Heavenly Lord did not know that Martial Soul Society Leader Seolso was Bu Eunseol. Even so, unlike before, he did not look down on him. After all, the Martial Soul Society had withstood the attacks of the Dark God Heaven and the retainers once each, and not long ago, they had even brought down the masters of Cheonchuk.
[The martial arts of the current martial world have developed dazzlingly.]
The Dark God Heavenly Lord twitched the corner of his mouth as he looked at the dark crows filling the forest.
[Even the Three Attendants, who were just mediocre in the past, have become entirely different figures now.]
Step, step.
He walked slowly toward Bu Eunseol.
[If a leader of an alliance, called a disciple of the Bullet King or a top-class mercenary, has risen, there must certainly be a background to match.]
"Come."
[Let us see how much grand power you truly possess.]
The crows filling the forest flew up into the sky and vanished in an instant. At the same time, light flowed from both of his arms, and before long, pitch-black short spears were formed one by one. When the two short spears were combined, a long black spear was created.
As the crows filling the forest disappeared, the Dark God Heavenly Lord's voice also changed to an ordinary human voice.
At that moment, Bu Eunseol tilted his head slightly.
The Dark God Heavenly Lord could not only summon countless crows without even revealing himself, but he could also pour immense power onto Bu Eunseol through those crows without lifting a hand. Bu Eunseol thought that this time, just like before, he would unleash an immense demonic power through his dark forces, but to think he would reveal himself alone and hold a bizarrely shaped spear like a martial artist?
"Are you saying you rejected martial arts?"
"You are mistaken."
The Dark God Heavenly Lord harbored a sneer.
"The dark crows this Heavenly Lord deployed were merely tools to control an immense power."
And he said in a low voice:
"Pouring out waves through the crows was to finely adjust this Heavenly Lord's boundless power."
Step.
He had taken a step, just a single step, yet before anyone knew it, he had arrived right in front of Bu Eunseol's nose.
"What are you thinking so deeply about?"
It was different from the swiftness of footwork or erasing one's presence. It was an extreme naturalness, as if he had squeezed into the very interval of time—the split second it takes for human senses to perceive danger and transmit it to the brain.
Rumble!
However, Bu Eunseol's reflexes were also in a state that transcended the absolute limit. When the Dark God Heavenly Lord narrowed the distance in an unperceivable instant, the countless rounds of training engraved into his physical body reacted first, and light blasted out from his right fist.
Bang!
With a roaring sound that tore through the air, the Dark God Heavenly Lord's upper body vanished completely. Everything touched by the fist of light turned into black feathers and dust, scattering like a storm.
However, far from sensing victory, Bu Eunseol felt the hairs all over his body stand on end.
Rustle.
The scattered black crows gathered into a single point like feathers. Along with a sickening sound of flesh and blood filling back in, the scattered fragments were finding their places as if time were flowing backward.
Crack.
Before long, the Dark God Heavenly Lord stood there without a single scratch, wearing the exact same smile as just a moment ago.
"Despite being of the orthodox lineage, it is very similar to the fist techniques of a demonic person."
It was an expression and voice like a gourmet savoring the finest dish. It was as if he were relishing Bu Eunseol's fist power.
"In the end, martial arts are about destroying a physical body made of flesh, muscle, bone, and internal organs."
Step, step.
The Dark God Heavenly Lord smiled.
"But if there is no physical body to destroy, how will you face me?"
Bu Eunseol once again unleashed the Transcendent Seven Fist Demon Forms to attack the Dark God Heavenly Lord.
Beginning with the Solar Light Piercing Brilliance, where a single streak of light struck down as if piercing through the darkness, to the Heavenly Star Explosion, which poured out intense fist power like a meteor falling while parting the clouds, the Swift Wind Whirling Orbit, which unleashed continuous strikes that seemed to shake the sky as wind and thunder combined, and even the Jade Light Illuminating the Moon, which was soft like blue light shining on the moon but could instantly counter incoming attacks—before the energy of the Transcendent Seven Fist Demon Forms continuously discharged, the Dark God Heavenly Lord's body exploded without a moment's rest.
His heart was pierced, his limbs were severed, and his skull was crushed. Each time, along with an auditory hallucination that sounded like a crow crying out, his body would be enveloped in black mist and restored in an instant.
"You must not be obsessed only with striking down the enemy."
Before he knew it, the voice came from behind his back. Bu Eunseol, goosebumps breaking out all over his body, turned around like lightning.
What entered his eyes was the Dark God Heavenly Lord imitating the stance of the Jade Light Illuminating the Moon, one of the forms of the Transcendent Seven Fist Demon Forms.
Although it was clumsy, the martial truth contained in the stance was clearly Bu Eunseol's own.
"Human senses are, in the end, distributed differently depending on where you place your mind."
"There is no immortal physical body that can restore wounds infinitely."
Hum.
At that moment, an intense heat erupted from Bu Eunseol's eyes. By activating the power of the Ancient Sword Forest, he intended to see through how the Dark God Heavenly Lord's body was being restored.
"Yes, those eyes are the power of the Ancient Sword Forest that the Lord coveted!"
The Dark God Heavenly Lord, sensing that Bu Eunseol was activating the power of the Ancient Sword Forest, spread his arms wide open, completely exposing everything about himself instead of avoiding the analysis.
"Though even with that, you will merely become a boundless toy for the Lord."
He even knew the fact that the Lords of the Ancient Sword Forest, who held the mission to stop the ambitions of the True Demon, were instead dying while being toyed with by the True Demon.
Hum.
In an instant, the power of the Ancient Sword Forest was fully activated.
'Connected to the crows?'
Focus had disappeared from Bu Eunseol's pupils.
The Dark God Heavenly Lord's physical body was merely a single center. From his body, countless black lines thinner than spiderwebs were stretching out and spreading in all directions. And at the ends of those black lines, crows, crows—weren't all the crows existing under heaven connected to him?
"As long as all the crows in the world are not eliminated, it means you do not die."
The Dark God Heavenly Lord was connected to all the crows scattered across the Central Plains, maintaining his existence and healing his wounds by sucking their life force. In short, his physical body was a life force storage and absorption device for all the crows under heaven.
"Do you see the greatness of the Sealed Demon Fragments?"
The Dark God Heavenly Lord smiled, spreading his arms.
"This Heavenly Lord rules over all the dark forces across the entire region of the Central Plains."
The crows across the entire Central Plains would easily exceed a million. In other words, the Dark God Heavenly Lord's lives numbered a million or more.
"How about it?"
The Dark God Heavenly Lord smiled broadly and offered his body.
"I can die about a million more times, so go ahead and attack."
Until now, he had deliberately taken the hits to make Bu Eunseol feel despair.
Had that plan worked?
Bu Eunseol merely glared at the Dark God Heavenly Lord and could not easily make a move.
'This man is even absorbing my martial arts.'
Bu Eunseol was analyzing the information obtained from the power of the Ancient Sword Forest.
The person who had killed the Blood Divine Heaven Lord in the past had fought against a fake body, and it was said that he had stored the martial arts and boundless capabilities of the enemies he had defeated until now completely within himself.
And the Dark God Heavenly Lord also seemed to possess a similar secret method.
If his physical body was destroyed by the Transcendent Seven Fist Demon Forms, the Dark God Heavenly Lord would analyze the martial arts engraved upon the destroyed body and acquire a new boundless cooking method through it.
"The power of the Ancient Sword Forest is grand. To think you even perceived that this Heavenly Lord acquires martial arts."
The Dark God Heavenly Lord smacked his lips and said:
"Though, nothing changes."
Rustle.
As crows flapped their wings from all sides, Bu Eunseol was blown dozens of feet away. Simultaneously, hundreds of sharp gleams erupted from the black spear held by the Dark God Heavenly Lord.
It was an attack utilizing the four forms of the Transcendent Seven Fist Demon Forms with which Bu Eunseol had destroyed the Dark God Heavenly Lord's body until now.
"If you attack, I will absorb the core of your martial arts."
The Dark God Heavenly Lord spun his spear leisurely, pouring down a jet-black river.
"If you do not attack, I will tear your flesh to shreds with the martial arts I have absorbed."
Ruling over the dark crows of the Central Plains, possessing a million lives, and even engraving the enemy's martial arts into his own body to make them his own—that was precisely who the Dark God Heavenly Lord was.
Flash! Swish!
In the meantime, Bu Eunseol's body was gashed by the spear strikes swung by the Dark God Heavenly Lord, and in an instant, he became covered in blood. Utilizing footwork, he avoided fatal injuries, but the spear strikes were pouring down without rest.
"Evading is not the solution."
When Bu Eunseol avoided the fatal attack, the Dark God Heavenly Lord created a massive spear orb and poured it out this time. As the Transcendent Seven Fist Demon Forms and the spear orb clashed, Bu Eunseol was blown behind the cliff once more.
There was no choice.
Attacking meant exposing his martial arts, and defending was an act of suicide. Even as his entire body was torn apart by his own techniques pouring down, Bu Eunseol stood up like a tumbling doll.
Amazingly, his eyes shone not with despair, but with a blood-chilling, calm light.
Drip, drip.
Rising from the pool of blood, Bu Eunseol's eyes flashed.
'Absorbing everything, is it...'
Suddenly, Bu Eunseol found a major clue in those words. The Dark God Heavenly Lord said he engraved and absorbed the enemy's martial arts into his body. But what if something heterogeneous entered that he could not withstand or absorb? What kind of thing would happen then?
'It was worth getting hit.'
A brilliant light flowed from the eyes of Bu Eunseol, who had finally achieved enlightenment. He had been deliberately taking the Dark God Heavenly Lord's attacks until now to analyze the pattern.
'It is an Infinite Reversal Power extremely similar to the method of the Ten Thousand Bone Blood King.'
The Endless Heavenly Light Art was an extremely natural force of nature and the energy of life.
Because of that, he could destroy the Infinite Reversal Power of the Ten Thousand Bone Blood King, the Brilliant Net Blood Bones, which was supposedly absolutely indestructible, and inflict damage upon him.
Hum.
As he drew up the Endless Heavenly Light Art, a majestic golden light arose from Bu Eunseol's body.
Bang!
The Transcendent Seven Fist Demon Forms embedded with the Martial Mist and Waves was unleashed, but unlike with the Ten Thousand Bone Blood King, it did not work against the Dark God Heavenly Lord.
If the Ten Thousand Bone Blood King had reached a high realm through the Three Attendants, the Dark God Heavenly Lord was touching upon the very source that was the True Demon.
Just as one had to realize the meaning of death and enter the realm of death to unleash the Seven Blood Tear Forms, conversely, to unleash a fist technique that embedded natural energy, one had to clearly define what life was and what living was.
If so...
Bu Eunseol unconsciously recited the Martial Emperor’s Tranquil Awakening, which caused beautiful emotions long forgotten in his heart to well up.
Hum, hum.
Then, his body repeatedly blinked like a star.
—Why are you not eating?
Suddenly, a conversation he had shared with his grandfather in the past came to mind.
Right before freezing to death, Bu Eunseol had been found by Bu Zhanyang and had followed him to the Pyeongan Funeral Home. But even at that time, because Bu Eunseol looked upon the world with boundless coldness, he was not even pleased that he had brought him along.
Steam, steam.
Bu Zhanyang had placed down a bowl of steaming noodles on a small table, but Bu Eunseol did not eat and merely sat huddled up.
—Does it look unappetizing? Or do you dislike noodles?
At Bu Zhanyang's question, Bu Eunseol lowered his head.
—You will change too.
—Change?
—Everyone did. All the people who helped me out well, every single one of them.
The young Bu Eunseol dropped his head.
—And then they became unhappy.
Watching that form for a while, Bu Zhanyang perceived the frozen heart and spoke like this:
—Do you consider yourself the source of misfortune, and think that others suffer because of you?
Bu Zhanyang sighed and said:
—There is no cursed destiny in the world. There is only a destiny where the weight to be borne is heavier than that of others.
Bu Zhanyang spoke as he looked at Bu Eunseol sitting huddled up.
—If you truly possess a special energy that influences your surroundings, what you must do is not curse that energy and live in hiding. Rather, it is to govern that energy and make it beneficial.
When Bu Eunseol lifted his head, Bu Zhanyang sent a warm gaze.
—Do not be afraid, and you must not try to avoid it. Grab the destiny given to you with your own hands, and cultivate the strength to live in this world in your own way.
And he said with a smile:
—This grandfather will help you become so.
—Then, what should I do first?
When Bu Eunseol asked, opening his large eyes, Bu Zhanyang burst into a hearty laugh as if finding that sight endearing and pointed at the dining table.
—First, you eat your fill. Only then will strength well up, will it not?
Awakening from the reminiscence, Bu Eunseol clenched his fist tightly.
The life his grandfather taught him was that if there is a different destiny, govern that energy and make it beneficial. If so, the energy of life must also govern the bad energy and change it into the right energy.
Rumble, flash!
From the body of Bu Eunseol, who had gained a new enlightenment, a new form of the Endless Heavenly Light Art spread out.
Smirk.
In an instant, a brilliant golden light spread from Bu Eunseol's eyes.
As if his very existence had become the sun, it was erasing the shadows of the dark crows upon the earth.
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