Finally, as he deployed the sword form,
Flash!
A brilliant flash containing the energy of life spread out, and soon a silence fell as if heaven and earth had held their breath.
And at that moment...
Along the trajectory that the Silent Tiger Soul Sword drew in the empty air, the parched trees and plants trembled all at once, and miraculously came back to life in no time, harboring a light green vitality.
In just a single opening move, the forest began to breathe once more, and life force overflowed in everything... the earth, the wind, and the trees.
This was not a simple sword study.
It was a mysterious power that transcended the standard principles of martial arts.
"To think that deploying a sword technique... would affect the mountains, rivers, trees, and grass."
Looking at his surroundings, Bu Eunseol let out an exclamation.
The scenery of the place where the sword technique had been deployed blossomed with even more vitality, and the state of the flowers and grass blades had turned fresher.
The energy of life.
The energy contained in the sword technique had returned even the plants to an intact and lively form.
Trickle.
At that time, fresh blood flowed from the corner of his mouth, and.
"Ugh."
Thud.
Letting out a short groan, he knelt on one knee and spat out a clump of blood the size of a fist.
"Am I still far from it..."
This sword technique was pursuing Harmony with Nature.
Although he had achieved the unification of the Three Divine Energies through the Endless Heavenly Light Art, it was because it was not yet a perfect energy of nature.
He had substituted that remaining deficient energy with his own life force.
"But why such a sword technique..."
Bu Eunseol wore an expression of incomprehensibility.
"Even if one deploys the sword form perfectly, it cannot harm anyone."
Although it was said to possess a mysterious might, it was a sword technique that could harm no one. Why on earth did Father create such a sword technique?
"It seems Father also knew he could not obtain the Four Divine Energies and used the Great Natural Qi."
The Great Natural Qi possessed attributes closest to the energy of nature, if the Four Divine Energies were excluded. However, since they had already suffered extermination, the only way to complete the sword form was the Earth Divine Energy.
"In any case, I will surely complete the sword technique Father bequeathed to me."
Bu Eunseol looked down at the Silent Tiger Soul Sword.
"Since I mastered it through the Silent Tiger Soul Sword, shall I call it the Silent Tiger Soul First Form?"
The Silent Tiger Soul First Form.
Bu Eunseol had given this name to the sword technique left behind by his father, Baekri Muha.
"Does this mean Grandfather and Father taught me together?"
He could not perfectly master this sword technique with only the waves left in the pond. Fortunately, because it was Grandfather who fought Father, he was able to deduce the method through the opening moves of the Seven Blood Tear Forms and he was able to complete the sword form through the patterns on the scabbard.
Bubble, bubble.
But it was strange.
Upon being exposed to the Silent Tiger Soul First Form, did the pond, which had been peaceful until now, not begin to boil?
"The balance has been broken."
Grandfather's Seven Blood Tear Forms and Father's Silent Tiger Soul First Form had been maintaining a perfect balance and the waves that drove each other away remained in the pond.
However, when Bu Eunseol deployed the Silent Tiger Soul First Form once more, the balance of power was broken. In the end, the energy of the Silent Tiger Soul First Form began to erase the traces of the Seven Blood Tear Forms.
Sizzle.
The lotus flowers evaporated in an instant, and the bottom showed.
"The two of them have already transcended the limits of martial arts."
Looking at the pond that revealed its bottom, Bu Eunseol shook his head.
"To think that the path of a single opening move could affect nature for decades."
Finally, the water of the pond completely evaporated, and around the time its energy spread out in billows toward the sky.
A bizarre vibration echoed from the sky.
It was just like announcing the appearance of an ominous existence that must not appear.
Growl.
At the same time, an unpleasant sound was heard.
Someone was deploying an ultra-high-speed movement method and coming toward this place.
Bu Eunseol gripped the Silent Tiger Soul Sword with a serious expression. He intuitively felt that a tremendous, formidable enemy was approaching.
'Had they been waiting?'
Stone Gate Village, where there were almost no children or women and only middle-aged men who dug up medicinal herbs were left here and there, was not a place that received the attention of the forces of the martial world. If so, there was surely someone monitoring this area, and they had come rushing at once upon capturing the change or disruption in the energy.
Rumble, thud.
Finally, at the same time the sound drew near, six shadows descended to the ground.
Looking at their faces, Bu Eunseol's expression distorted.
Other villagers?
The ones who came here were none other than the herb gatherers of Seokhyeon Village, which was closely situated to Stone Gate Village.
Crack.
Looking at Bu Eunseol, the sound of bones twisting suddenly spread from their bodies. Then, their eyes became incomparably ruthless and indifferent, and their appearance also changed somewhat.
It was as if they had transformed from ordinary civilians into soul-lost people whose souls had vanished.
"Holy Ones."
Bu Eunseol narrowed his eyes.
'My expectation was correct.'
During the previous meeting of the Death Shadow Corps, they had discussed the reason why the highest abyss powers had been able to maintain perfect secrecy without revealing themselves until now.
In the end, there was only one conclusion.
It was a speculation that some grand method of the Clear River Realm, which awakens only when specific conditions are met, might have been used.
Seeing the civilians transforming into Holy Ones, he intuitively felt that the expectation had hit the mark.
"Was it a matter of course?"
If a Holy One who possessed both the Manifestation Divine Technique and the Mixed Magic Demonic Energy simultaneously had been roaming the martial world?
Its existence would have been revealed in some way or another.
Nevertheless, the reason they could keep the secret perfectly until now was because they had deployed a grand method so that their personalities would pop out if they were exposed to a specific power while living an ordinary life.
"If the retinue of the True Demon use this kind of method... naturally, the Three Realms can also use this kind of trick."
Rustle.
The Holy Ones began to surround Bu Eunseol without saying a word.
Unlike the Holy One who, in the past, thanks to Father, had temporarily come to his senses, these people had no focus in their eyes and were moving mechanically.
"Something is different."
The Holy One who used to insert Sealed Demon Fragments while pretending to treat people's bodies had absolutely no aggressive energy.
However, the Holy Ones before his eyes were pouring out an extremely sharp and sinister energy.
'Then, even if they are called Holy Ones, each of their uses is different.'
The Holy Ones suddenly stretched out their hands toward Bu Eunseol.
Rumble.
Then, a pressure that could absolutely not be endured by a human body poured down.
Bu Eunseol immediately escaped from the range of the attack and deployed the Waning Moon, Dawn Star Form.
Flash! Boom!
As a massive cross sword qi poured down, dust rose along with death.
Whoosh, crackle.
As the dirt dust cleared, the appearance of a circular barrier surrounding the bodies of the Holy Ones was seen.
'This is...'
Because the Holy One he met in the past had regained a clear mind and did not counterattack, he could not realize to what extent that power was. But confirming the power of these different Holy Ones like this, he could guess why the True Demon had given birth to them.
'They truly possess the power of both great families.'
The barrier they wore was strange. As if mixing ink into water, a black energy was continuously moving within the bluish barrier.
It was certain that the Manifestation Divine Technique and the Mixed Magic Demonic Energy were fused, and that power was protecting their bodies at all times.
'An ordinary attack will be useless.'
However, red drops of blood flowed in Bu Eunseol's direction.
Instantly.
In their hands, a sword of true qi, as if light and darkness were unified, was formed.
When he shot out the Waning Moon, Dawn Star Form, they had also unleashed a sword strike at Bu Eunseol.
'The mind blurs, huh.'
The sword strike shot out by the Holy Ones had the function of inflicting a blow not only on the physical body but also on the mind.
If it hit properly, one could even become an idiot.
Step, step.
A Holy One who wore a barrier that absolutely never breaks on his body, and held a sword capable of destroying the physical body and the mind.
Martial artists that could be called flawless were walking slowly as if pressing down on Bu Eunseol.
Ordinary martial artists could not face them because they were strong, and if there was at least a probability of defeating them, it would be the Infinite Reversal Power poured out by a master of the Limitless Realm that could do it.
However, their number was six; even if he deployed the Infinite Reversal Power, a complete victory could not be guaranteed.
Whir.
With a bizarre sound, an eerie brilliance flashed in their eyes.
As they took steps, the Manifestation Divine Technique and the Mixed Magic Demonic Energy flowing inside their bodies twisted even more violently and were fusing into one. Then, the shape of the Holy One, which had been faintly in a line, before he knew it departed from the human appearance and was changing into a grotesque existence.
'This is the power of a Holy One.'
In fact, there was no change at all in their outward appearance.
However, to the eyes of Bu Eunseol, who could sense the Manifestation Divine Technique and the Mixed Magic Demonic Energy, because of the intense waves of the two forces enveloping their entire bodies, their appearance looked as if it were changing into a monster.
Screech!
As he raised the Silent Tiger Soul Sword, a ghost's wail spread in all directions.
Just as he had dealt with the Holy One in the past, he was intending to cut them down by deploying Natural Qi, combining the Seven Blood Tear Forms with the Endless Heavenly Light Art.
Flash!
As he deployed the Seven Blood Tear Forms, instead of a sharp saber qi, a dark light that compresses all existences into a single point and annihilates them poured down like rain.
As the Endless Heavenly Light Art stably combined with the Seven Blood Tear Forms, it was exerting another unexpected might.
Crash!
As dozens of dark light spots fell like thunderbolts falling from a clear sky and burst.
The physical bodies of the Holy Ones were crushed, and even the surrounding trees and rocks were sucked into those light spots and became dust.
Along with the roar of thunder, the aftermath of that destruction was devastating the surroundings.
Whoosh.
As the dust cleared,
Squelch.
The physical body of the hundred-year-old Holy One began to gather back into a single form, emitting a terrible demonic energy. It had changed into the appearance of a horrible flesh-and-blood monster created by mixing numerous wordless vengeful souls and corpses, rather than a human form.
'He absorbed the saber qi of the Seven Blood Tear Forms with the Mixed Magic Demonic Energy.'
In reality, only the clothes of the Holy Ones were torn, and they were in a state of having absorbed his saber qi into their bodies. However, to the sight of Bu Eunseol, who could sense the Mixed Magic Demonic Energy, it looked like the form of a monster covered in corpse fragments.
They approached slowly again.
If they had that much power, it would be proper to immediately pour out a mighty attack to strike Bu Eunseol down.
But they were approaching slowly on purpose.
'In order to absorb martial arts.'
Just as the Holy One in the past had absorbed people's inner life force together, these ones were capable of absorbing the mighty martial arts poured out.
'Perhaps they expected that a descendant of Grandfather or Father would come here.'
The reason they intentionally made the Holy Ones who possessed mighty power wait as the villagers of the nearby village was because they expected that someday a descendant of Seven-Finger Demon Blade or Baekri Muha would come looking for this place and find those traces.
Swish! Swish!
A sharp force stormed from Bu Eunseol's body.
He had deployed the Thirteen Guiding Energies of the Martial Emperor.
Crack!
As nine sharp forces pierced through their bodies…
Trickle.
This time, they changed into the appearance of a Holy One who was noble without a single blemish, literally.
The Holy Ones, who had changed their form once more, tilted their heads and slowly raised their index fingers.
Flash!
From the tips of their fingers, a blood-red flash was shot out like an arrow.
As he quickly dodged that brilliance, the holy light that brushed past Bu Eunseol cut the trees and rocks dozens of zhang away like tofu.
Sizzle! Sizzle!
As Bu Eunseol evaded like lightning.
In the ground where the red flash poured, a hemispherical pit that appeared to be one zhang in diameter was hollowed out.
As Bu Eunseol easily evaded the attack,
Swish!
The Holy Ones showed movements that seemed to ignore the restrictions of space, and continuously poured out red flashes.
As the number of lines poured out increased as time went on, Bu Eunseol spun his body like a top in the empty air and poured out the Formless Heavenly Flow in a single mass.
Flash! Flash!
However, the bodies of the Holy Ones, whose bodies overlapped with the sword strikes, flashed continuously.
They were changing their form once again while absorbing the martial arts.
'They are strong.'
The Holy Ones who wore the Manifestation Divine Technique and the Mixed Magic Demonic Energy all at once. No matter what martial art he deployed, they absorbed them and changed their physical bodies according to the poured-out power.
"What remains is Harmony."
Clang!
As he drew up Harmony, a brilliant light spread out from the Silent Tiger Soul Sword.
—Thanks to Baekri Muha, I was able to come to my senses.
But suddenly.
The words that a Holy One he met in the past had regained his memory even if for a short while thanks to Father came to mind.
"If so..."
Could it be that the Silent Tiger Soul First Form, which can harm no one, was created to face those powerful Holy Ones?
Such a thought brushed through his mind.
"I will try it."
Flash.
From the body of Bu Eunseol, who drew up the Endless Heavenly Light Art, a gentle brilliance burst out.
Holding the Silent Tiger Soul Sword in a reverse grip and lowering his body, a brilliant light flowed from his body.
The posture was endlessly fierce, flowing with a tension on the verge of explosion, but it was just like performing a holy ritual.
From his entire body, a solemn yet majestic momentum was spreading out.
Flash.
A mysterious pattern was made on the blade of the Silent Tiger Soul Sword, and from the tip of the sword, light spots of life blended with water color, purple color, and light green color bloomed.
A resonant battle cry burst from Bu Eunseol's mouth.
It was not bursting power, but an extremely natural shout intended to arrange the bursting energy.
Flash!
Finally, as the Silent Tiger Soul Sword drew the empty air, instead of a sharp trajectory.
Flexibly wheeling like a wave, a massive wave poured down upon the Holy Ones who wore a barrier that seemed to mix light and darkness.
The Holy Ones stood towering without a single movement. The barrier wrapped around their bodies was also still just as it was.
'Is it a failure?'
A part of the hair on the temples of Bu Eunseol, who deployed the Silent Tiger Soul First Form, turned white.
Because he could not deploy the intact Silent Tiger Soul First Form even with his vast internal energy and the Three Divine Energies, he had consumed a portion of his life force.
At that time, the Holy Ones suddenly stopped their movements.
They slowly extended their hands toward the light wave that spread out due to the Silent Tiger Soul First Form.
It was a gentle and warm expression, just as if a tired martial artist had returned to his hometown and held the hand of his mother who was waiting anxiously.
Upon being exposed to the Silent Tiger Soul First Form, the madness and hatred that had been dominating their minds scattered like mist, and along with a hollow serenity, unfamiliar emotions rushed in.
The Mixed Magic Demonic Energy that was encroaching upon their bodies was disappearing like fog.
As all power was washed away, before they knew it, they changed into the appearance of martial artists who possessed extremely ordinary countenances. However, they could not avoid the disastrous end of those who contained the Mixed Magic Demonic Energy in an ordinary physical body.
Trickle.
Fresh blood flowed down the corners of the mouths of the Holy Ones, and the shape near their fingers was slowly disappearing.
Just as Yi Neungso did, their entire bodies were slowly turning to powder.
"Mysterious, indeed."
However, the Holy One who stood at the very front did not disappear into powder and stood calmly.
A pure white light flowed from his body, holding onto his scattering physical body.
Perhaps before becoming a Holy One, he was a blood relative of the Baekri family who possessed a tremendous Manifestation Divine Technique.
"Oh."
He looked at the eyes of Bu Eunseol, which flashed with a blue brilliance on the right, and wore an expression of incomprehensibility.
"You possess eyes that can distinguish the True Demon... As the Lord of the Ancient Sword Forest of the present generation..."
At the unexpected words, Bu Eunseol’s eyes went round.
He thought the power obtained from the Ancient Sword Forest was merely an ability to analyze the nature of the power revealed by an enemy, but according to those words, did it not mean that the power of the Ancient Sword Forest was eyes that pierce through the true identity of the True Demon?
Bu Eunseol, who realized that the Holy One had found a clear mind, asked politely.
"Have you come to your senses?"
Because the Holy Ones could all be blood relatives of the Baekri family, that is to say, elders of the family.
"Thanks to you."
The Holy One looked down at his own left hand, which was slowly disappearing, and said.
"But the remaining time will not even be half a quarter of an hour."
He dropped his head and said.
"This is all because we harbored excessive greed."
"If it is excessive greed..."
"The main family has long since tried to unravel the secret regarding the chain of reincarnation. But that research rather made us long for that power even more."
He said the Holy Ones had fallen for the temptation of the True Demon because they craved power.
However, that 'power' was the chain of reincarnation possessed by the True Demon.
Bu Eunseol let out a deep sigh.
'Was it a matter of course?'
There was no reason for the blood relatives of the Baekri family, who could contend against the Mixed Magic Demonic Energy of the True Demon, to intentionally covet the power of the True Demon.
But the chain of reincarnation is different.
It is no different from living an eternal life, and it is the same as being able to obtain infinite knowledge.
The people of the Baekri family were researching the chain of reincarnation. They came to crave that power, and then they fell for the trick of the True Demon.
"There is something I want to ask."
Bu Eunseol, who perceived that the Holy One had no time, asked a question quickly.
"I came to this place in search of the traces of my grandfather and father."
"Grandfather and father?"
"That is correct."
Bu Eunseol took a deep breath.
"My grandfather is Seven-Finger Demon Blade Bu Zhanyang, and my father is the Martial World's Number One Warrior, Baekri Muha."
"I naturally know Seven-Finger Demon Blade. But I do not know who the person called the Martial World's Number One Warrior is."
Baekri Muha was a person of the Baekri family, and lived in the same era as Seven-Finger Demon Blade.
Yet why did he say he knew only about Seven-Finger Demon Blade?
'It could be that because he was encroached upon by the Mixed Magic Demonic Energy for too long, his memory is not intact.'
Bu Eunseol asked calmly.
"I discovered the traces of the two fighting here. I want to know the truth about it."
"They know themselves to be herb gatherers, but... Stone Gate Village is a village composed of those who received the transplantation of the True Demon's fetus while all their memories were erased, except for the village chief."
He had wondered how an outsider from a military background could become the chief of an herb gatherers' village.
The village itself was a massive laboratory created by the retinue of the True Demon.
"The new bloodline, huh."
The research on the new bloodline that had been completed in Cheonchuk was continuously being carried out in the Central Plains as well.
"That is correct."
The Holy One looked at the distant sky with dim eyes.
"The Seven-Finger Demon Blade noticed that, and came to kill all the women who conceived the new bloodline, and the children who became the materials for it."
Only then did Bu Eunseol grasp the entire situation.
Grandfather knew the secret of this village and killed all the women and children who were injected with the fetus.
And because Father could save them, he had blocked Grandfather.
Because the Silent Tiger Soul First Form was a sword form that would annihilate the Mixed Magic Demonic Energy, which could not be controlled even with the Manifestation Divine Technique.
"Because he continuously found out and relentlessly killed the retinue of the True Demon and those encroached upon by the Mixed Magic Demonic Energy since a long time ago."
Bu Eunseol knitted his brow.
They said Grandfather possessed the chain of reincarnation but why on earth did he find out and kill the retinue of the True Demon and those encroached upon by the Mixed Magic Demonic Energy?
As Bu Eunseol threw the question, the Holy One muttered with dim eyes.
"Because he wore the chain of reincarnation."
Bu Eunseol opened his eyes wide.
If so, did it mean the chain of reincarnation was not a simple authority, but inheriting the karma of the True Demon?
At that time, the Holy One wore a solemn expression.
"The Heavenly Emperor."
And then he spoke of a shocking truth, so unexpected that one would even forget to breathe.
"It was in order to hand over the chain of reincarnation to him."
Comments