Martial Soul Society, Martial Soul Pavilion Conference Room.
Yoo Hwaryeong, who had once been a disciple of the Thousand Swords Society and was now the Chief Steward of the Martial Soul Society, was secretly reporting to Bu Eunseol.
“Only the final step remains.”
After explaining the complex formation diagram on the table for a long time, he pointed to the center and said.
“Now, if the Society Lord enters here and completes the synchronization, the domain will be finished.”
“You have worked hard.”
Bu Eunseol spoke with a regretful expression.
“Rather than a reward, is there anything you desire? Speak freely.”
Yoo Hwaryeong, who had overseen various plans under Bu Eunseol’s orders, had aged visibly from the hardship. Even though he was in his middle years, wrinkles had formed around his eyes.
“I ask not as the Chief Steward, but as a friend.”
Yoo Hwaryeong was not only the Chief Steward of the Martial Soul Society but also a comrade and friend who had accompanied Bu Eunseol from the beginning of his journey in the martial world.
Although the Thousand Swords Society he belonged to had disappeared into ruin and its vast accumulated wealth had been absorbed into the Martial Soul Society, Bu Eunseol intended to rebuild the Thousand Swords Society anytime if Yoo Hwaryeong wished. He had simply been waiting for the right moment to speak since Yoo Hwaryeong showed no particular reaction.
“As a friend…”
Yoo Hwaryeong murmured quietly, then shook his head after understanding Bu Eunseol’s meaning.
“The Thousand Swords Society simply could not keep up with the brilliant development of martial arts in the martial world and naturally faded away.”
Shaking his head, he continued.
“All the great undertakings the Society Lord is carrying out are for the safety of the martial world.”
Looking at Bu Eunseol, he smiled gently.
“If the ancestors of the Thousand Swords Society knew that the wealth they accumulated over generations was being used for a just cause, they would laugh heartily from the afterlife.”
“What just cause is there? It is simply an act of trying to survive the hands of bad people.”
Feeling embarrassed, Bu Eunseol changed the subject.
“Then let us go inside.”
“Society Lord, may I ask one thing?”
“Speak.”
“You will surely achieve the great undertaking… so is there really a need to create such a space?”
Yoo Hwaryeong had long been creating a secret space in the Martial Soul Society under Bu Eunseol’s orders.
The Absolute Domain Project.
Using all the martial arts, knowledge, formations, and techniques Bu Eunseol had acquired so far, they were creating multiple seals and ever-changing formations that surpassed all existing power and physical defense in the martial world.
—The most perfect way to distinguish people in the martial world is through waves.
The True Demon’s subordinates had long incorporated waves into martial arts or applied them to formations and techniques. In the Valley of Immortals, the base of the Blood Divine Heaven, they were even used as formations to distinguish friend from foe.
—First, let us apply the Heart Mirror Technique to create a formation that only those with the same soul wave can enter and exit.
The person most proficient in the Heart Mirror Technique was Yoo Unryong, who had discovered and researched the Record of Inherited Essentials. Bu Eunseol had Yoo Unryong and the experts of the Death Shadow Corps create the first gate of the Absolute Domain in the Martial Soul Society.
—Next, once inside, we must create formations that can resist any kind of power.
This time, Bu Eunseol received help from Gongsun Dankyung.
All formations in the world become nearly impossible to break by overlapping them. However, in the martial world, there were outstanding strategists who could break formations given enough time, as well as rare treasures capable of nullifying formations entirely. In other words, no matter how a formation was made, it could eventually be breached.
What if a formation could change and adapt to the enemy’s breaking methods like a living creature?
Simply put, a formation is an arrangement that can change all qi and flows existing in the world. It operates in extremely complex ways to prevent enemy intrusion. To break a formation, one must find the core or central hub that controls the entire formation internally and strike it.
—We must analyze everything—people, terrain, weather, surrounding objects—and create formations that change the flow of power based on that.
Bu Eunseol asked Gongsun Dankyung for help. She pondered deeply but soon shook her head.
—It is possible to analyze the environment where the formation is deployed and the enemy who enters it, then change the arrangement accordingly. But… such changes must ultimately be directed by a person. There cannot be a formation that changes by itself.
At her words, Bu Eunseol smiled faintly.
—A formation that can adapt to the environment and change its arrangement will be sufficient.
—Pardon?
—The rest of the problem can be solved by someone else.
Han Sangja.
Bu Eunseol had asked for help from Han Sangja, who was as brilliant as the Heavenly Mechanism Star, for this purpose.
—As expected, the Lord has ideas that others cannot even imagine.
Han Sangja did not spare his admiration after hearing Bu Eunseol’s plan. Although many formation geniuses had appeared in the martial world and remarkable arrays had been created throughout history, no one had ever imagined a formation that changed by itself according to external influences.
—To complete such a formation, it will require the efforts of outstanding experts from both the righteous and demonic paths, as well as astronomical amounts of money.
Seeing Bu Eunseol’s calm expression, Han Sangja realized he had spoken unnecessarily and sighed.
—Of course, since the Command Lord has calculated that all such support is possible, you called me.
He nodded willingly.
—I will try. This seems helpful to me as well… and quite interesting.
Though he spoke readily, the process was not easy. As he said, completing such gates required astronomical funds and outstanding personnel.
For the first time, Bu Eunseol used the legacy of the Thousand Swords Society that Yoo Hwaryeong possessed, the financial power of the Sunflower Merchant Group that Seon Woojin had, and even the treasures he had discovered during his journey in the martial world.
To test their effectiveness, he mobilized the Death Shadow Corps, the Supreme Corps, the Martial Soul Society, and even the Black Leopard and Nangyang Pavilion located outside the central plains.
—It is complete.
Finally, a formation that could change and evolve by itself according to external forces had been created.
—Now, the last remaining step is… The Command Lord must enter the Absolute Domain and synchronize his consciousness at its center.
After completing everything, Han Sangja left the Martial Soul Society abruptly and delivered his final words to Yoo Hwaryeong, who was overseeing the Absolute Domain Project.
—Only then will it synchronize with the Lord’s consciousness and waves, creating the most intricate and flexible formation in the world—one that no one whose intentions oppose the Lord’s can enter.
Finishing his recollection, Yoo Hwaryeong took a deep breath.
“I wonder if there is a reason worth investing this much money and manpower.”
“Even if the martial world is destroyed, there are things that must be protected.”
For the people who must be protected no matter what happens in the future, he had begun the Absolute Domain Project with perfect defenses deep within the Martial Soul Society. Now, only the final step of that plan remained.
Knock. Knock.
At that moment, the sound of knocking on the conference room door was heard, followed by the voice of the strategist, Dam Yuyeon.
“Society Lord. May I enter?”
“Come in.”
When the door opened, Dam Yuyeon appeared along with a somewhat skinny but sturdy man. It was none other than Tae Muryong, the Vice-Captain of the Supreme Corps.
“Captain.”
When Tae Muryong respectfully greeted him,
“Vice-Captain.”
Bu Eunseol looked at Tae Muryong with a surprised expression.
“What brings you here so suddenly?”
Tae Muryong, along with Seo Jinha and Seon Woojin, was one of the main pillars leading the Information Pavilion of the Azure Heaven Alliance’s army. Therefore, unless something significant occurred, he rarely left the Azure Heaven Alliance.
Yet he had suddenly rushed to the Martial Soul Society without prior contact.
“It is an urgent matter, so I had no choice but to come find the leader.”
He then took out a letter from his chest.
“What is this?”
“It is a letter addressed to the Command Lord.”
Tae Muryong wore an extremely serious expression.
“It flew in from a fishing village in Gangseo.”
“A fishing village.”
“Yes.”
Tae Muryong continued with a grave face.
“In a bizarre and astonishing way that no intelligence organization could attempt…”
He added.
“Through repeated coincidences, it was delivered to the Command Lord.”
It was impossible for an intelligence organization to receive a letter of unknown origin. Moreover, a letter addressed to Bu Eunseol being obtained by the Supreme Corps could not possibly be a mere coincidence.
“When I investigated the origin of this letter, I could not help but come see you.”
Tae Muryong began tracing how the letter had reached the Supreme Corps and soon learned of an unbelievable process.
“First, this envelope…”
Tae Muryong began explaining.
The envelope was made of tough oiled silk that did not let a single drop of water through, with letters engraved using a strange chemical. It was designed so that only after soaking it thoroughly in water and exposing it to the blazing sunlight would the dark red letters appear.
The envelope first appeared at the Yellow Crane Tower in Wuchang. A customer who had finished eating dropped it under his chair, and the waiter cleaning the table picked it up. Since it looked like a silk envelope containing a money order from a money house, the waiter glanced around once and quickly tucked it deep into his chest.
However, his good fortune ended there.
As the waiter finished work, someone brushed past his shoulder. It was none other than a pickpocket. In the blink of an eye, the waiter’s chest felt empty, and the envelope was already in the pickpocket’s hand.
When the delighted pickpocket opened the envelope, his face twisted in anger. There was nothing inside.
Cursing, the pickpocket threw it into the river. Because it was heavily oiled, the envelope did not sink and floated on the water.
At that moment, a mother bird searching for food downstream, leaving behind the hungry cries of her chicks, spotted the unusually sparkling object on the water’s surface. Thinking it was a shiny toy for her chicks, the bird snatched it with her long beak and soared up to the sheer cliff where her nest was.
In the nest, the chicks turned their heads in disappointment that it was not food, and the envelope was soon pushed into a corner.
Thus, the envelope was left defenseless under the blazing sun.
Coincidentally, a member of the Supreme Corps who was searching for a carrier hawk during training discovered a tired eagle on the cliff’s nest.
Just as he was about to sigh in relief, he noticed the carrier hawk pecking at the silk envelope placed in the middle of the nest. At that moment, the envelope was absorbing sunlight and faint red letters were rising like haze.
Curious, the member picked up the letter, and his pupils shook violently. On the outside of the envelope was written ‘To the Martial Soul Command Lord.’
In the end, the Supreme Corps member delivered it to Tae Muryong. After Tae Muryong and dozens of outstanding members investigated, inferred, and tracked the path, they discovered this unbelievable truth.
—This is not simple coincidence.
Sensing something, Tae Muryong had personally come to deliver the letter to Bu Eunseol.
“That is what happened.”
Tae Muryong maintained a serious expression.
“In other words, the person who sent this letter knows that the leader is the Society Lord of the Martial Soul Society and the Martial Soul Command Lord.”
No one knew that Bu Eunseol possessed all three identities. If anyone did, it would only be the Wood Buddha who could read all heavenly secrets. Yet how had such a thing occurred?
‘No.’
Bu Eunseol’s eyes sparkled as he recalled something.
‘There is one more person.’
He calmly flipped the envelope over. Beautiful handwriting was written on it.
—Six days from now, at sunset, my master will arrive at the Martial Soul Society by carriage. Please prepare to receive her secretly.
At the end of the letter was written ‘Manwol pays respects.’
‘As expected.’
Just as he had guessed, the letter was from Manwol.
‘Manwol’s ability rivals that of the Wood Buddha.’
Bu Eunseol could not hide his astonishment.
Manwol had appeared occasionally, but most of the time she helped or gave advice when he was in danger and then quickly disappeared rather than predicting events. However, if everything Tae Muryong had investigated was true and resulted from Manwol’s foresight ability, then she possessed the power to see the future as clearly as the Wood Buddha.
“It seems to be a letter from the Manwol I know.”
“Ah.”
Tae Muryong let out a sigh of relief.
“So it was Lady Manwol.”
Tae Muryong also knew well about Manwol, who had occasionally helped Bu Eunseol.
“That is truly fortunate.”
Bu Eunseol showed a faint smile and spoke again to Yoo Hwaryeong.
“Let us prepare to receive her envoy secretly.”
***
At dusk.
Clatter. Clatter.
A large cargo carriage with a spacious loading area slowly entered through the western gate of the Martial Soul Society. Since the Martial Soul Society had a mercenary market, carriages carrying goods constantly came and went in processions. Therefore, a single cargo carriage entering did not attract anyone’s attention.
The carriage immediately headed toward the Dongin Hall, where goods could be unloaded.
“Ugh, heavy. Move it.”
In the Dongin Hall, laborers were constantly unloading heavy loads. Inside the Martial Soul Society, which housed the mercenary market, items for the forge and food ingredients were continuously arriving. All such goods had to undergo inspection by the Dongin Hall personnel before being allowed inside.
The laborers were all skilled martial artists, so they carried even the heaviest loads inside with ease. However, the cargo carriage that entered the Dongin Hall did not unload its cargo and instead headed further inward.
Soon, upon reaching a large warehouse in the corner of the Dongin Hall, the driver entered without hesitation.
“Welcome.”
From inside the warehouse, Yoo Hwaryeong, the Chief Steward of the Martial Soul Society, approached and gave a light bow.
“Please follow me.”
He guided the driver further inside.
After passing through several secretly installed mechanisms for a while, a large secret room appeared. There, a man wearing a black robe stood tall with his hands behind his back.
It was Bu Eunseol.
“You are…”
Bu Eunseol first gave a strange greeting after confirming the driver’s face.
“It has been a while.”
Whoosh.
The driver’s dull clothes suddenly blazed like flames and transformed into red robes. Soon, the figure changed into that of a sharp-eyed woman.
“I see.”
The woman in red clasped both hands toward Bu Eunseol.
“I will greet you properly. I am Jeong Yeong, the secret guard of the Baekri Family.”
‘Secret guard.’
Judging by her position of secretly guarding, she seemed to have been constantly protecting Manwol in secret.
“So you are Lady Jeong.”
Bu Eunseol bowed once more.
“I have not forgotten the help you gave me before.”
She had tried to help him when he first fell into the Mind World. Bu Eunseol expressed his gratitude for that.
“You are too kind.”
Jeong Yeong spoke calmly.
“You must be surprised by the sudden letter, but…”
She said to Bu Eunseol.
“Please keep the item we brought today in a safe place.”
Bu Eunseol looked at the carriage she pointed to.
There, a transparent crystal coffin had been made. The surface of the coffin was not simple ice but had an unfathomable milky-white color. Beneath its translucent surface, blue vein-like patterns bloomed like frost flowers, giving the illusion that the coffin itself was breathing.
The boundary where the lid and body met was perfectly aligned without the slightest gap. At the four corners of the coffin and the center of the lid, ascending dragons and flying phoenixes were exquisitely embossed. These divine beast carvings reflected soft five-colored light depending on the angle. Every scale and every feather was so delicate that they looked as if they would kick off the ice wall and fly away at any moment.
It was a Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade Coffin, far more intricately made than the one that had once held the corpse of the Heavenly Emperor.
“Why this…”
Bu Eunseol had been itching to ask.
He had heard from the old man of the Sacred Domain that Manwol was likely a member of the Baekri family. And now Jeong Yeong had revealed herself as a member of the Baekri Family. He had been hoping to at least learn about the Baekri family’s structure or location, but suddenly a coffin?
“The Lord said you would know the reason.”
At that moment, Bu Eunseol realized.
‘She knows that I am creating the Absolute Domain.’
It seemed Manwol had judged that the Absolute Domain he created was the most suitable place to store this coffin.
“Is Lady Manwol well?”
“Yes.”
She answered, but Jeong Yeong’s expression was not good. It seemed her situation was not favorable.
“Is there any trouble? Though my abilities are meager, I may be able to help.”
“There is none.”
Jeong Yeong shook her head.
“Thank you for accepting this sudden request.”
“You are too kind.”
If someone were inside the coffin, it would be a big problem, but since it was an empty coffin to be stored, he felt somewhat relieved.
“Then, until when should I keep it?”
“She said you will soon know that as well.”
Though he could not understand, Bu Eunseol nodded.
“I see.”
“May I go inside that place for a moment?”
Bu Eunseol made a troubled face.
“It is still incomplete…”
“It is fine. I just want to see what kind of place it is for a moment.”
Jeong Yeong’s expression was like someone looking at the grave where she would be buried when she died. Though he could not understand the situation at all, he had no choice but to nod.
“Very well.”
In the end, Bu Eunseol carefully guided her to the location of the Absolute Domain where the coffin would be stored. Since he had not yet completed the synchronization, the mechanisms and formations were not activated.
“It is somewhat quiet, but peaceful and nice.”
After looking around the interior of the Absolute Domain, Jeong Yeong spoke with a dry smile.
“I have seen enough. Then I will take my leave.”
“Wait. What exactly is happening?”
When Bu Eunseol stopped her, Jeong Yeong shook her head.
“Do not worry. You will soon know everything.”
Until now, Manwol had seen through all things, and her words had never been wrong. That meant, just as she said, he would soon know the entire situation.
“May I not ask about the Baekri family’s situation?”
Bu Eunseol spoke honestly.
“Since Lady Manwol knows my position…”
“I also do not know all of the plans that child is making.”
Jeong Yeong spoke with a sorrowful expression.
“However, please do not forget that all these plans are for you.”
Having nothing more to say, Bu Eunseol nodded.
“I understand.”
He then bowed.
“Take care.”
Jeong Yeong nodded and slowly turned around.
After Jeong Yeong left, Bu Eunseol spoke in a low voice.
“Soyo.”
He spoke with an extremely serious expression.
“Follow her. So that we may learn where Lady Manwol is or the location of the Baekri Family.”
Even if Manwol had the ability to predict the future, he could not continue acting only according to her instructions.
Equal information. Only that would allow him to stand on equal footing with anyone and enable negotiation.
[Understood.]
With a short reply, Soyo’s shadow disappeared into the air once more.
Bu Eunseol looked at the coffin and raised his internal energy. With a resonant hum, the crystal coffin floated into the air.
‘She even knew the time when I would be holding a meeting in the Martial Soul Society.’
Manwol had sent the coffin timed exactly with his arrival at the Martial Soul Society. Such ability was on par with that of the Wood Buddha without the slightest gap.
“Anyway, there is no time.”
To complete the formation, he finally had to enter that place and synchronize everything. The process would take quite a long time. According to Han Sangja, it would take at least two to three days.
“I have no choice but to do it as quickly as possible.”
Floating the coffin in the air with his internal energy, Bu Eunseol slowly entered inside.
As he stepped into the entrance of the Absolute Domain, the scenery of the real world vanished in an instant. The noise and light of the world disappeared, and his consciousness began sinking into an endless abyss. The shell of his physical body melted away, leaving only pure consciousness standing before the door.
What had been created in the Absolute Domain was a wave extremely similar to a human soul. That wave was primarily tuned to Bu Eunseol. As a fine wave like the song of the soul spread out, a soft, water-like ripple appeared in the air and instantly swallowed Bu Eunseol’s body.
An endless universe unfolded in all directions, and the things sparkling there all contained human emotions.
Finally, the Absolute Domain began to breathe in time with his heart. With every breath he took, the realm represented as the universe also contracted and expanded smoothly, as if breathing.
—Yahhhhhh!
He suddenly remembered a past battle. The sound of swords and spears clashing echoed faintly, and a dark red flash burst forth.
A new world was being born wherever his thoughts and gaze rested.
Then a peaceful moment appeared.
The surroundings turned into a galaxy, and clear, transparent petals flew around him, giving off a faint fragrance filled with memories.
His thoughts were seeds, and the Absolute Domain was a garden, bringing those seeds to bloom.
“My existence became the formation.”
Bu Eunseol nodded with a satisfied expression.
If an intruder ever entered?
They would have to fight with Bu Eunseol’s constantly evolving conscious itself.
The Absolute Domain was an existence akin to a doppelganger, modeled after his spirit.
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