First love is the most pure and intense experience that comes to everyone at least once.
But most of the time, that love goes unfulfilled, remaining only as a faint memory.
For it is like a sudden guest arriving during the most naive and unstable period of one's life.
Back then, everything was a first, making it clumsy and unfamiliar.
In the end, first love and failure, though they may go by different names, are born to share the same destiny.
'Dali.'
Bu Eunseol recalled her face.
Though it had not come to fruition, his memories of her remained in a corner of his heart like a tiny speck of light.
Perhaps even if he died and turned to ashes, that small light would never go out.
In the end, before returning to his daily routine, Bu Eunseol visited the secluded valley of Mount Unrim once more.
"Why is it that the more I try to forget, the more unforgettable it becomes?"
This dilemma was not his alone; it was likely a common question that all philosophers had faced since ancient times.
Rustle, rustle.
It had not even been half a gak since he arrived in the valley. (1 gak = 15 minutes)
Along with a strange sound of tearing air, a large shadow descended from the sky in the distance.
'Could it be?'
Bu Eunseol's face brightened.
To tell the truth, when he came to Mount Unrim this time, he had intentionally left his trail clear, hoping against hope.
If Dali was a woman from a hostile force, she would surely be employing an information organization formidable enough to rival the Death Spirit Corps.
So she might come looking for him.
Flutter.
Bu Eunseol, who had been staring at the distant sky with expectant eyes, could not hide his disappointment when he saw the shadow landing in front of him.
The man who appeared before him.
Was he not the man who had previously appeared alongside the Buddha Venerable, only to attack him and suffer defeat?
He still wore a broadsword at his waist, but his gaze and aura had changed dramatically.
"It has been a long time."
The man greeted him warmly.
"I have been looking for you for a long time, but it was not easy to trace your steps."
He clasped his hands together in greeting.
"Let me introduce myself formally. I am called Jeong Myeong."
It was a dharma name that did not match his sharp eyes and bloodthirsty aura.
It seemed the Buddha Venerable was raising him as a lay disciple.
Bu Eunseol did not even spare a glance for the man, showing no interest.
"I heard that you were the one who killed the Vajra Demon Ancestor. Is that true?"
When Bu Eunseol nodded, the man spoke again.
"Then hand it over."
"What?"
"The Nine Heavens Cloud Splendor Pearl."
Bu Eunseol furrowed his brow.
"I have no such thing."
"I did not expect you to hand it over willingly."
Jeong Myeong drew the broadsword from his back.
"You had better think it over once more before your head rolls."
Despite the man's murderous display, Bu Eunseol only let out a sigh.
"Go back. You are no match for me."
"That was true in the past. But not anymore."
Whoosh.
As he swung his broadsword in a circle through the air, his eyes grew even more sinister, and a strange light flashed within them.
Not only that, but two more martial artists emerged from behind him.
'He must have passed all the trials.'
In the past, he had claimed that he had only passed some of the ten trials, boasting that he could defeat Bu Eunseol if he passed them all.
Seeing him appear now, proudly declaring his name and bringing helpers with him, he had clearly not only passed all the trials but also found a way to deal with Bu Eunseol.
"Or perhaps you have mastered a new martial art."
"Of course."
"It looks like you need to join forces with them."
"Naturally."
Jeong Myeong replied shamelessly.
"Since things have come to this, I think I will settle this in a single match without wasting time."
Shiiing.
At the same time, the men standing behind him also drew their broadswords.
Under ordinary circumstances, Bu Eunseol would have been highly curious about the martial arts of those raised by the Buddha Venerable, and would have been on extreme guard.
For when a defeated foe returned after grinding his teeth, he would surely bring a winning card.
However, Bu Eunseol's attention had drifted elsewhere, leaving him with absolutely no interest in them.
Thus, he simply watched in silence as the man's companions surrounded him, and that complacency quickly turned into a bitter mistake.
Fwoosh.
In an instant, a flame-like wave of true energy erupted from Bu Eunseol's body, and the surrounding space began to warp.
Even though they had drawn their swords, they did not execute any blade techniques.
Instead, they maintained their surrounding formation, pointing their broadswords forward to pour out a bizarre power.
Rumble.
And that power forced the conflicting energies inside Bu Eunseol's body to clash with one another, causing violent flames of true energy to flare up.
"Martial Soul Command Lord. As it turns out, you are harboring numerous disparate energies within your body."
Jeong Myeong continued, wearing a meaningful smile.
"And the only reason your body has not exploded is because you have suppressed and harmonized them in some way to maintain a balance, correct?"
Fwoosh.
Bu Eunseol, enveloped in the flames of true energy, could not offer any reply.
As the inner energies clashed, his limbs felt as if they were tightly bound, preventing him from moving even a single fingertip.
"If so, simply amplifying one specific energy would shatter that balance in an instant."
The energy that Jeong Myeong and his companions poured in was not vicious or cruel.
Rather, it carried a gentle warmth of great mercy and compassion.
It shared its roots with the Muscle-Changing and Marrow-Washing Classic, but was developed into a far purer form.
It was the Tathagata true energy.
Wuuuung.
That immense true energy was continuously distributed and accumulated in Bu Eunseol's eight extraordinary meridians. Because of its pure nature, even the Ban-Geuk true energy, said to embrace all things, could not integrate it.
"Mmm."
Bu Eunseol let out a low groan.
As the Tathagata true energy, which could be called the essence of Shaolin's internal energy secret arts, was injected into him, the conflicting forces clashed, and the balance shattered.
The problem was that there was no way for him to discharge or vent the pouring energy.
'My secrets have been completely exposed.'
Bu Eunseol's martial arts background had always been shrouded in mystery, giving him the upper hand in battles against powerful enemies.
But as he traversed the martial world and defeated countless foes, his martial secrets had eventually been exposed.
They had investigated and studied Bu Eunseol incessantly, finally discovering the perfect way to bring him down.
'They are using a method similar to how I defeated the Dark God Heavenly Lord.'
The human body has a nature of accepting beneficial things without rejection.
At that time, the Dark God Heavenly Lord's life force was connected to his crows, allowing him near-immortal recovery.
After deep deliberation, Bu Eunseol had injected the power of the Endless Heavenly Light Art, which was beneficial to the body, thereby severing his connection to the crows.
And thus, he had been able to defeat the Dark God Heavenly Lord.
But now, Jeong Myeong was attempting to bring Bu Eunseol down using a very similar tactic.
Crack!
As the injection of true energy intensified, Bu Eunseol's skin began to crack like the shell of a tortoise.
The method they used to inject the energy was too subtle, and there was no visible way to block it.
'They even figured out that my internal energy is rooted in Shaolin.'
The foundation of Bu Eunseol's internal energy was Shaolin's Muscle-Changing and Marrow-Washing Classic, which his grandfather had once claimed to be a simple breathing exercise.
Because of this, the unfamiliar Tathagata true energy flooding through the broadswords seeped deep into his body without allowing even a shred of resistance.
'Now that it has come to this, I must unify them.'
Bu Eunseol, now engulfed in white flames of true energy, desperately tried to convert the incoming Tathagata true energy into Ban-Geuk true energy.
Yet the more he tried, the more excruciating pain tore through his meridians, and his body rapidly went numb.
"I can see the end now."
Jeong Myeong barked with laughter.
"Since you have mixed so many messy forces together, it is only natural that you cannot handle the purest true energy under heaven."
In that instant, sparks flared in Bu Eunseol's eyes.
'This is the Buddha Venerable's doing.'
The only ones who knew how Bu Eunseol's true energy circulated were the Human Demon Ak Muryeong and Vice Pavilion Master Dan Cheong.
However, there was one exception: the Buddha Venerable.
He had encountered Bu Eunseol several times in the past and had already seen through his energy circulation patterns.
He must have prepared a means to destroy him in this exact manner.
'Then, I have only the power of the Poison Saint.'
Crack.
Bu Eunseol squeezed out his last ounce of strength, attempting to employ his poison.
But it was futile.
Because the internal energies were clashing and the balance had collapsed, he could not even manifest the power of the Poison Saint.
"Impressive. To think you can endure this much."
The flames of true energy generated by the clashing forces were potent enough to melt his meridians in an instant.
Yet Bu Eunseol had been enduring it for nearly a quarter of an hour.
"A monster is indeed a monster."
Jeong Myeong raised the broadsword he had thrust forward.
Bu Eunseol was completely unable to move anyway.
Jeong Myeong intended to sever his head in one clean stroke without dragging things out.
"You were born under a lucky star, but your journey ends here."
Just as Jeong Myeong was about to swing his broadsword,
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!
Suddenly, a strange sound of tearing air echoed from the distant sky.
Veiled women dressed in silver robes descended lightly to the ground, their movements resembling scattering flower petals.
Shaaaa.
They instantly whipped their sleeves, dispersing the Tathagata true energy that Jeong Myeong and his companions were pouring out.
Wuuuung!
At the same time, they exerted a bizarre force, pushing Jeong Myeong and his companions ten paces back.
Sssss.
Now that the flood of Tathagata true energy had stopped, the clashing forces subsided, and his boiling qi and blood gradually stabilized.
Creak, creak. Boom!
Bu Eunseol instantly erupted his stagnant energy.
As he did, the Three Divine Energies were unleashed naturally, pouring toward the area where Jeong Myeong and his companions stood.
Rumble.
The ground within a radius of dozens of jang was gouged out in a swirling pattern. (1 jang = 3 meters)
Sizzle.
Even so, the power of the Tathagata true energy was not completely dispelled, and sparks of true energy continued to crackle across Bu Eunseol's entire body.
―'To think this is a power a human can unleash...'
Whoosh!
Jeong Myeong and his two companions, who had been frozen in shock, snapped back to their senses and immediately turned tail to flee.
Not only had Bu Eunseol recovered his strength in an instant, but they also instinctively sensed that the martial arts of the mysterious masked women were formidable, choosing to escape without delay.
'To think they are lay disciples of the Buddha Venerable.'
Looking at the spot where Jeong Myeong had vanished in the blink of an eye, Bu Eunseol let out a deep sigh.
The Buddha Venerable had become an old monster who could no longer be called a high monk of the Buddhist path, and those he raised showed no trace of righteousness either.
'But I cannot call such a method cowardly.'
Had not Bu Eunseol himself studied the scars left on corpses to devise counters to break his enemies' martial arts?
It was only natural for his enemies to study him and find his weaknesses.
Swoosh!
At that moment, with a sound of tearing air, the women who had stood guarding Bu Eunseol vanished into the distant sky.
"Wait, hold on!"
Bu Eunseol tried to pursue them, but they had already disappeared without a trace.
What they had employed was not a martial movement technique, but a mysterious supernatural power.
"Just who are those women?"
He had encountered all kinds of forces during his journey through the martial world.
Yet he had never heard of a sect of women who wore such unique silver martial robes and wielded strange supernatural abilities.
"I must focus."
Because he had been so distracted by Dali, he had exposed his trail and suffered a sneak attack from enemies who had seen through his fatal weakness.
The most urgent task now was to pull himself together and...
"I must supplement the flaws of my martial arts first."
Now that he knew they had perfected a secret method to deliberately disrupt his mixed energies, if he ventured out into the martial world like this, he might suffer a fatal injury and die in some obscure corner at any moment.
He had to eliminate this flaw as quickly as possible.
* * *
Upon returning to Majeon, Bu Eunseol entered closed-door cultivation, but from the start, there was no easy answer.
For he did not even clearly know how he had managed to make so many different forces coexist within himself until now, nor the exact reason why it had been possible.
Even Ak Muryeong, the most knowledgeable authority on the martial arts of every sect under heaven, could not decipher the principle, only concluding, 'The Seven-Finger Demon Blade must have made it so.'
Thus, there was no way Bu Eunseol could suddenly unravel the principle behind his mingled internal forces just by studying it for a few days.
"If only I could find a place like a Land of the Limitless."
A Land of the Limitless was a place where immense pressure poured down, pressure that even a well-trained martial artist could barely withstand. An energy that disrupted the integrity of the mind and spirit spread there as well.
"The pressure there would forcibly suppress the scattered energies, acting as a blacksmith's hammer to forge and temper the mixed forces."
If the forces that normally maintained a precarious balance were forcibly compressed by the external pressure of a Land of the Limitless, he might be able to grasp to some extent the essence, compatibility, and clashing principles of the energies within his body.
"Furthermore, since there is also a force that oppresses the mind and spirit..."
Inside a Land of the Limitless lay an aura that broke a human's self-control, reducing their mind and spirit to the worst possible state.
If he were placed in such an extreme situation where his mind wavered and his control over his energy weakened, paradoxically, he might be able to sense the unique characteristics of each energy he harbored even more clearly.
"I must master the way to overcome the state of collision and control the forces."
Bu Eunseol clenched his fists tight.
Spending time in the training chamber like this would not yield any clues.
Ultimately, he returned to his office.
Knock, knock, knock.
At that moment, along with the sound of knocking on the door, Yoo Unryong entered.
He had rushed over the moment he heard that Bu Eunseol had finished his closed-door cultivation.
"What is the matter?"
"Well..."
Yoo Unryong scratched his head in bewilderment.
"A Land of the Limitless has been found."
"A Land of the Limitless?"
"Yes. To be precise, it is not a discovery, but rather... a tip-off."
"What do you mean?"
Yoo Unryong tilted his head and spoke.
"Someone provided information. They claimed that in two days, a Land of the Limitless will manifest in the Nameless Valley, where the Hyeonhyeon Sect used to reside."
"Who?"
"The thing is, we do not know."
A Land of the Limitless was a veritable treasure trove for those who had entered the ranks of the supreme masters.
Since it naturally manifested and dissolved, it was known to be impossible to find except for those who could perfectly read the heavenly secrets.
Who on earth could have pointed out such a location?
"Then it is unreliable information. There is no need to pay it any mind."
At Bu Eunseol's words, Yoo Unryong shook his head.
"That is not necessarily true."
"Why?"
"Because numerous powerful masters of the martial world have already swarmed toward that place."
As Yoo Unryong spoke, the focus in his eyes seemed to fade.
"Judging by how they are moving in secret, there is a high probability that it is true."
And he added,
"And you are the only one who has the movement technique to reach the Nameless Valley in time."
Since it was said that the gate to the Land of the Limitless would open in two days, Bu Eunseol was the only one in the Death Shadow Corps who possessed the qinggong capable of setting off now and arriving at the Nameless Valley in time.
"How convenient."
If this was not a coincidence, the person who provided the information not only knew that Bu Eunseol desperately needed to enter a Land of the Limitless, but also precisely understood the level of his movement technique and his maximum speed.
"Yes. It is highly likely to be a trap."
Yoo Unryong wore a grave expression.
"Even if it is not, the abyssal forces will surely be stationed there. It is a place you could never escape from alone."
Yoo Unryong let out a deep sigh.
"But since it is a Land of the Limitless and not just anywhere... you cannot afford not to go, can you?"
"No, I cannot."
Cultivating in a Land of the Limitless for a single day yielded the effect of more than a month of training elsewhere.
Furthermore, he needed to defend against Jeong Myeong's attack. No, he needed a way to keep his enemies from disrupting the mixed energies within his body, and for that he was yearning to enter such a place.
He absolutely could not let this opportunity slip by.
"Then at least go in disguise."
"There is no need. They are deliberately baiting me, so going in disguise for no reason would only create a chance for them to figure out that I possess the secret art of darkness."
"Is that so?"
Realizing that Bu Eunseol had made up his mind to go, Yoo Unryong said with a serious expression,
"Seeing how they openly threw this information out, perhaps Pamyeong is plotting another scheme."
"That could be."
No one in the martial world gave away precious information without expecting something in return.
This matter was clearly someone's plot.
Even so, Bu Eunseol simply could not afford not to go.
"At any rate, I will be back shortly."
Bu Eunseol offered a smile.
That was all he could do for Yoo Unryong right now.
* * *
The Nameless Valley was a secluded valley where the Hyeonhyeon Sect, which specialized in studying spells and talismans, had once resided.
It was also a place where mirror-faced cinnabar, used in writing talismans, lay scattered everywhere.
Originally, Bu Eunseol had planned to enter in secret, observe the situation closely, and slip inside once the Land of the Limitless opened.
However, the moment he stepped into the Nameless Valley, he realized that it was a futile hope.
Crackle.
Due to the wind and thunder energy raging inside, his stealth technique was instantly undone.
'It is certain.'
A place where a Land of the Limitless manifested always overflowed with such immense natural energy.
Judging by the valley being filled to the brim with wind and thunder energy, the information about the Land of the Limitless opening was undoubtedly true.
Shaaaa.
Pushing through the storm of wind and thunder, he reached a vast open space, where a stone wall rising to the very edge of the sky stood before him.
'A strange feeling.'
Approaching the rock face, he placed his hand on the wall.
Yet nothing particularly unusual could be felt.
Just then,
Rustle, rustle, rustle.
A bizarre sound echoed from all directions, and numerous troops revealed themselves.
A massive force had already entered the Nameless Valley, concealing their presence and waiting in secret.
"Oh."
He let out a short groan.
He had spotted some familiar faces.
There were men dressed in government martial robes, who appeared to be masters of the imperial court.
There were also masked figures who seemed to be emissaries representing key figures of the Three Realms, as well as members of the United Heart Society.
Moreover, Jeong Myeong, the disciple of the Buddha Venerable who had attacked Bu Eunseol previously, was also among them.
'A third party orchestrated this.'
Bu Eunseol finally realized.
Since the United Heart Society had joined hands with some forces of the Three Realms, it was not surprising that masters from both sides had gathered.
However, given that figures from the imperial palace had also appeared, the location of this Land of the Limitless must have been leaked to multiple factions.
Perhaps someone had leaked the information to pit the various factions against each other, or to weaken their strength.
"So Majeon also obtained this information."
Recognizing Bu Eunseol, Jeong Myeong offered a chilling greeting.
"Martial Soul Command Lord. You have walked into hell of your own accord."
His words were no empty boast.
Bu Eunseol had yet to devise a way to block the technique of injecting Tathagata true energy to clash the forces within his body.
Furthermore, with the forces of the imperial palace and the United Heart Society waiting here, even a man of his caliber could not deal with them all alone.
"Yes, it seems so."
Despite this, Bu Eunseol did not flee and drew the Silent Tiger Soul Sword.
He had come here fully prepared for a trap in the first place.
'If I cannot resolve this matter, I cannot roam the martial world freely.'
The Buddha Venerable had lived for so long; the depth and understanding of his martial arts must transcend imagination, far surpassing his own.
If the Buddha Venerable himself were to execute the Tathagata true energy that Jeong Myeong wielded, Bu Eunseol might lose his life instantly without even a chance to resist.
'Therefore, I must enter the Land of the Limitless this time.'
Whatever it took, he had to enter the Land of the Limitless manifesting here.
Otherwise, he would never survive in the martial world in the future.
Rustle.
The gathered martial artists began to encircle him.
They were openly baring their fangs to eliminate Bu Eunseol first.
Shiiing.
As he drew the Silent Tiger Soul Sword, a cold, sharp aura spread in all directions.
Just dealing with Jeong Myeong and his Tathagata true energy was already difficult enough.
Yet now he was surrounded by the masters of the Three Realms and the United Heart Society in front of a completely blocked stone wall...
'However...'
Bu Eunseol could feel it.
The mastermind behind this was definitely someone else, and the reason they had summoned him was not simply to clash with these people.
Flash!
Knowing that Bu Eunseol's strikes were as fast as lightning, Jeong Myeong unleashed the Tathagata true energy right from the start.
Spurt!
Then, a shocking sight unfolded.
Suddenly, blood erupted from the neck of one of the surrounding martial artists.
Sizzle.
At the same time, white steam was rising from Bu Eunseol's body.
Large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, as if he were enduring intense pain.
"So you practiced a method to sever and block your own meridians."
Jeong Myeong saw through the fact that Bu Eunseol had blocked all his own energy to stop the Tathagata true energy.
As if to prove it, although he had only executed a single sword strike, Bu Eunseol stood holding his sword, sweating profusely as if he had been running for several shichen. (1 shichen = 2 hours)
"Amazing. To think you can execute such a swift sword form purely through the profound principles of martial arts, without any internal force."
Jeong Myeong laughed sinisterly, looking around.
"If you can defeat the masters here in that state, I will cut off my own head and hand it to you."
None of the people gathered here possessed weaker martial arts than Jeong Myeong.
There were even those who could wield supernatural abilities mixed among them.
No matter how formidable Bu Eunseol's martial arts and swordplay were, he could not face so many masters without any internal force.
"Attack him all together!"
At Jeong Myeong's shout, everyone in the surrounding circle gathered their intense power.
They intended to launch a total offensive without wasting any time.
Wuuuung.
Just as the masters surrounding Bu Eunseol were about to exert their internal energy with all their might,
Flash!
Suddenly, brilliant silver figures flooded in all at once from the entrance of the Nameless Valley.
Clatter!
At the same time, the ranks of those attempting to attack Bu Eunseol were completely shattered.
"Who are they?"
The crowd widened their eyes.
This area was completely secured by the Three Realms and the United Heart Society, and unless one was a top-tier master, it was impossible to even enter the valley.
Yet how could so many people enter all at once?
'The ones who helped me back then...'
Bu Eunseol's eyes flashed.
Those silver shadows.
Were they not the same masked women who had helped him previously?
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