"Who are these wretches?"
The giant, who looked to be well over nine chi tall, "A windfall."
stared at Princess Hwijeong, who wore a veil, and licked his lips with a wicked smile.
"It was getting lonely in this temple without a single wench around."
"How dare you!"
Furious, Princess Hwijeong shouted loudly.
"Strike!"
Rumble.
The Embroidered Uniform Guards immediately drew their swords and slashed at the man's vital acupoints.
Clang. Clang.
The giant man seemed to have trained his external martial arts to the absolute limit; his muscles bulged as if ready to burst, and a strange glow emanated from his skin.
Indeed, his skin was harder than steel, causing their weapons to bounce right off.
"Invulnerable to blades."
As the Embroidered Uniform Guards tried to back away in shock, "Where do you think you're going?"
Grab.
With hands like cauldron lids, the man seized an Embroidered Uniform Guard's head in one hand and began swinging him around like an iron mace.
Smash! Pow!
The surrounding Embroidered Uniform Guards were instantly shattered like debris.
"Hmph, weaklings."
As the body and bones of the martial artist in his grip were pulverized, he snatched up another martial artist's body.
The Embroidered Uniform Guards were indomitable warriors.
However, witnessing the giant's tactic of swinging the bodies of perfectly fine martial artists like weapons, their own bodies froze at the cruelty.
"Step aside."
At that moment, Mo Ilchung stepped forward.
He had rendered great merit to enter the Imperial Palace Secret Vault, where he had mastered the Flashing Hand Soul-Reaving Palm, capable of unleashing palm energy as sharp as a blade.
Bang! Pow, pow, pow!
He moved nimbly as he unleashed the Flashing Hand Soul-Reaving Palm.
Thwack, thwack.
Blood seeped from the man's body... which could not even be cut by swords... every time the palm energy struck.
However, the wounds were not deep.
Mo Ilchung's palm technique only served to amplify the giant's ferocity.
"You rat-like bastard!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
The giant charged madly toward Mo Ilchung, swinging his two fists.
As if flustered, Mo Ilchung retreated backward while ceaselessly pouring out palm energy.
'He is hiding his true internal energy.'
Bu Eunseol let out a sigh.
It looked as though Mo Ilchung was fighting with all his might.
But in reality, he was conserving his internal energy and deliberately suppressing lethal moves.
"Step aside!"
As the exchange dragged on, Princess Hwijeong began swinging her sword as if annoyed.
Slash, slash, slash!
She unleashed lethal sword strikes capable of severing a life in a single blow, carving into the giant.
But she failed to inflict a fatal wound.
The giant continued to fight, still in a state of frenzy.
Slash, slash, slash. Squelch!
Princess Hwijeong and Mo Ilchung both clung to the man, exchanging blows, but the fight could not easily be decided.
The man's external martial arts had already reached the state of Unified Astral Energy, rendering him completely unfazed even against heavy internal techniques.
'I have no choice.'
At that rate, the fight wouldn't end even if they battled for half a day.
Thump.
Ultimately, Bu Eunseol stealthily fired off finger wind, striking the man's Mingmen point.
The man had attained the Diamond Indestructible Body, allowing him to deflect or offset any attack.
However, Bu Eunseol's finger wind contained immense internal energy alongside the Endless Heavenly Light Art.
Sssss.
Suddenly, the faint sound of air leaking from a leather pouch could be heard.
Slump.
The man's gleaming skin instantly lost its luster.
His external arts had been utterly shattered by Bu Eunseol's single blast of finger wind.
"His external arts are broken!"
Seeing this, Princess Hwijeong cheered and poured out her attacks.
She believed that the man's Diamond Indestructible Body had been destroyed because it could not withstand the attacks she was unleashing.
Clang! Clang!
Unable to block Princess Hwijeong's sword in the end, the metallic sound of striking steel continuously echoed from the giant's body.
Then, at last.
Squelch.
A fountain of blood erupted from the giant's neck, severed by her treasured sword.
Bang!
Simultaneously, Mo Ilchung's Flashing Hand Soul-Reaving Palm thoroughly destroyed his lower dantian.
Thud.
In the end, the man collapsed like a log and died instantly, his head slamming into the ground.
"External martial arts are nothing special after all."
As if satisfied with the fight, she wore a pleased expression and sheathed her treasured sword.
"Now, let's head to the opium fields and burn them all down."
Leaving the temple, they now headed toward where the opium fields were located.
However, as they arrived, Rustle.
This time, martial artists clad in black clothes emerged like rising mist.
Judging by their completely blackened skin and irises, it was obvious they were poison masters who had trained in a heinous poison art.
"They look strong."
Princess Hwijeong spoke to Bu Eunseol.
"You're a nuisance, so stay hidden."
"Understood."
Bu Eunseol immediately bowed his head and activated his stealth technique.
"Strike!"
Meanwhile, a fierce battle broke out.
The martial prowess of Princess Hwijeong and the Embroidered Uniform Guards was formidable enough to crush a small-scale sect.
Furthermore, as Bu Eunseol hid himself with his stealth technique and secretly suppressed the poison arts of the poison masters, They were reduced to the level of moving scarecrows. This time, too, they were able to easily defeat the enemies.
'It is strange, just as I thought.'
Bu Eunseol, observing the situation, felt an extreme sense of dissonance.
The Empress Dowager and her aides had, until now, joined hands with the kin of the Three Realms and the True Demon.
They were essentially allied with the greatest factions in the martial world.
And yet, they had such flimsy martial artists managing the opium fields, one of their massive sources of funding?
"The experts of the martial world are only at this level. The rumors were grossly exaggerated."
These were words spoken purely because she had never met a true expert of the martial world.
Mo Ilchung bowed his head, seemingly trying to humor Princess Hwijeong.
"That is true. In truth, the martial arts of those in the martial world are not so magnificent."
She smirked, then ordered Mo Ilchung, "Burn all the opium fields in Black Cloud Valley."
Since a strict order had fallen, the martial artists of the Embroidered Uniform Guard should have immediately burned the opium fields and moved to the next location.
Yet, weren't they standing completely still, as if they hadn't heard a thing?
"Squad Leader Mo, did you not hear this Palace's words?"
"I heard them clearly."
Mo Ilchung looked around with a strange smile.
"Having engaged in a bloodbath of this degree, it has now become the perfect time to deliver you to the Empress Dowager, Princess."
"What?"
"Did you not know?"
Mo Ilchung and the Embroidered Uniform Guards wore sinister smiles.
"We have all pledged our loyalty to the Empress Dowager."
'So that's how it is.'
Bu Eunseol rubbed his forehead.
The strange dissonance he had been feeling since earlier.
It was because all the accompanying Embroidered Uniform Guards were spies secretly planted by the Empress Dowager.
They intended to use this opportunity to outright abduct Princess Hwijeong and take her to the Empress Dowager.
'This was their intention from the very beginning.'
Bu Eunseol, having finally deduced all of the Emperor's plans, let out a sigh.
The reason Princess Hwijeong was used as bait.
It was to use this opportunity, along with the Empress Dowager's secret organization, to purge all of the Empress Dowager's spies embedded within the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
"Do you truly think you can accomplish that with your level of skill?"
Princess Hwijeong confidently drew her treasured sword.
Seeing their exploits in Black Cloud Valley this time, the skill of the Embroidered Uniform Guards went without saying, and even the internal energy of Squad Leader Mo Ilchung was at an unimpressive level.
'As if that were true.'
Bu Eunseol inwardly snorted.
That naive Princess hadn't realized at all that they had been fighting half-heartedly all along.
"Assassin. Come out."
Mo Ilchung spoke toward the hidden Bu Eunseol.
"Seeing as the Grand Secretary personally ordered you, you must not be an assassin, but an individual tasked with secretly escorting the Princess, yes?"
Vvmmmm.
A strange radiance surged from Mo Ilchung's body.
He had unleashed the Nether River Energy, an Imperial Palace secret art specialized in destroying the internal energy of martial artists.
"As expected, it seems you entered the Imperial Palace Secret Vault once more by becoming the Empress Dowager's dog."
Princess Hwijeong scoffed as she looked at Mo Ilchung.
"However, something like that only works on those in the martial world."
Because Princess Hwijeong had mastered Imperial Palace secret arts, she was unaffected by the Nether River Energy.
It only worked on martial artists who gathered internal energy in their lower dantian.
"Of course. Naturally, I do not intend to use it on you, Princess."
Boom!
As the Nether River Energy spread in all directions, the surrounding air shifted.
Thud.
Simultaneously, Bu Eunseol, who had been hiding, stumbled and revealed himself beside the Princess.
He didn't forget to put on a flustered expression to play along to Mo Ilchung's tune.
"I will quietly take my leave."
Bu Eunseol spoke as if pleading with Mo Ilchung.
"This body merely took on this job because I was blinded by a string of gold. I will absolutely keep my mouth shut about this matter, so please let me go."
"Hehehe. You're having a fool's dream."
Mo Ilchung laughed.
"If the Princess is killed, there has to be a culprit, right?"
Bu Eunseol smacked his forehead.
"So that is why you purposefully defeated the martial artists in the temple, and revealed your true colors here."
"Indeed."
Mo Ilchung wore a sinister smile.
"Everything will become the deed committed by you, whom the Grand Secretary hired."
"Hmm."
Rub.
Rubbing his temples, Bu Eunseol let out a sigh as he looked at Mo Ilchung and the Embroidered Uniform Guards.
"In the end, you were all bait as well."
"What?"
"Someone of the Empress Dowager's stature would not weave such a shoddy trap."
Bu Eunseol let out a deep lament.
The Empress Dowager had not only joined hands with the kin of the Three Realms and the True Demon.
Through Imperial Palace martial arts, she possessed formidable military forces such as the Yellow-Robed Men, who could unleash power comparable to Infinite Reversal Power.
Furthermore, considering she clearly knew this operation was a stratagem by the Emperor and the Grand Secretary, there was no way she would entrust the disposal of the Princess to a mere nobody like Mo Ilchung.
"She likely had us deal with Black Cloud Valley, which is as far from the Central Plains as possible, first, so that we couldn't immediately return to the capital."
"What are you saying?"
"It is not something the likes of you need to know."
Bu Eunseol let out a deep sigh.
Subduing Mo Ilchung and the Embroidered Uniform Guards before him was no difficult task.
But the Empress Dowager was by no means an opponent to take lightly.
She was surely guessing that the person introduced as a master of dispelling formations was actually a martial artist from the martial world escorting the Princess.
Undoubtedly, an opponent he could not face alone.
It was as clear as day that she would send strong individuals.
'I must not mobilize martial factions.'
Bu Eunseol burst out in a deep lament.
'Because this is a dispute of the Imperial Palace.'
As this fight could be called a proxy war between the Emperor and the Empress Dowager…
To escort the Princess, he must not mobilize any military forces, not just Majeon, but even the Martial Soul Society or the Azure Sky Alliance.
If he were to mobilize martial factions?
From that day onward, he would become the target of the Empress Dowager.
"So it means… I really have to return to the capital while escorting her completely alone."
Bu Eunseol had to carve open a blood path and return to the capital alongside the Princess all by himself.
"Hmm."
Looking at Bu Eunseol's calm expression, Mo Ilchung narrowed his eyes.
"You're quite relaxed."
He then swept his piercing gaze up and down Bu Eunseol.
"Since you're the person the Grand Secretary recommended, naturally you would have a hidden trump card befitting of that?"
Mo Ilchung wore a cruel smile.
"Even if you are an extraordinary expert, you will meet your death here."
Raise.
As Mo Ilchung raised his hand, Flash!
Not just Mo Ilchung, but a mysterious radiance spread from the bodies of all the Embroidered Uniform Guard martial artists.
Astonishingly, all the Embroidered Uniform Guards.
Had mastered the Nether River Energy, an Imperial Palace secret art capable of subduing the internal energy of martial artists.
'They prepared a decisive stratagem in their own right, I see.'
Voom, voom, voom.
The Nether River Energy unleashed by thirty-two inner court experts.
It displayed enough immense power to make even an expert of the Limitless Realm lose their internal energy in an instant.
But unfortunately for them, their opponent was Bu Eunseol.
Bang!
Along with an explosive sound, not just the Embroidered Uniform Guard experts, but even Mo Ilchung, whose martial arts were strong.
They floated roughly a zhang into the air before falling back down to the ground.
Trickle.
Rolling unsightlily across the ground, they bled fresh blood from their mouths and soon collapsed like blocks of wood.
In a single exchange, Mo Ilchung and the Embroidered Uniform Guards had died instantly.
'To think they would use the exact same technique as that person named Jeong Myeong.'
The Nether River Energy learned by all of the Embroidered Uniform Guards was like the Tathagata true energy used by the Buddha Venerable's lay disciple, Jeong Myeong.
It was a secret art that caused the enemy's internal energy to clash, neutralizing its power.
But to Bu Eunseol, who had already mastered the Inverse Phase Qi Fusion Art... which shattered such a battle tactic... in the Land of the Limitless.
Their attempt was essentially an act of self-destruction.
As the power of the Nether River Energy was rebounded, their heart vessels burst from their own power, resulting in their instant deaths.
"How."
Princess Hwijeong, watching the scene, opened her mouth wide.
The Nether River Energy unleashed by Mo Ilchung and the Embroidered Uniform Guards all at once.
It poured out waves at a level that even she, who had learned Imperial Palace secret arts, found hard to endure.
And yet, that frail-looking assassin rebounded it in a single stroke?
"What in the world did you do?"
At Princess Hwijeong's question, Bu Eunseol roughly made up an excuse.
"In the martial world, there are techniques that specialize in destroying Imperial Palace martial arts."
"Techniques, you say?"
"Princess, listen to my words carefully from now on."
Bu Eunseol looked down at Princess Hwijeong with his original gaze and tone.
"The journey back from here on out will become a blood path."
"A blood path?"
Princess Hwijeong smirked.
"Do you think there are only government troops in the provincial capital?"
"Well, there must be various secret organizations and martial artists. But it will be of no use."
Bu Eunseol spoke firmly.
"Just as you have braced yourself in your own way, the Empress Dowager will have surely prepared a meticulous plan."
"Hahaha."
Suddenly, Princess Hwijeong burst into laughter.
"This Palace is one who survived amidst the blood-reeking secret feuds of the Imperial Family. No matter how vicious the martial world may be, in my eyes, it is nothing but a squabble among foolish martial artists."
Princess Hwijeong took something out from her bosom and extended her hand.
Screeeech!
Then, a massive light flashed in the sky, and a signal flare that brightly illuminated even the broad daylight exploded.
"The Golden Dragon Guard will arrive soon."
Princess Hwijeong spoke calmly.
"Since the Empress Dowager's side has likely grasped that they failed, they will start sending out the secret organizations they've been carefully hiding away."
She then stared fixedly at Bu Eunseol.
"Does this Palace look like an empty-headed tomboy? If so, the stratagem has succeeded."
"You mean you've been acting like a ruffian on purpose this whole time?"
"Of course."
Bu Eunseol burst into a hollow chuckle.
It was said that the secret feuds of the Imperial Family were so brutal they surpassed the disputes of the martial world.
Princess Hwijeong had been purposefully acting like a reckless ruffian all this time, crouching down like a hidden dragon.
All to wait for an opportunity to topple the Empress Dowager.
"I will admit I made light of the Imperial Family's secret feuds."
Bu Eunseol wore a cautious expression.
"However, it will not be easy. A fight in the martial world is strictly different from a fight in the Imperial Palace."
The Empress Dowager had interacted with martial factions for a long time, and she had raised a formidable military force by borrowing their power.
Even if Princess Hwijeong had under her command a corps of elite military officials from the Imperial Palace Secret Vault, men trained strictly and in secret, it would still be hard to slip free.
It would be difficult to escape the Empress Dowager's grasp.
"This Palace will take care of that."
Princess Hwijeong wore a smile.
"Now, you do your job."
Flutter.
At that moment, a golden radiance flickered in the distant sky, Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.
and martial artists clad in ornate martial attire began to land on the ground one by one.
Among them, four were carrying a large palanquin.
They were the secret corps under Princess Hwijeong's command, the Golden Dragon Guards.
"Your Highness."
The commander of the Golden Dragon Guard, Cheol-yeong, respectfully paid his courtesies to Princess Hwijeong.
"Large armies led by the Empress Dowager are swarming toward this location."
"Hmm."
"This humble subject will escort you from here on."
Nod.
Nodding her head, Princess Hwijeong stared at Bu Eunseol and said, "Seeing as the Grand Secretary recommended you, you must be a martial artist of quite some renown as well."
"……."
"Make sure you return safely."
Swoosh!
With those words, Princess Hwijeong boarded the palanquin led by the Golden Dragon Guards and vanished in an instant.
Bu Eunseol stared at that sight for a moment with a bewildered expression.
"Indeed. She is at a level to vie with the Empress Dowager."
It was not a recent development that Princess Hwijeong was rumored to be an uncontrollable tomboy.
But in reality, she…
In order to seize the opportunity to cut the throat of the Empress Dowager who tormented the Emperor since childhood.
Had been crouching down with her claws hidden?
"Her tenacity is incredible."
Bu Eunseol shook his head.
"That is why she survived in the Imperial Family, I suppose."
Survival of the fittest.
That was a truth that also applied in the Imperial Family.
The fact that she had survived there served as proof that she had the corresponding capability.
"However, considering the Grand Secretary's face as well."
If it were up to him, he would want to return just like this.
But he did not think that the confident Princess…
Would defeat all of the Empress Dowager's forces and emerge victorious.
"If I am to repay a debt, I should repay it properly."
Boom!
Bu Eunseol immediately launched himself toward the direction where Princess Hwijeong had disappeared.
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