Rumble.
At last, the sound of troops pouring in from all directions could be heard.
The martial artists of the Flawless Unit let out no war cries or shouts of exertion.
Instead, they moved with perfect coordination at their respective posts amidst a deathlike silence.
The heavy main gates of the Escort Agency were firmly shut, and archers were secretly positioned all along the walls.
Once the inside and outside were completely cut off, Han Seong reentered the secret room and spoke to Princess Hwijeong.
"Your Highness."
"Please step away. This humble servant will escort you."
"There is no need for that."
She shook her head.
"Captain Han, command the Flawless Unit. We will make our own way out."
"But..."
"If Captain Han does not command them, how will the Flawless Unit display its proper strength?"
At Princess Hwijeong's words, Han Seong bowed his head.
"Understood. This humble servant will do his utmost to hold them off, so please preserve your jade body."
Nod.
As Princess Hwijeong nodded, Han Seong rushed outside with a resolute expression.
Watching him go, she turned her head to look at Bu Eunseol.
"I have no choice but to acknowledge your words."
She took a deep breath and continued.
"That with my current strength alone, I cannot break the Empress Dowager's organization."
Princess Hwijeong bit her lip.
The Empress Dowager had acted as the Emperor for a long time.
There was no place under the heavens of the Central Plains that her power did not reach, no place her gaze did not touch.
With only the troops the Princess had prepared now, it was utterly impossible to face her.
"Very well, I will return to the Imperial Palace."
In the end, she was admitting her plan had failed and returning to the Imperial Palace.
"Good."
Bu Eunseol stepped out of the secret room alongside Princess Hwijeong.
―'Gah!'
―'Ugh!'
The battle had already begun, and a massive force of troops was pouring in like a tide around the Escort Agency.
The martial arts of the Heaven-Killer Golden Cavalry were the pinnacle of all Imperial Palace martial arts. No matter how great the martial arts of the Flawless Unit were, they were being decapitated without managing to withstand even a single exchange.
Clang.
Bu Eunseol and Princess Hwijeong sprinted down the secret passage connected to the hidden room.
When they finally emerged outside after a long run, the two stood halfway up a mountain far from the Golden Gong Escort Agency.
"Aaargh!"
"Keogh!"
Looking down into the distance, the Golden Gong Escort Agency was engulfed in flames. The escort warriors fighting their desperate battle collapsed one by one with wretched screams.
Watching the dying members of the Flawless Unit, Princess Hwijeong muttered lowly.
"I will surely repay this humiliation."
'She thinks of her subordinates as mere consumables.'
She was not agonizing over her subordinates' deaths and vowing revenge for them.
She simply thought of her defeat to the Empress Dowager as a humiliation.
'Are they all the same, then?'
In the end, Princess Hwijeong also treated people like chess pieces.
In his eyes, there was little difference between the Empress Dowager and the Princess.
Float.
Bu Eunseol lifted her into the air and immediately unfurled the Soaring Qi Flight.
Clang!
However, an eerie formation was laid out in the sky above the mountain as well.
Yet Bu Eunseol did not mind it and broke right through in a single breath.
Just as they were about to ascend endlessly into the sky, a strange thing happened.
Whir.
Suddenly, Bu Eunseol's body began to descend.
"Heavenly Ring Shadow-Locking Formation?"
Princess Hwijeong muttered lowly with a dismayed expression.
"We are doomed. They have laid out the Heavenly Ring Shadow-Locking Formation, the greatest secret formation of the Imperial Palace."
The formation laid over the Escort Agency had not been to stop the Flawless Unit.
It unnaturally distorted the pressure and flow of qi acting upon anyone who passed through it.
It was the Heavenly Ring Shadow-Locking Formation, designed to seal away land-flying techniques altogether.
"The Heavenly Ring Shadow-Locking Formation? What is that?"
No matter how extensively knowledgeable Bu Eunseol was in martial arts, he did not know much about the secretive martial arts of the Imperial Palace Secret Depository.
"It is a formation meant to prevent martial arts masters from flying away and escaping."
Princess Hwijeong spoke with a grave expression.
"In the past, martial arts masters who infiltrated the Inner Palace eventually broke through the encirclement, unfurled their land-flying techniques, and fled."
She continued her explanation.
"Once such an event occurred, the Imperial Palace researched ways to block the land-flying techniques of martial artists."
After agonizing over it, the experts of the Imperial Palace created a boundary that seemed to block only the outer portion of the formation.
They made it so that martial arts masters would judge they could sufficiently shatter this level of boundary.
The moment one attempted to forcefully break through the formation with power, it would disrupt the energy in their body.
Like a single drop of ink falling into clear water, reverse qi that interfered with the circulation of internal energy would seep in.
That was how they invented the Heavenly Ring Shadow-Locking Formation.
"Indeed. Since land-flying techniques require precise distribution of true qi, a malevolent formation like this would be effective."
Even as Bu Eunseol replied, his body was slowly descending toward the ground.
As if they had meticulously prepared for what would follow, six Blood-robed Figures clad in red stood waiting at their landing point.
Their gazes were so intense that the gleam in their eyes could be seen flashing from dozens of zhang away.
Bu Eunseol tried to evade them and land elsewhere, but the Blood-robed Figures predicted where he would move and clung to him like ghosts.
'Can it not be helped?'
Sizzle.
As Bu Eunseol reached out his hand, the ground where they stood began to turn black.
With his internal energy cut off right now, using the power of the Four Divine Energies would expose his true identity.
He intended to use the unknown power of the Poison Saint to dispose of them all at once.
Hiss.
White smoke rose from the bodies of the six Blood-robed Figures.
They had instantly burned away the poison Bu Eunseol poured out by using internal energy that had reached the absolute peak.
'Not bad.'
The poison Bu Eunseol spread was so potent that no matter how incredible one's internal energy was, they could not burn it all away at once.
Yet they could burn away the poison just by exerting their internal energy?
"You must not go down."
Finally spotting the six red shadows, Princess Hwijeong's eyes widened.
"They are the Dark Evil Blood Soul Figures."
"What are those?"
"They are assassins created through forbidden great arts and secret elixirs, banned even among the Imperial Palace's secret arts. In truth, they are closer to living demonic creatures."
She wore a fearful expression.
"If the Heaven-Killer Golden Cavalry is a military force created to shatter all of the Imperial Palace's troops, the Dark Evil Blood Soul Figures were created to kill even the supreme master of the martial world."
"Impressive."
Bu Eunseol replied nonchalantly.
"Not only do they have soldiers to shatter all Imperial Palace secret arts, but they also have soldiers to shatter all martial arts?"
"It is the truth."
Princess Hwijeong spoke urgently.
"No attack works against the Dark Evil Blood Soul Figures, and once you enter the space they create, you can never escape."
She continued with the utmost gravity.
"I know your martial arts are incredible. However, you must not clash with them. You absolutely cannot win."
"There is no such thing as 'absolutely'."
Bu Eunseol spoke calmly.
"Besides, we cannot avoid a fight in our current situation anyway."
In the end, as he touched down on the ground, the pursuing Dark Evil Blood Soul Figures immediately surrounded Bu Eunseol.
Rustle.
The Blood-robed Figures, who seemed ready to pounce immediately, unexpectedly widened the distance between them.
Whir.
They began to pour out an eerie power.
'This is.'
Grasping the nature of that power, Bu Eunseol's eyes widened.
The eerie power they were exerting.
Was it not the same power as the Inverse Phase Qi Fusion Art, a secret he had created in the Land of the Limitless, finding balance by maximizing the collision of power?
'It means there was someone among the wise men of the Imperial Palace who thought the same as me.'
Looking back, it was a matter of course.
The Imperial family had always been wary of the martial world's martial arts, and they had always wished to control the martial artists.
Ultimately, the Imperial family poured out the complete essence of the Imperial Palace's secret arts to create the Dark Evil Blood Soul Figures.
They were nurturing assassins capable of instantly subduing martial artists should they harbor treacherous intentions.
"Ughhh."
At that moment, Princess Hwijeong let out a pained groan.
Though she was said to have learned Imperial Palace martial arts and used her upper dantian, she was only a body that used internal energy, consumed spiritual medicine, and had undergone the Bone Reforming Great Method.
Under the attack of the Dark Evil Blood Soul Figures, the power within her body was instead destroying her.
'This is definitely a situation even I could not have predicted.'
He had never once thought the Imperial family would create living weapons with the power to completely block the martial arts of martial artists.
"Kughhh."
In the meantime, thick, bloodshot veins bulged on the Princess's body.
As the power within her body disappeared as if completely annihilated, she fell into a state of collapse and her physical body was breaking down.
'If her body is ruined, I will inevitably be ruined as well.'
After much thought, Bu Eunseol ultimately injected the power of the Inverse Phase Qi Fusion Art into Princess Hwijeong.
Then, as if a river were flowing into the sea, the power pouring out from the Dark Evil Blood Soul Figures began to steadily pile up inside his body.
Bang!
At that moment, with an explosion that sounded like gunpowder detonating, Bu Eunseol's body began to tremble violently.
The power within his body had begun to collide due to the power of the Dark Evil Blood Soul Figures.
Normally, his body would have been torn into pieces and exploded.
Yet, through the remaining Inverse Phase Qi Fusion Art, those collisions were somehow finding a balance.
Trickle.
Fresh blood flowed from Bu Eunseol's mouth.
His internal energy alone vastly exceeded ten gapja. In truth, it was at a level immeasurable by the logic of martial arts.
On top of that, the power of three of the Four Divine Energies, which rivaled it, had taken root inside him.
If he failed to find a proper balance? The sheer aftermath of that collision could shatter his bones and burst his internal organs.
"Ughhh."
Nevertheless, Bu Eunseol did not stop the Inverse Phase Qi Fusion Art and endlessly injected it into Princess Hwijeong.
The power pouring out from the Dark Evil Blood Soul Figures reached its absolute peak. If he stopped here, the resulting aftermath would cause Princess Hwijeong's body to explode.
Crack.
In the end, as Bu Eunseol sucked in all the colliding power, the skin of the Dark Evil Blood Soul Figures began to grow increasingly thin.
Secret arts like the Inverse Phase Qi Fusion Art forced the enemy's power to collide, offsetting the recoil.
However, as Bu Eunseol absorbed them entirely, the Dark Evil Blood Soul Figures could not handle the recoil.
Instead, their bodies were breaking apart.
Boom, boom!
Collisions were constantly occurring within Bu Eunseol's body.
Crack.
Unable to resolve the recoil, the physical bodies of the Dark Evil Blood Soul Figures were collapsing.
Who would fall first?
After half an hour, the result was revealed.
Crumbbble.
The six Dark Evil Blood Soul Figures crumbled down, shedding blood all over their bodies.
Ultimately unable to overcome the recoil of the power they had poured out, every bone in their bodies had been crushed.
"Amazing."
Princess Hwijeong, who had been watching the situation, let out an exclamation and approached Bu Eunseol.
"It is said that a martial artist who has trained in martial arts can absolutely never defeat the Dark Evil Blood Soul Figures."
The forbidden secret method to kill the absolute masters of the martial world, capable of threatening the Imperial family in times of emergency. The Dark Evil Blood Soul Figures.
Just as she had said, it was a secret method that could surely strike down even the Number One in the World.
If he had not learned the Inverse Phase Qi Fusion Art, which intentionally caused collisions in the body to achieve balance?
Bu Eunseol, too, would have vanished into a handful of bloody pulp.
"......."
For whatever reason, Bu Eunseol stood still without saying a word, deep in thought.
"A massive army will swarm in soon."
Princess Hwijeong held out her hand.
"Let us return straight to the Imperial Palace at once like this."
Bu Eunseol remained silent, staring into the empty air.
Sensing something strange, Princess Hwijeong asked.
"What went wrong?"
"Indeed."
Wearing a profoundly solemn expression, he suddenly took a cotton cloth out of his robes and wrapped it around his face.
"All my power has been blocked."
To save the Princess, Bu Eunseol had endlessly injected the Inverse Phase Qi Fusion Art into her.
And he himself had completely absorbed all the air currents poured out by the Dark Evil Blood Soul Figures.
In other words, while defenseless, Bu Eunseol was in a situation where the power within his body, capable of shattering him, was constantly clashing.
In the end, he had caused the Dark Evil Blood Soul Figures to self-destruct.
However, he too had suffered deep internal injuries and all his power was cut off.
'Fortunately, the secret art of Darkness remains intact.'
If his face were revealed, this journey would end right there.
Until the day the Empress Dowager died, he and all his subordinates would be harassed.
However, the secret art of the Holy Realm had nothing to do with the 'power' within his body, so his disguise did not come undone.
"Then quickly undo that restriction."
"At the longest, a month. At the earliest, it will likely take a fortnight."
Princess Hwijeong's complexion changed.
"Seeing as you are, it seems you hold quite a high status in the martial world."
"......."
"Call your friends or subordinates from the martial world."
"If I had intended to do that, I would not have come alone."
Bu Eunseol firmly refused.
"If I rashly summon my subordinates, never mind my identity becoming known... they will be tormented until the Empress Dowager dies."
The Emperor had legitimacy, but his supporting power base was somewhat weak.
On the other hand, through the connections she had built over decades, the Empress Dowager controlled the key officials of the royal court and the military commanders.
If the Emperor hastily raised a banner of revolt against the Empress Dowager? He could conversely be framed as a traitor and deposed.
A trustworthy outsider in secret.
The very fact that the Emperor gave a secret order to protect the Princess through Bu Eunseol was proof that he was relatively powerless compared to the Empress Dowager.
"I will... no, I will petition my Imperial Father to prevent such a thing."
"Do I look like a fool to you?"
Bu Eunseol's gaze grew sharp.
"If such a thing happens, it will only increase the cards the Empress Dowager can play."
"......."
"What if she spreads a rumor that the Princess has colluded with an outside man like me and disrupted the discipline of the Imperial family? Or what if she frames the Princess with the crime of conspiring in treason by colluding with impure factions of the martial world?"
Bu Eunseol, who could clearly foresee the entire situation, spoke coldly.
"In such a situation, if the Emperor declares not to touch the sects or subordinates I belong to... it will only end up empowering the Empress Dowager's claims."
If the Emperor or Princess publicly aided Bu Eunseol or gave him power?
They could give the Empress Dowager an excuse to attack, claiming, 'The Emperor himself is drawing in ruffians of the martial world to threaten the Imperial family!'
"Then are you just going to die?"
Princess Hwijeong pressed him.
"Did you not say your power is gone?"
"It is the same as how the Princess intends to return without summoning the government troops."
If she wanted to, she could summon countless government troops from all across the Central Plains.
However, if she clashed with the Empress Dowager in such a way, only ruin would remain.
That was why she had tried to fight with only the Golden Dragon Guards, the Flawless Unit, and the Heavenly Majesty Golden Group.
"I see."
Having finally realized everything, Bu Eunseol shook his head and let out a deep sigh.
"In the end, this incident... must have been part of a plan to drag me into the Imperial family's strife."
"What did you say?"
"The Emperor, who has continued a secret feud with the Empress Dowager, did not know of the existence of the Heaven-Killer Golden Cavalry and the Dark Evil Blood Soul Figures?"
A chill flowed through Bu Eunseol's eyes.
"How could such an incompetent figure carry on a long battle against that wicked Empress Dowager?"
Bu Eunseol's eloquence was subtle, making it seem as if he were praising the Emperor while making his words impossible to deny.
"As expected, they say your martial arts and wisdom are outstanding."
Realizing she could not feign ignorance, Princess Hwijeong spoke frankly.
"Martial Soul Command Lord, Bu Eunseol."
As expected, she already knew Bu Eunseol's true identity.
"It seems I cannot fool your eyes in the end."
She admitted it honestly.
"That is correct. This incident was to draw you in."
The Empress Dowager had long been colluding with powerful factions of the martial world.
In response, Princess Hwijeong had been carefully observing the Martial Soul Command Lord, who stood shoulder to shoulder with the absolute strongest of the martial world.
Then, she found out that Yoo Unryong, the son of the Grand Secretary, was the tactician for Bu Eunseol, the successor of Majeon.
Upon realizing that Yoo Jeongpung had given him great help in the past, she persuaded the Emperor and plotted this incident.
"Then let us hear your answer."
"I refuse."
"Then what will you do? In this situation?"
Princess Hwijeong showed a relaxed smile.
Struck by the power of the Dark Evil Blood Soul Figures and having lost his strength, the only thing he could do was ultimately summon his subordinates.
Or call upon the faction he had secretly organized.
"Do not worry."
However, Bu Eunseol spoke calmly.
"I will escort you safely."
"By what means?"
Princess Hwijeong snorted.
"Even if we ride a snow-frost horse or a Blood-Sweating horse back, it will take at least a month to reach the Imperial Palace."
She added.
"Since the Empress Dowager controls everything, mobilizing the government army will yield the same result. Moreover, the Heaven-Killer Golden Cavalry will track us as well, no?"
"If we are outnumbered by the enemy's forces, there is no need to clash."
Bu Eunseol spoke composedly.
"We just need to break through their weak points and evade them as we go."
Princess Hwijeong wore an expression of disbelief.
"Do you think that makes any sense?"
"I have always done so."
Bu Eunseol shook his head.
"I have never taken actions that make sense."
"Are you truly going to act like this?"
Princess Hwijeong ground her teeth.
"Are you saying you will die together with this Princess!"
"I will not die."
Bu Eunseol showed a confident smile.
"Let us give it a try."
She was momentarily speechless.
He intended to break through the Empress Dowager's encirclement and return to the Imperial Palace just the two of them?
To think that the Martial Soul Command Lord was a madman with such insanity?
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