Shaanxi, Martial Soul Society Grand Training Grounds.
Clang! Bang!
The shouts of the mercenaries and the clashing sounds of weapons filled the training grounds.
Although their backgrounds, the martial arts they practiced, and their goals were all different, they staked everything on a single blade.
They were sweating and practicing their martial arts.
"……."
However, on the opposite side of the training grounds, a group of boys and girls stood huddled close together like small birds in a storm.
They stood with anxious expressions.
Children raised like consumables, isolated from the world, and only treating the injured.
They were none other than the Earthen Figures created by the True Demon Palace.
To their eyes, the lively freedom of the Martial Soul Society.
Rather, it appeared as an incomprehensible chaos, and their eyes were filled only with fear.
Because they knew nothing of the world and only knew how to practice medicine and inject Soul Demon Dharma Energy.
They thought the Martial Soul Society was not a place they should be, and they were shrinking back more and more.
―'This is troubling.'
Bu Eunseol fell into deep thought.
Until now, the people who were recruited or joined the Martial Soul Society.
Quickly adapted to the freedom and warm atmosphere of this place.
However, the Earthen Figures had been subjected to extreme brainwashing since childhood, and they were young.
No matter how comfortably the people of the Martial Soul Society treated them, they could not help but feel awkward and uncomfortable.
At that moment, a man approached like a savior.
―'Please leave such matters to me!'
It was none other than the Beast Corps Leader, Dae Guhwi.
With a smile as warm as the sunshine, he appeared before the Earthen Figures holding a large, steaming bamboo steamer.
"First, how about starting with eating? You need a full stomach to have the energy to think about anything."
Dae Guhwi had also lived his entire life in Namman before following Bu Eunseol to the Central Plains alone.
He had the experience of facing and overcoming everything alone amidst an unfamiliar language, different food, and incomprehensible people.
So he could deeply understand the unfamiliarity and fear the boys and girls called Earthen Figures were feeling better than anyone else.
"When I first came here, I really had a hard time too."
He handed out warm dumplings from the steamer one by one and told them his story.
"It felt like everyone was looking at me strangely, and I didn't know what to do."
Dae Guhwi laughed good-naturedly.
"At times like that, you don't necessarily have to do anything. You just watch quietly."
He smiled, revealing his white teeth.
"Observe the people, look at the scenery, and as you do, you'll suddenly find something you're drawn to. You just have to find that."
Encouraged by his words, the Earthen Figures.
No, the boys and girls raised their heads and began to look around the Martial Soul Society.
The sounds that had only been noisy gradually felt like the vitality of the people, and they saw sweat and passion on the faces of the martial artists they had feared.
And the place their gazes lingered the longest was the Medical Soul Pavilion, where the scent of herbs drifted faintly.
Since treating people was what they had learned their whole lives and herbs were what they were familiar with, that place felt like their only cozy hometown.
Dae Guhwi, who did not miss that sight, immediately helped them find their place in the Medical Soul Pavilion.
Starting from small tasks like organizing medicinal ingredients, he gradually created opportunities for them to practice medicine.
He reported these facts to Bu Eunseol.
He provided them with their own small space and gave them the name Spring Breeze Squad.
It meant to heal wounds and breathe new life like a spring breeze.
There, the boys and girls relied on each other and began to deeply research medicine and pharmacology.
A satisfied smile bloomed on Bu Eunseol's lips as he watched them.
"He's doing well."
The Spring Breeze Squad would soon become a reliable pillar of the Martial Soul Society, and they would be able to fill the chronic shortage of physicians.
"What a relief."
Although he couldn't feel it right now.
Baekri Geomha was surely watching this sight and would be very pleased.
―'When the powers of the Heavenly-Mandate and the Heaven-Dark become one within me, I will find you again.'
Baekri Muha left after leaving behind that single phrase.
'To think I was ultimately the Heaven-Dark Star and the Heavenly-Mandate Star.'
Although he hadn't realized it all along.
He possessed the powers of both the Heavenly-Mandate Star and the Heaven-Dark Star.
'So that was why.'
In the past, Bu Eunseol was often misunderstood as the Heaven-Dark Star or the Heavenly-Mandate Star.
Their words were all true.
He just didn't know that the two powers were mixed and belonged to Baekri Geomha, the personality asleep in the abyss.
'With that power, I would be invincible.'
But he could feel it.
He still needed time for that power to fully awaken.
And that power was not for striking down the strong enemies of the martial world.
But to face the massive enemy and the unknown disaster that would soon reveal themselves.
'It doesn't matter.'
That power belonged to Baekri Geomha anyway.
He just had to walk his own path as he had done so far.
'He will come back even if I don't unite them, right?'
Whenever he needed power.
Baekri Geomha would return.
And the day would soon come when the two personalities would become one.
Thus, Bu Eunseol……
Without knowing that those two great powers were one of the greatest secrets of the martial world, and that the Heavenly-Mandate Star was his grandfather's power.
Sent Seo Jinha to Majeon and began his daily routine as the Martial Soul Society Leader.
―'Let us begin the meeting.'
Once the Spring Breeze Squad successfully adapted, Bu Eunseol gathered the key figures and held a discussion about the future.
The meeting lasted for about half a shichen and slowly came to a close.
"Um, Society Leader."
At that moment, Dae Guhwi scratched the back of his head in embarrassment and approached Bu Eunseol.
"I think I'll have to return to my home palace for a while this time."
"Suddenly?"
When Nae Bihon asked first in surprise,
"It seems my brothers are a bit anxious because of me."
From the beginning, Dae Guhwi had firmly stated that he neither could handle nor wanted the position of Wild Beast Palace Lord, and had come to the Central Plains.
However, the situation did not flow according to his wishes.
When he gained fame in the Central Plains as the Beast Corps Leader.
A rumor began to spread among the brothers of the Wild Beast Palace that the current Palace Lord, Dae Gon, had secretly designated Dae Guhwi as his successor.
And that he had intentionally sent him to the Central Plains to receive successor training.
Moreover, Palace Lord Dae Gon, perhaps feeling unwell at some point, retreated into the Ten Thousand Beasts Pavilion and secluded himself.
When the key figures conveyed their opinion that the selection of the successor should be hurried, Dae Gon spoke firmly.
―'On the day Guhwi returns, I will choose the next master of the Wild Beast Palace.'
Wasn't that declaration equivalent to saying everything would begin only when Dae Guhwi returned?
Flames of jealousy and suspicion flared up in his brothers' hearts.
Eventually, the interior of the Wild Beast Palace split into several factions, and a blood-stained power struggle began to unfold.
When news arrived from Namman that the palace had fallen into extreme chaos, Dae Guhwi could no longer hesitate.
In the end, it became a situation where he had to return to the Wild Beast Palace and resolve that chaos.
"I think I need to clearly inform them once again that I have absolutely no interest in the Palace Lord position."
Dae Guhwi scratched his head.
"My brothers will only be relieved if I go and witness the official selection of the Little Palace Lord with my own eyes this time."
With the prevailing opinion being that the reason the next Palace Lord hadn't been chosen was because of Dae Guhwi.
It was becoming the seed of discord within the Wild Beast Palace.
Dae Guhwi intended to use this opportunity to clear up all misunderstandings and stabilize the situation in the Wild Beast Palace.
"Yes, I understand."
Bu Eunseol quietly nodded his head.
Although he cared for Dae Guhwi like a younger brother.
The affairs of the Wild Beast Palace were their family matters.
It was a domain he could not carelessly intervene in.
"Then do so."
And looking at the key figures, he nodded his head.
"Let us end the meeting here."
"Guhwi, have a safe trip."
"Take care."
"Come back safely."
The corps leaders and key figures patted Dae Guhwi's shoulders, exchanged greetings, and quickly left the meeting room one by one.
Dae Guhwi stood alone in the empty meeting room with a blank expression.
'This isn't right.'
In fact, Dae Guhwi……
―'Our Great Corps Leader is returning home in glory, we cannot just send you off from our Society. Shouldn't we provide you with proper prestige?'
All the corps leaders, including Nae Bihon, nodded their heads and clapped their hands.
―'We must open the Society's warehouse wide for the first time in a while!'
―'You must not.'
At that time, Dae Guhwi waved both his hands.
―'If I return in such a flashy manner, my brothers will only become more anxious and hate me.'
And he spoke firmly.
―'I am not going to show off my power, but to clear up misunderstandings.'
―'Hmm.'
―'Since the Great Corps Leader's will is such, it cannot be helped.'
……He had been imagining this.
Because it had always been like that so far.
Even though they held the same status as corps leaders, they had always treated him like a youngest brother and been warm to him.
"Well, everyone must be busy with training these days."
Recently, a rumor had spread that the martial prowess of the Death Shadow Corps warriors was evaluated as the highest in martial history due to the Blood Cult incident.
And that stimulated the competitive spirit of the corps leaders of the Martial Soul Society.
―'Will the Four Great Corps of our Society lose?'
Since that day, an unprecedented training plan was established in each corps of the Martial Soul Society, and they proceeded with a schedule that left them no time to even breathe.
The next day at dawn.
Instead of a noisy procession, Dae Guhwi carried only a single worn travel bag on his back and headed toward Namman alone.
'Even so, to think not a single person came out.'
He had thought they would at least see him off.
When he said he was leaving alone, all the corps leaders of the Martial Soul Society rushed off to train.
'Well, it can't be helped.'
Dae Guhwi, looking at the dawning sky, swallowed his disappointment and disappeared into the faint dawn.
As the thick smell of earth and the damp air emitted by the dense jungle of Namman pierced his lungs, Dae Guhwi took a deep breath without realizing it.
It was the smell of his hometown, completely different from the dry and clear air of the Central Plains, engraved into his body from birth.
Every time he trod the familiar path leading to the Wild Beast Palace, forgotten memories bloomed along with a bittersweet sentiment.
He was the son born to the third wife of Wild Beast Palace Lord Dae Gon.
And once, he was the future of the Wild Beast Palace.
Because from a young age, he was a peerless genius born with a powerful Power of the Wild that was on a different level from his other brothers.
Fierce beasts bowed their heads before him, and the love of his father, Dae Gon, was poured solely onto him.
But that monopolized love soon returned as poison.
The first wife, blinded by jealousy, secretly poisoned his food.
That day, the one who ate the poisoned food instead of him was his mother.
The terrible sight of his mother coughing up blood and collapsing left an indelible scar on young Dae Guhwi's soul.
And from that shock, his welling Power of the Wild dried up like a lie.
A son who plunged from a genius to trash overnight.
Amidst the blatant contempt of his brothers and the cold indifference of his father Dae Gon, he was slowly forgotten.
But he didn't know at the time.
That Dae Gon's indifference was actually his last remaining consideration.
He believed that his son's talent had not completely disappeared.
However, he worried that if he continued to show interest, the persecution from his other sons would become even fiercer.
So he intentionally ignored him.
While living as such a lonely shadow, he met Bu Eunseol like destiny.
And the journey into the martial world following him completely transformed Dae Guhwi's life.
The forgotten trash of the Wild Beast Palace had returned as a young grandmaster commanding the Central Plains martial world before he knew it.
Thud.
He finally arrived in front of the massive palace gates of the Wild Beast Palace.
However, Dae Guhwi's feelings became even more complicated.
Starting from the eyes of the warriors guarding the palace.
The gazes of everyone he encountered harbored sharp vigilance and a cold chill.
It was as if they were looking at a stranger or a traitor.
He could easily guess what malicious rumors his brothers had spread while he was away in the Central Plains.
'They're probably stories about how I abandoned the Wild Beast Palace and became a dog of the Central Plains.'
Dae Guhwi calmly moved his steps.
He had already prepared himself for it.
There was no hesitation in his steps as he headed toward the main hall of the Ten Thousand Beasts Pavilion, where his father Dae Gon was.
In the primitive main hall decorated with massive bones and pelts, a man who seemed like a great evil sat on the throne.
The Wild Beast Palace Lord, Dae Gon.
His two eyes shone fiercely like a beast as he stared piercingly at Dae Guhwi.
If it had been in the past, he wouldn't have even been able to raise his head against that overwhelming presence, but now it was different.
Nae Bihon, Bing Hanpung, Do Cheonlin, and others.
He had stood shoulder to shoulder and shared meals with the grandmasters commanding the world every single day while practicing martial arts.
To Dae Guhwi, who faced the presences of those peerless grandmasters as naturally as breathing.
Dae Gon's intimidation could no longer give him any pressure.
Calmly receiving the Palace Lord's gaze, he said,
"Palace Lord, I have returned."
He prostrated and politely offered his greetings.
And he continued speaking.
"I heard you are holding a tournament to decide the successor."
His voice was tinged with earnestness.
"As I mentioned in my letter last time, I have already deeply stepped into the Central Plains martial world, and I intend to bury my bones there. The future of the Wild Beast Palace should rightfully be led by my brothers, who are far more excellent than I."
Dae Gon said nothing, only heavily nodding his head.
Although he was a father he respected infinitely.
There was no way to read his inner thoughts.
That evening, a grand banquet was held.
The banquet of the Wild Beast Palace was held outdoors around a massive bonfire without any formalities.
However, Dae Gon did not appear at the banquet hall and was still secluding himself in the Ten Thousand Beasts Pavilion.
Therefore, most of those attending the banquet hall were key figures and young disciples.
And their eyes were sharp, as if they were not there to welcome the long-awaited return of Dae Guhwi.
Sure enough,
"Is it nice wearing silk clothes and eating oily food in the Central Plains?"
"You must have forgotten all the smell of this Namman earth where you were born."
"Tsk tsk, I heard the guy with the blood of the Wild Beast Palace goes around doing tricks in front of the Central Plains bastards?"
As the drinks went around a few times, the sharp venom of his brothers flew in from all directions.
Amidst their jealous envy, the only one who offered warmth was his third brother, Dae Unpung.
"It's been a long time, Guhwi. You've worked hard."
He was the only one.
Who deeply regretted his past self for foolishly ignoring and persecuting his younger brother.
"Do not pay attention to what the other brothers say. It's all just out of jealousy."
Dae Unpung had come to his senses belatedly, but.
Unfortunately, his power was insignificant, so it was inadequate to serve as a shield for Dae Guhwi.
"Wasn't I also like that in the past?"
His warm word rather made Dae Guhwi's heart ache.
"Unpung, that guy is funny too. Are you saying you two are now in the same boat of misery since you lost your power and are far from the succession structure?"
The other brothers were determined to humiliate him.
"Losers comforting each other is exactly what it looks like."
The brothers laughed loudly and chattered endlessly, but Dae Guhwi's reaction defied their expectations.
"Brothers. You have truly achieved incredible accomplishments during this time."
He rather spoke with admiration.
"I look forward to the future of our palace."
Those words were sincere.
Because the martial auras of the other brothers, excluding Dae Unpung, had advanced by leaps and bounds compared to the past.
It was just that they hadn't reached Dae Guhwi's level.
"It is a blessing for our palace that you brothers possess such outstanding talent."
He thoroughly lowered himself and praised their accomplishments.
Because he wanted to quietly wrap up this gathering and leave no matter what.
However, a single word thrown with a sneer by his eldest brother, Dae Mukgang, froze the atmosphere.
"Even so, could you even follow the toes of the Martial Soul Society Leader you claim to serve? Seeing as you stay away from women despite being of considerable age……"
He spoke with a full sneer on his face.
"Could it be that guy indulges in male lovers, and you learned martial arts while serving him in bed?"
In an instant, Dae Guhwi's eyes changed.
As his gentle smiling expression disappeared, a suffocatingly heavy air settled inside the banquet hall.
"I can listen to you insulting me as much as you want, but……"
A radiance like the glint of a tiger's eye flashed in Dae Guhwi's pupils, something never seen before.
"You must absolutely not insult the Society Leader."
In an instant, an invisible wave, like a ripple, spread out centering around his body.
That wave could neither be seen nor heard, but it paralyzed the senses of everyone inside the banquet hall.
Before anyone knew it, he was exuding the natural presence that appears from grandmasters who have mastered peerless martial arts.
'I must endure.'
As his brothers made surprised expressions, Dae Guhwi regained his reason and suppressed his presence.
"I beg of you."
As Dae Guhwi bowed his head again and asked, Dae Mukgang, who had been making a surprised expression, said,
"Ha! Look at that."
Without knowing that it was the aura that appears in young grandmasters, he merely thought he had poured out a bloodthirsty atmosphere, and.
He shouted, becoming even more furious.
"As expected, you were born with the disposition of a traitor to the bone."
"……."
"Or else, would you show utmost respect to the lord you serve in the Central Plains and ignore the words your brothers say!"
In the end, Dae Guhwi closed his mouth.
Because mixing words any further was meaningless.
Since he had already revealed he had no interest in the Palace Lord position, he just had to leave this place tomorrow.
But his brothers had no intention of letting him go easily.
"If you avoid the successor tournament like this, rumors will spread that you got scared and ran away."
Dae Mukgang had been looking for a chance to say what he had always wanted to say to Dae Guhwi anyway.
Taking this opportunity, he spoke continuously in a loud voice.
"If such a rumor spreads, it will be a disgrace to our palace! Do you understand?"
Dae Guhwi, unable to listen any longer, asked back.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Participate officially, prove in front of everyone that your skills are terrible, and drop out cleanly!"
Dae Mukgang shouted with a solemn expression.
"Only then will all the disciples of our palace be convinced."
'This is too petty.'
Originally, the martial artists of the Wild Beast Palace show mercy to those who prostrate and submit.
But for people calling themselves brothers.
To act so harshly and pettily to a younger brother who is groveling and giving up everything?
"Fine."
Dae Guhwi had no choice but to nod his head.
He just had to be miserably defeated.
He didn't come to the Wild Beast Palace with any other intention anyway, did he?
"I will do so."
At those words, the brothers laughed heartily with triumphant expressions.
The moment they saw Dae Guhwi's eyes, they realized he had already laid down everything.
But they did not know.
That the interior of the Wild Beast Palace had already been swallowed by an unpredictable vortex of conspiracy, plunging into a chaos from which no one could escape.
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