"So that was it."
While receiving the report on the incident at the Divine Beast Palace and investigating it, Bu Eunseol was finally able to resolve one question he had ultimately been unable to understand.
Dae Unpung.
How a fourth son of the Divine Beast Palace, who had failed to distinguish himself until now, could have possibly drawn in such titans as the Divine Dragon Society, the Western Heaven Poison King Palace, and the Moon-Worshipping Sword Unit to incite a rebellion.
"You are correct."
Dae Gon let out a deep sigh, as if he had seen through Bu Eunseol's thoughts.
"If one uses this treasure as bait, they could easily draw in any hegemon under heaven."
Shaking his head, he gazed at Dae Unpung's already coldly stiffened corpse.
"However, everything is the fault of my own greed."
In Dae Gon's eyes, rather than anger, there was a deep sorrow and remorse.
In truth, after Dae Guhwi left for the Central Plains, he had singled out Dae Unpung as his successor.
And he had intended to reveal that he had obtained the Nine Heavens Cloud Splendor Pearl from the belly of a divine beast long ago, and to pass down the abilities he possessed.
However, Dae Unpung harbored an ambition that exceeded Dae Gon's expectations, no, an ambition that the Divine Beast Palace could not handle.
―'Even with the Nine Heavens Cloud Splendor Pearl, you mean to use it merely like this?'
Upon hearing the story of the Nine Heavens Cloud Splendor Pearl, far from rejoicing, Dae Unpung instead wore an absurd expression.
―'Palace Lord, do you not know the true power of this pearl?'
With a single drop of a blood relative's blood, one can inherit their purified insights entirely.
If one were to gather all of them, no matter who the figure is, one could inherit everything they had achieved.
Dae Unpung spoke with an earnest expression.
―'How about bringing Guhwi here instead? According to the rumors, he did not just become a disciple of the Thunder God Nae Bihon, but rather obtained the Thunder Spirit Energy...'
Dae Gon saw the dangerous desire swirling in his son's eyes.
The Thunder God.
Dae Unpung had learned that Dae Guhwi had not only become a disciple of the Thunder God but had also obtained the Thunder Spirit Energy.
Through that power, he too wanted to become the Thunder God.
―'Are you saying the Palace Lord of the Divine Beast Palace should become the Thunder God!'
This treasure could only be used to become the Palace Lord of the Divine Beast Palace.
This resolute and solemn answer became the decisive catalyst for Dae Unpung to commit his depraved act.
While pretending to follow Dae Gon, he had secretly contacted external forces.
―'I will give you an opportunity to use the Nine Heavens Cloud Splendor Pearl.'
If you use this, you could inherit the power of the strongest figure among your bloodline.
Or, for those who wish it, I could share the power of the Thunder God that I will obtain.
He had informed the leaders of the foreign factions of the existence of the Nine Heavens Cloud Splendor Pearl and made a secret proposal.
―'If you utilize the Nine Heavens Cloud Splendor Pearl, you will be able to overturn the current landscape of the martial world and create a new world.'
The Nine Heavens Cloud Splendor Pearl was the whisper of a devil and an absolutely irresistible temptation.
In the end, they accepted Dae Unpung's proposal, and this horrific blood calamity occurred today.
Having finished his recollection, deep pain flashed across Dae Gon's face.
"Everything is due to this old man's foolishness."
Humbling himself as a mere foolish old man, he gripped the Nine Heavens Cloud Splendor Pearl in his hand as if to crush it.
"I forgot that this palace was built upon blood and competition, and I sought to easily decide a successor by relying on a treasure..."
The crystallization of power capable of grasping the world had ultimately transformed into a cursed abomination, steeped in the blood of kin and the screams of countless vengeful spirits.
"Would the Society Leader keep this?"
Dae Gon held it out to Bu Eunseol without hesitation.
"It is an object I should have let go of long ago. I do not know why I was so obsessed with it."
Dae Gon had long reigned as the hegemon of Namman, and luckily he had been able to obtain the world's treasure, the Nine Heavens Cloud Splendor Pearl.
And through this, he had been swollen with the expectation that he would easily produce a successor to bring glory to the Divine Beast Palace... but it had merely been a seed of misfortune.
"Palace Lord. Such a treasure cannot be obtained without affinity. Please reconsider it once more."
Despite Bu Eunseol's recommendation, Dae Gon shook his head.
"Such a treasure can only be possessed by a divine being. If an ordinary man were to hold it, it would only cause harm."
"However."
"Did the Society Leader not save this palace from crisis? Could you not consider it as repaying that debt?"
As Bu Eunseol was about to firmly refuse, Nae Bihon stepped forward carefully.
"Society Leader. If you have the Nine Heavens Cloud Splendor Pearl, it will be a tremendous help in your future endeavors."
And he spoke earnestly.
"The grand plan of our society is to sweep away all those who act outrageously while holding the world in their grasp. Could you not consider it as obtaining the treasure to save many people, rather than for personal greed?"
Deeply moved by those words, Dae Gon nodded.
"If this cursed demonic object can become a treasure capable of saving people... the blood shed by our palace today will never be in vain."
With even Dae Gon speaking so earnestly, Bu Eunseol had no choice but to nod.
"Then I will accept it with gratitude."
And he carefully accepted the Nine Heavens Cloud Splendor Pearl from Dae Gon's hands.
Vwoom.
At that, a low vibration echoed from the pearl, as if welcoming its new master.
Thanks to obtaining this, Bu Eunseol would come to unravel the secret of the True Demon's remains... but that would be a little further in the future.
Dae Gon showed a smile, then looked at Dae Guhwi.
"And I ask that you look after that child well."
Originally, he had intended to put forward Dae Guhwi, who had perfected the beast martial arts on his own, as his successor.
However, Dae Guhwi had imperceptibly become too great a figure for the Divine Beast Palace to harbor.
"Of course."
Bu Eunseol expressed his courtesy.
"On the day our grand plan is concluded, I will visit the Divine Beast Palace again with Guhwi."
Dae Gon had not only had the poison drawn out, but thanks to the spiritual medicine of the Azure Cloud Sea Palace, he had achieved the shedding of the mortal body and exchanging of bones.
For the next ten years, he would have no worries in running the Divine Beast Palace.
When everything was over, Dae Guhwi would have become the new Palace Lord of the Divine Beast Palace... no, the new ruler of Namman, surpassing the current Divine Beast Palace.
* * *
The martial world of the Central Plains was peaceful.
Rumors were heard that the Divine Beast Palace had been attacked by several factions, but that was all.
Namman was a distant land largely unrelated to the martial world of the Central Plains.
The blood-reeking battle that had occurred there was merely a story of another world.
However, the Death Spirit Corps thereafter began investigating the forces that had struck the Divine Beast Palace.
On the surface, the Divine Beast Palace Lord's son, Dae Unpung, had committed treason, blinded by greed.
Using the world's treasure, the Nine Heavens Cloud Splendor Pearl, which was said to allow one to inherit the karma of blood, as bait, he had drawn in the foreign factions.
―'Dae Unpung does not have the capacity for that.'
However, this was a story that did not make sense by common sense.
Even if he had let it be known that he possessed the Nine Heavens Cloud Splendor Pearl.
By what means could a figure like Dae Unpung have persuaded the leaders of the Moon-Worshipping Sword Sect and the Divine Dragon Society from tens of thousands of li away in foreign lands, gathering them all in one place?
Ultimately, for such a thing to occur, the help of a formidable intelligence organization connected to the foreign factions was necessary.
Surely there was a massive mastermind who had fueled Dae Unpung's ambition, placed blades he could never have grasped on his own into his hands, and manipulated everything from behind the scenes.
―'It was the Martial Alliance.'
The investigation results were shocking.
The force lurking behind Dae Unpung was none other than the Martial Alliance.
―'The Shadowless Department, the secret intelligence squad under the Martial Alliance Leader, assisted Dae Unpung.'
Upon hearing that news, Bu Eunseol was able to assert with certainty.
―'If that is the case, it must be the Martial Venerable.'
The figures who could mobilize a secret intelligence organization of the Martial Alliance like the Shadowless Department were only three: the Martial Alliance Leader the Martial Venerable; the next leader, Baek Museong; and the Vice-Alliance Leader, Buk Ri-seong.
However, Vice-Alliance Leader Buk Ri-seong was an extremely moderate and righteous figure.
Furthermore, Baek Museong was currently in a situation where he could not even mobilize a secret organization like the Shadowless Department, as he was occupied receiving the transfer of the Alliance Leader's duties as the next leader.
In the end, all of this was the doing of the Martial Venerable.
―'But why?'
If it were that greedy Martial Venerable, he would rather have secretly invaded the Divine Beast Palace, killed Dae Gon, and retrieved the Nine Heavens Cloud Splendor Pearl himself.
Of course, because Dae Gon was a warrior of iron blood who would not yield to torture, he might have used such a plan to retrieve it easily.
However, to have the Nine Heavens Cloud Splendor Pearl retrieved through Dae Unpung and then take it away from him...
It was far too inefficient of a plan.
"Has the time come?"
Having heard all the reports, Bu Eunseol sat alone in his office and gazed out the window.
A disguise art that would never be discovered.
From the moment he had obtained the Secret Art of Darkness, he had essentially gained the power to infiltrate the Martial Alliance at any time and directly detect its anomalies.
"It is time to investigate the Martial Alliance once again."
Beneath the Solitary Enlightenment Hall of the Martial Alliance, the corpse of the Heavenly Emperor lay.
Of course, he later found out that it had been cleared away by the Martial Venerable and was an elaborate fake using Boundary Prosperity Jade.
But he still did not know why such a corpse had been created or why it had been placed beneath the Solitary Enlightenment Hall.
And why the Martial Venerable had left it alone despite knowing about it.
He had not been able to uncover the truth regarding those secrets.
And now that circumstances had emerged pointing to the Martial Venerable moving a secret organization to mess with the Divine Beast Palace...
Along with the secrets of the Solitary Enlightenment Hall that he had long been curious about, he needed to know what the Martial Venerable was thinking in doing such a thing.
He intended to enter the Martial Alliance and uncover it clearly.
"I should start by visiting the Hidden Forest Pavilion Lord, Mok Do-in."
Mok Do-in was a senior figure who had long managed the Martial Alliance's Solitary Enlightenment Hall.
And a figure of the Sacred Domain placed to grasp the situation of the Martial Alliance.
Moreover, not only did he know Bu Eunseol's true identity, but through their previous conversation, they had confirmed that their interests aligned.
He would undoubtedly have grasped to some extent why the Martial Venerable had targeted the Divine Beast Palace and what schemes he was harboring.
He intended to seek him out and closely grasp the entire situation.
* * *
The Martial Alliance.
In the past, merely hearing those three characters would fill the hearts of righteous path martial artists with pride.
For it had been the focal point of the righteous path martial world and the final bastion safeguarding the order of the rivers and lakes across successive generations.
However, in the present day, its reputation had faded due to various incidents, eventually leading to the creation of a new righteous alliance known as the Azure Sky Alliance.
Even so, it could not be denied that the Martial Alliance was the history of the righteous path martial world itself.
Built with its back against the rugged mountain terrain of Mount Geomdan and using the flowing river as a boundary, the Martial Alliance was truly like a massive fortress.
At the entrance of the Martial Alliance, the Heavenly Justice Gate, where countless people came and went, one could not find guards with sharp glares or fierce-looking gatekeepers, unlike at other sects or alliances.
Since they had gathered under the banner of protecting the justice of the martial world, there had been a command from the founding Alliance Leader that anyone should be able to come and go freely.
That command was strictly adhered to even as times changed and years flowed by.
Even now, guards creating a menacing atmosphere were not seen at the Heavenly Justice Gate.
However, that did not mean just anyone could enter and exit the Martial Alliance.
If there were anyone who showed signs of suspicious behavior or harbored impure intentions?
They would be caught by martial artists who appeared like ghosts, vanishing without a trace to somewhere unknown.
However, to Bu Eunseol, who had trained the world's greatest movement technique, Swift Beyond Shadow, to the realm of great completion, it was no different from a wide-open teahouse door.
'It's been a while.'
He did not bother with disguises or camouflage.
He simply executed his ghost-like concealment art, entering the Martial Alliance's interior and heading for the Hidden Forest Pavilion where Mok Do-in resided.
Although no guards could be seen at the Heavenly Justice Gate.
In reality, there were experts who closely monitored those entering and tracked their movements.
If he had acted like a merchant or a martial artist frequenting the place, thinking he knew the inner workings well or was confident in his disguise?
It would be instantly discovered that an identical person already existed.
Knowing this situation all too well, Bu Eunseol had sneaked past the Heavenly Justice Gate using his concealment art from the very beginning.
'He is not here.'
After surveying the surroundings of the Hidden Forest Pavilion, Mok Do-in was not there.
'Is he in the Solitary Enlightenment Hall?'
Because the Solitary Enlightenment Hall was the place where the Martial Alliance's martial arts secret manuals were stored.
In terms of how strict the security was, it surpassed even the Alliance Leader's residence, the Heaven and Earth Pavilion.
'No matter how incredible a concealment secret art I execute, I cannot enter this place carelessly.'
After pondering for a moment, Bu Eunseol dispelled his concealment art,
Trickle.
Unleashing the Secret Art of Darkness, he instantly transformed into one of the martial artists of the Hidden Forest Pavilion.
Disguising himself as Lee Gwak, the person in charge of managing the second floor of the Solitary Enlightenment Hall.
'Because it is about time for him to come out of the Solitary Enlightenment Hall now.'
When he had been Seon Woojin, he had completely grasped the daily routines and movements of the martial artists of the Hidden Forest Pavilion, noting when and how they moved.
Step, step.
Bu Eunseol confidently entered the Solitary Enlightenment Hall, looked around the interior of the first floor, and then went back up to the second floor.
From the moment he entered the Solitary Enlightenment Hall until he went up to the second floor, he had not encountered anyone inside even once.
This was because he had exercised his super senses to evade all of their gazes as if by sheer coincidence.
And he continuously tilted his head, maintaining an expression and movements as if he had forgotten something.
By displaying this kind of attitude, it would look as if he had gone out and then come back because he had momentarily left something behind.
No one would feel anything strange about it.
'Even so, there are eyes.'
Inside the Solitary Enlightenment Hall, just like at the Heavenly Justice Gate, invisible guards were constantly conducting surveillance.
However, because no particular anomalies were detected from Bu Eunseol, those gazes were soon withdrawn.
'He is not here either.'
Bu Eunseol had a strange thought.
Unless there was a special circumstance, Mok Do-in only stayed in either the Hidden Forest Pavilion or the Solitary Enlightenment Hall.
In particular, around noon was always the time he finished his duties at the Solitary Enlightenment Hall and came out.
He had never once deviated from that set routine, yet he was nowhere to be seen?
'Could it be.'
Realizing something that flashed through his mind, Bu Eunseol came out of the Solitary Enlightenment Hall and headed for the North Gate.
That place was the Envoy Pavilion, which handled the travel documents for martial artists, such as dispatch or leave.
Rustle, rustle.
Upon entering the interior, in a quiet atmosphere, only clerks sitting at desks and writing something could be seen.
"I am Lee Gwak of the Hidden Forest Pavilion. I would like to view our pavilion's travel record chart."
When martial artists applied for leave, they made their travel plans to avoid overlapping with their colleagues.
Because of this, the clerks handed over the travel record chart without making a big deal out of it.
'As expected.'
As he read down the book, Bu Eunseol's eyes went wide.
'He was on an excursion.'
It was an unexpected turn of events.
Mok Do-in had been on an excursion for half a month now.
'Has something happened in the Sacred Domain?'
As far as he knew, the Hidden Forest Pavilion Lord, Mok Do-in, was a figure who had not stepped out of the Martial Alliance even once in thirty years.
Yet suddenly, an excursion? And for as long as half a month at that.
'Since it is a matter of the Sacred Domain, I will probably have to ask the Manbak Hall Lord about the situation.'
Even Bu Eunseol could not know the affairs of the Sacred Domain.
The only fortunate thing was that a figure of the Sacred Domain, the Manbak Hall Lord Baek Jeoncheon, was in Majeon and was favorable toward him.
'Since this is a major incident, I should be able to ask him.'
Setting down the travel record chart, Bu Eunseol bowed to the clerk and went outside.
Gong! Gong! Gong!
At that moment, a heavy sound tearing through the silence shook the entirety of the Martial Alliance.
'Could it be.'
A bell sound whose heart-crushing pressure could be felt down to the bones.
That was not a simple bell sound, but the sound of the Martial Alliance's alarm, the Heavenly Net Warning Bell.
'The Heavenly Net Warning Bell?'
The Heavenly Net Warning Bell was an alarm that rang in the event that a great enemy of all under heaven, one who would threaten the safety of the Martial Alliance, had infiltrated its interior.
It had never rung even once in decades.
Yet for it to suddenly ring?
'Because of my tracks?'
A bead of cold sweat trailed down Bu Eunseol's spine.
'Did they find out in the Solitary Enlightenment Hall?'
It was highly probable that his infiltration into the Solitary Enlightenment Hall disguised as Lee Gwak had been discovered.
Otherwise, there would be no reason for the Heavenly Net Warning Bell to ring.
Ziiiing.
Suddenly, a low vibration rose from the ground, and the clear sky instantly began to turn ash-gray.
As if a giant cauldron lid were closing, a cloudy gray barrier was cast over the distant sky.
Connecting heaven and earth, turning the place into a massive prison, the Ten Thousand Heaven Defense Formation and the Heavenly Net Golden Lock Formation had been activated.
Once this happened, the Martial Alliance would be perfectly cut off from the outside; no one could leave from within, and no one could enter from outside.
It had become a situation where not even a single ant could escape the Martial Alliance.
Rumble.
At the same time, from all over the peaceful and tranquil interior of the Martial Alliance, people clad in black began to pour out.
They were martial artists who were normally never seen inside the Martial Alliance.
With pitch-black masks and gazes holding a killing intent that went beyond chilling to the point of being eerie, they were the secret combat operatives within the Alliance.
―'It's a spy!'
A loud voice echoed throughout the interior of the Martial Alliance.
―'We have information that a spy has infiltrated the Alliance! All personnel must immediately stop where they are and cooperate with identity verification!'
The Lion's Roar spread across the entirety of the Martial Alliance.
At the same time, the people in black scattering in all directions thoroughly scoured their surroundings with the sharp eyes of a hawk.
They began cross-checking the faces of the martial artists belonging to the Alliance one by one.
Bu Eunseol had executed the Secret Art of Darkness and disguised himself as the martial artist of the Hidden Forest Pavilion, Lee Gwak.
The problem was the fact that the Lee Gwak he had disguised himself as actually existed somewhere within the Martial Alliance at this very moment.
If they were to check the martial artists belonging to the Hidden Forest Pavilion? It was only a matter of time before he was discovered.
'There is no other way.'
The sky was blocked by the formation, and the ground was completely filled with their surveillance net.
Experts possessing the ability to see through even the minute contortions of bones were roaming about, detecting presences everywhere.
Yet he could not simply wage a solitary battle within the perfectly sealed main base of the Martial Alliance either.
Step, step.
Eventually, the encirclement gradually narrowed toward where Bu Eunseol was.
Now his turn would come after passing just a few more people. Having no other choice, Bu Eunseol stealthily moved toward the West Gate.
"Who goes there!"
At that moment, a person in black who had discovered Bu Eunseol's presence hiding near the West Gate shouted.
"Do not move without permission and come out at once!"
In a desperately critical moment where his heart surged to his throat,
'Is there no other choice.'
Bu Eunseol made a decisive choice.
Ssk.
He hid no longer; instead, from the corridor near the West Gate, he confidently revealed himself.
However, he was no longer Lee Gwak of the Hidden Forest Pavilion.
His gait was unhurried yet brimming with majesty, and his gaze was not that of an ordinary martial artist.
It had transformed into that of an elderly master harboring deep experience and wisdom.
It was none other than the appearance of the Hidden Forest Pavilion Lord, Mok Do-in.
"Who called for this old man."
Bu Eunseol asked back in an exceedingly low voice.
Mok Do-in was currently on an excursion, and tracing his whereabouts was impossible not just for the Death Spirit Corps, but for any intelligence organization.
Meaning that no one within the Martial Alliance knew his exact whereabouts and location.
Digging into this loophole in their information, Bu Eunseol had thrown the exquisite move of a 'sudden return.'
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