"I understand."
Finally, Mu Gyeol nodded as if he had made up his mind.
"I will follow your will."
His eyes held both affection for his master and concern for the future of the martial world.
Bu Eunseol, having seen through his concerns,
"This is my plan."
He took out a scroll from his breast and handed it to Mu Gyeol.
Mu Gyeol, who had been reading the text for a while, glared with his eyes wide open.
"There are only a few days left until the Martial Alliance inauguration ceremony. To accomplish this, it would require practicing at least hundreds of times. Moreover..."
"It is fine."
Bu Eunseol calmly nodded.
"Because I have people who can perfectly accomplish that, even without hundreds of practices."
Martial Soul Command Lord, Bu Eunseol.
Although that name was constantly talked about in the martial world, he never actually revealed his appearance at official occasions.
But in reality, secretly.
And unceasingly wandering the martial world, he had built ties with countless heroes.
Talented individuals were gathering by his side like clouds.
At first, Mu Gyeol thought Bu Eunseol was just a lucky person.
But now he knew.
That it was possible because he always walked the righteous path and put people first.
"It is certainly a flawless plan, but it will not be easy. Because there are too many variables."
"I will ensure its success without fail."
Bu Eunseol spoke in a calm yet resolute voice.
"Even if I have to risk my neck."
Mu Gyeol nodded with eyes full of anticipation.
If he could see his master's benevolent gaze again... he could smile even if his body burned up and turned to ash.
* * *
Bu Eunseol, who awoke from his reminiscence.
Among the massive crowd gathered around the Solitary Enlightenment Hall, he met eyes with a middle-aged man wearing the clothes of the Hainan Sword Faction.
It was none other than Mu Gyeol.
He was originally a Hall Master of the Martial Alliance.
There were still many inside the Alliance who followed him, and he had even planted trusted subordinates to grasp the Martial Venerable's tracks.
Having secretly infiltrated the Martial Alliance to bring down the Martial Venerable, he burned the Spring and Autumn in his breast.
And Gongson Dangyeong and the members of the Gongson Family, who had entered the Martial Alliance in advance by secretly swapping identities with the trusted subordinates following Mu Gyeol.
When the time came for the Heavenly Emperor to arrive, they deactivated the Primordial Heaven Forbidden Gate Heavenly Lock Formation.
"Kuhuhuh."
At that moment, the Heavenly Emperor looked around with a painful expression.
Unable to endure the pain that felt as if his soul was burning, he had come here in search of its epicenter.
Flash!
In an instant, the Heavenly Emperor's eyes glinted chillingly along with a flash of light.
Finally, amidst the massive crowd.
He had discovered the one holding the object transmitting the pain of hell to him in their breast.
Namely, the location of Mu Gyeol, who was secretly burning the Spring and Autumn kept in his breast with his Extreme Yang True Qi.
"Kyaaat!"
The Heavenly Emperor, having moved as swiftly as light, immediately reached out and stabbed at Mu Gyeol's neck.
That series of movements was so swift.
Even Mu Gyeol, who had stepped into the Heavenly Realm, could not immediately react and was only glaring with wide eyes.
Booom!
Suddenly, along with an explosive sound, a barrier of black true qi was created right in front of the Heavenly Emperor.
Bu Eunseol, having moved like lightning, had deployed the Wishful True Binding.
[That is enough now. Brother Mu.]
Bu Eunseol quickly sent a sound transmission.
[Let us meet at that place according to the plan.]
Mu Gyeol faintly nodded and instantly hid his body in the crowd.
"Kyaa!"
As if enraged, the Heavenly Emperor deployed a technique like a thunderfire and struck down at Bu Eunseol's head.
When an absolute master like him deployed such a technique at close range, one had to retreat or evade without question.
But Bu Eunseol did not dodge.
Rather, he stood tall in that spot and blocked the Heavenly Emperor's hand blade with both hands.
Bang!
Along with a terrifying explosive sound, a massive shockwave spread in all directions.
Trickle.
Fresh blood trickled out from the mouth of Bu Eunseol, who had received the Heavenly Emperor's strike with both hands.
He had suffered internal injuries as he could not dissipate the kinetic force contained in that single strike.
However, the Heavenly Emperor as well could not continue his follow-up attacks.
Ziiiing.
A transparent vibration wave suddenly spread through the space between the two facing each other.
An inner energy contest.
The reason he had forcefully received the Heavenly Emperor's close-range strike was to draw out an inner energy contest.
Vwoom, vwoom, vwoom.
The bodies of the two trembled greatly, and concentric waves began to spread in all directions.
The inner energy level of the Heavenly Emperor had also reached ten sixty-year cycles, which was considered the limit for humans, and he was exerting truly infinite power.
However, his opponent was Bu Eunseol.
Vwoom, vwoom, vwoom.
Bu Eunseol's internal energy transcended ten sixty-year cycles to a level where measurement itself was impossible.
Furthermore, since he had separately cultivated an inner core and concentrated his internal energy.
No matter how great the Heavenly Emperor was, he had no choice but to be pushed back in an inner energy contest at least.
'Deploy the Vacuum Secret Art. Alliance Leader Shin Do.'
Whoooosh.
A pure white radiance soared from Bu Eunseol's pupils, and a pressure as if the sky were collapsing poured down upon the Heavenly Emperor.
He had begun to exert even the internal energy concentrated in his inner core.
Crack.
At the moment when the Heavenly Emperor's skin was splitting and even his meridians were about to tear due to the mighty inner energy power.
Bzzzzzt.
Suddenly, a majestic golden wave spread from the Heavenly Emperor's body, and began to push away Bu Eunseol's inner energy power.
―'....'
The Martial Alliance warriors and martial artists who were watching the fight could not close their mouths.
Golden Immortal True Qi.
The inner energy secret art of that person dressed as a monster.
Was that not the Golden Immortal True Qi, which only the Heavenly Emperor under heaven was said to have successfully cultivated?
―'Is he really the Heavenly Emperor?'
The heroes began to waver.
Even though his former appearance resembling a jade crown could no longer be found, and he looked like an Asura that had popped out of hell...
The martial artists could faintly feel it.
That that monster was the real Heavenly Emperor.
"Catch that fake!"
At that time, a man who had been watching that sight shouted.
"That man is the fake Martial Alliance Leader!"
He was an individual planted by Mu Gyeol.
At his shout, Kwak Musu and the troops of the Iron Rectitude Pavilion, who had been wearing dazed expressions, began to surround the Martial Venerable.
"Are you saying this Alliance Leader is a fake?"
The Martial Venerable looked at them, wore a solemn expression, and raised his power.
Bzzt.
Then, a brilliant golden radiance spread from his body as well.
He too had deployed the Golden Immortal True Qi.
"Do you think the Golden Immortal True Qi serves as proof of identity?"
At the Martial Venerable's shout, the man showed a cold smile.
"Then I just need to prove it now."
"Yes, how will you prove it."
"Since the fake bastard deployed the Golden Immortal True Qi, there is no way the real Heavenly Emperor will stay still, right?"
"What?"
Just as the Martial Venerable was about to glare,
Thud.
Before he knew it, the Heavenly Emperor, who had been engaging in an inner energy fight with Bu Eunseol.
Was fixing his eyes, which resembled ghost lanterns visible through his tangled hair, upon the Martial Venerable.
'Did he regain a clear mind in the meantime?'
However, to say that was the case, his eyes were too cloudy.
'This is.'
The Martial Venerable, who was furrowing his brow, suddenly sensed something foreign beneath his feet.
The Spring and Autumn.
Before he knew it, the Spring and Autumn that Mu Gyeol had been holding was placed beneath his feet.
"...!"
Instantly, the Martial Venerable discovered a small-built man pushing through the crowd far away.
[Hehe.]
As if the man had also felt the Martial Venerable's gaze, he turned his head and broke into a broad grin.
It was none other than the Thousand-Faced Divine Thief, Yu Cheong-rim.
Only then did the Martial Venerable realize.
The reason Bu Eunseol had engaged in an inner energy contest with the Heavenly Emperor, even while suffering internal injuries.
It was precisely to create an opening to place the Spring and Autumn beneath his feet.
Although the Martial Venerable's super senses did not lag behind anyone.
Due to the psychological shock of the Heavenly Emperor suddenly appearing.
And his entire mind was focused on the inner energy contest between Bu Eunseol and the Heavenly Emperor, where a monstrous wave of true qi exceeding ten sixty-year cycles was spreading.
Yu Cheong-rim, who was counted as one of the Four Great Divine Thieves of the Martial World.
Had not missed that instant, and succeeded in an almost impossible task.
Fwoosh.
Furthermore, what trick he had played.
The fragment of the Spring and Autumn beneath the Martial Venerable's feet began to burn.
'One page?'
The Martial Venerable's eyes flashed.
The Spring and Autumn placed beneath his feet was merely one page.
If so, there must definitely be remaining pages of the Spring and Autumn. Those bastards could pull off some bizarre trickery yet again.
"Uuuu... Kyaat!"
At that time, the Heavenly Emperor instantly flew over like a flying bird and began to attack the Martial Venerable.
'They finished the inner energy contest in an instant?'
The Martial Venerable was greatly surprised once again.
To think that the Heavenly Emperor, who was in the midst of an inner energy contest with Bu Eunseol, suddenly lunged at him?
Did that not serve as proof that Bu Eunseol's inner energy level far surpassed the Heavenly Emperor's?
But there was no leeway to leisurely ponder such things.
Ruuuumble!
The Martial Venerable deployed the Subduing Demon Dragon Palm toward the Heavenly Emperor, who had rushed right up to his nose before he knew it.
Boom!
As fist and palm crossed, along with an explosive sound, the vibration wave of true qi spread out for dozens of jang.
"Kuhehehe."
The Heavenly Emperor laughed, revealing his long fangs.
In fact, until a little while ago, his madness had calmed down to a significant extent.
Due to the pain of his soul burning up from the burning of the Spring and Autumn, he was exhibiting severe madness once again.
'I already guessed that he was alive, but.'
The Martial Venerable was not that surprised even after seeing the Heavenly Emperor who had become a madman.
Because he knew the Heavenly Emperor's abilities better than anyone else.
He had merely trusted the power of the forces that approached him... and above all, even if he, who had become a madman, returned perfectly alive.
Because he had finished all preparations to completely disappear in the worst-case scenario, along with a perfect excuse.
He had not been particularly worried.
But to think he would end up fighting in a situation where words did not get through and he had no way to pull his body out?
'Even so, the odds of winning are on my side.'
The Martial Venerable's sharp gaze swept over the Heavenly Emperor's body.
'In that condition, he will not be able to use the profound principles of martial arts.'
The reason the Heavenly Emperor Shin Domubi was unparalleled and invincible.
Was because he could instantly create original martial arts that were completely different in nature from the martial arts scattered across the current martial world.
Even the Martial Venerable, who was known to have mastered all martial arts scattered under heaven, was at a level of picking and choosing from existing ones...
The Heavenly Emperor had reached a truly boundless realm.
'All I have to do is win the fight!'
In any case, it was the law that the victor monopolizes everything.
If he struck down his brother who had become a madman?
He could resolve this commotion as well, and could also detain the Martial Soul Command Lord and provoke the War of the Orthodox and Demonic Factions as planned.
"Yeoheop!"
Along with a fiercely erupted short shout of concentrated spirit.
The Martial Venerable soared high into the sky, then spun once in the void and unleashed palm energy.
That not only deflected the Heavenly Emperor's attack but also allowed for an immediate counterattack.
It was a marvel of the Nine Severing Hand Forms, where offense and defense were perfectly harmonized.
Ruuuumble!
Then, the Heavenly Emperor created black spheres from both hands and began to shoot them out.
Having grasped that the Martial Venerable's martial arts were stable and flawless, he had deployed the martial arts of the Evil Emperor.
―'How can such things be called the martial arts of the Heavenly Emperor?'
The heroes watching that sight erupted in exclamations.
To think that the Heavenly Emperor, who was called the sky of the orthodox path, would deploy the martial arts of the Evil Emperor, which contained atrocious evil energy?
'This is great!'
The Martial Venerable cheered inwardly.
Since the Heavenly Emperor deployed the martial arts of the Evil Emperor, it became difficult to insist that he was the real Alliance Leader.
If he suppressed him by deploying only orthodox martial arts like this? He could certainly drive him as a fake Heavenly Emperor.
Swoosh!
The Martial Venerable made his stiffly hardened hands like a light whip, then smoothly pushed out both hands.
As a result, the black spheres flew away, and the Heavenly Emperor's thirty major acupoints were exposed under his hands in an instant.
It was a marvel of the Shadowless Soul Snatch, the third move of the Nine Severing Hand Forms.
As the Heavenly Emperor could not immediately react and merely shot black spheres, the Martial Venerable, capturing the flaw, spread his five fingers.
Pat, pat, pat, pat!
Five streaks of sharp finger wind fiercely dug into the Heavenly Emperor's vital acupoints.
It was the Five-Finger Spiral Bullet of the Six Yang Sect, which had conquered the martial world with a single finger-flicking art three hundred years ago.
Sizzle.
The Heavenly Emperor, struck by the finger wind, stepped back while spewing white smoke from his body.
Smirk.
The Martial Venerable harbored a smile.
What if the Heavenly Emperor was in his right mind? He would have deployed the Golden Carp Overturns Thousand Waves to dodge the finger wind while simultaneously closing the distance.
And he would have deployed the Heavenly-Mandate Falling Star Destruction, containing the Golden Immortal True Qi, to immediately counterattack.
But the Heavenly Emperor, who had become a madman, was unable to properly respond to profound martial arts.
"Kuheuhu."
However, there was a point the Martial Venerable had failed to consider.
Even if he could not deploy exquisite martial arts as he was encroached by madness.
He was incomparable.
Not only reached a powerful martial prowess incomparable to before, but was also wrapping a mysterious power around his body.
Pat pat pat!
The Martial Venerable's attacks struck continuously, but failed to inflict fatal injuries on the Heavenly Emperor's body.
It was like a child attending a neighborhood martial arts hall pouring attacks onto an incomparably profound martial arts master.
'This will not do.'
When the Heavenly Emperor did not even budge despite launching strong attacks, the Martial Venerable, realizing there would be no benefit in confronting him head-on,
Paat!
Widened the distance and deployed only attacks utilizing the Golden Immortal True Qi, sporadically deploying extremely Heavenly Emperor-like martial arts.
'In any case, if I drag out time like this, it is my victory.'
The Martial Venerable showed a smile of satisfaction.
The Heavenly Emperor had exerted the Golden Immortal True Qi only once, and was constantly using the martial arts of the Evil Emperor.
At this rate, driving the Heavenly Emperor as a fake was only a matter of time.
[I am sorry, brother.]
The Martial Venerable clicked his tongue inwardly and sent a sound transmission.
[Now quietly disappear.]
However, the Martial Venerable's expression turned strange.
The Heavenly Emperor, who had been constantly dashing forward and lunging at him like a beast, suddenly stopped his movements.
"Have you given up."
The Martial Venerable smiled and looked around.
"What are you all doing. Quickly, that fake..."
But he could not continue speaking.
Before he knew it, the bright sun was obscured, and a black sphere that darkened the whole world was floating in the sky.
It was the one that had not only shattered the secret storehouse of the Baekri Family in one breath in the past.
But also inflicted a fatal internal injury on Bu Eunseol; he had deployed that exterminating technique.
"That is."
By the time the Martial Venerable opened his eyes wide,
Kuuung.
The black sphere was already pressing down above his head.
"Haap!"
Left with no choice, the Martial Venerable received that sphere with both hands.
Craaack.
In an instant, thick veins bulged on his body, and the ground he stood on sank about a chi.
Sizzle.
The skin on both hands of the Martial Venerable, who had received the sphere, began to melt.
'Damn it.'
This was his blunder.
The sphere the Heavenly Emperor shot merely maintained a round shape, but in reality, it was closer to an aggregate of transcendent power.
Having thought of it as simple martial arts and blocking it with a physical body of flowing blood and flesh... there was no way he could endure it.
Kuuuuu.
Both of the Martial Venerable's legs were driven deep into the ground, and fresh blood was trickling out from his mouth.
At this rate, his body would disappear without a trace.
'Not a... chance.'
A black radiance bloomed in the Martial Venerable's eyes.
How much time he had endured.
He could not die in vain in a place like this.
Rumble.
Suddenly, along with an ominous bizarre sound that shook the sky, a pitch-black radiance soared from the Martial Venerable's body into the sky.
Ruuuumble.
At the same time, two giant arms were formed behind his back and began to block the sphere.
―'What is that?'
The warriors watching that sight wore fearful expressions.
Before they knew it, a massive demon-god idol was formed in the sky, and the sphere was blocked by the two arms extending from the demon-god idol.
―'Is that not demonic energy?'
All the gathered heroes dropped their jaws.
Because the suddenly appeared Heavenly Emperor, bearing the appearance of a madman, deployed the martial arts of the Evil Emperor full of evil energy, they had thought the truth would be easily distinguished.
To think that the real Heavenly Emperor, who had been deploying the martial arts of the orthodox path, suddenly created a demon-god idol containing atrocious demonic energy?
Bang!
At that time, along with an explosive sound, the Heavenly Emperor, who was fighting with the Martial Venerable, was bounced up into the sky.
Ultimately, the hand of the massive demon-god idol created by the Martial Venerable had struck both the sphere floating in the sky and the Heavenly Emperor simultaneously.
"Iron Rectitude Pavilion Leader!"
Vice Alliance Leader Buk Ri-seong, who was watching the fight from afar, shouted towards the Iron Rectitude Pavilion Leader.
"Protect the Alliance Leader from that wicked bastard!"
From the beginning, both people had been commanding the Golden Immortal True Qi.
Its purity and depth.
Bore a difference so great that even one who did not know martial arts could distinguish it at once.
They had only been briefly confused due to the martial arts of the Evil Emperor, but when the Martial Venerable formed the massive demon-god idol, they were able to be certain that he was the fake.
"That man is the fake Alliance Leader!"
Rumble.
As the warriors of the Iron Rectitude Pavilion rushed toward the Martial Venerable and deployed a formation,
"Who are you calling the fake Alliance Leader?"
The enraged Martial Venerable reached out his hand.
Then, the warriors of the Iron Rectitude Pavilion fell in droves like fallen leaves swept by the wind.
Pow!
In the meantime, a palm energy capable of crushing mountains and splitting rivers struck the Martial Venerable's back.
The Heavenly Emperor had already stood back up and unleashed a terrifying palm energy.
A human physical body taking such a strike head-on would rightfully have its limbs torn apart and be dismembered into five pieces.
But the Martial Venerable did not even scream.
Far from his body being torn away, a dark red mist bloomed and was devouring the Heavenly Emperor's palm energy.
"That is!"
Someone who witnessed the dark red mist blooming from the Martial Venerable's body shouted.
"Soul Demon Dharma Energy!"
When the Martial Venerable finally revealed that wicked power to the whole world,
"That person is a kin of the True Demon!"
A young warrior watching that shouted.
It was none other than the real Seon Woojin, who had been exploited by the Martial Venerable under the name of a disciple in the past, and was now active in the Azure Sky Alliance.
"You bastard!"
The Martial Venerable, having seen through that he was the real Seon Woojin, shouted with blazing eyes.
"How dare you flap your lips so carelessly here!"
In the past, due to Seon Woojin's betrayal, the Martial Venerable's scheme to ensnare Bu Eunseol had entirely collapsed.
Because of that, the prestige of the Martial Alliance fell day by day, and eventually an orthodox path coalition called the Azure Sky Alliance was established.
From the standpoint of the Martial Venerable.
The one he wanted to tear apart and kill even more than Bu Eunseol was precisely that real Seon Woojin.
"Die first, you bastard!"
The deeply enraged Martial Venerable reached out his hand and shot palm energy.
The power containing pitch-black demonic energy wriggled like a living snake and flew toward Seon Woojin's heart.
Sasasasasa.
In response, Seon Woojin created dozens of shadows and deflected that attack in one breath.
"You?"
"Did you think I was playing around until now?"
Seon Woojin, while showing restraint and prudence.
Had been ceaselessly cultivating the martial arts of the 'Sword King' Seon Woojin, which Bu Eunseol had taught him.
On top of possessing outstanding talent, with the help of the Azure Sky Alliance Leader Bukgung Ryeong.
He had already raised his martial prowess enough to be capable of martial world activities as the Sword King Seon Woojin.
"Dan Mok-gi! The good days are all gone. Prepare to die in this place!"
The Martial Venerable's complexion changed when Seon Woojin called his name.
Furthermore, before he knew it, not only the Iron Rectitude Pavilion warriors. But including the Star Guard that had been on standby in the surroundings.
The troops of the Six Great Combat Divisions of the Martial Alliance were rapidly swarming in.
'Have I failed.'
The Martial Venerable realized.
That if he held out in the Martial Alliance at this rate, everything he had built up until now would end up collapsing.
"Uuuuuh."
The past years were flashing before his eyes like a kaleidoscope.
How he had held out until now.
He had thrown away everything to obtain the position of the Martial Alliance Leader.
Could he leave the Martial Alliance so vainly like this?
"U... Uuuuuh."
The Martial Venerable's pupils rolled back white.
However, the tide of the battle could not be overturned.
Without an inch of hesitation, he turned his body and soared into the void.
Swaaaaak!
At that time, along with a chilling air-tearing sound severing the void, a house-sized palm energy was shot towards the Martial Venerable's back.
Buk Ri-seong, having realized he was escaping, gathered his true power and deployed the Great Ocean Divine Palm.
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