"Kuuugh... Uwaaaaah!"
In an instant, a scream that seemed to tear the sky erupted.
The transparent chains pierced and connected from Bu Eunseol's hand to his chest, passing through his transparent flesh, bones, and meridians.
An agonizing pain spread out as if his nerves were burning, his blood was flowing backward, and his soul was being torn to shreds.
It was a pain that no mortal being could ever endure... one that far exceeded human limits.
But at that moment,
Flash!
A blindingly pure white radiance spread out from his chest.
A divine and solemn light had begun to burst forth from the chains connecting his left hand to his chest.
When Bu Eunseol opened his eyes again.
Countless indescribable lights swirled.
Hwaaaak.
Soon, all the lights vanished, and the form of the chains disappeared as well.
Thud.
With a dull sound, Bu Eunseol fell to one knee.
Soul Qi Fusion, Spirit and Flesh Unified Body.
It was a method that completely combined the enemy's energy, consciousness, and even existence.
The chains on the Heavenly Emperor's chest had transferred to Bu Eunseol's body, merging the two chains into one.
Vwooong.
In that instant, divine light flowed from Bu Eunseol's eyes.
When the chains were first embedded in his body.
He had lost consciousness amidst great pain.
And when he swung the chains, he lost his strength and suffered a severe internal injury that was hard to recover from.
However, a completely different phenomenon occurred when the Heavenly Emperor's chains combined within his body.
Not only was the life force that had been exhausted by the Heavenly Pivot Returning Sun Golden Needle Art instantly recovered, but his original true energy was also restored.
In an instant, countless points of light spread out, and suddenly, the scenery of the world looked different.
Everything he had previously seen with his eyes, heard with his ears, and felt with his skin now appeared in the form of Causality, connected by lines.
The mountains, rivers, grass, trees, the flowing wind, and the lives of all living things were connected by thin lines.
Even space and space, and the time connecting the past and present... the entire world was a massive collection of lines.
Fascinated, Bu Eunseol unknowingly touched a line connected to a distant mountain range.
'...!'
Then, an unbelievable thing happened.
When he touched that line, the distant mountain range vanished in an instant.
It was as if the mountain range had never been there in the first place.
Ziiiing.
At that moment, all the lines before his eyes vanished. At the same time, an unbearable pain washed over him.
It was an agonizing pain as if his soul was splitting and his physical body was shattering into pieces.
Crack, crack.
Upon touching that line, the combined chains went berserk instead of staying still, ravaging his body as they thrashed about.
If he didn't quickly control the rampaging chains, his body would eventually be torn to shreds or his meridians would burst.
Trickle.
Eventually, fresh blood leaked from the corners of his mouth.
Since he couldn't control the spreading power of the moving chains, his physical body was on the verge of collapsing.
"The power that just transferred to your body..."
A dark yellow light flowed from Ak Muryeong's eyes after he discovered the distant mountain range had vanished in an instant.
"So that is the Chains of Samsara."
Back when he held the Arang Plaque and asked Ak Muryeong for a favor regarding the Heavenly Emperor.
Bu Eunseol had recounted not only the events he experienced at the Martial Alliance but also the possibility that the Heavenly Emperor might possess the Chains of Samsara.
To subdue the Heavenly Emperor, they couldn't afford to miss a single variable.
He had chosen a specific means to definitely subdue the Heavenly Emperor, who possessed the chains.
It was the Heavenly Pivot Returning Sun Golden Needle Art, which completely combined the enemy's energy, consciousness, and existence.
He simply hadn't expected the Heavenly Emperor's chains to transfer and combine with the chains in his own body.
"That is correct."
Bu Eunseol, who continuously vomited blood from his mouth, barely replied.
"And this is an object that an ordinary human must never touch."
"Foolish thing."
Ak Muryeong shouted coldly after detecting the massive current of energy surging rampantly from Bu Eunseol's bleeding body.
"If the enemy's power causes harm, it is only proper to find the source and control it the enemy's way!"
'I see.'
Gaining enlightenment from those words, Bu Eunseol,
Vwooong.
He immediately utilized the Heavenly Emperor's unique secret art, the Cheonui Heart Secret.
Then, a bizarre resonance occurred.
He could feel why the chains fluctuated like a living creature and thrashed about with such madness.
'You want the rest of the pieces.'
The chains were desperately searching for their lost children... they wanted the remaining pieces.
'I will definitely make you whole.'
As Bu Eunseol conveyed that will like a firm oath,
Clang!
A clear metallic sound rang out.
The chains that had wrapped from his chest to his hand turned into golden lines and slowly seeped into his body.
Once one reaches the realm of the Great Circle.
One could grasp the flow of the enemy's divine energy circulation without even laying a hand on them. This was the Heavenly Emperor's supreme art from beyond the heavens...
And that was the secret to controlling the flow of the chains.
"Kuuugh."
Right then, the Heavenly Emperor clutched his head and began to scream in agony.
Craaack.
At the same time the ground he stood on split open.
A terrifying demonic energy, the likes of which had never been seen before, spread out from the Heavenly Emperor's entire body.
With the chains removed... it was as if the one remaining piece of his soul had completely disappeared.
He had entered a state of pure demonic nature.
Crunch, crunch.
His physical body suddenly grew about three times larger, and a hot light like the sun flowed across his entire body.
The uncontrollable demonic energy lying dormant within his body was spreading out infinitely.
Spurt! Zing!
Eventually, the Heavenly Pivot Returning Sun Golden Needles that had been densely embedded in his acupoints began to fall out one by one.
What if the completely maddened Heavenly Emperor went berserk with that much power?
Thousands, if not tens of thousands, of people could end up dead.
"Shin Domubi. This is your end."
Muttering lowly, Ak Muryeong reached out to the sky, and two massive spheres slowly formed in the heavens once again.
The Heavenly Emperor's power continued to rise.
Before all those golden needles fell out...
Ak Muryeong intended to create the Heaven and Earth World-Destroying Spheres once again to annihilate him.
"Pavilion Leader."
Right then, Bu Eunseol, having barely controlled the power of the chains with the Cheonui Heart Secret, opened his eyes and spoke.
"Please unleash the Illusion Upon Illusion. It should be possible now."
Bu Eunseol had completely recovered the life force and original true energy he had exhausted thus far.
Moreover, perhaps because the chains had disappeared.
The Heavenly Emperor was showing signs of extreme agony.
In that state, a crack would form in his once-firm spirit, meaning the Illusion Upon Illusion was bound to work.
He was intending to unleash the Silent Tiger Soul Eclipse as originally planned, returning the Heavenly Emperor's spirit to a whole state.
Rumble, rumble.
However, Ak Muryeong was gathering even more intense power, completing the Heaven and Earth World-Destroying Spheres.
Rather than pinning his hopes on the uncertain Silent Tiger Soul Eclipse, he intended to immediately annihilate the Heavenly Emperor to eliminate any future troubles.
"Pavilion Leader!"
Just as Bu Eunseol was about to plead once more,
Tap.
A shadow dressed in white clothes descended from the void to the ground.
It was none other than Mugyeol.
He had been carrying out this plan with Bu Eunseol from the very beginning, and he had arrived at this forest—the agreed-upon location—after leaving the Martial Alliance.
However, because his qinggong wasn't as fast, he arrived much later despite setting off before Bu Eunseol.
Even so, through the gate of life Bu Eunseol had opened in advance, he was able to enter the life-and-death battle formation.
The battle had already begun, however, and he couldn't approach closely because he was unable to withstand the massive waves of power.
"Stop this now."
Mugyeol had already seen Bu Eunseol trying to keep his promise even at the cost of his own life.
He spoke with an expression that had transcended everything.
"You've done your best... there is no need to be bound by the promise you made to me any longer."
"Brother Mu."
"It's fine. Really."
He showed a faint smile.
Approaching the Heavenly Emperor, who was immobilized by the Heavenly Pivot Returning Sun Golden Needles, he knelt down and spoke earnestly.
"As your disciple, I can no longer bear to see you living in such pain and disgrace, Master."
Standing up, he slowly approached the Heavenly Emperor.
"Though I cannot serve you in this world, I intend to serve you again in the afterlife."
In that instant, the golden needles embedded in the Heavenly Emperor's body began to faintly shine, but he did not notice it.
"Thank you for everything."
Turning his head, Mugyeol showed a smile to Bu Eunseol.
And he nodded his head toward Ak Muryeong, who was standing far away.
Realizing there was no other way, he intended to die together with his master, the Heavenly Emperor.
At that moment, Ak Muryeong's eyes flashed.
Ruuuumble!
Then, from the center of the dark clouds filling the sky like pitch-black ink, the pitch-black sphere that sucked in all light.
Red light spread out from the Heaven and Earth World-Destroying Sphere.
Paaat!
Without a shred of mercy, the Heaven and Earth World-Destroying Sphere fiercely surged toward the Heavenly Emperor and Mugyeol.
Rooooar!
With a roar that sounded as if space itself was screaming, the sun of destruction that had been forcibly held in the sky finally fell toward the ground.
The catastrophic flames, which seemed to compress the end of the world, burned the surrounding air and distorted space.
Mugyeol looked up at that sight with a tranquil heart.
The pain of facing his master's cold body was far greater than the agony of the searing heat burning his flesh.
He gazed at his master's lifeless face.
With the wrinkled corners of his eyes and his tightly shut lips, the appearance of the absolute being who once commanded the world was nowhere to be found.
Only the severe hardships he had endured thus far remained thickly etched.
"You have suffered greatly, Master."
Now, this pain would also end.
If he could stay by his master's side even in his final moments, that would be enough.
Finally, just as the Heaven and Earth World-Destroying Sphere cast a shadow over the two men's heads that would melt everything away...
Craaaash!
The roar that shook the world ceased like a lie.
The sun of destruction stopped right above the palm of the single hand the Heavenly Emperor extended.
In the silence where time seemed to have stopped, Mugyeol's eyes widened in disbelief.
At some point, the golden needles that had been half-piercing his master's body were turning into fine dust and scattering away.
"Gyeol."
At the same time, a low and benevolent voice that seemed to ring directly in his head reached his ears.
"Why are you trying to give up your life at such a young age?"
In an instant, the Heavenly Emperor turned to look at Mugyeol and showed a pure white smile.
It was the tranquil smile of one who had transcended everything, and a smile filled with endless compassion and affection for his disciple.
"This master of yours was incompetent... I am sorry."
Flash!
As soon as he finished speaking, the Heavenly Emperor threw his body toward the sun of destruction.
Then, the Heaven and Earth World-Destroying Sphere that annihilated everything was sucked into his body like a torrential storm.
He had sacrificed himself to extinguish the destructive power of the Heaven and Earth World-Destroying Sphere.
Paaat!
With a short flash of light,
Booooom!
An indescribable radiance exploded, and the Heavenly Emperor's form turned into a handful of light dust, scattering in the wind.
Only a faint warmth remained in the spot where he had stood.
"Master――――!"
Mugyeol collapsed and wailed.
A scream like a lion's roar echoed across the empty earth.
"Master."
He fell to his knees.
To protect him, his master had miraculously restored his shattered spirit temporarily.
And he had thrown himself into the sphere that destroyed everything.
"I was foolish."
Mugyeol blamed himself.
A sense of guilt and emptiness washed over his entire body, knowing his foolish choice had driven his master to his death.
"I will serve you again in the afterlife. Master."
He pulled a dagger from his bosom.
Right as he was about to pierce his heart in a single breath, ending this life to follow his master,
Claaaang!
With a sharp cracking sound, the blade of the dagger in his hand snapped in two and fell.
As he turned his head at the cold energy.
Ak Muryeong was looking down at him with eyes full of contempt.
"To think a disciple of the Heavenly Emperor is only of that caliber... how utterly pathetic."
"Do not insult my master!"
"He did not die."
At those words, all of Mugyeol's thoughts halted.
"What does that..."
"You don't even have the qualifications to be a disciple."
Without hiding his contempt, Ak Muryeong turned his body. And vanished without a trace in an instant.
Mugyeol could only stand there with a blank expression.
Just what was that Great Demon talking about?
Right then, Bu Eunseol approached his side and explained in a calm voice.
"The Pavilion Leader is known to the world for his ferocious and cruel nature, but in reality, he is more deeply considerate than anyone else."
Bu Eunseol extended his finger and pointed at the sky.
"The Pavilion Leader believed that Alliance Leader Shin Do would regain his senses for the sake of his disciple in his final moments. That is why he only threw one Heaven and Earth World-Destroying Sphere."
Following his fingertip to look up at the sky, astonishment filled Mugyeol's eyes.
In the spot where Ak Muryeong had left, another pitch-black sun still remained, didn't it?
Ak Muryeong intuited that his own aptitude fell short of the realm of the Twin Heavenly Emperors.
And created another version of himself by inventing the secret technique of the Illusionary Self Striking Body.
Therefore, the Heaven and Earth World-Destroying Spheres also needed to fall simultaneously as two to exert their true power.
However, Ak Muryeong believed.
That a great tree like the Heavenly Emperor was the kind of person who would choose to be uprooted himself rather than let his fragile branch of a disciple break.
Intuiting that he would save his disciple, who was at the threshold of death through sacrifice, he only threw one Heaven and Earth World-Destroying Sphere.
"But my master has disappeared, hasn't he?"
"Alliance Leader Shin Do's subsequent movements... Brother Mu probably couldn't see them."
Since Mugyeol hadn't experienced the Infinite Enlightenment, he couldn't divide the vision of ordinary martial artists by more than five times.
However, Ak Muryeong had entered the Limitless Realm a long time ago.
Although Bu Eunseol hadn't ascended to the Limitless Realm, he was walking a new path comparable to it.
Thus, he could hear all the movements and conversations created by the Heavenly Emperor in that brief instant.
"What did my master say?"
Bu Eunseol explained calmly.
After leaving a brief farewell to Mugyeol, the Heavenly Emperor spoke to Ak Muryeong.
―'I sacrificed this one body without hesitation to buy time to save the world, but... the results were not very good.'
To save the world, the Heavenly Emperor had destroyed himself to buy time.
But the results had not been very good.
And because he had become a part of the heavenly secrets, he couldn't leave any words behind.
―'Thanks to Brother Ak and Brother Ak's disciple, I intend to throw off these shackles and restraints to savor the realm of death for a while.'
And the Heavenly Emperor left a sound transmission separately only for Ak Muryeong.
Ak Muryeong's complexion changed frequently as he listened to the story, but in the end, he did not relay those words to Bu Eunseol.
Then, the Heavenly Emperor, having swallowed the explosion of the Heaven and Earth World-Destroying Sphere, instantly disappeared while suffering a fatal injury.
"Master."
Mugyeol, who had heard everything, prostrated himself and wept.
The most righteous master in the world had ultimately sacrificed himself to protect the martial world.
Because of that, he was incorporated into the flow of the heavenly secrets, completely unable to convey any words.
He had regained a clear mind after countless hardships just to save his disciple.
Yet to save the world once again, he threw himself into the Heaven and Earth World-Destroying Sphere and departed in a death-like state.
"But I don't understand why Pavilion Leader Ak didn't strike down my master at this opportunity."
Even snot-nosed children knew that Ak Muryeong's wish was to defeat the Orthodox and Demonic Twin Heavenly Emperors.
If he hadn't missed this opportunity and had thrown all the Heaven and Earth World-Destroying Spheres instead...
He would have achieved his lifelong wish and gained the honor of defeating the Heavenly Emperor, so why on earth did he deliberately miss such an opportunity?
"What the Pavilion Leader desires is a battle against the strong, not victory."
Bu Eunseol smiled proudly.
"If he had cowardly struck him down while the enemy was weakened, he would have discarded the title of Human Demon a long time ago."
"I suppose that could be true."
Nodding his head, Mugyeol stared blankly into the void for a moment.
Then, after a long silence, he opened his mouth.
"Then what am I supposed to do now..."
Until now, he had lived solely for his master's revenge.
And finally, through this incident, the Martial Venerable's ugly true nature had been exposed to the entire world.
His master had finally regained his clear mind, but he had suffered a fatal injury, and his life or death was once again unknown.
Neither a success nor a failure... his goal had vanished in vain, leaving only extreme emptiness behind.
"The heavens will also look after a righteous individual like Alliance Leader Shin Do."
Bu Eunseol said in a low but powerful voice.
"Since he himself said he was incorporated into the heavenly secrets, he must surely be recovering his body somewhere to regain his strength."
Looking into Mugyeol's eyes, he calmly continued.
"What Brother Mu must do now is prepare to welcome his master when he returns after fully recovering."
"Prepare."
As Mugyeol nodded his head, his right hand suddenly felt empty, and his chest grew numb.
The halved dagger turned to dust and scattered in the wind, and the true energy that had secretly covered his heart meridian dissipated at the same time.
It was a move that hinted at Ak Muryeong's terrifying internal energy, and at the same time, it was an act of consideration not to let his master's sacrifice be in vain.
He had turned the broken blade and the hilt to dust lest Mugyeol harbor bad thoughts.
He had also stealthily injected true energy to prevent Mugyeol from cutting his own heart meridian.
'It is true.'
Feeling something hot welling up in his chest for some reason, Mugyeol raised his head and looked at the spot where Ak Muryeong had disappeared.
Just as Bu Eunseol said.
The Human Demon was a completely different person from the rumors spread throughout the martial world.
'I'm jealous.'
Mugyeol had grown up by the Heavenly Emperor's hands since childhood, but because of his master's great cause, they hardly spent any time together once he became an adult.
However, even as Bu Eunseol navigated countless obstacles, he had a master like Ak Muryeong acting as a sturdy pillar of support.
He couldn't help but feel envious.
"You are right."
Mugyeol straightened his drooping shoulders.
His face was no longer plunged in dark despair.
"Since my master will definitely return."
He believed it.
That the Heavenly Emperor would return with a clear mind.
Just as Bu Eunseol said, all he had to do was believe in that and wait.
But how could he have known?
That the chaos in the martial world was only just beginning.
That an even greater conspiracy was underway within the Martial Alliance to hide the disgrace of the Martial Venerable acting as a fake alliance leader.
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