Na Baekhu approached Bu Eunseol and offered a polite greeting.
"Embroidered Uniform Guard Chiliarch Na Baekhu, greets Commander Bu."
The corners of his eyes curved upward in a gentle arc, always forming a smiling expression.
However, his pupils shone with a cold and intellectual gleam, like a snake.
'He is definitely the Emperor's confidant.'
Bu Eunseol's eyes narrowed.
It had not even been half a day since he received the position of Commander of the Dragon Scale Guard from the Emperor.
Yet, Na Baekhu naturally called him Commander as if it were obvious.
He must be a military officer directly connected to the Emperor.
Or perhaps, the Emperor had informed Na Baekhu of this fact before even granting the Commander position to Bu Eunseol.
'That is how much trust the Emperor has in him.'
"Commander, are you well?"
Na Baekhu asked with concern, but his eyes were stealthily observing the surroundings.
In a short time, he was rapidly reading the information left around this battlefield.
"Of course."
Watching Na Baekhu, Bu Eunseol intuitively understood.
The reason the Emperor sent that squad leader.
It was not to lend a helping hand, but to 'verify'.
To verify whether he truly intended to stand on the Emperor's side, and whether he was qualified to become the Emperor's sword.
And now.
Since he had perfectly dealt with the assassins sent by the Empress Dowager, he had shown clear evidence that he stood on the Emperor's side.
What remained now would be the reward for that merit.
'It can't be helped.'
The Emperor would continue to test him in the future.
Endless suspicion and verification.
Since that was the secret to surviving the Imperial Family's power struggles.
Erasing those thoughts, Bu Eunseol asked Na Baekhu,
"Did His Majesty send you?"
"Yes."
He answered while politely clasping his fists.
"His Majesty ordered that if there is anything that can help Commander Bu, we are to support you with everything."
Upon mentioning the Emperor, the sly smile disappeared, replaced by a face full of seriousness.
'Support, you say.'
Bu Eunseol took a deep breath.
'Impressive.'
As expected, the Emperor saw through everything.
Because of this battle.
Not only did he guess that Bu Eunseol would find out the Empress Dowager's true identity,
He also saw through the fact that Bu Eunseol needed the Imperial Family's eyes and ears, and intended to temporarily lend that intelligence network to him.
'This is how he could oppose the Empress Dowager.'
"Do you have any orders for us?"
At Na Baekhu's words, Bu Eunseol pondered for a moment.
'Sending a Chiliarch of the Embroidered Uniform Guard couldn't possibly mean to gather information on abyssal forces like the Baekri Family or the True Demon Palace.'
This was a struggle within the Imperial Family.
Even if the Empress Dowager was a person of the True Demon Palace.
The Emperor likely did not want a destructive battle from a long-term conflict like the Baekri Family.
Lending the intelligence network.
It was clearly not just a reward, but an instruction to prepare a foundation to bring down the Empress Dowager.
'In that case.'
The image of one person surfaced in Bu Eunseol's mind.
The existence that the numerous hegemons moving the world desperately wished to obtain, by perfectly reading all the flows of heaven.
A sage who was suffering a heavenly punishment comparable to death.
"Do you know any information about the Wooden Buddha?"
In the past, Bu Eunseol had gone to a mysterious island to rescue the Wooden Buddha.
And there, he clashed with the Imperial Family's experts... precisely speaking, the experts under the Empress Dowager.
Because the Wooden Buddha possessed the transcendent ability to perfectly read heavenly secrets,
It was certain that not only the Empress Dowager but also the Imperial Family was keeping a close eye on his movements.
"The Wooden Buddha's whereabouts are currently unknown. However..."
Na Baekhu paused for a moment.
Then, after shifting his gaze as if checking the surroundings, he took a step closer and lowered his voice.
"The Empress Dowager's side, which had been frantically searching the world with bloodshot eyes, ceased all pursuit of the Wooden Buddha not long ago."
"Ceased?"
"Yes."
Bu Eunseol's eyes flashed.
"Are you saying the Great Master has passed away?"
The Empress Dowager stopping her pursuit of a figure like the Wooden Buddha.
That meant either the Wooden Buddha had died,
Or he had completely exhausted his power and was no longer of use.
"We cannot conclude that."
Na Baekhu added in a whisper.
"However, it is clear that something has happened to him. Otherwise... the Empress Dowager would never easily give up on a figure who could be called the key to grasping the world."
"Give up."
In that moment, a strange realization crawled up Bu Eunseol's spine.
'Could that be?'
The Wooden Buddha was definitely in the Empress Dowager's grasp.
Otherwise, a woman like an incarnation of power itself.
The Empress Dowager, who always obtained what she wanted, would have no reason to give up on the Wooden Buddha.
And Na Baekhu, no, the Emperor also knew that well, so he must be feeling extremely anxious.
"Have you happened to locate any of the Empress Dowager's secret safe houses or hideouts?"
Realizing the meaning behind Bu Eunseol's words, Na Baekhu wore a surprised expression.
"Do you think the Empress Dowager has captured the Wooden Buddha?"
"Yes."
"If she had captured the Wooden Buddha, all of the Empress Dowager's plans would have already succeeded. There would have been no power struggle with His Majesty like now."
"That is probably not the case."
Bu Eunseol shook his head.
"Capturing Great Master Wooden Buddha does not mean everything is over."
They did not know much about the Wooden Buddha.
Even if they captured the Wooden Buddha.
There was no one in the world who could force him to open his mouth.
"Even if he is in the Empress Dowager's grasp, as long as the Great Master does not open his mouth himself, there is nothing she can find out."
"Is that so?"
"Do you know of any safe houses belonging to the Empress Dowager?"
When Bu Eunseol asked again, Na Baekhu's eyes deepened as if searching his thoughts for a moment.
"We have tracked her for several years, but nothing has been precisely identified. Recently, we discovered one very likely location, but... it was useless."
"Why is that?"
As Bu Eunseol pressed for an answer, Na Baekhu wore an embarrassed expression.
"We could not enter in the first place. Because even our most elite members went there, lost their sense of direction, wandered around, and returned."
He then added.
"It is said that upon taking a step, they would lose their way in the fog, or an invisible and indestructible wall would appear... and there were bizarre incidents of suddenly falling down a cliff."
"Wall."
In that instant, a single word flashed like lightning through Bu Eunseol's mind.
'A barrier.'
Since the Empress Dowager must be connected to the True Demon Palace, she would naturally be able to use a barrier.
Perhaps using that to maintain perfect security, she had created a perfect fortress that no expert could enter.
"Where is that place?"
"It is the Jade Dragon Pool."
Jade Dragon Pool, the forbidden area of the Eighteen Leagues of the Yangtze Waterways.
It was one of the treasure vaults possessed by the Yangtze Waterways League, a forbidden area managed by the Iron Fan Dragon King Gwak Chung.
However, only the name of Jade Dragon Pool was known.
It was a place not recorded on any map, and it was said that only the core figures of the Yangtze Waterways League knew its location.
Moreover, even if they knew, they could not enter.
To invade the forbidden area of the Yangtze League, where a single shouted command would throw thousands of ships across the waterways and tens of thousands of troops stood garrisoned?
They would have nowhere to stand in the world.
"Jade Dragon Pool."
Bu Eunseol took a deep breath.
What if that place was the Empress Dowager's secret base?
Even if the Wooden Buddha wasn't there, he would definitely be able to find the secrets or information she was trying to hide.
* * *
Deep within the Three Gorges, known to be the most treacherous even on the Yangtze River, lay a gorge called Ghost Gate Valley.
There, cliffs that looked as if they had been sliced by a knife soared hundreds of jang high on both sides.
Thick water mist hung there all year round, making it hard to even see the sun in the sky.
Also, there was a dark blue whirlpool called the Ghost Gate Whirlpool.
It was said that when boatmen passed this place, they offered sacrifices and took a long detour.
According to the information discovered through the persistent tracking and investigation by the Death Spirit Corps,
That Ghost Gate Whirlpool was precisely the only entrance leading into Jade Dragon Pool.
Every month on the fifteenth, in the hour of the Rat, for the single two-hour span when the moonlight shone vertically onto the water surface,
If one played a specially made flute, the whirlpool that roared like an angry dragon would calm down like a lie,
And it was said an underwater cave resembling a black maw would open at its center.
"I shouldn't cause a clash with the Waterways League."
Bu Eunseol, who was looking down at the Ghost Gate Whirlpool while floating in the air, muttered lowly.
The Yangtze Waterways League collected protection fees from all merchant ships passing through the Yangtze River or directly transported logistics, accumulating immense wealth.
Through the countless people and goods traveling the Yangtze River, all the information of the continent flowed into them.
They had solid connections with big shots from all circles, and possessed military power that ordinary orthodox or unorthodox sects could not casually mess with.
So he, too, wanted to avoid clashing with them as much as possible.
Trickle.
Bu Eunseol, having altered his face with the Secret Art of Darkness, took out a flute from his embrace.
That black jade flute was the very one that Gwak Chung, called the Iron Fan Dragon King, carried on his person at all hours of the day and night.
In order to avoid clashing with the Waterways League,
He had secretly stolen the black jade flute while he was asleep and replaced it with a fake flute in his embrace.
"Since they inspect Jade Dragon Pool every fifteenth anyway, there shouldn't be any issues."
As he entered the underwater cave through the black jade flute, the Underwater Formation Arts, derived from Zhuge Wuhou's Eight Formations Diagram, came into view.
"This isn't a formation that the Yangtze Waterways League could make."
The water current inside the cave flowed bizarrely, making one return to their original spot before they knew it even if they seemed to be going straight.
And if one approached thinking they saw a path ahead, it created an illusion of a massive rock wall blocking the way.
"By overlapping a very high-level formation onto a Mind World like the Mind's Eye art."
The illusions seen here were based on a Mind World, with a supreme-level formation overlapped on top.
Not only did it immediately affect reality,
But if one didn't know the formation-breaking technique, they couldn't escape until they died of exhaustion.
"I will be studying formations for the first time in a while."
Of the eight forked paths, the Eight Gates, there was only one Life Gate.
The remaining Rest Gate, Injury Gate, Blockage Gate, Scenery Gate, Death Gate, Shock Gate, and Opening Gate each had different traps.
In some paths, sharp underwater blades jutted out, and in others, inescapable steel nets shot out.
As he entered the most atrocious Death Gate, powerful water pressure surged from all directions, trying to crush all the bones in his body.
However, Bu Eunseol had already become a master of formation breaking.
Above all, with his current martial prowess, these traps could not inflict any damage.
As he passed through by instantly smashing the formation as if breaking a chopstick, an unbelievable sight unfolded.
A large space completely filled with water on all sides appeared.
It felt as if he had entered the interior of a deep ocean.
Swiiiish.
At that moment, from the opposite side, about a hundred martial artists wearing blue clothes were approaching Bu Eunseol while silently cutting through the water like fish.
"Those must be the Water Ghosts that the Yangtze Waterways League boasts of."
The Yangtze Waterways League selected elites skilled in underwater combat,
And trained Water Ghosts who could operate while holding their breath underwater for over an hour through special drugs and training methods.
Their appearance, abruptly springing out in the dark water armed with harpoons, was reminiscent of water-dwelling evil spirits just like their name.
Swoosh!
As the Water Ghosts swung their harpoons, sharp force like lightning dug into Bu Eunseol's brow.
With his reflexes, he could easily dodge it, but the problem was that they were underwater.
Vwoong.
Bu Eunseol did not bother to dodge their attacks and created protective astral energy to deflect the force.
Pat!
However, an astonishing thing happened.
Did the force fired by the Water Ghosts not smoothly pass through the protective astral energy and brush past his brow?
"This place itself is a massive formation."
The water filling the inside.
It possessed an ability identical to Imperial Palace martial arts, heavily suppressing the power of martial arts.
"It is definitely a place connected to the Empress Dowager."
Even if it was the Yangtze Waterways League, they could not deploy an underwater formation based on Imperial Palace martial arts.
It was definitely the Imperial Palace. No, there must have been support from the Empress Dowager.
Swirl.
In an instant, intense whirlpools were raging in both of Bu Eunseol's hands.
The root of the Crystal Divine Energy was the power of water.
It exerted the authority of a Water God even in the absence of water.
Much less in a space completely filled with water like this? It was truly an environment where he could become the Water God himself.
Booooooom!
As he raised the Crystal Divine Energy with all his power,
Transparent dragon shapes were continuously created around Bu Eunseol.
The number completely matched the number of Water Ghosts pouncing on him.
Rumble!
The dragon shapes that shot out like streaks of light,
Crunch. Crack-crack!
Began biting and tearing at the Water Ghosts.
In less than half a quarter-hour, the water filling the inside was instantly dyed with blood.
They were said to possess invincible power underwater.
He had disposed of over a hundred Water Ghosts, the pride of the Yangtze Waterways League, all at once.
'If I could obtain the Heaven and Earth Divine Energy...'
The current Three Divine Energies varied greatly in power depending on special situations or environments.
Like this, they exerted absolute power when holding an elemental advantage, but could not display their proper strength when they didn't.
But what if he obtained the Heaven and Earth Divine Energy?
He would be free from the restrictions of the Three Divine Energies and be able to wield the complete authority of nature.
He would be advantageous in any situation and be able to exert absolute elemental power.
'Father walked that path.'
His father, Baekri Muha, exerted absolute power in any situation through Harmony with Nature.
In other words, what if he obtained the Four Divine Energies?
He would be able to exert flawless and pure power just like his father.
Bu Eunseol approached the massive iron gate visible far away.
Clank.
As he twisted the door open, he finally arrived at the secret vault in the heart of Jade Dragon Pool.
Blue-glowing luminous stones were densely embedded, making it look as if a galaxy had unfurled in the night sky.
'They have deployed troops densely.'
In the center of the cave, there was a massive white jade altar radiating cold chill.
And eight experts armed in strict armor sat with their eyes closed, guarding the place.
'Are they experts trained by the Empress Dowager?'
Each of the seated experts possessed martial prowess capable of overturning a single sect.
Vwoong, vwoong.
Also, surprisingly, they were deeply absorbing the unique energy of Jade Dragon Pool flowing from the altar.
Not only were they guarding the secret vault.
They were using the energy flowing from the earth veins of Jade Dragon Pool to augment their internal energy.
"The yellow-robed men from back then must have augmented their martial arts in this manner as well."
The Empress Dowager's mind was extraordinary.
By deploying formidable martial artists in places where their internal energy could be augmented,
She allowed them to practice while also guarding the secret vault... creating a killing-two-birds-with-one-stone effect.
Crick.
Upon seeing Bu Eunseol, the eight martial artists rose from their seats as if they had been waiting.
They harbored the unique evil energy flowing from Jade Dragon Pool throughout their entire bodies.
"The Empress Dowager is not trying to simply dominate the Imperial Palace..."
Seeing their aura, Bu Eunseol could finally feel it.
If she had only intended to seize the power of the Imperial Palace, she would not have trained such troops all over the place.
"Is she trying to unify the world just like the Heavenly Demon Emperor?"
Ssss.
Before long, they surrounded Bu Eunseol in a circle.
They merely surrounded him, yet they were pouring out a pressure that felt as if flesh was burning and bones were separating.
The reason they absorbed energy in Jade Dragon Pool.
It was not simply augmenting internal energy; they were converting even the earth veins of Jade Dragon Pool into their own power.
"To be able to convert the power of the earth veins into martial arts power to strike down enemies..."
The Empress Dowager was attempting to augment the martial prowess of her subordinates while at the same time,
Absorbing and organizing the energy of a specific location.
To practice mystic arts that deformed even the surrounding earth veins and energy fields.
Crack.
As they exploded the energy of the earth veins,
Bu Eunseol was swept away by that momentum without even a chance to defend, and his body shook greatly.
Simply put, they were borrowing the energy of Jade Dragon Pool.
Using the power of the earth itself to change the energy of the surrounding space entirely, and pouring that power onto Bu Eunseol.
'Strictly speaking, it is a power hard to block even with the Void Extreme Realm.'
Because the power of the earth veins was the power of nature.
It would not be greatly affected even by the power of the Realm of Destruction and Extinction that reverted everything to a pure state.
Crackle, crackle.
Purple lightning flowed out from Bu Eunseol's body.
As they used the power of the earth veins, the opposing Thunder Spirit Energy naturally flowed out.
'If it were an ordinary martial artist, they would have died helplessly.'
If it had been an ordinary martial artist, no matter how incredible the martial arts they had mastered, they would have collapsed helplessly.
Fortunately, because Bu Eunseol possessed the Thunder Spirit Energy that could block the power of the earth veins flowing from Jade Dragon Pool.
He was able to easily block their attacks.
"Let's end this quickly."
Boom.
While resisting their power, Bu Eunseol simultaneously created a massive iron hammer with the Thunder Spirit Energy and struck the area around the altar with all his might.
Trickle.
Then, the flesh of the eight martial artists instantly began to burn.
The reason they could show such an astonishing ability to absorb and manipulate the earth veins,
Was because they were putting up not just their internal energy but their life force as collateral.
"So it was an extreme method of self-destruction if they couldn't defeat the enemy."
Swoooosh.
The eight martial artists began to melt down into a thick liquid.
Because their connection to the earth veins was severed, and the power they could use disappeared.
Unable to withstand the power of the Thunder Spirit Energy, they lost their lives vainly easily.
"Exerting such power for a long time will instead ruin the body."
No matter how many outstanding talents gathered like clouds under the Empress Dowager,
Using experts capable of absorbing earth veins like consumables was somewhat strange.
"There must be a reason she made them practice this technique."
Bu Eunseol headed toward the altar they had been guarding.
After inspecting it for a long while, a flash sparked in his eyes, and his movements halted.
On top of the altar, a scroll was placed in a golden bowl.
Because an illusion of the fierce energy of an Absolute placing the world under his feet was seen raging there.
Fwip.
The moment he unrolled the scroll, Bu Eunseol's pupils shook violently.
'This is.'
The one who annihilated the Six States and unified the Central Plains for the first time, calling himself Emperor.
The one who tried to reach the heavens, and in the end, even tried to reject death itself.
It was a map pointing to the location of the First Emperor's secret vault.
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