*The seven successors don’t escape and are caught by the Blood Sea villains. Just when they are about to leave with the kidnapped successors, Bu Eunseol decides to step in as Guyang Cheongjeong risked her attempt to escape for him.
Instantly, the leader’s face hardened.
Those were the very words he had used moments ago to subdue Weiji Un.
"Ugh…" His body, regaining consciousness, trembled violently.
A feeling he had never experienced before—humiliation—engulfed his entire being. And that humiliation quickly turned into a burning rage that consumed him.
"You’re still far from acting so arrogantly!" Losing his reason, the leader swung his palms with full force once more.
But to Bu Eunseol’s eyes, it was merely the flailing of a child wildly waving their hands. Watching the leader’s palm technique with a bored expression, Bu Eunseol threw another punch.
Whoosh!
A breeze like a gentle wind seemed to blow, but a single stream of fist energy surged toward the leader’s face. Bu Eunseol’s movement was simple, his punch as light as a feather.
Yet, in reality, it carried the heavy inner power of a boulder the size of a house.
Boom.
The leader blocked the incoming fist energy with both palms. In that moment, the heavy force pierced through his palms, shaking his meridians and internal organs all at once.
"Ugh!" Finally, the leader collapsed to one knee, vomiting blood.
Blocking a single light punch had caused severe internal injuries.
Tremble.
Anger, despair, even fear… all vanished. Now, only one thought filled his mind. The power of an unmatched master, impossible to defeat. In Bu Eunseol’s presence, he felt the overwhelming might of a grandmaster who could dominate the martial world.
"Ugh… ugh…" The villain who had casually ordered the severing of others’ meridians now suppressed his groans in front of Bu Eunseol.
"Hm." Bu Eunseol, as if losing interest, turned away.
As he did, the Blood Sea Demon Well warriors surrounding the area flinched and stepped back.
Swish!
Bu Eunseol sent a gust of energy toward the fallen young men of the Seven Sword Sects. Their sealed pressure points were instantly released, but none dared to rise. No, they couldn’t move.
Shame.
Failing to protect the woman they admired would remain a lifelong disgrace, tormenting them as martial artists.
Awe for overwhelming power. The scholar they had silently mocked turned out to be a master beyond their reach.
Overwhelmed by shame and awe for Bu Eunseol, the young men of the Seven Sword Sects couldn’t even twitch a finger.
Glance.
Turning back, Bu Eunseol scanned the Blood Sea Demon Well warriors, including the leader. And once more, he spoke heavily.
"Get lost." This time, it wasn’t mercy or kindness.
There’s no need to crush a mere fly. Sometimes, even moving a hand feels bothersome. To Bu Eunseol’s eyes, they were nothing more than insignificant flies—neither more nor less.
Tremble.
The leader, trembling for a moment, bit his lip and quietly turned away. He was truly about to leave as Bu Eunseol had commanded.
"This brat is ruining the sect’s reputation."
Thud.
At that moment, a low voice accompanied a dark shadow dropping from the air. Revealed by the moonlight was a gaunt, extremely short middle-aged man. Though his body was frail, his eyes gleamed like a beast’s in the darkness.
"Lord Go?" Spotting the diminutive man, the leader clasped his hands, his face filled with panic. "What brings you here…?"
"You always disappoint me," the middle-aged man said, referring to himself as an elder.
This was proof not only of his advanced age but also of his profound inner power.
"Are the warriors of this sect supposed to quietly slink away at the word ‘leave’?"
"Lord Go, that’s not—" As the leader tried to explain under the elder’s rebuke,
Slash!
Blood sprayed into the air, and a head soared skyward. In a lightning-fast move, the elder had severed the leader’s head in a single stroke.
"I promoted you to the rank of Ten Generals because your skills were decent… but you’re nothing but a cowardly fool." The elder, with the expression of someone who had crushed a passing insect, slowly turned to face Bu Eunseol.
"I am Go Geuksin," he said. "Ever heard of me?"
Poison Night Hand Soul, Go Geuksin.
As the third lord of the Blood Sea Demon Well, he was a villain who had terrorized the martial world with his Night Soul White Bone Claw, capable of crushing skulls in an instant.
‘We’re doomed!’ Hearing Go Geuksin’s name, despair filled the eyes of the Seven Sword Sects’ young men. He was a supreme villain who had terrorized the martial world for twenty years. With such a figure appearing, they believed even Bu Eunseol’s strength wouldn’t be enough to survive.
"The name’s impressive." But Bu Eunseol responded casually, as if he’d spotted an old man out for a stroll.
"You don’t know my name?" As Go Geuksin’s eyebrows twitched, Bu Eunseol gave a bored expression.
His leisurely demeanor sparked a razor-sharp killing intent in Go Geuksin’s eyes.
"Judging by your fist techniques, you seem to be from the demonic path. Which sect are you from?"
"No need for you to know."
"What?"
"Take your rabble and leave. I need to rest." At Bu Eunseol’s words, Go Geuksin momentarily wore a blank expression.
"Hah! Hahaha!" Letting out a long, booming laugh with his head tilted back, Go Geuksin abruptly stopped. "You’ve got some guts."
He glared at Bu Eunseol coldly.
"In the past thirty years, you’re the first to speak to me like that." As Bu Eunseol continued to look disinterested, Go Geuksin’s eyes dripped with icy killing intent.
"I won’t kill you right away." His unexpected words made Bu Eunseol blink in slight surprise.
"Why’s that?"
"First, I’ll annihilate your sect. Then I’ll wipe out the Seven Sword Sects behind you, and then I’ll kill you." The young men of the Seven Sword Sects trembled.
Those targeted by the Blood Sea Demon Well’s extermination order never survived. The sect’s relentless and reckless pursuit was part of what made it a terror in the martial world.
"And then I’ll see if you can still act so relaxed." Go Geuksin scanned Bu Eunseol with a piercing gaze. "From this day, I’ll place an extermination order on you. Hiding your identity won’t help. No matter where you flee, this sect’s warriors will hunt you to the end."
"Ugh…" At those words, the Seven Sword Sects’ young men trembled violently.
Being hunted by the Blood Sea Demon Well meant not a single day of peaceful sleep henceforth.
"Have you gone senile?" A chilling bloodlust flashed in Bu Eunseol’s eyes as he muttered toward Go Geuksin. "Some nobodies I’ve never heard of dare to declare they’ll wipe out my pavilion?"
"Your pavilion?" Go Geuksin, momentarily puzzled, narrowed his eyes. "Which sect are you from?"
"Nangyang Pavilion." In that instant, Go Geuksin’s breath caught in his throat.
"Nangyang Pavilion?"
The ten pillars upholding the demonic path, the Ten Demonic Sects.
Nangyang Pavilion stood at the pinnacle, untouchable even by other demonic sects, its martial arts at the very edge of the demonic path. Moreover, Nangyang Pavilion was the most unique and fearsome among them.
Though some said it had declined, that was only because few disciples could inherit its overwhelmingly powerful techniques. And this arrogant man was a disciple of Nangyang Pavilion, where each individual wielded the strength of an entire sect?
"Who… who are you?"
"Bu Eunseol."
"Bu Eunseol?" As the third lord of the Blood Sea Demon Well, Go Geuksin was well-versed in martial world intelligence.
After a moment of thought, he spoke heavily.
"I heard a disciple of the Ten Demonic Warriors from Nangyang Pavilion had entered the martial world… but to think you were holed up in a place like this?"
Bu Eunseol gave a faint smile at Go Geuksin’s words.
Due to the nature of Nangyang Pavilion’s martial arts, which evolved through combat, they left no distinct marks or traces. Moreover, Bu Eunseol’s Supreme Heavenly Flow technique was unbound by fixed sword forms.
Having concealed his identity while handling various matters, and with those who faced him always meeting death…
His traceless swordsmanship, which claimed lives without leaving a hint, ensured his actions remained largely unknown. When Bu Eunseol didn’t respond, Go Geuksin bit his lip.
"Even if I can’t touch you, I can still annihilate the Seven Sword Sects." With a venomous grin, he continued, "Even Nangyang Pavilion wouldn’t recklessly interfere in disputes between demonic sects, would it?"
Bu Eunseol, looking at Go Geuksin calmly, nodded nonchalantly.
"Stop spouting nonsense and keep your promise."
"What?" Bu Eunseol smiled coldly.
"As you promised, annihilate my pavilion first, then attack the Seven Sword Sects." At that moment, Go Geuksin’s face stiffened.
He had declared with his own mouth that he would destroy Bu Eunseol’s sect before targeting the Seven Sword Sects. In other words, until Nangyang Pavilion was eradicated, he couldn’t touch the Seven Sword Sects.
Grind.
Go Geuksin clenched his teeth. No matter how fearsome the Blood Sea Demon Well was as a demonic stronghold, it lacked the courage to challenge Nangyang Pavilion.
Even eliminating Bu Eunseol discreetly wouldn’t be easy. If Bu Eunseol stubbornly survived this duel?
Even if they won, the Blood Sea Demon Well would be utterly destroyed by Nangyang Pavilion.
Clench.
Swallowing his humiliation once more, Go Geuksin turned away.
"We’re leaving!" The surrounding warriors retreated like a receding tide.
"…" For a while, silence hung over Seogangwon’s courtyard.
The young men of the Seven Sword Sects couldn’t lift their heads. The one to break the long, heavy silence was none other than Guyang Cheongjeong.
"Because of us?" She stared intently at the departing Bu Eunseol. "You revealed your identity because of us, didn’t you?"
"What do you mean?" As Bu Eunseol turned, Guyang Cheongjeong’s large eyes sparkled. "You were trying so hard to hide your identity, weren’t you? But you boldly revealed it to that Blood Sea Demon Well villain."
With a confident expression, she continued, "To protect us."
Her voice was soft, as if in a dream.
"Because the Blood Sea Demon Well was targeting our Seven Sword Sects… you deliberately revealed your identity to stop them." Bu Eunseol shook his head.
"It was just annoying." Though he said that, it wasn’t his true intent.
Unlike usual, he had indulged Guyang Cheongjeong’s persistence several times, pretending to give in. Deep down, Bu Eunseol wanted to watch over these lively young people a bit longer. Because he had to walk a harsh path soaked in blood, the fate of a Ten Demonic Warrior…
‘A brief moment of deviation, was it?’ With a bitter smile, he turned away again. The direction Bu Eunseol walked wasn’t toward Jinhangwon but out of the inn. Now that his identity was exposed, he could no longer stay in Jinyang.
"Young Master Bu!" At that moment, the six young men hurriedly ran to Bu Eunseol, clasping their hands. "Please, let the Seven Sword Sects have a chance to repay your kindness!"
Unable to meet his eyes directly, they slightly bowed their heads, but their gazes were earnest.
"Kindness, huh." Muttering to himself, Bu Eunseol looked at the distant sky with a bitter expression.
Kindness, grudges.
As long as one treads the martial world, they can never be free from debts and vendettas.
"If you think there’s such a thing, forget it." Feeling the hassle, Bu Eunseol shook his head. "And, if possible, forget me too."
"Young Master."
"It’s just time for me to leave, that’s all." It had been over two months since he arrived in Jinyang.
Having fully processed the insights gained from his battles, it was time to face the Great Righteous Masters again.
Whoosh.
As Bu Eunseol vanished into the night with a swift movement technique, the young men of the Seven Sword Sects lowered their heads in regret. Only Guyang Cheongjeong looked up, gazing at him with wistful eyes.
"Please…"
In that moment, Guyang Cheongjeong prayed fervently in her heart.
To become someone capable of holding onto him next time.
And to meet him again, without fail.
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