They say that when a person faces death, their life flashes before their eyes like a galloping lantern.
But in Hyeok Sojin’s eyes, it wasn’t his past life he saw—it was himself, riding red clouds, joyfully crossing the River of Three Paths.
‘I’m going to die!’ Snapping to his senses, Hyeok Sojin threw himself to the left with all his might.
Boom!
The force of the Heavenly Hand Void Shatter technique grazed his tumbling body, causing one side of the training ground’s wall to collapse.
Rumble!
An entire pavilion standing before it began to crumble completely.
‘This kind of fist technique…’ Not only Pung Yeoryang, watching from behind, but even Hyeok Gongbaek stood with his mouth agape. The single punch Bu Eunseol unleashed surpassed human capability, as if dozens of cannons had exploded at once.
Whoosh.
The thick dust filling the training ground was swept away by a gust of wind.
“You moved,” Bu Eunseol muttered calmly, retracting his fist.
Hyeok Sojin, who should have stood firm at the center of the training ground, had shifted five jang (about 15 meters) to the left.
‘This madman really used a vacuum technique…’
Hyeok Sojin was about to shout in outrage, but—
Rustle…
He froze, his words caught in his throat, as he looked down at the fabric near his shoulder, disintegrating into powder. The range of Bu Eunseol’s Heavenly Hand Void Shatter was so vast that even moving five jang hadn’t allowed him to fully evade it.
‘Is he unafraid of death?’
Hyeok Sojin glared at Bu Eunseol. If he gave the order, Heaven and Earth Severing Sect’s masters would swarm in and tear Bu Eunseol apart.
“…” But Bu Eunseol stood there, serene, as if nothing had happened.
‘He’s serious,’ Hyeok Sojin thought, sweat beading on his forehead as he let out a low groan. ‘A fist technique of this power could only be countered with Divine Rift Demon Energy at seventy percent mastery.’
“Now I understand why you were so confident in this bet,” Hyeok Sojin said, clearing his throat and feigning nonchalance. “Indeed… no one could withstand such a technique head-on.”
Shaking his head, he continued, “No, with a fist technique wielded so freely, there might not even be a need to fight…”
But an unexpected response came from Bu Eunseol. “No need to worry. I won’t use this technique again.”
“What do you mean?” Hyeok Sojin asked.
“A vacuum technique should be unleashed freely, regardless of stance or situation. But I haven’t refined this technique to that level yet,” Bu Eunseol said, brushing off his hands with a relaxed expression. “You, a frog in a well, wouldn’t understand.”
Hyeok Sojin’s body flinched. He realized what Bu Eunseol was implying.
A frog in a well.
Hyeok Sojin, who spent his days in idleness, viewing the world with cold disdain. While Bu Eunseol progressed, Hyeok Sojin would achieve no growth at all.
“What does it matter to you how my martial arts are?” Hyeok Sojin said, his eyes flashing with anger. “Just because you’ve diligently trained, you think you’re qualified to lecture me?”
“I’m not lecturing,” Bu Eunseol said, his eyes burning with a heat that could melt iron. “Get ready.”
“For what?”
“You lost the bet. Fulfill your promise.”
Shing.
As he drew his black sword, the air in the training ground seemed to freeze.
“No childish bet. A real fight.”
At that moment, Hyeok Sojin’s eyes shook violently. He realized Bu Eunseol was truly prepared to swing his sword at him.
‘This guy… he’s serious.’ Hyeok Sojin instinctively knew. Bu Eunseol would fight with full intent, and if that happened, he wouldn’t escape unscathed.
Humm! A low sword hum resonated, and six inches of inky sword energy surged from the black blade. ‘He’s materialized true energy across the entire sword?’ Hyeok Sojin’s half-closed eyes widened in shock.
‘His inner energy exceeds a hundred years?’ Hyeok Sojin’s own inner energy was around a century’s worth, bolstered by consuming elixirs since childhood and the constant energy circulation effects of Divine Rift Demon Energy.
‘I thought no successor of the Ten Demonic Sects could surpass me in inner energy.’ Hyeok Sojin gritted his teeth. ‘With only thirty percent mastery of Divine Rift Demon Energy, I can’t block his attacks.’
Bu Eunseol looked down at him with a cold gaze. “From now on, I’ll unleash vacuum techniques with full force. Don’t complain that I didn’t warn you.”
“Are you serious? You’d cut me down? Here in Heaven and Earth Severing Sect?” Hyeok Sojin protested.
“I’ve already spoken with Elder Phantom Demon,” Bu Eunseol said, pointing the black sword at Hyeok Sojin’s forehead with a chilling voice. “No matter how many times I cut you, he won’t intervene.”
“Nonsense. I’ll ask my grandfather myself,” Hyeok Sojin scoffed, starting to move.
Flash!
A streak of light passed, and a thin line of blood appeared on Hyeok Sojin’s cheek.
“I said get ready,” Bu Eunseol said.
Drop, drop.
Hyeok Sojin stared at the red droplets falling to the ground, his eyes wide.
His life had been monotonous, repetitive.
He thought he wouldn’t care if he died.
But faced with death, his mind went blank.
‘I’d die to a single strike from him?’
He wasn’t afraid. He was indignant.
If he had properly mastered Heaven and Earth Severing Sect’s supreme technique, Divine Rift Demon Energy, he could have deflected such an attack with ease. No, if he had diligently trained even a fraction of the hundreds of demonic techniques in his mind, he wouldn’t be so helpless.
A lazy genius’s life.
It was closer to the life of a foolish idiot than a true genius.
“Wait!” Hyeok Sojin shouted, thrusting out a hand urgently. “I haven’t properly trained in martial arts.”
“So?” Bu Eunseol asked.
“It’s unfair.”
“Ridiculous,” Bu Eunseol said with a cold smile. “If you had trained diligently, do you think you could stand against me?” He continued in a low voice, “While you wasted time here, I cut down on sleep to hone myself, venturing into the martial world to fight battles that danced with death.”
“I just…” Hyeok Sojin began.
“Because life was boring?” Bu Eunseol interrupted, a scornful smile on his lips. “Those truly detached from life don’t gamble. They simply endure each day’s suffering.”
Having witnessed countless lives and deaths, Bu Eunseol saw through Hyeok Sojin’s facade. His gambling wasn’t a sign of true disillusionment with life.
“You look indignant. Fine,” Bu Eunseol said, lowering his sword to the ground. “Two years, three years? Name your time. If you want to delay this fight, I’ll allow it. But…”
He paused, staring intently at Hyeok Sojin. “During that time, I’ll roam the martial world and grow even further.” With a solemn expression, he added, “No matter what you do, you’ll never defeat me in your lifetime.”
Hyeok Sojin’s eyes widened in shock.
A giant.
Bu Eunseol, standing tall, exuded an aura like an unassailable mountain.
‘Was I truly a frog in a well?’ Hyeok Sojin had believed no one could surpass him.
But before him stood an unparalleled martial genius, impossible to overcome.
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Hyeok Sojin shouted, mustering courage and drawing his inner energy.
Rumble.
At that moment, a sharp aura poured from Bu Eunseol’s body, and behind him, the faint silhouette of a massive sword seemed to appear. It was a kind of presence, naturally emanating from one who had repeatedly faced life-and-death battles.
‘This guy…’
Thump, thump.
A true warrior, forged in blood-soaked battles and carrying his life on the edge of a blade, stood before him.
Undefeatable.
Realizing this, Hyeok Sojin felt not fear but a long-forgotten spark of ambition reignite within him.
“I lose,” he said, bowing his head.
There was no point in clinging to pride. He cleanly admitted defeat, respectfully clasping his hands. “For now.” A sharp glint flashed through his usually languid eyes. “Later, I’ll come find you. Then we’ll have a proper fight.”
‘He’s saying he’ll train seriously,’ Bu Eunseol thought.
Clank.
Nodding, Bu Eunseol sheathed his sword. “Good. I accept.”
Hyeok Sojin straightened, saying, “You’d better prepare. Once I train properly, I won’t lose.” Then, as if recalling something, he clenched his fists and muttered, “Though, no matter how strong I get, I’ll only ever be the leader of Heaven and Earth Severing Sect, managing old demonic masters.”
Bu Eunseol finally understood the root of Hyeok Sojin’s despair.
‘His burden was the yoke of being Heaven and Earth Severing Sect’s successor.’
Whether he tried or not, the highest position Hyeok Sojin could reach was leader of Heaven and Earth Severing Sect. No matter how genius-like his martial talent, no amount of training would change his circumstances.
“But now I have a goal—you,” Hyeok Sojin said. “I’ll try again.”
The pain and lethargy in his eyes were gone. Bu Eunseol’s challenge had rekindled his ambition. He would train earnestly to surpass him.
‘This should be enough,’ Bu Eunseol thought, nodding.
Turning to Hyeok Gongbaek, he said, “It seems I’ve fulfilled the second promise. What do you think?”
“Hmm,” Hyeok Gongbaek murmured, walking slowly to the center of the training ground.
After a moment of thought, instead of answering, he voiced a question he’d been holding in. “By the way…”
“?” Bu Eunseol tilted his head.
“Were you really going to cut Sojin down?”
“Make me one promise.” Before coming here, Bu Eunseol had made a request of Hyeok Gongbaek: “Once I step onto the training ground, no matter what happens, don’t intervene.”
At the time, Hyeok Gongbaek had agreed casually, confident in Hyeok Sojin’s prowess and thinking, ‘Surely he wouldn’t actually harm Heaven and Earth Severing Sect’s successor?’
But when Bu Eunseol aimed his black sword at Hyeok Sojin, Hyeok Gongbaek realized.
Bu Eunseol was serious.
“Yes,” Bu Eunseol confirmed.
“Heh heh. Hahaha!” Hyeok Gongbaek burst into hearty laughter. “Not just bold—your guts are practically bursting! Hahaha!”
The greatest masters who dominate the martial world all possess an untouchable madness. A true madness that shatters worldly norms and allows them to act without hesitation.
Laughing heartily for a while, he nodded. “Heaven and Earth Severing Sect will officially support you. I’ll send word to Majeon Lord immediately.”
“Thank you,” Bu Eunseol said, his expression lightening.
“Are you leaving now?” Hyeok Gongbaek asked.
“Yes,” Bu Eunseol replied, respectfully clasping his hands. “I’ll take my leave.”
“Good luck,” Hyeok Gongbaek said.
“Thank you.” With that, Bu Eunseol turned and vanished from Heaven and Earth Severing Sect.
Hyeok Sojin watched Bu Eunseol’s retreating figure with clouded eyes.
A warrior’s spirit.
Bu Eunseol’s fiery martial spirit deeply stirred Hyeok Sojin’s heart.
Hyeok Gongbaek nodded and said, “He’s been perfecting his martial arts alone in the martial world. That’s how he achieved such prowess at his age.”
Hyeok Sojin flinched at those words.
The martial world. He had once considered venturing into it himself. But because he mastered martial arts so easily, he gave up.
‘Martial arts can be learned easily from manuals. Why bother with the hardships of the martial world?’
But now he understood. To perfect martial arts, one must face life-and-death battles.
“Will you follow him?” Hyeok Gongbaek’s kind voice rang in Hyeok Sojin’s ears. “If you want to follow, you may.”
“What do you mean…?” Hyeok Sojin asked.
“A warrior pursuing the martial path always faces strong foes and trials,” Hyeok Gongbaek said, gazing at Bu Eunseol’s fading figure. “Like that successor of Nangyang Pavilion.”
He knew.
His grandson, his ambition rekindled, wanted to follow Bu Eunseol into the martial world.
But pride held him back.
“Go. Traveling the martial world with someone like him will not only help you master your martial arts quickly but also bring you great benefits,” Hyeok Gongbaek said persuasively.
Hyeok Sojin took a deep breath. “Is it really okay for me to go?”
“Heh heh. What could be more painful than watching my idle grandson waste his days? Go,” Hyeok Gongbaek urged.
He felt both pride and worry watching his suddenly matured grandson.
“Oh, by the way…” he began.
“No,” Hyeok Sojin cut in.
“Hm?”
“Don’t even think about secretly attaching the Evil Soul Corps to me,” Hyeok Sojin said firmly, seeing through his grandfather’s intentions. “That would turn a martial journey into a leisurely tour.”
“True. Without being tempered, a fine sword cannot be forged,” Hyeok Gongbaek said.
A warrior grows through trials.
Clearing his throat, Hyeok Gongbaek embraced Hyeok Sojin tightly. “Take care.” Though he was the leader of the world-shaking Heaven and Earth Severing Sect, at this moment, Hyeok Gongbaek was just a grandfather cherishing his grandson.
“Don’t worry,” Hyeok Sojin said.
After holding his grandfather tightly for a moment, he suddenly exclaimed, “Oh! I need to chase him now.”
He had arrived by carriage, but Bu Eunseol hadn’t taken one to leave. He must have used swift movement techniques to exit Heaven and Earth Severing Sect.
“Haha, don’t worry. You’ll find his whereabouts easily,” Hyeok Gongbaek said.
“How?” Hyeok Sojin asked.
“His destination is obvious.”
“You know where he’s going?” Hyeok Sojin asked.
“He’s Nangyang Pavilion’s successor. Heaven and Earth Severing Sect’s support alone won’t secure Majeon’s successor position,” Hyeok Gongbaek said, his eyes flashing. “Affectionate Blossom Sect. He’ll aim to gain the support of that vast and powerful women’s sect to claim Majeon’s successor seat.”
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