Rumble rumble.
Before the Suppressed Demon Pavilion, vibrations like stampeding cattle resounded.
“What’s that?” A guard at the Suppressed Demon Pavilion rubbed his eyes.
Armed troops encircled the pavilion? Sensing anomaly, the guard signaled his comrade.
“Quick, inform Squad Captain Jo.”
Jo Namcheon commanded the Suppressed Demon Pavilion guards. As the comrade nodded and hurried toward Jo Namcheon’s quarters,
“No need.” The door opened, and Bu Eunseol emerged leisurely in casual robes.
Having sensed the pouring presences around the Suppressed Demon Pavilion, he exited promptly.
Clasp.
The frontal ranks parted left and right, a middle-aged man in ornate robes striding forth with haughty air.
It was Dan Wolhon.
“You’ve come.” Bu Eunseol smiled leisurely, cupping his hands. “I summoned you too suddenly—apologies.”
“What’s the business?”
“Please enter. Tea is prepared.”
“I asked your business.” Dan Wolhon glared terrifyingly at Bu Eunseol. “If it’s for trifles that you summoned this Vice Lord…”
Volcanic light erupted in his eyes.
“You’ll need to relocate your residence today.” Dan Wolhon meant it.
If Bu Eunseol summoned him to flaunt successor pomp?
He would order the Ten Thousand Demon Hall to raze the Suppressed Demon Pavilion outright. As Majeon's Strategic Division's Lord, he held ample qualification and power.
“Hm.” Furrowing his brow, Bu Eunseol turned.
“Unryong.”
The hall door opened, Yoo Unryong in scholar garb emerging with a wooden box.
“Present that to the Vice Lord.”
“What’s this?”
“Hard to discuss here.”
“Are you toying with this Vice Lord now?” At Bu Eunseol’s words, azure killing intent flowed from Dan Wolhon’s eyes. “Such items should be handled by underlings…”
「It’s the Extreme Spirit Elixir.」
Bu Eunseol’s transmission shook his ears; Dan Wolhon gasped undignifiedly.
“Ehk!”
「If others know, it’ll weary you, Vice Lord.」
Many Majeon noble families had blocked meridians. If word spread Dan Wolhon acquired the Extreme Spirit Elixir? He’d face endless harassments.
“I’ve heard you’ve toiled exhaustingly in duties, Vice Lord.” As if pre-instructed by Bu Eunseol, Yoo Unryong spoke clearly. “It’s ginseng from beyond the eastern seas. Great for restoring vitality.”
Dan Wolhon, dazed, accepted the wooden box Yoo Unryong proffered.
Sealed tight, yet an indescribably fresh, invigorating fragrance wafted everywhere. Inside was no ginseng—but assuredly the Extreme Spirit Elixir.
“This is…” Moisture clouded Dan Wolhon’s eyes.
He’d brought the full Ten Thousand Demon Hall to cow the successor’s aura…
Yet this gift freely saved his daughter’s life?
Even a transcendent wonder granting century’s inner energy upon his own consumption.
“Y-you.” Dan Wolhon approached Bu Eunseol, prostrating and clasping his hands like obeisance.
“Thank you.” Swallowing surging emotion, he spoke in trembling voice.
“I pledge my loyalty unto death. Nay—even if my body crumbles to ash!” At Dan Wolhon’s cry, the Ten Thousand Demon Hall elites behind him paled in shock.
Ordered to raze the Suppressed Demon Pavilion without hesitation upon command. Yet suddenly swearing loud fealty to Bu Eunseol?
“No need for that.”
“What do you mean?”
“Merely repaying a debt to Lady Dan.”
“Debt? What debt?” Bu Eunseol drew a necklace with a transparent jade pendant.
“I overcame great peril thanks to this Azure Flower.”
Dan Wolhon rubbed his eyes. The precious necklace meant for his daughter’s neck—why dangled it from that man’s?
“So-ok… gave you this?”
It was even a memento left by his dying wife. And she’d secretly given it to Bu Eunseol without consulting her father?
“How did you come by it?” At Dan Wolhon’s question, Bu Eunseol explained calmly.
Before departing Majeon, Dan So-ok gave it for her Affectionate Blossom Sect visit…
And with it, he saved Heaven and Earth Severing Sect Lord Hyeok Gongbaek’s life.
“Argh!” Hearing all, Dan Wolhon flung his clasped hands and bellowed.
“Forget every word just now!”
Dan Wolhon seethed to his scalp.
Not from regretting the Azure Flower.
That necklace was Dan So-ok’s chosen betrothal gift for her fiancé. And she’d given it to Bu Eunseol without a word to her father?
“Impossible. Utterly…” Dan Wolhon trembled in rage.
She hadn’t even considered the rice-cake giver…
He wasn’t yet prepared to welcome Bu Eunseol as son-in-law.
“I cannot permit it! Absolutely not!”
Bellowing, he whirled and stormed from the Suppressed Demon Pavilion.
***
Days later, Dan Wolhon departed Majeon with Dan So-ok.
Her health hadn’t much improved; they’d retreat to Hangzhou for respite. But Bu Eunseol, knowing the truth, smiled faintly.
‘He means to do it properly.’ Bu Eunseol nodded.
The Extreme Spirit Elixir’s potency matched its efficacy—fiercely toxic. Thus, it must disperse gradually, lest the body shatter.
Moreover, sudden vast inner energy…
Dan Wolhon planned a secluded recovery for Dan So-ok, averting rumors about the elixir, while imparting martial arts.
Thud thud.
Then, low footsteps approached the office; Yoo Unryong’s voice followed.
“It’s Yoo Unryong.”
“Enter.”
The door opened; Yoo Unryong set a small wooden case on Bu Eunseol’s desk.
“What’s this?”
“They say it holds a command plaque for the Ten Thousand Demons Leisure Pavilion’s third floor.”
Ten Thousand Demons Leisure Pavilion third floor. There lay martial arts left by generations of Majeon rulers. As legitimate successor, Bu Eunseol could learn one.
Gazing at the case, Bu Eunseol shook his head.
‘Not yet.’ He hadn’t fully mastered even Martial Emperor Purity Hall or the Thirteen Night Mechanisms.
Moreover, with the Emotion-Severing Secret—the Demon Emperor’s orthodox core—clashing fundamentally. Learning another now might regress his arts, he intuited.
“We’ll do that later.” Placing the case on the desk, Bu Eunseol shook his head. “Much to do, after all.”
“To do?” At Yoo Unryong’s question, Bu Eunseol spoke lowly.
“I must visit the Shadow Pavilion Lord.”
Shadow Pavilion.
It managed all intelligence entering Majeon. Thus gripping Majeon’s info veins, its lord was a behind-curtain powerhouse.
Proving it, hadn’t two Ten Demon Warriors been drawn from there? That alone hinted at the Shadow Pavilion’s exalted status in Majeon.
“What brings the Martial Soul Command Lord?”
Shadow Pavilion Lord Hwa Jungcheon.
He rarely appeared in the martial world, his origins shrouded—demonic path’s prime enigma.
Even how he became lord, or if Hwa Jungcheon was his true name, remained unknown. Only the Demon Emperor, Manbak Hall Lord, and Elder Council Lord Jeok Bong had seen his face; even division heads rarely met him.
Yet as successor, Bu Eunseol entered the Shadow Pavilion boldly and met him alone.
‘He’s disguised himself.’
Dark circles shadowed Hwa Jungcheon’s eyes, like a crow exuding ill omen. Bu Eunseol instantly discerned the face as altered.
“I seek to learn something.”
“Ask away.”
Bu Eunseol drew a deep breath and spoke.
If anyone knew the identity of the fiend, it would be the one who held all Majeon’s information.
“Someone who has mastered ruthless demonic swordsmanship, can use Cheonchuk Yoga Technique, and favors poisoning hidden weapons with Rotten and Decaying type poisons…”
Listening to Bu Eunseol, Hwa Jungcheon said in a low voice, “To my knowledge, only one person in the martial world fits that description.”
“Who is it?”
“The Demonic Path’s Greatest Swordsman, Seven-Finger Demon Blade, Bu Zhanyang.”
Bu Eunseol slightly furrowed his brow.
The Master of the Shadow Pavilion echoed the same story as the Heavenly Thief.
But the martial world registry at Affectionate Blossom Sect had no record of Seven-Finger Demon Blade Bu Zhanyang using poisons or hidden weapons.
“There’s no record of Seven-Finger Demon Blade Bu Zhanyang using poisons or hidden weapons.”
“Only a select few in the martial world know that fact. I’m one of them.”
“So, he did use poisons and hidden weapons?”
When Hwa Jungcheon nodded, Bu Eunseol asked again, “Where is he?”
“As you know, he vanished thirty years ago. His whereabouts since then are completely unknown.”
Bu Eunseol fell into thought.
Given Hwa Jungcheon’s confidence, it seemed certain that Seven-Finger Demon Blade Bu Zhanyang did use poisons and hidden weapons.
‘Is there a grudge between the Greatest Swordsman of the Demonic Path and my grandfather?’
It wasn’t an impossible theory.
His grandfather wasn’t an ordinary investigator.
Having taught Bu Eunseol the Muscle-changing Sutra, he was likely a disciple of Shaolin, possibly of high status. It was plausible he had a feud with the ruthless Greatest Swordsman of the Demonic Path, Bu Zhanyang.
‘But their names are the same, aren’t they?’
Could his grandfather be the Greatest Swordsman of the Demonic Path, Bu Zhanyang, in disguise?
With this thought, Bu Eunseol urgently asked, “Does Seven-Finger Demon Blade Bu Zhanyang really have seven fingers?”
“Yes.”
“Have you seen it yourself?” Hwa Jungcheon nodded firmly.
“I have.”
‘Is the same name a coincidence?’
Bu Zhanyang, an investigator from the Huangzhou Prefecture Office.
Bu Zhanyang, the Deputy Leader of Majeon, Seven-Finger Demon Blade.
Their names were identical, but their statuses were worlds apart. Moreover, the Seven-Finger Demon Blade was said to have seven fingers.
Yet his grandfather clearly had ten fingers, warm with life. You could lose fingers, but there was no way to grow new ones, was there?
‘Then…’ Suddenly, Bu Eunseol recalled something.
Hwa Jungcheon, having held the position of Master of the Shadow Pavilion for over thirty years, would surely know the appearance record of Seven-Finger Demon Blade Bu Zhanyang.
“Is there any record of Seven-Finger Demon Blade Bu Zhanyang’s appearance?”
“Hm.” With a low hum, the Master of the Shadow Pavilion ordered a subordinate to bring a book.
Opening it revealed the face of a middle-aged warrior, drawn with a stern and indignant aura.
“This is Bu Zhanyang’s appearance record.”
Bu Eunseol, staring at the book, shook his head.
‘It’s not him.’
Even accounting for age, Seven-Finger Demon Blade Bu Zhanyang’s appearance was entirely different from his kind-faced grandfather.
‘But…’ Martial artists could alter their appearance records.
There was no guarantee this was Bu Zhanyang’s true face.
‘Hm?’
Staring at the book, Bu Eunseol couldn’t hide his confusion. At the bottom of the appearance record, the words “Primary Extermination Target” were clearly written.
“How could a deputy leader of this sect be an extermination target?”
“It was before he joined the sect,” Hwa Jungcheon explained calmly. “He was originally a reckless killer wandering the martial world. He even cut down several of our sect’s masters.”
“Hm.”
“But he was eventually persuaded to join the sect, achieving numerous merits and rising to deputy leader.”
Bu Eunseol nodded faintly. Everything Hwa Jungcheon said was a secret history of the martial world, unknown to most.
“Have I answered your questions?” As the Master of the Shadow Pavilion stood, Bu Eunseol shook his head.
“I have more to ask.”
“Go ahead.”
“I want to know the location of Sahyang.”
Hwa Jungcheon shook his head.
“The location of Sahyang remains unknown.”
“I said I want to know.”
In other words, find out.
Staring at Bu Eunseol, Hwa Jungcheon suddenly burst into laughter.
“Huhuhu. You seem to be mistaken.” He said coldly, “My willingness to answer was a courtesy because you’ve just become the successor.”
Standing, he spoke in a low voice, “But only the Demon Emperor, one person, can freely access this pavilion’s information. Understood?”
‘The Demon Emperor.’
Bu Eunseol realized once more the Master of the Shadow Pavilion’s status and authority.
Excluding Elder Leader Jeok Bung and Manbak Hall Lord Baek Jeoncheon, Hwa Jungcheon was the first in Majeon to use the title “Leader” before the Demon Emperor.
‘He’s older than he looks.’
Hwa Jungcheon spoke again.
“If it’s related to the sect, you can obtain any information. But for personal matters, that’s impossible. Got it?”
—Even as the successor, I won’t give you information for personal matters.
That’s what Hwa Jungcheon was saying.
‘Hm.’ Bu Eunseol nodded.
He had anticipated this response.
As the successor, he couldn’t yet grasp all the sect’s intelligence networks. Hadn’t even the Demon Emperor told him to find answers himself?
“So, I can obtain any information if it’s not personal.”
“Correct.” Bu Eunseol’s eyes sharpened.
“What’s the basis for that judgment?” At the same time, a murderous aura emanated from him. “Why do you judge my questions as personal matters?”
The murderous intent flowing from Bu Eunseol was no bluff.
Hwa Jungcheon’s gaze changed.
“Are you threatening this pavilion master?”
He, too, was a master of the Supreme Heaven Realm. Despite knowing Bu Eunseol’s prowess had reached that level, he showed no fear.
“Just answer,” Bu Eunseol said in a voice dripping with menace.
“Why are my questions deemed personal? On what basis do you judge?”
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