It was the best question he could ask with a single Boeun coin.
Silence followed, then the Divine Sage’s voice emerged from the wall.
“One of the Seven Great Masters of the Martial Alliance.” Pausing briefly, he continued, “However, I cannot specify which one. Because… the mortician Bu Zhanyang erased the traces himself to prevent the culprit from being found.”
His voice carried certainty.
“It’s as if he didn’t want anyone to seek revenge on his behalf.”
There were indeed traces of the culprit’s martial arts on his grandfather’s body. His eyes were gouged out, his arms severed, and poisoned hidden weapons were embedded in him.
But what traces had he erased?
“What the mortician Bu Zhanyang erased was the very fact of the culprit’s presence.” The Divine Sage answered calmly, as if seeing through Bu Eunseol’s thoughts. “Swordsmen who have reached the pinnacle of mastery can freely wield both righteous and demonic sword techniques. Identifying them by the scars left on a body is quite difficult.”
A spark flashed in Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
The Divine Sage clearly knew about his grandfather. And… even about Bu Eunseol himself.
Otherwise, he couldn’t have given such an answer.
‘Then the Divine Sage is…’
Bu Eunseol’s heart began to pound.
To know about him and his grandfather meant only two possibilities.
Either he was the culprit who had been observing them for a long time… or someone who had known his grandfather for years.
Thump, thump.
Bu Eunseol suppressed his wildly beating heart and emotions.
‘I must stay calm.’
The ability to speak calmly even in the face of an enemy was essential when facing a superior opponent.
—How do you know about the mortician Bu Zhanyang?
Bu Eunseol wanted to smash the wall and shout this.
But he maintained a terrifying calm, saying nothing.
He had only one Boeun coin.
If he let his emotions take over and pressed this issue, he might miss out on the information the Divine Sage held.
“Even after investigating the movements of the Seven Great Masters at the time, there was no clue to identify the culprit,” Bu Eunseol said.
“Correct. They likely covered their tracks perfectly.”
Even if the culprit’s martial arts had reached the pinnacle, hiding their techniques and moves, the fact remained that they left behind a cruel and vicious sword intent. Moreover, hadn’t they used a Sahyang Clan hidden weapon that even demonic practitioners feared?
Yet the Divine Sage claimed the culprit was one of the Seven Great Masters of the Martial Alliance?
“Without any evidence, why do you say the culprit is one of the Seven Great Masters?”
“There are two reasons.” The Divine Sage answered calmly. “First, the order to kill the mortician Bu Zhanyang came from a secret organization within the Martial Alliance.”
“A secret organization within the Martial Alliance…”
“Exactly. The group you just thought of. It’s them.”
The Divine Sage was referring to the Three Realms.
Bu Eunseol was shocked twice over.
That a secret organization, the Three Realms, was lurking within the Martial Alliance.
And that the Divine Sage had the ability to intercept their orders.
‘But…’
Bu Eunseol couldn’t take his words at face value.
His grandfather, the mortician Bu Zhanyang, had mastered the supreme techniques of the righteous sects and Shaolin’s ultimate inner power, yet left no trace of his martial arts.
Thus, Bu Eunseol had always believed his grandfather was the invincible swordsman, the Seven-Finger Demon Blade.
Could someone like one of the Seven Great Masters have killed him?
“Then wouldn’t it be more likely that they manipulated the Three Venerables or the Martial Alliance Leader?”
Understanding his implication, the Divine Sage said, “The Martial Alliance is far stronger and more terrifying than you think.”
His voice carried a strange resonance as it echoed from the wall.
“Despite the unprecedented rise of the demonic path, the righteous sects maintain dominance because of hidden forces. Among those forces are the Seven Great Masters, who remain concealed.”
“That’s the second reason, isn’t it?”
“Exactly.” The Divine Sage answered readily.
Only the Seven Great Masters, known to rival the Heavenly Emperor, the Three Venerables, or the Four Gods and Seven Kings, could hone their swords to the pinnacle within the Martial Alliance.
And the Divine Sage predicted that the culprit who killed his grandfather was one of them.
‘Hmm.’
A strange thought suddenly struck Bu Eunseol.
He instinctively felt that the Divine Sage wasn’t sharing all the information he knew.
“I paid with a Boeun coin. Yet I’m not getting a definitive answer.”
“One Boeun coin grants one answer. But since I can’t pinpoint the exact culprit, I’m giving you extraordinary information related to it.”
The Divine Sage’s voice grew colder.
It sounded like a warning: provoke him further, and he would stop answering.
‘One of the Seven Great Masters…’
Of course, whether this was true remained uncertain.
But if the Divine Sage’s words were correct?
Bu Eunseol had narrowed down the identity of the culprit he had been searching for tirelessly.
‘But that’s not all.’ He needed to extract as much information as possible from the Divine Sage.
Why? Because the Divine Sage had said:
—The Boeun coin meant for you was never supposed to exist in this world.
This meant he had never intended to meet Bu Eunseol.
In the future, obtaining another Boeun coin—or even if he did, the Divine Sage revealing himself—was unlikely.
Thus, he had to draw out as much information as possible now.
“Fine. I won’t ask further.” Bu Eunseol said calmly. “Instead, tell me everything you know.”
It was a wise move, piercing straight to the heart of the Divine Sage’s intentions.
If the Divine Sage was deliberately withholding or filtering information, he likely wanted something from Bu Eunseol.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have lured him to Shaolin.
‘Perhaps he’s trying to manipulate me.’
“Impressive.” The Divine Sage let out an admiring exclamation, as if seeing through Bu Eunseol’s thoughts. “Then I’ll tell you everything I know.”
He continued in a low voice.
“As you know, every faction or alliance is rife with spies or agents colluding with external forces. The Martial Alliance is no exception.”
Bu Eunseol listened intently, his lips sealed.
“They manipulate martial factions at will. When they were formed or who their true leader is remains unknown…”
The Divine Sage’s voice, sharp then low, sounded like a ghostly wail.
“They are called the Three Heavens or Three Realms, as they divide and rule the world or heavens.”
These were facts Bu Eunseol had already learned from the blue-eyed man.
But he kept his mouth shut, listening closely to the Divine Sage.
“And each time they appear in the world, they use different names. The force currently leading the martial world is called the Infinite Realm, the First Heaven.”
“…”
“As you likely know, the Three Realms’ spies are embedded in both righteous and demonic factions, and they don’t even know each other.”
The Divine Sage continued.
“They only know the emissaries who give them orders.”
The reason the Infinite Realm’s true nature remained hidden was that they operated like a cell organization, ensuring no one could trace their higher-ups.
“But there’s a catch. The Infinite Realm isn’t the only one that has appeared in the martial world.”
His voice pressed on.
“In other words, it’s unclear whether the mortician Bu Zhanyang’s death was ordered by the Infinite Realm or another realm.”
A flash passed through Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
The Divine Sage.
He was either deeply connected to the Three Realms or someone within their ranks.
The Three Realms’ intelligence network surpassed even the Shadow Pavilion, Majeon’s top intelligence organization. No matter how great the Divine Sage was, he couldn’t uncover such details without knowing their structure.
“But what’s certain is that the Three Realms have extended their reach into the Martial Alliance, and the mortician Bu Zhanyang’s death was decided by their forces within it.”
The Divine Sage’s voice gradually faded.
“And the one likely to have been recruited to carry out such an order is one of the Seven Great Masters. That’s all I know about the mortician Bu Zhanyang’s death.”
Hearing everything, Bu Eunseol nodded.
In essence, he confirmed that the Three Realms were involved in his grandfather’s death.
The claim that the culprit was one of the Seven Great Masters was merely a prediction.
‘Is this what I wanted?’
If his predictions were correct, to find the true culprit, Bu Eunseol would need to investigate not only the Seven Great Masters but also the organization nested within the Martial Alliance.
In other words, the Divine Sage wanted Bu Eunseol to thoroughly investigate the Martial Alliance.
“Very well. I’ve heard you.” Bu Eunseol stood before the opaque wall, clasping his hands.
Whoosh!
But it wasn’t a gesture of respect.
Raising his inner power to its peak, a red whirlwind swirled around his fists.
The Seven Fist Demon Forms, Fourth Form. The most destructive bare-handed technique, the Fist of Ruin.
He was preparing to unleash the Heaven Hand Void Break.
“Hah!” A fierce shout, unlike any before, erupted from Bu Eunseol’s mouth.
Pouring four hundred years’ worth of immense inner power, he struck the opaque wall.
Boom!
The impact shook the heavens and earth.
Hum! Hum! Hum!
But the opaque wall only vibrated lowly, unscathed by the full force of the Heaven Hand Void Break.
‘A wall made of energy?’ Only after striking it did Bu Eunseol realize it wasn’t a physical wall but a mass of solidified, powerful energy.
‘The Infinity Realm.’
His eyes widened.
Having mastered the Wishful True Binding, Bu Eunseol could also freely materialize energy. But to create such a thick wall would require at least twice his current inner power—eight hundred years’ worth.
Moreover, the wall was completely black and later turned opaque at the Divine Sage’s will.
In other words, the Divine Sage had freely created a black or opaque wall, essentially crafting a substance that didn’t exist in this world. For a human to gain eight hundred years of inner power was impossible, let alone the ability to create new substances.
This wasn’t merely an energy wall—it was a phenomenon created by the Divine Sage.
Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened further.
Not only did the Divine Sage vastly surpass his martial prowess, but he could also create phenomena.
He was a master who had reached the Limitless Realm.
“Impressive.”
The Divine Sage’s voice echoed.
“To amass such power at your age. And to have mastered both righteous and demonic principles simultaneously.”
His eerie voice was filled with admiration.
“I like it. I didn’t misjudge you.”
With just one strike at the wall, the Divine Sage had discerned not only Bu Eunseol’s inner power level but also the principles of the martial arts he had mastered.
“This… is truly a pity.”
The Divine Sage hesitated before continuing.
“I’ll make you a special offer.”
Then he said something unexpected.
“Soon, the Martial Alliance will hold a Heroes’ Conference, inviting outstanding young talents. They’ll select a new Third-Rank Warlord through a tournament.”
“…”
“They’ve already chosen a suitable candidate, so it’s a farce, but you could easily disrupt their plans, couldn’t you?”
Click.
At that moment, the coin box on the table transformed into a small wooden box.
“Open it.”
Bu Eunseol opened the box to find a silver token and two books.
“What are these?”
“A token proving you’re the heir of the Sunflower Merchant Guild and the martial arts manual they use. The other book details their background.”
The Divine Sage’s voice continued.
“This identity was created long ago, so no one can find fault with it. With this identity, you’ll surely be invited to the Martial Alliance.”
Astonishingly, the Divine Sage was giving Bu Eunseol a chance to infiltrate the Martial Alliance and investigate them.
“If you win the tournament at the Heroes’ Conference and become the new Warlord, you’ll gain status while undertaking various missions… and perhaps even find the one who carried out the order to kill the mortician Bu Zhanyang.”
“I came to ask one question with the Boeun coin,” Bu Eunseol said, puzzled. “Why go to such lengths?”
He stared coldly at the opaque wall and continued, “Are you trying to manipulate me to your will?”
“Not at all.”
The Divine Sage said softly.
“It’s because I like you.”
Hum.
The opaque wall emitting the Divine Sage’s voice began to lose its glow.
“The choice is yours.”
Hum, hum, hum.
With a low vibration, the opaque wall grew increasingly faint.
At the same time, a small door appeared—likely a passage to secretly exit Shaolin.
Until now, the Divine Sage had created a miraculous phenomenon in an open passage to converse with Bu Eunseol.
“I see.” Bu Eunseol’s expression turned hollow, as if realizing something. “Now I understand who the Divine Sage is.”
As he stared at the open passage where the Divine Sage had vanished, a sharp glint shone in his eyes.
“If you wanted me to mistake you for an eccentric hidden master, you shouldn’t have mentioned that I’ve mastered both righteous and demonic principles.”
Bu Eunseol muttered, taking a deep breath.
“The Heavenly Emperor, Shin Domubi.”
Heat rose in his eyes.
“So, the Divine Sage is another identity of the Martial Alliance Leader.”
It was not suspicion but near certainty.
The Divine Sage had freely hidden in Shaolin, an impregnable fortress.
He had manipulated secret mechanisms even Shaolin disciples couldn’t access.
Moreover, he had created various trials through those mechanisms to test Bu Eunseol.
And he was a master of the Limitless Realm, capable of producing unique phenomena beyond Bu Eunseol’s imagination. He also had detailed knowledge of the Martial Alliance’s inner workings and provided a perfect identity to infiltrate it easily.
The only one who fit these conditions was Shin Domubi, the Martial Alliance Leader.
“The phenomenon of creating a wall with energy was likely a way to downplay his prowess. If he had revealed his true strength, it would’ve been obvious he was the Heavenly Emperor.”
Though the wall phenomenon was unique, it wasn’t enough to definitively mark him as a master fully immersed in the Infinity Realm.
But to discern, with a single strike, that Bu Eunseol had mastered both righteous and demonic principles?
The Heart of Heaven Technique.
Without mastering Shin Domubi’s exclusive technique, which allowed synchronization with an opponent’s inner power through mere contact, this would be impossible.
“When the Heart of Heaven Technique reaches its pinnacle, it can synchronize even with the flow of energy vibrations…”
In the end, the Divine Sage had inadvertently revealed that he was the Heavenly Emperor among the Twin Heavenly Emperors.
“Whether the Divine Sage is the Martial Alliance Leader or not isn’t important.” Bu Eunseol looked down at the token and manuals in the wooden box. “If what you say is true, it means my grandfather’s killer is within the Martial Alliance.”
This raised another question.
If the Divine Sage was Shin Domubi, the Martial Alliance Leader, could he not identify the Three Realms’ spies? Or was he withholding precise information despite knowing it all?
“I’ll find out when I go to the Martial Alliance.” Bu Eunseol reached for the token in the wooden box. “With this identity, I can openly join the Martial Alliance.”
As the future leader of Majeon, he should never use a dual identity to infiltrate the Martial Alliance.
But Bu Eunseol had no reservations.
His sole purpose in entering the martial world was to find his grandfather’s killer and exact revenge.
He had no intention of becoming the heaven of the demonic path.
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